COMMENTS
I would have no idea how to even find a journalist.
I guess I better start looking.
Who should you outsource your social media to? Marketing experts or journalists? How about whichever one, whoever is AWESOME? Just like there is no one size fits all tool for social media, there is also no one ideal type of social marketing vendor.
The brand has to fit, the message,goals, ffrequency, also all play a part in it.
-AC
I like the idea about having someone write for you that is good at telling stories. This sounds good at the surface but that will get old quick unless you are just writing new copy to write copy to get better SEO.
I still feel as if the subject matter expert is the one who can get this done. Someone who knows the subject well can really discuss the detail behind the product or services especially if they are technical concepts.
When I have a question about something most of the time it is technical or detail orientated and I don't want someone telling me a big story.. I just want answers and I want them now. If you don't give me what I want then I'll go somewhere else without hesitation.
Social media should be treated as triggers to help your overall web strategy. Social media is not there yet, it is still embryonic.
Thanks,
Email Lists Dude
some really good comments here and I agree with the concept of telling a story thats absolutely key to keep people's interest and make you stand out from the crowd
You can start by outsourcing ONE part first, learn from it, and then begin to delegate more.
Anna
Such excellent points. If Social Media is approached with a "traditional marketing" frame of mind, you will fail.
It's all about building a community, and no community wants to be sold to. But, yes, people do love stories. (Probably goes back to childhood - makes you feel all warm and snuggly, like bedtime.)
This is all terrific feedback, and it occurs to me that the opinions on how social media should be used depend upon the perspective - and industry - of the contributors.
In the hospitality industry, where I managed social media for multiple restaurants, I told stories as a means of engagement, but responded to inquiries as a customer-service rep. In the NP world, where I currently work, it's more about providing useful and timely information and also customer-service responses.
Trying to persuade new clients that loyalty comes from engagement rather than repeated sales messages has not been an easy task.
Once I wrote an article in Brazil, which translated would be
Journalist or Marketer, who comes first?
Main idea is, journalists know how to write but in general don't understand the products and technology and marketers understand products but don't know how to write.
So there's a new profile needed, someone with a marketing background but that knows how to tell a story.
Rgds//
Marcelo.
ps: we are launching the first Inbound Marketing agency in Brazil tomorrow.
Marketers do not hype products. Marketers match the right message to the right channel to the right target with the right tone.
A lot of people do not really understand what marketing is. Marketing is a way of seeing the world. If one comes at marketing from a sales or advertising perspective they are missing the whole picture. Is a journalist best? No, a marketer is best; one who truly sees the world Marketing. Marketing is maximising all relationships and processes of a business. http://www.jonathonsciola.com
You can also try outsourcing it to copywriters or storyboard writers in ad/design agencies.
Don't outsource. Nobody cares more about your brand and business than you. Nobody knows more about your brand and business than you.
Why not outsource to a social media marketing "expert"? I've met plenty on Twitter.
I think it takes a certain type of personality to succeed in social media marketing. Generally, the bubbly, sociable types are very good with it. I hate it because I take it too personally and use it as an excuse to procrastinate. I plan to give it another shot, though, soon enough...