A few weeks ago we published “12 Questions you should ask when Implementing Social Media Solutions” this question was one of those asked and is the topic of today’s mini article.

Determining a strategy based on this question will largely depend on what your marketplace is, who your typical customers are, their demographic characteristics and their psyche. The person making the marketing decisions will tend to turn towards familiar territory when developing a Social Media strategy, which may not always be the smart move. For example using Social Media when trying to promote a new product aimed at on-line teens; you will not find many teens on LinkedIn for example as the site is focused towards professionals and executives and the site policy states that it is for people over 18; yet this may be where our executive spends her on-line life.

In order to market to people through Social Media it is necessary more than ever before to develop a brand persona and bring that persona to life, more so than for any other form of communication. This has characteristics which will be recognised by target market – they will identify with it. The prospective customer needs to feel that they are communicating directly with that ‘person’, so it is necessary to breath life into the product.

All social media activity must be via the brand. Continuing on the theme of the teen market you will need to understand the different locations for teens interested in music than for teens interested in sporting goods, although there may be some crossover obviously. For the business seeking to intervene in social media it is important they find the right site to be involved in from the literally hundreds available. This choice will almost certainly include the style of music, since each tends to have very different sub-cultures.

This involves a lot of research into the right locations to use for the relevant market. It is also seen to be relevant to the prospects out there – having someone aged 50 writing the posts for a teen site might not be a smart move. Would they know whether it is cool, kool, kewl, or hot? The latest recruit or even the latest teen idol you are trying to generate interest in may be the right person to make the posts – spelling mistakes and all.

Food for thought.

Reference articles:

“Brand Elevation Through Social Media and Social Business”

“Social media can strengthen customer relationships”