Role with the Times

The Internet has forever changed print media. While it seems most social media experts are anxious to call the time of death on the newspaper, we still have a few things to learn from the “old man”.

For several decades now, news delivery has depended on several people, all working toward the goal of distribution of content. Publishers, syndicators, writers, and editors are some of the more important roles in the process. These roles also exist in online news channels.  However, the accessibility of social media by the masses has caused these roles to blur; which is not necessarily a good thing.

To me, print media is like a McDonald’s hamburger – it’s not my favorite, but at least I know what to expect time and again. I’m not so sure what to expect from most social channels. Frankly, I sometimes get tired of sampling dog food while in search of steak. I doubt I’m unusual in this regard.

Does this mean that social media is flawed? To the contrary, social has the potential to be something that print or even traditional online media could never achieve. But social has some growing up to do – beginning with the realization that a cacophony of solo artists does not make for a spectacular show. Great social requires a process where different people come together to fulfill various roles including writing, editing, filtering, distribution, funding and more.

Success in social media is an orchestrated effort. Which role you are best suited to play? Here are some actions to consider:

1. The promise of social media is a personalised experience for the recipient, not a personal soapbox for the messenger. Define the ideal personalized experience for your target audience, and then decide how you best contribute to the experience.
2. Invite and involve others. For example, if you manufacture a great product but are not known as a trusted advisor, instead of trying to become the advisor, invite experts your customers trust to work with you to achieve a common goal.
3. Consider content intermediaries vs. direct communications. Especially if you’re new to social media, leveraging an existing channel may have greater value than attempting to create a new one.
4. If you own a channel, find content partners that can engage your audience and add value to bolster your “ratings”.
5. If you go the content route, consider multiple channels for distribution. Social media channels are smaller and more targeted than most traditional channels. Don’t rely strictly on viral messaging.

Although social media is informal and conversational, end users still have high expectations of businesses and professionals who participate in the space. Make sure your approach delivers the right message in the right place on a consistent basis.