The Rules Have Changed

Consumer Behavior on the Web, and How We Can Earn Their Trust

Objectives

• Reputation management model

• The new rules

• Social media integration

• Millennial Web and technology behavior

• Your Web presence as a conversation

Reputation Management is…

Building authentic trust between your organization and the people that matter most to you.

Value of Reputation

Today’s Relationship Drivers• Satisfaction with experiences• Consistency• Trust• Commitment (personal)• Transparency (honesty)

Sources: Terry Flynn, Ph.D., McMaster University, DeGroote School of BusinessDavid Armano, darmano.typepad.com

The New Rules of Marketing & PR• PR is for more than just mainstream media audiences• PR is not just about seeing your organization on TV; it’s

about seeing you on the Web• It’s about helping people move through the decision-

making process with great online content• It’s authenticity, not spin• It’s participation, not propaganda• It’s direct communication at the moment and in the way

your audience prefers, not one-way interruption — Adapted from The New Rules of Marketing & PR

The Link Between Brand and Reputation• Brand Promise– Defines the experience your customers should have

with you– Aligns your business operations with the customer’s

experience– Defines and protects your reputation

• Reputation = Current perceptions of an organization– A variable based on experiences, news, events,

actions

Reputation Management

Reliable, Predictable Experience

Unreliable, Unpredictable Experience

When the experience

doesn’t match the promise, reputation declines

Reputation

Index

Source: Standing Partnership

Communicating in the 21st Century• Considerations:

– A competitive, global marketplace– 24/7 media environment– Consumer-centric– Expectation of governance/responsibility

• Challenges:– Providing context, perspective– Demonstrating our competitive advantage– Consistent message and experience

The Mass Media Model

Edited and controlled content broadcast to mass audiences

Adapted From: Mike Arauz, Thoughts on New Media and Assorted Links

PR

Print

Website

Advertising

Email

The Social Media ModelIdeas shared, adapted, changed and shared again, and again, and …

Source: Mike Arauz, Thoughts on New Media and Assorted Links

Social Media Continuum of Tools

PublishConnect Syndicate, Search, Aggregate

Collaborate Rank, Tag, Comment, Bookmark

Measure

Amazon.com as a social networking site? But it’s just shopping…

Thriving communities– Customer reviews– Author profiles– User conversations

• Example– First review written in 2007 on publication day– User profile and review read by 100,000+– Now 215 reviews– Fellow users can rate reviews higher– Link to profile and read other reviews– Not bad for the reviewer’s personal brand!

Source: David Meerman Scott, www.WebInkNow.com

Social Media Marketing: Simplified• You can buy attention (advertising)• You can beg for attention from the media (PR)• You can bug people one at a time to get attention

(sales)• Or you can earn attention by creating something

interesting and valuable and then publishing it online for free: a YouTube video, a blog, a research report, photos, a Twitter stream, an ebook, a Facebook page.

Source: David Meerman Scott, www.WebInkNow.com

Engagement Scores of Top 100 Global Brands

Source: www.ENGAGEMENTdb.com

Demographics

• 5% of users accounted for 75% of all activity

Demographics

• 2009: nearly 72 million users in US• 5% of users accounted for 75% of all activity• 28.2% of users: 35 – 54 year olds• 25.2%: 25 – 34 year olds• 25.1%: 18 – 24 year olds• 55 and over has grown from 950,000 to 5.9 million

in six months

Sources:

What Now?What Now?

Using Social Media to Build Reputation Using Social Media to Build Reputation

• Internal collaboration• Direct conversations• Relationship building • Thought leadership• Instant feedback• Community• SEO (search engine optimization)

Engagement Best Practices

• Deputize people throughout the organization• MyStarbucksIdea.com• Department representatives• Engaging with people would come naturally

Source: www.ENGAGEMENTdb.com

Thought Leadership

• Special collections• Faculty with unique specializations• Tracking trends, resource internally

Web Content Fuels Traditional Media Relations

More than eight of 10 journalists (84 percent) say they have used or would use blogs as primary or secondary sources for articles.

— 2007 Arketi Web Watch Survey

Eighty percent of journalists say they spend more than 20 hours per week online.

— 2009 Arketi Web Watch Survey

Web Content Integral to Reputation

The Internet has made public relations PUBLIC again, after years of almost exclusive focus on media. Blogs, online news releases and other forms of Web content let organizations communicate directly with consumers.

