By B.L. Ochman
Amidst the endless pronouncements about social media — often shortened to “social” these days by consultants trying to sound like they know what they are talking about — is the reality that social media is not a solution, or a sure bet.
Social media can’t:
- Substitute for marketing strategy
A Twitter campaign, or a Facebook page that announces your weekly specials is not a marketing strategy is itself but just a part of a bigger digital marketing strategy that require a lot more effort, focus and drive to yield results. - Succeed without top management buy-in
Social media requires a way of thinking that includes willingness to listen to customers, make changes based on feedback, and trust employees to talk to customers.The culture of fear (of job loss, of losing message control, of change) is ingrained in corporate cultures. Top management has to want to change.
- Be viewed as a short-term project
Social media is not a one-shot deal. It’s a long-term commitment to openness, experimentation, and change that requires time to bear fruit. - Produce meaningful, measurable results quicklyOne of the complaints about social media is that it can’t be measured. But in fact there are many things that can be measured: including engagement, sentiment, and whether increased traffic leads to sales.Those results can’t be produced or measured in the short term. Like PR, social media marketing often produces its best results in the second and third year.
- Be done in-house by the vast majority of companiesA successful social media campaign integrates social media into the many elements of marketing, including advertising, digital, and PR. Opinion and theory are no match for experience, and the best social media marketers now have more than 10 years of experience incorporating interactivity, blogs, forums, user-generated content, and contests into online marketing.You need strategy, contacts, tools, and experience–a combination not generally found in in-house teams, who often reinvent the wheel or use the wrong tools.
- Provide a quick fix to the bottom line or a tarnished reputation
Social media can sometimes provide quick results for a company that’s already a star. When a well-loved company like Zappos, or Google employs social media, its loyal fans and followers pay attention.However, there’s a lot of desperation in a lot of corporate suites these days, and many companies seem been convinced that a social media campaign can provide a quick fix to sagging sales or reputation issues. Sorry, nuh, uh.
- Be done without a realistic budgetBuilding a site that incorporates interactivity, allows user-generated content, and perhaps also includes e-commerce doesn’t come cheap from anyone who knows what they are doing.Even taking free software like WordPress and making it function as an effective interactive site, incorporating e-commerce, creating style sheets that integrate with the company’s branding, takes more than time. That takes skill, experience, and money.
- Guarantee sales or influenceUnless your effort can pass the “who cares” test – and most simply can’t – your social media efforts will fall flat.
And unless you know how to drive traffic to your contest, video, blog, event, etc. you’ll have little more than an expensive field of dreams. - Be done by “kids” who “understand social innately”
You can climb Mt Kilaminjaro without a sherpa guide, but why would you? Experience and perspective can make the trip easier, or even save your life.Companies trying to run social media without experienced consultants waste time, money, and reputation on their efforts. And then, sadly, many decide that this new-fangled approach doesn’t work.
- Replace PR
No matter how great your website, video contest, blog, Twitter strategy, etc. you still need publicity. Or you may end up with a tree falling in the forest, and nobody hearing it.
Great article. But a couple of the points sound like excuses to not bother with metrics (which are still useful for communicating with management and a couple sound like excuses not to build internal capability and instead rely on consultants. You’re right that here is a lot social media can’t do but there is a lot more it could do.
You could replace “web site” or “the web” for “social media” in this entire article and move back twelve/thirteen years, and it would sound just about right.
And you’d probably be preaching just as much to the choir as I was then, and will reach an equally sadly small number of the people who really need to hear this.
But it’s a noble effort! Perhaps in less than ten years, the windmills you are tilting at will become turbines of business as the web has?
Are you trying to frighten people on Halloween B.L.? Way to tell it like it actually is!
This is a much needed reality check for all businesses, big and small. Your first point is such a valuable one. None of the TACTICS used in social media can replace sound marketing strategy, they are merely pieces of a whole puzzle. :-)
Great list BL. It’s been a while since I came on to a post so true and universal. When will be all understand that social media is only a title to a tool that means nothing if there’s no good content/communication to support it. –Paul
Now for two things that social media can do as we all know that nothing beats face to face interaction which was most of the downfalls referenced in this article.
Social media is not going away so everyone may as well learn from this article and learn how to drive traffic with the use of social media or make up another top ten list of doables.
Peter: you’re preaching to the choir. I’ve been helping companies integrate social media into their marketing since 1996. Of course there’s a lot social media integration can help companies accomplish – if they view it realistically!!!!
Excellent article, B.L. It’s great to hear an opinion on the subject other than that social media is a godsend to businesses.
I am a student in the PR diploma program, and I find many of my courses focus on the numerous benefits of social media and yet the potential fallbacks are not nearly given enough attention.
