April 5th, 2010 by Nick

If an online firm wishes to promote its brand it may easily decide to use the social media to increase its visibility. It does make sense to gain the attention of potential customers who may be hard to reach through conventional advertising methods. However, there are at least two major reasons why such a firm should consult with SMM (social media marketing) professionals before proceeding. Firstly, tactics which are generally effective in other contexts may be inappropriate and counterproductive. Secondly, there are several important things which the novice may overlook in their pursuit of business when they use media which they are unfamiliar with.

The first point has already received a lot of attention online. Nevertheless, it is worth reiterating that participants on Facebook or Twitter are often rather canny individuals who are using the media for their own purposes. They are sometimes the internet equivalent of the person who makes a cup of tea during the advertising breaks on the television. Even worse from a business perspective, they may be immersed in their own social and intellectual activities, hardly in the mood to receive a blatant advertisement in a positive fashion.

The second point is worthy of a greater degree of exploration. Each type of social media has its own norms and codes of behaviour. They may be unwritten in part, but that does not make them any less real or worthy of respect. Failure to conform, perhaps because of ignorance, can be an expensive error. SMM experts are fully conversant with the norms and the most influential figures may even help shape future behaviour. However, this is not the only important aspect of things which can be easily neglected by newcomers to the changing social media environments.

An aspect of what can easily be missed is aptly illustrated by the following example. As an individual or as a firm, it is quite possible to enter the microblogging site Twitter without being fully aware of how to best boost prestige in the eyes of others and certainly how it all relates to search engine optimization. The profile section may present little difficulty, but it may be problematic to establish what kind of Twitter background will work out best. A Twitter background for a firm can be most effective if it reflects something unique about the firm, but that is by no means the only consideration to bear in mind. The following five design points may be of some assistance:

•    Copy in the background should be easy to read
•    Consider how the design relates to the background of the Twitter logo
•    Select a colour which does not match the shade of the main column for aesthetic reasons
•    Consider using a limited colour range or repeated pattern to minimise the time loading may take
•    In general, create the individual Twitter background in line with the limits imposed by the Twitter layout throughout the design process

Many more examples could be provided which underline the value of consulting with experts before social media optimization is undertaken on a large scale. There is arguably no substitute for having the expertise and etiquette nailed down from the outset, which is why a professional well versed in SEO and SMM is a good route to take.

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