A Best Practice in Social Media Marketing
September 3rd, 2008 | Author: Beth Harte
Recently, Jason Falls of Social Media Explorer tagged Kipp Bodnar of Digital Capitalism and me to add on to Mitch Joel’s (Twist Image) meme on Best Practices in Social Media Marketing.
This is a great project to collect what is just the start of some best practices. And I say a start because some of us are still new to learning about social media and implementing social media marketing. That said there have been a lot of successes and that’s the best part of being involved in social media—we all learn from one another.
Here are just a few best practices that have been shared so far:
- Consistency (Mitch Joel)
- Embrace your Audience (Jason Falls)
- Listen and Add Value (Kipp Bodnar)
- Listen (Chris Brogan)
- Be Human (Kristie Wells)
- Reach out to others (Morriss Partee)
- Lift up others! (Drew McLellan)
- Honesty & Respect (Paisano)
The best practice that I would like to add is: Provide a Platform
Marketers are so accustomed to ‘talking at’ their customers instead of ‘talking with’ their customers. And typically when two-way conversation occurs, it happens infrequently at events, tradeshows, off-line forums, customer council meetings or during that once a year customer satisfaction survey.
Why wait for those limited occasions? Why not provide an on-line platform for your community that gives them a place to express themselves, interact and engage? (Remember the rule: two ears, one mouth).
Providing a platform could mean starting a blog or a new on-line community, but not necessarily. There are a lot of other great ways to provide a platform and you can always join one that exists.
Here are just a few:
- Plurk
- Ning (Social Networks)
- Forums
- MySpace
- FriendFeed
- Second Life
- Interactive Webinars
- Blog
I am sure there are more ways to provide a platform. What would you suggest?
Once you have selected the platform that works best for your community, be sure to follow the above best practices! In the meantime, Chris Brogan offers some great advice for getting involved in social networking.
If they haven’t already been tagged, I’d like to invite Amber Naslund of The Brand Box and Paul Chaney of Conversational Media Marketing to add one of their best practices.
[Photo: iStock]
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I think this a great list to start from. As a user not an expert, I have to add a couple of additional thoughts.
1. Social Media may not be for everyone. As a marketer, I had to determine if my target market is playing in this playground. First I determined what are my target profiles? I did some social media research and saw which social media tools that my “perfect customers” love. Then I focused my energies there. Social media takes time and consistent presence. I learned I don’t have to be everywhere just where my potential clients are.
2. Be authentic, don’t just twitter to say you twitter. Actually have something to contribute. The more “meat” you offer up the more you will be seen as an expert. This is a fine line as you don’t want to give away all of your expertise so that your customers don’t feel value in hiring you. I know many social media experts that struggle with this balance.
Whether you blog or belong to LinkedIn – the key is to actually work the social media. If you build it they will come – but if you only build a profile and don’t participate – then don’t expect people to come clamoring
You’re being featured on Five Star Friday:
http://www.fivestarfriday.com/2008/09/five-star-friday-edition-22.html
@BeverlyCornell, thanks for stopping by! Thanks for adding onto the conversation.
1. That’s great advice for many of us to follow and basic, but important steps, that some of us might forget before diving in. Reminds me of doing website user profiles.
2. So many people think that just because they have an account on Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. that it’s enough (or *cool*). Nope, not by a mile…people want conversation and they want to engage.
Social media IS work! And customers want conversation. Conversation is work, but it’s very, very valuable and insightful. I’d venture a guess that those companies who don’t embrace and converse with their customers (where they are, like you said) won’t be around for the long haul…because their customers will be talking about them on-line whether and with or without them. And if the conversation isn’t with them, it’ll be with their competitors who have embraced social media.
@Schmutzie, thanks for picking my Branding, Politics and Twitter post to be featured! I am honored.
Beth; Looking forward to following the updates, congratulations on being selected to contribute!
It is almost as if we have come full circle on some things. We all remember the local drug store, drycleaner, hardware store, grocer, etc, where the store owner knew your name, took time to talk with you, sometimes knew your whole family, knew what was going on, those businesses referred to as Mom and Pop Businesses, which have been replaced all across the country with big box stores, chains, etc. While there certainly are still some left, most are gone. However, I feel like I “know” Frank @Comcastcares, and I feel like, well, he really does care about how to solve my cable problem, and he can and does solve it much faster and with less aggravation. Are we on our way back to really connecting again? There are so very many opportunities i9n front of us all with these changing times.
@Eric, I feel bad for you if you know Frank that well!
Kidding! But you are exactly right, we are back to where we started. The conversations being had are just amazing! Looking forward to meeting you at SMBU in a few weeks!
Beth,
You’re right there are many ways to provide a platform and selecting the platform for the conversation is really important. There are a wide variety of platforms and it makes sense to provide multiple platforms…the more the better! There should be platforms everywhere.
The power of multiple platforms could be aided through aggregation of the information, a hub of social interaction and conversation. The social message should be accessible and cross platform. Customer support/social forums like Get Satisfaction would be a great place to collect the conversation.
A variety of media formats too. Disqus with Seesmic video comments…big fan…
@James, thanks for stopping by. I think while companies might get excited about providing a platform, they first really need to investigate where their customers are and see if there is a need for a platform. If one exists, join the conversation and let your customers/prospect/etc. know you can be found there. If not, then consider providing a platform. By no means is my best practice a call to action for creating platforms for the sake of it. The decision to provide a platform should match the goals and objectives a company has set for itself.
[...] Beth Harte raises the point of ‘provide a platform‘. Give you consumers a place to chat, get them going. And I really like that she cuts to the chase and adds, “Why wait for those limited occasions?”. Lead your consumers with a place to chat if they don’t have one. And if they do, give them extensions there to help them talk. [...]