Companies and organizations have a real hard time understanding why the traditional message doesn’t seem to work in online social environments. Yet, if you think about the way we as human beings relate to one another it really shouldn’t be that much of a mystery.
The above social profile chart highlights just the tip of the human interest iceberg. It demonstrates a multifaceted level of online interests and representations. If you consider that people parse themselves into communities using these and other interlocked personality attributes, it becomes easier to understand what motivates any given individual. We identify ourselves online in several ways, including:
That’s why you see so many subject matter specific forms of social media. From community groups and blogs to loosely knit Twitter “echo chambers” and subject-matter specific social networks, there’s interest/lifestyle, geography specific topics discussed everywhere. Any given individual can participate in a wide variety of these media, cross-pollinating across diverse mesh-like groups of communities. The human conversation is a rich, complex one that varies from person to person.
The failure for traditional communicators occurs when they try to deliver an unsolicited simple message in this diverse conversation. In essence, an organization probably plays a very small role in this picture. Yet most organizations fail to realize that. Instead they try to insert themselves into the dialogue as the center point of the conversation.
By providing one dimensional approaches — i.e. traditional messaging — organizations fail to compel most people to participate. In essence, they are like the bull in the China shop, and because the message is so controlled and obvious no one wants to engage.
Smart social media empowers conversations beyond the message. It embraces human nature and the strange mesh-like conversations that occur between us and our collective interests. That’s why a strong social media effort understands there’s more to the stakeholder than a simple purchase interest. Instead of talking “inner tubes” a bicycle tire company may facilitate or participate in a larger conversation about rigorous outdoor exercising, including bicycle rides.
When an organization successfully participates they engage beyond just a linear hit with a stakeholder within an interest group. Instead, they compel that stakeholder to engage and talk, usually in a public social media environment. If favorable, this creates more momentum within and beyond that person’s vertical topic area, touching several of the individual’s social network interest areas.
Consider how if I became a successfully engaged stakeholder my conversation could impact several interest areas across my social network. In fact, using the above “clean energy” example, you can see many areas could be touched as denoted by shades of green. It’s not as simple as just touching my social cause friends. In fact, the only area where it could be met with lukewarm results would be the larger communications network I participate in.
Command and control messaging just doesn’t work as well in social worlds. What does work is an engaging approach towards developing relationships and fostering community action. That requires a more sophisticated approach that starts with talking with people, and the need to listen and understand their motivations.
I think one of the hardest parts of our jobs is helping marketers understand *why* one-dimensional messages don’t play nice in social media. We talk about social media platforms as tools to engage and many hear “it’s another place to share our key messages.” This is why it’s important to help clients/colleagues understand the difference and, when necessary, stand up strongly for the right way to engage others in social media. It may be uncomfortable to challenge clients/colleagues at times, but they pay us to think and provide great counsel.
Important post. Thanks!
I love this part of your post, “By providing one dimensional approaches — i.e. traditional messaging — organizations fail to compel most people to participate. In essence, they are like the bull in the China shop, and because the message is so controlled and obvious no one wants to engage.” A message that is one-dimensional, controlled and contrived is the best way to shoot your own foot in social media. As with everything on the new social web, companies are going to have to let loose on the dynamic and start to really participate and engage their audience in ways that might seem uncomfortable, at first, but could truly lead to success. One-dimensional is interaction and that does not lead to engagement. As time goes by, the companies that embrace this fact will be like the wheat separated from the chaff. Great stuff!
Maria Reyes-McDavis
“The human conversation is a rich, complex one that varies from person to person…
What does work is an engaging approach towards developing relationships … requires a … approach that starts with talking with people, and the need to listen and understand their motivations.”
Yes. Old school demographics and cookie-cutter campaigns won’t cut it. A great way to engage in any meaningful conversation: shut up and listen. Every user, reader, consumer, is a unique individual with different wants and needs. Taking the time to listen, to recognize the audience as people rather than percentages on a chart is how social media messaging will work.
@David Yeah, I’ve given up saying your message isn’t welcome. We need to really explain it to people now, the whys. People are having a hard time transitioning.
@Davina Some would say old school is listening first ;)
I’m a few weeks into really learning about social media, and this has helped. Thanks for the visuals. ~twiley
just like in “real life” social interactions, a successful relationship is based on genuine advice, help, interesting information and trust.