Just like many of us predicted… Facebook is changing. And it doesn’t seem to be making that change for the better. Could it be because of the IPO and a need to prove their insanely high valuation? Quite possibly. Here’s what you need to know about the Top 3 Facebook changes and what they may mean for you as a user or as a brand:
Facebook changes and beginning of its descent?
User generated content seems to be at the heart of many recent social media campaigns, perhaps in the wake of the content marketing movement (read: What is Content Marketing). Implementation varies depending on the creativity and resources of the brand, ranging from “Submit your story / picture / video” to elaborate campaigns involving multiple contests and big payoffs, much like Doritos’ Crash the SuperBowl.
Delusions of User Generated Content
Did you know you can either earn or lose a customer for life in just three tweets?
We make snap decisions all the time. Our brain, in an effort to speed things up and reduce workload, automatically creates certain shortcuts. These come in all sorts of varieties. For example, when you drove into work this morning, do you remember any of the cars or houses you drove by? Chances are you may vaguely recall some visuals or sounds, but not in a very crystal clear way. Some refer to this as “autopilot”. Well it turns out that there are autopilots for all sorts of activities and thought processes. One of those is how we experience a brand. On Twitter. Let’s elaborate.
Your Brand. In 3 Tweets.
Few days ago I was asked to submit Top 10 Social Media tips for businesses for a local paper. Chances are that by now, you’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of these and most of the time they’re either extremely vague (“Engage the Audience” anyone?) or of little practical use. So I tried to really boil things down to a simple, effective few that anyone can understand and use and I came up with 5. Here they are:
5 Simple Social Media Tips
As we move further along the adoption curve, from early adopters to early majority and onward to late majority, the business of social media is shifting as well. If you are a marketer, chances are that you’ve already started moving from WHAT to HOW. From setting up social media profiles to connecting online activities with business objectives. A couple of years ago, it was almost enough to just set up a Facebook page and do very little in order to attract fans and followers. This is no longer the case.
Rising Barrier of Social Media
2012 seems to be the year of Content Marketing. It’s everywhere. When you have global organizations such as Coca Cola committing their strategic and marketing resources to content marketing, it’s a significant enough shift to warrant a deeper look. To me, it seemed like a repackaging of the term “Social Media Marketing”, so I thought to investigate and share some of those findings here.
What is Content Marketing?
The term “engagement” has been tossed around like a wet sock at a college dorm for a while now. If you were to play a drinking game, taking a shot every time a presenter said “engage the audience” at a social media conference… I don’t believe you’d be awake to see 10AM. So, let’s take a moment and see what this “engagement” is really all about.
3 Brass Tacks of EngagementWashington Post recently performed a social experiment inside of a DC Metro stop where they planted a world famous violinist to play during rush hour to see how many people would actually stop to “hear the music”. As you can see in the video below, very few people took the time to listen. That night, Joshua Bell sold out a concert hall at $100 per seat.
I recently joined a gym in the neighbourhood, mostly due to it’s convenient location. Before making a 6 month contract commitment, I made sure to look at what others had to say online. The last three Google Reviews for the place were less then flattering and you can see them below.
Value of free advice
This article was literally JUST inspired by a podcast interview I listened to, in which a certain executive coach and consultant goes on to berate Twitter as a waste of time. Well Sylva, let’s dance…
By the way: following applies equally to virtually anyone who gripes that social media is a waste of time.
Why You Suck at Social MediaUncut Marketing Podcast returns for 2012 with an exclusive interview with Julien Smith, the author of Trust Agents and Flinch. In this episode we talk about what’s changed since Trust Agents was first published in 2009, where the marketing industry is headed and what are some of the ideas today’s brands should focus on.
You can now find our podcast at its new home: uncutmarketingpodcast.com
[powerpress]
Mount Royal’s Social Media for Business certificate
Julien Smith’s blog and website
Trust Agents – on Amazon – on Chapters
Flinch – on Amazon
PSFK - Great website for insights and ideas
Ernest // @ebarbaric
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Ernest Barbaric is a professional keynote speaker and social media consultant. He helps clients engage customers, reach new markets, launch products and transition into digital marketing. Sounds interesting? Get in touch today.
Future of Marketing in 2012 and onward – Interview with Julien Smith.
I'm Ernest - Digital Marketer and Professional Speaker on a mission. I help entrepreneurs and non-profits improve marketing performance and become thought leaders. Find out more...
