I came home last night, casually turned on CNN and saw that Steve Jobs had died. I felt like a friend had passed. I never knew him. Was never gonna know him, but nonetheless…there it was living in the pit of my gut. I saw this video tribute today by Adweek that was both simple and brilliant. A take-off of the “Crazy Ones” commercial from Apple’s Think Different Campaign of the late 1990′s.
Nothing else to say, but this…
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
Sometimes I interview myself. Crazy, I know, but it does help me open new doors. It is a technique that I often use when writing strategy. So here are my thoughts on an emerging issue.
Is Social Media Important?
Answer: No, not by itself. It needs context. By this I mean, it needs to be compared to social media performances in the past months, and solid interpretation based on supporting facts. Otherwise, it is just noise with no storyline.
Is Social Media Important to Senior Management?
Answer: No, not in its present state. Most senior management meetings are concerned with the numbers: operational costs, retail sales numbers, budgets. These are real numbers that are trusted. Social media to these managers does not contribute to the decision making.
Could it?
Answer: Yes, but two things need to happen. Social media needs to make sense on its own; again being put into context; and that means trending and interpretation. Something like… “this is our volume of conversation on this issue last month, and this is the volume for this month. It is trending up, and here’s why, in our opinion”. Now, management has every right to quiz the presenter on the interpretation. So it better be based on logic. And if it makes sense, you’ll get nodding heads.
Second, the sales numbers need to be compared to the social media conversations. Are there correlations? Are there patterns. Can social media conversations predict sales performance. Does increased “meaningful” social media volume correlate to increased sales in a month or two?
How can that happen?
Answer: It is critical to first know what you are looking for and what you want. And most senior managers want social media to be reliable trending information that helps predict sales. You then build backwards from there.
And what is the final goal?
Answer: Data that looks accurately backward (retail numbers) compared with data that is current and looking forward (social media). And that provides a well-rounded, balanced view of performance and upcoming performance.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
Integration of social media information with retail sales information will be critical if a company wants a well-rounded view of both consumer buying and consumer conversation. And they are two different things.
Retail data records what consumers bought in the past month or the past quarter. This information looks backwards and these numbers are important to record what consumers bought. They are hard numbers and senior management depends on them to measure success of the product line and the brand.
However, social media is becoming more important because it records the here and now and what consumers would like to buy in the future.
What a customer review looks like now: “My new Brand X backpack rocks! Have had it for 3 weeks now and it has more pockets and is more comfortable than I imagined. Exceeded my expectations.”
What Twitter will look like in the future: ”Just saw one of those new Brand X backpacks. Gotta get one of those.”
The 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report says that integration is a major theme, moving from ninth most important in 2010 to second in 2011.
So, companies who combine the hard empirical retail data with the real-time consumer conversation data will get a more well-rounded view of what has happened and what is happening.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
by Hannah Birch
Protests and uprisings in countries including Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain have pushed social issues to the forefront of the world consciousness. Unlike similar movements in past decades, social media has come along for the ride.
During the so-called Arab Spring, Twitter went from being a service frequented by narcissistic 13-year-olds to a vehicle that connects people and communicates efforts for change. Saudi women protested the driving ban by posting videos of themselves driving in public. The Arab Spring itself has a Facebook page.
The recent riots in London have been organized largely through what is part social media and part text message. The BlackBerry Messenger messaging service, which seems to be the platform of choice for rioting Europeans, functions much like Twitter in its one-to-many capacity but is a more private alternative.
A new trend has emerged, though. Those interested in aiding cleanup efforts reacted to the trending #londonriots hashtag on Twitter and began circulating #riotcleanup instead.
The action gained momentum. The hashtag became a username in quick order and the @riotcleanup account now has nearly 82,000 followers from all over England. For social media, this represents another coming-of-age. It’s not just about making a mess to make a statement. It can be about cleaning up that mess as well.
To keep tabs on these initiatives in the social media sphere, follow @Riotcleanup on Twitter. And yes, in case you were wondering, @MahatmaGhandi is part of the Twittersphere, too.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
We are in the process of testing and introducing Version2 of Channel Signal. In reviewing that performance, which is very good and getting great, I was reminded about the amount of junk in social media.
It comes from Google AdWords advertising, content farms, affiliate marketing sites and from consumers talking to themselves about almost nothing and happening to mention a brand.
Let’s look at affiliate marketing sites. Google has created a whole economy around AdWords. Google makes money when people click on keyword-rich websites that show up higher in the search results. Advertisers pay them for that performance of being placed higher in the search.
And when a consumer clicks on a blog that leads to a site and the consumer buys from that site, that blogs get a piece of the action.
It’s a system that rewards junk.
And how much junk? Well, Channel Signal filters out about 95% to 97% of all daily post volumes. If these spam sites are not filtered, then measuring is skewed to the point of being worthless.
