Just because everyone is doing it, doesn’t mean it will work for you. When it comes to the uses of Social media for marketing purposes, it seems as though everyone and anyone wants to join the bandwagon. Although companies should stay on top of the latests trends and understand what tools are available to them, they should also stay aware of their consumers habits and needs.
Some of the many challenges that companies are faced with include; firstly, outdated information about their company. If the company does not have a dedicated media person overviewing their online presence they risk leaving out important updates. Consumers may view these sites as illegitimate or simply think that the company isn’t truthful. Always maintain your credibility and foresee and social media as an ongoing campaign that cannot be left or forgotten.
Secondly, your audience should always come first. Many companies who’s prime market include an older generation or even young children think they should have a social platform to express themselves. Seeing as social media is some of the most used and even preferred vehicles in our society, they aren’t completely wrong. What should be considered is the variety of options. Many companies think they have Facebook as their only option, however, if you are dealing with a company such as a legal firm or other professional fields you risk having your business viewed as lacking reliable sources and removing some trustworthiness from your brand. Always make sure that your company appeals to the right target audience, do your market research and choose the right outlets to post your information.
Thirdly, opinions are hard to control. If your company does not keep control of the messages that they are putting out to the public or the complaints people are making, their current consumer base can be offended. They must be looking out for negative comments or brand complaints and respond to them as quick as possible. The longer you let a bad opinion out for the public to see, the more you risk seeing detrimental backlash on your companies image.
Lastly, there is always the unpredictability of being misinterpreted. Social media definitely allows you to voice your opinion, however, when your aren’t using a medium that allows your consumers to hear your tone or see your facial expressions controversies are inevitable. PR will always allow you to express you emotions better than an online platform. Consider all your options and the backlash that you may receive when you are stating an opinion. There are options such as Youtube that may make a difference in those situations.
This is a great website that shows examples of social media gone wrong, for all the reasons I have mentioned above.
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