Manipulating Social Media: A Losing Proposition

Several days ago TechCrunch featured a rather embarrassing article alleging deceptive practices by a reputable public relations firm. Andy Sernovitz, word of mouth marketing ethics expert, also analyzed the situation, albeit assuming guilt based on the article from TechCrunch.

Although I will not name the company involved nor comment on the validity of the claims, I will discuss my feelings on the bigger picture.

As companies rush to enter the social space, the temptation to use old media techniques will be great. It seems to follow that if the success of a product is influenced by the number of positive reviews on a particular website, increasing the number of positive reviews will result in greater sales.

Sounds familiar doesn't it?

Neat, clean, methodical, and formulaic. It's an old-school media/public relations attempt at quantifying ROI in a new and uncertain era for advertising. I won't even touch the ethical issues involved - individuals like Andy Sernovitz are better able to articulate those points.

Let's talk about money and media spending. Social technologies allow us to spend money on a rolling basis, but get more and more return from that spending as time goes on. Unlike traditional campaigns where media is purchased, used, and exhausted, social media allows you to create a living, breathing community around a brand that lasts (as long as the product or service is of quality and the company continues to care what consumers say).

My smartest clients understand that their brands are now in the hands of consumers. Those consumers can be won over one at a time using social technology. They refuse to be tricked, bartered with, or swindled into impulse buying. They feel very secure in the knowledge that buying something that has been vetted by their peers will result in satisfaction. When a company tries to manipulate the systems that vet these products and services (reviews) by injecting biased content it places itself in a very bad position.

Don't let your clients or your brand fall victim to the short term solution. There are no simple formulas to calculate the ROI of social media efforts. Each system is unique and must be carefully reviewed to quantify success. It isn't about cold hard numbers, its about relationships and people.

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Marketers Love Facebook and Twitter, But At What Expense?

New data (and common sense) points to Facebook as the best place for brands to have a social presence. This goes in line with the concept of providing valuable information to your target consumer audience in outlets those consumers prefer to access. The question I am faced with - as an individual responsible for large scale social strategy implementation - is the old adage of putting all your eggs in one basket.

Our best quantitative research reveals that Facebook is not only top of mind across a variety of segments, but that it is used on a daily basis by more people than any other social media outlet. These findings cannot be ignored - in fact they must be acted upon. But where do we draw the line? The combination of Twitter and Facebook cannot be the fit for all companies seeking to engage in social media, yet these two outlets are the most common topics of discussion when beginning a project.

Stripping away the Facebook top layer reveals a rich ecosystem of other social media outlets. Marketers in general are ignoring these outlets in favor of the Facebook and Twitter combination.

Moving into the last half of 2009 will see many changes for Facebook and especially Twitter (as it moves to implement a revenue model). As a marketer you should always ask yourself this question, "If X was gone tomorrow, would my brand be okay?"

If the answer is anything but a resounding, "Yes!" you may have some work to do.

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Advertising Week DC 2009: The Capital of Making Big Things Happen

I received an email from Advertising Week DC 2009 requesting to post this information; ADWKDC should be a great event!

When?
Monday, September 14th - Friday, September 18th 2009

Got any big names?
You bet! Advertising Week 2009 will feature influential speakers from companies such as
Verizon, Discovery Communications, Inc., Mixx, The National Guard, Interface Media, Blue Pixel, Brunner Digital, RP3 Agency, White & Partners, Williams Whittle, LM&O Advertising, MDB Communications & Arnold DC.

·Shelly Lazarus, Chairman, Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide
·Liz Dolan, Chief Marketing Officer, The Oprah Winfrey Network
·Robb High, Principal, Robb High Consulting
·Tiffany Warren, Chief Diversity Officer, Omnicom Group, Inc.
·Stuart Elliott, Advertising Columnist, The New York Times
·Mark Whitaker, Washington D.C. Bureau Chief and Senior Vice President, NBC News
·Chuck Todd, NBC News Chief White House Correspondent, NBC News Political Director, Contributing Editor, ‘Meet the Press’
·David Gregory, Moderator, ‘Meet the Press’
·Nick Moore, Executive Vice President, Chief Creative Officer, Wunderman New York
·Ted Eyes, Senior Vice President, Group Creative Director, Draft FCB NY
·Speakers from Verizon, Discovery Communications, Inc., Mixx, The National Guard, Interface Media, Blue Pixel, Brunner Digital, RP3 Agency, White & Partners, Williams Whittle, LM&O Advertising, MDB Communications, Arnold Worldwide

How can I get updates?
Text ADWKDC to 56333 to receive updates to the program as they become available. Standardmessage rates apply. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Blogger and YouTube. To link to us and find more information go to: www.ADWKDC.com.

