Speed VSVS Truth Speed Truth Although Twitter appears to be out,out, the the sheer speed of Twitter is worth a special menAlthough Twitter appears toan beodd-one an odd-one sheer speed of Twitter is worth a special mention.tion. Whereas Google updates every 90 minutes, Twitter cycles in 45 which means thatthat Whereas Google updates every 90 minutes, Twitter cycles inseconds, 45 seconds, which means news travels exceptionally fast.fast. Such speed has has a profound impact on the amount of truth we have news travels exceptionally Such speed a profound impact on the amount of truth we have in our news. in our news.
Executive ExecutiveSummary Summary Revolutions are misleading. Seldom are they Revolutions are misleading. Seldom are they about abouta asingle singleevent. event.Instead, Instead,they theyare aremore more about abouta aseries seriesofofevents eventswith witheach eachtriggered triggered bybyitsitspredecessor. predecessor.The Thesocial socialmedia mediarevolurevolution is is nono different. tion different. Making Makingsense senseofofthe thesocial socialmedia mediarevolurevolution tionis ishard hardbecause becausethe therevolution revolutionseems seems piecemeal piecemealtotomany manypeople. people.It Itonly onlyseems seemstoto make makesense senseininhindsight hindsightbecause becausethe thenew new tools toolsare arebeing beingpicked pickedupupand andused usedbybychalchallenger lengerbrands brandsalmost almostexperimentally. experimentally.AtAtany any stage, there’ s as lot ofof work inin progress. When stage, there’ a lot work progress. When something somethingworks, works,it’sit’snot notunsurprising unsurprisingthat that people keep quiet about it,it, but it it catches onon people keep quiet about but catches nevertheless. InIn every respect, it it conforms toto nevertheless. every respect, conforms Everett Roger’ s famous Adoption Curve ofof In-InEverett Roger’ s famous Adoption Curve novation, novation,later laterdeveloped developedinto intothe thetheory theoryofof market evolution. market evolution.
TheThe relationship waswas always an inverse oneone withwith faster speeds indicating lessless truth. Twitter made relationship always an inverse faster speeds indicating truth. Twitter made the the inverse relationship steeper. Now, we routinely see see stories circulating thatthat turnturn out out laterlater to be inverse relationship steeper. Now, we routinely stories circulating to be completely untrue, which cancan create fear,fear, uncertainty, andand immediate ‘certainties’ . Think Lehman completely untrue, which create uncertainty, immediate ‘certainties’ . Think Lehman Brothers or WMD or Arthur Andersen. In the latter case,case, it was comprehensively shown thatthat the the Brothers or WMD or Arthur Andersen. In the latter it was comprehensively shown firmfirm did did not not shred documents for its Enron, butbut by the timetime the the traditional system of justice shred documents forclient, its client, Enron, by the traditional system of justice - the- the law law - caught up, up, it was too too late.late. ThisThis has has profound consequences for the make-up of boards. - caught it was profound consequences for the make-up of boards. OurOur twotwo greatest protectors of shareholder values are the General Counsel andand CFO.CFO. Social media greatest protectors of shareholder values are the General Counsel Social media cancan profoundly affect value andand perception (truth) in the timetime it takes counsel to put penpen to paper. profoundly affect value perception (truth) in the it takes counsel to put to paper. Yet social media responsibility remains suborned deep in the bowels of the corporation. Yet social media responsibility remains suborned deep in the bowels of the corporation.
