| design58 | social media consultancy | huddersfield, west yorkshire, uk

Do you listen?

More than ever before there is an opportunity to be annoying and abusive by spamming, interrupting and broadcasting discounts deals and offers to people.  Don’t do it, you don’t like it when it happens to you so don’t expect your connected community to like it either.

Instead take time to listen to what they are doing and talking about online, understanding behavioral patterns is not scientific but logical human nature.  Talk to people online similar to offline don’t change to super sales person, change to genuine, authentic, helpful friend.

Listening may take time, but it’s worth it.  This isn’t a game it’s part of life so take it at your speed relevant to your business or organisation.

Someone who listens will find out far more than one who just talks online.

Moving forward socially

In the following post on Soical Media Explorer Jason Falls opens up what Clay Shirky is now writing about regarding his term ‘Cognitive Surplus’.

http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2010/07/08/questioning-shirkys-cognitive-surplus/

With evidence growing that building branded communities and viral marketing  does not work and happens organically. [viral marketing a myth...]

Clay Shirky: How cognitive surplus will change the world

To quote Falls ‘we’re migrating away from (and our younger generations aren’t even starting on) TV addiction.’

This doesn’t result in all social technology use being of benefit globally, there are still going to be the good the bad and the ugly.

It wouldn’t be human otherwise, but amongst it all is real time engagement and collaboration rather than simple marketing and PR exploitation.

Social technologies provide the opportunity to help communities globally as well as our neighbours and families it doesn’t have to be one or the other. The choice is down to the individual reagrding the time available as stated throughout the post by falls and the talk by Shirky.

What do you think….

Viral marketing a myth not a service

How can anybody state they provide viral marketing as a service, so much concentration is made on faking reality.

The reality being the viewers, friends, followers and fans make something viral not the agency creating the campaign. Marketing agencies can only develop a campaign that promotes a brand.

So much emphasis is focused on going viral; everyone wants to make something viral and along comes someone with a photo where a man looks like a thumb. This search gets 9,250,000 results on Google and a facebook group in appreciation having 11,056 members to date.

Marketers would love this sort of activity and can get this by focusing on friends, followers and fans rather than assuming viral actual can be developed. Viral is actually only word of mouth, how else would something be passed on so quickly. We can go back to Sharing Not Shouting, if you have something you believe in people will share your belief with their friends, followers and fans.

If what has been created is sharable then it will has every possibility to become viral whether its 45 million views or 450. Figures are dependent on end results, in some instances the 450 views or fans may have enough value for the purpose.

The important thing is not to focus on becoming viral; instead focus on creating added value for your friends, followers and fans who will repay you with added loyalty.

What do you think?