The social media idiot revisited

Back in the Spring of 2009, I created a short video that summarized my thoughts on how some marketing executives were getting social media all wrong. I called it “Social Media Idiot”:

It’s done fairly well in terms of viral appeal despite minimal efforts to promote it, and I’ve gotten some positive feedback from folks that have watched it, so I decided to revisit it and see if the premise is still valid in the Summer of 2010.

Apparently so.

There are still a lot of companies out there that completely miss the point of social media. Instead of focusing on building interactive, reciprocal, and one-to-one connections and conversations, some companies are simply choosing to dress up what amount to traditional ad campaigns with a few social “follow us” buttons and perhaps an interactive app or two.  Worse yet, they are spending paid media dollars and building out “socialized” web and mobile assets while forsaking their core properties.

And it’s not just the Fortune 500 companies that are doing this. Small businesses are just as guilty, mistakenly thinking that having a presence on Google local, Yelp, or Foursquare is somehow a substitute for a legitimate web presence.

If you’re out there reading this and you think that perhaps your company is guilty of some of these sins, it’s not too late to turn it all around. Just remember that:

• simply adding cool functionality to your existing online assets won’t cut it. You have to focus on the human element (i.e. sparking conversations between your brand and individual consumers or encouraging influential consumers to talk about your brand with their social networks). If your cool (and expensive) new “social” assets don’t do that, then you’ve missed the boat entirely.
• social media is about more than simply buying ad space on social networks (there’s a name for that activity. It’s called media buying).
• social media is not simply a brand play or a popularity contest. If you don’t have a plan for building deep relationships with key influencers and measuring the ROI (hint, hint, analytics is key) that is derived from those connections, than you’re in a for a serious bout of disappointment.
• social media networks are communications channels, much like the telephone or an email. Therefore, they are a two-way street (you have to listen just as much as you speak).
• social media networks are not broadcast mediums. Don’t just shout out your marketing messages, hoping that some folks will listen (they would you would with traditional TV, radio, and print advertising). Doing so can lead to permanent tuning out by consumers, or worse yet, if done incorrectly or in a blatantly automated fashion, it could lead to suspension or outright removal of your existing social profiles.
• And finally, social media is intimately interwoven with SEO. Take some time to understand that connection because it can pay huge dividends in terms of ROI.

Lastly, if you’re having trouble navigating the social media waters, spend some time reading blogs and case studies to get a feel for what really works and what the real goals and strategy should be. I’ve included links to some great resources relating to social media, but there are many others as well. Take the time to find them and read them.

It’s one of the best ways to ensure that you don’t become social media idiot.

Related Posts:

1. C-level conversation reveals that social media marketing is truly in its infancy stage
2. My bar room encounter with a social media denier at SMX Advanced
3. The 53rd question a Fortune 1000 brand must ask when hiring a social media provider