The Death of Social Media Marketing

by Samir Balwani on October 13, 2009 · View Comments

Ok so social marketing isn’t really dead, it’s actually just in it’s infancy, but if all the SEO’s can do it, why can’t we? (examples?! check this out, and this one, and here’s another article).

But let’s think about this notion for a moment, “the death of social marketing”. What would cause it? Why would it happen? How can we ensure it doesn’t happen?

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What Is The End?

When I talk about “death” it means the end of social marketing as an effective marketing technique. Right now, social media has allowed brands a new way to connect with their consumers. Companies can reach out to new demographics, interact with consumers, and introduce them to the conversion funnel over-time.

Social marketing may lose its effectiveness even before consumers stop sharing on social media sites. We still listen to the radio and read newspapers, yet most would argue that these forms of advertising have become less effective. Similarly, there are a number of events that can cause the premature demise of social marketing.

Death by Terms of Services

The first and most likely is the dreaded terms of services death. A good number of social media platforms have recognized the power they wield as a hub for brands’ consumers. Most sites believe they can use their terms of services to bully brands into paying for access to these consumers.

I agree that corporations should have to pay to interact with consumers on a social site, but within reason. Offering business accounts with a monthly fee may work, but requiring brands to advertise on a site before accessing elements is short-sited. Enforcing this through terms of service may mean that brands forgo using the social site altogether.

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Death by Spam

Social marketing is all about trust. For it to be effective consumers not only have to trust the brand, but social media as whole. If someone is being continually spammed, they begin to lose trust in the platform and are less likely to believe the authenticity of a brand on the site.

Think about it like this. If you’re continually getting spammed on Twitter and suddenly find the “Alyssa Milano” account. Would you instantly believe it was a real account? (In this case, yes that’s her real account, follow it for a good example of how a celebrity and business should use Twitter)

The assault on “social trust” by spammers is a real threat to social media marketing.

Death by Brands

I think the saddest situation possible is that brands may kill social marketing on their own. Right now there’s only a handful of brands actually interacting and using social media platforms. What happens when every brand is on Facebook because of the bandwagon effect?

Most brands don’t offer value and end up spamming users instead of actually interacting.

The learning curve for brands may be too painful to consumers.

Death by Trust Change

Finally, there’s always the chance that users just change their mind. Maybe next year users realize that they hate business on Twitter and start to flow to another site that is personal use only. Taste change is always a variable that can shift the way we market products.

Realizing that this change is a possibility and preparing for it can save a business from struggling to keep loyal consumers.

Companies need to be sensitive to changes in the marketing climate (example: change from push TV advertising to pull online marketing). If not, they may find themselves continually catching up or losing to their competitors.

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Conclusion

Social marketing is in no way dead, it’s just starting. None the less, realizing that one day it will change is important. Keep an eye on these potential signals that may mark a change in how consumers want to interact online.

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Stephiji October 13, 2009 at 11:50 am

What happens when every brand is on Facebook because of the bandwagon effect?

This is probable why 99% of Brands ARE on Facebook. The problem with Brands being on Facebook is that they are not looking at Facebook as something that can help add a VOICE to their brand. They are not looking at Facebook as an opportunity to connect with their consumer and create a place for feedback and findings. Instead, they are looking at Facebook as something they MUST do because their competitors are there.

Brands open up these Facebook hubs and expect consumers to join these portals and start conversations on their own. Even though this might happen very easily for some brands, it does not mean that the CONVERSATION will continue. When fans realize they are not RECEIVING any value from being a part of this portal in their OWN personal space – the Social Hub – they will leave and lose interest in NOT ONLY THE space – BUT THE BRAND AS WELL.

Samir Balwani October 13, 2009 at 12:13 pm

Awesome comment! I agree that brands killing social marketing for themselves is a very real threat. It’s definitely something they need to consider before engaging online.

Kim McCumber October 14, 2009 at 2:20 pm

Your comment is right on! The idea of using social media as a platform to start active conversations with the audience (and not as another piece of digital real estate) is a great one that many companies seem to overlook in their attempt to jump on the bandwagon. Social media gives companies a great outlet to develop a voice and personality, and it is a shame that more companies don’t utilize it that way.

Samir, great post!

Samir Balwani October 14, 2009 at 9:43 pm: Thanks Kim! It’s interesting because the “brand” is no longer just a logo and color scheme, but we have to think personality, tonality, and create an entire persona behind the brand. Who are we and why are we here – are two questions that just don’t get answered enough by brands online.

Zachary Cohen October 13, 2009 at 8:59 pm

Samir

great post, I am a new reader to your blog. I’ve been getting your email updates for about a week. Do you allow guest posters? I would like to submit a piece on one of the points you bring up which is, What happens when every brand is using social media?

Now, we seem to assign a positive value to the few brands who have actively decided to make social media a primary part of their brand engagement, customer service, Dell, Best Buy, Virgin Airlines, etc…but the other day I saw an ad for Tempurpedic beds, it was a television spot, and they urged viewers to go to facebook and twitter to ask their friends about Tempurpedic. They even embedded a mock Facebook chat where one person asked their friend about their bed.

But what happens when Social Media turns into another broadcasting platform for every major and minor brand. Will the good ones become obvious? Will they stick out?

Thoughts?

Samir Balwani October 13, 2009 at 9:10 pm: Hey Zachary, thanks for the comment! Shoot me an email through my contact form and let’s chat.

Lou Sagar October 15, 2009 at 2:51 pm

These are really “death threats” from the terrorists, who include spammers, and those who write deceptive “terms of service”.
I deeply believe that great brands are evolving past their present organizational structure into groups of individuals working in teams, interactive circles under leaders who are will be on the front lines of social media. These brands will thrive.
The brands who are entrenched in old organizational pyramids are more likely to dissolve…and will not matter.

Samir Balwani October 15, 2009 at 9:06 pm: I totally agree, I think brands that refuse to adapt are going to become more and more irrelevant.

Ira kaufman October 30, 2009 at 12:10 am

Samir
Your writing is very insightful. I would suggest you distinguish between social media marketing ( name of your post ) and Social marketing which means “the systematic application of marketing, along with other concepts and techniques, to achieve specific behavioral goals for a social good.” Developed some 35 years ago http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_marketing and http://www.social-marketing.com/Whatis.html Welcome you support making this distinction

Samir Balwani November 15, 2009 at 10:02 pm: Thank you Ira for pointing out the confusion, I’ll be sure to be more clear in the future.

Patrick Nicolas November 15, 2009 at 9:53 pm

Great post.
Analytical solutions available on the market (I built one of them) can measure the relevancy and authenticity of a brand by identifying the difference between how the marketer defined and how it is perceived through social networks (using taxonomy for instance).
The challenge we faced is that marketers tweak constantly their messages and micromanage their brand, creating noise (confusion). Although I am a techie, if find that your comments regards Death by Brands and Death by Trust explain the cause of the confusion, quite well.
Great insights.

Samir Balwani November 15, 2009 at 10:01 pm: Thanks Patrick, would love to know what analytics solution you wrote, shoot me an email! Thanks again for the comment.

Green December 3, 2009 at 10:22 am

Good article, good points.
I felt this way I just never articulated it. It was very well put and I agree with 99%

I think of facebook and myspace like Google vs Bing.

Google got it right the first time, and didn’t need to change, that creates stronger loyalty from it’s users. I believe Facebook is the same way, however I do see them adapting more and more to accommodate the needs of business.
I wouldn’t be surprised is the create store fronts (like pages) right in facebook someday and evolve into a market place.