Archive for the ‘Social Media’ Category

Three Things to Remember About Online Influence

Friday, May 11th, 2012

Shonali Burke

Have you done an Internet search for “online influence” recently? You can’t get away from the subject, and scoring tools usually come into the picture. To see what I mean, just check out these two recent Forbes’ articles.

Influence isn’t going anywhere, and in our increasingly digitally-connected world, the scramble to find, and engage with, online influencers will just become more urgent.

When preparing to play in the online influence sandbox, it’s important to remember a few things:

Influence is contextual.

Throw a stone and you’re bound to hit an online scoring service. They’re all the rage. But here’s the thing: what your score is doesn’t matter unless it’s in the context of an area you have expertise in. So regardless of the fact that Justin Bieber’s Klout score is higher than that of President Obama, you’re going to have some trouble convincing me that the former is more influential than the latter… unless you’re trying to reach teenage girls.

So look beyond scores, and try to find, and build relationships with, the people who are actually talking about your product, service, or area. Then, when they get early adopter status, or perks, no one’s going to complain about fairness or unfairness.

Large numbers of followers don’t equate to influence.

You might remember “Digital Death,” a high profile celebrity-driven campaign at the end of 2010, at the core of which was the stated intention of several celebrities – with huge followings online – to stop tweeting and Facebooking until $1M was raised for a charity working in the HIV prevention arena.

Like many others with a foot each in the nonprofit and online worlds, I was curious, and then snarky, about the celebrities’ (and campaign organizers’) perception of their own influence. Because the campaign generated mostly amused, if not downright critical coverage, and they didn’t seem to make much progress towards their goal until an extremely wealthy individual stepped in and made up the difference.

Certainly take follower numbers, blog subscribers, etc., into account as you are researching and developing your influencer list. But also look at how engaged they are with their communities. Do they primarily undertake a one-way flow of information, or do they actually listen, respond and engage?

The latter are the people you want to really build relationships with, because if they like what you show them, they are the ones who will become the most ardent evangelists for your brand, and help you build your community.

The real measure of influence is in outcomes, not outputs.

This post was triggered by a conversation I had recently with a friend about using relationships to influence decisions at the highest echelons of power—the decisions that affect each of us as residents and citizens of this country. And it’s when we hear of those decisions, that’s when we say to ourselves, “So and So has a ton of influence.”

Decisions. Outcomes. Things that happen as a result of people – real people – taking action, and often that action is offline, or we want to get them, by engaging online, to taking action online and offline.

So when you’re putting your programs together, focus on the outcomes you’re trying to achieve. Don’t get lost in the excitement of the “buzz” that’s being generated, though certainly enjoy it while it lasts. But beyond the buzz, and beyond the hype, what are the real world outcomes you’re trying to achieve?

That’s what you should be looking at when you decide whether or not your outreach has been successful.

Shonali Burke is Vice President, Digital, at MSL Washington DC. In 2007, she was named to PRWeek’s inaugural top “40 Under 40” list of US-based PR professionals, and is considered one of 25 women that rock social media. Described as a “measurement maven” by KD Paine & Partners, Shonali created and continues to moderate the popular #measurePR Twitter chat (bi-weekly on Tuesdays, 12-1 pm ET). She is also Adjunct Faculty at Johns Hopkins M.A. in Communication program, teaching a course on “not-for-profits in the digital age.”

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CRAVE Blog: Roman Meal Company’s Whole Grain Challenge: A 100 Year Old Brand Finds Old Friends Online

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

A family owned company based in Tacoma, WA, Roman Meal Company makes Roman Meal Original bread, a whole grain product that many baby boomers know and love. Steeped in heritage and family tradition, consumers view Roman Meal as “the bread your mom gave you” — wholesome, hearty, a tasty treat. Despite a loyal base of consumers, Roman Meal experienced a decline in product availability and sales during the 1980s and 1990s. As a result, many consumers lost sight of the nearly 100 year old brand. Our challenge: generate awareness for Roman Meal while reconnecting and engaging with lapsed users.

