Because social media moves at breakneck speed, and because each network is essentially a sub-culture with its own peculiar language and mores, many…
Because social media moves at breakneck speed, and because each network is essentially a sub-culture with its own peculiar language and mores, many CMOs have effectively “tuned out.” They either relegate social media to junior staff, build a “bare minimum” presence (e.g., a Facebook page or Twitter handle), or farm the responsibility out to another department entirely. In fact, Econsultancy found that social media was owned by a digital marketing team in only 35% of companies and 10% of companies “don’t do any social media” at all. This is a colossal mistake, not only professionally, but also personally. Here are several reasons why CMOs need to understand social media personally:
- You are who Google says you are. This adage may appear intimidating. But for those who understand the positive impact a social media presence can have on their personal brands, it should be a source of optimism. For the first time in history, we author our professional reputations. Creating content, maintaining online profiles and participating in social networks is tantamount to a personal search engine optimization (SEO) campaign in which you can dominate the first page of Google results with your words, your likeness and the persona of your choice.
- Your company looks to you. Before integrating social media into your company’s marketing strategy, it’s essential to understand the basics yourself. And because the social Web is a participatory medium, the only way to fully understand it is through engagement. Your staff looks to you for leadership, and leaders are expected to adapt to change.
- Digital natives need strategic context. While younger staff, or “digital natives,” should contribute to social media marketing, their expertise is often limited to the tools themselves. Positioning, messaging, strategy…these are the hallmarks of senior leadership. In other words, would you put someone in charge of your broadcast advertising just because that person watched a lot of TV?
To find out more please visit the Grande Guide to the Social CMO.
