1. February 20131

2. From the Author
The purpose of this document is to deliver a top line strategic recommendation for Global
Blue’s social media activity in 2013. The plan will also identify key objectives for social media
channels and recommended management practices to allow Global Blue to integrate social
engagement into their marketing activity. Whilst Global Blue currently have a number of
social media assets, this plan is referred to as “Year One” being the first year of this new
strategy being implemented.
Before embarking on any social media campaign or activity, it is important to understand the
opportunities and boundaries of social media as a channel that can help brands develop a
stronger relationship with consumers and from that drivessignificant reach (and other
benefits).
Social media is NOT an advertising or marketing channel. Any activity undertaken within the
social media environment that goes beyond digital advertising is done so at the absolute risk
of the brand. Social media is not a channel whereby increased messaging can deliver higher
recall and incremental reach. In fact quite the opposite – pushtoo many
commercialmessages and users can simply turn you off. Ending both your relationship with
that person in the social media landscape, and the potential you had for them to spread the
word about your brand to their friends and personal network.
Social media is a RELATIONSHIP. Between your brand and the consumer, and based entirely
on their terms.
It is critical when developing and executing a social media strategy that the brand is acutely
aware of the different outcomes that are generated from social content, social reach, social
engagement, and social networking.
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3. It is through the integration of all of these assets that we can look to deliver tangible results
and marketing support in partnership with all of a brands communication and marketing
activity.
In my experience there, are three common misconceptions that many marketers make about
social media…
1. “I’m running a social campaign that will deliver enormous highly targeted
reach!” – only if you are running a number of ads across social media channels to
support it, in which case yes it will, but this is not a social campaign, it is a digital
advertising campaign.
2. “I need to stop these people saying bad things about my brand!” – You can’t, the
good news however – is you now know what they’re saying, and you didn’t have to
spend thousands of dollars on research to discover it, plus you can be a part of the
conversation and respond directly to the people talking about your brand.
3. “I want my social media idea to go VIRAL!”– What goes viral is out of your hands,
you can’t plan for it, guarantee it or even hope for it. You can buy it, but then is it
truly viral if you do? Going viral/trending or being the hottest thing on social media is
like everything viral online – out of your control! The best you can do is hope to give
your fans/followers/customers something THEY want – not something YOU want.
More often than not, marketers overlook the power of social media’s unique benefits;
You can now develop a 1-1 relationship with your customers
Those customers with a single click – can endorse your brand to ALL of their friends
You are now plugged into and can listen to thousands of conversations that people
are having about your brand – and you can now have a voice in those conversations
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4. Social media if managed correctly – can be one of the most powerful and
persuasive brand activities any company can undertake!
- Jeremy Leonard
CONTENTS
1. SOCIAL MEDIA OBJECTIVES
i. Social media requirements
 Can social media assist with Global Blues key marketing objectives?
 What are Global Blue’s key social media objectives?
ii. Key objectives defined;
 Awareness
 Recruitment
iii. How social media can achieve these objectives
 Awareness
 Recruitment
 Engagement
iv. What else can we achieve?
 Consumer insights & learnings
 Customer services
2. WHO ARE WE TALKING TO?
i. Who is the audience?
ii. Identifying the primary social audience
iii. What is our desired audience response?
3. WHAT CHANNELS SHOULD WE USE?
i. Regional vs. global platforms (including restrictions)
 Russia
 China
 Indonesia
ii. Cost vs. reward
 Should Global Blue develop multi-platform assets?
iii. Operational restrictions
 Management
 Monitoring
 Content
4. OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE
i. Social media management
 Internal vs. external
ii. Recommended operating structure for Global Blue
iii. Internal resource and staffing
 Roles and responsibilities
 Head of social media
 Country lead – social media
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5. iv. Internal best practices
 Response times
 An answer is an answer
 Customer services
5. OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT
i. Community management
 How to manage Global Blue’s social communities
ii. Best practices
 Set up and operational readiness
iii. Monitoring and responding
 Moderation policy
a. Breach of terms
b. Defamation
c. Self/business promotion
d. Copyright
e. Other laws
 Response policy
a. Green light
b. Orange light
c. Red light
iv. Conversational tone
 Issue response
 General conversation
 Positive affirmation
v. Reporting
 Monthly insights reporting
 Can technology help?
vi. Content development
 How to develop relevant content
 Application development & management
 Social integration
vii. Crisis management
 How to identify and avoid social crisis
 How to respond to a crisis
 How to turn a crisis into a “win”
 CASE STUDY: McDonald’s NZ – bring back the McFlurry
viii. Operational crisis plan
 When to respond to a crisis
 How to respond
6. 2013 SOCIAL STRATEGY
i. Community/platform setups
 Community set up/redesign
a. Russia
b. China
c. Indonesia
 Recruitment
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6.  Engagement
 Tone of voice
 12 month calendar
ii. Content recommendations
 What content should Global Blue be distributing through social channels?
iii. What content should Global Blue be sharing?
 Applications
7. SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS
i. Recruitment
 Win a trip for you and 3 friends to shop – tax free!
ii. Added value
 Check-in here and the coffee’s on us
iii. Innovation
 Sign up now for your Global Blue Card and the shopping’s on us!
iv. Partners
 Example: Harrods’s sale
8. MEASUREMENT
i. Reach
 Fan numbers
 Engagement
 Impressions
ii. Awareness
 Brand research
 Campaign tracking
 Commercial success
9. STRATEGIC OVERVIEW & SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATION
 Objectives
 Audience
 Channel recommendation
 Recommended operational structure
 Strategic content recommendation
 Measurement
10. FINANCIALS
 Budgeting guideline
February 20136