User-Generated Content and the 4 E's

Over the past semester I have thoroughly enjoyed writing this blog and exploring the world of user-generated content. It was fascinating to me how many different user-generated content platforms there were out there, and the infinite ways different organizations can utilize these platforms. As I was exploring various platforms (Youtube, Facebook, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc.) I couldn't help but think that despite their obvious differences, that to make the most out of these sites businesses have to approach them with a similar mindset.

For my last post I wanted to summarize how all of these user-generated content sites need to be approached in a similar way in order to serve as a successful marketing tool. While thinking upon this, I cam across this short video of Jeffery Hayzlett, Chief Marketing Office of Eastman Kodak, who explains his companies strategy for utilizing social media and user generated content. He states that it's all about the 4 E's.

1. Engagement: You need to get engaged with your consumers, and know what it is your consumers are thinking and what they desire. These conversations are going on with or without you, so it's best that you are the one engaging with them.

2. Education: This goes two ways. You need to educate the consumer about your product or service, and they will educate you on what they seek and desire from you.

3. Excite: You want people to not only know about your product or service, but get them excited about it. Use innovative ways to get your messages to stick in their mind and get them excited for what you have to offer.

4. Evangelize: If you preform the first 3 things, then you will turn your consumers into brand ambassadors. That's the beauty of social media is if you complete this then you have created a network of individuals helping you market your brand and product.

These 4 steps simply explained by Mr. Hayzlett are equally applicable to any of the platforms I have written about this semester. So if you are looking to begin advertising using user-generated content remember your 4 E's!

I hope you have all enjoyed reading this blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it! Farewell and have a great summer!

Matt
#CiA

Is Your Business Pinteresting?

In the past Pinterest has been known to many as a site to post wish lists, DIY projects, clothing, fitness routines, travel destinations, photography, and the list goes on.  But what about marketing on Pinterest? Are you just repinning things that look interesting? Or are you actually clicking on those pins and buying the emerald cutout dress, or watching the YouTube video and doing the workout routine, or going to that waterfall in the Maldives in the picture you pinned to your "Oh the places you'll go" board? For most of us the answer is no, or at least not very often.  So the big question is - how do companies get pinners to start doing more than just pin?

Well, first we need to start with how companies even get pinners to pin. Pinterest is different from Twitter and Facebook in the sense that it is more easily accessible for the conversion from pin to site.  Also, Pinterest and pinners love to take advantage of boards and likes so they can go back on a day off and make those crafts or buy those products.  It is possible to pin a photo or video from a site without a "Pin It" button, but companies should really start to incorporate it onto their website.  If anything it will at least let viewers know that it is possible to pin since many wouldn't even relate the two without having that button accessible to them.  When people are on Pinterest they are actively looking to pin.  This is why companies should work on having photos, videos, podcasts, coupons, updates, sustainability methods, something that really catches the pinners' eye.  

Once pinners begin to pin and repin your product the biggest struggle is getting them to explore your site.  Calls to action are definitely favored and can really get people interested.  Telling people what do to, in a sense that they have to click elsewhere or do something extra, in order for that pin to be meaningful to them.  On your main page you can create different boards to help organize different things you have available to users, such as coupons, videos, photos, etc. Another great way to get more people attracted to your page is to start pinning things yourself, whether it's things related to your business itself, or just pins that catch your eye and may catch a followers as well.  

Pinterest has a separate "Pinterest for Business" section that can help you track different analytics for your site.  This makes it easy to see if your current approach is working and what you can fine tune to increase those conversions and repins.  

So, next time you're on Pinterest click on a few of those pins you find interesting and see where it really takes you - does it make you pin more from the site, buy the product, make the craft?

Microblogging with Tumblr

            Suppose you have just created an upstart business, and are trying to spread the word on your brand and the product and services you offer. You feel that you have a lot to say about your product, so what better way to spread information about your brand while also being able to show your knowledge of your industry by writing a blog? Virtually every company has a blog these days. More often then not their blog is an extension of the company’s website. But since your company is new, many people aren’t going to be actively searching for your blog, let alone even know your blog exists. So what is a relatively easy way to write and gather readers for your blog? Why not use the microblogging platform Tumblr!

            Microblogs are a service that enables the broadcasting of short messages to interested users. Tumblr is part microblog, part social network, which is why it can serve as a very effective blogging and advertising platform for businesses, particularly new businesses. There are many benefits for a business to utilize a tumblr. First of all it is free. It is very easy to set up and personalize (although those who are well versed in blogging sometimes see Tumblr’s format as a bit limiting).  It allows you to post and share all forms of media, including text, images, video, and audio.

            The biggest benefit of Tumblr to businesses is how it also serves as a social network. Tumblr has a huge following upon which businesses can link their posts to other blogs by following, liking, and reblogging from others blogs, and allowing others to do the same from theirs. According to Tumblr’s website it contains over 106 million blogs, and to date their has been 49.8 billion posts. That is quite a large community to which your business could be exposed to.

            You might now be wondering what is the benefit of having a tumblr when you already have a Facebook page? From what I have thus far described, everything you are able to do on Tumblr you can effectively do on a Facebook as well, but their are many benefits in using a Tumblr in addition to Facebook. First of all, blogs on Tumblr can be accessed directly through search engines, which increases your search visibility. I had a friend who had a tumblr, and he even bought his own domain name for his Tumblr, allowing for even easier searches. Tumblr also enables tags for posts, which allows users to easier find blogs  that appeal to them based on the tags they utilize.

Here is a list of some businesses that utilize Tumblr. Let us know which businesses you follow on Tumblr, or who you would like to see get one!

Huffington Post- http://huffingtonpost.tumblr.com/

J Crew- http://jcrew.tumblr.com/

Adidas Football- http://adidasfootball.tumblr.com/