Social Media: What are the issues? 1. The rise of social media... 2. How shall we scope ”social media”? 3. WHY should we get involved? 4. HOW (much) should we get involved? CC: Bob Jagendorf, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjagendorf/361925178/

1. The rise of social media...

2. How shall we scope ”social media”?

3. WHY should we get involved?

4. HOW (much) should we get involved?

Number crunching Technorati: State of the Blogosphere, 2008 http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/ comScore MediaMetrix (August 2008)‏ o Blogs: 77.7 million unique visitors in the US o Facebook: 41.0 million | MySpace 75.1 million o Total internet audience 188.9 million eMarketer (May 2008)‏ o 94.1 million US blog readers in 2007 (50% of Internet users)‏ o 22.6 million US bloggers in 2007 (12%)‏ Universal McCann (March 2008)‏ o 184 million WW have started a blog | 26.4 US o 346 million WW read blogs | 60.3 US o 77% of active Internet users read blogs

Number crunching Technorati: State of the Blogosphere, 2008 http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-the-blogosphere/

Number crunching Pew Internet & American Life Project http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/527/press_coverageitem.asp

But what are we talking about, really ? CC: Clearly Ambiguous, http://www.flickr.com/photos/clearlyambiguous/40437932/

” Social Media” is a tautology because media have always been social. The same goes for ”Social Networking”: networking is by definition a social activity. What's the problem with ”social”? CC: clarity, http://www.flickr.com/photos/clairity/154640125/

” Social Media” is a tautology

because media have always been social.

The same goes for ”Social Networking”:

networking is by definition a social activity.

The media and networking have always been social, but the Internet hasn't – or at least not as much as it is today. Hence, what we really are talking about is the Internet catching up with reality, through new capabilities which we have come to call Web 2.0 The reason why we talk about ”social” is because of Web 1.0 CC: g-hat, http://www.flickr.com/photos/g-hat/1321573829/

The media and networking have always

been social, but the Internet hasn't

– or at least not as much as it is today.

Hence, what we really are talking about is

the Internet catching up with reality,

through new capabilities which we

have come to call Web 2.0

1. Finding information 2. Communication 3. Building relationships 4. Conducting transactions The Internet is for: CC: Akuppa, http://www.flickr.com/photos/90664717@N00/416359819/

1. Finding information

2. Communication

3. Building relationships

4. Conducting transactions

When the Internet was still small, slow and difficult to use, it would only let us do a few things, like sending letters and reading brochures. We could do most of these things offline, too. The Net is mimicking us... and getting pretty good at it CC: antony-mayfield, http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonymayfield/2255188757/

When the Internet was still small,

slow and difficult to use, it would

only let us do a few things, like

sending letters and reading brochures.

We could do most of

these things offline, too.

Then businesses figured out how to sell stuff on the Internet, and media started to offer news and other content online. Even user-generated content! The brick-and-mortar world started to feel the heat of new competition. The Net is mimicking us... and getting pretty good at it CC: antony-mayfield, http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonymayfield/2255188757/

Then businesses figured out

how to sell stuff on the Internet,

and media started to offer news

and other content online.

Even user-generated content!

The brick-and-mortar world started

to feel the heat of new competition.

And now, the Net is developing things which we really cannot do in real life: Social software lets consumers help each other find the things they are looking for, and recommend things they didn't even know to look for. The Net is mimicking us... and getting pretty good at it CC: antony-mayfield, http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonymayfield/2255188757/

And now, the Net is developing things

which we really cannot do in real life:

Social software lets consumers

help each other find the things they

are looking for, and recommend

things they didn't even know to look for.

Right! Both in media and in (other) business, social media help consumers cut out the middle man : people no longer rely exclusively on ”messages” from journalists, corporate communicators or PR agencies. Instead, they engage directly in conversation online. The Net is mimicking us... and getting pretty good at it CC: antony-mayfield, http://www.flickr.com/photos/antonymayfield/2255188757/

Right! Both in media and in

(other) business, social media help

consumers cut out the middle man :

people no longer rely exclusively

on ”messages” from journalists,

corporate communicators or

PR agencies.

Instead, they engage directly

in conversation online.

