Trends: they are here today and possibly gone tomorrow.
As social media continues to explode, one begins to notice the differences in consumer behavior and the variations by age demographics. Many businesses continue to push the envelope and revamp their social media campaigns by reviewing outcomes and optimizing insights for future campaigns.
Small business owners can reduce their risks by gleaning best practices from larger companies. It is a sure bet that creativity and social platforms used are driving innovations on the social media front.
A leading practice for brands is to craft a “brand story” that their audience can embrace. The story fashioned should encompass some truths such as create a desire or answer a need. This helps outline the opportunity and directs planning to ensure when executed you are on the right platform at the right time.
One key factor to remember when deploying social media campaigns is that timing is everything. You have to be ready to react in real-time. Otherwise, I advise you not jump into this space. Another factor is cultural values of the desired audience. One must seek and understand the values of a given audience. If you deploy a program without a clear understanding of their passion points, you have missed the boat. Additionally, technology can do a lot of the heavy lifting for businesses looking to deploy social campaigns. Ensure your in-house tools can support the program.
There are numerous platforms within the social media space. Each has its own basic functions. One must evaluate which platform will provide the best outcome based on your KPI (key performance indicators). Below provides a few of the available social media platforms:
- Networking Platforms: LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning (connect users to other users with similar passion points), Twitter
- Blogging Platforms: Tumblr, Vox
- Email Platforms: iContact, ExactTarget
- Sharing Platforms: Instagram, Pinterest, Slideshare,
- Others: Vimeo (video sharing), YouTube, Flickr (photo sharing)
These platforms drive social communities with the creation of content. In essence, it becomes the driving force behind getting your brand in front of a desired audience. It may be best for you to decide who the best creator of content is: you or your desired audience. In some cases, content does not always need to be created by you!
Adele Lassere is a marketing/advertising consultant with 20+ years experience, freelance writer and author of “Elements of Buying” (self-help advertising guide); available at amazon.com. Adele was listed as Black Enterprise’s 2011 Top Execs in Marketing & Advertising and Black Enterprise’s 2013 Top Women Executives in Advertising & Marketing. Contact: [email protected]
