There has been a lot of discussion about how social media networks like Facebook and Twitter can make piles of cash for businesses, but if you examine them there are only four major categories in which these sites can be used to improve marketing strategies. These strategies can be used in sequence or, in some cases, independently of one another.
- Gather market research. Social media sites record conversations. To a marketer, those conversations are 24 carat gems of marketing research that provide priceless insights into consumer behavior. Once you have identified a community or market segment that your business wants to target, it is only a matter of extracting the right data from those conversations.
- Connect with an existing online community. The attraction of these social media sites is to meet people with similar interests, ideas or opinions. In marketing speak, they form segments, or groups of consumers that share characteristics. From a marketing perspective, these cliques are models of the larger consumer segment that can provide valuable insights about opinions and behavior. Becoming a valued member of a target group requires more than simply showing up; it means digging into the underlying motivations within those community relationships and contributing meaningful content to the discussion. Once a marketer has attained a viable position in the community, s/he can capitalize on those relationships to introduce ideas or test marketing concepts.
- Create a new community. It is no easy thing to develop a new community based around a company or product, because internet-savvy users tend to distrust corporate sponsored groups. Many large, well-resourced companies have tried this approach and failed for a number of reasons, but primarily due to lack of value for users. If attracting social media users into a newly founded community is a priority for you, begin small. Start with an existing customer base that are largely positive about the product or brand, and allow that base to grow organically. It is not important to shepherd the group, but well planned insertions into the online conversations can help shape the community and provide fodder for dialogue.
- Use social media platforms for message distribution. Once a relationship with a community has been established, you probably want to start spreading your marketing message. Whether this is enhanced brand visibility through a growing community or promoting your products, it is important to tread carefully. No community wants their cherished meeting place to become an infomercial. It is often helpful to approach the most vocal and thoughtful members and offer them VIP treatment, like free samples, demos, and advanced access to products. Once the thought leaders of the community are okay with the marketing message it is possible to take the same message to the rest of the group.
