| In the Next Issue... |
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Next month, we will discuss how and why businesses are using Facebook. Stay tuned!
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| Welcome to the Claymanite. |
Greetings!
In the marketing world today, we are constantly running into the term "Social Media." It's easy to dismiss this talk as just the latest marketing "buzz words" but Social Media is not an abstract concept or something the "guys on Madison Avenue" dreamed up. In a case of reverse osmosis, Social Media actually came to marketers from the consumer rather than the other way around as is typical in our business. Those once fearless masses who comprise your target audience now feel empowered and that power is being harnessed more and more each day.
How is Social Media empowering your customers and your competitors, and what can you do about it? Our next several e-newsletters will dig in to that topic in great detail. |
User-generated content. Social Networking. Social Media. These words and phrases are dominating the business world and really the world in general. Over the course of the next several e-newsletters, we're going to navigate you through as many of the issues tied to Social Media as we can. But before doing so, here is a quick review of some of the resources you will hear about the most.
Blogs: A combination of the words Web and Log, Blogs began as a way of keeping an online journal. Bloggers posted personal insights and anything else they felt like. Over the last few years, Blogs have become increasingly revered as networking tools (you can link your blog to other peoples' blogs) and as sources of excellent SEO content. Key Blog sites include Google-owned Blogger as well as Word Press. For examples of some of the larger blogs you can visit: Anderson Cooper's Blog, Wall Street Journal Blogs, and The Daily Beast
Delicious: Perhaps you've had the experience where you change computers and realize that none of the sites you had bookmarked are bookmarked in your new system. The founders of Delicious capitalized on that problem by creating a bookmarking site. The Social Media aspect is that everyone and anyone can upload bookmarked sites to Delicious and those bookmarks can be searched. Is your site bookmarked? Visit Delicious to find out.
Digg: Digg is Social Media's answer to a popularity contest. Digg users can submit videos, photos, or blog posts and the community then rates the post. If a post receives a large number of "diggs" the post can make it to the homepage. If your company can make it to Digg's homepage, you can be guaranteed a lot of buzz. Check it out! Digg
Facebook: Facebook started as a way for college friends and alumni to keep in touch. Just a few years later, Facebook has unseated Myspace in popularity in the U.S. For companies, Facebook has become true gold. By creating a company page like Dell's you can track how many people "fan" your company or your products. You can speak directly to your "fans" through posts, links to your blog, YouTube videos, or anything else you think they need to know.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn can be considered a kind of "Facebook for grown-ups." Instead of linking with your prom date and your Aunt who lives in Florida, LinkedIn allows you to link to contacts from your professional world. LinkedIn builds your network based on where you have worked, where you are working now, and where your friends have worked or are working. The real prize for businesses on LinkedIn is the "recommendation" feature. Basically a testimonial, recommendations on LinkedIn can create a lot of positive buzz for your company and products. It's also a great way to keep in touch with customers or your sales network. Explore LinkedIn and create your own personal account!
Twitter: Even if you hate Twitter, it's hard not to hear about it. CNN, the local news, even police departments are starting to use Twitter. Once thought to be the plaything of crazy kids, Twitter has swiftly swept the marketing world off its feet. In 140 characters, you have the opportunity to drive potential customers to your blog, to your website, or to an article or video you think they'd be interested in. Building a group of "followers" helps establish your Social Media network. You can explore Twitter here.
YouTube: YouTube was revolutionary when it first started because it took the guesswork out of watching videos online. QuickTime and Windows Media Player were no longer necessary as streaming video could simply be accessed by going to YouTube and clicking "play." Like Digg, YouTube videos can be "favorited" and can also receive comments. Because of these features, companies have begun to upload their promotional videos to YouTube. Applying keywords to videos can also help search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing pull up your video on organic search results pages.
These vehicles (and these are just the most commonly discussed) are not just fads. It looks as though they're here to stay. With that in mind, and with this introduction complete, it's time to plow ahead into the world of Social Media. |
Before Jumping In -- A Strategy Might Help!
