Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy

How to Engage New Media Channels to Win Customers

Jul 14, 2009 Nina Vultaggio

Connecting effectively with social media channels can seem daunting. But with a clear, well-executed plan, businesses can position themselves as thought leaders.

Social media is a labor-intensive task. Entry into new media forums is not to be undertaken lightly. Success is dependent upon consistency and persistence, and businesses must be willing to shoulder the time commitment in order to effectively engage their customers and prospects.

In business, the bottom line often dictates strategy. A social media strategy, not unlike a traditional PR strategy, does not yield immediate results. Building a following takes time and patience. Oftentimes, soft benefits add up while sales continue at the same pace for quite a while.

To succeed, businesses need to prioritize, set goals, engage customers and prospects at their level and keep the message consistent over time.

Set Social Media Priorities

The plain truth of the matter is that not all sites have the same value. Certainly it is important to pay attention to the messages that are being posted about a product, service or offering, but the reality is that some sites don't have the readership to warrant an extensive investment of time. When creating a social media strategy, the first thing to do is to determine which sites have the most value to the target audience. Readership is everything, but there's more to consider. What is the size of the potential audience. Is it a niche market or mass market product? Are there any outspoken personalities that should be courted?

The key is to figure out which sites matter and separate those from the sites that have little to no significance on a successful social media strategy.

Set Realistic Social Medial Goals

If the primary objective of a social media strategy is direct sales, stop now. Social media strategies are all about engaging the target audience in a dialogue that connects them to the business. Seeding the posts with news about company announcements and activities is acceptable, but the rules of engagement dictate that the information be presented in a way that illustrates the benefit to the reader:

• Provide links to 3rd party resources.
• Share testimonials.
• Offer pre-release announcements.
• Post support links.
• Provide information about special offers.

But remember that the purpose of social media is to engage in dialogue. Post information that does not drive sales or risk being relegated to the bins saved for Sunday circulars.

Understand How to Engage Customers and Prospects

The chosen spokesperson or spokespeople should be allowed time to get to know the ins and outs of this changing communication medium. To be successful, spokespeople and their advisors need to understand how to engage in the art of conversation. They should know how to leverage tweets, Facebook posts, blogs, bookmarking sites, etc. to connect to their audience. They should also understand how to create high-value content that will encourage people to return often for information on emerging industry trends or other valuable insights. They should also understand how to leverage the "social" of social networking to create a relationship with their readers.

Connect Consistently on All Social Networks

Consistency is the key to success in social networking. Once the commitment has been made to any social media network, updates should be made on a consistent basis. Magazines live by an editorial calendar and so should the social network spokesperson. Having a list of pre-defined topics can make it easier to create content. In addition, when comments are made on other sites, links can be posted to direct the reader to those comments.

There is a perception among online readers that the more places a person's content apears, the more prominence the spokesperson has. Be connected. That's the purpose of social networking. Comment on industry trends, share insights and provide links to others with a unique, valuable perspecitve. Deliver carefully considered analysis to position the company as a thought leader and build credibility for the organization.

Remember that success in social media is dependent primarily on the ability of the spokesperson to remain consistent in posting and messaging and market that message with unyielding persistence. Prioritize the message, set reasonable goals, connect with customers and prospects by offering them a high-value message. Do this and reap the benefits of the world of social media.

The copyright of the article Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy in Marketing/PR is owned by Nina Vultaggio. Permission to republish Creating an Effective Social Media Strategy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Social Media Comes From Engaging the Customer

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