Entries Tagged 'Social Networks' ↓

I’m continually amazed at how some of the biggest and smartest brands in the world have trouble with the decision-making process over choosing a social media measurement partner. They not only struggle with the process, they often base their decisions on what I would say is an incomplete criteria.

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised since this is still an emerging industry and area of growing importance to companies. Perhaps the real blame goes to some of us in the business for not doing enough to educate the market about the value and differences of our offerings and the right ways to evaluate the different products and services available.

While attending one of the thought provocative WOMMA dinners the other night in Las Vegas hosted by industry expert Nathan Gilliatt, it struck me that many brands are making decisions on social media companies the same way many consumers make a decision when buying a new car – based on how its looks or exterior design, and hardly ever on what’s really important, namely what’s under the hood.

With that in mind, here’s my car analogy tip sheet to help interested brands in making more informed decisions in the future:

The Dealership: Would your purchase an expensive item like a new car without knowing anything about the manufacturer or the reputation of the local dealer? The biographies of everyone in our industry are readily available on the Web. Start your checklist by looking for people with strong backgrounds in social media research and analytics.

The Dashboard: Don’t be blinded by the fancy interactive dashboards and Flash charts. It’s much more important to understand the data methodologies behind those dashboards that create those results. Without a solid understanding of how the company collects and calculates its data, the dazzling digital displays won’t hold much value for your organization.

The Horsepower: When considering software providers, it’s particularly critical to research the so-called “horsepower” or engine fueling the application. Is it going to deliver your brand what you want to know now and down the road? Will it still be able to move your social media initiatives forward over the next five years or become as obsolete as the Edsel?

The Onboard Computer: The intelligence behind the platform and the people should also be on your checklist. Is the data making you smarter about your business and does it fit into the way your company analyzes other market research and analytics? When you want to go deep and do even more with the information, does the vendor have the talent and team to go beyond just what the technology can provide you?

The Service and Warranty: When things go wrong with a car everyone wants outstanding service and warranty protection. It’s no different in this industry, especially given its emerging nature. There will always be the need for additional support at all hours of the day and night and help when a breaking crisis or emergency strikes your brand. It’s critical to have a partner that will help you in those situations and always be ready to jump in the trenches with you.

With these handy tips, any company can make a better informed decision about selecting a social media partner. I’m also available to help develop your RFP.

Mike Spataro

A new study published by the Society for New Communications Research has found that social media is rapidly becoming a core channel for companies to position their brands, products and services. In addition to some interesting findings and stats, the report includes an array of informative case studies from brands and organizations, such as Quicken Loans, American Red Cross, The Mayo Clinic and others.

The study, which focused on what it calls ’social media power users,’ found that PR and corporate communications professionals are increasingly relying on a wide variety of new tools and technologies to reach audiences. Having spent years in PR myself, this is welcome news for an industry that has been criticized at times for its slow adoption of new media.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents indicated that social media is becoming more valuable to their marketing activities, while 27% went as far to say that social media is now a core element of their communications strategy. Surprisingly, search engine rankings and Web site traffic were among the top responses for measuring the effectiveness of social media on brand building.

The study, which can be downloaded for free, was conducted by an impressive team of SNCR fellows - Joseph Carrabis, John Cass, Paul Gillin, Richard Nacht and Greg Peverill-Conti.

Mike Spataro

It’s funny how new ideas and ways of doing business can sometimes take shape in companies. Contrary to popular belief, not all innovation comes from the research lab or executive management suite. Oh those guys usually get credit for it, but sometimes real change starts with a single person or small team of people buried deep within an organization.

A good example of this is when some former colleagues of mine at another company banded together in the early 90’s on their own time to create the company’s first Web site. No executive strategic vision. No corporate budget. They refused to wait around for management to tell them the Web was going to be something special. They just saw the future and literally jump started this Fortune 500 brand into the Internet Age.

I see a very similar trend in many companies today when it comes to social media.

In at least half of the companies I’ve met over the past two years, the initiative for social media is being driven by what I call Social Media Champions (SMCs). These people are forward-thinking individuals who have a knack for spotting important trends before their colleagues and bosses. Not all of them know exactly why it is important, but they just know it is. They don’t have fancy social media jobs or titles, but they are real corporate change artists who have a true understanding of how new technologies can impact the companies they work for.

For SMCs - just like early Web pioneers - adapting new ways of doing business seem so obvious to them, but they are often frustrated because others can’t see the world the same way they see it.

SMCs can work anywhere in a company. In just the past few weeks, I’ve met one who works in the purchasing department for a mid-size pharmaceutical brand, another in the IT department for a major food manufacturer, and yet another in the legal department for a consumer electronics company.

It’s important for companies to not only recognize SMCs, but also seek them out. Here’s a few indicators that you have a SMC among your staff.

• they are always trying out new technologies and applications - on their own time no less;
• they are happy to show others how to use the Web to improve efficiencies;
• they are highly connected and their “online rolodex” is far bigger than the one of their desk;
• they don’t get discouraged when others criticize them for getting excited about “the next big fad;” and,
• they know how to impact change in a company in a very positive way.

Mike Spataro

Yesterday I conducted a webcast featuring Peter Kim from Forrester Research and Marty Collins from Microsoft. We had great attendance and shared some of the latest findings from Forrester and how Microsoft is implementing a comprehensive framework and strategy for listening, learning, engaging and measuring efforts in social media.

We asked a polling question of the audience and got some interesting stats that I thought I would share. The question to attendees was “How would you rate your organization’s level of social media engagement?

Attendees answered as follows:

a. Not quite ready – no current social media plans (6%)

b. Information gathering – learning more about this new marketing channel ( 21%)

c. Getting started - monitoring blogs and other online conversations ( 19%)

d. Formal program/initiative – dedicated efforts, processes and resources in place

to collect social media data and learn from it ( 13%)

e. Comprehensive program – a complete process for monitoring, learning, participating

and evaluating social media engagement and results ( 8%)

f. No Answer ( 34%)

Of the attendee’s that participated in the polling question (thank you) I found the break down encouraging around the number of marketers who are getting started, have formal or comprehensive programs - 40% of attendees. That is much higher then recent data gathered (a bit more informally) at some recent speaking and round tables I have conducted.

Appreciate everyone’s attendance and participation.

Blake Cahill

Visible Technologies

Very interesting post from WOMMA of an article that I missed from Jack Loechner last week from the Center for Media Research. 36.2 Million Women Actively Participate in the Blogosphere Weekly. Of the 36.2 million women who are active in the blogosphere each week, 15.1 million of them publish posts of their own, and 21.1 million read and comment, according to new research from BlogHer. As evidence of their passion for blogging, 55% of the women surveyed reported that they would give up alcohol in order to keep their blogs, 50% said they would give up their PDA, 42% said they’d give up their iPod, 43% would give up reading newspapers or magazines — but only 20% said they’d part ways with chocolate.

 Blake Cahill

Visible Technologies