AN ONLINE BRAND NEVER SLEEPS.
Social Media is a user driven, socially evolving phenomena that plays host to digital influence. But why should individuals, businesses and organizations pay attention to it? What impact will it have on the future of communication? We hope to provide exclusive and detailed insight to help you understand the nature of today's digital interactions, the people behind them, and how to make them a viable part of whatever you do.
 SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLAINED
If you bring the term "Social Media" to the web and search for its meaning you are likely to get a definition similar to the following: "The online mediums and technologies that people are using to share things with others." This definition is simple, accurate and does an effective job of capturing the big picture of Social Media. However, if you want a more detailed perspective on the rise and impact Social Media here is some further insight.
Social media in essence, is the alignment of web 2.0 technologies with the social needs of users. Social media enables high levels of the following:
CONTENT MANAGEMENT / CONTROL
In our day to day lives we try to manage the controllable and uncontrollable variables we are faced with in order to optimize the end experience.
Social Media: Social Bookmarking sites (Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit)
Web 2.0 Technologies: RSS feeds, Content Aggregators (Google, Yahoo), Widgets, Rich internet applications
CONNECTIVITY
We have a tendency to share our good or bad experiences with others that are either inside or outside of a direct part of our work, friend , professional, and family networks.
Social Media: Social networks and utilities
Web 2.0 Technologies: Social Software, Application Programming Interfaces (API's), Access Controls, Open Source, User Friendly Interfaces in Ajax, Flex etc.
COLLABORATION
Rapidly advancing web technologies and the infrastructure needed to support them has connected individuals all across the globe. Social networks/utilities, content sharing platforms, blogs, forums and wikis are a few examples that fall under the Social Media umbrella by capturing the energy of the social forces listed above. Paying attention to, and including these things as part of an online brand strategy is imperative for long-term success in the digital era.
SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS
BLOG
A digital online journal, where a central subject theme is presented and subsequent commentary is posted by readers in chronological or reverse chronological format. Blogs can be set-up into several different structural formats containing movies, photographs, mp3s, and podcasts.
PODCAST
Derived from APPLE'S iPOD(a portable media device that plays mp3's and videos), a podcast is a file or a series of stored files made available by a podcaster, to be played using a portable media device or PC at the demand of the user. A typical podcast is comprised of audio or video (Video Podcast), and is syndicated in a way that makes it available to all or a select group of web-users.
WEBCAST
A live broadcast transmission of audio/video on the internet.
VIDEOLOG / VLOG
An online video journal.
MICROSITE
A smaller supplemental website that has a unique offering of information not available on the central website.
WEBISODE
An audio or video presentation that usually serves as a preview for a television show, music video, and other forms of regularly scheduled media.
WIKI
A social collaboration application that allows an unlimited amount of users to add, remove, or edit content. Wikis make it possible to have numerous inputs combined under a single subject header.
SOCIAL MEDIUMS
SOCIAL NETWORKS / UTILITIES
Websites built to connect groups of people. Social network users can build a personal profile, connect with existing friends, search for new friends within networks, and communicate using a mixture of the following; blogging, content sharing, chatting, emailing and messaging.
SOCIAL BOOKMARKING
A system that enables users to do the following; store lists of links to web-pages they prefer(bookmarks), access stored list of preferred sites from anywhere, rate website content and share their site choices with a network or a group of friends. Users can typically view their bookmarks in chronological order, by categorical tags, or as part of related searches.
CONTENT BASED COMMUNITITES
Websites and applications that enable users to share particular or multiple content type(s) such as photos, movies, videos, etc., with a network or a group of friends.
WIKIS
Collaborative online tools for organizing thoughts and ideas around particular subject matter. As social collaboration applications, wikis enable a limitless number of users to add, remove, or edit content. Wikis make it possible to have numerous inputs combined under a single topic header.
