Social media marketing is 'about community building'

Social media is a more effective marketing tool when the emphasis is on building a community, an expert has said.
The platform affords marketers with an opportunity to engage with consumers and the entire process should be a two-way street, according to Dennis Pombriant, writing for CRM Buyer.

"Leveraging social media requires a deep abiding understanding of how to manage community chatter. It is about quickly turning negative talk to positive and positive talk to sales," he advised.

Campaigns need to be flexible and offer "instant gratification" as well as something to encourage people to keep coming back, Mr Pombriant said.

He added that there could be no respite for social media marketers as they "have to continue doing things; there´s no quitting".

Tania Jackson, managing director at Red Idea, said the measurability of social media makes it an ideal marketing channel, adding that it is a "big hit at the moment" with many firms looking to integrate it into their strategies.

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