The Tech writer orders a beer and says “what’ll it be boys?” to the Marketer and the Social Media Guru. The Marketer thinks about it and says, “it depends; what plays well with my demographic?” Exasperated, the Social Media Guru says, “guys, please keep it down, I’m on Twitter and can’t seem to find a hashtag for drinking at a bar in Peoria.”
We’ve all heard this joke before. Well, maybe not this joke, but a similar joke: three, completely different people with completely different professions walk into a bar and hilarity ensues. The idea is that people with different focus and background will inevitably view the world through a completely different lens. Thing is, I’m not so sure this is the case with technical communication, marketing, and social media. In fact, I think the three have a lot they could learn from each other.
Keep it simple, or I’m throwing away your direct mail
So I got my degree in Technical Writing. I love tech writing because of its intense focus on brevity, simplicity, and devotion to the reader. For technical communicators, the reader is king. We don’t write for ourselves; we write with the reader in mind. After all, technical documentation runs the gamut from software manuals to user guides for emergency equipment, superconductors, and other material for hazardous professions. We approach communications with a few things in mind,
- Our readers don’t want to be reading our guides; they’d rather be working or doing something else far more interesting
- They don’t have time for lengthy prose (again, see bullet #1)
- They want to get to the information, and fast.
Seems to me that marketers and social media gurus would agree with these tenants; or, they should. You see, marketers shouldn’t beat their customers up with unnecessary information or text, and social media gurus understand that their readers have thousands of options when it comes to content. They need to figure out how to talk to their readers and do it in a way that the reader understands and can absorb fairly quickly and simply.
Know where your audience is and reach them
I work with a brilliant group of marketers. One of the things they often preach is reaching customers. Essentially, wherever the customer is, reach them. Marketers use several ways to judge how best to reach their customers. Some use loyalty programs to judge customers’ preferences and shopping habits. Some use opt-in email campaigns to collect a list of willing recipients. Others use extensive demographic and customer profile studies to get a better idea of who their customers are and where they prefer to be reached. With today’s busy, 24-hour world, marketers can’t necessarily count on the traditional media to reach their audience. They have to constantly adapt to what’s out there and tailor their messages accordingly.
Tech writers and social media gurus could use this knowledge and focus to their advantage. If tech writers are concerned with their readers, then they should strive to understand as much about them as possible. Questions such as Where will they be consuming this information?, and how does my reader intend to use the information? will only increase the efficacy of a tech writer’s material. Social media gurus must also know as much about their readers as they can. Questions such as Where are people going for information?, What new platforms are gaining popularity online?, and What do my readers want to read about?, all go a long way to ensuring that social media pioneers reach their readers where they’re gathering online.
I just got my Betamax SL-2000. Jealous?
Social media types are certainly hip to what the kids are using these days. I like to think of social media as a vast ocean; if you’re new to sailing and don’t have a guide, you could be dashed against the rocks of disappointment in no time. Gurus know which methods of delivery are working best and which ones are most popular. It’s their job to understand the trends and advise their clients, family, and friends on how best to use these trends to their advantage. Until recently, I didn’t know anything about Twitter, and my opinion of the platform was heavily influenced by that ignorance. However, a social media guru would be able to advise me on the platform’s merits and how (and if) I should use it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nesster/ // CC BY-SA 2.0
Tech writers and marketers will benefit from the guru, because, if they are serious about reaching their customers, they’ll strive to publish their content where the most people are gathering online. They would be wise to pay attention to the newest trends, and rely on social media experts to help them determine which ones are ideal for their content.
So, you can see that these three seemingly different professions have something of value for the other. What other trends and best practices should marketers follow to increase their relevance and value to their readers?
