Awareness=Success in Social Media

Social media, to some merely a buzz word, to others the key to business success and for many an unknown realm of which they can't begin to understand the possibilities. Daily, there are reports and articles written about the newest social networking services to become available, one of the most recent being Blippy, which I focused on in my most recent post.

Millions of people each day log onto social media sites for various reasons, some looking for a way to pass some time or gather some information while others attempting to gain success through the expression of their thoughts. The way to gain success in the world of social media, is simple, you must be recognized and sought after. By providing a unique perspective, inside scoop or daring to say what others wont, you too can become a success in this realm.

In a news interview with Scott Monty who is the Head of Social Marketing at Ford and Michael Howard who is the CEO of Kiwibox, it was identified that in order for a company to be successful in the social media realm, they must understand why they are using social media in the first place. For Ford, social mediums are used for advertising purposes, but rather to communicate with their public. In order to build a successful social media plan, Monty provided the following insights used by Ford:
1. Companies need to focus on a social network that targets specific demographics
2. Must be able to find integrative and/or viral campaigns
3. Companies must be aggressive yet nimble

Howard who works for a social networking service designed for teens argues that what is most important in determining the success of an individual or an organization in the realm of social media, is their ability to determine which mediums are most effective.



Although these tips and insights may seem straightforward, it is undeniably important that companies and individuals alike have a plan before they start to penetrate the net for the purpose of being there. According to the article entitled Applying communication theories to the Internet, by Johanna Fawkes and Anne Gregory, public relations practitioners need to work harder to understand, anticipate and meet the needs of their publics and will be able to do this more effectively by determining the most relevant social mediums to their publics.

Please check-out this video which talks further to the point of the importance of knowing who you're targeting due to the amount of information available.