Whether it’s your Facebook page, your blog, your Linkedin group, or your private brand community, your social media home base operates like a sports bar.
You first go to a sports bar for the amenities. The TVs. The food. The beer selection. But you return again and again not for the elements that brought you initially, but for the people. The regulars. The characters. The waitresses.
In my pre-fatherhood days, I used to go to a place called Big Daddy’s in north Phoenix. It was a little sketchy, but the food was decent, the beer was cold, and it was within walking distance. Then one Sunday, an ancient regular sitting across from me accidentally caught his oxygen mask on fire while trying to light a cigarette, and created an impromptu flame thrower that almost burned Big Daddy’s down. That’s the kind of humanity that builds loyalty.
Come for the Brand. Stay for the People
Social media is about community. And the connection between your customers and your company isn’t one.
Sure, interest in your brand will get customers to investigate your brand community (as long as you give them a rationale). But unless you facilitate connections between your customers, and let them build bridges between one another, they’ll show up, have a couple drinks, and keep moving.
I’m no visual information genius like David Armano, but I’ll try to represent this difference graphically. Here’s how the relationship between companies and their customers has historically been structured:
Here’s how that relationship changes in social media (which is an improvement, but still not ideal):
How Can You Build a Triangle?
This is what you want. This is a community. This is sustainable:
To build the triangle, you need to find ways to not just humanize your company, but put a spotlight on your customers. How can you get your customers telling the story of your brand from their perspective, not yours? Can you interview your customers? Create a directory of them? Let them help one another solve problems? Introduce them to one another? Encourage them to meet up or tweet up in their own towns?
Make Your Customers the Star, Not the Brand
Here’s an easy, relevant example from The Old Schoolhouse Homeschool Crew, a Facebook group for homeschoolers. They feature a member each week, and tell their story via a Facebook note, giving the community the opportunity to learn more about that person and how homeschooling impacts their family.
How can you shine the light on your customers and build a triangle community? What examples have you found?
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule | Social Media Marketing | Social Media Consulting – Co… [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @Phatmommy @jaybaer The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule | Social Media Marketing/ Consulting – Co… [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Make your customers the star, not the brand RT @jaybaer The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
rt @SPARKt RT @jaybaer: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @schoolmarketer: Math is not my forte, but @jaybaer helps bring some clarity: The Geometry of Social Media. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Reason #1,254 why I miss working with @jaybaer everyday [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Math is not my forte, but @jaybaer helps bring some clarity: The Geometry of Social Media. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @ShellyKramer RT @schoolmarketer: Math is not my forte, but @jaybaerhelps :…The Geometry of Social Media. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule. [link to post] (<3 the line: Come for the Brand. Stay for the People)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RTThe Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule. [link to post] (via @jaybaer) >>>> Good point.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The Geometry of Social Media [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
What shape are your social media relationships? @jaybaer says they should be triangles – [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
What shape is your social media community? @jaybaer says Triangles! [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT@CourtneyXun The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule | Social Media … [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Making your customers, not your brand, the star. RT @jaybaer: What shape is your social media community? [link to post] (I ♥ Triangles)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Geometry & social media, who knew? RT @jaybaer What shape is your social media community? [link to post] (I ♥ Triangles)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule. [link to post] For NPOs, it’s about how to make donors the star.
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule | Social Media …: Social Media Strategy Blog Social Media C.. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule [link to post] (via @jaybaer). Fantastic article!
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: What shape is your social media community? [link to post] (I ♥ Triangles)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer The Geometry of Social Media [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Your social media home base operates like a sports bar: [link to post] (via @jaybaer )
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @spiral16: Your social media home base operates like a sports bar: [link to post] (via @jaybaer )
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
.@jaybaer gave me the tingle w his “triangle”. It’s what I want “Thrive Online” 2 be: a comm of ppl helping each other. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule – [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jmctigue: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule – [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @TWalk RT @jmctigue: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule – [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: What shape is your social media community? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
From Jay Baer of Convince & Convert: The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Your brand isn’t the star of the social media show – your customers are. [link to post] – Oh so true, but often missed
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: Your brand isn’t the star of the social media show – your customers are. [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @jaybaer: What shape is your social media community? [link to post] (I ♥ Triangles — Me too, easier on the eye!)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Interesting, good points. RT @CubanaLAF: RT @jaybaer: What shape is your social media community? [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @BethHarte @jaybaer: What shape is your social media community? [link to post] (I ♥ Triangles – Me too, easier on the eye!)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Your brand isn’t the star of the social media show – your customers are. [link to post] (via @jaybaer)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Your brand isn’t the star of the social media show – your customers are. [link to post] (via @jaybaer @idvirtual)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
RT @lift9ed: RT @jaybaer The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule | Social Media Marketing | … [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Gr8 post on how 2 build a community 4 your brand: RT @jaybaer Your brand isn’t the star of the sm show-your customers R [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Your brand isn’t the star of the social media show – your customers are. [link to post] (via @jaybaer @idvirtual)
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
The Geometry of #SocialMedia – Why Triangles Rule: [link to post]. #sCRM #communities
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Convince & Convert | The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule [link to post] #socialmedia #tips #marketing
– Posted using Chat Catcher
Twitter Comment
Jay Baer post: The geometry of social media. Come for the brand, stay for the people [link to post]
– Posted using Chat Catcher
[...] The Geometry of Social Media – Why Triangles Rule [...]
[...] the full story here. Share this [...]