March 16 2011

Don’t forget the “social” part of social media

It’s a common mistake: businesses using their Facebook and and other social media sites pages to “advertise.” When you’re trying to build a business, it might seem like a good idea to use your social media sites as an extension of the rest of your marketing and advertising. This is a big mistake, and if you’ve done it, you’ve probably experienced an exodus of friends and fans from your business social media sites.

Instead, keep in mind that the social media world is a community of people who are already bombarded by ads and sales messages throughout the day. Your social media goal is to build relationships. Today’s most compelling response triggers are based on trust and personal feedback from others that we trust. The most successful “social” businesses use Facebook and social media marketing to show the human side of their business, and not to advertise.

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PR Briefs is a blog of tips, resources and case studies for the public relations professional and the PR novice. Feel free to comment, re-post or ask questions—I hope you enjoy your experience here.

PR and marketing have been the focus of my career for the past 30 years. As an ad agency client during the early years, I got to experience a birds-eye view of agencies and the experience wasn't always a good one. When Ideaworks opened in 1995, we were determined to break the mold, and after 15 years, more than 300 awards and hundreds of client referrals, I think we're starting to get there.
—Caron Sjoberg, APR, CPRC

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