Social Marketing is Not a Bubble

I recently heard a comment that social marketing is a bubble. The term implies that sooner or later everyone will conclude social marketing is significantly over-valued, and soon after there will be a social marketing 'crash' with far reaching effects.

I don't buy it. But the idea is worth thinking through, if only to validate (again) that any social marketing endeavor undertaken in an off-the-cuff manner, without proper metrics and strategic goals, is a wasted and sometimes detrimental effort.

Fortunately, I think professionals in the social marketing space understand this. They strive to integrate as much value as possible when developing ideas, products and services with longevity and profitability in mind. Their effort undermines the concept of a 'bubble'.

Also, social media will exist whether businesses are involved or not. One of the foundations of social marketing is that the interrelation between social marketing and social media is a symbiotic one. It's a conversation both sides choose to participate in for mutual benefit. That conversation opportunity isn't going away, in fact, the opportunity is growing daily.

© Jeremy Buehler and Rogue Tendencies (www.roguetendencies.com) 2010.