Into a world filled with technology and automation designed to maximize efficiency and streamline our daily schedules comes the news that Google was just issued a patent to develop a system that could eliminate the need for social marketing professionals.
Oh Google, I love you, I really do. But you’re out of line here.
The search engine giant excels at maximizing the reach of content shared across the Internet – in the form of both organic and paid distribution models, keyword optimization and good ol’ fashioned website development. Google’s proposed system – an attempt to become a prominent player in social media marketing – seeks to predict the engagement drivers from a link shared in an email. Once the recipient clicks on the link, Google’s system would provide the user with social sharing options relevant to the content of the original email and link. In theory, this would replace the need for skilled social marketing professionals and their writing talent.
Here’s the inherent problem with Google’s vision – social media marketing is not cookie cutter. One size does not fit all. Strategies differ, platforms shift based on targeted audiences and demographics, and most importantly: branding nuances are so specific that relying on an automated system such as this robs a user of the opportunity for real brand-customer relationships.
The art of branding is intricate and specific—right down to the words used in cross-media communications. Traditional ads are now being replaced with expressive storytelling, because that’s what drives response and builds an emotional connection. Social media is a crucial part of that online storytelling. Trying to replace that with a few algorithm-generated content blocks isn’t going to drive engagement or bottom-line results for any company.
Sorry Google, but no. You won’t be replacing me or my social marketing peers anytime soon.
-Katie Klein-Murphy is social media marketing manager at Milwaukee-based Boelter + Lincoln.
