J&J’s Camp Baby: A Social Media Mistake or Social Media Opportunity?
April 14, 2008 | 4 Comments
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Today I ran across a Brandweek article that covered Johnson and Johnson’s latest social media attempt to reach and engage mom bloggers: a three day conference entitled “Camp Baby”. Now, I had been following this for quite some time, read interesting articles from Scoble and his wife, Maryam (who actually attended the event) - but hadn’t consolidated real value from the banter until now.
In case you are unfamiliar with this event, here’s the short end: J&J cre
ated a conference for 56 mom-bloggers, paid for them to attend, and had sessions ranging in topics from wine tasting to infant eye exams.
While this sounds like a great concept, Scoble quickly noted the following problems:
“1. You can’t bring your baby. Dumb.
2. They scheduled it at the same time as BlogHer. Double dumb.
3. They disinvited a couple of bloggers, one who had a baby, and another who was speaking at BlogHer. Triple dumb.”
While these all seem like costly mistakes at the detriment of J&J, I think these revealed a valuable lesson in social media, especially to a large brand like J&J.
What lesson does it present? The value of conversation, and the inability to define when it starts and when it ends. Put aside traditional marketing, PR, and even event planning practices. Put aside the notion that we ever understand our audiences completely. Instead, it reminds us (and big brands like J&J) that successful social media marketing engages and gains valuable input from its audience on an ongoing basis.
How could J&J have avoided these mistakes? By really connecting with these mom bloggers regularly instead of connecting at the conference, or in a few disconnected email invites. Or by allowing the community to help contribute and plan the details of the conference to increase the member buy-in (and therefore decreasing the amount of angry mom bloggers!).
At this point, I’m wondering what J&J is doing after the conference is finished. Will it remain a mistake, or will the company see it as an opportunity for beginning and continuing a relationship with these bloggers? I hope for the latter…
Walmart’s Latest Social Media Effort: The Checkout Blog
March 4, 2008 | 5 Comments
I’m the first to admit that I have a track record of bashing Walmart’s previous social media efforts on this blog, but I’d like to take a few minutes to give my review on Walmart’s latest social media effort, the checkoutblog.com.
Even though I visited the site with low expectations, I was shocked to find out that it seems that Walmart has wised up to some of the basic social media rules (at least some of them).
Here’s a recap of why I think this blog just might work:
The blog uses Walmart’s internal resources. Using a blog team of 9 Wal-mart “higher level” product buyers, the blog covers the following categories of Gadgets, Gaming, Lawn & Garden, Movies, and Sustainability. The blog is basically for these employees to start a discussion on new products and create hype over products sold or released at Wal-Mart. Since finding internal resources for blogging is always difficult, this group approach will ensure the blog will be updated and maintained on an ongoing basis.
The blog recognizes the rules of social media. In the “about” section, Scobel’s Corporate Webblog Manefesto is noted. Additionally, the blog has added a very reasonable and open blog comment policy (considering what Wal-mart faces in negative blog reactions). Basically the policy notes posts are clean, on topic, and only first comments from a user have to be approved.
The blog has personality. Reading the author bios of the checkoutblog further confirmed that it is written by real people with interesting personalities. While corporate branding is wrapped around the site, the employees are the main focus. This is a smart move for Wal-mart in battling negative perceptions. After all, it is easier to hate a corporation than to hate a group of employees that are just doing their job.
Does the”Blog Council” Understand Blogging?
December 11, 2007 | 3 Comments
Yesterday I discovered an excellent (and rather humorous) post by B.L Ochman discussing the “Blog Council“. What is the Blog Council you may ask? The site describes it as the following:
“The Blog Council is where the people who run large companies’ blogs share best practices and new ideas.”
Upon reviewing the site - there is so much to say. Below are the three things that I just can’t help but notice. These things really make me wonder if this so called “Blog Council” really understands blogging:
1) The “Blog Council” ironically does not have a blog anywhere on it’s site. And if you want to give feedback? Well you better either write it on your own blog or send an email.
2) The Blog council is all about the “sharing” of information, but only with those involved in corporate blogs. Seems like these companies could also use the help of those who have specific expertise and solid understanding of social media, but perhaps I’m biased.
“By joining this movement, you share ideas, opportunities, and energy with a peer group that understands exactly what you are going through. You meet great people. You do big things. You make a difference.”
3) Finally, the council states that it does not, “represent vendors, agencies or individual/small business blogs. We also don’t represent big businesses that aren’t blogging yet.” So basically the council is after large corporations with large budgets. Sounds like a good business opportunity for somebody involved….
Any Blog Council members out there who would like to shed some light? I’d love to hear your point of view.
Blogs give Mainstream Media a Run for its Money…
November 20, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Last week I read an interesting article by the Alley Insider that I’ve been dying to share - mainly because it included the following Nielsen chart that revealed an interesting comparison of sites.
As you see the monthly uniques for the big mainstream media sites listed, you may ask yourself about the company in red, Gawker Media. While you may be unfamiliar with Gawker within the context of being an independent blogging company, I’m willing to bet you have heard or read some of blogs it produces, including GizModo, ValleyWag, and a laundry list of others.
