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Why Social Media Matters – the Class

Zach Braiker — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:32:57 +0000

I’m teaching a course at Emerson College called “Social Media and Marketing.” Unofficially, I’ve titled it “Why Social Media Matters.” I’ve asked 20 industry experts to share with me the most challenging questions they are asked on a regular basis about social media. Their answers shaped our curriculum. Each week the class explores one of the question. Five companies are involved with the class: Cisco, Doink, 8Minute Dating, Zappos and Nokia. Students are working on their real business challenges involving social media.

In the first class, we discussed the meaning of social media, based on its application and various definitions. There is considerable debate on what social media is.
Prior to the class, I asked several prominent bloggers for their definition, many of whom referred me to the Wikipedia definition.
While that’s a good place to start, we shared many other insightful resources:

1. Video: Social Media Revolution
Statistics are persuasive; I wish the sources were cited more fully in this video.

2. Presentation: IAB social media metrics definitions
The Interactive Advertising Bureau offers many concentrated key performance indicators helpful in planning and measuring a social media campaign.

IAB Social Media Metrics Definitions

View more documents from womarketing.

3. TED Talk video: Howard Rheingold
An early and important contribution to defining social media, before the phrase even existed.

4. TED Talk video: Seth Godin on Tribes
An essential framework for brands using social media.

5. Video: Chris Brogan “Don’t be that Guy”
An important reminder of how not to market in social networks.

6. Blog post: Jeremiah Owyang – 50 ways to use social media

7. Blog post: What is Social Media? 23 Definitions

How do you define social media? Why does it matter to you? Share your story on our Facebook Page.

Social Media Experts In a recen
Social Media Book Club Launch – Solis’ “The End of Business As Usual” On Novembe

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Have you met Tuesdays

Zach Braiker — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:03:23 +0000

Join the conversation on our Fan Page

This semester I’m teaching a course at Emerson College in Boston entitled Social Media and Marketing. If this topic interests you, there are many ways you can participate. The easiest is joining our Facebook fan page, “Why Social Media Matters.” My goal is to contribute to meaningful discourse about the role of social media in our lives and our businesses. Feel free to drop on by and stay for a while. I’m going to blog quite frequently about it as well.

One of the things I love about social media is how simple it can be. Sure, you can make social media complex. You can measure metrics, use social marketing models and chart the growth of communities over time. However, you can also create one powerful idea. An idea that doesn’t require anything but others willing to play along.

Take the idea of Follow Friday for example. Hundreds of thousands participate weekly in nominating their friends to be followed on Twitter. The concept is simple, and the participation is contagious. To play, you just need a Twitter account. What if we applied the concept of Follow Friday to our lives? Maybe we’d call it “Have you met” Tuesdays. And we would share the great people we know with others we cared about.

Why does social media matter to you?

Reveal Marketing Check out

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The Social Media Sandbox

Zach Braiker — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 16:00:44 +0000

(Image: In the sandbox by Zesmerelda on Flickr)

I work and play in the same sandbox. At least 30% of our clients follow me on twitter or Facebook.

In the future I wonder if agencies will create a simple list of expectations for clients called, “If you follow us online here’s what to expect…”

Here’s what mine would say:

I will tweet about music, food, revenue generation, fashion and wax poetic hourly
I will post pictures to Facebook that may not interest you, of doors, fire escapes, pigeons and the rain
If you ask me a work question publically (i.e., on twitter), I’m going to call you to answer it, usually, or DM you, but seldom reply publically.
I will not stay “on topic,” in a social network but rather weave in and out of conversations fast and freely
I will help you use whichever social network we’re connected on most effectively – not because I have to but because I love it.

What should clients, or friends in general, expect when you follow them online? I would love to hear your take.

A friend of mine shared an anecdote on this topic.

“Bob” helped his mother create a Facebook account. Apparently Bob’s mother was only friends with Bob and no one else on Facebook.
Every time he updated his status, Bob’s mom thought he was talking directly to her.
And so, she called him.
Every time.

Social Media Experts In a recen
Social Media Book Club Launch – Solis’ “The End of Business As Usual” On Novembe

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Facebook Marketing Local Example

Zach Braiker — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:45:15 +0000

CambridgeSide Galleria, my local mall, has a cool Facebook marketing strategy.
They are donating $1 to charity for each person who becomes a fan of their Facebook page.
It’s a great idea on many levels: It’s simple, relevant to their audience, benefits charity and helps grow a way to reach shoppers.

Reveal Marketing Check out
a marketing tip It’s so si

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Richard Shaffer, Israeli Wine Direct

Zach Braiker — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:44:53 +0000

I recently interviewed Richard Shaffer, owner of Israeli Wine Direct. Tom Wark, wine expert and blogger, called Israeli Wine Direct “the kind of on-line wine store that should attract at least a glance, if not an order, from all those wine lovers that fancy themselves wine explorers and who revel in the diversity of what different places and people can do with the grape.”

