Branding in Social Media vs. Traditional Media
August 25, 2008
Integrating a social media plan into your branding strategy has moved from being an option to becoming a necessity for survival in today’s fast moving marketplace. Not too long ago, the thought of adding a viral component to a marketing campaign was a nice add on but hardly a requirement for success. Today, the companies that are going to survive and thrive are the companies that understand the importance of social media and experiment with it to find the best ways to leverage its reach and power in order to drive returns.
With that shift in strategic direction in mind, consider the ways that social media differs from traditional media described below.
Source
Social media is produced through self-publishing and user-generated content vs. the professional media outlets such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines used in traditional media.
Marketing
Social media leverages pull marketing while traditional media relies on push marketing strategies.
Cost
Social media requires a far smaller monetary investment than traditional media usually does.
Market/Audience
Social media typically reaches and influences a highly targeted or niche market vs. traditional media which often reaches a broader audience.
Messages
Social media messages come directly from individual consumers while traditional media messages most often come from the company behind them.
Interactivity
Social media is highly interactive generating ongoing conversations between multiple individuals while traditional media provides one-sided messages in a passive format.
Based on the differences listed above, it should come as no surprise that well-executed social media marketing campaigns can be highly influential. On the other hand, a negative buzz that spreads throughout the social web can be very harmful to a brand. The lesson to learn is that social media is here to stay. While the recipe for success in leveraging the social web to build brands has yet to be determined and quantified, the point is it can’t be ignored. It’s essential to incorporate social media into your marketing plan and branding strategy.
What social media marketing techniques have worked well for your brand or company?
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Written by Susan Gunelius · Filed Under Brand
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2 Responses to “Branding in Social Media vs. Traditional Media”
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I predict the next 3 sites to be aquired are -
http://www.linkedin.com (professional networking)
http://www.techcrunch.com (popular tech blog)
http://www.realmatch.com (job matching technology)
Notice that two use social media components. If you want to start a site, it must have a social component.
Richard, I think you’re right on the money in terms of the need to include a social component to websites - whether its a blog, forum, or networking tool. I also like your predictions for sites that will be acquired. So far Facebook has balked at all acquisition attempts. Could LinkedIn be the next prize? Let’s wait and see….