In a previous blog post covering the basics of social media, I discussed a few major goals of social media (Creating community through two-way communication, creating and providing the opportunity for content that can be shared, responded to and evaluated, and finally, being personalized/customized). To better explain these goals, I decided to profile an organization that has dived in head first –pardon the pun – the U.S. NAVY. For full disclosure, I am a proud NAVY sister, and I have found the branch’s use of social media beneficial for keeping connected to my brother, as well as to other military families who “get it.”

The branch has embraced social media with open arms by maintaining accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and iTunes (featuring news in the form of podcasts and video podcasts). As of 1/15/10, the NAVY listed over 200 official social media sites . Additionally the NAVY sponsors their own social network for Moms on Ning. This allows those serving to connect and stay up-to-date, utilizing any of the available social media platforms. The NAVY’s CIO acknowledged that social media can be used to “build trust and collaboration, both within and outside the organization.”. On Twitter, there are several Navy-related accounts including: @NavyNews, @flynavy, and @PacificFleet (a comprehensive list is available on GovTwit, the Government Twitter directory). The NAVY Twitter accounts serve as a great source for military information (and a sense of everyday life), especially since, unlike the official traditional military media outlets, tweets are informal and written in “civilian-speak.” The NAVY is fully-aware of who its audience is, and tweets accordingly.

The NAVY has reached a niche market by providing parents (and relatives) the opportunity to unite with others in similar situations and get support through the social networking site NavyForMoms (NFM). As seen in other markets, the “mommy bloggers” are an influential group and the military branch tapped into an older version of this consumer. These moms don’t have infants – they have full-grown children. The NAVY specifically targeted mothers due to the impact of their opinion on those interested in joining the branch. They realized that if they could reassure Mom,  it could result in higher recruitment rates. The NAVY created a marketing campaign focused entirely on this target market and launched the NFM website as a social media test in March 2008.  There are currently 27,481 enthusiastic NAVY family members (predominately mothers) who are very proud and supportive of their sailors, and are advocates of the NAVY.  The NFM site concisely states their goals:

“NAVYForMoms.com was created for the mothers (and loved ones) of those who are currently serving or considering serving in the U.S. Navy. The site gives members a place to discuss issues with others who share common concerns. Here, content is member-driven. Questions are asked and answered. Moms share with fellow moms their fears, dreams and personal experiences. The ultimate goal is to provide an environment of understanding, comfort and belonging to all involved.”

Discussions include how to best handle emotions when a sailor leaves home for the first time, advice on attending a sailor’s PIR (‘Pass in Review’ aka boot camp graduation), and brainstorming ways to support those who serve when they are away from home, including “Adopting-A-Sailor” during the holidays. Members share and respond to each other through personal blog postings, forums, photos, videos and local events. They customize their experience by writing posts and comments, configuring the look and feel of their avatar and profile and by choosing groups to be involved with. I am a member of NFM, and I belong to the “Proud NAVY siblings” group. It was through this network that I learned about the NAVY tradition called “blue candle lightings,” which is done when a sailor can’t make it home for the holidays – a candle is lit in their honor. I was upset that my brother couldn’t make it home that year, but I felt a sense of connection when I set-up his blue light, knowing that I wasn’t the only family member in the U.S. going through those emotions on Christmas Day. I was one of thousands that day, and since my family doesn’t live close a naval base, I don’t have a chance to physically interact with other military families. Social media has allowed for people similar to me to connect on a virtual naval base, when support is otherwise unavailable.

The NAVY integrated NFM into their overall PR and marketing communications strategy for the branch. OOH environmental ads were created through “Blue lightings” of historic landmarks (a nod to blue candle lightings) and by completely transforming the look of subway stations and sporting venues. Print ads and 30-second spots promoted the site by introducing actual active members, including Karen Gallagher, a proud NAVY mom (Yes, she is a real person who lives in NH, and her sons are NUKES, just like my brother. She is a rather nice lady.). The efforts did not go unrecognized by the community as NavyForMoms campaign won Silver in the AMA’s 2009 Effie Awards in the Government, Institutional and Recruitment category.

We've come quite a long way, haven't we?

The U.S. NAVY has made it a priority to utilize social media. By doing so, they have created a virtual version of the tight-knit military community that has previously only existed for our sailors and their familes on physical bases and naval yards. In other words, NFMs is a great example of how to utilize the power of social media.

So here’s how it works:

1. Put dude in fancy new space suit
2. Put dude in a little box
3. Hook box to a super-cool weather balloon and let go
4. Watch as balloon floats towards space
5. Once the balloon is 23 miles above the earth, dude opens box and JUMPS OUT!
6. Dude falls back towards earth and (hopefully) becomes the first person to break the sound barrier with his body
7. (this is the important one) Dude survives

That is the RedBull Stratos project in a nutshell. Visit the website for more details, or even better, check out the trailer they made for it:

So why am I talking about this? Because I think this is absolutely fantastic marketing.

