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PM Forum - Edinburgh
The power of conversation: Social media, responsibility & reputation
Ben Richards from Radley Yeldar began his presentation with an astounding fact: ‘If Facebook were a country, it would be the 6th most populated in the world, ahead of Japan, Russia, Nigeria and Brazil - over 300 million people are using the site.’ Facebook is part of the phenomenon that is social media. The term social media has also been referred to as ‘user generated content’ and ‘consumer generated media’ but, as Ben explains, ‘essentially it is having conversations online.’ Other examples of such conversations take place on a range of sites from Twitter and Skype to Linkedin and Justmeans. The medium has seen rapid growth with Twitter alone experiencing an increase of 1840% in new users since 2008.
The benefits of engaging in social media on a personal level are obvious; it can be used as another channel to communicate with friends, to tap into specific areas of interest or to simply voice an opinion. The benefits of engaging in social media for an organisation aren’t so clear, however Ben was able to outline some of these. It can provide businesses with an opportunity to engage with their consumers and enhance their reputation. Sainsbury’s do this very well with their online blog. They have opened up a space for food lovers to revel in, to share ideas and be inspired. They encourage their users to ‘tuck into the debate’. Starbucks have taken this to another level by introducing collaboration opportunities. Their ‘My Starbucks Idea’ website gives consumers the chance to express opinions on ways to improve the Starbucks experience and implements these ideas in their stores around the globe. Starbucks have harnessed the relationship with their consumers, making them feel appreciated and valued whilst improving their day-to-day business. Of course, most organisations don’t need to invest so heavily in this new medium, they can simply use it as an extension of their current communications mix. But what these examples illustrate is that there are no set rules for social media, we are currently writing the rulebook.
In Ben’s opinion the marketing potential of the web is best realised when it is used to build brands by experience. The web brand experience is driven by the consumer and not pushed down to the consumer. The web can be utilised to its full potential for a brand when the content is rich, diversified and engaging. These elements can create an emotional bond, which over time leads to trust and in today’s climate trust is more important to the consumer than ever.
Ben noted a couple of issues to be aware of when engaging in social media. It is important to have an open mind and know how to accept criticism. You must also understand that the beauty of the medium is that criticism can be viewed as an opportunity to interact with and change consumer’s attitudes towards your brand. Another issue to be aware of is that once you’re involved in the medium you have to be committed. In order to ensure it is being used effectively you should monitor your communication and its consistency at all times. Remember to make it relevant and appropriate, the activity you choose to take part in must make sense for the brand.
Whatever your thoughts or opinions are, social media has arrived and is growing at an unprecedented rate. The media landscape isn’t fixed; it is constantly changing and now is an exciting time to ride the social media wave alongside your consumers to shape a more creative and interesting platform for conversation.
Laura Ann Govan
Adam & Company
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