Social Media is more than just Facebook fans and “Likes”

Last week, I attended the 5^th Annual Social Media for PR and Corporate Communications Conference in Las Vegas, NV. Throughout the conference, social media strategies and measurement were discussed in regards to persuading business leaders to adopt and utilize various social media channels. Presenter after presenter argued the case for social media and how it can be used for businesses in more ways than just to promote a product, service or idea.

Brian Solis, principal at Altimeter Group, a research-based advisory firm, was the opening keynote speaker and shared insights on the future of social media and how businesses will need to adapt or die. One of the biggest takeaways I learned was the need for human connection in social media engagement. Consumers and audience members want to feel recognized and valued in an often-overwhelming world of followers and fans. Solis likened this need to the feeling one gets when a large company replies to one of their tweets or messages. No longer are you just another number on their page – you have been recognized as something more. That feeling of excitement and acknowledgement creates an emotional connection with that company and more importantly, its brand.

Brian Solis, Altimeter Group: www.briansolis.com @briansolis

Solis reminded the audience at the conference that the current social media results we measure are unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Instead of measuring a message’s influence (how it causes, affects or changes behavior), we are measuring social capital (i.e. Facebook “likes”). But what really does a “like” even mean in the long-term? When there is no immediate call to action or engagement, your brand is simply gaining numbers without a cause. Solis explained this lesson with an acronym, the A.R.T. of Engagement:

• Actions
• Reactions
• Transactions

Those three verbs should be the only determining measurement in finding out if a social media campaign was successful or not. Whether a brand garnered 20 percent more followers or fans is irrelevant to the real reason behind that campaign. Besides, studies have shown that less than one percent of Facebook fans even engage with brands. As Solis said, the three F’s (friends, fans, followers) won’t get you anywhere in the long run.

So then, what is important for a social media campaign?

In a world where brands are competing for an audience’s attention and engagement, the most important and attainable goal is to remain relevant. What makes a conversation sharable and not just viewable? There is a need for the social media storyteller more than ever now; someone who doesn’t just talk to an audience, but talks through that audience into their networks. Having something re-Tweeted or shared is like having an audience with an audience with an audience. Once your message goes out to more than just your network, it automatically becomes relevant in a competitive social media landscape. Solis even mentioned the irrelevance of a reporter or journalist when you consider the weight of a network. However, even the most compelling Twitter conversation only lasts an hour in most cases.

The biggest challenge in relevance is staying important well after that first hour is up. After all, resonance will be the new metric moving forward in social media, as Solis suggested. How long will your brand last in an ever-evolving world?

-Kalyn Neils