Social Media Decision Tree

March 4, 2009 · Comments

yes no

Should your company blog? – Yes, all companies should blog. No, your company might not be right for a blog because you want to moderate every comment, or because you don’t really have a goal for the blog, or because your customers just want to eat the hamburgers, not read about what you think.

Should your company be on Twitter? – Absolutely. It’s all about the conversation. No, it means that you’ll have to answer yet another social media phone that’s ringing, and you’re not doing a good job of it on other places you’ve tried, like Facebook and Bebo.

Should your company make YouTube videos? – You Bet! All the greatest things are being done there, like those blender guys. No, because you’re trying to stuff your TV commercials on YouTube and your webinars, and other content that’s as flat there as it is on your site.

The point is actually simple. Coming up with a one-size fits all strategy for dragging companies into social media is just goofy. I could give you another 20 yes answers and another 20 no answers for the way people look to use the tools, and the promises that others make.

It’s not all about the conversation. It’s not a matter of whether you get it or don’t. Like all things, it’s finding what works, building from a foundation, measuring progress, and adapting to new situations.

Pharma companies have to really weigh hard the decision to listen, because it comes with extra reporting requirements. Legal organizations can’t just dive in and blog, because they have to be wary of being seen as offering advice, or insinuating lawyer-client privilege. Marketers can’t just repost any old thing to YouTube, because they might not have the rights for various pieces of the creative.

Projects. Goals. Strategies. Measurement. It’s not all just “make something and something will happen over there.”

Fancy that, eh? What are you finding out that’s different than you originally thought?

Photo credit abhi

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  • Will spread your words as I do agree with your point? i am just surprised you did not include FB, maybe you did in a separate post. Many companies are wondering what they should do about it. I think they, as you mention here, should have a strategy but they should be on there.
  • I'm finding out that every bit of time spent on social media has a cost associated with it. The head of an organization who spends one hour on social networking gives up an hour doing something else. So while developing a social media approach to marketing always makes sense, it may not make sense in the actual moment when the leader has to weigh the cost of that one hour.

    So you have to decide just how much social networking will amount to an effective use of time without giving up the normal, routine productivity that keeps thinks afloat, all the while charting a course that takes the future of social networking into account.
  • And, of course, the same applies for Super Bowl ads, sky-writing, billboards, and tattoos on desperate 20-somethings who want to become billboards. Plus, what might be less-than-desirable for a company in 2008 could be the winning ticket in 2010. If "the answer" was pre-packaged, a lot of us would be out of a job requiring the use of brains!
  • Great post (as usual, you make me sick, heh). What I see that is such a shame are the companies who *say* they want some of this great social media stuff they are hearing about, but what they *mean* is "how much do we need to pay for this to happen" ... which is like buying a very expensive shotgun to shoot their own feet off with ... just going to turn out bad for all concerned :)
  • Social media training may be seen as waste of time but, ı think it is future marketing, and it is very simple you be "honest". Thank you Chris.
  • Excellent post! Almost everyone has heard about social media and businesses are getting on the "social media train" to get quick profits.They make the mistake of blatantly marketing their products on the sites and it simply does not work.
  • I agree with this post, every company must have blog & using Twitter!
  • I tell folks that if and when they choose to dive into social media, they should focus on a handful of tools first before adding more to the mix. It sounds like obvious advice, but a lot of companies spread themselves too thin across too many social media platforms.
  • Great post.

    I've found that just because a niche social network exists for your specific industry, it may not always be the best place for you to connect and share with others. Ditching the niche in favor of more mainstream platforms, such as Twitter, can yield great results. Just because the audience grows and becomes more undefined doesn't mean your voice can't become louder.
  • Businesses don't need to embrace social media.

    They just need to know where they are, where they need to go and how to get there. If blogs or Twitter are part of the journey, well then they should learn how to do them well. If not, there's a great chance for unnecessary trips.

    Once nice thing about a global economic depression is this: so called experts who don't know anything about their potential clients will be left on the sidelines. Which means that the remarkable ones will flourish.
  • Hi Chris:
    You can add these three myths about social media to the equation:

    1. Community is out there waiting for you.
    2. Your audience is wants to hear from you.
    3. Build it and they will come.

