Social Media's the Little Engine That Can Build Awareness - Advertising Age - DigitalNext
Social Media's the Little Engine That Can Build Awareness
Here Are Six Reasons Why It Will in 2010
Posted by Judy Shapiro on 12.16.09 @ 10:00 AM
Remember the children's story "The Little Engine That Could"? It told of how the big shiny engines were not up to the task of getting up over the hill to deliver the toys to the kids in time for the holidays. Instead, despite the skeptics, it was the little engine in an act of pure will, that kept telling itself, "I think I can, I think I can," who was able to get over the big hill to get the job done.
Judy Shapiro In some ways, social media is like that little engine (and I use the term social media in its broadest sense to encompass digital and social media). Everyone is playing with social media, but there is a deeply held perception that social media lacks mass audience reach, measurability and depth to get the job done. This perception fuels the debate of whether digital agencies are "ready to lead," which as been a hot topic even within this very forum. Some digital agencies contend that social media is mature enough to be the leading vehicle whereas big agencies stay true to the law of large numbers that traditional media reliably delivers.
But the debate about who should lead seems rather irrelevant, because the key concern should be what will work to get over that "awareness hill" that every advertiser must scale to achieve business results. Is the little social media engine ready to scale the big hill?
"I think it can" and here's why.
When social media exploded on the scene (and I think that's a fair characterization), it garnered attention because it held the promise of microtargeting in combination with a new level of engagement that one-way traditional advertising could never duplicate. No one doubted the value of reaching people in these highly engaged environments, but no one really knew how to do it efficiently en masse. Large agencies operated within the traditional ad model that delivered numbers while digital agencies tended to rely on the "viral" nature of their tactics to deliver large numbers. That approach was too hit-and-miss to satisfy most businesses and rightfully so.
This is why, until now, social media has not captured a larger share of big advertisers' budgets -- it seems oxymoronic that social media's microtargeting capability can ever deliver mass audiences.
But like our little engine, I believe 2010 will be the year where the social media finally says "I think I can" to deliver large audiences because the technology pieces are coming together to create the formula for audience reach, measurability and interactivity that yield intent and business results. There is a new maturity in this space as represented, for example, by marketers who now understand that thousands of Twitter followers has no direct relevance to effectiveness or that Facebook alone can not launch campaigns.
Here's how the social media engine can be used to deliver mass audiences efficiently:
As in our story, when the little engine scaled over the hill, it gleefully said "I thought I could, I thought I could." Perhaps 2010 will be the year when the social media is able to say the same.
- Think about creating "content campaigns" to drive a focused message using a multichannel approach, e.g video, mobile marketing, social networks and even traditional media. This approach puts the value on content as an audience builder but in a very strategic way. And to help content campaigns along, there are innovative new technology companies, like WebCollage, that offer content syndication and management services to make this task very efficient on a large scale.
- Tap into the power of your customer service organization to be your social-media front-line soldiers. It is one of the most powerful ways to achieve mass reach within current organizational resources. JetBlue is a great example here as they make it a point to respond to every tweet within minutes.
- Create mobile apps to propel new interactions while allowing you to bake in the viral looping element. Gap Style Mixer is a great example; the app gets you in-store discounts while letting you share the discounts with friends.
- Use behaviorally appropriate ad networks as the "carpet layer" of a social-media campaign to deliver large number of impressions similar to the old fashioned GRP (gross rating points) of TV. But to ensure that impressions deliver interactivity, weave in a diversity of behavioral targeting opportunities and retargeting programs from companies like FetchBack or SearchIgnite (this is where you re-present ad an to a target who did not respond the first time).
- Adapt real-world social networks to extend the reach of your social media campaigns. One innovative company in this space is called HouseParty, which allows people to host real world parties for product sampling (think Tupperware parties or Avon Ladies). This company cleverly utilizes social media so they can deliver large scale numbers quickly and efficiently.
