Google has developed yet another mind-blowing research tool. Despite the rather unimaginative name, “The Customer Journey to Online Purchase”, it nevertheless provides extremely valuable data to boost the imagination of online marketers, providing even further evidence to treat social media as an integral part of any serious marketing strategy.

So what does it show? In Google’s own words:

Before making an online purchase decision, a customer may engage with your brand through many different media channels over several days. This tool helps you explore and understand the customer journey to improve your marketing programs.

The tool distinguishes between assisted and last interactions, showing which channels contributed towards the sale at the beginning of the customer journey, and which concluded the sale. Its impressive sample size (358.9m conversions across 35.9k profiles) ensures that the findings are highly reliable. The data is sorted by location and industry, highlighting the importance of local context in which the marketing activity takes place, as well as the peculiarities of various industries.

To see the significance of the tool, let’s compare the customer journey in the health sector in two different countries – Brazil and the US respectively:

The difference is considerable. In Brazil, healthcare customers tend to start their journey to purchase via display advertisements, they continue their journey via e-mail and only then are they exposed to social channels. In contrast, the customer journey in the US starts with social media.

Implications of attribution modelling on marketing strategy

The significance of Google’s research should not be underestimated. In particular, it greatly helps the following aspects of the marketing strategy:

1. Expectation management. Any online marketing attempts should be governed by realistic expectations. So far, however, it has been challenging to set the highly accurate KPIs in advance because there has been no clear data on the exact customer path to purchase. Backed by rigid sampling, attribution modelling revolutionises expectation management and thus enables more accurate planning.

2. Bespoke approach. Online marketing for a B2B financial services firm in Brazil will be radically different from the approach taken by a B2C retail company in France. Case studies of success may not necessarily be transferable across industries and countries. Each online marketing strategy should involve bespoke reasoning, based on the requirements and audience of the organisation in question.

3. The need to integrate. E-mail, PPC, social media and SEO efforts can no longer be treated as separate, independent entities. What matters most, is not the channel but the efficiency of integrating and optimising all these channels into one, overall customer path to purchase.  

Further steps

Despite the significance of this tool, there is still some room for improvement:

• Industry-specificity. It would be great to drill down the industry list even further. Would the Edu/Gov sector include the charitable organisations? Is it entirely accurate to generalise Finance as one industry?
• Platform-specificity. Social media is more than just one channel. It comprises a highly diverse selection of individual platforms that differ significantly in terms of audience demographics and significance in the customer journey. It would be great to see how Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other social channels differ amongst themselves.

You can find the tool here. Let us know how valuable you find the data?

Images courtesy of Google

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Have you ever wondered how to merge the physical and digital worlds together? Mega-brewer Budweiser has figured it out and is doing just that. Budweiser Brazil is testing a new and innovative beer glass referred to as the “Buddy Cup”, which is integrated with Facebook via a microchip embedded at the bottom of the glass.

The concept will bring a whole new meaning to the clinking of glasses. When two glasses touch, the cupbearers instantly become Facebook friends! Facebook is the most popular social media platform among Budweiser fans and this new concept will allow users the opportunity to integrate their in-bar experience with their social media profile.

Let’s take a closer look at how it works:

• On the bottom of each cup is a QR code and drinkers must connect the cup with their Facebook accounts by taking a picture of the chip using the Budweiser Smartphone app.

• Once that is all set up the chip at the bottom of the glass, or “bump sensor”, will automatically send a Facebook friend request to the person you bump glasses with, making it a lot easier to meet people and exchange information. Nobody likes to waste time on a night out trying to take down someone’s details, and there’s no guarantee that you will remember them all in the morning.

The Buddy Cup is to be tested and used at major public events such as concerts and festivals to see how people take to it. But with the Buddy Cup offering the chance to eliminate awkward social moments when meeting new people on a night out, it is bound to be a hit!

Image courtesy of Flickr

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Have you noticed how blue the colour scheme on most social media platforms is? Apparently it is a very trustworthy colour, subconsciously symbolising intelligence, wisdom and stability. Users can also be quite colourful, not only the content that they are sharing but the shades that their complexion goes through when something goes wrong! Neutral white, mellow yellow, fiery red and deep purple; there is a complete spectrum for social media users to explore.

