Social Media, Social Media Monitoring

Why your social media monitoring needs the human touch

As brands have discovered, with social media there is nowhere to hide. Whether opinions are positive or negative, your brand is now fair game for everybody to talk about it. Social media monitoring has given businesses the ability to identify everything that’s being said online about their brand, products or services in real time. This knowledge is invaluable to marketers looking for a clear picture of how your brand is perceived.

Social media monitoring, then, has transformed marketers’ understanding of their customers. However, while it’s obvious monitoring is an invaluable part of an effective social media strategy, the question is, how much can these tools actually tell you and how much is left to human analysis?

The answer is that it takes both. Social media monitoring tools gather information through spidering and indexing the conversations that are occurring on social media platforms, providing a wealth of data on what is being said about your brand. However, without the insight provided by human analysis this data could prove worthless.

That’s because truly effective social media monitoring isn’t just about listening – it is about using this information so that you are in the ideal position to effectively engage with customers, develop insights that will shape current and future campaigns and manage any crises that occur, quickly and efficiently. Only expert human analysis can provide the solutions to these challenges.

That’s not to say that there are not excellent free to use and paid for social media monitoring tools on the market. SM2, Radian6 and Sysomos are the industry leaders and offer the most accurate and comprehensive results. However, while these are all high-quality tools and are essential in providing vital information about your brand, the bottom line is that none of them are even 90% reliable.

One of the central points of discussion when it comes to monitoring is over sentiment. Many have questioned whether there is a tool on the market that can accurately put messages into context, understand sarcasm, irony and slang or give a completely true picture of the conversations people are having.

Making the most of monitoring

This means in order to gain an accurate picture of the industry landscape for your brand you must use a range of these tools – as well as the best free to use tools such as Google. However, even with all this in place it is not precise enough to trust without human analysis.

That is why at agency:2 we have developed our own methodology, one which relies on both human analysis and best of breed monitoring tools, in order to gain the most precise and relevant results. At the beginning of every social media monitoring campaign we use our expertise to make decisions on what channels to monitor and which search strings will provide our clients with the most valuable information.

We then use monitoring tools to collect the statistical data and hand this to our analysts for human tagging, interpreting and uncovering the unique insights that provide the real value that brands are looking for. It takes time and effort to sift through the data and interpret the findings. However, the unique benefit gained at the end of this complex process make it more than worthwhile. It allows us to understand where conversations are taking place (and, equally as importantly, where conversations are absent), prioritise the urgency of issues raised and devise a relevant strategy.

Social media monitoring tools are fantastic for collecting information. However, they only do half the job and the information they provide won’t count for much unless it’s in the right hands. It takes specialist intelligence to make sense of this data and know exactly what to do with it. It is the combination of data, technology and analysis which will ultimately maximise the effectiveness of your social monitoring.

How to use social media to promote your event

If you’ve ever planned an event you’ll know that it is a challenging and complex process. There’s the venue to book, speakers to sign up – and that’s before you’ve got to the promotion of the event and the task of getting people to attend.

This is where social media comes in. Social media has transformed the way so many things are done, and events are no exception.

Using social media to plan an event will make you realise the power these platforms can give you. It vastly enlarges the reach of what you’re doing, so that it’s not just about the people in the venue, but the thousands who could be accessing it online.

Whether it’s an online or an offline event, social media ensures that all the tools you need are at your disposal to promote it, spread the word, engage with leads and make sure your event is a success before, during and after.

Here’s our guide on how to use social media to make sure your event stands out:

Before the event

So your event is planned. It’s now time to use social media to make sure that people know about it. Promoting your site using a variety of social media channels offers new and highly effective ways to market your event and ensures people can easily find you online.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as location based sites such as Facebook Places and Foursquare, are key to increasing the reach of your event and encouraging highly effective word-of-mouth promotion.

There are many options, with each site offering different advantages. If you already have active Facebook and Twitter accounts in place these can be used to promote the event, update people with information and drive conversations. If not, you can set up an event specific Twitter feed for event updates; create a Facebook page to promote the event or set up a LinkedIn group to provide information about the event. Just make sure that you choose the right platforms for your objectives, your resources and your audience.

Social networking sites (this includes your blog) are fantastic platforms for engagement and you should use them not only to promote your event but also to get your community to offer topic themes and discuss ideas prior to the event. Be proactive as well – join relevant groups and promote your event by contributing to existing conversations.

These sites should direct people to a central hub, such as a website or blog, which can be integrated with these social networking platforms. This makes it simple to inform attendees of the latest news and provide them with all the information they need for the event. The website could feature an attendee list, with links to participants’ web sites and Twitter feeds, as well as a link to the event’s Facebook page. A link could be also be provided to a YouTube search results page providing videos that are relevant to discussions taking place. This type of activity ensures that attendees are engaged long before the event itself takes place.