- Introduce new tools to measure social media that focus on engagement, interactivity and intent. One great example is a company called Nuconomy, which provides new tools to understand how interactivity drives intent and sales.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
By paulmiser | Kansas City, MO December 16, 2009 10:54:42 am:Good post Judy... Excellent thoughts. I'm not sure that "Mass" awareness is what we're looking for these technologies to provide. We use our mass marketing efforts to build the awareness of the masses, then when the user decides to raise their hand and begin an engagement with our company, we engage them with the more intimate mobile and social technologies. I think you have some great thoughts in building an ecosystem for how these technologies can be implemented, however they should never be used in mass. We need to build an ecosystem that allows users to take the next step themselves once they achieve that level of comfort with our communications; ever-whittling down to each individual.I do agree with you that 2010 will be "The Year of The Social" however, it will be on the more personal level.
Paul Miser
www.PaulMiser.com
www.Twitter.com/PaulMiserBy gunther | Los Angeles, CA December 16, 2009 02:34:10 pm:Isn't the social engine already big? Doesn't it already cast a wide net as an aggregate of long- and mid-tail segmentation, i.e. the new 'mass market'?There any number of ways and combined channels to create a spread effect for engagement and adoption; social awareness at scale, however, seems to reside in the creation and proliferation of content platforms (not so much specific technologies themselves) that are truly reflexive, ongoing, portable, and ultimately, those that live outside of a campaign construct. Sure, you can run campaigns inside of these platforms, but I'm not so sure that this is an ad network function, rather one of a publishing exchange (or multiple exchanges). As Forrester stated in its interactive projections report for 2009-2014: "Ad budgets will decline, but marketing investments won't."
The net-net of this: brands are now publishers.
Further (as you suggest), people are loyal to information, not places or destinations, so the real play in a social context is to move with markets and connect social graphs or communities... hence the way (or one of the ways) we achieve scale.
To expand on Paul's point - WE are the ecosystem (people are media), not the matrix of utilities that are on offer.
Gunther Sonnenfeld
@goonthBy Blair | West Kingston, RI December 16, 2009 03:24:54 pm:I agree with both Paul & Gunther...But how do you walk the thin line then between business & personal? This is a very gray area that I am sure alot of businesses are taking a long hard look at. Twitter for example was born of personal anecdotes but seems to be morphing into viable biz broadcast tool to a sum of people. Take Jet Blue for example...
Will people tune out Business here? How do you suggest to approach/straddle the line btwn biz/personal??
Blair Fish
www.Twitter.com/FishAdvertisingBy charles | new canaan, CT December 16, 2009 03:51:59 pm:That line is not meant to be crossed! And the more twitter try to add a advertising platform to its system, they will slowly see its members moving to a new social platform that allow consumers to express...without getting hit with Banner,Video and Flash Ads...The downside of a company like JetBlue being on a major Social Network; when consumers get tried of Facebook they will also being leaving JetBlue.
MySpace, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook... they all share the same consumer base in some ways so if a consumer is bypassing your ads on MySpace you can bet they are bypassing your ads on Facebook. Advertising is what will kill a Social Network...
And before someone else another Social Media Article on Adage could they please define what type of Social Media they are talking about! The word Social is used to loosely...
By Melissa Roberts | newark, NJ December 16, 2009 03:52:22 pm:This article reinforces the trend I see in my work. More and more, there is a desire to use social media in broader, audience building ways.It does pose challenges for us marketers, but this article gives me hope that it can be done. Sometimes it seems so daunting to build audience reach using the new media.
By nickntime | LA, CA December 16, 2009 03:58:47 pm:While in theory I agree with this article - the practical issue is that the technology around social media is hard to master. Recently, Forrester suggested that marketers will need more agencies - not less- to execute digital programs.That issue alone will probably keep social media more as a fringe tactic for a long time to come.
By HarveyMasser | oakland, CA December 16, 2009 04:04:56 pm:As a long-time media buyer, the world of digital media is a media guy's worst nightmare. Yet, this article accurately reflects what our clients are demanding.We do need the tools to operationalize this "new media" and that's what coming online now.
