A recent article on eMarketer asked "Are Women Really Ignoring Social Network Marketing?" providing statistics revealing that although women are active in social networks, 74.8% of them reported that social networks do not influence their purchase decisions.

Seen as a prime target, brands have been throwing themselves at women online in recent years and figuring out new ways to engage them. Branded MySpace pages, Twitter accounts and profiles on Facebook have proliferated the space offering discounts or giveaways in order to entice fans. We know women talk about products online and use social media to offer product assessments to others, so marketing on social networks is worthwhile.

Here are a few recommendations on things to do, and avoid, when participating in the social network marketing space:

DO:

• Offer value - Think creatively about how to offer value to women - which doesn't just translate to coupons. Connect them in weekly chats with product development for recommendations on current products, or ideas on potential products, and let them know when their thoughts are implemented.
  
• Change it up - Don't host the same type of contest or expert article every week. Look for new ways to engage - what are the new applications on Facebook that could be fun and relevant to encouraging women to share? 
• Connect offline - Give women in-person experiences that makes them want to engage more with your brand online. Launch a tour to introduce your marketing team with women in casual, local market get-togethers.
  

DONT:

• Rely on "spikes" - Sustainable conversation and real relationships won't develop from giveaways. They're good for generating traffic, launching a page or creating temporary buzz - but probably won't be influential in driving a purchase decision.
  
• Focus on graphics - A branded presence is pleasant and official, but adding flash or making all the text embedded in an image will be overwhelming and too much like an advertisement.
• Consider every fan/follower an "advocate" - Just because they joined your Facebook page or started listening to your tweets doesn't mean they are a hardcore fan. They may have just joined for a contest or because their friend told them to. Regardless, make sure you continue to "court" them and offer them more reasons to fall in love with your product or service.
  

What brands do you see marketing in social networks well? What Dos and Dont's would you add to this list?




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If you haven't already, please take a moment to check out the upcoming WOMMA brand summit being held in Las Vegas on November 18-20th. The event will feature experts from a variety of industries, showcasing best practices and emerging trends and offering insight into how to create talkable brands beyond social media. This year's Summit is already stacking up to be probably one of the better attended and certainly the most content-rich WOMMA events yet.

There is increasing recognition among brands that doing social media for social media sake doesn't make a lot of sense. Understanding that social media as well as offline word of mouth can help measure how to make their brand one of the most talkable brands in their category is really becoming a crucial element in overall marketing success.

Please check out the 3-day lineup for this year's WOMMA Summit speakers; I think you'll be very happy with the event and I look forward to seeing you out for some of the sessions as well.

Join our very own Michael Stern on Day 2 of the Summit for a presentation entitled "The Roadmap to ROI: How to measure Social Media Input, Reach and Value." I will also be joining the line-up on Day 3 in a roundtable discussion about best practices on ethics, endorsements, and adequate disclosure.



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Years ago, when I first got to college, my cell phone plan came with a mere 250 minutes/month, limited texting capabilities and was easily two years away from any sort of camera installation. Fast-forward to 2009 where my phone that can do almost anything short of cleaning the bathroom, is the first thing I reach for in the morning and the last thing I touch before bed - earning it the affectionate nickname of "precious" from my boyfriend.

I'll be honest - when I first got my iPhone it took me a little while to take full advantage of all the applications. I was so used to just using my Blackberry for phone/email/texting. But that sure didn't last long, as I now:

•    Have zero need for my Garmin to get me from A to B
•    Always know my bank account balance prior to my next online purchase
•    Entertain myself on the bus with games or pay bills if feeling productive
•    Put together my next day's outfit while waiting in line at the grocery store
•    Make dinner reservations from my Southwest window seat
•    Get all my USA Today/WSJ/NYT headlines while picking up my morning coffee - without 
     killing a single tree

Clearly, we're ALL multi-tasking and we have a constant need for stimulation. Mobile apps feed that desire, but perhaps insatiably.

