On May 11, Social Madness landed at the Missouri History Museum. Sounds intriguing…right? Actually, it was a lively panel discussion sponsored by the St. Louis Business Journal and moderated by Ellen Sherberg, the Publisher.
The panelists included three notable St. Louisans who are well versed on the topic of social media:
Patrick Powers, Webster University, Director of Digital Marketing and Communications
Dan Curran, President, 4orce Digital, a marketing firm that specializes in user experience
Donna Vandiver, Owner, The Vandiver Group, a strategic communications firm
Below are some of the major points from the discussion
• Social media has become a key tool in marketing integration
• Social media governance and employee training are essential and should be included in employee manuals
• The goal for social media is reach, engagement and conversion; the focus should be on creating a digital footprint for your company (based on metrics)
• Marketing strategy should revolve around driving Google algorithms; social media assets have the power to substantially increase SEO
• Social media interaction can elevate a company’s screen real estate and attract an audience to their website
• Social media is earned media; establishing benchmarks and regular monitoring are keys to success
• 1 hour total per business day is recommended for maximum impact for maintaining a consistent presence
• Major growth takes 12 – 18 months if the goal is to use social media as an effective marketing tool
• Mobile and video are growing rapidly, Facebook is the biggest player in marketing right now
• Timing varies for reach based on target audience; 9:30-10:30 AM mid-week is typically the best
• Pinterest can be valuable as a marketing/SEO tool
• LinkedIn is a major resource for cultivating talent; the panelists usually choose LinkedIn over resumes for recruiting for their company; profiles need to stay up to date for maximum effect
• Social media is in constant beta because it changes so rapidly; niche platforms will grow to meet the needs of specific groups
This event was the kick-off for the Social Madness Challenge, a local and national challenge that will spotlight the best social media programs of companies in 43 cities. It begins on June 1, 2012.
We shape our tools and our tools shape us. - Wilson Miner