The aftermath of the Boston marathon bombings showed social media at its best in providing quick, timely information as well as at its worst in helping to feed rumours and misinformation. It also caught a number of brands out who had scheduled, but failed to stop, promotional tweets. In a talk at the 'Housing Goes Digital' conference, Rabbit's head of content Jim Shaughnessy used Boston and other major news events to show how the Internet has changed the way we consume news, and also how news stories are shaped. The presentation then goes to show how real-time news leads to real-time marketing, and what this means for brands.

1. News Consumed, News Distributed
Social media for brands

2. Jim Shaughnessy
Head of Content
The Rabbit Agency

3. Three things you should know about me
My background is in
traditional media
I practise what Rabbit
preach
I live in a house

4. How are social media and the internet
changing the way we consume news?
How are social media and the internet
changing the way we interact with brands
How has news
consumption and
creation changed?
How has this
a!ected the
credibility of news
sources?
Real time
marketing
Real time
consumption
Customer
expectation
Social media
strategy

5. Source: http://www3.ebu.ch/files/live/sites/ebu/files/Knowledge/Media%20Strategy/ebu_polis_report1.pdf
How is social media changing the way we consume news?
Source: http://news3.co.uk/2013/03/14/five-ways-that-social-is-changing-news/
Source: http://mashable.com/2012/11/28/social-media-time/
43% of young people aged
16-24 "nd their news on
social media rather than
through search engines
Referrals to the BBC News
website from social media
increased 500% between
2010 and 2012
Social media accounts for
18% of all time spent
online
The fastest growing social
media age group is over 55s

6. Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57521694-93/pew-study-news-consumption-up-via-mobile-social-media/
The Internet as a News Source
Internet news is on the rise while
traditional news declines

7. How is social media changing the way we consume news?

8. Breaking Records for Breaking News
The raid on Osama Bin Laden’s compound and his
subsequent death were on social media before
they reached conventional news websites

10. Tragedy in Boston: How Did Social Media Respond?

11. Real Time Reporting
Within seconds, Twitter became a destination for
those looking for news on the ground

12. Throughout the
aftermath, helpful
advice was dispensed
for those in the area by
those who weren’t

13. Twitter acted as a
vital real time
channel for the
police to appeal
for information
and provide news
and advice

14. According to Topsy, between 2:20AEST and 3:20AEST - before the bombing –
the event’s hashtag #BostonMarathon only generated around 2644
mentions across social platforms.
This number exploded to a staggering 288,021 mentions between 5:20AEST
and 6:20AEST. The graph below represents this spike.
Source: http://www.businessspectator.com.au/news/2013/4/16/technology/social-media-fuels-coverage-boston-marathon-bombings-0

15. The internet rapidly made
itself useful. Google produced
a person "nder while locals
produced a collaborative
spreadsheet o!ering
accommodation to those
a!ected

16. Information and Misinformation
Twitter users spread the word that
parts of the conventional media
were reporting falsehoods

17. this is real time reporting
Everything is happening in
real time. News, views and
assistance with no need to
wait for bulletins or
reporters

18. The Rumour Mill
Source: http://simonnricketts.tumblr.com/post/48115760648/twitter-and-news-the-canary-down-the-mine
“A lie can travel halfway around the world
while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
Local hospitals urgently
need blood donors
There was an additional
explosion at the JFK Library
A Muslim with shrapnel wounds
is being guarded at Boston
Hospital as a ‘person of interest’
Marathon runners carried
on running to give blood
5 explosive devices were
found in total
A number of victims
were survivors of the
Newtown massacre
All untrue at the time of posting

19. The Dark Side of Social
“Twitter does its best work in the
!rst !ve minutes after a disaster,
and its worst in the twelve hours
after that.” - @rolldiggity

20. Sensitivity is Imperative

21. Sensitivity is Imperative
This
That

22. How Is Social Media Changing Our
Relationships With Brands?

23. Real time marketing
As with news, real time is
an emerging trend in
marketing.

24. Real time everything
Every day life is enhanced
in real time

25. We Expect More
Social media has given customers greater access to brands
than ever before. New customer service streams have been
created, and if you open them you have to keep watch over
them
If a customer complains on Twitter or Facebook, they expect
a quick response. If they don’t get it, the results can be
disastrous
Brand loyalty is dying in the real world. On social, if you can
generate the right content, you can create brand loyalty online

26. Offering Value to a Loyal Community
Well managed brand pages
o!er value - be that deals
or engaging content - that
maintains brand awareness
virtually free of charge
In addition, this
creates brand
advocacy, loyal fans
who will in$uence
other people to buy

27. Feedback is Immediate
Customers aren’t just
waiting until their
experience is over, they’re
using social media
throughout.
While 80% of Britain’s
largest retailers are on
Twitter, only 25% respond
when called out

28. People Listen to Each Other
Source: http://www.digitalvisitor.com/latestnewsandresources/social-media-blog/how-reviews-influence-purchasing-decisions.html
Source: http://www.viralblog.com/user-created-content/reviewing-the-influence-of-online-reviews-infographic/
92% of online shoppers
trust recommendations
from people they know
70% of online shoppers
trust online reviews
92.5% of adults research a
product online before buying
it in a bricks and mortar store
40% of people trust TV ads
82% of consumers consider
user generated views
extremely valuable or valuable
A highly rated product will
increase the chances of
purchase by 55%
83.5% of people trust user
reviews over critic reviews

29. Power is in the hand of the consumer like
never before

30. Have a Strategy
Source: http://www.viralblog.com/user-created-content/reviewing-the-influence-of-online-reviews-infographic/
Social media shouldn’t
be an afterthought.
Before setting up a feed
and creating more work
for your sta!, think why
you might need it
Be clear internally;
whose job is social?
95% of customers will
return to a brand they’ve
had a bad experience with
if their issue is solved
quickly and satisfactorily
By creating a solid
content strategy, you
can ensure consistent
quality over last minute
randomness

31. Seek Out Feedback and Act On It

32. Check Your Feeds Regularly
• Don’t Tweet while a customer service query is outstanding
• Don’t ignore your customers
• Don’t argue
• Do check at least hourly
• Do take a complaint o%ine as soon as possible
• Do monitor for mentions of your brand not directly aimed at you
Don’t
Do

33. Be Reactive and Proactive
If you schedule content,
keep an eye on the news
Monitor for mentions of
your company or products
Seek out your brand
advocates and reward them

34. Thank you
@therabbitagency
@shaunu!
www.therabbitagency.com
jim@therabbitagency.com