6 Social Hopes for Wichita in 2011

Posted on January 3, 2011 in JuggleMedia Wichita, Social Media in Wichita Kansas by JuggleMedia

Facebook, facebook places, Foursquare, gowalla, social media wichita, Wichita Kansas

With 2011 finally in full-swing, I wanted to add my hopes for social media around the Wichita area. Notice I said hopes. These aren’t predictions. These are just 6 simple things that I hope happen in the next year.

1. Location-based social networks will draw me in

Many people are using popular location-based social networks like FourSquare, Gowalla and even Facebook Places, but in terms of businesses utilizing these as business opportunities, I feel Wichita could benefit. I WANT a restaurant to target me and use my location to market to me. I WANT to know what your special is on a night I’d like to take my wife and I out to eat. I personally WANT businesses to use this. It shows that you are thinking about your customer and you WANT me there. Not wanting me to stumble in.

2. I’ll know why to “like” you or follow you

I’ve seen so many more businesses create a Facebook Page or join Twitter (of course, I’m a little sensitive to this market) and then start to yell “FOLLOW ME,” “LIKE ME,” “LOOK AT ME!.” I’ve even see some companies using traditional streams to market their social channels, which I applaud. I believe many forget to answer “WHY.” Why should I follow you? Why should I join you Facebook Page? Why? Why? Why?

I hope that 2011 bring on the year of answering WHY!

3. My friends will tweet

I have friends on Twitter who have joined up and have yet to tweet. Bummer. I actually want to know what they are up to. What things they are interested in. I want to know where they are. I want to see all of their Christmas Pictures.

I see more and more and more businesses joining Twitter. It’s a great channel to spread short-burst communication with people if use effectively. Along with the “Why” question, I want to know what they are going to offer me. I know that sounds selfish, but it doesn’t have to be a free soda every time.

4. We’ll see businesses work harder to create creative content

Cool. You joined social networks and have an email newsletter. What are you going to say? Again, why am I here. Adding a social media component is like adding an entire multimedia department. Creativity wins and in a world of short attention spans, it vital. It’s important to record your CEO’s latest message, but I also want to see real creativity flourish. I’m looking for Flash Mobs, creative YouTube videos, fun Facebook Promotions, engaging tweet or best yet an email that entices me to buy. I hope that many Wichita businesses jump on the creativity train and show me some awesome stuff!

5. I hope to learn from other successful LOCAL social media campaigns

What Skittles and Old Spice do in the social world with millions of followers is sweet, but what about the local business with 2,000 followers on Facebook? What about making actual money with this stuff. More and more of our clients are having success with social media because we built an awesome foundation with them. We’ve engaged their audiences and we’ve had a lot of fun! I want to see more of these successes that allow us to be successful here. Successful now. Successful in Wichita Kansas.

6. Businesses focus on their true strengths

Being all things to all people is overrated. Thankfully small is the new big. JuggleMedia doesn’t want to be a website company. We can do it, but that takes us away from social media. I want to see more businesses saying no because its not their specialty.

The same holds true in social media within a company. Sometimes Twitter is best, sometimes Facebook. Sometimes YouTube. I want to see more businesses using each technology effectively specifically for their business. No two social campaigns are the same, so I hope to see less and less copying and more and more creativity.

I hope each and every one of you can also use these technologies to better connect to your customers and activate them more frequently to purchase more often, making it a prosperous new year for you!

All the best in 2011!