Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences Lets Advertisers Target Similar Users If you are one of those brands that bought likes to have likes, this will be a problem. I know I’ve looked at many companies with huge fan bases in India and no product offering. Think about the implication, this feature becomes useless or worse a great way to dump good money after bad. On the flip side a brand with a well built fan base, say launching a product in new markets, will find this very useful. Facebook is taking a step toward allowing brands to reach those users that are already likely to be your advocates. As a means of market entry this cannot be overstated. Need to play with the tool a little but it might gain even more power if you were able to target based on another page’s demo…  Say you are launching an NHL game… Target users that are similar to NHL fans… boom  Target users similar to EA sports fans… boom  If that is not an option, you can build a profile by purchasing ads around those interests and then convert to the similar mode. It should yield better communities, better edge rank, and ultimately a lower cost per action.
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Facebook’s Lookalike Audiences Lets Advertisers Target Similar Users

If you are one of those brands that bought likes to have likes, this will be a problem. I know I’ve looked at many companies with huge fan bases in India and no product offering. Think about the implication, this feature becomes useless or worse a great way to dump good money after bad.

On the flip side a brand with a well built fan base, say launching a product in new markets, will find this very useful. Facebook is taking a step toward allowing brands to reach those users that are already likely to be your advocates. As a means of market entry this cannot be overstated. Need to play with the tool a little but it might gain even more power if you were able to target based on another page’s demo… 

Say you are launching an NHL game…

  • Target users that are similar to NHL fans… boom 
  • Target users similar to EA sports fans… boom 

If that is not an option, you can build a profile by purchasing ads around those interests and then convert to the similar mode. It should yield better communities, better edge rank, and ultimately a lower cost per action.

Source: thenextweb.com

General Motors isn’t making the wrong choice by cutting its Facebook ads, they are making the wrong choice by not changing their entire Social Media Strategy. This isnt personal, this is just an analysis of why the 10 million dollar Facebook spend wasn’t generating results. (I am working on a series of posts which cover growth strategies and correlating Social Media Metrics that serve as more than vanity metrics to address this in more detail.)… I digress  The auto industry, generally, is getting social media wrong for their type of product and their growth engine. Rather than communicating how features are benefits, the auto industry should be thinking lifestyle branding. (I have data that supports this, but I’m not going to give it away at this time) THE BIG PROBLEM: The auto industry is ignoring “the why”. “The why” is the most important question anyone with a message can ask, there are many whys but “the big why” sounds something like this: Why are people on this medium?  Its cousin sounds something like this: Why are people interested in what we have to say on this medium? Why’s are easy to skip, and they seems silly to ask, but communication teams that are willing to ask these question are miles ahead. Why do people follow General Motors on Facebook? Its not because of an ad that says our trucks are best, its because of a personal connection. Vehicles are lifestyle brands, a car is a big purchase most people make once every 5 years. The stronger the brands tie to a persons core beliefs the stronger the brand affiliation. Good feelings = long term sales  (Does anyone else see content strategy for at least 7 of their vehicles, I do)  Lets look at Chevy Silverado— A GM brand that could easily burn through a Million bucks a month on sponsored stories alone…  So Q1: Why are people on Facebook? - To connect with people and have fun. (Sorry brands people aren’t on Facebook for you) Q2: Why do people like Chevy Silverado on Facebook? This is a little harder but we know its likely males between the ages of 18-34 overwhelmingly in Texas (see image below). People that follow this brand are mostly interested in the truck or own one… Users are would want information to entertain and make their friends laugh, they are hoping for the social benefits (to be first to be the most entertaining).  This page should be a bastion of manhood and girls who play by their own rules (AKA the truck market) Q3: Are they Hitting the mark?  If you go to the Silverado Facebook page, without question they are missing the target. The posts have an almost feminine tone, and appear to lack a consistent strategy.  I suggest they ask, “Is this page actually adding any value to people that like it?” Post #1 Post #2 The first one is fine, but, is it really going to get people to engage?… Is it something that falls in line with a lifestyle brand? The post should be re-imagined from the ground up. A slight change in the copy on the second post would change the tone and be more successful… “Serve, Honor, Protect, hit “Share”and join us in support of Military Appreciation Month.” -With this audience dont say it in 5 words if 3 will do. GM should be trying to position vehicles as lifestyle brands. Ford is winning the Social battle because they have personality, GM tried to win it by selling direct. This is all said without even getting into the KPI’s that should be guiding budget decisions for media placement. Throwing money at bad strategy says nothing about the networks where the money is being placed ..The lesson GM is teach us, Facebook ads built on bad strategy doesn’t work.  GM I hope this helps. I am not knocking anything other than a style guide and suggesting an adjustment to the positioning of the brand on social media. 
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General Motors isn’t making the wrong choice by cutting its Facebook ads, they are making the wrong choice by not changing their entire Social Media Strategy. This isnt personal, this is just an analysis of why the 10 million dollar Facebook spend wasn’t generating results.

