Is social media becoming just a number’s game?!

I’m not going to lie to you…I am not a social media addict; yes I love the way that it can connect people in a chain like effect, but the question I have is this: is the chain that social media provides, now too large to be even considered to be social?! Think about it, it is all about numbers – linked in is based upon building a network with the aim of getting to the magical point of 500+ connections, facebook is all about building likes, (no matter where these come from), and twitter is all about getting as many followers as possible, no matter who or where they are from….and of course following people, sometimes with the sole purpose of getting them to return the favour!

In essence, it seems to me that social media has become a frenzied competition….a competition to see who can get the most followers, the most fans or the most people into ones network, as quickly as possible. Now, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with any of this;  if achieving any of these aforementioned goals is what constitutes fulfilling ones ambitions then it is certainly something positive! But… and yes there is a big but…I believe the real question people should be asking is what is the purpose of social networking and of social profile building?  To strip it back further, what exactly is the goal in having thousands of likes on facebook or thousands of followers on twitter.? In other words,  is it purely an exercise in vanity and a way of proving (to oneself?) ones popularity?

I believe that the issue of social media and networking is one which needs to be carefully considered by any organisation or indeed, any individual, and a number of questions need to be asked (and addressed) in order to stop and think about to where all of this leads, in terms of the development of a business:

1. Are we getting to the stage where the logic and purpose of these activities is secondary to the unquenchable desire to add as many fans followers fans and likes, purely for the purpose of being perseved as being successful?

2. What, exactly, is the aim or purpose of building these networks or is there even an aim or specific goal in place?

3. With companies now able to purchase thousands of “likes”   from companies specialising in this very sphere, are we approaching the point of saturation in terms of social media?

4. And finally – and perhaps, most important of all, is social media really “social” anymore? After all, with many social media users interested, first and foremost, in building the number of people within their social network of choice – and more than willing to accept anyone (I mean literally anyone!)  into this network if it means another fan on the road to victory in the imaginary competition that is social media – then surely the word social can be removed from the term “social media” altogether?!

Using Social Media to Increase Sales

I have just finished reading a very interesting book, by Guy Clapperton, entitled This is Social Commerce – Turning Social Media into Sales. For anyone who is trying to get a feel for social media in the context of running a small business, this is a must read book as it presents information in a fun, easy to read, case study style setting.

Difficult as it is to condence any book into one tiny blog post, I will endeavour to do just this….it’s an interesting little challenge to myself for starters!

1. Social Media does not create a business, it assists it – right, seems obvious but you know, people seem to believe that social media is this magical intangible that is the answer to all their business woes…set up a website and watch them visit! Not so, i’m afraid. Use social media to help your business reach your desired audience but do not think that just because you can set up a facebook page you can run the world.

2. Understand social media, understand your customer – social media is about engagement….but from there it is a blank canvas. But the most important thing to remember is that it is all about two way communication so don’t shout at people, don’t bore them with in your face marketing gimmicks an win them over with unique content!

3. Use social media to improve customer experience – think of social media as customer service, as a way of providing the best possible customer experience for your brand.  Engage your audience, make them a part of what you do, inspire them to like what you do and let them spread the word to others!

4. Use social media to cut marketing costs – where you sued to print copious amounts of flyers, brochures, vouchers and other costly marketing materials, now you can use social media platforms such as facebook and twitter. But do it wisely and in a nice way…..nobody likes a brand that shouts at them to grab attention, now do they?

5. Think about your product and your audience – right this seems incredibly obvious but just because groupon, for example, exists it does not mean that it is something you have to use! There are social sites to beat the band and some will be suitable for your brand, others will not…choosing how you communicate with your audience is your biggest decision so think logically and creatively.

6. Whatever social media platforms you choose to use, maintain them – if facebook and twitter, for example, become your chosen social media outlets for your business, that’s great….but, and of course there is a big but, if you use them, use them regularly, update them and keep content fresh. Outdated, old and now irrelevant information about events long since gone, are extremely off putting and will drive people away!

7. Have fun and make whatever channels you use interactive, fun, engaging…and all those other nice things that will appeal to your customers! This is your social media, these are your customers….the world is your oyster!!