Here are a few presentations I have put together following my research into social media platforms, whilst completing PR & Social Media work experience at McCann Manchester.
This research presentation uncovers business strategies for utilising Facebook and Twitter as key platforms for driving business results. Includes use of social sharing strategies, Facebook online stores, Twitter exclusives and coupons/giveaways.
A cross-section review of social media sites and their audience profiles, including a comprehensive breakdown across sites of age, education and income. Also included are Facebook and Twitter insights into how users interact with these platforms.
This presentation features case studies of some of the leading global brands and their approaches to local vs global pages. Three strategies are identified, while focusing on insights into approaches in Belgium and Holland specifically.
There has been extra buzz lately around this social media rival Pinterest. It is still picking up in popularity and certainly isn't as mainstream in the U.K. market as Facebook or even Google+ although it does appear to be a growing threat. So what is Pinterest and why is it gaining so much interest?
According to an article on The Drum website, Pinterest is a social media site that is ranking third in popularity (measured by visits) in the U.S. behind Facebook and Twitter. In this market Google+ is ranking 6th and certainly does not appear to have as much social traffic.
Pinterest is a digital corkboard that enables you to 'pin' items that you like to both other people's interest boards or those you create yourself, sharing these items with others. Pinterest is user-driven and is shaped by peoples likes; its strength is in visuals and symbolism as the key point for sharing. Tags are at the heart of Pinterest, while the more 'pins' a Pinterest site or user gains, the higher their ranking.
Advertisers and brands are also seeing value in this site and are following their consumers into this social media space. Recently, U.K. car insurance comparison provider confused.com launched a safe driving competition-based campaign on Pinterest. For confused.com Pinterest was an ideal site, a place where their target audience hangout and which enables them to pin images to win, the mechanic behind the competition.
In an interesting look into Pinterest and Google+ in the Australian market, David Murton compares the two sites and their relevance for marketers in an article here. While Google+ has a larger user base, Pinterest is ranking more highly in engagement and time spent on the site. Interestingly, it is also stated here that Pinterest globally boasts an 80% female user base. The conclusions to be drawn of course are to understand your audience and choose the sites and channels most relevant to them and effective to achieving your business goals.
The way "Shoppers seamlessly switch between whichever tools (channels) best satisfy their needs at any given moment" is the key driver behind the emergence of multidimensional retail, according to Victoria Pascoe in an article on the Contagious magazine website.
As online retail continues to mature, the lines between online and physical (offline) retail blur as brands attempt to be at the forefront of this trend with new innovative and integrated strategies. As more and more shoppers combine their experiences, bringing online into each stage of the customer journey (awareness, consideration, purchase and post-purchase), brands are looking for new ways to optimise this trend and increase bottom-line sales as well as consumer engagement.
What are some of the strategies causing these lines to blur?
- Augmented reality - several big brands are testing out virtualisation of the shopping experience, allowing consumers to virtually try products on or have online face-to-face conversations with staff
- Mobile - an increase in apps, QR codes and incentives tied to the foursquare and Facebook 'check-in' features attempt to add value to the shopping experience and encourage consumers to share their experiences online
- In-store multimedia - more brands are bringing in new features to their stores to create a more digitally interactive experience that links into the online world
It is important to remember that the key behind any strategy is to truly understand your audience and how they choose to personalise their shopping experience. A great deal of money can be lost attempting to be at the front of new media trends. Many brands feel a desperate need to be present in this social and mobile world, an attempt to stay on top of the fast-moving media environment. If the conversations and conversions aren't happening online, however, it is a waste of your time and money to invest in a strategy to be there. They key always to remember is to start with your audience and your product, to build a strategy from there that stands out in their context.
Case Study: GranataPet Snack Check
A fun, clever and interactive idea to create trial, social media engagement and talkability. Simply 'check-in' to foursquare on your phone when passing the GranataPet digital billboard and your dog will receive a sample to chew on then and there. Perfectly connects the online mobile experience into 'real' life offline trial, which is a key challenge for marketers.