Rampant Disintermediation: The Day of the Longtail http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7xAA71Ssids

(Via Graeme Wood)‏

(Via Graeme Wood)‏

(Via Graeme Wood)‏

” (...) Gone are the days when the consumers would come and dutifully arrange themselves in front of the TV or radio – at specific times even! – just waiting to hear from us. We could tell them the same stories over and over again, until the message sank in. Well, today, most of the chairs are empty. And the folks who do show up refuse to look or listen to us. (...)”

” (...) Gone are the days when the consumers would come and dutifully arrange themselves in front of the TV or radio – at specific times even! – just waiting to hear from us. We could tell them the same stories over and over again, until the message sank in. Well, today, most of the chairs are empty. And the folks who do show up refuse to look or listen to us. (...)”

The Cluetrain Manifesto (1999) is one of the two books (together with Chris Anderson's Long Tail) which, IMHO, describe the Internet and its relevance to business communications like no other. From the Cluetrain Manifesto: ” (...) Markets are conversations. Conversations among human beings sound human. They are conducted in a human voice. Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors. (...)” Markets are Conversations

The Cluetrain Manifesto (1999) is one of the two books (together with Chris Anderson's Long Tail) which, IMHO, describe the Internet and its relevance to business communications like no other.

From the Cluetrain Manifesto:

” (...) Markets are conversations.

Conversations among human beings sound human.

They are conducted in a human voice.

Markets consist of human beings, not demographic sectors. (...)”

” (...) Content isn't king. If I sent you to a desert island and gave you the choice of taking your friends or your movies, you'd choose your friends -- if you chose the movies, we'd call you a sociopath. Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about. (...)” Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing: http://www.boingboing.net/2006/10/10/disney-exec-piracy-i.html CC: fazen, http://www.flickr.com/photos/fazen/24239145/

” (...) Content isn't king. If I sent you to a desert island and gave you the choice of taking your friends or your movies, you'd choose your friends -- if you chose the movies, we'd call you a sociopath. Conversation is king. Content is just something to talk about. (...)”

Cory Doctorow on BoingBoing:

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/10/10/disney-exec-piracy-i.html

As Communications and PR professionals, we should consider the Internet primarily relevant to us as a market place of conversations. The Internet's relevance to us CC: solarshakti, http://www.flickr.com/photos/73109955@N00/86481971/

As Communications and PR professionals,

we should consider the Internet primarily relevant to us

as a market place of conversations.

-> WHY should you get involved? a: The reactive approach b: The interactive approach c: Drivers for internal communications -> HOW (much) should you get involved? a: Current State Analysis: what is your Desired State? b: Current State Analysis: what is your Current State? c: Bridge the gap between Current and Desired State? Whatever you do with social media has to be strategic

-> WHY should you get involved?

a: The reactive approach

b: The interactive approach

c: Drivers for internal communications

-> HOW (much) should you get involved?

a: Current State Analysis: what is your Desired State?

b: Current State Analysis: what is your Current State?

c: Bridge the gap between Current and Desired State?

a): The reactive approach: Social Media as a threat. Social Media, seen as ”communications-managing” online conversations, is a new element in the media mix. Question: Can anyone afford not to listen? Question: Can anyone afford not to prepare for crises? The least you need to do is manage your reputation. -> WHY to engage in Social Media?

a): The reactive approach: Social Media as a threat.

Social Media, seen as ”communications-managing” online

conversations, is a new element in the media mix.

Question: Can anyone afford not to listen?

Question: Can anyone afford not to prepare for crises?

The least you need to do is manage your reputation.

b): The interactive approach: Social Media as an opportunity. An opportunity to build reputation and brand value. An opportunity to build new business models and revenue streams. (depending on the nature of your brand and business). -> WHY to engage in Social Media?

b): The interactive approach: Social Media as an opportunity.

An opportunity to build reputation and brand value.

An opportunity to build new business models and revenue streams.

