Why does social media networking and the concept of the online community translate as simply having a Facebook page and racking up the 'like' count with some eCommerce site owners? " They're all potential customers" is often the reply but this is to badly misunderstand the idea of the social segmented audience in today's multichannel online world.
Recent research has found that over eighty per cent of SMEs say they think 'online communities' are now essential for sustaining successful marketing strategies, while at the same time being vague or misinformed about the engagement process and the constant need for the right type of relevant, meaningful content.
In the new search and social ecosystem, the essence of a community is its' sense of inclusion, which must be created first in order that sharing activities may begin to take place. It therefore, makes no sense to simply 'add-on' a link button to Facebook or Twitter as if this alone is now enough for follower visitors to be encouraged to participate.
Your website needs to be seen to be genuinely immersed into the social stream where products and services swim naturally alongside the freeplay of shareable content, from tweets and blogs, pics and videos, comments and reviews. One happy hunting ground where community spirit dances with online marketing above the fold!
Establishing your individual personality, which speaks with an unique voice from behind the brand identity is vital to 'gaining an edge' above the din of multichannel noise and dull conversation! This can only be achieved by knowing who your community audience are, why they choose to follow and the channels chosen as relevant to both your business and your niche audience segments.
Creating a community means being socially proactive and not vaguely relying on the marketing myths of " build it and they will come". Creating the right content to spread the word with your existing database and mutually chosen channels of social engagement is key to putting in place an integrated long term strategy.
Incorporate the social share buttons with all distributed content, from email marketing campaigns to offline events and physical print. Being social is to attract social! Word of mouth and crowd sourced influence derive from a social marketing impetus. " Say it and they will come" is not it either! The right content said in the right way to the right people at the right time on the right channel takes time to get right!
All content updates need to be fresh, vibrant, relevant and frequent - and on time! Abandoning a blog or simply taking a break for other reasons is not a good look for the developing community of followers. They will simply stop visiting and give all the wrong signals to the search engines.
Social sustainability is key to stayin' alive on today's search and social web. Being involved and committed to the principles of content provision to your community audience is more likely to keep the heart now needed to be seen beating at the centre of your online presence than Vinnie Jones pounding away at the sovereign on your chest!