How to get your brand in shape for social media marketing

Let’s face it. As marketers we all secretly dream of creating the killer viral campaign for our brands and products. Those very special, yet somehow elusive campaigns that seem to spread like wildfire (seemingly with little effort), capturing the hearts and imaginations of consumers across social networking sites and blogs.

But we all know it’s not as simple as putting up a fan page on Facebook or Kaixi001. It takes a long term approach and sustained effort before it can blossom and grow on its own. But how do we know when we’re ready?

A good example is 24-year old Taiwanese singer Lin Yu Chun. He is the latest internet sensation and Asia’s response to Susan Boyle. Not long after a video of him singing was posted online, the hits just kept coming to the tune of tens of thousands of hits, making him an instant overnight celebrity and earning him airtime on CNN.

Like Ms. Boyle, it all started with his appearance on a popular singing competition on TV, which led to his video being posted on blogs, Facebook and YouTube. Today he has an agent and is preparing to perform in America.

OK, but before we put ourselves out there like Lin, here’s how to shape up:

Own it. Top bloggers that earn millions of hits each day have something in common. They are constantly uploading new and unique content that make their blogs so addictive. This is why brands and marketers must appoint the right person for the job – someone that is responsible and that can articulate the right message and tone, and work with key influencers. This is more than PR and press releases. It is about active engagement where you can transcend brands and products, and be linked more closely with passions, interests and life moments.

Listen and learn. Time and again studies have shown that more than 90% of consumers trust and listen to the opinions of those they know or credible strangers. Beyond the brand tracking studies that most marketers conduct, we need to listen and understand what consumers are saying and the emotions they are expressing online. This is why buzz tracking is so important. Because it offers valuable insights into how consumers are responding to your brand or messages and offers clues as to the next steps you should take.

People first. Identifying the right partners is a crucial part of the formula for accelerating results. Draw up a list of key influencers, communities, blogs and social networking sites that your target consumers are close to and find ways to partner with them. Apple is a great example of finding the right partners and leveraging their resources for free media exposure.

Know the lay of the land. Consumers are finding information organically and looking for content in places beyond the traditional corporate and product/ campaign websites. So it’s important to understand how and where consumers are searching for information so that your messages can be 'sharable and findable'.

Always last but certainly not least, measurement. Look at the volume and quality of online conversations about your brand vis a vis your competitors. Be clear about what you want to achieve through social marketing. And then manage, monitor and optimise your campaigns. When done right, you will certainly see an impact on brand equity, purchase intent and customer loyalty.

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