Great imagery from Maria Reyes-McDavis, a small piece of the puzzle is the scope of social media when it comes to PR.
Of course, the Facebooks and the Twitters are not going away anytime soon, but it’s important not to let the hype surrounding them to blow their roles out of PRoportion.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I’m so happy to see that first point re Marketing Strategy front and center. So many people/companies are guilty of “marketing flavor of the month” disease and seek to jump on the latest trend. All of those “flavors” are still just tactics…and tactics FOLLOW strategy, not the other way around.
I believe it’s clear that social media is here to stay, and used properly can have many benefits over time. But, as you point out, it’s not a short term fix or solution. And, we must also recognize that the “flavors” will continue to evolve going forward.
It’s for these reasons that marketing fundamentals and principals still need to lead the way for defining any Brand or company’s tactical or programmatic efforts, including social media.
Net: Great post!
Social Media isn’t the ‘magic’ money-making tool that a lot of people seem to think it is. Well done you for pointing that out in an interesting and informative blog post.
This is a great list and I think much needed wake up call for any company that uses or is planning to use social media.
As a PR student at Humber College, we have been focussing alot on how social media has become so mainstream practically over night. It seems as though some business are just following blindly. I feel that your fist point is very important it seems as though social media “campaigns” are somewhat taking over regular old marketing campaigns.
I totally agree, apart from one thing: I call it “Social” as it is a natural shortening and I think it is pretty acceptable to do so. I notice you use “PR” rather than writing Public Relations in full, does this make you any less knowledgeable in that area? Likewise with terms like Mobile, Web and Email – They are just one word associations.
Great points, I agree. Now for all of us communicating it in the market place and allowing business owners to absorb it in ways that they can wrap their brains around it. :)
I totally agree with B. L. What we need to remember is that roughly only 10% of our audience is really active in social media. And ‘social’ means just that – you have to socially link to everyone with whom you’re communicating. A sound total marketing strategy should always take precedence.
BL, you hit the nail on the head! I’ll bet a lot of organizations have these misconceptions.
Using Twitter and Facebook doesn’t make you a successful marketer any more than MS Word makes you a writer or Photoshop makes you a designer. These are tools. And not only do you need to master these tools, but you need to know when and where to use them. And this must be part of an overall strategy.
But as with any new technology, some people will think technology by itself is the answer, others will run far away from it because it’s new and frightening. The successful ones will learn how to master it and how it fits in with their business.
You see all these posts/articles about how great social media is and what it CAN do for a company, but you don’t see posts very often about what social media CAN’T do. I wonder if that means I’m cynical? Either way, great post and excellent points.
You would probably HAVE to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro without a “Sherpa.” Sherpas are native Tibetans, and assist climbers in the Himalayas. Mt. Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania.
Hard to believe that you couldn’t fact-check that for a post made up of two-sentence hyperboles.
Cheers, everyone.
BL, your list is a great reminder of the importance of integration.
Many thanks!
tc
Good points all-around here, BL, though I’d have to disagree with number 5. I understand the importance of having someone with the experience and know-how to lead your company’s social media strategy, but internal champions are just as important in leading your company in the digital world.
Does this mean you go in blindly because you want to keep it in-house? Not at all. Some companies do need guidance but it’s far from a “what SM can’t do” if they choose to do it internally.
Great content I plan to share,
Way too many “smores” (social media whores) out there preying on business owners as I describe in my blog http://nosmokeandmirrors.wordpress.com
Knowledge is the only defense , thanks for contributing
There’s a saying in the Midwest; “you can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig.” Another one starts “you can lead a horse to water…” We can offer, guide, counsel, cajole, poke, prod and yell but if our client’s don’t see the value, social media is not a fit for them. Just that simple. Great post – thanks!
This is a good post. I think many big corporations are just throwing these ‘social media marketing’ projects at new employees who have experience in social media on a personal level. That’s why I think #5 and #9 are very important. While some businesses can really succeed with internal social media marketing (look at Zappos for example), others just can’t. Using these social media marketing tasks to break in entry level employees doesn’t help the brand, and overall seems to doom their efforts to fail. Having an expert at least consult is always the best route to go.
As far as I know, there are no Sherpas in Africa. They’re found primarily in the Himalayas. So, number 9 is technically true, but so is the assertion that you can make lemonade without breaking a few eggs, but why would you?
Obviously I don’t disagree with anything you said, but seriously…is there really anyone out there that says any of those things nowadays (at least gets away with it)?
I’m just curious and maybe a little too naive.
Joseph – lucky you if you are not encountering both consultants and clients who are saying these things!
I have to guess that this really struck a chord with a lot of businesses because it’s been re-tweeted more than 3,000 times, and it’s being linked to all over the place.
