Taking a Spreadable Approach to Social Media - Sam Ford, Peppercom

Taking a Spreadable Approach to Social Media AIKCU Public Relations Meeting Sam Ford Director of Digital Strategy, Peppercom @Sam_Ford sford@peppercom.com

Spreadable Media Find where people are and join them! 

Myths about Digital Media

Myth #1: Stickiness Is All That Matters

Myth #2: Viral Is the Answer

Flickr: debcha  Just as genes propagate themselves in the gene pool by leaping from body to body via sperms or eggs, so memes propagate themselves in the meme pool by leaping from brain to brain via a process which, in the broad sense, can be called imitation. If a scientist hears, or reads about, a good idea, he passes it on to his colleagues and students. He mentions it in his articles and his lectures. If the idea catches on, it can be said to propagate itself, spreading from brain to brain. RICHARD DAWKINS, THE SELFISH GENE (1976)

The ‘protein shell’ of a media virus might be an event, invention, technology, system of thought, musical riff, visual image, scientific theory, sex scandal, clothing style or even a pop hero -- as long as it can catch our attention. Any one of these media virus shells will search out the receptive nooks and crannies in popular culture and stick on anywhere it is noticed. Once attached, the virus injects its more hidden agendas into the datastream in the form of ideological code -- not genes, but a conceptual equivalent Flickr: ccarlstead  we now call ‘memes’ RUSHKOFF, MEDIA VIRUS (1994)

“Viral Marke6ng captures the essence of mul6‐level‐ marke6ng and applies it to all customers ‐‐ the "word‐of‐ mouth" spread of Hotmail is involuntary.”  Steve Jurvetson and Tim Draper, Netscape Newsle+er  (1997) 

Myth #3: The Broadcast Mentality Still Works

Spreadable Media Value is created through: 1. Content relevant to multiple audiences. 2. Content being relevant when and where audiences want it. 3. Content which audiences can easily reuse. 4. Content that is portable. 5. A steady stream of content. 6. Content that invites audiences to feel invested in your brand.

People Spread Content To: 1.  Define themselves. 2.  Increase their notoriety. 3.  Strengthen social ties. 4.  Build community. 5.  Provoke/challenge others.

4-Phase Approach   Listening    Conversing    Building on PlaQorms    Maintaining a Presence  

Phase One: Listening

The Importance of Listening 1)  Outreach/Promotion 2)  Providing Service to Various Constituents 3)  Solidifying/Adapting Messages 4)  Crisis Preparation 5)  Changing University Practice 6)  Opportunity for New Offerings 7)  Targeting Audiences

How to Listen

Phase Two: Conversing

Phase Three: Building on Platforms

Phase Four: Maintaining a Presence

Managed Vs. Organic Conversation

Interactive or Participatory?

Episodic or Serialized? Enabling a community  GeUng trac6on  Building an audience 

Where’s the Strategy? Think strategy, not tac6cs  Don’t do digital for digital’s sake 

5 Critical Elements to “Spreading” Content Online 1.  Be true to the brand –  What works for one brand doesn’t automatically work for the other 2.  Engage the right internal constituents –  Bring legal, compliance, sales, etc into the process early 3.  Speak to audiences in their language, in the places they are already having conversations, about the issues they want to talk about –  Avoid overly legal and/or sanitized language 4.  Create internal processes and an infrastructure that works within the existing internal framework –  When and how to get content approved 5.  Set reasonable expectations for what you can and can’t do –  Keep internal culture, regulations, and resources in mind

Taking a Spreadable Approach to Social Media - Sam Ford, Peppercom

by Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities on Jun 28, 2010

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Taking a Spreadable Approach to Social Media - Sam Ford, Peppercom — Presentation Transcript