I have seen quite a shift recently in the way that companies are handling their social media needs. I am seeing companies that before only though social media was a fad and that it was the marketing gimmick du jour, are now embracing the idea that this new type of online participation is here to stay. This is not by any means surprising. Many of the things that I have been preaching over the last 5 years are continuing to be something that seems to work in the online world.
The crazy times I have been experiencing are trying to keep up with the demand. This is not a bad thing in this type of economy. The other problem I have had is adjusting to the needs of clients. They for years never wanted anything to do with social media and now they seem to want the magic overnight. I have a difficult time explaining that social media is not a silver bullet and not something that is implemented and like the magic beans grows a stalk to the promise land overnight.
It is not too late to beginning a social media program at your own company and in fact the longer you wait the longer it will take to see the benefits. Those that hopped on the bandwagon a few years back are just now seeing the fruits of their labor. Social Media takes time. The participation in communities and earning of trust is not something that can be done on Monday and the fruits of that participation are seen on Friday. That is not to say that those stories don’t happen but they are rare in any sense. Get started today. Okay, maybe not today as I am still trying to catch up from yesterday!
UPDATE: A great post from Phil Johnson at Advertising Age should be read on this as well.
Tags: social media, consulting, advertising, marketing, public relations
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Shavkat