Our appetite for social media is relentless. It permeates almost each and every aspect of life, work, and our friendships. Social media allows us to engage with almost anyone, anywhere, any time.
But harnessing its power for business has been a far less organic process. Social media has huge potential for brand building, peer-to-peer influence and engagement but channelling it as part of an effective marketing strategy is not always obvious.
So what are the things businesses need to consider?
- Plan – You need to apply the same disciplines as you would to any other business activity to social media if you’re going to be successful. What are your goals? Your measures of success? Who are you targeting – customers, prospects, media? Which channels are you going to use to engage with them?
- You need to add value – While it may be convenient for your CEO to think that Mark Zuckerberg and the founders of social media created Facebook (and other social channels) with the express purpose of allowing business to pump message after message in an ill-considered attempt to ‘brainwash’ prospects into purchasing more ‘stuff’ – they didn’t! Social media is by definition about community – listen, understand, and contribute.
- Content – you need it, if you’re going to add-value! To be a social success you have to have something meaningful to say. Content needs to be engaging and well-produced. Blogs, video, podcasts, press releases, white papers, research, info-graphics all have a place.
- Social media is a two-way street – Peer-to-peer influence is critical. It builds trust and if people trust you, they’re much more likely to do business with you. Engage, comment, re-post content. Social media is the one place where eavesdropping is socially acceptable [!] – listen and understand who the influencers are and make friends!
- Call to action – While you need to add value to a social community to make your strategy effective, don’t forget why you’re doing it. Chatting about sports results or looking up old friends isn’t work – ocial media needs to deliver ROI. You need to plan, set clear goals and engagement ultimately needs to lead (at a suitably judged point!) to a strong call to action.
- Are you ready? Social media isn’t a panacea. It needs to sit within an integrated strategy and work hand-in-glove with your other marketing channels – direct marketing, advertising and media, and online. Is your website ready? Are you committed to resource social campaigns? Do you have enough to say? Think about the commitment that you’re making.
- Choose your channels wisely – at the risk of sounding like a heretic, not all social media platforms are good or even appropriate for business. Social media is constantly evolving, the explosion of social media channels has diluted the ROI on each. Do your due diligence, understand where your audience is and which channels deliver the greatest return. Don’t be afraid to rationalise your strategy if you aren’t resourced for multiple platforms.
- How frequently are you going to post? A twitter account untouched since 2010, the Facebook page that you created but then ‘time forgot’, can have a hugely damaging impact on your brand collateral. As part of your resourcing strategy identify what is deliverable and stick to it.
- Evaluate – there isn’t so much to say here. You have set goals are you hitting them? Social media offers a wealth of metrics and can deliver incredible insights, which can inform not only your social strategy but also your wider marketing strategy. If it’s working do more, if it isn’t change tack.
- ‘Real world’ rules apply online – they don’t just stop because you’re communicating through a platform. Keep it professional, identify opportunities and why someone might want to listen to you, demonstrate how you’re product or service is part of the solution and reel them in!
Social media constantly evolving but most definitely here to stay. For business it has delivered a step-change. To be successful companies need to stop thinking in terms of what they want to say but why someone might want to listen and that brings us back to ‘good old fashioned’ quality content!
The ROI for companies who approach social media with discipline, diligence and strategy is limitless. This strategy should sit within a wider and integrated framework working alongside your other marketing channels.
Social media is ultimately a place to share content, engage, build influence and ultimately trust. In business that’s the route to sales.
To find out how we can help you build your social profile please email info@lascoprandmarketing.co.uk
