But as a reader of the news, we
may wonder how a simple social media network functioning to connect people is
able to make those achievements. The answer is that the word “connects people”
is the key to helping Facebook grow so big today. The same goes for Twitter.
How can an online personal status updater becomes such a reliable source of
information, especially in Indonesia?
The answer is the same with
Facebook. It does succeed in “connecting people.”
But that is not enough to help
explain the increasing the value of this social media. Some important groups
are taking part in making Facebook, Twitter and other social media applications
as big and important as they are today. They are companies and/or brand owners
who are trying to connect and interact with their customers.
Brand owners are able to elevate
the use of Facebook and Twitter from a mere people connector into significant
communication tools that support brand owners in getting close to current and
potential customers, and increasing the value of Facebook, Twitter and other
social media. Due to this trend, many brand
owners compete in ensuring their brand existence within social media through
giving endless communication and information to people.
Going social?
It leads to a new question: must
every brand establish itself in social media? Is social media the right and
correct tool to engage targeted customers? Today many brand owners have a
misplaced strategy for increasing brand awareness and positioning.
Many brand owners wrongly
perceive that by simply being connected with social media, it is the strategy
for the customer to think and see the brand as a youthful and modern brand
concerned with technology. It’s not always the right strategy because not all brands
fit with social media technology; others are suitable if there are proper
controls and managements to ensure it is in line with the target market.
So what kinds of brand should
have a social media account, and which should not?
Before we determine whether your
brand is suitable or not, you have to answer some of the following questions,
including what type of market do you want to cater by being connected to social
media? What kind of plan or strategies do you want to implement for your brand
by having social media? Do you have a certain on-going campaign or
communication?
What kind of positioning do you
want to achieve with the implementation of social media in the future? And does
the social media have an impact on brand loyalty? Finding the answers to these
basic questions is the simplest way to know initially whether you want your
brand to have a social media application or not.
From all the questions, I want
you as a brand owner to take a look at one point more closely, the issue of
loyalty. There is considerable interesting research to answer this particular
question, especially on social media such as Facebook. Research in the United
States showed that 47 percent from 200 respondents say “liking” on brands in
Facebook actually did not have any influence on their buying behavior.
Like it or not
With this small fact, we can say
that “liking” doesn’t mean someone will certainly purchase the particular
brand; perhaps they only like your brand but don’t have any plan to use it.
Some cases are different, especially in Indonesia, where some brand owners
believe social media is only a tool to exist in more channels and simply
following trends. Such a perspective is surely not going to affect any of your
brand communication activities with the end purpose of achieving brand loyalty.
There is also another type of
brand that doesn’t seem to fit the social media trend, at least now. Some
luxury goods brands feel that they don’t need to have any social media account
to speak about their brand because they feel that they have already established
their own community. Using social media is still viewed as a move that changes
their brand perception to common and no longer exclusive.
In considering all the facts and
influences, it is very important for a brand owner to first analyze whether
social media will give the right impact for their brand. Remember that by
entering the social media world, your brand has already made a connection to
its existing and potential customers. In doing so, delivering a strong commitment
and promise is essential to increase brand loyalty and customer retention.
Written by Galih Rangha Putra
(Consultant DM IDHOLLAND) & Daniel
Surya (Chairman & President Southeast Asia)
The Jakarta Post, February 25, 2012
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