Cerebra

Lately I’ve been involved in some pretty intense arguments about what exactly social media can offer. My generic response regarding the benefits of two-way engagement and making the effort to meet your customers on an open playing field is becoming less and less effective. So what now?

The problem is that we’re no longer the new kid on the block. People are becoming more social-savvy and as a result we’ve got to step up our game. As social business matures, our outlook has to change as well. We should forget about the ePeen-measuring contest of who has more fans, the wider reach, or even greater engagement. I think it’s time we shift our focus to how effective social channels are at driving change within businesses as a result of the online community’s conversation.

We’re a long way off from being as efficacious as print, radio, and TV in terms of reach, but we’ll always have the upper hand when it comes to how we can assist in enabling a brand to change for the better.

I believe in social and all the positives it brings a company that is willing to put itself out there, but sometimes wonder if we’ve sold it wrong; we sell brand love when in fact what we should be selling is how we can make brands love people. It’s this that has me wondering whose side is your social media profile actually on, brand or consumer? The way I see it, we’re the marriage counselor, mediating between the two.

By letting your online community become a stakeholder, with the ability to make tangible changes within the companies they choose to do business with, you offer them a more valuable reason to follow, like and engage with you than by offering them a free iPad. The trick is to close that feedback loop and show the communities that they are helping make the difference.

By showing your fans and followers that you are a brand that loves people, the side effect will be that you create the brand love you initially sought.

Think about it, and go get ‘em tigers.
Peace.