A Fast Track to Social Success

The 2007 holiday selling season likely will be remembered as the year social marketing hit the mainstream. A Oneupweb study of the 12 hottest products for the upcoming holiday season shows a remarkably creative variety of social media strategies and tactics being employed by savvy online marketers as they successfully generate advanced buzz and ensuing engagement.

For the multichannel marketer who has yet to adopt a specific social-marketing strategy, it may appear a daunting, if not impossible, task to jump into during this holiday selling season. But here are four social tactics you might want to consider.

1. Participate in existing social networks. Target those with the social and demographic profiles of your typical customer. Identify existing social networks that reach that specific profile and offer substantive content. If you sell underwater cameras and watches, for example, look to blogs and other social sites for divers. Post tips and commentary about the best times and places to shoot photography for certain water conditions.

As your expertise is established, you may attract links that’ll increase traffic and eventually sales. Also, look for sponsorship and advertising opportunities in these social communities. A good podcast for the diving enthusiast may offer sponsorship and/or audio or video advertising. In the case of video, think 15 seconds maximum.

Finally, create a story and/or press release for this targeted community featuring your new products, such as “10 Great New Gifts for the Diver on Your List.” Post it on your Web site as well.

2. Invite participation on your Web site. There are many ways to create a dialogue with your market. Consider product reviews or forums. Encourage other consumer-generated content. The underwater camera site might invite divers to send their best pictures. Each week these could be sorted and judged by visitors. And the top choices could be turned into a video that could be posted on YouTube and Flickr.

Include tagging and sharing options. For instance, invite audio or video submissions from customers describing products they’d like as a gift and have them explain why. Then post submissions on your site. They can opt to place links to wish lists they’ve created on shopping sites such as Amazon.com.

3. Repackage existing content for social sharing. If you have good product demonstration videos, consider re-editing and/or repackaging these as podcasts. Try to give an informational and/or entertainment angle rather than a purely promotional one. Make the videos available on YouTube and other video-sharing sites. Post this video content on your Web site since Google now is indexing video content.

4. Integrate throughout. Support your social-marketing initiatives throughout your other online and offline marketing channels. Optimized press releases with appropriate links and images should be issued with each social component launched. Last-minute supplemental catalog mailings might refer to social promotions, such as contests and new Web site product review or forum features. Paid advertising on targeted social sites should lead people to landing pages that can be shared or tagged. Brick-and-mortar store promotions should support social initiatives directing people to your Web site.

There’s no fixed formula here. Some social tactics may work better than others. Experiment. In this year of extensive social marketing, the worst strategy is none at all.

Lisa Wehr is founder/CEO of Oneupweb, an integrated online marketing firm. You can reach her by visiting Oneupweb.com or email info@oneupweb.com.