Showing posts with label Social Media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social Media. Show all posts
Monday, February 7, 2011
Joiners Vs. Creators, Who Drives the Web?
A few years back Forrester Research published their Social Technographics that laid out the Social Network Population in a ladder format. It had "creators" on the top and "inactives" on the bottom. You can see in the 2010 version that "joiners" and "spectators" drive the activity on the social web, which is no surprise as these activities take the least commitment to stay involved in the web.
To me the interesting question is how do you engage your customers at different levels of the ladder? What are you providing in your on-line world that is relevant for your "creators" as well as relevant for your brand. The same goes fore those that just like to be "spectators" of your brand on-line. What are you doing for them that keep them wanting to come back and share with others? I think it is a worthwhile exercise to review the Social Technographics Ladder and ensure relevancy for all.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Is On-line Pivoting Marketers Into Publishers
The discussions rage about the deepening of the media pool from the shallow end of paid media (think traditional media) to the deeper end of owned media (think web site, facebook page) and earned media (think rating sites). Some, like the attached McKinsey article, advocate for the addition of two more levels of deepness, in the form of sold (my site sells ad space to another brand) and hijacked media (some community member rallies opposition on facebook to my brand). The key to the definition, as laid out by McKinsey, is in the definition of "who owns the interface with the consumer".
No matter where you stand on the topic, one cannot help but ask the question, as marketers go deeper into engaging with their customers, will they have to start to think like publishers, in that they now must create content themselves that continues to service the more demanding needs of their customers/readers?
Furthermore, with the knowledge that McKinsey has learned, that as consumers move through the journey with a brand they hunger for something deeper, more authentic and transparent. Do you think the ad/digital agency creative talent is currently capable of delivering this, being a third party resource to the client and brand?
As marketers build their online presence (in an owned or earned manner) to stay relevant, they will have to feed the channels/publications they have built, and this takes a commitment internally to have talent that can quickly say the right thing to quell a hijacking, or write with passion and knowledge about the company's products, services and promotions.
I believe many things will challenge marketers going forward but to me one of the biggest questions that I have, and one I get from my clients on a regular basis, is who will own the web/social content development and its consequences, because they know they have to but they also know it will mean creating a skill set intenally that they do not have. They will have to learn to think like publishers!
Enjoy the thought provocative piece form McKinsey in the attached link. Make sure you also listen to the audio piece inside the link. (I am aware you have to become a member to the McKinsey site to get the full story but it is worth it. They are the world's number one business consultancy out there. Oh yeah, and it's free to join.)
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Beyond_paid_media_Marketings_new_vocabulary_2697
No matter where you stand on the topic, one cannot help but ask the question, as marketers go deeper into engaging with their customers, will they have to start to think like publishers, in that they now must create content themselves that continues to service the more demanding needs of their customers/readers?
Furthermore, with the knowledge that McKinsey has learned, that as consumers move through the journey with a brand they hunger for something deeper, more authentic and transparent. Do you think the ad/digital agency creative talent is currently capable of delivering this, being a third party resource to the client and brand?
As marketers build their online presence (in an owned or earned manner) to stay relevant, they will have to feed the channels/publications they have built, and this takes a commitment internally to have talent that can quickly say the right thing to quell a hijacking, or write with passion and knowledge about the company's products, services and promotions.
I believe many things will challenge marketers going forward but to me one of the biggest questions that I have, and one I get from my clients on a regular basis, is who will own the web/social content development and its consequences, because they know they have to but they also know it will mean creating a skill set intenally that they do not have. They will have to learn to think like publishers!
Enjoy the thought provocative piece form McKinsey in the attached link. Make sure you also listen to the audio piece inside the link. (I am aware you have to become a member to the McKinsey site to get the full story but it is worth it. They are the world's number one business consultancy out there. Oh yeah, and it's free to join.)
http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Beyond_paid_media_Marketings_new_vocabulary_2697
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Leaning Into Frame
In the past I have talked about business being careful in how it participates in the highly personal social media space of people. I am a big believer that you don't barge in and interrupt their online experiences if you want to build any sort of relevant long term relationship with them.
Well this clip via Mike Walsh and his agency Tomorrow provides an interview with New York Agency Anomaly about a concept they call Leaning Into Frame. In short Leaning Into Frame is recognising that "there are lots of interesting conversations going on in society at a point in time, and some of those conversations are appropriate for you (your business) to lean into."
I love the love subtle nature of the lean into frame mindset and the example they give of using the i-phone launch is perfect.
Well this clip via Mike Walsh and his agency Tomorrow provides an interview with New York Agency Anomaly about a concept they call Leaning Into Frame. In short Leaning Into Frame is recognising that "there are lots of interesting conversations going on in society at a point in time, and some of those conversations are appropriate for you (your business) to lean into."
I love the love subtle nature of the lean into frame mindset and the example they give of using the i-phone launch is perfect.
Mini Gets It Right, Very Right.
Every so often I come across an idea and creative execution of that idea, that is worth sharing. This time I applaud loudly the work mini has done in Sweden using an i-phone app to drive people to the mini Countryman car with the lure of winning a free mini Countryman.
