Strategic Social Networking - Archive

Growing Businesses Struggling to Maintain Brand Loyalty in the Mobile Age

Brand Dossier’s recent article on the increasing presence of social media and mobile devices, “Social media, mobile devices creating brand loyalty challenges for mid-size businesses” deals with new concerns business have in dealing with brand loyalty.

The growth of both social media and mobile devices has lead to a new type of consumer, who can easily compare products and prices, which is making it harder for companies to build up brand loyalty, a new IBM study says. This global study of mid-market chief marketing officers reveals a number of facts about the concerns of CMOs in an increasingly mobile marketplace. According to the study, 72% feel unprepared to “effectively build” brand loyalty, with 70% seemingly placing this unease on the wide availability of consumer-oriented data.

“Mobile commerce is expected to reach $31 billion by 2016, yet 62 per cent of mid-market CMOs report being underprepared to deal with the proliferation of channels and devices. This increase in the mobile shopping trend further increases marketing challenges, complicates data collection and analysis, and threatens both customer service and customer retention.”

In order to deal with the influx of consumer blogs, social media sites, and other sources of information about consumer products, retailers are focusing on marketing analytics in order to more effectively target consumers. The hope is that computers can analyze marketing data and buying decisions more efficiently and more accurately, allowing companies to reach new customers who will stay with the brand, instead of endlessly seeking to save a few cents on their next purchase.

Jody Barnes, December 15, 2011

Nonprofits Can Take Away Some Lessons from SF Goodwill’s Going Social Project

As Goodwill Industries of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties (SF Goodwill) entered its 100th year of service in the Bay Area, they decided to reach out to Socialbrite for help in becoming a social organization – engaging the community and bringing on a new generation of supporters. Their new Web site, sfgoodwill.org, is more than just an update; it’s a top-to-bottom change from a brochure-style site to an interactive center for blogging, donating, volunteering, and more.

In “SF Goodwill’s big leap forward in outreach to the community,” JD Lasica covers 10 lessons learned and how decisions were made to go social. Lesson 1:

“Go all in. A lot of organizations want to tinker at the edges but are scared of more deep-seated change. SF Goodwill seemed open to institutional change that required new approaches and new thinking about how various parts of the organization interact with the public — and across departmental silos.”

Other topics covered: creating a strategy, tapping into your community of resources, going mobile, and embracing open source.

Social media investment on the front end does pay off. Time will have to tell just how much payoff SF Goodwill reaps. Nonprofits of all kinds are smart to watch what happens with SF Goodwill and to start thinking about getting on the social bandwagon.

More on Socialbrite: http://www.socialbrite.org

Philip West

November 15, 2011

Expanding the Patent Information Community: PatentPoints.com

On August 9, 2011, ArnoldIT and Quasar Capital Advisors made publicly available an alpha test of a free patent information service. PatentPoints.com provides a “vertical file” of curated information about business implications of patents and intellectual property. The information service is built upon the Augmentext technology and candidate articles for the vertical file are identified using the ArnoldIT Overflight technology.

The writing team consists of a law librarian, an attorney, and a journalist. The writing team told SSN:

We want to get feedback on the alpha test of the service. Our plan is to create a social component to the information service tapping into the features of Facebook and Google+ (Google Plus). We think that our curated and annotated information will be anchor points for lively discussion of the business and related issues triggered by patent activities.

The idea of curating content and providing commentary that puts complex matters into a business context is an excellent one. However, what sets the PatentPoints.com service apart is its plan to integrate the information into a social network. Legal information is, says Stephen E Arnold, “a magnet for those with familiarity with legal jargon and attorneys who reference cases or documents that are often not easy to obtain with a Web search. Our goal is provide easy to understand information and stimulate a discussion of business issues affected by the surge in patent litigation.”

The service is sponsored by Quasar Capital Advisors, a next generation financial services firm. The system is built on the Augmentext technology developed by Stephen E Arnold, ArnoldIT.com. Mr. Arnold’s Overflight information service is used to identify candidate stories which are then vetted by the editor, Constance Ard, an MLS and law librarian with more than a decade of experience working in law firms.

The service is updated each day, Monday through Friday. The alpha Web site offers a search box so the backfile of content is easily accessible. Like other Augmentext information services, a controlled vocabulary is used to index the content, so a user can search via a controlled term such as “patent research” or a free text string.

The alpha service will accept sponsorships during the alpha test period. For information about how to participate in the sponsorship program, write the PatentPoints team at patentpoints@hotmail.com.

We think the social angle is an important and much needed component to what would otherwise be a complex subject that is having a larger and larger impact on business and innovation.

