corporate social media by burson-marsteller
DESCRIPTION
Social media represents the latest evolutionary step in communications technology. Its arrival presents eight challenges to corporate communications leaders. Burson-Marsteller's charge is to help you meet these challenges with measurable success.TRANSCRIPT
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Burson-Marsteller
Corporate S cial Media
US Corporate Practice
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
In the beginning, communication meant conversations among individuals.
Everyone was in the same room. Everyone’s voice was the same volume. At some point one person shouted to the others, achieving the very first broadcast. It didn’t go far.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Technology advanced. It became possible to broadcast a message to millions of people. Since broadcasting required expensive equipment, great expertise and specific license to operate, only big companies could use it.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Things got better for individuals, too. Distance as a barrier to communication was conquered. Cheap, real-time conversation was available to all so long as it was just one person speaking with another.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Then something changed.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Social media is the first technology that allows anyone to converse with everyone.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
These technologies are free, require little expertise to use and enjoy broad license to operate. Social media’s favored status in search engines – tools that are used by nearly everyone – extends its influence to every corner of the web.
The power to speak to millions, once the privilege of the powerful, is now in the hands of all.
And the communication isn’t one way – it’s a conversation.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
1. Rise of the web “street” Anyone can have a big impact on your company in minutes.
2. Everyone wears multiple hats Investors are giving ideas to R&D. Customers are lobbying governments. Employees are covering the company like journalists. Executives are managing their own brands.
3. Centrality of search enginesHelping people find you is now more important than you finding them.
4. People are filtersThere may be one web, but each person filters it in their own way.
5. If you own the forum, you own the marketThe goal is no longer to send messages to audiences but to assemble a community and join them in achieving common goals.
What’s different?
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
What’s the same? 1. Human naturePeople want to connect with each other, discuss their interests and belong to communities.
2. Two ears, one mouthConversation requires listening with respect and speaking with humility.
3. Trust is built on promises keptProducts have to perform as well as the marketing promises it will.
4. Content rulesGood content is helpful. Great content is entertaining. The best conent sparks conversation.
5. Dale Carnegie’s still right“What’s in it for me?” is the most important question to the people you care about.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
public relations – “An applied social science that influences behavior and policy, when communicated effectively, motivates an individual or group to a specific course of action by creating, changing or reinforcing opinions and attitudes.”
-Harold Burson’s definition of public relations. Published on his blog, 4/20/11.
What else is the same?
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
1. Measure the changed landscape
2. Steer management through changes
3. Upgrade the public relations function
4. Shield company from new threats
5. Equip non-PR pros with needed tools
6. Train company in best practices
7. Help other functions evolve
8. Tie metrics to bottom line
The rise of social media creates eight new challenges for corporate communications
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Our charge is to help you meet these challenges with measurable success.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
1. Measure thechanged landscape
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Social Media Audits Quantify how much stakeholders are discussing a company, its products, stock, executives and other topics. Coupled with qualitative analysis, the audit informs the strategy.
Online Influencer DatabasesWith 156 million blogs worldwide – not including those on LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ – finding who matters requires proven methodologies and deep domain experience. B-M applies both to build influencer databases rich with metrics that turn strategy into action.
Community MapsReveal the most influential people in a conversation about a company, industry or other topic, as well as how information flows between social networks on- and off-line.
Competitive Analysis Conducted to assess the degree to which other companies are succeeding in their own social media efforts and identify opportunities to secure the digital high ground.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
2. Steer management through changes
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Steer management through changes
Corporate Social Media StrategySocial media has advanced from a communications phenomenon to a business platform. From changing the way companies invent products, find talent and collaborate internally, to allowing direct engagement with industry, government and interest groups, few business objectives have been left untouched. To manage this change, B-M helps clients establish a governing strategy and operating infrastructure that reduce risks and seize new opportunities.
Policy Creation & UpgradesFollowing the identification of business goals, B-M works to craft or upgrade the social media policy needed to see them through.
Regulatory CounselB-M’s social media specialists have deep expertise in all applicable FTC, SEC, FINRA, CFTC/NFA and other regulatory regimes, as well as extensive experience in applying them to unique corporate and marketing structures.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
3. Upgrade the public relations function
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Upgrade the public relations function
Social Media Engagement B-M applies social media’s unique strengths to bring bottom-line benefits to businesses. The technology’s ability to bypass traditional media filters, converse directly with stakeholders and precision-target online elites is remaking the corporate communications function.
