When Social Media Should Stay Social

For every social media site, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of experts and gurus telling you how you can use it as a forum for “engaging” your market. But let’s be realistic here. At the end of the day, companies from all industries are being encouraged to use social media as a way to sell more stuff.

And even though they might use soft sell techniques and try to create dialogue through contests, surveys, and encouraging customer feedback, it’s still a form of marketing. Which by its nature isn’t very social at all.

It’s not hard to see why Mark Zuckerberg initially resisted having business profiles on Facebook. And while it’s tough to imagine a company without a Facebook page, there’s something to be said for a social media site just being social.

The problem is that many business owners are feeling so pressured to participate in social media that they have forgotten the basic marketing tools that helped them build their businesses in the first place.

It seems the skills and value in making cold calls, having a professionally designed trade show booth, a well built web site, or just providing exceptional customer service get little mention any more. Why? My guess is that it’s a combination of not being “sexy”, and the latest batch of social media experts lacking the skills to do much else beyond create a Facebook page.

Pinterest is the latest example of a social media site that has become the “must have” marketing tool of the day.

What started off as a great concept in social sharing has become a vehicle for companies to showcase products and services using either avant-garde photography or infographics. Artistic expression? Perhaps. Sharing of ideas and interests? Likely not. Effective marketing? Only time will tell.

Is Pinterest relegated to become the next Twitter or Facebook, a place where business battles for attention under the guise of being social? Check out this special episode of marctv to find out more about Pinterest and how it works. Then let me show you a site where it’s not only okay to look and act like a business, it’s encouraged. But having members behaving nice is what really makes this site stand out. What could this business community site be? You’ll have to watch to find out.