An interview with Rachel Taylor, who shares information about current social media marketing practices.
Why do some social media campaigns fail?
Not every social media campaign will be successful, so use failure as a learning experience.
Dig deep and figure out why it failed; you could have targeted the wrong audience, had disconnect between execution and desired results, or, failed to provide interesting and sharable content. Social media marketing doesn’t follow the same equation as traditional marketing.
You no longer push your product on an audience; you have human interaction, feelings, opinions and personalities to take into consideration. If you familiarize yourself with the needs of your audience and aim to provide a solution to their needs through your brand, you are more likely to run a successful campaign.
When possible, think of your audience first and your brand second.
Don’t get discouraged if and when a campaign fails, social media marketing is still relatively new and we are all learning as we go.
How should a business choose a social media manager?
Businesses need to understand that their social media manager is the voice of their company across multiple platforms, and potentially before a large number of people.
Don’t get sucked into a company that offers their own large following, a certain number of tweets or a certain number of likes/follows per month. An authentic and engaged following means more than a large number, so look for someone who emulates your brand well.
I highly suggest meeting with potential candidates to make sure their personality fits your company and brand.
If they fit well into your company culture, they are more likely to successfully communicate your brand’s message to your audience. When in doubt, ask for samples of previous work and/or referrals.
How and where did you train yourself in social media?
Being a “digital native”, I have used Facebook since it was for .edu addresses only and used Myspace in high school. It took a little time before I warmed up to Twitter, but now I’m not sure what I’d do without Twitter and Foursquare.
I think Twitter is an especially powerful tool for business.
I learned how to grow a business using social media tools while working for a startup social media platform. The platform itself was meant to help local business owners connect with customers, so I learned a lot about the value of social media based off our platform.
On top of that, I was the entire Chicago office (the rest of the company was in Silicon Valley) so I quickly learned the power of social media marketing. Instead of telling one person about our platform, I had the ability to interact and engage with a large group exposing our brand to a much larger audience.
Facebook and Twitter connections led to business meetings and sales, and proved to be the most effective way to increase brand awareness.
Since learning the ropes with this company I have worked with local businesses, online companies and non-profits.
I have had the pleasure of seeing how social media can positively impact each.
What’s your favorite style of food?
That is a tough question, because I LOVE food.
I recently realized that my favorite cuisines seem to be those that rely heavily on cilantro.
Mexican, Thai and Indian are definitely my favorite at the moment, and Mexican and Italian are my long time favorites.
How much time do you spend blogging?
Blogs are a great from of personal expression, and an invaluable way for businesses to communicate their message to, and with, consumers.
I have two small, personal blogs and am the food & beverage editor of a much larger blog, so I spend quite a bit of time blogging.
Between research, writing and editing, on a week when I write content for both of my blogs (if I’m short on time, I normally skip writing my food & beverage blog) I spend at least eight hours a week blogging.
Blogs are a great from of personal expression, and an invaluable way for businesses to communicate their message to, and with, consumers.
Why do you love social media?
What I love most about social media is the amazing people I have met.
Some people, that I now consider good friends, were met via tweet ups or just chatting about shared interests on Twitter.
I also love being able to keep in touch and up to date with friends who live across the country.
For business, I enjoy the positive impact that social media can have.
When used properly, a business is able to expose their brand to an entire new consumer base and has the opportunity to turn those consumers into customers.
Among other things that I love, social media enables a business to enhance customers experiences and gives businesses the opportunity to provide customers service in real time which can have a large impact on brand perception.
It’s easy to spend lots of time online. How do you find balance in life?
I don’t…(only kidding) but it is hard to turn off when you know there is always something you could be doing for a client or your own brand.
I try to spend an hour an evening away from the computer.
On the weekends, I aim to spend more time off the computer than on.
I can’t say that I’m always successful, but setting goals is key to finding balance for me.
About Rachel Taylor
I am a digital native with deep experience building brands and marketing companies via social media.
I founded Simply Social Chicago out of desire to help business owners who were being led astray by company’s claiming to be social media experts. I realized my true passion for social media marketing after helping these business owners understand social media and seeing its positive impact on their brand. In my spare time, I work with my favorite national non-profit, helping to develop and implement their social media strategy.
If I’m not talking social media I’m typically talking food, wine, sports or photography. I recently received my advanced certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and am the food & beverage editor of an amazing blog, 12 Most. I also enjoy blogging about my food & wine adventures on my personal blog, Mouth Glass Lens. I route for the Bulls, the Bears, the Cubs and the MIZZOU Tigers and some day soon, one of these teams will win a title!
"You’re such a smart boy!" were his first accolades heard. So, it’s no wonder that this phrase became the title of his business, Smart Boy Designs.