Over and over, I find that advice is needed on the most basic level -especially in the biggest companies, which i am fortunate enough, like you, to count among my clients.
And i thought that saying was from Washington DC :>)
Sonny: What I wrote: social media can’t: “Be done in-house by the vast majority of companies” I did NOT write “can’t be done in-house by **any** company”
i stand by what i wrote.
Really Great points, particularly 1,3, & 4. #9 just made me laugh. I’d only disagree with #5 or maybe just in the case of “the vast majority of companies” that I deal with, which are SMALL and Micro businesses (they’d say “in-house team”?) To be truly social and “be themselves” I feel they DO need to be involved- not delegating it entirely to some marketer. With the right guidance in strategy, tools & best practices- the best voice for a small or micro company is usually someone within the company itself.
Sometimes It is very helpful to see things from a different approach, it really gives you new inisghts to work on!
Thanks for sharing!
BL – I understand your point, as I stated that some companies do need that guidance from those experienced agencies/consultants.
My opinion is just that in-house people are still needed w/any strategy (whether in addition to experienced help, or not) vs. hiring a 10-year vet, which isn’t something easily found in the SM space – yet. There’s an internal/external mix that’s needed, IMO.
Appreciate the points.
Oh Thank Heavens! Great Post. You’ve got to have both – the people & the tech – the words and the word of mouth –
I agree with you that there is a lot of hysteria about social media. Another poster has made the point between tactically using social media and believing you have an overall digital marketing strategy, and that’s a key point that doesn’t just affect social media but is evident across the entire gamut of digital marketing disciplines.
Yes you need your content optimised for search but then you also need to be regularly adding to it, and probably through a blog. Finally you need to be promoting it and discussing it with a variety of social media tools such as Twitter, Stumbleupon, Digg, Reddit, Facebook and whatever else works for you. It is stunning how your visibility increases when you do this and consequently how your traffic increases once you are doing it.
That isn’t the end of the story though. My feeling is that the digital industry has viewed itself as a series of tactical tools (whether its search, web design, social media, display advertising, email etc). That’s the reason why so few digital agencies have a seat at a client’s top table of suppliers. What they are crying out for is a cohesive digital marketing strategy across all the disciplines so that the focus is on the customer and the strategy takes the customer on a journey from first contact building a relationship through to first purchase, repeat purchase and then regular purchase whilst winning referrals.
When we as an industry are delivering that then I think the sky really is the limit. Current lessons about integrating search and social media are the first steps, but they are not the only steps and new ones are added all the time.
As a final point I think I detect a hint of frustration about the many charlatans that are out there promising this for £500 and that for free. It does drive the price of what other people can charge down but rest assured that the Charlatans will not produce winning work for their clients and clients who are only interested in cost are probably not clients you want to be working with.
nice article with very good points. my only strong disagree is for #5, too – I think in the long term it is essential that a company (=every company that wants to succeed with social media) gets it inhouse – they know their target group and their product.
and only then some of the other points can be succeeded (how would a top manager support social media without understanding it?).
so I would turn it around: it is OK to get an external view and an experts opinion from outside, but social media = company DNA.
I would agree with Shava and take the idea even farther. You could replace social media with “marketing campaign” and all the issues of strategy, support, ROI, budgeting and expertise still apply as well
Finally, someone says what we all have been thinking! Short, sweet and to the point.
One question, you had mentioned that “you need strategy, contacts, tools, and experience.” What tools and strategies do you recommend? It’d be great if you could write a featured guest post on my blog network here: http://www.onlinemarketingconnect.com
Are you game?
Generally good but I think you need to be careful about your geographical references (and also spell check) when you say things like:
“You can climb Mt Kilaminjaro (sic) without a sherpa guide, but why would you?”
Kilimanjaro is in Africa. Sherpas are in the Himalayas, which is in Asia.
I disagree with #5, but as a “social media consultant” I guess one needs to have that in the list.
I think you can’t replace the passion and built-in knowledge that comes from an employee of the company who is possibly sacrificing something to be at the organization. I think a consultant will care about social media as much as you pay them to.
Agree with you, it’s more realistic than all the other blogs I’ve read. Although it could still be good but it’s not an end all. And though outsourcing could cut cost, there are still things needed to be done in-house. We still need to maintain our brand’s reputation, sometimes if you hire the wrong people it could really hurt your site including your brand. It’s a balance and a combination of everything. Just my opinion.
“@whatsnext B.L has it right. Social media can be an important business tool but needs skilled labor to make it work.”
Thanks for the other 1/2 of the story. I have been reading blog entries on this topic for quite sometime and I am thankful for the balance it provides. The “new” does not replace the “known” it is an additional source or tool.
