Anti-Social Media

It has become widely accepted that a well-managed social media campaign can and will provide clear benefits for the associated brand.  These benefits can take various forms, ranging from a clearly measurable uptick in sales to the less-measurable word of mouth buzz leading to increased brand recognition.  Social media campaigns also usually come at quite a lower cost (if any cost) compared to other promotional options, making it quite an attractive option for companies and brands.

There is however often a disconnect between a brand's decision to create a social media presence and what it takes to successfully manage that presence.  Successfully run social media campaigns usually have dedicated staff to make sure the content is fresh and engaging, there is dialogue between brand and customer, and there is a clear goal and consistent message.  It is far too common these days to see a brand set up a Twitter and Facebook page, post a few stories and pictures, and assumes it is now part of the social media landscape.  It is, but not in the sense it thinks.

These mismanaged social media efforts often lead to an erosion in brand loyalty.  Rather than it simply being another promotional effort that doesn't yield results, these poorly managed campaigns can alienate both existing and potential customers.  Blogs and social media profiles that are abandoned create the image of a brand that is inconsistent and lazy.  Will you follow through on your promises, or better yet, fulfill the terms of a contract if you can't even manage your social media profile properly?  Social media campaigns should be given the same attention and level of importance as a storefront or website.

Social media also provides a terrific forum for feedback and interaction with customers.  Let's say you are a customer and you are unhappy with a certain aspect of the service you received from a company.  You post your concerns to its Twitter feed expecting some feedback and perhaps a resolution.  Instead, you are ignored because this company's Twitter feed has been unmanned for quite some time now.  How would that make you feel as a customer?  A better way to look at this situation is say you called the company's customer service line with the same complaint, but the call goes unanswered or the message you leave gets no response.  It seems absurd to think of a customer service call going unanswered or ignored, but it is essentially the same to ignore a customer service issue conveyed through social media.  This is an easy way to show customers you either aren't listening or don't care; either way, both will lead to an erosion in customer loyalty.

Social media's low cost and acceptance as a legitimate marketing channel over past few years has led to an increasing number of companies flocking to this relatively new medium. The successful campaigns are innovative with an effective strategy, but they are also successfully managed. This means they are regularly maintained with relevant content and customers are responded to in a timely manner. It takes effort and planning to achieve this level of success.  These campaigns will not run themselves.  Companies that choose to be a part of the social media landscape but don't understand this important fact face the very real risk of losing customers as a result.