Social Media Marketing is different from any previous form of marketing, and it is very much the same in a lot of ways too. The way results are achieved is very different from how people have always marketed using traditional methods, but the core philosophies and concepts behind any marketing is essentially the same.

The Similarities

You have to target the right audience – Identifying, learning about, and then effectively communicating your brand’s message to your target market is still essential. If you wanted to advertise your denture cream on the radio, you wouldn’t place ads on the local heavy metal rock station. Similarly, how you approach Social Media Marketing has everything to do with the audience you are trying to appeal to. A “one size fits all” approach will not work – except for the one it actually fits.

It takes time and consistency – Another similarity between traditional and new media marketing is that quality, consistency, and time are necessary to see meaningful results. It’s interesting that many people expect results right away with Social Media Marketing, but understand that traditional marketing avenues take time and repetition. If you posted a television ad once, every other day, for a week, and then not again for a month or two, you wouldn’t expect great results. And if the quality of those ads was sub-par, your results would be non-existent. Marketing on Social Media is the same. The quality and consistency of your efforts will, in part, determine your end result.

It should be done by professionals – Perhaps the most important similarity between new media and traditional approaches is that neither should be thought of as a DIY (Do It Yourself) solution. This is sometimes difficult for business owners to understand when it comes to Social Media Marketing, because literally anyone can create accounts on the various Social Media platforms and go to town. Imagine if that was the case with radio, TV, or print media! But just because creating profiles and posting is free and easy to do doesn’t mean that everyone is able to achieve the results they’re looking for. For the same reasons companies don’t generally create their own television and radio commercials (lack of time and expertise), Social Media Marketing should be in the hands of experts.

The Primary Differences

Pull versus push – The most prominent difference between new and old media marketing is that with traditional methods, information was “pushed” out to the audience. You “delivered” your message to your prospective buyers and customers via advertisements. People knew the time between their real reason for tuning in was for marketing, and it was accepted. Before TiVo and other DVR solutions, everyone watched commercials on TV, and before subscription radio, people listened to ads on the radio. There was no feeling that a company was self-centered by only talking about themselves and their products or services in an advertisement. It’s what that space was for.

By contrast, if all your activity on Social Media is about your company and your offerings, you will be seen as a spammer. You might get some followers, but they are very unlikely to translate into sales. People expect Social Media campaigns to not look like marketing campaigns but more like interaction with your audience.

Time Intensive – Whereas with traditional media, it didn’t have to take a lot of time out of your day to make it effective, entrepreneurs who decide to perform their own Social Media Marketing need to commit a decent portion of time to working on it, if they hope to see results. Again, it is about time and consistency, and it is difficult to consistently post quality, useful content without devoting time to it.

What other similarities and differences do you see in these two marketing channels? Share your thoughts in the comments.

If you own a graphic arts firm, ad agency, or photography studio, it might be obvious that customizing your Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook profiles makes a lot of sense.  It’s a great (FREE) way to display your expertise to all who come across your page.  But what if you’re a dentist, mechanic, blogger, or candy store owner?  Why is customization important to those who don’t have an artistic or design focus?  It’s all about branding!

If you were to go to Coca Cola’s Facebook page, what would you expect to see?  Lots of red and white and the Coke logo in at least one or two spots, right?   If you head over to Coke’s Twitter page, do you think they’ll have the default “clouds” background?  It would be shocking, wouldn’t it?  And of course the same is true for their YouTube channel.  So, why does Coca Cola (and countless other companies) bother customizing their social media profiles?  They do so because they recognize the importance of maintaining a consistent brand image across all channels.  Their website, Facebook page, YouTube channel page, and Twitter page all communicate their brand message effectively, just as a TV or magazine ad would.

One of the goals of your branding should be for your company to be recognizable by its brand.  Think about the discount department store Target for a moment.  In most of their television commercials (and in much of their print and Social Media Marketing), they don’t even display the word “Target” – they just have a big red target on a white background, which everyone knows is Target.  They have remained consistent with their brand message long enough that people instantly recognize the brand on sight.  Now, that is branding!

A Hypothetical Case Study

Of course most owners of small to medium sized businesses aren’t trying to become as recognizable as Coca Cola or Target, so how does Social Media branding apply to the rest of us?  Let’s take a hypothetical look at two chiropractors’ offices (Chiropractor A and Chiropractor X).  Both are from the same town, and both have the same level of expertise in their field.  Chiropractor A has made an effort to have all her Social Media channels customized to consistently communicate her brand message.  Chiropractor X, on the other hand has a generic Twitter background, no custom Facebook landing tab, and doesn’t use YouTube.  Additionally, Chiropractor X has an incomplete profile and bio on his Social Media channels.

When you arrive at Chiropractor A’s Facebook page, it looks a lot like her website.  The custom landing tab announces the details of a first-time patient special, and gives you the opportunity to sign up for her newsletter.  The info tab is full of relevant, useful information, and the wording reminds you of the copy you read on her website.  When you click over to her Twitter page, the color scheme, design of the background graphic, and bio information mirror the message communicated on all her other channels, and you can see from her tweets that she is very interactive and informative.

Perception is Everything

Which Chiropractor do you think communicates a higher level of professionalism and care?  It doesn’t matter that their skill level or the actual level of patient care they provide are the same.  It’s all about perception.  Not only does Chiropractor A show that she takes Social Media Marketing seriously, you are also more likely to feel as though you know her.  And that is what Social Media Marketing is all about.  It is relationship marketing.

