A few weeks ago I came across a social media presentation online that included a slide with the image you see here. I don't know how the presenter described the slide, but he appeared to be laying a foundation for social media's relationship with a company's web strategy and Internet marketing strategies.
The image struck me right away because, in a single image, I realized there is a whole other category for social media's relationship in the world of marketing from the one I personally hold. Here's what bothered me right away with this particular image:
- It implies that social media isn't a marketing strategy.
- It implies that social media is one of three coequal online strategies.
- It implies that these three things coexist nicely.
- It implies that they are all necessary.
- It implies that these three things are separate and distinct.
If I had to redraw this image is would simply have a maroon circle that says "social media marketing strategy" and leave it at that. That's how I see it. Your web strategy has to be more social now. Not because you even choose to, but because that's what it means to be online.
Why Web Strategy Is Unnecessary
I don't personally hold a separate category for "web strategy" apart from "social media strategy." It's all the same thing in my book because social media just means you're online in the current (and highly evolving) online climate. "Web strategy" existed when there were webmasters in organizations. They were the only people who could make things magically appear on the World Wide Web.
That's not the way it is today though. Everyone in your company can publish online and everyone in your company is a marketer. This is happening every day whether you intend for it to or not. They are already creating your web strategy even if you didn't plan for it. The degree to which you formalize your social media strategy and leverage the marketing opportunities is up to you.
When you say web strategy, you're talking about how you want to be online. When you say social media strategy, you're talking about how people already are online. Only when the two are the same will you see it start to work.
My Bias Toward Internet Marketing
I have to confess right off the bat that I feel like the term "Internet marketing" has been hijacked to mean affiliate marketing, online multi-level marketing, and things of that sort. Internet marketing is probably one of the better terms that could be used to describe social media marketing. It's broad enough to not get tied into a single kind of tool or technology. Unfortunately nobody uses the phrase to mean that so we have to say "social media strategy" to make it distinct and assure people that we're talking "new web" rather than "old web."
Internet marketing as most people know it has very little application to real business. The people who seem to do well appear to succeed by convincing others that they're Internet marketing experts and hold the secrets to success that just happen to be in their latest ebook available for $19.95. I put "Internet marketing" in an mental folder marked "Other" and just leave it there. It doesn't even enter into the conversation about marketing online for business.
8 Reasons Why Social Media Is The Best Marketing Strategy Online
Social media is probably the best marketing opportunity you've ever had. Here's why:
- You can access all the tools you need for nearly free.
- You can find the right people you want to reach more easily than ever.
- You can know exactly what your customers are saying about you without wondering anymore.
- You can earn people's attention by creating content they find valuable.
- You can connect with people directly even when they don't contact your customer service department.
- You can engage and empower your biggest fans.
- You can influence your greatest detractors (or at least the people listening to them.)
- You can generate leads, close sales, network with more knowledge, spy on your competitors, be your own media outlet, and manage your company's reputation.
Internet marketing strategies don't do this. Web strategies (in the old sense) don't do this. Social media marketing strategy does this. It's your web strategy and your marketing strategy. It might change your business strategy. It probably should become your customer service strategy and your PR strategy. Social media isn't just tools and technology. It's the way to be online today because it's the way people are online today.