    I delve into these myths in more detail at: http://tinyurl.com/d7zfx7.

    Companies, especially those in B2B, have a difficult time letting go of themselves. The culture is ingrained with product launches, customer announcements, and writing white papers that are thinly disguised brochures. There are enormous benefits to using social media - but the answer really is "no" for many companies.
  • What you are saying is there is no difference than any other form of marketing that needs to take into account the prospect, the message, the client and expectations - to name but a few. For many clients it means - heaven forbid - a plan. Yes it is different than anything else they may have done and it will depend on how their prospects and customers are using the web - we have found that in many instances they assume everyone just uses it the way "they" do. Wow - I guess they will all know the right keywords and all the other things critical to a successful program online.
    It takes planning and knowing the whole picture. In some instances it is merely too early - they are not ready to adapt or adopt yet - don't force just guide.
  • Amelia Murphy
    Thanks Chris - a refreshing look that takes us all right back to the reasons behind any project. We have to know why we're doing what we're doing. If there isn't a strategy behind the web vehicle you choose, then it might as well just be noise. Marketing - in any space - is about persuasion. It's a delicate balance of listening and contributing at the right time, to the right audience, in the right language. I've long been surprised that it has been so hard to communicate that marketing communications work has to follow the same good practices, no matter where we do it. I'd rather listen and engage, instead of shouting over everyone else.
  • @Rick has it just right - tools are tools. It's all about putting them in the right order, with the right meaning-making, with the right goals, and the right way to reach those goals. Yep.
  • THanks Chris,

    I appreciate all of your posts on this subject. Legal blogs (like mine) need to be careful to just be posting information. I was reluctant at first to dive in, but the experience has been great. I enjoy "meeting" people online and getting to know them better.

    Marketers are still catching up with this. They know that Social Media is part of the landscape. Its how you use these tools that is important, not the tools themselves and I have been learning in fits and starts.

    You've been a big help. Thanks.
  • Right on Chris. The greatest advice for an internal client is not to rush into what they have seen as the latest and greatest. Molson is fortunate enough to have been engaged in on line marketing (doesn't that sound ancient) for a long time and we've constantly being looking at what is coming at our business fast and furious. We didn't do a blog because blogs were hip, we did our blog because we had a story to tell that wasn't necessarily being told. If I might build on your point here, it is important for companies and their internal clients (I look at people inside Molson outside the communications team as our clients) to know what it is that they want to achieve before jumping in the deep end because they saw people they knew in their swimming. For some it might be as simple as coming to the realization that conversations are being had out there about your company and you can either get in the conversation or just stand idle and let it unfold. For some the stand idle position might be the smartest move, for others it might be about getting in the heart of the conversation and managing what is being said rightly or wrongly about the company or its brands. The net net...eaach company will have its own reasons and rationale for jumping in or not. Cheers @MolsonFerg
  • Hey Chris:

    As usual, well said. Despite the raging buzz around social media, and the more fluid & ad-hoc nature of it vs more traditional marketing means, I think it makes perfect sense that you don't dive in blindly, without some plan/strategy/desired outcomes. I do get the impression, perhaps due to the challenges of measuring/monetizing some social media efforts, that some are getting stuck at the planning stages. Is this really the case?
  • Great tips for new & old companies. I agree that with the way things are going we all need to be more involved with social media.
  • The biggest challenge I see is reconciling traditional marketing and social media in our business plan. Many comments above hinted at this. One can't just throw social media into the marketing mix with superbowl ads and divvy it all up by ROI. It's apples and oranges. But then again, it's not. It's all part of the total conversation.

    Short of a Unified Theory, we're experimenting aggressively with Social Media, but trying to rationalize it on the same page with our traditional marketing - just for exercise and to move up the learning curve.
  • Chris,
    Very interesting (and timely) post. My company just launched a blog to help create a dialogue with our customers. We have quite a few marketing experts who want to share and discuss various topics with their clients; I believe the blog gives them that opportunity. Only time will tell how useful a tool it will be (we've only launched this past month).
    As for Twitter, we don't have a formal company presence, but we have quite a few evangelists, including @daveraffaele @patrickdineen and myself (@michellebb).
    I believe we're engaging in the right fashion using the right tools, but I'm always looking for new ideas and suggestions. Would love your feedback.
  • Very true, thanks for posting this.

