Andy Beal, founder and editor of Marketing Pilgrim, co-author of online reputation management book Radically Transparent and one of the big-brained keynote speakers at next week’s Social Media Junction, offers a few pearls of social media marketing wisdom.
What area of the business should manage social media and why?
Social media tends to best fit within the role of public relations, but even that is like saying someone that speaks French is best suited to learn Spanish. It’s really a group effort and the companies that do it well tend to hire a “community manager” or “online brand manager” who is responsible for the actual conversations but also for sharing valuable information with sales, marketing, and HR.
The elder statesmen of the company want control and the proponents of social media are typically younger people who want to go open slather. What is some practical advice you can give to find a balance?
Both bring valuable insight and experience to the mix. Senior staff understand the core goals of the company and tend to be able to look at a situation in a rational way. Younger staff tend to have the skills to set-up and maintain social networking profiles. In other words, they are more tech savvy. The key is to take advantage of all available experience and craft a strategy that both sides are comfortable implementing.
Is it a mechanical or organic process?
It’s a structured process. By that I mean you should not fully rely on automated technology, but you will find tools and software help you with your organic efforts.
What’s the best way to convince the board (or the boss) that the company should be investing in social media?
Type the company’s name into Google, Twitter, or Facebook. They’ll quickly see there’s a conversation going on about their brand. One which they need to be a part of.
- If you liked this little teaser, then you’ll probably love the real thing, when actual human experts like Beal will talk about social media issues in person. You can still register here for Social Media Junction.
