How many times have you heard someone say, "The business landscape is changing" in the last 5 years? Chances are the answer is A LOT if you own or operate a business. While hearing this may cause some to grit their teeth, the message is true -- Many facets of running a business have been disrupted by the introduction of the internet, websites, and social media.
The internet itself has been around for quite a while now, and many businesses had a website by the turn of the century. Web Designers who threw a slick design together and registered business names as.com addresses made a bundle. Most business owners saw "dot-com" as value added--simply another way of getting the message out to the masses. This was true in 2000 and it is still true today -- with a twist. There are infinitely more businesses online now than there were in 2000 -- and most are competing in the social media marketplace.
Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, boasts nearly 900 million active users. For help putting that into perspective, consider that the current population of the united states is just above 300 million--1/3 the number of active Facebook users. Twitter boasts well over 100 million active users, as does LinkedIn. Those numbers are staggering. The simple truth is, no matter what business you are in, no matter what you do to make a living, a majority of your customers are online with social media.
The knee-jerk reaction is to "get out there" and make a Facebook page for your business. Perhaps open a Twitter account and start "tweeting" your daily deals. These reactions are OK, but a holistic social media strategy requires more finesse. The largest challenge in social media is identifying your target audience and going after them. Notice that many businesses are doing the exact opposite when it comes to social media! Their Facebook page sits there, waiting for anyone and everyone to stumble upon it. Some people may "like" the page, others won't, but a majority of people will be indifferent. Social Media is about reaching out and engaging others. This is true for business pages as well!
Having a Facebook page without having a strategy is like having a storefront in a HUGE mall without any signs or advertisements. People can still come-in and shop, but nobody knows what you're selling until they step-foot inside your store. Most people will never make that step unless they have a clue about what is inside -- that's human nature. Social Networking gives you the ability to show people what you're all about--highlight your product or service, advertise promotions or special sales, and give directions, all before the customer has to step foot inside your storefront.
Earlier I mentioned that "dot com" is value-added advertising. This is still true today, however social media has become the primary vehicle for the message. Having a complex (and expensive) website is no longer a necessity. For most businesses a simple store-front page is plenty, so long as its augmented by a realistic social media strategy. The programs we use -- Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Foursquare, will certainly change, but the strategy around social media will not. There will always be a social hub connecting people on the internet, and businesses will always be expected to have a presence in this hub.
In closing, I often have people object to social media with a couple of arguments, mostly along the lines of, "I prefer to do business face-to-face" or "I like doing business the old fashioned way." I wholeheartedly agree with these sentiments. Social media will never take that aspect of your business away -- it will help you build better relationships with those people whom you meet face-to-face. A realistic social media strategy has its place alongside traditional print advertising, Radio & TV advertising, and outdoor advertising. Some methods may work better for your business -- just remember, it's the strategy that grows your business.
T. Andrew Bledsoe holds a Bachelors of Science in Digital Media Communications and a strategic marketing MBA from King College. Andrew is a marketing strategist at Summit Marketing specializing in online marketing & social media. During his free time Andrew enjoys running, reading about marketing strategies, and designing websites. Andrew's Online Marketing Blog.
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