Becoming a Truth Organization

What we refer to as “social media” really has very little to do with media.  Media –from cameras to demographics–is a set of filters.  Filters obscure the truth by focus as well as by omission.

Social media strips away the filters upon which content shops–news organizations, marketing consultancies, ad agencies and PR firms–have relied over the past century, and brings us Truth.  Sure, sometimes social media yields too much information and sometimes it’s the cold, hard truth, but its products and processes are raw and authentic, nonetheless.

So, it’s interesting then, that traditional marketers, advertisers and PR folks, are jockeying to stake claim as social media stewards.  From my perspective social media and marketing are not so much the same as they are different.  In fact, I’d posit that social media marketing is truly the opposite of traditional marketing. 

When I speak to clients and audiences about the importance of social media, I first talk about the cultural shift that social media tools and Web 2.0 technologies are catalyzing.  Our culture is shifting from one of facades–advertising, messaging, “spin”–to one of Truth.  The first rule of the blogosphere is “HATs off”: honest, authenticity and transparency.  LonelyGirl15 and the Walmarting Across America were early examples of misuse of social media and why Truth is paramount.

But a good portion of traditional marketers still don’t view social media this way.  Rather, they view it as another set of rich distribution channels through which to send carefully crafted messages.   (It’s not a surprise that social media has gotten all tangled up with marketing.  This likely stems from “social media” being a misnomer.)  Successful social media strategies must start not with marketing, but with introspection. 

The cultural shift towards Truth and collaboration must be felt, understood and embraced by an organization before it can truly sucessfully leverage social media tools and Web 2.0 technologies.  The organization that understands social media first as cultural shift will see why social media is more akin to business strategy, organizational change and strategic partnerships than to marketing. PR and advertising.  That, is the Truth.

New eMarketer Social Network Marketing Report

eMarketer just released a new report entitled, “Social Network Marketing: Slow Growth Ahead for Ad Spending.”  It’s an expensive for-pay report ($695), so I haven’t had a chance to read the whole thing, but I just wanted to share with you the synopsis.   I agree with the overall premise that impactful social network marketing is not going to be about banner advertising.

The Social Network Marketing report analyzes why marketers have been unable to crack the code of social network advertising.

The declining US economy and slower-than-expected revenue growth at MySpace are two reasons for the lowered near-term social network ad forecasts.

Advertising is not the only way for marketers to participate in social networks, however.

Although social network advertising—banners, search ads and new ad formats—is not growing as expected, other forms of social network marketing—encompassing tactics such as customer communities and influencer outreach—are proliferating.

Marketers still need to be where their customers are, and consumers remain heavily involved in social networks.

It’s good to see that marketers are realizing that traditional advertising on social nets is not the way that social marketing works.  However, the last line, “Marketers still need to be where their customers are, and consumers remain heavily involved in social networks” keeps me wondering . . .

Showing up and being there is not only not enough, it misses the point: social networks are about engagement, participation  and collaboration.  Being where your customers are is like trying to pick up a gal at a bar through just by standing  in the corner and hoping she notices you.  Come on Romeo, roll up your sleeves, slick back your hair and buy the gal a drink!

Marketing agency turned Sherpa

In his blog today, Chris Brogan asks what the current and future roles and capabilities of marketing agencies need to be in our world of new media.  He’s received a tremendous number of insightful responses.  I wanted to share my response to his question and give you a chance to check out some of the others as well. 

I see the lines between customer-facing functions, e.g. marketing, sales, PR, customer service, product development, blurring in the 2.0 world as the tenets of collaboration, openness and truth take hold of organizations and individuals.  This leaves the new media marketing agency with the role of “Sherpa,” guiding clients through the culture change that new media participation requires.