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Corporate social media:
an investigation into the
relationship between business
and social media, with
7 real-world case studies
Part one




Report produced in partnership by
Jonathan Ballantine and Nick Johnson
Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the
                           Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com




Contents




Social media and business                                        3

So what is social media?                                         3

Why is this so important to business?                            4




                                                                                                   2
Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the
                                      Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com




Social media    The past decade has brought new opportunities for companies seeking to engage
                with their customers – who are using social media to share opinions, experiences

and business    and perspectives in borderless communities.

                As these communities become ever more powerful in disseminating the information they
                want and filtering out what they don’t, any successful communication strategy should
                place digital communication at its core. The challenge for an organisation is how.

                In this practical briefing we will provide insights and case study findings from our
                discussions with more than 25 industry professionals.




So what is      However you define social media, an important point is that it is not about the
                technologies themselves, but rather the change in behaviour. This is not a mere

social media?   trend; it is a new form of communication.

                The new way of communicating goes against the grain of what organisations have been
                typically doing – top down, broadcast- type communications with no interaction or
                dialogue with their audiences. What social media has done is to turn this model upside
                down, by creating a bottom-up, democratised communication system.

                This is changing the definition of communication – traditionally companies have focused
                on formal channels such as advertising and public relations in order to communicate
                with their audience. Social media is making this less relevant, as audiences demand
                dialogue.

                In marketing terms this is equivalent to the migration from a “push” strategy to a “pull”
                approach.

                The organisations that have had greatest success in this new world are those that have
                integrated social media into their communications strategy and have aligned policies to
                social media’s fundamental concepts.




                                                                                                              3
Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the
                                       Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com




Why is this    Business reputations and opinions are being defined through these new channels.
               Sooner or later all organisations will have to become involved, as not communicating

so important   is a clear message in itself. Whether you participate or not, the conversations will
               happen. You can either tell your story or have it told for you.

to business?   For companies entering this space there are some key rules of engagement.

               First, organisations need to realise that social media is not another advertising or media
               channel – even though it can facilitate social commerce and improve reputation. The most
               effective starting position for any organisation is to listen to what is being said about them
               or their competitors to help develop a stakeholder-engagement strategy.

               Once an organisation begins its approach it is imperative that it is done in a transparent,
               authentic and consistent way. There can be no dipping in and out – you have to make a
               full commitment and try to become part of the conversation and the community.

               Content needs to be kept fresh and relevant – although it does not necessarily have to
               be content in the traditional sense of the word. Content in this instance could just be
               presence: providing one half of a potential conversation.

               Based on our discussions with social media leaders the critical success factor for any
               social media marketing activity is for it to be genuine. If it seems or feels inauthentic, it will
               fail. The guiding principles for any organisation venturing into social media are:

               • Be active
               • Be everywhere
               • Be nice

               Being active means you must participate in genuine conversations, where the focus of
               intention is about giving and not receiving. You cannot throw money at social media
               marketing and expect it to work. It is very easy for organisations to dress up old media
               tactics in social media clothing – but that approach is not sustainable and looks prehistoric
               in the new environment.

               Being everywhere means exactly that. If your organisation is going to convince its target
               audience that it is what it purports to be, it must do so everywhere online. Being active
               everywhere means you are giving yourself the best opportunity to provide constant,
               contextual, responsive and valuable content within each and every available target
               community.

               Being nice may not mean all it first seems – especially in the face of harsh criticism. When
               engaging, organisations need a tough skin when listening and monitoring feedback. It
               is important is to be able to respond to negative messages in a constructive and timely
               manner – to some extent it is like being a good parent.

               To gain momentum and begin shifting perceptions, it is not enough to “advertise” what you
               do or what you think; you have to become a part of the conversation and the community.
               It must be in your company’s DNA, not a bolt-on marketing tool.

               Those who are committed to real, embedded stakeholder engagement have already
               accepted the virtue of being active, everywhere, and nice.


               This is end of Part one of our White paper. Part two has been
               released and is available at usefulsocialmedia.com                                              4
Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the
                                                       Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com




  Do you want to get insightful,
  practical advice from successful
  corporate social media
  practitioners – in person?

All these corporate
social media experts                 Then you should attend the
confirmed to speak!
                                     Corporate Social Media Summit!
     Bill	Tolany
     Head of Social Media
     Whole	Foods	Market              Two-day	business	conference,	15	–	16	June	2010
                                     The Helmsley Hotel, Manhattan, New York City
     Heather	Oldani
     Director of US Communications
     McDonald’s

     Amy	Powell                      •	 	 0+	expert	corporate	speakers:
                                        2
     Senior Vice-President,
     Interactive Marketing              Practical and relevant insights from 20+ expert
     Paramount	Pictures
                                        corporate speakers
     Molly	Schonthal
     Head of Social Media
     Nokia
                                     •	 	 n	agenda	tightly	focused	on	business	concerns:	
                                        A
                                        14 sessions of best practice, benchmarks and practical
     Chris	Barbour
     Head of Digital Marketing,         next steps you can use
     adidas Originals
     Adidas
                                     •	 	 2+	hours	of	excellent	networking	opportunities:	
                                        1
     Robert	Halper
     Director, Video                    Generate a new support network and sounding board
     Communications
     Johnson	&	Johnson

