Just like the progression of the Internet caused many industries to re-think their marketing and business strategies, social media outlets are forcing businesses to re-tool the way they get their message out. One of the benefits of using social media outlets like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter is that these sites offer free services and reach millions of people. Though they are—if utilized properly—time consuming, they are the new wave of business marketing. Check out these pointers on how to be in the know if you’re just getting your feet wet in the ocean of social media.
Have a social media policy. Develop rules of engagement for clients and communicators who represent your brand. These are no longer the days of the Internet Wild West; Twitter and Facebook use is necessary. Doing so will give your fellow communicators a framework for developing the type of online persona that consumers can recognize.
Measure. Our role as communicators is to gauge the sentiments about the brands we represent and improve perceptions. Opening a forum for consumers to complain can be scary, but it can also become a way to improve (and more importantly, measure) public sentiment of your brands. Through engaging with customers, influencers and media, the brand is able to build relationships and measure improvement.
Rethink what you already know. Consumers are changing their behaviors — accessing more information online before making purchases, reading online versions of their daily papers and looking for the best deal possible. Social media has become a powerful tool to get in front of these consumers and provide them with direct communication and updates.
Have a strategy. Don’t confuse social media tools with strategy. Twitter, Facebook, online video and MySpace are not strategies. Rather, they are tools and tactics. A strategy with goals and metrics is the best way to ensure a brand’s integration into the social media world and to track success.
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