5 Myths about Social Computing & Marketing Presented to the AAAA Kansas City Council Board of Governors November 6, 2008 Carlen Lea Lesser, Associate Director Interactive Strategy

Social Computing Definition: A social structure in which technology puts power in communities, not institutions. 1 Three tenets define social computing: Innovation from the bottom up Value experience over ownership Power in communities, not institutions Forrester's Social Computing Report. Charlene Li. Groundswell, February 17, 2006. http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/2006/02/forrsters_socia.html. [4/17/2008] Ibid “ Technologies will come and go, but the power built on the relationships created by social computing will endure.” 2

Definition: A social structure in which technology puts power in communities, not institutions. 1

Three tenets define social computing:

Innovation from the bottom up

Value experience over ownership

Power in communities, not institutions

Forrester's Social Computing Report. Charlene Li. Groundswell, February 17, 2006. http://blogs.forrester.com/charleneli/2006/02/forrsters_socia.html. [4/17/2008]

Ibid

5 Myths about Social Computing and Marketing

Myth: Social Computing is a Niche Activity E-mail IM & Chat Feedback Blog & V/Podcast Media Sharing Building Integrated Social Network Freestanding Social Network Virtual Worlds Forums UGC

Myth: Only a few People are Involved in Social Computing Source: North America Technographics Media and Marketing Online Survey, Q2 2008; Forrester Research 21% 37% 19% 35% 69% 25% 75% of Adults are involved in some form of Social Computing

Myth: Only Millennials are into Social Computing Base: US online adults Consumers can belong to multiple categories Source: North American Social Technographics® Media And Marketing Online Survey, Q2 2008 38% 28% 24% 16% 10% Inactives 59% 68% 71% 75% 80% Spectators 11% 24% 33% 53% 74% Joiners 11% 17% 21% 25% 27% Collectors 28% 36% 39% 42% 49% Critics 11% 16% 22% 29% 38% Creators Older Boomers 55+ Young Boomers 45-54 Gen-X 35-44 Gen-Y/X 25-34 Gen-Y 18-24

Myth: It Doesn’t Matter if your Audience are “Inactives” Social Computing Brand? Gov / NGO Other Ads

People use Google for Navigation, not Just Discovery Paying for Navigation: The Impact of Navigational Behavior on Paid Search. Atlas Institute. September 2007 Social Computing Brand Ads Other

Myth: Social Computing has Hit its Peak Social computing is being embedded into the fabric of daily life.

Social computing is being embedded into the fabric of daily life.

? Now What? Considerations for Advertisers

Planning Considerations: Life Cycle Stage Where are you in the product life-cycle? Introduction Growth Maturity Decline Where are you in the customer life-cycle? Awareness Acquisition Retention Advocacy

Where are you in the product life-cycle?

Introduction

Growth

Maturity

Decline

Where are you in the customer life-cycle?

Awareness

Acquisition

Retention

Advocacy

Planning Considerations: Goals What are your goals? Build buzz Educate on product benefits (prime the sale) Drive deeper brand engagement (i.e. create sense of community) Enhance customer service or perception of service Learn from customers for product/messaging innovations Lead generation (i.e. email or other data capture for later contact) Push to sale There are specific social computing solutions that serve different goals or business challenges best.

What are your goals?

Build buzz

Educate on product benefits (prime the sale)

Drive deeper brand engagement (i.e. create sense of community)

Enhance customer service or perception of service

Learn from customers for product/messaging innovations

Lead generation (i.e. email or other data capture for later contact)

Push to sale

Planning Considerations: Technographics Technographics Mobile patterns Social engagement level Email preference Digital communication habits Digital media consumption Age Gender Ethnicity & Social Class Geography

Technographics

Mobile patterns

Social engagement level

Email preference

Digital communication habits

Digital media consumption

5 Final Thoughts

Final Thoughts Social computing is mainstream, but you need to understand the culture of the site you are engaging on Different demographic groups engage with social computing differently Not necessarily about age Socio-economics just as big a factor in technographics Plan to use your assets in as many ways as possible Know your tolerance for risk Start with the goal, not the channel

Social computing is mainstream, but you need to understand the culture of the site you are engaging on

Different demographic groups engage with social computing differently

Not necessarily about age

Socio-economics just as big a factor in technographics

Plan to use your assets in as many ways as possible

Know your tolerance for risk

Start with the goal, not the channel

Resources Cluetrain Manifesto: http://www.cluetrain.com Groundswell (Blog or Book) http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/ What’s Next Blog: http://www.whatsnextblog.com/ Influential Marketing Blog: http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com Connecting the Dots: http://www.carlenlea.com Mashable: http://www.mashable.com eHub: http://www.emilychang.com/ehub/ YPulse: http://www.ypulse.com

Cluetrain Manifesto: http://www.cluetrain.com

Groundswell (Blog or Book) http://blogs.forrester.com/groundswell/

What’s Next Blog: http://www.whatsnextblog.com/

Influential Marketing Blog: http://rohitbhargava.typepad.com

Connecting the Dots: http://www.carlenlea.com

Mashable: http://www.mashable.com

eHub: http://www.emilychang.com/ehub/

YPulse: http://www.ypulse.com

6 Appendix: Great Examples Social Computing Advertising