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The social media ‘cherry’

The web is full of social media experts all with varying degrees of capability. If you take time to read any blog posts, tweets, etc around the subject of social media, it soon becomes apparent that the same content is regurgitated again and again….and again. Having read, sat through presentations and had many discussions concerning the social web, one thing is very clear; there are in fact very few people who have a real in-depth understanding, especially when it comes to quality and effective consumer interaction.

Understanding the intimate workings of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FriendFeed, Foursquare, etc. is all well and good, but how does this help enhance consumer engagement? The answer is: it doesn’t. The social web is a fantastic medium; it offers immediacy and accessibility to anyone (as individuals or in groups) who choose to use it. However, as great as it is, it is only under exceptional circumstances where it has real value on its own. It’s essential for it to be fully integrated and complimentary of all other communication channels, online and offline.

99% of the time (and 65% of statistics are made up on the spot) effective interaction and engagement requires many communications channels working in harmony. These channels include offline mediums such as print, events, TV and radio. But, before you can decide which channels to use and create the magic mix for maximum engagement, there are three things which must be considered.

1. People:
• Exactly who are you trying to engage with?
• Where are they?
• How do they behave?
• What are their expectations?

2. Objectives:
• What are you trying to achieve?
• Is it creating awareness and interest?
• Is it based on sales and conversions?
• Is it about encouraging advocacy amongst existing loyal customers?

3. Content:
• Does your content have value?
• Will people talk about it?
• Will they align their own credibility to it and share it?

Without understanding the above in detail; agreeing the key performance measures and indicators, it is impossible to select the correct mix of communication channels. Although many organisations do it; setting up a Twitter channel and using it to pump out marketing messages believing they are “sorted”. The most probable outcome of this knee jerk tactic is a tarnishing of the associated brand.

Today, people multi-task and they are lazy. Not the best compliment, but it’s true. Sitting in front of the TV with a laptop or smartphone in close proximity, and maybe a big bag of Doritos too. If measured correctly, it is clear such things as TV advertising or any mentions on TV research programmes (i.e. Watchdog, Panorama, Loose Women etc) are driving more online activity. The same can be said for radio, especially digital radio. This activity may not result in increased visitors to an organisation’s website directly…people don’t behave this way anymore. People will talk to friends online and therefore this triggers activity on Facebook and Twitter; increased search activity, which then may result in additional website traffic. The more accessible, visible and responsive an organisation is across all these areas the stronger the likelihood of achieving your objectives. But remember the initial “trigger” comes from compelling content from other media.

So what is this post saying? If you have already, or are thinking about embarking on a “social media campaign”, consider what it is you wish to achieve from it and who it is you wish to engage with. I guarantee you won’t achieve your objectives by using social web alone. Also a “campaign” is not suited to social media. If you decide to incorporate a social web presence as part of your overall communications approach; you need to realise that you’re in it for the longer term. It’s a strategic medium offering an on-going dialogue, requiring continual management. It isn’t tactical and not an isolated channel…it’s part of a much bigger mix. You need the cake, before you can put the cherry on the top.

Karl Havard has been involved in the online world for 12 years plus. He has a deep understanding of all aspects of the social web, and the key role it can play across all areas of a business and consumer brand interaction. He is the Founder of pownum and of Somatica Digital, a small but beautifully formed consumer brand trust consultancy. We’re please to welcome Karl as the first of our guest authors on the Applied Works blog – we’ll be featuring further guests here in future.

Bella Rock

Since sharing a house with me whilst at Brighton University, the wonderful Bella Rock has now settled, via the Royal College of Art and exhibitions in India, France and Greece, near Twyford, west London. Choosing a Portakabin in the middle of a field as the place to run her International Art Career, Bella seems very at home.

It’s this kind of space that Bella needs, enough room for her huge imagination and large scale paintings. Bella has no time for high brow musings or discussions, she simply loves to spend time making up stories and thinking about magical things that could happen. We then get to witness the results of those thoughts.

It’s difficult to fully appreciate Bella’s work on screen, so may we recommend you walk your eyes to Deptford High Street at the end of June to see new work with her brother Casper. In the mean time, if you’re eager to see more of Bella’s work, head on over to her website and sign up to Colouring-In Club, where each month Bella sends out a drawing for you to print off and colour-in, in the comfort of your home.

‘Eye Pain’ opens at the Bearspace gallery on June 25th for 4 weeks, details of which you’ll find here.

Rebuilding Gordonbrock School

We’ve not really established any one theme for the AW blog, besides writing about things that are of interest to us; broadly speaking areas that include visual aesthetics & sound, motion, interaction and communication. So I may be straying a little off-piste with this post, but I’ve just returned from a local meeting and I’m hopping mad about it.

Our local school, Gordonbrock Primary (which my two daughters attend), was due to be rebuilt this year. The Edwardian buildings date to 1905 but have become completely unfit for purpose (a fact identified some 21 years ago apparently – these things take time). The parents, local community, even the kids themselves, have been involved in years of planning and consultation with the school and Lewisham Council about the new building and the decant, and everything was set to go in Easter this year. However, just ten days before the build was due to begin, we received a letter saying a last minute legal objection from The Brockley Society had put a stop to it all (the Council had failed to conduct an environmental impact assessment, which unfortunately left the door open).

The Brockley Society aim to preserve the character and architectural integrity of the conservation areas in the local community. This evening they made their arguments and we listened. Lewisham Council’s approved scheme retained two of the four original buildings. The Brockley Society wanted to keep at least three. They pulled together two feasibility studies for alternatives at the last minute, the first retaining all four buildings, the second retaining three. Neither met the needs of the school, neither were properly costed or planned and neither were actually any better.

An uprising of local anger then ensued against the BS (as I’d now like to refer to them) from local parents, governors, councillors and residents. The main root of their anger was the fact that at the end of this calendar year, it is very likely that if the build hasn’t commenced the funding will be lost and the rebuild will be cancelled. Not only that, viable solutions were put forward to their two main objections (completely understandable objections I might add) – first that a new entrance would obscure one of the original buildings, and second that the quality and durability of the buildings’ exterior render was insufficient. Neither solution on offer was even mentioned in the BS presentation, let alone considered.

I’m all for preservation in the right context, and I’m usually the first to grumble if an old building is coming down, but sometimes its necessary; often the only solution to preserving an old building is to sacrifice some parts in order to breath new life into others. If its not fit for purpose its simply not fit to preserve.

What irked me most though, was that for a society who’s activities revolve around architectural integrity, The Brockley Society’s alternative scheme (above) – albeit retaining more of the original fabric – is actually less sympathetic. Just plonk some new buildings in between the old ones, and attempt to blend different eras by using like for like materials (century old red brick meet spanking new red brick). Like them or not, the approved plans at least attempt to create an honest building to reflect the era from which it comes, and most importantly they are the only plans likely to see the light of day. Unfortunately, The Brockley Society have now jeopardised the future education of hundreds of local children for goodness knows how long.

Rant over, thank you.