An interesting piece by David Howell, who writes for The Guardian, in Business Edge magazine (the magazine of sussex enterprise) which I picked up in Brighton. Here are some of the key points:
Dialogue with audiences in digital environments is an on-going requirement and if it is not done on a regular basis then campaigns and relationships will be disjointed.
It is not just the large social networks like Facebook that carry influence, it is also niche forums, niche sites and niche blogs.
Advertisers need to build trust of members of social networks before they will become receptive to any advertising or promotional messages.
Social media is at its core about interaction, engagement, communication, openness and sharing.
Businesses must understand they they cannot control or exploit social networking but they can influence, create awareness to kick-start and generate debates.
Anyone interested in social media marketing should learn by use. Get involved and participate and then your understanding of the potential will improve.
