Not a Funeral, a Wedding!

One of the biggest misconceptions about Social Media is that it will somehow “kill” traditional media as a means of advertising and interacting with clients and potential clients. Television, radio, and print ads are not obsolete, nor are they useless in the modern age of social media marketing.

The reality is that all forms of the more conventional advertising channels have had to adapt to the “new kid on the block” - Digital Media. You would be hard pressed to find a television or print ad for any major product or service that doesn't contain an invitation to “visit us on Facebook” or provide a domain name for the company's website. Quick response codes, those squares with the leopard spots, that redirect mobile devices to a website, are all over ads in the subways, buses and common spaces in every city around the world. Ill-conceived “tweets” are often the substance of a television news story, giving an advertiser some unwanted notoriety while at the same time providing television with material for a story.

What has changed with the arrival of social media is the degree to which an advertiser can interact, in many cases instantaneously, to a consumer's question, compliment, or complaint. A company can no longer deliver a monologue on how their product or service is the best, fastest, or cheapest without being publicly called to task by the consumer. In fact, instant comparison shopping is available to anyone with a mobile device and the right software to scan a barcode. Traditional bricks and mortar stores now have to meet their competitor's prices on the spot - or be last in the race for the buyer's buck. Most larger companies have had to rethink their entire customer service strategy, since social media advertising demands constant monitoring and an ongoing dialogue with consumers.

With the billions of dollars being spent world-wide on marketing strategies and advertising, it's not likely that traditional media will die or simply pack it up and go away. What is taking place is actually an evolutionary process (some would call it a revolution) whereby a shotgun-wedding of traditional and digital advertising is taking place. The success of this marriage will be depend, as with any successful coupling, on how well the two components complement one another. Without fully accepting the partnership and cultivating the possibilities of harmonious co-existence, neither will reach its full potential.

To find out more about how your business can take full advantage of Social Media's broad reach contact us at www.roambusiness.com.

RKN