    Like you said, social media modalities are just the tools, it takes a lot of time and effort to sit with clients and tease out what it is they want to say/share/sell to whom and then determine which of the many social media tools is appropriate for their individual situation/requirements

    and that is where the 'strategy' part comes in and that is what differentiates successful campaigns from mediocre/unsuccessful ones

    @marioOlckers
  • "What social media methods should I use?" I cannot tell you how often I get this question. My simple advice from a recent blog (after of course determining objectives first) to employees, clients, and friends who ask me about what to use is:

    - New technologies are like vegetables – you do not have to order them again if you don’t like them
    - Set a reasonable timeframe to do a proper evaluation – I typically give it 30 days
    - When you are stressed out, you will not give it a fair shot – It will be there tomorrow (and if it isn’t you saved yourself some time)
    - Make sure you quantify the value you receive to make a sound decision–like with anything else
  • Great post once again, Chris. I am finding out that even after trying to simplify my messages, and visual web aids, that tell our members across various social media platforms how to invite others to join -- so we can have more viral impact over time and grow our audience -- that it is still a huge hurdle to get over. I don't know what the barrier is here, but I still haven't figured it out.
  • Great post! I think you should re-post once per week until it actually sinks for most people.It's amazing how many of us are so resistant to change and are having a really hard time with accepting the "new ways" of doing marketing and creating relationships. You help - thank you!
    @kickofftopic
  • I think this strategy holds especially true for non-profits. Their need to get the word out and development of communities to support the services/programs they offer can only be enhanced with these social media tools.

    I work with a new non-profit that is starting to utilize social media tools as a part of the overall strategy of engagement. We see it as an important part of the overall success of the group and are committed to keeping the content updated and interesting.

    Thanks for the article, Chris.
  • Great post, Chris. And @Rick, tools are tools and the plan is the most important piece.

    The interesting thing with new technologies is that some of the planning isn't proven - and that scares marketers. What if it doesn't work? I can measure this down to the minute level and I'll know if it doesn't work. Traditional doesn't have that immediate feedback.

    With the way the economy is going, I would encourage all marketers to upgrade themselves.

    Learn as much as you can about all of these new things so you can be the expert in the house. You never know you may teach another internal department how to communicate more effectively with these new technologies.

    Keep up the great work, Chris.
  • Blogging and social networking is worth the time dedicated to it, its just that you don't always see the results of your work straight away. Its a slow process.

    The blog my company has set-up is beginning to generate lots of buzz now - but a lot of time, effort and work was put into it before we began to see the fruits of our labor.

    Check out our Marketing Donut blog - http://marketingdonutblog.co.uk/
  • We have made it a practice to integrate social networking into our client marketing plans. Integrated interactive strategies produce better results. And when you combine tradtional media to feed online strategies, results are really good. What makes us crazy is that clients think it's easy.
  • partywedo
    This social media stuff a fantastic process!
    I have just started blogging and yet I can still come to a blog like this and take away great advice and commentary from several experienced marketers.
    For my company, I have adopted a strategy that includes diving headfirst into blogging, learning to swim in the shallow-end of Facebook and as of today, I haven't even dipped my toes into Twitter!
    I know that when I move into other social media or show a video on YouTube, I can rely on great insight from the blogging community.
  • Hey! Someone else that GETS it!

    Nice on Chris....

    I haft to admit, I am a little tired of cleaning up the mess left at corporate executive levels by "social media experts and coaches" that give a rule book of all the things the company needs to do to align with social marketing and community.

    Few of them have any REAL understanding of the implications, and the ramifications of this broad-sword swinging approach to what should be a suit fitting to that company and staff and mission, etc.

    There should be a board or something held before people call themselves "coaches" or "consultants".

    I think you should be in charge of that board, Chris :)

    Well done.

    Ron Davies
  • It's so important for people to understand this, with all the folks running around screaming 'Why aren't you on Twitter?! You're not BLOGGING?!?!!"

    Social media is great, it's revolutionary, and it's helpful. But it's not great for everyone, it's not revolutionary for everyone, and it isn't helpful for everyone.

