Proceed with Caution‏

Just a girl.
Just me.
Just Regular Decker.While I am still unsure about just all the complexities that make up our current government  shut down I am sure about one thing: I don't want to see the President of the United States on Twitter. Ever.
 
Let's go back.
 
I am still getting to know Twitter, so to get a feel of what is possible for Tweets and since I had questions about what the government shut down really meant. I thought it would be interesting to see how much information, what types of information and the accuracy of information.
 
Currently Twitter is growing faster than any other social media network. Apparently it's really true that people want to be apart of the conversation… any conversation.  Luckily, there are plenty of people with plenty to say. There is so much to navigate through, but I tried to take courage.
 
While scrolling  down he ever growing commentary on the shutdown I was fairly surprised at the information I was able to glean from a quick look. I was able to find the standard right against left wing comments, blame being thrown around, and some hilarious memes including IT professionals reminding us that when something isn't working (including the government) we just need to shut it down and turn it back on again. I even found some helpful information and links to sites with accurate and useful information about the shutdown. To be honest, I was happily surprised.
 
Then I saw it @BarackObama. I won't write the words here, because this is not a political blog by any means. The bottom line is that the president of our country used social media as a tool for his political agenda. For as helpful as I can see that social media can be, I thought this was TOTALLY inappropriate for someone in his position.
 
Because Twitter is such a direct and personal tool it blurs the line between a personal opinion and a PR or marketing agenda. This can be helpful when trying to join conversations as a business, but for our the leader of our country to use and in my opinion abuse that line is unacceptable.
 
Twitter is not reality. Twitter is a tool. Proceed with caution.

"The TALK" for the 98%

Just a girl.

Just me.

Just Regular Decker.

I delightfully ran across a video this week that made me do a silent fist pump. The Onion made this possible by making a TedTalk-style video marketing called Using Social Media To Cover For Lack Of Original Thought. It made my whole week and all my stresses about learning to “Tweet” melt into a manageable size. Rather than just post the video and let it speak for itself, I have drawn some points that I think are incredibly important…that also just so happen to be some of the most common missing parts to amateurs’ tries at effective social media marketing that frankly BUG ME. Thanks to Cameron Hughes (speaker) Sam West (writer) I will provide you with the first of these gems from the video:

 “Social media is the driving force behind the new economy. What does that mean? Nobody knows.”

When advocates of social media are completely honest they will tell you that there is not yet an effective way to measure the quantitative effect of social media campaigns. I have been introduced to some ideas of how to put numbers to what happens as a result of a campaign or a post, but it is nowhere near a science. Incredible successes in the social media arena, although I’m sure thought out by incredibly talented marketing professionals, seem to happen by accident or in the moment.

I’ll not pretend that I don’t love the viral videos as much as the next person, but if I recommend that companies invest in a product with an undefinable result or reach, I better have a plan; a goal at least, or I’ll be shooting in the dark and eventually not picking up a paycheck. Social media marketing isn’t a silver bullet. Marketing rules still apply and objectives that can be both aimed towards and reported on are what I believe separate out the amateurs (…and keep a firm grip on a steady income). 

• So harness the power of the fickle social network. It’s not a mystery. Set objectives.

 “Social media eliminated the need to provide value to anyone”

Wow. True though, right?

I wish this weren’t so true. I’m sure this isn’t what the execs at BusinessXYZ would admit that they asked for, but fortunately social media marketing companies are glad to provide this at top dollar anyway. Annoying posts (as defined by @waitbutwhy as self-serving, etc.) by people or businesses and click farms quintessentially fill the requests of businesses looking to “get likes” or “have a Facebook presence”, but they ignore the fact that there is no value in these results on their own.

Loyalty, involvement, two-way communication, user advocacy and other meaningful OBJECTIVES (…see? Didn’t I tell you these were important?) will not magically appear or be attained from a canned post of thousands of likes. When value is offered by a campaign, online communities will respond with more genuine engagement. Online users look for value and will pay with lucrative loyalty if companies are offering discounts, involvement, chances to compete or contribute, 

 opportunities to create content or community, or even just some laughs.

• Moral of the story here: Engage by offering value or break up with social media.

