5 Myths of Social Computing & Marketing 2008

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

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.

? 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

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.

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

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

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

6 Appendix: Great Examples Social Computing Advertising

http://www.rtcrm.com	32
http://www.carlenlea.com	30
http://www.intelliworks.com	14
http://rtcrm.com	4
http://www.slideshare.net	3

5 Myths of Social Computing & Marketing 2008

by Carlen Lea Lesser on Nov 12, 2008

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5 Myths of Social Computing & Marketing 2008 — Presentation Transcript