Fostering Online Communities by Sue Reynolds

Carmine Media | Blogging | Social Media | Web Marketing

Fostering Online Communities

Background• R+L Carriers

– Full time Social Media manager• Carmine Media

– Consulting, speaking, training– Business Insider Magazine writer– Business2Community contributor– Small Biz websites and web marketing

Today


Why Social?

57%Of people talk more online than they do in

real life.

*Alex Trimpe via Ogilvy — February 21, 2011, ThinkQuarterly, Google

Getting Started• Preparation• Significant resources• Transformation into social business• Training and support• Don’t be the fail whale



Facebook• More than 800 million active users • 12 billion likes and comments

monthly• Average user is connected to 80

community pages, groups and events • Bigger than the entire internet in

2004. • More comments and likes on FB than

searches on Google


Twitter• More than 200 million registered

accounts• 300,000 signing up per day• 55 million tweets per day• 600 million searches per day• Busiest from 9-5 M-F• iOs 5 integration


Blogging• Multiple blogging platforms• Easy and free setup• Customizable• Comment and spam control• Connect to Twitter and Facebook• Custom URL

Why Create Content?• Creators represent the elite group who’s

content is consumed and shared.• Creators audience is growing:

– 68% in the “Spectator” group – fastest increase

– 19% in the “Collector” category– 33% commenting their way to “Critics.”



Interactivity

*Survey by Social Media Examiner revealed these top social media goals for 2011

Define your Goals• Ongoing dialog with stakeholders• Listening/learning about stakeholders• Increase conversions• Providing customer support• Enabling peer to peer support

– Dell customer support forum• Collaborating (Crowdsourcing)


Define your Audience• Who is your audience?• Where are they?• What do they like?• What adds value to their lives?• Impulse shoppers or intent to purchase?


Set up a Content Strategy• Topics via keywords• Photos• Video• Trusted feeds

– OPC

Build your Foundation• Set up Facebook page – optimize and

brand• Set up Facebook tabs – consider a

fangate (reveal tab)– Mini website with iFrames

• Decide on call to action for tabs– Collect emails– Offer discount


Twitter• Profile picture – should be simple and

easy to see• Background – 60 pixels• Bio – 160 characters• Link to website



Listening

“Every good conversation starts with good listening”


Set up Listening Tools• Twitter searches• Google Alerts• SocialMention.com• RSS feeds

– NetVibes– Google Reader

• Google analytics


Twitter Searches• Branded keywords• Unbranded keywords• Industry terms


Comment Policies• Include a social media page on your

website• Add a policy to your Facebook page• Examples:

– R+L Carriers– U.S. Army– Ford


Who should Moderate your Site?


Engage your Tweeps• Create content worth RTing• Respond quickly to mentions• Ask questions• Link to Facebook and blog posts• Post photos and videos – photo of the day


Twitter Chats• Hashtags• #FBLT• #RLBowl


Engage your Facebook Community

• Create content worth sharing• Use photos and videos of events• Use FB questions for polls• Use events• Respond to comments• Tag other agencies or fans• Add a like box to your website


But what if I make a mistake……???


Dealing with MistakesThree Common Mistakes• Wrong Pipe• Poor Judgment• TMI


Poor Judgment• Kenneth Cole


TMI• Tweet by Ketchum executive visiting

FedEx – a client


What if a fan posts something I don’t like….?

Embrace the Chaos• Complaints• Praise• Customer Service



Dealing with Negative Posts• Be aware of them!• Is the comment true?• Be honest!• Thank them for commenting• Delete only if necessary and stated in

policy

Dealing with Negative Posts• Let your community respond• Brand ambassadors


Removing Posts• Facebook

– Ask user to repost– Committee review– Err on the side of caution– Hide them

• Twitter– Remember only your own tweets can be

deleted– Best not to address unless necessary


SEO• Google Analytics• Unbranded Keywords• No Follow tags• Tagged URLs in Social Media posts


Measure and Track• Google Analytics• Facebook insights• PageLever (paid service)• KIout• Crowdbooster

Social Proof


How to use Social Proof• Display number of followers only if there

are many• Post your “most popular” items or content

regularly• Use percentages - “over 75% prefer…”• 1,000,000 served- Ray Kroc used in 1955


The Future• All content socialized• Transformation into social• Social hooks• Sharable content• Provide a social outlet

– No dead ends


Social Media for Marketing• Average corporate account is less than

three years old• Stages of social media

Source: Altimeter Group (August 2011)


Don’t Give Up• Regular posts• Relationships take time• How long is the buying cycle?• Measure small successes


References• Online reference of Social media policies:

http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php • SocialMedia.org Dislosure toolkit:

http://www.socialmedia.org/disclosure/ • Brian Solis:

http://www.briansolis.com/2010/11/the-three-cs-of-social-networking-consumption-curation-creation/

http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php

http://www.socialmedia.org/disclosure/




Questions? Connect with me!Twitter: @suereynolds

Web: Carminemedia.com

Facebook: /carminemedia

LinkedIn: suesreynolds