In social media : It’s not about collecting, it’s about connecting
As a social media practitioner, I find inspiration in the social world, not just in marketing and advertising. I wish I had come up with this phrase but I owe it to an episode of Arthur, the PBS series for kids, Arthur’s friend, Muffy, an avid collector, sets to buy out as many dolls as she can in a place mirroring American girl ; on the other hand, her friend only wants to buy an accessory for her one and only doll that she nurtures. I had watched the World Girl’s episode several times before with my daughter, but that sentence never stood out until that day where I heard Sue Ellen say to Muffy : It’s not about collecting, it’s about connecting.
I had an *Aha* moment. This short sentence has a very significant meaning in my social media practice. It is that sentence, sounding like a mantra, that should be the core mission of companies; instead, most set out to collect as many fans and followers as they can in a very short time. Therefore, Collecting is done with little to no regards to the value they bring to their following. Of course, collecting a fan base is not the only objective of social media initiatives. Many other marketing initiatives, such as email marketing campaigns, greatly focus on this notion that a success is measured by the number of people one can collect.
Brands, companies, marketing departments, digital agencies and entrepreneurs are all guilty of promising their clients the holy grail of social media: voraciously amassing as many unsuspecting people on their social pages as possible; some brands manage to commit friends/fans/followers into liking them, thereby, building a base of relatively qualified prospects. Some companies even go as far as buying friends for their Facebook account or followers for their Twitter account. I would not see anything wrong with it if it wasn’t for a smalldetail: Once people like you, then what?
Social media has smashed the door open for people to retain back some control; now, consumers don’t only want to like your brand, they want to emotionally connect with your brand personality and identity, pretty much like with friends. Yes, people want to have a relationship with your brand. This cultural change within the business and social worlds reflects a shifting balance of powers; the nature and level of the interaction between a brand and a person has totally changed.
Having a huge fan base on your facebook page or twitter account doesn’t reflect the relationship with your audience. Whichever way your fans and followers are acquired – whether you buy their affection by giving them free stuff, tease them with a contest or just because you are such a strong brand that it is alright to like you – the staying power of friend/fans/follower is reflected by how well and how deep you connect with them. And this requires the RIGHT strategy for your audience. Duplicating what another company does and succeeds in, doesn’t cut it. Each audience requires a custom message and interaction from a brand.
Brands are still measuring the traditional way, they are still equating success with impressions and eye-balls; Decision-makers are not fully comprehending that social media is not about campaigning only. Social media is about long-term relationships. Unfortunately, most brands and businesses are still in the race to collect and convert and totally overlook the connect part. The three Cs of social media business Collect, Connect, Convert are each equally important, as part of the brand management.
Brands who consciously make the decision to dip more than one toe into the social media arena, have to make that same conscious decision to start connecting with their people in a way that is true to the brand and to the customer, to allow the relationships to develop and grow; this includes assigning an appropriate budget and empowering the resources.
Collectively, brands have to start treating people as informed, connected, and savvy consumers who clearly demand more than a business transaction.
What do you think?
Tags: 3 Cs of social media, social media
As a social media practitioner, I advise companies and entrepreneurs on how to integrate social media in their overall business strategy.
I define, implement and monitor social media programs in order to achieve business.
Please >>>
[...] internal culture to follow-up on their social promise. In a time where customers are craving for connections, businesses have to retrieve the human in their business [...]
[...] Since that first breakfast, I had the pleasure of meeting some very cool people and picked up some very useful tips on: Twitter apps, Group buying, how university students use social media, and social media for business. [...]
Karima, although we’ve never met IRL (in real life), I feel like we have connected via Twitter and your insights above show exactly why – in social media, you must take the time to develop the relationship. Beautiful post!
Thanks Sharon!
sometimes I feel that IRL can be overrated
Kidding! what I mean is basically, the connections, the discussions, the friendships we make on social networks can be as real and sincere as the ones we have IRL, sometimes, even more, because there are no string attached.
Karima-Catherine
It’s a wonderful post. Simple yet provocative. The sooner people realise that this isn’t about badges but that it’s about people the better.
The Social world is just like real life and that means treating people like human beings and connecting with them.
People, Why is it so hard for businesses to understand. After all, who runs those businesses?
Thank you for your addition and see you soon IRL.
Serious question: What is SM, and what has it done to smash any doors open? Since SM is not tools (they have been around for awhile) and SM is just taking good customer service online I keep asking people and can’t get serious answers. What is magic about SM that didn’t exist 10 years ago, besides giving it a new name?
Hi Patrick,
In fact, you ask a very serious and relevant question; here is my take :
Social media, per se, has been there for a few 15 years in its modern form. However, the mainstream ability to express oneself and let businesses know that they have much more accountability and responsibility towards clients, is new. Remember when you used to call a 1-800 number to complain or ask a question about products, services or even, just ask if an item was available in store? Now, customers can do the same – On the go. If you’re not happy about a customer service right in the store, you can express your opinion right there and let your friends know about it.
Social media is a business vision. It’s not about the tools. Once a business has understood that People are at the core and center of their practice, social media will be a communication channel but also, a product development tool, a poll tool, a promotion tools and over all, a connecting tool – because people also buy from brands they connect with http://karimacatherinegoundiam.posterous.com/who-is-more-likely-to-purchase-twitter-follow
When you say that Social Media is just taking good customer service online, what do you say to those companies who don’t have good customer service in brick and mortar stores? Social Media will not fix business issues and pitfalls. It will amplify the good, the bad and the ugly. That’s what I meant by It smashed door opened to customers to retain back some control. Technology, web and mobile, has made possible and faster he connecting, the sharing and the expressing.
Is this a serious answer?
By the way, Thank you for your feeback.
Great response. Thanks for taking the time.
Brilliant. Spot on! We can’t keep saying it enough. It is social media not selling media.
Great post! Especially for these smaller companies/brands who want to get into Social Media, but really don’t know what the goal/objective of Social Media is. It’s more then “Hey Find us on Twitter”.
This is a good post, Karima. I would add a fourth ‘C’ to the mix: Commitment. Without commitment a brand’s audience won’t remain loyal.
Chris Brogan said it best: “…social media is about becoming, being & improving.” An audience will remain connected if they believe these things are being done in their best interest.