From a marketing strategy perspective, social networking aka social marketing is mystifying to many marketers, especially the grey beard marketing "pros' that are struggling to remain relevant in a world ever-more populated with 20 and 30-something's that are rapidly displacing the old guard sitting in corner offices (think "mad men").
Before continuing, I like to think that I sit on the cusp; I'm a grey beard, but for the past 15+ years, I've been labeled a visionary by many peers for leveraging a host of new media applications on behalf of clients.
That said, I've also been scratching my head for quite a while re: the marketing/branding efficacy and ROI of making a major shift (time/resources/ad spend) to the Facebook's and Twitter's of the world.
I try to avoid Facebook, not only because my 20-something daughter often cringes when she notices that her friends have "friended" me, but because I don't know anyone--within her universe, or mine, that responds to advertising or solicitations on social networks.
At the outset, I was necessarily perplexed by the non-existence of revenue models of these networks..as it took quite a while before Facebook and Twitter and the others introduced advertising apps for marketers.
I, for one have experienced [almost] zero returns from cpm ad campaigns on the internet. A total and complete waste of time if you ask me, unless of course those campaigns encompass a multitude of similar-demographic sites, and are further complimented by ad campaigns within traditional and out-of-home media.
Note: CPC campaigns are justifiable..
In any case..as a group member to various LinkedIn groups (for those that just landed on Planet Earth, LinkedIn is one of the leading social media sites catering to business professionals) I noticed a question posed within a marketing group--one presented by another grey beard and struggling to understand social media apps, so that he can advise his clients accordingly.
The best answer came from a Lauren Berger , a lovely young lady that provided great guidance. Lauren is currently a marketing exec for a major auto dealership in the midwest. My guess is she will be reporting next from a corner office at Digitas...or at least that's my hope!
Note: As much as everyone seems to gravitate to the gravitas exuded by the B-school hipsters that can be found inside the marketing cubicles of all the major ad agencies and Fortune brands, Lauren has neither top school pedigree, nor has she interned, or worked in the digital marketing dept of a major corporation or major agency. I say that her guidance is spot-on, rational, and better than any advice that jibber jabber consultants can offer to clients....here it is:
There are plenty of resources you can use to self-educate yourself. Websites like Mashable.com, DoshDosh.com and SocialMediaToday.com are great for information on general practices, news and the specific applications you can use. Then there are the experts like Mari Smith (Facebook) or Lewis Howes (LinkedIn) who offer blogs, webinars and podcasts on their areas of expertise. There is no dearth of free information, if you have the patience to wade through it.
If you have no idea where to start, then a professional may be your best bet. There are plenty out there (Recession = Social Media Expert boom?) so keep an eye out for the following criteria in your search:
1. An understanding of tracking and analytics. Anyone who tells you that you "can't determine ROI from social media" shouldn't call themselves an expert. You can track page hits, bounce rates, conversation and buzz. You can even "engineer" a testable situation - give out a coupon code for Facebook customers, for instance, and see what kind of results and feedback you get from customers.
2. A firm grasp of SEO. No one will read your blog post if it shows up on the 4th page of Google search results.
3. A comprehensive stable of social media application knowledge. Any consultant worth their salt will know how to use the heavy hitters such as Wordpress, Facebook, YouTube or Twitter. It takes a true maven to be able to effectively use secondary apps and add-ons like Stumble Upon, TweetDeck, etc. to maximize efficiency.
4. A fundamental understanding of the purpose of social media. A good consultant will know how to not just market to, but engage your clients in conversation. The key word is social - you aren't trying to blindly throw info at your potential and current customers. You are trying to create brand advocates, who will be passionate about your product and people.
5. A command of strategy. Your social media action plan will vary according to your need. What may work for you won't necessarily work for someone else.
I hope this is helpful, I'm happy to help any other way I can. Feel free to DM me if you have any questions!
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