MarketingSherpa's Creating a Social Marketing Architecture

How to Build A Bridge Between Social Marketing Strategies and Social Media Platforms

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Constructing Your Social Marketing Architecture

Jeanne Hopkins Sergio Balegno Jen DoyleDirector of Marketing Research Director Research AnalystHubSpot MarketingSherpa MarketingSherpa@JeanneHopkins @SergioBalegno @JenLDoyle

The State of Social Media Marketing

A Practical Method for Mapping Your Social Marketing Strategy

Social Marketing Architecture to Bridge Strategies and Platforms

Case Study on Integrating Social Marketing with Other Tactics

Research based on MarketingSherpa’s2010 Social Media Marketing Benchmark Report


Constructing Your Social Marketing Architecture

The State of Social Marketing

Social Marketing Benchmark Study – what we found

Social media has created new world of marketing opportunities. But marketers are exploring new terrain without a compass

Captivated by hype and ease of implementing social sites

Ignoring proven practices, launching without a plan/purpose

Thinking tactically rather than strategically about objectives

Momentous change in the use of social media is taking place

Social marketing is maturing – methodologies are emerging

ROAD Map – Research1. What do we Need to Know?

Gather intelligence on audiences, social use and competition Monitor dialog, social behavior and

platform preferences

Profile target audiences by social characteristics – silent majority / vocal minority / social authority

Benchmark quantitative and qualitative social metrics


ROAD Map – Objectives2. Where Are we Going?

Define objectives aligned with target audiences and metrics Segment, prioritize and select target

audiences

Focus on hard, measureable and targeted objectives to win support

Align objectives with metrics traceable to ROI, rather than qualitative measures


ROAD Map – Actions3. How do we Get There From Here?

Create a social marketing strategy with a tactical plan of action Roles, policies, procedures

Campaign tactics and timetables to execute strategy

Integrate social media with other tactics in the marketing mix


ROAD Map – Devices4. What Tools do we Need?

Roll out platforms that fit tactical plan and social architecture Platform agnostic to this point –

so strategy will outlive technology Construct a social marketing

architecture to connect audiences with content, landing pages and conversion points

Roll out platforms sequentially


Deploying Social Platforms

Which platforms does your organization use for social marketing?

Focus on “fast and easy” rather than tactical fit and effectiveness

Many organizations deploy social platforms with no plan or purpose

22%

32%

41%

63%

64%

71%

90%

Company branded or managed wiki(s)

Social bookmarking sites (Digg, Delicious, etc.)

User forums or discussion groups

Multimedia content sharing sites (YouTube, Flickr, Slideshare, etc.)

Company branded or managed blog(s)

Microblogs (Twitter, Jaiku, etc.)

Professional or social networks (LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.)

Source / Methodology: MarketingSherpa Social Media Marketing Benchmark Survey / Fielded Nov 2009, N=2,317

No Purpose. No Architecture. No Results.AKA – Random Acts of Social Marketing

Constructing a Social Marketing Architecture

Target audiences are prospects and customers for Cisco collaboration solutions

Each platform added to the architecture must have a clear and manageable purpose

Multi-directional channels connect audiences with content, landing pages and conversion points

Collaboration Solutions Website

Hub of the marketing strategy for collaboration solutions

Periodically updated content with marketing information on solutions, services, news, etc.

Primary point of conversion – registration forms, etc.

Collaboration Solutions Blog

Hub of social marketing strategy for collaboration solutions

Frequently updated and shareable content and commentary relevant to collaboration solutions

Search engine optimization factors increase live and universal SERPs

Collaboration Solutions Community

Users “join conversations and share best practices in collaboration.”

Technically-oriented discussions, tools, opinions and member-only events

Adds value through customer service and product development

Collaboration Solutions on Twitter

Share 140 character tweets with “followers” for quick engagement

Searchable by brand (#cisco) or solution (#collaboration) hashtags

Adds value to relationship by connecting customers and prospects to relevant content

Collaboration Solutions on Facebook

Building a community of users and “fans” for Cisco Collaboration Solutions

Fans engaged by sharing commentary and opinions to posts

Posts drive traffic to content on other Cisco social platforms and website

Collaboration Solutions on YouTube

Videos are “most engaging” and entertaining media

YouTube is searchable video content sharing site

Links and drives traffic to and from other social platforms and website

Cisco Pics on Flickr

Photos are “most used” type of online multi-media

Flickr is searchable image sharing site

Links and drives traffic to and from other social platforms and website

Collaboration Blog RSS Feed

RSS a tool to “broadcast” content to subscribers

Links and drives traffic to source of feed and other social sites and website

Example of strategy outliving technology –being replaced by Twitter alerts and other social site notifications

Social Marketing Architecture Constructed

Hub sites (website and blog) for original content and linking users to social platforms for engagement

Social platforms building relationships and driving traffic back to hub sites for conversion

Clear objectives and the channels for achieving them

Integrating Social Media With Other Tactics

Does your organization integrate social media with other marketing tactics?

83% integrating with other online tactics

The reason – ease and effectiveness of social media integration


Yes, integrated with ONLINE and OFFLINE

tactics52%

Yes, but integrated

with ONLINE tactics only

31%

No, we don't integrate with

other marketing

tactics16%

Yes, but we integrate with

OFFLINE tactics only1%


The Payoff of Integration - Effectiveness

How effective is social media integration with other tactics you use?

Integration with online tactics prevalent because easily accomplished: link

Online integration also enables tracking from initial engagement to conversion


10%

12%

12%

14%

15%

32%

32%

33%

39%

58%

39%

57%

58%

62%

60%

54%

61%

56%

33%

49%

31%

28%

23%

8%

14%

6%

4%

Print ads (newspaper / magazine)

Broadcast ads (radio / TV)

Paid search (PPC)

Direct mail

Online display ads

Public relations

Search engine optimization (SEO)

Email

Website

Very effective Somewhat effective Not effective


MarketingSherpa Case Study: Integrating Website, Search and Social Tactics

Caturano and Company

One of New England’s largest accounting and IT consulting firms

Marketing objective to increase client base during recessionary economy

Situation Analysis

Traditional outbound marketing methods more expensive / less effective

Growing number of prospective clients are using the web, search and social media to find and assess professional firms

Challenge to transition from traditional marketing to integrated inbound marketing strategy

Campaign Tactic – Website Marketing

Website redesigned as the content hub and conversion point

Recruited partners as subject matter experts and thought-leaders to create relevant content

Added lead conversion capabilities by requiring registration for content

Campaign Tactic – Search Marketing

Optimized website for keywords in copy, titles, metatags and other SEO elements.

Created a partner program to build links

Posted thought-leader articles on blogs creating search engine desirable content, links and listings

Campaign Tactic – Social Marketing

Joined and actively participated in LinkedIn discussion groups on topics of client interest

Facebook brand page building community of “fans” (clients / prospects)

LinkedIn discussions and Facebook postings channel members and fans to website content and conversion points

Results

68% increase in unique website visitors

First page SERPs for 25 targeted keywords

10-15 new leadsconverted per month

Significant % website traffic from social sites

Lessons Learned

Social media has created a new world of marketing opportunities but many are exploring this new terrain without a compass.

You need a practical, step-by-step method for mapping an effective social media strategy – Social Marketing ROAD Map

You need to build a bridge between social marketing strategies and social media platforms

Technology

MarketingSherpa's Creating a Social Marketing Architecture