It’s a conversation

If there’s one thing that is obvious with social media, a business should not jump in unless they’re willing to be part of the conversation. Whether Facebook, Twitter, or some of the lesser-known user-generated content media, the conversation needs to be two-way.

The other commonality is that this can’t be a “campaign.” Social media becomes part of ongoing marketing communications efforts.  Otherwise, it’s like hanging up in the middle of a phone call.

In the process of looking at companies that have engaged in successful use of Facebook to further their brand and customer loyalty, I came across several sites that provide good observations of what has been successful with social media.

Like Dave McAnally’s blog post on 5 Characteristics of a Successful Large Brand’s Facebook Campaign. Large or small, these characteristics were consistent with the successful campaigns I uncovered.  It’s a good solid approach to social media regardless of the budget, business or organization.

While 10 Social Media Campaigns that Rock! goes against the idea of thinking of social media integration as a campaign, ultimately, the examples show an understanding of incorporating social media into the overall marketing mix.  The tips and advice offer good questions to consider before adding this level of communication to marketing communications.

In DigitalTonto’s post on The Importance of Branding in the Digital Age, there was a foundation for thinking about how new media impacts a brand, which is an emotional response to a product. It takes getting personal with consumers and those who are using social media to engage customers with the brand are coming out winners.  The Brands and Direct Response section is dead on target and often just the type of thing that is a thorn in marketing’s side–that is, short-term ROI can ultimately impact the brand long-term in a negative way.  For items that will require long-term brand loyalty for future purchases, social media offer a channel like no other we’ve had before to keep consumers engaged until that next purchase opportunity arises.

Consider the brand engagement needed to get customers posting YouTube videos about a product. That’s brand engagement. So I leave you with this nifty Toyota commercial about the Yaris and encourage you to go to YouTube and search on Yaris. The list is seemingly endless from showing off drifting skills to showing off modifications. When brands get this kind of response, it’s a formula for success. But it takes a certain level of “letting go” of the brand to allow consumers to make it their own. But that’s the beauty of the conversation.