Social media marketing is now mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I always think some brands and their attitudes to social media, content marketing, management. It’s clear from every angle, except from view, that many brands are overlooking the “social” before the social media. It’s this that sets social media aside from other forms of media. To excel in social media, 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 abuse which is dependant on advertising and shameless ego promotion. This affects corporate brands more though.
Most have concentrated mainly on mainstream traditional media. They’ve neglected or can we say they are unaware that the only path to survive in this time is just a two-way communication media which embraces not merely the standard but online media platform. As we realize, the present trend today is for brands to first find out about their brides-customers, manage to get thier attention through the use of social media platforms like blogging, Youtube, Xing, Facebook, Del.ici.ous, Bookmarking, RSS, Podcasting, videocasting, Wikis among many other available online media.
The evolution of those new media has exposed opportunity to find opinion, interact, court, date and offers irresistible proposal which will hook the bride. Today clients are no further purchasing one mode fits all offer by the standard media. Some corporate brands here seem to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that we are not even online, neither are there recognized consumer fora which have major convergence of consumers online. Also no regulatory authority here pays attention to or gives any attention to whatever they have to say can. They also claim that online forums here have no impacts on corporate performance. Some also claim that social media is alien to us. My answer is that social media isn’t alien. The fact remains that numerous things had been part people only that we don’t accurately labeled them before westerners help us out.
The idea of social media, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals where a couple gets engaged before they might start dating. The procedure require that suitor’s intention needs to be established through family contacts, integrity checked and a cogent promised is created he is enthusiastic about a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, no-one officially allows the intending couple to begin dating. If this really is violated then, the bride to be would be disciplined.
Drawing a similar in this ancient ritual, the customers want the brand today showing that what matters is her, not money making. The customers wish to be certain that out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand will take the initiative of starting a discussion, the client wants to be certain your brand is not just flirting, looking out for short flings but a genuine relationship which will enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social media, content and social marketing put up a bate by loading the right words within their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride they are out to produce her life better even before selling anything.
Customer desires to see simply how much of one’s intellectual property will undoubtedly be made available without charges. The customer wants to discover you’re 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 does take time before social media and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that could show higher level of commitment in social media will always carry the day.
Typical case studies of brands with efficient usage of social media include Tony Hseih. Tony followers in Twitter today has ended one forty million. Hseih could be the managing Director of Zappos.com. Tony through his ‘tweet’ has course to meet up with customers at a club while many in his position will rather hide under the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to construct 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 what they want. This aids, contributes to co- creation of brands products, services.
As busy as Richard Branson of Virgin group is, he also maintains a twitter account. He’s used his twitter account to answer questions from angry customers along with virgin potentials. The virgin group also posseses an integrated website which allows news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social media to construct strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
An example of the use of social media 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 yesterday, he used YouTube video to spread his part of the case. This video spread across the internet along with mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with more people paying attention from academics and marketing communications practitioner discussing it beforehand countries, yet Nigeria brands have assumed ‘I don’t care attitude’ ;.Nations and brands aren’t considered backward just for their location but predicated on attitudes, disposition to the use of technology which will aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is now an easy thing through social media.
Social media marketing has turned into a great platform to spot 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 now connected in social media platforms. Agreed the ratio is still slow here but the number is increasing daily. Through social media brands can ignite confidence in the hearts of the bride, build thought leadership. Your brand competitors might have better product, services but will truly lose out for your requirements when 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 will be on the verge of seriously neglecting your own best interest, of tight schedules, to be able to serve these greedy, needy brides that desire your brands be open, honest with them that will be the essence of social media. Social media marketing don’t allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I’m of the opinion that if our banking industry’s Managing Directors have been active in social media, there’s likelihood of gaining public sympathy instead of this anger, tantrum they are now receiving from various angles. Their followers would have been able to guard them and take appropriate position that may 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 block out their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me how come it hard for brands n our environment to see handwriting on the wall that their brides now desire their authentic voices which are not coloured with jargons of self- serving moneybags? The brands’ brides are now also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why should the brides be loyal when the part of trust is shaking?
Having established that let’s now examine proper way of participating in social media that will be now being exchanged for web.2.0. For brands to actively be involved in social media, brands have to observe, listen, find clients’ hibernating medium. In carrying this out, brand should first define its social media 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 can inform your choice to perform a blog or perhaps to be involved in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social media bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Be sure you realize that such platforms are employed by your niche audience. Identify the utmost effective influencers of one’s industry online through recognitions given for their opinions, comments, awards etc.
To achieve this effectively, brand may consider crea followers pas cher ting 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 don’t need a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they are employed by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The only real requirement is passion that is backed with proven results. The said manger or consultant should also understands forum rules, reputation software, know 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 can also be essential. Social media marketing, content marketing, management is seen as assortment of open-sourced, interactive and user- controlled online application used to expand the experiences, knowledge and market power of the users as participants in business and social processes, the social media landscape is actually about conversation before any marketing campaign.
Brands must therefore consider Rajesh Setty’s suggestion so it must demonstrate your brand cares, is curious to discover what is the concern of the customers, contribute, make certain the information is worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation which will result in strong relationship, bring in 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.
Allow me to conclude this piece by highlighting how brand can begin be involved in social media and content marketing. Content marketing is a skill of understanding what your customers’ want, need to find out and the science of delivering it in their mind in a good and compelling way. The information needs to be doing a good and compelling way. To begin, the brand has to construct trust and credibility. That is huge work. This becomes easy if your brand can make time to tune in to customers first. By that brand discovers their problems and the information is therefore tailored to offer solution.
Avoid talking an excessive amount of about your brand or your expertise as much as I actually do know the truth that your brand need to ascertain the line your brand is worth their attentions. This could make your brand’s efforts become suspect. Your web visitors want educational content without initial marketing spin. The information also needs to be compelling, entertaining to earn the scarcest entity on the wed- time/patience. Great content must guides, clarifies, enlightened and connect. The language of the information has to stay tune with your industry. Contents that solve problems drive traffic and increases sale rate.