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Why social media failed business, and what you can do about it.

The business world got very excited with the growth of social media. For good reason: it’s free and has extensive reach and frequency (nearly everyone knows someone who’s been fired - or close to it - for excessive Facebook use). But why does this medium, with all the right ingredients for effective communication at no cost, still absent itself from most media plans?

The first explanation is simple – it’s called social media for a reason – it’s social. That means the message must have some social value to make it into the network. There is no way that I want to have a relationship with my favourite brand of baked beans or even headache tablets. I want the former to fill me up (without unnecessary side effects) and the latter to take my pain away. I don’t necessarily want to strike up a conversation to get to know the brand better. Unless of course I can get something for it. Like a discount. Or better still, win lots of cash. After all, what are friends for? However, I don’t deny that there are people who do want these types of relationships, and they are probably a lot more numerous that we think. I sincerely hope I’m not related to any.

People have diverse social interests (the exception of course is sex, which seems most concentrated on the internet). To give you some idea of the spread of interests, assume you want to (for whatever reason) adopt a ferret. So, if you go online, chances are you’ll ferret out (excuse the pun) where you can take ownership of a ferret that has been abandoned by its parents. This is no joke – search ‘ferret adoption’ on Facebook, and you’ll find, not one, but four organizations that are in the business. So, with so many diverse interests, and only 24 hours in a day, you don’t have an infinite amount of audience ratings available. It just does not work like that.

But the reason many organizations don’t get to use social media, is that they don’t ‘get it’. You don’t have customers on social networks, you have friends. That takes a different vocabulary that many organizations find difficult to muster. Here are five maxims of social media that can help you walk the talk:

You are not in control of the message. That does not mean you have no power – there are ways to control negative press online – but you have to trust the network to convey your message their way. That might not suit you 100%, but then that’s social media. It’s the nature of social media that not all the information is exactly right, but the bulk of it is generally right.

You have to learn a new media skill: listening. This is not about you or your brand, it’s about the relationship.

It’s not really free. The amount of man hours it takes to support a social media element of a campaign can, if you bill by the hour, add up to a substantial sum. Like all relationships, it takes effort and time.

Forget spin – the medium works well when your message is open, honest and authentic.

Social media is not suitable to most of our communication efforts. However, it sometimes can be that jewel in the media crown. To make sure you don’t overlook it for your digital media plan, remember that social media is part of this triad:

Web Strategy

Internet Marketing Strategy

Social Media Strategy

So, before you throw this baby out with the digital bathwater, social media can play a synergistic role in getting your message to market. Now tell your friends.

About the author

Sid Peimer is a strategic planner, writer and trainer. He lives in suburbia with his wife and two Jack Russells, occasionally venturing into the city as the strategist for the full service ad agency www.behp.co.za. He also has his own sea-facing website dedicated to strategy www.stratplanning.com where he has appointed himself mayor (and you can find plenty free resources).