A guest post I contributed to Mashable, see the whole story here: http://mashable.com/2008/05/23/social-media-marketing/
...We realize the power of citizen reporters, word of mouth, media sharing, transparency and interaction. We have the tools, we have the stats, we have the case studies, we know how to develop effective strategies.
Our job now is two-fold: make sure the fakers who claim they get it, but really don’t, don’t screw things up, and educate clients, potential clients and our peers so they are able to make intelligent decisions in selecting an agency and implementing a social media strategy...
When I think about all of the monster catastrophes that so many brands have brought upon themselves by conducting social media marketing incorrectly, a few commonalities start to surface:
1. Lack of or false transparency
2. Failure to engage
3. Invasion strategy
You would think by now these folks would get it, but it seems like many brands are still floundering. What seems to be happening is someone, either on the brand team, or at an agency, or many times both, says "hey, this social media thing is really heating up, let's do something quick to get in there." And then a bunch of people with no experience in the space come up with a plan using their traditional media backgrounds to make a big impact in a short period of time. NNNNT (score board buzzer), wrong.
I started my career 12 years ago as a programmer. I then transitioned into design, animation and interactive presentations, followed by a bit of video editing, then creative director. For the past seven years I have run an interactive marketing firm. I feel like my professional history, combined with my lingering passion for each page in that history, gives me a unique perspective.
When used correctly, social Media can be an extremely powerful way to form relationships with your audience and spread possitive word of mouth. When used incorrectly, it can really piss people off. We've all heard about failures like the Wal-Marting Across America fiasco, not to mention Target's faux pas, Rounders, oops!
So is there a secret formula for success in social media marketing? We know some things that don't work: lack of or false transparency, "invasion" of social networks, SPAM, rushing into SNs without understanding them and thereby breaking etiquette. When launching a social media campaign, there are different combinations of tactics and strategies that will work best for each combination of brand and audience.
Some tips:
A big trend in marketing at the moment is targeting niche audiences. The idea is that rather than casting a wide net to an audience who may or may not be interested in what we have to say, we cast a very narrow one, to people we know are interested. We are able to refine our messaging to communicate as efficiently as possible to this audience, thereby increasing conversion rates and ROI. Another trend: Word of Mouth Marketing, a strategy for which social networks is an amazing tool. Social networks provide automated WOM. Our friends and peers are our biggest influencers. If I see an ad for a film and it looks interesting, it's possible I will go and see it. If a trusted friend tells me it's an amazing film and I have to see it, well, I'm there. Enter: niche social networks.
I was recently asked to be on a metrics panel at a local tradeshow. Preparing myself for this panel got me thinking about the metrics of engagement. Our firm is all about engaging the audience with the brand. This means not just measuring click-throughs and site visits, but number of actions taken and amount o f "quality time" spent with the brand. There are not any clearly defined metrics for measuring engagement.
Marketing News – Oct 1, 2006 Issue
By Jackie Peters
Chief Creative Officer, Multi-Media
Heavybag Media (New Haven, CT)
The latest lingo is always good to know. However, when terms get overused they can get misinterpreted. Interactive Marketing is term that is getting a lot of lip service lately. However, as integrated marketing schemes blur categories, marketers need to redefine "interactive."
Consider "interactive" in terms of the broader definition of the word. As a marketing strategy "interactive" is a two-way relationship. Interactive marketing should sponsor voluntary participation from the consumer to interact with a message. When implementing an interactive marketing strategy, the goal is to create the most effective program to encourage consumer involvement.
A relatively new addition to the marketing world is Bluecasting. Bluecasting is a process in which a message is broadcast to BlueTooth-enabled devices within a given physical area. This technology opens the door for a wide array of outdoor, point-of-purchase, and mobile marketing opportunities. Given the amount of Bluetooth headsets I see on people walking down the street, I would guess that quite a large percentage of mobile users have their BlueTooth turned on. I think the key to Bluecasting, as with any form of marketing, is relevance. I'm going to coin a phrase here: we don't want to Blam people (BlueTooth Spam.) But if the content that is broadcasted, or Bluecasted, is relevant to the recipient, and is introduced in a non-invasive way, Bluecasting has the potential to be really big.
I went to AIGA's Move3 conference on motion graphics this past Friday and Saturday, and I would like to share some of the terrific stuff that I experienced there.
Brand immersion is the result of an interactive marketing campaign. Encourage your target audience to interact with your brand on their terms, not yours. Give them something useful, something meaningful, something that provides them with entertainment. Content must be useful within the context of how and where it is delivered. Consider mobile content vs. online content. How and when are people using their mobile phones? What is the context? This should determine the nature of the content that gets delivered.
Brand immersion is about pull, not push, it's about encouraging your target audience to become emerged in your brand. Provide them with the tools, information and entertainment that they find valuable, and you will succeed in immersing them in your message.
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