Dec 2008

Stop making such a big deal about “Social Media Marketing Strategy”

Disclaimer first – I’m digging social media. I’ve dipped my toes into Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (connect with me on them via the sidebar links), and I’m ready to start swimming out into the deep water in 2009.

So when I say that people should stop making a big deal about “Social Media Marketing Strategy,” I’m referring more to the “Strategy” aspect of that phrase.

I’ve been talking to clients and allies recently, and hearing things like, “I need a social media strategy, but I don’t know what that looks like.”

Here’s the sneaky little secret: Social media – whether it’s networking, bookmarking, photosharing, microblogging, or what have you – is just a tool.

That’s right, I said it. LinkedIn is just a tool. Twitter is a tool. Facebook calls itself a “social utility.” How tool-like can you get?

Of course, they’re AWESOME tools – the relationship-building equivalent of a Leatherman, or even Steelgrip Starkey’s “All-Purpose Power Tool.”

They’re also made for specific uses. They’re not straight-up sales tools like, say, direct mail. They’re for building audiences, relationships, trust, street cred, expert status, visibility, education opportunities, lead generation, and anything that helps a prospect take the next, low-risk step in a deeper relationship with you.

If anything in that list is something you need to grow your business – and since your audience is adopting social media more deeply and broadly than ever – then social media tools should be a part of your broader marketing strategy.

But don’t get hung up on what a “Social Media Marketing Strategy” is or isn’t, what’s included or excluded. The fundamental questions are much the same as they are for traditional marketing, such as:

What’s my goal?
How will I measure success/progress toward that goal?
Is my audience there? (Or will they be?)
Is my competition there? (Or will they be?)
How much time and money am I budgeting for this?

Granted, the use of social media tools (the “execution,” if you will) is much different with traditional media than with social media, and you have to be prepared for that. But when it comes to strategy, per se, all you’re doing is deciding to add social media tools to your marketing mix.

Easy, right?

http://www.bontb.com YoMan

Hm, duno what you talk about really, there is strategy how to use it in your own benefit. you can have 5 followers but u can have also 1000 followers..its just matter of strategy how u are going to get there …
http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/author/joehall Joe Hall

To a certain extent I can agree that yes social media is just a tool, but at the same time it has been shown that often times unique strategies are needed to use that tool successfully. To assume that all you have to do is add SMM to your marketing mix, and that’s it, completely ignores the fact that many if not most large scale brands (esp from old media) fail at even the simplest social media endeavors. Why? Because they view SMM in the context of a traditional marketing strategy. Many, successful SMM strategies are coming from a completely different angle, one that engages versus interrupts.

Yes, I will agree that SMM is the industy’s favorite buzz word, but don’t ignore that if you want to use that tool successfully then you need to understand the strategies that work with it!