In a previous post we had a look at the growing trend of dual usage as investigated in research conducted by Nielsen. This research showed a significant relationship between tablet and smartphone usage while watching TV. In the latest news, new media product development company Shazam has signed a deal with ITV in recognition of this growing trend. Shazam is best-known for its app enabling users to identify catchy tunes they hear by recognising its audio footprint.
As reported in an article on The Independent, ITV viewers will soon be able to engage further with their TV, connecting with extra content and even purchasing through their mobile phones and Shazam-enabled advertisements. Shazam has adapted its audio-recognition technology to enable the quick link to additional content and e-commerce sites simply through the use of an app.
This is not unexpected news by any means, for some time now we have progressively been taking steps towards creating more engaging and interactive TV viewing experiences.
While the theme of the decade appears to be 'innovative and new' this is not necessarily in reaction to business or strategic needs and as such, it will be interesting to see the actual results of such campaigns. Having content available in a new way does not necessarily mean that this will appeal to its audiences. In fact, I would suggest that the harder we try to get advertising messages and commercialised content in front of audiences the more they will move away from these channels.
I recently came across this wonderful presentation by Leo Burnett Group company Arc that offers a simple yet insightful analysis of mobile retail and some great case studies that demonstrate the diverse opportunities to be found here. My favourite part is the emphasis on having thorough strategic goals and an understanding of your audience to make a sound investment. It is important to remember that the basic principles of marketing are the same, regardless of the channels chosen, and the motives should be explicitly drawn to clear goals and consumer insights.
What exactly is a QR code anyway? What are they designed for, and how are they relevant to me, in my life?
Worthy questions for this newly embraced advertising technology that continues to perform poorly, according to Kevin Moreland in an article on the B&T website here. QR codes (like the one pictured to the left) appear to be popping up on advertising material everywhere lately. In some instances they are referenced, with a line of text to tell us where they lead, but at other times they just seem to hover awkwardly towards the edge of the page. My prediction, the vast majority of people don't know what they are for or even how to use them. What a lost opportunity.
QR codes have been appearing on all types of advertising material, including press, posters, buses, billboards - the list goes on. Essentially any flat surface you can put advertising material on, advertisers have planted a QR code there. But do they really add any value? This I believe has a lot to do with context and the destination. So where do they lead? A number of possible destinations. The better invested QR codes may lead to an app on your iPhone, or they may lead simply to a website landing page. They can connect you with a social media page (such as Facebook) or a product purchase page. Essentially they are a shortcut that uses your smartphone to connect you straight from this offline advertisement into the online world. Quite a clever idea really, the only problem being that they have been marketed really poorly. While the QR code still feels new the destination must be much the same; an exciting and engaging game app or interactive social media page. Take me simply to your corporate website or a landing page and I will drop off, this I guarantee you will work just as quickly as the QR (quick response) code. Not quite the glorious entrance to the advertising market we were hoping for, but then again QR codes never were intended for a life of glamour. They were invented by a subsidiary of car manufacturer Toyota to track mechanical parts in the production process in the mid 1990s. The code can hold a great deal of information and can be quickly and easily scanned to access this information; a great asset for the manufacturing industry. Since marketers have gotten their hands on them, however, they've became more of a novelty, a joke really. It's time to pick up the game. Like anything in this new media context that is the present day, we need to add value; to be appealing to our audience and encourage them (effectively) to interact with our brand. QR code, so far you have fallen short, but you can blame advertisers for that.
We know that there has been a shift in available media technologies with the growth of tablets and smartphones, broadening our media consumption to a number of different screens. Often these are used simultaneously; it is quite common to use your mobile phone or tablet whilst also watching TV. The growing importance for marketers here is to understand how these devices are being used and where.
Overall smartphone and tablet ownership is fairly low across the country, however, it is important to understand how and where these devices are being used to help predict future trends as ownership levels grow. According to an article that appeared on AdWeek here, writer Lucia Moses suggests that "context is everything."
Lucia draws the varied uses of these devices to their technological and functional capabilities, while suggesting marketers need to understand these qualities completely in order to utilise them. Smartphones are identified as being used for more shortened task-related activities (checking emails, going online and sending texts). In this case short and "snackable" types of advertising are most effective, including display ads and text messages. 72% of people also use their smartphones whilst travelling; they are a personal device that accompanies us everywhere.