Are you measuring noise? If so, you are not measuring.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
Recently I have been reading and thinking about the obsession that technocrats have with performance and the quality of software platforms. Google with its disdain for salesmanship and obsession with functionality. Many other technical companies driven by engineers who believe that the more efficient and intuitive you make the information systems, the more people will use them. And the disregard for salesmanship, human networking and marketing. The point seems to be, “build it and they will come.” Seems like an artificial approach.
And then you have the new Toyota ad, which characterizes a young man who is worried about his parents because they each only have a few Facebook friends. He has 900 friends. And the camera cuts back and forth from the parents having a ball with real friends having real fun, and this lonely kid walking around the house worried about his parents’s social media standing. The real friends and the artificial friends.
And now comes many companies engaging in social media who judge their successes on converting people into customers and messengers, so they can sell more goods and services. Grow. Grow. Grow. They want to be “Friends” with you, and you be “Friends” with them. Consumers know that companies only want them to buy their stuff and have no intention of being real friends. Seems like artificial communication.
In a new article in MarketingProfs, Embrace Irrationality, the author, Jeremi Karnell, spells out the difference of human-centric marketing and the focus on customers in customer-centric marketing. The difference being that human-centric marketing approaches a customer as a whole human being, not just a consumer who buys stuff. This approach realizes that people like events and experiences. They want and need love, family and friends.
Consumer-centric marketing is captured by these three phrases, according to Karnell:
1. It views people as somewhat passive participants.
2. It measures success by how much merchandise a consumer moves.
3. Rising paradoxes have led consumers to seek more meaningful relations with brands.
This past decade has taken the wind out of the sails of the “spend now and worry about it later” mentality. 9-11. The Internet bubble. The real estate bubble. And the near collapse of the financial system have all contributed to people rethinking their priorities. Home, family, relationships, and experiences have taken center stage and it looks like those priorities will stay there for awhile.
But companies are not picking up on this. In social media companies want friends and followers. And why? So they will buy stuff and grow companies. And what do consumers want? A life.
So, why don’t outdoor companies start focusing on sponsoring events that improve lives by teaching new skills. Sponsor events that bring communities together. Or, participate in events that test the endurance of people who are new-found athletes.
Recently, I have been reading many blogs in Channel Signal about men and women who have lost weight, started training, and are now into running. Their excitement on completing their first 10k literally jumps off the page. Now, if a company can be a part of that experience in an authentic way, they have a customer…for life.
Don’t sell them stuff.
Sell them on themselves.
And that’s humanity.
And that is real.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
by Hannah Birch, Channel Signal Editor
Much has been said about the Web giant’s new social media suite, and the chatter is largely justified. After all, Google has been responsible for some considerable failures when it comes to ventures into the social sphere, including the Father’s Day faux pas and the spectacular flop that was Google Wave.
Recent developments could be changing that. Google+ was rolled out rather stealthily at the end of June and, as long as the user experience continues to improve, this first version is certainly a good start.
The core features of Google+, like the Stream and the notification system, will be familiar enough that Facebook users won’t sign onto the service only to be immersed by that unpleasant, “I’m-at-a-party-and-don’t-know-anyone feeling.” Google has also had the opportunity to observe, and ostensibly avoid, some of the mistakes made by Facebook.
From what I can tell, Google execs have made some very wise choices. Some of these are deceptively small, like being able to edit or delete a post from a mobile device. Being able to fix typos right from a phone is another thoughtful way to avoid embarrassment on the Web and one that Facebook is still lacking.
The interface fits in well with Google’s established aesthetic; Gmail users will notice consistencies in both the full browser and mobile versions of Google+. (An app is already available for most smartphones except Mac’s iOS devices, but it’s coming soon to these as well.) As a long-time Gmail user myself, the integration of my email into this larger social function was painless. The ample white space and sparse but effective use of color are Google hallmarks that persist in the new service.
Functionally, Google+ is intuitive enough to be inviting but innovative enough to be exciting. The Circles feature, where users can sort their contacts into groups like “family,” “friends” and “co-workers” (or custom groups named by the user), seems like a well-reasoned way to delineate spheres of sharing. This also makes Google+ contacts feel quite organized, as opposed to Facebook’s haphazard Lists system.
Sparks allows users to specify interests, then generates a content feed based on that input. The results are a bit sloppy in some cases, but the idea is interesting. For anyone out there addicted to Facebook’s “Like” button, Google+ has, appropriately, a “+1″ feature that functions the same way.
All in all, Google has gotten enough things right to make the company’s new social media hangout worth a look. And, owing largely to Google+’s integration with more “serious” services like Gmail and Google Calendar, the site has, dare I say it, a more professional and adult ambiance. Although the company has made no statement alleging competition with Facebook, it’s clear that Google+ could become a strong alternative.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
Recently, I have been in conversations with outdoor leaders about all sorts of aspects concerning new media. There are several points of which these discussions revolve, but the main point is “why search online?” Many company leaders are saying there is so much noise and not a lot of strong signals about their companies. Many are coming to the conclusion that it is a waste of time.
