Building a culture of measurement

‘Building a Culture of Measurement’; a thought provoking piece of research, published by Webtrends and Web Analytics Demystified. Does your organisation foster a culture of measurement, or is it undermined by an organisational paradigm that is not equipped for data analysis?

It is an important consideration; if there is truth in the notion that data helps in the understanding of our customers it would make our interactions more meaningful. When working with any organisation on, for example a social media content strategy, I want to understand the target market. What do these people want to read about? Where are they interacting online? Gut instinct doesn’t always suffice.

As this research asserts;  “By using analytics and measurement technologies that span web channels, social media platforms and distributed applications, companies can elevate the dialogues they have with their customers”.

An interesting argument that this piece does explore is that of infinite measurability. As measurement and data analysis methods have developed, the misconception that analysis provides invaluable insights was born. Whilst I would argue that data analysis is useful in creating insight, it is nonetheless an intuitive organisation that turns this data into valuable, actionable insight. We have probably all seen an organisation that can quantify every aspect of their business - but what does it mean, and how is it used?

This paper does not underestimate the importance of aligning these measurement tools with broader, strategic and operational business goals. The process of ensuring that these tools actually deliver a way in which to track progress towards goals is, in this paper, termed ‘The Waterfall Strategy’. I like this analogy; it highlights the need for this insight to ‘flow’ through the organisation.

Whilst there are many scientific models of effective data analysis process, it is fair to say that one size most certainly does not fit all. Despite the fact that the digital marketing age has given rise to the prevalence of data analysis, an ineffective process of data analysis may as well be non-existent.

Can your organisation build a culture of measurement? Do you have the correct processes, strategies and technologies in place to nurture this type of culture? As postulated by the author of this paper, if you understand where the company currently stands, you are much better positioned to reach the desired outcome.  

10 Relevant Social Media Statistics for 2011

If you still doubt social media's impact, read on:

1. Over 50% of the world’s population is under 30-years-old
2. In 10 years over 40% of the Fortune 500 will no longer be here
3. Social Media has overtaken porn as the #1 activity on the Web
4. Facebook tops Google for weekly traffic in the U.S.
5. 1 in 5 couples meet online; 3 in 5 gay couples meet online
6. 1 in 5 divorces are blamed on Facebook
7. What happens in Vegas stays on YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, Facebook…
8. 2009 US Department of Education study revealed that on average, online students out performed those receiving face-to-face instruction
9. If Facebook were a country it would be the world’s 3rd largest and 2x the size of the U.S. population
10. 80% of companies use social media for recruitment; % of these using LinkedIn 95%

Women in their digital domain

‘Women in their Digital Domain’ – was always going to be a hot topic for me. Since the birth of my latest PR and social media consultancy Zoodikers, I recognise the engaging opportunity that the digital domain presents.

Research into gender-specific interactions online is fairly limited. ‘Women in their Digital Domain’ examines the way in which women are engaging with online and digital media and the implications of this for marketers. Instantly, I was intrigued to read on.

The report highlights the importance of women in the digital domain for three reasons; their ‘pocket power’, their expressive nature and the fact that they are ‘connected’. With women seeing increased median income, speaking an astonishing 5,000 words a day more than their male counterparts, and increasing their online activity – marketers really need to pay attention!

There are many insights to be taken from this report; amongst those most fundamental is that “women think less about the technology itself and more about how it helps them accomplish their tasks and enhance their ability to pursue interests”.

Furthermore, the report highlights the importance of aesthetically appealing and user-friendly information and tools when interacting with women. Where it may be possible that this is less important when targeting a male audience, surely a user-friendly and eye-catching digital arena is beneficial in most markets. Even those industries which call for a more conservative approach can be aesthetically appealing and user-friendly.

As women, we’ve always known that we have an outstanding ability to multi-task. The assertion that “at least 62% of women multi-task while consuming any form of media” serves to reinforce this notion. As the report establishes from fairly early on, women like shopping, sharing and seeking – digital media must facilitate this.

The point at which things become more complex is as the report seeks to differentiate women by generation, in accordance with their level of online/digital interactions. Of course, marketers must understand that there will be different implications for interacting with each generation, and each may be best informed through specific mediums.

The report concludes with 12 key points for marketers when trying to engage women and brands in their digital space. Interested as I was? Read on… 

Coca-Cola Masterclass

A recent ‘Coca-Cola Masterclass’, hosted by The Association of Business Schools - was insightful and thought-provoking.

Jonathan Mildenhall, Vice President of Global Advertising Strategy and Content Excellence at Coca Cola, staged a fascinating workshop. He highlighted the importance of creativity in a marketing landscape which he claimed could be “redefined on a 6 monthly basis”. Jonathan explained how creativity can be used in all organisations, claiming that creativity is behind every leap made in science, manufacturing and marketing.

Coca Cola believe, in fact, that without creativity they couldn’t “refresh, inspire or create value” – consequently, not something to underestimate. Their Facebook and Twitter campaign – ‘Come be Creative’ (http://on.fb.me/l3J7C6) helps to engage people with creative ideas about their brands.

Do we truly understand the need for constant innovation? Are we embracing the opportunity that social media presents to create compelling content? Some of the brands under the Coca Cola umbrella utilise social media and online presence for the majority of their marketing communications. This really highlights the value of social media in being relevant to the communities with which you work.

The notion that consumers create more stories than the organisation also demonstrates the importance of these connections. An important concept is to move away from that of ‘one-way storytelling’ to an approach which is more dynamic – an approach which engages consumers.

Jonathan Mildenhall described the challenge of content creation in an enlightening way, reminding us that “every contact point with a customer should tell an emotional story”. He left us with a prompt; although the essence is constant, conversation is changing.

So, are you creative? Does your organisation foster creativity? We should all consider the use of social media and its ability to inspire participation.

The impact of social media on journalism and an opportunity for PR pros

The impact of social media on journalism and an opportunity for PR pros

I wanted to share with you the recent research and observations from Daryl Willcox Publishing (written by FT journalist Martin Stabe) concerning the way in which social media is changing the role of journalists.

It’s not an entirely new revelation; social media is changing the way in which journalists are receiving new stories, identifying leads and increasing traffic to their websites.  Some of the statistics from the report demonstrate the huge potential that social media offers as a medium for generating increased traffic to news websites; in some cases allowing people to recommend news articles to their friends. Astonishingly, news referrals from Facebook are said to have increased by 680% this year.

This recent work has reinforced the importance of social networks, highlighting the use of social media in news gathering. According to Daryl Willcox publishing, this includes networking and gathering information, monitoring and participation in relevant networks, identification and verification of eye witness material and real time publishing and blogging.

As Martin Stabe reports in his own blog - surprisingly from the 956 journalists surveyed, over 200 made additional comments – some scathing, slamming social media as a pointless communication channel to manage, and some pointing to the fact they are now dependent on these websites as news sources.  The survey also found that little more than one per cent of respondents claimed they were using social media less than they were 12 months ago, confirmation that journalists reject the notion that social media may be a fad.

For PR professionals, this research represents an interesting insight, as 45% of journalists felt that they did not use the medium enough in their activities. This presents a major opportunity for us as PR professionals to engage and enhance our campaigns through better relationships with journalists over social channels.

So get back to your tweeting PR people...