experience matters

In his recent blog post, CM Executive Scott Shamberg answered some of the top questions he fielded at a recent forum. One of which revolved around making social media relevant for smaller-scale, local efforts. He defined the makings of a successful local-focused social media campaign as relevance. Specifically, “any offer or service that is relevant to me in my geographic world.” I absolutely agree with Scott. When localizing social media, relevance to the user’s life is above all the most important feature of strategy.

Considering what other guidelines are necessary, I’ve developed the SHARE framework to help you shape your future local efforts. By grouping relevance with these five strategic considerations (that just so happen to spell the word SHARE—one of the central drivers behind consumers desire to localize), a brand can create content that will be of value to its consumer at various important and specific geographic points throughout his day.

Save Time: Time is one of the most valuable resources we have and consumers have an insatiable appetite for time saving tools. Share content with your users that will help them accomplish their goals or manage their time better. A great example of this within my city is the Chicago Transit Authority’s Bus Tracker. I seldom give props to the CTA, however this tool allows users to answers the great unknowns of public transit including “will it be faster for me to wait for the express bus that stops where I’m standing?” In creating this simple tool, it’s obvious that the CTA asked the following necessary questions: 1. What will make my demographics goals more achievable when we know their location? 2. Where will I put content so that it is easy to find or access on the go?

Help: Localized and location-based social media content, when done well, will allow a brand to share almost altruistically within a branded strategy, while maintaining a human and helpful voice. This ideally fosters Online sharing without requesting it of consumers. Charmin’s Sit or Squat, is a very specific example of this. The location-based network is filled with information to help its users find a public toilet based on their location. This network is a natural fit for Charmin and gives seriously useful information for any civilized human looking to meet basic hygienic needs.

Apply Insights: When a brand builds its location-based campaign on what’s unique about its target, it can successfully foster a community of repeated users that will interact with and share relevant information. One local social program by Purina leverages the brand’s learnings on its community of pet lovers. Purina uses the Petcentric Places app to put its Petcentric community in touch with locations and resources to make their dogs’ lives better. Offering tips on everything from dog sitters and walkers to bars, restaurants and lodging that allow for four-legged visitors, this app has the potential to really deliver for its target. Based on iTunes ratings, there are a few complaints on the amount content and usability, but if time is invested by Purina and its community to develop a more robust set of tips this app will be perfect for the pet-minded.

Above: Jeana has pulled some of the location-based apps CMers have praised lately into the SHARE framework to see how they stack up. Are you using any of these?

Reward: Many users drop off when the novelty of a location-based application and its virtual rewards wear off. Tying tangible rewards to virtual participation is an easy way to guarantee continued use of your location-based social platforms. Topguest is a great use of existing geo-location check-in apps synced to the hospitality and travel loyalty program of the user’s choice. While the service has not yet built out a great deal of meaningful partnerships, I look forward to a Delta SkyMiles partnership, a rewards program that I’m already using, which will reward me for checking-in as much as possible by adding to my SkyMIles points.

Exert Expertise: A tip or piece of information tied to a location that is created by a trusted source or notable authority adds credibility and value to a location-based program. On a recent trip to New York City, a social media partnership between Foursquare and the History Channel allowed me to see some really interesting and valuable content relevant to whatever landmark I was visiting. More importantly, I never had to crack a guidebook and divulge my tourist status.  After crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, I checked in on foursquare and was given an option to read a tip from my friend “The History Channel,“ which read, “The Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883. It was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903 and the first steel-wire suspension bridge.”

Most important is to keep brand objectives and customer needs in mind and create only what makes sense to meet those. Each application needn’t necessarily meet all of these guidelines, but as consumers ourselves, we have found an undeniable utility in applications that employ more of the above.

By following these rules, a location-based strategy can be taken from a novelty to a sustainable program, with a solid base of useful, but branded, content.  Potentially, consumer-to-consumer sharing and buzz will result from a well-crafted program, but a shiny package without a value-add will be recognized as such and will not foster continued use. Ideally, daily interaction with a brand can improve consumer sentiment based on the obvious care taken to be of use to its consumers and improved sentiment helps every piece of the marketing mix.

Jeana is a Community Moderator for Nissan Juke and Nissan Cube, working out of our Chicago office.