I was looking at a business’s Web site recently. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the social media icons prominently placed on its home page. What I found amazed me. All of the messages on all of the social media talked at whoever might be checking the message. I did not find any attempt to engage the recipient. The messages were ads sent via social media.
Why do I call these ads? An ad is a preconceived, predesigned, and prewritten communication. It is created by the business to elicit a particular result. This doesn’t make it bad, but in social situations ads are inappropriate. Using an ad on social media is akin to walking into a party and giving a prepared speech. If you did that, would anyone at the party pay attention to you? I don’t think so. Rather than having conversations with individuals at the party, you are talking at the entire group.
Too many businesspeople talk at people online as a group rather than engaging them in conversation individually. They are so accustomed to traveling a one-way street of talking at people via traditional advertising on TV, print, radio, and outdoor that they don’t stop to think the Web is different. They don’t realize that the best use of the Web is as a two-way street. The Web is an opportunity for conversation and interactivity. It is a unique place to answer customers’ questions, inform them, and learn more about them. It offers platforms to develop relationships with customers.
Remember, social media is social. Social does not mean directing a canned, prepackaged announcement at recipients. Social means giving recipients a reason to pay attention because your message may pique their interest, invite their participation, or prompt their response. They know that your message will likely be something worth their time.
Social media is not the place for advertising. Social media is a place for conversation. It is an opportunity to initiate and continue an exchange of information with others. Hopefully, these exchanges develop leads, convert prospects to customers, and prompt further purchases from current customers.
Take a look at your social media messages. Are you talking at an entire group or having a conversation with individuals?
Today is my birthday - no kidding. As part of my celebration, I am offering you a free download of an audio selection from my recent Profitable Marketing Monthly. I hope you will want it, listen to it, and find it interesting enough to subscribe to receive over thirty minutes of fresh marketing and business ideas from me every month. I have a goal of twenty new subscribers on my birthday. Help me reach that goal with your subscription, and I will send you one of my audio books as a bonus. Tell your friends, too!
Go here to receive your free download.
Why do I call these ads? An ad is a preconceived, predesigned, and prewritten communication. It is created by the business to elicit a particular result. This doesn’t make it bad, but in social situations ads are inappropriate. Using an ad on social media is akin to walking into a party and giving a prepared speech. If you did that, would anyone at the party pay attention to you? I don’t think so. Rather than having conversations with individuals at the party, you are talking at the entire group.
Too many businesspeople talk at people online as a group rather than engaging them in conversation individually. They are so accustomed to traveling a one-way street of talking at people via traditional advertising on TV, print, radio, and outdoor that they don’t stop to think the Web is different. They don’t realize that the best use of the Web is as a two-way street. The Web is an opportunity for conversation and interactivity. It is a unique place to answer customers’ questions, inform them, and learn more about them. It offers platforms to develop relationships with customers.
Remember, social media is social. Social does not mean directing a canned, prepackaged announcement at recipients. Social means giving recipients a reason to pay attention because your message may pique their interest, invite their participation, or prompt their response. They know that your message will likely be something worth their time.
Social media is not the place for advertising. Social media is a place for conversation. It is an opportunity to initiate and continue an exchange of information with others. Hopefully, these exchanges develop leads, convert prospects to customers, and prompt further purchases from current customers.
Take a look at your social media messages. Are you talking at an entire group or having a conversation with individuals?
Today is my birthday - no kidding. As part of my celebration, I am offering you a free download of an audio selection from my recent Profitable Marketing Monthly. I hope you will want it, listen to it, and find it interesting enough to subscribe to receive over thirty minutes of fresh marketing and business ideas from me every month. I have a goal of twenty new subscribers on my birthday. Help me reach that goal with your subscription, and I will send you one of my audio books as a bonus. Tell your friends, too!
Go here to receive your free download.
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