There's always a way to make everyday tasks and information faster, easier, more accessible or impressive than ever before, and brands recognize this. But how can they be sure their investment is worthwhile? Will it be downloaded? Will it get talked about? Brands know where people consume their information (on the go), recognize their touch points (their mobile device that's always with them) and now they're listening...

AdAge hosted an "Apps for Brands" event today in NYC that addressed similar issues - check out what was covered here

So all this said, if your favorite brand could build an app, what would it do?

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The increase in celebrities that now use Twitter was especially apparent this week after the MTV Video Music Awards. When Kanye West rudely interrupting country-pop singer Taylor Swift's 'Best Female Video Award' acceptance speech, they took to the social media site with their opinions.

Celebrities from all categories were commenting on the incident, and all types of media were reporting on their comments. Followers were re-tweeting a lot of what celebrities said, and the word spread quickly about Kanye's disrespectful actions.

Although there will always be an allure to celebrities that brands can't match, they can learn from how celebrities are using Twitter and social media to reach out to fans and share their opinions.

Whether or not they really are, celebrities on social media seem more accessible to fans and the media. Reporters who may never or rarely get to interview certain celebrities can easily access and quote their tweets; this can then generate additional coverage for the celeb with limited effort or time on their end. Additionally, reporters who may not have thought of getting a celebrity's opinion on a topic can easily find relevant comments after searching conversation trends.

Fans of celebrities further help publicize these stars be re-tweeting, writing blog posts, or just sharing what their favorite actress or singer is posting. A simple 140-character message can quickly have an extended reach and can feel "exclusive" to those sharing it, even if 300,000+ others are too. 


Consumer brands can learn the following positive things from a celebrity's use of social media in targeting both their audience as well as the general media:

• Appear accessible. While a Twitter, Facebook or other social tool isn't the answer for every brand, it does allow consumers to feel that they have a quicker way to contact the brand and approach them on a more personal level.
  
  
• A social media presence doesn't require constant feedback. Most celebrity Twitter users don't respond to many, if any, of their non-celebrity followers, yet they generate hundreds of thousands of fans. Brands are often fearful of the time investment social media takes, but it does not require X amount of hours to be effective. Setting up an account, providing non-corporate updates and responding to followers when appropriate and relevant should not be time intensive.
  
  
• Offering opportunity to experience something exclusive or unique. I'm not referring to a trip to LA for a movie scene, I'm talking about offering something a follower can't see otherwise. For celebrities, that's usually the behind-the-scenes of an interview, pictures of their seat at the latest award show or even at the dentist. What if brand's followed suit by offering to show photos from manufacturing? Sketches of products?
  

• Don't follow everyone back. Regarding Twitter specifically, a brand doesn't need to follow every follower back. While it is courteous, not every Twitter user is appropriate, relevant or even real (there is spam on Twitter). To the same end, it IS okay to block users on Twitter, especially the spam accounts. A high number of followers is less important than genuinely interested consumers. How many people you follow and follow back are reviewed by others interested in your brand and provide credibility for your brand.
  
  
• Embrace the lack of red tape. From consumer affairs to communications to engineering, there is usually a lot of channels consumers and media must go through to speak to the right person. Celebrities enjoy sending out tweets to fans in order to meet them without organizing something official through their agent or movie studio, as Time magazine revealed. Consumer inquires and comments, positive/negative/neutral, can more easily be monitored and shared on a brand's social network presence within the company. It also provides less red tape for media to walk through, increasing the opportunity for interviews and story mentions.
  

So, whether or not you like to know whether Miley Cyrus is enjoying ice cream, learn from celebrities using social networking and see if it can apply to how you reach consumers.

What other takeaways do you find in celebrities reaching fans? How can brands generate as much excitement, fans/followers and attention as a celebrity through social media?




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Navigating the complex realm of social media can be challenging, but some of the industry's brightest are here to help.

