Page 307 - Social Media Marketing

Review of the Main Points 285

The main points covered in Chapter 10 are listed below. Review these and develop your ■ ╇ R eview and H ands - O n
own list of social objects around which to plan your social presence.

• Social objects are the center point of social activity. Without the social object, no
meaningful conversation forms.

• Social objects are often built on lifestyles, passions, and causes because these are
universal areas of commonality and discussion.

• Social objects include talkworthy aspects of your business or organization, or
unique features of your product or service.

• Social objects, like any other type of online content, should be optimized for
search and discoverability. Social objects are very much the connectors between
a community and the people who enjoy or find value in being part of it.

Social objects are a building block of online social communities, and as such
are an essential consideration in the development of your social business and social
media marketing programs. Built around areas of shared interest, your participation in
existing or purpose-built communities gives you a powerful connection point between
your business or organization and the people with whom you’d like to build stronger
relationships.

Hands-On: Social Objects

Review each of the following and connect them to your business.

1. Look at the work of Jyri Engeström, beginning with this video (http://vimeo
.com/4071624) and his blog (www.zengestrom.com/blog).

2. Make a list of the social sites you are currently a member of (all of them).
Connect each with the social object around which it is built, and then consider
how your connection to this object drives (or fails to drive) your participation in
that site.

3. Visit your own brand or organization website and brand outposts. Is a social
object readily identifiable? Does this social object connect your audience to your
business?

Hands-On: Apply What You’ve Learned

Apply what you’ve learned in this chapter through the following exercises:

1. Create an inventory of communities applicable to your brand, product, or ser-
vice. Once you’ve compiled it, join a manageable set and understand the interest
areas and social norms for each. Develop a plan for how you might integrate
your own activities into these communities.