How do I register?
Easy. Visit our website: www.ADWKDC.com

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Developing Social Strategy: Choose Wisely

As marketers grope to communicate with consumers using relatively new and exciting tools, agencies are trying to sell the story of social media products and services to marketers. These social media products and services come in a variety of forms - methodologies, software packages, websites, and plain old elbow grease.

Most of them are a complete waste of time.

As I survey the social landscape sprinkled with a light coating of "solutions" I get a sinking feeling that the noise is drowning out a very important point: the reason social technology has become so prevalent is the human desire to communicate. When coupled with technological innovations people can now exchange information with greater efficiency. That can't be quantified in a buzz word, a trademark, or a fancy looking online package. It's a simple - yet incredibly deep - notion that now permeates our daily lives.

Smart companies understand the secret to moving forward lies in activities that work with consumer behavior rather than against it. That isn't really a secret at all - it's just good business. Marketers who understand the unmet needs of their consumers and seek to fill those needs with transparency and forward thinking communications across all channels will become powerhouses of efficiency within the next two years.

Selecting the right partner to develop social strategy is the first step; choose wisely. Dig deeper and look beyond the buzz words and slogans - what makes a social agency or consultant tick? Is it the passion for a more meaningful marketing future in which brands and consumers get along, or is it a selection of tips, tricks, and disparate tactics to eke by?

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Marcus Sakey: Social Media Marketing in the New World of Publishing Part 3

Marcus Sakey was an award-winning copywriter on brands ranging from JCPenney to World Championship Wrestling until he left the business to write novels. His books have been translated into a dozen languages, labeled “nothing short of brilliant” by the Chicago Tribune, and chosen among Esquire Magazine’s Top 5 of the Year. His latest, THE AMATEURS, will be released on August 6th. Marcus approached ADMAVEN to tell his story and detail how he uses social media marketing to go above and beyond traditional publisher driven advertising. I found his story compelling, and I am not receiving compensation for allowing Marcus to guest post. With that being said, Marcus will detail his story in three posts that will appear on ADMAVEN weekly.

This is the final installment of my guest editorials at ADMAVEN, and I’d like to thank Nick for the opportunity, and all of you for reading—very much appreciated!

Last week I wrote about how even novelists need to build and maintain a brand. Today I’d like to talk about one specific way I did that, taking advantage of social networking.

Twitter is today’s buzz topic, and a lot of agencies and clients are trying to find ways to maximize the value it offers. To my mind, the most important thing is to remember that Twitter was created so that people could keep up with one another, not so they could be marketed to. The worst thing you can do on Twitter is treat your followers like a passive crowd that you talk at—or worse, sell at.

Okay, fine. But what does that mean?

Well, for me it meant that first, I waited to leap to Twitter until I had an idea of what I wanted to say. I didn’t want to just shout about my books. Also—and this is important—I didn’t want to be an early adopter. Unless you’re Ashton Kutcher, the benefit to being first to something like Twitter is outweighed by the cost in time and message. Remember that before Twitter there was Facebook and before Facebook there was MySpace and before MySpace there was Friendster and before Friendster there was AIM and before AIM…you get the picture.

The next thing you want to do is maintain a direct connection. That means replying to people. It means re-tweeting interesting posts. It means shooting thank you messages to people who follow you. It means spending some time being a real live person.

Beyond general interaction, I wanted to do something that would A) increase the number of people subscribing to my posts, and B) promote my new novel to a large group, while C) not being annoying.

All of which added up to a contest. A carefully planned contest.

