3 Keys to Executing on a Social Media Initiative
The benefits of social media features and functionality are clear: Increased traffic and search footprint; new, monetizable inventory; low cost entry; and a deeper engagement with users.
The benefits of social media features and functionality are clear: Increased traffic and search footprint; new, monetizable inventory; low cost entry; and a deeper engagement with users. TechTarget has moved into social media in a big way, basing an entire site on it—ITKnowledgeExchange.com—and rolling out blogs, widgets, video, discussion boards and review sites across its network. But, according to Sean Brooks, VP of social media at TechTarget, having a clear action plan, complete with specific success metrics is the best way to go.
At the recent 2008 Folio: Show in Chicago, Brooks outlined several tactics to help ensure not just a successful rollout of social media features, but that it’s appropriate for your market.
Create Success Metrics
Social media might seem like a strategy that takes a wait-and-see approach, but Brooks recommends attaching specific success metrics to the launch:
-Page Views
-Time Spent On Site
-User Actions (comments, blog posts, newsletter subs, RSS feeds)
-Repeat Visitors
Identify Key Influencers to Use the Site
Every community has its tastemakers and influencers. Identify them and offer them prominent roles as early adopters. They’ll provide a level of trust and get the ball rolling with the rest of the community.
Lay Out a 90-Day Plan
“It gives the community the best amount of time to show its potential,” said Brooks. The term gives you enough time to compile meaningful metrics (ideally, they should be increasing) and decide whether to keep going or pull the plug.
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