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How to Guarantee Your Social Media Marketing Flops
By dan | May 11, 2007
What comes to mind you hear the term “social media marketing”?
Blogs? Podcasts? Wikis? Digg? YouTube? MySpace?
Yes, all of these topics float around in the social space. But blog posting and Digg diving should only afterthoughts in a well-planned social media marketing campaign.
As Jennifer Laycock of Search Engine Guide said at the SES Columbus morning training, “Digg is not a marketing strategy.”
I absolutely agree. Digg is not a strategy. Digg is a tactic.
In a moment I’ll spill the most powerful & profitable failsafe social media marketing strategy. You’re going to think it’s too straightforward to be true.
Anyway, after listening to the morning social media talk by Jennifer Laycock and Matt Bailey (of SiteLogic), it was obvious that many marketers are not getting the honest story on social media.
The common misconception to “just get your site on Digg” sounds just like any other get rick quick scheme.
The #1 factor in social media marketing success
Listen. Listen. Listen.
What? LISTEN.
Listen before launching your blog, MySpace profile, or Digg account.
Listen to the conversations in your market.
User-generated content exists in any niche. Take advantage of this. As a social media marketer, listen to find out exactly what customers/prospects are saying.
Without fully understanding the opinions, attitudes, and preferences of consumers in your market, the actual social media marketing tactics provide limited value.
They’re just shots in the dark. Lucky guesses.
Any marketing success experienced would be an isolated event that could not be readily replicated.
So before doing anything…
First listen to your market to gain meaningful & actionable insights into their lives.
And then?
Then use the information you’ve learned about your consumers to help them.
To improve their lives.
How to utilize consumer conversations
Examples of next steps…
- Be the trusted source of expert information that the community is lacking
- Provide a meaningful service that addresses consumer needs
When “listening” is step one in your SMM strategy, the tactics that you choose are more likely to resonate with your market’s needs.
Topics: Social Media, social networking, Listening |