My new novel, THE AMATEURS, is about four friends in their early thirties who are dissatisfied with their lives, and who make a risky plan to try to take what they think they deserve. Along the way, the meet every week or so to chat and drink and play games, one of which is called “Ready, Go.” It’s essentially a question game:

“If your best friend killed someone, how far would you go to help them cover it up? Ready, go.”

So for my contest, I decided to host a two-week round of Ready, Go. Every day I would tweet a question. To enter, all you had to do was re-tweet your answer, and tag it with @MarcusSakey and #TheAmateurs. Every answer counted as an entry. My publisher, Dutton, generously provided a prize package, about $1000 in hardcover books (A significant prize is important—small prizes feel small, and no brand wants that).

The idea was simple. At this point, being relatively new to Twitter, I didn’t have a huge network. But this contest took advantage of the networks of everyone who entered. Every time someone responded with:

“I’d help bury the body. @MarcusSakey #TheAmateurs”

it flashed out to their entire network. Thus my name, and the title of my new book, appeared on thousands of screens everyday for two weeks. Not only that, but because the questions led to intriguing answers, a lot of people in those networks checked out what had prompted the reply—and ended up subscribing to my posts.

Of course, at the heart of this is that personal connection. This wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t a real person putting it together, maintaining it, responding to some of the juicier answers—in other words, interacting. Which is what social networking is all about.

Anyway, I’d like to thank ADMAVEN again for the opportunity. If you liked what I had to say—or if you hated it—please let me know on Twitter or Facebook.

Better yet, if you like to read, check out my new book, THE AMATEURS. I think you’ll like it.

Cheers!

-Marcus Sakey

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Controlling Google Search Results Essential For Job Seekers

In a world where recruiters are increasingly relying on social media to vet candidates early in the selection process it is critical that a job seeker understand and apply principles of branding to his or her life. This morning I received an email from a friend seeking help:

"My friend is [name removed] and he has a slight problem. He was involved in a negative situation in his past job and is now clear of the incident with one exception: if you Google his name you will find several undesirable results which he is very adamant about removing or lowering in rank. Can you think of a way to help him with this issue?"

A common problem among modern job seekers are inconsistencies between information easily accessible to recruiters on search engines, social networks, and other social media outlets and their resume or in-person presentation.

The best way to take control of your personal brand and publicly available information is to generate consistent content making use of your name in outlets that matter to your industry. This takes time and daily effort; there is no quick fix. Outlets with particularly high PageRank - the system by which Google categorizes relevancy and importance in search results - are LinkedIn, Google Profiles, Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo, Meetup, and BlogCatalog. Use these sites to create consistent profiles and begin taking search ownership of your name.

Generating relevant content such as blog posts, leaving comments on industry publications, and regularly updating social network profiles will help maintain and increase the search ranking of desirable content.

The lesson to be learned and applied to brands is simple: do not wait until you have an immediate need to understand your online perception. Regardless of whether you represent yourself (personal brand) or a client's brand, you must create consistency in visibility between experience offline and information seekers online.

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Chicago Media Marketing & Advertising August Meetup Conclusion and Pictures

The Chicago Media Marketing & Advertising Group had another great meet up last night - the founders of ChirpUp spoke about blogging and their experiences, as well as engaged the audience in a lively discussion about how to make blogging work for clients.

Here are some select photos from the event - over 70 of Chicago's media, marketing, advertising, and public relations professionals attended! Thanks to Saper Law for providing the space for a wonderful evening.

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Chicago Tonight Hosts ADMAVEN on Social Media in the Job Hunt

Chicago Tonight recently aired a segment in which I discuss finding a job using social networking, as well as the bigger picture of personal branding and how candidates appear to potential employers. My thanks to Phil Ponce and the rest of the Chicago Tonight team for having me on the segment. Be sure to read other employment resources from ADMAVEN linked below the video.

For more on this subject, read the following articles from ADMAVEN:

Controlling Google Search Results Essential For Job Seekers

Personal Branding Wars: Does Your Company Already Claim a Stake in Your Personal Twitter, Facebook, or Blog?

