Web 2.0 and Social networks and media are certainly the flavor of the day in online marketing. With tools like Ning now enabling any organization to develop their own feature rich social network/media community site, the question is whether or not it makes the most sense to build your own or invest in the communities already established. It’s a strategy question that looks at the pros and cons of building and pulling people into your community, or reaching out to communities that might already exist.
Here are some steps I’d suggest taking in making this decision.
1. Reality Check: Is this initiative a knee-jerk reaction to a shiny new object, or part of a strategy? Be honest. If so, what is its priority level within your integrated marketing plan and what resources (financial and human) will be available to setup and maintain?
2. Research what is already out there: What blogs, discussion groups, social network/media pages/groups are already focused on your industry, sector, product/service, or your individual organization. The results may surprise you.
3. Research tools and service options for building your own: Google “create your own social network”. Pick three, dig deeper, compare. Bring in your developers and designers to learn what customization options exist from a brand/design perspective, and what technical resource might be required to implement. At this point, all you need are ballpark numbers just to get a sense of what you could be investing. Multiply those numbers by 2 if not 3.
I expect after step 2, you may have realized that building a social network will not replace the need to also get out there and engage in all of those social media and social network sites. Good. Get out there and engage.
If your goal in creating your own social networking site is to “control the message”, you still don’t get it. Get out of the way of those that do.
Any organization with a product or service that is strong enough to bond people should strongly consider developing its own social network. The opportunity to build a community surrounding your brand is extremely powerful. People are self-defined by the brands they feel passionate about. Whether it’s their car, their radio station, their favorite ski resort, or their laptop… these brands contribute to their individual brands – this social phenomenon is extremely viral.
One quick check: if you think you’re customer would wear a t-shirt with your logo – you already have a community.
