eMerge Americas Attendees and Their Social Media of Choice

The eMerge Americas Conference was held in Miami on April 29 and 30. Melissa Medina, president of eMerge Americas, describes the event as a technology ecosystem that helps cultivate a technology hub in South Florida—all while connecting Latin America with North America and Europe. This ecosystem serves as a local forum to bring together government and community leaders, startups and companies of all sizes to focus on one thing -- technology and its impact on our companies and economies -- for 48 hours.

Social media was one topic of focus. It’s no surprise that social media is disrupting the way that companies do business today. With more than 400 companies from 40 different countries in attendance at this conference, there was no better time to survey business owners to find out which social media outlet (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat) they find most beneficial.

More than 50% of the companies surveyed named Facebook as their number one avenue of social media presence; with Instagram and LinkedIn taking home second and third place, respectively. It became apparent that B2C companies prefer platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Why? Because they are free, easy to navigate, and have a targeted reach for their customer demographic. Furthermore, Instagram and Facebook can connect people in real time globally, and customers receive visuals that can grab their attention at any time of the day. “For me, it’s Facebook because engagement is so easy with our customers. I know Instagram is probably best in general, but I find it harder to do direct interaction,” said Sally Outlaw, B2C owner.

B2Bs are more inclined to prefer LinkedIn. In fact, more than 20% of companies polled preferred LinkedIn for the benefits it provides when looking for talent or broadcasting content. Companies also felt that professionals were more inclined to utilize LinkedIn.

Social media has changed the way people market and target specific audiences, as well as how we communicate in a personal and professional manner. And it continues to evolve. One wonders what social media will look like in the future and how it will impact our communication styles and methods.

More content from eMerge Americas:

• eMerge Americas
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• Re-imagining Cities: Miami -- The City of Sun, Fun and … TECH?
• The Data Privacy Block in the Chain: Blockchains and Immutability