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Internet marketing

Understand social media marketing

Blue figures linked

What is social media marketing?
Understand the different types of social media
Consider how you can use social media marketing
Add social media to traditional marketing activities
Find out more

The term ‘social media marketing’ is something of a buzzword, with big business and government clamouring to make the most of a new way of communicating with customers and citizens. But what is it? And does it matter to small and medium-sized businesses? Or is it just another here today, gone tomorrow trend created by marketing consultants?

The truth is, in one form or another, social media marketing is here to stay — although it is a fast-developing area. In simple terms, social media marketing is using online communication tools as a channel to communicate your business’s messages. These tools were originally designed to keep friends and family in touch, but they are now also being used by businesses to communicate with peers and customers.

Social media can have all the immediacy of email, the same low cost base - and one huge, fundamental difference: social media allows you to create and maintain a public dialogue with existing customers, new customers, your competitors and suppliers.

Handled with sensitivity, using social media can show your business to be progressive, proactive and interested in customers — for a negligible cost. Handled badly, it can create a PR crisis.

If “Twitter” and “MySpace” are words that mean nothing to you, this guide will show you the basics and some pointers to help you get started. If you are already familiar with micro-blogging or know that Reddit is not a misspelling, this guide will help you put the tools you are used to using personally into a practical business context.

1. What is social media marketing?

1.1 What social media marketing is — and is not

Social media marketing is using online, usually instant or near-instant, communications tools to promote your business. Many, but not all, were originally designed for personal use.

You can use social media to promote your business as a whole, specific products or services, or individual members of your team.

These tools are particularly useful if you want to communicate openly and directly with customers — although, as they can use the same tools to publicly answer back, this is are not without risk.

As with any form of promotion, carefully selecting the most appropriate social media tools for your intended audience is essential. Using the wrong channel is at best a waste of effort and at worst can damage your reputation.

If you are selling to consumers, you can use social media as an immediate, low-cost and highly targeted marketing channel to your customers. If you are selling to other businesses, it is also possible to use social media this way. But social media may be just as useful for you as a networking tool.

In most cases, social media are not just another outlet for pure sales messages. To get the most out of these communication tools, honesty and perceived integrity are more effective than a bald sales pitch. You will need to invest time and thought into your use of social media.

1.2 What social media marketing does

Used well, social media marketing creates a two-way channel between you and your customers or peers which is fast and easy to use.

You can get honest feedback, build your business’s reputation for service and customer care, and show these attributes to potential customers.

You can promote new products, services and people cost-effectively.

If you are selling to other businesses, you can use social media to foster better relationships along your supply chain, extend your networks and get back in touch with peers or suppliers that you have lost touch with.

2. Understand the different types of social media

2.1 Micro-blogging

Social media outlets that allow instant, public communication are one of the most high-profile forms of electronic marketing.

Micro-blogging tools (such as Twitter) allow you to publish short, sharp comments and links to websites and pictures. These also allow people to publicly respond in kind, encouraging conversation with whoever finds themselves browsing your page.

People who use these services keep track of new entries on the pages of people or organisations that they are interested in and can quickly and easily find out if your page has been updated.

2.2 Blogging opinions and news

For those who prefer longer forms of communication, blogs allow you to write on the web as you might a newsletter, for example. These can be corporately focused, but are often more successful when they have a personal touch, particularly where the writer is offering interesting opinions. In most cases, readers have the opportunity to respond and leave comments.

You can run a blog through your own company website — but it is often easier to use free or low-cost platforms such as WordPress or Movable Type which provide pre-designed templates and the ability to edit the blog from wherever you have an Internet connection.

A blog allows you to provide more depth than micro-blogging, but you should still try to keep anything you write short and interesting to your target reader.

2.3 Online networking

There are a number of networking websites, which host communities for both consumers and businesses.

Consumers generally join online communities, such as MySpace or Facebook, and keep tabs on areas of personal interest they share with others. Whatever your business’s interests, there is likely to be a relevant group that you can get involved with.

