How do you know if social media is actually working for you?

Social media is one of those tricky things that is so accessible to business and yet somehow so distant. We spend a significant amount of our time talking to companies about social media and how they can apply to their organisation and importantly, how they should integrate it into their business so they can be more successfully connecting people.

So how do you know if social media is actually working?

It can be difficult sometimes to get your results in a clear bottom-line format (ie measuring the value of social media community in terms of sales alone). If you’re building a community, how do you measure its value?

The idea of effectively evaluating websites has always been a difficult task. As an industry, we have for years struggled with the metrics we need to effectively measure our work on the web. Some businesses we talk to us are still mired in the thinking that as long as their website gets hits then their website is effective. They say this as if the measurement tool of hits actually means something. (Which is something we address in our workshops as being a fairly pointless metric.  I don’t know about you, but my bank manager doesn’t accept hits on deposit or as a way to pay my bills. For me, the number of people who visit my website or even the number of times my website appears on their computer screen is the start of the process, it’s not the end.)

So in that environment of limited understanding of how we evaluate websites effectively, we parachute social media in. One of the things about social media in a private context is the more popular you are, the more effective it appears to be.  But even in that context things are changing. There is a genuine trend in social media community such as Facebook, for people to cull their friends list.   It seems  popularity is no longer the only way to measure if things are worthwhile.

Unfortunately, some businesses still use the popularity model as a way of determining whether their social media is working. But there needs to be more.

Measurement should always be measurable. It should always be tangible. If you have a social media community on Facebook or LinkedIn (or now Google + and BranchOut) and you have 3000 people who are part of that community, how do you measure its effectiveness? This is an ongoing challenge when it comes to developing social media.

So what will a successful social media strategy look like your business? Is popularity enough? If it is a very simple, straightforward campaign which is strictly about awareness and nothing else then it may be enough. Oe will it generate ideas to the business? Will it generate customer feedback and free market research? If it is based around an offer, are there ways that we can measure the sales generated and develop an ROI based on that?

Not sure?  We can help.

 

Do you think three-dimensionally on your web site?

There is one key difference when writing for the web that you do not need to consider when writing other printed collateral …  and that is the issue of thinking three-dimensionally.

In the past few weeks we have been working with businesses on the Eyre Peninsula and helping them update their websites. The one thing that was common to quite a few of their websites -  despite their differences in industry and product offerings -  is that within each page there are no links. The information that has been written is very flat and there is an expectation that the user will, if they want to find more information, make their way to the navigation at the top of the screen to find it.

One of the key elements of writing to the web is taking people on the shortest possible journey from point A to point B and to deliver them to the information they are looking for quickly.

That’s where links are important – they take people to the next piece of information from the point at which they are thinking about it. We are not relying on them as web writers to go to the top of the page and find information.

So when you are writing, you need to understand that each page is not a stand-alone item within a website. It is a link in a chain.  And that link needs to be explicit as people are reading.

Putting the customer’s hat on

I was trying to buy cinema tickets the other day. I had been well educated by numerous advertising campaigns that it was easy, fast and convenient to buy my tickets online. I would avoid standing in painful queues. In a time-poor world, I could take control back over half an hour of precious time by heading to the cinema’s website and buying tickets from home. I would be able to walk straight into the cinema (or hopefully straight to the popcorn counter), find a seat and start watching the movie.

What the ad campaign didn’t tell me was that the new streamlined website would chew up 45 minutes of my time that I’ll never get back. And I would end up more frustrated that I wanted to be and started my movie experience in the cinema not with a Mini Skip sized box of popcorn and a smile but silently fuming.

Here was the problem … when I was using the website to book tickets, I was carefully following the prompts and putting in information that was requested. I hit submit and sat back basking in the glow of online commerce, the voice-over from the ad campaign ringing in my ears about how easy this particular process was.

I sat there for a few seconds while the website was thinking about my transaction (or at least that is what was telling me on screen).

Obviously the website  didn’t like what it was thinking about. I received a message saying ‘please return to the booking screen’ as the transaction had not gone through. So I did. I checked my information a second time, this time ensuring that I had filled out every field and that all information was correct. They were. I again hit submit and was confronted with the same problem. There was an error.

At this point, as a prospective customer, I was thinking ‘what error?’ I had checked all my information – I had filled everything they wanted me to do but apparently there was a generic non-specific error. I checked my bank balance.  I had money in my account.  But my only direction in terms of the problem was to go back to the booking screen.

