According to the Mobile Marketing Association's Mobile Native Advertising Report last year, mobile-native ads performed as much as 10 times better than mobile-display ads at a similar frequency. It's easy to see why native is so effective: Social media gives us so much data that we're able to serve tailored messages to very specific audiences, making those ads highly relevant to the viewer. More and more marketing agencies are getting savvy at social media marketing, and hundreds of firms specialize in the growing niche. With ever-increasing returns on investment in the social space, what could go wrong?
In a word: everything. Professional social media management is a serious game for both agencies and clients, and clients should beware of the pitfalls that come with poor choices. We've seen countless examples of prospects who come to us too late -- when what they really need is crisis management, not social media management. Almost always, if the client or its agency had prepared for situations that arise when you open your brand up to public conversation on social networks, the issue could have been prevented. With that in mind, here are four crucial ways to secure your social media marketing and defend against both cyber security and brand integrity dangers:
One unfortunate phrase we hear from prospects is, "We don't want to be on social media because people can say negative things about us for everyone to see." The truth is, people are going to say negative things about you and your brand, anyway: You may as well be there to guide the conversation with a competent and effective social media marketing team. Ultimately, social media marketing and native advertising are vital parts of any comprehensive marketing strategy today, and there are still opportunities to be a first-mover in many industries. Plan carefully, and be sure to participate in the conversation.
Peter Kozodoy is an author, speaker, serial entrepreneur and the Chief Strategy Officer of GEM Advertising.