Social media, although still quite a hot topic, is only one piece of the brand building and customer acquisition puzzle. An effective marketing strategy is inclusive of various mediums; each communicating the same message in their own unique way. Social media definitely has its place within a marketing strategy, but just like faxing, rarely is it the sole medium.
The reality is this isn’t a warning just for social media agencies; it’s a warning for any agency that tries to encapsulate their diverse marketing services within a single industry buzzword.
In a recent Adweek article about social media agencies becoming less social, Jim Tobin, president of Ignite Social Media, stated the following: “Social is a totally different discipline, it’s part SEO, it’s part [audience] development, it’s part advertising, and it is part PR. There’s a lot of interest in specialists out there.”
His view of social media is quite holistic, almost to the point where you could call these specialists “online marketing specialists.”
MORE: Why social media agencies are a farce – iMediaConnection.com.