This September, we joined leaders from the big agencies, broadcast media, and tech in celebrating the power of social. There were a lot of questions asked at #SMWChicago this fall: when will Facebook fall, what comes next, and how can we make social media work as hard as we do?
While we didn’t get all the answers we wished for, this fall’s industry conference on social—the largest in the country—was packed with powerful knowledge for brands. We start with an unlikely insight from the team behind scotch brand Laphroaig: Social is just another form of traditional media. It’s no longer separate from web, broadcast, print, or direct. There may be new players, but the primary focus is no longer on new technology. You can succeed being platform-specific or platform-agnostic. Successful campaigns are the ones that connect with audiences. It’s about the creative again, the big idea, the brand strategy. The game is the same as it’s always been, only tougher. Here are seven more ways to tip the odds in your favor.
Enjoy,
Russell Lord
Creative Director
“Like” It or Not: Kyra Kyles moderated a panel on ethical questions when it comes to the nuances of social media. To engage or not engage is a critical question in social media, especially as it pertains to controversial issues. If a response is appropriate, look for natural ways to engage with your customers without the possibility of alienating them. Stay true to your audience, brand values, and voice.
Guys Just Want to Have Fun: Girls may run the world according to Beyonce, but many businesses need to target their male audiences as well. Patrick Kopisckie and Greg Kirkorsky detailed the four keys to grabbing a man’s attention: humor, competition, visual elements, and sports. While adding all of these elements to one post might be overkill, creating content with two or more of these elements will boost engagement with male audiences.
Bored With Sweepstakes: If you don’t want consumers to be bored with contests, Nikki Halcomb and Kelley Whalen suggest you amuse them instead: offer a unique award, put a fun twist on the message, understand your brand and audience, keep it simple, and entertain to gain talk value. Plan ahead when thinking about sweepstakes or giveaways; timing is critical. Make sure there’s enough time to make memorable, valuable experiences for your customers.
Harnessing the Power of Video: The presumed goal of most branded videos is to go viral, but how do you accomplish that? Nancy Loo of WGN News, MJ Tam, and Beth Rosen looked back to the birth of YouTube to uncover the most overlooked quality of viral content – it’s genuinely helpful. Creating videos and delivering value to viewers should stay at the top of your list. Production quality, great use of sound, and adding focused value for influencers made the list as well.
Increasing Brand Loyalty: Eric Larson and Sara Kowel brought us back to the root of social media – the dictionary definition. At its core, social means interacting with people. Of course, in 2014 it includes using social media platforms as channels for human interaction. As the explosion of apps and platforms threatens to dictate how we interact, it’s essential to stay focused on the reason behind all the data and metrics: the people.
Cut the Crap: Making Content That Moves People: Mark Twain famously advised us to “eschew surplusage,” (get rid of anything unnecessary), but that’s easier said than done. It’s easy to get wrapped up in all the extras, in all the thoughts, the ideas, the nice-to-haves. A campaign cluttered with extras can conceal its most compelling asset—the one big idea that’s essential to customers. When your big idea needs to connect with an audience outside the conference room, it’s time to de-clutter and simplify the plan for engagement.
10x Innovation: At this closing keynote, Jennifer Wesley touted “innovation and imagination” that is less about competing with others and focused instead on achieving personal bests. In its 10x Division, Google works on solving huge problems with breakthrough technology and radical solutions. While we may not be in Google’s position of leadership for solving world problems, we should each “stand on the shoulders of giants,” inspired to be the best we can be.
Check out more highlights from #SMWChicago,Social Media Week / Highlights Part 01
Need to know more about branding, advertising, and how to leverage them for your business? We’re happy to talk.
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