Archive for May 28th, 2009
Social Media Can Boost Trust
Skip from stream to stream on Twitter and you’ll see a trend among the brands and retailers posting there: most have something valuable to say. They may not be solving the world’s problems, but they are answering questions, sharing tips, and putting forth advice as it relates to their area of expertise: their market segment.
As a marketing and public relations tactic, the concept of knowledge sharing has long been applied by businesses and brands. The idea is to demonstrate expertise through articles, commentary, and conversations that have a positive effect on the perception of your products and brand.
To successfully integrate social media into your marketing strategy, there are a few things you should keep in mind:
- Online communities and their users appreciate authenticity and transparency; they’ll see right through a poster whose desire to sell his products trumps his interest in sharing what he knows.
- Your objective should be about helping consumers first and foremost; the benefits to your brand will follow.
- Accept the fact that using social media for knowledge sharing is, at its core, a branding and customer service effort, not a technique for quickly boosting sales.
- Communicate effectively and informally, and leave the sales-speak at the door.
- Play the part of consumer as much as corporate representative; put yourself in your customer’s place, try to address his concerns, and deliver information that has some practical applications.
Sharing the knowledge that your company possesses through social media sites is one of the easiest ways to connect with consumers. Playing up your brand’s market knowledge is a smart way to position it in the social media space.
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