Why social media?
A Pew Study out this week tells us something most of us would have assumed naturally: The majority (66%) of Americans who use social media do it to stay in touch with friends and family members. Interestingly, 18% of older Americans (54+) use social media to conenct with new people who share similar interests, vs. 10% of the younger group.
For all the fretting about how the internet is changing relationships, and how “real life” is falling by the wayside, about how we can’t truly have as many friends as we do on Facebook (we don’t, and that’s okay), it’s clear that social media actually strengthens relationships rather than weakens them. It’s a tool to stay in touch, to deepen a connection, rather than make another superficial one. I find that very heartening, but not at all surprising. If you spend any time on Facebook, it’s clear it’s a tool to keep relationships familiar and strong.
According to the study, most people who use social media don’t specifically use it to connect to public figures, and many of the ones who do use Twitter. Again, this isn’t very surprising, but it does underscore the difference between Facebook and Twitter.
What does this mean for brands and marketing? It seems to me the most important thing is to understand and respect how people use social media. On Facebook, people are there to connect with their friends and family, not necessarily have a deep relationship with your brand. On Twitter, they may be there for news and public figures, but it’s also about friends and family connections. It’s critical to be authentic and embrace your role as a brand. Be friendly, but not too familiar. Keep it casual. Offer discounts and coupons. In other words, don’t try to force yourself into the fundamental friends/family relationship, but rather focus on how you can best complement it.
Notes
-
holidays-in-croatia reblogged this from maggiehilliard
-
croatiaweatherforecast reblogged this from maggiehilliard
-
termpaperss reblogged this from maggiehilliard
-
maggiehilliard posted this