During the event

To make your event one that people remember there are many innovative things you can do with social media.

Let’s start with the basics: don’t forget to have a unique hash tag for the event. A Twitter search widget can be used to show a real-time feed of all the posts using the specific conference hash tag. Using this hash tag gets people engaged with the event and allows you to easily monitor conversations. Most importantly it allows you to be an active participant in what is being said and drive conversations.  This could be projected on to screens throughout the venue. You can also use your website to aggregate these posts in real-time before, during and after the event.

Using geo-location services such as Facebook Places, Foursquare or Gowalla is another attractive option for an event. You can create a special venue on Foursquare for the event which offers tips and advice to attendees. You can also create multiple locations within the one venue so that you know exactly where people are. Plus, if you have organised a large event you can partner with Foursquare to create a badge and offer incentives for checking in.

There are many other features which could be utilised to enhance your event. This could be through an audio feed, with podcasts of certain sessions being made available after the event; a live video feed of the event could be streamed on your website and seeded on relevant sites; or you could create a Flickr badge on your website which links to tagged photos.

When it come to online events such as webinars, live webcasts or digital fairs it’s crucial to keep people informed. Send reminders (particularly in the lead up before the event) and make it easy for people to find by using LinkedIn Twitter and Facebook to link to the event URL. Post tweets in the build-up to the event to keep it front of mind and encourage people to send questions for the speakers or panellists. You can also stream your webcast through your Facebook page.

After the event

It’s vital that after the event is over that you use social networks to engage with everyone who attended. Using social media is a great way to keep in touch with all your attendees as well as gain valuable feedback so that you can refine what you will do next time.

Use the information and platforms you have to continue communication with the attendees. Thank them for attending, provide them with updates and information. You can upload the presentation from the event and write a blog post that highlights comments and questions that arose during the event.  You can also upload your webinar to YouTube or embed it on your Facebook page.

Again use the LinkedIn group as a platform for discussion and encourage debate. Attendees can use the group to discuss the event and topics that were raised before the event. In this way you can turn a group of attendees into a community.

Finally, and most importantly, listen to your audience – ask for feedback or create polls. Follow conversations on Twitter using a unique event hashtag to find out their opinions: find out what was good and what could be improved. Address their needs and become involved in the conversations. You’ll be able to use this information to shape future events and improve the event experience for all your attendees.

So, there you have it. No matter what type of event you are running, the array of options social media offers means that it is the perfect solution to promote and complement your event.

Social CRM: changing the relationship with your customers

Social Customer Relationship Management is a hot topic at the moment. It has been claimed by many that it will transform the way marketers work and it seems only a matter of time before it forms a fundamental part of all marketing strategies.

What is Social CRM?

Let’s deal with the most fundamental question first – what exactly is Social Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?

Put most simply, Social CRM is still about CRM (the system for managing customer relationships through the collection of customer data in order to successfully target them) but social media has changed this process in a very significant way – from being one way communication to a focus on relevant and tailored messaging.

Traditional CRM has allowed businesses to gather data about the customer and track customer transactions. However, it provides only one way communication, with customer service, sales and marketing pushing messages out to the customer. Social CRM has completely transformed this relationship between brand and customer. The client is now king and must be the focal point of all activity. This means that instead of sales and marketing dictating messages, Social CRM is a collaborative process – a combination of marketing/PR, sales and customer service coupled with advocacy and customer experience.

This multilayered relationship makes use of a range of dynamic channels and places the customer experience at the heart of the brand. It’s a complex process – the ability to track conversations and engage with customers on social platforms requires 24 hour monitoring and is only useful if you have in place a flexible and adaptable strategy to ensure you are providing the best service possible.

Opportunities

The good news is that if you get it right the opportunities Social CRM presents are staggering. The unique benefits and insights it offers – understanding what people are saying about your brand, where they are saying it and engaging with them in conversation – explains why Social CRM is seen as such a powerful engine for change and building relationships with customers. Social media is changing the rules of customer engagement, providing brands with a comprehensive, personalised and real-time understanding of customers’ habits and preferences and how they interact within social spaces.

However, the point also needs to be reiterated that Social CRM doesn’t replace CRM, it simply alters how it is done. This means that for any business contemplating Social CRM it’s vital to have comprehensive CRM practices in place already. Coupled with this is the fact that for Social CRM to be effective you must be active in these social spaces so that you are in a position to track and report on anything tangible.

Indeed, with people increasingly consuming information through social channels and learning about products and brands through sites such as Facebook and Twitter, it is vital that companies are tracking what’s being said and being active in these social spaces. Brands must adapt to the needs of these social customers by developing a Social CRM strategy which outlines a clear path for success. The result will be more effective customer interaction and a greater bond between brand and consumer.

