Tag Archives: media

Social Responsibility

by

0

While putting your brand on Facebook as a the Social Media representative for your organization is popular, another strategy is gaining ground. Using Facebook as a corporate social responsibility platform. That is, identifying a need (whether it be in the local community or on a global scale), and using Facebook as the platform to address that need.

How ethical is this?
You are using other peoples misfortunes to sell your product. Is that justifiable? As long as you are actually addressing the need earnestly and honestly, then yes. I have been involved in several campaigns that left a bad taste in my mouth. They were nothing but PR exercises where the community in need gained nothing. This was several years ago and it may have worked then, but society has grown savvy rather quickly and attempting this today will either fail or turn into a PR nightmare. Make sure that the spotlight is on the needs of the community and that the brand takes second place. This may not guarantee a successful campaign, but at least needs will have been addressed in the process, and people will remember that.

Longevity
How long can a campaign like this last? Indefinitely. There are many people in need. If you’ve successfully managed to address a need (eg. a blanket drive), there is nothing wrong with shifting focus to another need.

How do I know if I should be doing this?
This really depends on your goals and budget. If you just want to create brand awareness and you’re on a limited budget, then this might not be for you. If you have a budget (in other words, enough money to actually make a difference), and you want to create more talkability, then approach may be for you. I think this approach should work for all brands, but I personally would like to see this play out in the finance space. I believe that brands that are perceived as dull could get far more mileage out of this.

If you’re ready to change the world, you will find a community of people, both online and off, ready to stand behind you.

Three tips to get your brand started on Twitter

by

0

Many brands have decided to get on to Twitter, but most don’t really have a clue where to begin. Here are a few basic tips to get you started.

Tools

Start using a decent social media dashboard right from the start. It’s very easy to slip into the habit of using the standard Twitter interface, but you’ll be losing out on some powerful functionality. My personal favourite is Hootsuite, but there are several out there including Tweetdeck and Peoplebrowsr. These tools offer so many handy features like analytics, scheduled tweets, searches and multiple account management. I highly recommend getting into the habit of managing your brands social media using a tool. Using a tool will ensure that you never miss an opportunity to interact with potential clients.

Get out there

Right, so you’ve got your tool set up and ready to go. The next step is to get yourself out there. Begin by following accounts that are going to assist you with managing your brand. For example, if you run a store that sells sneakers, follow the major sneaker brand names. When they tweet about something, you can re-tweet (or even relate their information back to your brand). Make sure you do searches (Twazzup is great for this), follow people that are talking about your brand or areas that your brand works in. Try and participate actively in a few conversations (try to avoid hard selling, this will just annoy people). Tweet useful content. Tweet shareable content. Tweet re-tweetable content. For more on content creation, read my posts on ‘The Importance of Shareable Content’, ‘The Conversation Spark’, and finally ‘How to build a DCS profile’.

Love the people

When people follow you, follow them back. It’s courtesy. You may have heard that you need to have a higher follower to following ratio. That’s not true. The key metric is not the amount of followers. Your key metric on Twitter is engagement and follower quality. A great tool to measure this is The Archivist.

I hope that this post has given you some idea on how to get started. Develop good social media habits right from the start.

The Essence of a Game Mechanic

by

0

Believe it or not, I’ve been playing computer games for the last 30 years. I began as a small child, playing counting and spelling games on an 8-bit BBC Micro. I then graduated on to the XT PC computer, moving to a 286, 386, 486, Pentium I through to III and now finally I’m on the XBox 360 (I gave up on PC gaming just because I’m tired of constantly having to splash out on hardware). Why do I play games? Because the essence of the game mechanic fascinates me. I want to discover the art of engaging gameplay.

I’ve long wanted to design a game that can be enjoyed by mobile users on low-end phones. This is Africa after all. I’ve been toying with the idea of a text-based adventure and I’ve even developed a simple game engine in Python. Would your average South African cellphone user participate in a text-based adventure on their phones?

