Scotland & the Social Media Problem with Business

Using Social Media & The Scottish Problem Social Media Presentation to CIPR Stirling Twitter hashtag: #ciprstirling

Why bother - ofﬁcially • “93 percent of Americans believe a company should have a presence in social media, while an overwhelming 85 percent believe a company should not only be present, but also interact with its consumers via social media.” • “Our company would have gone bust without an online presence. It started us. From that we saw value in online engagement, kept doing it. Four years in, our turnover is more than £3million with 15 staff.” • 56% of American consumers feel both a stronger connection with and better served by companies when they can interact with them in a social media environment. • People are online talking about your brands/sector and if you aren’t engaging with them you’re losing out on potential sales and minimising criticism or negativity • Others in your sector are doing it. Join in or let them take your sales #ciprstirling

Why bother - really • You get to be this guy • You get to show the world you care • You get to communicate • You get to make a difference #ciprstirling Taken from http://craig-mcgill.com/2009/02/why-twitter-matters-in-pr-and-marketing-and-we-all-get-to-be-like-superman/

Still sceptical? • Everything is done online now • When you hear about a new thing, how do you ﬁnd out about it? • Growth of social networking shows communities are forming online • It’s where customers are • But more importantly... people are already talking about you #ciprstirling

#ciprstirling

Does everyone need digital/social media PR? • One company famous in the design world • Even more well-known in print and mag media • So well known a major part of digital PR is named after it • Constantly pioneering - yet expensive #ciprstirling

#ciprstirling

Social Media for brands • A few set objectives from company POV: • increase brand awareness/loyalty • increase PR • increase brand champions (if unpaid, even better) • increase sales • grow customers • quick form of crisis PR beating press #ciprstirling

Obstacles #ciprstirling

This is Scotland #ciprstirling

This is Scotland • 13 newspapers, 4 have digital staff • The biggest of those is 4 people • 6 radio stations, no online staff • Risk-averse, conservative businesses • Digital engagement not at core • Little value placed on customer satisfaction • When you fail, it’s a negative not an opportunity #ciprstirling

This is Scotland #ciprstirling

And this is whisky... #ciprstirling

But this is Scotland #ciprstirling

This is Scotland • 415,000 Facebook accounts • 38,000 Twitter accounts • More than 700 blogs • Mashable - world’s most visited Social Media news site with millions of fans - created in Scotland • Online businesses starting up and raking in five and six-figure sums completely under the radar. Based in Scotland but don’t deal with Scotland • Strong consumer demand for smartphones, iPhones, iPads • World-leader in digital entertainment through games sector - in terms of ROI, creativity, staffing • 71% of population consider themselves consumers of digital • 33% have online ability, 87% when you add in mobile phones #ciprstirling

This is the world • 300million Facebook accounts • 55% of active users spend an hour a day • 9 days last year, more than £800m spent • In total, more than $100bn spent online globally • One whisky website sold £395,000 in six hours #ciprstirling

Don’t be... #ciprstirling

Be... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO-aRXgVSbE #ciprstirling

The Master Blender • Richard Paterson, Whyte & Mackay Master Blender (MasterBlender.com & @the_nose) • Expert for more than 40 years • Watch the video • He starts with “hello, how are you?” not “I know all about whisky” • He reaches out instead of making it about him - that’s social media

The point • You work in Scotland • You serve the globe You can’t think Scottish #ciprstirling

What is social media? • It’s... • but also... #ciprstirling

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• Also... #ciprstirling

• And... #ciprstirling

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• There are more than 700 platforms dubbed as social media or digital PR • Term now widely used for any area where customers have the ability to interact with a company • (yes, technically that makes a phone a social media device but it’s better than a phone because even the one-to-one chats are broadcast to the world) #ciprstirling

None of it is social media • Social media is not a tool. It’s not Twitter, Facebook, blogs • Social comes before media. • Social is people • True social media is an attitude #ciprstirling

• Social media is about listening to others because you are interested • From a company perspective that also means acting on what they say, listening to them • Your customer is your new stakeholder • The tools will change, the attitude should stay #ciprstirling

Social media is... • All about the customer • All about helping • All about listening and acting on that • Giving people your time • For a business, reaching out to the die-hard, the casual buyer, the curious buyer - all of them #ciprstirling

Why do people go online • To ﬁnd out more about brands • To develop an afﬁnity with brands they like • To be entertained/informed • For discounts • To buy and consume - physically and digitally #ciprstirling

After product what do they want? • Engaged • Informed • Educated • Connected • Authenticity #ciprstirling

They don’t want • “Sorry can’t ship to there” • “We can’t do that” • “We think that’s irrelevant” • 404 Page not found • “We don’t do online” • “Not allowed to...” #ciprstirling

