The buzz for social media is getting more frenzied, but will organizations and personal brands put their money where their mouths are? In short: yes. The data I’ve seen so far suggests that marketing budgets for social media expenditures is going to skyrocket when compared to numbers from 2009. But, will this simply be digital duck tape [read: not fixing the deeper brand, marketing and strategy issues that plague most companies]?
Companies need to ask themselves one deceptively simple question before they begin hiring staff to manage their Twitter, communities, videos, webinars, blah blah blah.
How would somebody describe your brand as a person at a cocktail party? Could they?
Whether it be a consulting firm or an MP3 player targeting fixed gear bike riders, your brand must be memorable. A company that does this flawlessly is Moosejaw. Here’s how I’d describe the brand as if it were a person: “He’s 20 years old, from the Midwest and has the quirkiest sense of humor of anybody I know. He’s a huge fan of the outdoors: camping and hiking.”
See where I’m going with this?
Before you throw increased resources at your social media presence, think about your return. Will you get the return you seek if your target audience gets mixed, convoluted or disparate messages from your brand? Probably not, big guy. What’s more, does your target give a crap if you have a Twitter page? Do the buying habits of Ed the machinist hinge on the existence of the Facebook fanpage you created for the Fluger Valvue 2000? My guess is … um… no. Ed the machinist only cares about you giving him the best price with the best quality.
Having said all of that, 2010 will be a big year for social media expenditures regardless of how well prepared companies are with their strategy and messenging. I’m excited to see how it all unfolds.
What brands are doing things right that you love?