Business-to-business networking is covered by a number of communities such as LinkedIn and Ecademy. You can post a personal profile or one for your business, and invite colleagues, peers and even competitors to join your network.

2.4 Discussion forums

Word-of-mouth is one of the best forms of promotion your business can receive. Intelligent use of discussion forums can play a big part in generating it for your business.

You can host a discussion forum on your own website and encourage customers to use it for questions, comments or complaints. Or you could join other forums relevant to your business and provide support and advice to other users.

If done sensitively and honestly, using forums like this can generate positive word-of-mouth recommendation for your business. But if you use it for straight advertising or unconcealed sales messages, it will turn forum users against you.

2.5 Bookmarking and information-sharing tools

Social bookmarking and information-sharing tools can help you create a ‘buzz’ about your business — particularly new product or service launches.

The principle of these services — such as StumbleUpon or Reddit — is similar to someone sending a ‘Have you seen this?’ email to a friend. But instead of clogging up your inbox, users of these services mark web pages they view as ‘interesting’ and would like to recommend to others. The number of recommendations is aggregated by the service and users of the services see what their peers believe to be the most interesting pages on the web at any given moment.

For that reason, your company’s website in itself is unlikely to feature on these services unless you are doing something very noteworthy. But if you have a new launch, the relevant page on your website may get more visits over a short period of time as a result of people sharing recommendations through bookmarking services.

3. Consider how you can use social media marketing

3.1 Work out how you can put social media to good use

As well as being close to immediate, social media is very flexible. You can use it for a variety of marketing purposes, such as:

Promoting specific offers — particularly time-limited ones. For example, you could use a micro-blogging site to announce ten per cent off any orders of a particular line within the next 24 hours.

Inviting feedback and carrying out market research. For example, blogs can be used to explain some background to what you’re trying to achieve with a new product or service, and invite customers or suppliers to get involved in testing.

A route for customers to access your PR. For example, your micro-blog could provide direct links to your press releases as soon as they are published on your website.

Establishing a reputation as a customer-focused business, committed to service and/or communication with customers. For example, running a forum that answers customer queries quickly can win you significant goodwill.

Showing yourself as an active participant in your sector, willing to get involved in industry-wide debates and initiatives. For example, posting regularly on industry-wide forums or blogs with constructive suggestions can positively raise your profile.

Cementing relationships with existing suppliers, recommending good ones and finding new ones. For example, using networking sites and recommending suppliers you have found to be useful can earn you goodwill.

3.2 Match the medium and the message

As with any form of effective marketing, you will need to make sure you are sending the right message to your target market, using the right channel. For example, there is little point in setting up a micro-blogging campaign if your target customers don’t use the web every day or so.

If you are trying to connect with a younger audience, make sure you know which social network is the flavour of the month. This can change rapidly — so you will need to keep a close eye on trends.

3.3 Be realistic about control

Remember that many forms of social media positively encourage feedback — and not all of it will be good.

You will, at the very least, need to accept this will happen, and it is best if you have a clear idea how you are going to handle any problems if they crop up. Timely and honest response is essential. Simply editing or deleting any negative or mildly controversial comments will damage your reputation. Besides, it may simply be impossible to do so.

You can help avoid some of these problems by carefully creating your social media presence in the first place.

3.4 Consider resources

Managing an effective social media presence for your business will require time and dedication. Regular updates and timely responses are essential whichever form of social media you use - if you don’t, visitors simply won’t keep coming back.

Make sure you have the time and resource to devote to making your social media presence lively, vibrant and up-to-date.

4. Add social media to traditional marketing activities

4.1 Remember that social media do not exist in isolation

Using social media is most effective as an integral part of your marketing plan — not as a project in isolation. For example, if you are already using online marketing techniques, such as banner ads or affiliate marketing, there is every reason to continue doing so. Social media will have different strengths and weaknesses.