As social media evolves, we see more and more companies converge, bringing more or less the same experience to their users. The online environment is very fluid and perhaps only a skilled futurist may know in which direction it is going. This of course does not help our fellow marketers who have already had a difficult time figuring out how to leverage existing platforms such as blogs, social networks and microblogs.
This brings me to today’s topic: Do people really understand the situation marketers face today?
Many marketing professionals focus on creating a buzz. While this is important, joining the online conversation and using the tools available on the net and using them properly appear to have become elusive within the marketing community.
Blogger, Steven Hodson, stressed in one of his recent posts that he is no fan of those professing to be SEO (search engine optimization) gurus and Marketing experts. We could summarize the text by saying that they should stop trying to convince everyone that SEO is the answer to our problems and learn to know the real needs of customers. SEO is not the answer for marketing professionals, according to him.
On the other hand, a post by Ted Dziuba tells us that a company blog only serves one purpose: distribution. He states that companies should only blog for link-building and search engine optimization, thus increasing their Google page rank.
Who is right? What are these marketing professionals to do? Does anyone know where to start given so much conflicting information on the net?
Marketing is typically about numbers, statistics and how to bring more people to the sales department (or third parties such as shops) through strategic efforts. Sales people on the other hand talk to people and make it their priority to know what people want on individual level. These are two different, but complementary roles and yet, very few synergies are developed between them. Marketing professionals are just not the kind of people that go looking for conversations and talk to people and it is not asked from them. Market research can be perceived as an exception and yet in most cases it is organised by specialised agencies. The problem appears to be that the use of social media to create brand empowerment requires expertise in both marketing and sales. So what to do?
The solution? Perhaps sales and marketing professionals need to work on creating a liaison professional that is able to link the two and take full advantage of the opportunity that is available through social media. Sound like a good idea? I think so!
For an idea like this to work, companies will need to think outside of the box and start thinking of the evolution of the web as a flow rather focus on traditional marketing/sales structures and goal settings. First, we must differentiate between online marketing and social media marketing. They are not the same at all. Online marketing tends to (and should) be used as an extension of traditional marketing using comparable approach and metrics. Social media marketing on the other hand, relates more to traditional sales found in little shops such as the bakery you visit daily to get your favourite croissants. It should heavily rely on 1-to-1 contact, developing and maintaining personal relationships.
Social Media Marketing professionals need to talk with us, rather than to us. But can they do this? Do they have the right skills set? This is where the trusted liaison between sales and marketing comes into play.
A first step has been taken with the creation of the role called an Online Community Manager. This role was first described a year ago by marketing professional and blogger, Chris Brogan, and by Forrester’s analyst, Jeremiah Owyang. Both explain that Community Managers must be excellent communicators; the two bloggers also share the common perception that this position plays a more passive or even reactive role in that the online community comes to them, rather than taking full advantage of both sides playing an active role in communication. Have a look at Professor Jeff Jarvis'perception on the subject during an interview by Diane Brady from Businessweek.
So what can we expect from a person who will take on the important role of social media marketing within their company? What should such a position be called? Ideas?
I do not know the answers and cannot imagine there is only one, unique solution, but I do believe that more conversations need to take place. Perhaps not necessarily between marketing professionals and consumers, but certainly between human resource departments, sales/marketing departments, the online community and how such a position would be beneficial for both the company and the consumers.
If we want less noise from companies, we should help them find the right approach to the use of social media.
ZackBrandit...hmm...now there is a solution soon to be unveiled...
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Tags: social media, marketing, sales, community management, social media marketing
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