4 Principles of Library Social Media Marketing

The other day an instructor of mine mentioned how at a recent conference “everyone agreed that facebook is really only useful for promoting events.” That made me really squirm. Why? Well, I don’t have the full story, but I suspect it went something like this:

1. Library staff here about this facebook thing
2. Library staff here businesses are really beginning to look into facebook
3. Library staff sets up facebook page. Maybe they add a few pictures, throw up a few events.
4. Library staff “promote” their facebook page (which of course means putting a link to facebook at the bottom left of their webpage right beside the zip code)
5. Library staff does not see immediate pay off/the only people who friend them are die hard library supporters.
6. Library staff decide facebook clearly does not work for them and stop updating (in actuality, they probably only updated a few times to begin with).

This implementation is all too common and usually fails miserably. As usual, the problem is not facebook. The problem is that people view these tools (yes, they are tools, not ends in themselves) as the solution, not a step to the solution. After all, no one blames a hammer when a house falls down. As I mentioned before, this returns to the idea of cargo cults; people don’t understand the underlying reasons of why something works. Here’s a great ignite video on cargo cults and why the don’t result in the goals people expect:

Library patrons live in the same world that we do. They see social media campaigns everywhere. Their McDonald’s cups tell them to become fans on facebook. So we need to realize that just because we build it, doesn’t mean they will come. Here then, are a few principles to guide a social media campaign.

First, be focus on being different, not tools

Seth Godin in his now famous book Purple Cow noted that in a world full of advertising and constant marketing, the only way to truly stand out is to be remarkable. The title refers to a thought experiment where Godin considers driving through the Midwest, surrounded by cows on a small highway. (Since I’m writing this in Wisconsin after having grown up in Kansas, this is an easy image to create) After awhile, all the cows will blend together and look alike. But if suddenly there were a purple cow in the middle of the field. Well, that we would notice.

The point here is not tools, but planning. First, we need to need to be different. We need to stand out in a world were books are a click away on Amazon. Only after there is a decision about what to emphasize and how the libraries need to be portrayed, then decide which tools will help get the job done. To once again use a fix-it  metaphor, no mechanic first decides he wants to use a 1/4 wrench and then looks for bolts to remove. He decides what needs to be fixed and then finds the best wrench.

Second, you don’t need to be big

I’ll admit that I’ve often chastised libraries for using technologies that only work with large scale populations (*cough* tagging *cough*), but there are ways to succeed even when one is small. Mashable created a fantastic look at several small businesses that created successful social media campaigns. Consider this a gallery of inspiration. Each of these businesses found a tool that worked particularly well and they devoted themselves to developing it in a focused and interesting manner.

Now it’s easy to criticize these and note that though they are small businesses, their market is still the world. That may be true, but one group specializes in selling Worm Composters now if that does not have a small worldwide market, I don’t know what does. However, the did a couple of things. First, they created multimedia promotions that were unique and personal. So they connected with people in a variety of ways. Secondly, they expanded their scope from marketing their products, to sharing gardening advice and tips. They didn’t focus just on themselves, they looked at what their customers/potential customers really wanted which, in this case, was a fantastic garden. This all brings to point three. . .

Third, Create a Niche and Focus on the Patrons

In my work in public libraries I’ve noticed there are two types of patrons. There are Generational Patrons which are the patrons that are committed to the library for the library’s sake. I call them generational because they probably (but not always) received their first library card when they were very little, visit the library regularly and make getting a library card one of the first things they do whenever they move to a new town. These are the people that will become a fan on facebook during a passive campaign.

Then there are Contingent Patrons. They come to the library because they need something. I’ll give an example to illustrate. One Saturday a middle-aged man walked into the library. He had a shirt the was grease-stained and walked around with the dazed, unsure look. I was at the circulation desk and asked if he needed anything. He said that someone told him he could get a manual for a 78 Buick truck here. I found there was one at the central branch, and asked if he had a card. Since he didn’t, I signed him up for a card, called the central branch to hold the book and he was on his way. Will he come back? I bet you the next time something breaks down, or he wants to build something, or his daughter needs to complete a project he’ll be back. Why? Because the libraries helped him solve a problem.

This is our niche! This is what we can do better than anyone else. However, we spend too much energy talking about books, reading, and different things on that. Once again, we focus on the tools, not the problem.

Kath Sierra summarizes this well here when she explains how if we want to be successful with our customers (patrons) we need to make them feel successful.

The focus is on what can be acheived. Sometimes it is simply entertainment or learning for its own sake (which is a type of entertainment) but there is an acheivement. We can highlight that so easily, but it may require abandoning a few sacred cows.

Fourth, Strategize

This last point is more of a summary, but it’s so important, it is worth repeating. After a social media idea and plan are developed, than it is time to think about the tools. Here’s a mashable look at some advanced marketing strategies. Some are easy for libraries (synching online and offline content) some are harder (creating contests and discounts), but everything is worth considering.

Next Post

Next post I’ll develop a quick marketing campaign. I’ll take a look at how to design and focus it. Which tools to use and how to set goals and determine success. Thanks for reading. As always, post a comment.

Photo credits: Tools: http://www.flickr.com/photos/docman/36125185/
chess: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pshan427/2331162310/