By contrast, the tablet is more likely to be used in the home for longer, deeper experiences. As such, longer form video advertising is more effective than shortened display ads. Tablets are also more likely to be shared throughout the family.
The diagrams below draw out some of the key trends and factors in tablet and smartphone usage, the consumer motivations and contexts behind these.
In a digital training course held by the
wonderfully insightful and charismatic Heather
Albrecht in Sydney last year, I enjoyed my first real delve into
digital marketing and its driving forces.
The key questions on everyone's lips are where is
it going, and how do we participate in a way that is going to drive the success
of our business? The "it" here of course refers to broader social and
media trends that are driving consumer choices; creating new contexts in which
we must interact in order to engage with potential consumers.
Reflecting on previous consumer trends reveals
four distinct phases or models of engagement:
1. Advertising led
2. Through-the-line integration
3. Media neutral (big idea)
4. Participation
It is this most recent 'participation' phase
which represents new models of engagement and is largely influenced by the
types of devices we are interacting with. Participation
branding is defined as:
"How
a brand engages and behaves with consumers across channels and over time to
earn their attention and participation
through motivating experiences.
How
consumers engage and behave with each other
across channels and over time to influence each other and create motivating brand stories."
In the training session, Heather identifies four
screens; represented by the television, laptop, iPad and iPhone. The specific
motivations and uses for each may vary but often media is also consumed across
each of these platforms, the new accompanying trend here of course being
mobile.
It is crucial to understand the technological
driving forces behind media consumption and shifting consumer habits, however,
it is also important to understand the social behavioural trends being formed
from these.
A well-crafted message and insightful creative
can provoke thought and reaction from its audience. But what will be the longer
term outtake, will you trust our message enough to seek us out or trial
us?
Advertising is notorious for creating hyperbole;
humour and entertainment are often the key to being likeable and memorable.
When it comes down to the sales figures though will it pay off? In Nielsen's
recent study into global trust in advertising,
personal and informative referrals remain at the top of the list. 92% of those
who participated in the online study (a total of 28,000 respondents) trust
earned media, such as recommendations from family or friends, over all other
types.
Online consumer reviews are the second most
trusted for brand or message advice. Editorial content and branded websites are
the next most trusted forms, while consumer trust in online, social and mobile
advertising has also grown. Confidence has declined for traditional media
with a 20-25% decrease in trust of television, magazine and newspaper ads
between 2009 and 2011.
This study confirms a long-standing trend in
humanity to trust and believe our friends and family above all else. The high
placement of editorial content represents how PR is a big communications threat
to the advertising industry. What PR lacks, however, is the creativity we find
in advertising that builds a brand identity; creating an intangible asset that
has so much value and symbolic association for its supporters.
In a recent deal, Facebook has acquired the photo-sharing app Instagram for $1bn - a huge investment and one that has drawn much attention from media experts.
A smart move for Facebook?
According to an article on the GigaOM website here, Instagram was Facebook's biggest competitor, a threat that was growing each day as more and more users discovered this addictive and fun app. Instagram thrives where Facebook lacks, in emotive mobile photo-sharing. Instagram (unlike Facebook) is a mobile-thinking company, which succeeded in creating a social sharing experience, and most importantly, a passionate community.
Instagram created an emotional social affinity that Facebook lacks and which it so desperately desires as part of its platform. Facebook is essentially built on photo-sharing and Instagram had found a way to do it better, creating a serious threat. And with 15 million users already, Instagram was growing at a rate guaranteed to make Facebook shake in its boots. The solution: a buyout, no matter the cost.
Let's hope Zuckerburg and Facebook hold on their promises, to maintain the integrity of Instagram and the vision behind its creation; to capture the spirit of emotive human sharing through photographic experience that is essentially mobile.
