Is Automation EVIL In Social Media?
Set and forget tools. Automated tools. It “does all the work for you” tools. They’re a dime a dozen. We all want things easier and the fact is, most of us would love to work far less but get far more or better results. However, we all know that it takes a good amount of effort to achieve a certain result.
With the explosion of social media, some automated tools have floated their way over to the space. Twitterfeed, SocialOomph, TweetULater, and many others. Plug content in, set your schedule/time and date, and save. Super easy and then your content whether it’s your own or someone else’s, is broadcasted out to hundreds, even thousands of people.
I don’t hate automated tools and when used properly and under the right circumstances, I think they’re a viable tool to have. However, they can’t build a damn social media presence effectively with them and them only. It kills me to see all these supposed “experts“, social media consultants, and even social media consulting firms, have such a horrible presence themselves (I’ve even seen some with none at all! HA!). Twitterfeed here, twitterfeed there. No engagement and no interaction at all. Do you REALLY teach that to your clients? Can you HONESTLY take yourself seriously?
I hate to break it to you but those 5 thousand, 10 thousand, even 20 thousand followers or more that you have, are no where near as powerful as those with a fraction of that who consistently engage and interact with their audience. There’s no voice behind your presence, just a brand that talks to and talks at but doesn’t talk with anybody.
Some automation can be a good thing, I won’t dispute that. What makes it all go down the drain is when it’s all automation and no interaction. Every highly successful business and brand out there, built their business and are where they are today because they engaged with people and spoke with people. They listened. They listened some more. They allowed some element of conversation to happen with whoever it may be to assemble that team, market that product, sell that product, and connect with the consumer.
And it works the same way in social media…
I myself like to practice the GRC’s daily…what about you?