Where Standalone Social Networks Fit for Brands
November 3rd, 2011 by Tim
Somewhat dangerously, social media has come to mean “Let’s get on Facebook and Twitter, and maybe do some influencer outreach” to many brands. There is undeniable value and power in those channels, but a look back to the days before the social graph was complete can be valuable when constructing brands’ social presence footprints.
Before Facebook knew everything about you, many brands established owned communities to give home to their enthusiasts- making the hard core harder core. A standalone, branded social network gave the consumers the space to explore their passions, connect with people with similar interests, and ultimately bring the brand closer to the center of their lives – you know, the reasons we all got interested in social media in the first place.
As “normal” people rushed to participate in social media, these branded social networks fell away, perhaps unfairly. There can be a time and a place for standalone social networks, so we’ve put together the following thought starters to help determine if a branded social network fits your needs:
- Has a hyper-passionate group emerged separately from your larger-but-less-involved social audience?
- Among your social audience segments, do any of those groups have needs of your brand that exist outside of the other segments’ expectations?
- Might the hyper-public nature of general audience social networks like Facebook or Twitter hamper relationship building between your brand and audience?
Tags: audience management, social media, strategy
Categories: M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management