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Social media marketing is all the rage these days. You can hardly turn on the radio or television, or visit your favorite websites without encountering some mention of Twitter or Facebook or some other social networking site. With all of this attention placed on online social networks, it is easy to see how this readily available media outlet has quickly become thought of as the ultimate marketing platform. And, in some ways, it is.
Social media marketing has worked wonders for entrepreneurs with budding business ideas and has breathed new life into the antiquated marketing plans of some well-established companies. Part of the lure – and effectiveness – of social networking sites comes from their ability to provide instant, direct contact with an ever-increasing circle of friends, fans or followers, or in some cases with the general population of that particular website. This has created a culture of copycats grappling to implement identical social media marketing strategies, with little regard to the probable effectiveness for their company.
Riding on coattails is all well and good in some cases, but adopting a cookie cutter social media marketing campaign and implementation strategy simply because everyone else is doing it may not be the most effective use of your time or marketing resources.
This me-too form of marketing is called out as one of the six mistakes to avoid in the Hubspot’s Inbound Internet Marketing Blog article, “6 Marketing Mistakes that CEOs Make.” (http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/4835/6-Marketing-Mistakes-that-CEOs-Make.aspx) In this article, the author points out that lazily replicating the marketing strategies of others is no way to enhance your company’s image with your prospects and takes away the opportunity to build on your company’s strengths and discover weaknesses, which are benefits only offered by individualized marketing plans.
Essentially, just because a particular marketing strategy has proven effective for Company A, this in no way indicates that an identical marketing strategy will work half as well for Company B.
Identifying your target market, knowing where to find it and determining the most effective means of communication are essential components to any marketing endeavor. These same components are crucial to the success and effectiveness of your online marketing campaign and social media marketing efforts. The vast array of applications and outlets available on the Internet has greatly expanded marketing options once limited by more traditional media outlets, increasing the opportunity to pursue more creative marketing strategies and customize your marketing campaign in ways that have never before been possible.
With these greatly expanded options and the ability to tailor your overall marketing strategy, as well as your social media marketing strategy, there is no reason – or excuse – to not take advantage of this exceptional opportunity to set your company apart from the masses and forge a distinctive path that better suits to your needs.
You did not go into business because you wanted to follow the pack. Forgo the “me too” phenomenon currently underway in the world of social media marketing and create a tailored marketing strategy that fits your particular needs and will set you apart from your competition by building on your strengths and expressing your company’s uniqueness.