Customers have been given an influential voice and now expect brands to interact and engage with them. Brands have to be aware of this power social media has offered consumers and show that they are reacting accordingly. (Gap having to revert to their old logo after public outcry shows the power consumers’ voices have). Social CRM, then, is much more about engagement than management.

It is this engagement which is the game changer. Social CRM is unique because it is not simply about metrics but about understanding and creating personalised relationships. Conversation is at the heart of Social CRM and the reason it engenders real customer engagement. By putting the customer at the centre of your company’s strategy you create meaningful relationships, gain unique insights and boost brand perception.

Social CRM in practice

How can this work in practical terms? The travel crisis brought on by the snow recently is a perfect example.  Airports such as Gatwick and train services such as Eurostar used social media platforms to respond directly to customers.  Twitter in particular, as well as Q&As, was utilised to manage the crisis by answering customer enquiries and easing concerns about journeys. This real time reaction to an event shows how brands can engage with customers, creating a humanised view of the brand and turning negatives into positives.

By their very nature social media channels are very much customer service channels and with a well planned Social CRM strategy in place brands are perfectly positioned to engage with consumers at all stages of the Buying Cycle. Social CRM allows you to gather meaningful data and track key performance indicators for your business throughout the cycle. For example, you can track which platforms provide the most leads and measure which campaigns are offering the most opportunities.

This information will allow you to put a successful strategy in place for customer engagement. Interacting at key times within the Buying Cycle means you are able to maximise brand consideration and maintain a relationship with the customer post purchase.

As growth of social media continues, social networks and communities will increasingly influence CRM. It’s vital for brands to be part of this process and for consumers not just to rely on advice from their peers.  The opportunity to develop a clear strategy to understand customers and prospective customers, engage with them in real time and create more intimate and enduring relationships is one that brands cannot miss out on. So, watch this space – or, rather, listen and engage with your customers.

Top 5 tips for a successful social media strategy

As businesses both small and large realise the power and effectiveness of social media they are looking to take advantage of what the unique benefits it offers. However, while social media offers many opportunities to these brands, the simple truth is if you don’t have a strategy in place which outlines a clear and effective path to success then you won’t be able to make the most of them.

Here are our top 5 tips for a successful social media strategy so that you don’t miss out on what social media offers:

Number 1 – Start with measurable goals

When outlining your strategy you must first determine what you want it to do for you. Social media can provide your business with fantastic ROI and is extremely measurable – however you need to know from the outset what you are looking to measure. You need to know the bigger picture. Identify what success will look like for your business and build from there. Having a clear understanding of what you want to achieve means that the best platforms can be chosen to achieve this. With these objectives in place you will be able to keep your social media strategy focused on goals which are relevant to your business’ overall aims.

Number 2 – Monitor what’s already being done

To understand what’s possible for your brand it’s vital to know what is already happening. What are your competitors doing? What’s been successful for them, what hasn’t? Having this knowledge and insight is crucial to building a social media strategy that engages with your target market. Conducting a social media audit or monitoring activity on social platforms ensures you have the very best chance of implementing a successful social media strategy. It allows you to listen to what’s out there and understand what’s being said about your brand and about your industry as a whole. You can then identify what your audience are looking for – the passion points – and act accordingly.

Number 3 – Make sure it’s tailored to your business needs

Sounds simple doesn’t it, but you’d be surprised by how many businesses get it wrong. A social media strategy isn’t just about signing up to Facebook and Twitter and then waiting for traffic to come to your site.  You need to look at the target market of each social platform and then decide the best ways to engage with your customers. It’s a complex process but one which is essential for the long term success of your social media programme. When choosing each platform there needs to be a strong and logical reason why it would be beneficial for your company, your customers and how it can help you achieve your measurable business objectives. Put simply, you need to make sure that you are where your customers or potential customers are based – providing content that is compelling and useful.

Number 4 – Understand your capacity

Social media is a long term commitment and very much a collaborative effort. By evaluating what resources you already have on hand in your business, you are much more prepared to fully examine your options. Understand the capacity in your company and delegate accordingly. Analyse the current skill set within your organisation. Do they have the required knowledge and experience to manage your social media programmes? If the answer is no then it may well be worth outsourcing your social media activity in order to maximise its effectiveness. It’s crucial to have the right people managing your brand within social spaces to achieve the best results. Putting in the hours to make it a success is also a must – the more time that can be invested into your social media activity the more beneficial it will prove to be for you. Building communities and relationships with your target market takes time and effort – however the end goal of a loyal and dedicated fanbase makes all this effort worthwhile.

Number 5 – Always Evaluate

Setting up your social media strategy is by no means the end of the process. By measuring and tracking the success of your campaigns on each platform you can adapt what you are doing in order to maximise the effectiveness of your activity. If you stay still in social media you are losing ground on your competitors, there is always a new tool or platform that could give them an advantage. Flexibility is key – measurement, coupled with human insight, means that you can constantly improve what you are doing and perfect your social media activity.