Branding was always big. We just didn’t always have a name for it. Brand familiarity started with a typeface a company used. Logos came along. Then advertisements worked to define products, services or — in the case of recruitment advertising — jobs. Whether a brand was big/flashy, clever/cool, or corporate/simple, it was recognizable because you saw it in a magazine or in the newspaper.
The exposure was no accidental occurrence. Organizations paid big money to have public relations firms, advertising agencies and product placement companies “develop” their brand and then to get it “out there”.
But in the last year alone, we’ve seen a momentous shift in marketing priorities and the way a brand gains familiarity.
It’s not, “What are we going to say in our ad?”
It’s, “What are we going to say on Facebook?”
It’s not, “Who will we get to talk about our new product?”
It’s, “Who will we get to Tweet?”
It used to be that the first thing you saw when you went to an organization’s website was its brand. Now, one of the first things you notice is that it has a presence on Facebook. Suddenly, adding one trusty little clickable logo is one of the most important boosts you can give to your homepage. Especially in an economy that’s still on the mend, the number one priority for most organizations — financial companies, universities, health systems, and yes, communications firms like Alstin — is getting noticed by the most people for the least amount of money. And for marketers and employers of all shapes and sizes, social networking is delivering.
Whether you gain “fans” on Facebook, blog about a product you know people are going to be pumped about, or put your best jobs on Twitter, social networking sites are taking over where traditional, overpriced venues left off — and brands are benefitting. For instance, by connecting your brand with Facebook’s, you’re getting a domino effect of exposure that even the most carefully audited subscriber/circulation report (remember those?) couldn’t beat. With Twitter, someone can talk about how impressed they were with your company and your CEO — who saw the “tweet” — can thank the person minutes later (talk about effectiveness tracking)!
It’s a high-priced newspaper’s worst nightmare and a well-developed social networking site’s dream come true. Speaking of the stuff of dreams…has anyone calculated the true cost of all the free advertising Facebook is getting each time a visitor to a website with the “FB” link eyeballs it? We at Alstin are partnering with our clients to develop compelling content for Facebook Fanpages. We’re giving them recommendations on using Twitter to market their career opportunities as well as their top performers. And instead of buying expensive TV time, we’re uploading videos to YouTube.
It’s still Branding.
It’s just brand new.
New can be scary if you’re not in the know. If you’re ready to become part of the social networking movement but aren’t sure where to begin, email me at blog@alstin.com.