Mobile Applications and the Future ofof Social Media Mobile Applications and the Future Social Media JustJust when corporate professionals thought youyou understood social media, mobile arrived withwith soft-softwhen corporate professionals thought understood social media, mobile arrived ware like like Foursquare (a geo-tagged twitter service) to bring a new dimension to connecting withwith ware Foursquare (a geo-tagged twitter service) to bring a new dimension to connecting others. NowNow we have the the phenomenon of Mobile, Social, Search. Companies are are justjust beginning to to others. we have phenomenon of Mobile, Social, Search. Companies beginning develop propositions to address the the blending of these three concepts. develop propositions to address blending of these three concepts. Clearly, there’s been a land grabgrab going on in media. When Google waswas unable to agree to ato a Clearly, there’s been a land going onsocial in social media. When Google unable to agree dealdeal withwith Facebook, it meant thatthat it wouldn’t havehave access to its graph. Google executives re- reFacebook, it meant it wouldn’t access toSocial its Social graph. Google executives sponded by creating theirtheir ownown social service - Google Plus.Plus. Although thisthis has has not not been widely taken sponded by creating social service - Google Although been widely taken up yet, companies thatthat useuse it can affect theirtheir SEOSEO disproportionately because Google designed it it up yet, companies it can affect disproportionately because Google designed thatthat way.way. They alsoalso decided thatthat theythey would no longer taketake the the stream of social datadata fromfrom Twitter, They decided would no longer stream of social Twitter, rendering the the micro-blogging platform an inefficient wayway of improving organic SEO.SEO. rendering micro-blogging platform an inefficient of improving organic So now we have an overall picture. All of media are are reflexive. They cancan be linked andand feedfeed off off So now we have an overall picture. Allthese of these media reflexive. They be linked eacheach other. other. TheThe net net result is that like like homesteaders in the WildWild West, brands, companies, people, institutions, result is that homesteaders in the West, brands, companies, people, institutions, andand ideas are are surrounded sometimes by quite a hostile audience. TheThe onlyonly difference is that there ideas surrounded sometimes by quite a hostile audience. difference is that there is noisSeventh Cavalry. no Seventh Cavalry. So in a rosette of social channels has has grown up to brands which, taken collecSosummary, in summary, a rosette of social channels grown upsurround to surround brands which, taken collectively, cancan alsoalso affect the the web’s ability to locate those brands. tively, affect web’s ability to locate those brands.
The Social Media Revolution Begins The Social Media Revolution Begins Let’sLet’s startstart our our journey withwith Google - the- the Alpha andand Omega of the Internet. In the beginning, journey Google Alpha Omega of the Internet. In the beginning, there waswas search. OneOne of the veryvery firstfirst things people needed when the the Internet started to gain there search. of the things people needed when Internet started to gain popularity waswas a way of finding information. Eventually, Google emerged as the search leader popularity a way of finding information. Eventually, Google emerged as the search leader because the the engine found things quickly through a simple interface thatthat it maintains today. because engine found things quickly through a simple interface it maintains today. ThisThis typetype of search worked wellwell untiluntil the the growth of Internet users dictated using more so- soof search worked growth of Internet users dictated using more phisticated methods. It became clearclear thatthat people would congregate in groups around shared phisticated methods. It became people would congregate in groups around shared experiences suchsuch as videos andand music. Search, though, hadhad moved on. It was nownow looking for for experiences as videos music. Search, though, moved on. It was looking something thatthat toldtold youyou more about the the groups people connected in. This is where Facebook something more about groups people connected in. This is where Facebook came in because it could suggest the the products these groups used andand allow youyou to advertise came in because it could suggest products these groups used allow to advertise to them. ThisThis useuse of tailored ads ads created the the phenomenon of ”Social Search. ” A similar sortsort of of to them. of tailored created phenomenon of ”Social Search. ” A similar service, LinkedIn, grew up at same timetime for the business world to help people whowho wanted service, LinkedIn, grew upthe at the same for the business world to help people wanted to use social networking in aincommercial context. Layered on top of these social networks to use social networking a commercial context. Layered on top of these social networks were micro-blogging services like like Twitter. These networks cancan be linked to Facebook, LinkedIn, were micro-blogging services Twitter. These networks be linked to Facebook, LinkedIn, andand Yammer, a sort of corporate Twitter. Yammer, a sort of corporate Twitter.
