Social Media Agency

(Rocket Science Not Included*)

C&M is a ‘Social Media Agency.’ We’re also an ‘Online PR Agency’ and a ‘Social SEO’ firm …which is to say that we do great PR, acquisition, retention and SEO through the use of Social Media tools, platforms, channels, communities and so on.

Confused? Yes, it’s all a bit mangled isn’t it?

We figure this is to be expected in this brave new world of ‘Social Media’. So much noise, so many claims and – let’s be honest – so little substance. Our intention here is to share some learning with you. We’ve been around the block a few times with folks like IBM, Hackett and Expedia/Hotels.co.uk and we have Social scars and Social medals to prove it.

If you’re looking to hire a Social Media Agency, here’s some things to consider:

• DO NOT PANIC – DESPITE WHAT AN AVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGENCY MAY SAY
• THERE IS NO NEW WITCHCRAFT (DON’T LISTEN TO AN AVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA AGENCY!)
• THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR. GOT IT? YOU CAN RELAX NOW
• (…THERE ARE, HOWEVER, A BUNCH OF NEW TOOLS AND SKILLS TO GEN UP ON)

Remember this and you’ll go far.

Meantime, to help you in your quest, here’s a bunch of thoughts and some free best practice ‘Social Media Agency’ white papers and ‘Social Media Agency’ resources to make your life a little easier…

For the record, we feel that:

1: Social isn’t media (there’s no such thing as a ‘Social Media Agency’)

(You can read why here…. It’s a blog post that talks A LOT about the dangers of getting fixated on the Social Media channel and not the message. An old one but a gold one – and a view we very much still stand by.)

2: Forget the labels: Social Media Agency / Online PR Agency / Wotnot

(Read why this idea is very important here…. It’s a post that talks about the relative importance – and limitations – of the labels that we all apply to ourselves. If you want yourself some Facebook, then read on. You might need a Social Media Agency. You might equally need an Online PR Agency. But don’t get wigged out by the label – you probably just need some specialist help from people who have done good work in this domain before.)

3: Trad PR is dead meat (err, you may need a ‘Social Media Agency’)

(Read why this is the case here… It examines why, in the current economic climate, not many traditional PR agencies are taking the necessary steps to build skills, processes and services offerings to deliver great work in the Social / Online sphere – whereas your average specialist Social Media Agency / Onine PR Agency is …and so you’re probably better off working with them instead.)

4: Measurement rules. You need smart Social Media Agency thinking

(Read why here… It’s a post that describes why the search for a Holy Social Media Measurement Grail can be a dangerous diversion: it can become a veritable fire hose of data p0rn. What you need is an approach to measurement that’s driven by objectives – and this requires a different kind of Social Media Agency mindset.)

5: Social Media Agency ROI should be measured qualitatively

(Read why here… A post that looks at how you can establish Social Media Agency ROI in some essential – but very different – ways. Importantly, all this new-fangled Social Media-ness may just be helping you to buy your Corporate identity back. Forget outsourcing all those fancy Dan creative ideas and get on the content wagon yourself…)

6: Not Rocket Surgery. Run from the Social Media Agency that says it is

(Read how simple the principles are here… In it we describe that 99% of what we do revolves around good old fashioned content marketing. The difference is that we’re trying to help our clients to do (better) content with a small ‘c’, not a capital ‘C’… Oh, and it also talks about how we’re trying to wean them off of building new things. Because there’s more traffic acquisition headaches in them there microsites.)

Meantime, here’s some of our free best practice ‘Social Media Agency’ papers

We hope you enjoyed the rants. If you did, and if you’re in the mood for some DIY, then fill your boots. Here’s what a decent Social Media Agency does Mondays through Fridays…

C&M Guide to Social Media Agency Campaigns

C&M Shut Up Listen and Spin 5 Step Guide to Online PR and Social Media Agency Work

C&M Party Harder 5 Basic Theories of Online PR and Social Media Agency Work

…And here’s some free best practice ‘Social Media Agency’ resources

Still curious? Good – so you should be… We feel the following should be pretty helpful. It’s a collation of thoughts, guides, presentations and other curios from the darkest corners of the mind of a ‘Social Media Agency’.

C&M Social Media Agency Content Strategy Map

…And here’s some pretty sweet ‘Social Media Agency’ case studies

Still with us? Great. That means you’re probably wanting to know how this stuff comes together in practice. So here you go…

C&M IBM VFC Social Media Agency Campaign

C&M Case Study Online PR Agency

C&M Social Media Case Study Hotels.com

That’s all Folks

That’s it. Free-thing-fest and general rant over.

If you’d like some help from a ‘Social Media Agency’ then please do get in touch….

*NB: this stuff isn’t rocket science.