Watching some of the older, established brands throwing themselves at such social networking tools as Twitter and Facebook is kind of embarrassing. It’s like seeing your middle-aged neighbor, who tries to be cool by wearing his son’s clothes, at the mall. It’s hard not to snicker because it not only looks ridiculous, but you know the tight pants are making him as uncomfortable as hell. Still, it’s impolite to laugh, so instead we nod and walk on by.
Let’s assume that, other than shopping at Hollister, your neighbor’s a decent guy. If you were to drop in on him later and chat over a few brewskis, you might offer some constructive advice. Well, thanks for the cold one, Mr. Establishment; can I give you three things to think about?
Every social group, technology, and user is different. Social groups tend to quickly form their own culture. Take the time to listen and learn the written and unwritten rules of a community before you dive in. A bit of preparation and understanding goes a long way.
It’s called social media for a reason; the population relies on interaction and relationships to thrive. While there are appropriate channels for broadcast messaging, the more you actually participate the better. Using a profile or presence to just repackage the same old PR isn’t enough. Encourage response and, more importantly, occasionally engage with other members of the community on their terms.
People, as a general rule, resent being manipulated. Your story and your delivery have got to be genuine. What might seem cute and edgy to you could be trite and offensive to the community. The transparency of the social web makes it just as easy for your efforts to backfire as to succeed.
Oh, heck, one last thing as long as the beer is free. It’s very important to be objective and creative in your measurements in the world of social media. Traditional metrics rarely tell the whole story. Find a trustworthy partner with experience in the space to help you get not only the raw data, but a contextual interpretation of the results.
What’s the silliest or most out of place social media faux pas you’ve seen from an established player?
#1 by Sunflower Ranch - April 4th, 2009 at 14:13
Excellent question! Too numerous to list all the examples once you get thinking about it. I am not into Twittering, though of course all the oldsters that do it are exactly as you describe — try to be cool — and I’m pretty sick of “coolness” for coolness’s sake. It’s very conventional. Individuality is what I prefer and being your own person is not easy these days when groupthink, groupspeak and collectivism are considered the standard. One example I will leave you with is all the over-40s on FOX News gushing about Twittering all the time. Wasn’t it just a few months ago FaceBook was all the rage? And before that MySpace?? Sheesh. Thanks for the thought provoking post & keep up the great work!
#2 by Roger Farnsworth - April 4th, 2009 at 16:18
Bravo on your quest for individuality! I always chuckle when I see one of the new punks all suited up in their Dead Kennedys outfits. That’s so over.
Thanks for the kind comment.