As more clients venture into the evolving, expanding and sometimes-unchartered world of social media, a common question we hear is:

“Should our business have a social presence online just to have one, even if we don’t develop or update it?”

The short answer is “no,” but let’s delve deeper into why this is not recommended.

(Rather than provide an ongoing list of social-marketing dos and don’ts, the discussion below is meant to help you draw your own conclusions about what may or may not work for your company.)

Social Media: A Work in Progress

First, you need to understand that social marketing is the newest form of communicating with and receiving feedback from potential and existing customers. While lengthy lists of dos and don’ts have circulated the World Wide Web, they’re constantly being revised. That’s because social media as a marketing tool is so new, making it a work in progress. Regardless, some rules will withstand the test of time for every business, including practicing ethical behavior, using common sense and adopting guidelines for corporate communications.

Look in the Mirror

For example, like any marketing initiative, you should thoroughly examine your company before jumpstarting a social campaign. In other words, fully consider your goals and objectives, and weigh these against what you can handle in terms of time and resources (i.e., manpower and budget). Juxtaposing these elements will help determine the right approach and platforms to adopt for your company’s use of social media:

• Interact with consumers, not just react, in a timely manner.
• Humanize your marketing by attaching a name/face to your efforts.
• Foster relationships by engaging customers in meaningful conversations and with relevant content (don’t just regurgitate your latest press releases).
• Provide immediate customer service.
• Inform the public about product news and releases, company updates and more.

You will certainly find that one size does not fit all. Depending on your industry vertical and business, certain social networks will work better than others. To determine the best network(s) for you, carefully align strategy with platform; otherwise, you will waste time and resources, while reaching the wrong audience.

Ask Yourself

What’s the point of establishing a Facebook account, if it’s only going to sit idle? Why create a Twitter profile, only to dissatisfy your brand followers for a lack of updates? Is Flickr really in your company’s best interest if you don’t have any photos to share? In the end, are you simply establishing another profile to monopolize/optimize your brand’s presence on as many social platforms as you can find?

Strive for Quality

In terms of social marketing, it’s not about quantity of networks; it’s about quality of content. And remember, Web users (and search engines alike) thrive on fresh content, so you must stay relevant through updated information (or risk losing their interest or, worse yet, sales).

Find a few social platforms on which you can focus (tip: go where your customers are conversing). Then, engage, engage, engage. And be cautious of posting content too frequently, as consumers may view this as invasive, much like e-mail SPAM (consumer privacy is a hot topic today, so step carefully or risk losing the trust of your online network). To help, create and stick to an editorial/publication calendar.

Case Study in Success: Dell

Consider how Dell used Twitter to announce offers pertaining to its online outlet, coupled with exclusive Twitter promo codes that helped track return on investment. By keeping these announcements separate, Dell was able to gauge its social success. This may seem like a bland, unsexy use of social media, but utilizing Twitter didn’t cost anything other than time, and Dell had an established consumer base already on Twitter.

(Another) Case Study in Success: Southwest Airlines

At the same time, Southwest Airlines has experimented with many social sites: Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, as well as weekly podcasts and a corporate blog. Obviously, it has embraced social media to the max, but it’s a large company with the resources to do so. Plus, the extra work required to maintain those channels has paid off in that customers have multiple ways to interact.

For Southwest, its objectives were to be accessible, as well as to demonstrate genuine conversations and a commitment to its customers. Carefully aligning those objectives with the necessary platforms is why Southwest’s multi-platform strategy has been successful.

Case Study in Failure: Walmart

On the flip side of positive social marketing, retail giant Walmart made several grave mistakes in its Facebook campaign, which was launched to directly compete against Target. Its first shortcoming was straying from its core identity as a discount supermarket. By attempting fashion and style advice, Walmart created inconsistent messaging and a disconnect with its target audience. To resonate with its audience, Walmart should’ve known that its customers want to read about discounts and promotions.

Second, Walmart assumed social marketing is like offline marketing in which the winner is the one with the loudest messaging. But, in social marketing, the winner is defined by being a better listener. For example, Target engaged users through discussion boards, while Walmart restricted dialogue to wall posts only (and heavily moderated what was permissible). Almost immediately, Walmart was subject to negative feedback from users disgusted by a lack of two-way communication.

In this way, Walmart feared criticism as a black eye for the company, but companies need to understand that entering the social arena is opening the door for good and bad remarks alike. Truly effective companies will not pretend that they’re perfect and devoid of room for growth. As a result, respond to unsatisfactory remarks without backlash, only to turn criticism into an opportunity to better your business.

Conclusion

In conclusion, draw your own conclusions. But whatever you do, do not do what Dr. Pepper did.