It’s so crazy to think just how fast the world moves, especially the world of technology. Three summers ago, I interned at a marketing company in London and wrote this article below about the importance of a business’ social media plan. I wrote this at a time when it seemed like companies were just starting to understand how important and influential social media is, especially when it comes to the voice and reputation of a company. Today, pretty much every company imaginable is engaged on at least one or two social media platforms, if not more. Try to get through this article without laughing, social media peeps.
“In today’s ever growing technological world, it is crucial to be well established and proficient in the world of social media. It seems that everyone is connected today by some form of online social networking and it is necessary to be connected in some way to have your voice and message be heard. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are effective ways to garner attention and connect with other businesses, as well.
Social networking is an effective and inexpensive tool your business can use to connect with a larger audience and gain customers. With your company being on social media, you have the ability to reach a market and audience that otherwise might not have been reached. Networking with social media allows companies to interact directly with customers, and in turn, customers are able to ask questions, become involved, and give feedback. Consumers today look for and enjoy direct interaction with companies, which is why social networking has become so vital. Social networking gives customers a sense of appreciation and community within a particular business. Just as a company would provide quality customer service to its customers over the phone or in person, immediate customer service can be provided through social media. If a customer has a question and needs a quick response, they can tweet and in turn that company can provide an immediate response.
The inclusion of social media in your companies’ marketing plans not only allows your company to immediately answer customer questions, but to potentially have customers post positive customer reviews. By displaying positive customer testimonials on the social website, other social media users are able to see these true, reliable, and positive reviews about the company. Posting positive customer comments and reviews enhances reliability, delivers a sense of true customer appreciation, and in turn, the perception of the company will become more favorable. Even if negative or unfavorable comments appear on your page, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Be sure to address those comments and issues, and let the customer know that your company is working to fix said problem or issue. A “follow” from your company on Twitter may also mean a follow back from another company.
This expansive online audience is an excellent way to connect with both potential and current customers. If your company’s social media pages are updated regularly, the greater an audience your page will attract. It is simple for someone to ‘retweet’ a post made on a company’s Twitter feed, which can then be seen by an even larger audience. With the click of a button, an interested potential client can quickly learn about a company, while connecting with them at the same time.”
Social media guru right here, AMIRITE *insert rolling eyes emoji*. Now, everything I’ve said in this post is commonplace today. Just to show how dated this is, I didn’t even feel the need to include Instagram as a social media platform for companies to use. Today, companies have invested even more time and money into their social media campaigns, and focus on creativity, reliability and “realness.” But this proves that there are so many platforms, new terms and new technology being created every day. So three years from now, I may look back on another social media post written on this blog and laugh.
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