Signs, resistance to social media is useless. Millions of people create content on the social web on a daily basis. Your customers have been using it for a long time. Your competitors have embraced. If your company is not out there, it should be.
But there are some recurrent misconceptions and misunderstandings out there. Many companies have discovered that these tools do not live up to the campaign, especially small businesses. There are a lot of challenges that are not immediately obvious. Are you thinking of Twitter, Facebook, and others as part of the marketing plan? Before you jump, keep in mind these myths:
1. Social media is cheap or free. Yes, many social media tools are free, such as Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, social network building tool for Ning, and content aggregators like Digg and StumbleUpon. There are many free blogging tools, too, like WordPress, Blogger, Twitter and FriendFeed. But the inclusion of corporate marketing program takes time, skill and money.
2. You can make a big splash very soon. Of course, sometimes it happens. Social media is great if you are already a star, but really is not anything like an overnight sensation. For example, tweets can direct traffic to the articles, websites, Facebook pages, quizzes, applications, videos, etc. – this is easier if the public is already concerned about your brand or if you have something really original or an idea Inspiring people to the extent they want to share with friends. But that takes time and dedication to keep the content fresh.
3. You must be at all important sites. The most successful brands with social networks tend to focus on some of them. The fact that the media says it is cold tweeter does not mean it has nothing to do with your business. If you plan to frequent social networking, do not overextend. Companies that choose your weapons wisely and take all they are the ones who succeed in the social space.
4. If you create something wonderful, people will find it. How is that supposed to happen? If you can drive traffic through social media, reminiscent of the wood of the forest with no one around to hear him. Many instruments can be controlled by traffic, such as Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, blogs and SEO, but the word of mouth trumps all – a friend tells another, “Hey, watch this!” Is very strong.
5. This is for children. Contrary to the perception that social media is for preteens, teens and 20 somethings, older demographics are changing rapidly in this space. According to the analysis of iStrategyLabs, Facebook experienced 276% growth in users 35 to 54 in 2009 and is the fastest growing segment.
6. You can not build quality relationships online. The thought is that it is a waste of time with people online who do not know in real life – it’s useless, it does not lead to lasting relationships with your brand. It’s actually the opposite: social media allows you to be face to face with your target audience. Even if they are not paying customers, is still valuable information about what they think and what they react.
7. Gives away the content and ideas should be on prices. In a nutshell: the more, the more you get in social media. Need to let go of the idea that all content products must be protected to visit with the public, and encourage them to tell what you have created.
8. is a fad. The drumbeat around social media has been deafening. However, many traders remain skeptical, hesitant to extend budgets and consume resources in a craze. But social media is a fundamental change in communication – it is not just a new set of tools, but a new realm of networking, communications, life and organization. It was embedded in our way of life, so it is here to stay.
9. Anyone can do it. It seems that in this way, right? Many people, young musicians with more marketing experience, who claim to be experts in social media. Some even pose as gurus. But how many of them have created successful initiatives of social media to clients? An effective campaign must incorporate social elements in all aspects of marketing, including advertising, digital and public relations. The theory is no match for experience and the best social media marketing today have years of experience in the incorporation of interactivity, forums, viral video, applications, social networks, blogs, user generated content and skills in the marketing mix.
10. It is a miracle cure. While social media is a great tool for online reputation management is not a panacea. Do not get so wrapped up in the concept of the social web that ignore the other problems with your marketing strategy. Social media is another long list of tools should take advantage of brand messaging.
11. You can not do everything alone. Do you need a strategy, tools, contacts and experience – the mix is not usually in the home teams, who are often tempted to use the wrong tools, or to reinvent the wheel … which leads to (you guessed it) a poor result. How many teams have experience in building and implementing a social media campaign to drive traffic to your blog through advertising, SEO, Twitter, etc.?
12. Social marketing results can not be measured. There are a variety of methods and tools to help in this, and more coming every day. You can follow the blog comments, quoted by the media, traffic statistics, fans on Facebook, Twitter, commenting on the content, advertising results in real-time blog, click through the website. The tools are there, and the number of people who know how to collect and interpret, is increasing.
What other myths out there on social media? What lessons did you learn that you have tried to get your arms around social engagement as a marketing tool?
Tags: content aggregators, corporate marketing, facebook, marketing myths, overnight sensation, social web, tweets