Social Media Appeal Meant for Types
Social networking has become mainstream and as someone said: every media becoming social. I think some brands and their attitudes to social networking, content marketing, management. It is clear from every angle, except from view, that many brands are overlooking the “social” facing the social media. It’s this that sets social networking apart from other forms of media. To excel in social networking, you start with cultivating a cultural media mindset. Most haven’t understood what this platform offers.
All that individuals are currently doing is majorly titled toward social networking 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’ve neglected or can we say they are unaware that the only method to survive in now is just a two-way communication media which embraces not just the traditional but online media platform. As we know, the current trend today is for brands to first learn about their brides-customers, obtain 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 these new media has opened up opportunity to seek opinion, interact, court, date and offers irresistible proposal that may hook the bride. Today customers are no more purchasing one mode fits all offer by the traditional media. Some corporate brands here seem to hinge non-participation in online community building on such excuses that individuals are not even online, neither exist 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 have to say can. They also claim that online forums here have no impacts on corporate performance. Some also claim that social networking is alien to us. My answer is that social networking isn’t alien. The actual fact remains that many things had been part of us only that individuals don’t accurately labeled them before westerners help us out.
The notion of social networking, 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 needs to be established through family contacts, integrity checked and a cogent promised is manufactured that he is thinking about a serous relationship and not flings. Without these background checks, no-one officially allows the intending couple to begin dating. If that is violated then, the bride to be would be disciplined.
Drawing a similar in this ancient ritual, the customers want the brand today showing that what matters is her, not money making. The customers wish to be certain that out of arrays of suitors-products, services- your brand usually takes the initiative of starting a discussion, the customer wants to make sure your brand is not only flirting, looking out for short flings but a real relationship that may enhance her lifestyle. Brand through social networking, content and social marketing create a bate by loading the right words in their contents to convince, educate, entertain the bride that they are out to create her life better even before selling anything.
Customer really wants to see simply how much of your intellectual property will be made available without charges. The client wants to discover you are a giver. Among 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 takes time before social networking and content marketing make huge impact. Any brand that can show higher level 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 finished one forty million. Hseih could 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 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 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 has an integrated website that enables news update, blog among others. Southwest Airlines has used social networking to construct strong connection that impacts on the brand’s offline interaction
An 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 that he killed Michael Jackson through drug overdose. About yesterday, he used YouTube video to spread his part of the case. This video spread across the internet along with mainstream media. Popularity of virtual community has been soaring high with an increase of people focusing from academics and marketing communications practitioner discussing it beforehand countries, yet Nigeria brands have assumed ‘I don’t care attitude’ ;.Nations and brands aren’t considered backward just for their location but predicated on attitudes, disposition to the usage of technology that may aid progress. Building emotional connection, loyalty with the brand is becoming a simple thing through social media.
Social networking 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 actually connected in social networking platforms. Agreed the ratio remains slow here but the quantity is increasing daily. Through social networking brands can ignite confidence in the hearts of the bride, build thought leadership. Your brand competitors could have better product, services but will truly lose out for you if you’re able to build strong connection together when you inquire further to buy through massive advertisement.
If your brand can share 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 be much more open, honest together which is the essence of social media. Social networking don’t allow cover ups, unnecessary protection of corporate brand’s failures. I’m of the opinion when our banking industry’s Managing Directors have now been active in social networking, there’s probability of gaining public sympathy instead of the anger, tantrum they are now receiving from various angles. Their followers could have been able to protect them and take appropriate position that will 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 filter their useless bragging through advertising? Tell me why is it hard for brands Facebook Likes Reseller Panel 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? The brands’ brides are actually also afraid; skeptical of marketing. Why if the brides be loyal once the element of trust is shaking?
Having established that let us now examine proper way of participating in social networking which is now being exchanged for web.2.0. For brands to actively take part in social networking, brands have to observe, listen, find clients’ hibernating medium. In doing this, brand should first define its social networking strategy through careful evaluation of brand’s resources, analyze the target market, and identify objectives. Having done this, brand must carefully pick or access platforms that fit their goals. This may inform your choice to run a web log or just to take part in other forums like Twitter, Facebook, discussion board, social networking bookmarking, stumbleupon among others. Make sure you realize that such platforms are utilized by your niche audience. Identify the very best influencers of your industry online through recognitions given with 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 need a programmer’s knowledge and in actual fact, they are utilized 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 also understands forum rules, reputation software, learn how to distribute contents without creating offense as this may be counter productive. Great ability to create qualitative content for blogs, create profiles and claim such blogs in online directories is also essential. Social networking, content marketing, management is seen 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 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 information is worth their attention, clarify issues, build conversation that may lead to 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.