Terri
http://www.itracks.com
Social media is one group of potential delivery mechanisms for your overall marketing message. Keep in mind, however, if your prospective customers are not users of these platforms, your efforts will be in vain.
Everyone has to know their limits. While I think some of these can be overcome, the general points are spot on.
The key is understanding where conversation is taking place and joining it. If your prospective customers are not using social media, check them for a pulse.
I go with most of the details there but have different views on point no.4 which says Social Media cannot produce meaningful and measurable results quickly.
What about having a crises situation and the impact it makes by having Social Media in such crucial times.I bet this works better and faster than the other type of media.
What do you say on this ?
It amazes me that so many “professionals” miss the point that social media is not about marketing! Being primarily marketers you will try to use any system and tool you can get your hands on to get your word out, but people know what you are doing and mostly ignore you as they ignore the TV commercials on their favorite show.
Twitter and Facebook were designed for people to interact in a trivial AND pluralistic way. The last thing I want on my Facebook page is Coca Cola or Verizon trying to be my friend! They know that, hence the toe dipping.
Ev – you may not want Verizon being your friend on Facebook, but millions of people DO want to communicate with brands on facebook and twitter. The key for companies is not to use these tools only as substitute for advertising or an overall marketing campaign. That was my first point for a reason :>)
BL
I agree, but then again, I also do SM consulting for a living, so I understand the need to validate outsourced SM over a long period of time as the avenue to success. It may be true, but it also reminds me just how much we have to insulate our field from the threat of doubters and hacks while we establish the frame of “what works.”
What’s interesting is that this list will probably be 50% different in 5-10 years, as social media becomes less of a “new idea” and more of a trusted tool. I just stumbled across this timeline (below) explaining the growth of advertising in the US from the 1850s through the 1920s, and it’s amazing to realize how every aspect of what we take for granted now was once considered disruptive and / or insane.
http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/eaa/timeline.html
Everybody has to start somewhere…
Laughing over “1901: Coca-Cola advertising budget is $100,000”
you are right that business and the public are slow to adopt new ideas and always have been.
and i def agree that social media will become more of a trusted tool. But when you consider that social media has been around in one form or another since the founding of the Internet, it’s daunting and disheartening that it has taken til now for big companies to *begin* to accept that it’s not a fad. sigh.
Re #1: Amen. Many marketers are treating Social Media like, well, media. Another free place to push out their message. They’re grabbing the wrong end of the lollipop.
What Social media does best is listen. Our agency is using it as a research tool — and finding absolute gold — finding new targets, new product suggestions, new marketing ideas driven by consumers.
Re #1. The author mistakenly assumes that all Twitter & Facebook accounts are meant solely to announce weekly specials. This is hardly true for all companies. And not true at all for companies using these new medias correctly.
A good marketing strategy is shortening the emotional distance between brand and customer. If a Facebook & Twitter page effectively shortens this emotional distance, then yes, social media can be a substitute for a marketing strategy – because it IS your marketing strategy.
Twitter and Facebook were designed for people to interact in a trivial AND pluralistic way. The last thing I want on my Facebook page is Coca Cola or Verizon trying to be my friend! They know that, hence the toe dipping.
I agree with the last comment.. I don´t wanna be friend of a brand.. If I like the brand, I’ll look for it.
“10 Things Social Media Can’t Do” you have given a good points of opinions here and I must agree that social medias cannot do these things. And many people aren’t aware of these. This social media networks are just tools and if you don’t know how to use it well then don’t expect success.
I have been reading blog entries on this topic for quite sometime and I am thankful for the balance it provides. The “new” does not replace the “known” it is an additional source or tool.
Thanks for the other 1/2 of the story. I have been reading blog entries on this topic for quite sometime and I am thankful for the balance it provides. The “new” does not replace the “known” it is an additional source or tool.
10 Things Social Media Can’t Do is helpful for the social media has limitations and to also form respect to that limitations that they have.
Generally good but I think you need to be careful about your geographical references (and also spell check) when you say things like:
“You can climb Mt Kilaminjaro (sic) without a sherpa guide, but why would you?”
Kilimanjaro is in Africa. Sherpas are in the Himalayas, which is in Asia.
I have to guess that this really struck a chord with a lot of businesses because it’s been re-tweeted more than 3,000 times, and it’s being linked to all over the place.
Over and over, I find that advice is needed on the most basic level -especially in the biggest companies, which i am fortunate enough, like you, to count among my clients.
As social_media ,some things can do, and some things can not do, such as social media can’t Substitute for marketing strategy , replace pr and so on.
Couldn’t agree more on this one: Be done by “kids” who “understand social innately”. Yet, lot of companies don’t get this…