So here are the short answers.
Why search online?
1. Social Media is not Free. (You are paying for it, one way or the other.)
2. Social Media drives quality leads
3. Social Media is in constant flux.
Social Media is Not Free
Companies are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each year on social media. Salaries. Time. Platforms. Surprisingly, many of these companies are not aware of the expenses. It’s all somewhere in the marketing budget. But, it is being spent and it all adds up. Now, to get a return on investment you must measure your success. You can do this, by measuring the volume of conversations around your brand. By earning great customer reviews and having many outlets publish them. By getting grassroots support for your events and initiatives.
But, and this is key…you must know what you want to measure and then do it. Measuring everything, means measuring nothing.
Social Media Drives Quality Leads.
Many companies drive social media conversations and prospects to their web sites. And these can be full of quality leads. And it is here, at the website, that you can convert these consumer leads to messengers. And you better know what content and which channels supply these leads. If not, again, you are wasting your money.
Social Media is In Constant Flux
What is hot today may not be tomorrow. And you better know what is what. If you don’t, your company might make a mistake that could cost millions. Being a part of the online conversation means that you listen, and you don’t trudge forward like a dinosaur through the discourse. So, know what the topics are, understand what is “trending” and write and speak from the experience of listening and knowing.
All three of the above points can not be accomplished unless you measure, correct course, and measure again.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
I recently read this and apologize because I can’t find the attribution.
“ For the first time, literally, substantial and rapidly growing numbers of people have choices. For the first time they will have to manage themselves and society is totally unprepared for it.”
Boy, how true. People can now publish. Their thoughts. Their inner thoughts. Their rants. Their desires. Pictures of themselves. And man, are they getting themselves in trouble.
We are seeing other things with this new freedom to publish. The Egyptian uprising was organized via Twitter and Facebook. The two social platforms have also been huge organizational tools for the demonstrations in Syria, Tunisia and Libya.
People have also been using Twitter to break news, way before traditional media can even get a hint of the story. Natural disasters. Terrorist attacks. People who are on the scene become the first reporters.
And people publish about good service, bad service, bad products and good products. 99% of the rants, raves, and praises get no traction. Like a comment at a cocktail party, it floats into the air and goes away.
However, we must all remember that when you write your opinions on a social platform, you publish. Period. And your have lost control. Same goes for companies. When they publish, they lose control.
So, manage yourself. And ask yourself these questions. Is this comment the truth as I see it? Is it defendable? Do you have evidence?
When a comment takes on a life of its own, it grows from the comments of others. And those comments are often ill-informed and can take your comment somewhere you never intended.
To publish is a new responsibility. Be smart. Use it to your advantage.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
Hannah Birch is our new intern at Channel Signal. I’m picky about interns because we expect much from them. Hannah and I started talking about a year ago. I liked her blog, and her vision for herself. I liked her intelligence. Most of all I liked her work ethic. Here is her first blog entry for Channel Signal, and she takes on a big subject…the collaboration of Twitter and Apple. Here’s Hannah.
A small, blue bird landed on an apple. The bird sensed an opportunity. The apple, in Cupertino, California, responded in kind. A very big deal has been struck.
Steve Jobs recently announced at the Worldwide Developers Conference that Twitter capabilities will be extensively integrated into Apple’s new mobile operating system, iOS 5, which is rumored to be debuting in the fall. (Find Twitter’s announcement here.) There are several ramifications that go along with this.
First is ease of use. Instead of logging into different apps with separate accounts, Twitter credentials will be used on a single-sign-in basis. No more “click here to create an account with us” buttons on games or logging into an email account to share an article. It will all be under one blue, streamlined umbrella.
Second is the ability to tweet from just about anywhere on the phone. Safari, photo albums, contacts, Maps, Youtube, etc. will all be outfitted with options to tweet with a single click. This will make adding attachments to a tweet much more accessible, and Twitter’s development of its own photo-sharing service will only add to this aerodynamic feature.
Third is the sheer vibrance that tweets will likely acquire. Twitter streams could soon look like something akin to Facebook due to the richness of media, although there is still an opportunity for a fresh take on sharing. And, for better or worse, more noise in your stream is almost inevitable. (Can anyone say Farmville for Twitter?)
The Apple-Twitter partnership still has a few issues to address. Security, for instance, will probably be a concern as users share more personal information. The infamous 140-character limit could be a challenge, albeit a fun one, for tweeters that have more components to add to a single tweet. And, as much as Jobs touts the widespread use of iOS, there are still other users on different operating systems and platforms that may gravitate elsewhere.
Either way, Twitter has been handed a huge seal of approval by Apple. It will be interesting to see how consumers use the new Twitter, how Facebook evolves to keep up and how consumers respond to being surrounded by flocks of chirping birds.
Paul Kirwin, Founder and CEO of Channel Signal
