The single biggest resistance I get when talking to clients about engaging in social media is the amount of time social media requires. Most companies that are not using social media find it overwhelming and difficult to understand. And, they lack the time or resources required to make social media successful for them.
I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise.
My company has recently ramped up our own social media efforts and I have to tell you I find it overwhelming and difficult to understand. I lack the time and resources required to really make it successful for us. But as with anything new, you just gotta push through. Pulling the plug would be conceding defeat in an area where a victory is needed.
Never give up. Never surrender.
Let's take a look at these common complaints of social media and what can be done to make social media successful.
Facebook.
Twitter.
Linked In.
Google+.
Blogs.
And that doesn't include the social tracking services, third party tools, posting tools, organization lists and who knows what else I'm missing. Each social service requires it's own level of commitment and interaction that must be actively maintained.
A separate strategy for each social platform is required. In order to do it right, you have to learn the nuances of each.
How often you post, what you say, how you say it and who you connect with are all important in building up your social media presence. Connecting in one stream works differently than connecting in another. Same with engagement. They all have their quirks and you've go to learn each in order to manage them appropriately.
Phew! That's a lot of engagement!
And the most difficult part is very little of this can be done by an outside service. Consultants like us can help you develop a strategy, but it's always best if an actual person from the company handles the engagement. After all, you know your product or services better than anybody else can, and you are uniquely qualified to handle complaints and customer satisfaction.
If your in-house person has been managing social campaigns for any length of time and is fully dedicated to social media, then you might have just what you need. But for many businesses, hiring a consultant to either manage, implement or just strategize with can be extremely lucrative.
Even if you have someone to carry out the plan in-house, it's helpful to have a consultant who can work with you to develop a solid strategy for each social stream and then work with your team to implement it.
More and more people are getting social. That's where they get their information, news, pass tips, strategies and recommendations. If you're not engaged with them, someone else is. Your competitors are building brand, answering questions and becoming an authority. What are you doing?
You may be top in your field, but these things change. It's all a matter of perception. MySpace used to be the top social site, now Facebook is. AltaVisa was once the top search engine, now Google is. K-Mart used to be the top retail store, and you get the picture.
Things shift. If you don't get ahead of it you'll be shifted out while someone else is shifted in. Any new strategy can be a challenge, but you can learn to use social media to enhance your business (as opposed to sucking the life out of it).
Follow me at @StoneyD, and @PolePositionMkg.
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Stoney deGeyter is the President of Pole Position Marketing, a leading search engine optimization and marketing firm helping businesses grow since 1998. Stoney is a frequent speaker at website marketing conferences and has published hundreds of helpful SEO, SEM and small business articles.
If you'd like Stoney deGeyter to speak at your conference, seminar, workshop or provide in-house training to your team, contact him via his site or by phone at 866-685-3374.
Stoney pioneered the concept of Destination Search Engine Marketing which is the driving philosophy of how Pole Position Marketing helps clients expand their online presence and grow their businesses. Stoney is Associate Editor at Search Engine Guide and has written several SEO and SEM e-books including E-Marketing Performance; The Best Damn Web Marketing Checklist, Period!; Keyword Research and Selection, Destination Search Engine Marketing, and more.
Stoney has five wonderful children and spends his free time reviewing restaurants and other things to do in Canton, Ohio.
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