The social media presence strategy

Companies operate in a constantly evolving environment.  They have to adapt to numerous changes:
♦ changes to the company itself 
♦ changes to its activities
♦ changes to its market
♦changes to distribution channels.

In light of these changes, companies need to reconsider their methods of communication. 
Interactive communication and brand presence on the Internet also rapidly evolve. 

But while social media are currently all the rage, their use is by no means universal. 
♦ Often companies use social media and social networks to be like everyone else, in other words, to be like their competitors or their clients.  This strategy is likely to lead to disappointment, or even failure.

♦ We often see a scattergun approach to brand communication using all available channels:  Facebook, Twitter, Iphone applications, Youtube, etc. Brands are visible on multiple channels and companies use all the methods that are available to them.

♦ Sometimes changes in current trends make companies switch from one media to another, from using a Blog to using Facebook for example.

Although of course companies need to adopt a method of communication which is more flexible than a simple web site, they also need to establish an ambitious, over-arching, meaningful communication strategy using multiple channels.

Social communication of a brand focuses upon choosing the right channel for the right message: 
• Which channel is appropriate for which message?
• How do we choose the most relevant and appropriate network?
• Should we publish our advertising messages on a brand blog?
• Should we use Facebook to illustrate company values? 
• Should we use Twitter to highlight our company's position?
• These are essential questions when establishing an Internet presence strategy.

The multiplication of social networks makes the issue more complex and poses additional questions.

Why use one social media rather than another? Any use of social media involves an aim, an issue and even a risk.

A company director called me recently:  "I have a problem in terms of managing and publishing content. Which communication channel should I use for different types of content?  What kind of content should I publish through which communication channel? "

The social media presence strategy must be integrated into all organisations' overall strategic considerations.

Creating an intelligent link between editorial content and connectors (Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn, etc.)

This creates coherence between the brand's position and its signature:  the tool - whether it be social media or a social network - must comply with the company's digital communication strategy.  The tool reinforces the message.

Blogs promote identity and reputation

A brand must demonstrate how it is different and what distinguishes it from its competitors.
• How should a brand be positioned on the web? 
• How can a brand's values be showcased?
• How can companies develop their visibility? 
• How can companies promote their reputation?

More often than not, companies already use Facebook, as a way of creating a customer base and generating customer loyalty, as a means of engaging in dialogue with its best customers and ambassadors, testing new products, and even launching a virtual shop front. This is now known as "F-commerce" or, more broadly, social commerce.

If the company aims to qualitatively develop its image and its position, it must be visible to Internet users in a clear and accessible way.
Company values, corporate citizenship commitments and areas in which a company is leading the way are not always visible on the web, and companies are often not sufficiently present when consumers search for relevant and up to date information.

An exclusive presence on a single channel - a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube - is neither a viable nor a sustainable social media strategy.  This is because each of these channels responds to a precise objective which is distinct from the others:  building a customer base/customer loyalty, increasing net sales, creating an active community, developing reputation, promoting visibility, etc.

"The blog is the centrepiece of all digital communication for my brand. It is the best tool for establishing, building and maintaining a strong identity", one company leader said to me recently.

Rightly so, the brand blog is a communication tool which symbolises dynamism and modernity.  It can differentiate a company from its competitors and can promote visibility.  It provides companies with a personality and a "human" face.  A blog allows companies to express themselves, to be seen, to influence, and to question:  it gives companies a voice.  It shows that the brand is involved.  It ensures the brand has exposure.

A blog allows companies to:

• Establish a brand, speak out and differentiate itself from the crowd, be transparent, and to take a position on current or societal issues,
• Position the brand as an expert in the field, highlighting its skills, attracting new kinds of clients, and building a relationship of trust with the brand,
  
• Improve referencing by increasing the visibility of the brand through high-quality, reliable and unique multimedias content, which is highlighted by search engines.