There’s been an interesting debate on the eConsultancy Blog on the need for brands to map out an integrated strategy before diving head first into social media.  Post author, Steve Richards, MD of Yomeqo, argued that ‘social media isn’t a set of platforms; it’s an attitude towards engaging with prospects and customers in an open, honest way’.

Brands should avoid the trap of thinking that simply having a Facebook page or Twitter account ticks the ‘social media’ box on the to do lists of comms managers.   You’ll definitely join the din, but there are no guarantees you’ll ever be heard.

Richards asserted that platform choice should not drive your brand’s social media strategy and recommended solid engagement with the right social media users to grow your online following.

And when it comes to listening and engaging with the conversation, we’ve found from working with our clients, that the days of simply subscribing to social media monitoring tools to tick more comms boxes have long gone.

Brands have definitely moved on from the idea that today’s tweets and blogs will be used as wrappings for tomorrow’s cyber chips.  So to speak.  They want to know what’s being said, how, where and most importantly why and demand integrated monitoring and analysis report services to keep up with the fast-moving currents in social media.