According to the Stratos website, this project is already three years in the making and couldn’t have been cheap. Instead of spending that money on TV commercials I would just fast-forward right through, RedBull decided to put their money behind a project that has massive coolness points (read: increased viral potential) AND genuine implications for furthering our knowledge of aeronautics, medicine, and engineering.

RedBull is thinking about marketing in a new way. They’re not trying to convince me that RedBull gives me more energy than Monster, they’re relying on a specific type of branding exercise: coolness by association.

Of course, this isn’t new. Companies have been slapping their logos on everything from people, to teams, to race cars for years in an attempt to capture coolness by association. But like all forms of traditional advertising, this dogmatic practice of putting your logo on everything has progressively less of an effect on an ad-saturated culture.

RedBull understands this. You don’t see a RedBull logo on a golfers hat. You don’t see a RedBull commercial with Eli Manning. Instead, RedBull gives you things like Flugtag, the RedBull Air Race, and now, Stratos.

The minds at RedBull display a keen (perhaps the keenest out there) understanding that in order for “coolness by association” to work, you have to realize that the bar for what is cool is much higher in our modern times.

As a marketing initiative, I think it’s working. I’ve told everyone I know about it. I sent the trailer around my whole office. And, if I site back and truly ask myself if I feel more positive about RedBull now that I know they are behind this project that is not just cool, but scientifically valuable, the honest answer is yes.

Social media has been one of the leading topics in the marketing industry for a few years now, but people seem to have difficulty defining it and determining how it can be best leveraged for marketing purposes, i.e. doing “social media marketing”. (Note: There is a difference between the phrases “social media marketing” and “social marketing.” Please refer to our previous post “Social Marketing vs. Social Media Marketing” for more information). This is our unique perspective on the social media basics, as a company that has executed hundreds of successful social media campaigns for the past 3 years in nearly every vertical, intended for both the new practitioner and old hats looking to adapt and refine their thinking.

The Basics

Social media is the result of taking what we naturally do as humans – mainly communicating and developing relationships – and combining it with technology and user-generated content. Unlike traditional media, which is one-way, social media allows for a two-way conversation between friends, family, and even companies. This provides companies with the opportunity to really listen to their customers (both existing and potential), gain insights and feedback, and hopefully put the acquired information to good use.

When social media is used correctly and in the right context, it can create community, develop enthusiasts and awareness in a way much faster and more organic than traditional media. It is a valuable addition to a company’s overall marketing mix and strategy. Marketing is changing rapidly and with the influence of social media there is discussion of defining a new version of the 4Ps. How is your company involved in the conversation? How does this new context challenge your current company dogma?

(Some of the) Goals of Social Media

-Create community through two-way communication.

On their own, users can create their own communities based on a particular interest or tribe. Some of these are corporate-free and others are open to companies participating. No matter what, a conversation will occur, with or without you. Your previous views held that all messaging about your brand needed to be controlled rigidly and in line with corporate mandates. Now, the majority of the public’s experience of your brand is out of your direct control. They are talking about you, to each other, publically, and with tools that allow their voice to extend globally and through time. Understanding the magnitude and implications of this new situation is the entire basis for mastering social media marketing. By reaching out to your customers you create a dialogue that can gain trust and can create brand advocates, as well as start the brand messaging in the correct direction.

As mentioned earlier, social media is a form of two-way communication, where users can have a dialogue with other users as well as with companies. Companies need to actually listen and participate, and not just broadcast! This is always given lip service, but rarely put into play correctly. Here’s a test for companies that think they “get it”. Ask yourself “what have I done to make listening and understanding my fans/friends/followers a priority?”. If the answer is “nothing” or something weak, you do not “get it” and need to evolve.

If you’ve already applied a listening strategy, your campaign has the potential to create essentially a global focus group for your company. It is possible to gain instant feedback on products, ideas, ads, and campaigns from the general public or from your most targeted, niche demographic. Use this feedback. Understand where the data is coming from and how much information can be gleaned. After receiving a State of the Brand Report, our clients are frequently dumbfounded that the “facts” they previously “knew” about their company are actually falsehoods and that the current reality requires a different approach.

-Create and provide the opportunity for content that can be shared, responded to and evaluated.

Content posted online can be passed along to friends, commented on and rated on review sites, reworked, mashed-up, or even crowd-sourced. If there is buzz about a topic, it can spread very quickly through viral methods. If content is interesting, unique or even weird, users will want to pass it on.

-Be personalized/customized.

Gen Y (aka Millennials) is the generation who brought customization to the foreground of marketing. Facebook, Twitter and even LinkedIn have ways to personalize accounts, through avatars, applications, images, and content. Unlike traditional forms that are one size fits all, social media allows and embraces variety.

