Most C-level Executives, CMO included, view “Social” as media—but they don’t know how to interact with consumers there in a meaningful way. They want to buy CPMs or Likes—but don’t know what to do with them afterward.
CMO’s also make the mistake of assuming that the social audience has the same pain and passion points as their face-to-face or store audience. Most often that is not the case.
In order to get the real value out of Social, you must connect emotionally to the people who are there and find out what they’re looking for. CMOs are used to ads and campaigns, so that’s the place they gravitate, but even Facebook ads are only media buys. Ads are good for building initial likes, but they really are targeted to demographics just like any other ad.
Your mission is to go beyond that initial like and really get people excited about your brand, engage with you, buy from you, become a social advocate and sell for you. To do that you need to get into the heads of your social buyers.
So assign that as a singular goal to appropriate personnel on your team. Make it their mission to follow or friend your followers (not only on Facebook and Twitter, but everywhere online) and listen to their conversations. Their sole mission should be to pay attention to your social consumers. Find out what they like to talk about, the other brands they like, what their problems are–what makes them tick. That’s not a one-and-done task either… it’s ongoing.
I like this, but I have a bit of a clarification to add: A VP-Chief Communications Officer (CCO) or CMO, as you call the position, is the manager of many organizational duties. You are describing the duties of one of the managers under a CCO. A CCO needs to oversee 5 year plans, feedback to product development, check in with media lawyers, control the PR, steady and maintain the advertising flow, innovate new communications procedures and channels, measure and monitor campaigns, create and manage company historians, oversee all internal and external communications, and work closely with the CIO in various aspects of security, statistical feedback, administration etc. These are just the organizational duties I can think of off the top of my head. Putting forth the idea that a CCO is involved with the minutiae of a social media campaign further holds businesses back from building a solid and responsible infrastructure for the 21st century.
Totally disagree Christine. The modern day CMO of a large organization has a huge staff filtering all this information to him/her. If they cannot take to time to understand a medium that in the very near future will drive not only marketing but overall brand/company and personal communication, then they will lack the understanding to efficiently participate and understand. What CMO would allow a media budget without understanding TV, Radio, and traditional publishing. The plane is taking off the runway and many will be stuck at security if they do not at the very least get a basic understanding. this is not about them building their personal brand, but about simply being educated. And if you really have to be in the trenches and “do it all,” then add it to the list and FIND THE TIME.
I agree, but I guess I’m looking at this differently, Ted. We are probably talking around each other. Let me clarify: I assume a CCO would understand all of these things already. What you have given here is great stuff, but it is not VP level advice. Are you working with the concept that no VP exists that has all the media, IT, legal, etc. training she would need? I am working with the idea that such competent C-suite execs exist but organizations are not building the VP position into their chart. Explaining the job duties of a CMO as understanding basics puts the typical CEO on the wrong path. They need to look much more top-down to grasp the understanding about how vital and encompassing communications are now.
I do not believe you have a view into most CMO, or any C-Suite Exec, level Execs at the majority of big brands today. They do not have these skills, or do most take the time to acquire/understand them. My point is that they need to dig in personally. This is not about hiring or delegating someone to do it. Right now, today, this is desperate need. Take a look at the people commenting and reposting the same that I posted on my FB page and this may give you some insight… https://www.facebook.com/tedrubin. There are CMO’s who think they get it, but very few who actually do.
Rrrrg! A CCO doesn’t get caught up in the details of SM campaigns. See @TedRubin’s post & my comment: https://t.co/MtKFv8nVmY
Original Tweet: https://twitter.com/PurpleCar/status/357923477870747649
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.@PurpleCar I am not talking about campaigns, & simply by using that word you demonstrate the same lack of understanding I am referring to.
Original Tweet: https://twitter.com/TedRubin/status/357931355067256832
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.@PurpleCar Sorry Christine… not meaning to call u out, but u need 2 open your mind to the fact that “social” isnt just another media buy.
Original Tweet: https://twitter.com/TedRubin/status/357931598160728064
I feel like not “understanding” or even feeling comfortable with social personally lends C-level execs open to charlatans and “gurus” or leaning on low-level employees that may not think strategically or holistically, if only because they can’t see how the rest of the business operates. Or they see it as another “push” channel like their other media options; “We created this magazine ad, let’s send it to our twitter people too!” My experience has also been that just listening, even as simply as following the stream about your brand on Twitter, gives insights you’re not going to see in any other way, even without advanced monitoring tools or analysis. I learned a boatload about how the market saw our brand just by listening; it even affected the copy I wrote for the email marketing and website.
Great input Santagati.
Sounds like it’s time for community managers to enter the C-Suite.