Despite the amazing opportunities, many companies are realizing how fraught with danger the waters are. Many marketers tend to forget that you’re doomed to failure if you don’t pay attention to your customer. You can’t force feed anything to anyone these days.

Social media is big business. The big players are getting bigger and everyone wants a piece of the action. But does big business get it? And will it use social media for good or evil?

Why is it that social-media listening, widely acknowledged to hold great value for marketers, is still not completely embraced by market researchers? Jack Neff writes compellingly on the subject recently in Advertising Age.

Companies, including the automotive industry, continue to incorporate social media as a vital part of their business strategies in 2010 and beyond. The car comes fully loaded and factory equipped with social networks. Ford Motor Company to add web browsing and communication features to 80% of its models by 2015. Big brother is always watching. [...]

Social media became a part of our everyday lives in 2009. What fortunes will 2010 bring? 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1… Happy New Year! A look back on the biggest stories involving social media in 2009. Twitter expert wanted in 140 characters or less. E-commerce startup seeks social-media marketer that “tweets in their sleep.” Just give it plenty of [...]