WK 2 DQ 2

NELLO POST

A few things come to mind as to what brands should be doing next year to do a better job in their social media programs.  The first and perhaps most important, is to understand the power of social media and then embrace that power.  Of the more than 3 billion internet users, “over 2 billion of them have active social media accounts” (Copp, 2016).  Half of the 317 million people in the United States own a smart phone or tablet, “and of these people, half actively use social media on that device” (Hunt, 2014).  Do the math…that’s over 79 million possibilities for revenue.

            Erik Qualman, the author of Socialnomics, suggests we “think mobile only”, because “by 2018, two-thirds of all consumption will be video on our mobile devices” (Harnish, 2016).  Taking note of the numbers in the above paragraph, his advice is spot on.  Brands need to adjust their focus to reflect the data, and allocate marketing resources heavily toward mobile devices which is the preferred medium for social media.

            Teddy Hunt, writing on the website, Social Media Explorer, suggests hiring a full-time Social Media Manager to focus solely on this area.  Having someone with experience working full-time on aspects of social media interaction will help in building brand recognition, especially if looking to target millennials who were born into technology.

             The key, more than anything else, is to develop a marketing plan to take advantage of the impact social media has and will have on consumer interactions.  Who is the target?  What will the content be? How do you interact with the community?  Can you vary the media from local to national as needed?  How do you accrue data to determine the return on the investment?  Without being able to answer these questions ahead of time, any success will be accidental.  A brand with a plan has the greater opportunity for success.

            In conclusion, brands need to see the writing on the wall and move toward a mobile focus for their social media programs.  Data shows us the increasing influence technology has on commerce.  Social media is run by word of mouth; think of it as the ultimate telephone game.  The savvy company will create a plan to manage the message, allowing for what is heard on one end is the same as the other.

References

Coop, E. (2016). Hootsuite.com. 10 Benefits for Social Media for Business. Retrieved from:

  https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-for-business/

Harnish, V. (2016). Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics, talks with Vern Harnish. Retrieved from

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg46O7c0z9M

Hunt, T. (2014). SocialMediaExplorer.com. 5 Ways to Increase Your Brand's Exposure on Social

  Media. Retrieved from: https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/tools-and-tips/5-ways-  to-increase-your-brands-exposure-on-social-media-2/

Jasinski, K. (2014). BusinesstoCommunity.com. Why Hiring A Social Media Manager Will Benefit 

  Your Business. Retrieved from: https://www.business2community.com/social-media/hiring-social-media-manager-will-benefit-business-01006470#u4Vv4jlbIJqZe85V.97