Social Media - Threat or Promise?

Social Media:

Threat or Promise?Google+

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

‘Freemium’ model

Private Social Networks

Mobile

Privacy

BlackPlanet.com, Flickr.com, Reunion.com, aSmallWorld, Bebo, Blue Dot, Bolt, Broadcaster.com, Buzznet,

CarDomain, Consumating, Couchsurfing, Cyworld, Dandelife, DeadJournal, DontStayIn, Doostang, Ecademy, eSPIN,

Facebook, Faceparty, Flickr, Flirtomatic, Fotki, Friends Reunited, Gaia Online, Geni.com, GoPets, Graduates.com,

Grono.net, Hyves, imeem, Google+, Infield Parking, iWiW, Joga, Bonito, Last.fm, LibraryThing,

LinkedIn, LiveJournal, LunarStorm, MEETin, MiGente.com, Mixi, MOG, Multiply, My Opera Community,

myYearbook, Netlog, Nexopia, OUTeverywhere, Passado, Piczo, Playahead, ProfileHeaven, Pownce, RateItAll, Reunion.com,

Searchles, Sconex, Shelfari,Soundpedia, Sportsvite, Studivz, TagWorld, TakingITGlobal, The Doll Palace, The Student Center,

Threadless, TravBuddy.com, Tribe.net, TWITTER, WebBiographies, Windows Live Spaces, Woophy, XING,

Xuqa, Yelp

BlackPlanet.com, Flickr.com, Reunion.com, aSmallWorld, Bebo, Blue Dot, Bolt, Broadcaster.com, Buzznet,

CarDomain, Consumating, Couchsurfing, Cyworld, Dandelife, DeadJournal, DontStayIn, Doostang, Ecademy, eSPIN,

Facebook, Faceparty, Flickr, Flirtomatic, Fotki, Friends Reunited, Gaia Online, Geni.com, GoPets, Graduates.com,

Grono.net, Hyves, imeem, Google+, Infield Parking, iWiW, Joga, Bonito, Last.fm, LibraryThing,

LinkedIn, LiveJournal, LunarStorm, MEETin, MiGente.com, Mixi, MOG, Multiply, My Opera Community,

myYearbook, Netlog, Nexopia, OUTeverywhere, Passado, Piczo, Playahead, ProfileHeaven, Pownce, RateItAll, Reunion.com,

Searchles, Sconex, Shelfari,Soundpedia, Sportsvite, Studivz, TagWorld, TakingITGlobal, The Doll Palace, The Student Center,

Threadless, TravBuddy.com, Tribe.net, TWITTER, WebBiographies, Windows Live Spaces, Woophy, XING,

Xuqa, Yelp

Social Media is Pervasive

An overview of Global Social Media

An overview of Global Social Media

Horses for Courses…

Facebook dominates, but not everywhere…

Mixi in Japan,

V Kontakte in Russia

Orkut in Brazil

Qzone & RenRen in China

This map of the world was drawn by Facebook data structuring intern Paul Butler using only relationship connections between 10 million Facebook friends. Note that Brazil, Russia and China are not as illuminated. This is because other social networks dominate those countries.

100 Million!

Africa

3,066,749

Asia

13,840,234

Europe

23,183,101

Latin America

8,702,423

Middle East

2,578,597

North America

48,404,258

Oceana

2,371,462

Country Examples:

India

9,114,910

China

1,085,343

Brazil

3,623,137

Africa

3,066,749

Asia

13,840,234

Europe

23,183,101

Latin America

8,702,423

Middle East

2,578,597

North America

48,404,258

Oceana

2,371,462

Country Examples:

India

9,114,910

China

1,085,343

Brazil

3,623,137

How global is social media….?

http://newin.linkedin.com/

LinkedIn, the preferred platform for white collar professionals:

+100 Million Members in over 200 countries and territories More than half located outside the US

There were nearly two billion people searches on LinkedIn in 2010.

A new member every second…

The “Big 3”• LinkedIn – 100 Million members, primarily white

collar professionals, more than 50% outside US

• Facebook – 550 Million members, broad demographic, primarily personal/social use

• Twitter – 200 Million users posting 65 million Tweets and 800,000 search queries a day

The main issue is segmentation, picking the right platforms for your target audiences.

Others?

When should you be looking at other platforms?

•For localization (language, context, brand and critical mass).

Caution:Have a solid plan for social media in your home market before trying to tackle a niche platform in another language/culture

Opportunities: How to get more Members

• Leverage existing Networks and Groups

• Publish – research reports, white papers, blogs

• Recruit thought leaders and the highly connected

• “Freemium” model – try then buy

• Member get a member…

Opportunities: How to get more customers

All of the above and …

• Market segmentation and research prospects

• Position the association as the trusted source

• Developing countries and markets are hungry for certification and credentials

Threat or Opportunity? Existing Networks

Example for “Radiology”

78 groups on LinkedIn.

Groups on “Ning”

Representing thousands of potential members.

“DoctorsHangout” has many Indian members

Threat or Opportunity? Existing Networks

SERMO is a free to join network of more than 120,000 physicians.

Threat or Opportunity? Existing Networks

Opportunity: segment and marketAdvanced People Search with LinkedIn

Can include key words, postcode, size of company, job title, language, seniority level and more.

Highly Targeted.

Gives you access and content.

Helps to identify other groups and communities

Gives you a contact on which to build more relationships.

Opportunity: segment and market

Facebook Advertising

Pay by click or impressions

Segmentation less fine tuned (pre-selected “Likes and Interests”

Facebook Advertising

Pay by click or impressions

Segmentation less fine tuned (pre-selected “Likes and Interests”

Opportunity: segment and market

Membership is open and “free” on LinkedIn or Facebook.

Members must be paid up in good standing to access the SfN private members only network.

Threat or Opportunity? “Freemium” model

Many experts hosts blogs and are a source of information and/or expertise.

Threat or Opportunity? Blogs and experts

Social Media: Threat or Opportunity?

Opportunities:

• Communicate with Members

• Recruit new members

• Reach a wide audience

• Tools are free or inexpensive

• Easy to get started

• Able to involve more people

• Leverages “Word of Mouth”

• Engages younger members

Threats:

•Low barrier for new competitors

•New forms of legal risk

•Hard to measure results/ROI

•Adds new layers of complexity

•Rapidly changing tools

•Hard to control brand /image

•Requires dedicated resources

•Changes member expectations

Discussion

• What is your experience?

• Do you have a plan?

• Who “owns” social media in your organization?

• Do you use social media to research target markets? Competitors?

Looking for free resources?

•Online Community Management Guidelines

•LinkedUsers – A LinkedIn group for community owners and managers

•Social Media Use Surveys and Reports

Go to www.socialstrat.org and click on “Request for Information” to get free research reports and whitepapers…