Social media should be a tool used in every facet of an organization, but instead it has been cornered off by many organizations. Instead of being integrated into the organization as a whole, social media is now typically looked at as strictly a marketing tool by most individuals and businesses. Looking at social media in this fashion is blinding the true value available.
So what we are trying to say is that social media is not for marketing ONLY, it should have the ability to run much deeper than that.
3 Areas Social Media is NOT Marketing
1. Customer Service/Relationships – Social Media has lead individuals to have access to many current and potential customers. Being so, many individuals are worried about increasing their numbers of friends and followers. Instead, you should focus about 80% of your time building relationships with current customers by communicating with them on a regular basis. Make sure when they have a comment, question, or concern that you are there to respond. This gives a tremendous sense of customer support and service from you and your organization. This in term makes customers feel cared for.
The other 20% of your time should be used to create new relationships. Yes only about 20% of your time should be focused on expanding your network of friends and followers. Use this time to listen to what outsiders have to say and jump into a conversation intelligently. By providing value via positive communications, you are being branded by outsiders with positive outlook on what your products and/or services have to offer.
Remember, social media should be about quality relationships, not quantity.
2. Product and Service Development – The communication and relationships you are forming with individuals give you the ability to create very tailored products and services. When you have a strong relationship with individuals outside of your organization, you are allowing yourself the possibility to collaborate on internal projects. Social Media gives you the ability to blog, chat, make videos, etc. about your ideas for new products and services. Your current and potential customers can now give you feedback. This can save a lot of time and money in internal research and development as well as stopping you from putting out something others will not obtain from you.
Try your best to include your friends and followers in your research and development wherever possible. Show them you care about what they think about your brand, and show them the satisfaction they deserve when you release a product and/or service that was created with their input.
When individuals have a sense of ownership, they are more likely to utilize what you have created.
3. Entertainment – Having fun is one of the BIGGEST things that organizations are missing out on within social media. Everything does not and should not be structured and corporate like. You should let loose by using social media to play games, have fun contests, and show your bright side. Sites like YouTube have become one of the biggest resources for entertainment, utilize this and give people what they want.
Just as you should have social mixers and employee parties, you should have some extracurricular activities that your friends and followers around the globe can participate in. Perfect example was the Old Spice Guy videos.
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Social media is nowadays used for marketing products, there are other useful aspects of social media which can also taken in consideration like building good relationship with customers and listening to their requirements and needs with the help of it.