Wednesday, February 11, 2015

How Much Social Media Do I Need?

For as long as we can remember we have been discussing the merits of increasing distribution of content through as many channels as possible.

Of course every business can control their own channels and what information goes through those channels - websites, blogs, Facebook and Twitter, photo sharing sites, video channels and even online travel agents - but what is unclear is where that information then goes. The whole reason for uploading content into the cloud is to try to get it shared as widely as possible. Put it up and let it go.

This requires a distribution strategy and a positive content creation strategy and it is clear that individual businesses can never reach all distribution channels with a single message nor hit all niche markets with a standard line of promotion. 

A successful content distribution strategy therefore requires others to start talking about you. The more chatter there is out there the more chance you have of being found by the customer you had never even thought existed. Keep your distribution to normal channels and you by definition narrow your target market and will keep fishing in the same pool with an ever diminishing number of fish to catch.

It is therefore our belief that nurturing partnerships who wish to talk about your product positively is the best PR possible, of course you don't control the message but if that partner is a trusted one then the benefits are always likely to outweigh the benefits.

If that is accepted then you can never have enough positive distribution channels across multiple media. Your product may be doing well but it requires new markets to replace old in an ever changing marketplace and not looking beyond the present distribution may be seen as being very ricky. Make sure therefore that you develop these third party relationships, that you provide the resource that they need and encourage their positive PR whenever and wherever possible. It is the lowest cost of marketing available and third party non aligned recommendations are often the most effective in terms of return on investment.

Share Press Releases. Make images copyright free and accessible online. Share video. Offer incentives. They all will help build third party content distribution and increase your exposure.

Set up costs for social media may be small but the investment you need to make to ensure its effectiveness is time. And time is expensive. If someone else is doing this for you and indeed with you, that reduces risk and increases potentials reach. Win win scenario.

Search is a moveable feast and changes in logarithms has the potential to wipe out some of your best and most effective channels overnight. By increasing the routes to market you again by default reduce the risk of exposure to negative change. 

So in short, can you ever have too many social media and content distribution channels? 

Never.

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