Where should you be? Wherever this lot are... #ciprstirling

This is us

What’s the Strategy • Listen to what is said • Respond within six hours, quicker the better • Act on what is said • Inform of what is done #ciprstirling

What’s the secret • Co-ordinated planned activity • Engaging locally, results globally • Authenticity #ciprstirling

Leaving faking it to these guys... #ciprstirling

Marketing PR Sales Events IT HR #ciprstirling

Why? #ciprstirling

#ciprstirling

Management • Are staff encouraged to use social media • Does management care? If they don’t, why should staff #ciprstirling

HR • Can staff check social media at work? • Is there a usage policy? • What can they say about work out of hours? #ciprstirling

IT • Can staff check social media at work? Are they past IE6? • Can they use the best tools for maximum productivity? • Are they tooled up - iPhones, Blackberry • How quick can a new social media tool/site be implemented #ciprstirling

Sales • New stockist - worth a tweet, FB post. Put it on a Google Map (where to buy...) • Large sale - shout it from the rooftops • Answer queries: “Where can I buy W&M?” • Find new customers: “Where can I buy whisky?”; “What whisky works with...” #ciprstirling

PR/marketing • Are your releases/activity social media/SEO friendly? • Are they online? On your site? • Are they monitored for follow-up comment? • Is there video and audio to go with it • Are you treating bloggers like press? • Is it online at same time as traditional press #ciprstirling

Marketing/PR • Is there an online element PR can use? • Is there an online retailer? • Is there an online discount? #ciprstirling

Events • Does event have a website? • Does it let you buy tickets? • Does the event have a hashtag? • Is there regular content to engage? • Live updates? Video? Audio? • Is the digital aspect promoted elsewhere? • What about post-event? Podcasts? #ciprstirling

But who should lead • PR: social media is front facing and as such should be their realm. They should be aware of all company activity/issues. • Other depts have to be ready to act on push from PR/marketing though #ciprstirling

2010 baseline • Main website • Blog (as part of site or standalone) • Facebook • Twitter • YouTube/Vimeo • Online identity on physical products • Podcasts - appearing on #ciprstirling

2010 extended • Podcasts - creating • Blogger outreach, conversations • Facebook ads, Google ads • Online sponsorships • Foursquare, Gowalla • SEO savvy #ciprstirling

2010 advanced • Events • Mobile • Location Based Information • Blog beyond product, industry talker • Gaming #ciprstirling

Sad but true • It’s not about one tweet, one post, one event, one stunt, one podcast • It has to be ongoing, constantly new, evolving Terriﬁes or inspires #ciprstirling

Make no mistake • This is a lot of work • You are becoming your own media • But you do a lot already #ciprstirling

Rules of engagement • Once you’ve said it, it’s gone. It’s never coming back.You can delete it, odds are it’s still somewhere • It’s global. People take the huff if you make an offer and then don’t deliver worldwide #ciprstirling

Expect: • Not everyone will love you • People will tell you your product is rotten (but you can turn that to your advantage) • Be sensible about the numbers - but don’t be shy • Honesty #ciprstirling

But how do we make money? • Money isn’t the key thing a person gives you online • It’s time • Online, time means more than money • If people give you their time, you are valued #ciprstirling

• But for many that’s not enough.... #ciprstirling

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MONEY • This is a business and money is still seen as the best ROI there is #ciprstirling

How to get the pennies • An online store • Online discounts • Online-only offers • As with all things online, you need to make it easy for people to get you or get to you • Mention the store in your links, your tweets, everywhere #ciprstirling

Online works • Companies like BrewDog sell globally on the back of their website - and offer online only discounts • Dell made more than $1m in Twitter only sales (measured through links and Twitter- only discounts) #ciprstirling

Another beneﬁt • All this social media activity can beneﬁt inhouse as well as customers though... #ciprstirling

Internal comms • Beneﬁts aren’t just external: • inhouse podcast and blogs • Make sure all staff are following on FB, Twitter,YouTube so they can see what company is doing • Send them a weekly email with all the updates and links #ciprstirling

For 2010 this guy was wrong #ciprstirling

The tips for closing • When bringing out a product reserve the names for it - on Facebook, Twitter, web and elsewhere. If nothing else, it prevents the competition grabbing them • Be ﬂexible • Plan lots • The speed of comms is instant but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t take time for impact #ciprstirling

Things which also help • Domain names ownership • Afﬁliate ad program • Google keywords • Links • video, audio skills • Use SEO friendly kit - no ﬂash video or imagery, text not embedded in images • Tag your blog posts #ciprstirling