Benjamin Kent, August 9, 2011

TheCardLine to Go Social

August 2nd, 2011 | Posted by admin in blog | case study | marketing | News - (0 Comments)

A new information service is now available from Quasar Capital Advisors. The service provides information about prepaid credit cards. A consumer may purchase a prepaid credit card from such retailing powerhouses as Walmart or Walgreen’s. Prepaid credit cards are not new, but due to the challenging financial environment, prepaid credit cards are gaining momentum.

TheCardLine.com provides information which has not been easily available in a single information service. According to Lance Hailstorm, Quasar Capital Advisors:

We wanted to provide a single point of access for important news and information about the prepaid credit sector. We have made an attempt to pinpoint certain financial and government documents which can be difficult to locate using a traditional search and retrieval system. We also have an interest in reporting new developments and offering a critical comment about the prepaid industry. Our firm can provide financial and business advice to organizations looking to explore prepaid credit as a new revenue stream or to cost reduction initiatives.

In my conversation with Mr. Hailstorm, I learned three additional things about the new service:

The company will be making public comments a part of the service. The idea is to allow an open discussion of the information presented in the service.
The company will complement its RSS feed and Twitter stream with both Facebook and Google+ services in the near future.
Readers contributions are invited. Submit your ideas for articles via the form available at this link.

The information for the service is provided by Augmentext.com, a services firm owned by Stephen E Arnold.

From the Microscope to Microblogging

April 29th, 2010 | Posted by Melody K. Smith in blog | networking | News - (1 Comments)

Scientists have taken the leap into social media with a special Twitter site called Sciencefeed.

Providing a place for real-time discussion among scientists, University World News reports in their article, “US: Twitter for scientists launched online” about this new adventure that has brought the world wide web full circle. The Internet was originally created for research result to be easily shared and now with the use of social media, that is even more a reality. Sciencefeed will be compatible with various social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and FriendFeed.

Dr Ijad Madisch, founding member and CEO of Sciencefeed says “We hope that it will become a bridge between online scientific networking platforms, scientific databases, and the wider online science world and enable scientists to conduct breakthrough research.”

The SSN Take: Making research results easily shared also makes them easily searchable.

Melody K. Smith, April 29, 2010

Note: Post was not sponsored.

Fear the Twitter

March 24th, 2010 | Posted by John Sniffen in blog | networking | News | Twitter - (0 Comments)

Third-party software developers became alarmed when Twitter engineer Alex Payne recently boasted on his blog about new features for the company’s website.

“If you had some of the nifty site features that we Twitter employees have, you might not want to use a desktop client,” Payne wrote, according to Mark Milian in “As Twitter improves website, app makers push tweets in other directions” on the Los Angeles Times technology blog.

Software makers fear that Twitter is trying to squeeze them out of the market, writes Milian, adding that Payne tried explaining his way out of the jam, saying that the tweaks are built on top of options Twitter already gave to developers.

Now past the point where Twitter’s developers had to spend most of their time and resources making the site reliable, investors are plentiful, revenue from search deals is flowing and Twitter is building upon its website, says Milian.

He advises that the future of third-party applications will be “where Twitter, the company, isn’t.”

The SSN take: It’s a free market. If you’re going to swim (or sink) with a whale, you have to pay attention to where it’s going.

John Sniffen, March 24, 2010

Note: This post not sponsored.

CatchFriday Argues For Social Media Outsourcing

As a busy CEO, do you find the time to tweet, blog, and update your Facebook status?

CatchFriday, a self-proclaimed “virtual personal assistant” service, argues that even if you do, it’s sporadic at best, and not the best use of your time. Their recent press release, “Why CEOs Are Better Off Outsourcing Social Media Tasks,” describes a CEO who, in neglect of social media persona, must focus on his other “important tasks in the workplace.” They continue to describe the ROI of outsourcing tweets and blogs, having a virtual assistant or copywriter create good content for your online presence.

Where, may I ask, is the marketing department? And if the persona of the individual CEO is valued, then genuine updates are important (see Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsiesh), not those from a hired copywriter. CatchFriday may have a use, but look within your company for a solution first.

The SSN Take: Social media relies on honest, open dialogue, so be wary of having others write as you or your brand.

Samuel Hartman, March 22, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.

Social Media Marketing Is Not Rocket Science

Newly released commandments to guide your adventure in social media marketing might prevent some backfires.

Search Engine Journal’s recent article “Do’s & Don’ts of Social Media Marketing” lists sixteen “rules” that can guide even a novice through the steps of laying out an effective social media marketing plan. Don’t let the number of rules intimidate you as they aren’t difficult nor do they require a doctorate in research sciences. They are straightforward and sometimes obvious steps to remind the user of often overlooked key points or strategies.

For example, number six in the rules points out that to be effective in social media, you need to be social. Though that seems obvious, there are many desktop surfers out there who would prefer to remain behind the keyboard and not interact, even virtually.

