Plan B SMAD Whitepaper

Coping with SoCial Media anXietY diSoRdeR(S.M.a.d.)

table of contentsCOPING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ANXIETY DISORDER (S.M.A.D.)

1.1 the age of self-serve InformatIon

1.2 extreme homepage makeover

1.3 the search Is on

1.4 here’s Where It gets InterestIng…

1.5 the socIal medIa cIrcus Is a pot luck affaIr – You’d better brIng somethIng good

2.1 become more socIallY aWare

2.2 stage one – establIshIng a profIle

2.3 stage tWo – promotIng Your presence

2.4 stage three – becomIng relevant

2.5 people are talkIng behInd Your back rIght noW. You maY as Well get In on the conversatIon.

3.1 other knoWn socIal netWorkIng facts:

3.2 statIstIcs on socIal medIa from socIalnomIcs:

1.0 evaluatIng the sYmptoms–a brIef hIstorY

2.0 a treatment plan

3.0 bIblIographY + socIal netWorkIng facts

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1.0 evaluatIng the sYmptoms–a brIef hIstorYCOPING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ANXIETY DISORDER (S.M.A.D.)

You can’t afford to chase everY neW technologY and trend – but You can’t afford to Ignore themall eIther.

There’s no shortage of information out there on the emergence of social media

marketing as a potentially powerful addition to your marketing mix. The problem for

many is getting up to speed quickly enough on what is happening, why it’s important,

and how to take advantage. This high-level overview discusses the potential impact of

social media marketing and offers some insights for developing an effective online

marketing strategy.

the age of self-serve InformatIonOver the past decade, market saturation of Internet access has resulted in a paradigm

shift in how people seek, consume, and share information. Today, finding information

about virtually anything you can imagine (and countless things you couldn’t possibly)

is as simple as “Googling” it – a now-ubiquitous term that’s become synonymous with

“looking stuff up online.”

The Internet revolutionized the art of resourcefulness. Instead of making phone calls,

asking questions of friends and acquaintances, or seeking guidance from industry

professionals and subject matter experts, consumers essentially help themselves to

a virtual, and virtually limitless, smorgasbord of information by performing an online

search – browsing and evaluating the results for themselves.

More than ever before, and increasingly, consumers seek answers and information online

FIRST – whether they’re buying a car, booking a trip, making dinner reservations, or

diagnosing a suspicious skin blemish.

extreme homepage makeoverPlenty of marketers understood the Web’s potential early on, encouraging companies to

launch home pages if for no other reason than to be there, providing curious consumers

with information about products and/or services.

The argument then was simple: If consumers were cruising the online marketplace for

something you sold, you definitely wanted to be there – even if you weren’t sure what to

put there. At the very least, it was important to secure your vanity domain name before

some unscrupulous cyber-squatter snapped it up and offered to sell it back to you for a

king’s ransom. And so began the great 21st century race to stake claim to the punchiest,

wittiest, and most user-intuitive URLs – painting the void of cyberspace with the vibrant

colors of pretentious commercialism.

WEbSTER INTRODUCED GOOGLE INTO THE DICTIONARY AS

A vERb IN 2001.1

ˈGü-GˈL\ TRANSITIvE vERb. GOO·GLED; GOO·GLING \-G(ˈ-)LIˈ\ 2001: USAGE : OFTEN CAPITALIzED : TO USE THE GOOGLE

SEARCH ENGINE TO ObTAIN INFORMATION AbOUT (AS A PERSON) ON THE WORLD WIDE WEb

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Many first-generation attempts to construct something in cyberspace were lackluster

and low-impact, amounting to little more than visually uninspiring brochure-ware: barely-

branded, bare-bones efforts that gave away a few basics, but didn’t really work to create

and sustain meaningful connections with consumers. Something was better than nothing,

however (in most cases), and over time a vast field of online dreams was cultivated by

visionaries who knew that if they built it, we would come.

And did we ever.

the search Is onOne of the most important developments in the history of online marketing was the

concept of SEO – Search Engine Optimization. Retrieving relevant information from the

depths of cyberspace is primarily a function of the search string – the “keywords” a user

inputs to direct their search. Exploiting this insight, the savviest of marketers immediately

uncovered ways to game the search engine system, hiring SEO specialists to help them

“own” keywords and phrases for the purpose of influencing search results.

