Public Relations & Social Marketing Insight

Despite the hype, social media may not be your best approach when it comes to reaching your customers. Here are some questions to help determine whether to...

Many small businesses think they have to be active in social media just because it's become such a central part of big brand marketing and pop culture. I get it. It's starting to feel like if you're not in social media, you're not doing real marketing anymore. And in many categories, that may be true. Social media has become the great connector, aligning brands and customers in real time in ways never seen in marketing.

But you can't just jump into social media because you feel obligated. You need a plan of attack that makes sense for your brand and your customer. It may not make sense for your customer to engage. The key is to know when using social media fits strategically with what you are trying to accomplish. It starts with knowing what your brand is about and how your customers live their lives -- a marketing fundamental no matter the medium.

If you have a more private brand with customers who don't want to share their stories, you probably have no business using social media channels to connect with them. Here are some key factors to consider when determining what role social media plays in your marketing strategy...