(I am working on a series of posts which cover growth strategies and correlating Social Media Metrics that serve as more than vanity metrics to address this in more detail.)… I digress

 The auto industry, generally, is getting social media wrong for their type of product and their growth engine. Rather than communicating how features are benefits, the auto industry should be thinking lifestyle branding. (I have data that supports this, but I’m not going to give it away at this time)

THE BIG PROBLEM: The auto industry is ignoring “the why”. “The why” is the most important question anyone with a message can ask, there are many whys but “the big why” sounds something like this:

Why are people on this medium? 

Its cousin sounds something like this:

Why are people interested in what we have to say on this medium?

Why’s are easy to skip, and they seems silly to ask, but communication teams that are willing to ask these question are miles ahead. Why do people follow General Motors on Facebook? Its not because of an ad that says our trucks are best, its because of a personal connection.

Vehicles are lifestyle brands, a car is a big purchase most people make once every 5 years. The stronger the brands tie to a persons core beliefs the stronger the brand affiliation. Good feelings = long term sales  (Does anyone else see content strategy for at least 7 of their vehicles, I do) 

Lets look at Chevy Silverado— A GM brand that could easily burn through a Million bucks a month on sponsored stories alone… 

So Q1: Why are people on Facebook? -

To connect with people and have fun. (Sorry brands people aren’t on Facebook for you)

Q2: Why do people like Chevy Silverado on Facebook?

This is a little harder but we know its likely males between the ages of 18-34 overwhelmingly in Texas (see image below). People that follow this brand are mostly interested in the truck or own one… Users are would want information to entertain and make their friends laugh, they are hoping for the social benefits (to be first to be the most entertaining).  This page should be a bastion of manhood and girls who play by their own rules (AKA the truck market)

ScreenShot2012-05-16at100332AM

Q3: Are they Hitting the mark? 

If you go to the Silverado Facebook page, without question they are missing the target. The posts have an almost feminine tone, and appear to lack a consistent strategy.  I suggest they ask, “Is this page actually adding any value to people that like it?”

Post #1

Photobucket

Post #2

Photobucket

The first one is fine, but, is it really going to get people to engage?… Is it something that falls in line with a lifestyle brand? The post should be re-imagined from the ground up.

A slight change in the copy on the second post would change the tone and be more successful… “Serve, Honor, Protect, hit “Share”and join us in support of Military Appreciation Month.” -With this audience dont say it in 5 words if 3 will do.

GM should be trying to position vehicles as lifestyle brands. Ford is winning the Social battle because they have personality, GM tried to win it by selling direct. This is all said without even getting into the KPI’s that should be guiding budget decisions for media placement. Throwing money at bad strategy says nothing about the networks where the money is being placed ..The lesson GM is teach us, Facebook ads built on bad strategy doesn’t work. 

GM I hope this helps. I am not knocking anything other than a style guide and suggesting an adjustment to the positioning of the brand on social media. 

Infographic: The Online Domain of a Fashion Brand by OKGO.nl (by marjolijn.) This is a really good macro on how to grow a fashion brand. The website is the home base, twitter, youtube, and Facebook are included but so are sites like Look book and cool spotters. Fashion Bloggers are also included as a group. When talking about creating a Social Media strategy, macros like this are the starting point. Each bubble should be broken into a more defined strategy.  Map your industry, know where you must have a voice. Prioritize importance, develop strategy and start working… If this strategy is too hard to develop I suggest hiring an agency to provide social Research and strategy. If you don’t have experience with Social Research I suggest you hire an agency to help. The learning curve for tools like Radian 6, or Sysomos are really really long. Having someone that does this on a regular basis is a really smart investment. They should be able to see things you do not. (feel free to send me an e-mail if you need help ** see my contact page** )  ***Agency’s without a lot of Social Media research experience it is ok to partner so you can add this to your portfolio. Not an area to fake it until you make it!  
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Infographic: The Online Domain of a Fashion Brand by OKGO.nl (by marjolijn.)

