| u Really Know Social Media? 8 Huge Misconceptions | | | | marketing representatives for help. They know it |
| About 10 minutes prior to writing this, I was combing | | | | better than you and I. |
| through articles to see if there was a definition of | | | | 5. The large companies know social media, why |
| social media which I really liked. There was nothing. I | | | | doesn't our company just use the same vendors? |
| came across an abundance of articles which were | | | | There are a few things wrong with this statement / |
| vague and which the author had seemingly no idea | | | | question. First, a lot of vendors feast off of |
| what social media is. | | | | ignorance. Second, many feast off of an interview |
| Social media is a way to bring to people together via | | | | they did with some newspaper - maybe they were |
| the web and spark an interest in the online | | | | featured in the LA Times two years ago. Don't |
| community, thus enabling these users to converse | | | | believe everything you read. |
| about said topic (or topics) together on your social | | | | Third, some of these firms, in the early stages, |
| media platform. | | | | obtained Fortune 500 clients and they use this to |
| Common Misconceptions: | | | | leverage sales with future prospects. What most |
| 1. In 99% of instances, you do not know this | | | | people don't know is that it has a huge snowball |
| medium if you play on Facebook and Twitter. These | | | | effect. If a company was to snag a contract from a |
| are social media applications which have defined and | | | | big fish, they have free reign. Forth, these companies |
| set a standard for the networking platform as we | | | | have bigger fish to fry and, more likely than not, do |
| know it. Most likely, what you are doing is using | | | | not have a high priority for low paying accounts. |
| these various platforms to chat with your friends | | | | 6. Let's keep the social media decisions to the |
| and, depending on the site, possibly networking. | | | | executive marketing team. This is quite off-base as |
| 2. It's okay to put "social media" on my resume. Yes, | | | | well. Do you remember those kids you hired and put |
| due to the fact that a lot of marketing divisions of | | | | in a cubicle? Like it or not, they are the closest you |
| firms do not know what social media actually is, you | | | | are going to get to a media expert. SM is a young |
| may get away with it. However, you will eventually | | | | person's game. Your firm should have these |
| (and it will happen) run into somebody who knows | | | | youngsters involved with every decision you make |
| social media and you will be embarrassed. | | | | regarding social media. Swallow your pride and use |
| 3. SM is for every company. Wrong! Your company is | | | | the appropriate resources. |
| going to be competing with 100 hundred other firms | | | | 7. You're involved in the medium because your |
| in your space to get the attention of online gurus. If | | | | company has a video on YouTube. That's like |
| your company sells office products, you should | | | | comparing your high school football competition to |
| probably save your money. I once had a competing | | | | the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, if you get 1,000 hits a |
| recruiter ask a client who was in telecommunications | | | | day to your video, yes you know social media. |
| hardware if the marketing person in which they | | | | Though, if you did, you would probably not be |
| needed to hire had to have experience in the | | | | reading this as it is quite elementary. |
| medium. If none of your main competitors have an | | | | 8. Putting the Twitter, Facebook logos, etc. on your |
| Alexa rating under 200,000, then creating a buzz | | | | site means that your firm is heavily involved in SM. If |
| through these types of platforms will cost too much | | | | you're saying to yourself, "well, we have 2,000 |
| money and probably won't have much effect. | | | | followers on Twitter," look closely as to who they |
| 4. People who truly know and can effectively | | | | are as the site has a terrible spam problem. |
| execute SM can be hired for under $150,000. Being | | | | Now that you have an idea as to what social media |
| effective at social media is very, very hard. If | | | | is, you should have fun and toss around ideas as to |
| somebody has mastered this skill, they can make | | | | how to effectively utilize it for your firm. When doing |
| your company rich. However, if you think that they | | | | so, you should have your young marketing |
| are in the business to do so for under $150,000, | | | | representatives in the room as they will prove to be |
| rethink your strategy. At first, use your younger | | | | an invaluable resource. |