Marketing at the speed of Social Media

By Anis KhanPhoto: miss blackbutterfly @flickr

A comprehensive guide for beginners

The rules of online marketing communications have changed.

Photo: Zamber @flickr

Web 2.0 changed the role of Internet in our lives

Web 2.0 means the second generation of web design and development.

Photo: pankcho @flickr

Web 2.0 has led to the development of websites and services where users:

• take control,

• connect with each other,

• form communities, and

• exchange ideas, viewpoint and content.

The popular services like YouTube, Wiki, facebook and twitter are examples of Web 2.0.

Welcome to a more interactive, collaborative and democratic Internet

Photo: jasontheaker@flickr

There are so many options; and all are related to each other.

Social media is the by-product of Web 2.0

Social Media Wiki-vDefinition

• Social media is online content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies. At its most basic sense, social media is a shift in how people discover, read and share news, information and content. It's a fusion of sociology and technology, transforming monologues (one to many) into dialogues (many to many) and is the democratization of information, transforming people from content readers into publishers. Social media has become extremely popular because it allows people to connect in the online world to form relationships for personal, political and business use. Businesses also refer to social media as user-generated content (UGC) or consumer-generated media (CGM).

Wiki- Definition

Photo: barca @flickr

Social media is a combination of various elements for finding identity, relevance and happiness in today’s fast paced world.

Social Media Pillars

Interactive Community

Sharing

Networking

Expression

Within each pillar there are lots of social media options…

1. Expression: Blogs

Photo: bluedreams @flickr

Expression: Blogging

• Blogs are user generated online journals where the bloggers write

their ideas, thoughts, feelings, point of view etc.

• Companies create and update blogs to tell stories, news, updates

on the brand and related issues.

Types of Blogs

• Blogs: As detailed earlier, blogs are online journals written, edited,

published, and controlled by the blogger himself. Some examples of

blogger services are: Blogger, LiveJournal, Open Diary, TypePad,

WordPress, Vox, ExpressionEngine

• Micro-blogging / Presence applications: These sites allow users to post

their views, status, ideas, thoughts etc. in limited words or short

sentences. The examples of micro blogging websites are:Twitter, Plurk,

Pownce, Jaiku

• Diaries: In these websites the members write their personal feelings and

expressions; unlike blogs, diaries are more related with personal life, for

example OpenDiary.com

2. Connection: Networking

Connection: Networking

• Faster pace of life leaves little time for socializing, and social

networking offers alternative platform.

• The social networking websites allow people to become member

and connect with friends, family/ relatives, colleagues, business

associates etc.

• These sites are like continuous party of like minded people, or

present day rotary club or ballrooms.

Photo:seite-3 @flickr

Networking

• The users might come to these networking sites for following goals:

• To stay in touch with friends and family

• To keep business contacts

• Dating

• Common interests / online community

• Many of these networks also allow blogging and sharing features to

serve as a single source for all social needs.

3. Sharing

Sharing

• There is a sharing site of almost anything that can be shared on

Internet.

• Many people generate their own content (e.g. photos, videos,

presentations) and share with others; while others might upload

content that doesn’t belong to them.

• Users also interact on the sharing websites- they make connections,

give feedback and refer content to their friends.

Sharing

• There are sharing websites for different content such as:

• Photo: Flickr, Zooomr, Photobucket, SmugMug

• Opinion & knowledge: wikipedia, epinions, Yelp, Yahoo! Answers,

WikiAnswers, forums, poll sites

• Game: Miniclip, Kongregate

• Video: YouTube, Vimeo,

• Audio and Music: imeem, The Hype Machine, Last.fm, ccMixter

• Bookmarks: Delicious, StumbleUpon, Stumpedia, Google Reader

• social news/ links: Digg, Mixx, Reddit

• Reviews (Products, services and employers): epinions.com,

MouthShut.com, Jobeehive.com

• Presentations & documents: Slideshare, scribd

Social Media Marketing

Internet advertising can be easily ignored, because unlike TVCs or full page press ads, online ads do not block the whole scene demanding attention. The users are looking for something specific on the net, and can easily ignore ads, if they are not already blocked by pop-up blockers.

Thus, the advertising content has be something that the users want.

Photo: blue dreams (gone) @flickr

Social Media Marketing

• Social Media marketing takes the brand communications out of traditional

forms and channels.

• Social media marketing is about communicating the brand advantages in a

manner that engages the potential customers and encourage them to spread

the word.

• Social media marketing rides on the trends and use variety of means to stay

connected with the consumers, exchange views/ideas with consumers and

promote brand communities.

Difference with Mass Media

• The key difference between social media communications and other forms of

mass communications (TV, Press, outdoor ads, PR, events etc) is as follows:

• The social media allows spontaneous feedback of the consumers, and

gives them control to spread the word.

