Social media marketing has become mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I usually think some brands and their attitudes to social media marketing, content marketing, management. It’s clear from every angle, except from view, that a lot of brands are overlooking the “social” before the social media. It’s this that sets social media marketing aside from other types of media. To excel in social media marketing, you start with cultivating a social media mindset. Most have not understood what this platform offers.
All that we are currently doing is majorly titled toward social media marketing abuse which is founded on advertising and shameless ego promotion. This affects corporate brands more though.
Most have concentrated mainly on mainstream traditional media. They have neglected or can we say they’re unaware that the only way to survive in this time around is just a two-way communication media which embraces not merely the traditional but online media platform. As we realize, the present trend today is for brands to first understand their brides-customers, obtain attention through the use of social media marketing platforms like blogging, Youtube, Xing, Facebook, Del.ici.ous, Bookmarking, RSS, Podcasting, videocasting, Wikis among a number of other available online media.
The evolution of the new media has opened opportunity to get opinion, interact, court, date and offers irresistible proposal that’ll hook the bride. Today clients are no further purchasing one mode fits all offer by the traditional media. Some corporate brands here appear to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that we are not even online, neither is there recognized consumer fora which may have major convergence of consumers online. Also no regulatory authority here pays attention to or gives any attention to whatever they’ve to express can. In addition they declare that online forums here haven’t any impacts on corporate performance. Some also declare that social media marketing is alien to us. My answer is that social media marketing isn’t alien. The very fact remains that lots of things have been part people only that we do not accurately labeled them before the westerners help us out.
The thought of social media marketing, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals the place where a couple gets engaged before they could start dating. The procedure require that suitor’s intention needs to be established through family contacts, integrity checked and a cogent promised is manufactured he is enthusiastic about a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, nobody officially allows the intending couple to begin dating. If this is violated then, the bride to be will be disciplined.
Drawing a parallel in this ancient ritual, the customers want the brand today to exhibit that what matters is her, not money making. The customers desire to be sure out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand will take the initiative of starting a conversation, the consumer wants to be certain your brand is not just flirting, looking out for short flings but a genuine relationship that’ll enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social media marketing, content and social marketing setup a bate by loading the right words inside their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride that they’re out to produce her life better even before selling anything.
Customer desires to see just how much of your intellectual property will undoubtedly be made available without charges. The consumer wants to discover you are a giver. Certainly one of their love languages is gift sharing. A giver without string attached always takes the show. Social media marketing, content marketing requires a lot of commitment. It takes some time before social media marketing and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that may show higher level of commitment in social media marketing will always carry the day.
Typical case studies of brands with efficient usage of social media marketing include Tony Hseih. Tony followers in Twitter today has ended one forty million. Hseih may be the managing Director of Zappos.com. Tony through his ‘top smm reseller panel tweet’ has course to meet up with customers at a club while many in his position will rather hide underneath the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to create interaction with customers; he uses twitter to fix problems for clients. The effectiveness of Tony Hseih and Zappos communities has been used to strengthen relationships with Zappo’s brand offline. Zappos client freely gives their ideas on which they want. This aids, results in co- creation of brands products, services.
As busy as Richard Branson of Virgin group is, he also maintains a twitter account. He has used his twitter account to answer questions from angry customers as well as virgin potentials. The virgin group also comes with an integrated website that allows news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social media marketing to create strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
An example of the use of social media marketing to spread messages and connection was recently demonstrated by Michael Jackson’s personal doctor. As we are all aware, it was once insinuated he killed Michael Jackson through drug overdose. About a week ago, he used YouTube video to spread his the main case. This video spread across the web as well as mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with increased people attending to from academics and marketing communications practitioner discussing it in advance countries, yet Nigeria brands have assumed ‘I do not care attitude’ ;.Nations and brands are not considered backward just due to their location but predicated on attitudes, disposition to the use of technology that’ll aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is now a straightforward thing through social media.
Social media marketing has become a great platform to recognize with, interact, communicate brand element. This often starts in online forum and result in offline beneficial relationship. Today, nearly three billion of the seven billion potentials are actually connected in social media marketing platforms. Agreed the ratio is still slow here but the number is increasing daily. Through social media marketing brands can ignite confidence in the hearts of the bride, build thought leadership. Your brand competitors might have better product, services but will surely lose out for your requirements if you can build strong connection with them before you question them to purchase through massive advertisement.
If your brand can hand out enough information, answers to concerns and prove that you’re on the verge of seriously neglecting your personal best interest, of tight schedules, to be able to serve these greedy, needy brides that desire your brands are more open, honest with them which is the essence of social media. Social media marketing do not allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I’m of the opinion that when our banking industry’s Managing Directors have been active in social media marketing, there is probability of gaining public sympathy instead with this anger, tantrum they’re now receiving from various angles. Their followers would have been able to guard them and take appropriate position that’ll have given them soft landing in this trying period.
Since our brands have concentrated on a single type of media, mainstream, tell me why should their brides not stop their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me why is it hard for brands n our environment to see handwriting on the wall that their brides now desire their authentic voices that are not coloured with jargons of self- serving moneybags? The brands’ brides are actually also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why if the brides be loyal when the component of trust is shaking?
Having established that let us now examine proper means of participating in social media marketing which is now being exchanged for web.2.0. For brands to actively take part in social media marketing, brands need to observe, listen, find clients’ hibernating medium. In achieving this, brand should first define its social media marketing strategy through careful evaluation of brand’s resources, analyze the target audience, and identify objectives. Having done this, brand must carefully pick or access platforms that fit their goals. This may inform the decision to operate a blog or simply to take part in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social media marketing bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Make sure you understand that such platforms are employed by your niche audience. Identify the most effective influencers of your industry online through recognitions given to their opinions, comments, awards etc.
To get this done effectively, brand may consider creating the position of community or social media/knowledge management manager or hire consultant who has track records in skills like community management, online reputation management, monitoring, tracking, podcast, video cast, web links etc. These skills do not need a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they’re employed by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The only real requirement is passion that’s backed with proven results. The said manger or consultant should also understands forum rules, reputation software, understand how to distribute contents without creating offense as this can be counter productive. Great ability to create qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories is also essential. Social media marketing, content marketing, management sometimes appears as number of open-sourced, interactive and user- controlled online application used to expand the experiences, knowledge and market power of the users as participants running a business and social processes, the social media marketing landscape is actually about conversation before any marketing campaign.
Brands must therefore consider Rajesh Setty’s suggestion that it must demonstrate your brand cares, is curious to discover what’s the concern of the customers, contribute, make sure the content may be worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation that’ll result in strong relationship, generate a lot of creativity, demonstrate the brand’s character and values cherished, build community, tribe, brings change, instill courage and be highly commitment to a cause its believe in.