Even a simple "Healthy Halloween Recipe" contest can bring out the online "trolls". Constant monitoring of your Facebook page is essential to protect your core, loyal fans.
As a social media consultant for a wide range of industries, I’ve been the “behind the scenes” consultant to the corporate marketing department, as well as the actual blogger, Facebook page owner and Twitter manager for my clients. Playing a wide range of roles in the social media space has allowed me to pull together some great success stories as well as some lessons learned in 2011. (you can read about these in my upcoming Social Media Book).
Today, I’d like to share this video interview with my client First Choice Emergency Rooms. Back in October, we launched a “Healthy Halloween Recipe Contest” as a way to get their target audience, Texas moms, more engaged with the Facebook page and attract some new “likes” as well. Listen in as fellow consultant Matt Murphy explains why it is so important to actively and constantly monitor your Facebook page – especially during a contest, when newer “fans” can start trying to engage with your current, core, loyal audience.
This interview reminds me of a recent poll by SmartPulse Poll, that asked marketers “How is your company coping with your social media point person taking time off for the holidays?” An alarming 36% said that their social media efforts “go dark” when their primary contact is away.
As you will see in this interview, this can put your company at a huge risk. Social media does not sleep. Which means having multiple “back ups” and page owners can be key to an effective social media campaign.
Many social media marketers have discovered the same issue in 2011, and realize that once engaged with social media, there are significant risks that come with not keeping an eye on the conversations. In a span of just 24 hours, one customer rant can go viral. Fortunately, for First Choice, Mr. Murphy kept a keen eye on the contest, actively monitoring each post and responding swiftly and strategically. Watch the video to learn more about how he handled the contest.
How will you be dealing with your social media campaigns over the holidays? Will your primary social media contact take time off? Have you planned for back up? Or will everything go dark?
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Holly Berkley is the author of Marketing in the New Media and Low Budget Online Marketing for Small Business. Her newest book, Social Media in Action… will be available in early 2012. Holly has developed a 3-month corporate social media training program to help companies craft a social media presence that ties directly into existing initiatives or goals. Contact Holly Berkley to learn more about how she can help enhance your company’s social media outreach program.
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