Archive for the ‘Social Media Marketing’ Category
Technology Marketing: Is Your B2B Social Media Strategy Sending Mixed Signals?
Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 January 2012 05:16 Written by Ashley Zeckman Tuesday, 10 January 2012 05:16
Is your social media strategy sending your customers mixed signals?
As a B2B organization with a focus on technology, you may believe that you are facing additional obstacles that your B2C counterparts are not.
Many of you have tried to implement social media in the past without much success. However, you may still believe that B2C companies have it easier because they have a direct line to their consumers. The good news is, you do too! In fact, 58% of IT buyers use social media to make tech buying decisions.
Getting in front of the proper decision makers and influencers when selling SaaS, IT, or any other technology is not as hard as you may think. It is imperative that you follow a series of social media best practices directed at finding, engaging, and motivating your social network to take action.
Developing Social Media Personas
The first rule of social media for technology companies is to know your customers. How can you connect with your customers if you don’t know who they are? Well developed personas will help you answer a variety of questions about your customers including:
- Where they spend time online
- How they interact on social chanels
- What type of information they share most frequently
- What motivates them to interact, buy and refer
Establish A Voice & Stick With It
The growing pains associated with implementing a social media strategy often include finding a defined voice and direction for your brand. While you may be working with an internal or outsourced team to execute your social media strategy, you must find consistency. A good first step is to sit down with your team and discuss your company mission, goals, offering, and pain points of your customers to determine how information should be presented. Then take some time to research your top 5 competitors and see what type of interaction and success they are having with their campaigns.
Confusing Content Kills Network Growth
While there is nothing wrong with providing a variety of information on your business profiles it is key that you remain consistent. If you are targeting CFO’s responsible for technology purchases at large organizations, it is important that the content provided is helpful, informational, and aimed at solving their business problems. It can get tricky when you are targeting multiple decision makers and influencers like the buying groups often associated with B2B purchases, so be mindful of exactly who your audience is and what type of content and context will have the desired impact.
Facts Tell & Stories Sell
When selling a complex solution or service, sharing stories about customers that you have helped can be of enormous value. It’s true that your typical CFO or purchasing manager will be very mindful of the ROI associated with purchasing your product. But do not underestimate the power of a well written client case study or testimonial. A client story will add validity to your message, which is of enormous value when marketing via social media. Keep in mind that you are asking for an investment, and in order to gain the trust of that customer you may need to provide additional information that builds trust.
If you have a more traditional marketing background try to remember that many of the same basic marketing principles apply to social media marketing. It is extremely valuable to research your customers, find consistency in branding, create cohesive content, and share meaningful customer stories.
If you are just beginning to develop an online marketing strategy or are a social media networking professional I would recommend running a social media audit of your existing social media marketing program and incorporating the tactics included in this post. Not sure where to start? You can always contact the team at TopRank for additional information on what is involved and where to begin.
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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. |
Technology Marketing: Is Your B2B Social Media Strategy Sending Mixed Signals? | http://www.toprankblog.com
Tags: Social Media | Posted under Marketing With Twitter, News, Social Media Marketing | No Comments
Social Media Helps Small Business Boost Sales, Keep Customers
Last Updated on Wednesday, 4 January 2012 11:59 Written by Lee Odden Wednesday, 4 January 2012 11:59
The business press is full of stories about how small companies are using social channels to attract and engage customers. But while there are plenty of individual success stories, the confidence in what to do specifically is not always clear for small business owners that are strapped for time and online marketing resources.
I was talking with a small business owner recently who was lamenting not updating his website and also that his competition was showing up “all over the place” online. The nature of his product requires some education and an effort to dispell common mis-perceptions. The rapid advancements in technology of his particular product category are not very well known amongst his target consumer market. But there’s a substantial amount of search volume and interest in the solutions his product provides. He’s also a small business with limited time and budget.
To me, this was a classic opportunity for the power of persuasion through storytelling.
