Developing a social media strategy

What is a social media strategy and who needs such a thing? If you want to promote something on the web (and, let's face it, who doesn't?), then you need to consider how to connect with users of social networking sites and tools. Millions and millions of social networkers are radically changing the role of the consumer. A social media strategy will help you to engage with these users and build lasting relationships with them.

Social media is a loose term to describe a new wave of online destinations and activities that is often referred to as web 2.0. In historical terms, web 1.0 websites contained unchanging (static) information. Changing (dynamic) information was managed centrally and often categorised in large, topic-specific portals that were also static. Users browsed the web in search of information and fun but, with the exception of chat rooms and forums/bulletin boards, they had very little say in the content.

In the late 90s, new tools began to appear that made it possible for users to contribute to websites, create their own websites and to organise the information they found on websites. Tools for blogging and filtering (RSS) have combined with faster computers, cheaper storage and the spread of broadband to deliver a web that is (largely) created by the users for the users.

Today's consumers make purchasing decisions based on information provided by suppliers and competitors and, more significantly, based on the reviews and opinions of other consumers. It is no longer sufficient to create a marketing and advertising campaign and wait for the sales to roll in. Social marketing must focus on engaging with users and building their trust, in the anticipation that sales will follow.

Conventional marketing delivers a series of carefully crafted messages to its audience. This approach is likely to alienate potential customers on the social web, who are likely to treat these messages as unwanted spam. Not only will they block future messages, but they will tell their friends and the world at large to do so as well. Social marketing requires that you become friends with your target consumers, that you listen to them and add value to the conversation. When you have established a relationship of trust, these friends will be far more likely to respond in a positive manner to your marketing messages.