I believe that gameplay that has users coming back time and time again has nothing to do with graphics, sound, or motion capture. Truly brilliant gameplay is based on simple mechanics. Take Angry Birds for instance. Worldwide success. Why? The gameplay mechanic was incredibly simple. This kind of easy to slip into game is the kind that every indie game designer aspires to create.

The problem is that I’ve seen so much budget being blown on graphic design for social based games and almost zero budget being used to create awesome gameplay. The irony is that developing a great gameplay concept means that you will save money on design because you need less elements and will need to rely less heavily on graphics and will probably end up with a far more successful game.

Social gaming is the way of the future. Getting the population to participate in a game en masse, share their accomplishments, and challenge each other is part of what makes social gaming great. The other part is gameplay. You  cannot rely on graphics, sound or a brand name to drive interaction. You need to create a polished set of gameplay rules to ensure that your end user is engaged.

So how do you build these rules? Firstly, begin by defining the resources you’re going to be using to build your game. The amount of resources will determine the genre of your game. Don’t attempt to develop games that are outside the scope of your teams specialities. For instance, if you don’t have any writers on your team, avoid story-based games. If your developers don’t know anything about physics, avoid physics-based games.

Once you’ve determined your game genre, you need to come with the game concept. This is usually a one liner that describes the gist of your game. An example would be : In Asteroids you pilot a spacecraft armed with lasers that allow you to blow big rocks into smaller pieces while using your thrusters to avoid them. This might seem like an unwieldy sentence, but it serves its purpose. We have just described the Asteroids game fairly accurately.

Next you will need to determine how your player will stay engaged with your game. This usually means defining several important mechanics. Firstly, the difficulty factor. What will make the game increasingly challenging. Secondly, the take out factor:  What will your player get out of the game?
Is it an adrenaline rush?
Is it a good story?
Is it helpful information (edutainment)?
Is it the satisfaction of successful resource management (RTS)?
Is it bragging rights?
These are important questions to ask. If your user gets zero benefit from your game, he/she probably won’t keep playing it. In the case of Asteroids, it’s the adrenaline rush and the high score bragging rights.

Along with engagement piece, you will need to determine the mechanics for several smaller (yet extremely important aspects of the game). The questions you need to ask are :
How does the scoring system work?
What kind of control system will the game use? (Keep in mind that there are a number of touch devices out on the market, keep this in mind)
How will the user acquire the game? (Is it a mobile app? Is it a native application? Is it a web based game?)
How will the user share the game with others? (Facebook functionality?)

These are just some things to think about to get you started on your first game. Make sure to document your game idea extensively. It is important to think about every single aspect of the game before you even begin development. Having a decent game design document will make sure that your budget is realistic and that you and/or your client have realistic expectations.

Just remember, in the land of the limited budget, gameplay comes first.

Social Media Campaigns

by

0

A seperate Facebook page for every campaign?

Social Media Campaigns. I shudder at the term. So many agencies are taking the campaign-based approach to social media. In other words, we’re launching a new product, let’s create a Facebook page! Three months later when the launch is over, the Facebook fans are left high and dry.

Campaign-based social media is a stupid strategy for one very important reason :

Social litter

Some companies have profiles all over Facebook and Twitter, most of them stagnant. Not only does this make the brands actual page difficult to find, it also leaves fans disenchanted. If your digital agency is suggesting that you create a new fan page for every launch, then maybe it’s time to get a new agency. Social media should always be approached with a long term view. It’s fine to launch with a campaign, but make sure you have budget to keep that page alive for the next campaign (and the one after that too). Make sure you’re creating content that will live beyond your 3 month launch and into the future. Make sure you give your page an appropriate name. Naming it after one of your products is a huge mistake. Using your company name is a little better. Naming it after a common social interest is golden (but I’ll talk about that in another post). My point is, social media, think long-term.

