(Almost) Everything You Need to
Know About Social Media Strategy
Carolyn Kent | EXPRESS
Manager, Social Media & Mobile Marketing
@CarolynLKent

What We’ll Cover
1) Social Media: A Definition
2) Where to Start with Your Strategy
3) In Which Sandbox(es) Should You Play?
4) Creating Content Fit for a King
5) Monitoring: A Professional Term for “Stalking”
6) Measurement: Did It Work?

Social Media: A Definition

Social Media: A NOT Definition
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Social Media
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Social Media
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Social Media
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Social Media: A Definition
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Interactions among people in which they create and share information and ideas in
virtual communities and networks.
Source: Social Media Examiner,
“2013 Social Media Marketing Industry Report”

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Social Media: Constant and Rapid Evolution
The social landscape changes daily with winners and losers constantly leaving a mark on
the industry and consumer.
Key Changes
• Mobile is becoming the dominant platform.
• Brands are embracing visual content.
• Social marketing occurs in real time.
• Brands are becoming social organizations with
many departments adding to the voice.
• Personal filters provide consumers even
greater control of your message.
• Not all trends matter to your brand.
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Where to Start with Strategy

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Resist the Urge to Jump Into Tactics
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Complete This 3-Step Program
1. SET OBJECTIVES.
2. ALIGN TO KPIs.
3. CONDUCT A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS.
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“We need to be on Facebook.” “Increase awareness & trial of our jeans.”
Likes, Shares, “Engagement” Content Interactions > Click-throughs >
Conversion Rate > Cart Size

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Build Your Roadmap
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Quick Tips for Strategizing
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1. Start with objectives, not tactics
2. Understand what the landscape looks like –
for customers and competitors
3. Build a roadmap

In Which Sandbox(es) Should
You Play?

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Use Social Channels the Way Your Customers Do
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While aligning
to objectives &
resource
constraints!

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Choose the Right Channel for the Right Activities
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Customer Service
SEO
Traffic/Sales
Awareness
Branding

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Quick Tips for Selecting Social Channels
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1. Don’t bite off more than you can chew
2. Be where your customers are…
3. …but also where you can realize return

Creating Content Fit for a King

The Future is Mobile…
SOCIAL SHOPPING
MOBILE DELIVERY
• Number of people accessing the
internet via mobile devices has
increased by 60% in the last two
years; use of mobile-optimized
content marketing has risen from
15% in 2011 to 33% in 2012.
• Customer-curated content on
digital displays
• Product recommendations
• Scannable product videos
• RFID product integration
• Mobile customer tracking
30% of shoppers use their mobile
devices to take pictures while
shopping in stores; 26% to scan
barcodes; 24% to access social
networking sites; 20% to use the
brand’s app
• Socially shareable assets
• Music integration
• Personalized service
• Loyalty points for social activities
Sources: Spotlight Communications, MediaBistro
& Mobile Commerce Daily, July 2013
MOBILE VIDEO
Within the first 24 hours of
Instagram Video launching,
there were 5 million videos
uploaded; by 2017, 66% of the
world’s mobile data traffic will
be video-based
• Editorial videos
• Blogger integration
• Live event coverage
• Shoppable mobile video
• Customer testimonials
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….and Requires Content
SECOND SCREEN
In 2012, there was an 800%
increase in top TV show
tweets; 41% of people have
used their mobile devices to
browse for a product after
seeing it in a show or ad
Sources: Spotlight Communications, MediaBistro
& Mobile Commerce Daily, July 2013
CONTENT CURATION
80% of marketers share 3rd-
party content in order to
improve brand visibility and
buzz
HOLISTIC SOCIAL
There are over 20 million
students and recent college
graduates, which makes them
many niche platforms’ fastest-
growing demographic.
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BUT: Keep Content “Snack-Sized”
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Consumers are increasingly partaking in social media from a mobile device…
Image-centric platforms/content are thriving because consumers are
extremely pressed for time and attention…
Hence, people want quality nuggets of content – NOT whole, butchered
chickens of mediocrity.
>

Channels Should Have Unique Content Plans
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What NOT To Do
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Quick Tips for Content Creation/Curation
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1. Think mobile consumption first
2. Deliver snack-sized micro-stories
3. Find the right ratio of curation-to-creation
4. Templatize and customize
5. Don’t be desperate

Monitoring (Slash, “Stalking”)

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Why Monitor?
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1. Protect brand reputation
2. More efficiently serve customers
3. Gain competitive/industry insights
4. Inform product/service enhancements
5. Help refine strategy

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Monitoring Platforms are as Plentiful as Social Networks
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Seize Opportunities Without Being a Creeper
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When is Your Response Too Fast?
Take off your business hat and put on your personal hat

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What NOT To Do
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Quick Tips for Monitoring
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1. Understand that you will never get it 100% right
2. Surface all feedback/intel to internal teams
3. Respond with context & appropriate brand voice
4. Accept that you don’t own the conversation

Did It Work?

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Choose and Communicate the Right Metrics
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AWARENESS ENGAGEMENT
TRAFFIC/REVENUE LOYALTY
• Increase in audience base
• Share rate of content
• Volume/velocity of social
conversations about the
brand
• Passive vs active measures
• Tiers of interactivity
• Socially-driven site and brick-
and-mortar traffic and
revenue
• Breakdown of traffic/revenue
by content type
• Trending base of repeat
customers / social loyalists
• Volume of rewards against
social actions
• Incrementality in
visits/purchases
• Power of influence

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Develop a Dashboard to Track/Communicate Success
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Quick Tips for Measuring Success
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1. Socialize results with leadership
2. Be flexible in adjusting KPIs as platforms evolve
3. Refine your strategic approach accordingly

A Parting Thought

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The Goods: Tools & Templates
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http://bit.ly/SocialStrat0806

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QUESTIONS?
CAROLYN KENT
@CarolynLKent