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Why Social Media Marketing is Expected of Big Brands
October 6, 2009
As we continue to move our resources to a “soft†platform, we realize that the flexibility of social media makes it a great culture to display the branded message. This very same identifying quality of pliability creates havoc in the minds of Big Brand marketers because of the difficulty in applying metrics and of defining the space. From a distance, social media seems volatile and unreliable. You can’t hold it, hand it out, or scan the barcode to provide “reliable†metrics. Unlike a billboard, you don’t even know if it’s still there most of the time!
Everyone understands the hesitation- but we also understand it as a gut reaction. Human nature often dictates that we fear what we do not understand. When it comes to my personal pocketbook, I feel the same hesitation until I understand the how and the why of the situation. These questions are valid, and I cannot fault the hesitant person when it comes to a marketing budget. However, most don’t fully understand the how and why of electrical power in our lives, but we constantly flip the switch.
What I intend to do is shed some light on the dark side of the marketing budget. The “new†line item (ten years ago) that has consistently grown in girth and weight: Internet Marketing. Careful marketing execs have been hesitant to pull the trigger on such a volatile strategy such as Internet Marketing, let alone Social Media Marketing. For those in the game 10+ years ago, this probably stems from the dot com crash. For others, it may be shear ignorance of the Web 2.0 platforms. I think it has more to do with measuring ROI.
The evolution of communication (discussed at length here) has sped up exponentially over the three decades since the basic packet-switching system was developed. As we observe the basic evolutionary principles play out with platforms that survive (Google, AOL Instant Messaging, etc.), we begin to realize that social media is gaining a very solid foothold as a by-product of the evolution.
We could debate the merits of the survivors all day, digging into the minutia of what has worked and what hasn’t. That debate would not express why Social Media Marketing is a necessity to big brands today. The point is that the history and evolution has created precedent. Big brands do not have to blaze the trail. There is now a decade of experience at your fingertips for Internet Marketing Strategy (namely through Intrapromote’s team of aficionados) and, yes, it has been 5 years since you set up your Gmail account.
So why do Big Brands need to pull the trigger?
• With the announcement of Google Public Sector, the adaptation of Google’s standard applications for use within the US Federal Government, it becomes clear to those behind the ball that Web 2.0 is a real thing, and mandatory. As a veteran, I know firsthand that this did not happen overnight…or even a fortnight.
• Facebook and Twitter have become the leading internal and external communications tools within the United Methodist Church. This move has aligned itself with the dawn of the 10thousanddoors advertising campaign, primarily being carried out by social networks and various media outlets.
• Best Buy has pioneered usefulness on Twitter by replying directly to customers and non-customers alike regarding technical and consumer support questions via Twelpforce. In fact, @Twelpforce has been cited in over 800 individual tweets in the last seven days. These are astonishing numbers when applied to the purposefulness of this service, namely to push consumers to your brand.
Even though big brands are not usually evangelists for new concepts in marketing strategy, they all jump on board once the numbers show value (as shown in this video). It would be very disappointing to search for Coca-Cola on Facebook and not find a presence there, or search YouTube for the funniest Bud Light commercials, only to be met with a 404 message.
In conclusion, I pose two questions. First, have you been able to directly influence 800 consumers in one week’s time with a branded message guiding them to your products? Secondly, would that amount of influence represent a positive ROI for your company?
All posts by Dylan Price
posted by Dylan Price at October 6, 2009 7:43 PM
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Comments
I have to disagree with the author of that Mashable article. To see Google and the U.S. Government is anything but refreshing. I want to see "separation of Google and State" in all things everywhere.
Personal opinion. I know that Google produces top quality products. I also know that I don't want any one corporation having as much influence, power, and control as Google both has and obviously will have in the future.
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