Social Marketing or Social Myth?
A social media strategy is a plan to achieve specific goals using social media platforms. It outlines target audience, content, engagement tactics, and analytics to measure success. it will include paid advertising, management of own portals and content creation.
There appears to be some confusion behind the concept of social media marketing! Does that imply a marketing strategy or simply using the communication channels defined as social media?
I was talking to a client a while ago and he was very proud of his social media marketing activities. In reality he was using social media channels to spread a fixed, paid for advertising, message. He thought this was all he needed to do to have a successful social media strategy. He had been persuaded to use the social media channels as a distribution network but the business had fundamentally no social media marketing strategy or program.
Always make sure your message, your brand position, your advertising message, your company character and communication channels used are aligned into one voice.
Take the example of a fast food business. Your social message might highlight where your ingredients come from, how often they arrive in and how fresh they are. Why you are different in this manner? Why you food is locally unique? More literally, how quickly you are served when you visit the restaurant or when you call for a home delivery! Or the fun people get from visiting your restaurant. All above is social news. Each one of these topics is easily highlighted with socially interesting copy, photographs or simple video, the primary tools of the social marketing execution basket.
But simply using the social media channel as a vehicle to distribute a menu, contact numbers and pricing?
Your social message must add value to your brand within the social community. That might be fun. Or it might be serious. But it must be interesting and relevant. And it must be with one consistent voice. One voice representing the brand, the company, the product, the experience. And relevant to the communication channel.
And you might add weight to the overall message strength by using paid for commercial space. By all means add to the advertising opportunity. But use all the appropriate vehicles in an appropriate way. Multiple messages in inappropriate channels often cause confusion. And that is something a communication strategy cannot afford.
Garth has over 20 years’ experience marketing dominant brands in South Africa, established multinational and local start-up brands in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and the GCC. A scientist and teacher by training he has learned his craft experientially with from mentors from a traditional FMCG background. Garth is an integrator by nature; bringing the best of the brand, the people and the environment together to maximize the brand position, its success and profitability. In his unique manner he has assisted a number of brands to reach their full potential. He enjoys the mountains; walking and mountain biking. If you would like to explore how Garth might assist you in maximizing your brand, you can connect via LinkedIn or garthsu@gmail.com