The SSN Take: Take time to read the rules; they will be beneficial to anyone whether they are starting out or have been down this road many times.

Melody K. Smith, March 18, 2010

Note: Post was not sponsored.

Social Networking News Of The Moment #3

March 16th, 2010 | Posted by Jessica Bratcher in blog | Facebook | Features - (0 Comments)

The social networking power of ONE is unbelievably BIG! Now that can be good… and it can be bad. But it is a fact.

Remember movie director Kevin Smith who was thrown off a Southwest Airlines flight for being too fat for the last seat on the plane? (He failed the ‘armrest test’ because, said the airline, he didn’t fit when both armrests were in their ‘locked and lowered’ position.) Well, he ranted on Twitter, the web, his blog, and his podcast… and at the peak of this attention, he reached an estimated 1.65 million followers and spawned 354 Google items. Admittedly, Kevin is a high profile guy. The response to the airline was so heavy (kind of like Kevin) that it reportedly briefly crashed the Southwest system.

So it was just as fitting that Southwest issued an apology on Twitter… which, by the way, was not accepted. Ah, the power of ONE at it’s nastiest.

It works both ways though. A San Antonio man was ‘taken’ by 88-year-old actress Betty White after watching her Super Bowl candy commercial—the one where she was tackled in the mud by a pro football player. It was a funny spot and seemed to highlight the star’s long and entertaining career. Well, the fan started a Facebook campaign to convince Saturday Night Live’s executive producer, Lorne Michaels, to ask her to host an upcoming show. The campaign attracted nearly half a million members.

The result? Betty White will host the May 8^th Mother’s Day show… and become the oldest ever to host SNL. Ah, the power of ONE at its best.

The Israeli military called off a planned raid on a West Bank village because one of its soldiers posted the information on his Facebook page, possibly ‘tipping’ the opposition, which uses Facebook too. (Doesn’t everyone?) Not only did Israel ‘unfriend’ the soldier, it court-martialed him. Ah, the power of ONE at its unsneakiest.

The social networking media is a powerful tool that can be used as a carrot and a stick, a hammer, a recommendation, an advisory or a tell-all. And yes, the “I’m taking a bath” messages have given way to even more ‘over-messaging.’ Just after the minister pronounced a Maryland couple husband and wife, the groom pulled out his phone, updated his Facebook page and tweeted, “Standing at the altar with @ (wife’s name) where just a second ago, she became my wife! Gotta go, time to kiss my bride.” Ah, the power of ONE at its stupidest.

One thing for sure: social media is a tool. Use it wisely and it will tweet… er, I mean, treat you well.

***

According to Harper’s Index:

Number of U.S. States that have banned texting while driving: 27

Number of these states that offer traffic updates via Twitter: 25

Hmmm.

***

My, how things have changed in 10 years. According to Wired Magazine:

Things That Are Too Slow

In 1999—mail, processors and modems

In 2009—e-mail, newspapers and DSL

Contents of a Business Plan

In 2002—sell stuff online, get venture capital funding, sell out to Microsoft

In 2009—get publicity via Twitter, ask parents for money, sell out to Google

Notice a trend here? (Oh, by the way, my spell checker, which is only four years old, does not recognize Google, Twitter (no, not like a bird), Facebook and podcast, to name a few.)

Jerry Constantino, March 16, 2010

Jerry Constantino was President and Publisher of PJS Publications, a group of 20 special interest magazines owned by VS&A Venture Capital and later, Primedia. He now writes fiction and blogs irrelevantly at itsnutsoutthere.blogspot.com.

Note: Post not sponsored.

National Steakhouse Is Socially Adept

March 16th, 2010 | Posted by Samuel Hartman in blog | Facebook | marketing | News - (0 Comments)

A quick look at Morton’s The Steakhouse Facebook page sets the theme for the company’s social media engagement: vast.

As “Morton’s Makes the Most of Social Media” discusses, the company takes a multi-pronged approach to social media, trying to keep it “organic and not make it too mechanical,” says their senior VP of marketing and communications. The interview highlights several excellent uses: a Burgers for Bloggers event, bringing in online food critics; “Tweet-ups” at various locations, allowing customers to review food mid-dine; and the company’s expansive Facebook page with user-contributed photos, reviews, and a host of featured events by the chain. Integral to their plan is bringing footage of all these fun events into YouTube, enticing potential diners to visit the restaurant.

Morton’s claims they were the “first high-end steakhouse company to dive in to social media,” and attributes the continued success of that to simply listening to their guests.

The SSN Take: Follow Morton’s example and integrate social media sites into your company’s new marketing plan.

Samuel Hartman, March 16, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.