Social media isn’t even a quarter-of-a-century old yet, but it’s transformed many aspects of our society. It’s allowed us to keep in touch with friends and family. It’s permitted us to find old classmates we haven’t heard from since graduation day. We’ve been able to connect with new friends from around the world who we’d never have met otherwise. And from a business perspective, it’s one of the key transformative elements that make up digital marketing.
There’s not a total break between traditional marketing and digital marketing, of course. Both use advertising in an attempt to appeal to a target audience. They rely on data to determine how best to do that. There are all kinds of things in common, and in some cases, they’re normal outgrowths of everything that came before.
However, the “social” part of social media marketing stands out in many ways from anything that came before. There is now the possibility, and even the necessity, of interacting with an audience. There’s a back-and-forth that never existed before. No longer do you simply put an advertisement in front of people; you now talk with them in a community.
Social “Marketing” Isn’t New
While social media marketing might be new, social relationships have always played a huge role in marketing.
As a kid, my mom would send me to Joe’s Deli a few blocks away to buy bread, milk, lunch meat, and a few other basics. My uncle worked there – he would have been in high school and college at the time. A few other guys from the neighborhood did, too. Joe, the owner, knew me too. I’m not sure if he knew my name, but he at least knew who my uncle was, who my mother was, who my grandparents were. Whenever I went in, I’d be greeted and asked how I was, how the family was doing, etc. And it wasn’t just me – everyone was treated like that. It was a typical old-fashioned neighborhood store.
That’s basic human courtesy, perhaps. But it was also social marketing, even if done unintentionally. It created a sense of belonging. It made me – and other customers – feel welcome and willing to come back.
That was a long time ago, but that’s not to say it doesn’t still happen. It’s harder with all the big box stores and gas station marts we have now. But even in these, the staff often form good relationships with regular customers.
There wasn’t a “plan” to know your customers by name. I doubt many store owners sat around trying to think that up. That’s how people act in a community. But it did a lot for promoting brand awareness and customer loyalty.
Taking Social Interactions Online
There are many aspects of digital marketing, and not all are social. People don’t search on Google and expect to be social. No one goes to Wikipedia to chat. But social media is intended to be social. And to be successful, social media marketing demands social interaction.
Ok, that might seem obvious. But there are many Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, LinkedIn pages, and the like that are abandoned. They were set up, all the information added, the company logo put in place – and that’s it. Sometimes they might even publish regularly, but they don’t respond to comments, questions, or complaints. And that defeats the whole idea of social media. It can be more harmful than helpful in the long run.
For most businesses, large or small, it’s important to be on social media. It’s an expectation of your clients. But it’s important to recognize what’s involved. Yes, it’s an ongoing commitment. And yes, it can be time-consuming. Oh, and let’s not forget that it can be hard to respond appropriately to criticisms that will come.
But this effort pays off. Brand loyalty grows when people feel they are part of a community and that they are being listened to. And social media marketing is the ideal way to create that feeling.
Sure, setting up your page is important. But you don’t want to create that “abandoned warehouse” feeling after you set it up; you need to keep working on it by adding quality content. You also should be working to engage your followers through that content.
There’s a reason it’s called social media. And there’s a reason that the job of a person who handles the social interactions is called “community manager.” This is a unique avenue to reach your users. But it’s got incredible power to be part of their lives and to reach them where they spend their time.
Final Words
We’ve seen a lot of cases where a business forgets that the name “social media” has a meaning. It’s not enough to “set it up and forget it”. It’s an ongoing commitment and requires interaction with consumers of your brand. That takes time and patience. But it pays off with a better image for your company and greater brand loyalty. Don’t be scared off, and don’t neglect your social media – it can pay amazing rewards.