If you can't understand what the business sells in the first ten seconds, the business won't sell.
Being part of a community is not a selling point alone. Creating a community is fantastic if the community is convincing each other to buy a specific product. If the product is just the community then... - "Hey I'm already in! Why do I have to buy anything at all?"
Look at my foot, I think I just shot it.
You know, I jumped on the Facebook bandwagon over a year ago as a way to keep in touch with people I hadn't seen in a while. It actually generated a biannual class reunion with some really great people. It was a great social tool.
Then they went and changed it and now it's complicated and not very user-friendly. I couldn't even guess why they made the changes they did--except to try to advertise to us better. So now just about nobody I know uses the thing anymore.
But we still have those great reunions!
It's all fine to have different oppinions on social media. But you sorry a** f***rs are clearly too friggin' gray and old farts to get social media and how younger people more and more want more than consuming. If you think we consume for rational reasons only, just because we need shoes on our feet, and not for identity, then you are, to paraphrase Parker, fucktards. If you believe positive feelings towards a brand will help gain sales in the end (read favorable brand, positive associations etc) then you would want to engage and help engage existing and possible consumers. That can be done in social media, to use that not completely defined phrase. If not - you don't want to work with brands at all, just offers and cold selling stuff.
No, it cannot be measured on sales allways, but neither can the Apple Nerd Get Together every year. I think Parker said something about that too, and he hates social media too, doesn't he? With that example it's perhaps easier for you to understand what that'll do to sales, buzz, expectations etc in the future. And sales. That is what (if done properly) applications for example, of course smaller scale, can do. Maybe not the best example, but I can't be fucked trying to explain to old farts. Wake up now, or just die producing TV, print and other shit.
But I do agree it (social) has to get better. But it can be measured on other goals than direct, short term sales. Otherwise why bother educating customer service to handle complaints in a way that end up a fairly positive experience in the end? Measure that on sales?
And if this blog gets "ten times that" you have (but don't take) the opportunity to attract some clients that do understand the value of the social aspect.
Oh.
Why does "O.S" have to spew ***** comments instead of presenting cogent arguments? What possible good can come of such ****** behavior. It merely debases a potentially interesting dialog.
Why does "O.S" not have the courage of his/her/its personal convictions by using his/her/its actual name?
Spewing **** incognito is cowardly and immature. Is this what we should expect from 'social networks?' If so, please include me out.
Facebook apps are so mid-2007. iPhone apps are where it's at. Until three months from now.
Bob: You're missing an important distinction here: Facebook apps aren't the problem.
BAD Facebook apps are.
No more or less than bad ads.
An app like Pizza Hut's recent foray, which lets people order pizza off without leaving Facebook is an example of what a good app should look like.
It's of real value to Pizza Hut lovers on Facebook who want to order pizza. Period. No message, no clever tag line. Nothing other than letting their customers know that "we get you and here's something to make your lives a little easier."
Alan:
There's nothing harder for a provocateur than to be reasonable.
John Joss. You have a point of course. Could do without the ***. Appologies. However my point remains, and there's not enough space to write in depth arguments other than the ones I presented, which one has to simply think about. An Alan is right. It's good ones that add a service that DOES, add value and add to the possible possitive associations with a brand. It's doing good stuff with people. That they like. This builds a brand.
I'm a bit surprised how this blog, however without the ****, constantly keep banging on social. I sincerely mean that I'm sure you can find the positive stuff in it if you buried yourself in it for a while. But If yo go in thinking "how can we sell stuff this quarter" it's not going to happen. But surely that can't be how you reason with your clients? Quarterly?
O.S.
This blog has nothing against social media. As matter of fact, I enjoy social media and partake in it every day.
What I try to point out is the overblown business claims of social media maniacs, just as I try to point out the baloney perpetrated by all other kinds of advertising b.s. artists.
It is TAC's sworn duty to fight hypocrisy where he finds it.
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