Slicing the World of the Wide Web

I was at a marketing conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where many of the attendees left bemused and confused after listening to the well-intentioned panel talk about how you need to 'listen' with social media. Listen. Listen.

One of the guys after the conference said to me later, "Right. Listen. "Social media's like a cocktail party." So how do I sell my generators"? There comes a point where you need to stop listening, take what you learn, and engage. But where to start?

Marketing in a world without borders - the world wide web. What's happening more and more is that companies aren't trying to appeal to everyone on Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn, but to those groups most receptive to what they have to offer.

Ford is breaking it down to go after local customers, targeting 16 regional markets.

And a point can be made that the 'Big Four' of social media - Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube - are not necessarily the best road to find where your specific customers hang out. They are the most well-known, but not necessarily where people who buy generators, for example, are looking for information. Finding niche sites that align with your product narrows your focus, many times in a good way.

Instead of trying to conquer the overly heated, entire web world, try targeting the small worlds your customers live in.

Comments

[Steve Kidd]

I totally agree Gene. Businesses try to bite off too much.They first need to start a tangable connection, then it can be something like "Today Oakland County, tomorrow... or maybe the day after, the World."

[Gene Brady]

I think a great guideline that underlines this point is that 'it's about engagement, not eyeballs'.

Many companies chase having a high number of followers. But I'm sure those same companies would rather be engaging with 12 good prospects rather than 1200 followers, aka 'web gawkers'.

[Russ]

Excellent points Gene. As you point out, social media is much more than the "big 4". And that is what makes it so time-consuming and complicated, and the reason why so many companies are failing at it. It seems easy on the face of it. But to make it work requires a HUGE investment of time and knowledge. The DIY approach is difficult at best, and counter-productive at worst. Targeting those niche sites, engaging with them productively and getting results requires expertise and a time/labor investment most companies don't have. The tools are free and seem easy to use on first blush. But like a pencil, everyone can use one, but few can create art with it.