Marketers Look Beyond Social Media Experimentation

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Suwandhi Taswin

As budgets increase, marketers hope to understand more about social media

Marketers are becoming more mature when it comes to their social media marketing, and many in the US say they hope to move beyond the experimentation phase in the coming years.

In October 2011, at the second annual Pivot Conference, a survey found that 37.1% of marketers said their company will move beyond experimentation in social media marketing in 2012. An additional 14.6% expect to do so in 2014 and 5.6% by 2015. Nearly 8% said it would be later than 2015 and more than a third (34.8%) said they did not know when they would move past the experimentation phase.

There were many factors that marketers cited as influential in their drive for more mature social media marketing. Among the respondents who said their company would move beyond social media experimentation in 2012, 68.5% said an increased understanding on the benefits of social media was a factor that encouraged this maturation. Additionally, 60.9% cited a development of clear social strategy, 54.3% pointed to clearly defined outcomes and 51.1% mentioned metrics as having an influence.

While only 26.1% of respondents said budget increases would influence the move beyond experimentation, marketers also told the Pivot Conference that social media marketing would make up a higher percentage of their marketing budget in 2012 and beyond. While 37% of respondents said social media would be less than 5% of the marketing budget in 2011, only 27.1% expected that same low percentage in 2012 and just 18.8% predicted it would remain that low in 2013.

The combination of bigger budgets and increased sophistication will likely spur companies to go further toward reaching maturity in their social media marketing efforts and foster new examples of successful social media campaigns in the coming years.

Top Digital Trends for 2012

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Suwandhi Taswin

Marketers, retailers, content owners and technology firms are more focused than ever on obtaining results from investments in digital marketing. If past years were about amassing data from the touchpoints between companies and consumers, 2012 will be about curating, filtering and measuring that information to drive outcomes.

To that end, retailers are synthesizing increasingly vast and complex data streams to inform decisions about inventories, pricing and merchandising. Marketers are taking a similar approach with the data they gather from the ever-expanding social web. Content owners are also using data-centric methods to analyze how people are consuming and sharing media. No longer satisfied with collecting “likes,” fans, followers and viral hits, companies are now asking harder questions about the real value of these social network interactions.

More and more, marketers are realizing that traditional notions of interruptive advertising need to be rethought. Many are experimenting with branded videos, games, apps and online contests that blur the line between advertising and content. In some cases, these forms of “magnetic content” do a better job of brand projection than more conventional online video or display ads.

One of the keys to the success of magnetic content is that audiences are primed to consume media in increasingly diverse and fluid ways. People use smartphones, tablets, laptops, desktops, ereaders, game consoles, connected TVs and set-top boxes to access video and other content, and they expect that content to flow seamlessly across devices and media platforms. This presents opportunities for brand marketers and content owners that understand how to deliver to increasingly demanding customers. But it also challenges these companies to strike difficult balances between unfettered access and revenue generation, between intelligent targeting and privacy concerns, and between new and old content licensing models.

The collision of content and advertising will accelerate in the coming year as the political establishment gears up for the 2012 US presidential election. The upcoming contest promises to push the digital envelope as candidates make novel uses of viral videos, social networks, blogs and other sharing sites.

5 Steps for Starting and Funding a Social Good Enterprise

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Jessica Nyoman

The Commerce With a Conscience Series is supported by FedEx. FedEx does more than shipping. They offer solutions like transporting heart valves to those in need and helping entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. See how.

Each year, non-profits raise $300 billion, 13% of which isdonated online. And yet, fundraising is one of the most challenging aspects of launching a non-profit.

But with a savvy social media strategy, a passionate and innovative team, a business-inspired financial model and long nights with a laptop, your fundraising efforts can really take off. Here are some tips and advice for starting and funding your own social enterprise.

1. Find Your Passion

Looking internally to find out what you really care about can be overwhelming and confusing, but it is undoubtedly the most essential element to starting a successful social enterprise. The key to discovering your passion is to ask yourself: “What keeps me up late at night, dreaming something that only I believe is possible?”

We all have those things that even in the midst of stress and disarray, they energize us and give us renewed strength and purpose. These are our passions.

It is that passion and determination that we all need to harness when no one is answering our emails, taking our calls or accepting our meetings. When it comes to fundraising for a social enterprise, if you are pursuing your true passion, you’ll learn to become great at your craft because you’ll care so much about perfecting the skills necessary to make that dream a reality.

2. State Your Values

As our values are the core to who we are as human beings, they are also the easiest way to identify and connect with others in meaningful ways. Think about it — most political campaigns are based around values. Barack Obama’s 2008 election campaign galvanized millions of youth behind two very clear values — hope and change. If you believed in either one, you believed in Obama, and companies are no different.

