Engage: Social Media Blog

Content marketing has been a focal point of social media marketing for a while now. As Shane Snow described, “Though brand-created content is not novel, the practice fully bloomed in social-media-saturated 2012. Las year [2011] we debated, ‘Should brands be doing this publishing thing?’ This year [2012] we debated, ‘How should they do it?’”

When it comes to social media strategy, experts usually stick to discussing the benefits for businesses engaging on these platforms with potential customers as well as their loyal fan base, but few businesses use social networks successfully and effectively is to implement social media within the company. 

In the past year many businesses have embraced social media marketing and have devoted more time and resources to those efforts. In 2012 the use of blogs, Facebook and Twitter surged among Fortune 500 companies, providing an look at emerging social media trends among America’s most successful companies. 

Since social networks like Facebook and Twitter launched, the industry has evolved from being a fad to being a legitimate marketing and content source. Throughout the years, these platforms have proven the ability to keep up with new technological advances and (almost) seamlessly integrate them. The popularity of social media may have surprised some at first, but now the basic concepts and layouts have influenced other business models and digital trends. 

As the social media industry expands and improves, there are more possibilities for businesses to creatively and effectively connect to their consumers. However there are still a number of mistakes that some businesses and brands continue to make. Although digital mishaps have a longer shelf life than other real life slip ups, when they are handled quickly and efficiently there are fixable and can even bring positive attention to a brand. 

Social networks and the tools available to use with them are constantly evolving and the potential for organizations to succeed evolves with them. By keeping these 5 rules in mind business can easily avoid mistakes. 

1. Create Standout Content: One of the biggest changes in the social media industry as 2013 approaches is the focus on content marketing. Basic social updates and interaction are no longer receiving interest among users. Certain social networks are even taking actions to ensure brands have to put more creativity into their efforts. On Facebook,Posts including a photo album, a picture or a video generate about 180%, 120%, and 100% more engagement than the average post, respectively. Creative and interesting content can educate new audiences about a business with the possibility of going viral. 
2. Optimize and Integrate Content: This is a hugely important aspect of all social media execution. Including the right tags and keyword rich descriptions when possible are not only necessary for proper indexing by search engines, but help consumers more easily find a businesses information. Furthermore, integrating social media efforts and content across all platforms is crucial. As a recent study found "by 2013, lead management campaigns integrating 4 or more digital channels are expected to outperform single- or dual-channel campaigns by 300%." Great content is the first step and proper optimization and integration means more potential consumers view it. 
3. Don’t Over Sell: Social media is social first and foremost. Yes, social networks are a powerful source for businesses to connect with their audience, but it needs to be done in an inherently social way. Constantly pushing sales material on users will drive them away from a brand’s content. That’s not to say sales are not part of the equation – not having easy access for users to purchase is a huge social media transgression. However social media is about connecting the product and business to a larger moral and story.
4. Always Listen and Respond: No one likes to be ignored and making negative opinions known has never been easier than it is today. With the wealth of information available, reaching out to speak directly to a business or brand has become a last resort in many cases. This makes especially important for brands to be aware of these conversations and engage. Engagement is a two way street and organizations that address the concerns of their consumers increase brand loyalty. 
5. Be Genuine: One of the most effective yet overlooked aspects of social media marketing. Unless a business is using social media only as a way to distribute content (which is not a great idea for most businesses) there should be a human aspect to the account. This includes listening to users and taking their opinions into account. As Rob Faris explained, " "If businesses can be transparent, be authentic — in the right context — then the brand and the brand story can be conversational and influential." Social media is about collaboration and co-creation and using social networks as an avenue to achieve this is the best practice for businesses and brands. 

There are always issues that can arise in business and social media allows the word to spread faster. The best way to avoid these problems is to do proper research and planning in order to develop a universal tone and strategy that integrates all traditional marketing methods. 

Last week may have been Thanksgiving, but in the business world most of the talk was focused on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The past few years these two shopping holidays have gained in popularity and hysteria. This year in fact, many retailers were criticized for beginning Black Friday store hours that on Thanksgiving night; however, with all time record highs for sales it seems these business owners made the right decision. 

Moving into the New Year, the tactics that many businesses rely on for social media marketing will develop and evolve as the industry does. For some organizations, interaction on social networks has focused around user engagement on a somewhat superficial level.

Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about Facebook’s new EdgeRank algorithm, and the effects that many business pages are seeing as a result. The algorithm “…is determined by each individual relationship between fans and pages. If one fan interacts more often with a page’s content than another, he or she will so more of the content in the future. Other factors that have an impact are the number of friends that has also liked the page and the type of interaction…”

As the holidays approach, businesses have begun reviewing 2012 and looking ahead to 2013 in order to adjust and continue to grow. The past year had a few events that helped marketers engage with fans and users on social media. Two of these events (the Olympics and the Presidential election) will not occur for another four years, and who knows what social networks will look like at that time.  

One of the most popular terms when discussing social media marketing strategy is the process of engaging with the users. The biggest advantage social media gives to a business and its marketing team, is the ability to connect directly with the consumers buying the product. Consider this: according to a recent study and infographic (shown below) conducted by Mike Lewis, better customer engagement is a leading business objective for 78% of marketers and 81% of marketers have a one to three person team dedicated to social media.