Friday, February 15, 2013

Social Media Conference Recap (Engagement)

This year I attended the IN-NW Conference in Seattle which focused on the latest trends in Social Media.  Representatives from big-name corporations like Coco-Cola, Starbucks, and EA Sports discussed what they are doing in the marketplace.  The room was packed with over 200 attendees clambering to find guidance in a topic that is evolving daily.

Unfortunately, like most Social Media presentations, the theory is that the campaigns are successful but there is nothing necessarily measurable to support it.  When you are striving for management buy-in, results are essential.  The suggestion was to not focus on the numbers as much as the response rates.  For example, instead of reporting that you have 400 likes on Facebook, reporting that you had 15 shares on a post indicate better results.  The effectiveness is shown by the ability to leverage Social Media to increase connectivity and inspire your online community to take action in sharing your content. 
To achieve the response rate, several speakers agreed that it is the proactive and personal approach that engages the community the most.  Brands must have a relatable “face” to create two-way communication and increase the probability that your audience will help guide your content.  By tracking the posts that are responded to or created organically by your audience, you can refine your message to speak to what is important and relevant to them.  This could be current events, charitable efforts, or an inside view of the company and staff. 

One of the best quotes of the event was “personalization breeds passion.” By tailoring your content to be more personal, people are hypothetically more willing to follow and contribute.
Engagement was just one of the discussions.  More to come….