One of the problems that I currently face is that several clients have had their social media strategies run by agencies that don’t know what they’re doing. There are fan pages for every campaign and every product. The fan base is spread thin, there are not enough resources to manage these pages and the client has only one solution : consolidate! Not a bad idea, but most of these clients are running from one extreme to the other. Having too many pages to not having enough. Instead of splitting your pages up by campaign, try splitting them up by target market. If you’re selling toothbrushes, one page is fine. But if you’re selling deodorant for both men and women, then you need two pages. One for men, one for women. Why? Because men and women are different (obviously). To try and consolidate two different tones on to one page is suicide. You’re going to lose both audiences (and make your community manager cry).

To summarize :

1. Social media is a long term investment. Your profile must live beyond your launch campaign.

2. Don’t litter the web with useless profiles, have a strategy, understand your audience.

3. Be intelligent about the number of pages you need. Think about your target market and create pages accordingly.

4. If anyone ever mentions a Facebook page for a single campaign, spit on them.

Be kind to your Facebook fans

by

0

I was doing some general Facebook surfing the other day and I came across the Facebook page for one of America’s premiere coffee creamers. The content was really well thought out. There was a good mix of links and anecdotal updates. A little bit of product info here and there to keep the consumer up to date and a lot of UGC (user generated content).

But then my heart froze. As I went more carefully through the page, I noticed that the community manager had not responded to ANY of the fans posts. None whatsoever. There really is no excuse for this. The reason that fans comment on a page is so that they will be acknowledged and engaged with. They want to feel that the brand they love, loves them back. If you don’t have a response, simply clicking the ‘like’ button on their contribution is enough.

I realize that at the end of the day, a Facebook page is about moving products off of shelves. So if you don’t respond to a consumer here and there, who really cares? Well, that person does. If you’re too lazy to respond to a consumer that’s posted on your page, you’re probably also too lazy to research your community. You may never discover that the people you’re ignoring are your brand ambassadors, consumers who are vocal and are willing to spread the word. But sure, go ahead, ignore them.

The other argument is simply one of manners. If somebody speaks to you, be polite and acknowledge them.

To summarize, social media is about conversation. So make sure you’re having those conversations, otherwise, save your money and splash out on a few banner ads instead.

Pinterest, the next big thing?

by

2

I’ve been meaning to get on to Pinterest for quite some time. Something would always come up to hamper my efforts to ‘pin’ things to other things. Last week I put my entire life on hold and registered.

Pinterest made me feel stupid. As I sat staring at my blank boards, I wondered, “What is this for?”

I couldn’t think of one situation where I’d use Pinterest. Not one. I tried pinning a few things, but alas, no use became apparent. My best guess is that Pinterest is supposed to act as a place to stick things that inspire you. Or maybe it’s a place that you stick pictures of pretty things. Either way, I’m never going to use it.

Which is why I feel stupid. Everyone else seems to be using it just fine. What is wrong with me? Why can’t I figure out what it’s for? Why do those blank little boards mock me? “Pin things to us. We dare you.”

I set out on a mission to try and prove that there is in fact nothing wrong with me. My first solution was a relatively simple one :

I am not inspired visually.

Most of my thoughts and ideas come to me in the form of words. I never look for inspiring images on the internet. I pursue the written word as my source of inspiration. Fair enough.

But then I read that 80% of Pinterest users are female. I quickly checked and saw that almost all of my followers on Pinterest are female. I realised that the reason that I struggle with Pinterest might have something to do with my male brain. I’ve noticed that girls are more likely to notice ‘pretty’ things when browsing sites. Pinterest caters to this quite nicely. Keep the ‘pretty’ picture forever on a handy board. Men, on the other hand, are very rarely attracted to pictures of furniture, shoes, etc.

So why is Pinterest not that popular among men? Simple. It’s difficult to meet girls on it.

