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Got your Social Media in Hand?

Julie Roulston
Think Eighty 20

If it was a country Facebook would be the fourth largest in the world. 200 million of us use Twitter and some 15 million more are joining it every month. But why is it that some see social media as nothing more than a celebrity hatch, match and dispatch depot and others an integral part of their communications strategy?

Social Media is not a fad. It is a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. Just look at the facts. Over 500 million users on Facebook, with the average user connecting to over 80 community pages, groups and events, 75 million users on LinkedIn and over 200 million bloggers online, 80% of whom update content daily.

Some would argue that the “big numbers” are only achieved by the leading brands and that only the likes of Aer Lingus, Vodafone and Starbucks etc., should implement a social media strategy. Not so. For example, the PSNI are using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube as a medium to engage in two way dialogue with communities in a bid to cut crime, educate and inform.  One of the PSNI links for Ards is the largest viewed police operated Facebook page in the UK and Ireland. Started just over a year ago the PSNI web pages are achieving over 2.5million hits per month!

Social Media can and should be used as part of every organisations marketing and communications strategy. It is here to stay and has become a proven way for charities, public sector bodies, community groups and businesses of all sizes to reach, engage and build relationships with customers, stakeholders and audiences. But it’s also important to remember that social media in and of itself isn’t a marketing or pr strategy and must be used in addition to the traditional tried and tested methods.

So whether your company is an early adopter or a late arrival, you have to understand how to best use Social Media to help your brand, grow your business and improve your bottom line. Social Media cannot be approached in a haphazard way. In other words, you need a plan. And to have a plan you need to ask yourself the following:

·         Who do I want to reach?

  • What do I want to achieve? A stronger brand presence? Lead generation? More customers?
  • What message do I want to communicate?
  • Where do my target audience engage online?
  • How do I want to do it? Which social media channel is the right one?
  • What mix will work best for my audience? A video? A twitter post? A blog? A Facebook fan page? A podcast? Website content?
  • How do I integrate with my traditional marketing activities?
  •  How do I measure and evaluate campaign success?

Once you have answered these questions, only then are you ready to engage online.

Julie Roulston is Managing Director of Th!nk Eighty 20 and can be contacted via email: julie@think-eighty20.com or by calling 028 9073 5606

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