News about social media has run rampant in offices across the country in the past few years. If companies aren’t already engaging in the social networking sites, they are attending conferences to learn more about the benefits of participation. If they aren’t already meeting to discuss new media, they are asking marketing agencies to provide strategic recommendations. A concern often shared throughout this process is: What if I lose control of my brand message?
A concern about participating in social media exists amongst Fortune 500 companies. Why should they transfer a portion of their budget from advertising to social media marketing? Through traditional media, brand managers were at least able to control the message that was distributed and “pushed” out to the public. It has been a trusted form of communications that directly reached their core consumer. In an unstable space like the internet, how can they ensure that their brand is consistently being represented positively?
It is important to note that the way consumers currently obtain information is gradually evolving from traditional media to social media. The shift has essentially occurred in the way people want to receive information. The power has been transferred from the formalized institutions, like broadcast and print, to the consumers. Social media has given a voice to the masses. With the rise of social media, an average Joe can influence as many people as a prestigious newspaper.
Consumers are publicly discussing the brands they like and dislike. They share their experiences with the product on their blog, related forums and social networking sites. That available knowledge helps potential customers make purchasing decisions. For example: if Joe and Shane say their experience with a brand was poor, Adam will probably begin to consider the competitor. The company needs to be privy of such instances to maintain and grow its customer base. How does it do that? Firstly, it should listen by monitoring the relevant sites. Secondly, it should participate in the conversation and provide key information that can help convince Adam that he should give that particular product a try.
To protect and promote a brand, it is important that a company participates in the conversation. It has to play the same game in the same field at the same time as its consumers. By being part of the team, your brand can become a trusted household brand. Social media humanizes your brand by giving it a name, face, and personality!
I like how you said social media has given the voice to the masses…. its unfortunate that many companies have not tapped into the space.
Brands need to be engaging in coversation and listening to the likes/dislikes of the consumer as this will essentially create a trust between both.
The post mentions the major concern among advertisers that they may lose control over their brand. Companies DO NOT have control over their brand. The people who buy their brand and talk about in their everyday lives (on and offline) have control over the brand. Marketers really need to understand this, put consumers first and start listening. Social media is a broad and relatively easy space to be able to do this.
@Jon Wright
The focus of this post is losing the control of the messaging, not the brand itself. Many companies feel that as long as they aren’t participating in social media, they can protect the messaging and reputation of their brand. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Users are already online chit chatting about their favorite products. Agreed, listening is a process that companies need to start with and continue doing throughout.
One thing that I’ve learned from speaking with Marketers is that they see social media as this intangible that removes them from their comfort zone. They want to hear what the customers have to say, good or bad, but they don’t necessarily want to make it EVERYBODY’S business. The domino effect of one piece of negative press leading to another and another and another is frightening. I think they understand that technically they don’t have control over all that consumers have to say, but the thought of Aunt Betty and cousin Jane discussing their bad experience or dislike of brand XYZ over midday coffee in their living room versus an RSS Feed sending out the same message to hundreds or thousands of people at once, puts their fear into perspective.
What I’ve attempted to tell those who are apprehensive about the true value of social media is that it exists and influences whether you participate or not. So do you think it’s better for business if you let nature take its course and not be proactive in setting the record straight and telling your story the way you feel it should be told or is it better to have a voice and a hand in engaging customers one and one with the hopes of it making a difference?
Being in business is all about taking risks and weighing your options. Social media is just another one to add to the list.
Great post Reem!
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