Real-Time Monitoring• All social media channels• Expert Boolean construction• 24/7 availability• Global coverage• Every major language
Channel Building & Management
• Blogs, Twitter, Wikis, Forums, Q&As• Back-end analytics• Integration into marketing funnel• Content & conversation strategy • Multimedia: video, audio, widgets, apps
Conversation• Blogger releases• Blogger relations• Conversation curation
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Traditional Media is Now Social MediaEvery article on every online publication now features conversation forums below them, social media “share” buttons beside them, and search engines staring deep into them. Traditional media coverage has gone “social,” providing opportunities for companies to engage stakeholders, correct wrong information and offer new perspectives.
B-M’s media relations professionals have embraced the social nature of the media formerly known as “traditional” and helps clients extract full value from it.
For the Record
Micro-Community Engagement
Definitive Measurement
• B-M makes active use of comments sections to correct mistakes, expand on quotes and break through in crises.
• With each article now its own mini-community, B-M engages in real-time to steer stakeholders toward business objectives.
• By monitoring the entire media ecosystem – traditional, social, search and company-owned properties, B-M tracks marketing metrics to their business outcome.
Upgrade the public relations function
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Integrated Search Engine Optimization B-M applies SEO principles to every communications function, activity and output to ensure the highest and most strategic visibility among search engines.
Media relations• Press releases• Bylined articles• Target prioritization
Thought leadership• Message bibles• White papers• Presentations
Online Executive Positioning• Audits• Crisis mitigation • Proactive positioning
Upgrade public relations function
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
4. Shield company from new threats
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Shield company from new threats
Digital Crisis PlansWhile all crises now contain a digital component, some crises have unique roots in the digital realm and so require different responses. To that end, B-M helps clients create crisis plans that work at internet-speed.
Long Tail Crisis Mgmt.Old reputational threats can become new again givens the web’s ability to archive every complaint, lawsuit and rumor forever. B-M has developed unique approaches to reduce and resolve these reputational threats.
Multimedia Response When press releases and statements can’t adequately express a company’s response to a crisis, B-M’s multimedia team steps in to deliver communiqués via video, audio and images.
Stress TestingWith new types of threats emerging by the week, it’s important to stress test digital plans to find and fix vulnerabilities. B-M’s teams have decades of experience in designing and operating war games.
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
5. Equip non-PR pros with social media tools
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Equip non-PR pros with social media tools
Oversight capabilities• Customized policies• Monitoring
Channel creation tools• Templates• Multimedia
Training• Cultural best practices• Technical
Measurement• Standardized metrics• Centralized resource
Coordination• Resource for Q&A• Knowledge warehouse
Content • Style guides• Storehouse of fodder
CRM• Strategic planning• Technical standardization
Legal support• International & Industry• Creative Commons
Crisis management• Planning • Stress testing
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
6. Train company in best practices
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
BeginnerBlogs
FacebookFlickr
Google+LinkedIn
MonitoringQuoraTwitter
WikipediaWordpress.org
YouTube
Methodology & TechnologyHow to Build Online Influencer Databases
How to Conduct a Social Media AuditOnline Executive Positioning
SEO for Media Relations
Online RelationsCommunity management
Blogger Releases & RelationsOnline Ambassadorship
Tweetups
AdvancedAnalytics
PodcastingEvents
Crowdsourcing
Train company in best practices
Global, multimedia, multi-language social media policy training
BespokeExecutive training
1-1 trainingSpeeches
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
7. Help other functions evolve
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Internal Communications
Inter-Department Social Media Workflow
Help other functions evolve
HRExecutive training
1-1 trainingSpeeches
SalesExecutive training
1-1 trainingSpeeches
Customer
Executive training1-1 trainingSpeeches
Service R&DExecutive training
1-1 trainingSpeeches
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
8. Tie metrics to bottom line
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Tie metrics to bottom line
Change PR Metrics to Business Value Metrics
Connect Social Media to CRM
Application of Scientific Method
• Increase qualified leads• Increase margins
• Lower cost of talent acquisition• Decrease R&D costs
• Strategic planning• Technical upgrades
• Standardization of metrics• Cross-function integration
• Continuous testing of new ideas• A/B testing structure
• Centralized research hub• Implementation of new practices
EVIDENCE-BASED COMMUNICATIONS
Burson-Marsteller
Corporate S cial Media
US Corporate Practice