Before you begin setting up all of your accounts from the links above (if it's not too late already), it is important to think about your strategy. In fact, setting up all of your accounts should be the last thing that you do.
Noted Social Media consultant Jay Baer has seven questions your company needs to be able to answer before that first sign-up button is clicked. Answering these questions can be a key part in preparing an overall integrated marketing campaign that includes Social Media as well as other marketing channels.
1. What's Your Pitch? Can you describe your company in 120 characters? The thirty-second elevator pitch is now too long.
2. What's Your Point? Why should people fan your Facebook page, twitter about your tweets, or yelp at your YouTube videos? What do you want them to get out of your posts? What do you want to accomplish? Hint: It should not be a sale.
3. Who Are You Trying To Reach and Why? Who is your audience? Are you trying to educate people that know nothing about your company or are you trying to network with loyal customers?
4. How Does Your Audience Use Social Media? We're going to be talking to you in the coming weeks about our abilities to research this information for you. For instance, do you need to be on Facebook if your industry is not well represented there?
5. How Will You Be Human? In other words, how can you be more personable online? It's easy to become too sales-oriented online. Don't let your sales goals determine your Social Media strategy. Focus on conversation and one-on-one interaction.
6. What's Your One Thing? For Volvo, it's safety. For Disney, it's magic. For Wendy's it's being more than fast food. What's your mission as a company?
7. How Will You Measure Success? Or more to the point, how would you define success? While customers can be gained and nurtured through Social Media, it's a very different, slower process than what companies might be used to. What would you consider a successful Social Media campaign?
Before engaging in any Social Media channels, there should be answers to all 7 of these questions, and everyone should agree with the strategy. A befuddling Social Media campaign can be more damaging than a delay in action. |
Social Media. Why It's Not Just for Kids Anymore.
Over the past decade, we've seen social networking sites grow faster than ever. The first site launched in 1997 and not too long after, the big hitters like Facebook and MySpace started cropping up. These sites were created by college students and were extremely popular with young adults, but as time went on, businesses realized that social networking sites were the easiest and smartest place to target consumers. With Facebook's 250 million active users (the fastest growing demographic being those 35 and older) it's where people are going for information.
While consumers might begin an account on Facebook or Twitter without a second thought, businesses need to be much more cautious. Here are three core principles to keep front of mind.
1. Young adults using Social Media do not engaged in much strategizing unless it's how to gain the most "friends" or "followers." On the corporate side of things nothing is more important than a Social Media strategy. Where do you start? This is not something that can be done overnight. Invest the time in figuring out the best strategy. During this time, it's important to read, interact and learn everything that these sites have to offer.
2. Don't ever use Social Media as a sales pitch. Rather, start a conversation with your desired audience and maintain a consistent message. Empathy is key to starting a conversation. Talk about subjects that your audience is interested in and act as an information pool. The primary goal is to become a trusted source for your customers.
3. Once you've established your strategy and corporate "tone", you can set up your accounts, but even this needs to be done carefully. Instead of beginning a Blog and posting a single topic on your first day, build up a library of posts, backdate them, and launch your Blog with an already engaging amount of information. Next, let your audience know that you have a Blog by posting links on your Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.
Social Media has not emerged overnight. It's been growing for years and it's here to stay. In fact, over 4 million more U.S. women 35-44 and nearly 3 million more U.S. men 35-44 used Facebook in March 2009 compared to September 2008. The key is to take it in and use it the right way. For businesses, it's not just kid stuff. |
Continuing Blogs from a Mad Man
BTW, OMG!, LOL! Where have our communication skills gone? Find out how Social Media verbage is affecting the way we talk in every day life. Larry the Mad Man can give you the inside scoop. Check out Larry's blog and voice your opinions!
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Celebrating 55 Years of Marketing Service!
Sincerely,
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