The more someone feels they know you and your business, the more likely they are to visit your website, walk through your door, make a purchase, or recommend you to friends.  And a consistent, custom brand message across all Social Media channels helps accomplish that level of connection.

When you post something on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or any other Social Media platform, how much do you think about what you’re sending out?  Your choices are seemingly infinite, but not all posts will help you accomplish your Social Media Marketing goals.  Certain types of posts tend to be rebroadcast more and are better for getting and keeping the attention of your audience.  Of course the most effective thing you can do in Social Media is to engage with your audience and work on building a community.  However, the following 5 keys to connecting with your target market are just as important for those “non-engagement” posts.

1. Educate them. Posting “educational” information that teaches your target audience about something they want to know is important for a couple of reasons.  First, your audience appreciates your posts because they learn from them.  If you become a trusted source of tips, how-to content, and other useful information, you’ll gain a reputation as a reliable information source.  Secondly, putting out educational content establishes you as an expert in your industry and improves your credibility.

2. Share with them. When you read a third-party article that you find interesting or see a great video presentation – whether it is centered around your niche or not – share it with your Social Media followers.  Again, this goes back to being a valuable resource, but more than that, it just makes you interesting.  People love to find hidden gems amongst all the clutter on the Internet.  If you can help them find the good stuff, they’ll love you for it!

3. Introduce them. If you are connected with individuals through your social networks who should know each other, take the time to make the introduction.  Someone who is a connector of people is always highly regarded and well respected.  This valuable service you can provide for free to your followers and friends will pay off in spades when it comes time for them to do the introductions – or to buy your product or service.

4. Take an interest in them. If you are in the B2B market, your clients are probably not in the same industry you are in.  In fact, your clients might very well all be in different industries.  So rather than only posting content that is related to what you do for a living, try linking to interesting content that is important to your clients and potential clients.  If you get to know their businesses and can provide above-and-beyond service by informing them, you will gain a loyal following.

5. Listen to them! Probably the most important key to connecting with your audience is listening more than you talk.  Just as with any communications between people, folks like those who listen and take an interest in what they have to say.  Social Media Marketing is very much a “pull” rather than a “push” medium.  Here’s what that means: In most marketing (TV, radio, print, etc.), you are pushing your message through that channel in hopes that people will see it and respond favorably.  On the other hand, using Social Media Marketing effectively means pulling customers toward you.  It’s all about building a community that people want to gravitate toward.  You accomplish this by following all the keys above, but mostly by listening and responding in ways that are relevant to your audience.

What questions or comments do you have about connecting with your audience through Social Media?  What has worked well for you?  Be sure to share in the comments section below!

There has been a lot of talk lately surrounding Facebook and privacy issues.  Many have even expressed that Facebook might be a poor option for Social Media Marketing, due to privacy concerns.  But the truth is, Facebook’s privacy options far exceed those of just about any site that allows the level of sharing Facebook does.  In fact, you can choose exactly which information you want seen, and who sees it.  The thing is: it’s not always simple to figure out just how to navigate all the privacy options in Facebook.  So below we have detailed the two primary groups of settings you need to protect your privacy in your Facebook account.  Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, so don’t write it off because of concerns that can be easily addressed!

Sharing

What it does: These settings control who can see what you share.

How to get there: Account > Privacy Settings > Sharing on Facebook

What it looks like:

What to do: When you get to this page, click on “Customize Settings.”  This will bring you to a page with a list of options.  These are the basic “who sees what” settings for your Facebook account, and they’re easy to figure out.  You have four options for each category of content that is contained in your Facebook account:

1. Everyone
2. Friends of Friends
3. Friends Only
4. Customize

The first three are pretty much self-explanatory.  Using the fourth option, you have the ability to customize categories to make them visible to some friends and not to others.   For example, if you’ve created a list of family members in your account, you could choose to have only those on that list be able to view certain photo albums in your account.

Once you make your selections, click the “Preview My Profile” button toward the top-right section of the page.  This will show you your profile as others see it.  If there is any information there that you don’t want people to see, go back and adjust that setting.

Connecting

What it does: These settings dictate who can find and/or contact you and how, as well as some personal information you share.

How to get there: Account > Privacy Settings > Connecting on Facebook > View Settings

What it looks like:

What to do: While the previous settings controlled what you share and who you share it with, these settings (for the most part) control who can find and contact you and how they can contact you.  The procedure is the same as the other settings, and you have the same four options for most categories and just two or three options for a few.  Facebook put some of the personal information categories on this page rather than under “Sharing,” because people can (if you say so) find you based on your jobs, education, hometown, and current city.  You’ll want to set them to the level of viewing you feel comfortable with.

So, which settings should you choose for all these categories?  Well, it really comes down to personal preference.  However, we do have a recommendation: If you’re using Facebook to connect for business, set everything to “Everyone” and then simply don’t upload or post anything you don’t want your business contacts to see.  This will allow people to get a feel for who you are, give them information about your business, and increase your friend requests.  And because you can invite friends to “Like” your business page, you want all the friends you can get on your personal Facebook account!

Be sure to share your thoughts on Facebook privacy in the comments below!