Social networking (using the social web) is about connecting with people — asking questions, having conversations — basically the same things you would do if you were talking in-person. Yet many companies still treat social media like traditional media — as a way to distribute marketing and advertising messages. While social media does provide a cost-effective way to reach a targeted audience for marketing, the real opportunity is in making personal and human connections with that audience. Here are some of the most commonly repeated mistakes I see when it comes to social networking and using the social web:
[Read more…] about The Wrong Way to Social Network
target audience
Identify Your Ideal Customer Before Implementing Social Media
Knowing your target audience is vital to any social media strategy, which requires identifying your ideal customer in very specific terms. Many businesses try to target anyone who they think may be even remotely interested in their product. This can lead to social media presence that is spread way too thin for the company resources (this isn’t a good branding or product strategy either). It’s best to concentrate on the ideal customer and find the most appropriate 1-3 places online to connect.
To identify the ideal customer, think of job titles or occupations they may have. Try describing an individual that would purchase your products. What do they like to do? What interests them? Why would buying your product solve a problem or provide a benefit?
Once you have your ideal customer in mind, it will be much easier to investigate places they may already be online. Look for discussion groups, industry associations and publications that may interest your audience. We’ll discuss finding your audience in more depth in a future post.
If you found this post helpful, please consider signing up for our free newsletter.
Technorati tags: customer, social media strategy, social media, marketing, business