What matters most is that you stay true to those founding values as you grow. My most important mantra when considering growth-related decisions is “Always stay true to your values, not your necessities.” Some shiny offers may seem crucial to your necessities for expansion, but if they’re in direct conflict with your values, then you may be sacrificing the integrity which you can never regain.

3. Start with Small Ambitions

My non-profit started with a singular pencil. While I was traveling in India, I asked a boy begging on the street, “If you could have anything in the world, what would you want?” and the boy answered “A pencil.” I handed the boy the pencil in my pocket, saw the look of joy wash over his face, and at that moment I realized how an action so small could translate into a reaction so abundant.

In order to reach my organization’s lofty, often thought “impossible” ambitions, we needed to create concrete smaller solutions, which then lead to a larger path to success. My initial ambition was just to build one school. Nothing more, and nothing less. I threw a birthday party asking friends to donate $20 at the door, and things took off from there.

Just ask yourself, “What can I do right now?” Literally, ask yourself that. Write it down, outline it, do whatever. The simpler and easier to execute the better. Within your brainstorm, several salient solutions will inevitably rise to the surface.

Remember, you never know where the best lessons will come from so start small, be focused, and stay resilient.

4. Speak the Language of “We” Rather Than “Me”

I hear the word “branding” used over and over again, but at the end of the day, the key to branding is creating an organization that people want to be part of and feel a direct and emotional connection toward, and one that adds value in the world. We knew we didn’t have money or rich friends because we started as a team of 20-somethings, so in the early days we focused on creating a movement by making each person feel like their contribution was special regardless of size or type.

A core outcome of this approach is that it forces dependence upon our supporters’ skill sets and ideas to amplify our message beyond the restraints of their financial contributions. Limiting support to just cutting a check is too passive, too easy, and often unsustainable.

To engage a large audience, give your supporters the opportunity to demonstrate their ingenuity and dedication. Provide tool kits, marketing materials and an infrastructure (for a non-profit this could be an easy-to-use online fundraising platform) and then say “Go.”

Once you let the flood gates open, it’s important to recognize individuals who have demonstrated a superior commitment. Focus on those superstars and highlight their successes — say, on your blog and social media channels — as a model for others to follow. These dedicated supporters will then become effective brand ambassadors and do much better marketing for your organization than any one individual could do by himself.

5. Act As a For-Purpose

While many in the social enterprise space often qualify themselves as “non-profit,” these organizations should instead treat themselves as “for-purpose.” These organizations should focus on their mission to create social good, while still treating themselves with the same commitment to rigor and discipline as the best for-profits. People thought I was crazy when I decided to post my organization’s financial data, marketing materials and impact reports on our website for all to see. However, I believed that the only way to establish an organization founded in opening up futures was by first opening up our books.

If you treat yourself as a business rather than a charity, you will hire better talent, innovate quicker and measure results more diligently because you heighten your accountability and commitment to fulfilling your organization’s mission. In addition, radical transparency should be exercised to increase communication amongst your internal staff and earn the trust of your external supporters.

For many years the era of “non-profits” has reigned supreme. Let’s stop labeling ourselves with what does not motivate us, and by declaring a new era of “for-purpose” organizations, we can effectively state what does.

5 Ways to Turn Social Customers Into Brand Ambassadors

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Jessica Nyoman

Duke Chung co-founded Parature in 2000, with a vision to provide superior customer support software accessible via the Internet. Today, Parature’s Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) product suite supports millions of end users worldwide.

With the advent of social media channels, customer service has forever changed. Consumers are no longer willing to sit and listen to classical music on hold. In today’s age of hyper-responsiveness, customers expect instant responses from support reps on very public online platforms.

Instead of shying away from social media, smart businesses will leverage their social channels to spread a positive brand reputation, to connect happy customers and to step up their customer support efforts.

Consumers aren’t eager to blast negative messages about your company – unless your brand is unresponsive. I recently learned at an IBM conference that customers are five times more likely to post something positive than negative, and that companies usually have at least 10 warnings before someone posts a negative comment.

Happy customers who get their issues resolved tell an average of four to six people about their positive experiences, according to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs. It pays to treat your customers well, not only for the repeat business, but also to gain the positive word-of-mouth consumers now broadcast across social media. Satisfied customers can become your most influential brand ambassadors. They’ll help to answer customer service questions posted online and also tout their own positive experiences with your business.

Here are the five best ways to turn customers into brand ambassadors through customer service.

1. Be Fast

When a customer turns to social media for a support issue, he expects a brand to generate the fastest response possible. According to a recent UK study, 25% of social media users expect a response within one hour, and 6% expect a response within 10 minutes. If you allow a support issue to dangle for too long, you risk being perceived as a company that either doesn’t know the answer or doesn’t care enough to reply promptly.

Remember, most people on social networks aren’t itching to post negative comments. They only do so after a bad experience. Therefore, don’t give them enough time to have a bad experience.

