In the online marketplace, empires get toppled overnight and nobodies become global celebrities in the blink of an eye. Rules shift and market trends can take a crazy turn without any prior warning. And why not? The Web is hands down the most dynamic platform humans use today. It’s a platform where change is not just expected, but is considered its most distinct characteristic. If you’re a marketer or a business owner, this type of environment requires you to always be prepared with an exit strategy in case things don’t go according to plan.
Take the case of Google+. Many are asking: “Is Google+ disappearing?” Many observers say all pieces of evidence seem to point to the affirmative. Experts are saying that the (unofficial) decision to kill Google’s social network is not surprising. After all, the platform has not been able to create enough buzz since it launched.
However, since signing up for it used to be a default step if you want to use Google products such as Gmail and YouTube, numerous brands are still on Google+, using it to build connections with their market and as a content marketing platform as well.
If you’re one of those who still have a Google+ presence (and most of all, are still gaining from it), don’t abandon ship just yet. But it is important that you have an exit plan. Whether the doom-and-gloom predictions come true, or Google+ makes a major turnaround and regenerates into a more powerful platform, the point is to be prepared no matter what the outcome will be.
First, use this as an opportunity and take-off point to review and assess your social marketing strategy. Take time to have an honest and in-depth look at what’s working and what doesn’t, not only in terms of your Google+ campaigns but your entire social media initiatives as well. Identify the value that each online platform offers to your brand, and re-calibrate your strategy based on what you have discovered.
Another action step to take is to learn your lesson: Never put all your most important assets (your content and your community of customers and followers) in a platform that you don’t own. If Google+ decides to shut down tomorrow, all the work you’ve done using it will go down the drain. So find a way to point your Google+ contacts to a platform that you own, such as your website or your mailing list. Add links from your posts and content that points to your properties. If necessary, find a way to reformat your existing Google+ content and publish it on a more relevant and useful platform.
Always follow our MultiChannel Marketing approach to make sure that your marketing efforts are bulletproof and diversified rather than relying too much on a single source.
Finally, take time to measure and monitor the results you get. Market tastes and preferences change over time, so make sure you are always up-to-date, whether or not the talent, time and resources you spend for your marketing will deliver significant ROI.
If you need any help defining your Social Media Strategy, be sure to contact our team at MGR Consulting Group. Until next time, thank you for reading. This is Manuel Gil del Real (MGR)
