Social media has become 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 many brands are overlooking the “social” in front of the social media. This is what sets social media aside from other forms of media. To excel in social media, you begin with cultivating a cultural media mindset. Most haven’t understood what this platform offers.
All that individuals are now doing is majorly titled toward social media abuse which is based 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 path to survive in now is just a two-way communication media which embraces not merely the traditional but online media platform. As we all know, the existing trend today is for brands to first find out about their brides-customers, get their attention through the utilization of social media 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 the new media has exposed opportunity to find 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 traditional media. Some corporate brands here appear to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that individuals are not yet online, neither is there recognized consumer fora which may have major convergence of consumers online. Also no regulatory authority here pays awareness of or gives any awareness of whatever they’ve to express can. In addition they declare that online forums here have no impacts on corporate performance. Some also declare that social media is alien to us. My answer is that social media isn’t alien. The very fact remains that many things have been part folks only that individuals do not accurately labeled them until the westerners help us out.
The notion of social media, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals where a couple gets engaged before they could start dating. The procedure require that suitor’s intention must be established through family contacts, integrity checked and a cogent promised is created he is enthusiastic about a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, no one officially allows the intending couple to start dating. If this really is violated then, the bride to be would be disciplined.
Drawing a parallel in this ancient ritual, the customers want the brand today to show that what matters is her, not money making. The customers desire to be sure that out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand will take the initiative of starting a discussion, the consumer wants to be certain your brand is not merely flirting, looking out for short flings but an actual relationship that’ll enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social media, content and social marketing set up a bate by loading the proper words in their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride that they’re out to make her life better even before selling anything.
Customer really wants to see just how much of your intellectual property will be made available without charges. The consumer wants to discover you are 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 takes some time before social media and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that may show advanced 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 is over one forty million. Hseih may be the managing Director of Zappos.com. Tony through his ‘tweet’ has course to meet with customers at a bar while many in his position will rather hide beneath the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to build interaction with customers; he uses twitter to fix 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 on 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 has an integrated website which allows news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social media to build strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
An example of the utilization of social media 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 a week ago, he used YouTube video to spread his the main case. This video spread across the web 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 for their location but based on attitudes, disposition to the utilization of technology that’ll aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is now an easy thing through social media.
Social media has changed into a great platform to identify with, interact, communicate brand element. This often starts in online forum and lead to offline beneficial relationship. best reseller panel Today, nearly three billion of the seven billion potentials are actually connected in social media platforms. Agreed the ratio remains 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 could have better product, services but will certainly lose out for you if you can build strong connection together when you question them to get through massive advertisement.
If your brand can give away enough information, answers to concerns and prove that you will be on the verge of seriously neglecting your own personal best interest, of tight schedules, in order to serve these greedy, needy brides that desire your brands be open, honest together which can 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 that when our banking industry’s Managing Directors have already been active in social media, there’s likelihood of gaining public sympathy instead of this anger, tantrum they are now receiving from various angles. Their followers could have been able to guard them and take appropriate position that may have given them soft landing in this trying period.
Since our brands have concentrated on a single form of media, mainstream, tell me why should their brides not filter their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me why is 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 if the brides be loyal when the section of trust is shaking?
Having established that let us now examine proper means of participating in social media which can 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 carrying this out, brand should first define its social media strategy through careful evaluation of brand’s resources, analyze the target audience, and identify objectives. Having done this, brand must carefully pick or access platforms that suit their goals. This may inform your choice to operate a website or just to participate in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social media bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Make sure you realize that such platforms are used by your niche audience. Identify the very best influencers of your industry online through recognitions given for 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 do not demand a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they are used by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The sole requirement is passion that is 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 might be counter productive. Great ability to produce qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories is also essential. Social media, content marketing, management is observed as collection of open-sourced, interactive and user- controlled online application used to expand the experiences, knowledge and market power of the users as participants in operation 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 discover what’s the concern of the customers, contribute, make sure this content is worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation that’ll lead to 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.