Since 2009, our method for connecting with consumers has been almost exclusively digital. While online and social media marketing are ubiquitous today, our recommendation to go digital was a departure for Roman Meal, especially given their target audience: health conscious women, age 50 and older. We held fast to our strategy because boomer internet and social media usage was on the rise. According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study in May 2011, 32% of internet users ages 50 – 64 used social networking sites on a typical day, up from just 20% in 2010.

Over the last few years, our approach to digital outreach has included email marketing, online advertising and promotions (sweepstakes, coupons, etc.). We have had success with all of these tactics, but our strongest engagement tool continues to be our Facebook community. We started the page on behalf of Roman Meal in fall 2009. Thanks to a savvy social media strategy and a creative and enticing promotions schedule (which included our Whole Grain Challenge Sweepstakes, a promotion that invited consumers to pledge to eat more whole grains in exchange for a sweepstakes entry), the Roman Meal Facebook page now has over 55,000 Likes (and growing!). Our community is in line with the target audience — 74% are female, 45+ — and we continue to generate high levels of engagement.

How did we do it? Success in social media is never an exact science, but each of the following contributed to our growth:

Consistent voice – A consistent, genuine brand voice is key. Authentic brands stand out from the crowd.
Relevant content – Know your audience and what they care about. We identified topics relevant to our health conscious, female audience and tailored content — posts, images, videos, articles, etc. — to fit within these themes.
Offers – It’s a well-known fact that consumers interact with brands on social media for access to exclusive offers and discounts. We provided incentives while telling the Roman Meal story. Everyone wins!
Traffic drivers – If people can’t find you, it doesn’t matter how great your content is. We leveraged the Roman Meal consumer database and several types of banner ads to drive people to our community. In 2012, we’re using branded events to direct consumers to our online initiatives as well.

Natalie Kenna is a Senior Account Executive at Publicis Consultants USA, where she is responsible for driving social media, online marketing, event planning and media outreach for Roman Meal Company. With several years of digital experience, she knows how to seamlessly integrate social media into the overall marketing plan. Natalie has coordinated and managed programs for technology, non-profit and consumer goods clients: Roman Meal, XANGO, Microsoft and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Contact her at natalie.kenna@publicisconsultants.com and follow her @NatalieKenna.

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Social media: redefining our relationships with food

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Publicis Consultants USA's Steve Bryant

The Hartman Group's Laurie Demeritt

Social media has changed how Americans cook, shop, plan meals and share culinary secrets. However, it’s not enough for brands to simply build legions of followers or make a presence in social spaces. For long-term payoff, brands should instead take cues from how we develop and cultivate these personal relationships.

By Steve Bryant and Laurie Demeritt

Study results show almost half of consumers are now learning about food via social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, and 40% are learning via websites, apps or blogs.  A new online culture of food has profound implications for how marketers can use social and digital media to build meaningful and profitable relationships. Our joint study “Clicks & Cravings: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture,” found that social and digital media is now replacing mom as the go-to culinary source.   Consumers search online for what to cook, without ever tasting or smelling.  As a result, digital food selection is becoming less of a sensory experience and more of a visual and rational process. In the past, when consumers listened to the opinions of a few trusted sources — mom, as well as other family members — in deciding what to buy, cook or eat, modern consumers “crowdsource” the opinions of many before deciding what to buy.

Social media, a mealtime companion

What’s more, the infiltration of social media into the food experience goes far beyond purchasing and preparing food; it now includes the meal experience as well.  While eating or drinking at home, nearly one-third of Americans use social networking sites. Among Millennials (18-34 years old), this figure jumps to 47%. The “table for one” rarely exists anymore, even among single people eating alone at home. If you’re eating solo, chances are you’re also texting friends who live miles away or posting food photos to a review site.

