Category Archives: Social Networks

Its not ‘Social Marketing’ its ‘Social Media Marketing’

Posted on by jesskry
2

Lets start some definitions, shall we? From Wikipedia:

“Social marketing (not to be confused with societal marketing or social media marketing) is the systematic application of marketing, along with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioral goals for a social good.[1] Social marketing can be applied to promote merit goods, or to make a society avoid demerit goods and thus to promote society’s well being as a whole. For example, this may include asking people not to smoke in public areas, asking them to use seat belts, or prompting to make them follow speed limits.”

“Social media marketing is a term that describes use of social networks, online communities, blogs, wikis or any other online collaborative media for marketing, sales, public relations and customer service. Common social media marketing tools include Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Flickr, Wikipedia, Orkut and YouTube.”

Ugh. “How are professionals still interchanging these terms and sounding like idiots?” I think this to myself every time I see this mistake. It rattles me more than it should because social marketing is the reason I went on to grad school and attended the school that I did (Emerson Shoutout!). Social marketing is affecting change for the greater good. As I try to be more tolerant I decided that maybe social media marketing can become social marketing.

As organizations move to engage consumers through social media, perhaps those that use it in a more altruistic way will be changing the way consumers live their lives for the better. Those that ‘do it wrong’ will still be seeing minor successes in their bottom line but not fully take advantage of the place they could hold in clients lives by being helpful.

Dont get me wrong, all communication with a brand will affect their bottom line. But what if that relationship building was more than push communication and led to what was best for the consumer rather than the company, even if it meant a lost sale. Is a lost sale worth its weight in WOM buzz?

FYI I dont even like the idea of ‘social media marketing’ as a term. That makes it sound like just your same old marketing crap. Why not relationship building or community management?


Image courtesy of Amazon.com

Yelp This

Posted on by jesskry
1

*Gulp* What, you may ask, has finally wracked me from my blogging slumber? Well, its the recent continued issue with Yelp’s business practices. Apparently, they are offering to ‘move’ negative comments as a service for $299 a month. Huh?

I was just starting to consider lighting a fire under my ass to get on Yelp more. You know I – little Miss Anti-Vendor – was very against any business pitches professionally, but then curious about becoming an active contributing member personally. With this in mind, that will not be happening.

What really woke me from my stupor was this in conjunction with a meeting I recently had. The topic of management of virtual relationships came up. Sure its great to create and maintain content, but who is going to – and the appropriate person to – maintain the actual relationships via social media? This to me goes hand in hand with a listening strategy and begin authentic.

How much do you insert yourself into the conversations that are happening about your brand, and how much do you just sit back and observe? Take back to your project teams the feedback you stumble upon and most likely they’ll ask you ‘well, what did you respond to that with?’ The point is, should you? And if so, how can you deliver change? Can you, personally do so? I’d assume in most cases, you cant. And, if you cant, are people invested enough in making a change, and if not, then why are you even reporting back? Its like people who want to spend money on social media listening products like Radian 6 or Sentiment Metrics but then not use the data that they find to make a better product or service. Whats the point?

Bottom line, social media by nature is social and open. It cannot be stifled or controlled, yet should be tended to and watered. You cant expect to yield results if you do not allow what you sow to grow and then be cultivated. You do not get to pick and choose the way the comments will go but you do get to be an active part of the conversation. Not a brand rah rah-er, but a representative who listens and provides a solution. What you gain from social media is personal connection to your consumers, not an easier way to push and pull them to think the way you do. Start thinking like them for a change and have a conversation instead of making it another printed publication that now resides online.

*Photo courtesy of Internet Defamation Blog.

Social Media Cat Herding

Posted on by jesskry
1

We’ve all tried it: combining efforts into one glorious strategic plan. We may have even been mentally derailed by those who wont play nice – nice, meaning, following our lead. Perhaps we’ve been waiting for a social media policy roll out from up above that will entitle us to much more ‘power’. What it all comes down to is this: frustration, confusion and stalemates.

What happens if we dont get that buy in across our organization? What if that social media policy never comes to fruition? Will you throw your hands up in ultimate anger or continue to fight your own good fight?

What if, for a second, you suspend your frustration and desperation attached to these outcomes? Better yet, think about what you will do when they dont happen. Which, basically, is right now. Right?

Do all social media efforts at your organization need to be coordinated together? Probably not. Would it be best if they were? Most likely. Without a policy, you can still ‘act as if’ when needed, and if this doesnt help, then, you move on. Its not about your ability to achieve buy in, its about your ability to communicate the importance of the purpose of the medium. If people disagree or really feel they need ‘their own’, then, so be it.

What you can do is do your best work in the efforts you do have. By doing so, you show the value of the medium, and the strategy you’ve been working from in your own little corner of the organization. When others see the interactions and connections you’ve been able to make, either via comments and conversations, web traffic or attendance at events, perhaps herding wont be neccessary.

The best pied piper shows outcomes and doesnt need a fancy meeting, webinar or invitation to collaborate.