(depending on the nature of your brand and business).

c): Drivers for Social Media in internal communications. 1. Crisis management. Create mutual trust in the conversations of your internal stakeholders before a crisis breaks out. 2. Agility. Information sharing speeds up innovation. It flattens the organization which speeds up decision making (blogs, wikis, forums). Social Media are powerful means of knowledge management and of making tacit knowledge explicit through online conversation (tagging, rating, commenting). Social Media also spur online collaboration (wikis). 3. Employee engagement and ”human voice”. (Gartner: N-gen will not do without)‏ 4. Alignment of the internal culture and ways of working with the external business environment and strategy. -> WHY to engage in Social Media?

c): Drivers for Social Media in internal communications.

1. Crisis management. Create mutual trust in the conversations of your internal stakeholders before a crisis breaks out.

2. Agility. Information sharing speeds up innovation. It flattens the organization which speeds up decision making (blogs, wikis, forums). Social Media are powerful means of knowledge management and of making tacit knowledge explicit through online conversation (tagging, rating, commenting). Social Media also spur online collaboration (wikis).

3. Employee engagement and ”human voice”. (Gartner: N-gen will not do without)‏

4. Alignment of the internal culture and ways of working with the external business environment and strategy.

Niall Cook has a really good story about social sofware for internal purposes: http://www.slideshare.net/niallcook/enterprise-20-presentation-648032?nocache=3504 ” (...) 2009 will see the first wave of ‘digital natives’ that are so immersed in digital culture that they are completely unconcerned about the effects of their technology choices on their organizations. (...)”

As reported by eWeek: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Messaging-and-Collaboration/Digital-Natives-Will-Drive-Web-20-into-Your-Business/

1. How do Social Media relate to your brand and core business? 2. Where do you want to be on the reactive – interactive scale? Listen what people are telling about you. Respond and participate in conversation. Initiate new topics, ideas, discussions. Build reputation through the quality of your participation. Be intellectually honest and as open as you can (importantly, be honest about what you can't be open about and why). Be humble and respectful. Don't lecture, but invite people to share their thoughts. Be interesting! Offer interesting insights, opinions, and questions. Your reputation will enable you to add value to the people who care about your brand (e.g. your customers). You will be able to influence the content, direction and tone of the conversation. -> HOW (much) to engage in Social Media? CSA: What is your Desired State?

1. How do Social Media relate to your brand and core business?

2. Where do you want to be on the reactive – interactive scale?

Listen what people are telling about you.

Respond and participate in conversation.

Initiate new topics, ideas, discussions.

Build reputation through the quality of your participation.

Be intellectually honest and as open as you can (importantly, be honest about what you can't be open about and why).

Be humble and respectful. Don't lecture, but invite people to share their thoughts.

Be interesting! Offer interesting insights, opinions, and questions.

Your reputation will enable you to add value to the people who care about your brand (e.g. your customers). You will be able to influence the content, direction and tone of the conversation.

3. How much do you need to engage externally? Do you want to engage in third-party, open, public Social Media and Social Networks? Do you want to initiate to host your own online community? As a communications management strategy, and/or as a business model with its own revenue streams? 4. How much do you need to engage internally? To what extent do the internal drivers apply to your business? ” You cannot pretend to be something on the outside which you are not on the inside”. Real change happens from the inside out. Your internal culture has to align with your external perception. Otherwise you will not be credible. HOW (much) to engage in Social Media? CSA: What is your Desired State?

3. How much do you need to engage externally?

Do you want to engage in third-party, open, public Social Media and Social Networks?

Do you want to initiate to host your own online community? As a communications management strategy, and/or as a business model with its own revenue streams?

4. How much do you need to engage internally?

To what extent do the internal drivers apply to your business?

” You cannot pretend to be something on the outside which you are not on the inside”. Real change happens from the inside out. Your internal culture has to align with your external perception. Otherwise you will not be credible.

What are you doing already? Map your internal and external Social Media landscape. -> HOW (much) to engage in Social Media? CSA: What is your Current State?

What are you doing already?

Map your internal and external Social Media landscape.

Build a road map to get you from where you are to where you want to be. Test the waters, take baby steps and learn as you go along. -> HOW (much) to engage in Social Media? Bridge between Current and Desired State

Build a road map to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

Test the waters, take baby steps and learn as you go along.