What is especially interesting about these findings is just how well Gawker is measuring up to these mainstream media sites. As the Alley Insider pointed out: “Gawker Media’s 14 titles are already drawing more than 70% of Washington Post’s traffic.” - yet another demonstration of the rising influence of blogs and the pressure blogs are placing on mainstream media.
Ignite Launches the Triangle Social Media Club
October 17, 2007 | 22 Comments
For those of you who happen to read this blog, (and who also live in areas around and
encompassing the Triangle)- we’d like to announce that we are starting a Triangle chapter of the Social Media Club.
Our first meeting will take place on Wednesday, November 14th at 5:30 in our Ignite Offices. It will be a roundtable discussion on “Corporate Blogging Best Practices”, covering topics such as who should blog, how to interact in the blogosphere, the benefits of blogging, best practices, etc.
We hope you will come out, as our vision of the club is to strengthen our relationships, have some fun, and learn more about the applications of social media through each other’s insights and vision.
If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by leaving a comment to this post with your name and email address. This will give us an idea of how many drinks and snacks are necessary and will ensure you get a friendly reminder closer to the event.
To read more about the event, please visit our club wiki, or read the full press release here.
Getting Started in Wordpress - Blogging Basics
September 14, 2007 | Leave a Comment
In working for a social media agency, I get asked a lot of questions from those who are getting their feet wet with free blogging services like WordPress, or Blogger.
Most of these are the simple questions like, “How do I embed a You Tube video?” or “How do I insert a picture”. In case you are new to blogging - these are easy questions, with easy answers.
So in light of this, I decided to just sum up some Wordpress basics in a document to help those of you out there that may be in the beginning stages of blogging. (It is based off Wordpress since that is what I use on a regular basis, but can also be applied to other blogging platforms.)
You can download the Wordpress Basics here.
Hope it helps. There is nothing more exhilarating than pressing “publish” for the first time.
Delta Starts a Blog. I’m still Laughing.
August 31, 2007 | 6 Comments
I have an odd sense of humor. I find tripping funny. If you take a spill in front of me, I will have to finish laughing before I help you up. Have a piece of toilet paper on your shoe? I might not be able to conjure the words to tell you.
Perhaps I’m easily amused (and a little too into social media) , but I started rolling when I saw Delta’s blog , the company’s formal attempt to “reach out to customers” and “start conversations”.
The comments are what really throw the whole thing over the edge for me. From the first post there are 29 responses, mostly which look like they are written from their own employees. Here’s a sampling of my favorite:
” What a great idea. It’s going to be nice to be able to communicate with the best domestic airline in the sky’s today! Hopefully, you’ll be able to have meat communications and not just use the blog as a marketing tool, but a true communications medium just like some of the most-read blogs out there do.”
“This is why I love working for this airline. I hope that our customers leave meaningful feedback. And please don’t hesitate to accentuate the positive. GO DELTA!”
Is this for real?! Who really says “best domestic airline?”, and why would someone encourage readers to not be afraid to “accentuate the positive?”.
Perhaps an airline that is slightly scared of social media.
After all, that is the only reason I can come up with for Delta writing a post that announces a Delta iMix on iTunes. I still can’t understand why anybody in their right mind would be excited about a boarding music playlist, and why there weren’t any responses that recommended Delta to get bett
er music. And for the post “What’s up with JFK in a good way?! , I can’t be the only person who thinks that there is nothing elite about “JFK’s elite area”? (shown right)
Why is this? Perhaps because the site limits viewers to logging in with user names and passwords to post comments. I’m still waiting on my commenting access so I can tell them what’s on my mind. After this post, I’m not sure I’ll ever receive it.
However, as much as I take humor in this, the reality is that if the blog’s positive employee feedback is the only feedback, and the posts don’t really address real concerns, Delta will ultimately fall flat on its face. So here’s your Friday tip: If you are writing or starting a blog - don’t be scared of negative feedback to the point it limits your discussions. Instead, expect and anticipate this feedback. Write posts that may shake things up a bit. In the long run this will increase your company’s value and credibility.
Using Social Media to Catch Criminals
August 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The uses of social media are limited only by creativity. We’re located in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina, and a nearby Sheriff’s office has turned to blogging to catch deadbeat dads. According to the website, at least one of the “gentlemen” on the site as of today shows as captured.
The deputy in charge, Sargent T.C. Yarborough says his case load has reached 1,000, but the blog has helped him catch 50 criminals.
The site, called “Find Deadbeats” is getting good local attention. This picture allegedly pictures the worst deadbeat on the site right now. The Sheriff’s office says that James P. Tyner owes his child(ren) $19,318.00. He seems broken up about it in this picture.
Some good lessons for all of us:
- Think creatively about social media applications;
- It’s significantly easier for the first person to do something creative to get news coverage than it is for the second person, so don’t wait;
- Social media unleashes the power of crowds, and people will help you do your work if you make it interesting to them.
With $1.1 billion owed in delinquent child support right now, a lot of people think finding deadbeats like these is interesting.