Musings on Social Media Marketing

As a philosopher, I have an annoying need to get clear on terms. As an SEO, I have an equally prodding need to know the marketing pontential of just about everything I discover on the Intenet. Lately, I've been (re)thinking about this notion of Social Media Marketing - what it really is, whether is works, how to formulate a sound strategy, etc.

§ First, let's talk about marketing
How do you define marketing? My definition is: the practice of getting your products and services in front of your target market. Using this definition, how can social media sites like Twitter and Facebook serve that end, if at all?

Well, the obvious (but least enlightening) reply: putting up a Twitter or Facebook profile for my business will make more people aware of us. But will it? I mean, think about your favorite social media sites. Now try to recall the last few businesses or brands you saw there. Can you do it?

Odds are, you probably can't. That's because you, like most other normal folk, don't consume social media for the purpose of being inundated by brands and advertisements. You hop on Facebook to see what new pics your friends uploaded or to find a long lost college buddy. You Tweet on Twitter to ... Who knows why (I Tweet just to see my Tweets turn to RSS feeds and sent to Facebook; I just think that whole HTML to RSS API thingy is cool!)

The point I'm making is that social media sites are, as Seth Godin said, connecting media, not marketing media. This, of course, doesn't mean that sites like Twitter and Facebook can't be used for marketing purposes. I'm simply saying that marketing is not their raison d'etre. Therefore, to market on these sites, I believe, requires a definite strategy and measurable goals.

Now, I'm not saying I know what those strategies or metrics are or should be. With the growing number and complexity of social media sites, I'm starting to think that "Social Media Marketing" will eventually become a separate field from SEO. I'm groping around for the answers, just as we all are as professional marketers. But I definitely think that much more thought, research and data is needed on social media efficacy.

(to be cont'd)


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