The growing list of online social media sites makes choosing the right channel complicated. From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn and beyond, which social media outposts will net the most bang for the buck in terms of customer communication, brand exposure, traffic, and SEO?
Microsoft’s Mel Carson and all round good guy, has released an excellent Social Media White Paper this week.
Mel works within Microsoft’s Advertising Community Team, which has been engaging with online advertisers through social media since 2006. The document entitled, “Learn and Earn” tells the story of how the Advertising team embraced social media to connect with the advertising community. Well worth reading.
Andy Serovitz posted a very interesting blog post on how Coca Cola have devised a new set of social media principles. Coke have developed 10 “Principles for Online Spokespeople” which make good sense for other brands to follow. You can read the main set below.
Be Certified in the [Coca Cola] Social Media Certification Program.
Follow our Code of Business Conduct and all other Company policies.
Be mindful that you are representing the Company.
Fully disclose your affiliation with the Company.
Keep records.
When in doubt, do not post.
Give credit where credit is due and don’t violate others’ rights.
Be responsible to your work.
Remember that your local posts can have global significance.
Know that the Internet is permanent.
Watch Andy’s interview with Coca Cola’s Adam Brown, on how they developed the social media principles.
Coke’s complete policy document can be found below. At three pages, I like this a lot!
Twitter has launched a new site dedicated to helping businesses to become au fait with the microblogging service. Twitter 101 A Special Guide is a great online resource that I would highly recommend to anyone looking to use Twitter as part of their social media mix.
This document specifies standard definitions for Social Media Metrics. With the rapid growth seen in the Social Media space in recent years, many publishers and vendors are offering supplemental performance metrics to their clients as additional ways of gauging ad effectiveness. This document defines these supplemental metrics in more detail in an effort to stimulate growth by making the reporting of metrics for agencies and advertisers across multiple media partners more consistent. The IAB hopes that all players in the Social Media space will coalesce around these metrics to encourage growth through consistency.
Social media speaks to a new way of understanding how individual users are interacting with branded content via online publishers, social networks, blogs, and applications. Before the proliferation of social media, the primary way for users to receive advertiser information was one-way. Social Media has changed the paradigm of how people consume online media.
The most profound difference is that Social Media has added a participatory element where an individual not only receives information but has the ability to take part in the creation and distribution of content. Furthermore, social media tools have enabled a dialogue and discovery around this content. It is the combination of these unique and appealing aspects that defines the true value of social media.
Value is derived not only from the primary distribution of branded content but also the additional interactions that result as users share, participate with, and propagate advertising content. In the end, social media adds another layer of value through its ability to engage users and create additional reach.
The current Social Media landscape can be broken into three distinct categories:
My name is Jas Dhaliwal and I'm a Geek Marketer. This blog explores how social media technologies are disrupting traditional business models. I help people connect with new audiences by leveraging the power of the web. I hope you enjoy reading this blog, don't be shy add a comment!