The law, however, is very black and white. It is explicit when it comes to right and wrong, and the public relies on its proper execution to be protected. Why, then, is everything so grey when it comes to social media and the law? We have compiled a best practice guide to social media, with lawyers, to help you make sense of the unknown. Here are the top 5 things to consider to avoid getting into legal hot water:

1. How Confident Are You With The Law Of Confidence?

English law does not protect privacy with any specific legislation but there is a common law of ‘right to confidence’. What does this mean? Quite simply, that the owners of any unauthorised published material have a right to privacy (yes, even celebrities on Twitter). In social media this would apply to user-generated content. In this case, marketers would need to gain permission and pay particular attention when using real names or personal information.

2. There’s Only One Captain Jack Sparrow

Piracy, in whatever shape or form, is a crime. You cannot directly copy material from another source. The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 is not international and each country has their own laws of copyright. Copyright gives the owner of an original literary or artistic work, including trademarks, exclusive rights to use that work. Marketers should also understand that social media sites act as a connector and that it is your responsibility to monitor where your content is being shared, so you cannot sue Facebook, Twitter or similar sites for infringement of copyright, and you cannot be Captain Jack Sparrow.

 3. Would You Walk On The Wilde Side?

Here’s something to bear in mind; Oscar Wilde accused his lover’s father of criminal libel, AKA defamation. To avoid prison, Queensberry, the accused, hired private detectives to find proof of Wilde’s homosexual liaisons. They did. Wilde was forced to drop the charges and was liable for Queensberry’s legal expenses, which left Wilde bankrupt.

The Defamation Act 1996 may hold you accountable for “reducing a person’s standing in society”. Marketers must check the accuracy and authenticity of all statements before sharing them; retweets should be approached with extreme caution. The Protection from Harassment Act 1997, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, The Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008, The Fraud Act 2006 and The Trade Marks Act 1994 can all come into play, depending on what is shared.

4. Gossip Girl Here, Your One And Only Source Into The Scandalous Life Of Social Media 

No TV programme can demonstrate the damage that can be done on social media better than America’s Gossip Girl. In six seasons of drama a whole load of secrets have torn down or built up friendships, families and frenemies – and all it takes is one message.

In real life, user-generated content (UGC) is increasingly becoming an issue for many marketers. Brands must take care that there is a policy in place to make sure that falsified social media content is policed. Fake reviews, comments and the sharing of edited information are key concerns, particularly when the Terms and Conditions are removed. Our advice is to monitor who retweets your content, and to read the ASA’s Cap Code. XOXO.

5. Get A Social Life!

While social media may suggest that it is an opportunity to socialise with friends outside of work, its role in professional life is becoming more and more prevalent. Human Resources departments across the UK use LinkedIn to source employees but the lines are rather blurry when it comes to posting as an employee and posting as an individual. Marketers must take extra care and distinguish their profiles.

So the next time that you go to update your very blue social media platforms, remember these 5 points. They should help you to avoid a Paris Brown fiasco, but if you are in any doubt then check out the full report.

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“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country”

Kennedy’s inauguration speech was as relevant to the American people in 1961 as it is to the content marketer in 2013.

Why? Substitute the word ‘country’ with ‘audience’ and you’ll see.

Because a successful content strategy isn’t self-centric. And it doesn’t start by asking what the audience can do for the brand. It starts with the audience and it asks what that audience wants and needs. And then it delivers.

Take a look at your content. How much of what you produce is about your brand, your news, reviews, products and promotions. And how much of your content caters to your customers’ wants and needs?

If your content focuses more on your brand than your audience then your strategy needs a rebalance.

Paul Chaney at Practical Ecommerce recommends adopting a 70/20/10 ratio:

• 70 percent of content should address customer interests and needs. These can be delivered in the form of top tips, how-to’s, Q&As, content curation and useful resources.

• 20 percent of content should be user-generated (UGC), allowing your audience to contribute content elements such as videos, images and graphics and giving a sense of ownership back to the community.

• 10 percent of content should be self-centric and focused around news, product and sales messaging. Your community will soon disperse or disengage if they are bombarded with over-promotion.

By adopting an audience-centric content strategy that starts with building a relationship, giving guidance and providing information relevant to audience needs, there is a greater likelihood of ending with acquisitions and sales. Or, as Ted Rubin calls it in this nifty infographic, Return on Relationship.

Image courtesy of Jeff Dean - then a student at Lawrence College, Appleton, Wisconsin, under a  Wikimedia Commons license.

Infographic courtesy of Smarter Commerce Blog.

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Slideshare is a great and often overlooked platform. Claiming 60 million monthly visitors, it allows users to upload visual presentations and easily share them. Over time Slideshare has evolved into a thriving social media site in itself. Users are keen to ‘like’, download and share presentations and, similarly to YouTube, the site is somewhat addictive. Once you’ve seen one presentation, you won’t leave without seeing three more!

