Is your social strategy too complicated?

 

When things are too complicated, they are hard to understand – and therefore can be far less effective. This is especially true when it comes to social media marketing, as many companies choose to focus on many areas at once, which can result in a muddied message. Simplicity is usually a much better option for any business strategy, especially when it comes to social.

Changing seas

A recent study by IBM that draws on 5,247 C-suite executives has found that almost half of the respondents feel they are not well equipped to deal with the ever-changing demands of social media. This is alarming, especially when considered alongside reports by Statista that there are 2.22 billion social network users worldwide, which works out at 31 per cent social network global penetration.

Essentially, social media is still, and will be for quite some time, a huge source of potential sales and brand exposure. Therefore, getting the right mix right is essential in order to avoid missing out on a piece of this rich marketing pie.

Keep it simple

We all know we’re supposed to drive engagement through social media marketing, but how? According marketing professor Keith A. Quesenberry, the best social media plans deliver content that’s optimised to each channel.

This means that Instagram, Twitter and Facebook each get content that is not simply a regurgitated version of the same thing, but instead is targeted, relevant and engaging – and that means not over complicating the message.

The age of disruption

IBM’s report claims that many CEO’s are anticipating rapid and disruptive changes to occur. Additionally, 67 per cent of C-Suite respondents in the study expected industry convergence in the “next few years”, with 49 per cent anticipating the redistribution of consumer purchasing power.

An unnamed CMO from an electronics company in China was quoted in the study as saying that the unpredictable nature of disruptive technology make timelines hard to guess.

“It’s very hard to predict when a disruptive technology will emerge – and what impact it will have.”

Rikke Gransøe Lange, the Head of Central Marketing for DFDS in Denmark explained to that the trend was towards marketing executives that spoke the common language, and weren’t caught up in marketing lingo and cliches.

“The CMO will have to become more data-savvy and better at talking with non-marketing people to communicate the marketing strategy,” said Mr. Lange.

These shifts signal a move towards a marketing strategy that is both designed by and appealing to the millennial generation and their tastes.

For more information on how StrategyBlocks can help your company strategize appropriately, don’t hesitate to get in touch today.