There’s a new series of demands being made in company meetings everywhere: “What is our social media strategy? What are we doing on Facebook and Twitter? I want followers and fans, and I want them now!”
But before companies large and small — as well as non-profits and charities — jump into social media, they need to take a deep breath and think about it. What are their goals? What kind of return on investment will they get? Even though it’s free to set up fan pages and feeds, there’s a time investment that may or may not pay off.
On this episode of 5Across, I convened a group of social media marketers and publicists who’ve had success (and mishaps) in creating campaigns on these platforms. They’ve worked with non-profits, helped street food vendors, gotten authors on Twitter, and spread viral videos on YouTube. Hear their advice on doing social media marketing right, learn how to avoid common pitfalls, and find out how to manage the expectations of clients who want popular social media channels, but don’t know why.
5Across: Social Media Marketing
Guest Biographies
Cheryl Contee is a partner and co-founder of the social media consultancy Fission Strategy, where she specializes in online advocacy, engagement, and communications. Prior to Fission Strategy, Cheryl was vice president at Fleishman-Hillard San Francisco and acted as lead digital strategist for the West Coast. She also helped launch 40 multi-lingual websites for Discovery Communications. Cheryl serves on the board of Netroots Nation and chairs the board for CommonGoods.net. She writes as Jill Tubman for the award-winning black political blog JackAndJillPolitics.com, which she founded in 2006.
Jeff Pester is the founder of Text Capital, a developer of custom content delivery applications for social media platforms. He is also the creator and curator of @socialmedia411, with over 60,000 followers. He has substantial experience with broadcast-oriented Twitter accounts in the media/entertainment vertical. Jeff also provides strategic advice to other corporate and non-profit organizations interested in identifying best uses of the Twitter platform.
Laura Pexton is the publicist for Peachpit. She manages public relations and social media for the Berkeley-based publisher of books and videos on graphic and web design, photography, digital video, all things Mac-related, and more. She has developed multiple strategies for increasing visibility, brand loyalty, and warm fuzzy feelings among readers. Prior to Peachpit, Laura’s background includes communications and marketing experience for a range of industries, including professional sports (L.A. Dodgers), non-profit, and education.
Brian Solis is recognized as a thought leader in social media. Solis has influenced the effects of new media on the convergence of marketing, communications, and traditional media. He is principal of FutureWorks, an award-winning new media PR agency in Silicon Valley, and has led interactive and social programs for Fortune 500 companies, notable celebrities, and Web 2.0 startups. Brian’s blog, PR 2.0, can be found here.
Caleb Zigas is director of operations at La Cocina, a non-profit that helps female food entrepreneurs. Zigas runs the popular @StreetFoodSF Twitter feed covering street food vendors in San Francisco. He began working in kitchens in his hometown of Washington, D.C. and has been working with the food industry ever since. With a degree in globalization, Caleb interned at Pro Mujer, in El Alto, Bolivia, working with microentrepreneurs in the country’s fastest growing city.
If you’d prefer to watch sections of the show rather than the entire show, I’ve broken them down by topic below.
Social Media Marketing 101
Celebrity High Jinks
Non-Profits and The Little Guy
Digital Divide?
Beyond Twitter
Fallacies of Social Media
Credits
Mark Glaser, executive producer and host
Charlotte Buchen, camera
Julie Caine, audio
Location: Vega Project & Kennerly Architecture office space in San Francisco
Special thanks to: PBS and The Knight Foundation
Music by AJ the DJ
*****
What do you think? What has worked for you in marketing using social media? What lessons have you learned? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Mark Glaser is executive editor of MediaShift and Idea Lab. He also writes the bi-weekly OPA Intelligence Report email newsletter for the Online Publishers Association. He lives in San Francisco with his son Julian. You can follow him on Twitter @mediatwit.
View Comments (10)
Fantastic coverage of the whole Social Media Marketing debate...and it's relevancy to certain market segments.
I'd have liked to have seen some actual real-world case reviews of non-profits (or for-profits) using Social Media to affect their bottom lines; I'm sit on the Board for a regional spanish-speaking festival and the topic of using Social Media has come up...but no one can make a compelling case for it's use to further drive growth for this entity.
One panelist cited the lack of Twitter usage amongst the (lower economic) spanish-speaking class...and that's an argument that has been made against funneling any scarce resources towards new media outlets (such as Twitter).
I'll keep researching Social Media's viability as a vehicle for change for my non-profit clients in the near future.
Thanks again Mark Glaser for a great piece of journalism. Keep on keeping on :)
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Great stuff!
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How ironic that this blog post has only:
1. Email
2. Print (really?!)
3. Share --> but with no Twitter or Facebook capabilities
Wouldn't you at least want a retweet or fbook function? I know you can share from the bliptv window, but...maybe I'm missing something.
Great panel though. Thanks!
Steve
I thoroughly enjoyed the discussions. What a great example of using your own living room to discuss an issue without the fan fare of conferences and events. Thanks for the information.
Steve,
Yes, it is ironic, perhaps, but hopefully we can get this updated so that Twitter and Facebook sharing are much easier. I'm working on it.
Thanh,
Glad you enjoyed the show. It wasn't exactly in my living room, but in a great space in the Mission in San Francisco. But a living room can work too!
Good intro article. Decent references. Should be a help to the social media newbie.
As usual, a bit of reference-able information. Thanks. Maybe PBS has the clout to get aplusk to comment on this.
Like Darryl, i't like to get more hard numbers.
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Latest news story about Michael Jordan's son boasting on Twitter about spending $50,000 in Vegas shows exactly the point of using Social Media judiciously.