Utilizing Social Media for Dummies

So your an upcoming marketing hotshot looking to use this crazy new social media thing as a way to advertise something ehh?  Lets say for example we're building a start company that is to target college students within CT. With the limited funds we have, we feel that social media would be the best way to reach them. Ad banners would be most immediate approach as is one of the most recognized forms of advertising on the internet. However, we feel that social media is more of a private space rather than a public one; people visit these social media website for the content they are searching for and feel that encumbered when the content is forced upon them. We feel the most effective way of marketing through social media is to seamlessly integrate our marketing goal within the contents.

Obtaining information:

The first step in creating an ad campaign is to understand the target audience.  Traditionally a common tactic that can be used through the use of surveys/focus groups.  These methods are still being used within the internet space.  We feel that this is inefficient in most situations because of the fact that these online surveys detach the viewers from their current experience.  Even if we were to force the survey onto them in order to access free content, it would either be treated as a chore which may result in careless answering, or the consumer may move to a different service in order to access the same content.   The key would be to get the information without taking away from their experience.

·         Using Facebook pages or Twitter, one can see what the public image and see similarities within their demographic

·         Using automated settings, twitter accounts can follow an individual and receive his/her tweets to find out exactly what consumers have in their minds.  With hash tags, we can see how general individuals feel about a specific product/service.

·         Direct feedback

Exposure:

                Once we understand the target audience, the next step we would have to take is to get the brand’s name out there.  Traditionally, marketers could get away with placing ads in plain sight of the consumer and get away with it due to the fact those ads are almost inescapable.  These ads are also limited to the limited space they are allotted, commercial time and billboard space.  Because of this, there is isn’t that much information that can be added to it.  Though banner ads and required ad videos can be effective in building brand awareness, it can be costly to create paying for all for all of that space to justify repetitive exposure through repetition.  We feel the best way to create interest is to disguise our ads as a form of entertainment.    

·         Create a viral ad YouTube channel, pay for front page exposure and make viewers want to see these ads.  (AXE: Susan Glenn campaign, Old Spice: Isaiah Mustaf smell like a man campaign)

·         Creating a company facebook/twitter web page that will create exposure for our brand and attract individuals who may be interested targeting a specific market and generating content which is spreadable

·         Product placement within certain channels

                Creating a Community:

                Unlike more traditional forms of advertising, social media is seen more as a person’s private space.  If done correctly, an ad campaign can bring a sense of belonging and one ness to a consumer.  By doing so, marketers will be able to form a sense of community within their product or service.  Here, marketers can host product based events, post pictures, videos and promote user content sharing.  However, this will only work if the content isn’t forced upon the consumer.  It would need to be something that the consumer would want to do.  

·         YouTube web page where people view product interactions and usage. 

·         Promote successful channels which use product

·         Intigram/Facebook pages to share pictures and experiences with potential consumers

·         Twitter/Facebook pages can bring a sense of unity through likes and create a company personality

The bottom line is that the main mistakes companies make when tackling Social Networking is that it can’t be approached the same way as traditional media.  We need to treat social networking sites as personal space rather than a public area.  In that regard, marketers will have to think in the mentality of entertainers, or guerilla marketers in order to seamlessly transition between the consumer’s content and marketing message.