Be more than a tactical buffoon
This week I have watched numerous videos from Mark Riston about social media. If I’m honest I had never heard of Mark before this week – I know I must have been living under a rock, right! But the great thing is, I seem to have a similar perspective on the world. I cringe at those in my profession that concentrate on the new shiny toy without understanding the relevance of that shiny toy to an overarching purpose, such as within the policy or strategy of a business or industry.
I believe this lack of connection to purpose is what creates a divide between and within professions. At the moment we are seeing this divide across not only marketing but all facets of public and private business when it comes to ‘digital’ technologies or megatrends. This in turn drives people to vocalise their significance, and a new storming phase enters an entire industry, as people wrestle for their position of importance and to be heard. I’m sure history would show this as the storming phase of every industrial revolution.
So maybe the question we should be asking ourselves is, how do we channel the use of digital technologies, such as social media, to contribute to brand value? Mark and others have discussed how social media is simply another tool in the marketer’s toolbox and traditional channels still outperform those new tools. Admittedly, this was the views from over four years ago and now social media has online stores, and the significance of omni-channels are changing that perception particularly through this pandemic. But the point remains, for social media marketers to be confident in their role they need to understand their significance in the bigger picture, and not be seen as that magpie swopping down for the next shiny thing.
The best way to establish that significance is to understand the current environment, use that understanding to derive a strategy, and from that strategy create tactical initiatives to drive your implementation or campaign. You can’t do this unless you have formal training…well you can but it is a little harder as the formal training provides context to the framework. That framework becomes the guidance, and any new media channel simply fits into the guide as it’s needed.
So, at risk of looking like a ‘tactical buffoon’ when implementing a social media campaign on a new media channel, the first step you should look at is formal training, this blog by Upgrad explains it in further detail. It helps you to find your purpose in what you do. It helps you define that purpose within your industry. Plus, it helps you establish the buy-in you need for your profession to be taken seriously. After all, being focussed on digital and getting the most followers, likes or shares doesn’t create brand value. Your brand value is when you multiply that brand equity with the revenue it generates!
Hopefully, you can tell I respect the social media profession but most of all I respect it when it is embedded and supported by a fully integrated business approach.
Leave a comment and let me know what you think.
15 thoughts on “Be more than a tactical buffoon”
I love your take on the whole topic surrounding traditional vs digital media. I agree without strategy and proper implementation whats the point? Its all well and good to use these platforms in you business but without the right application or relevance its useless. Im loving your blogs they provide great information and show your personal take on the topics at hand. 🙂
Hey Maddison,
Thank you for your feedback and kind words. I’ve had a great time writing the blogs and reflecting on the impacts of a good strategy behind digital marketing. There are so many different approaches that finding the one that matches your strategy is an adventure on its own.
Thanks visiting and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the personal take.
Great blog Belinda, the Ritson vs Social media video was very interesting to watch. I liked the part about Oreao’s quick thinking marketing team.
Hey James,
Thanks for visiting my blog and your comment! I agree, it was funny when he went into the detail about Oreo’s. It did make me think about agile marketing strategies…maybe that can be my next blog.
Thanks again for visiting.
Great blog I agree with your point of view where there is no point generating likes and followers if your not creating brand value, this is where formal training is important.
Hey Nicholas,
Thanks for visiting. I’m glad you agree, I couldn’t imagine understanding the context of the many strategies out there without the formal training. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Hi Belinda, loved the blog, great to see how you touched on that companies should not just be chasing and swooping in on any shiny object and that they should like at the importance of creating strong brand value. Also love to see how you have used other blogs to give us further insight into your points. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Alif,
Thanks for reading my blog and commenting. I’m glad you liked the shiny object analogy, I see this with so many companies today and they are losing a lot of money because of it. The other blogs were a great find that I just had to share.
Thanks again for visiting!
Hello Belinda, What a journey we have been on. Your work and content creation regarding the topics always inspired me to improve my writing. I have enjoyed so many of your blog posts, this final week was great as I was able to see what more you can produce for the final time. I love learning more about traditional and digital media. The differences astounds me. 10000% if you don’t have a strategy, what is the purpose on implementing anything. I would have loved to have seen other images or diagrams or anything to further promote your ideas, even though the video was very interesting. Sometimes more imagery or other visuals is a great way to keep the reader engaged and help promote your ideas. Thank you for producing great work through out the weeks! Grace
Hello Grace,
Thanks for visiting my blog and offering your feedback. You certainly have a passion for marketing and how you’d like a blog visually and contextually portrayed, hang onto that passion. I have enjoyed putting these blogs together and the variety of impacts they have made to people. I also love that they have inspired you to improve your writing, that is definitely the part I continue to find the hardest.
Thanks again for visiting!
Hey Belinda, I enjoyed your blog, was easy to read and very logical. I think you have reinforced my ideas surrounding digital marketing and I totally agree that strategy is very important. I think maybe adding something about how we can create brand value might be well suited in this blog too. 🙂
Hey Eve,
Thanks for visiting and offering your feedback. I appreciate the comment about creating brand value, it’s such a big topic I think I might devote whole blog to that one in the future.
Thanks again for visiting!
hey Belinda, i really enjoyed your blog. Your writing style is very logical and engaging. You have reinforced my thoughts surrounding digital marketing, and I definitely agree that strategy is most important. I think adding a bit on how to achieve effective strategies may be well suited to this blog. well done 🙂
I love how you explain the concept of traditional vs technological, do you believe that organisations should cater towards one more of have an interest in both parties?
Hey Andy,
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment. I’m glad you liked the explanation of the traditional versus digital. In terms of which one should be used and when, I think it relies on your strategy and the demographic you’re targeting either for your brand or that particular campaign.
Thanks again for visiting.