There's nothing new about networking to build business relationships, but social media has turned networking on its head by allowing businesses and customers to connect on new levels. Unlike advertising, which is built around one-way commercial messages, social media promotes two-way conversations and relationships.
Many businesses recognize the potential of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, but many are also at a loss about how to tap into the real power of social media.
- How can they go beyond a one-way advertising campaign launched through social media and build interest in their brand?
- How can they foster a community of fans and followers?
- How can they create buzz around their brand?
A large part of the answer to these questions involves some old-fashioned practices: building trust and credibility. People are more likely to connect with what appears to be a real person. They want to be able to associate a face with an online presence (which is why a real head-shot photo associated with a Facebook or Twitter account trumps an avatar or anonymous icon). They're interested in learning more about the leaders of a business through online bios and "About Us" content.
Once a business begins to build a network of followers, there's a tendency to barrage them each day with multiple messages about the business. Some followers may welcome sales and marketing messages, but to others this may feel like little more than a commercial campaign that has been launched through social media. Instead of treating social media like a billboard for posting advertisements, it's important to respond to comments and foster conversation by interacting with the social media community.
Going off-topic is another way to personalize your online presence. Creating posts about a favorite charity, a hobby or recent industry events will invite commentary from followers. Interesting content tends to be retweeted and cross-linked, helping to build your credibility and turn followers into fans. Besides creating interesting content, make a habit of following people who follow you, retweeting them and adding comments to their content. Show that you have an interest in things outside your own business agenda.
Some businesses have even discovered that they can put an advertising campaign in the hands of fans and followers. A large-scale example is how PepsiCo used social media to launch its Pepsi Refresh Project, shifting brand focus from beverages to funding projects for social good. The project includes a website that allows anyone to post and vote on a project. Participants are encouraged to spread the word and campaign for votes by promoting their causes on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
In addition to funding projects for social change (PepsiCo distributed $20 million in project grants in 2010), the Refresh Project replaced a large part of PepsiCo's more traditional advertising. Both the advertising and social media worlds are watching the Refresh Project with interest to see whether the 70 million votes cast on the official website will result in increased sales for PepsiCo's products.
A more obviously successful social media advertising campaign was Proctor & Gamble's rebranding of its old school Old Spice aftershave. In 2010, actor Isaiah Mustafa (the "Old Spice Guy" from television commercials), appeared in a series of 186 YouTube videos. Each video was a response to an Internet comment about the Old Spice Guy. The series was hilarious and since the product was not directly mentioned, the effect was one of pure entertainment. Although the campaign has ended, the videos continue to amass thousands of views.
These examples can serve as inspiration for smaller businesses. Using social media for advertising and business promotion is new territory that is still being explored.
Don't be afraid to strike out in new directions in order to leverage your social network connections, but don't forget that credibility invites followers.
This blog post was contributed by Harrison Kratz. Harrison is the Community Manager at MBA@UNC, the new distance learning MBA program offered through the University of North Carolina. Students from around the world now have the opportunity to earn their Master's of Business Administration degree from a top ranked business school. Harrison also sticks to his entrepreneurial roots as the founder of the global social good campaign, TweetDrive.
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