The social networking landscape of today probably isn’t what most business owners had in mind when they first decided to open their doors to the public. For decades during the 20th century, the social networking model for companies went relatively unchanged: out-of-town business conferences, participation in local events, and local business sponsorships were the status quo.
In fact, many businesses could always count on a bump in sales every summer just by sponsoring a local team and getting the company name on the back of nine little uniforms running around a baseball field. Getting your business’s name out through local involvement and participation wasn’t just a fractional part of social networking—it was social networking.
Today’s social networking environment is polarizing when compared to the tactics of the past. It involves staying current with trending topics on Twitter, keeping your company Facebook page updated with relevant information for your followers, and creating valuable content through posts, links, and media that will not only engage customers but ultimately build your brand and encourage your audience to act.
Although all this may sound like common sense to Generation X and Millenials, the role of social networking in the enterprise today has changed drastically from the traditional networking model that was the norm for decades, and it has happened almost overnight.
Consider this: A mere 11 years ago, Mark Zuckerberg was still attending Harvard when he launched “Thefacebook.” The earliest rendition of the popular social network was initially available to Harvard students only; now over a billion people have Facebook profiles and are monthly active users.
Technology seems to have an effect on our lives much like compound interest. The changes may amount to a few dollars and cents in the first several years, but they begin to snowball, until we look back one day and realize things have changed more in the last couple of years than in the previous 30.
That’s why businesses today have to stay connected with their ever-changing audiences through social networking on a daily basis. Social networking has become more than just reading nice reviews about your business and getting a confidence boost when someone contacts you through a number they got off the Internet. The role of social has gone from a beneficial accessory to an integral part of every successful business strategy.
Social Networking in the Digital Age
The way some businesses approach social networking today has a lot in common with the way businesses began utilizing personal computers after the rise of the Internet in the early 1990s. Just as many companies were reluctant to take the use of desktop computers and the Internet seriously in their day-to-day operations, many business owners currently feel the same way about social media. They think it’s trendy. It’s cute. And it can have absolutely no effect on their bottom line.
This guy thought the same thing about the rise of the Internet. His opinion wasn’t unique, either. In 1995 many people thought of the Internet as nothing more than an impersonal, unedited way to interact with other online entities with no promise of the value or depth that came with basic human interaction. In a nutshell, they thought the Internet was worthless.
The same can be said for the way many companies today view their social networking campaigns. Sure, hindsight is always 20/20, and growing up without the Internet made it reasonable to believe this new, innovative technology that eliminated the need for a smile and a handshake wouldn’t amount to more than a toy for the socially awkward.
The idea that people can’t have engaging experiences through technology such as desktops and mobile devices is a thing of the past. It’s been proven with the grand experiment dubbed the World Wide Web that these connections do matter, so why do so many businesses still think the latest trend in the Digital Age amounts to nothing more than a few nifty platforms that users can post pictures to?
Recognizing Social Networking Opportunities
Changing up marketing strategies and tactics can be scary sometimes, especially when you’re venturing into uncharted territory. The fact is many businesses don’t know how to engage their customers through social networks and are unsure where to start.
If this sounds like your company, then consider this: A 2012 Nielsen Social Media Report found that social media was used by almost half of US consumers to complain about businesses, cite their satisfaction with businesses, or to direct their questions toward businesses. In other words, customers took to the Internet to fulfill their customer service needs.
Social networking has become a sounding board for customers frustrated with businesses delivering poor service, as well as a channel for people who are delighted with a company’s performance. If your company has been reluctant to engage in social networking, then providing your clients with great customer service by implementing content management tools for social media is a great start.
Another problem that many businesses face when tackling a social media marketing campaign is measuring whether or not they are effectively engaging their audiences. This is exactly where blending social media feedback with your website can help your business. Integrating social media plug-ins with your e-commerce website allows customers to access your site through their own social media platforms. Further, allowing user-generated content such as reviews and ratings to show up on your own website increases customer engagement and brand loyalty while giving your company insight into what works for your marketing campaign and what doesn’t.
Keeping your brand connected through the everyday use of social media and networking plays a vital role in any modern-day enterprise. Without implementing the right tools that allow you to measure your social media engagement, your brand will ultimately suffer. Failing to take social networking in the Digital Age seriously is like a local competitor sponsoring the only baseball team in town—if there were millions of people sitting in the stands.
Remaining relevant to potential customers means playing on their level, and the name of the game in the Digital Age is social media engagement. So is your business playing to win?
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