MPI Releases Social Media Research

The MPI Foundation has released the final white paper of Phase II of its Future of Meetings research. "The Value of Connection: A Review of Social Media Trends" reports that social media marketing practices that were cutting edge a year ago are now either so pervasive as to be ineffectual or no longer permissible. Other findings include:
• The meeting industry needs to identify and nurture true advocates to enhance the value of social media.
• Virtual sociability translates into real social life and "in the flesh" contact.
• Traditional media are likely to remain important.
• Social media should be seen as part of the product offering, not promotion.
The full report is available free for members and for $99 for nonmembers here; the rest of the research can be found at MPI's Future of Meetings portal. A LinkedIn subgroup of MPI offers a forum to discuss the findings.