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Everybody’s talking about social media – and not just talking, but tweeting, blogging, buzzing, and digging about it, too. To help sort out where social media fits into your marketing mix, consider the thoughts below. And to further reflect on the opportunities social media and other emerging tactics offer, just email me back or call me at 704.926.1345.
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The emergence of social media is the latest chapter in the ongoing transformation of branding. In the past, companies would focus marketing communications outward in an effort to shape what a brand should mean to the consumer. Today, though, brand building is multidirectional as consumers shape brands through social and other interactive media. For marketers, the impact of social media is significant, and its footprint is expanding. According to eMarketer (Social Network User Demographics, January 2009), the profile of social network users is split evenly between men and women, predominately 35 or younger but growing fast among older users. And, what makes it even more interesting is that users’ household income, ethnicity and education levels are fairly evenly dispersed. So, knowing how significant it is now and how rapidly it’s growing, what is the best advice we can provide on how to integrate social media into your marketing mix? The bottom line is, be intentional. Have a clear purpose for utilizing social media. Start with the defining question, “What is the objective of social media for your company?” and then assess your answers against the following opportunities suggested by Awareness, Inc.:
In this ever-evolving arena where the opportunities are vast, starting with a focused approach will determine which tactics make the most sense for achieving your objectives. It also will clarify where to invest your time and money. By knowing what you want to accomplish with social media, you can twitter away to good purpose.
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