In Brian’s post, “Get a F#ck!ng Blog Already,” he writes about his desire to “convince companies to stop asking questions and accept the fact that they need to engage. The only question they need to ask is,’what do I need to do?’” He goes on to point out that many companies are talking about social media, yet very few are truly embracing it. I agree, yet disagree, with Brian. True, only a few companies have embraced social media yet. However, I don’t think they should rush to create a blog.

So why all the talk yet very little movement? My personal opinion is that so many companies are getting bogged down with the technology, terminology and all the “expert” advice and end up over thinking social media. In turn, they never move beyond discussions and brainstorms. I wholeheartedly agree that companies need to understand what they’re trying to achieve, and the larger ones should have blogging policies in place. But I think most companies are spending too much time creating blogging strategies (if there is such a thing) and researching what other companies are doing, and ultimately end up with analysis paralysis.

I sat in on a Forrester webinar today called “The Right Social Marketing Strategy” with Charlene Li. She said she’s hearing from a lot of folks who think they need to have a blog in order to embrace social media. She also said that many marketers are so focused on the various new technologies (Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc.), that they lose focus. Her advice, which I think is very relevant to PR folks looking at social media, is to “create a strategy by focusing on relationships — not technology.”

With that in mind, and as promised yesterday, here are a few easy steps to get you going with social media (in no particular order). It’s completely over simplified by design. I truly believe that as you start experimenting, it’s easier to understand what works for your company/client, and what doesn’t. And please note that nowhere do I suggest starting a company blog — that comes in the next wave.

  1. Start by listening and understanding both what your customers are reading and what they are saying. PR is about building relationships and influence within a universe of media/analysts, and you don’t define that universe — your customers do. So understanding who and what they’re reading, as well as what (or if) they’re writing, is critical if you want to engage with them (which is the intent of social media).
  2. Once you’ve defined this universe, begin outreaching to a few bloggers. Just like any member of the media, do your homework first. Read what they write. Read their about page, read their PR guidelines page. Once you’ve determined they’re definitely relevant to you (or, more importantly, that YOU’RE definitely relevant to them), introduce yourself and begin a conversation. Always be upfront and honest in your communication with them, and never spam them. You’ll learn quickly what works and what doesn’t — and then you can replicate that to a broader audience.
  3. Treat bloggers like you would any other industry influencer. If they write in-depth product analysis, treat them like your traditional reviewers and let them see beta products. Solicit their feedback and provide more context for them. If they focus on the industry and competitive landscape, treat them like an industry analyst. Share metrics that help show your growth, etc. If they’re news oriented, treat them like news reporters. If they’re writing about their experience with your product, treat them like a customer … Etc., etc., etc.
  4. Read blogs, and respond to them. The biggest hurdle to embracing social media is giving up the notion that PR is about controlling the flow of communication from a company. If you see a blog post that’s inaccurate about your company, email the blogger. If the blog post “dings” your product, post a comment thanking them for the feedback. You may even be able to agree and let them know you’re working on a fix. No matter how much you want to, though, don’t ever bait the blogger into a debate without having hard facts to back you up … otherwise you’ll lose. Realize that even with the facts, you may still lose. But at least your message will be shared in the comments.
  5. As Charlene points out, don’t focus on the technology. Focus on building relationships. If none of your customers are in SecondLife, it’s probably not where you need to be.
  6. Make information easy to get, and easier yet to receive. Gone are the days of paper press kits, but there’s still a need for a lot of that content. Make sure your online press room has valuable content. This could include links to videos on YouTube, etc. And once you have this content available, don’t assume the media will visit it frequently. Get an RSS feed set up so you can make it easy for them to see updates (including news announcements, newsletters, etc.). You’ll be amazed at how simple this is, yet how many companies don’t do it.

I realize I just over simplified an entry-level social media strategy. But, my belief is that the PR strategies are vastly the same — technology has just created new mediums and redefined who the media (i.e. content creators) are, and several factors have led to a culture of openness in communications. This is also why I don’t think it’s wise to treat social media as its own practice, but rather incorporate social media into your existing PR and communications programs.

How about you — care to share any tips on how companies can ease into social media?