Our Steps for finding and Building Digital Influence:What does Digital Influence mean for MicroArts' clients? Digital Influence is the fusion of public relations and interactive marketing strategies to attain high levels of engagement and influence within the online world. In essence, digital influence is the mechanism for creating and amplifying conversation amongst valued constituents across the web. On a large scale, Digital Influence is the aggregate sum of targeted communication efforts, built to deliver the power of influence and be spread across proven social mediums.
STEP 1. INFLUENCE MONITORING
The online world of communication can seem like an elaborate and confusing place. It is vital to know where your valued constituents are spending the majority of their time online and why. In the observation phase (typically 4-5 weeks) it is our job to identify, map, and analyze all online activities relevant to your brand.
By monitoring numerous online mediums and identifying key influencers within them, we are able to develop a clear understanding of the conversation drivers around a particular product or service. Studying the nature of multiple interactions within online communities, blogs, and social utilities helps us identify and understand trends that are essential for building valuable relationships. The end result of the influence monitoring phase combines our proven brand launch expertise and thorough understanding of the online marketplace in the form of an actionable plan for engaging influential online audiences.
STEP 2. INFLUENCE IN ACTION
This is where we take the steps for engaging influential online audiences and put them into action. The Influence in Action phase supports the broad influence strategy established during the monitoring phase by the execution of a series of highly targeted, tactical communication efforts. The first category of these efforts includes building and managing relationships within opportune mediums such as blogs, news sites, social utilities and social networks. This phase helps us effectively heighten awareness and better understand what type of content influential constituents are seeking.
The second category of these communication efforts includes the roll-out of interactive experiences in the form of rich digital content. This content may include viral videos, podcasts, wikis, microsites, and other social media content formats to effectively engage online audiences. These pieces of content are designed to capture the attention of online users while compelling them to share their experience with others. By leveraging our in depth knowledge of content sharing mediums we are able to effectively distribute rich media experiences in places they will be recognized and shared by influential groups of people.
STEP 2. INFLUENCE MEASUREMENT
By fully understanding the quantity, relevancy and frequency of online activities surrounding your brand during the Influence Monitoring stage, we are able to closely track your campaign from the launch of your very first initiative. Being able to accurately track our client's digital efforts is an imperative part of how we maintain effective, long term digital influence.
The Influence Measurement phase at the highest level relates the initial campaign objectives established at the outset of the campaign with the results produced during the Influence in Action phase. Multiple qualitative and quantitative metrics are used to track individual campaign efforts, giving us a clear indication of the overall success of your campaign. In addition to the measurement tools we currently have in place, part of our ongoing commitment to excellence is closely following and taking advantage of valuable tools as they are developed and made available for use.
Here are some of the tools we offer for tracking your campaign:
- Viral Video Tracking: hits, number of site distributed, user statistics
- Website analytics: tracking of relevant website statistics as a result of your campaign
- Blog Dialogue Meter: track total conversations as a result of campaign
- Total Campaign Report: bi-weekly or monthly report that includes all of our metrics in an easy to read document
Contact MicroArts to see how our in-depth knowledge of Social Media Marketing and its ability to create Digital Influence can take your brand to the next level!
You can also connect with us online through FINT!
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Social Media is Truth Serum for Brands
This article inspired me to write this blog post. Titled "8 marketing messages we know are all lies, it is essentially a story about common marketing spins", slants and cooked performance statistics in brand communications. As I read this article, I realize this mindset is soon-to-be-dated thinking. This thinking was perhaps accurate before the onslaught of social media. Today, brand managers and brand advocates must realize social media is the new truth serum for their brand's behavior.
Read full blog
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"Social media marketing is a cutting-edge approach for bringing brands to life on the internet. Enabling brands to be present within popular social places and spaces, while at the same time creating shareable experiences can have a profound impact on your brands overall awareness."
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MicroArts Creative Agency
Since 1988, we've been perfecting our practice as an Internet marketing agency, including social media marketing as part of our Ultimate Marketing Mix.
Other Internet marketing services include:
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SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLAINED
