Are you anti-social?
Wednesday 17 March 2010
TAGS: Social media | Social networks | Twitter
Client Service Manager at Silverbean, Emma Adcock, considers the dangers and benefits of social media in the professional world and how to generate real value for businesses.
Be honest -we all screen personal calls/emails/messages for time to time, it is naughty but even I hold my hands up and admit to it. The majority of the time I have good reasons for my incognito nature; I’m driving/otherwise in-disposed/away from my electronic terminals/simply time-strapped!
I don’t necessary think this makes me anti-social, however there is a difference in the way you behave with your own personal modes of communication and how you respond to messages in the professional sphere. Now these lines of communication are beginning to blur and the professional and personal communication hemispheres are beginning to collide. With the invention of “social media.”
A Tidal Wave of Tweets?
At this moment the business world stands upon the cusp of tentatively embracing all that is “social media.” At the recent Technology for Marketing and Advertising Conference over 66% of attendees/respondents planned to invest in social media in the next 12 months. We are now waiting for the wave to break and pretty soon we will be a wash with business blogs, Facebook promotions, My Space adverts and corporate tweets (waiting for? Ok it might be already happening-hence my blog!- But you aint seen nothing yet!)
Narnia or Never-Never Land?
What does this all mean? Can social media really generate real value for business? What can you do with it? Who are you even talking to? Are there any hazards? What returns can you expect?
My guess is these are the questions being asked in boardrooms up and down the land, but like the emperor’s new clothes no one in wants to dispel the impression that social media will lead them to marketing’s new Promised Land. However social media is more like the Pandora’s Box of marketing- as certain brands have learnt to their detriment.
Perhaps the most recent social media faux pas (which most likely had their PR team weeping into their coffee) goes to VodafoneUK where an unscrupulous employee went on a controversial rampage all over their Twitter account and sparked outrage married with an immediate apology of epically repetitive proportions.
You see once you’ve opened the door to the new social frontier there’s no going back and the anonymity of the net means respondents can say whatever they like without reprieve.
Also sometimes you just won’t know who you’re speaking to- whilst many social media platforms will allow you to view the personal details of your followers/friends down to what they ate for tea last night and which book they’re reading at the moment –some will only give a name (not their real name) and only include the items I’ve just mentioned- and how’s spaghetti bolognaise for your segmentation strategy?!
Hang on- There must be some benefit!
Don’t get me wrong there are colossal benefits to social marketing which tempt brands- you’ll find them salivating over the prospect of gigantic audience profiles and the massive segmentation possibilities- beyond the quirky titbits they’ll learn in the process! And (as a strange paradox to long-tail concepts) the huge broadcast possibilities. Aspiring brands will also appreciate the community-feel of social marketing and the possibility of acting in a more informal way and connecting with customers on a different, more personable level.
Also there’s the eerie, restless, self-fulfilling aspect that if as business you aren’t present you are then……. invisible. Who knows what your customers are saying behind your back? What if your competitors have a fantastic Facebook campaign? In this context many businesses basically sit it out, staking out their social media space, waiting and watching… and wondering what to do.
You’ve Decided to take the Plunge
After the tantalising comprehension that social could equal sales the early adopter brands initially grappled with how this could work, unfortunately ad-formats on platforms like Facebook and My Space- were disappointingly un-intrusive and unattractive. And Twitter is almost Orwellian in its regimented news speak.
The formats and the methods necessary to actually make an impression remained illusive. So how can brands make the right impression and stimulate sales through social media?
Rule 1: Make Friends and Influence People
Maybe the first thing to recognise regarding social media is that it wasn’t set up to be..erm..sociable.
Or maybe a better way of putting that it wasn’t set-up to be public. Unlike email, direct mail, the telephone and television (open comms), social media acts as a sub-domain and extension of communication norms where the individual sets the parameters and allows or prohibits entrance (closed comms). A veiled and often private world of their own making.
To gain access businesses must actually become their “friend.”
I don’t mean by getting too personal, remember there’s a difference between being a friend and being a stalker!
This is a reciprocal relationship you’re entering into; your new social “friend” has to:
- Know who you are
- (most importantly) Like you!
Social marketing is the new word of mouth for the digital age, linking to your brand through their spaces a potential customer is strikingly aligning themselves with your brand and allowing you to become part of a personal recommendation platform. A platform which also reflects upon them.
-Breaking News Update! - Breaking News Update! - Breaking News Update!
Literally as I type these words the “Worlds First Social App” has been released. Thanks to Domino’s Pizza’s - I couldn’t have asked for better timing. The format is simplistic - a tool which enables anyone with a personal web space, such as a social network page or blog, to host their advertising.
Interestingly this reflects the opt-in approach I’ve outlined above. This idea is being trailed at the moment and no doubt many marketers will be watching the take up rates with anticipation.
Rule 2: Plan it Professionally – Without Being Boring
If you were going to talk to tens of thousands of people tomorrow would you:
- Think it up on the spot?
- Flagrantly disregard your PR person’s advice? Or not even ask them?
- Forget about your tone of voice or other established brand parameters?
- Finally – should you do it or let Fred the two-week work experience student complete it on your behalf?
This may seem silly, but in reality it is actually happening. Remember your “friend” knows your brand – not you as an individual/any of your team- they have accepted the brand and therefore expect to continue to converse and interact with the brand in that way. No offence to Fred but really someone who knows the brand, knows the key content and brand parameters and (vital) tone of voice should complete the work as it important to continue to meet your consumers/friends expectations.
Rule 3: A Warning
Your social media space has the potential to bite you unexpectedly. Unlike any other means of communication it will continue without your intervention and take on a life of its own. Protecting, monitoring and prohibiting should be key to your social media strategy (yes you should have one of those too!) Any negative comments should be handled quickly, any insights should be responded to and noted and any content should be refreshed and updated.
So in summary social media is a delicate and intricate affair, with the potential to recruit valuable influencers and opinion leaders for your brand. Its use in a business context and the future of social media and marketing is still being mapped out- and it will be excited to find out what’s next – will we all end up as brand affiliates?
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