Amber Naslund researched social media job vacancies and, among her findings, wrote:
In my research, I saw several job descriptions (most, frankly) that focused heavily on how social media benefited or could impact the company and their aims to be better known. They were largely focused on tactics and tools, and few actually referenced anything from the perspective of the customer, or the notion of engagement and connection with them.
That speaks to me of a wide misunderstanding of what social media is intended to do (or its potential), and a continued focus on “channels” of communication instead of philosophies that open doors to the customers themselves.
How many corporate Facebook pages were launched as a tactic to gain product sales, but the sales never came? How many companies created accounts on Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube to share their information with the world; but rarely, if ever, cared what their customers shared with them? How many blogs were started — and are 6+ months out of date?
You’d be surprised.
I, too, launched my LinkedIn, MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter accounts in chronological order with inherent tactics to connect with friends and strangers in a sequence of learning, networking, befriending, and growing apart from.
Growing apart from?
When I wrote yesterday about why I destroyed my Facebook friends, I tried elaborating in a comment response to Paul that my prior use of Facebook was tactical, using the site as a tool to connect with former classmates and colleagues, and to enhance relationships.
But you know what happened after that sequential process of learning and networking? I befriended people or responded favorably to friend requests I did not know. Maybe you were one of those people who sent me a friend request. In bulk, one after another after another, I clicked yes, yes, yes, yes I want to be your friend.
I clicked yes because you asked. I clicked yes because I was under some mindset that Facebook should be the Great Connector and it would be nonsensical to say no. I used Facebook as a tool. I used it tactically and had no reasons to question that mindset.
In my rush to say yes to be your friend, every prior friend request I affirmed lost one more second of my eyeball time. My closest circle of friends — my family members, classmates, and coworkers — got lost behind.
My mindset was similarly veined with other social media tools.
No more.
Seth Godin introduces this differently:
So, if it’s true that to a person with a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, the really useful question is, “what sort of hammer do you have?”
At big TV networks, they have a TV hammer. At a surgeon’s office, they have the scalpel hammer. A drug counselor has the talk hammer, while a judge probably has the jail hammer.
Maybe it’s time for a new hammer…
Click his link above to see where he cleverly goes with it.
Echoing my month-old shift of using Twitter more for information enhancement and less for social conversations, I’m amid changing how and why I’m using other tools.
Until yesterday, I used Facebook as an outbound marketing tool. The folks at Hubspot would argue with me, saying I should use social media tools for listening to the buzz about my company and my customers, reaching out to those people, and nurturing relationships.
In my rush to add people to my different social networking channels for no reason than to add them, I diluted tactics with strategies. It’s time to be strategic in my relationship with that hammer, with that Twitter community, with you, my blog readers.
If this makes sense, are you willing to learn with me?
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Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Ari — In response to Amber Naslund, I think it’s natural for any company communicating with its customers via social media to consider how this engagement will benefit the company; however, I agree with Naslund’s premise that the needs of the customers and the benefits they receive should be inextricably linked to these considerations.
I also think that companies engaged in social media should not be so concerned with “building their base” that they neglect to have meaningful and helpful interactions with the loyal people who tune in each day.
New from Kevin Carter: Social Media: Revolution or Fad?
Congratulations on choosing to control the medium instead of the other way around.