As 2011 gets underway marketers are abuzz about their social media strategy. It seems that everyone from your local diner to the Fortune 1000 is figuring out how they can leverage and drive sales ROI from the myriad of social and mobile platforms and technologies available. I am often surprised how many companies talk about their social media strategy in terms of apps and technology and forget the most important aspect of the overall plan--content.
Content, and the conversations it spurs, is the engine that drives social media engagement and success. Facebook and Twitter are empty vessels without meaningful content and dialog. Companies often open big with elaborate fan pages and don’t have much content to back them up, posting random bits of company news or deals, discounts or specials. While these items are of some interest to consumers, they are certainly not the makings of a two-way conversation.
I would argue that what companies need is a content strategy, not a social media strategy. Social media should only be seen as the distribution channel. By creating valuable and trusted content, companies can change the nature of their relationship with customers. Building trust and affinity can morph a transactional relationship into a long term customer. Social media is an ideal channel for distributing this content directly to customers on your terms and your schedule, and the marriage of content and social media puts your company on par with the media barons of the past.
As if to say, "Content is King" and media is his chariot. Well done. Long live the King. Thank you.
This is a great post. It is about connecting and not just throwing out short ads through your social media pages.
Gordon, you wrote: "Social media should only be seen as the distribution channel".
I disagree. Strongly. While I share your emphasis on the importance of content, it's not all about the creation and distribution of it. Social media outlets aren't just another channel to shoot stuff out of.
Social media often will involve networks where the enterprise it at the hub, but it often involves give and take where the content turns into dialogue. Early on, many organizations saw social media just as what endorse - a means to distribute canned promotional messages. It didn't work.
Hi Jonathan and thanks for comments.
I think we are somewhat on the same page. I agree that just sending canned promo messages is a bad idea b/c they don't stimulate thought nor conversation. I also agree that the goal should be an ongoing dialog that turns into a relationship. However, without well thought out content, I don't how you would generate that dialog. So as Vanessa says below, the content strategy need to come first.
Gordon
I absolutely agree - social media strategy and content strategy go hand in hand. One without the other is the proverbial billboard in the desert.
We have found however, that content strategy should come first. Once you have decided upon engaging content that matters to your stakeholders, the social media component is intuitive.
if content is king and distribution is king kong, the successful players will become their own publishers in time - and distribution will be owned by the masses.