Author Archives: Heidi Skinner
Selling in social media was unethical in recent history. While brands shouldn’t be using social media to push product down people’s throats, they do have the opportunity to transact business on Facebook and other social media hubs. But how do we make it relevant beyond one-time flash mob deals?
The opportunity lies between social sales and social rewards. Existing brand loyalty program members that demonstrate faithfulness are the best target. Provide them with word of mouth activities that offer program points that can be redeemed for tangible goods and virtual experiences to foster a deeper level of brand loyalty. The intersection of these activities must benefit the brand and the community. Loyalty only occurs if users organically or voluntarily participate in the program, and they will only do so if the rewards are deemed valuable to them in return. It doesn’t always need to be some “Groupon-like” deep discount. It does, however, need to show the consumer that they are appreciated and incent them to return for more and more benefits… not just any benefit, but better brand experiences. How do we do it?
Last week, a number of CMers flew from all of our offices into Austin for one of the year’s most hyped industry events. For 6 full days, we were completely absorbed in the world of SxSW–the speakers, the vast campus, the BBQ, the karaoke… and lots of noise! We’ve come back (well, those that didn’t stay for the rocking music portion!) to our respective offices and departments with lots of inspiration and lessons, to be shared more in-depth in a few days. For now, let’s look at some of the quick hits in the Pro and Con lists for SxSWi 2010 from my perspective, with cameos from a few others who managed to make it back!
Let’s start with the areas that were lacking and work our way up to the highlights, shall we?
I’ve seen a lot of posts about how the “content was weak.” Chris Pirillo even went so far to say that the “speakers weren’t entertaining,” and gave some great feedback for next year. I know I felt a bit underwhelmed, but I directly attribute that sentiment with the fact that most SxSW sessions are pitched 8 months in advance. How can those topics stay relevant with the pace of cultural change? They can’t.
That rant aside, I did find reasons to be inspired by my industry peers…
1. The crowd speaks for itself. I can’t find a SxSW source, but hck2 says that registration was up 40% this year. Geek love is forcing new application and ideas into the mainstream. Location based apps like social networking, video, & QR codes were not only used, but used a lot!
2. Not only were real-time social apps used, but they were used for utility. A while back, we were using augmented reality and iphone apps just because they were a bright & shiny objects. Now, we’re using them together to provide utility and to add value to “traditional” consumer experiences. While the SxSW app wasn’t perfect, I used it constantly to navigate my way through the maze of conference rooms and panel topics. And, while I’ve been on foursquare for a while, I’ve never felt prouder to get a badge titled “Porky” or “Panel Nerd.”
3. Conferences don’t exist to deliver a “silver bullet” or the next “disruptive” idea. They should, however, inspire smart people to cultivate ideas on their own. Here are a few that kick-started my creative thinking: #mindcontrol, if you want to be inspired by how “influence” works… and the “Snark It” app by Powered, if you want a good laugh.
Lastly, I had a wonderful time sharing ideas, banter and beers with all my @criticalmass SxSW travel companions: Jessi Odenbach (@jessio), Greg Arnanitakis (@The_Promethean), Dave Vieser (@dvieser), Adam Bracegirdle (@richinminerals), Mike Lanyon (@lanyonm), David Fasullo (@livebrush) and Kerry Janes.
Here are some of the lessons they were each inspired by…
David:
Inspiration Point 1: “Committing to an idea is the hardest part. Starting an idea doesn’t make you a startup.”
Inspiration Point 2: “It’s not just about telling your story. You need to be competitive in how you add value.”
Jessi:
Inspiration Point 1:“Looking to the future, employees will have a growing need to be well advised in multiple disciplines. Designers need to know social media. Social media needs to know technology. And so on. Our worlds are colliding and we need to expand ourselves even more.”
Inspiration Point 2: “No brand will build a lasting relationship with consumers without a valuable digital engagement.”
Greg:
Inspiration Point from the Gary Vaynerchuk: “His emphasis on doing what you love for a living is inspiring, but above all else he pushes loving your family and spending time with them being more important than a job. Work-life balance matters. A whole lot.”
Adam:
Inspiration Point from Brendan Dawes: “On some level, to be a good designer you just need to be an interesting person.”
What were you most inspired by at SxSW? What lesson did you learn that will change the way you work/create/adapt/ideate/think?
Edelman recently posted the results of a study they did on consumer trust. The study claims that “The number of people who view their friends and peers as credible sources of information about a company dropped by almost half, from 45% to 25%, since 2008.” Is social media just a passing fad?
