It stands to reason that some New Zealand businesses are still not sure that there is actually business value in social media.
Yet many businesses are highlighting social media as a must do for 2012.
Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs the list is endless…..
Business, irrespective of your industry, needs to realize that social media is not about your specific website. It is about reaching, expanding your reach and connecting with current or potential consumers of your service or product in a way that emphasizes your relationships.
So where is the return on investment you may ask? Well, perhaps one should question the use of the telephone in this argument. Where is your return of investment when you pay the telephone bill? Ahh you may say – this is a tool of my business. Yes it is. The telephone is there because it is a vital piece of technology that adds value time and time over through repeated calls and conversations.
Social media should be viewed in a similar light.
What about the affordability of investing in social media (time and cost). Well, perhaps another question could be – Can I afford to actually live without it? It may even save me money in the long term.
How? Businesses participate in activities, making cold calls, travelling to meetings and trade shows, attending networking events, and many other activities that carry a cost but are important in your marketing endeavours. Social media however gives people the ability to conduct these activities from their office which may mean that when they do travel to a client the results will be better. This client has already screened you within the realm of the internet and has developed an impression.
But what about privacy issues in social media. Perhaps your competition will see too much about your organization. Yes, you may expose them to some information but they would probably be aware of this information via your normal marketing methods already. Social media is a way for you to get your own message out into the marketplace. It is another means of marketing but in this scenario, you control your message.
Remember just about any type of business can use social media but herein lies the importance of creating media policy for employees.
Social media has changed the way we do things, the way consumers behave and interact with business and brands. In some cases consumers expect you to have a social media presence.
In review of the above, I think we should answer our initial question.
Is social media a fad or a business tool?
To embark on yor 2012 Social Media Journey give the team at Net Branding a call.
