Social Media: ‘Agencies Don’t Get It,’ Survey Says

tags: agency, ncb, pr, socialmedia

• This report from AdWeek shows that agencies are continuing to strugle with how to build new media into their practice. Some debate if they’ll figure it out, hire it in, or loose it to the niche practices. If history repeates itself then they’ll handle it like they did with digital agencies of the 90′s: the smarter one’s will figure it out, many mid sized firms will hire the people they need and some niche agencies will crop up and and then get aquired by the big boys.

“One of the big barriers right now is people are struggling with where this lives and how it is incorporated into their organizations,” Nail said, pointing out that social media cuts across marketing, public relations and customer service.

The perceived lack of social media competence at agencies will present opportunities for new providers, Nail predicted, as too many agencies hew narrowly to their niche, whether it’s media, creative or PR — something backed up by client feedback.

“I really think that agencies need to focus heavily on how they can build excitement within the live space of the Internet,” Carolyn Holliday, e-marketing manager at Fila USA, told TNS. “Outside of just placing ads, they need to start dialogues with existing and potential customers.”

- post by tacanderson