Fundamental changes in food culture

Social media changes food culture by influencing how consumers think about, talk about and experience food. With the clicks of our fingers, social media alters the entire lifecycle of a meal from planning, to buying, to cooking, to eating.  As consumers use social media to discover, learn, and share information about food, they quickly become more active participants in food culture. They look to bloggers and the opinions of others online to expand their culinary horizons and make purchase decisions. Today’s consumers increasingly prefer to learn about products based on the experiences of “people like me,” rather than directly from brands. Social media allows them to do this with ease.  Social media engages consumers in a constant conversation. However, they must do much of their socializing alone, in front of a computer or in the palm of their hand. This leaves consumers craving contact with real people, even if virtually. For consumers to take notice, companies must use social media to communicate in ways that are authentic and personable. The good news is that when used correctly, social media is an excellent tool for companies to build personal and lasting relationships with their customers.

Traditional resources still relevant

This media transformation has taken years to evolve and it remains in flux. When asked if they spend more time reading about food from print or online sources, 46% of online consumers said they spent more time engaged online, as opposed to 31% who said they’re equally engaged with both online and print. While 31% say they are inspired by food shows they watch on TV, 25% are inspired by recipe websites or phone apps, and 17% are inspired by restaurant review websites or phone apps. Pointing to the future, Millennials now regard online media resources as their most valued sources of food inspiration— more than print (such as magazines or cookbooks) and food TV shows.

Consumers look to public communities

Some online food behaviors are less personal and therefore brands have more direct access to their food choices. For example, 47% say they’ve searched for online/digital coupons/specials, while 42% say they’ve consulted online recipes before shopping. Brands can also be encouraged that consumers are open to better and more highly specialized tools for shopping and meal planning. Moms, primary cooks and shoppers want easy-to-use apps that can make shopping, meal planning and saving money easier for them.

Influence is personal

But brand influence goes only so far. People look to stylish people, not stylish brands for food and lifestyle advice. Today’s consumers want to hear from people who eat and cook food more than they want to hear from the entities who sell. They follow people on Twitter, become friends on Facebook and read blogs of people with authentic voices, sincere posts, and meaningful content. Marketers will do well to recognize the limits of their direct influence in social media. They will succeed best by operating synergistically as part of the social culture of food and beverage online. Consumers are willing to engage with food brands and companies in this space, but only if the interaction promises to enrich their lives in some tangible way, whether through useful information, money saving deals or entertainment.  While an exceptional product and a great deal will initially attract consumers to you, this is only the starting point of a truly meaningful social media relationship.  To leverage the opportunities offered by this evolving platform, food and beverage brands must also: craft a distinct online personality, enlist the support of other authentic social media voices, reflect their customers’ values, reveal their true personalities and be generous and humorous. Even with small changes in approach, companies can better use social media as a tool to create more personable relationships with consumers.  That said, major gains may require a fundamental rethink about how consumers are willing to interact with brands online over the long term.

Steve Bryant is President of Publicis Consultants USA. Laurie Demeritt is President and COO at The Hartman Group. Bryant and Demeritt collaborated on the study, “Clicks & Cravings: The Impact of Social Technology on Food Culture.” To obtain the complete study, contact blaine@hartman-group.com

See the post in O’Dwyer’s March issue here

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Facebook Access: The Private Side to our Public Persona

Friday, April 13th, 2012

Ginny Woodcock

Last month, the Associated Press created a bit of mayhem when it reported a recent surge in employers seeking access to employees’ Facebook profiles. The story was broadcast on countless news outlets and posted all over social media sites.

In one case, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services asked job applicants to submit their social network username and password in order to conduct a background check. The American Civil Liberties Union complained about this incident, so now the Department only requests that applicants log in “voluntarily” during the interview.

This issue has stirred so much controversy that it prompted a few congressmen to craft an amendment that would ban companies from asking current or potential employees for social media passwords. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal insisted that this practice is an unreasonable invasion of privacy; however, the amendment was ultimately defeated on March 28.

