By Brian Solis, industry-leading blogger at BrianSolis.comand principal of research firm Altimeter Group, Author of the highly acclaimed books on social businessThe End of Businessas Usual and
This is part two in a short series to introduceThe End of Business as Usual …originally posted onHarvard Business Review (edited)
There’s an old saying that carries renewed meaning these days: Give the people what they want.Brands arefuriously creating profiles in social networks such as Facebook and Twitter in the hopes
of building engaging communities with customers and giving people what the brands think they want.The main activity in this effort is to spur consumers to “like” and “follow” a brand’s Facebook andTwitter streams. But are these companies developing effective campaigns to build engagement andgive the people what they want? From where I sit, I’d say many are not. If businesses are unable tochange course, a very real — and likely very painful — lesson lies ahead. Once-willing consumerswill soon become reluctant to connect with brands or will completely sever social ties to brands oncethey deem the connection fruitless.Not long ago, I attended a daylong social marketing summit at the campus of a leading nationalbrand that also housed a number of popular sub brands. Following my presentation, I returned to myseat to take in a presentation from a sales rep for Facebook. He talked about why brands will benefitfrom setting up shop in Facebook — consumers are willing to engage with brands that make it worththeir while. But somewhere in the middle of his presentation, however, I was jolted into a state of disbelief. The rep looked upon the audience of brand managers with genuine sincerity and in acalming voice expressed, “Don’t over-think any of this. It’s not that complicated. Do four things everyweek…ask a question, run a poll, share links, and engage with your fans. Oh, and have fun!”
It’s not that this advice isn’t helpful. But it is exactly the type of counsel that contributes to thephenomenon of social “stream fatigue.” More and more people in social networks will begin realizingthat they hold control of their social streams and can simply unlike or unfollow brands that don’tdeliver value.
It’s time for brands to rethink their approach in social media
Everything begins with providing a reason for consumers to connect with brands in social networks,not once, but now and over time, again and again. Brands must study consumer preferences inadvance of social efforts and continually monitor what consumers expect and want in this channel.Effective brand engagement is directly linked to the value customers take away from the brandedsocial experience and how closely their expectations and desires are met.To help understand the contours of this situation, marketing firm Exact Target set out to understandwhat it is that customers want in social relationships. This valuable information can only help brandsdesign experiences that meet or exceed needs and expectations. In its study appropriatelytitled“The Social Break-up,”(registration required to download survey) 55-percent of Facebook usersreported liking a brand and then later deciding they no longer wish to see the company’s posts. Half of fans say that they really aren’t even fans as they don’t visit the page or web site after the “Like.”Seventy-one percent of consumers say that they’re now becoming more selective about the brandsthey like.When asked why consumers were breaking-up with brands in Facebook and Twitter, the topreasons cited were:• The company posts too frequently• My wall was becoming too crowded with marketing posts• The content was too repetitive or boringIn the previous three points, we learn what not to do. When customers were asked why they unlikedbrands, we get a better idea for what to do next (interpreted):• I only “Liked” the company to take advantage of an offer • Brands didn’t offer enough special offers or deals over time to make it worth my while• Their posts were too promotional without the ability to take action against them within the streamIt comes back to intention and value. Customers are yearning for a more useful or meaningfulconnection and for the most part, brands are missing the opportunity to truly engage. TheExactTarget data highlights the need for brands to move away from posting marketing or promotional content or repeatedly diluting streams with boring posts. These acts will only drivecustomers away from social engagement. Instead, by providing special offers and more useful,actionable or engaging updates, customers will find value in preserving the connection.IBM also conducted a study that asked consumers what they expected from brand engagement insocial media. As part of its research, IBM asked business leaders what they thought consumerswere seeking in a social relationship. The results identified a dramatic gap between presumption andactual demand.The top two reasons consumers gave as to why they interact with companies in social networkswere:
1. Receive discounts (61%)2. Make purchases (55%)In contrast, businesses believe that the top two reasons consumers follow them in social networksare…1. Learn about new products (73%)2. To receive general information (71%)While consumers expressed the desire to receive discounts or make purchases as the top reasonsfor engagement in social media, businesses view these actions as the lowest two motives for connecting in the social web.What we learn from these two studies is that it’s not about the content, the profile, or publishinginformation regularly; it’s about understanding and delivering what customers want.
If you’re not sure what customers want…ask!
Ask and ye shall receive. You’ve heard it a million times, but are businesses actually practicing whatthey preach? To bridge the gap between consumer expectations and business perceptions, askingcustomers what they want can go a long way. For example, when Google’s much discussed newsocial network launched, two major brands were front and center hoping to deliver a unique, valueadd experience. Ford Motor Company was one of the first companies to build a brand page and inan notable move, asked people what they expected from the company in Google+. Ford’s ScottMonty and team took the scores of feedback to a dedicated engagement and content strategy.Shortly thereafter, Michael Dell personallyasked his circles about the roll Google Hangouts, a group
chat service in Google+, can play in customer service.
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Social Media’s Impending Flood of Customer Unlikes and Unfollows
This is part two in a short series to introduce The End of Business as Usual…originally posted on Harvard Business Review (edited)
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