On Tuesday, September 22nd, please join Ketchum PR as they host a panel discussion on the what and how of social media, bringing to life best practices and current industry trends. The panel will focus on integrating social media into successful programming and making it work for your organization, while providing insight into the future of marketing and consumer engagement.

Speakers include Charlene Li, one of Fast Company's "Most Creative Minds" and co-author of the book, Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies; Howard Tullman, President and CEO of Flashpoint, The Academy of Media Arts and Sciences; Paul M. Rand, Pesident and CEO of Zócalo Group; and Jon Bellinger, Senior Interactive Strategist at Ketchum.

The morning begins with a light breakfast from 8-8:30 a.m., followed by the panel discussion from 8:30-9:30 a.m. The event is located at Flashpoint, The Academy of Media Arts and Sciences at 28 North Clark St. Chicago, IL 60602. Please RSVP to Kelly McArthur at 312-228-6840 or kelly.mcarthur@ketchum.com.










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Who would have thought that a social media platform could drive conversation and build the value of a recommendation...simply by taking away features?

Consider Facebook Lite - a "slimmed down" version of Facebook. The new platform was announced after Facebook bought social media aggregator Friendfeed. Originally intended for people with slow internet connections (or areas with low bandwidth), the platform is generating a great deal of conversation, ranging from general features to questions about developing applications. (All this talk about a service being rolled out only in the US and India)

Conversations around the recent Facebook Lite are increasingly positive, focusing on its simplicity and clean interface. However, brands should take note that Facebook Lite does not include Page updates (meaning that users who switch to the service will miss out on conversations). Despite this seeming drawback, Facebook is looking to encourage people to use social media more easily, and the lite service provides a great "introduction" to social media.

In many ways, Facebook is positioning itself as direct competitor to other social media. Recently, the popular platform announced that it was adopting Twitter-style tracking into status updates. By purchasing Friendfeed, Facebook also expands into social media aggregation, promising an ideal one-step platform for integrating conversations across a variety of social media channels. By creating the "lite" version, Facebook promises a more accessible entry point for people unfamiliar with social media, as well as a channel for those who want to live application-free. With Facebook acquiring 300 million members, it has begun focusing on creating unique online experiences while simultaneously maintaining consistent growth. In short, creating a more accessible service like Facebook Lite drives recommendations by providing a platform which eases users into social media experiences.

Facebook is successfully building the value of a recommendation by providing an introductory, unique social media experience which moves towards a more integrated platform.  This has helped the social media giant drive conversation, and people are discussing it both pro (ease of use) and con (minimal brand and application presence).

In short, Facebook is investing in its own social media capital.



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On Monday I moderated a webinar panel entitled, Ethics and Endorsements: What is Adequate Disclosure?, focusing on best practices for transparency and disclosure for online engagement. Sponsored by the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), the event included the following panelists:

John Bell, WOMMA President and Managing Director at 360° Digital Influence
Jory Des Jardin, Co-Founder and President, Strategic Alliances at BlogHer
Sean Corcoran, Interactive Marketing Analyst at Forrester Research
Tom Collinger, Chair of Integrated Marketing Comms. at the Medill School, Northwestern
Anthony DiResta, WOMMA's general counsel; partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP.

The issue of disclosure has received attention recently due to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) plan to release updated guidelines for the use of paid endorsements and testimonials in advertising and marketing. Due out later this Fall, these changes will have a great impact on how marketers and consumers interact online.

Lots of good information was shared during the panel discussion and overall, a great degree of consistently was found in terms of best practices and approach. In summary, there was easy agreement on the need for and the benefit of consistent disclosure on review blogs; however, discrepancy and differences existed in terms of best practices in disclosure when it came to disclosing on commentary blogs as well as social networking sites, photo-video sharing sites, and Twitter.

Lots of debate and discussion will continue to happen around this issue, so please weigh in your thoughts on either Zócalo Group's blog or WOMMA's Living Ethics blog, with final discussion occurring at the WOMMA Summit coming up in November.




