Social…..it is simply not for everyone

In a uniform trend to drum up business, we have seen a plethora brands entering the social media arena over the past 18 months.  This is a trend that has been worrying me for some time, as I hold the view that this space is simply not for everyone.  I am a great proponent of the social media engagement opportunity that exists for brands in the space, but I am equally aware that many are simply getting it wrong.

Some hope is emerging though……. I am beginning to see the faint glimpses of sanity, as brands begin to realise that they do not have to engage in every social media space that is available. This certainly is exciting me no end as I was beginning to wonder if brands would eventually come to their senses.

You simply do not have to have a presence in every possible social media space and dare I even say it, you do not even need to have a social media presence. This is a stance that is somewhat contrarian too many of the “experts” out there, but one that I firmly hold to, when I engage our clients.

I am frequently challenged on this stance, often with the line “Show me a brand that would not benefit from being in the social media space, and I will show a brand that is not thinking correctly” Most times I mention a brand and I instantly get given examples of how they could participate in this space. My counter is simply this, you can make any brand fit into the social media space and here in lies my concern.

Marketing and branding is not about making your clients message fit into a specific marketing channel. It is about understanding what value the brand can draw from being in the space. Equally many advertising agencies in this space are selling the utopian “instant access to the customer” line, instead and cautioning about the actual time it takes to engage.

I think that we need to see more agencies focusing on advising clients correctly, instead of trying to push their brands into channels which will not deliver value. I am convinced that taking this approach will lead to a sustained business relationship in the end.