Reputation Management and Social Media Reputation Management and Social Media NowNow let’slet’s pause for an TakeTake youryour name, youryour organization, or your favorite charity andand pause forexperiment. an experiment. name, organization, or your favorite charity Google it. Ofit.the firstfirst fiftyfifty returns, howhow many havehave originated fromfrom you?you? Is it Ismore thanthan half?half? If so,If so, Google Of the returns, many originated it more you’re in good shape. YouYou still still control youryour brand. If it’sIfless thanthan half,half, someone elseelse is controlling youryour you’re in good shape. control brand. it’s less someone is controlling brand. If searchers can’tcan’t findfind youryour material, thenthen by definition theythey findfind someone else’s information brand. If searchers material, by definition someone else’s information about youryour brand. about brand. Let’sLet’s be clear – these channels will will be used, so you’ d better be sure it’s you that’s using them. Brand be clear – these channels be used, so you’ d better be sure it’s you that’s using them. Brand journalism is not going away, andand the the demand for fast-moving andand short-lived butbut high-quality digi-digijournalism is not going away, demand for fast-moving short-lived high-quality tal assets is only going to grow. Some of these assets will will belong to you. Some will will belong to others. tal assets is only going to grow. Some of these assets belong to you. Some belong to others. These brand journalists will will become curators of these assets. Obviously, thisthis content will will need to to These brand journalists become curators of these assets. Obviously, content need interpret the the brand creatively andand support it. This waswas recognized earlyearly by the phrase ‘Content is is interpret brand creatively support it. This recognized by the phrase ‘Content King’ . If this is true, thenthen its Queen will will be imperative. More thanthan halfhalf of the social content thatthat circuKing’ . If this is true, its Queen be imperative. More of the social content circulateslates is comment on news events. So the Creative andand Imperative will will need to work closely together. is comment on news events. So the Creative Imperative need to work closely together.
If we accept that one of the defining characteristics of leaders is their ability to understand what will be, then leaders have responsibilities here. You can try to understand the future on issues, but it’s confusing. It’s better to try and understand a point of view, which is essential for getting the right tone, style and channel for recruitment as well as community engagement. “Getting it right” can save massive amounts of costs as well. Generation C is one of the easiest and cheapest to communicate with ever. To get your message out, whether it is to attract future customers, find employees, or lure stakeholders, you have to use their channels of communication. In any case, the right social media can increase the surface area of contact that people have with their leader. Importantly, this is not invested in one person but an entire group of leaders. For this reason, then, social media needs policy, procedures, and planning. Get this right and you give your team the confidence to use the channels. Get it wrong and it becomes a game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.
CEO Responsibility with Social Media As a CEO, you may now be saying, “well, I can leave all this to marketing.” You can, of course, but there’s something else. The ability to triage these imperative creative assets gives you the ability to assess a conversation and hence, the mood. Tools likes Radian 6 and Sysomos allow you to gauge what people are talking about online. Think of it like being at a dinner party where you’d like to join in the conversation but need to listen before you start. This understanding allows CEOs to do two things: 1) to use an audit trail as to the precise timing of an action and 2) to be able to assess what a competitor is doing. The ability to look over the other side of the hill to provides the opportunity for greater situational fluency or the ‘Command of Now.’ In military terms, first it was hills, then balloons, then aircraft, then satellites that allowed the commander to see further. Now social media can provide new intelligence about what people are thinking. Companies also have the option to float ideas with their communities and to involve them actively in research. In the jargon of social media, this type of social media focus group is called ‘crowd sourcing.’This type of diurnal engagement can be useful when trying to address customers’ real concerns.
Learning to Leverage Social Media Think of the early days of the arrival of the personal computer. The use of guidelines, security, and policy was what turned an initially chaotic technology into the corporate essential it became. Social media will do to communications what the personal computer did to data processing. An entire generation needed to learn how to use the personal computer to be successful, but many failed. The boardroom generation grew up on this technology but in some cases is even more luddite than the general population. Leadership can’t afford this self-indulgence but instead should keep challenging itself. One of the easiest ways to demonstrate complacency is by choosing outdated methods of communication. The use of social media for communication can lead to some odd effects. When a company begins to use social media, the leadership team can be seen and heard much more clearly and in real-time, which is in some ways akin to tearing away the shower curtain. It can precipitate the rapid covering of sensitive areas. Equally, it can also encourage an over-exaggerated sense of pride, where leaders start to hog the limelight and primp and pose. Either is undesirable because the challenge is to use social media in a way that feels natural for your organization.
