Through many engagements, we hear many questions surrounding social networking: what it means; how it applies to business; and, more directly, how social networking can turn a profit for a business.
If you’re in interactive marketing today, it would be logical to assume that based on the tremendous growth in usage of Social Networking tools, you can ride the wave of interest to reach more people within a trusted network and get your message across within established groups.
Not so fast!
I thought it would be valuable to give you some food for thought if you’re thinking about jumping into the social networking pool by shedding some light on the morning activity of one couple who has fully integrated the use of social networks into their day. My wife Michelle and I are the couple, by the way. This will act both as a catharsis for me and probably make me the butt of many long-running jokes for anyone who knows me personally. I will not describe my entire day to recoup any semblance of having a life outside computers. To fill in the blanks repeat the morning routine throughout the day. That said, here is one picture of an audience you may be missing in your reach for brand awareness and conversions:
* 5:30 AM: My daughter wakes us with a blood curdling scream. Michelle is up and jumps onto Facebook to see if anyone commented on the photos she posted of our wedding 6 years ago. (Yes, she took care of our daughter first.)
* 5:45 AM: I smell coffee. Come downstairs (this is not a Folgers commercial). Hip-check Michelle off the laptop in the kitchen. Check e-mail (work and home), scan the front pages of four daily publications, and go to Facebook. A few people I’m loosely affiliated with have posted 25 things about themselves. I hate chain letters yet for some reason have no problem when it’s called “Notes” in Facebook. Damn you Facebook! I declare my random thought for the day via setting a status.
* 6:30 AM: Driving to work. BBC World Roundup is giving me a false sense of intelligence (thank you British accent). My phone buzzes. My friend David interrupted the BBC to ask me which song I’m listening to. He is responding to my status update. Am I willing to risk your life and mine to respond to this inane question while driving? You bet. (As an aside I started to wait for Red lights.)
* 7:00 AM: I smell coffee again at Starbucks. I’ve signed onto AT&T to get WiFi on my iPhone. Waiting in line, I check a few news aggregators. Yes, news probably didn’t change in an hour and a half. There’s always more. Sit down. Check Facebook on my phone. Few more friends woke up and are espousing their thoughts for the day.
* 7:30 AM: At my desk. Open LinkedIn and scan new connections. I also scan, “People You May Know.” Relish the occasional opportunity to select, “I Prefer Not to Connect.” Take that! I’ll also decipher the tealeaves of determining who looked at my profile. “Someone in the Leadership function in the Internet industry from Washington D.C. Metro Area.” My mind races. Lastly, I’ll scan Twitter and on a rare occasion, jump in.
Welcome to the Rorschach of my life. I’m in my 30s, married, and the fantasy demographic target for most advertisers. I’d claim that I don’t see advertisements on websites but I’d be lying. I’d claim I never see the advertisements for purchasing “the Godfather DVD set” on Facebook. Yet again, damn your profiling ways Facebook! But that would also be a lie. I’d equally claim I never pay attention to little nuances like one friend joining a cause on Facebook or inviting me to join causes that define who they are. But these are all lies. I notice. I might not interact, but I notice.
And herein is the dilemma:
How do you quantify the value of investing in a social networking “thinga-ma-bobber”? Today, you can’t guarantee that your social networking investment will deliver traffic to your site (for ad impressions, increased membership, or whatever your business driver). You don’t have a strong way of measuring your organization’s brand awareness through social networks. What’s more, social networking tools are constantly changing?
First, understand that most companies have not figured this out. We’re all in the same boat. But just because we haven’t figured it out, it doesn’t mean that an answer doesn’t exist.
My advice? Start by getting your feet wet.
Very nice, huh! But what’s the cost? First let’s get something on the table. I would be the biggest snake oil salesman to make claims that interacting with social communities will drive website traffic. Year-over-year, I think we’re going to see more referrals coming from social networks due to the simple experience they provide, growing usage, and accessibility of use (via mobile and wireless devices). But do not venture into this world with delusions of Web conversion grandeur.
Take time to understand your audience and their day-to-day patterns. Setting up a group page for your company and expecting the world to visit is not the ticket. These are communities and at their core they are successful through communication. Not a novel idea but it’s often overlooked.
Joining Facebook and posting product info to your status message is a quick way to get you de-friended (yet again …the POWER!) If I’m arguing the value of Steely Dan over Soundgarden at 6:30 in the morning, do you really think I care about your new product? It’s not personal. I connect to you because:
A) I like you and would love to peer into your life
B) I dislike you and would love to peer into your life
C) I’d love to hear what you have to say in any regard
Under this scenario, suddenly “direct marketing” becomes more challenging. For example, while I noticed the Godfather DVD ad on Facebook, I didn’t click it (perhaps you can argue the brand awareness value). But when Joe pointed me to the ad by writing a note on my wall asking, “Did you see they’re selling your family’s home movies?” that Godfather DVD became a part of my personal conversation. (BTW, I didn’t buy the DVD. I already own it 
Culture is changing. Today, you either get social networks or you don’t. This is crucial to remember when you either “get it”, and are trying to build messaging support for networks within your company, or when you are being pestered by the person who gets it and questioning what happened to the simple world of e-mail and the telephone.
Getting involved might mean using the knowledge of a select few to inform the broader company. It may mean changing publishing work flow and experience to integrate social network publishing into your regular publishing system. Whatever the degree, there will be cultural and educational barriers to overcome while you experiment with these networks.
Give it a try. While there’s no direct ROI currently we can’t turn our heads from a 422% growth! Once you actually understand the culture, you’ll have better knowledge around what NOT to do.
My phone buzzed.
This article was written by Siteworx‘s Vice President of User Experience, Giovanni Calabro, to address the population of social network users whose daily lives have become completely reliant on the ability to access these technologies at any place and any time- one audience interactive marketers may be missing in their reach for brand awareness and conversions.
Giovanni (Gio) Calabro brings over ten years of experience leading interactive research and design efforts for a wide range of business sectors. Currently, Gio serves a diverse client base at Siteworx including AOL, U.S. News & World Report, National Geographic, MTV Networks, USA Today and JP Morgan Chase.
image credit: Laura Doss
