To social media or... to not...?

Although sometimes we feel like we should trust our lives with twitter and facebook we might just be focusing on the wrong aspect of promotion and marketing.
According to the article "If Social Media Is Just Another To-Do List Item, Don't Bother Doing It," by David Warschawski, Social media is just a tool to for the taking and not necessarily a main use of marketing or promotion. In this article he explains tips about using social media and what is important about it.

Most people do not even know enough about twitter to say anything or use it properly. Although, there is a stretch to use the tool because of the new technologically savy audience to use it the tool is not validated through all audiences. So what should you know?... your audience. Most people are more likely to use traditional media. For example, "Traditional media, including TV, radio and newspapers, are the first news source for 72% of Americans, according to a 2009 survey from the First Amendment Center. While only 15% of consumers said they turn to the Internet as their first source of news, 1% reported Twitter, 1% reported social networking sites and 1% said e-mail," (2010,Warschawski).

With the use of audience in mind the other key advice that Warschawski makes is to use it only as a tool to market that certain audience in part of a bigger strategy. Companies that are successful with using social media do well because they incorporate it as a tactic in an overarching integrated campaign and view it as one of the many powerful weapons in their arsenal. They understand that social media should not become a stand-alone strategy or campaign, but part of a holistic approach meant to strategically address your business goals," (2010,Warschawski).

Although, personally I use social media tactics for all campaigns I do in Maverick Solutions our University of Nebraska at Omaha's firm connected to prssa's MaverickPR, it is merely one tactic to help promote or market the campaign/event. A combination of traditional media and social media is important for an overall marketing strategy in today's growing technological market.
picture found at: google image site

Look for upcoming events such as Omaha 10-10-10 with Rick Murray, president of Edelman in Chicago to talk about social media in the decade past and the decade to come on Oct. 10. Keep up with University of Nebraska at Omaha's facebook pages for more information. MaverickPR and Maverick Solutions.