What’s next? • Far more on mobiles - mobile vouchers, mobile only offers, location-based services, location overlays - as they overtake laptops and desktops as main source of web browsing worldwide • Location-based awareness • Further rise of casual gaming • Press relying on crowdsourcing • Dads as the new mummy bloggers • English to become secondary online #ciprstirling

• Whyte & Mackay had a brand with some whisky in an unusual place... #ciprstirling

Whisky at South Pole #ciprstirling

• Started as a Podcast • Became a blog post • Bloggers picked it up • SoS journalist noticed it, wrote about it • Telegraph saw tale, wrote about it • More bloggers wrote about it • Whole world wrote about it #ciprstirling

The result • More than 1000 news articles Nov-Dec ’09 • More than 1200 articles in Jan-Feb ’09 • More than 2300 tweets • 1100 blog posts in ’09 • 1450 blog posts in ’10 • 100 TV spots, 450 radio spots • Video/audio from podcasts used by media #ciprstirling

#ciprstirling http://twitter.com/fymd/status/8599984501 http://www.andyallan.com/blog/post.cfm/isle-of-jura-to-the-rescue

#ciprstirling www.facebook.com/diurachs / @jura_whisky

#ciprstirling

Who gets it right? Clearly there are online champions, people who have made it work and reap the beneﬁts, but who? #ciprstirling

Skittles #ciprstirling

#ciprstirling

BrewDog • Founded 4 years ago • Couldn’t sell a thing • Sent 50 crates of beer to beer bloggers globally • Kept engaging (but also very good PR) • 4 years on, turnover £3million, 15 staff • US is their no.1 market, UK is no.3 • No marketing team #ciprstirling

Blogging www.antipope.org/charlie/ www.warrenellis.com/ www.millarworld.tv/ #ciprstirling

One man brands • Charlie Stross, Warren Ellis, Mark Millar • Writers who have engaged online for years • All run their own blogs and forums, write the content, reply, engage • All reaped beneﬁts from a built-in audience • Authenticity • No different from coke - they are a brand #ciprstirling

Ford • 25% of marketing spend is on social media (9% sector average) • Online presence across the brands • Online core throughout the company from CEO to salesmen • Only car company not bailed out by US Govt #ciprstirling

The Fiesta Movement • Brought Fiesta to US • Asked for people to get in touch about why they should have a Fiesta • Gave 100 ‘socially vibrant’ people a free car/petrol for 6 months - prior to US launch, said do what you want • 38% increased market awareness #ciprstirling

What they do well • They never edit, they crowdsource • They engage, even on tricky issues • Go to the consumers • They take pride in their work • Passion, desire, enthusiasm • It’s company wide • Seen as industry leaders #ciprstirling

They listen & engage

Who gets it wrong? • If there’s online winners, there has to be online losers • For every Ford there’s a Stuart Maclennan #ciprstirling

Amazon • One Friday, all listings for GLBT books vanished • Amazon did nothing until Monday • No comment until the Tuesday • “Problem caused by a Frenchman changing a line of code” • EPIC FAIL #ciprstirling

1click & they were done • With lack of credible info, theories assumed and acted on (the worst was assumed) • Hundreds of authors pulled Amazon listings from their own sites • GLBT sector outraged, to this day many not convinced of explanation • Far too slow to respond #ciprstirling

Eurostar • Next to no updates through crisis • People were panicking #ciprstirling

The right way... • Every tweet, every online mention should have been replied to in real-time with information • Front page of website turned over to live updates - but not crowdsourcing • Hourly email to press (optional if time pressed as they can get info via Twitter and other online sites same time as public) #ciprstirling

Nestle • Got YouTube to pull a controversial Greenpeace video • Greenpeace went everywhere with it • Then Nestle got snitty on Facebook • World + Dog outraged #ciprstirling

#ciprstirling

So close, but so far... • Nestle should never have pulled the video • Should have put their own out quickly • Should have reiterated to everyone - constantly - that they were addressing the issue • Etiquette (this did them more damage than anything) #ciprstirling

Vodafone: #prfail to #prwin • 1 rogue tweet • Every twitter mentioned was personally replied to • Every blog mention was replied to • Staff offered top brass up to digital media to say sorry • Story was done before a paper hit a printer #ciprstirling

Want to learn more? • Scottish Social Media Dinners: 3 speakers every month on digital and social media PR. Glasgow and Edinburgh. #ssmd • Contently-Managed.com/blog & @content_ly • Mashable.com • Quiet News Day Podcasts • FIR (For Immediate Release) Podcasts • Buy Social Media Bravehearts in June • Use Google #ciprstirling

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Scotland & the Social Media Problem with Business

by Craig McGill on Apr 16, 2010

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Scotland & the Social Media Problem with Business — Presentation Transcript