Social media has become mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I think some brands and their attitudes to social media, content marketing, management. It is clear from every angle, except from view, that a lot of brands are overlooking the “social” before the social media. This is exactly what sets social media aside from other forms of media. To excel in social media, you start out with cultivating a cultural media mindset. Most have not understood what this platform offers.
All that people are currently 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’re unaware that the only method to survive in this time is really a two-way communication media which embraces not just the standard but online media platform. As we know, the present trend today is for brands to first learn 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 number of other available online media.
The evolution of the new media has opened up opportunity to seek 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 standard media. Some corporate brands here appear to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that people are not even online, neither exist 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 have to state can. Additionally they claim that online forums here don’t have any impacts on corporate performance. Some also claim that social media is alien to us. My answer is that social media isn’t alien. The fact remains that many things have been part folks only that people do not accurately labeled them until the westerners help us out.
The idea of social media, content marketing is rooted in cultural rituals where a couple gets engaged before they might start dating. The method require that suitor’s intention must 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 this really is violated then, the bride to be could be disciplined.
Drawing a simultaneous in this ancient ritual, the customers want the brand today showing that what matters is her, not money making. The customers wish to be sure out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand will take the initiative of starting a discussion, the customer wants to be certain your brand is not merely flirting, looking out for short flings but a real relationship that will enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social media, content and social marketing put up a bate by loading the proper words inside their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride that they’re out to produce her life better even before selling anything.
Customer desires to see simply how much of one’s intellectual property will soon be made available without charges. The consumer wants to discover you’re a giver. Among their love languages is gift sharing. A giver without string attached always takes the show. Social media, content marketing requires plenty of commitment. It takes time before social media and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that may show higher 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 is finished one forty million. Hseih may be 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 underneath the guise of busy schedule. Tony uses Twitter to create interaction with customers; he uses twitter to fix problems for clients. The potency 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, results in co- creation of brands products, services.
As busy as Richard Branson of Virgin group is, he also maintains a twitter account. He’s used his twitter account to answer questions from angry customers along with virgin potentials. The virgin group also posseses an integrated website that allows news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social media to create 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 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 along with mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with more 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 because of their location but predicated on attitudes, disposition to the utilization of technology that will aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is becoming 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 lead to offline beneficial relationship. Today, nearly three billion of the seven billion potentials are now connected in social media platforms. Agreed the ratio is still 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 certainly lose out for you if you can build strong connection with them when you question them to purchase through massive advertisement.
If your brand can share enough information, answers to concerns and prove that you will be 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 be much more open, honest with them which can be the essence of social media. Social media do not allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I’m of the opinion when our banking industry’s Managing Directors have been active in social media, there’s chance of gaining public sympathy instead of the anger, tantrum they’re now receiving from various angles. Their followers could have been able to guard them and take appropriate position that could have given them soft landing in this trying period.
Since our brands have concentrated on a single kind of media, mainstream, tell me why should their brides not stop their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me exactly why is it hard for brands n our environment to see handwriting on the wall that their brides now desire their authentic voices that aren’t coloured with jargons of self- serving moneybags? acheter des followers The brands’ brides are now also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why should the brides be loyal once the element 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 achieving 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 will inform your decision to run a weblog or simply to participate in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social media bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Be sure you know that such platforms are employed by your niche audience. Identify the most effective influencers of one’s industry online through recognitions given to their opinions, comments, awards etc.
To do this effectively, brand may consider creating the positioning 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 require a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they’re employed by customer relations, brand, and Public relations experts. The only requirement is passion that is 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 can be counter productive. Great ability to produce qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories can also be 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 actually about conversation before any marketing campaign.
Brands must therefore consider Rajesh Setty’s suggestion so it must demonstrate that the brand cares, is curious to discover what is the concern of the customers, contribute, make certain the content may be worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation that will lead to strong relationship, make plenty 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.
I’d like to conclude this piece by highlighting how brand can begin participate in social media and content marketing. Content marketing is an art of understanding what your customers’ want, need to find out and the science of delivering it in their mind in a good and compelling way. The content must be doing a good and compelling way. To begin, the brand has to create trust and credibility. This really is huge work. This becomes easy if your brand can take the time to pay attention to customers first. By that brand discovers their problems and the content is therefore tailored to supply solution.
Avoid talking an excessive amount of about your brand or your expertise as much as I actually do know the truth that your brand need to establish the line that the brand may be worth their attentions. This will make your brand’s efforts become suspect. Your customers want educational content without initial marketing spin. The content also must 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 content has to be in tune along with your industry. Contents that solve problems drive traffic and increases sale rate.