By JamesFaison | Chicago, IL December 16, 2009 04:26:13 pm:Great post. I am tired of traditional agencies "dissing" the new media as being somehow "less than".Why does it have to be an either or proposition? As you correctly say, the issue is what will work, in any combination, to get the job done.
That should be the focus -- tx
By gunther | Los Angeles, CA December 16, 2009 04:48:31 pm:A point of clarification after reading Melissa, Nick and Harvey's responses -- I think what Judy provides is an informative transitional framework for social in an advertising context (or at least extending messages into conversations), I just worry that there is too much emphasis - both on the client and agency sides - on the tools rather than the content or experiences themselves, which speak to the larger cultural context we often overlook in our work. This is precisely why, as Nick points out, "the technology around social media is hard to master" -- because that's just it: the media is earned, and the need states constantly change.Case in point: I am currently working with an agency on a global technology account and a national automotive account, both of which are experiencing major pains not only optimizing their media spends, but re-establishing brand equity and of course, converting owners or subscribers to advocates. We have a whole host of really interesting and fairly effective tools to choose from, but at the core of all of this is the content itself. In other words, once we've been granted direct access to these people by way of needs and behaviors, what are we going to say to them and how are we going to keep these conversations going in perpetuity, so that we can keep offering value adds and so that the intent or decision to purchase has already been made?
The short answer: give them something to care about, something to socialize.
Gunther Sonnenfeld
@goonthBy William | Richmond, VA December 16, 2009 05:05:47 pm:Wow, Ms. Shapiro. You are sure making the world of social media marketing sound a lot more complicated than it really is. Not sure what the record is for using buzz words in an article, but Guinness may be contacting you shortly.Come on! Use "behaviorally appropriate ad networks as the 'carpet layer' of a social media campaign." A "carpet layer"? Really.
Quit using buzz words and just admit that no one at this point has all the answers to the mysteries of the social media, as you say, space. We are all learning as we go. Be patient.
Bill Bergman
Bergman Group
www.bergmangroup.comBy Blair | West Kingston, RI December 16, 2009 05:34:05 pm:William from Richmond... you speak the truth in my mind.Blair Fish
www.Twitter.com/FishAdvertisingBy robinalderman | boston, MA December 16, 2009 05:57:01 pm:One of the comments contended that the new media is not hard and accused Ms. Shapiro of making it more complicated.I note with irony that the commenter is from an agency! Of course they would say it is not hard, but for advertisers (I work at a financial services firm) it is relly hard. I believe Ms. Shapiro's points are dead on and refreshing as they come from someone who has to deliver real business results.
I do agree with one comment this agency person made when he said that "no one has the answers". That's true, but to my mind, advertisers really can not rely on agencies to build this new marketing design because they are often too narrow in their perspective.Clients are somewhat on their own which is part of why it is hard.
By PR4SEO | New York, NY December 16, 2009 06:04:39 pm:Judy - as an SEO agency guy - I do sympathize with how hard it can be on clients to do digital media. Aside from the technical part of digital media, these tactics are new for many companies and as a result harder to assimilate.But as you correctly explain, this is an evolving and maturing competency that should make it less painful in the future. Sooner would be good :)
By BrandMan | new york, NY December 16, 2009 06:23:13 pm:Great post.One question -- do you think the "new media" will ever get the lion's share of media budgets or is traditional media still going to rule for the foreseeable future?
By Martinhealthy | sun vallay, CA December 16, 2009 07:38:21 pm:Hi Judy -
I really agree with you that many companies are working on how to use social media within traditional media plans. I also expect digital media to become far more dominant over the next year.But there is still much room to make it work seamlessly together. It is far from a stable model today.
By JudyGShapiro | new york, NY December 17, 2009 12:33:29 am:Some good questions I wanted to address.Paul suggested that social media works on top of mass media to generate a more personal interaction. True enough today. But I believe that today's media buys are misaligned to media consumption trends of "Judy Consumer". As soon as media buying is aligned to media consumption – social media will probably be in a better position to deliver huge audiences. The question that intrigues me is how we balance the mass vehicles of tomorrow. I expect that social will deliver more sustained interactions and traditional media will be using to deliver quick hit promotional messaging in the media plans of the future.
