The Social Effect: How we communicate now and what it means

to your business

Kevin MacKenzie@Mackenstuff

Social Media Practice LeadMarshall Fenn Communications

Hashtag #GWEBIZ

“People will always talk about you, so give them something to talk about”

Brian Solis, The End of Business as Usual

“The new Web is…a shared canvas where every splash of paint contributed by one user provides a richer tapestry for the next user to modify or build on. Whether people are creating, sharing, or socializing, the new Web is principally about participating rather than about passively receiving information.”

Don Tapscott & Anthony D. Williams, Wikinomics

Our access to information keeps growing

700MM Websites globally as of June 1, 2012 - Netcraft

How to solve a problem like the Internet?

The Era of Web 2.0

• Anyone could contribute content• New sources of content could be easily found• We started connecting our online networks

Enter Social Media

It’s about conversations

• We have adapted our behaviour to consume more

technology-sourced information and media

• Social media allows us to easily include our personal

networks into the process

• We rely on personal and social networks to make

decisions

• It’s changing the way business gets done

Social Media in Canada

5.6 MillionLinkedIn Profiles in Canada

1 in 4Canadian Workers hasa LinkedIn Profile

18.5 Million Facebook Users In

Canada6th

Largest Twitter Audience Globally

And it’s not going away

Remember this?

So what’s holding us back?

• Social media isn’t for us.– Find your social brand…soon

• They’re gonna talk to us; it may not be good.– Have a plan and something to say

• We just don’t have the time.– No cost/low cost management tools are

everywhere• Our customers aren’t on social media.– Are you absolutely sure? What about competitors?

What makes Social different?

• Plan for the conversation• Don’t bore your audience• Be prepared for challenges• It’s not cyclical – it’s perpetual

Building Your Social Plan

Social Brand Content Plan

Engagement Plan

Measurement

Policy

Engagement Stages

AdvocacyAudience advocates drive the tone of the

conversation

InteractionManage the conversation and content through

brand-driven content

EngagementUse audience insights to deliver compelling

content

ListeningUnderstand what your audience wants to talk

about

Content Curation

• Common technique to build out your communications

• Sharing info• Reference other

reputable sources that compliment your plan

What Makes Social Different?

• Plan for the conversation• Don’t bore your audience• Be prepared for challenges• It’s not cyclical – it’s perpetual

Social Content is Compelling

Even the big guys make mistakes

If you want Social Media to work

• Post information that is unique and compelling to your audience

• Listen to your audience, let them direct the conversation

• Ask for feedback• Be transparent and honest

What is the investment?

58%of marketers report spending

6 hours a week on social media(average of 1.15 hours per day)

34%Percentage of marketers reporting spending more than

12 hours per week

Source: Social Media Examiner 2011 Marketing Survey

53%of marketers indicated that their Social Media programs were less than 1 year old

Stop Navel Gazing

The new business paradigm

• Your customers expect you to be on social

• Your brand needs a social story

• Search engines value social highly

• Content makes your brand interesting

• Conversations are already happening. Ignore them

at your own peril.

Remember this...

1. It’s called Social Media for a reason.

2. Be human. Not bureaucratic.

3. Don’t tell me. Tell me why.

4. Make it interesting. Make it unique.

5. Make it easy to share.

If you want to learn more

Email me: mackenstuff@gmail.comFollow me: @mackenstuffFriend me: facebook.com/mackenziekevinLink me: ca.linkedin.com/kevinsmackenziePin me: pinterest.com/mackenstuffFind me: foursquare.com/mackenstuff

You get the idea…thank you everyone!