With each passing year, people spend more and more of their "social" time interacting online. This is reflected in the huge growth numbers for social networks like Facebook and Google+. Of course, businesses have followed suit--but with very mixed results.
As the social networking world grows and matures, there are a few lessons that marketers can use moving forward:
1) Bigger is not always better. When dealing with "likes," "fans" and "followers," it is tempting to start equating success with having a larger social network. He who has the most friends wins, right?
Not necessarily. In the social networking world, quality can often trump quantity. It is extremely easy for someone to click on a "like" button, especially if you bribe them with an incentive to do so. But what happens then? Do they ever pay attention to your social media network after that initial click? Do they actually buy more now that they are connected to your company online? Do they actually like you, or did you essentially buy their vote in order to have the appearance of a successful social network?
Remember that the objective is not to have a large social network, but to have one that somehow drives business to your company.
2) Content is still king.Once companies do have online followers, it seems that many marketers do not know what to do with them.
It is easy to see the thought processes that go into many
social media content strategies. The goal is sales, so let's advertise to them! However, people don't visit social media to see advertising any more than they watch television to see commercials.
Or, to keep things organized and consistent, companies will set up processes and content calendars to turn their social network into an efficient machine. The problem is that people do not go to a "social" site to engage with a machine.
The real goal should be to have meaningful content, of a type that they cannot get otherwise. Social networking gives your company a chance to display its personality, and get customers to truly "like" it. The sales will come later, as they become lifelong fans and spread the word among their own social network.
3) Engage with your network.This is what makes social networking work. It is all about social engagement. Traditional forms of media are one-way conversations, in which marketers are talking
at people. With social media, you can talk
with people. The audience finally has a chance to talk back.
You can do this by starting conversations and asking questions. You also need to answer questions, and allow people that one-on-one engagement with your company. And the larger you get, the more powerful that is; it can make a person feel extremely valued and important when an organization takes the time (even if it is really just a few seconds) to recognize them individually.
The good news is that if you do utilize these lessons, your social network will grow--into an active, committed community of customers.