Richard exemplifies a social media entrepreneur. When he first began Israeli Wine Direct, he used his blog as a way to interview and gain access to Israeli wine experts. And once the business was established, social media has opened doors to new audiences.

His approach to marketing is personal. Wine lovers across America, including Guy Kawasaki, invite him into their home to pour Israeli wine for friends and families. Speak to Richard for 30 seconds and you’ll understand why he gets invited. His passion for wine is contagious, and he shares it on his company blog, Twitter, Friendfeed, YouTube and Facebook.

As his business becomes even more successful, I look forward to seeing how Richard’s enthusiasm will translate into creating a company culture with an even greater impact.

Check out our discussion below.

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The Twitter Moment

Zach Braiker — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:16:01 +0000

I was struck by Brian Solis’ Flickr photo that captures Obama winning the election. It is a photo of the TV, not a photo of the actual candidate. Nevertheless, it captures a moment. And not too long ago I thought of a ‘moment’ as being what people share with one another in person. Last night people on Twitter shared the election moment with one another; as if we were together in the same room feeling the same sense of tension and relief, experiencing the same catharsis.

Check out ZeFrank’s blog capturing the moments of the election.
His readers not only comment with their words, but with links to YouTube videos, Facebook entries.

Their comments are a colorful tribute to that night. Here are few examples:

1. “When they announced it, I heard firecrackers go off in my neighborhood. We poured champagne and toasted.
I stepped outside and heard a neighbor across the street go “Woooo!” “Woooo-hooo!” I called back. More firecrackers followed.”

2. “I was in Grant Park.
It was the nicest, politest, funnest rock concert EVER.
When CNN called it, we collectively lost our heads. 10PM. TEN. PM. After the nightmare of Bush v. Gore, to have it called so early, so decisively…
We were all crying.”

3. “My 12 year-old son and I were watching the electoral numbers break for Obama, when the door bell rang suddenly and repeatedly. I answered only to be greeted by a group neighborhood kids holding Obama signs that they’d swiped from other neighbor’s yards. They were cheering “O-BA-MA” like a band of political trick or treaters. My son immediately darted out to celebrate with them without even asking permission—it was wonderful.”

Where did you share your moment?

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Co-branded Facebook Ads

Zach Braiker — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:26:17 +0000

Visa’s incentive to join their network is $100 in Facebook advertising. This ad clearly benefits both Visa and Facebook. Visa benefits by enrolling business owners and Facebook benefits by introducing their ad platform to new customers. I would love to know how It was sold: whether Visa paid for the ad on a cost per action basis, and Facebook paid Visa for the free ad trials.

Reveal Marketing Check out
Social Media Book Club Launch – Solis’ “The End of Business As Usual” On Novembe

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Digital Natives: Born into the Network

Zach Braiker — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:14:36 +0000

(Image courtesy of Krishna De, from Flickr)Children are less likely to lose touch with their friends because they’re connected by social networking sites from the moment they begin school. This was not the case with my parents’ generation. I recently reconnected on Facebook with a friend from middle school. Within two days, five of my other middle school classmates had reconnected with me. There was something exciting about looking at their profiles to see who they’ve become, how their faces have changed and how their personalities haven’t.When today’s kids grow up, their entire social network will age with them. They will decide who to remove from their networks and how much access to grant those who remain, rather than seeking out old friends. How will this affect their sense of who they are, who they were and whom they consider to be their people?

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Creative Facebook Ad – Job Seekers

Zach Braiker — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:28:03 +0000

A creative ad caught my eye on Facebook today. A young man used a Facebook flyer to ask prospective employers to hire him. When you click on his ad, you arrive at his YouTube page with a short pitch (see it below). I love the concept of job seekers targeting prospective employers with creative techniques like these.

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Smart Facebook Marketing – Bernstein-Rein

Zach Braiker — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:03:09 +0000

I joined this Facebook group called i wrk @ an ad agency. There’s more than 1,000 members, and all of the founders of the group are with some of the hottest agencies in the country. I recently received an email from the group announcing the launch of a new agency website: “Bernstein-Rein.com.”

When I received the email, I checked out the website immediately. (BTW, I’m impressed).

But I’m more impressed with their marketing strategy to use Facebook. Over 1,000 pre-qualified people, who work at agencies and are members of this group, received the Facebook email. And I would assume that the open rate of an email from Facebook is much higher than the open rate of regular email.

I wonder if Bernstein-Rein.com paid for this email blast. If so, it’s worth noting that Facebook wasn’t directly paid for this. If Bernstein-Rein wanted to reach agency talent in a more conventional way, through direct mail or advertising for example, they would have spent $10,000s. And even then they might not have reached agency talent this targeted.

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