A Nielsen study conducted in the U.S. has explored the types of apps being downloaded to tablets and smartphones, as well as attitudes to advertising on these platforms. The study has found that 51% of consumers say that they are okay with advertising on their devices if it means they can access content for free. The preference remains for free apps, while many will opt for a combination of both free and paid apps, totalling 33 apps in their collection on average. Games, maps, music and social networking apps were amongst the most downloaded.
The question unearthed by this study; are we happy to be advertised to if we get something in return? Typically this has been found to be true, providing the pay-off is worthwhile. A great opportunity for marketers if we can learn to optimise this platform in an effective way.
Digital channels are certainly a growing platform for advertising messages, perceived as both cost-effective and impacting, when it comes to connecting with potential consumers. In a recently published study by Nielsen, the effectiveness of Facebook's social ads (Ads with Friends) is compared to standard Facebook advertising. Social ads are those served to users whose friends have interacted with an advertised brand, while standard ads are served to the rest of the population.
While individual cases may vary, overall Facebook Social Ads demonstrated a 55% greater ad recall than standard 'non-social' ads - a significant result.
While these findings are specific to Facebook advertising, they speak to a long standing trend. Personal recommendations have always been the most trusted form of referral - and this is not likely to change. As the advertising industry continues to adapt and come face-to-face with consumer scepticism and desired personalisation, optimising these types of social and personal channels will be the opportunity we must embrace in order to succeed. The full report can be found here on the Nielsen Wire website.
Are we becoming better at multi-tasking, smarter and more intuitive with media, or simply more attention-deficit? This is the question unearthed from a recent Nielsen Report, which found that more people are using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, while watching TV. The motivations for dual usage vary, whether checking emails, Facebook updates or looking up program information, the outcome however is the same; split attention between multiple screens. It appears that even when watching what was traditionally a shared medium of TV, we are becoming more socially introverted, even in the light of engagement with 'social' media. The results for the U.K. were significant, with device owners logging a usage of 80% for tablets and 78% for smartphones while watching TV. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed also claimed they used their device several times a day while watching TV.
Comparison of dual usage across countries
There are many factors at play and other figures to consider in the findings above, this certainly is not a blanket statement to all audiences. Smartphone and tablet ownership overall is fairly low, and as such dual usage as a broader trend is not overly significant. According to a New Media Trend Watch article, tablet ownership figures in the U.K. are as low as 5% of the population, while smartphone ownership is sitting at around 17%. This study does however provide a good indication of future trends that are likely to emerge. As tablet and smartphone usage increases, so too will dual usage. The pursuit to gain, and more importantly retain, attention will also continue to become increasingly challenging. What will be the solution to cut-through in this densely concentrated media landscape, where it appears audiences are continuing to develop shorter and shorter attention spans? Perhaps total integration and the permeation of media will be key. No longer will advertising and experiences be limited to one medium, but more holistically experienced throughout the environment. The seedlings of this new media trend we are starting to see emerging already. You just simply need to look at the usage of QR codes, for example, to understand that advertisers are getting smart about the importance of connectivity of media. We need to continue to smarten up and fast. So what's next?
According to a CheethamBellJWT report '100 Things to Watch in 2012', "Navigating the vast world of apps is already daunting, and the app-ifying of everything (desktops, cars, TVs, etc.) is only just beginning."
It is apparent, even to the non-techno-savvy consumer, that there is an absolute abundance of apps. They cover everything from transforming your voice into that of a duck to booking your parking spot at the local train station. In the same report, CheethamBellJWT also warns that "The novelty of apps will wear off as consumers become paralyzed by too many choices." Too much clutter around our media platforms is not a good idea. It means we have to work harder for consumer engagement and cut-through new cynicism created by mediocre apps and short fads.
