Social media and your business plays a vital role in how your brand is viewed whether you know it or not. For some, the relative anonymity of social media affects how they interact and deal with customers and potential customers. Do your online interactions differ from your interactions with people in person? This is the case quite often and we need to be cognizant of the attitudes and personas we are projecting online as more of our business is generated on sites like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. So what is your social media style? Here are a few classifications of social media personas that businesses are using today to engage consumers.
The Best Buddy
If you exhibit any of the following traits online, chances are you fit this style: friendly, courteous, helpful, cheerful, positive, and tell a lot of jokes. In this style, business is a social enterprise. Sharing information, tips, and other links about current and relevant trends is a staple of this social media style. Generally, subscribers to this online persona follow the golden 80/20 rule. 80% of online interactions are helpful and informative. 20% of your time is spent on business lead generation. Your goal is to make friends of your customers. The benefit of this style is that it is very personal and approachable. Ease of communication is an asset and your goal is to eventually meet face-to-face with your customers. This social media persona is great for small businesses and locally targeted business.
Examples: Turtle Jacks chain restaurants, Muskoka Cottage Brewery
Bob Barker
Businesses that tend to offer contests and specials fit into this category. The goal is to generate a lot of buzz and social media conversations about their brand. Customers become a fan base and follow along right through to the end (a photo caption contest) to hear the big announcement of who won. Loyal fans and customers will often retweet and Digg company news, especially contest announcements. Some companies even reward this viral behaviour with additional awards and recognition. Viral videos and spin off blogs are huge for this social media persona. They often coincide with ongoing contests or specials, creating a social media frenzy. The savviest of this online persona will often engage their fan base and community through forums and threads, borrowing a page out from the Best Buddy style. In order for this approach to work, trust in the brand is a premium. Customers need to be on the same philosophical page as the corporation and exude a level of commitment to the brand that goes beyond a passing fancy. Crazed fans are your best marketing weapon. Going viral and developing an extremely loyal fan base is the goal of this persona. Medium to big companies typically employ this online marketing style with varying degrees of success.
Examples: Piranha Golf, Santa's Village
Good Ol' Reliable
Proponents of this social media persona are great listeners and are extremely affective at one-on-one communication. They are great problem solvers and epitomize what customer service and support should be. Practitioners of this online style monitor their brand daily through all available social media channels. You are helpful but do not endeavour to become your consumers 'best buddy'. Following what your fan base is saying about your brand, as well as participating in these discussions, is paramount. Companies looking to employ this style believe that social media is an important aspect of customer service and marketing. All complaints and questions get addressed quickly. There is one voice, one philosophy, which is usually well-crafted by experts or consultants. Your priority is to acknowledge a customer's need to be heard and attended to. Large businesses in the service or retail industry frequently take on this persona.
Example: Dell
An Army of Ants
This is perhaps the most risky of all social media personas. A company using this style encourages, and equips, all of their employees to participate in social media, especially blogs. Many voices, rather than a sole voice, spouting the company's praises is the goal. The more engagement, the better. Using this style, many small social media relationships are cultivated rather than a large direct one. The challenge is to get all employees on the same page sharing the same value system. There is real potential for disaster here if this is not the case. On the other hand, the upside in marketing gains and lead generation is huge. Putting out all the small fires that will inevitably arise is an important task. This approach is usually edgy and full of 'outside-the-box' thinking and ideas. It is vital for companies using this online personality to have a social media policy in place that all employees abide by. Free reign in this instance is asking for trouble. Companies whose purpose is to generate buzz or are in an innovative and technological field often utilize this method.
Example: Hubspot
Jason James Ferris
http://www.rdfunlimited.com
http://blog.rdfunlimited.com
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