Social mediaThe place for risk and new ideas

Sarah EvansSevans Strategy

sarah@sevansstrategy.comTwitter: @PRsarahevans

Skype: PRsarahevansAIM: PRsarahevans

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/prsarahevans

#socmedrisk

I’m not selling snake oil.

Hashtag: #socmedrisk

Social media are PART OF online communities

• Social networking (i.e. Twitter, Facebook)• Social bookmarking (i.e. Digg, Delicious)• Broadband content• Gaming (i.e. video games, entertainment)• Blogs (i.e. Wordpress, Blogger, TypePad)• Consumer generated media• Mobile content or gaming access• Wikis (i.e. Wikipedia)• Video sharing (i.e. YouTube)• Photo sharing (i.e. Flickr, Photobucket)• Presentation sharing (i.e. Slideshare, Scribd)

Corporate Communicators of Yesteryear

• Message management; “issued” message• Disclaim, disclaim, disclaim• Scripted• Unseen • Several levels of approval• “Let’s put together a press release.”• Newsletters• Managing content of corporate website

Hashtag: #socmedrisk

Corporate Communicators of the NOW!

• Trusted advisor, “at the table”• Start a conversation via multiple platforms• Unscripted (for the most part)• Build relationships with media • Engage stakeholders to share stories and opinions in a

public format• Multimedia approach• PERSONAL relations• Available outside 9 – 5 • Visible in public

Hashtag: #socmedrisk

You’ve got peeps.

• Instantaneous• Conversation• Community• Transparency• Listen• Participatory• Monitor• Respond

• Want it now• Let’s chat• I’m a part of something• You’re not hiding• Someone heard me• Join in/have fun• Find the talkers• Follow up

Hashtag: #socmedrisk

ENTER social media

enter R I S K

Hashtag: #socmedrisk

Define risk

• It doesn’t have to make your legal team cringe• What are you WILLING to do?• Appropriate risk aligned with your brand

– Probably not okay for the CDC to make a spoof about getting H1NI from bacon

• Small steps (but see movement)– Print to electronic (save a tree)– Register your accounts

• Ask your community– A question– For ideas

Don’t be afraid of F-U-N!

• Contests– Funniest texting error– Win a [insert prize]

• Personality– Colonel Tribune– @aplusk & @mrskutcher

• Different– Viral*

• Buzz– Make up words

• Top Trends– #followfriday– Top 25 Things meme

*I’m going to address “viral” in an upcoming slide.

Not the place for disclaimer.

What if I make a mistake?

1. You will2. People are forgiving3. Monitor and engage4. Just look at Dell

RISK Example #1: Online engagement

• Allow customers/stakeholders to vote, share opinions and/or review your products ON your website

• Monitor sites like Twitter for those talking about you, your competitor(s) or similar topics, then RESPOND

• Take pictures at an event, post to Flickr, hand out a card to remind people to visit site

• Identify media outlets and blogs where your customers are, begin posting to articles as an employee

RISK Example #2: “We’ve always done it this way.”

• Make this next giveaway social media-friendly• Move from print to electronic• Include on your website and make compatible

for mobile phones• Instead of stickers, design a widget• Dedicate advertising $ towards the

development of a free iPhone app

Viral

• Humorous and surprising treatment of a topical issue (jibjab “elf yourself”/Officemax)

• Humorous and surprising treatment of an issue with focused appeal (WoW/Ozzy Osbourne cross-over commercial)

• Projection of a mundane situation or product in an outlandish light (Messin’ with Sasquatch ads/Beef Jurkey)

• Entertaining mashup of a classic property (Darth Vader parody)

• Trainwrecks (Appalachian State)• Parlor Tricks (Daft Hands, NFL ‘Choose Me’ campaign)• Schmaltz (stuff you get from your mom or dad)

I’m breaking my own rule. *********DISLCAIMER: You can’t just “go” viral. *********

-This slide borrowed from Andy Beedle (abeedle.com) (@abeedle)

It’s not the be ALL end ALL

• Don’t underestimate traditional tactics• Give it time• If you build it they will come, sometimes• Show results/successes• CREATIVITY matters• Don’t force an audience

Social mediaThe place for risk and new ideas

Sarah EvansSevans Strategy

sarah@sevansstrategy.comTwitter: @PRsarahevans

Skype: PRsarahevansAIM: PRsarahevans

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/prsarahevans

#socmedrisk