Social Media Marketing in Germany

Guten Tag!
European companies need to increase traffic to their website, to build a strong brand in India, and drive more online sales.  You need to be noticed, to attract targeted visitors in India.

Let us look at how social media is used in Germany:

• Germany trails behind the US in adopting social media.  Blogs are not yet a part of mainstream media and have no significant influence on public opinion.
• Only 58% of German internet users are on social networking sites (compared to 77% in the US).
• The most popular social networking site in Germany is called StudiVZ, however Facebook is quickly gaining market share.
• Culturally, Germans tend to be very private and do not freely share personal information.  Many still feel that their data is not safe online.
• Germans place a high value on university degrees or professional certifications and do not trust unofficial sources.

(status as on May 2010)

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/5948/3-Social-Media-Lessons-For-Global-Marketers.aspx#ixzz1sjZHUIWS

What is the status today?  Please leave your comments in the space provided below.

Holidays list for Social Media Marketing Strategies

Are you factoring festival mood in your marketing strategies?  There is always some special day in some country in the global village.

• For international business it is necessary for marketeers to know the list of holidays depending on the target country.
• Social Media Marketing strategies are based on target audience.  Here is a list of Holidays / Festival days / special days, on which you post on the social media networking sites, to engage the community. 

ASIA 2011 Holidays	EUROPE 2011 Holidays	MID-EAST / AFRICAN 2011 Holidays
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10   Cambodia - Water Festival   India - Guru Nanak Jayanti   Sri Lanka - Il Full Moon Poya Day    Thailand – Moon Festival FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11     Cambodia - Water Festival   WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23          Japan - Labor and Thanksgiving Day             SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27   Indonesia - Moslem New Year   MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28   Malaysia - Awal Muharram (Maal Hijrah) (Observed) WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30          Philippines - Bonifacio Day   MONDAY, DECEMBER 5     Thailand - H.M. the King's Birthday            TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6    Bangladesh - Muharram (Subject to Lunar Sighting)          India - Moharum              MONDAY, DECEMBER 12   Cambodia - International Human Rights Day (Observed)       Thailand - Constitution Day (Observed)       FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16     Bangladesh - Victory Day     Kazakhstan - Independence Day          SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17    Kazakhstan - Independence Day          MONDAY, DECEMBER 19   Kazakhstan - Public Holiday          FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23     Japan - Emperor's Birthday          SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25    Bangladesh - Christmas Day    Indonesia - Christmas Day Malaysia - Christmas Day     Philippines - Christmas Day          MONDAY, DECEMBER 26   Australia - Christmas Day / Boxing Day       Fiji - Christmas Day (Observed)       Hong Kong - The first weekday after Christmas Day    Indonesia - National Leave New Zealand - Boxing Day   Singapore - Christmas Day Sri Lanka - Special Bank Holiday (Observed)          TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27 Australia - Boxing Day / Proclamation Day / Christmas Day Fiji - Boxing Day (Observed)         Hong Kong - The second weekday after Christmas Day    New Zealand - Christmas Day Holiday       FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30     Philippines - Rizal Day       South Korea - Stock Market (Kosdaq Market, Futures Market, Forex, Kse Bond Market)	FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11        Poland - Independence Day                THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17             Czech Republic - Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day                  Slovakia - Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day                FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18    Latvia - Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia                  MONDAY, NOVEMBER 21      Bosnia and Herzegovina - Date when Dayton Peace Agreement was signed (Banja Luka Se)                THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24             Bosnia and Herzegovina - State Holiday (Sarajevo Stock Exchange)                    THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1    Romania - Romanian National Day                 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6        Finland - Independence Day                THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8    Austria - Immaculate Conception          Macedonia - St.Kliment Ohridski               Malta - Feast of the Immaculate Conception             TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13      Malta - Republic Day                  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23    Ireland - In lieu of Christmas Eve             SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25       Belarus - Christmas Day               MONDAY, DECEMBER 26       Austria - St. Stephen's Day       Bosnia and Herzegovina - Religious Holiday (Sarajevo Stock Exchange)           Bulgaria - Second Christmas Day    Croatia - St. Stephen's Day       Cyprus - Boxing Day         Czech Republic - St. Stephen's Day    Denmark - Boxing Day    Estonia - Boxing Day        Finland - Boxing Day        France - Boxing Day         Germany - Christmas Day             Greece - Second Day of Christmas            Hungary - Christmas        Iceland - Boxing Day        Ireland - St. Stephen's Day       Latvia - Boxing Day          Lithuania - Boxing Day    Luxembourg - Boxing Day             Norway - Boxing Day        Poland - Christmas           Romania - The day after Christmas            Slovakia - St. Stephen's Day       Spain - Market Holiday    Sweden - Boxing Day       Switzerland - St Stephen's Day    United Kingdom - Christmas                     TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27      Ireland - Public Holiday in lieu of Christmas Day          United Kingdom - Boxing Day                FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30    Austria - Exchange Holiday                Ireland - In lieu of New Year's Eve            Macedonia - Non trading day	THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10     Jordan - Eid-Al-Adha (Subject to Lunar Sightings)     Kuwait - Eid Al Adha (Subject to Lunar Sightings)     Oman - Eid Al Adha (Subject to Lunar Sightings)                                   TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15        Ivory Coast - Fete de la Paix      Palestine - Independence Day                             FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 18           Morocco - Day of Independence            Oman - National Day                             TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22        Lebanon - Independence Day                             SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26     Bahrain - Al Hijra New Year (Subject to Lunar Sighting)        Egypt - Muslim New Year (Hegria 1431) (Subject to Lunar       Sightings)                   Palestine - New  Hijri Year      Syria - Hijri New Year's Day (Subject to Lunar Sightings)     Tunisia - Hegire (Islamic New Year) (Subject to Lunar          Sightings)                   United Arab Emirates - Hijri Day (Islamic New Year) (Nasdaq   Dubai)                        SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27         Jordan - Hijra New Yea (Subject to Lunar Sightings)     Kuwait - Observance of Islamic New Year (Subject to Lunar Sightings)                   Oman - New Hijri Year                           FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2             Ghana - Farmers Day             United Arab Emirates - National Day (Nasdaq Dubai)                    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3        United Arab Emirates - National Day (Nasdaq Dubai)                    SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4            Bahrain - Ashoora (Subject to Lunar Sighting)                      MONDAY, DECEMBER 5           Bahrain - Ashoora (Subject to Lunar Sighting)                      FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9             Tanzania - Independence Day                             FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16           Bahrain - National Day            South Africa - Day of Reconciliation                            SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17     Bahrain - National Day                           SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18          Qatar - National Day of Qatar                                   THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22     Zimbabwe - National Unity Day                             SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25          Ghana - Christmas Day          Lebanon - Christmas             Malawi - Christmas Day          Nigeria - Christmas Day (Subject to Confirmation)          Palestine - Christmas             South Africa - Christmas Day     Syria - Christmas Day             Tanzania - Christmas Day       Uruguay - Christmas Day       Zambia - Christmas Day                        MONDAY, DECEMBER 26         Botswana - Boxing Day          Ghana - Boxing day                Namibia - Family Day             Nigeria - Boxing Day               South Africa - Day of Goodwill      Tanzania - Boxing Day            Uganda - Boxing Day              Zambia - Boxing Day              Zimbabwe - Christmas Day (Observed)                                TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27        Botswana - Christmas Day (Observed)
ASIA 2011 Holidays	EUROPE 2011 Holidays	MID-EAST / AFRICAN 2011 Holidays

 Above list may require update.  Please let us know if some special day is to be added / edited.  Kindly give your comments below.  Thank you.