What is this social media revolution? This is a question I get a lot during EntreLeadership. Usually from small companies that believe their business of….pouring concrete, doesn’t need a social media presence. If you feel that same way, then give four minutes and 19 seconds to this video:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0EnhXn5boM&feature=player_embedded]
You see, there is a very real shift that’s happening. You’re company is getting older, but most likely, your customers are getting younger. How do I mean? The next generation who will be buying your product is completely used to getting their information a different way than the current generation. And truthfully, the current generation is catching on as well.
Now when I want to learn how to do something, I don’t call someone. I don’t email someone. I Google it. Then I read 17 blogs trying to find someone who actually knows what I’m talking about. The funny thing is, as forward-thinking as I think I am, I’m not. You see, the younger generation doesn’t Google to learn how to do something. They YouTube it to watch how to do it.
By the way, YouTube has become one of the best places for you to get customer to trust you. When they can see your products and how you do business, then a confidence is built in their minds. They also feel like they received something for free, which in turn builds more confidence.
So if you can’t figure out how and why it is vastly important to have a social media presence, then I don’t know how to convince you. I can tell you this, if I need some concrete poured at my house, I’m not looking in the Yellow Pages to find someone. I’m online, and I’m reading reviews on all of my possible options. Will I find your company?
Question: How is your company seeing a change, or lack there of, due to social media?
I think the younger generation is looking for a way out of Facebook because their parents are there…it’s no longer cool. They are looking for the next thing…Google+? The Google brand is legit in “20 somethings” minds and Google+ seems to be a big hit. Wondering if Facebook will become the new Myspace?
Can you explain a little about Google +?
Google+ looks a lot like Facebook. It’s cleaner, no advertisements…yet. There are no business pages…yet.
Google+ allows you to put your friends in circles. When you post a status update you can send it to certain circles rather than all your friends. They also have video chat. It is only available through invite, just like gmail started. Here’s a link to a quick look at some of those features.
Great video and I was shocked at some of the statistics. It truly is not a question whether we should be engaging in social media but how well we will do it.
That’s exactly it. I think people are so pensive to jump in, that when they do, they’re light-years behind.
The stats are completely mind boggling, when you consider that just a couple years ago, connecting to social media sites on corporate networks was a huge no-no. I still recall big companies tip toeing into the mix, sometimes getting bogged down by a lot of red tape, like defining what’s the engagement standards will be, only to realise those standards are outdated before they see the light of the day. For any company to succeed in this arena, they have to be willing to change or switch direction at a moment’s notice. Out of curiosity (This goes for everybody on the site) what has been your experience with some of this big companies; think fortune 500 companies? How can they adopt their slow but sure methodologies to fit this new norm?
The funny thing is, that a fortune 500 could implement social media considerably faster than the rest of us. The reason is resources. Now, they may have a bunch of red tape, but that would be the only thing holding them up. Great comment.
Shoot. I think I will have to cave in and do Facebook. Each time I think It Is Time For Facebook, I hear another story about someone having trouble with it. Maybe if I continue to procrastinate, I can skip it altogether and jump in on Google+. . . or maybe that will not take off and I can hold out for the next thing!
hahaha….you crack me up Jana!
Chris – I just have to say – I’m a “social” person – so I LOVE Social Media! Most of my friends are really surprised (I’m in the ‘almost 60’ crowd)! But the connections are huge and powerful – and well, amazing!
It’s here. To stay. I’m in.
I’m pretty sure there’s more than 1.5 million farmers in the world. Probably more like 150 million. And I’ll bet 95% never use facebook or twitter.