B2B Web Strategy Blog - eMagine

How to avoid “ready-fire-aim” with social media

January 19th, 2010 Posted by: Bill Gadless

Well, the near-constant barrage of voices (including ours) urging your adoption of social media seems to be working:  a recent Center for Media Research survey of media planners/buyers found that “having a presence on social networks” is one of the top priorities for media plans in 2010.

This has some folks concerned that such an unexpectedly whopping result could presage a tendency among marketers to do something – anything – to indicate that they’re aboard the social-media express.  Among those concerned is Sean Carton, who warns in a recent post on ClickZ against proceeding without a real strategy.  Even better, he provides a 10-point checklist for developing one (Sean admits it’s not magic, and could be applied to virtually any marketing activity, but that doesn’t diminish its usefulness one bit).  You’ll want to click on over for the full list, but here’s a sampling of his points:

• What do you want to accomplish (aka, goals)?  As always, if you don’t know where you want to go, then any road will get you there.
• Why social media?  Specifically, what do you think it can do for you that other vehicles can’t?
• Which social media will best help achieve your goals?  As Sean says:  “Talking about ‘a social media presence’ is like talking about having an advertising presence:  you must specify what you’re doing and where you’re going to place it.”
• Will you let go of your brand …at least a bit?  “You can’t participate in social media without being…well…social.  And that means engaging in a conversation with customers.  Once you engage in a conversation, you have to give up control.”
• Who will maintain the effort, once begun?  Social media is notoriously labor-intensive;  you’ll need to identify and dedicate the required resources.
• How will you measure success?  You can find an extensive listing of recently-available measurement tools here;   but if your goals include lead generation, check out our summary of a Tom Pick post about problems B2Bs have measuring those results.

The moral:  if you’re thinking of getting into social media, terrific! …just do it in a way that’s as strategic and planful as all the rest of the good marketing you do.

Entry Filed under: B2B Web Strategy