#SMPro Spotlight: Introducing Jonathan Payne [Interview]

 

As part of the #SMPro Social Media Spotlight Blog Series, this interview highlights: Jonathan Payne, digital marketing consultant and founder of My Social Game Plan. My Social Game Plan is a digital marketing blog helping businesses and social media marketers build their online presences one step at a time.

Below, Jonathan discusses his background and opinions on the overall relationship between social media and today’s business environment.

1. Where did your interest in social media marketing originate, how has it developed, and what role does it play in your professional life now?

My interest in social media evolved out of my interest in digital marketing as a whole. Around 2007, I started my first blog called GPT Cash Pro, which was focused on how to make the most of those “get paid to take surveys and complete offers” sites. Those sites were surprisingly legitimate when I was involved with them. I made some okay money in high school that way!

Social media marketing was starting to kick off at that point and I saw others using it for financial gain, rather than just socializing or entertainment. I followed in their footsteps absorbing all the information I could.

I came across a job ad in early 2011 from a local startup looking for a social media and digital marketing director. After working with that company for about a year, the owner encouraged me to pursue other clients and start a digital marketing agency. That’s how My Social Game Plan came about in late 2011. After about a year of helping local clients with social media, my business partner and I decided to part ways and My Social Game Plan evolved into a digital marketing blog.

Quick shout out to Troy Bruce, the owner I mentioned above. I wouldn’t be where I’m at now without his constant pushing and encouragement to take the leap.

2. Who do you read, follow, or pay attention to in order to stay ahead of the curve in social media?

I’m a big fan of Mark Schaefer and Jay Baer when it comes to social media marketing. They definitely “get it” and are always pushing out great content. I pay close attention to Mark Traphagen when it comes to Google+, which I’m definitely keeping an eye on as a marketing channel.

Outside of social media, I’m a huge, huge fan of Derek Halpern, who, in my opinion, has the most unique and interesting blog out there. Danny Iny is another one I follow – he’s the epitome of a great marketer.

3. What do you believe to be the biggest misconception some businesses still have with social media?

The most common misconception I see from business owners is the belief that their brand isn’t interesting or large enough to be talked about on social media. A lot of small business owners think you have to be an international franchise or business superpower to get the most out of social media, but that’s not the case.

My message to those businesses: If you have customers, they’re talking about you on social media and you should be listening. If you’re more B2B-oriented, you have potential clients researching solutions to their needs using the Internet and a dominant web presence is the key to capturing those leads.

No matter how badly you want to believe social media isn’t applicable to your business, the fact of the matter is that it’s extremely relevant and here to stay.

4.  A lot of businesses steer clear of social media due to the potential ramifications of making a mistake in such a public environment. What would your response be to that concern?

The problem with this logic is that avoiding social media is a big mistake in and of itself. People will talk about you whether you’re present or not, so it’s in your best interests to be listening.

Beyond that, “You can’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.” It’s a cliché for a reason! No business is perfect, online or offline, because businesses are managed by imperfect people. That’s a fact of life and it’s no reason to avoid the incredibly powerful marketing and customer relationship tool that is social media.

Mistakes will happen, but if your brand’s reputation is healthy, you’ll survive a mistake on social media just as you would survive a mistake offline.

5. With the rapid evolution of Internet marketing, are offline marketing channels now a waste of time? Or is it all still valuable?

They’re definitely not a waste of time. Traditional advertising is still probably the best bang for your buck in terms of reaching a mass audience and, especially for larger organizations, use of traditional channels are imperative to building brand equity.

Online marketing is incredibly labor-intensive, which means the return needs to high enough to account for that time and financial investment.

Like all things in life, there are pros and cons that come with online and offline marketing channels. While I love social media and believe it’s as close to a business necessity as anything, you should never put all your marketing eggs in one basket.

6. How have you integrated social media effectively into your (or your clients) business strategies? How are you proving a return on investment?

A good portion of traffic to my blog comes from social media, especially Twitter and Google+. That’s where I go to build relationships with other bloggers, which in turn allows me to more easily get guest posts accepted…and the cycle goes round and round.

I try not to get caught up in the metrics so much. You can measure anything and everything, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you should. I see people measuring 15 or 20 metrics and I just don’t think it’s necessary most of the time. Are we really going to spend time measuring the comment-like ratio on a Facebook update? You could be doing so many other important things!

I do pay attention to trends through Google Analytics and other tools, and of course I measure the fairly rare PPC campaign. Other than that, the ROI of being on social media is greater than the ROI of not being there. That’s one thing I’m certain of and I don’t need a number to show me.

7. What sort of marketing advice would you give to a person who said that their business simply does not fit with social media?

I’m in no position to claim I know more about someone’s business than they do, but I find most business owners who believe social media “just doesn’t fit” aren’t approaching the topic broadly enough. They think if they own a small coffee shop, all they should talk about on social media or their blog is coffee.

That’s too narrow, in my opinion.

People who regularly go to coffee shops can be categorized in many more ways than just “coffee drinkers.” For example, they’re often looking for a place to meet, whether for business or not. They enjoy socializing. They’re typically avid readers. They’re early-risers, which often indicates a need or desire to be highly productive on a day-to-day basis. They’re often highly-educated and like to stay current with news, politics, and so on. They’re early adopters of technology, in my experiences. You get the point.

All of these things can be integrated into a social media strategy with relative ease, so this idea that social media can only be used to get people talking specifically about your product is narrow thinking. Consider your consumer as an entire person with interests and needs that, while in the ballpark with your product or service, also extend further.

As in all marketing: know your customer and appeal to their sensibilities, interests, and needs.

8. If you had to give up all but one social network, which one would you keep and why?

That’s a tough one. As a blogger, probably Twitter. It’s the ultimate network in terms of sharing content and the general openness of everyone on Twitter makes it incredibly easy to start building relationships. Combine that with Twitter chats and an awesome search function…it’s hard to beat. 

Google+ is a close second, because I love the openness and being a part of a fresh network that’s still trying to find out exactly where it’s going to be positioned is exciting.

9. How do you deal with the 24/7 aspect of social media marketing? Do you ever step away from it all and recharge?

I’m kind of obsessed with social media, so I don’t get burned out too often. I definitely take breaks when I need them, though, and I tend to focus less on business aspects of social media when the weekend rolls around.

I find that I still think a lot about social media even when I step away from it. To be honest, that’s usually when I get most of my blog post ideas and creative ideas for what direction My Social Game Plan is heading.

10. One of the most exciting aspects of social media is that it’s always changing, evolving and progressing. What changes do you expect to see in social media over the next 12 months?

The industry as a whole is all about mobile, mobile, mobile. People need to get on this train as soon as possible, because it’s rapidly making its way out of the station.

For social media in particular, I think Jay Baer hit the nail on the head recently when he highlighted the oncoming bust in the social media services and software industry. Over the past two or three years, the number of people offering social media marketing services has boomed. To be honest, a lot of those people are just riding the wave. In the words of Baer, “the herd will be thinned.” I think that’s coming in the next 12 months.

11. Where Can People Find You Online?

You’ll find me on My Social Game Plan, of course, or get in touch with me on our Facebook page. I’m also very active on Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.

 

What is #SMPro?

#SMPro, in affiliation with My Social Game Plan, is a group of professional social media and digital marketers who have made a simple agreement to support, assist and promote each other via social media. With member backgrounds spanning the marketing industry and beyond, #SMPro has become a vibrant, engaging environment where questions are answered, hot topics are discussed, and everyone is always learning and helping each other reach that next level.

Interested in participating? Join the conversation for free on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ .

 

 

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