As a public relations professional, I am confronted daily with the latest buzz words, and along with those, come a string of clients who believe they should be doing something because it is the latest and greatest marketing trend.
Now enter social media. It seems like wherever you look, every one and any one is on Facebook, has a MySpace account and is Tweeting. More and more people are jumping on the social media bandwagon, and since it is the latest marketing trend, businesses want to be a part of it. Yet, social media isn't for every business.
Yes, brands such as Starbucks and Coca-Cola have achieved amazing success using Facebook and Twitter to reach audiences, and music superstars like Taylor Swift have gotten discovered via MySpace. But does this necessarily mean it is for everyone? While some can achieve success using Facebook, it seems that those ahead of the pack are consumer-based businesses. People can actually become a fan of a coffee, clothing company or restaurant. Not many individuals are going to become a fan of widgets on Facebook. This is why it is crucial to educate clients on social media and identify what will work and what will not work to further awareness for a brand.
As marketing professionals, we sometimes forget our role as an educator. We are there to educate our colleagues and clients on what they should and should not do to effectively deliver a message. Just because social media is the latest trend, it may not be in the best interest of your client to engage in this type of media. Sometimes tried-and-true traditional media may still prove beneficial to having a specific message reach a targeted audience. For example, a magazine article in a specific trade may give you more reach instead of sending out a Facebook message to the masses.
Too, in your role as an educator, make sure to do your homework. Research the social media tools currently available and see how your client or company can use them to its advantage. It's one thing to say you have a Twitter account, but it is another thing to actually use it and communicate with your audience.
Remember social media is a tactic, and not an overall strategy. Make sure it fits into marketing and communications plans. Want some more tips, check out this posting that demonstrates why social media is not for everyone: http://effectivemarketer.com/2009/07/21/why-social-media-is-not-for-everyone/
Very well said. Something I've noticed in my own research and dive into the social media world are the different types of applications and services that use social media.
ReplyDelete(You know where I work from class discussions, hopefully, so I can get away with not posting the title of my company on here. I don't want to get in trouble).
Often, while I was doing research on our competitor's use of social media, I came across case studies and tips/tricks that were all focused on using social media as a customer service tool. That's fine if you're JetBlue and have angry customers to placate. Or if you are running a coupon promotion. But if you are a large corporation, having a Twitter account just opens the door to too much negativity if you don't know how to use it.
I know that we made our strategy more news-related. We don't interact with customers on Twitter per say, but we do post our press releases. Or, want to. It's still developing.
But coming up with the strategy was the hardest part. We're still trying to figure out the best way to do it.
ReadWriteWeb has another good article that gives different examples of how companies can use social media. Posts like this are what we need, if we're ever going to jump on the bandwagon and have a prayer of staying on.
Perez, S. (2009, March 26). "4 ways companies use Twitter for business." ReadWriteWeb. Retrieved October 8, 2009, from http://www.readwriteweb.com/enterprise/2009/03/4-ways-companies-use-twitter-for-business.php
Social media may not be for everyone. Knowing and understanding your audience is key when putting together your communications plan (which may/may not involve social media).
ReplyDeleteAs we have discussed in class, staying on top of the changes that are happening every day in this social realm is truly integral to success. You can't just post something on Twitter and then check back in months later and expect to have a pulse on what's going on.
It's also important to note that companies don't have to use every vehicle available to them either. Sometimes that may hinder what they are trying to do. If you don't have the manpower/ability to keep up with multiple social media sites, pick one that you feel you can navigate and do it well. For example, a small business who may have a very small customer base probably doesn't need to spend a lot of time/energy on Facebook, but maybe sending "tweets" from Twitter might be better suited for small botique.
Like the spindoctor, ReadWriteWeb also has a good article with a linke to an article from BtoB Maagazine discussing why a company wouldn't want to use (or shouldn't use) digital media. I thought he made some interesting and valid points. His take on not using it when you have unions was intriguing.
Gillin, P. (2009, April 6). When to avoid social media. BtoB Magazine. Retrieved October 12, 2009, from http://www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090406/FREE/304069979/1109/rss10&rssfeed=rss10#seenit
Social may not be appropriate for every client but it definitely is more than a trend. In fact a majority of senior management (81 percent) also recognize that fact. All too often, corporate types are quick to discredit something that they cannot control, such as social media posts. Still I believe social media works best when it is in-house. Who to better protect your brand than your employees? In addition, social media offers companies the added benefit of monitoring the competition. That’s one way to help sell social media plans to the reluctant company executive.
ReplyDeleteSocial media sites like Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter and many others are revolutionizing the way people and businesses communicate to each other. Almost everybody on the Internet has an account with each of these sites, including competitors. This allows companies the ability to better monitor the competition and respond when needed.
Following competitors on Twitter is probably the fastest and easiest way to find out what’s going on – and the news comes directly from the Tweeter’s mouth. Your competitors are using Twitter to promote their product, so you have first-hand knowledge of new features and promotions.
In fact, so many businesses want to monitor their competitions that Microsoft is building a social media monitoring tool called Looking Glass to cash in on the trend (Beal, 2009). When a company like Microsoft sees social media monitoring as a new way to make money, you can rest assured that it will be around for years to come.
Reference
Beal, A. (2009, September 25). Microsoft's Debut in Social Media Monitoring: A Wake-Up Call for Its Mid-Size Competitors. Seeking Alpha.com Blog. Retrieved October 2, 2009, from http://seekingalpha.com/article/163409-microsoft-s-debut-in-social-media-monitoring-a-wake-up-call-for-its-mid-size-competitors.