Considering the Climate before Posting on Social Media

Keeping abreast of the world events happening at the moment is imperative to relating to your consumer base over social media.

For businesses, social media may seem like any other marketing medium. Its goal is to ultimately draw more attention to the product/service and to make more sales. However, social media offers a distinct advantage to traditional marketing - the ability to directly relate to a consumer base. But just using social media marketing does not automatically give this advantage. Of course, it is the quality/quantity of the posts that dictate whether social media marketing is an advantage or disadvantage for a business.

Social media marketing should not merely be a routine feed of only your business' products, promotions or news. A business cannot grow a loyal, attentive social market if posts are not relevant to the targeted consumer. One of the greatest yet daunting aspects of social media is its consistent change and evolution. Staying current with the things your target market cares about and tailoring your updates to the climate of that "world" will yield a more invested follower.

Without a voice and a heart behind social media marketing, attempts of promotion can seem stale.

Take, for example, updating social media during a national crisis such as hurricane Sandy. The thoughts of the nation are focused on the lives of those in the storm's path. It's not the time to push promotions onto the public. However, it may be the time to, if anything, offer a small sympathetic message for those living on the East coast.

These events offer opportunities to show a purpose and humanity to a business beyond blindly marketing and can improve a company's image in the eye of the consumer. The opposite, ignoring what is current and important to the target market, can be detrimental to a brand image.