Social Networks Benefit Helpers, Not Hucksters

By Natalia Kovalchuk
Associate, Willard PR, Kyiv

Social networks, developed initially to help friends and acquaintances stay in touch, have been used by businesses for marketing and PR purposes for several years.   Websites from Facebook to Vkontakte, Classmates, Odnoklassniki and MySpace all have been used for various promotional purposes, some of which have been highly successful - proof positive that a clever idea and the right angle can help companies to obtain information and to promote products and services.

The key to using social networking sites for business purposes is to establish credibility with the target audience.  While people will distrust and show disinterest in a site that is unabashed advertising, they will respond to a site that is - or appears to be - posted in the spirit of social networking.  

The best way to reach the target audience is to create a targeted community inside the network, or to use appropriate pre-existing communities.  The biggest mistake is to engage in direct and aggressive promotion.  Rather, begin by expressing a professional opinion and giving valuable advice. 

An investment company can offer advice, for instance, but should avoid out-and-out advertising of its own products.  Good advice brings credibility, advertising nurtures opnly suspicion.  A travel agent can write about places to go and things to see without asking outright for a sale, and again, good advice on seldom-explored issues shows professionalism and expertise.

Credible, useful pages on social networks have a viral effect.  If the information is presented appropriately, it builds credibility and attracts the 'friends,' 'followers,' and 'fans' that the sites encourage. 
On social networks, as in business, a good presentation is vital.

If your product or service has an event coming up, use a small announcement on the networking site to let people know about it.  People in your target groups can be invited to participate  and will feel like insiders.  It facilitates the process of choosing an audience, sending invitations and monitoring response.

Polls conducted using social networking websites can also help build the visibility and credibility of a new product or service.  Create an active conversation, post relevant videos and pictures, present yourself as a professional and write actively about your company if you wish, but never engage in blatant sales activity, and the networks can yield a continous stream of contacts.

It can take a while, but readers will understand your professionalism and your belief in what you offer.  People on the net don't want to be hurried - the advantage of online acquaintances is that there is enough time to think, make informed choices and calculate risks.

Fast Facts: Social Networks

Source: mediarevolution.ru