12 reasons to start social media NOW and not later
By Jillian Anderson | January 26, 2009
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- Illustration by Matt Hamm
So, the word is out. Social media is happening. More businesses and individuals are getting involved everyday. It’s real. It’s now. And, just like all potential marketing mediums, it’s about to get really competitive.
With the exception of the last few years, NOW is the best time to hop on the social media bandwagon and get interactive. South Dakota businesses and industries, along with the vast majority of other regional mid-west businesses, have yet to tap this vital marketing, PR and customer service resource – giving you the advantage.
People are still catching on, and as they do, they will begin expecting more from businesses by way of information and communication. It’s not too late, but the longer you wait, the more catching up you’ll have to do!
Being a fan of lists, I’ve compiled twelve reasons to get involved in an social media strategy NOW, rather than later. If you want to comment on any of these, or have reasons of your own to add, please use the comments box at the bottom of this post!
- Number one, of course: Do it before your competition does. Has your competition already gone there? Then jump in and exercise your superior skills before Joe Competition gets any better.
- Content development takes time. And, in the case of a blog for instance, it is recommended that you have at LEAST five (5) articles published before you even go live with it.
- Network building, too, takes time. You can’t fake it (for long). A social media strategy is near useless if it does not account for relationship building.
- Potential clients and customers are looking for brand transparency. Social media platforms have a tendency to make your business personally relevant to them. In many cases, social media has become a necessary form of brand/reputation management and development.
- Search engines love that fresh and user-generated content, bringing more web-goers to your virtual front door. Social media will boost any SEO (search engine optimization effort). Remember, though, that search engine credibility takes time, too.
- You can’t afford to miss out on the conversational customer service value any longer. Your customers want you to listen to them. They generally want to hear from you, too. Social media can help to close the gap between you and them.
- Nor can you afford to miss out on the insight that can be gained from online communities. By tuning in to the conversations happening around your brand, industry, politics, etc., you can pick up on what people (potential clients/customers) are interested in or concerned about…right now. You’ll be better able to focus or market your messages, products and services to meet current interest, needs and fancies. Paying attention to these online conversations will help you understand your customers, the competition, and market needs.
- It is essential to be proactive and stay on top of the market and competitors instead of being reactive, only responding to what the competition is doing. If your competition is doing it and you’re not, then you can look less credible. If you are doing it and your competition is not…well, vice versa.
- Social media (and the web in general) is an efficient, multi-faceted marketing platform. It can effectively communicate your brand’s message and humanistic value, serving as an information distribution and sharing portal. Incorporating social media will help you get the most reach out of your marketing budget.
- It’s viral. Social media is able to accomplish so many things in one fell swoop partly because it spreads incredibly fast. This quality can either make or break a brand’s image. If you are not active in online communities and conversations – monitoring, contributing, growing – then someone/something else is influencing the opinions. An active social media strategy is just as much (or more so) preventative maintenance as it is promotional.
- Link sharing will bring more traffic to your website (for free) and let more people know who you are. If you are active on the social web, you’ll find many opportunities to share links with those in your network. Sort of an “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” philosophy.
- And last (but certainly not least) you can start by building on what you have. Many fundamental marketing principles apply to both traditional and social media marketing alike. So don’t wait; start building your social media savvy and presence NOW, not later.
Image provided by www.wordle.net.
About the authorJillian gets emotional over food, prefers baths to showers and still uses personal checks despite the Visa commercials. She is fascinated by the intricate elements of organic gardening, loves Truth, and says nice things only when she really means it. Find her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
