Social media is now mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I always think some brands and their attitudes to social networking, content marketing, management. It is clear out of every angle, except from view, that a lot of brands are overlooking the “social” facing the social media. This is exactly what sets social networking apart from other kinds of media. To excel in social networking, you begin with cultivating a social media mindset. Most haven’t understood what this platform offers.
All that we are currently doing is majorly titled toward social networking 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 have neglected or can we say they are unaware that the only way to survive in now is really a two-way communication media which embraces not just the original but online media platform. As we know, the current trend today is for brands to first understand their brides-customers, get their attention through the usage of social networking platforms like blogging, Youtube, Xing, Facebook, Del.ici.ous, Bookmarking, RSS, Podcasting, videocasting, Wikis among a great many other available online media.
The evolution of those new media has opened opportunity to get opinion, interact, court, date and offers irresistible proposal that’ll hook the bride. Today clients are no longer buying one mode fits all offer by the original media. Some corporate brands here seem to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that we are not yet online, neither is there recognized consumer fora which have major convergence of consumers online. Also no regulatory authority here pays focus on or gives any focus on whatever they’ve to say can. In addition they declare that online forums here have no impacts on corporate performance. Some also declare that social networking is alien to us. My answer is that social networking is not alien. The actual fact remains that many things have been part of us only that we do not accurately labeled them until the westerners help us out.
The thought of social networking, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals in which 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 made he is thinking about a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, no body 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 to exhibit that what matters is her, not money making. The customers wish to be certain that out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand can take the initiative of starting a conversation, the client wants to be sure your brand is not just flirting, looking out for short flings but an actual relationship that’ll enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social networking, content and social marketing put up a bate by loading the proper words in their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride they are out to create her life better even before selling anything.
Customer wants to see how much of your intellectual property will soon be made available without charges. The client wants to learn you’re a giver. One of their love languages is gift sharing. A giver without string attached always takes the show. Social media, content marketing requires a lot of commitment. It does take time before social networking and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that can show advanced of commitment in social networking will always carry the day.
Typical case studies of brands with efficient use of social networking include Tony Hseih. Tony followers in Twitter today is over 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 underneath the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to build interaction with customers; he uses twitter to solve problems for clients. The strength of Tony Hseih and Zappos communities has been used to strengthen relationships with Zappo’s brand offline. Zappos client freely gives their ideas about 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 has used his twitter account to answer questions from angry customers as well as virgin potentials. The virgin group also posseses an integrated website which allows news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social networking to build strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
A good example of the usage of social networking to spread messages and connection was recently demonstrated by Michael Jackson’s personal doctor. As we are all aware, it absolutely was once insinuated he killed Michael Jackson through drug overdose. About yesterday, he used YouTube video to spread his area of the case. This video spread across the net as well as mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with increased people attending to from academics and marketing communications practitioner discussing it in advance countries, yet Nigeria brands have assumed ‘I do not care attitude’ ;.Nations and brands aren’t considered backward just due to their location but predicated on attitudes, disposition to the usage of technology that’ll aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is now a straightforward thing through social media.
Social media has become a great platform to identify with, interact, communicate brand element. This often starts in online forum and cause offline beneficial relationship. Today, nearly three billion of the seven billion potentials are now actually connected in social networking platforms. Agreed the ratio remains slow here but the number is increasing daily. Through social networking brands can ignite confidence in the hearts of the bride, build thought leadership. Your brand competitors might have better product, services but will certainly lose out for your requirements if you can build strong connection using them before you question them to get through massive advertisement.
If your brand can give away enough information, answers to concerns and prove that you are on the verge of seriously neglecting your own best interest, of tight schedules, in order to serve these greedy, needy brides that desire your brands become more open, honest using them that will be the essence of social media. Social media do not allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I am of the opinion when our banking industry’s Managing Directors have now been active in social networking, there’s possibility of gaining public sympathy instead with this anger, tantrum they are now receiving from various angles. Their followers would have been able to defend them and take appropriate position which could 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 why is it burdensome for brands n our environment to see handwriting on the wall that their brides now desire their authentic voices that are not coloured with jargons of self- serving moneybags? The brands’ brides are now actually also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why should the brides be loyal once the element of trust is shaking?
Having established that let’s now examine proper method of participating in social networking that will be now being exchanged for web.2.0. For brands to actively be involved in social networking, brands need to observe, listen, find clients’ hibernating medium. In carrying this out, brand should first define its social networking strategy through careful evaluation of brand’s resources, analyze the market, and identify objectives. Having done this, brand must carefully pick or access platforms that fit their goals. acheter des vues This may inform your choice to perform a website or perhaps to be involved in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social networking bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Make sure to know that such platforms are utilized by your niche audience. Identify the utmost effective influencers of your industry online through recognitions given with their opinions, comments, awards etc.
To get this done effectively, brand may consider creating 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 do not need a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they are utilized by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The only real requirement is passion that’s backed with proven results. The said manger or consultant must understands forum rules, reputation software, learn how to distribute contents without creating offense as this might be counter productive. Great ability to generate qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories can be essential. Social media, content marketing, management sometimes appears as number 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 networking landscape is simply about conversation before any marketing campaign.
Brands must therefore consider Rajesh Setty’s suggestion that it must demonstrate that the brand cares, is curious to learn what is the concern of the customers, contribute, make certain the information is worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation that’ll cause strong relationship, make 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 may start be involved in social networking and content marketing. Content marketing is an art form of understanding what your customers’ want, have to know and the science of delivering it in their mind in a useful and compelling way. This content needs to be doing a useful and compelling way. To start, the brand has to build trust and credibility. This really is huge work. This becomes easy if your brand can take time to pay attention 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 around I really do know the fact that your brand need to ascertain the line that the brand is worth their attentions. This could make your brand’s efforts become suspect. Your web visitors want educational content without initial marketing spin. This content 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 be in tune along with your industry. Contents that solve problems drive traffic and increases sale rate.