Facebook Forces Millions To Consider Personal Branding

Chicago Recruiter Roundup - Land That Next Big Ad Agency Job

YPC Blog: The Importance of Differentiation

YPC Blog: The Importance of Differentiation Part 2: Master Your Offline Brand

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Marcus Sakey: Social Media Marketing in the New World of Publishing Part 2

Marcus Sakey was an award-winning copywriter on brands ranging from JCPenney to World Championship Wrestling until he left the business to write novels. His books have been translated into a dozen languages, labeled “nothing short of brilliant” by the Chicago Tribune, and chosen among Esquire Magazine’s Top 5 of the Year. His latest, THE AMATEURS, will be released on August 6th. Marcus approached ADMAVEN to tell his story and detail how he uses social media marketing to go above and beyond traditional publisher driven advertising. I found his story compelling, and I am not receiving compensation for allowing Marcus to guest post. With that being said, Marcus will detail his story in three posts that will appear on ADMAVEN weekly.

Last week I talked a little about where I came from—First Turner Broadcasting, then a design company of a dozen people, finally freelancing for companies like DDB and Leo Burnett—and how I got from there to here, working as a professional novelist. One of the things I learned is that while the game has changed, the rules remain the same—the point is to reach as many people as effectively as possible.

A lot of people have an idea of novelists as reclusive, hiding in their garrets and typing away in the midnight hours. And some are like that. But I believe that careful management of your brand, even as an author, can measurably expand success.

There are a lot of ways to build a brand in my business. Some of them are traditional—touring, speaking events, teaching, attending conferences, running traditional ads. And all have their advantages. But these days, the real benefits are in new media, the web, and social networking.

The reasons are the same for me as they for a shoe company. For the first time since we lived in villages, there’s the opportunity for producer and consumer to meet directly. Not only that, but it’s cheaper and effective.

What does that mean for me? Well, first a website. And not just a sales piece, but something honestly beneficial to a visitor. All the flashy graphics in the world pale in comparison to answering someone’s question, helping them with a project of their own, or simply giving them a personal vision of your brand.

In this case, my brand is me. And I craft a brand message with some care. I’m shooting to give people the impression of what I hope my books feel like—compelling, intense, with both high stakes and complicated moral issues. I’m also trying to let them know that I’m a real person, that when they buy one of my books, they’re inviting me to tell them a tale, and that I don’t take that lightly. And a good part of that comes from accessibility.

So I have a Facebook page, of course. I also have a mailing list, and whenever I send one out—which I do with calculated infrequency—I give something away. I blog. I maintain my own website. Every year, I host a release party for my new book. This year’s is in Chicago, on August 6th from 7 – 10pm at Sheffield’s (3258 N. Sheffield). Come by and let me buy you a beer.

These things make sense for an author. But I think they also make sense for a brand. Want an example? When I turned 18, Gillette mailed me a razor, a Sensor. I’m now 35, and I still shave with it. Convenience? Sure. But also, they reached out to me. They made me feel a personal connection. They tied themselves into my life. And it paid out, for 17 years and counting.

Next week, my last with ADMAVEN—and thanks again for having me!—I’ll talk about how I’ve been using social networking to reach out to fans in a way that’s a little different.

Meanwhile, if you’re in Chicago, come by my release party! I’d love to chat.

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Chicago Media Marketing & Advertising August Meetup at Saper Law

Join the Chicago Media Marketing & Advertising Group organizers and members July 14th, 2009 for an evening of networking and discussion within the media, marketing, advertising, and public relations industries. Food will be provided, and you may bring your own beverages of choice (BYOB!).

Be sure to visit the Meetup.com page to RSVP and get complete details as well as updates about future CMM&A events.

Our guest speakers will be Mark Bradford and Robert Lambert of chirpup.com. They'll be discussing "Why You Can't Afford NOT to Blog."

The event is sponsored by the "Search Guys" Be Found Online and once again the offices of Saper Law will host us. Saper's facilities feature a stunning rooftop deck on the 12th floor of 500 North Dearborn.

We look forward to seeing you all!

Please note you will need to be let in the front door from the street level - we will be waiting to let you in, and if no one is around just buzz up or wait a few seconds and we will find you!

We ask $3.00 at the door to help with expenses.

August 10, 2009
6:30PM to 9:00PM
Saper Law Offices, LLC
500 N Dearborn, Suite 1200
Chicago, IL 60610

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