Considerations Companies Must Address

• Is your original content adding value? Is it something users find relevant? In a two-way world, consumers have more control over when and where they see something. Are they going to take time out of their day to see your content? Do they care?

• Are you genuine, authentic and transparent? Social media is much more than press releases posted on a blog, Facebook or Twitter. It involves real people, with real thoughts and interactions. It goes beyond the speaking the company line. Content can still be true to the brand – just don’t be robotic about it. How is this conversation unique to the form of media you are using? As for being authentic, users can see through facades. Your company is evaluated based on if you are true to what you say and do. Be aware that criticism will happen since social media is democratic in nature. Don’t censor it – address it. By participating in social media, a company can’t go off in a corner, stick their fingers in their ears and go “Lalalalala I’m not listening” when someone else says something negative.

• Are you, and will you, continue to be engaging? Possibly one of the biggest challenges is to keep the conversation going. After connecting with a vibrant, excited audience, you can’t just forget about them. It’s like a guy really interested in you for a few dates, then never calls you back. Social media is one way to maintain a relationship with customers and address any problems that may arise in a more timely fashion. So if you are going to start a relationship, you better commit.

Social media is new territory that cannot be approached in the same manner in which companies are used to with traditional media (No, you can’t have 100% control of your messaging. No, you shouldn’t remove comments from detractors. Yes, you should respect and actively engage with both fans and detractors alike to give your message the best chance of succeeding). It is far more interactive and provides less control over the conversation, but one of the greatest benefits is creating and reaching out to brand enthusiasts who will voluntarily become word-of-mouth ambassadors for your company. So what are you waiting for? – join the conversation.

This bird hates Twammers

Improper Following on Twitter

You’ve seem them on Twitter. Their messages that they’re “now following you” clog up your inbox. In fact, the only safeguard is not having a twitter account at all.

Who am I talking about? Twammers.

Twammers, or twitter spammers, can be classified as having a succinct, direct marketing strategy. Not known for their subtleties, or their beat-around-the-bush tactics, these twammers actually achieve a pretty high success rate – that is, the rate they successfully turn you away from their product.

Joking aside, are companies marketing themselves in this fashion because they believe it works, or out of just plain laziness? While I wish it was the latter, a strong part of me believes it is the former. And while there will always be these types of marketing campaigns regardless of the medium, what twitter specific aspect makes companies adopt this wildly inefficient strategy? In short, follower count.

Follower counts are sexy, cool, and they announce your popularity to the world. In fact, many celebrities are ranked by their follower count, so one can’t help but rank themselves according to their friends and competitors. But, let’s face the facts here: you’re not a celebrity! And except for some stroke of a magic wand where your father is suddenly transformed into OJ Simpson’s lawyer, or a multi-billion dollar hotelier, you’ll never be someone who commands a follower count into the millions. Suffice to say, stop trying!

Now, it’s quite easy to play the “follower game” on twitter. In fact, you can simply turn on an autofollow feature, and the entire process will be out of your hands. But in the case of twitter, it’s not how many followers you have, it’s how many key followers you have. These key followers are those that understand your product, your message, and most importantly, they appreciate you. They are the ones most likely to search for your latest tweet, rather than simply reading it when it appears on their feed. Key followers are those that are most likely to retweet you, mention you in one of their own tweets, spread your word, or actually buy your product. These folks may even start corresponding with you on twitter, and as long as the name of the game remains “word of mouth,” what better publicity can you find?

Don't give in to this guy

So how exactly can you create an effective twitter strategy without becoming a twammer? First, build your account slowly and organically, by only following those that are in your target demographic. Your goal is not to attract as many followers as you can, it’s to attract as many influencers as possible. These influencers, along with others that have pledged brand allegiance, make up your “key followers,” who will mention your service to others. Attracting them is, well, key, since social media is not always a means to a sale, but a means to interact and create positive brand experience. If you give in to the dark side – and become a twammer – then all of your future plans might be for naught.

Granted, it might be tough to explain the meaning of a key follower to your follower-hungry clients or bosses. However, they must be reminded that a successful twitter campaign is not too dissimilar from any other great marketing strategy: isolating your niche, and becoming the big fish in a small pond. Once they understand that, they’re not too far from realizing how valuable 140 characters can be.

I once sat in on a presentation given by Andru Edwards of Gearlive.com.  Someone asked about the value of Twitter, and he responded something to the effect of, “It’s here and people are using it. You’re gonna have to get used to that.”

If you are working as a marketer, PR person, advertiser, or any other related job-type, you might have a hard time making the case to your superiors that your company should create a Facebook fan page or its own Ning group. Why? It is so difficult to measure the effectiveness of social media campaigns, because while they have the ability to create better public perception or increase share of voice, they do a poor job creating sales when they are not managed correctly. And, your managers do not even know those things yet. They likely just have the impression that it is an untested medium largely populated by people talking about how drunk they got last weekend or why they hate Britney Spears.