While ”Social Media” are on the rise, media and networking have always been ”social”. Web 2.0 technologies and social software help consumers ” cut out the middle man” and engage directly online. Hence, the Internet is relevant to Communications and PR as a market place of conversations. Your strategic need to get involved can be (externally and/or internally) reactive and/or interactive. Conduct a Current State Analysis to determine how (much) you need to get involved. Conclusions: CC: blmurch, http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/2193301140/ Recap from this morning's presentation:

While ”Social Media” are on the rise,

media and networking have always been ”social”.

Web 2.0 technologies and social software help consumers

” cut out the middle man” and engage directly online.

Hence, the Internet is relevant to Communications and PR

as a market place of conversations.

Your strategic need to get involved can be (externally

and/or internally) reactive and/or interactive.

Conduct a Current State Analysis to

determine how (much) you need

to get involved.

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

1. Listen what people are telling about you. 2. Respond and participate in conversation. 3. Initiate new topics, ideas, discussions. Build reputation through the quality of your participation. Be intellectually honest and as open as you can (importantly, be honest about what you can't be open about and why). Be humble and respectful. Don't lecture, but invite people to share their thoughts. Be interesting! Offer interesting insights, opinions, and questions. 4. Your reputation will enable you to add value to the people who care about your brand (e.g. your customers). You will be able to influence the content, direction and tone of the conversation. Recap: The reactive-interactive scale

1. Listen what people are telling about you.

2. Respond and participate in conversation.

3. Initiate new topics, ideas, discussions.

Build reputation through the quality of your participation.

Be intellectually honest and as open as you can (importantly, be honest about what you can't be open about and why).

Be humble and respectful. Don't lecture, but invite people to share their thoughts.

Be interesting! Offer interesting insights, opinions, and questions.

4. Your reputation will enable you to add value to the people who care about your brand (e.g. your customers). You will be able to influence the content, direction and tone of the conversation.

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

-> Subscribe to Google Alerts on your brand name, your product and service names, your top executives' names, your competition. -> Identify the online media which cover your industry, your brand and your competition. Subscribe to their RSS feeds. Visit them regularly. Read user comments. -> Read and identify bloggers who write about you and your industry. Subscribe to the RSS feeds of relevant blogs. Visit them to read comments. -> Search microblogging services such as Twitter and FriendFeed to identify micro-bloggers of your industry. Follow them. Use notify.me and similar services to stay informed. Step 1: start listening-in

-> Subscribe to Google Alerts on your brand name, your product and service names, your top executives' names, your competition.

-> Identify the online media which cover your industry, your brand and your competition. Subscribe to their RSS feeds. Visit them regularly. Read user comments.

-> Read and identify bloggers who write about you and your industry. Subscribe to the RSS feeds of relevant blogs. Visit them to read comments.

-> Search microblogging services such as Twitter and FriendFeed to identify micro-bloggers of your industry. Follow them. Use notify.me and similar services to stay informed.

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

-> When you discover interesting conversations about your industry and your brand, start tagging them, e.g. on services like del.icio.us, digg.com, StumbleUpon, etc. -> When you are ready to participate in the discussions themselves, start by commenting on other people's articles and blog posts. Use your real name and be authentic. -> When you are comfortable with your own tone, you can initiate your own presence or publication, e.g. a blog. Step 2: start amplifying interesting coverage

-> When you discover interesting conversations about your industry and your brand, start tagging them, e.g. on services like del.icio.us, digg.com, StumbleUpon, etc.

-> When you are ready to participate in the discussions themselves, start by commenting on other people's articles and blog posts. Use your real name and be authentic.

-> When you are comfortable with your own tone, you can initiate your own presence or publication, e.g. a blog.

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

-> When you have your own publication, again, start by amplifying: link with short comments to places elsewhere, where people are saying interesting things about you and/or your industry. -> You can initiate your own posts, with more original viewpoints, when you feel ready. But remember to keep linking: as Dan Gillmor says: when you send people away to something interesting, they tend to come back for more. -> Eventually, you can initiate new discussion topics and even break news relating to your own brand. But you have to be ready to answer curious as well as critical questions from your readers. (See also: ' Does your work flow support your needs?' http://www.josschuurmans.com/2008/11/does-your-online-work-flow-support-your-needs.html )‏ Step 3: initiate and influence

-> When you have your own publication, again, start by amplifying: link with short comments to places elsewhere, where people are saying interesting things about you and/or your industry.