This is a really good macro on how to grow a fashion brand. The website is the home base, twitter, youtube, and Facebook are included but so are sites like Look book and cool spotters. Fashion Bloggers are also included as a group. When talking about creating a Social Media strategy, macros like this are the starting point. Each bubble should be broken into a more defined strategy. 

Map your industry, know where you must have a voice. Prioritize importance, develop strategy and start working… If this strategy is too hard to develop I suggest hiring an agency to provide social Research and strategy.

If you don’t have experience with Social Research I suggest you hire an agency to help. The learning curve for tools like Radian 6, or Sysomos are really really long. Having someone that does this on a regular basis is a really smart investment. They should be able to see things you do not.

(feel free to send me an e-mail if you need help ** see my contact page** ) 

***Agency’s without a lot of Social Media research experience it is ok to partner so you can add this to your portfolio. Not an area to fake it until you make it!  

Source: Flickr / marjolyn

How Communities Really Behave (by Dave Linabury) If you are community manager these are elements that you should be looking at. How does chart effect your strategy on different networks. The reality is that these trends apply to all online communities. Every network should have its own engagement flow chart for each account that is managed. The flow chart should be made well enough that you can be replaced. It should provide clear direction to a team if your success calls for growth. I have seen far too many community managers shoot themselves in the foot because they cant equip a new person to step in. A growth plan should be part of your Social Media Strategy. 
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How Communities Really Behave (by Dave Linabury)

If you are community manager these are elements that you should be looking at. How does chart effect your strategy on different networks. The reality is that these trends apply to all online communities.

Every network should have its own engagement flow chart for each account that is managed. The flow chart should be made well enough that you can be replaced. It should provide clear direction to a team if your success calls for growth.

I have seen far too many community managers shoot themselves in the foot because they cant equip a new person to step in. A growth plan should be part of your Social Media Strategy. 

Source: Flickr / davezilla

Twitter Calculates Reputation Scores for Each User Really interesting this is how  ”who to follow” works on twitter… It seems to reason that the higher the reputation score the more likely you are to make the who to follow cut. It kind of sucks that they don’t give this data out to the public. I’d like to know where I stack up! 
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Twitter Calculates Reputation Scores for Each User

Really interesting this is how  ”who to follow” works on twitter… It seems to reason that the higher the reputation score the more likely you are to make the who to follow cut. It kind of sucks that they don’t give this data out to the public. I’d like to know where I stack up! 

Source: Mashable

2 Properties… 2 Strategies

I have 2 blogs… kind of.. 1 blog and 1 tumblr…  When I started using tumblr I was unsure what to do with my blogger account… Honestly I think tumblr is awesome it covers so many of the uses I had for blogger and it does so much more. 

But tumblr isnt a blog and I use it for so much more.. Some of the content I repost I dont even write!

I needed a plan today I came up with one.. 

tumblr will stay the same… if you want to stay ahead of the curve know what I am thinking in real time this is your place… If you want to know what/ who I am and what I think over a long period of time go to my blog… 

The blog will be the greatest hits, the content will not be unique it will just be the best. It will be the stuff that I stand by that I would speak about… 

BTW If you want me to speak check out my contact page… 

The New MySpace: Screenshots and Videos The new MySpace gets a lot right. Yes I said myspace… Shut it!  Myspace the defunct Social Network with 20 million randoms going there a month relaunched recently. Myspace had become the Social network for bands that were trying to get discovered. For a while the brand resisted the change. However the juggernut Facebook had stolen so much market share that a change was unavoidable. Myspace was essentially left with 2 options shut down or change direction. Looking at how the network was used they decided to make the change… Check out the new myspace… you might just get hooked on the entertainment value.  Branding lesson: You are not who you think you are, you are who your users/fans say you are!
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The New MySpace: Screenshots and Videos

The new MySpace gets a lot right. Yes I said myspace… Shut it! 

Myspace the defunct Social Network with 20 million randoms going there a month relaunched recently. Myspace had become the Social network for bands that were trying to get discovered. For a while the brand resisted the change. However the juggernut Facebook had stolen so much market share that a change was unavoidable. Myspace was essentially left with 2 options shut down or change direction. Looking at how the network was used they decided to make the change…

Check out the new myspace… you might just get hooked on the entertainment value. 

Branding lesson: You are not who you think you are, you are who your users/fans say you are!

Source: Mashable

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