Retargeter

You Can’t Control the Conversation on Social Media (and That’’s Okay)

Beyond all of the Likes, retweets and +1s, social media’’s greatest gift to marketers is that it helps give brands a human face. Before the social media revolution, virtually all brand communications were one-way—the brands talk and the consumers listen, with no possibility for participation. Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, blogs and online discussion forums, however, consumers now have the ability to speak directly to brands and share their experiences with brands with their friends.

At first blush, this seems like a marketer’s dream come true. Why go through the hassle of securing formal case studies and testimonials when people are talking about your brand organically, without prompting or payment? You can’’t buy that kind of authenticity (though many have tried). Considering that social graph recommendations have a significant influence on people’s buying behavior, high customer engagement on social media seems like an unequivocal boon for marketers.

But what happens when people start saying things about your brand that you don’t want them to say?

To read more, head over to the iMedia Connection blog.