I thought perhaps that I had somehow booked the wrong session time or even the wrong movie. So I went back to the homepage and checked all details went through the process again entering the information doublechecking this time and then again hitting submit. Same response.

The only reason I was still going through this process and not closing my browser window and heading to the DVD shop to borrow a move is that I work on the web and had a feeling there was a blog post in it. In my experience most prospective customers don’t give you a second or third chance. They ring, very frustrated and often take it out on the customer service person or they shop elsewhere.

I pressed on and decided to ring the cinema. I had to hunt on their website to find the phone number is obviously their strategy is to drive people to online transactions instead of talking to a real person. My call was answered by an automated promotional message which thanked me for calling the cinema and then directed me to their website to buy my tickets online because it would save me an enormous amount of time. The cinema now owes me a new phone and probably a plasterer to fix the hole in the wall.

Now proceeding only as a web professional and as someone looking for a new analogy for the Writing for the Web workshop, I tried again, determined to see the process through. This time it magically worked. Why? The information I have provided was exactly the same but some reason I managed to sneak past the guards and get my transaction through.

What was the problem? From a technical point of view I will never know. But from a usability and customer perspective, the problem was that doesn’t look like anybody  from the cinema has ever used that side as if they were a customer themselves.

They would know that it’s frustrating to receive error messages that don’t tell you what the problem is. They would know that when you do experience problems (and technical problems are okay, I’m not suggesting the web should exist without technical problems) you need someone to talk to or some line of information that enables people to find assistance.

They would also know that producing glossy advertising campaigns that sell online services need to be backed up by an online product that delivers. And by deliver I mean the service works with the customer from start to finish – I’m not suggesting that the web should be bullet-proof and that there should never be technical issues, but when there are they need to be managed from a customer service perspective not an IT one.

So how was the movie?  The second half was good. I spent most of the first half restraining myself after the very first ad that appeared when I sat down in the cinema was promoting the website and how easy it was to buy tickets.

Is it okay to say no to social media?

Media reports are filtering through that people are starting to tire of social media -> http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/novelty-of-social-networking-losing-face/story-e6frea83-1226075239478.

Anyone who has been to any of our workshops – particularly the one on using social media in business – will have heard us preach incessantly about how tools arrive with a bang and then settle into a pattern; that people are like sheep when new tools arrive and lemmings when they start to fade.

But is it okay to no to social media in business?

In our workshops, we challenge participants to come up with rationale as to why they’d use social media in their business and then rationale as to why they wouldn’t.

They have come up with some interesting ideas as to how they’d embrace social media and these ideas have not only opened new avenues, but they’ve tweaked how they’d currently been running online communities.

The rationale as to why they WOULDN’T use social media are usually because their boss/manager/Chairman has categorically stated that they won’t use these tools because they’re unsafe/unprofessional/I just don’t use it.

As we’ve discussed social media strategically, some participants come to the point of realising that a particular social media outlet is not for them.  The participant often nervously tells the rest of their workshop colleagues that Facebook may not work for them.  The question is: is that okay?    Haven’t we all been conditioned to just embrace the Next Big Thing that arrives on the web?

Our response to that is that yes, it is okay.  If you have looked at social media from a strategic viewpoint and have analysed your audience’s usage and respect for the medium and have come up with a negative … or you don’t have the resources to effectively manage and maintain a social media presence then it’s okay to say no.

We’d rather you said no for reasons of strategy rather than reasons of fear.

Which platforms do your audience actually use?

It’s fine to say we write web sites or online campaigns but which platforms are our audiences actually using to engage with us online?

One thing that amazes me is when I ask clients which tools their audiences are using to access their online information, many of them have never asked.  So when I ask them ‘how many people use a mobile platform to look you up?’ they don’t know the answer.

I’ve seen companies put tens of thousands of dollars and even more in staff time and resources into their corporate web site which is best viewed on a desktop computer.  What if your audience is using a handheld device?

It’s an interesting question that I believe needs an answer in any online campaign because the choice of platform to interact with your company online will determine a lot of what you write and how you write it.  And not just from a point of view that ensures that your message is being understood, but from the point of view of your message even getting through.  You may even uncover opportunities you hadn’t thought of before – perhaps an iPhone/Android app will get greater use than your web site.  If so, should you be writing for that process and encouraging others to jump on board?  Or perhaps a mobile version of your web site focussing on three key tasks is where you should be putting your energy.  Or you may find that your audience is providing you with up-to-the-minute market research information through a social media outlet like Facebook.

