Everyone reading this marketing blog most likely agrees that Social Media is changing the way we all create and manage marketing programs.  When more than 80% of people are engaging in some form of social media (see my recent blog post on social media statistics for more info) and virtually every company is participating or planning to participate in some way, we know this is no longer the Next Big Thing.  It is simply The Thing.

Now, a growing conversation is taking place across a number of marketing blogs and discussion forums about who should be in charge of this effort, the broad spectrum of marketing tools and strategies which has come to be known as social media. This is not an easy question to answer.

Up until recently, our team at Bailey Gardiner would have stated unequivocably that the public relations department should be in charge of social media.  After all, the public relations experts are the communicators, the wordsmiths, the strategists for how information should be shared with various audiences (both online and off). They’ve spent their careers honing skills that are perfectly suited for the distribution of info through online social networks. Yet in the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of online marketing, social media marketing is now part of something bigger — something even more impactful — as online marketing platforms converge and begin overlapping and intertwining.

As always, the strategy for digital marketing is paramount.  And at interactive agencies like ours that offer services in social media, digital marketing, public relations, advertising, design and more, we’re experiencing far greater success when all these disciplines are involved in the process from the beginning.  We have found that the creative department has fantastic ideas about cool, strategic online programs that, when coupled with public relations’ talents for understanding audience engagement, can help provide the buzz any campaign needs.  And we need the digital team to tell us if it can be done (of course they tell us ANYTHING can be done, it’s just a matter of time and budget).

Here’s how it plays out during a typical planning meeting for Client X:

• Client X agrees to hear our ideas for a new digital program
• Our staff researches what is being done already by Client X, the competition set’s successes and failures, the category’s opportunities in the online space, etc.
• We listen to what is being said about Client X online – lovers and haters both
• Public Relations, Creative, Digital and Advertising experts all meet internally to brainstorm strategic ideas and possibilities
• Public Relations team outlines how Social Media will engage with target audiences and what tools will make sense for Client X
• Advertising team strategizes about how online ads, rich media, email marketing and other mechanisms will integrate into the program to ensure consistency and congruency across platforms and touchpoints
• Creatives illustrate how ideas might look and feel on and off line
• Digital leaders talk about cool widgets and programming highlights that will bring the ideas to life online
• Entire team compares ideas and talks about how all the pieces will fit together – strategically as well as creatively – as the cross-promote and cross-pollinate each other over various networks and platforms
• A strategic plan is formed for presentation to Client X

In this collaborative effort, who is in charge is less important that making sure the strategy is shared across all participants.  Perhaps at agencies that do not have all these capabilities in-house, there is more fighting for control with other agencies that have to share the turf.  Or even without corporate entities, departmental factions may need to scramble for budget dominance and relevance with the C-level executives.

Luckily we can sidestep this power struggle, and define each program strategy within a client’s own needs and specifications.  And isn’t that the way it’s supposed to be?