My tip for him was to start a blog that answered the most common questions prospects and customers ask. And to do so in a compelling way that his competitors were not: with video, images and text. Each new blog post would be another potential entry point to his website via Google and social networks where people share links. With 1 post a week, he’d have 52 more pages and videos on his website in a year, each offering interesting, useful content that could position himself above competitors. Along the way, he’d be able to gather insight from web analytics, social shares, comments and interactions with the blog posts to refine message effectiveness.
A few key questions to start with his blog content plan:
- Why do current customers buy your product? This can come from sales people and/or the business owner.
- What are the mis-perceptions & objections? Document the things that are education opportunities.
- What type of information helps them change perception? What are the tipping points from skepticism to confidence? Is it demonstration, 3rd party data, credibility of the company, word of mouth?
- Where do prospects look for information on this solution? Talk to sales people, look at website stats and any logged information about lead sources.
By answering these fundamental questions, this small business owner can create a blog content plan that specifically addresses the questions, concerns and triggers that will influence prospects to trust, buy and refer. Understanding the key features of the product most relevant to the target customer as well as prospect tendencies towards finding a solution of this type can literally translate into topics for him to write or talk about on the blog.
Those topics can be run through Google AdWords Keyword Tool to identify the keyword phrases that people are searching for most often. Relevant search phrases can inspire blog post and YouTube video titles, categories, descriptions and tags.
Some basic next steps might include:
- Set up a WordPress Blog, template and hosting (Genesis, StudioPress & Synthesis make this a no-brainer). Plan to write one blog post or publish/upload 1 video per week (2-3 minutes) that answers a key question prospects and customers ask. The video can be captured using an iPhone or other smartphone and iMovie can be used for editing. If you’re on PC, you can use Windows Movie Maker to edit the video. For people not comfortable just talking to a camera, have an employee ask the question(s) and answer them while being captured on video.
- Create a YouTube Channel and start connecting with other channels and video publishers on relevant topics, 5-10 min a day. After uploading a video, embed on the blog, and share on existing social channels like Twitter and Facebook as well as through email to existing customers or opt-in prospect list. Ashley posted some great examples of SMB Twitter promotion yesterday. When embedding the video on the blog, write a description of what is talked about in the video so search engines can make it easy for people to find.
The initial focus for a basic video and photo blog should be on getting used to the habit of creating useful content on a regular basis. I know many readers might be thinking that more substantial SEO and social media tactics should be setup as well, but without good content, social networking and optimization won’t work to convert prospects to customers anyway. Time is usually limited for small businesses, so getting a small base of content built is a great starting point.
Creating a cycle of listening for questions, answering them through content and refinement can go a very long way for small business content marketing. Once things are setup, 20-30 minutes per day can be spent interacting with blog comments and social networks. Establishing a feedback loop means you’ll always have ideas to blog or talk about. It also means you’re connecting with real people, interacting with them and providing something of value that they can share and act on.
In time other promotion channels can be added starting with Facebook, Twitter and Google+ as well as SEO best practices with more specific keyword research and link building. If the initial customer research identifies Twitter as a substantial opportunity, a Twitter Marketing strategy might be involved at the same time the blog and YouTube channel are created. The reason I’m keeping these suggestions simple and basic is that I know how much small business owners can get overwhelmed. As needs grow, outside online marketing consultants or training can always be used to speed things up.
What else? An email newsletter that re-purposes blog content and the Q/A that happens on Facebook, the blog and Twitter can be delivered to existing customers. Viewing every channel of participation as an opportunity to interact and share will help grow networks, trust and credibility as the “go to source” for the product category being promoted. It’s important to create value, but also to not lose sight that this is business. Don’t be afraid to suggest solutions or promote offers. Just do so in a relevant way.
Finally, make sure web analytics (Google Analytics is free) and basic social media monitoring (Trackur starts at $18/mo, search.twitter.com is free) are set up to assess how people are finding and interacting with blog content. Watch for trends in network growth like fans, friends and followers but especially with quality of interaction through comments, likes, shares and the effect on blog/website traffic that drives inquiries and sales.
