Features and tRends

(February 2009)

Creating a Dialogue Utilizing the Web and Social Media

By Melinda Wong

Honestly, how many times a day do you check your email? Three times? Five times? Continuously throughout the day? Whatever category you may fall under, there’s a common thread—we are communicating to each other online.

And now with the advancement of technology and our knowledge of the Web, we want even more social interaction online. This has evolved into what we call ‘social media,’ which refers to using the Internet and mobile-based tools to share and discuss information with other people. The way in which you disclose information via social media can vary from simple words and pictures to audio and even videos. For marketers who crave creativity, social media is a platform with endless possibilities.

How Social Media Works for Your Company
Social media networking opens up a whole new channel of communication for your current and future customers. It is today’s new way of customer service. The informal two-way online conversations help build relationships and make your company more real and relevant.

By setting up company profiles on popular networking sites you will be able to send messages to customers, monitor their discussions, and quickly respond to any questions or concerns. If you are not aware of what your customers are talking about online then you run the risk of having a small issue grow bigger before you have a chance to personally address it.
Social media is not only a way to engage in dialogue, but is also a useful research tool. Here your target audiences are speaking directly to you and letting you know how they feel. Online communities allow you to monitor, observe, listen and gain valuable consumer insight into what people have to say. You can start your own conversations or simply respond to them.

Recent studies reveal that when asked where you turn to for the most credible source of information regarding a brand or product, more than half of respondents said “a person like me.” We learn that trust and authenticity make a huge impact on purchasing decisions. Our job as marketers is to monitor and contribute to the dialogue that influencers and “people like me” are engaging in.

Creating a Dialogue
Follow Us on Twitter! Is she your Facebook friend? Are you LinkedIn? Today these phrases have become omnipresent in our conversations. So how can marketers take advantage of the latest networking tools?

Here are a few Web sites to get you started:

1. Facebook – With more than 150 million active users in 2009, three billion minutes spent on Facebook each day (worldwide) and more than three million users becoming fans of pages each day, this is a social media network marketers do not want to miss out on.

Creating a professional fan page for your company is quick and simple. The page includes a place for company information, discussions, wall postings, notes, event creations, photos and video uploads. You can also send direct messages to all of your fans at once and initiate conversations by bringing up interesting topics to discuss on your page. This allows you to listen to what fans have to say and respond quickly to ensure that your comments are relevant and current.

2. Twitter – With at least 5,000 new accounts created daily, Twitter is one of the fasted growing social networks today. This quick messaging platform is ideal for customer service, branding and corporate communications. It’s easy to track user satisfaction by monitoring discussions and listening to conversations. Brands that prove to be successful remain in casual conversations and don’t push strict PR messages…otherwise, authenticity can be compromised.

Click here to see how Bob Vila of the home and building industry has already succeeded on Twitter with more than 400 followers. He emphasizes how it’s free to sign up and how you’ll receive quick notices on what’s happening on the site like contests and home improvement tips.

3. Your Own Site. That’s right, there’s no better place to strike up a discussion than on your own homepage. You must create an online community for your brand to live in. Allow for people to give feedback on your blogs but also allow them to post their own discussion topics. Podcasts and videocasts are great ways to give brands a “face and a voice”, especially those that want to increase their brand personality. Your audience will share a stronger, more personal connection because of it.

Be sure to remember that social media networking is a tool used to build relationships and invest in customer engagement for the long run. Figure out how many hours per day you want to dedicate to building relationships online; this will help make your time and efforts cost-effective and more manageable.

Don’t Get Left Behind
Between 2006 and 2008 activity on social networking sites has grown 93 percent, according to a recent survey conducted by Netpop Research. Furthermore, of the 138 million U.S. broadband users, 105 million or 76 percent are considered “contributors.” Contributors are recognized as those who participate in activities such as uploading videos and photos, creating podcasts, blogging and micro-blogging, tagging articles, and rating and reviewing products.

With so many people online today, eMarketer indicates spending on social networking sites will increase. It estimates advertisers will spend $1.3 billion on social networks in 2009.

It is important to note that social media is not all fun and games. Start the conversation with K&A and we can teach you how to tackle social media properly, learn about your customers and avoid potential ethical dilemmas. You may be surprised how fun and worthwhile it can be when utilized correctly.

For more information about social media marketing and what K&A can do for your company, contact Steven Kleber at skleber@kleberandassociates.com or 770.518.1000 x203.


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