Social networks were designed as a way for people to connect with friends and family. Despite this origin, publishers have gotten awfully dependent on using social networks to distribute content. At the end of the day, publishers shouldn?t put all of their eggs in this basket, since these networks are constantly evolving to serve their basic purpose: to connect people.
While social media may offer publishers an avenue to acquire new customers and reach new audiences through viral sharing, on its own, the channel doesn?t offer publishers a solid leg to stand on. While there are branding benefits to using these networks, they don?t offer publishers a great way to build audiences whose views generate revenue.
Social networks are also constantly rigging their algorithms and most content is hidden, which means that just because a person is a fan, doesn?t mean he or she will even see your content. In addition, relying on social?s third-party data isn?t a solid way to build a relationship with an audience. The data those networks offer publishers are so clouded that you can rarely understand audience response rates in any compelling way.
While social is a great place for publishers to meet readers, email should be at the center of your social strategy in order to build a strong marketing program. Email allows publishers to connect with their fans in a direct capacity and learn more about them through first-party data. This approach helps publishers build long-term relationships w...