Archive for December, 2009

My, my, my… how the term social media marketing has grown in the past year! A year ago many people on the continent didn’t really know what social media was much less how to use it for business related purposes.

Now-a-days it seems like everyone is the expert.  Internet Marketing guru’s are popping up everywhere. The most recent trend I can compare this to is the SEO craze that happened a few years ago. Boy did a lot of people jump on that bandwagon. Now even those companies are claiming they have the “hidden” secrets to social media marketing.

And with the hidden secret means more money in their pocket. The same strategy that works for SEO and link building, doesn’t exactly apply to the social media world. They are two separate worlds that work best when integrated into an overall strategy. Just because a person understands Google’s algorithms, does NOT mean they understand how to communicate a company’s message through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

The largest, hidden secret of all time in social media is the communication part. Yes, there are strategies that work and yes, there are certain things to avoid and even yes, there is an element of optimization that goes into SMM; however what really makes social media successful is being able to spend valuable time communicating with your audience. That is what all these ’social media experts’ are claiming to show you how to do for big bucks!

Everyone is trying to make money while the buzz around social media is hot, but the fact of the matter is social media isn’t going anywhere. Time will only tell who the real experts are in the social media world and who was just kicking around dust.

What to look for in a Social Media Marketing Company:

1. First and foremost, do they know social media? Do they know what techniques work well and which ones to stay away from?
2. Do they have a proven track record?
3. How long have they been a ’social media expert’? Just for the past year or have they used it successfully since its origination?
4. Do they know how to communicate via the internet with a targeted audience?
5. Most important of all, ask what the measurements of social media are. If they can’t answer that in detail, they don’t deserve your money or time.

Don’t get caught up in the social media craze and bite at the first person who calls themselves an expert. Interview them and ask them detailed questions to find out if they really know what they are talking about, or if they are just blowing smoke.

I would like to begin with a statement I heard while in a seminar for email marketing that really made me ponder about how businesses really adapt and grow as times change. The saying goes like this; “The fundamentals of business never change, what changes are the tools we use”.

When looking at the business world and comparing the companies who continue to grow and prosper, it always seems to be the companies who can adapt to changes in technology. Those companies, who can take advantage of many different types of opportunities to grow their business, seem to keep their doors open no matter what the circumstances.

Marketing is a very powerful tool. It amazes me that during rough times some business owners or higher level managers tend to shorten their marketing budgets, thinking that they are doing their company a favor. Really all they are doing is not allowing consumers to know they still exist.

What companies should be doing, is evaluating their spending on a broad spectrum and analyzing which marketing efforts are the most important in terms of what the population is doing with their time and resources. If the population is spending more time in their homes watching TV, then commercials are probably a good form of advertising. If consumers are spending more time on the Internet, then I would say that is the best place to advertise. Spending capital smarter should be a company’s motto.

The ability to change as technology changes could mean the difference between a company who is barely getting by and a successful company. Technology is currently changing and consumers are making the shift of using the Internet to find products and services. When looking for a restaurant to eat at, consumers are now looking to the Internet to find a local restaurant in the area. The Internet is also a place they can read reviews from others who have eaten there before.

It is very important for companies to have an active presence on the Internet. A website is very much needed, but now a website is the standard, and other efforts are needed in order for a company to be found on the Internet. Consumers are spending their time on social media sites more now than ever before. Using social media marketing, when used properly as a tool to promote a business will help a company be found on the Internet.

Social media marketing allows a company to increase the awareness of their product, service and company online. This style of marketing also allows a company to extend it’s reach and communicate on a more personal level with consumers and clients.

There are certain procedures that should be followed, to be addressed in a later blog, however connecting with consumers on an interactive platform, helps a company to continue to deliver their message where consumers are sure to see it and respond.