Your Brand is Taking Off, With or Without You

Presented by Brian I. Block, Social Media Strategist

You’re having difficulty evaluating new trends to utilize.

You went online and researched hashtag campaigns, reddit and memes.

You saw some amazing marketing campaigns and discovered

fantastic research.

However, you also found something shocking…

The people (online users) are playing a HUGE role in developing the brands.

Every campaign you create should be an opportunity for anyone to

engage your brand.

Hashtag Campaigns

Reddit AMAs

Internet Memes

Hashtags are Magic…

#But #only #when #used #strategicly.

Benefits of Hashtags

• Increases engagement

• Increases clickthroughs

• Trackable

• Best when branded

• Invites creativity

Hashtag Campaigns

Create Hashtag

Provide Incentive

Promote and

Engage

Track and

Reward

Demonstrate Results

The price for around £16 pizzas dropped to about £8

Over 1,000 Offshore Technology Conference related hashtags used during the conference

When Hashtags Go Bad

AskJPMMyNYPDMcDStoriesNotGuiltyJell-Os FML (Fun My Life)Susan Boyle’s Album PartyBlackBerry

Be prepared

Research previous hashtag use

Identify misspellings and trends

Be familiar with modern txt speak and slang

Have a real world understanding of your brand’s perception

AMA – Ask Me Anything

AMA – Ask Me Anything

I am Barack Obama, President of the United States -- AMA

We are engineers and scientists on the Mars Curiosity Rover Mission, Ask us Anything!

IamA Vacuum Repair Technician, and I can't believe people really wanted it, but, AMA!

I am Alan Rusbridger, editor in chief of the Guardian - the news org that broke the story of NSA surveillance of US citizens - AMAA

We're the staff of Newsweek. Ask us anything!

I’m Jesse Eisinger, a Pulitzer-winning financial reporter. AMA about why only one person is in jail for the financial crisis.

I am David Belk. I'm a doctor who has spent years trying to untangle the mysteries of health care costs in the US and wrote a website exposing much of what I've discovered AMA!

I am an oilfield worker in West Texas with probably a good 8 hours left to kill. Ask me anything!

IamA former Sales Professional at Tiffany & Co. AMA!

IAMA Myspaceemployee about to be laid off today

IAMA best buy employee for 3 years, and was forced to quit today. AMA

I am a recently retired investment banker and senior executive of Bank of America Merrill Lynch who feels that ethics is the problem on Wall Street. AMA!

AMA – Ask Me Anything

The Plan

• Research your demographics on Reddit

• Research successful AMAs

• Identify your goals for an AMA

• Plan for what you will and won’t answer

• Be as honest and transparent as possible

• Make a strategy for promotion

• Monitor, monitor, monitor

Prevention and Action

• Provide guidance on non-disclosure agreements and social media policies

• Inform employees who engages the media and public and for what situations

• Provide examples of positive social media use

• Review guidelines and situations with HR/Legal

• Monitor, monitor, monitor

Internet MEME(pronounced – meem)

Internet MEME(pronounced – meem)

(not mee-mee)

You’re thinking of…

Should you be using memes?

• Unique way to get attention

• Spread good humor

• They engage an audience

• Creative way to share information

Internet Meme Process

Internet Culture

Internet Meme Process

Absorb, Edit and Share

Internet Culture Internet Users

Internet Meme Process

Absorb, Edit and Share

Internet Users Resulting Content

Internet Meme Process

Absorb, Edit and Share

Marketers

Meme Making

• Have a sense of humor

• Set expectations on how it’s received

• Track it

• Measure it

• Promote results

I’m Brian Block, Social Media Strategist for Pierpont Communications who presented at #TastefulPR, AMA!

Thank you for listening.

#TastefulPR@PierpontCom@BriguyBlockbblock@piercom.com