The Evolution of the Social Media Management Model
Keeping pace with social media trends is no longer optional for today’s business owner. Across every industry, most of us would agree that our long-term success is intrinsically tied to our ability to drive conversion rates by authentically engaging our audience.
It’s what keeps us up at night and keeps us questioning all day long. Do my customers hear me?
A recent article by Patrick Kitchell explored the challenges of quantifying the impact of social media management, suggesting the current model was collapsing due to the oversaturation that consumer’s face in the onslaught of content marketing. Is there just too much information out there? How do I know that my efforts are paying off for my business?
Everyone has asked themselves this question.
Are my efforts to engage online effective or futile? Am I wasting my time? Am I talking to myself?
Here’s the good news. Today’s social media management model is not collapsing, it’s evolving. And the changes on the horizon may level the playing field for business owners, big and small.
With a little extra heart and some playful creativity, your customers will continue to hear you, loud and clear. If you know your market, you know their language. Stay fluent!
The Nature of the Business Beast
We all know that what sells today may not sell tomorrow. We must constantly explore creative new ways to effectively manage conversions. I tend to think of “traditional methods” as meaning “stagnant” instead of “widely used,” wouldn’t you? Here is what we do know:
The sales model remains the same.
- We identify a problem or need.
- We offer a reasonable solution.
- We close the deal.
The customer remains the same.
- We are all busy.
- We are all impatient.
- We are all reluctant to trust.
So, what has changed?
The Return of the Human Connection
Technology has accelerated the “traditional” sales cycle. The window of opportunity is freakishly small. We all struggle to keep pace with their customer’s expectation for an answer – right here, right now.
“In the moment marketing” was born out of the evolution of “in the moment purchasing.”
Remember when “in the moment purchasing” referred to goodies strategically placed right next to the cash register? Those items consumers would grab out of boredom while they’re waiting in line?
Today, “in the moment purchasing” refers to a momentary idea that immediately results in a purchase on a mobile device – whenever, wherever. A millisecond need that is immediately satisfied.
We now face new challenges.
- How do I establish instantaneous trust with my marketplace?
- How do I measure results in a market that moves faster than I can gather data?
Social media platforms like Blab, Snapchat, Periscope and Instagram offer today’s best shots at effectively establishing trust with rapid-fire consumers. In the absence of the time and patience to thoroughly research options, the human connection has returned. Consumers now go with what they intrinsically feel. They “go with their gut” and let human instinct dictate their buying habits.
This is why audio visual platforms are soaring in the social media arena. We are taught to read body language, watch for eye contact, listen for authenticity. Our entire human experience is dependent on this skill. It’s only natural that we would apply this skill to our purchasing options when impatience disallows our ability to research.
We must adjust similarly to survive or otherwise face extinction.
- We must establish a memorable human connection (a face for our business).
- We must ease reliance on standard metrics and lean in on our own human instinct.
- We must engage authentically with direct audio visual content. We must talk.
Content Reborn
Agile business is more important than ever. We can all accept that we can’t be everything to everybody, but we all strive to be everything to as many people as possible. This now translates to a new marriage between content marketing and “in the moment” marketing.
Why do we need both?
- We cannot measure the level of doubt in our consumers.
- Well-developed content satisfies the “deep diggers” that crave substantiated research.
- In the moment marketing satisfies the “quickies” flying through the marketplace.
Agile business owners must pivot to include both. It’s not an “either/or” situation, with one system collapsing while another takes the throne. It’s a collaborative partnership that acknowledges that people receive information in different ways, and it’s our burden as the seller to deliver what they need, when and how they need it.
Repurpose, Recycle, Reuse
Patrick Kitchell referenced the oversaturation of content, and he’s absolutely right! In the frenzy of social media marketing, we feel pressured to constantly create new material, dumping into the churning stream that flows by our audience at white water speed.
Perhaps we must consider what we have already created and improve upon it.
- Is our content evergreen?
- What can we repurpose to deliver our message directly?
- What can we reuse to develop new audiovisual conversations?
- Do I have any content that missed the mark and needs to be recycled?
Social media management will always be a moving target. It will continue to mirror the evolution of the human race, just like it always has. Just like it always will.
Image: Copyright: ‘http://www.123rf.com/profile_fgnopporn‘ / 123RF Stock Photo
Katy Blevins
Latest posts by Katy Blevins (see all)
- How to Maintain a Healthy Business Partnership - February 25, 2016
- The Evolution of the Social Media Management Model - January 10, 2016
- With This Tweet, I Thee Wed - October 25, 2015