Facebook officials immediately responded to the news by saying that this type of action is an invasion of privacy and threatened to take legal action against companies that ask for an applicant’s or employee’s password. “We’ve made it a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to share or solicit a Facebook password,” stated Erin Egan, Facebook’s chief privacy officer.

How would you respond if your current or future employer asked for your Facebook password? Would you hand over your login information, or would you turn down the position to keep your privacy?

Personally, I feel that asking for my username and password would be a violation of privacy. I wouldn’t mind logging in and allowing a perspective employer to view my profile, however, I would be uncomfortable sharing my login information. Many social network users, as do I, believe that there is a private side to our public persona, and we are entitled to adjust the privacy settings however we desire. Users should have the choice as to whether or not their employers, among others, have access to their content.

Asking for, as opposed to demanding, social media passwords can still create a sticky situation. What happens if an employer asks but the applicant or employee refuses to give out the information? In the case of Kimberly Hester, she was fired. After rumors of having posted a humorous picture, a school administrator asked the teacher’s aid for her password and she refused. The school decided to suspend and eventually fire her for the refusal.

Since social media acts as an extension of our identity, it has always been important for us to use discretion when posting statuses, comment and photos. Now that some employers are requesting access to our virtual identity, we must closely monitor our profiles and potentially be ready to hand over login information at any given time.

Ginny Woodcock is a digital account coordinator at MSL Chicago. She specializes in digital analytics, measurement, influencer engagement, digital monitoring and media relations for an array of consumer and corporate accounts. You can follow her on Twitter at @glwoodcock.

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Last Day at SXSW:Where Brian Solis, Billy Corgan and Jay-Z Intersect

Tuesday, March 13th, 2012

Laura Chavoen

Brian Solis spoke at a SXSW panel yesterday afternoon about how audience segmentation is no longer only about age or demographics. One of the key audience groups is “GENERATION C:” C for connected. The connected generation not only integrates technology seamlessly into their lives, but this group also uses and embraces that technology to form, sustain and nurture relationships with others in Gen C.

Brian’s perspective is that we’re the problem and we are also the solution. This not about generations or age. It has to do with how we AS PEOPLE make decisions, interact and connect. We look at things in different ways. We have become a disruption. The decision-making cycle of connected consumers is very different today.

Later in the panel, Billy Corgan joined Brian for a sit-down chat about how the music industry is no longer “business as usual”, then went on a (seemingly angry) screed about how music is so different today and how music consumers ‘mostly just want stuff for free.’ He spoke about how the business of today’s music industry has ‘taken the claws out of the music,’ forcing musicians who seek fame (and fortune) to acquiesce to the demands of the business and not be driven by their creativity or their own desire.

And after seeing the Jay-Z show tonight, I can say that they are both right. Music is very different today, but not necessarily in the way Billy articulated, at least from my perspective, the perspective of the consumer, the FAN. There was NO lack of creativity, originality, in this evening’s show, nor was there any lack of pointed observations in Jay’s lyrics and even his stage banter. And Brian is also right, at least from as far as shared experiences go…the audience was connected, with each other as well as with Jay.

Jay-Z connected the audience. He interacted with us, and encouraged us to interact with each other in ways that I’ve never seen at the hundreds of live shows I’ve been to. He EXPECTED that the audience would know entire verses and held the microphone out so that we could join him. He had us waving our arms, bouncing, doing the 2-step, making some noise, singing the chorus behind his raps. We eagerly and passionately connected with him, with each other, laughing, taking pictures, dancing with total strangers.

He didn’t just perform. He connected with us. He didn’t just sing, he structured his set so that we could join him. He didn’t just perform the set list that the Twitter-sphere helped construct, he wove all of those songs together into a story and we all went on a fantastic, LOUD, energetic and completely transporting adventure.

I will continue to buy Jay’s music. And I won’t miss an opportunity to see him live again, at any cost. And I was delighted to see such a concrete example of Brian’s panel and book: “The End of Business as Usual.” It was a memorable way to close out another great weekend at SXSWi.

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