I’m an information junkie. I read almost everything I can get my eyes on if it relates to a topic of interest – social media, television, online marketing, cooking, travel, raising a toddler. Of course the problem is, there’s way more information than there is time.
A similar challenge faces businesses today. There are far more online marketing opportunities than time and money to support them. On one hand, it’s an embarrassment of riches. On the other, it’s a pain in the posterior for businesses trying to decide which tools will deliver the greatest ROI.
When I step into a bookstore, sometimes I “lose it.” My pulse quickens as I roam from section to section grabbing books I want to read that instant. Many of these books litter my home office waiting for me to crack their covers. The reality is, I can’t get to them all, just like I can’t get to every blog, forum and tweet.
Some businesses are “losing it,” too. I’m watching as they dabble with Twitter, Facebook, blogs, social bookmarking, and shiny apps that grab their attention. Trouble is, companies sometimes sew the seeds and forget to water them. They sit dormant, like my stacks of books.
For some reason, quite likely a combination of reasons actually, businesses are experimenting online without applying much thought or resources. When it comes to building an online presence, I’m all for experimentation. In fact, it’s necessary. But, that doesn’t mean playing fast and loose with your brand.
Perhaps it’s because many CEOs still dismiss the Internet as a frivolous frontier where their teenagers hang out and play games, where singles search for mates, serious types read news, and a whole lot of people watch porn. Perhaps, when it comes to engaging customers online, the barriers to entry are so low and so unregulated that it’s too far outside the costly and complex world of traditional marketing and advertising to make these opportunities seem credible … or comfortable. Whatever the reason, after fifty years of business obsessing about brand, it is remarkable that so many companies are throwing caution to the wind and jumping online without so much as a whiff of a plan.
That’s why we created A.L.E.R.T. It’s an acronym that spells out the five steps to creating and maintaining a successful online strategy. It’s a philosophy and for the Magnify team, a comprehensive system.
The core concept goes like this …
A.L.E.R.T. – ASSESS. LOCATE. ENGAGE. RESPOND. TRACK.
Assess – You need to know where you stand before you can figure out where you are going. This stage is all about figuring out what people online are saying about your brand, product or service, and what the conversations are about your competitors. It usually means paying attention to how users are finding and interacting with your website, too. And the websites of your competitors.
Locate – Where is your audience hanging out online? Once you start to find them, listen. Learn where they cluster, what matters to them, and how they like to engage in terms of platforms and communication style.
Engage – This is literally and figuratively the pivot point. It’s the most creative and often the most comprehensive part of the plan. How are you going to engage your target market? A paid advertising campaign? A simple blog? An aggressive Twitter and Facebook strategy? Quirky or eye-popping video? Games? Quizzes? All of the above? Whatever the plan, ensure you have the resources to make it thrive.
Respond – Listen more than you speak. It’s not a bad mantra for life and a darn good rule of thumb online. Monitor what is being said about your brand online. When someone asks a question, offers a compliment or throws a flame, a timely and authentic response can go a long way toward turning feedback into opportunities and critics into champions.
Track – Be sure to track your results each month. Dig into Google Analytics, Hootsuite, and the myriad other free monitoring tools. The only way to ensure ROI is to pay attention to the trends. Tweak the initiatives that aren’t working and amp up the ones that are.
Whether your company sells shoes or dreams, this process will help you build and maintain a successful online presence. It pays to be ALERT!
- Moyra
Tags: Business, facebook, internet marketing, online marketing, ROI, Social Media, Twitter
