Can brands ever be welcome at the social network?
As more brands rush to jump on the social media bandwagon and harness the power of social networking websites such Facebook and Twitter to become ‘friends’ with their customers, they do not always receive a warm reception.
These social media sites need to offer brand-friendly business solutions to increase their own revenue and profitability but not at the cost of user experience. There is a danger of popular platforms like Twitter – and the brands that use them - alienating users with heavy handed promotional attempts. A recent report told how Ford has recruited 100 ‘agents’ who are rewarded with free use of a car in exchange for spreading the Ford Fiesta gospel throughout social media. Two basic principles underlie the difference between effective and clueless use of social media by brands: the content has to be engaging, and it has to be authentic. Paying bloggers to promote a product will be quickly seen through, and sending followers corporate-speak marketing messages is likely to alienate them. Brands must remember that ‘social media” means two-way communication so they must listen and respond, not just broadcast.
