Despite the recent influx of self-styled social media ‘experts,’ very few people can predict the future of online connections, social communities, or marketing platforms. While the latest developments in the open web have attracted thousands of gurus and consultants, each more likely than the other to pitch their abilities, it seems that the vast majority of social media users are diving into the platform as a marketing resource without any idea of how to adapt to future changes, developments, and trends.
It is behavior that is remarkably similar to that of the late 1990s technology bubble. Companies kept going up and up in value, despite no real long-term outlook. Eventually, the bubble burst and the self-proclaimed ‘experts’ ran away, seemingly unable to admit that they were wrong about some things. While social media is unlikely to end the same way, primarily thanks to the massive amount of audience and user participation that is taking place, the marketing strategy applied to social media should reflect the events of the late 1990s.
That means that instead of being remarkably optimistic without reason, companies should be relatively cautious and conservative when embracing social media marketing. Rather than looking at the short-term possibilities, companies should be looking at the long-term implications for their brand, should they sink time and money into a form of marketing that does not offer any long-term solution. Instead of hiring the latest and greatest social media consultant to develop a web strategy, businesses should be looking at their own strategy, and incorporating social media platforms as tactics, not as a replacement.
In short, the focus should not be on social media itself, but on the results that it can bring. As much as we have heard about the myriad ways in which Twitter can change the world, there has been relatively little evidence to support any such theory. Sure, brands are making it big on Twitter and plenty of companies are making some serious marketing income, but there’s yet to be anything to suggest that businesses should discard every marketing method pioneered before 2007 to jump on board the social media train.
If your business is looking to incorporate social media marketing into its strategy, there are several questions you should be asking yourself before you invest the time and money. Is your brand compatible with social media audiences? Are you a business that inspires conversation and discussion? Can you build a reliable, solid community around your business? For most, the answer is no, and a social media presence is not the most effective solution.
For some, the answer is yes, and for them it is wise to look at social media as a piece of the puzzle, rather than as the solution. While Twitter can help you sell products and Facebook can help you generate positive feedback and PR, neither can fix a broken business model or a poor product. Social media thrives on discussion, and when there’s none to be had, there’s nothing but resources to be wasted. Study the social media platforms before you dive in, and invest time and money cautiously.
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My auto mechanic of twenty years had never made the leap to the Web. Living in a small town means we’ve become well-acquainted over the years and when I come in for service we chat about kids, baseball, our town. Enough years have passed that father had passed ownership to son, who seemed poised to take the business in some new hip directions. During an oil change I the son if he had considered building a website. He responded that he knew they needed to do it but were too busy to figure out where to begin. We chatted about it and the seed was planted. A couple months later, he called and asked if I could come in and discuss building a site. We agreed to barter and I ended up with almost a year of auto service in exchange for the project.