     Stefan	Heeke
     Director of Online Marketing
     Siemens                         www.usefulsocialmedia.com

                                                                                                                               5

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Corporate Social Media White Paper - Pt 1

  • 1. Corporate social media: an investigation into the relationship between business and social media, with 7 real-world case studies Part one Report produced in partnership by Jonathan Ballantine and Nick Johnson
  • 2. Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com Contents Social media and business 3 So what is social media? 3 Why is this so important to business? 4 2
  • 3. Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com Social media The past decade has brought new opportunities for companies seeking to engage with their customers – who are using social media to share opinions, experiences and business and perspectives in borderless communities. As these communities become ever more powerful in disseminating the information they want and filtering out what they don’t, any successful communication strategy should place digital communication at its core. The challenge for an organisation is how. In this practical briefing we will provide insights and case study findings from our discussions with more than 25 industry professionals. So what is However you define social media, an important point is that it is not about the technologies themselves, but rather the change in behaviour. This is not a mere social media? trend; it is a new form of communication. The new way of communicating goes against the grain of what organisations have been typically doing – top down, broadcast- type communications with no interaction or dialogue with their audiences. What social media has done is to turn this model upside down, by creating a bottom-up, democratised communication system. This is changing the definition of communication – traditionally companies have focused on formal channels such as advertising and public relations in order to communicate with their audience. Social media is making this less relevant, as audiences demand dialogue. In marketing terms this is equivalent to the migration from a “push” strategy to a “pull” approach. The organisations that have had greatest success in this new world are those that have integrated social media into their communications strategy and have aligned policies to social media’s fundamental concepts. 3
  • 4. Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com Why is this Business reputations and opinions are being defined through these new channels. Sooner or later all organisations will have to become involved, as not communicating so important is a clear message in itself. Whether you participate or not, the conversations will happen. You can either tell your story or have it told for you. to business? For companies entering this space there are some key rules of engagement. First, organisations need to realise that social media is not another advertising or media channel – even though it can facilitate social commerce and improve reputation. The most effective starting position for any organisation is to listen to what is being said about them or their competitors to help develop a stakeholder-engagement strategy. Once an organisation begins its approach it is imperative that it is done in a transparent, authentic and consistent way. There can be no dipping in and out – you have to make a full commitment and try to become part of the conversation and the community. Content needs to be kept fresh and relevant – although it does not necessarily have to be content in the traditional sense of the word. Content in this instance could just be presence: providing one half of a potential conversation. Based on our discussions with social media leaders the critical success factor for any social media marketing activity is for it to be genuine. If it seems or feels inauthentic, it will fail. The guiding principles for any organisation venturing into social media are: • Be active • Be everywhere • Be nice Being active means you must participate in genuine conversations, where the focus of intention is about giving and not receiving. You cannot throw money at social media marketing and expect it to work. It is very easy for organisations to dress up old media tactics in social media clothing – but that approach is not sustainable and looks prehistoric in the new environment. Being everywhere means exactly that. If your organisation is going to convince its target audience that it is what it purports to be, it must do so everywhere online. Being active everywhere means you are giving yourself the best opportunity to provide constant, contextual, responsive and valuable content within each and every available target community. Being nice may not mean all it first seems – especially in the face of harsh criticism. When engaging, organisations need a tough skin when listening and monitoring feedback. It is important is to be able to respond to negative messages in a constructive and timely manner – to some extent it is like being a good parent. To gain momentum and begin shifting perceptions, it is not enough to “advertise” what you do or what you think; you have to become a part of the conversation and the community. It must be in your company’s DNA, not a bolt-on marketing tool. Those who are committed to real, embedded stakeholder engagement have already accepted the virtue of being active, everywhere, and nice. This is end of Part one of our White paper. Part two has been released and is available at usefulsocialmedia.com 4
  • 5. Meet and learn from expert corporate social media practitioners in person at the Corporate Social Media Summit – find out more at usefulsocialmedia.com Do you want to get insightful, practical advice from successful corporate social media practitioners – in person? All these corporate social media experts Then you should attend the confirmed to speak! Corporate Social Media Summit! Bill Tolany Head of Social Media Whole Foods Market Two-day business conference, 15 – 16 June 2010 The Helmsley Hotel, Manhattan, New York City Heather Oldani Director of US Communications McDonald’s Amy Powell • 0+ expert corporate speakers: 2 Senior Vice-President, Interactive Marketing Practical and relevant insights from 20+ expert Paramount Pictures corporate speakers Molly Schonthal Head of Social Media Nokia • n agenda tightly focused on business concerns: A 14 sessions of best practice, benchmarks and practical Chris Barbour Head of Digital Marketing, next steps you can use adidas Originals Adidas • 2+ hours of excellent networking opportunities: 1 Robert Halper Director, Video Generate a new support network and sounding board Communications Johnson & Johnson Stefan Heeke Director of Online Marketing Siemens www.usefulsocialmedia.com 5