Beyond all of the Likes, retweets and +1s, social media’s greatest gift to marketers is that it helps give brands a human face. Before the social media revolution, virtually all brand communications were one-way—the brands talk and the consumers listen, with no possibility for participation. Thanks to Facebook, Twitter, blogs and online discussion forums, however, consumers now have the ability to speak directly to brands and share their experiences with brands with their friends.
At first blush, this seems like a marketer’s dream come true. Why go through the hassle of securing formal case studies and testimonials when people are talking about your brand organically, without prompting or payment? You can’t buy that kind of authenticity (though many have tried). Considering that social graph recommendations have a significant influence on people’s buying behavior, high customer engagement on social media seems like an unequivocal boon for marketers.
But what happens when people start saying things about your brand that you don’t want them to say?
Therein lies the rub: by giving people a platform to express their opinions about your brand, you also cede control over the conversation. As a marketer you can try to create the conditions which foster positive feelings toward your... Read more
Home › iMedia Connection Blog › twitter
Tagged 'twitter' 
You Can’t Control the Conversation on Social Media (and That’s Okay)
Tags: Facebook, PR & social media, public relations, public relations crisis management, Social Media, social media strategy, socialmedia, twitter, twitter as pr tool
Posted in Opinions, Social Media | 3 Comments »
As Facebook Edges Closer to 1 Billion – Is Your Brand Engaged?
The magic number for Facebook is very close…most likely before the end of 2012 there will be over 1 billion active monthly users on the social network, but is your brand engaging with them in a beneficial way?
Months ago, we brought up the discussion around the disconnect between brands and consumers when it comes to social media, and as the socially-connected population grows it is increasingly important to make sure your social strategy matches with what your audience is looking for. On Facebook, your fans ultimately own your brand, and the content you put out there needs to be a conversation rather than a shouting match.
Our own Facebook page is focused on highlighting Star Group’s agency culture and our involvement with clients and community outside of the work itself. Even though our content is an ever-changing process, we want to connect with our friends, colleagues and clients in a more personable way than simply touting our work on their behalf.
For your brand’s page, the goal is likely to be completely different and unique. Just because there is a potential audience of a billion, we all recognize that there are smaller numbers of targeted communities that will be receptive to specific messages.
The grand... Read more
Tags: b2b marketers, b2b marketing, b2c marketers, b2c marketing, Facebook, mashable, Social Media, social media marketing, social networks, twitter
Posted in Opinions | No Comments »
Everything I learned About This G+ Community Experience, I Learned in Grade School
This morning as I scrolled through the litany of responses, twitter message, and emails, to my latest #Google+ blog, I realized something about this experience: everything I learned about this G+ community experience, I learned in grade school.
Tags: Facebook, google, Google Plus, LinkedIn, Social Media, twitter
Posted in Opinions, Social Media | 5 Comments »
Best Weekend Quotes From SXSW Interactive
This past weekend Molly Auer and I gunned it to SXSW 2012 for a jam-packed weekend of social and digital learning (and some incredible breakfast tacos). After flying in to San Antonio Friday night, we drove the smallest car available in Texas through a rainstorm to get into Austin. The promise of killer panel discussions and new product launches helped kickstart our brains Saturday morning, and we got to the convention center in time to be among the first 100 registrants of the thousands that eventually swarmed the building.
From Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon, we crammed in as much as possible. Here’s a sampling of our schedules, which we picked from literally hundreds of choices available each day:
Brands As Patterns
Real-Time Newsjacking and a Cold-Blooded Tweeter
Crowd Sourcing Community Projects Like Tom Sawyer
The Curators and the Curated
Coolhunting and Coolfarming with Social Media
The State of Social Marketing
The Nick Denton Interview: The Failure of Comments
Celebs and Causes: A Thin Line Between #Winning and #Fail
Designing Experiences for Women
HTML5 APIs Will Change the Web: And Your Designs
Designing for Content Management Systems
Interactive Keynote Live Stream - How to Read the World
The Secret Lives of Links
Physical Architecture Meets Interaction Design
Excessive Enhancement: JavaScript's Dark Side
UX Smackdown! User Testing Techniques in the... Read more
Tags: b2b marketers, b2b marketing, b2c marketers, b2c marketing, Facebook, google, Social Media, social media marketing, social networks, south by southwest, sxsw, twitter
Posted in Creative Best Practices, Social Media, Word of Mouth | No Comments »
Agency transformation through social integration
When I walk into the agency every morning, I go straight to where our social department sits. Each day, I look around and think, “Damn we’ve got a good crew.” Two and a half years ago, the department consisted of just me, and now we’re a group of 8 diverse strategists and community managers that can tackle any social media solution—not to mention, become iMedia’s 2011 Best Agency for Social Media.
The actual responsibilities of a social media department vary from agency to agency, but when that department becomes an integrated part of the internal agency structure, the benefits will be felt across all departments. So why should a social media department be more integrated?
CHANGE: Given the inherent need to innovate quickly, agencies need to adapt just as fast. With Facebook’s “fail fast” mentality, there are no guarantees about what will stick and what will fall to the wayside. In addition to platform changes, there are user changes with new sites and habits, and naturally, it becomes difficult for any agency to stay 100% on top of all emerging trends and changes. A social department that is linked into insider knowledge of these rapid and frequent changes and social trends provides... Read more
Tags: campaigns, creative, Data, Digital Marketing, Facebook, mobile, paidmedia, social, social marketing, Social Media, social media marketing, social media strategy, socialmedia, trends, twitter
Posted in Emerging Platforms, Media Planning & Buying, Social Media, Word of Mouth | No Comments »
