A Girl Geek’s Guide to Social Networking for Business
Nottingham, 22nd June 2009
Susi O’NeillDigital Consultant
What I will cover:
• The history of social networking• Why it is important• How does it work?• Success strategies for using social networks – personal and clients• Social media I like and why
My background:Digital content producer, online marketing & website manager 2000-6
Currently consultant to digital industries and advisor to business/public sector on all things digital
“It’s all about the conversation”
Social media: History
Popular music is “Social Cement”Adorno, 1941
“Achieving conventional goals, such as profits and joy, with unconventional methods, such as investing energy instead of money” (gmarketing.com)
Social media is a new name for an old thing
Guerilla Marketing Today
Usenet Newsroup, established 1981 (now Google Groups)
YaBB Bulletin board, July 2000
“When we change how we communicate, we change society.”
Clay Shirky, ‘Here Comes Everybody”
2007: The Tipping Point
Web 2.0
Big brands are using social media as far-reaching, low-cost marketing tools
Social media: How does it work?
How does social media marketing work?
SAVANTS
ENTHUSIASTS
CASUALS
LURKERS
Online Communities
Source: Pete Ashton, www.ash-10.com
What’s the point of online communities?
But aren’t all networks social?
• Technorati tracks over 70 million blogs • Over 1.4 million new blog posts every day• Wikipedia: 2.9 Million articles in English• YouTube: 100 Million videos• Second Life: 1.5 Million residents
Success strategies:Personal/
own business
• Gain profile (frequency strategy)• Share knowledge to be seen as an expert• Solve your problems/solve others problems• Informal talk to build trusted relationships• Small time-blocks for long-term investment
•Seed and share•Add value•Have fun•Value your time
When social networking goes wrong:
the twitter v FedEx saga
Success strategies:selling to clients
They don’t get it #1: Twitter to a non-user
They don’t get it #2: Why?
•Their peers aren’t using it (Twitter and teens)•It’s confusing•It’s time consuming•Not sure about the purpose•It doesn’t add bottom line value (email marketing transactions 3 x more effectives at conversion than social media (source: e-dialog pan European study, 2009)
They don’t get it #3: Diagnostic
•See where social media can add short-cuts and benefits, not more work
•Propose a solution based on need, not technology
•Sell the fun aspects – autonomy
Social media I like
My recent social media activities:
Social media I like #1: Created In Birmingham
http://creativenotts.wordpress.com
Subtle plug: Creative Notts Blog
http://theblackapple.typepad.com
Social media I like #2: Inside a Black Apple
http://dmexnetwork.ning.com
Social media I like #3: Ning
http://www.linkedin.com/answers
Social media I like #4: Linked In Answers
Social media I like #5: Facebook
Twitter research: What defines a ‘girl geek’?
My Girl Geek heroines
Delia Derbyshire Clara Rockmore
Thank you
Contact Me:
Tel: 07981 222799
Twitter: susioneillSkype: susi.oneill
Blog: www.digitalconsultant.co.uk