I've noticed a lot of chatter here recently around how companies should categorize social media. After all, the more that businesses get involved in social, they'll need to allocate budgets from somewhere. And when something draws from a departmental budget, the purpose of that thing is usually aligned with the goals of the mother ship.
For example, most people here consider social media as marketing and it should therefore be funded through marketing and then, like traditional marketing, prove a return on the investment.
But if you've spent any time in this space, you know damn well that marketing is only part of it. A small part. In fact, your sales are only likely to increase as a direct result of engaging here if A) you have a great product and B) you develop trust with people. If you come into social media thinking you can drive sales through Twitter like you do in the Sunday circular, you're going to fail.
Yes, it's more than marketing. Social media also part public relations. From customer support to crisis management and everything in between, true public relations (not promo heavy stuff) is not marketing either.
Social media is also content sharing, but that doesn't mean it's journalism.
The fact is, social media is nearly unbucketable. Let's call it a hybrid. A range of communications disciplines that exist in a wide-open digital platform that's as individual in its commercial applications as the people you're trying to sell. Because when you get right down to it, aren't we all just human hybrids anyway?
Jim is a father, husband, copywriter and founder of the virtual ad agency smashcommunications, llc. You can find him on Twitter @smashadv.
Donna Winter
Jan 21, 2010
Great summary of what social media is AND what it is not. It is definitely more public relations than marketing. ~ Donna
Jim Mitchem
Jan 21, 2010
Not easy for me. I’m a copywriter by trade. But I think PR in this space could probably use a little more persuasive edge –http://bit.ly/6KWlT3 Everything’s changing.
Angela3fold
Jan 21, 2010
Great post! I completely agree. Companies have high expectations for their social media efforts to produce the quicker, more tangible returns of traditional marketing and advertising. But social media really isn’t “media”, that’s just its location. It’s community and conversation, and a sort of forced evolution of online and digital worlds by people to connect, not be marketed to. Companies absolutely need to be part of this, but in the same ways they get involved in their own “real-world” communities: invest, don’t buy.
lisahickey
Jan 21, 2010
Wow. Love this definition, Jim: “A range of communications disciplines that exist in a wide-open digital platform that’s as individual in its commercial applications as the people you’re trying to sell.” Yet even that – in some ways, I think even the term “Social Media” is already archaic. To me, a client asking if they should use Social Media is like them asking “Would you advise I use words in my business?” There’s power and wonder when used smartly and strategically, but it’s a part of a whole way of doing business that is the future. Unbucketable, indeed.
Jim Mitchem
Jan 22, 2010
It’s a conundrum. I’m not really sure how to explain it to companies, other than to point out what SM is not.
Jim Mitchem
Jan 22, 2010
Thanks Lisa. How do you say, ‘be helpful and nice to your customers and prospects’ – and make it sound tangible?
lisahickey
Jan 22, 2010
I call it “business strategy”, and charge accordingly for that. Because, as you say, it’s not just marketing, it’s also customer service, and branding, and sales and biz dev. And stuff I haven’t even figured out yet.
But I included that bit about “words” consciously, because, after all, you are a “word guy”. And you’ve figured out a pricing model that makes sense for how you deliver words to your clients. So “being helpful” needs words (usually, although sometimes it’s actions). If you can figure out what would actually be helpful to your clients customers and prospects, and how to put that into words, you could charge for that.
It does seem like that’s a “cost of doing business” these days rather than something where an immediate return is expected.
Dan Hutson
Jan 22, 2010
Personally, I think of social media as a communications support system that helps meet my business objectives within sales, marketing, human resources, operations, etc. Does it help me meet my marketing goals? Yes. Does it support sales efforts? Sure. Does it help me connect and communicate with employees? Uh-huh. Deliver training? Improve customer service? Connect with external stakeholders? Yes, yes and yes.
The idea that use of social media is limited to sales and marketing is just short-sighted.
That said, I’d revise your definition to read “be helpful and nice to all my stakeholders” since I think it adds value to all my relationships.
Jim Mitchem
Jan 23, 2010
Well stated, Dan. Thanks for the comment.
Icherus
Jan 26, 2010
Interesting post, Jim. In my opinion, Angela3fold is completely on target in her comments. “It’s community and conversation, and a sort of forced evolution of online and digital worlds by people to connect, not be marketed to.”
That very sentiment has led me to think of Social Media as a platform, as opposed to a medium; and, it’s a platform that goes both up & down, depending upon the plan that is implemented by the user(s). Without a goal oriented plan to address the multiple doors this platform opens, you’re just broadcasting, not interacting.
Molly Cantrell-Kraig
Jan 26, 2010
Just like a human has the ability to morph, adapt and adopt to its surroundings, so does the organism of social media.
If a company is truly plugged in via social media portals, they can address many aspects of their business (described by earlier posts quite effectively already).
Like humans, social media is not something that can be easily categorized and pigeonholed. Flexible and responsive companies would do well to allocate financial resources accordingly when setting “marketing” budgets where social media is concerned.
Were I a CEO, I’d spread the wealth (cost), because done well, the entire company benefits.
Thanks for the forum. Best, M.
Jim Mitchem
Jan 26, 2010
I think you’re onto something – not broadcasting. traditional media is broadcast (literally) to see what sticks. In this space, it seems like a really bad proposition. Though some brands do (and will) try. I wonder, however, if those brands will continue to do it and will general ‘broadcasting’ win out (because they don’t *know* any other way) resulting in something like NASCAR here?
Jim Mitchem
Jan 26, 2010
Thanks Molly. The best description to me is that this is a conversation – and while there can be some (sales) ground gained in interacting respectfully with people, people who walk into conversations SHOUTING REALLY LOUD THAT PEOPLE NEED TO DO WHAT THEY SAY will be ignored. Or not invited back.
My novel – Minor King
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