Armed with a thorough understanding of how search engines work, specialists could

effectively help web programmers and content developers optimize their web sites to

rank higher in a consumer’s search results. Investments in SEO were usually visible, and

often measurable, as the higher the resulting rank, the more traffic a site would receive.

Search engine programmers caught on and evolved their methodology, working to

stay a step ahead of enterprising SEO specialists. This elusive game of cat-and-mouse

continues today. Search engineers dedicated to returning relevant, organic results

continue developing more sophisticated methods for ranking content and delivering

results – while SEO professionals diligently work to break the latest code and offer clients

the visibility they need to rise to the top.

here’s Where It gets InterestIng…Since its commercialization, the Internet has come a long way.

It has evolved to become a collaborative, technological wonder of the modern world,

and a social experiment the scale of which is unrivaled in human history. As technology

permitted more people the ability to create and customize websites, and experiment with

the Web’s true utility, a new breed of website was born: the social networking site.

In a short amount of time, a plethora of sites were launched for the purpose of connecting

people in virtual communities. These sites/services enabled everyday people to do,

easily and instantly, things they had only ever done in person: SHARE their human

experience. Through their web browsers, from the comfort and safety of home or

on the go, people could now share their thoughts, opinions, dreams, words, pictures,

videos, and/or minute-to-minute updates on their adventures, activities, and where

abouts with anyone and/or everyone–instantly. Where commercial interests appeared

poised to dominate the Internet, consumers changed everything by flocking to and

congregating around a number of online social hubs where they could interact with one

another, often in real time.

THE SECOND LARGESTSEARCH ENGINE IS YOUTUbE.2

THE INTERNET WAS bORN ON OCT. 29, 1969.3

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COPING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ANXIETY DISORDER (S.M.A.D.)

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Surprisingly, to some, millions of Internet users unabashedly posted highly personal

information, dressing up elaborate online profiles as if they were decorating their junior

high lockers. The exhibitionists and voyeurs in all of us were given a place to show off

and nose around. And the more people who joined the movement, the more appealing

it became. With so many consumers gathered in one place, it was only a matter of time

before the marketing Magi showed up.

Unfortunately, they showed up empty-handed.

the socIal medIa cIrcus Is a pot luck affaIr – You’d betterbrIng somethIng goodOnce again, the savviest marketers are out ahead of the trend, finding ways to integrate

themselves into the social media networks where their customers are living – if virtually,

or vicariously. In addition to evaluating renewed investments in branded, interactive

websites and enhanced search engine optimization techniques, more companies are

beginning to look at the potential return from investments in mobile marketing, augmented

reality marketing, and social media marketing.

If this movement has produced a great deal of marketing anxiety within your company

walls, here are a few simple insights that may help stabilize your blood pressure.

1.) Social media networks are all about information – giving a little, getting a lot.

Consumers “friend,” “fan,” and “follow” the people (and companies) they CHOOSE to

include in their network. In this way, each individual creates his or her unique social media

network. If a consumer lives in your target market, you’d like to be included in his or her

social media network, offering information that has value.

2.) In the same way people choose a particular channel for the news, they self-select the

social media channels of most interest to them. Make no mistake about it – consumers

are in control here. They choose who gets to participate in their daily info stream. And

because they are the ones choosing, the more desirable you can make yourself, the more

likely they are to include you.

3.) When a person (or a company) posts an online profile with a social media site, they

are essentially broadcasting themselves in real-time via their own social media channel.

The sum of a person’s self-selected social media channels is their social media network.

Some people prefer to manage a small number of information resources to limit the

amount and type of content they receive. Other people crank the spigot open and let the

entire world pour in. Again, consumers are in control.

