For those people who like to read research papers, the National Institute of Health Care Management (NIHCM) recently released a brief on how social marketing can help teens better utilize health care.
Social marketing is way of influencing people’s behavior, with the purpose of improving the greater good. Some of the techniques are similar to commercial marketing, though it is the target audience, not the marketer, who is the intended beneficiary.
One interesting point in the brief is that there is little published research on how social networking (Facebook, Twitter, blogs, etc.) may benefit social marketing. Social media is so big these days – like it’s a cure-all for marketers. But health communications experts use social media with caution until more research is available.