It can be a common thought…
“My company deals specifically with an age demographic that remember what a typewriter and fax are, why would I have a Facebook page set up to interact with my consumer? All Facebook is is a place where kids compare their popularity, their latest tattoo, their recent weekend exploits and their ‘who got snapped the drunkest’ photos.”
Sound familiar? If this sentiment is similar to your way of thinking, it might be time for a business strategy rethink. A comprehensive social media strategy is fast becoming a must have across all levels of business.
Let’s look at Facebook for example, which is far from being just a social network for the likes of Gen Y exclusively. For an increasing number of companies, Facebook is a successful business network.
Like the many forms of social media, Facebook is an extension on the traditional forms of communication between a business and their consumer. It is a platform that not only provides information to the listener but allows them to communicate back to the brand and amongst themselves, with their feedback on the provided information.
At umm.. communications, we manage a diverse list of social media accounts that are specifically targeted to an equally diverse age demographic. By looking at two of these (ILVE Appliances and North Coast Schoolies) and the level of interaction among the users – the end consumer – as specific examples, the results are what some might find surprising.
The precisely targeted age demographics for the two companies are obvious. ILVE kitchen appliances are high end, handcrafted imported Italian cooking masterpieces. North Coast Schoolies is a new and exciting alternative to the well-worn Gold Coast schoolies path, on the east coast of NSW.
Considering the age difference of the respective page users, many would expect ILVE’s older base to be less active within the platform. The result however is very much the opposite.
In a relatively short time we have experienced high levels of page joining, wall post interaction and interaction between the users of the ILVE page. The extremely active community, of what is undoubtedly on average between the ages of 35 to 60, readily uses the platform to discuss their love of cooking and all things foodie.
New posts are a daily occurrence and anything from cooking hints and tips to wholehearted congratulations at the winning of a prize add to the frequent noise, all in the name of ILVE. Customer service queries and complaints have also been dealt with in a positive and rapid nature.
This is a grown up facebook community, and proof that no matter who your product’s ultimate target is, there are eyes and ears of all ages online looking to interact with your brand.
