Social Media & Small BusinessA quick primerAlex GrechDigital Arts Expo, 5th November 2009

“Social Media is a bit like teen sex. Everyone wants to do it. Nobody knows how. When it’s finally done, there is surprise that it’s not better.”Avinash Kaushlik, Analytics Evangelist, Google.

So what’s social media?

“SOCIAL MEDIA describes a new set of internet tools that enable shared community experiences, both online and in person.”Source: technologyintranslation.blockwork.org

“Social media is people having conversations online.”

Primary Social Media Tools

Who uses it?

Who uses social media?CreatorsVarying strategies for varying patterns of usageCriticsCollectorsJoinersSpectatorsInactivesSource: Groundswell, Forrester Research, 2008.

Who uses social media?Publish a blogPublish your own web pagesUpload video you createdUpload audio/music you createdCreatorsCriticsPost ratings/reviews of products/servicesComment on someone else’s blogContribute to online forumsContribute to/edit articles in a wikiCollectorsUse RSS feedsAdd ‘tags’ to web pages or photos‘Vote’ for websites onlineRead blogsWatch video from other usersListen to podcastsRead online forumsRead customer ratings/reviewsJoinersMaintain profile on a social networking siteVisit social networking sitesSpectatorsNone of the aboveInactivesSource: Groundswell, Forrester Research, 2008.

Why bother?

Why bother with Social Media?

#1It’s HUGE2/3 OF THE GLOBAL INTERNET POPULATION VISITS SOCIAL NETWORKSNielsen, Global Faces & Networked Faces, 2009

#1It’s HUGESOCIAL MEDIA MAKES UP ALMOST 10% OF ALL INTERNET TIME. THAT’S AN 83% INCREASE OVER THE PAST YEAR.Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Faces, 2009

#1It’s HUGETIME SPENT ON SOCIAL NETWORKS IS GROWING AT 3X THE OVERALL INTERNET RATE, ACCOUNTING FOR 10% OF ALL INTERNET TIMENielsen, Global Faces & Networked Faces, 2009Source: The Nielsen Company, 2nd June 2009

#1It’s HUGE1.

#1It’s HUGE13,000,000The number of articles available on WikipediaSource: Universal McCann Comparative Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008

#1It’s HUGE100,000,000The number of YouTube videos viewed per day83% have watched movies online45% of teens spend time on the internet and 28% in front of TVSource: Universal McCann Comparative Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Faces, 2009

#1It’s HUGE77%of active online users have read a blog346,000,000 read blogs globallyBlogging grew by 68% last yearWORDPRESS currently being downloaded 430,000 times a WEEKSource: http://technorati.com/state-of-the-blogosphere/

#1It’s HUGE3,600,000,000The number of photos archived on Flickr at June 2009Source: Universal McCann Comparative Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008

#1It’s HUGE57%joined a social networkOver 110,000 in Malta networkSource: Universal McCann Comparative Study on Social Media Trends, April 2008 Source: O’Reilly Media, August 2009

#1It’s HUGE1382%The monthly growth rate of Twitter users from January to February 20093,000,000The average number of tweets per day

#2It’s TRUSTED

#2It’s TRUSTEDCompanies aren’t trusted, brands aren’t trusted, and nor are your executives. People trust each other, and now they have the tools to communicate with each other using social technologies and mobile with or without brands involved. Trust has shifted to the participants. Jeremiah Owyang, www.web-strategist.com

#2It’s TRUSTED78%OF PEOPLE TRUST THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF OTHER CONSUMERS.SOCIAL MEDIA IS DEMOCRATISING COMMUNICATIONS. BIG TIME.Source: Nielsen, Trust in Advertising Report, 2007

#2It’s TRUSTEDThe old communication model was a MONOLOGUE.ADVERTISING14%OF PEOPLE TRUST ADVERTISINGSource: Nielsen, Trust in Advertising Report, 2007

#2It’s TRUSTEDSOCIAL MEDIA IS LIKE WORD OF MOUTH ON STEROIDS.

#2It’s TRUSTEDSOCIAL MEDIA IS DEMOCRATISING COMMUNICATIONS. BIG TIME.

#3It IMPACTS YOUR BUSINESSPEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUR BRAND RIGHT NOW.

#3It IMPACTS YOUR BUSINESSThe brand does not live in the voices of PR.It lives in the VOICES of YOUR CUSTOMERS.Source: Forrester Research, 2009.

#3It IMPACTS YOUR BUSINESS

31#4It’s NOT GOING AWAY

32#4It’s NOT GOING AWAY

#4It’s NOT GOING AWAY

#4It’s NOT GOING AWAY

#4It’s NOT GOING AWAYSEARCH ENGINES LOVE SOCIAL MEDIA

Someone who ‘GETS IT’…CLAY HEBERTCEO TribesWin.com

“IN 2009, IF YOU’RE NOT ON A SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE, YOU’RE NOT ON THE INTERNET.” Source: IAB Platform Status Report – User Generated Content, Social Media & Advertising

Why is this happening?

Social media is a GROUNDSWELL from a collision of three forces

ME-CONOMICS (I AM THE BRAND)DELICIOUSYOUTUBELINKEDINBLOGTWITTERFACEBOOKSLIDESHARESource: Dachis Group, 2009.

IT USED TO BE ABOUT COMMAND AND CONTROLBRAND AS BROADCASTERBRANDSource: Dachis Group, 2009.

FACILITATION LEADS TO ENGAGEMENTinfluencersfriendsBRANDBRAND AS FACILITATORSource: Dachis Group, 2009.

August2005“We don’t respond to Bloggers”. Michael Dell.

