Businesses and Social Media

• Author: Kerry Mythen
• Posted: July 19th, 2010
• Tags: Facebook, Online Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter

Having exhibited at the Online Marketing Show recently, I had the opportunity to engage with several brand managers, marketing managers, company directors and those just starting out in the marketing career ladder; all of whom shared the same concern and frustrations.

• Comments: Both comments and pings are currently closed.

There are internal and external pressures to have all of the latest, greatest communications platforms available including social networking, yet it is really the understanding of best practice, and how best to integrate these platforms into the overall marketing strategy that seems to be causing some discomfort. How do we measure success? What are out ROI’s/ ROO’s?  Is it suitable for our business sector, do we need a Facebook page because ‘they’ have one? There seemed to be a mild air of panic that somehow a trick was being missed, and a moderate sense of ‘keeping up with the Jones’s’ being applied without individual objectives and rationale being firstly identified.

My most instant reaction is relax! Whilst there are some generic tricks of the trade so far established, I would say that we are still in a period of discovery where investments are being made, and results measured on a daily basis to provide all of the market with latest insight.

I genuinely believe that like any marketing tool, social networking activity is entirely bespoke to the needs of a company and sector, and in support of their overall agenda. For FMCG brands like Copella, who do not retail online, the primary role of social networking is a brand engagement opportunity. Facebook and Twitter provide an opportunity to interact, inform, build data and drive traffic to their central digital property. For Triumph Lingerie, for whom we have just launched their first online store, their marketing activity on this occasion concentrates more on their contemporary collections, therefore social media is used to communicate unique offers, raise awareness of brand and product, target a younger audience and drive traffic to their online store.

For business to business communications, it is less about casual brand engagement, and more about networking and the sharing of information, so different platforms such as Linkedin are more appropriate. Some sectors are also more transparent than others by nature, a Facebook page and Twitter that discussed the process of waste management may not be as popular as the latest clothing sale bargains as it is not consumer content, although I dare say there is always a market!

I guess my overall advice would be, don’t be overwhelmed, view social networking as an integral part of your marketing mix but don’t consider it in isolation, learn from others and create a targeted strategy that meets the needs of your business area as opposed to trying to engage with all platforms.

Hope this helps!

Comments.

• Respond to this post: Leave a comment
• Comments: No responses to this article

Comments are closed.