This is part 3 in a 6-part series detailing a simple process for developing a successful Social Media Marketing program based on the acronym L-I-S-T-E-N.
Part 1: L is for Listen & Learn
Part 2: I is for Interpret & Identify
What was the last ad…
If you’re a marketing executive or agency trying to move your company or client into social media, there is a very good chance you have heard this question:
“What’s the ROI?”
In my opinion, the more important and relevant question is, “What is the cost of doing nothing?”
That was my message to the John Carroll University Entrepreneurs Association (JCUEA) last week when I presented, “Social Media for CEOs.”
After completing an advance survey of the members to determine the presentation’s content and style, we took a three-phased approach to educating and convincing the audience the value of investing time and resources in social media:
The key is to remember that a social media strategy on its own is useless. It must be part of an integrated marketing campaign that includes: brand marketing, Website, search marketing, content marketing and PR, as well as traditional strategies, such as sponsorships, and possibly advertising.
We presented an 8-step approach in the Inbound Marketing GamePlan, which outlines how and when to integrate social media:
Social media boils down to doing three things very well: Monitoring, Participating and Publishing. Here’s the basics of getting started:
What challenges have you run into integrating social media into your company or client? How have you overcome the obstacles, and turned them into opportunities?
Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @PaulRoetzer
The B2B Marketing series is supported by the MarketingProfs B2B Forum, where you’ll learn the ins-and-outs of social media as part of your overall B2B marketing mix. Register today!*Additional reporting by Tamar WeinbergWhen we write about how compa…
Twitterers mostly consume news, MySpace users want games and entertainment, Facebookers are into both news and community and Digg’s audience has a mixed bag of interests.This is all according to online advertising network Chitika, who set out to ana…
Brands are engaging in the conversations that are taking place on social media sites now more than ever. But in order to tap into the social conversations that are taking place on the web, brands and agencies need to have a powerful tool to track, mea…
Plenty of bloggers are talking about the inevitable intersection of social media marketing and search engine optimization. Heck, we’ve been blogging about SMO since 2006! Keyword optimized social content and channels of promotion provide abundant sig…
“So it can benefit everyone.”
That’s what a Google employee said today as he tried to explain Google’s recent push to have websites use the ‘rel=”me”‘ meta HTML tags to identify pages a user owns on the web. It’s not a bad strategy …
Does your company have a social media marketing strategy? If you're inclined to answer "yes" because you have a Twitter handle and a Facebook page, you may want to re-think your answer.
Our top article on InboundMarketing.com this week urges you to take a step back, do your homework and form an actual strategy for social media marketing. What are your objectives? What are the opportunities? What are your competitors doing? After all, there's more to social media marketing than tweeting and Facebooking…
Author: Bernie Borges of Optimize This
Bernie's main message is that, for a business, a social media strategy serves one simple purpose: "enabling your company to engage in authentic conversations with your community so you can improve your ability to attract, retain and serve your customers." Still, he encourages readers to stop to do some research first — inside the company and out — to gain valuable insight that will drive their strategies.
Among Bernie's recommendations are to listen first and define your objectives, whether they be geared toward competitive differentiation, market share growth or the expansion of your brand. His final words of wisdom are to "let your content go,” sharing it with and promoting it to your community.
Lesson: Think before you do.
Author: Todd Defren of PR Squared
Wondering if creating a microsite might be a good idea for that new campaign you're promoting? Exploring the topic of campaign microsites, Todd questions their worth and whether they generate any real traction.
While he doubts the majority of microsites has an ROI worth your time/investment, he does however share his thoughts on when one might make sense - when your company is part of a highly regulated industry that needs to be cautious with content, disclosures and consumer engagement.
Lesson: Look at how others are using social media, but evaluate what works best in your particular industry and for your own company before trying the same things.
Author: Pete Cashmore of Mashable on CNN.com
Lately, I've been noticing that content overload on the Web is becoming quite a popular topic. To this point, Pete's article discusses Twitter’s new list function and its ability to filter and organize clutter.
Is Twitter hinting at a cure for information overload, Pete wonders? He discusses the possible opportunity for a new job position based on content organization – the real-time Web curator. Should journalists assume this new role and capitalize on this trend? In any event, Pete's sure a "curation" economy is starting to take shape.
Lesson: Create Twitter lists using your company Twitter account to organize leaders/content in your industry.
Author: Marelisa Fábrega on ProBlogger
"Sticky" ideas are those that are spread, remembered, and that people act upon. Marisela's guest post explains the six common traits of sticky ideas, a concept originated by the bestseller, "Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die.”
Lesson: Attract readers to your business blog by creating content with “sticky” properties.
5. 25 Must Read Social Media Marketing Tips
Author: Lee Odden of Online Marketing Blog
Want to learn the best social media marketing advice from expert in-house marketers? Read Lee's post, which includes tips on social media strategy (oh how we've come full circle!), how to decide on tactics, and measuring success.
One thing’s for sure – the benefit of social media involvement is hard to ignore.
Lesson: Find inspiration to get started in the social media-sphere from experienced marketers.
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