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A look at social media and its use as a marketing campaign.
A look at social media and its use as a marketing campaign.
Social media marketing requires a large number of people to monitor the responses, post counter responses and so on.
Richmond,
VA,
United States
(pr4links.com)
07/02/2011
Social Media Marketing – What it is and what it isn't
My friend Eddy runs a men’s fashion store on Coney Island Avenue, Brooklyn. Last week he called me up to ask what exactly Social Media Marketing was and whether he could benefit from it. He had read about Social Media Marketing over the internet but said he couldn’t understand most of it. So for other “Eddy’s” out there, I’ve written a short white paper on online brand development – what it is and what it isn’t:
I guess we all know what Facebook and Twitter is. If you don’t then you might want to get yourself a user account on either or (preferably) both of them, use the account actively for a month or two and then come back to this page. Unless you have firsthand knowledge on how Facebook or Twitter work, this white paper on Social Media Marketing might or might not make much sense to you.
Signing up to Facebook or Twitter is as easy as eating an apple pie. Visit http://www.facebook.com/, and fill out that tiny form with your correct details and click the “sign up” button. That’s it, you’re done. Next, you might want to search for your friends on Facebook by entering a name in the Facebook search box. If you find a friend, simply follow the easy instructions that Facebook displays. You’ll be a real pro before the evening ends. We are here to provide you facebook marketing Service.
Signing up to Twitter or locating friends on Twitter is just as simple. Simply visit http://twitter.com/ and click on the “Let me in” link. A tiny form appears. Fill it in with your correct details (Otherwise friends might not be able to find you), and you’re done. While at Twitter, you might want to check out this link - http://business.twitter.com/twitter101/.
So what is Social Media Marketing and b2b social media marketing?
In very simple terms, instead of the traditional approach of targeting the search engines, we target social networking websites. The logic is simple; social networking site is where the people are and it is the people who are the target for any online business consulting campaign. So instead of targeting people who use the search engines, we target people who have “gathered” themselves at Social Networking sites. The process is similar to targeting people who are attending a trade fair or convention. The idea is to be where your customers are.
How do we target people at a social networking site?
Theoretically, it’s supposed to work this way: A media representative who already has an old account on the social networking website you wish to target, posts a comment (usually with a link to your product website or a Facebook page). The comment would say something to the effect that he (or she) just used one of your products and found the results. The words used are very carefully selected so as to obtain maximum response from his (or her) friends on the website, some of whom might click on the link within the comment and check out the product site and hopefully even make a purchase or two.
Even if no purchases are made, the brand, product or service receives publicity. If your media representative has 50 friends, then 50 friends will have had the opportunity to read and respond to it. Now let us assume that 10% i.e. 5 friends actually respond and that these 5 friends in turn have an average of 25 friends each. Potentially 680 people might have now have read the first comment as well as the responses. (i.e. 50 + 5 + (25 x 25 )) With each additional comment, an ever increasing number of people read about the product, brand or service. Thus, the potential for driving traffic to your product or company website is enormous with the help of social media marketing facebook.
Social Media Marketing: What it isn’t
Inexpensive:
Social media marketing requires a large number of people to monitor the responses, post counter responses and so on. Each response has to be carefully drafted. Social media marketing is a time intensive process that requires daily monitoring.
Fast:
Social media marketing or business social media marketing are awfully slow. People don’t always respond to a comment. Sometimes it might take days before a single comment is received. You have to create readable content, participate in many communities, and carefully proceed incrementally.
Easy
Social media marketing is awfully complicated. There are dozens of large social media sites. Also, because you have no control over the responses, you could very easily lose control over the outcome. Negative comments or abuse can totally destroy a campaign and even cause massive damage to the brand.
Also, remember that social media marketing is not about the social media sites themselves, it more about a marketing strategy to make your company or service more human-oriented and less like a massive machine. It’s about humanizing the brand, company or service.
If the users on the social networking site (who might also be your customers), feel that your company is human-friendly and actually cares about them, they’ll want to be part of your company or service by utilizing it.
Instant brand Nirvana
Social media marketing consultant is not a short term fix. To really benefit from it, there has to be a commitment ranging from 8 months to a year. The strategy involves first listening to what’s being said about your business or brand and then building trust with your customers by a willingness to listen. In fact, social media marketing is more of a process than a campaign.
Quick fix
If your company or service has recently been pulverized by bad publicity, no social media marketing can fix that. Any attempt at social media marketing and retail it consulting services when public sentiment is against the company, will backfire horribly.
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