PeerIndex Founder reveals social marketing developments
Apr 24th
Click here is you can;t see this video interview with Azeem Azhar, founder of PeerIndex.
I had a chance to catch up with PeerIndex founder Azeem Azhar at his homebase in London. Azeem is prominently featured Return On Influence and this was a golden opportunity to catch up with him about some of the newest developments. In this interview we cover:
Is social scoring getting traction? Is it creating measurable value for companies and brands or is it still experimental?
How is the company going to use its new round of funding?
Why is social scoring so disruptive for many traditional advertising agencies?
How are companies realizing “TV ad-like” results by approaching influencers?
What is the “magic middle” of influencer outreach?
Is this still experimental or are companies beginning to dedicate real money towards influence marketing?
How are companies measuring benefits from this new channel?
I think you’ll find this conversation quite interesting!
Using Klout and social scoring for sales and marketing teams
Apr 23rd
One of the things I have been interested in is examining practical applications of Klout and social scoring to an internal enterprise.
If you are unclear about social scoring systems and what they attempt to measure, it might be useful to start with this blog post about Why Klout Matters. Like a credit score, let’s assume that companies like Klout, Kred and Appinions are beginning to measure something that correlates to an individual’s social media effectiveness.
I had an opporunity to test some of these ideas last week when I conducted a social influence workshop with a global services company in the UK.
I began with an overview of the basics behind these systems and what we can really learn from them.
Then, thanks to Andrew Grill, president of Kred, we were able to construct an internal dashboard that approximated the relative social media effectiveness of many company employees. It was nothing short af a revelation to these top executives. Here are a couple of observations:
Who is the real company spokesperson?
One of the executives said, “I don’t know any of these people on this list! You mean they are representing our company?”
Indeed. I told him the story about how one of his IT employees — the person with the second-highest Kred score in the company — connected with me through this blog and on Twitter, and over a period of two years we had become friends. When he found out I was coming to London, he offered to introduce me to the company’s marketing team. That led to organizing the workshop.
“You see,” I said, “to me, this web developer IS the face of your company. The only reason I am here today is because he is representing you so effectively on the social web.”
This was a profound lesson for the executives. They were discovering their most effective representatives on the social web — and it was quite eye-opening. Now they are wondering about: How do we thank them, learn from them, and find ways we can work more closely together? How do we transfer their expertise to other parts of the organization?
Where is marketing?
It was illustrative that 80% of the top influencers where in no way associated with PR, sales, service, or marketing. This was an equally shocking revelation. Shouldn’t these departments be highly visible on the social web, especially in a technology and services-oriented company?
This company prided itself in being on the forefront of technology and best management practices but this simple ranking made them realize they were missing an enormous opportunity to discover gaps with their customer-facing strategies. This led to a lively discussion about further training and how some of the key ideas from Return On Influence could be incorporated into basic sales best practices.
Influencer Outreach
The exercise also started them thinking about using these scores to discover unknown or under-utilized resources at prospect companies, possible partner companies or even as a way to find high-potential new employees. How could they find like-minded and passionate individuals who have a natural interest in their ideas and technologies? They had already observed how it could be used to find a resource like me. The possibilities seemed vast.
It was exciting for me to see some of the core ideas of Return On Influence come alive in this corporate setting and I wanted to pass along some of the experiences to you. Can you see how some of these simple lists can help you and your sales efforts?
Gone with the Pin. A {growtoon}.
Apr 20th
Join the growtoonists each Friday for a humorous take on marketing, social media, and current business events.
Joey Strawn is a social media strategist that loves enjoying a good book and then drawing in it. Check him out on Twitter: @joey_strawn
Yes, you can be addicted to social media
Apr 19th
Guest post by {grow} community member Kaity Nakagoshi
For most people, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are harmless platforms that allow for social interaction and personal expression. For others, social media has become more than an entertaining form of engagement; it has become an increasing compulsion. The question is – can a person really become addicted to social media?
This is a notion that psychologists and researchers are beginning to address, and recent studies suggest that yes, this may be a serious opportunity for addiction.
The Science of Social
The University of Chicago recently conducted one such study and found social media to be even more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol. Addictions are, after all, about feeding a compelling urge, and one of the greatest human urges is the yearning to feel connected and a part of something larger. Nothing satisfies this particular urge like logging on and being social with the masses at any hour of the day or night. Desires for social media are difficult to control because of the easy-access availability of it, and because giving in to these social urges seems far less harmful than giving into drugs or nicotine.
Another interesting finding in the research was the correlation between low self-esteem and social network addiction. Being social online is easier for people who suffer from self-esteem issues, and within this group, an addiction to sites like Facebook and Twitter is much more easily formed.
Address Your Addiction
Are you guilty of checking your Facebook account before you even get out of bed in the morning? Do you tweet while on a romantic first date? You may think your own social media habits are harmless, but how do you know if you’ve crossed the line into an addiction?
One way to check yourself is to evaluate your feelings about social media. For instance, when you don’t have access to it, say while on vacation or at an event such as a wedding, do you feel anxious and can think of little besides what you’re missing online? Would it be an accurate statement to say that social media brings you the most pleasure in your life? If you answered yes to these questions, then it might be time to address your relationship with social media.
Don’t be a Victim
One of the best things you can do to reign in your addiction is to keep track of exactly how much time you spend on sites like Facebook and Twitter. It’s a good idea to schedule your social media time and stick to that schedule no matter what. Close down your web browsers and remove desktop/smartphone applications like Tweetdeck that could potentially tempt you. Use a good old-fashioned alarm clock so that your cell phone doesn’t linger by your bedside and keep you from precious hours of sleep. Essentially, you must be your own gatekeeper and make sure you’re getting the important tasks accomplished every day, tasks that actually grow your business.
On the Plus Side
The flip side to social media addiction is that it can have a positive effect on your marketing strategies once you know exactly how your own customers use social sites. Study your market and familiarize yourself with what kind of content your audience tends favors and how that content is generally shared. Most importantly, always acknowledge and abide by social media’s ‘golden rule’ – Never sell to your market. Instead, engage with them and serve them value, making sure to always be upfront and transparent.
It’s Okay to be “Anti-Social”
There is no doubt that social media will continue to shape the way we live and conduct our business online. In the midst of this, it is wise to remember that a little goes a long way, and sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. If it weren’t for my socially pumped iPhone complete with a Pinterest app, Facebook app, and Twitter app, I don’t know how I would survive doctor’s waiting rooms and long lines at the grocery store. However, as a die-hard Patriots fan, I willingly stayed clear of all forms of social media for an entire week post Super Bowl. To my own dismay, I did not suffer from withdrawals, so I think it’s safe to say that I am not addicted to social media, but I sure do like it a lot!
What is the longest you have gone without tweeting or checking your Facebook newsfeed?
Follow guest author Kaity Nakagoshi, on Twitter: @Kaity_Fl
Welcome to {grow}
You’re in marketing for one reason: Grow.
Grow your company, reputation, customers, impact, profits. Grow yourself. This is a community that will help. It will stretch your mind, connect you to fascinating people, and provide some fun along the way. I am so glad you’re here.
-Mark SchaeferFollow Mark
Groups We Believe In