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This morning I came across this manifesto from Sarah Dopp, author of "Dopp Juice" - The Suck-Free Internet Manifesto.  I agreed with the whole thing, but a few parts stuck out for me:

I believe that all web-based interactions operate on the same principles as in-person interactions....

I believe in social capital. I believe that if you have something to sell or promote, your existing relationship to a community determines your ability to get what you want when you ask for favors or put things in front of people. I believe that if you want your community to support you, you need to first support your community.

I believe you cannot escape the practical importance of personal ethics by doing business on the Internet, even if you attempt to be anonymous.

Since I would love to speak like the British, my first thought was "Spot on!"
 
Here at Zócalo Group, we believe in establishing relationships with our online environment - bloggers, community moderators and the like.  You don't just send out a bunch of emails and expect people to get all excited about a brand; you have to first show how what you're sending can help or support the blogger, whether that's a content idea, a new reader, or something that their readers might find cool.

You can't just treat a blogger like another marketing tool - they're people, someone who's taking the time out to write about something that interests them.  And you must do this ethically and with transparency and require them to do so as well.
 
And then...  things suck less.



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In the midst of all the stories that have hit this week including Disney purchasing Marvel Comics and eBay selling VoiP provider Skype to private investors there's one subject in particular that has peaked my personal interest, especially in terms of using social media channels. A great deal of discussion has recently surfaced around how teens are using social media, which can potentially have an impact on word-of-mouth marketing.

That is the question of whether teenagers (or those between 12 and 17 years of age) use Twitter...and if so, how frequently? If they do, what are the implications for word-of-mouth and social media strategies?

Initially, researchers had announced that Twitter's growth was not due to youth, and declared that teens do not use Twitter. Mashable initially confirmed this, but new data from comScore reevaluated the dynamics of teens on Twitter, which led to Mashable recently reassessing its position. Tech Crunch provides an excellent breakdown of this trend and makes an interesting observation. According to TechCrunch, teens are regularly updating their statuses on other platforms like Facebook and myYearbook, usually discussing favorite musicians/bands/celebrities, keeping up with current events and staying in touch with their friends.

So what does this mean for driving word of mouth marketing campaigns? Since teens use social media as a way to communicate with their peers, this creates very fertile ground for driving word-of-mouth for youth-oriented brands. What lessons can we learn from this demographic? How can brands (as well as other word-of-mouth marketers) integrate this information into their social media strategies?

First, the shifting conversation and continual updating of data show the ever-changing nature of social media and social media use, and how brands need to adapt and change with these shifts. It's a potent reminder that Twitter is a channel, not a strategy. Different demographics tend to use different channels - locating those social media channels and creatively engaging users is key in driving conversations and building customer word of mouth. (Plus, don't forget that online activities can be used to engage people offline, whether through meetups, Tweetups, or special events which allow for greater social interaction.)

Another lesson is that for successfully driving word-of-mouth campaigns, brands must consider how key demographics and influencers are accessing social media channels. Looking at how teens access the online realm, the Pew Internet and American Life Project (a great resource for locating data and research on a variety of channels) has found that teens are increasingly using mobile phones, with mobile phone use increasing from 45% of teens to 71% in little under four years. In addition, another Pew Internet study found that girls tend to blog more frequently, and boys tend to post videos, with a small number of teens who create a large amount of content.

Finally, conversations around teen use of Twitter (and other social media) provide a key reminder about engaging teens in word of mouth campaigns. One of WOMMA's fundamental ethical guidelines is that "We manage relationships with minors responsibly." To quote WOMMA's Ethical Guidelines:

    * We believe that working with minors in word of mouth marketing programs carries
      important ethical obligations, responsibility, and sensitivity.
    * We stand against the inclusion of children under the age of 13 in any word of mouth
      marketing program.
    * We comply with all applicable laws dealing with minors and marketing, including 
      COPPA  
      and regulations regarding age restrictions for particular products.
    * We ensure that all of our campaigns comply with existing media-specific rules regarding
      children, such as day-part restrictions.