Definitely not. While the article brings up an interesting topic, I believe that Michael Bush’s primary intent was to stir up some controversy, rather than claim there has been an official shift in online consumer behavior. Before we abandon everything we know about social, ask yourself 2 questions…
Is what they are saying true?
I’m not sold on the methodology. Based on the way the data is displayed in the article, it’s easy to criticize the survey technique. The wording is relatively biased and appears to focus on advertising, in general. As an alternative, the research could offer more credibility if consumers were asked who they trusted most for purchasing advice or recommendations.
What does it mean for social media marketers?
Survey details aside, the article surfaces the very important topic of relevancy and timing in social media marketing. In order to solve for this problem, marketers must craft solutions to address:
- Consumers experience a tremendous amount of digital litter online. Most content offered is just noise, and often doesn’t meet consumer’s exact point of need.
- Social Media is not a retail medium. It’s about building relationships. Over time, these relationships establish trust, engagement and ultimately advocacy, which definitely impacts the bottom line for brands.
- Consumers are first, brands and branded messaging will always be second. Consumers use social media to socialize with their friends, family and peers. If they want to engage with brands, it will be on their terms.
- Content is no longer “king” – relevancy is. Consumers have been taught that if they sound-off questions, someone will answer. By choosing to be active in social media, brands can offer solutions as a trusted source to weigh-in on those direct consumer questions.
If you’re active in social media, I wouldn’t get too hot and bothered over the study results. PR agencies are great at generating buzz, so kudos to them for stirring the pot. Now, take it a step further. Go beyond the buzz, and focus on developing long-lasting, sincere relationships with your fans online.
My Trek was stolen from work just over a week ago. As an aside, if you park on or around Michigan Avenue – watch out. The story: I parked and locked my bike outside of our building, just like always. I left work and it was gone. What’s next? I hop on the train and check Craigslist for Trek Bikes for sale. Yep. It was there – or I thought it was. That night, I do the basics: file a police report, and plan a full-blown sting operation. I was thinking, “I’m going to get this ‘jerk” (except replace the word “jerk” for about 10 other colorful descriptors).
I emailed the Craigslist contact and we set up a meeting for the next day. I went. He stood me up. Grrrr. Wait. He emailed me back asking to meet at a different location – in a sketchy neighborhood, but I’m down.
Experience #1: Be receptive to my attempt to resolve the problem. I shared the back story with the folks at Critical Mass. They allowed me to take part of the day to pursue the lead. They allowed me to drive the situation. Special thanks to @Shamberg, for that.
Experience #2: Understand my needs. My husband is out golfing and has our car. “Oh great.” Out of rage, I look up Enterprise Rent-a-Car and check their inventory for a vehicle large enough for a bike. They immediately contact me via phone in response to the online query, and I tell them the stolen bike story to this point. Unbelievably supportive to my cause, they arrive at my doorstep within 10 minutes.
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I’m inspired by all of the industry chatter about the impact of social on search. Last week, I read Jasmine May’s post on OneUpWeb’s study about how consumer generated content is influencing search behaviors. While the news is definitely insightful, it’s important to understand each social media tool as a separate beast, each having its own unique impact on your brand’s “findability” online.
Let’s start with twitter. Although this tool was designed to create and build relationships, it does have an SEO value. I recently sat down with Allyson Hohman (CM’s super-smart Search Director) and got her perspective: “The real time feedback from Twitter is slowly, but surely changing how people conduct a search and, ultimately, what results they will find.” In addition, twitter is optimized as its own destination, as distributed content becomes increasingly important to branded messaging and community relationships.
Together, we came up with the following 15-point twitter SEO checklist:
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Handle. Is it something people search for?
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Brand Name. May or may not be the same as handle. Is this displayed as searchable content? (tip: no abbreviations or brand acronyms)
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Bio. Is it relevant? Does it say why your brand is there? Does it include influencer buzz words?
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URL. Is your brand linking to your twitter URL in company blogs and sites? (and vice versa?)
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Tweet Copy: First Words. The start of each tweet (40-45 characters) is factored into each tweet’s title tag, including the account name, and however many characters are left go to the beginning of the actual tweet. (tip: pack the punch in the first 20 characters if possible (more…)
David Armano is leaving us this week to pursue a new opportunity in Texas.
You’ll be missed, but we’ll be listening in on your ideas via the 27 different feeds that you fill just about every day. It was only a matter of time with that hat before you decided to immerse yourself in the full experience. We’ve appreciated the leadership, insights, and trend watching. But you leave behind a strong team that will continue the conversation.
Best of luck, David. Tweet when you have time, like there is any doubt that you will.
“And get some boots to go with that hat.” – Neil Clemmons
-Critical Mass
