Social Value: Strategic Vs. Tactical

Use of social media is like a game of chess. Some people understand the how to play the game and some simply don't.

The game of chess is based on a strategy concerned with the evaluation of positions and setting up goals and long-term tactics for future play. Social media is similar in that you must evaluate what position you seek (reputation) and what tactics will you use to gain that position.

When evaluating the game of chess a player must take into account the value of the pieces on the board and the possible moves the opponent will make after any move made. When evaluating the use of social media one must consider the intent of the market and that of your competition.

The most basic way to evaluate one's position in the game of chess is to count the total value of pieces on both sides. The thinking used for this purpose are based on experience. These basic values are modified by other factors such as theposition of the piece , coordination between pieces, and the type of position.

Social Media Positioning Factors

Like the game of chessthe factors of success for using social mediaare similar and include:

1. Position of Your Place in the Market: Whether individually or organizationally we have positioned ourselves on the web both intentionally and unintentionally. Our position is reflected by how well we use technology and whether the use of it properly to reflect our intent.If you or your product and service cannot be found easily then you have no position. If the marketplace finds you will the experience reflect a "social" intent? If the experience does not reflect a "social intent" then you have not gained a position over competitors who are creating "social intents" from the users on-line experience. Unless your position (on-line and off-line) is strategically designed to reflect a "social intent" then your "position and place in the marketplace" is diminished.
2. Coordination of Places & Pieces: While most of the emphasis about social media is being placed on marketing functions unless the entire organizational experience is designed with a "social intent" marketing alone cannot fulfill the "social experience" desired by the marketplace. Your organizations social intent is transparent to the marketplace of conversations. Marketing your intent is one thing while delivering on that intent is a much bigger thing. Unless your organization's intent is coordinated and all the pieces are in sync you will not be able to deliver on the intent of your message.
3. Type of Position: Social value is relevant and relative to intent and scope. Type of position is reflective of collective resources that represent specialized or unique value. Your organizations "type of position" in the marketplace is relevant and relative to the value created for consumption by the marketplace. Zappo's was known not for shoes rather for outstanding service. Zappo's success was fueled by the value of service and not the value of shoes. Thus their type of position was relevant and relative to service. Your "type of position" is reflected by the core value you aim to deliver to the marketplace. High or low value isn't the factor rather it is how well you deliver on the value.

Social value comes from both strategic and tactical considerations. The driving factor is one of intent and given the nature of social technology your intent is now transparent. Use of technology to drive your social value starts with a sound strategy and is reflected by tactical delivery of intents experienced by the marketplace of consumption.