Social media marketing has become a necessary activity for
business marketing. It could not have been more apparent than last night, when during the State Of The Union Address, Barack Obama made the statement "We are a nation of Google and Facebook". The reality is bigger than that. Although the US is heavily indoctrinated in technology, this is a world wide phenomena. Yet many businesses are still struggling with social media marketing and evaluating how to use social media effectively.
In reality, all of the activity and time we spend on social media marketing can be distilled into 3 steps. These may seem simple, but each is important to create the dynamic of creating content that has impact.
Three steps to mastering social media marketing:
1. Create Content
2. Publicize and make it easy to share
3. Monitor and respond
This makes it sound easy, doesn't it. Yet there are so many companies who are hiring "gurus" who just don't get it and frankly are 'doing it wrong'.
What does it mean to use social media incorrectly? Using social media wrong is trying to use it as a broadcast media instead of using it for interaction. Brian Solis wrote a terrific book about this phenomenon called "Engage". (Brian shared with us during the A2SM podcast that he originally wanted to call it "Engage or Die", but was encouraged not to use that phrase!) Yet, instead of measuring success based on engagement, too many "social media marketers" are measuring success based on the number of followers they've accumulated. They are relying on automated services to keep up a one-way dialogue.
That's not what "social" media is about. It is, after all, supposed to be social. It's about connecting and interacting and sharing.
When social media is used 'correctly', it can be a powerful tool to engage with your audience and have powerful 'return on content'. When you have random acts of social re-tweet or re-peat of the message, that is when a marketing program becomes more than a broadcast. It becomes a social message.
Migrating a marketing program from traditional outbound marketing media such as television, radio, direct mail is a challenge. Yet the writing is on the wall. More and more, there are blocking mechanisms in place that make it more difficult to share your message. Savvy marketers are adopting inbound marketing techniques, such as optimizing their web presence for keywords nd search engines, and utilizing social media not just to promote, but to connect with their customers.
Understanding how to use the Internet was a winning strategy for the Presidential campaign. Do you feel that you are utilizing social media and the Internet effectively? Do you agree that we are a nation of Google and Facebook? If so, how has that affected your marketing strategy and what plans have you made to improve your engagement with your customers?
Your customers ARE speaking. Are you listening?
