Social Media Marketing has been all the rage for two years or more now, and is slowly being adopted into the mainstream. Mainstreaming SMM will have several efffects, one of which will be the increasing difficulty to find quality employees.
It’s still early in both SMM and green commerce. Hundreds, if not thousands, of marketing employees are fed up with the eco disasters of their past and present employers. As more green companies seek out social media marketers, we’ll see a vast array of employee options. Each person looking to champion a company they can believe in will jump on that bandwagon as soon as they can. Which will inevitably lead to the plateau.
The First Wave
Most industries are now seeing one or two thought leading companies break out into simultaneous green business and social media marketing strategies. These two seem to go hand in hand at the moment, likely because of the viral nature and trendy popularity of going green in 2008-2009. It’s viral because it’s trendy. Right now, we are sick of oil spilling, resource depleting companies with no concern for our health or our planet. So every time we see a green, sustainable, or organic company, we get giddy and spread the news.
But eventually, going green will be the rule, not the exception. Sustainability is swiftly becoming normal, especially among new businesses looking to make a mark of differentiation. The first wave of green / social adopters will have first choice among influencers, evangelists, bloggers, and tweeters. The leaders of the pack will have their choice among the giddy and wistful marketers available.
The Second Wave
The second wave of industry adoptions will be made by those hesitant to change. With the right strategic partners, these companies will announce stronger strategies that are more sustainable and eco friendly than those impetuous and untested ideas of the First Wave. These businesses will look to agencies primarily for the combo of green and social expertise. Interactive agencies will be staffed with the experience to train newcomers and ramp up to handle the growing demand.
The Third Wave
By the time the third wave of green companies per industry make the move toward SMM, there will be slim pickins and very little acclaim for going green OR social. In essence, these are the companies who transition to Green SMM because they’re losing boatloads of money to the those businesses from the First and Second Waves.
Specialty Interactive Agencies will be loaded with green clients, and may or may not have the room to expand and cover these sad and lonely lost puppies. Expert employees for hire will already have positions. If you’re a late adopter, you will more than likely be constantly fighting to ascend from your position at the low end of the totem pole.
Conclusion
Three years from now, expect a surge in social media interns, as companies will either be sharking each other’s expert marketers or hoping to raise up brand evangelists into social gurus (though we’ve yet to truly see gurus in the social space).The best agencies and employees to be had may be gone by mid-2010. Early adopters to Green business and Social Media Marketing will be rewarded and hailed as champions of the earth. Those who come late to the party will be so five minutes ago.
This Is Your Call to Action
Ultimately, there are no social gurus as of yet. There are those who dabble and those who are vested. The door of opportunity is still wide open. But the most savvy earth conscious marketers are looking for open doors today. And agencies with a view to the future are pursuing Green SMM clients, which are clearly the future of online marketing. If your company is considering a Social Media Marketing campaign for 2009, it’s time to get excited and jump on the bandwagon.
And now for the shameless plug. MarketNet serves social media clients in a number of ways. From training and consulting to full-fledged strategy and implementation, we’re here to help you connect with real people in a lasting, impactful way that benefits both the target audience and your business.
If you know that you want a presence on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Plurk, Digg, Reddit, YouTube, and Seesmic, but you’re not sure how, give us a call or shoot us an email. We’re always looking for clients who are flexible and eager to be industry pioneers.
Daniel Dessinger
MarketNet