ENGAGEMENT LEADS TO PARTICIPATION

… and POTENTIAL ADVOCATES FOR YOUR BRAND

NOW, JUST HAVING A WEBSITE IS NOT ENOUGH!!DELICIOUSYOUTUBELINKEDINBLOGWEBSITETWITTERFACEBOOKSLIDESHARE

93% OF SOCIAL MEDIA USERS BELIEVE A COMPANY SHOULD HAVE A SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE.85% BELIEVE IT SHOULD INTERACT WITH ITS CUSTOMERS.Cone, Business in Social Media Study, 2008

And then you hit a wall

IF IT’S SO GOOD .. WHY ARE COMPANIES SCARED?

Employees will WASTE TIMESensible social media guidelinesMobile devices mean you cannot stop people getting access to the Internet

Sensible social media guidelines

Mobile devices mean you cannot stop people getting access to the Internet

55We will lose control of OUR BRANDYou never had much control!Better to listen and take remedial actionYour community will come to your defence if attack not merited

You never had much control!

Better to listen and take remedial action

Your community will come to your defence if attack not merited

It’s NOT REALLY FREE!It needs the same commitment, funding and ownership as any other strategic initiativeGet someone who has got their hands dirty with social media on board!

It needs the same commitment, funding and ownership as any other strategic initiative

Get someone who has got their hands dirty with social media on board!

57We will give away SECRETS!Risks not mitigated by non-participation. Just train people to be sensible.

We can only doPR!If you can only shout, don’t get into social media, because you will be found out

How business is taking to Social Media

Social Networking Activities of US companiesSource: Deloitte Ethics & Workplace survey, May 19 2009 (n=500)

Source: Social Media Today, June 2009: members survey based on sample of 632 respondents, collected between March 13th and April 4, 2009

Source: Social Media Today, June 2009: members survey based on sample of 632 respondents, collected between March 13th and April 4, 2009

Source: Social Media Today, June 2009: members survey based on sample of 632 respondents. March 13th and April 4, 2009

Source: Social Media Today, June 2009: members survey based on sample of 632 respondents, collected between March 13th and April 4, 2009

Source: Social Media Today, June 2009: members survey based on sample of 632 respondents, collected between March 13th and April 4, 2009

TOP QUESTIONS BUSINESS PEOPLE WANT ANSWERED

Making it happen

Five-Step Planning Process23145

SET UP THE TEAMPeople1

Objectives2WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE?

ObjectivesAlways ALIGN your SOCIAL MEDIA objectives with your BUSINESS objectives2Some of these objectives SHOULD be QUANTIFIABLE

Strategies3You’re going to reap just what you sowLou Reed, Perfect day.

StrategiesTarget HOW you reach them3

StrategiesDevelop sustainable messages to the right audience3CreatorsDetermine WHOM you want to reachAnd then HOW you want to reach themCriticsCollectorsJoinersSpectatorsInactivesSource: Groundswell, Forrester Research, 2008.

Strategies3Objective: RAISE AWARENESSOBJECTIVE: Increase awareness

Strategies3Objective: INCREASELOYALTYOBJECTIVE: Increase awareness

Strategies3Objective: INCREASESALES

StrategiesHow deep are you wading in?3

Strategies3HOW TO LISTEN (using NetVibes)

Strategies3HOW TO LISTEN AND TALK (using Hootsuite)

Strategies3HOW TO RESEARCH (using Seesmic Deskstop)

Technologies4Decision-makers cannot make informed choices about the use of social media until they have personally had experience with this technology

TechnologiesWhich tools will support YOUR strategies best?4

TechnologiesChoose the RIGHT tools to support a set of PROGRAMMES4

85Metrics5

MetricsEverything can be measured.. But measure the right stuff!5

MetricsHow to measure success5. Metrics5

Some Local Applications

I have 3,500 MEMBERS… Now WHAT DO I DO WITH THEM?

LOCAL BLOGGER GETS HOTEL TO START BLOGGING

NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION TRIES TO SEE THINGS THE WAY THE CASUAL VISITOR DOES

PERSONAL INSIGHTS ON LIVING AND WORKING IN MALTA. CONTENT MARKETING PLATFORM.

EARLY ADOPTION OF GOOGLE WAVE.

End thoughts

Social Media is still evolving98Source: Forrester Research, 2009

99Think STRATEGY before you get hooked on the TOOLS

Go fishing. Create social media outposts to interact with customers, prospects, prospective employees and create new business opportunities

Refresh your content regularly.

“I believe that people would rather have a conversation with a person, than a brand.”Scott Monty, Ford

Find the right TONE

YOUTUBEDELICIOUSLINKEDINBLOGTWITTERFACEBOOKSLIDESHAREThis guy really matters nowSource: Dachis Group, 2009.

EMAILYOUTUBEADVERTISINGDELICIOUSLINKEDINAFFILIATESSKYPEBLOGWEBSITETWITTERPRFACEBOOKMSNSLIDESHAREDrive the business HOME from all outposts

Nurture your community. Fans on Facebook need either education or entertainment. Or both.

Be prepared to do ROI

This is the new way of the world

Welcome to the age of human sharing

Alex Grechalex.grech@strategyworks.nethttp://twitter.com/alexgrech

Acknowledgements@jasonbaer@armano@mzkaganImages from Flickr under Creative Commons licenceshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/60577574@N00/2281428223http://www.flickr.com/photos/pinksherbet/233228813http://www.flickr.com/photos/larslars/718618057http://www.flickr.com/photos/luc/1824234195http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewmorrell/55032223