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Social Media Strategy

Social Media Strategy

The 60% of ‘Non-Pointless Babble’ on Twitter

August 21, 2009

BabbleA recent study conducted by Pear Analytics raises some interesting questions on the opportunities for brands and marketers on Twitter.  Of course, many of the subsequent articles have focused on the 40% of ‘Pointless babble’ that was the highest scoring answer.  Let’s be honest – it would appear on the surface that the survey selections were skewed to show Twitter as an unfavorable medium for marketing with ‘Pointless babble’ being a choice in the survey.  Wouldn’t a more neutral choice such as ‘General chatter’ or something that is less biased have been more appropriate?

Either way, that still leaves the other 60% of tweets that have potential value for marketers.  For example, the second highest scoring selection was ‘Conversational’ with 37%.  If we are doing our jobs as marketers in social media, isn’t this really the sweet spot we should be focusing on?  Throw in the ‘Pass along value’ and ‘News’ tweets, and you have what is arguably a substantial volume of activity that has potential to provide value to marketers and consumers.  I think the glass if half full here.  Babble or no babble, there is real opportunity for those who choose to tune in and participate.

If another report came out tomorrow that concluded that a low percentage of people used TV for ‘Watching dumb commercials’, should we call into question the effectiveness of advertising on TV?  Of course not. Perhaps this is just a case of people not understanding how to filter out the noise and benefit from the dialogue on Twitter.  Email spam is a big issue too, but most people haven’t stopped using email to communicate.  There is no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water here.  We can choose to ignore the babble and focus on the real value that lies in the conversation.

Social Media Strategy

Talking is not enough…

November 3, 2008

Neither is listening for that matter.  Marketers love to talk and Researchers love to listen.  We find all kinds of ways to say things in oh-so-perfect fashion and a zillion ways to quantify and qualify consumer behavior.  But guess what?  It’s not enough anymore.  We can no longer research consumer behavior and then come up with a brilliant, slick campaign to get people to buy from us and expect these to work on their own.  It’s just not enough anymore.  Of course, we must continue to do these things, but not in lieu of ENGAGING with our audience!  Engagement is the missing piece of the puzzle for many brands out there in the world.  Some of the most well-known and most respected brands are still not fully engaged with their consumers.  Why?

I think one of the biggest problems that we are facing in the Marketing world is the lack of commitment to true, ongoing engagement with consumers.  Many executives are hesitant to engage because they see it as a big commitment and one that can be a bit scary or uncontrollable.  But why are they scared?  Isn’t this exactly what they want?  Don’t we as Marketers want to establish that connection between our brands and our consumers?  It is not the goal to get the attention of our target consumers and encourage them to spread the word amongst their own spheres of influence?  Surely we should be embracing this and becoming part of the dialog as much as possible.

Maybe they think this is all just a passing phase.  Well guess what – things are not going to go back to the way they were.  Nope – we’ve come too far.  Consumer engagement is not a fad that will be a thing of the past in 2 years.  Technology has allowed information and opinions to spread at an incredible pace, and there’s no putting the genie back in the bottle.  Can you imagine online customer reviews being a thing of the past?  What about blogging – can you envision 3 years from now blogs being a joke?  Next year, could people decide that they no longer want to share videos and photos with each other online or connect with each other on social networks?  Of course not!  So what is stopping so many brands from doing what they need to do to fully engage their audience?

The PR departments of forward-thinking companies get it.  They know that they have to get down in the trenches with consumers and interact with them consistently.  Putting out releases is part of the equation, but instead of directing them specifically at media outlets, they must now be geared toward everyday consumers and bloggers who can run with the ball.  Instead of magazine editors or newspaper writers contacting them for information, consumers now expect this kind of access.  Denying them the ability to engage is as foolish as ignoring an author that wants to write a story about your brand in a respected publication.  Sending out information is only the first step – participation in the conversation that occurs as a result is the key to effectiveness.

Check out one of our clients who has recently embraced Social Media.  Zoo Atlanta took the first step by engaging on MySpace.  Less than a month into the program, there have been 2 big announcements that the Zoo has been discussing with its MySpace community.  Check out the blog entries and note the volume of comments in response.  This is a great example of how Social Media can work when you have people who are open to new ideas and are willing to dedicate the time to talk directly with their audience.  If a local non-profit organization can ‘get it’ and run with the ball, then other brands can too.  They just need the guidance to help find their way.

Social Media Strategy

Social Media’s role in the tanking Economy

October 7, 2008

It’s hard to turn on a computer, much less a television, without being inundated with messages about the gloom and doom of our current economic nightmare.  But what does that mean for the Marketing world?  One thing seems clear to me – now is NOT the time to crawl in a hole and scale back on Marketing.  To the contrary – we know from history that most companies will slash the Advertising and Marketing budgets that could turn the situation around and keep them alive.  Like a sea captain caught in a storm, the best chance of saving the ship is to turn directly into the waves.  Sure, the ride will be rough, but it’s the best strategy for survival.

