In recent months, I’ve held many conversations with colleagues and friends about marketing, advertising, public relations, and web design firms who are reinventing themselves under the monikers of new media or new marketing.
I ought to congratulate the firms for their branding efforts, but I am stopped. Unfortunately, I’m finding an increasing frequency of firms who are not sufficiently walking the walk and talking the talk.
If you identify yourself in any of these interactive verticals, you can’t do one or the other; you must do both. Having a Facebook group but not a Twitter profile, or having your principals listed on the corporate website but not LinkedIn is wrong; if for no other reason, than your prevention of me and every other prospective customer or partner to be able to find you and interact with you.
Since I opted to stop blogging about Twitter this month, I figured I’d turn to the best and brightest to help me write this post…
Am I alone to think an interactive web/marketing agency is ludicrous not to use twitter? I probed the twitter cloud yesterday afternoon.
Twitter is but one social networking site. When you consider that a Google search of me results in assorted content of my blog, my social networking profiles, and various stories I’ve written or been profiled in, I ask why I can’t find the same about you.
The recipient of multiple email lists distributed by regional entities, I am routinely disappointed when I stumble across the name of so-and-so leading a workshop on social media. Why can’t I find you when I google you?
If you’re not walking and talking, let me help. Look at my VisualCV (another place you could be, supposing you’re not satisfied with LinkedIn) and contact me today!
Photo credit: clover_1
Related posts:
- Why Social Media is a Fad
- Piloting Social Media as an Astronaut
- Lifting Social Media Marketing with Gravity
Comments:
Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
978-558-0008
ConvoTrack
{ 10 comments }
Having spent some time in the interactive agency world, I definitely agree with your POV. However, clients must be more demanding of their agencies and do a better job of checking credentials and expertise. If the agency doesn’t have the social media platform or Twitter experience, then the client should not choose them for those types of projects. Continuing to work with agencies that fake the experience just propagates the myth.
Warren´s last blog post..Twestival inspires Twitter for a good cause
I see social media and interactive as different. Interactive is about people engaging with a system; social media is about people using technology to communicate. While I’d hope an interactive agency understood social media, I don’t think not using sm means they’re not a good interactive partner.
The other thing I wasn’t sure you were asking -do you think agencies should have presences on social media outlets, or they should recommend such as strategy?
Andrea Hill´s last blog post..Want effective online marketing? DON’T build a website.
Ari,
Your point is well taken… but taking a snapshot in time doesn’t tell the whole story.
Many interactive/marketing firms are trying to figure out social media, so they may not be there yet. But, that doesn’t mean they don’t see value in Twitter or other communities.
There’s a lot of paralysis right now, due to the economy and the fluid nature of the space. It’s a tremendous opportunity for agencies (like the one I work for) who are using social networking.
But using social networking is also not necessarily synonymous with tweeting as an organization. For instance, my firm runs social networking initiatives for clients even though we don’t tweet as a company (yet).
That said, your point is well taken and we should be more active as agencies on social networks.
-Josh
Josh Fialkoff´s last blog post..Advice for an Executive Diving in to Social Media
Twitter Comment
Commenting on @ariherzog’s post about social media and marketing agencies [link to post] What do you think?
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Social Media News: Are You Walking & Talking in Social Media? — AriWriter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @socialhelp: Social Media News: Are You Walking & Talking in Social Media? — AriWriter [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
I’m just impressed by how many responses you got to your question on Twitter! This is a great example of when numbers (of followers) DO matter.
Adriel Hampton´s last blog post..A Simple Guide to Twenglish (Twittish, Twitterese?)
No, you’re not wrong at all. What’s appalling is firms like my former employer, who has the word “interactive” in their name, yet are very anti-social media. If all of a sudden I see they’re trying to lead a SM workshop, you can bet I’ll be calling shenanigans as loudly as I can on that one.
Stacy Lukas´s last blog post..Someone in South Africa’s doin’ social media right!!
Twitter Comment
Are You Walking & Talking in Social Media? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Are You Walking & Talking in Social Media? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Comments on this entry are closed.