So what makes a good Slideshare presentation good? I decided to find it out by having a look at top 5 all time favourite slide decks on the subject of Technology.

As I browsed through these excellent presentations, I recognised at least three common patterns that any aspiring Slideshare presenter should take into account.

1. Provide in-depth insight

It may sound cliché but content does matter. All top 5 Slideshare presentations provide useful, insightful statistics. Ask yourself: “Would I really want to share this presentation with my friends or colleagues? Would they find it useful?” People love insightful and up-to-date statistics. Depending on industry, it can take merely a couple of months for statistics to become outdated. There is a great demand for fresh insights and you can tap into this demand by doing original research and sharing it on Slideshare.

2. Design eye-catching experience

Having great content is not the end of the story though. Slideshare is a visual site, and, similarly to Pinterest, the platform rewards original design. Ask yourself:

• Brevity: Are my points concise and to the point?
• Simplicity: Are there more than 3 sentences per slide? Is there too much text?
• Accessibility: Is the font size big enough?
• Fascination: How captivating are your illustrations? Do they grab one’s attention?

3. Tell a great story

However, what distinguishes excellent Slideshare presentations from mediocre ones is the author’s ability to tell a good story. Insightful data with great, dazzling visuals will help a lot but they are of no use if there is no story. What is the main point of your presentation? How does each slide contribute towards your big point? I’ll leave you with this simple and yet captivating deck that tells one simple story (and has attracted 1.7 million views). Enjoy!

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Are you one of the 200 million people around the world who maintain a LinkedIn profile with at least 50 connections? If you are, you’re probably among the “elite” who received a message of congratulations this week! The congratulatory messages vary slightly in terms of content from person to person but, in general, recipients received something similar to this:

The inviting yellow button invites intrigued users to find out more. Once you click you are led to a letter from the SVP, encouraging you to share the status through every available social network platform. A very crafty marketing scheme don’t you think? An easy, instant promotion win for LinkedIn.

Opinions about the validity of the message have varied across the spectrum. There are, of course, those who have felt genuinely proud of their achievement and have shared the status showing off their newly recognised social rank. However, many have realised that if they have been awarded a position in the top 5% approximately 10 million other LinkedIn users have also received the same message. A significant majority of the 10 million people who have received the message have used it to poke fun at the professional networking site. I noticed many statuses and tweets on my social news feed of people making fun of the message from LinkedIn, similar to this:

And congrats to those 9,999,999 others!- I have one of the top 5% most viewed LinkedIn profiles for 2012.

— Matthijs vd Brink (@mattvandenbrink) February 12, 2013

Whether the updates people have posted are positive or negative, the important thing here is that LinkedIn has been extremely successful in creating a buzz around their membership achievement. It’s provoked many discussions and debates as to the purpose of their message. Diane Truman, the editor-in-chief of Zillow, said that she found it “creepy” whilst others have argued that it is very “spammy” and not entirely credible. Either way, it can be seen as a win-win situation – engaging users from all over the Globe.

LinkedIn isn’t the first to deploy such tactics; Kred issued a very similar campaign where it congratulated those who hit the top 1%, 5% and 10% level. It also worked on the simple principle that people love to be made to feel special and be rewarded. However, the buzz created was short lived, and the campaign isn’t really something which can be expanded on. In fact, those who did post the status did not receive many retweets or favourites.

I‘m sure that this will not be the end of LinkedIn’s attempts at marketing, however it may want to brainstorm an approach which will conjure up more positive feedback.

Sources

Diane Truman, Hey, look at me! I’m in LinkedIn’s Top 5%, The Guardian

Sarah Britten, 5 things about LinkedIn that will drive you completely mad, memeburn

Image courtesy of See-Ming Lee, “SML = one of the top 5% most viewed LinkedIn profiles for 2012″ under a creative commons attribution 2.0 generic license

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Socialbakers recently released its Q4 results for the best and worst performing brands on social media, defined by a brand’s level of attentiveness to its community.

I was immediately struck by giffgaff’s position at number four in the worst offenders list.

This is a brand that prides itself on working “in collaboration with its members”. Surely a business with such a social proposition should be thriving instead of diving down the social league tables?

And then I remembered a chat I had with Heather Taylor, giffgaff’s former Social Media and PR Manager, back in 2011.

We were discussing her views on creating thriving online communities and one of her strongest beliefs was that, while a good community manager should be entirely immersed in their community, the best communities work not on a One-To-Many, but on a One-To-One-To-Many structure.

