We often times hear from our clients that they want a "social media" presence.They hear the buzz around Twitter. Or have a suspicion that Facebook is fundamentally changing the way brands are being built and feel they're missing out because they're not on board.
Our answer is typically pretty unsexy - what is your strategy behind using these tools?
Next, how much time do you have to devote to this?
Ugh. Not what they want to hear.
"Yes, yes, but can you hook up our Facebook fan page to our website for a live stream?" Sure. But why does a sales lead or existing customer care?
Maybe we should look at your web analytics and focus on getting people through your site more efficiently, so they can learn your story and fill out a contact form. Facebook fan pages aren't going to do that all by themselves.
FastCompany recently reported that Papa John's had 34 active users on its Facebook widget that let's you order pizza anytime into the future. That's serious cash with custom high-end widgets running upwards of six figures in development costs. And the engagement with their Facebook community? Again, only 34 were active users at press time.
For small businesses, you simply can't afford to chase the next hot web trend without strategic goals in mind. Instead, you have to focus on providing a remarkable experience for your clients. Don't worry how your Flickr photo sets are organized of your company's summer BBQ. Instead worry about if you have dirty bathrooms or a cranky receptionist answering the phone. Those are the kind of brand touchpoints that need to be addressed first.
Or subscribe to our RSS feed