Marketing mistakes are nothing new, where companies have missed the mark completely with their campaigns and even insulted their audience in doing so.
However, a silly mistake can be magnified when the marketing platform is a social media site – as Bing Lee discovered during the recent Queensland flood disaster.
When Bing Lee attempted to attract people to its Facebook page by promising to donate more money to the flood appeal depending on how many people ‘liked’ their page – the social media community were outraged.
The problem with making a snap decision and reacting quickly to the fast-paced world of social media is a mistake can be seen by thousands and word spreads incredibly quickly.
While every marketer dreams of a massive viral campaign, it is anger and disgust that can send the online world spinning, with social media users sharing news and opinions about unacceptable online behaviour that can reach thousands of people within minutes.
There is no doubt that in the case of Bing Lee, some businesses would have applauded their ingenuity and quick thinking, however sometimes what appears to be a clever marketing ploy, needs a little extra thought about how an audience will perceive and react to it.
Before posting something that could be considered a little controversial, or before trying a new marketing tactic with social media there are a few steps you should take:
- Test your theory on a smaller audience. If Bing Lee had asked a sample of their staff or friends if they thought their donation idea was a little too edgy, perhaps they could have stopped the crisis before it even went online.
- Do some research. A quick Google search of marketing mistakes and social media crises might just give you a snapshot of what has been done before – and what has gone wrong.
- Don’t neglect your social media strategy plan. Be sure that whatever spontaneous idea you want to try out still fits in with your company’s objectives of what you want to achieve through social media.
If you’re using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or blogs, don’t ever forget that your followers have chosen to hear what you have to say. It is very easy for them to remove their permission (or ‘opt-out’) so you want to ensure that your messages are helpful, interesting, entertaining and un-offensive.
By treating the online world with the same respect as you treat the real world, the chances of a PR mishap will be much less.
Sydney Public Relations Agency, CP Communications provides specialist media, traditional and online PR strategies that get amazing results. Contact us today. For more great tips visit our website www.cpcommunications.com.au.