Social Media and Social Network Marketing in particular has a role to play in navigating the troubled waters ahead.  Think about it – people will continue to communicate socially online, regardless of how much the Dow plummets.  Consumers might not have as much money to go out to dinner or take a vacation, but you can bet that they will spend as much or more time checking their Facebook profiles, surfing YouTube, checking out new bands on MySpace, or engaging in gaming and other applications on mobile devices.  So, this begs the question – why pull back now?  Isn’t this the time to put even MORE emphasis on Social Media?  Wouldn’t NOW be the time to show customers that you care about them and you empathize with their struggles?  Wouldn’t it be great to have positive messages about your company spreading in the midst of all the negative stuff that is spreading out there?

Going back to the fundamentals of Social Media – ask yourself what added value you can provide.  Is competitive pricing an option?  How about a contest where people have a chance to win something cool while helping others that are struggling in the process?  Can your company give a little more to charitable causes that help those most in need during rough economic times?  Remember, when times are tough, charitable organizations take a big hit, while being called upon more than ever to provide services to those in need.  If you can champion one of these causes and share this enthusiasm with your online communities, you will have gone a long way toward building goodwill and positive associations that will affect the balance sheet for years to come.

Remember, the volume of messaging will almost certainly slow down as companies scale back on ad budgets.  Seize this opportunity to double down on your Social Media efforts, or if you haven’t yet embraced it, there’s no better time than right now to get in the game!  Show your customers and potential customers that you understand the challenges they face.  They will remember your goodwill when their situation improves, and chances are they will have told a few people along the way.

Technology

iPhone, Android, Google, oh my…

September 22, 2008

So, here we are on the eve of the launch of the new Dream Smartphone from  HTC/T-Mobile.  It will be interesting to see how this expands opportunities in Social Media in the mobile sphere.  Certainly there will be many more custom applications being developed for the new Android platform, so you’ve got to wonder if this is the next ‘thing’ or just another ‘me too’ (remember the Zune, anyone?).  Regardless if this particular phone grabs attention from the iPhone, it’s clear that the Android platform will definitely be a player (and possibly a game changer) as it rolls out and gets fine-tuned.  While this particular phone lacks the elegance and panache of the iPhone, it makes up for this in powerful functionality at your fingertips.  Competition is good, and I’m sure this will spark a new race to provide the most functionality in the sleekest device possible.

This almost sounds like a movie we’ve seen before with the Social Networks.  Think MySpace and Facebook a couple of years back.  In the end, they are both still relevant, and have their own strengths and opportunities for brands.  This is just one more reason to get onboard with Social Media and mobile apps right now.  Waiting around to see what happens will cost more in the end.  Start thinking about how you can add value to your customer on the go.  Whether you develop an application for iPhone or Android, engage on Facebook or MySpace, or all of the above, the time is now.  The holidays are fast approaching, and you can bet that this season we’ll be seeing a lot more Smartphones in the hands of everyday consumers.  Time to get moving!

Social Media Strategy

We are ALL media channels

September 5, 2008

You know, the frequency of social messaging is reaching a fever pitch these days, and it underscores the fact that any brand that is going to flourish has to get in the mix somehow.  Not a day goes by that I don’t get a stream of updates from my friends and business associates on what’s going on in their worlds.  Funny enough, I actually pay a lot of attention to these, as they provide a unique opportunity to keep up with people that I might otherwise lose touch with.  I’m one of millions of people that have embraced this aspect of social media and I see myself paying more and more attention to it with each passing day.

What I find interesting are the players that are out in front using emerging media channels to spread the word and encourage wild viral spread.  Take the political candidates and political action committees for instance.  Man, let me tell you – these guys are pushing some serious messaging online and even dabbling a bit in the mobile space.  The speeches are barely done before status updates, videos, blog entries, etc. start flying.  And of course, on the topic of engagement, I can’t think of a better example of how these tools enable a level of engagement that we could only dream about just a few years ago.  I see the passion coming out of people who I would never expect to be so engaged!

Everyday people are realizing the power they have to spread the word about things they care most about, and this has really turned the Marketing and PR worlds on their heads.  The two functions are highly intertwined now more than ever, and it’s critical that brands think about how to reach consumers directly and give them the capability to be evangelists.  The tools are there, but they have to be used and continually fine-tuned.

The next time you read a status update from a friend or click on a link that someone you know has posted, think about the implications of this messaging.  Is your brand in the mix?  If not, the time for second-guessing has long since passed.    Sink or swim – right now!

BTW, here are some supporting materials on ‘Direct-to-Consumer PR’ and ‘Status Updates’ to check out.  Enjoy!