Sorry for being harsh, but if you have a social strategy – and “get more likes” isn’t one – then it’s probably terrible. Social marketing is currently the buzzphrase in the world of online marketing. It’s also the most notoriously confusing to get a handle on. Social media, the foundation upon which social marketing is built, is a fickle creature in a constant state of flux. It doesn’t exist in graphs and trends, but in moments of emotional connection. The biggest hits – Oreo’s “Dunk in the Dark” Superbowl tweet and Arby’s “Pharrell’s Hat” Grammy night twitterbomb – can never be recreated. The reason is simple: everything fell into place at exactly the right time, most of it outside the brands’ control.
Hey @Pharrell, can we have our hat back? #GRAMMYs
— Arby's (@Arbys) January 27, 2014
And that’s why your strategy sucks. Right now, if you have a strategy, it likely consists of either actively attempting a dunk-in-the-dark moment or pushing sales over connection. Since we know why you probably won’t be able to capitalize on a dunk-in-the-dark moment, let’s discuss the sales over connection strategy. Social space is full. Trying to direct sell through social media is like selling at the swap meet; a lot of yelling to get attention and slashing prices to make the sale. It’s a little brutal, and the ROI is very ambiguous. That’s why you need a real strategy.
The big red cola company from Atlanta doesn’t have a Facebook to urge you to go run to buy a 2 liter right now. The blue oval auto maker doesn’t put pictures of their trucks on Twitter so you’ll sign a finance contract today. Instead, these major brands are looking to form an emotional bond between themselves and their clients. They want your endorphin to flow when you see their logo or their product on the shelf. They want you to consider them a part of the family.
And that’s what your social strategy needs to be. Short term drop in ROI for a long term gain in loyal clients. You ought to even consider Social Media Strategist Tara Hunt‘s advice. She wants you to consider owning your own social space, since you don’t own theirs. And if you need help refining your bad social strategy, we can help.
