Social Media Marketing

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can see some sort of reflection in the world around them that they exist. If this is even
remotely accurate, the consequences and push-back for mass marketing are huge, as the
coincident drive toward alignment with brands that recognize individuals accelerates.
“As people take control over their data while spreading their Web presence,
they are not looking for privacy, but for recognition as individuals. This will
eventually change the whole world of advertising.”
Esther Dyson, 2008
It’s Also About Engagement
Across multiple forms of media—social media being no exception—consumption of
content is typically the most likely activity. However, beware! Whether you’re reading
the paper, watching TV, or listening to the radio or a podcast, consumption is by all
counts a fairly passive activity. Even when the activity involves social media (reading
blogs, for example), 80 to 90 percent of the audience limits its activity to consumption.
While this can be helpful from a marketing (awareness) perspective, it doesn’t directly
connect customers around the brand, product, or service in the kind of social context
that leads to the higher forms of engagement.
It’s important to get beyond content consumption and bring your audience to the
level of a genuine connection. This means participating with them, getting them into
the game, and placing yourself in it with them. The easiest way to do this is to do this
is through social activities—not unlike real life—and to do it in the online social spots
where your audience is already present.
As a starting activity, consider curation. Curation is built around activities such
as rating, reviewing, and otherwise passing judgment on the content (or conduct!) of
others in the community. Because this content has been made available in a social set-
ting, curation is a natural next step. What does curation look like? It can be as simple
as rating a post as “useful” (or not!).
Curation matters for two reasons. First, it is a reflection of the sensibilities and
value system of the audience and/or community members. Curation and the general act
of evaluating and rating content—videos, posts, articles, etc.—make it easy for others
to quickly find what’s valuable and learn about what the community values. Curation
drives positive community experiences for the benefit of its members: Curation in the
community and membership context helps provide a better experience for its members
and thereby encourages the collaborative activities seen in the higher forms of engage-
ment. Recall that these higher forms of engagement are what one is after through the
adoption of social technologies. In consumer products, for example, these higher forms
of engagement lead to better products and to better understandings among customers
as to why these are in fact “better” products.