So these are some of the considerations that we need to be considering as writers and not just presuming that our audience is looking at our online information in the same way we might be.

What do people mean when they say they want an ‘exciting’ web site?

I’ve been speaking with a few clients recently about the style of their web sites.  There is one word that keeps coming up in conversation – the clients all want their web sites to be ‘exciting’.

What fascinates me as a writer is when I ask them what they mean, they don’t actually know.  Usually, they define ‘exciting’ through being ‘not boring’.  They want pumped up buzzwords, they want cute cliches or variations on the old direct marketing classic … ‘but wait, there’s more!’

But, in web terms, the opposite of ‘not boring’ isn’t ‘exciting’.  It’s ENGAGING.

For example, if I was writing a web site for a Funeral Home (which I did last year), the reader doesn’t want the web site to be exciting.  They don’t want to read phrases like ‘a wonderful experience’ or ‘everything you’ve ever needed from a funeral home … with pumping music … and a 25% discount … and you get a second coffin for free!’

What the reader wants is for the web site to engage with them at their level, answering their questions and giving them the next step in their process.

That applies REGARDLESS of your industry.  If you’re in tourism – and engaging with someone means exciting them with the experience of staying with you – then do it.  If you’re in manufacturing – and engaging with someone means showing how much time of money you’re saving them – do that as well.

When you’re using a web site to do business – think back to how you ended up doing business with them.  Was it the pizzazz of the copy or was it the value proposition?  Was it the flashing headline or the fact the business/product/service would do a great job for you?  See?

I’m not suggesting being flat or inward-looking with your web copy.  But please, try to avoid being ‘exciting’ for the sake of it.  You’ll turn your web site into the online version of late night TV ads selling the AbCruncher 5000.  And it won’t work for you.  Unless you’re selling AbCruncher 5000s.  In which case, you’ve got bigger problems to deal with. 

Does using Twitter in business make you a Twit?

Firstly, a big thank you to those people who’ve attended our workshops in the past month.  It’s been a busy time – and we haven’t finished yet.  There are another four  workshops over the next eight days for a major Government client and a bunch of schools.

Now, down to business.  Does using Twitter in business make you a Twit?

It does if you’re Channel Seven.  http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/dancing-tweets-may-be-phoney-20110514-1enf8.html

It looks like the big network may have been faking Tweets to push trending of its new show Dancing with the Stars.  Oh noes, reality TV may be faked … who’d a thunk it?  While not a capital offence – yet – this simple story shows how big business still doesn’t get the basic element of social media that makes it work.

Connection with real people.

I’ve been asked quite a few times over the past few months about social media, but particularly Twitter.  Many businesses are sceptical that this ‘stuff’ will ‘work’ and ask whether it should be a part of their business.

One of the key elements of social media is the acceptance by your audience – apart from your commitment, key messages and timing etc.  The latest social shenanigans from Seven won’t help.  There will now be a whole new raft of customers who, over their Corn Flakes this morning, will read about #dwts and come to the conclusion that Twitter is fake.  For some, it will reinforce their view that all this social media ‘stuff’ is glossy, marketing bollocks and it will cement their rationale as to why they’d never use it.  For others, they will start wondering if other Twitter accounts are real or not.

And it’s into this shifting mindset that your business will parachute its tweets.

So what does your audience or customer base think about Twitter?  One key question I ask all clients is what sort of environmental scan have you done to support your new communication channel?  Have you just dived in or are you operating using market feedback?  What does your audience think of using tools like this?  Because this information will not only help you maximise your connection to them through social media, it will also help you be more profitable while you use it.

What if customers actually TELL us what they’re thinking?

I’m a member of a fairly large hotel loyalty program.  You know the ones … stay with us and we’ll give you points, which you can redeem for bottle openers and Post-It notes – that sort of thing.

Recently, they invited me to join an online ‘community’, which was essentially a forum for customers to pass on feedback and ideas to the hotel chain.  Well, that’s how I interpreted the phrase ‘join in the <insert hotel here> experience’.

What happened next was fascinating – and also a lesson in how NOT to run an online forum.

