iBlogMarketing

Part 3:  How can I harness the power of Social Media Marketing?

To answer this critical question, we need to start by understanding that the social media landscape is at best chaotic, made up of a number of elements, and continually evolving.  Here is a thumbnail sketch, a current “snap shop” of how I see the social media landscape.

The Elements:

• Social Networks like MySpace, Facebook & Classmates.com – enable users to make and find “friends”, express who they are with pictures, music, etc., keep up and reconnect with old classmates and friends

• Video Sharing Sites like YouTube & Flickr – enable users to manage and share their photos

• Social Directories like iTunes (podcasts), Best of the Web (blogs), iBlogBusiness (business blogs), and iBizRadio (business podcasts) – make social media like blogs and podcasts available on the Internet

• Networking Sites like LinkedIn & Merchant Circle – enable people to strengthen and extend their networks and contacts

• Bookmarking Sites like del.icio.us and Digg – allow people to discover and share content

• Social Media like blogs, micro-blogs (Twitter), audio/video/photographic media, and podcasts

I provided the above list to enable just a glimpse of what’s available in the social media landscape.  It is not intended to be a complete list, but just a sample of some of the most popular sites and technologies.  So, now that we’ve taken a glimpse of the social media landscape, let’s discuss how to proceed to harness its power for business success.

One size doesn’t fit all.

A company’s social media marketing (much like a public relations or multi-media advertising campaign using Internet/TV/radio/print) has to be carefully planned, including defining objectives and measuring success.  In addition, some of the most successful companies using Social Media Marketing (such as Disney and Frito-Lay) are combining Social Media Marketing with their other traditional and online marketing thrusts.  The key elements of a social media marketing plan would be guided by the company’s objectives and typically include one or more of the following:

• Establishing the company’s presence in key Social Media Networks, such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn.  I feel it is critical to set up a profile to claim your company name before someone else does.

• Utilizing social media “tools,” such as blogs, podcasts, viral video, viral articles, and “widgets” (i.e. small software applications intended to spread virally).

• Building a social “community” for the company’s products and services in key social media networks.

• Upgrading the company’s Website to include a Media News Room (i.e. links to its social media networks, online videos & podcasts; blogs; a LinkedIn invitation; del.icio.us and Digg bookmark links and press releases and articles).  In effect, the Media News Room becomes an expanded version of what many Websites currently call the “News Room”, which typically only provided content on its traditional media services.

• Measuring results – such as downloads of a viral video or podcast, blog subscribers, Twitter followers, “friends” on Facebook or a  social media monitoring “clipping service” for a comprehensive measurement.

The Payoff

It’s a formidable task to have a comprehensive Social Media Marketing Plan.  However, the payoff is potentially enormous and includes:

• Achieving a mass media reach similar to television

• Building a community around your brand

• Engaging your clients/prospects

• Immersing your clients/prospects in your brand

• Fostering communication & networking

• Selling without “selling”

• Developing  a platform for other forms of marketing such as viral marketing (example: viral video)

• Supporting other Internet marketing thrusts, such as link building for search engine optimization campaigns

• Supporting traditional marketing thrusts (i.e. a fully integrated marketing campaign)

I believe Social Media Marketing represents the beginning of a major new movement in business communications.  It embodies the best elements of marketing, advertising, and public relations.  I also believe those companies with the foresight to become early adopters will reap the greatest benefits.

I’m looking forward to developing a social media relationship with you!