Social Media Shakeup: Time to Rebuild Your Strategy?

The social media shakeup of late is a wake-up call for rethinking, revamping, and rebuilding your social media marketing strategy. At least that’s how it feels to me. 

But, I’m not the only one, and so sharing some expert insights, like from Guest Cohost, Joie Gharrity, and a few other voices mentioned in our LIVE, proves that the shifting foundations of social media marketing are not only a widely recognized challenge. And, importantly, a sound reason to rethink and revamp your social media marketing strategy going forward. It certainly feels critical. 

It was surprising when scheduling the LinkedIn LIVE Audio Event Premiere for this interactive episode of The Marketing Mirror about a month ahead of time to find this quote from Mark Schaefer, speaking my mind! Lol 

Luckily, Superstar Woman Entrepreneurs (SWE) Media founder, Joie Gharrity, reminds us of some of the most important foundational things to consider. Her social media enthusiasm is contagious, and I love it when she says, first and foremost, have fun with it! 

Here’s a short list of 7 concepts from Joie that stand out from our conversation. I particularly think these are core, no matter your business. 

Joie’s concepts (I love) for approaching social media:

• Have fun with it.
• Show your creativity.
• Share your stories to connect emotionally with people.
• Don’t rely on a single platform to showcase your gifts and talents.
• View social sites as a comfortable and friendly coffee shop where you stop to chat and visit with friends. (You can be in and out, or linger.)
• Participate with what you like, don’t with what you don’t… You have choices and control.
• Embrace podcasting and video to get your unique voice out there, and step into your spotlight. 

Ann Handley gives an example of how to have fun with social media in a recent interview, saying that her Instagram is strictly fun and personal. It’s social media for her and not for business, and it’s wholly separate but showcases her humor, love for her doggie baby, and much more.

It’s also a way to keep the fun and creativity lit for social media in a pressure-free zone. 

What About the Chaos?

But what about the chaos of today’s social media environment? What are the roadblocks and challenges to consider when rethinking your social strategies and plans? How do you best leverage what you know and balance that with the latest trends? What changes can you implement immediately, and what areas are evolving to pay attention to for your business needs?

Social media volatility goes far beyond the ever-evolving features, changes, and rule updates on the platforms. Adding to the social media shakeup at the foundational level of these platforms, there’s also a bigger cultural shift at play. Joie likens social media to a second skin for most Americans, at least as she’s witnessing it, even at the everyday grocery store!

Social media is prevalent among people, making it ultra-prevalent to businesses.

But the chaotic and shake-up nature of social media marketing right now warrants a much closer look at the times, the climate, and evolving trends with an eye to the impact on businesses using social media marketing in the digital space.

Joie speaks of social media as a place to fly your freedom flag, and she refers to the nature of social as a leveling of the playing field, making it possible for each of us to step into our spotlight. And while she admits the bigger players with bigger budgets still have an advantage, she points out that the ease of entering and using social platforms is better than ever. It’s less expensive and less tech-heavy. Sharing our unique voice and point of view is key to Joie’s social media perspective and strategic planning.

Social platforms started with the idea of offering a place to share whatever you want. The social media “community square,” or “watercooler,” you might say, promises that all are welcome. But is that still true?

What Are The Concerns?

The first question of concern is whether social media platforms have a user-first attitude (or not) in how they develop and change over time. I question LinkedIn’s motives for adding a game to their App, for example, and whether that improves the product’s expected UX for people on LinkedIn or not. The goal of keeping people on a single platform is more and more obvious in the way the features are added and withdrawn on social sites. TikTok-like options on LinkedIn also feel like a questionable fit to me.

It’s an important discussion about the give and take between platforms and users and what’s in the best interest for all sides. My feeling is the platforms are showing a selfish side and developing against others in their marketplace, over-concentrating on improvements for ‘we the people’… users and content creators that drive platforms.

Another concern beyond the platform options leads to questions on government control of platform speech, censorship, and our best interests as business owners. I mention that our agenda isn’t to keep people on their platforms but to allow an introduction to our brands and businesses, products, and services. A bigger challenge than ever before, but rules and regulations, as well as outside-of-platform interference, all present problems and challenges, and amplify algorithm impacts on search results, possibly. Are we getting all sides to a topic and not a biased result?

