It really pains me to see brands and social media experts pimping for tweets, use of hashtag or RT's.
Sure, if you're a young social media brand with no fans or followers, I can see where this strategy makes sense. As I've said in the past, I do think social media numbers matter, regardless of the current politically correct viewpoint.
But at some point, your social media strategy has to evolve beyond growing your audience. So it saddened me yesterday to see a brand that I personally like and respect pimping for RT's. It's not like this brand needs more followers for social media to be an effective channel. It has thousands on Twitter and 10's of thousands on Facebook. But yet, instead of engaging, sharing really awesome content or some other natural way of interacting... or dear no, trying to create commerce, the brand's Twitter handle was trying to create conversation by begging its followers for RT's. Yes, that's in italics for a reason.
They may create conversation but it won't be real conversation. Sure it will show up on their social media reports, it will make their efforts appear effective and the brand manager or social media consultant behind the Twitter/FB handles will use the data to say what an effective job they are doing... but the truth is, they're just creating noise.
Contrary to how this post may seem, it's not a rant. It's a plea.
If you make the social media decisions for your company or brand, please stop focusing on whether or not your social media team/agency can drive fan/follower growth. If you're looking to hire an agency, consultant or internal employee to manage your social media effort in 2011, go beyond the obvious ability to create noise.
Instead, focus on their ability to create signal. Signal is that online conversation that drives awareness, preference, advocacy and sales of your brand. Look for creativity and the ability to do new things with old tools. Look for folks that can integrate social media strategy with overarching marketing strategy. Then have a conversation of you own via phone or better face-to-face. Ask a few pointed questions. Ask them for some initial thoughts about your brand and what they may or may not think appropriate social media wise going forward. Listen to their answers. Listen for three key items:
1) Do they seem to know/understand your brand and it's target audience?
2) Do they seem to understand the underlying technology of social media -- the platforms and tools?
3) Do they seem to understand how to creatively leverage digital conversations to create awareness, preference, advocacy and sales of your brand?
If you can say yes to all three -- hire them on the spot. Work out the cost later. Chances are, they'll more than be worth the money.
But that's my two cents...what do you think?
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