Social networking is now mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I always think some brands and their attitudes to social media, content marketing, management. It’s clear out of every angle, except from view, that most brands are overlooking the “social” before the social media. This is exactly what sets social media apart from other types of media. To excel in social media, you start out with cultivating a social media mindset. Most haven’t understood what this platform offers.
All that people are still doing is majorly titled toward social media 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’ve neglected or can we say they’re unaware that the only way to survive in this time is just a two-way communication media which embraces not merely the traditional but online media platform. As we know, the present trend today is for brands to first find out about their brides-customers, obtain attention through the use of social media platforms like blogging, Youtube, Xing, Facebook, Del.ici.ous, Bookmarking, RSS, Podcasting, videocasting, Wikis among many other available online media.
The evolution of the new media has opened opportunity to find opinion, interact, court, date and offers irresistible proposal that will hook the bride. Today customers are no further buying one mode fits all offer by the traditional media. Some corporate brands here appear to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that people are not even online, neither is there recognized consumer fora which have major convergence of consumers online. Also no regulatory authority here pays attention to or gives any attention to whatever they’ve to say can. In addition they claim that online forums here haven’t any impacts on corporate performance. Some also claim that social media is alien to us. My answer is that social media is not alien. The actual fact remains that numerous things have been part of us only that people don’t accurately labeled them before westerners help us out.
The idea of social media, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals in which a couple gets engaged before they might start dating. The process require that suitor’s intention has to be established through family contacts, integrity checked and a cogent promised is made he is interested in a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, nobody officially allows the intending couple to begin dating. If that is violated then, the bride to be could be disciplined.
Drawing a simultaneous 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 sure out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand usually takes the initiative of starting a discussion, the consumer wants to be sure your brand is not only flirting, taking care of short flings but a genuine relationship that will enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social media, content and social marketing put up a bate by loading the best words within their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride that they’re out to create her life better even before selling anything.
Customer desires to see how much of one’s intellectual property is going to be made available without charges. The consumer 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 networking, content marketing requires a lot of commitment. It does take time before social media and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that could show high level of commitment in social media will always carry the day.
Typical case studies of brands with efficient usage of social media include Tony Hseih. Tony followers in Twitter today has ended one forty million. Hseih is the managing Director of Zappos.com. Tony through his ‘tweet’ has course to generally meet with customers at a club while many in his position will rather hide beneath the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to construct interaction with customers; he uses twitter to resolve problems for clients. The effectiveness 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 comes with an integrated website that allows news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social media to construct strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
A good example of the use of social media to spread messages and connection was recently demonstrated by Michael Jackson’s personal doctor. acheter des abonnés français As we’re all aware, it had been once insinuated he killed Michael Jackson through drug overdose. About yesterday, he used YouTube video to spread his the main case. This video spread across the net as well as mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with an increase of people focusing from academics and marketing communications practitioner discussing it in advance countries, yet Nigeria brands have assumed ‘I don’t care attitude’ ;.Nations and brands are not considered backward just because of their location but centered on attitudes, disposition to the use of technology that will aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is now a simple thing through social media.
Social networking has changed into a great platform to identify with, interact, communicate brand element. This often starts in online forum and result in offline beneficial relationship. Today, nearly three billion of the seven billion potentials are actually connected in social media platforms. Agreed the ratio continues to be slow here but the number is increasing daily. Through social media brands can ignite confidence in the hearts of the bride, build thought leadership. Your brand competitors might have better product, services but will really lose out for your requirements if you’re able to build strong connection with them when you ask them to buy through massive advertisement.
If your brand can give away enough information, answers to concerns and prove that you’re on the verge of seriously neglecting your personal best interest, of tight schedules, in order to serve these greedy, needy brides that desire your brands be open, honest with them that will be the essence of social media. Social networking don’t allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I am of the opinion that if our banking industry’s Managing Directors have been active in social media, there is chance of gaining public sympathy instead with this anger, tantrum they’re now receiving from various angles. Their followers would have been able to protect them and take appropriate position which could have given them soft landing in this trying period.
Since our brands have concentrated on one kind of media, mainstream, tell me why should their brides not stop their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me how come it difficult for brands n our environment to see handwriting on the wall that their brides now desire their authentic voices which are not coloured with jargons of self- serving moneybags? The brands’ brides are actually also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why should the brides be loyal when the component of trust is shaking?
Having established that let’s now examine proper method of participating in social media that will be now being exchanged for web.2.0. For brands to actively participate in social media, brands need certainly to observe, listen, find clients’ hibernating medium. In doing this, brand should first define its social media 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. This can inform your choice to perform a weblog or just to participate in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social media bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Make sure you know that such platforms are used by your niche audience. Identify the very best influencers of one’s industry online through recognitions given to their opinions, comments, awards etc.
To achieve this 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 don’t require a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they’re used by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The sole requirement is passion that’s backed with proven results. The said manger or consultant must also understands forum rules, reputation software, know how to distribute contents without creating offense as this may be counter productive. Great ability to generate qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories can also be essential. Social networking, content marketing, management is seen as assortment 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 media landscape is basically about conversation before any marketing campaign.
Brands must therefore consider Rajesh Setty’s suggestion that it must demonstrate that your brand cares, is curious to learn what’s the concern of the customers, contribute, make sure this content is worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation that will result in strong relationship, generate 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.
Let me conclude this piece by highlighting how brand can start participate in social media and content marketing. Content marketing is an art of understanding what your customers’ want, have to know and the science of delivering it in their mind in a useful and compelling way. The content has to be participating in a useful and compelling way. To start, the brand has to construct trust and credibility. This really is huge work. This becomes easy if your brand can take the time to tune in to customers first. By that brand discovers their problems and this content is therefore tailored to provide solution.
Avoid talking a lot of about your brand or your expertise as much as I really do know the truth that your brand need to determine the line that your brand is worth their attentions. This may make your brand’s efforts become suspect. Your web visitors want educational content without initial marketing spin. The content also has 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 this content has to stay tune together with your industry. Contents that solve problems drive traffic and increases sale rate.
Unfortunately, Facebook is not yet to the point where you can automatically designate specific posts or applications as not-to-be shared. If you have your Wall open to the public or your News Feed, you may want to ensure that everything posted is client-friendly. This may mean censoring both your and your friends’ contributions to your Facebook profile. facebook post likes