Are you wondering about whether or not to join the political discourse on EVERY social media platform? Lisa Sicard of Inspire to Thrive wrote a post to help you avoid political content on each platform on Medium, but politics and business don’t mix in my view. And Joie mentions that having government involvement in anything complicates matters, and “is usually not a good thing,” she says.

Freedom of Speech = Freedom to Decide for Yourself

I say, thinking people don’t need governments to censor content because freedom of speech guarantees the freedom and right for anyone to say what they want, right or wrong. It’s then up to each of us to filter that speech by what we know is right and wrong, to discern what is truth and what aligns with our education, understanding, experience, knowledge, beliefs, and values. We’re smart enough to think for ourselves rather than have an entity dictate what we can or cannot view/read/hear.

As a writer with a journalism background and business owner, I find getting all sides to a story and uncovering facts are imperative, but many people simply believe what they hear or are told without due diligence. Maybe that’s the fear of allowing free speech. Hmm. What do you say about this one?

More on AI, Ut Oh

Another fear for content credibility and authenticity comes up with the topic of AI in content creation. The fear of the “artificial” part, along with issues around creative rights, remains foggy at best, despite some new committees being formed for governments to regulate and oversee.

As reported by MarketingProfs, AI-washing is one deceptive practice already flagged by agencies like the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Get Joie’s Book NOW!

But there are other potential problems with allowing AI to take too much of a lead, particularly in the marketing/communications space. For instance, Owen Video stresses problem areas, saying, “While AI brings many advantages, it’s crucial to approach it with a well-thought-out strategy and human touch.“

Here are a few of Owen’s reasons why AI can be a no-no:

• Brand Voice: AI lacks the nuance and emotional intelligence that a human touch provides. Without proper oversight, your brand messaging can become robotic and impersonal.
• Bias: AI systems learn from existing data, which can sometimes include biases. This can lead to biased decisions that may harm your brand’s reputation.
• Customer Trust: Over-reliance on AI can lead to a loss of the personal connection with your audience. Customers value human interaction and the empathy that comes with it.

Still, with human oversight, the right strategy, ongoing monitoring, etc., you can turn the use of AI tools from a potential liability into a powerful asset. Human-to-human content always wins, though, so just remember your AI assets in your Marketing Toolkit are a tool and not an answer!

But About Bots?

Early on, bot responses on social media were called out by people on different platforms. I first saw a huge blowup about them on LinkedIn. (And we thought the DM attacks on LinkedIn were Spam enough!)

Truthfully, social media has unique challenges, including content creation for both written and graphic creation when it comes to the use of AI help.

But the bots are big no-nots! At least that’s how Joie and I feel about them. Not only are they way too obviously NOT human, but they are also frustrating to interact with more often than not. We know things may change on this front, so we’ll keep testing.

Still, “People want to work with people,” Joie says, and I think we all know that’s right.

For Brooke Sellas, customer care means social media service and engagement. This is a few words from her shared during the LIVE Event:

Social media is not just a platform for marketing; it’s a vital channel for customer service and engagement.
The ability to respond promptly and effectively to customer inquiries, complaints, and feedback on social media can ✨ significantly ✨ impact your business’s reputation and customer loyalty.” ~Brooke Sellas

I love Brooke’s thinking and meticulous investigation proving the value of social customer care as a way to create competitive advantage for her clients. She’s really embracing the two-way conversation that social media and all marketing are today. Being interactive, reactive, and transparent is attractive to people, helping increase brand loyalty.

Summing It Up

• Social media’s evolving landscape continues to make the social media marketing environment volatile and ever-changing.
• Perceptions of social media, including how people accept and interact with it are changing, but continue to grow as culturally relevant.
• The current charged political climate on social media impacts and influences social platforms, potentially influencing business strategies, including channel decisions for social marketing.
• Automation vs. authenticity requires a thoughtful and meaningful approach by businesses and brands going forward, particularly with the onslaught of AI madness.
• Customer care as a priority for your social media marketing turns engagement and happy customers into a competitive advantage for businesses.
• It’s time for a strategic overhaul and reevaluation of social media management by discovering a fresh and whole new approach to showcase your business/brand uniquely in the world (or at least your industry)!

Adapting your social media marketing strategy now is crucial for your business.

What do you think?