What it means to have a social media strategy, why it's important, and the business risks of moving forward without one are outlined by Sanger & Eby Vice President of Strategic Planning Kat Jenkins inthe Middletown Business Journal.
Most of us have at least dipped a toe in the social media waters—a Facebook profile, a LinkedIn account, maybe Twitter. You probably didn’t have a strategy for your personal presence, and that’s okay: your Facebook page has a built-in focus (you) and your LinkedIn profile represents your professional brand online. You can have an unfocused personal presence on Twitter, but unless you’re Sockington or Ashton Kutcher, not many people will care. But what about your business? How should it behave in the social mediasphere?
There’s little question about the need to participate in social media now, as it’s fundamentally changed the conversation. People are talking about our brands online whether we like it or not, and if we’re not at least influencing the conversation, someone else is—and we may not like the results. Furthermore, Search engines have begun indexing social media, improving search visibility. The question now is how and when to participate, on what platforms, and in what voice: in other words, your social media strategy.
Start by understanding what your objectives are: attracting customers and driving sales? Raising awareness of your product? Recruiting? Clearly stated objectives form your strategy’s foundation. Macy’s is an excellent example of using social media for recruiting; for executives, they have a well-rounded presence on LinkedIn. For college, they’re leveraging Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. There’s not much crossover between the two targets, and so the strategies are very different though equally effective.
What platforms make the most sense for your goals? For recruiting new employees, it might be LinkedIn. For customer service, Twitter might be the right approach (Best Buy and Zappo’s are excellent examples).
Social media is a conversation and so the voice is different; it has to be strategic, and fit the platform. Oscar de la Renta has designated a hand-picked employee to be the voice of the company, interjecting personality and energy and making the company seem smarter, edgier, and more engaging. For their brand, it’s strategic. And smart.
Knowing your success metrics is critical for success. It’s nice to know the number of fans, but your success metrics must be measurable and actionable and should be based on your objectives; they should also show how they’re contributing directly to the bottom line. This lays the groundwork for maintaining your social media presence in a way that truly builds your business.
A recent blog post argues strategy can stifle your participation in social media. The writer makes some salient points, and, it’s important to find the balance in how you interact in this arena. But frankly, some interactions SHOULD be stifled, and having a strategy helps you know which ones to pursue and which ones to leave alone. Laurence J. Peter said “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else.” That’s more true today than ever, and perfectly captures why you need a social media strategy.