Where Does Social Media Fit in Your Org Chart?

It’s hardly newsworthy that social media is important to your brand’s day-to-day operations. The truth is, more often than not, brands are forcing a social presence simply because they know they should have one. This aimless use of resources creates the frustration that many brands feel toward social media — it’s using the tools without actually gaining any benefits.

Now the important question to consider is: Where does social media fit in your org chart? Do you have a strategic, planned, and measured place for it? Or does it feel like a necessary evil within your company? Regardless of how you may feel about social media, in the age of omnichannel marketing, it is critical that brands understand social media’s purpose and how to get it right in the digital sphere.

The questions below are meant for strategy consideration. Think of it as a quick health check-up for your brand.

First things first: What is omnichannel marketing?

Words to describe omnichannel marketing are seamless, harmonious, consistent, and integrated. Take a second to think of how you engage with some of your favorite brands… Email? On the web? In person? Through social? Consumers expect each of these platforms to be a cohesive experience, representative of your brand’s identity. Much of this necessity stems from the fact that you can no longer predict which of these platforms will be your first contact with a new customer. Increasingly, social channels are the first introduction to your brand, so it is important to give it the necessary attention.

What is social media’s role in your business?

A pretty straightforward question, but would everyone on your team give the same answer? Is the primary goal sales? Or maybe wine club engagement? What about event promotion? Showcasing the lifestyle aspects of your winery brand? Sure, all of these are intertwined, but setting a consistent goal will drive the creative direction you take your social presence and will help decide what collateral fits best into that plan.

What are your Key Performance Indicators?

So, we all agree that social media can be a positive thing for your business. Great. But, is your team working with established Key Performance Indicators (or KPIs) so that everyone is on the same page? Just to name a few, prominent KPIs are clicks, likes, shares, comments, new followers, reach, leads, and conversions. Just like with social media’s role, many of these KPIs are interconnected, but the key is prioritizing the KPIs that will help your brand accomplish your goals.

Have you set aside a budget?

This piece of the pie is extremely important given the current environment. Facebook’s continued evolution from an organic reach platform to a paid marketing platform necessitates that, to reach and engage with your fanbase, you’ll need to set aside a few dollars… or much more than that depending on your competition. The latest reports indicate organic posts on Facebook published on business pages are reaching less than 2% of your fans. Depending on the importance your company has placed on social media, it may be difficult to advocate for the amount of spend you need to reach the ROI you desire. Take a look at your current social budget and see where it falls in line amongst other advertising at your company. If it’s drastically off-base, take some time to consider what growth this is prohibiting.

Who manages your social presence?

Whether just one person or your whole team, this is an excellent item to clarify internally. The side effect when this is left unexamined is often inconsistency in both post frequency and imagery. In the wine world, we often see tasting room managers put in charge of social, but during busy season and harvest, social ends up falling to the wayside simply because other daily duties are prioritized. It is paramount that your digital brand presents a clear picture to your customer of who you are and uses a harmonious voice. To manage this, make sure your social media activity is guided by best practices and clear delineations of responsibility.

Final Thoughts

From the customer's’ standpoint, how this puzzle is laid out is somewhat irrelevant. What the customer is interested in is another consistent touchpoint with your brand. Remember that omnichannel marketing demands your customer experience to be the same from in-person to social, to email, to your website, and beyond. The upside to all of this is that, with care and attention, social media will become an integral part of your digital offensive. Social media presents a unique opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality, and by using the strategies above, you’ll be ready to put your best foot forward.

Got your attention? Check out our 2017 check-in on this topic HERE.