 “My firm was contracted by Cheetos so we went around the room and talked about ways to leverage their brand online. It turned out none of us had any original ideas, so instead we gave them a Facebook page. Eventually people like it. These people liked Cheetos even though they had no reason to as we gave them no incentive. “

I feel like this could have been a serious account of a social media marketing company meeting. I know it’s supposed to be a joke, but I say it’s a quote. This downfall is very much like the previous two gems with a little added twist. Pointless, default action to begin a social media will produce pointless, default action on the part of users.

Companies must define WHY they need or want to participate in a social media campaign. If it really is to fit into the trend and be like the popular kids, I think we could all go back to middle school to talk about how great peer pressure is. Is your target market one that you can not only pursue, but engage online? I feel like we are talking to teenagers here.

There are incredible results available when companies match the results they need to the correct vehicle of marketing…. which actually isn’t always Facebook. When social media is really the best avenue for a company to pursue to reach their customers in a new way, companies should be much more willing to hold social media marketers accountable for progress and desired results, however they are being defined for the specific company.

• Cheetos are good. Peer pressure for participating in social media is bad.

There is still so much to learn about how to effectively measure and quantify the results of social media, but we have to start with acknowledging these fundamental flaws in so many current campaigns. 

There are companies that are INCREDIBLE at using social media, but the other 98% are mostly stuck in these irritating areas. If a few more companies will soak these ideas up, maybe I'll be convinced that social media can be a #powerfultool.

Annoying

Just a girl.

Just me.

Just Regular Decker.

So after last week’s post, I continued to watch the branding that is so prevalent in everything posted on Facebook and the like to try to get to the root of the question chilling in my mind: Who are we selling?

With this in mind, I stumbled upon and blog post from @waitbutwhy called 7 Ways to be Insufferable on Facebook. The 7 ways include different approaches that people use to mask what the author of the blog claims to really be: image crafting, narcissism, a need for attention, loneliness, or a chance to induce jealousy. While the tone of the article was pretty feisty I was surprised that the descriptions and explanations were spot on. Extensive attention was given to “The Brag” outlining the ways that people veil their attempts at social engineering with trite Facebook posts. Enjoy:

 “So at best, you’re just really excited about your life and you need to tell everyone, and at worst you’re specifically hoping to make people feel worse about their lives and jealous of yours. Somewhere in the middle would be you calculatingly crafting your words as part of an un-endearing and transparent campaign to make people see you in a certain way.”

Reading this blog helped me start to see what people, and…after some Facebook-post-self-inspection, I am trying to sell through social media. @waitbutwhy illustrates this with this little Venn diagram:

I am really surprised how accurate this idea is when it comes to the posts that I see every day while meandering through Facebook. Posts abound, but regular people are now joined by businesses that have taken the plunge into social media; many—way too many—without regards to the specifications in @waitbutwhy’s diagram. While I won’t attempt to dive into the possible motivations of my own or my friends’ posts, I nonetheless had a light bulb moment. This week, not only could I suddenly put my finger on the reason certain of my friends’ posts tend to make me roll my eyes, but I could also clearly see where business go wrong in the same way. 

If businesses or individuals post content or updates that serve only them (Ex: “Like us on Facebook” “I’m doing something cool in my life and I want to make sure it’s posted with an appropriate picture to suit my current image to get digital attention”) value is not being shared or exchanged. People and businesses alike will be blocked sooner than later if they continue using social media in this way.

Interestingly enough, we can easily see a veiled brag, a plea for attention or a self-serving comment or post among our friends for what it is, but in general it is more polite to look past it or quietly turn down our dose of them on our feed. When this comes to businesses the same rules need not apply. Businesses trying to push traditional marketing through the social media sieve will easily be spotted. I often see image crafting or attention craving coming through from businesses and marvel at how they think this is helping them in any way.

I think businesses would do well to abide by the advice @waitbutwhy was willing to lay out so indelicately:

Strive to be un-annoying and you will keep your Facebook friends.

Who are you trying to sell?

Just a girl. 

Just me.

Just Regular Decker.

I love branding-- powerful, community building, motivating branding. I get so excited to see an expert brand harness not only people's spending money, their loyalty and passion. Brands with a savvy hand turn what could have seemed like a sales pitch into a product that fits into your life as the newest "must-have". Some people might see this as masterful business trickery, but as I watch closely I believe this marketing skill is allowing a demand or need that is already present in sections of the passionate public to be filled. 

I am endlessly interested in branding.

Enter social media.

Lately, I've been thinking how much social media has put a spotlight on personal and company branding.