    Different tools and methods work for different people, plain and simple. Thanks for putting this out there Chris and as always, asking our thoughts! :)
  • This is so true for nonprofits as well. They get excited by Web 2.0 tools and forget that the real key is the organizational communications or relationship-building strategy that underpins them. I can use this post to help remind them that the "shiny objects" aren't ALWAYS the most effective--it totally depends on what you're trying to achieve. (Having said that, I do love Web 2.0s shiny objects!)
  • Chris,

    Companies need some good advice, if they get Social Media wrong it could hurt them not help! Great conversation here in the comments.

    Respectfully,

    Nicholas Chase
    www.twitter.com/nachase
  • Chris,
    You asked specifically what am I finding out was different than I originally thought and the answer would be- everything. Social media is facinating because the rigid lines of traditional marketing don't apply here. There is a constant evaluation and re-evaluation of what's working, what's not, and why. It's important to not be "married" to any idea or outcome, but there is a huge amount of flexibilty required to do that. Long held corporate buying and saturation presense won't necessarily work here, it can blow up in your face the minute you try it. I just dipped my toes into all of this about a week ago, so far, I have revamped, modified, changed and revisited ideas multiple times. I must. A lack of flexibilty will cause a meltdown, or worse, kill something before it has even breathed life.
    Thanks for the Blog! As always, your information is invaluable!
  • Chris,

    Thanks for the post. This is great advice for young entrepreneurs. Being an entrepreneur can be hard to get started off the ground. I view having a blog and Twitter as initial steps and then having Youtube videos as the next step. Give people a reason to check your business out through social media and marketing. Then, convert these people to loyal followers because of the great business you run.
  • The more we expose the tools for what they are, the more nothing has really changed. Corp types are always looking for a silver bullet or the next tool that will give them competetive adavantages, so as Chris so brilliantly pointed out,
    "Projects. Goals. Strategies. Measurement." are as relevant now as ever. They were teaching this in Mktg 101 in the 1950's, it's just that Al Gore had not gotten to the "Interweb deal" (what my Dad calls it) yet.

    Just like any other tool, or media, firms and organizations need to adopt, adapt, and strive to adhere to their core mission & plan. The days of hiding behind voice prompted auto attendants, and email blasts are over. Push strategies are quickly being overshadowed by Pull, and if nobody is at the other end ot the rope-you lose.
  • Chris,
    What I like about your writing is you flip things over and make us think differently, so we really apply it to our situation. I agree with you so far in the - there can be a yes or no for each one of them.

    Can there be a no for all of them together for any company/brand today? I am not sure it is an option for any brand. Its possible they might not have the infrastructure in terms of process and technology to make it happen, the larger their size. But can any one industry afford to stay out of all social media?
  • Chris,Your right!
    We have to look for what works! What is the point of having a blog or twitter account if you cannot make anything out of it? or if its not relevant or interesting to your market? Social media failures can be very tragic for a company because their credibility is at risk. Many companies do not get the social media concept, and that can be dangerous!

    There was an article in Fast Company a couple of months ago that hit on this subject as well. My favorite example of social media fail from that article was about the Papa Johns Pizza app for facebook. You could order Pizza though the facebook app on your profile- BUT you had to order it a week in advance! Who orders pizza a week in advance? how do u know that you will want Pizza in a week? haha .

    Social media is a great tool! and I would probably be the first one to jump out and advice a company to create a blog or twitter account- but you have to consider if it will actually make sense to do it before you embarrass your company.
  • Boy do I hear you loud and clear on this one. I literally just read another email by a guy who wants me to give a presentation to his group on "the social media phenomenon," a term that kind of caught me off guard a bit. Phenomenon? Really? I asked him to be a little more specific and he said, "you know, the new way of getting the word out." While I hardly consider any of this "new" I'm finding more and more people thinking that their company NEEDS to be blogging, twittering, facebooking, YouTubing -- and stop dead in their tracks and silent when I ask them WHY. Most often, it's "because everybody else is doing it," and suddenly I hear myself echoing mothers everywhere when I say, "If everybody else jumped off a bridge, would you?" I always ask them what they hope to accomplish by using these things. If they don't have a real answer, I tell them they're better off not using that tool.