When looking at the question of how teens use a particular channel, it's easy to focus on the back-and-forth conversation. However, questions like this are often fueled by deeper insights, and have further implications for word-of-mouth marketing. Successful programming is more than just driving data - it's using that data to formulate a strong, smart social media strategy.
 



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Social media has changed the world as we know it. How businesses capitalize on social media can enhance marketing efforts if utilized well. However, there is a catch. Isn't there always?

Businesses have been taught to believe social media is a good thing because it is free. As Mack Collier pointed out yesterday, social media isn't free. There is an ongoing misconception that businesses should adopt social media tactics because they are free. Sure, anybody on Facebook can go on and create a brand page -- but so what?

Like any other media, what you do with it means all the difference between success and failure. Some mistakenly label any kind of engagement in destinations like YouTube and Facebook as social media strategy. However, these are actually just places where people gather; they are tools - first and foremost.

Social Tools mean nothing unless they are used how each is intended; after all, no social tool is the same.

As a rule, we operate by the philosophy of never utilizing social media for the sake of it; doing so is counterproductive. Utilizing social tools requires the same thinking as any other marketing endeavor; it requires understanding:

• What you want to get out of it (objectives)
• What tools are best to meet these objectives (strategy)
• How you use each social tool effectively (tactics)
• Evaluating ongoing outcomes (measurement)
  
  

There is absolutely nothing in the above that suggests social media is free. Adopting and implementing anything from the web 2.0 landscape requires smart thinking that costs manpower. Granted, depending on what any business chooses to do with it could potentially cost less, but there is a cost.

Let's say one morning a brand manager wakes up with an idea to produce a YouTube video. Awesome! Now I challenge anyone to convince me it costs nothing to put that video on YouTube, or to develop the strategy of why it's up in the first place. The video loses meaning without a thoughtful plan behind how it can reach consumers, or what specific goals it can achieve.

Bottom line: You get what you pay for. If a business wants to create something meaningful, then it requires investment in resources - manpower and otherwise - to capitalize on the real ROI of social media.

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A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about the Southeastern Conference banning social media to secure their revenue in media partnerships. Since the outcry of negative responses, they have revised their policy and are going to allow most social media participation. 

Now, the National Football League is announcing modifications to its social media policy to limit Twitter use by players, coaches, league officials, representatives of the players and even the media. They are not allowed to post a tweet 90 minutes before a game up until the press conferences are concluded after a game. The rules also prohibit NFL referees from using social media at any time.

FOR IT: Since this doesn't involve restricting the fans, as the SEC policy did, I'm more understanding. As a football fan, I don't want my favorite players to be distracted before and during a game, whether by trying to update fans or reacting adversely to someone's tweet. I can also sympathize with coaches as they try to maintain attention from their players and who wouldn't want potentially negative insights released, such as if a player is hurt or not feeling well.

AGAINST IT: On the other hand, as a fan, I follow players for their inside perspective and what better time to learn it than right before a game? Even a short and simple update makes me feel more connected to them personally and engages me as a fan. If the purpose of their Twitter update is to connect and build upon their fan base, then tweeting around game-time is a natural fit.

Football players have embraced social media in the past, with popular NFL player Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals, tweeting frequently and has recently launched a contest that combines on and offline activity. As the Chicago Sun-Times reports, the contest will "fly one fan to each home game... to be his designated Twitter stenographer. Through a series of hand signals, Johnson will get his message out - or try to - and give a fan a chance to see the game up close and personal."

Mashable loves the idea, saying it is "one of the cooler and more hands-on ways we've seen celebrity social media users engage their fans. Of course, if his performance on the field doesn't live up to expectations, his team might have a few issues with his seemingly constant presence on the social web."

