By Alan Kravitz
When the Queen of England joined Facebook this week, it was big news. Even here in the United States, all the major media outlets covered it, and the blogosphere went nuts, too.
Why was this a big deal – especially when zillions of other important people have already beaten the Queen to the punch? Well, not knowing the Queen any more than most people, I would venture to guess that her image had something to do with all the fuss. I don’t know about you, but I can’t picture the Queen actually getting excited about someone hitting a “like” button. Yet she obviously realizes that social media is now an important form of communication. That's why her decision to create a fan page holds some valuable lessons for those still squeamish about the Facebook frontier.
1) There’s no such thing as being “above” social media. If one of the most famous women in the world sees the branding benefits of social media, you should, too. It’s not a fad and it’s here to stay.
2) There’s no such thing as being “too busy” for social media. The Queen, of course, hires people to take care of her social media – this at a time when even Buckingham Palace is cutting back due to the economy. Bottom line, if you feel you’re “too busy” to market yourself, hire someone to do it for you. Yes, it costs you some pounds – or dollars, or whatever – but it’s worth it.
3) If your “subjects” are using social media, you should be, too – whether you like it or not. It’s not just about building a friend list or a follower list. It’s about communicating with your friends and followers. Anyone who doesn’t do that is really missing out.
4) By all means, monitor your responses. Social media doesn’t have to be a “free for all” – and in many cases, it shouldn’t be. On the Queen’s page, any comments deemed inappropriate are quickly removed. Again, if you don’t have time to do this yourself, you can hire someone to do it for you. I often hear people bemoan the “lack of control” they have with social media. But if you do it right – and approach it strategically – you have more control than you think.
5) Social media can help repair your image. Fair or not, the Queen has been criticized for being “out of touch” with the common folk. Now, through social media, she can tell us about her charity work, give updates on her family - and even do practical things like post the Changing of the Guard schedule.
So, I say, hail the Queen for joining Facebook. She'll probably never see my comments. But at least I now have even the illusion of really being able to say something to her. How cool is that?
Alan Kravitz is a copywriter who specializes in writing customized web content, direct mail appeals and print materials for socially conscious organizations. He now forgives the Queen for ignoring him when he waved to her outside Buckingham Palace last year. Contact him at 617-697-7397, or alank@infiniteinkwell.com.
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