Isobar Create London In a recent event held in London, 65 developers (grouped into 20 teams) were invited to a 34-hour hackday. The inspiration behind the event was to bring together some of the brightest developer minds to create innovative and practical apps that can have positive effects in the physical world. The teams raced to create NFC (near field communication) applications for four categories: Retail, Finance, Sporting Events and Leisure and Entertainment. Some of the apps that impressed the judging board included: > Theme park app - centralised the experience of visiting a theme park with a digital ticket to the park, advanced ride bookings and the purchasing of food and drinks > Tap-to-WiFi app - allowed smartphone users to automatically login to WiFi networks in cafes, hotels and conference venues by simply touching a poster > Supermarket app - allowed shoppers to scan products straight from the shelf, to personalise the shopping experience by diet and simplify the checkout process. Interesting app ideas and a great sense of innovation behind the event. There is wonderful strength in bringing together great minds in stimulating environments such as this one. With such an abundance of apps that cover all aspects of life, are we simply becoming more lazy and new media dependent? As we continue to embrace these ideas of "new" and "more", are we not moving towards a point of total convergence? Perhaps, or perhaps not, but it will be interesting to see which way this one goes.
A new iOS app has been released that enables consumers to determine the amount of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in more than 20,000 products in Australia. The app, called FoodSwitch, has been developed by medical health provider Bupa and is designed to assist people to make healthier food choices when shopping.
Shoppers need to simply scan the barcode on the product to retrieve this information. A clever and certainly useful idea, but are we becoming too obsessed with the components of what we consume? After all, we know what's good for us right? The basics of nutrition have always been the same, knowing the specifics is not likely to stop us from consuming bad foods. Let's keep it simple. More information on the Bupa FoodSwitch app is available here.
After hearing all the fuss and debate around the Google+ platform I decided to check it out for myself.
With my new Google+ profile (and limited number of people in my 'circles') I have enjoyed discovering how this platform is being utilised by brands. Similar to Facebook, the main communication goals involve keeping consumers up-to-date on news, while attempting to level engagement through competitions and games. Google+ also offers the circles function, allowing you to easily group your friends, colleagues and acquaintances into particular groups. You can select exactly what you share and with who. A nice breakout from Facebook and the dilemma faced when a friend's mum decides to become your online 'friend'.
However, according to an article featured here on Simply Zesty, brands are not optimizing this platform and are dropping off in consumer engagement as a result. Facebook it appears remains the preferred social media platform for engagement, a space in which consumers are already spending a great deal of their time.
Here are a couple of brand Google+ pages that I've come across so far.
The Cadbury Google+ page makes the most of the Hangouts function (a group video chat feature), which is one of Google+'s main differentiators from Facebook and other social networks. Cadbury appears to be doing quite well at keeping up its fun and joyful brand appearance, with video content and regular fun and silly competitions.
The Coca-Cola Google+ page is one we would anticipate to be both dynamic in content and engaging in activity, however it lacks on both fronts. While Coca-Cola was one of the first brands to jump on the Google+ trend, they have done little to optimise this platform since first making their appearance. In the absence of regular updates or any truly engaging content with which to interact, consumers are dropping off this site.
Summary
As media functions and capabilities shift, one element that will not change is the fact that the creative idea is still at the core of success. In the absence of great creative comes further mediocre clutter and greater scepticism by our audience.
The core principles of advertising remain the same, the evolution of these into the digital, social media and app-driven age is the exciting challenge that lies ahead.
Google+ was the newest kid on the block not too long ago, a rival it seemed for the huge social network of Facebook, who already claims over 800 million users.
More and more companies are embracing social media platforms, as well as online search functions such as SEO and PPC, as integral to their campaigns online and broader marketing strategies.
Not only have the initial functions of Google+ drawn attention, but rather how this platform is anticipated to grow and change has been the centre of many recent discussions.
The upcoming changes to the Google+ platform will have a large impact on businesses' SEO and the way we advertise, according to an article on the Business Insider SAI website. According to Business Insider writer Matt Rosoff, "Google+ could change the entire way we use the Web - and drive millions of websites who depend on Google to change how they attract customers."
Ranking highly in Google organic search results will depend more heavily on how people are interacting with the brand, particularly through Google+ and the +1 button function. This means that social media strategy will take prominence over SEO strategy in its traditional sense; brands will need to earn true engagement with their audience in order to attract new consumers.
Creative innovation and adaptation are the themes of the year so far, as brands large and small come to realise that staying ahead of the game is both a severe challenge and essential to thrive in this new media landscape.