CONSIDERATIONS: If Mr. Ochocinco is trying to get the attention and communicate with the elected Twitterer, he isn't going to be 100% focused on play at hand, so I definitely think that is more distracting than allowing him to tweet during the game. But even more important, the player is an individual. While they are under contract, the NFL is their employer. How far will we let an employer limit or prohibit the actions of an individual's use of social media? Is this limiting freedom of speech?

Banning something that will impact the player's performance is understandable. Clearly, they classify Twitter under this. Is this accurate? Would it keep a player from performing 100%? Does posting a Twitter update impact you from doing your job 100%?

ENFORCEMENT: Perhaps the biggest issue around the NFL limiting Twitter use is how they will go about enforcing the policy.

As Don Reisinger for CNET stated, "Still, if Ochocinco or any other player tweets during a game, it might be difficult for the NFL to enforce the rule. And since players can create accounts that the NFL might not even know about, it's doubtful that the league will be able to monitor all social-media activity."

BEYOND THE NFL:
Should large bodies, like the NFL, govern social media use? If so, should it be industry-specific or a larger, overall body like WOMMA? There are so many differences among industries, but the importance and benefits of driving conversations through word-of-mouth, including social media transcend those variables.

BOTTOM LINE:
Understanding that players and fans won't be pleased, the NFL should create more opportunities for conversations at the games and encourage social media in other means. Whether that includes nominating a fan "Twitterer", contests for the best tweets after a game, or connecting Twitter users with players before a game - there are so many creative avenues for driving positive conversations around the League, the games and the players.

Do you believe the NFL can and will enforce this? What are your thoughts on limiting social media use in professional sports?



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"Who is Keyser Soze? He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear Kobayashi tell it, anybody could have worked for Soze. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone."

This memorable piece of Kevin Spacey dialogue from the 1995 movie "The Usual Suspects" is a great metaphor for an emerging trend in our business. It's an analogy for the real-time, earned digital engagement opportunities that present themselves to brands on a daily basis, but then disappear before a client can say, "approved!"

For example, this morning I awoke to a top twitter hashtag titled, "#twittercrush." After contributing to this spontaneous topic (no, I will not reveal who my crush is), I thought about how we might leverage this hashtag for one of our clients. Unfortunately, by the time this post is added to our blog, the twittercrush "phenomenon" will be over. Poof, just like Keyser Soze.

In other words, by the time we had shared an idea with the client, this opportunity would be yesterday's news. And, when you consider the realities of internal approvals and LEGAL reviews, it begs the question: Are brands (and agencies) able to move at the speed of online conversations?

There are certainly many cases of brands successfully moving on opportunities like these. One that comes to mind is Toys R Us, which leveraged the Cash for Clunkers conversations by inviting consumers to turn in used baby products, like car seats, for a 20 percent discount. The premiere of Mad Men's season 3 on AMC inspired several brands to leverage high volumes of conversation around the popular cable show. For example, Banana Republic created an entire window display around the show and offered the opportunity to win a walk-on role. The partnership found its way into many an online conversations about the show. But, both of these cases focus on a more sustainable topic - one that lived for days, not hours.

So, how can agencies, and the brands they work with, jump on short-lived opportunities in a timely manner?

Here are five best-practices that can help:

1. Plan ahead: Have a process in place for monitoring, flagging, brainstorming and merchandising these opportunities

2. Change the culture: Sure, you may have forwarded that funny YouTube video garnering millions of views to friends, but what about co-workers (within the context of an opportunity, of course)

3. Tie it back to the brand: If it can't be measured or tied back to the brand's over-arching strategy, it probably will take a long time to approve, if at all

4. Have a back-up plan: Don't be afraid to think big and push the envelope, but do have a Plan B ready that is more in line with a client's traditional comfort level

5. Be persistent: Assuming your email will communicate the urgent nature of the opportunity is a mistake - pick up the phone and clearly communicate the shelf life of the opportunity

As the role brands play in creating organic and sustainable online dialogue continues to evolve this will no doubt become a critical competency for Word of Mouth agencies, and the earned engagement practice of brands. Does anyone else have suggestions have tips to share?



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