Communication via a massive amount of one-way media is called “brand monologue”. Even though we just made that up here at Liqui-Site, the point is that any brand that only talks at consumers probably won’t be heard. Real interactive communication takes place when both sides pay attention to the other, react to one another, and abra-cadabra: a brand dialogue is born.
Yes, technology has changed how brands and their audiences communicate – across all channels. The explosion has occurred and reoccurred especially in the social media sector. (And your CEO said it was all just a phase!) Going forward, the mega social marketshare of blogging, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn will continue to expand the interactive brand dialogue, and that needs to be at the heart of the marketing communication strategy for every successful brand, large or small. But more than that, it needs to be measurable. OBTW, we can calculate ROI for social media... In real dollars AND sense!
Behavioral marketing, search engine marketing, and performance-based marketing are concepts too big and amorphous for most corporate laypeople. Email marketing is the only vehicle of the bunch that means something to people, yet many suits think their nephew’s college roommate can do that for their business AND have it be successful.
On a broad scale, blogging, social networking and viral media are the foundations that stir people to take action. This is where your call-to-action truly takes shape. Messages need to be communicated and, when appropriate, sold.
Did you happen to see the huge email / blog blunder of Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings? He really pissed off his devout users – and thousands of them (including me) really let him have it. Check out Reed's post. (Though, my favorite lines from the post were “Companies rarely die from moving too fast, and they frequently die from moving too slowly.” AND “Actions speak louder than words. But words help people to understand actions.”)
So, social, viral or any form of online marketing can’t be "sold" or measured unless you embrace and understand the basic tenets. Yes, companies want an ongoing, interactive brand dialogue with consumers. In fact, they hunger for it... But they must do it right.
by Richard Feldman Liqui-Site Designs
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