Brands in Social Media
An interesting report from Immediate Future on brand profiles online and particularly in the social media space.
Most of the stats do little for me except to prove that online and offline brands are ranked differently…. yes, you do have to work the online space to get the profile there (doh!).
some nice insights.
LG, Kraft, Amazon and Reuters, who performed well across all social
media, have done poorly in the selected social networks. These brands
are currently not inspiring the creation of groups and therefore
conversations are minimal.
I like this…. the idea that you need to do your own promotion (I can’t really call it online PR becase the methods and media are so different) and that you brand presence needs to be driven.
Companies wanting to understand the conversation around their own brand
must go further than measure share of voice and sentiment. They must
delve deeper and isolate the buzz compared to influence. Influence not
only plays an important role as a way of converting buzz to impact, it
is also crucial to get a correct impression of the sentiment
surrounding a topic or brand.Social media conversation is not only about the numbers. Social media in itself has influence.
not sure what this last sentence means…. it isn’t amplified in the report.
Agency.com’s recent research (June 2007) shows that while only 8% of internet users in the UK (approximately 2.3 million people) actively upload content and reviews regularly, these 8% are hugely important for brands. This
is because their ability to influence other internet users is immense.
In essence, they are affecting the behaviour of millions and changing
how audiences inform opinions about brands, products and services.It is this group that brands need to identify and influence. Brands
will need to charm advocates and inspire positive debate. Companies
that put strategies in place to rebut negative comment will need to
consider not just relevant communications, but customer service,
product value and business performance.The influence of social media on a brand is relative to topic. In each
subject area for each brand, there will be different influencers,
different detractors and advocates. Determining the most influential blogger, forum member or network takes time and can, and does, frequently change.Brands must pay attention because audiences instinctively turn to the
web for information. Search engines drive people straight to comment
and conversation, often bypassing a brand’s website and its marketing.
The influence of social media is crucial if brands are to survive their
ownership by audiences.
Great summary, Katy and you team have done us proud. What was sad for me was that I have corresponded with you in the past and yet you didnt’ send me a link to this great work.
I got it from another blogger… Joined up marketing is still needed online as well as offline!