For a lot of small business owners not used to online marketing, SEO or social media, these suggestions might be out of their comfort zone. But with the way consumer behaviors are changing and increased competition, getting out of the comfort zone and into a place where direct customer interactions drive content and inspire business outcomes is an essential investment.
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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. |
Social Media Helps Small Business Boost Sales, Keep Customers | http://www.toprankblog.com
Tags: seo, Social Media | Posted under News, Social Media Marketing | No Comments
4 B2C Examples of How Companies are Using Twitter to Attract & Engage Customers
Last Updated on Tuesday, 3 January 2012 05:36 Written by Ashley Zeckman Tuesday, 3 January 2012 05:36
If you are a B2C company, interaction on a social platform like Twitter can increase engagement and even sales if executed properly. Small businesses like Tender boutique in Birmingham, Michigan have promoted special offers on Twitter and sold out in just a few days.
Social interaction via platforms like Twitter allow companies to gain a true understanding of their prospect base and serve as a real-time source of market research.
Customer engagement is a key benefit of executing a B2C Twitter marketing strategy. A recent survey by Chadwick Martin Bailey found 67% of Twitter users are more likely to buy from or recommend a brand they follow. Twitter is also a great resource for crowdsourcing new ideas, getting feedback on current products or campaigns, and figuring out what it is that your customers really want.
Still not convinced that Twitter has potential for impacting your business? The four examples included below provide insight into how other B2C businesses both small and large have used Twitter to attract and engage new customers.
San Francisco’s Creme Brulee Man
Photo from @cremebruleecart
Curtis Kimball began selling crème brûlée from a food cart in the Mission District of San Francisco in 2009. At the time, the crème brûlée cart was not licensed, so his only way of communicating with potential customers was through the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. After only a few years, The Creme Brulee Man has over 20,000 followers on Twitter alone. Curtis still uses his Twitter account as a means of letting consumers know where he will be on a daily basis. What started as a small meager cart has now become thriving catering and food cart business in the heart of San Francisco, largely due to one man’s innovative use of Twitter.
JetBlue Tackles Issues via Twitter
Photo from @JetBlue
JetBlue Airways has taken a customer focused approach to Twitter since first signing up in 2007. The airline company is focused on solving customer issues, providing flight information for concerned passengers, and receiving feedback. The flow of communication almost reminds you of talking to an actual employee at the ticket counter. JetBlue will do everything from looking up your flight number, to providing refunds or credits via the communication on their Twitter account. With over 1.6 million followers JetBlue is keeping customers happy and encouraging interaction.
Frozen Yogurt with a Twist
Photo from @tastidlite
Tennessee based frozen yogurt company Tasti D-Lite has been in business since 1987. Recently, the frozen yogurt company has taken social innovation to a new level. In addition to an active blog and social networks the company has created a loyalty program that is linked to customers’ social profiles. A swipe of the card in-store can create a check-in, Tweet and Facebook status update. A recent article in Entrepreneur magazine said that Tasti-D-Lite has found 1 in 5 TastiRewards members are generating connections to at least one social network, and 18% of those are generating automatic check-ins on foursquare.
Sharpie Attracts a Younger Generation
Photo from @sharpie
Sharpie recently ran a campaign to attract teenagers via their Twitter network. The campaign was aimed at self expression through creativity using the product. Through a combination of promoted Twitter accounts and a tweet campaign targeted at users with interests in music and writing, Sharpie was able to increase their follower base 600%. Users also began using the hashtag #Sharpie which reflected positive brand association with conversations about creativity.
These four B2C companies are only a fraction of the consumer focused businesses online who are seeing an impact on customer acquisition and engagement through the use of social media sites like Twitter. As you can see there is a common theme of: listening to the customers, providing information customers need, and rewarding customers for their loyalty.
What B2C companies do you think have done a good job of engaging their followers? Which companies do you follow? Are you following @toprank on Twitter? You should!
