In our class this week, we discussed several strategies presented in Groundswell. To augment next week’s reading and to benefit Buzz Bin readers in general, I’ve compiled several other social media posts that have been published here or on the Now Is Gone blog. These methodologies and frameworks can either form strategies or inform larger, more complicated efforts (image: chess set by striatic).
Influencing Journalists Using Social Media – The Fifth Estate manifesto outlined the dynamics between traditional media (sometimes dubbed the fourth estate in communications circles) and social media. This strategy was also discussed on Now Is Gone in the Public Relations Long Tail. Intelligently deployed influencer relations strategies can be used to cause a “fifth estate” social media “groundswell,” which attracts the attention of newspapers, TV reporters, etc.:
In essence, the community informs the media when a story reaches a level of importance. The Fifth Estate has become the ultimate source.
Confederated Social Media – Large unwieldy corporate and nonprofit organizations cannot deploy social media from corporate communications. “Instead of trying to control the social media effort under one roof, confederated models try to empower individual stakeholders in the larger organization. A confederated model for a company or non-profit assumes and includes the following:
Water Strategy – In Think Liquid (the final chapter of Now Is Gone), it’s important that the strategist acknowledge that tools and technologies and applications evolve rapidly in social media. The community moves relatively rapidly from social network to social network, from blog to blog. Popularity can be measured in years or even months. To remain relevant, marketers will be forced into a constant social media adaptation process. They will need to be liquid, moving with their community.
Participation Is Marketing – With a fractured, traditional media marketplace and new social media channels, message control is dead. Participation is marketing is not new (as Rich Becker likes to remind me), but it is reborn because of social media. Most marketers can recognize the traditional participation approach with community evangelists (usually non-profits and philanthropic efforts — see the National Business Community blog). Successful social media marketing efforts require companies to become a part of the community. Case studies are listed.
Team Social Media – Small businesses and consultants often feature an individual as the face of the company. But companies and organizations that want to market on the social web for the long term need to deploy teams. This allows them to avoid the pitfalls of a “personal brand” departure and nurture a social media presence built to last.
Additional Resources
Social Media Content Process: This process on Now Is Gone helps new and old communicators alike build social media content strategies from start to finish.
Strategy — A primer on what exactly strategy is…
Geoff,
Incredibly timely article for your favorite Vermonters today, thank you!
Geoff,
I like what you are doing here, I really do. I think your strategy primer is especially pointed.
I have to wonder, for example, is influencing journalists a strategy? I would say “no,” though I recognize you and I define things differently. The strategy is something else. Influencing journalists would be the tactic to accomplish that strategy.
As Dave says … this is a very timely piece and worth some real consideration. I like that you are helping move people off the tactical bullet train and toward something more substantial where social media — and all communication — belong.
Best,
Rich
Rich:
In any complex or sizable effort you would be correct. I contemplated the same thing when I read Groundswell’s “strategies” and asked myself are they really strategies? Indeed, crowdsourcing or starting a community may not be, but if it is getting from point A to point B then it is?
If the goal is to influence media and achieve coverage, then using social media to do it is just one strategy to use. But it is only a tactic in a larger plan. Or perhaps the better word is strategem.
GL
Geoff,
That is very fair. Within the context, I think the conversation is still very valid.
I might construct a different logic line. For example, becoming a leader in the field is strategic. Getting media coverage is one tactic that makes it possible, primarily because of the third-party validation.
Or, because we are both cause sympathetic, preventing AIDS might be strategy, with education as an objective. Educating people about prevention via online community interaction, media articles, etc. would be tactics. Or, with the NBCB (overdo for a facelift), the objective is increase business giving. The tactic is provide examples for other businesses to follow while recognizing those who lead.
Of course, I might add the caveat that none of this is meant to diminish the work. I’ve been reading your coverage on this topic and all the content is extremely useful. And now, I want to buy the book. :)
Best,
Rich
Geoff, I think it’s important to again emphasize this phrase, which you have done: “continuing commitment”. It often gets overlooked because some might feel that we are talking about a campaign- a social media campaign is not the same as a commitment to engage and a commitment to sustain and then.. continuing to commit. Boom.
dear geoff,
thanks for this insightful article. i’ve got some nice bookmarks of companies and institutions that have done well with social media, but do you (or anyone reading this) have examples of comp./inst. that failed to reach their audience or fell behind because they didn’t go forward with social media?
thanks,
aya.