Teamwork Equals Success

    Football is the ideal team sport. One superstar player cannot win alone. For every pass there must be a catch. For every run there must be a block. In football, a team is just as strong as its weakest player. The same way is in marketing and especially in Digital marketing. 

    Facebook is the only direct way to reach over a billion people worldwide instantaneously. That alone shows the power of a single social media platform. Others, such as Twitter, are growing in active users as well. The reach of these platforms is the reason marketers are foaming at the mouth trying to reach them. The importance of teamwork within an organization is key to success in a marketing campaign and overall brand image.

   Digital marketing must tie into the overall marketing plan of the organization. Streamlined communication among departments is important to accomplishing marketing goals. When companies allow departments to become silos within the organization the brand image will begin to decline. The company must have one single,positive image to pursue rather than various images across all mediums. That coupled with the reach of social media platforms adds to the importance of teamwork. Football is the ideal team sport. One superstar player cannot win alone. For every pass there must be a catch. For every run there must be a block. In football, a team is just as strong as its weakest player. The same way is in marketing and especially in Digital marketing.

Facebook Creepin'

   We all know what Facebook creeping is. It is when you snoop through people's photos and statuses for an extended amount of time. But isn't that what Facebook is for? Don't post anything that you wouldn't want anyone to see a week, 3 months, or any other time in the future. The statistic brands need to know is "90% of users time on social media is spent consuming content." With that being said, Facebook creepin' and that statistic is critical for a brand to recognize and apply.
                                                   
  Brands must make their Facebook pages creep worthy. I've had restaurants and retail stores offer specials if I liked their page on Facebook. I would like their page, get the special, then go unlike them. Why? Their pages were bland. What is the point of accumulating likes? Brands do not get paid for likes. And if others do what I do the brands lose money because of likes. Some brands lose the purpose of creating a Facebook page. It is a tool to market your brand and brand image.
  Brands need to take advantage of Facebook's true power. Give users a reason to like your brand beyond the saving money proposition. Know of cool blog or article? Post it. Doing some philanthropy? Talk about it. Funny photos? Post them too. Facebook has billions of users that you could reach by giving them more than just your daily special. I'm more likely to permanently like and creep on a brand's Facebook page knowing they are out for more than their interest.

Know Your Target Market! Know Your Social!

   As marketers begin utilizing social media more and more, they need to recognize the ins and outs of each social media platform. As obvious as that sounds it is vital to obey it. I'm seeing companies jump into every social media platform just because their competitors are doing it. Although most platforms are free to join, companies could waste resources such as time and money(paid to employees or outside firms) if they don't know the platforms or their target market.

   "Jack of all trades. Master of none." That is a common phrase that I'd like to change to: "Company in all social media. Master of none." I am a marketing major and know the importance of reaching as much of your target market as possible. However, companies are losing the quality of their marketing plan by trying to be in every social platform. Instead, I advise a company to choose a few major social platforms, to focus their attention on. Choose the platforms that your target market frequents the most. That way companies can engage with their target market in a quality manner.

  Quality engagement. That is all that matters. By using the social media platforms in the way intended to reach people will shed a positive light onto a company. Not being bombarded by ads or the company's products every post but using the 80/20 rule. Companies need to allow the target market to control the amount of engagement they want with the company. Just like people don't want other people to harass them, a company too should not harass them. Know your target market. Know your social.

Twitter Time in Higher Education

   Before I get started, this blog is not going to be a rant about players using Twitter negatively such as the case with Johnny Manziel. Rather I would like to delve into Twitter and the powerful benefits that Universities and campus organizations could take advantage of.

 
   Branding. A word that has made its way from the boardrooms of the private sector to the offices of University campuses. Universities have to brand themselves. Let me repeat that, universities HAVE to brand themselves. Education is the number one reason a student attends a university. However, a student wants more than a piece of paper after they graduate. Students want memories of football games, downtown adventures, and other social events. Universities have the ability to show the distinctness of their respective university's atmosphere.  
                                 
  So how does Twitter play into this? Facebook is becoming a graveyard of profiles for college students as they transition into twitter. Twitter's mini blog format allows users to connect with what each other is doing. But it also allows users to follow profiles of interests.
  Instead of sending tons of emails or just highlighting the larger attractions of the University, schools can tweet in real time things going on around the campus and university. Students will feel involved and wanted if the school makes an attempt to cater to their interests.