-> You can initiate your own posts, with more original viewpoints, when you feel ready. But remember to keep linking: as Dan Gillmor says: when you send people away to something interesting, they tend to come back for more.

-> Eventually, you can initiate new discussion topics and even break news relating to your own brand. But you have to be ready to answer curious as well as critical questions from your readers.

(See also: ' Does your work flow support your needs?'

http://www.josschuurmans.com/2008/11/does-your-online-work-flow-support-your-needs.html )‏

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

Where to look for examples (guy's lists). Guy Kawasaki: http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2008/10/the-mother-of-s.html

Where to look for examples (guy's lists).

http://www.globalsocialmedianetwork.com/?page_id=201

http://www.globalsocialmedianetwork.com/?page_id=201

http://www.beingpeterkim.com/2008/09/ive-been-thinki.html

http://www.beingpeterkim.com/2008/09/ive-been-thinki.html

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

David Weinberger: http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/index.rdf Doc Searls: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/feed/ Steve Rubel: http://feeds.feedburner.com/steverubel Chris Anderson: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheLongTail Seth Godin: http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/sethsmainblog Brian Solis: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Pr20 Graeme Wood: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Geekmedia Stowe Boyd: http://www.stoweboyd.com/message/atom.xml Dave Fleet: http://feeds.feedburner.com/dfPR Andrew Chen: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AndrewChensBlog Jeremiah Owyang: http://feeds.feedburner.com/WebStrategyByJeremiah Niall Cook: http://feeds.feedburner.com/enterprise2 People to read

David Weinberger: http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger/index.rdf

Doc Searls: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/feed/

Steve Rubel: http://feeds.feedburner.com/steverubel

Chris Anderson: http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheLongTail

Seth Godin: http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/sethsmainblog

Brian Solis: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Pr20

Graeme Wood: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Geekmedia

Stowe Boyd: http://www.stoweboyd.com/message/atom.xml

Dave Fleet: http://feeds.feedburner.com/dfPR

Andrew Chen: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AndrewChensBlog

Jeremiah Owyang: http://feeds.feedburner.com/WebStrategyByJeremiah

Niall Cook: http://feeds.feedburner.com/enterprise2

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale. -> Step 1: Start listening-in. -> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage. -> Step 3: Initiate and influence. -> Examples of Social Media projects. -> People to read. -> The Social Media Release (SMR). This session: baby steps

-> Recap: the reactive-interactive scale.

-> Step 1: Start listening-in.

-> Step 2: Start amplifying interesting coverage.

-> Step 3: Initiate and influence.

-> Examples of Social Media projects.

-> People to read.

-> The Social Media Release (SMR).

The Social Media Release (SMR)‏ In an effort to make news releases more digestible for not only journalists but the Internet population in general, the Social Media Release (SMR) combines the virtues of the traditional press release with social media features. In particular, it contains links to further information on sites, blogs and wikis; links to relevant people and their social networking services; tagging, rating, sharing and commenting options; and links to downloadable video and audio (podcast) material.

In an effort to make news releases more digestible for not only journalists but the Internet population in general, the Social Media Release (SMR) combines the virtues of the traditional press release with social media features.

In particular, it contains links to further information on sites, blogs and wikis; links to relevant people and their social networking services; tagging, rating, sharing and commenting options; and links to downloadable video and audio (podcast) material.

SHIFT's first Social Media Release (SMR) template: http://www.shiftcomm.com/downloads/smprtemplate.pdf

PRX Builder's Social Media Release (SMR) creation tool: http://www.prxbuilder.com

Thank you, and I invite you to continue this conversation! Jos Schuurmans Cluetail Oy http://www.josschuurmans.com/contact +358 50 59 33 006 [email_address] A subset of this presentation is available on SlideShare at: http://ping.fm/Hlqe7

Jos Schuurmans

Cluetail Oy

http://www.josschuurmans.com/contact

+358 50 59 33 006

[email_address]