How they get Awareness and Interest is to join the promotion is by creating a highly interactive game and pushing it via web and a viral network. They gain Desire by making the game of hunting for a FREE car using GPS technology simple and irresistible. They create Action (literally) by forcing players to down load the app and start running to find and avoid other players wanting to find and catch the virtual mini. This covers the AIDA model in one fell swoop.
Its simplicity is what makes it so powerful. This is technology being used relevantly to make a difference.
Enjoy the link to the video.
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/mini_getaway_stockholm
How they get Awareness and Interest is to join the promotion is by creating a highly interactive game and pushing it via web and a viral network. They gain Desire by making the game of hunting for a FREE car using GPS technology simple and irresistible. They create Action (literally) by forcing players to down load the app and start running to find and avoid other players wanting to find and catch the virtual mini. This covers the AIDA model in one fell swoop.
Its simplicity is what makes it so powerful. This is technology being used relevantly to make a difference.
Enjoy the link to the video.
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/ambient/mini_getaway_stockholm
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Video Rules and Brands are Too Agressive in Social Media Down Under
When I ran McCann Erickson China in the mid 2000's, John Gregg was the Strategy Director of our Shanghai office. John returned to Australia in 2006 and recently, as part of his role with Curtin University in Australia, published a research report on social media called the "2010 Social Web Index". I have attached the report below and based on North American studies I have seen, these insights are both supportive and instructive
Many insights come from the report but two in particular stand out to me. The first is the dominant role video plays in people's social on-line habits. Watching video clips on-line is roughly twice as popular as the next closest popular activity; chatting or uploading photos. I know video has become big but this number was huge to me. The second finding that stood out was that 73% of respondents find advertising on-line irrelevant, and 68% believe brands are being too aggressive and disruptive in social media. As I wrote back in July 2010, brands engaging in the social web need to be providing relevant insights or information to people if they want to be welcomed as part of their community, and this Australian information reinforces this point.
The report is very much worth a look at for those breaking a trail in the social media wilderness, as it provides current insights into this rapidly changing marketing communication tool.
Enjoy the link. https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=0AftEgov2gw4AZGMyeGo3NTNfMTlka3duY2pmcw&hl=en
Many insights come from the report but two in particular stand out to me. The first is the dominant role video plays in people's social on-line habits. Watching video clips on-line is roughly twice as popular as the next closest popular activity; chatting or uploading photos. I know video has become big but this number was huge to me. The second finding that stood out was that 73% of respondents find advertising on-line irrelevant, and 68% believe brands are being too aggressive and disruptive in social media. As I wrote back in July 2010, brands engaging in the social web need to be providing relevant insights or information to people if they want to be welcomed as part of their community, and this Australian information reinforces this point.
The report is very much worth a look at for those breaking a trail in the social media wilderness, as it provides current insights into this rapidly changing marketing communication tool.
Enjoy the link. https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=0AftEgov2gw4AZGMyeGo3NTNfMTlka3duY2pmcw&hl=en
Monday, July 19, 2010
Being Social Should Not Be New
As the marketing world grapples with all the new social media tools available, I think we should take comfort in the fact that at a strategic level, being social should come natural to good business people. At its core social media is just about allowing people to engage, share and profile their thoughts effortlessly.
From a business perspective, we need to understand the tools and how our customers are using them, but the strategy should remain simple - engage with people when you have something to say and it's something you think they will really want to hear. Don't abuse the entry they will give you into their network. Different consumers will demand different levels of engagement, so again take the time to understand the people that are critical to your business. Understand how they engage with social media and how they want you to engage with them on it. It is not about having a twitter account and a facebook page. It is about knowing when to engage and having something relevant to say them.
Many marketing service firms are exploring the social media marketplace for businesses. Take the time to meet with one and begin to learn how it may help your business out. Don't be afraid at first to just get into a learning phase and track what people are saying about your firm and industry. Keep engaging on-line to a later date, when you are truly ready to get into a meaningful discussion.
Remember you are successful because you know how and when to socialise with people. This skill will transfer to the social media world as well. If you are patient and engage when you have something to say that you know will be relevant to your customers, research tells us that you will be welcomed and shared amongst their network of peers.
From a business perspective, we need to understand the tools and how our customers are using them, but the strategy should remain simple - engage with people when you have something to say and it's something you think they will really want to hear. Don't abuse the entry they will give you into their network. Different consumers will demand different levels of engagement, so again take the time to understand the people that are critical to your business. Understand how they engage with social media and how they want you to engage with them on it. It is not about having a twitter account and a facebook page. It is about knowing when to engage and having something relevant to say them.
Many marketing service firms are exploring the social media marketplace for businesses. Take the time to meet with one and begin to learn how it may help your business out. Don't be afraid at first to just get into a learning phase and track what people are saying about your firm and industry. Keep engaging on-line to a later date, when you are truly ready to get into a meaningful discussion.
Remember you are successful because you know how and when to socialise with people. This skill will transfer to the social media world as well. If you are patient and engage when you have something to say that you know will be relevant to your customers, research tells us that you will be welcomed and shared amongst their network of peers.
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