• Social media can treat the brand in a different manner than what the

core brand proposition suggests

• Social media can be targeted to specific user groups

Characteristics of Social Media Marketing

Luis EduardoJasen Robillard

Interactive and dynamic

breeleed

Consumer is really the King

Creative Experimentation

Short Life

acastellano

Photos (in order): @flickr

Characteristics of Social Media Marketing

• Highly dynamic and interactive; one idea can be used into several

mediums

• The consumer is really the king, you cannot throw anything on their face ;

unless the users really feels the content worth reading or spreading, they

are not going to do it.

• Social Media allows creative experimentation without damaging the core

brand equity

• Social media communications have very short life; this is why high speed

of response and adaptability might be very crucial in the social media.

Viral videos/ photos

• Viral videos/pics present the brand in an interesting, often crazy manner

• Viral content does not do a hard sell, but just give a point of view on the brand

• Many times the viral content do not appear to be sponsored by the brand itself

• Viral content allows for creative experimentation, and especially the ideas that cannot be used in mass media due to social and brand reputation concern

• Builds word of mouth reputation

• Empowers consumers

• Builds brand communities

• Brands get personal touch

• Active listening to the consumers

• Faster conversation – especially blogs can carry news very faster than any other medium

• Cost effective- you can start for free , and when consumers spread the word, it is also for free

Advantages Social Media Marketing

• Two edged sword- you need to be open to criticism as well

• Avoiding hard sell – most of the people would want entertainment only

• Scandals spread fast – if there is a marketing or product blunder, the news will spread very fast; but, if you are there on the social media, you can at least give the other side of the story

• Needs constant update and new ideas- people lose interest fast

• Respect the intelligence of consumers- if you try to play smart, they will know it

Caution Social Media Marketing

• Does your social media initiative add value in the lives of consumers- does your blog give some new news or point of view, is your viral content really interesting

• Are your targeted audiences available on the social media, and if yes, what type of social media they are most likely to follow?

• Are you keen to listen to your target audiences in the social media?

• Can you stand up negative comments or criticism on the social media?

• Can you really control your social media initiatives without losing control?

How to leverage social media- Questions to ask

• Social media initiatives are not going to compensate mass media advertising.

• Social media has reach for only certain type of target audiences (probably younger and tech savvy), it is good to create buzz but may not reach all the consumers

• Social media generates talk value for the brand, but the real shift in brand image will come from comprehensive efforts through brand communications in mass media, brand behavior in key touch points, and brand delivery and experience

Right Expectations from Social Media Marketing

Tips for Social Media Marketing

1. Tell them stories

Coca-Cola blog has lots of stories related with the brand. Blogs and micro-blogs offer opportunity to tell news, initiatives, developments related with the brand in different dimensions

Coca-Cola Example: Blog

2. Give them a toy

Sony created Vampires Widget with 30 Days Night, to promote their movie Vampires, where members bite each other to receive points (and duel).

Sony Example: Facebook

3. Give them something to explore

Dell has an island on the virtual world ‘Second Life’ where users explore different places.

Dell Example: Virtual World

4. Entertain them

Honda has a channel on YouTube that shows different videos related with Honda

Honda Example: YouTube

5. Reward them

To celebrate Moonfruit's 10-year anniversary, the company created a contest where Twitterers could win one of 10 Apple MacBook Pros over a seven-day period. It create much buzz, tripled trials of company’s products and paying customers increased by 20%.

Moonfruit Example: Twitter

6. If you have got a crazy idea, use it

P&G created a fictitious ‘boy with girl’s parts’ to promote Tampax tampons. This boy had videos, blog, twitter updates to give what it feels like being a girl, and would often talk about Tampax in the stories

Tampax Example: Comprehensive

Interactive Communit

y

Sharing

Networking

Expression

And remember, social media is highly interlinked, if you really have something interesting, it will go on spreading..

Instead of doing hit and run activities, plan a complete initiative or promotion which can be promoted across different social media channels.

This will create synergy in different channels.

Even your other marketing communication machinery e.g. ad campaign or PR can be used to promote this initiative.

P& G Tampax and Ford Fiesta are few of the examples to refer to for comprehensive use of social media.

Essential learning:

A good social media initiative will be:

• Interesting, exciting and having some news

• Adding value to the consumer knowledge, insight, perspective or life

• Add popularity to the brand

• Promising brand growth

Criteria for evaluation:

Good Luck!!!

Photo: Matt Hamm @flickr

Thanks for your time..

Mohammed Anis Khan

Blog: http://disciplinedcreativity.blogspot.com/

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/aniskhan