Preparing for the Social Media Panel

November 21, 2008

The Social Media Panel I'll be speaking on will occur at 4:45 PM today. I'm preparing to answer some of the potential questions. Here's a sneak peek.

Coproduction

In the beginning, nature forced people to adopt certain patterns of construction. This co-production -- working with external variables and working them into the structure of the architecture (paths, tree-lined drives, natural sloping paths that help with building entrances), is what makes buildings successful or not. In the same way, those online software developments and social networks that co-create a product with their audience have the greatest chance of creating greater value for themselves and their audience.

Marketing

Marketing must be legitimate. It can no longer be glossed over or hyped. Marketing that is plain and simple and lets the product speaks for itself. The iPhone is the greatest example of this.

High tech gift economies

A representation of a gift online is a link tweet through Twitter and its reciprocal -- a "retweet", a happy gesture. A public thanks. It is reconnecting the public sphere with chosen words. IA good hyperlink is a gift from one individual to an entire network. Whether that link contains entertainment, code, or data of personal relevance, the link is a resource for something. The Actor who shares the most valuable resources on the Network often has a higher reputation than those who do not.

Living Media

New marketing is more like a living creature which reacts to the environment about it. It meets and greets social groups where they reside, instead of attacking them while they sit incarcerated in waiting areas such as late night television or shopping market lines. And when an ad or method is disliked, agile media campaigns can quickly change their route. This is because they are set up to embrace their supporters and reward them, with the idea that they will sell the company idea to others. They become a trusted product -- a family item. They add value to every day experiences.

1. What has been the role of social networks in the promotion of film and television content?

Low hanging example -- Snakes on a Place. Even used a phone as a social network, pretending to be an old acquaintance. I watched as a person thought they'd been reconnected with a friend from Ohio. Then, the pre-recorded message told them they were joking -- and then said, "watch Snakes on a Plane!".

2. How are social network-based marketing campaigns different from traditional efforts?

Traditional efforts use traditional spaces. These ads are static and can not change based on how they are reacted to by the public. COnsumers have become so used to seeing marketing in traditional spaces that they no longer trust it. This marketing is rapidly becoming the billboard marketing of the "one size fits all" era. Markets are becoming niche and scattered. People trust themselves over companies, and see companies not as a series of individuals but one mass that cannot be interfaced with.

3. Is there a way to measure how successful social networks have been in marketing media properties?

Yes, if one pays close attention and has the right tools.  One is called an "engagement factor" which can be determined by running web analytics on a site. Consumers entering the site are given point values for each click they make. For instance, a click to watch a product video on a given site might be worth One must remember that the very process of looking becomes storage, and so viewing counts as engagement. Webkins Stuffed Animals tie online media to offline media, so that the success of online media drives success of offline media and vice versa. The offline and online worlds work in symbiosis with each other to create value.

It is almost lunch. Look for updates in about an hour.