Does it make sense to jump on the social media bandwagon?
The short answer is yes. But the more complicated answer that gets into “why” and “how” is just beginning to unfold here at Graves Fowler. Setting up a page on Flickr, Twitter and Facebook takes almost no time. Making these tools a valuable part of an organization’s marketing and outreach is more complicated. Here are a few things we’ve learned so far.
1. Take social media seriously. This isn’t a fad that will go away. While the tools may change, this kind of communication is only going to become more important all the time. I recently heard at the Social Media Summit that mobile applications today are where the Internet was in the late 1990s, and they are poised to have just as much impact.
2. Social media is part of smart marketing strategy. The key word here is “strategy.” Almost anyone can set up a Twitter page and start using it. But making it a valuable tool in your overall marketing mix is more complicated. With the right planning and execution, however, you can set goals and expect measurable results.
3. Social media doesn’t manage itself. It’s less expensive and more labor intensive than other kinds of marketing. Social media is social. It’s relevant only when there is active, two-way communication that finds current and potential supporters or customers and builds a relationship with them. That takes dedicated daily time.
So come on board. Get a feel for how the social media sites work on a small-scale personal level, then get serious and let the marketing folks put it to work for you.
Cindy Fowler is the editor of Smart Thinking / Great Design. Her insights and practical approaches come from over 35 years in marketing design, many miles on a bicycle and life as a fearless babyboomer in the world of social media.