Maybe I’m cynical, but the only reason that Facebook has a male demographic at all is because there are women on it. I’ve confirmed this with several male friends. “I go on to check relationship statuses.”

There is a big hoo-ha right now about how Pinterest is the next big thing. Until it begins appealing more to the male demographic, I highly doubt it.

The Importance of Shareable Content

by

1

How do you grow your Facebook fan base if you’ve got no budget for advertising? The key ingredient is content. Not just any content, highly shareable content. Highly shareable content is the image or link that a user feels compelled to share with his/her friends and family. Once the link begins doing its rounds on Facebook, it will ultimately be linked back to your page which guarantees you an increase in views and fans.

But how do I know what will go ‘viral’?
Firstly, you need to take into consideration who your fans are. Go back and have a look at previous status updates. See what has gained the most likes and do more of that. If you’ve tried humour and it’s worked, then maybe it’s time to put up a meme-based image and see how it does. Chances are, it might go viral. If you’ve gotten good views on lifestyle content, post more of that. You will find that most users respond the best to images. Images can quickly convey information and can be shared on multiple platforms with little effort. In a country with an emerging economy (like South Africa), it is a good idea to avoid posting videos. Most users are conscious of bandwidth costs and will avoid downloading anything that will cut into their valuable airtime.
So I just need to find a funny picture?
If only it were that simple. Not only do you need to be in tune with what your community is demanding, but you will also need to be in tune with what is currently happening in the world around you. Posting random pictures out of context may not be the best idea. Make sure that your posts are topical (if it’s a meme, make sure it’s current). Also make sure that you post at times when you’re going to get high traffic. This is usually early morning and mid-afternoon. To be safe, you can go through old posts  and see what kind of engagement you got at what times of the day.
So to summarize, here are the key ingredients you need for shareable content to work :
1. A deep understanding of your fans and what they like
2. A relevant piece of content that fits within the context of the community and what’s happening in the world
3. Good timing
You might not be successful the first time, but keep experimenting. Every community has a sweet spot.

XBOX Live, a quick case study

by

1

I’m always on the look out for Facebook pages or platforms that are getting Social Media right. One of my favorite platforms is XBox Live. Microsoft has put a lot of energy and thought into this platform and it shows. What I find fascinating is that the underlying strategies for this platform fit so neatly into tried and tested social media methodologies.

What is it?
XBox Live, as the name might suggest, is a platform for gamers using the Xbox console. The platform allows you to create a profile which in turn gives you access to exclusive content, chat and e-mail services, an on-line store and a host of other benefits (including frequent console updates).

What do you need?
In order to use the platform you need an Xbox. Sound obvious? It is. Xbox live is not designed to sell more Xbox consoles. It’s designed to keep existing owners playing on their Xbox systems in the face of stiff competition. This is a very solid principle and the reality is that more brands should adopt this way of thinking. Your Facebook page is not there to sell more of your product, it’s there as a value add to your existing customers. Start building your strategy around adding value to existing customers instead of trying to get new ones.

What does it offer?
XBox offers you access to exclusive content, including games, latest news, demos, trailer videos and access to social tools like e-mail, chat, Facebook and Twitter. All-in-all, it’s a great value add for any gamer. Ask yourself, what value is my customer getting out of my platform? Am I giving him/her access to exclusive deals? Am I providing useful content that is assisting them? If the answer is no, you may want to re-think your social media strategy.

Does it connect people?
XBox Live is unique in that it can connect gamers to play games with each other. It’s a great way to interact with friends and to make new ones. It’s not always possible to get people talking to each other on a platform, but the real question is, are people interacting at all? If people are not liking, sharing or re-tweeting your content, is it really valuable? The great thing about SM is that the response is immediate. If your fans don’t like what you’re doing, they’ll ignore you or at the very worst, unfollow you. Each status update should be a thermometer for the health of your community. If you’re getting no reaction, you may be doing something wrong.

