Putting the Cart Before the Horse

I have a feeling that everybody and their brother will be getting on the social media bandwagon because the Obama campaign used the Internet so successfully. Unfortunately, many hopping aboard seem to forget that the campaign’s success hinged not on the technology itself, but on how it was used.

Mass media messages are easier to produce than targeted ones. Even though social media tools are easy to use, it takes real work and lots of thought to use them well. How is it that so many just don’t get that?

Messaging comes first. To me, social media tools are vehicles for very specific messages. So when these tools are used in a professional capacity, some sort of strategy must be in place. You can’t expect to be successful just dipping a toe in the water and setting up an account. You have to have something to say, and you have to think through the best way to say it. Otherwise, what’s the point?