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Watch What You Say
1/26/09: Although social networking is all about the free exchange of ideas and information among community members, one group needs to self-monitor the messages it is putting out through social media: marketers.
The point is true when becoming involved with existing social media and even extends to communities that a property or company has established. Once the community gets going, it belongs to its members, not to you.
“Social media users are very savvy. They’ll accept brands in their world if they believe in them,” said Aviva Kleiner, marketing director with Dreaming Tree Films, producer of the Samsung Fresh Films teen filmmaking contest.
Marketers can kill any trust users have in them if they are not transparent in their communications and if their contributions, content, offers, etc. are not seen as authentic, organic and relevant to the user’s social media experience.
Youth marketing agency Fuse last month helped shoe marketer Converse Inc. keep that in mind for its recent roll-out of a skateboarding-themed social networking microsite, said Issa Sawabini, an agency partner who helped develop the site.
“It shows the location of skate parks and where skateboarders can get the best cheeseburger by the park. It touches on everything the target audience is excited about and doesn’t put the brand’s needs first,” he said.
Sources
Dreaming Tree Films, Tel: 773/334-8380
Fuse, Tel: 802/864-7123