As I read through the forum, I found there were quite a few disgruntled customers.  They wanted to know why their points don’t arrive (and for some of them it appears that is the sole reason they are loyal).  Others complained about service.  Some wanted better rewards for being loyal.

That’s not to say it’s all negative.  There are customers who also say positive things, make recommendations and generally praise the hotel for their stay.

But here’s where I believe the hotel has gone wrong.  To which of these two groups do the moderators respond?  Yep, you guessed it.

Almost none of the negative threads about the hotel got an official response.  But you would have found the moderators responding to comments in the ‘How fluffy do you like your towels?’ discussion.

When you go to the trouble of setting up an online community to ask customer their opinion, it’s important to listen to EVERYTHING.  This isn’t a chance for a souped-up back-slapping session – it’s a chance for sit at the window to your customer’s soul and find out what they REALLY think.

And then when you do find out, it’s important to act immediately.

You’ll win far more friends from fixing customer service lapses than throwing them the occasional bone when they suggest cinnamon-scented candles in the hotel lobby.

Great online communities – and you can throw Facebook groups in there as well – build real community and can be a wonderful opportunity to improve your business through REAL customer feedback … if they’re done right.

Should you write for search engines? No.

I get asked a question a lot by companies when it comes to writing their websites.

That question is this: “do you write websites for search engines?”

My answer surprises them: “no, I don’t.”

Then I clarify the situation for them …  websites need to be written for people who may use search engines. I often say in my workshops that I won’t write a website for Google because Google has never bought a product from that website. Google has never sent an email enquiring about a service.

But people who use Google have … and so I write for them.

This is an important distinction to make. I have worked with a number of SEO specialists who spend their whole time worrying about the technical nature of Google. They advise organisations to focus on Google and develop a site accordingly.

While I agree with them to a point, I think taking your eyes off your target audience that is dangerous. Your website should be written for them. You will choose keywords that they use; you will speak their language.  This behaviour and the way that they use Google will then drive what you say and how you say it. You will cater for Google as a tool – not an audience.  These websites provide the best value and response to your organisation.

I will close this blog post with a question asked of me last week by an SEO specialist.   I had put forward the idea that the website should be written for people and tailored for how they use Google.   He put forward the idea of peppering the text with other words which may be popular search terms and would therefore, in his opinion, increase the traffic to the site.   His vision was a website of 100 pages -  which would be so content rich that the traffic to the site would go through the roof.

Now while I love content as much as anyone – my response to him was quite simple. What is the point in him bringing in thousands of visitors to a website they didn’t want to visit?

You see, we were valuing different things. His measurement tool was how many visitors the website attracted – so obviously the more the merrier. My measurement tool was in whether customers or prospective customers found what they were looking for and then ended up doing business with the organisation.  I figured there should be an ROI on the site that was measured in cash, not hits.  The organisation couldn’t pay its bills with hits.

Which do you think was the better metric?

Why your web site needs to be loved by your management, not just you

I want to tell you the story of two web projects.  They could be twins:

• They’re both redevelopments – web sites that are being refreshed because they’re tired and need a lift.
• They’re both projects in which staff were asked for their input to help improve the site.
• They’re both projects that I worked on.

That is where the similarity ends.  Project #1 had a management team that embraced change – they took their own staff’s advice about how they could improve the web site and so they did.  Staff buy-in to that web site is amazing – they really want to be on board and keep the redevelopment going.  The site itself has transformed from a traditional, boring, inwardly-focussed site to one which is already attracting interest from prospective customers.

Project #2 had a management team that firmly believed ‘we don’t need anything on our web site that I don’t personally use’.  In fact, their CEO told me that ‘all these ideas are just marketing bunk’ and rejected all of them out of hand.  He claimed ‘I don’t use those things so we don’t need them.  *sigh* Those ideas, suggested by his staff, included greatly improved search, user-focussed content and the ability for their customers to build their own product lists.  Those changes – suggested in a very enthusiastic workshop that we facilitated – have now been thrown on the scrapheap.

The real loser here is staff morale.  Those same staff who stepped out of that full-day session pumped up about how their web site was going to make their life easier – are now quite disillusioned.

Your web site doesn’t belong to you, the marketing team or the IT geeks.  It belongs to the organisation – from management down.  And their acceptance goes a long way towards your site being customer-focussed and useful.

Do you recognise your organisation in either of those projects?  Are you project #1 or project #2?