Take The Wrap Off Social Media Marketing Numbers
01/28/2008
Shhh ... don't tell any of the social media Intelligentsia. 
It Is about the numbers. Don't let anyone kid you. We talk about dropping a pebble in a pond and the swirling levels of influence. But bottom-line looking deep into the waters .. we search for numbers. We worship numbers. We want more and more and more. We're only takin' care of business.
Oh sure, they have to be the "right" numbers er .. people. Right people. People are not numbers. But here's the secret it was always about finding the "right people." But we could never be sure if the right people were watching or reading or listening so we dived into the ocean of numbers. Network television. Newspapers. Oh okay .. radio was more niched. Oh okay .. cable was more niched. Oh okay .. magazines were more niched. We're only takin' care of business.
Alas but for the demographics we never really knew much about the numbers er .. people. Right people. Hello 18-34 year old women who live in the inner city and don't own cars. Hi there 35-54 year old men with beyond a college degree who reside in the suburbs. Hey sorry over 64 year olds we're not really sure what to do with you so we'll just mush you all together. We're only takin' care of business.
Then Pop! Zap! Bam! the world changed. Blogs. Videos. Podcasts. Photos Online. Technology presented easy, cool ways to communicate for the demos er numbers er people. Right people. Some of chat was about brands. People were talking to their friends and making new friends. Opinions were being influenced and maybe just perhaps purchase behaviors were changing through social media networking. The window and doors to those conversations were wide open and a few savvy marketers began listening in. They heard - Friends talking to friends. Talking to friends of friends. Here come the those numbers. We're only takin' care of business.
The social media Intelligentsia begin to ponder and some even to drool. Maybe just maybe if we listen we can hear and learn. We can create better products and services because we'll understand more than just demographics. We'll understand customers' dreams. Here come the those numbers. One person won't do. Hmmm .. maybe just maybe we can tap into - The Friend - The Top Dog - The Kingpin -The Influencer - who can lead us to the friends of friends and the friends of friends of friends. It's still a numbers game. We're only takin' care of business.
It is still a numbers game. But is that really so bad? When you have limited resources shouldn't you get the most bang for your buck .. so to speak?
If technology can help us turn a demographic snap shot or a one time view behind a two-way mirror into a multi media scrape book of our customers, that continues to evolve over time, shouldn't we maximize those opportunities?
Let's not pretend that social media marketing is not about qualifying the numbers. Marketers will always want more and more and more information to help make informed business decisions. Let's take the wrap off of the numbers game. We're only takin' care of business.
Thanks to Cardboard, Castles and Other Amenities for the use of the graphic.
