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Social Networking to Reach Marketing Objectives: Definitions and Uses
Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube | MySpace | Ning | Collective X Learning New Social Skills: Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, MySpace, or other interest-specific online communities such as Reunion.com or cafemom.com, people are socializing, connecting and communicating in a myriad of interactive and interesting ways. The use of social networking sites is growing like crazy. But for companies and business people, the question is, “How can you use social networking in your marketing program?” The key to successfully socializing online is to understand what you want to accomplish. Having a clear marketing goal is still the most important part of joining this new scene. Think you want to become a “socialite”? What are the questions to ask to determine what's right for your city, product or service? There are a variety of web sites that provide statistics on the usage and current rankings of top social networking sites which can help you determine which site is right for your goals. These include http://www.comscore.com, http://www.techcrunch.com, Cnet.com: http://news.cnet.com. Following is a “short list” of the most widely used social networking sites and some thoughts on how and when to use each to accomplish a marketing objective: Why and how a company, destination or individual attempting to market itself should use each social networking tool. Facebook Every profile page is customizable and includes a Status Update (very similar to a Twitter post), where users can post to let others know what they are doing, thinking or feeling at that moment. There is also a "wall," where Facebook “friends” can post comments or “likes” and create conversations. Facebook is used for both personal and business purposes. The number of businesses with Facebook pages is growing rapidly, Facebook provides a place where information can be shared up to the minute, as well as pictures, videos, and basically anything you can imagine. Facebook does not limit the characters in a status update like twitter does, and it provides its users with many more options and clearer easier to follow interface. With Facebook it is easy to upload pictures and videos and to share links to favorite books or music. User statistics: (from Facebook March 2010)
How to Use Facebook: With the right approach, Facebook is a tool to use to promote your product, city, event or company to a broad range of clients/customers. It also offers the option to narrow in on your specific target market. Facebook has also become a virtual place to unite people with common causes or professional and personal interests. Careful planning, creativity, and adequate time to maintain your company presence is essential to make Facebook pay off. To be effective, a Facebook profile page should be kept current and fresh with regular (at least daily) Status Updates, along with images, videos and other items that convey your company or product message clearly. To gain “fans” and friends,” you can invite your email list to visit your page. If they are existing members of Facebook, they can make your company a “friend” or become a “fan.” This will extend your audience to make your company or product visible to each of their “friends,” who often have similar interests and consumer habits. A company's audience can grow exponentially if its page is well received. Conversations are key to any social media site but especially to Facebook. It is important to remember that conversations are a two way street. It is important to get the conversation rolling but also to be sure to listen to what your fans/friends are saying back. Two-way communication is what makes social media so great! A company can start a conversation with potential customers if the information offered has a special hook: for instance, it is timely, money-saving, controversial, how-to, or fun. A good example is the recent use by the Mars Candy Company to promote its Skittles candies. It used its Facebook page as its home page to create a buzz about a special event. And it worked, both in the media and in viral marketing. Status Updates also are key to the success of providing the go-to place for news and “insider” information. For example, American Eagle Outfitters posts special promotions in its Status Updates. A notification is sent to its Facebook “fans” before the mass emails are sent. This gives consumers a distinct benefit to being a Facebook “fan” for American Eagle Outfitters. It also inspires customer loyalty. American Eagle Outfitters currently has about 269,000 fans and the number is growing fast. Creating contests is a great way to gain fan’s on your page, therefore widening your audience. Contests are a way to engage your fans and also give away free promotional items, which in turn also help to get the word out about your company or client. Linkedin How to Use Linkedin: Linkedin is the voice of business; it is all about professional development. No big bells and whistles here, just a great resource to find creative partners and a place to promote your special area of expertise and skills. You can ask your peers and associates to post testimonial comments and to refer you to others with specific talents and knowledge. When we needed an additional expert for a proposal we were doing, I asked my entire LinkedIn list for a referral. We got dozens of responses, and we were able to choose an excellent partner for us. Additionally, we have responded to requests from other agencies looking for special experience, such as a PR consultant or agency with tourism experience. We've even gotten linked to people as far away as Jerusalem, where a tourism-marketing executive was looking for help with branding questions. Twitter How to Use Twitter: Twitter can be used as part of a company's overall marketing strategy. Businesses can communicate instantaneously with Twitter. It's faster and can reach farther than a press release or an email blast. The list of companies that use Twitter is lengthy and includes top-name brands such as Starbucks, T Mobile, Southwest Airlines, H&R Block and more. Companies use Twitter for announcing company news, product sales or links to a website or press release, but it's more than that. It welcomes the public to a business, allowing them see inside it and hear what is being said, whether it's about a company's philosophy, a CEO's causes or the company's achievements and news. Media use Twitter to solicit story leads and gather breaking information. What your company puts on Twitter might start a dialogue with a reporter or be included in a news feature if it's timely or relevant to a reporter's story. However, it's important to do more than announce promotions and products. Be sure to always use keyword optimization, this enables people to locate what you are talking about rather then your specific company. The key to successful Twitter use is being able to convey a company's overall personaliyt, create relationships with customers and start conversations. YouTube How to Use YouTube: As with other social media sites, speaking to your audience is key. What are they interested in and what delivery style will get and keep their attention most effectively? With YouTube, there are no major technical issues to overcome to start using it as a marketing tool. You can upload videos to your account without the need to compress or find expensive video hosting. You can easily share video with others by email, adding to your Facebook and MySpace pages. Create a series of instructional or interesting video shorts to encourage repeat viewership and build a following for your product or service. MySpace How to Use MySpace: Use MySpace because it allows for a bit more flexibility in page design. You might even think in terms of an online scrapbook or memorabilia album. MySpace is also commonly used by independent artists, rock bands, musicians, chefs and others to share ideas, music, images and experiences. Here is a link to a MySpace page used by a client we assisted with PR, Chef James of the Hilton in Fairfield, California. www.myspace.com/hottestchef. Placemaking Group worked with Chef James to place him as a guest chef on the "View from the Bay" TV talk show. He posted these interviews on his MySpace page to share with his associates and customers. Ning How to Use Ning: Ning could work well for a fundraising or community relations campaign as it allows you to focus on a single topic, to a specific, narrow audience. Collective X How to Use Collective X: This is a cross between workgroup sites such as teamspace.com and basecamp. This is for specific projects and can be added and deleted when a project is over. Stick To The Plan: Message, Audience, Delivery is Key To Success For any marketing campaign, whether using social networking or more traditional tools, your ultimate success is dependent on knowing who your target audience is and what action you want them to take. Always start with the development of a solid plan to use as a road map, and then allocate the resources that will allow you to stick to it. Contact:
Dennis Erokan,
President
derokan@placemakinggroup.com |
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