Impressions of Sam Hill’s “The New Media Movement”
- Dec 22, 2015
- 3 min read
After a packed class waited for a few technical glitches to be hammered out, the night’s speaker, Sam Hill of Square Crop began an energetic and insightful presentation that was well worth the wait. As a graphic designer and architect of a social network for Sheridan College that grew to 11, 000 in its first day, he was in well standing to counsel the next wave of students poised to enter a work force where social media was changing the way people do business.
The key thing to take away from the presentation is that social media has created a new environment in which businesses and organizations can communicate with their public. It is, however, a brave new world that must be navigated with caution. Forums where thousands of people can get together and talk about your product create a double edged sword. If your product is good, people can praise it and generate buzz. If your product is awful, people will tear you apart on a very public stage. The key, Sam stresses, is to make sure your company is a part of the dialogue in this very dynamic play.
The most fundamental aspects to effective use of social media are honesty and transparency. Consumers have little or no trust in direct advertising and banner ads. Bringing old school marketing to the internet is an outdated and simply an ineffective way of using the internet.
What people will actually respond to are other people and social media is providing an open space for countless individuals to get together and talk about your product or service. If people are complaining about your product or service, it is crucial that you address these concerns on a personal level assuring the public that you are both aware of these problems and are working tirelessly to hammer them out. In what was probably the most notable quote of the night, Sam quipped “If you suck, admit you suck and change it”.
Companies that have taken this mantra to heart are tirelessly scanning message boards with an ear out for negative feedback. Often times authors of these negative comments are approached personally by the company to open a level of dialogue. This dialogue is most effective when the company:
Asks what they can do to quell these concerns
Reacts in a proactive manner asking for constructive feedback and
Something Sam says is of the utmost importance, thanks the commenter for taking the time to point out the problem
Over time, what a company gets from this honest communication is a loyal fan base of consumers who consistently use their product or service but will also vehemently defend it from other nay-sayers. Sam explained that for an organization successfully navigating the waters of social media, they reap the luxury of standing back and allowing loyal followers to defend it against negative feedback . He made a point, however, to explain that this takes tireless effort and that user trust is something that takes time and hard work to earn. It is that element of time that Sam argues is another distinction between old and contemporary marketing.
Social media may have no time for marketing and advertising in the traditional sense but Sam insists that the strength of this new phenomenon comes from encouraging user participation. He gave an example of one company called Threadless that makes t-shirts with the help of an enormous online community. The company allows its users to vote on t-shirt designs and to submit their own. This ability to actively participate in the company’s decision making and influence the selection of product has allowed a group of just under 20 college students to create a company that grosses 80 million a year (2010).
Sam Hill makes it clear that the internet and technology are a constantly changing thing and if a company or individual wishes to stay relevant within it, they must change along with it. In a third renaissance of communication there are no gurus or professionals but merely people who are aware that the ground is moving beneath them and are moving their feet to keep up.
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