Face it, you’re website is no longer enough.

And that’s something that’s becoming increasingly clear every day. In fact, over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been finding more and more evidence to support the Planting Seeds theory. First this from a recent study called, “New Technologies and Government of Canada Communications,” which was prepared for: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in April 2008.
•More generally, there was a consensus that it is appropriate for the Government of Canada to reach out to web spaces where Canadians are instead of waiting for Canadians to visit government websites - having a “web presence” in other words. This was not only seen to be appropriate, it was even regarded by some as necessary - as a way to reach Canadians, particularly youth, that are not likely to contact the government directly.”

And then, this week, we were presented with these numbers over at Marketing Charts, in an article titled, “Americans Expect Companies to Have Social-Media Presence“.

To quote the article:
•An overwhelming majority (93%) of online Americans say companies should have a social-media presence, and 85% believe these companies also should be interacting with consumers through social media, according to research from Cone.

The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study also reveals the depth and breadth of social media interaction with companies. Some 60% of Americans interact with companies using social media, one in four interact more than once per week, and 56% feel both a stronger connection with and better served by companies when they interact via social media.”

Of course, the study goes deeper and there are more stats for both. (Email me and I’ll send you the Government report. To read the rest of the Marketing Charts article, click here).

So, what are we to take out of all this?

It’s time to move beyond your four digital walls. Your website, while important, is not the be all and end all of your web presence. It just can’t be anymore. There really is no such thing as “Build it and they will come.” Sure you can build it, but unless you’re connecting with people on their turf and their terms, you’re not giving them a reason to come. Or discover you. Or, more importantly, connect with your brand.

You can debate these numbers. Question the sample size. But it doesn’t change the fact that people are waiting for you to come to them.

The question is: are you making your way over?

Tags: PlantingSeeds, Planting Seeds Online, Marketing Charts, Government, Government of Canada, Canada, U.S., Social Media, Social Networking, Statistics, Web Stats