As a kid I was always told that I could be whoever I wanted to be. I had the possibilities laid out and as I grew into a teenager and adult I discovered how I could define my very own brand: Me. I got to be a band-geek, a lacrosse chick, a shy girl and for a couple years with black clothes and a lot of eyeliner, an emo punk. The more I learned about marketing the more intentionally I controlled what brand I was.

I thought that at some point all of the "defining times" I had as a teen would be behind me, but with any social media profile I choose to build I have new personal branding decisions to make. I've heard older generations refer to my generation as one that knows how to market themselves in every aspect of their lives. Pictures, posts, interests and friends are chosen purposefully to portray the desired image and membership in a certain style set.

Everyone finds a niche and markets what they love in a way that is picture perfect or artfully said in a quick witted 140 characters without trying to sell anything. All of this effort encourages the attention and involvement from members of the same circles for a social payoff.

This week I've had opportunity to look at some brands that are a little out of the center of my current personal interests. I only say that because I am not a guy. I dug a little into brands akin to Red Bull, Axe body-wash, Dove for men, Old-Spice or Under Armor. I flipped through pages and pages of social media branches to each of these and other brands. Each and every one of these brands had a foothold in some facet of social media and I recognized the same careful attention to appealing to their niche. Only difference is they are getting paid to do it!

This parallel makes me wonder if it's healthy for individuals to be marketing themselves in the same way companies themselves are to harness the ever evasive market share.

Who are we trying to sell?

Violet Colored Glasses

Just a girl.

Just me.

Just Regular Decker.

And while I like my amateur jaunt through the September issue of Vogue as much as the next girl I was surprised to see that alongside the expected array of tantalizing shoes, whispy models and the newest Urban Decay lipstick were articles championing social media.

It caught me off guard. It wasn't what I was expecting to read when I saw an adorable Audrey Hepburn style socialite in sassy red flats. It was so expertly folded into her artfully constructed fashion bio, I actually enjoyed it. One moment I am being drawn into a gorgeous photo shoot feeling like I should change into something vintage that would look great blowing in the wind, next moment I am considering how I can follow this force-of-a-woman, Cassandra Grey, and soak up some of her impeccable style.

I am now following @violetgrey.

It’s no secret that I have not been an advocate of the flood of social media marketing. The fact that I suddenly have a desire to pin or re-post or follow anyone that I wouldn't already invite to a bbq comes as a surprise, especially to me. Normally, I am vocally fed up with the social media that lines the bottom and side of every ad and article with “like us on Facebook”. I can’t take the local  small town hardware store awkwardly Tweeting or posting pictures of their regular ads. I can’t see the point of it all.

Add one afternoon with my September Vogue, and suddenly, I found myself reading about Cassandra and wanting to know more about the things that she is interested in and passionate about. I wanted to “join her tribe” and gain some of the energy that seemed to be driving the momentum behind that pixie cut beauty.

After just a little of my pride got swallowed, I wondered why I was so drawn in. I have decided on a few things that have changed my whole perspective: 

She is a reliable source-- a woman of style, class and connections is needed to be an authority that the Vogue demographic wouldn't have to think twice about trusting.

She loves what she does-- this way of expressing herself happens to be natural product of her passion. There was no need for her to synthesize a persona or facade to present things with the right flare, she is naturally #soviolet.

She is genuine-- not just drawing me in to get me in the perfect spot for a sales pitch. Her Twitter account is not run by a team of market professionals.

This is not the same as a dentist wanting me to like him on Facebook. Her approach and motivation fits naturally into the group she is now leading! 

I honestly can't say that before this insightful perspective I would know what a Vogue Twitter account would even look like. I wouldn't expect there to be a connection between ladies that love Jimmy Choo and Gucci to be interested in hash tagging anything, but it fits this style savvy demographic like I couldn't believe.

The tone of her life and social media took me by surprise. It has given me food for thought on just how an effective voice in the social media market should sound.

Companies and individuals don't have to construct a manicured message to reach a calculated part of the consumer market. Social media marketers can find the social voice that naturally fits the personality and motivations of an already willing (albeit unknowingly willing, like myself) niche of the market. If more companies used this type of approach, I might soon be following more companies and Twitting or Twittering or even Tweeting on my own free will.

Cassandra Grey showed me that there are some things that I, as a marketing professional hopeful, need to remember as I launch off into my own social media pursuits. 

I guess a pair of cute shoes is all it took to convince me.