The Toad Speaks Out: Casting Your Social Media Team

For those of you who don't know the toad, or Alan Wolk for short, he's a wonderfully insightful "tradigitalist" from deep inside the agency world who tells it like it is.  The past month found me insanely busy.  To the point that I suddenly realized Alan had posted more comments on craphammer in June than I posted stories.  So I asked him to write a guest piece.  Here it is.

Something Extra

While we tend to think of “social media” as something scientific in nature, the truth is, it is every bit as subjective and dependent on executional considerations as traditional ad devices like TV commercials and print ads.

Take casting, for instance.

Casting is often what makes or breaks anything involving actors. Be it a movie, a play, a TV commercial. Or an outreach program.

That’s right- the same way the wrong chemistry between an actress and her leading man can ruin a movie, the wrong chemistry between an outreach person or evangelist and their audience can ruin a social media program.

This is less of a concern right now, when social media experts are few and far between and companies are treading carefully in the space, than it will be a few years from now when these programs have become ubiquitous and the ranks of potential talent have swelled.

The best evangelists are patient listeners who know how to engage. The type of person you’d be glad was sitting next to you on a long plane flight. They need to be able to diffuse tension, especially if they’re working for a  brand whose customer service record or actual product or service has been less than stellar.

Their personality will represent your brand: if people like them, then people will like you. It’s that simple. And that complex. You want people who are likeable. But not so likeable that they overshadow your company and your message.

Graphics are another important intangible that social media players ignore at their own risk. The right look and feel is key in all your company’s communications. Even the background of your Twitter home page. So if you’re a financial company, that means a Twitter home page with skateboard style graphics is inappropriate. But so is an undesigned solid-color background. You need to look as if you’re taking it seriously. That means designing something that tells your customers you’re thinking about them and that you know who they are. They’ll appreciate it and what’s more, they’ll feel that you “get” it.

Finally there’s language. Social media is a challenge for some, because business-speak is not appropriate in this space. People don’t want to hear your favorite buzzwords and platitudes. They want you to talk to them in plain English. Which means the English that adults speak in conversation with each other. It does not mean that otherwise sensible 40 year old middle class white people start adopting faux ghetto slang (“Yo Tweeple! Sup!”)  You remember what your dad sounded like when he told you something was “totally awesome!”

Exactly.

You need to speak to them like peers. Get your message across in a way that reflects your company. Authenticity is key here. As is a sense of humor. People want to connect with another person. Not someone who spits back pre-packaged sound bites.

Copy on things like widgets and apps is important too. This is where we need to take advantage of the skills advertising creatives have been honing for decades. Like how to write in an engaging manner. To keep copy short and sweet. To provide visuals that complement and enhance the copy, rather than merely illustrate it.

Now the ability to execute any of these elements well is not a given. They may look easy, but things like casting, good writing, design and art direction are talents. And if you want to succeed in the social media space, you’ve got to hire people who have those talents. They’re the ones who’ll give you that “something extra” that can spell the difference between failure and success.

- Penned by Alan, the Tangerine Toad, Wolk.

Image Source: wahoowins