In other words, the community will not truly thrive until super users rise up and take moderation into their own hands. The community manager is more of a host, there to facilitate the venue and introductions and throw conversation prompts in when required, but also there to take a step back and keep a subtle, but all-seeing eye over events.

That giffgaff has a seemingly low response rate (8.48%) may be less of an indictment and more of a hat-tip to a self-moderating community.

That said, and while collaborative communities administering self-moderating customer service might sound like social Nirvana, it seems not all brands have quite reached this elevated status, with many failing to deliver on the basics.

In a recent experiment by Research Advice, only 14% of a total of 280 customer service tweets directed at 14 different global brands received any response.

Garnering a community of super users ready to assist, defend and advocate, might be the social idyll, but it will never be achieved until brands get the basic hygiene of social customer service right.

References

Charts courtesy of socialbakers, The Best and Worst UK Brands in Social Customer Service

Infographic courtesy of Ashley Verrill, The Great Social Customer Service Race, supermedia

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It seems the social landscape is shifting yet again for B2B companies…

20% of top level executives are spending more time reading Tweets than online news publications. It represents a slow shift which IBM says in the next 5 years will see social media become a primary interaction tool with clients and partners. If you’re one for numbers, that’s a predicted 57% of customer interactions which will take place on social media compared with 16% now.

For B2B marketers, this is a real sign that social is permanently transforming the way businesses interact. A quick look at Linkedin which is the largest source of leads for B2B marketers shows that only 47% of marketers say they are actively engaged on the network. However according to Jeff Bullas, 33% of global b2b buyers use social media to engage with their vendors, and 75% expect to use social media in future purchases processes.

The future looks bright for B2B social media marketers, see just how bright at http://bit.ly/Q51Dpm

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It’s Valentine’s Day? Oh yes, of course! It’s also Day Two of Social Media Week and the line up for the rest of the week is looking fantastic. SMW takes place all over the globe, but there is a host of great events taking place in London town on a wide variety of topics, such as social content, social customer service and the psychology of online influence, to name but a few.

We are delighted to announce that immediate future’s fabulous Managing Director, Katy Howell, will be sharing her expertise this Thursday. Katy will be speaking at Email and Social Media: The New Rules of Engagement, Panel Discussion hosted by Constant Contact. This event is taking place from 11am to 1pm at the main Hub for this year’s Social Media Week London, The Design Council.  The discussion will centre on the importance of email and social within the overall marketing mix and how the channels can both be best leveraged to develop businesses. Katy will be sharing and debating her views on these channels, alongside a host of other great speakers.

Other members of the immediate future team will also be milling around towards the latter end of SMW. We will certainly be at the Londata II: Taming the firehose – putting data to work in social media, so do pop along and say hello if you are about.

If you aren’t able to make a visit to the Capital, don’t panic! You can still catch the events via live stream and soak up the social media knowledge from the comfort of your office chair or couch at home.

You might also want to download the SMW Mobile App so you can favourite events, speakers and venues, register for events and connect to content and SMW realtime infographics. Enjoy the rest of the week and don’t forget to follow/use the #SMW12 hashtag!

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The new UK Twitter brand pages have finally hit our shores for those companies that can afford it.

Let’s put this out there, brands on Twitter still don’t have the flexibility the Facebook API allows. Twitter will keep a tight rein on what users can and can’t do and maintains a standard look and feel for the site. So what do the new pages allow brands to do?

Space for a branded banner below company profiles;

Area for a permanent tweet containing rich media or a promotion;

…and that’s it.

Twitter says that, brand pages now round off its offering for business. But, then Twitter would say that wouldn’t it?

WHAT YOU GET (according to the Twitter ad blog)

• Own it

Your enhanced profile page is completely public, entirely yours to brand, and accessible to every viewer. In addition, no other companies’ advertisements will appear on your enhanced profile page.

• Deliver results

Drive traffic around your latest ad campaign, product launch, breaking news, or other timely content by using your enhanced profile page to focus followers and non-followers alike on the Tweets that are the most important to you right now.

• Connect the dots

Want to integrate Twitter into other media? Now you can use your @handle to guide users to a richer brand experience on your profile page.

WHAT WE SAY

I’m being facetious, because you also get £25k of media spend with Twitter. Now, promoted tweets don’t have exhaustive proof of ROI, and while EA appear pleased with the results of their recent trial the wider jury’s still out on their effectiveness. Personally, I feel that promoted tweets and the brand page should be taken as a cost whole, branded pages might justify the financial outlay for an ad product that is yet to prove itself to marketeers and advertisers.

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