Mar 22, 2010

Do you think scalability matters when it comes to your social media campaign? Can it wait?

I will be the first to admit that scalability matters. Whether you’re Pepsi Co, IBM, SAS (Social Media Blog by @davidbthomas), or if you’re The Pit BBQ (@ThePitBBQ) out of Raleigh, you must start with what’s available and by giving people a way to get to you.

The problem is, many small businesses or start-ups are over worried about their scalability when it comes to a Social Media campaign. My opinion, wait, wait until you’re too overwhelmed by sitting on Twitter or having too little time to spend with your family or your business. Until you reach that extreme tipping point in your campaign, I can almost guarantee to you that scalability won’t be a problem.

Although you have to do your best to give back to those customers, the community you build around your brand, the scalability factor isn’t a problem. Follower counts, Facebook Fans, those are just numbers. But when it comes down to focusing on your personal interactions with these people, that is your scalability.

As a company or an entity of any kind, being able to scale is important in the end run. But if you cannot dedicate the time and effort into social media without worrying about scalability first, why even try if you’re going to doubt it?

Reactions, Disagreements? Please leave a comment, I’d love to hear your opinion!

Image By Gafo | Tokyo Blues

http://www.TheValuePagesGroup.com Jason Sanders

I have to agree. I see so much advice being handed out that seems to be written for large corporations with the financial flexibility to reorganize their departments. And I have to think that small business owners, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs have to just ignore that advice.

It's easy to talk a out spreading in delegating when there's multiple departments to share the load, but until that point it seems to be more effective at focusing on strict time management.
gregdelima

Jason,
I think you're right also! Flexibility matters so much, whether in the beginning or in the end. But much more matters when it comes to people who say, “you can't teach social media”, which was a problem I ran into. Almost as if you needed to expand you couldn't help someone learn.
Much more matters with the ability to delegate certain responses from your social networks to a rep in that certain dept. in the case of large corporations.
Example, Bank of America; A credit card complaint on twitter, pass the note onto the department and have them reply to the feed, or monitor the feed specifically.
karimacatherine

Hi Greg,

I do like your last question. “But if you cannot dedicate the time and effort into social media without worrying about scalability first, why even try if you’re going to doubt it?”
I get the same about ROI and social media.
Because it is such a hot topic, social media is looked upon as a be all and end all solution. Scalability is being able to define your objectives in the beginning and make sure you adress your needs as you go.
However, Social Media takes Resources, Time and budget.

So, I would say ,the first question is not scalability. you are right!
Pingback: Long or Short Social Strategy: Part 1 – Long Term :: Greg de Lima
http://mobthink.com/ Rab

YES true at IBM and the Pit
http://mobthink.com/ Rab

YES true at IBM and the Pit

Ignore Scalability – Until You Can’t