Two fundamental Approaches to Social Media

Consumer centric approach Channel centric approach

Amplify and enhance the consumer experience by adding a

social component to his or her journey and thus facilitating her

decision making process

Leverage the various social media platforms as additional media

channels that are added or substitutes other media channels

The consumer and her journey at the core of this approach The context and respective channel conventions

as guiding principles

Consumer centric Channel centric

Social network used to help in each step

of the path to purchase

Social network used to help spread

the brand message

Blends marketing, advertising and commerce

into “branded experiences”

Focuses usually on communication,

apps and campaigns

Requires some fundamental re-organization of the brand’s eco-

system around the consumers journey

Can be used more tactically, and at its core doesn’t require

fundamental organizational changes to work

Requires an integrated marketing organization Allows for a departmentalized corporate structure

(still more common)

Requires the orchestration of a variety of skillsets

with a strong grounding in technology

Often the playground of the various type of

communication and media agencies

Has a more substantial and longer term impact on the business Usually doesn’t build equity or at least long term equity (requires

constant funding to fuel the flame)

Enables very business focused KPIs Makes it difficult to link KPIs to business results

Delivering against key customer contextual needs

as key success factor

Content as social currency and paid exposure as key success

factors

(with paid exposure currently taking the upper hand)

Has a more substantial impact on a company,

but requires also more resources

Can have a big impact on a company with the right resources,

but can also be turned off more easily

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