XBox Live has a lot going for it and it’s great platform to measure yours against. Just applying some of these principles will make a difference.

Two Terrible Approaches To Social Media

by

0

I’ve seen some pretty interesting approaches to social media over the last few years. Today I want to look at two of the most common errors and why they don’t going to work. People have a tendency to take workflows out of the industry they come from and try to apply them to social media. It’s a little scary how little thought is put into this medium.

1. Publishing
Treating SM platforms like publishing platforms is a common mistake. After all, you’re producing content for the masses right? They’re reading and consuming the written word, albeit in smaller doses. So that means that all the standards of the magazine industry apply. Content pillars and themes, tons of preparation, research for every article and rigid guidelines to help the team through their daily writing chores.

This doesn’t work for one very important reason : control. Unfortunately (for the ex magazine editor), social media is not just about producing top notch content. It’s about conversations. It’s about providing content that suits the community at that very moment. That means it’s incredibly contextual and relevant. It also means that while you can have loose guidelines, you will want to try and keep your content as agile as possible. You must be able to change your theme for the day with a moments notice. The benefit of using live web platforms is that your feedback is immediate, which means your content strategies can be dynamic. They can grow and change with your community. This boils down to letting go of control. For the most part, your community will dictate.

2. Web
The other side of the coin is the web developer. The web developer sees the platform as just another web site. So the concentration is on unique page views, likes, followers and interactions. It’s all a numbers game. Media will be a huge driving force to growing the community, content will be secondary.

The issue here is obvious. Once again we are ignoring the human factor. While likes and follows are great metrics to show the client, they have very little to do with the overall health of a community. It’s like growing the population of a small country. Is it sustainable? Is the community happy? Are you bolstering your community drop offs with more media to fill the gaps? Numbers are not enough. You need to be checking your communities sentiment with regular polls. Are they keen to participate? What’s the interaction like? What are the concerns? Do you have any influencers?

The best approach is of course a happy medium between the two. Yes, content is king, but keep it dynamic. Yes, numbers are important, but you’re dealing with human beings. Just because you’re in marketing, doesn’t mean you don’t have to care.

The Conversation Spark

by

1

A lot of brands are still unsure of what to do with social media. In the beginning, platforms were used predominantly for product push. It didn’t take long for community managers to realize that people weren’t interested in seeing endless product blurbs in their social media streams. Content was either ignored, or the brand was unliked or unfollowed. Community managers started using the platform for general conversation instead. Content pillars were developed which supported the brand, but did not do direct product push.

Some brands have adopted this approach with open arms, while others have stuck to doing pure product push to get their message out there. As with most things in life, the happy medium is somewhere in the middle. Am I suggesting that brands intersperse useful content with product information? No. What I am suggesting is a new approach to dispensing product information.

When you enter a store, does the salesman leap out at you with his arms full of product? Generally, you are left to browse by yourself. A salesman will approach when he has noticed you taking an interest in something. Usually he will begin with, “Can I help you with that?”

How do we take this approach to on-line? The difficulty is that we cannot really see what our readers are looking at on our page (unless they click, comment or like). So how do we know what they’re interested in? We put out bait. We ask a question.

For example, if you are a brand that specializes in dive equipment, you could ask your community what their favourite part about diving is. Based on your responses, you could then suggest products to enhance the experience or make it safer. If you were an insurance brand, you could ask your community what they value the most. People might say friends or family, but some may talk about material possessions. You can remark on the value of friends and value, but you could also take the opportunity to talk about how to insure those valuable material possessions. You’ve successfully given your brand a personal touch as well as subtly talking about the products you offer.

Monitoring the conversations on your page is important. Participating in them in a constructive, non-threatening way is even more important. People will tolerate you marketing to them in their personal, social media space only if they’ve invited you through conversation. Keep this in mind. The fact that the user has liked your page is not a right, but a privilege. Treat it as such.

Don’t forget to have your brand’s persona all set up before you start these conversations!