Social Media Is Talking To People
Posted on by Ryan Deiss in Social Media
I have a guest blogger this week! Last weekend I sent Shane Stearns, our National Director of Social Media Strategies here @ Idea Incubator to Las Vegas for Blog World Expo.
Blog World is one of the top annual conferences for all things social media and blogging. Shane came back with a lot of great info, so I wanted him to fill you on what’s the powers that be are saying about of social media!
He’ll be posting 3 times this week on the topic of social media. Here’s part 1, and make sure you come back to get the rest!
Social Media Is Talking To People, Not a Magic Bullet
The speakers @ Blog World Expo provided a unique vantage point on social media that’s easy to overlook. Here @ Idea Incubator we focus a lot on monetization in our marketing, and at times that approach can muddle our social media efforts with too much technicality.
While monetization is always a goal of marketers, there is a balance to be had with seeking to achieve genuine engagement as well. Luckily our ‘publishees’ really do love their customers, so I think it’s something we succeed at.
Keynote speaker @Blogworld, Scott Stratten of Un-Marketing, confidently expressed that, “social media isn’t a thing to believe in, it’s talking to people!” Albeit a simple phrase, the implications carry on pretty far.
Scott went on to explain that social media isn’t an magical, optional tool (that only works for some people) that can be used in marketing to make your products better. Social Media, instead, is the digital version of personal communication, without which a company cannot succeed or survive.
In this case, it’s personal communication with your followers and customers. Contemplating whether or not to use social media is like considering whether or not talk to your customers & engage them.
Furthermore, social media isn’t a tool that enhances your content or product. It DOESN’T make your products better or worse. It DOES amplify what they already are, the good and the bad. It amplifies who you are, the good and the bad.
When you see it this way, social media becomes THE place to talk to people about what you do and who you are and not just a place to post a bunch of links to your sales page. Social media success is then redefined.
Social media success exists when, by success, you mean that someone can be good at talking to people and evoking genuine responses.
The beauty is, that when you truly engage and amplify who you are, you’ll make a lot of loyal friends (if you’re content is actually good). Those loyal friends will love to buy your stuff, again assuming it’s actually quality content.
While I appreciate and agree with this approach of making genuine engagement you’re top priority in social media, to me it’s still marketing. You’re engaging so that you can increase the reach of your brand. You’re using social media to amplify what you do so more will hear and respond with conversations and transactions. Even those who really do love to engage with social media, the smartest ones, like Scott Stratten, don’t stop at engagement. 
What do you think about looking at social media this way since so many of the top social media experts are looking at this way? Comment below!
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תאונות עבודה
01. Jan, 2011
Very useful article.
I must say that I am using a lot of your articles, and I’m having very good results.
strength training for wrestling
27. Nov, 2010
This is by far the best summary of the importance of utilizing Social Media that I’ve found on various blogs- “Contemplating whether or not to use social media is like considering whether or not talk to your customers & engage them.” Well put!
shlomi
21. Nov, 2010
hello
i think that the whole internet is basiclly a social media and the most sold
thing is simply communication.people want
more than anything else,to communicate
and the ” big money” is there, in selling communication.
Clay @ SMS Mobile Marketing
31. Oct, 2010
I tend to agree that Social Media is about marketing your product or service. Some big companies like Ford and Comcast have improved their customer service and brand image with social media. Comcast in particular has a customer service manager on twitter that helps customers 7 x 24. Compare this to the normal Comcast channel of calling in and getting placed on hold for ever and not getting a adequate response after the long hold time.
I also see social media as a way to connect and share with friends and family. In particular it is a great way to update distant relatives with updated pictures and “what’s up now”.
As a Dad, I use social media to see how my sons day is going and enjoy his constant updates with pictures of what he is eating and what grades he is getting on his tests. I always “like” his Facebook posts that say “I’m Studying”.
To me Social media is great for business and is also great for family.
@ClayFranklin
Ryan Deiss
04. Nov, 2010
@Clay @ SMS Mobile Marketing, i like you’re approach! there are a lot of ways to look @socialmedia, maybe it’s just key that whatever you do in social media, make sure it’s genuine?
anita
18. Oct, 2010
like your conclusion and love Scott’s quote “…it’s talking to people.”
Humanitarian photographer and author, David duChemin says, “Every opportunity begins with a conversation.”
sstearns
18. Oct, 2010
@anita, Thanks! A simplified approach to online social interaction really helps to create a more clear vision
anita
19. Oct, 2010
@sstearns, that’s true. It would probably be a good idea for us to envision ourselves talking to people, lol! I’m still learning about social media, but it never ceases to amaze me things people do online that they would likely never do face-to-face with someone.
sstearns
19. Oct, 2010
great point. don’t do anything on social media that you wouldn’t do to someone face-to-face