Social Media Integration Interim Report: Motorcycle Live 2011
Investigating how the level of social media integration within the motorcycle industry has changed in the last six months.
In November last year I published a social media integration benchmark study that looked at how exhibitors at the 2010 Carole Nash Motorcycle Live show were getting to grips with social media.
The aim of the research project was to benchmark the level of social media integration within the motorcycle industry and, in doing so, provide a general barometer of social media adoption in the UK. The study focused on the visible level of integration each exhibitor had achieved with their website. Data was collected about Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and RSS integration, as well as the use of content sharing tools.
Overall, the results were far from positive with 65% of businesses having no social media integration at all. The study concluded that:
…there’s still a huge gulf between the leading edge of digital marketing and the everyday reality for most businesses… the challenge for businesses is to understand the commercial relevance of social media marketing and to formulate realistic strategies for its integration.
Social Progress – Interim Research
The full benchmark study will be repeated shortly before the 2011 Motorcycle Live show, which is taking place at Birmingham’s NEC from 19th to 27th November.
In the meantime, 130 exhibitors who had little or no social media integration last year have been re-visited to find out if anything has changed over the course of six months.
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20% now have some form of social media integration
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5.4% are linking to more than one social channel
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7.7% link to a Facebook Page
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4.6% link to a Twitter account
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3.1% link to a YouTube channel
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5.4% are offering an RSS feed
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11.5% feature a content sharing mechanism…
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…of which a third are using the Facebook Like button
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The results are encouraging and mean that among all of 2010′s exhibitors the number with no social media integration has fallen from 65% to 51.5% – an improvement of 21%
Still a long way to go
It’s disappointing to discover that the big manufacturers like Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Harley-Davidson seem to have made no progress at all in six months.
There are a number of companies who are active through social media channels, but are still failing to integrate their websites with their social marketing efforts.
Two of the websites examined were displaying Facebook and/or Twitter icons, but without making them links to the respective social platforms.
Best Integration of Social Media
In last year’s study, Austrian hotel Gasthof Hochalmspitze was highlighted as demonstrating the best integration of social media.
The interim research found that Surf & Turf Instant Shelters had made the most significant progress. Their site now promotes Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr channels, plus an RSS feed.
Two other businesses that warrant a mention in despatches for their progress are DH Autos and Hadrian V-Twin Tours & Rentals.
Predictions for Motorcycle Live 2011
It will be interesting to see how the motorcycle industry continues to make progress with social media integration during the next six months in the run up to Motorcycle Live 2011.
The rate of improvement is unlikely to increase, but by the time of the next full benchmark study it would be realistic to expect that the number of socially-integrated businesses will out-number the rest for the first time.
Brand development through social media remains a big opportunity for those that can get their acts together, but it needs the major manufacturers to lead the way.
