|
 |
|
| |
|
October 21, 2010 |
|
| |
|
Digital Media Strategies |
|
| Enjoy two hours of open bar and gourmet food at The Scene Bisnow's Halloween Party. Oct. 28. Lupe Cantina. Costumes optional. Sign up now! |
|
| |
| Yesterday's Bisnow breakfast on digital strategies gave us more social media tips than Mark Zuckerberg has hoodies. (A lot.) |
| |
 |
| Our panel of pros at BLT Steak discussed issues like how much content to put online for free, how social media can improve conference evaluations, and how to stay out of legal trouble. |
|
 |
| Biotechnology Industry Organization represents a broad audience, from intellectual property lawyers to small business owners to agriculture and biotech professionals. Managing director Margaret Core says her team created eight personas with a picture and descriptor for a typical person from each audience. She says it helped staff figure out what content and which mediums were best suited for, say, Joe the IP lawyer (no known relation to Joe the Plumber) or Patricia the Vaccine Maker. "Think about that persona and who you're writing to because otherwise your writing gets pretty generic," Margaret says. "You really have to know your niche." |
|
 |
| Organizations walk a fine line between putting all their content out there to drive social media campaigns and making members feel like they're getting something special, says zcomm Digital Media Director Robin Lane. One option is to give members an embargoed version a week or two in advance and then use portions of the content for a social media campaign. One white paper could be flipped into three weeks worth of tweets. If you keep back some of the information, it may encourage new people to join. "They see one tip, maybe they want the other ten," Robin says. "Maybe they want just a little bit more info on how they can use that tip a little bit further." |
|
 |
| One function of social media that organizational staff often don't think about is using the search to find real-time information, says National Association of Manufacturers VP of Brand and Multimedia Christian Moritz. For example, when Arlen Specter switched parties last year, the news broke on Twitter. At the same time, if you're the brand known for breaking good information, people will start to follow you. Even the traditional news media is looking to Twitter for leads and cutting edge information. (That's right, we're watching you!) |
|
 |
| Social media isn't just about pushing out content and creating visibility. Feedback is arguably the most important part, says ASAE VP of Knowledge Initiatives Peter Hutchins. It's clear when members are dissatisfied or really like something because they immediately start sharing and commenting on on it. "That's instantly valuable," Peter says. By knowing what's right or wrong, the organization can then figure out how to augment or correct it and get people to move on to a broader feeling. For example, if members are complaining at a conference about a mic cutting out or a room being too cold, the organization can see that through social media and correct it right then and there. By the time members get their conference evaluations, that won't be the overarching thing that they haven't been able to let go. |
| |
 |
| Here are two things that Kelley Drye partner David Ervin's 15-year-old daughter understands better than some of his clients: 1) Everything you put in social media is public. 2) There will be a record of it forever. One thing that his clients understand that his daughter doesn't: You should speak in a voice that would not embarrass your mother. David, who advises associations and non-profits on new media issues, says that when employees make a statement on behalf of an organization through social media, the organization is making the statement. So if the employee says something he or she should not, the organization could be at risk for defamation, copyright infringement, or harassment. "Because it's occurring on social media doesn't mean it's not real," David says. Same goes for antitrust issues. "Just because two competitors that are members of an association are talking through their Twitter accounts or they're talking through a [blog] post, doesn't mean it didn't happen." He says there are more and more cases of social media being used to discover illegal activity or as evidence in lawsuits. |
| |
 |
| Thanks to our moderator and sponsor. NavigationArts Senior Consultant Robert Bachle helps organizations develop digital media strategies and user-friendly web solutions. With a landing page this colorful, you know they're pros. |
| |
| Send story ideas to Jessica Sidman, jessica@bisnow.com. |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
This newsletter is a journalistic news source which accepts no payment for featured interviews. It is supported by conventional advertisers clearly identified in the right hand column. You have been selected to receive it either through prior contact or professional association. If you have received it in error, please accept our apologies and unsubscribe at bottom of the newsletter. © 2010, Bisnow on Business, Inc., 1817 M St., NW, Washington, DC 20036. All rights reserved. |
|
|
