Social-media inept?

Another week, another column by Mark Ritson on his rather one-sided opinions on the failings of social media (MW 24 November).

What Mark and the TNS study fail to address is the type of messages that many brands put across on social media platforms. What will fail are those campaigns that don’t adopt the ’social’ aspect of social media and where brands and their agencies continue to push traditional advertising, third-party links and above-the-line-style marketing onto their increasingly begrudging fans.

Companies that talk about six-month social media content plans are equally falling into this trap. This is the very antithesis of social media. Conversations must be adaptable, agile and led by the consumer – only then can brands gain trust and convert fans/ followers into advocates and customers.

Use the analogy of your local pub. You walk in, the bartender smiles, asks you what you’d like. You reply, he serves you and from then on you get more of the same treatment. Alternatively, you walk in, a faceless sign shouts at you to go elsewhere because “it’s better and where we want you to go”. Which are you more likely to engage with? Which is more social? And of course which will yield greater ROI?

Justin Reid, Business development director, Wayn

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