2. Be Visible

Private and direct messaging on Facebook and Twitter is all well and good, but when it comes to customer service, it’s best to be totally transparent and visible. The answer you give to one customer could, in turn, help thousands more. Think of each post and interaction as a resource that future customers can reference. Not to mention, customers will be more apt to direct friends to your page with their own questions.

Social media sites foster an online community around your brand. Watch how customers discuss and respond to your products so you can join the conversation and better understand the community that supports your brand.

3. Be Consistent

It’s vital that you ensure all customer support answers remain consistent across the web and across all social channels. If a common question is posted on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, then each response should communicate the same solution. Conflicting answers create confused, unhappy customers. Just as people expect consistent experiences with your products, they also expect consistent service across all of your channels. Brand accuracy drives confidence and credibility, and helps build brand loyalty among your customers.

4. Be Organized

If consistency creates brand ambassadors, then being organized is equally paramount. Admittedly, the cross-company integration and management of social media continues to be challenging. Maintaining a successful social media presence on just one network is a full-time job. Trying to do it over multiple networks is impossible if your support staff isn’t properly organized.

Customers can spot disorganization a mile away, especially online. However, if you demonstrate that your company support knows what it’s doing, you’ll earn the respect and trust of brand loyalists. Organization goes beyond knowing who does what on the support team; it’s also vital that everyone on the team is on the same page. Each team member must know where to seek reliable answers, and each must source information from the same place.

5. Be Human

As cool as Siri is, she still hasn’t crossed from digital assistant to human entity. Until then, your social media customer support should remain as human as possible. On the bright side, social networks already take the formalities out of conversation. It’s one of their biggest draws.

Therefore, a customer’s name isn’t “Inquiry #83kd4z.” She’s Christie from Denver. People respond best when they feel like they’re talking to other people. Your customer support should make customers feel as if they’re posting a normal question on a friend’s wall. Creating that kind of relationship with your customer should be the priority of any company.

Using customer service to create brand ambassadors isn’t the Herculean task it once was. Social media is presenting countless opportunities to turn your company’s support system into an open, interactive community, where customers can share their positive experiences with one another and spread the good word about your products and services – all on your behalf.

5 Reasons Google+ Could Win the Social Enterprise Battle

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Rionald Soerjanto

I read this article a while ago from Mashable.

This article is worth reading:

Google announced that Google+ will be available for Google Apps users. This means that the millions of people using Google Apps for their businesses will now have access to the Google+ social collaboration platform.

With Google+’s unique features for search, selective sharing and rich communication, it offers consumers a very different user experience than the established social networks. For individuals, Google+ has quickly become a great place to build your interest graph — that is, find the latest content and people related to topics you’re interested in.

Google+ has five unique advantages over other social business platforms.

1. Smart Integration With Existing Google Apps.

Google+ is fully integrated with Google Apps. As a user, you don’t need a new login — it’s just another tab like mail, calendar, docs or video. Most business users spend their day in mail or calendar, so a tool that’s easily accessible from the daily workflow has advantages over third-party software.

Thinking a bit ahead of where the product is, the possibilities that are opened up by the integration with Google Apps are pretty exciting. You can imagine “+1” buttons and rich collaboration across sites, docs, spreadsheets, presentations, blogs, videos, photos and more. Or imagine working within a doc and starting a hangout with collaborators while sharing your screen. For companies using Google Apps, taking advantage of these features would require no additional software, logins or changes in behavior.

2. Google+ Already Knows a Lot About You.

Because of its tight integration with Google Apps, Google+ could take advantage of what it already knows about each business user, including whom they email, how often and how recently, as well as the topics they write about and search for. Google+ is in a position to help an enterprise user not only quickly build out his internal circles, but also discover those outside the company who are talking about the same topics or industry. If Google chooses to pursue this, it would make a great tool to help each user build out broad interest-based professional networks.

3. Google+ Is Uniquely Positioned to Help You Find and Share Interesting Content.

Nobody has a better index of what’s on the web than Google. So nobody is better positioned to help you find interesting content and people from both inside and outside your company. Google+ Sparks let you follow the latest from the web on topics you’re interested in, and one can imagine something similar within your domain. Internal Sparks could let you quickly find content and experts within your company on work-related topics you’re most interested in.

4. Google+ Integrates Public and Private Sharing.

Unlike other social enterprise platforms, which keep most shared content behind company walls, Google+ integrates public and private sharing. When I’m using Google+, I can decide for each post whether I want to share it with my colleagues, my clients, or certain subsets of either category. Also, because a number of websites have already embedded +1 buttons, it’s easy to “like” content from across the web and share it with targeted groups.

5. Android Phones Sync Easily With the Entire Apps Suite.

Finally, an Android mobile phone brings this complete integration to users on the go. Activating Android handsets with your company’s Google Apps account brings all this productive and social functionality to the palm of your employees’ hands. And the wide variety of devices and carriers means greater flexibility.