Demystifying Social Media
We’ve been hearing a lot of discussion lately from folks looking to harness that Web 2.0 phenomenon known as “social media” to help promote their brand/business and generally gain exposure to the millions of people blogging/tweeting/yelping/facebooking/youtubing/what-have-ye. While we’re all for reaching out to clients and promoting transparent interactions between businesses and users, I often get the nagging sensation that some people are approaching social media the wrong way, and so are losing out on what it could and should be.
Mitch briefly touched on some of this in his most recent post and Mashable’s Real Results series just posted a great article on this a few days ago. The Mashable article does a particularly great job at highlighting some key concepts that I feel are often lost or overlooked when companies enter the social media fray. While Mashable focuses on how small businesses in particular are leveraging their social media presence, I think their points translate well to businesses of any size. While the entire article itself is worth a read, here are three points I’d particularly like to highlight:
Social Media is a Conversation, Not a Sales Pitch
The great thing about social media is that it gives companies a means to have intense, personal connections with their clients; in fact this is actually why most people are attracted to social media! Problems arise and companies take flak when we arrive at their sites expecting a conversation and instead get hit with the internet equivalent of a billboard.
Think of it this way: everyone knows and dislikes the self-centered jerk who only talks about what they’re doing, how their life is going, etc. – basically selling how awesome they are 24/7. Don’t be this jerk. I know the reason businesses invest in social media is to improve their bottom line, but patience is a virtue! Facilitate open dialogue with your clients and they’ll do your advertising for you when they rave about you to their friends, family and Twitter followers.
Just Because You Build it, Doesn’t Mean They’ll Come
I’ve often encountered the opinion that because social media is “user driven,” it practically runs itself. This could not be any further from the truth. Many a corporate blog has died a slow and painful death because there wasn’t a push to constantly update with fresh content. Many a “official” twitter feed has laid dormant, with nary a retweet, because of dry content. It’s not enough to tell your current clients you have a blog, you have to give them a reason to visit. Whether that means soliciting feedback from clients regarding a new product, or asking users to describe their favorite part of your service, the onus is on you to build a community that users are happy to come back to again and again.
The Mashable article has a great story about a restaurant that tweets regulars to make sure that they’re enjoying their visits and to solicit feedback. This is a wonderful example of a company actively nourishing their online community and giving their users a reason to engage with their social media applications.
Social Media is a Double-Edged Sword, Just Like Everything Else
When people talk about the negative aspects of social media, the uncontrollable nature of user created content invariably comes into play. This is especially true for online review sites like Yelp, as well as more company-owned features, like enabling comments on the company blog. While there is potential to provide a platform for negative reviews and inappropriate discussions, it also sets the stage for you to distinguish your company for grace under fire. I know that some of my strongest loyalties lie with companies who acknowledge their mistakes and do the right thing.
For example, since moving to Chicago I’ve been in an uphill slog with UPS in an attempt to get my packages. When talking to them on the phone didn’t seem to be working, I took to Twitter to vent my frustration and my friends were soon retweeting my service woes. In a matter of hours, I was put in contact with UPS customer service people who are actively working to get my situation resolved and my friends are now tweeting about the positive experience I’m getting. Now, some might say that it’s bad for UPS to have my disgruntled tweets so obviously associated with their service and brand but what I think is key here is that people who are watching my little melodrama on Twitter are actually getting to see the entire story play out, from complaint to resolution. This is actually taking a negative event – me complaining – and turning it to a positive – providing them the opportunity to highlight their customer service and willingness to go the extra mile to satisfy a customer.
As a small business owner points out in the Mashable article, the benefits of positive comments and reviews far outweigh the negative opinions.
Hopefully this helps clear up some of the clouds surrounding social media and how it might benefit your company and your bottom line.
