A number of news items coalesced recently and made me wonder ... what is the true role of social media in the marketing mix today? How has it changed? Is it really about connection? Is it still a way to engage with customers? Or, has it been so overrun by agencies and programmed content that it is little more than advertising? Maybe you have been wondering the same thing? This is such a vital topic that Tom Webster and I decided to tackle this on the latest edition of The Marketing Companion. Have you listened to our podcast yet? If not, please give it a try. We always aim to deliver entertaining and thought ideas to help you through the latest marketing trends and you might have some fun along the way, too. In this edition, we explore: The time element --- social media versus advertising Estimating the sales power of social media Weak links versus strong links and how this converts to sales The correlation between share of conversation and market share Social media at the top of the sales cycle and at the end of it Is social media more like advertising or marketing? A case study illustrating the impression power of social media How will social media platforms re-invent themselves to ignite a "wow factor?" Yes, we covered a lot of ground in just 30 minutes! Are you ready to give this a listen? Resources mentioned in this podcast: The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading: A Comprehensive Guide to the Most Persuasive Psychological Manipulation Technique in the World Age of Context: Mobile, Sensors, Data and the Future of Privacy Content Shock: Why content marketing is not a sustainable strategy The results are in: A case study of social influence Posts about Esurance Super Bowl ads referenced to in the podcast Why the little guy won marketing's biggest prize The missing link between awareness and action The mind-boggling lunacy of people who were impressed with Esurance's Super Bowl ad