Social Media Monitoringfor Major BrandsNeville HobsonHead of Social Media EuropeWC Group, LondonNovember 17, 2009www.wcgglobal.com

for Leaders of Great BrandsKey Trends & Observations

Clear Behaviour Changes and TrendsWe don’t trust “corporate-speak” or “marketing-speak”We fast-forward our DVRs through the interruptionsWe pull content that interests usWe create our own content, original and mashupsWe embrace word of mouth and eschew mainstream mediaWe are connected wherever and whenever we wishWe bring our behaviours to the marketplace and to the workplace

Clear Business Trends and FocusKey TrendsMarketers are seeking lower cost solutionsDesire for more accountable channelsHigh focus on reaching customers directlyMix shifting quickly from traditional to interactive channelsAreas of FocusSocial media (CAGR of 34% to 2014: Forrester)Search marketing, then display advertising, email marketingMobile marketing next

10 Important TrendsCustomers are co-shaping your reputation everydayKnow exactly where conversations are occurring, who has influence and whyLeaders will identify issues before they happenYou realize that people search for content, not sitesYou are a student of how the world is changingYou know that <1% of a customer’s time is spent purchasing a productYou realize that media has already changedYou know which types of social media are preferred by your customersYour customer is discussing your brand everydayWe understand ethical behavior is a key part of maintaining trust

10 Important TrendsCustomers are co-shaping your reputation everydayKnow exactly where conversations are occurring, who has influence and whyLeaders will identify issues before they happenYou realize that people search for content, not sitesYou are a student of how the world is changingYou know that <1% of a customer’s time is spent purchasing a productYou realize that media has already changedYou know which types of social media are preferred by your customersYour customer is discussing your brand everydayWe understand ethical behavior is a key part of maintaining trust

Customers Co-Shaping Your ReputationAre you accidently outsourcing the building of your brand?What is the first impression of your brand?

2nd-largest Search Engine

The Media World Isn’t Changing……it has already changedMedia Outlets: 74 of top 100 outlets for Techmeme are blogs/online sitesBloggers: 3 of 4 look to each other for their next storyCustomers: 3 of 4 look to each other for purchase adviceConversations: the driver of share-of-voice, influence and recommendationsDon’t define it as offline or online: it’s all one media world.Just know which conversations are defining your brand.

The New Media

Maintaining TrustWe understand ethical behavior is a key part of maintaining trustWe don’t support flogs or splogsWe would never create a fake ad, so why a fake blog post, fake Facebook fan page or fake tweet?We always practice full disclosureThat means about ghost writing, too

DisclosureWhen communicating with blogs or bloggers on behalf of my company or on topics related to the business of my company, I will:Pseudonyms:(Option A) Never use a false or obscured identity or pseudonym.(Option B) If aliases or role accounts are used for employee privacy, security, or other business reasons, these identities will clearly indicate the organization I represent and provide means for two-way communications with that alias.“We Didn’t Know”Clearly disclose our involvement on all blogs produced by the company or our agencies.Disclose who I am, who I work for, and any other relevant affiliations from the very first encounter.Disclose any business/client relationship if I am communicating on behalf of a third party.Provide a means of communicating with me.Comply with all laws and regulations regarding disclosure of identity.We will inform employees, agencies, and advocates that we have a formal relationship of these disclosure policies and take action quickly to correct problems where possible.http://www.socialmedia.org/disclosure/identity/

The Case for Social Media MonitoringIt’s about knowingWhere the conversations are happeningWhat your share of the conversations isWhat the conversations are that you could / should be inWho the key influencers are who can help build your brandIt’s about expanding your news flowSimple syndication – distribute news via basic sharing tools (eg, Twitter and Facebook)It’s about understanding communitiesWhich groups, forums and networks matter?Who drives share of conversation in these communities?What are the next steps in driving relationships?It’s about leveraging existing contentand improving your natural search

The Value of ListeningA monitoring approach that tells you:Who is driving share of conversationfor your brandWhat the top issues are thatmatter to your customers Where your customers liveonlineHow you can add value foryour customersWhen you should engagethe communityWhy customers arepassionate on certain topics

Start Herehttp://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ymWsJfDtfBl08zzMMxAkkg

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