Experience Research Director, Dan Berlin shares his secrets on Social Media Content Strategy at UPA International 2012.

1. Social Media Content Strategy
Dan Berlin – Experience Research Director
dberlin@madpow.net
@banderlin
@madpow

2. The Right Message in the Right Place at the Right Time
ê Social Media is a shiny new tool to get content out there
• But you can’t just throw content to the wall and hope it sticks
ê There is no longer such a thing as a destination website
• Google leads to inner pages
ê Instead of simply putting content out there, we must properly plan and unleash it

3. Research to understand your customers
ê Understand potential customers’ goals, wants, and needs
• Align these with your business goals and the available technology
User Business
Research Goals
Social Media
Platforms

4. Messaging Workshop
Armed with user data, have a messaging workshop to determine your:
Voice and
Goals! Audience Timing Keywords Message!
Tone
And to get stakeholder buy-in

5. Marketing is Your Friend
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ganesha_isis

6. Where will your content live?
On-site
• Make things sharable Off-site
• Drive traffic
• Conversion • Raise awareness
• Drive traffic
• Conversion

7. Social Media Footprint

8. Getting the Voice Right

9. Getting the Tone Right

10. SEO and Content Strategy Go Hand-in-Hand
ê You
can’t have a good content strategy without considering Search Engine Optimization
(SEO)
• Your content is useless unless it’s findable
ê Keywords, keywords, keywords
• Categorize your content
• Engage in relevant topics
ê Optimize content for your customers and SEO will follow

11. Getting the Message Right
I have some bad news for you:
No one wants to hear about your product!
They want to be:
Educated Entertained

12. Message Hierarchy
Primary Message
Supports all business objectives and speaks to all audiences
Secondary Tertiary Calls to Action
Supports main The details – What do you
message; speaks evidence for the want them to do?
to varied 1o and 2o
audiences messages

13. Business Process Considerations
Internal buy-in
Workflow
Governance

14. Content Calendars Are Also Your Friend
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kimberlyeternal/

15. Reacting to Customers

16. Be a Trusted Resource
What is going to thrill users?
Where are they in the lifecycle?
What message satisfies the
business and customer?

17. Don’t Just Cultivate! Collaborate!
You don’t have to create all of the content yourself
Point customers to other relevant content of interest
(Mashable, Reddit, etc.)
Find content that your audience will think is valuable

18. Flexibility Based on Data
ê Measurement tools allow the quick collection of data
ê You will quickly know:
• How the audience has reacted to your content
• If the audience is following the calls to action
ê Have to be nimble and react to the flow of social media
• Solid workflows and governance aid nimbleness

19. Tools
Management
Measurement

20. Thank You!
ê Start with user research
ê Understand your goals and the landscape Dan Berlin
dberlin@madpow.net
ê Establish workflow and governance @banderlin
@madpow
ê Cultivate your content
ê Interact and engage
ê Be a trusted resource