UNRAVELING SOCIAL MEDIA Nathan T. Wright / Lava Row

JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER Send your thoughts, questions and commentary to @nathantwright Use the #PRSAiowa hashtag

What is social media? Blogs, social networks, podcasts, message boards, micro-sharing, lifestreams, etc. People having conversations online A shift from broadcast to peer-to-peer Evolution of human communication Disruptive to every industry Hundreds of new tools & technologies

Blogs, social networks, podcasts, message boards, micro-sharing, lifestreams, etc.

People having conversations online

A shift from broadcast to peer-to-peer

Evolution of human communication

Disruptive to every industry

Hundreds of new tools & technologies

Source: Gapingvoid.com

The people who truly deface our neighborhoods are the companies that scrawl giant slogans across buildings and buses … They expect to be able to shout their message in your face from every available surface but you’re never allowed to answer back. Well, they started the fight and the wall is the weapon of choice to hit them back. - Banksy

Why is this important? COMPANY Customers & Potential Customers

Where to start? Listen. Use an RSS reader to track mentions of company name, competitors, relevant topics Listen for specific issues or concepts (ex: “Target bullseye ad”) Listening leads to customer insight, reputation management and opportunities to join conversations

Use an RSS reader to track mentions of company name, competitors, relevant topics

Listen for specific issues or concepts (ex: “Target bullseye ad”)

Listening leads to customer insight, reputation management and opportunities to join conversations

Photo: Target’s bullseye ad

Ready to join the conversation? Add value. Be transparent, honest and human. Don’t scream or over-promote. No astroturfing .

Add value.

Be transparent, honest and human.

Don’t scream or over-promote.

No astroturfing .

Templeton Rye jumps in http://www.drunkard.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50370&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

BalancedImmuneHealth.com is first in Google search results for Balanced Immune Health

TempletonRye.com/blog

Blogger outreach DON’T buy a list of unsolicited names DO personalize your message DO be relevant to what they blog about DON’T offer payment DON’T force positive reviews DO form a relationship first (if possible)

DON’T buy a list of unsolicited names

DO personalize your message

DO be relevant to what they blog about

DON’T offer payment

DON’T force positive reviews

DO form a relationship first (if possible)

The digital, shareable press release (SMPR) http://ford.digitalsnippets.com

Twitter!

Twitter Explained: An online, 24/7 cocktail party Syndicated consciousness Twitter fills in the gaps Powerful in geographic pockets ( hyperlocal ) Tweeps gather in real life – “tweetups” Great way to connect w/ local and national media Best focus group ever

An online, 24/7 cocktail party

Syndicated consciousness

Twitter fills in the gaps

Powerful in geographic pockets ( hyperlocal )

Tweeps gather in real life – “tweetups”

Great way to connect w/ local and national media

Best focus group ever

Twitter + Memes = Twemes!

Frivolous or Powerful? Susan Reynolds’ Frozen Pea Friday

LOLcats icanhascheezburger.com 500,000+ page views daily

FAILdogs FAILdogs.com

the LOLrus

LOLhamsters

LOLcats featured on Jones Soda packaging in October 2008

SmartyPig.com gets ripped off The power of connectivity between consumers & brands

SmartyPig.com gets ripped off The power of connectivity between consumers & brands

SmartyPig says “thank you” to Des Moines tweeps with a digital scavenger hunt

twitter: @nathantwright 515-554-0502 [email_address] www.lavarow.com http://www.slideshare.net/nathantwright