    Truth be told, I too, suffer from "shiny new object syndrome," to an extent, but I also have the sense to ask myself if Shiny New Object Of The Week is practical and/or beneficial for me in some manner. If it's not, I look for something else that is.

    Start with the end goal in mind, then work backwards and figure out the best way to accomplish that and the best tools to use, otherwise you're wasting your time and could do more harm than good.
  • Thanks for the thoughtful post and the wonderful discussion. I'm reminded of a SxSW presentation a couple years ago talking about companies have a "Vice President of Electrification" in the early 1900s. It was a NEW thing to management, so a NEW role was created to figure it out.

    Also reminded of this innovation chain: Books didn't kill the church, telephone won't kill letters/mail, newspapers/magazines didn't kill books, radio didn't kill newspapers, TV didn't kill radio, internet didn't kill TV. It's additive, and humans continue to amaze me with their adaptability, though it takes awhile to see.

    There's a predictable process whereby companies wrap their collective minds around change and integrate it into their cultures. And some of us social media insultants understand what is happening sooner, and help the process along. It's all good!
  • You inspired me to write a post on the very same topic last night.

    I think any company can use social media effectively if they first understand it. Seeing it the way it is instead of thinking of it as another thing to toss money at.

    Excellent post!

    Clinton
  • A while back I blogged about this very topic (click my name to view the post) off the back of a discussion with some mates about the nature of blogs and coporate involvement in them.

    Ultimately, I believe not all companies should blog, mostly because blogging is viewed as a democratic dialogue - where the consumers can have their say and corporates are REQUIRED to answer. And without the right to the final say, a lot of corporates may find themselves being put to the sword without any way of controlling the negative spin. There are other reasons but that is the primary one: lack of control. And mdoerating doesn't help either. Can you imagine the ire of someone who took the time to write a comment on a coporate blog only to find it's been struck from the record? Major fall-out.

    Great post, Chris.
  • I agree. Strategy and measureable goals are often forgotten when social media is discussed. Why is this?
    Regardless of the vehicle (broacast, print, radio, social media) the key questions remain the same.
  • Hi Chris
    We got involved quite heavily in a blog project where we had numerous blogs set for different staff members. Basically we jumped in feet first, blogs, video and some attempted podcasts. The biggest thing that we certainly underestimated was the investment in time it takes to run even just a single blog, not just the writing, but also getting out there and getting involved. Likewise with video the production time from filming to posting can be massive, if you let it.
    When we started looking at the time cost vs the increase in sales we ended up cutting back our involvement in social media, as to the board there was little measurable return except for PR value. I am sure that if we had hung in there longer there would have been greater return, but the board got shy because we couldn't show concrete increase in sales results.
    I guess in hindsight that we didn't mange the boards expectations as well as we should of simply because, back then we didn't know what we do now about the things that you have to do to be successful in social media.
  • I agree with you completely. So many people myself include have jumped in with both feet and misuse this opportunity. I've found a great way to go for quick information is the Q&A section of LinkedIn. You'd be surprised how many people are out there willing to help guide you through their success stories so that you'll at least have an idea of what's working for them and how. We can't wait for the definitive book to come out nor can we afford the luxury of not getting in.

    Follow The Coach Powell revolution here http://twitter.com/CoachPowell
  • Wow ... this is a tough one. Sounds like you've been thinking deeper or learning some new things your self @chrisbrogan??

    I like what @PhilBaumann said up top. Companies need to know where they want to go, what they want to be, etc... and if social media fit's into their plans then they should jump in. but if social media doesn't fit into their plans they should leave it alone.

    I guess the trick is knowing if it fit's into your plans (should or shouldn't it?)

    Anyone have a good way to determine of a company/nonprofit should be using social media?

    http://twitter.com/franswaa
  • So, think before you act (or speak, or jump, or spray your sister with the hose)? I think I've heard that one before ... from my mom ... when I was two. It still holds true.
  • Interesting discussion. Ok, I've just written a blog about the down sides to Social Media which can be found at http://robert-strobel.com.
    Have a read and tell me what you think of the reverse to the positive impact that social media has on business to the impact is has on personal interaction.
    I appreciate your thoughts.
    :o)
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