Social Media Executions: Location, Location, Location!

I’ve been thinking today about social media strategy in marketing communications. “Social media” is, of course, a very broad (and trendy!) term, and I’ve been trying to qualify things a little better for the purpose of thinking about different strategic lines of thinking. Qualifying what is most important has me thinking a bit like a real estate agent: location, location, location!

Social media has everything to do with communication between people. But I believe in looking at social media strategy, we have to think about WHERE this communication is taking place. I’ve narrowed things down to three broad categories of “places” where discussion can take place:

1) Existing Social Networks

Examples:

• creating a Facebook fan page
• posting a video on YouTube
• posting photos on flickr
• updating a Twitter account with brand news and offers

Advantages:

• built-in audience
• existing functionality may facilitate rapid execution

Disadvantages:

• consumer uptake in what may be a saturated environment
• potential for backlash from user community

2) Brand Properties

Examples:

• company blog or podcast
• brand-specific user generated content site
• creating profiles, messaging, friending on brand site

Advantages:

• highest degree of control
• can be built to spec

Disadvantages:

• expensive and time consuming compared to other options
• uptake — build it and they may not come

3) User Properties

Examples:

• posting comments on consumer blogs or forums
• pitching bloggers, offering products for review

Advantages:

• can help directly shape consumer discussion around brand
• potential to create greatest brand loyalty

Disadvantages:

• least control, most potential to backfire if not handled delicately
• requires ongoing and consistent commitment to do it right

I am trying to develop this thinking out a bit more and would LOVE to get your input. Am I missing anything in these categories? What other advantages or disadvantages would you see beyond those I’ve listed?

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