Relationships begin with conversations. With the advent of social marketing, technology has shifted the power away from editors, publisher and the establishment to the people.
According to a recent Edelman Trust Barometer survey, people are saying, “I can no longer rely on a single source of information. The omniscient, all-powerful, single source – whether it’s a news anchor, doctor, CEO or government is gone.” One of the most trusted sources of information is word of mouth, from friends and family. When you develop a social marketing strategy for your product or service, think of it as a conversation - not a campaign. This second of our 2-part series will cover the broad functions of MySpace, Twitter and You Tube, within the social marketing landscape.
MySpace
Use: MySpace is a social networking website offering an interactive user-submitted network of friends, personal profiles, blogs, groups, music and videos for people around the world. Profiles contain two standard categories: “About Me” and “Who I’d like to Meet” and include an “Interest” section and “Details”. All profiles also contain standard blogs (interactive areas) for content, emotional icons (emoticons), media and images. One of the images can be used as the “default image” that will appear on the main page.
Return: If you have content that is appropriate for anyone on the world-wide web, place it on MySpace. Freelancers as well as businesses can post their work with a link to their website. It’s great for indie movies, bands, videos of all varieties and photos.
Privacy Options: There used to be an absence of privacy settings, but predatory behavior changed that. Now there is some degree of security on the site. And you can “defriend” people. If mass awareness is your goal, it’s a great resource for potentially reaching millions of viewers.
Twitter
Use: Twitter is a micro-blogging platform which allows users to publish short messages or “tweets” of less than140 characters through different mediums like IM, cell phones and the web. Although a relatively new networking device, its users are increasing at a break-neck pace. In March of 2009, total accounts reached 1 million and this year, socialmarketingexpert.org reports 14,590,000 accounts and approximately 3 million active users.
This site is great for creating a personality on line that has the potential of generating enormous buzz. Again, it’s free, easy to sign on and all you need is an e-mail and ideally a photo or illustration of some kind – but you can begin tweeting without an image. Twitter is not a difficult tool so there is a low barrier to entry.
For business, it is another channel connecting current and potential customers with your product or brand. It allows infiltration into the lifestyles of interested participants, which helps build brand loyalty. It also creates something called “ambient intimacy” or a channel for keeping in touch with people with a level of regularity that normal life precludes.
Unlike Face book, there is no option to advertise within Twitter. Instead, Twitter marketing is a 2-way audience engagement. More like meeting a friend for coffee.
In its most obvious form, it is a traffic generation tool. By placing links within profiles, conversations can direct visitors to a specific websites. It is especially powerful if you pitch to early adapters and influencers.
Return: Here are just some uses: personal branding, quick feedback, source talent, make friends, network, and company intranet on group projects, client updates, customer notification of a new products or releases, event updates, find prospects. Two communal uses include brief live coverage of events and as a company intranet on group projects.
By simply logging in and updating activities or information, you can build an enormous following of people who are checking in by the hour, minute or even second to see what your company/character is up to. Maybe you are health care organization and “followers” watch your character address the challenges of trying to lose weight through the holiday season’s temptations. The creative possibilities are endless for attracting, directing and harvesting followers.
The most important thing to remember with all social marketing sites is that the quality of the information must be of interest to your target. Poorly communicated or irrelevant information will eventually fizzle – even in a “viral marketing” environment.
Privacy Options: Twitter gives you the option to lock your profile, keeping your updates visible only to the people you approve. This protects tweets from public view and search results.
YouTube
Use: Before the advent of YouTube in 2005, there were very few ways for non-professionals to post videos on line. With 60 million viewers watching more than 100 million videos each month, YouTube created a seismic shift in sharing and disseminating information. Because it is so user-friendly and widely used, it’s no longer just for home-made video blogs and funny animal videos. It has the potential to be a high-impact and surprisingly affordable marketing vehicle for any business.
Today this video sharing web site allows users to upload, view and share a variety of media. It uses Adobe Flash video technology to display user- generated video content including movie clips, videos and music videos. Amateur content such as video blogging and short original videos are also uploaded. According to YouTube home page, more than 100 million videos are watched daily.
Return: According to Darrell Zahorsky a writer on About.com, Blendtec, a small business based in Orem, Utah budgeted under $100 for a quirky video showing their commercial blender pulverizing iPods, golf balls and other everyday items. The funny viral videos were a big hit; driving millions of viewers to the Will It Blend website. Wall Street Journal reporter Laura Lorber wrote how Blendtec sales were up 43% in 2006 alone.
In order to work, on-line videos must be high on entertainment value with strategically executed production values and professionalism and finally, remain focused. YouTube’s privacy settings allow users to limit who is able to view their videos by designating who can watch or comment on them.
The downside is access. With the exception of Apple and Flash-based systems, low quality videos like these can only be accessed from computers. Most phones can not display YouTube videos. I-Tunes is a little better quality and can reach most portable devices.
Privacy Options: Unregistered viewers can watch most videos on the site. Registered viewers are permitted to upload an unlimited number which can be viewed across the internet, through websites, mobile devices and e-mail.
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