Social Media in the Workplace Leveraging social media can send powerful messages, however. A CEO that decides to present casually dressed is saying it’s OK to dress like me. The use of social media can send the message that it’s OK to be informal. Judging what tone the organization has and importantly should have in the future is the CEO’s job. Telling employees that you want the company to be dynamic and innovative in a round robin email won’t work. It’s a show, not a tell. If you want people to listen to your updates, record them and then distribute on corporate social media systems like Yammer. You can also use groups on LinkedIn, hang outs on Google Plus, and YouTube for messages you want to go external. A warning here! Some companies feel so threatened by the loss of control that they have tried to ban social media from the office. These executives are worried about the sheer time suck it causes on their staff and can take the form of device confiscation at reception or tracking and recording what people say. Sure enough, these methods stop social media use during work time, but they increase it dramatically elsewhere and sometimes with unpleasant consequences for the
Role Assignment in Social Media One of the questions often asked about this type of marketing engagement is who is doing this role in the traditional establishment. Within marketing outreach, the function that normally engages with outside audience every day of the week and twice on Sunday is the PR department. Especially so when dealing with a crisis. Many times an overly sensitive company has put out a statement on a problem only to find they didn’t have one – until they put out the statement. Perhaps if BP had used that type of listening technique it would have seen the brand adhesion that the Transocean rig fire was having. Social media can be a vital tool in allowing the CEO to use their best judgment with information from the company’s customers. The ‘J-word’ is, after all, the only thing senior leaders have. It’s critical to investors, shareholders, staff, customers and peers. Most of the time senior leaders have been exposed for poor judgment, it relates to a misjudgment or misreading of mood, which applies as much to Tony Hayward at BP as it does to Dick Fuld at Lehmans. The recession adds poignancy to the messages that leadership emanates. Frequent, unfortunate juxtapositions, such as hefty senior bonuses alongside group redundancies, bring this issue to the fore. The need for joined up communications has never been greater. This is as true personally as it is corporately. In recession, the wealthy and powerful need to tread sensitively. At present, it’s like the senior people are sitting on a keg of gunpowder. Social media showers 1,000 sparks a year on it. They need to spot which spark can set off the gunpowder. You cannot have the presence of positivity in communications, without first ensuring the absence of negativity.
Using Social Media to Brand a Company
brand. I’ve heard social media be referred to a sense of entitlement by older generations. It is. They’re quite right. Generation C is entitled to your trust. Judge them on their output not their methods. Supply them with the content to be brand evangelists. This new generation is one where text and reading are less important than knowledge of how to convey a message. They are growing up multilingual in an environment where the languages are video, graphics, and short bursts of truncated text. In one respect, though, they are similar to every other generation. They do not always make the right decisions about what is appropriate behavior. In fairness, when some employers monitor social media, before and after interview, the boundaries can become blurred. This blurring is where well thought out planning and procedures can make a big difference. ALL of your employees are potential brand advocates. As a young colleague told me, “control is so very twentieth century.”The problem is, of course, that most of us in business at the current time are a bit Twentieth Century. The procedures are never more important than when a social media firestorm breaks out. You cannot allow policy and judgment to be dictated solely by those who understand the medium. That’s why YOU have to understand. Think of the three R’s – systems have to be Ready 24/7. They have to be Rehearsed with regular fire drills. They also have to be Reliant on a team of people organized into a chain of command.
It’s not all about the shield. Social media can be an effective sword as well. Leadership has never been under as much scrutiny as it is now. Some elements of the generation coming through see their leaders as having damaged the economy, their retirement, the planet, their trust, and their prospects for the future. Groups like the Occupy Movement are themselves a social media phenomenon. They also provide an insight into understanding a mindset that wants less consumption, more sustainability, and more quality. Make no mistake if you thought there was a generation gap in the Sixties, this one is a chasm. The youngest generation of adults has long turned its back on email as a communication medium; instead this generation is the child of social media. They are quite possibly the most connected young group ever in the history of mankind. If we accept that one of the defining characteristics of leaders is their ability to understand what will be, then leaders have responsibilities here. You can try to understand the future on issues, but it’s confusing. It’s better to try and understand a point of view, which is essential for getting the right tone, style and channel for recruitment as well as community engagement. “Getting it right” can save massive amounts of costs as well. Generation C is one of the easiest and cheapest to communicate with ever. To get your message out, whether it is to attract future customers, find employees, or lure stakeholders, you have to use their channels of communication. In any case, the right social media can increase the surface area of contact that people have with their leader. Importantly, this is not invested in one person but an entire group of leaders. For this reason, then, social media needs policy, procedures, and planning. Get this right and you give your team the confidence to use the channels. Get it wrong and it becomes a game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey.