Social Media Marketing Errors of Wal-Mart at Facebook

hereas Target’s social media marketing efforts at Facebook were lauded and hailed as a resounding success, its competitor, Wal-Mart did not do as well in the same social network. In fact, in the estimation of some social media marketing authorities, Wal-Mart’s social media marketing foray failed miserably.

Target’s success was attributed to its having done competent research on the medium before engaging with it, and then adapting its message and language to the Facebook culture. Target was able to make a perfect fit.

Wal-Mart, on the other hand, either did not do its preliminary research, or just decided to have its own way. Actually, Wal-Mart already started out with a disadvantage. It has been widely criticized for its labor practices. Its corporate reputation has been under fire. Its presence on Facebook, therefore, could have been a way to face and defuse these controversies, if properly handled. It seemed that the people who were doing the campaign felt that they were not prepared to face full dialogue on the page, though. Wal-Mart did not put up a discussion board like Target did, and limited all comments and feedback to wall posts. Even when questioned on the absence of a forum, Wal-Mart did not budge.

Facebook members are quick to sense such efforts to restrict feedback, and will not take it quietly. The wall posts were soon overtaken by negative comments.

Wal-Mart was also perceived as insincere when it veered away from its identity as a company. Known for discounts, it suddenly tried to project itself on Facebook as an authority on fashion, style and taste. This came across as fake and pretentious and Facebook members openly expressed widespread disapproval.

Wal-Mart attracted only less than a third of the members that Target gained in Facebook, and many of those who visited the Wal-Mart page left disparaging comments. The entire campaign backfired because Wal-Mart’s Facebook page could very well be used as a testimonial to its competitor.

Companies and professional organizations cannot risk making serious errors in their social media marketing campaigns. Perhaps not joining social media networks at all would be better than sabotaging their own names inadvertently through errors. These days, though, social media networks have become so entrenched in popular culture that a company or organization’s absence in them would mean missing out on valuable opportunities to connect with a huge part of their audience. The solution is to seek the help of the right social media marketing experts. Wal-Mart may not have chosen well.

A Manila-based company, Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines Inc. offers social media marketing expertise along with low cost advanced web site development packages. These web packages may consist of advanced interactive database driven web site development, advanced portal development, heavy web based programming, web application development, content management systems, good web site design, graphic design and multimedia components including flash animation development, e-commerce site solutions including a shopping cart using osCommerce, web site maintenance and support, search engine optimization and search engine marketing. The company is a web hosting provider, too, with domain name registration services.

Web Dot Com’s specialists in social media marketing, search engine marketing and search engine optimization ensure their client’s positive and productive presence online. The company’s web site developers and designers, highly skilled in internet languages and tools such as php, mysql and JavaScript, create landing pages that are compelling and effective, according to the needs of each client. It is not surprising that international clients have been outsourcing web development services to Web Dot Com since 1998. Its business process outsourcing (BPO) services also include contact center solutions.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc. is your One Stop Shop Internet and Contact Center Solutions Vendor for the Global Market.

Web Dot Com Website Development Philippines, Inc.
Address:
2nd Floor, BT&T Center
#20 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Libis (C-5),
Quezon City, 1110 Philippines
E-mail: info@webdc.com.ph
Telephone numbers: (632) 634-4625; (632) 635-6104