Are you confident in your Social Media strategy? I've found that people tend to answer this question in two ways. A large segment of the online businesses will report "Definitely Not". The other largest segment, although a very small total, indicate "Yes". In reviewing the actual programs and campaigns of those segments, there are two overwhelming observations that bubble to the top.
Businesses who are not confident in their social media strategy are well positioned to succeed.
- They know what they don't know, therefore making them open to change.
- Their hesitation to jump in opens an opportunity for a strong start.
- They are watching market trends to identify the best place to start.
Being involved with these companies is a very exciting opportunity. They recognize the tremendous potential the social media channels can offer, and strive to be strategic about their interactions. Many of us would simply laugh at the idea of starting a business with no product to sell, revenue to gain, or plan to get there. Yet, hundreds and thousands of businesses have a "social media strategy" that entails nothing more than having a page or group on Facebook.com or a Twitter.com account.
Businesses who recognize the immense potential of reaching over 120 Million monthly visitors (according to compete.com ) on Facebook requires careful planning. This week, I was speaking with some folks from a great agency located in Michigan, DDM Marketing & Communications. They are an organization that understands the potential of social media for business, and are actively working to set strategies for clients that meet the clients' business needs. To quote the Principal, "Anyone can create a Facebook Page in 15 minutes, our smarter clients understand it takes more than just a page". Exellent observation, which unfortunately is overlooked by many.
What makes a good Social Media strategy that inspires confidence in the business?
- Understand Social Media is a commitment, not simply a campaign.
- Align the strategy with the business objectives.
- Invest time, resource and money into growth.
Businesses who are confident in their Social Media strategy are most often missing trememdous opportunities.
Simply having a presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. doesn't mean your strategy is solid. It means only that you've started something.
Measuring your success based on the number of followers, connections, fans or "likes" is an equally unvaluable metric. This only suggests the pool of prospects more readily available to you.
Understanding the visitors, conversions, leads and comments from your social network outreach is a step in the right direction. These often are the start of an effective engagement and monetization strategy, they are only valuable when aligned with the business strategy.
Are you confident in your social media strategy?
If you've read this entire page, you probably realize the expected answer is "no". Regardless, your success online depends on making sure customers and prospects can locate you, wherever and whenever they want.
Contact Spartan today to find out how you can dip your toe in the water in this wide open ocean of opportunity.