For anyone not living under a rock , social media is where the action really is booming. With Facebook at 900 million users, Twitter, MySpace, Google+, and others, much of the world is connected to the steady stream of sometimes useful, and frequently useless activity on these hubs of personal interaction. And, you may have noticed that there has been a steady increase in the business community joining in on the potential for presence and growth. But, businesses face some real challenges in how to present their site in the very fickle world of this social phenomena. So, how can a business be present and at the same time not look like they are simply mining the web for more customers? That is the real dilemma for both new and established companies.
The first task for companies is to decide decide if a social media site is appropriate for their product. If they are a defense contractor selling rocket parts or a small niche maker of high end backscatter scanners, then it may not be a place for a corporate presence. On the other hand, if a company is a niche business like a manufacturer of airplanes, it may be a good idea to have a site with a positive image. But if the company sells handguns, knives, and death rays, it may be a perfect fit.
The entry into the world of this constant activity should be handled by people who are familiar with both the world of business, and the areas of advertising and marketing. Not everyone can make the right call about the entry into social media. For example, it is considered to be a fact that the social sites are for the very young and this is not true. A recent Pew study suggests that the average age of most participants on social sites is approaching 35 to 38 years of age. It may not be a bell curve result and there are certainly a large number of young socialites, but the demographic is changing. And what would the companies on social media most desire from their presence? Word of mouth advertising! If they make a good product, have good customer relations, and offer value and a good price, the product will sell by good words and not just a flashy site.
The first task for companies is to decide decide if a social media site is appropriate for their product. If they are a defense contractor selling rocket parts or a small niche maker of high end backscatter scanners, then it may not be a place for a corporate presence. On the other hand, if a company is a niche business like a manufacturer of airplanes, it may be a good idea to have a site with a positive image. But if the company sells handguns, knives, and death rays, it may be a perfect fit.
The entry into the world of this constant activity should be handled by people who are familiar with both the world of business, and the areas of advertising and marketing. Not everyone can make the right call about the entry into social media. For example, it is considered to be a fact that the social sites are for the very young and this is not true. A recent Pew study suggests that the average age of most participants on social sites is approaching 35 to 38 years of age. It may not be a bell curve result and there are certainly a large number of young socialites, but the demographic is changing. And what would the companies on social media most desire from their presence? Word of mouth advertising! If they make a good product, have good customer relations, and offer value and a good price, the product will sell by good words and not just a flashy site.
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