25% OF SEARCH RESULTS FOR THE WORLD’S TOP 20 LARGEST bRANDS

ARE LINkS TO USER-GENERATED CONTENT.5

IN TERMS OF POPULATION, IF FACEbOOk WERE A COUNTRY

IT WOULD bE THE WORLD’S 3RD LARGEST – AHEAD OF THE

UNITED STATES.4

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4.) One of the major advantages of tapping into social media networks is the speed at

which information can be delivered. With millions of people broadcasting their lives in

real-time, news travels faster than ever. More and more people are getting reports of

breaking news stories from friends first via their Twitter feeds and Facebook pages than

through traditional media channels. Information flow is dynamic and perpetually evolving

in these rapidly expanding spheres of influence. beyond what’s current, they’re all about

what’s happening right now – and from moment to moment.

Understanding how social media networks are hand-built by consumers, and the roles

these networks play in the lives of the individuals who build them, is critical to developing

an effective plan for engaging them in this highly interactive space.


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become more socIallY aWarebecause SEO and SEM can prove difficult to master, and are often costly to manage

and implement, social media marketing has been getting a lot of attention. Done well, it

could represent an easy way to improve your online marketing efforts naturally through

something called global link popularity. by increasing the number of people online talking

to, with, and about you, your company can see its search ranking improve dramatically,

and organically. Enhanced exposure of this nature is great for awareness and can help

drive traffic – both online and off.

Plan b® has a system for helping our clients become more confident socially, and

proficient at establishing and maintaining a quality presence. We identified three

key stages in the development of a truly effective social media presence; each stage

comes with unique challenges and opportunities that can make or break a social media

marketing strategy.

stage one – establIshIng a profIleOnce you’ve made the decision to get out there and start interacting with your

customers on their terms, you’ll need a platform from which to project yourself. You’ll

want to begin by identifying those social media sites, online groups, forums, and

communities best suited to reach your target market. Find out what it takes to become

a member. Understand how the exchange of information works so you can play along.

Immerse yourself in the site to get an appreciation for the cultural nuances that affect

how people and companies are perceived.

TIP: Don’t go public without a strategy, or before giving it some thought.

It’s important to think about how your company would ideally want to interact with

customers in this new space – bEFORE haphazardly throwing together a Facebook

page, for example, with little more than a logo and username. So many companies rush

panicked to Facebook and Twitter, eager to engage the masses, only to botch the effort

with unflattering profiles that say little and offer even less. Don’t be that company.

Here’s the deal. Once you’re out there, people are going to find you – and when they do,

you want to be sure your best foot is forward. Think about:

- Who would be searching for me and why?

- What kind of information would be useful to people finding my profile?

- What kind of tone, voice, and manner will best represent my brand in this new realm?

- What do I want people to do once they’ve found me?

2.0 a treatment planCOPING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ANXIETY DISORDER (S.M.A.D.)

IT TOOk TELEvISION 13 YEARS TO ACCUMULATE 50 MILLION

USERS. FACEbOOk ADDED 100 MILLION USERS IN 9 MONTHS.6

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stage tWo – promotIng Your presenceEstablishing a presence is one thing – telling your customers about it is another.

While it is possible that some customers may seek you out, most will need a nudge.

Show them that you live in their world by adding buttons and links and logos to existing

materials, cross-promoting yourself in the virtual universe.

If driving social media engagement is a primary objective, be sure to tell consumers

WHY they should add you to their social media network, and give them a reason to do

it now. If social media awareness is a secondary objective, the familiar iconic logos

of social media elites (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) are likely enough to implicitly

promote your presence. Other things to consider:

- Don’t drive people there if there’s nothing to see – they may never come back.

- Monitor your efforts, possibly testing campaigns to drive traffic online with incentives.

- Standardize the appearance of your social media engagement effort for consistency.

stage three – becomIng relevantThis is probably the least understood component of social media marketing, but the most

critical to long-term success. So many companies reflexively jump on the Twitter-wagon,

securing their branded “handles” and letting rip those first momentous Tweets to the

world. but then what?

Radio silence.

Where’s the vALUE to customers and prospects? Why should people friend, fan,

and follow you? How can you create and sustain long-term value in this highly

cost-effective medium?

before you hyperventilate, remember – these people opted IN. They WANT more.

All you need to do is give it to them. If you know they’re looking for special discounts,

give them discounts. If they want tips, give them tips. If they need reminders, give

them reminders.