— David Meerman ScottThe New Rules of Marketing & PR

Web Content Integral to Reputation

Reputation Management• Trust equity – a reputational insurance policy that

creates economic value for your organization

• Turning relationships into results– Customer loyalty– Recruiting/retention– Increased funding/donations– Potential premium pricing– Protection against crisis– Empowering brand ambassadors

The Net Generation, The Millennials, Generation Y

Source: ClassesandCareers.com

• Kids born between 1977/80 and 1995/97• Frequently described as – self-absorbed– unaccustomed to criticism or loss– lacking in work ethic– demanding workplace perks

• Also described as– more diverse as any other generation before them– innovative: they refuse to do things the "good, old-fashioned" way– idealistic– creative– globally aware

The Net Generation, The Millennials, Generation Y

• 98% own computers• 2006-2009

– Desktops: ↓ 27%– Laptops: ↑ 23

• Freshmen are entering school with newer equipment– 79% owned laptop <1 year old– 52.3% computer <1 year old– 67.9% computer <2 years old– 17.9% computer >4 years old

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

The Net Generation, The Millennials, Generation Y

Change in Computer Ownership, 2006-2009

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

Student Preference for Use of IT in Classes

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

Benefits from Using IT in the Classroom

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

• Though tech savvy, students do not possess the IT skills necessary for in and out of classroom academic work

• Motivation for learning skills is tied to the classroom requirements

• IT Training is necessary to support learning and problem-solving skills

• They have confidence in their skills with presentation software, spreadsheets, course management systems, and university library websites, generally rating themselves between fairly skilled and skilled

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

The Net Generation, The Millennials, Generation Y

How They Connect to the World and each Other

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

• 9 in 10 use social networking sites and text messaging daily• 74% used instant messaging several times per week

Smart Phones and Handheld Devices

Source: Educause Center for Applied Research

• More than 25% own and access the Internet weekly or more often

• 33% do not own and don’t plan to in the next 12 months

• 33% own but do not use the Internet feature

• 32%: “I regularly use my cell phone/hand-held in class for non-course related activities.”

• 50% feel instructors should have the authority to forbid the use

• More than half prefer text messages for emergency notification

More than a Class Schedule, Campus Map

Sources: Educause Center for Applied Research, Mashable.com

• Abilene Christian University: iPhone or iPod Touch

• Case Western Reserve University test group: Kindles instead of textbooks

• Southern Methodist University dean: stripped computers from lecture halls

• Skype: Language learning chats

What Now?What Now?

Marketing Shift

Your website is not just a static brochure but rather an interactive “conversation” with your users consisting of three key elements:

•Findability•Usability•Personality

Communication with an Impact

Search engines– Google– Yahoo, MSN– Ask, Alta Vista, etc..

Social Media– FaceBook– MySpace – Flickr

Other interactive outlets– Media– Blogs– Mobile

Findability

Focus the user– Plain language, short sentences and bullets– Give the user choices, have a conversation – Let the user decide what’s important on your site

Facilitate a positive user experience– Clear, consistent navigation– Distinct value proposition– Utilize images and video to tell the story– Include multiple media types for various learning styles

Make it easy to take the next step– Talk with us or schedule a visit– Sign up for E-newsletter– Connect with us on social media– Tell-a-friend!

Usability

Communicate the spirit of your company– What would you tell a visitor?– Create feelings which become thoughts/actions– Engage and inspire

Represent the people– Employees– Guests, visitors– Suggest related items you offer and link to them

Appeal to multiple audiences– Depict various demographics in images– Showcase a variety of activities

Personality

The online relationship begins the second a potential customer hits your homepage. Show customers a reflection of them self. Organize your site with content for each of your distinct buyer personas.

— David Meerman ScottThe New Rules of Marketing & PR

Segmenting Your Audiences

• 50.6 million items in collections• 89 locations• 3,200 staff members

Web site must serve a wide variety of on and offline visitors

– Academic researchers from around the globe– Bronx residents who speak Spanish as a first language– NYC tourists who want to tour the Fifth Ave building– Film industry who want to use the famous setting – Potential supporters with donations

Example:

Approach to Web Content

Text for Bots: Search engines “crawl” your pages looking to establish what they are about so that they can display YOUR pages to searchers.

Approach to Web Content

Content for Humans: Your future guests and visitors read your pages to find out more about your services and facilities, why they should visit and how they can connect with you. What are they looking for?• WII-FM• Personalization• People• Stories• Real answers• Data to substantiate• Social proof

Approach to Web Content

Messaging: What is your promise to your guests and visitors?• Emotions• Connections• Stories• Share ideas• Listening is important• Invite participation

Recap

• Reputation management model

• The new rules

• Social media integration

• Millennial Web and technology behavior

• Your Web presence as a conversation

Questions?

Elizabeth Keserauskisekesera@siue.edulinkedin.com/in/bethkeserauskis@bethkeserauskis