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© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. |
4 B2C Examples of How Companies are Using Twitter to Attract & Engage Customers | http://www.toprankblog.com
Tags: Social Media | Posted under Microblogging, News, Social Media Marketing | No Comments
Social Media ROI as Return on Influence #Optimize
Last Updated on Wednesday, 14 December 2011 07:07 Written by Lee Odden Wednesday, 14 December 2011 07:07
While the topic of return on investment with social media participation seems to polarize many marketing, advertising, and public relations pundits, there are a growing number of companies and agencies that are implementing social media marketing and analysis efforts to answer the question firsthand.
We’ve all read about or seen favorite examples going back to Dell Outlet selling a few million dollars worth of discounted computer equipment through Twitter, to Blendtec selling more blenders because of its YouTube videos showing what happens when a Blendtec meets an iPhone, or a rake. Of course, there’s also the famed Old Spice example of selling more body wash because of Isaiah Mustafa on a horse on a beach.
It’s About the Customers
Besides those very viral and frequently shared social media ROI examples, there are also marketers that realize that it’s not always about selling widgets on Facebook or YouTube. It’s about the connections they make with customers being instrumental for recommendations and serving as inspiration to buy. It might not mean purchasing at the moment of social media interaction, but at some point in the future as the customer navigates the search, social, and mobile web.
It’s About Relationships
The value companies can get from investment in social media is directly tied to the relationships they build with customers and a relevant community. If a business wants to sell more widgets through Twitter, they could certainly achieve that goal providing they understand what information and experiences trigger those purchases and respond with an appropriate customer engagement plan. Whether Twitter is the sales channel or simply a proxy to the sales experience depends on the customers – not the brand’s objective of selling widgets on Twitter.
ROI is Also About Cost Savings
Sometimes realizing measurable business value from social media investment is a matter of creating efficiencies as some companies have by developing internal social network platforms that result in more effective collaboration and operational effectiveness. Those efficiencies often translate into better, faster, and more useful information for customers that result in cost savings or even more sales.
Measure What Matters
The better connections brands have with consumers, the more likely those consumers will be positively inclined to buy. Many social media ROI models are based on a direct marketing approach with an offer and response approach. The problem is that companies are chasing after a platform where relevant customers might be vs. understanding how to influence those customers through a social experience. The ROI from social media investment doesn’t have to come from direct sales through social networks, but that’s exactly how most companies evaluate.
It’s About Inspiration and Influence
A lot of productive social media marketing efforts are more likely to influence business outcomes than be the channel where those outcomes occur. Public and media relations, for example, isn’t that different. Positive media coverage creates awareness and inspires search or discovery of the brand and the sale occurs on the company website. Social experiences can provide brand-advertising benefits and inspire consumers to buy sooner, more quantity, or more often, as well as to choose one brand vs. another. What company wouldn’t want to sell more products, more often, more quickly?
Here are a few interesting data points and examples that suggest a correlation between social engagement and consumer buying behavior:
- eMarketer - Over 50 percent of Twitter followers are more likely to purchase from brands they follow.
- USA Today - Coca-Cola Facebook fans are two times as likely to consume product and 10 times more likely to purchase than non-fans, according to Wendy Clark, senior vice president of integrated marketing.
- Yahoo - Brands who sponsored content with social features increased purchase intent by 13 percent.
- Mashable - “Following Brands on Twitter Increases Purchase Intent.” A study by Constant Contact and research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey reports that 60 percent of brand followers are more likely to recommend a brand to a friend after following the brand on Twitter, and 50 percent of brand followers are more likely to buy from that brand.
The missing piece to many assessments of what value social media participation provides is that most marketers are chasing popular platforms with their own interpretation of what will motivate customers to buy. What they should be doing is understanding customer preferences and optimizing for the kinds of social experiences that will not only inspire purchase, but social sharing, advocacy, and loyalty. Social media is a communications platform that can help businesses serve customer needs across the lifecycle, not just at the top of the sales funnel. Understand that and an entirely new opportunity is revealed.
This post originally appeared in my Social Media Smarts column on ClickZ.
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© Online Marketing Blog, 2011. |
Social Media ROI as Return on Influence #Optimize | http://www.toprankblog.com
Tags: Social Media | Posted under News, Social Media Marketing | No Comments