Social media marketing is about creating connections, adding value in conversations and earning your place in consumer generated digital content.
Social media has been revolutionary in its impact on brands and consumers and is developing faster than any other channel. It has changed the rules for brand management and turned the concept of public relations on its head.
By definition, social media is very broad in its scope and encompasses everything from social networks and social bookmarking, to blogs, content sharing services and product ratings and reviews.
Your customers are already talking among themselves online about your brand, your products and the quality of your customer service. Your potential customers and competitors are listening. You can either join the conversation in an open and positive way, or wave your reputation goodbye.
That may sound like a stark choice, but it’s the commercial reality of the social media opportunity and the implications for your business need to be managed.
Integrated Social Media Marketing
The necessity and benefits of integration are perhaps more evident in social media than in any other aspect of digital marketing and are core to digital strategy development. At the most visible level, for example, social network usage and blogging need to be planned and coordinated to maximise engagement. However, for most businesses the biggest challenge is adapting existing processes and resources to accommodate the demands of social media marketing and the associated consumer expectations. Contextual training can help to facilitate this kind of change as part of a wider integration management project.
