Over eleven years ago my career path changed from the editorial side of journalism to an officially titled communications and then marketing specialist. What I didn’t know about the automotive aftermarket and the lubricants manufacturing business, I learned by immersing myself and absorbing all that I could about the industry.
With that came the opportunity to create, manage and moderate the brand’s social media presence starting with YouTube and Facebook. Added platforms included Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn Pages, and Pinterest.
My belief in the place social media holds within the marketing plan remains the same. The power of social media has increased with more value-added to social media advertising, mobile accessibility, and organic content that speaks to the customer’s story.
Brand social media isn’t merely scheduling posts of pictures and videos. Brands must align their social media strategy with their content strategy so that the same messaging and brand tone carries across all marketing platforms. Content must be engaging, conversational, and worthy of sharing.
What I have learned during the course of both my professional and personal life is that you never stop learning, change is good, networking and relationships matter, and listening is invaluable.