Social Media book will be a vital source for A/E Industry

Press Release: June 23, 2011 FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (June 23, 2011) –Social media is quite the hot topic, but are architecture, engineering and environmental consulting firms achieving their intended goals with the use of these outlets? A recent ZweigWhite survey polled a group of firm owners and asked them which social media outlet worked best for their needs. To find new leads/learn about new projects, 80 percent reported that industry related message boards/community web sites were the most helpful. For recruiting new employees, LinkedIn was the favorite with 50.6 percent of respondents reporting it as the most helpful. For thought leadership or sharing information in a particular field, 31.6 percent of respondents said Twitter was the most helpful, with industry related message boards/community web sites falling closely behind at 30.4 percent. With no clear leader for most specific purposes, these statistics reveal that firm leaders are not fully confident in the application of these outlets. An anonymous respondent to the survey commented, “Most large, established companies who use social networks do so in a clunky, corporate way. In order to make the most out of these dynamic media, the approach to outreach has to change.” With a variety of “Social-Media Experts” floating around, an A/E/P or environmental firm needs to look to a source grounded in the industry. ZweigWhite is publishing a social media marketing guide, Social Media in Action: A Comprehensive Guide for Architecture, Engineering, Planning, and Environmental Consulting Firms authored by professional social media and marketing consultants Amanda Walter and Holly Berkley. Based on years of research and in depth interviews with A/E/P professionals and firms who are using social media today, this social media marketing guide will take a deep dive into the A/E industry by providing expert analysis of the current online marketing/social media strategies. Case studies and interviews with industry leaders will give clear applications and methodologies for marketing with social media. Walter says, “We are only beginning to see the A/E industry truly integrate social media practices into their communications strategy. With the growth of social media still booming, there is tremendous opportunity for firms that embrace this technology to help shape how the industry uses it in the future.” The book is due out in mid-to-late August, and will be a vital source for any firm who wants to market themselves successfully and stay connected in this era. For more information visit www.zweigwhite.com Press Contact: Christina Zweig christinaz@zweigwhite.com www.zweigwhite.com