Part of the beauty of social media is that it’s interactive. Pose a question to the community.

Ask consumers to share their experiences. Poll people to learn their preferences. Find

out what’s relevant to your customers and prospects, then deliver it. It isn’t terribly

complicated, but it does require some strategic planning and a commitment to sustaining

dialogue. For example:

- What kind of information would be useful for my consumers?

- How often should I participate by broadcasting to my network?

- What kinds of offers can I actually deliver upon?

- How can I encourage customers to interact with my brand?

AS OF FEbRUARY 2009, THERE WERE 7,038,000 TWITTER USERS, AN INCREASE OF 1,382%

FROM THE YEAR bEFORE.7

78% OF CONSUMERS TRUST PEER RECOMMENDATIONS. ONLY 14%

TRUST ADvERTISEMENTS.8

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2.5 people are talkIng behInd Your back rIght noW. You maY as Well get In on the conversatIon.Even if you’re not ready to engage the masses socially, you have to understand that

they’re already having their say about you. Yelp. Yahoo Answers. Amazon. Those are

just a few of the well-known online communities where people are actively sharing their

positive and negative experiences as consumers. And there are plenty of other specialized

communities in the blogosphere where enthusiasts and opinion leaders are directing

consumers based on their research and experiences.

Find out where people are talking about you and join in. Engage them. Invite feedback.

Encourage interaction. Learn how to better provide what they really want, and adapt. And

start thinking about innovative ways to connect with your customers toward creating

and sustaining loyalty.

Finally, consider the integration of complementary technologies that can help you interact

with your consumers, including mobile marketing and augmented reality marketing.

Connecting with people on the go via mobile devices and delivering visually immersive

3-D experiences via web cam are just two examples of how marketers are infusing

new technology into social media marketing plans for maximum engagement. When

developing your strategy, consider how to supplement your efforts with some of the

more dynamic digital tools now at our disposal.

Be relevant and offer value – this is how customer relationships are built and cemented

in the physical world. And so it is the case in the great void of cyberspace.

For more information about social media marketing, including industry-specific

strategies and insights, or to discuss timely opportunities, email Plan b Advertising

at [email protected].

NEARLY 32% OF bLOGGERS POST OPINIONS AbOUT PRODUCTS

& bRANDS. THERE ARE OvER 200,000,000 bLOGS.9

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3.0 bIblIographY + socIal netWorkIng factsCOPING WITH SOCIAL MEDIA ANXIETY DISORDER (S.M.A.D.)

other knoWn socIal netWorkIng facts:Years to Reach 50 Million+ Users:

Radio 38 Years

Tv 13 Years

Internet 4 Years

iPod 3 Years

Facebook Added 100 million users in less than 9 months

iPhone applications 1 billion downloads in 9 months

25% of search results for the World’s Top 20 largest brands are links to user-generated content

According to A.C. Nielsen, in 2009 Social Networks surpassed email to become the 4th most

popular online activity.

This is a list of Registered Users in the world via Alexa Traffic Details as of January 2010:

MySpace 471 million LinkedIn 53 million

Facebook 350 million MyLife 51 million

Qzone 200 million Classmates.com 50 million

Habbo 117 million bebo 40 million

Friendster 90 million Odnoklassniki 40 million

hi5 80 million badoo 37 million

Tagged 70 million Flickr 32 million

Orkut 67 million Last.fm 30 million

Flixster 63 million

Neglot 59 million

statIstIcs on socIal medIa from socIalnomIcs:1. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/GOOGLE

2. http://www.techcrunch.com/2008/12/18/comscore-youtube-now-25-

percent-of-all-google-searches/

3. www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-211159315.html

4. www.facebook.com/press/info.php?statistics

5. Marketing vox and Nielsen buzzMetrics SES Magazine June 8 page 24-25

6. http://socialnomics.net/2009/08/11/statistics-show-social-media-is-bigger-

than-you-think/

7. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online.../twitters-tweet-smell-of-success/

8. http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/global-advertising-consumers-

trust-real-friends-and-virtual-strangers-the-most/

9. http://www.slideshare.net/mickstravellin/universal-mccann-international-

social-media-research-wave-3


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