Gunther – I loved your observation that social media already delivers mass audiences via the long tail. Also, your comment that "The net-net of this: brands are now publishers." contributes much to this conversation. Thank you.
Blair asks a great question around social media, designed for personal interaction, might become contaminated if businesses subvert it for promotional uses. I don't have the answer to that question – but it is worthy of deeper scrutiny. Charles contends it is a line that should not be crossed if social networks want to keep their members loyal. (BTW Charles – I know I used the term "social media" perhaps too loosely – but to be more specific – I mean any tactic that resides within social networks or digital media)
A few folks wondered if I put too much emphasis on the tech tools. I only meant to emphasize that like traditional media, social media can not grow unless the tools are in place to measure and manage this media. But all of you are correct when you note that the point is not in the technology – but in the user engagement.
Finally, William, the angst I express about how hard digital media can be reflects not just my opinion but that of many colleagues who feel as I do – it is hard to do digital media (buzz words density aside - hehe). Maybe we all use bad agencies or maybe you underestimate the challenges given your agency perspective.
In any case – once point of consensus among all of us was this is still a work-in-progress and for me that is what makes this so interesting.
Judy Shapiro
By toddchaffee | Leesburg, FL December 17, 2009 04:55:23 am:Gunther gets it and it has nothing to do with a long tail. When a social media campaign works the message can travel explosively because it travels via the medium consumers trust the most: word of mouth. Continue to think advertising and broadcasting to the masses and you'll never get social media. You don't advertise to your friends when you are socializing with them so stop trying to use social media as a broadcast or advertising platform. Use it for what it is: media and a message created by the consumer, not by an ad agency. You no longer have control of your brand's message so just let go. Spend the budget on adding value to peoples lives and give them the tools to share that value with friends. Ikea did it with a simple photo album on Facebook and free furniture. Zero ads. Their fans advertised for them. That's social media.By mrdallasjmoore | Ames, IA December 17, 2009 10:49:17 am:First off let me say, I think this is a great post Judy. I also remember and love The Little Engine That Could. Going back to Paul's comments at the very top. I agree with building an ecosystem for your audience/ followers. I think it's a great thing to allow them and to let them know that who they are, what they have to offer is important. Not only that, but putting one another in front of each other, building together as a group to learn and grow. Also to what Gunther said, I agree also where you are going. I do think there are going to be some people who follow info, words, etc. I also think that some people will follow a business, personal brand or person as well.The thing that many people forget is that social media is about relationships, people, not technologies. The technologies allow us to communicate where our clients/ customers are. It enables us to build relationships in short bursts over time. Relationships take hard work and time.
Too what Blair below Paul and Gunther said. Yes, that's a great point. How do you walk the professional and business life with personal? My opinion, you don't. Our lives at work and at home thanks to technologies, smart phones, email and social media allow us to do many things throughout the day. Example. If you are able to work whenever you want, so long you get your 40 hours in, but have other things going on during your week, if your boss called after dinner, would you do what he needed you to do? More likely than not, you might. I think we are stuck in a mentality that we have to be at work to work, that we have to be in front of people face to face to build relationships. We don't, we can do it a different way, because that's what works for everyone. It's my time, not it's my time. It's all our time, it's OUR time.
I agree with William about the buzzwords and others question about education. Everyone using social media needs to have a unified message. A clear understanding of HOW to use the technologies. You don't have to use them all. Use what you know. Who are your customers? What is their demographics? What do they like/ dislike? Use that information to find out where they are, engage with them there.
I disagree with the post about people leaving businesses when the next big thing comes along. Build a relationship with them, you won't have this problem.
Dallas J. Moore
@mrdallasjmoore
@SocialRepublick
www.SocialRepublick.com
