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the myth, the mystery and the money behind social media marketing by Jim King and Jan Shaw
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ocial Media… is on everyone’s mind these days. But what is Social Media Marketing? And how does it affect your Museum, Attraction or Business? “Social Media is the future of Marketing!” is the phrase that changed the game for Marketing, worldwide. Make no mistake, Social Media isn’t the future; it is now the most important development in connecting with your consumer base. To understand the effects of Social Media, it’s important to understand the Scope of Social Media. The expenditure of Interactive Online Media 2012 is estimated to be $76.6 Billion USD, twice the expenditure of 2011. If you’re not investing in Social Media, you are behind the curve. Social Media can be the best tool in promoting and exposing your Brand. But as with most things, it’s only effective if used properly.
with new forms of marketing requires new types of creative thinking. The old “shotgun” marketing approach of generating exposure to as many eyeballs as possible is passé. As a Social Media Marketer, it is more advantageous to be less focused on quantity, and more focused on connectivity. Social Media gives you the opportunity to directly touch people in a more focused and targeted manner, turn them from Visitors into interactive Fans and share their positive opinions with their Friends Network.
and pictures of amazing restaurant meals; and Pic2Go (www.pic2go.com/wyldblue), a Social Media PhotoMarketing System that uses PicTags to identify Visitors and automatically creates Branded Photo Albums on their personal Facebook page of their experiences at leisure destinations, attractions or events.
The Money
The Myth
How does Social Media translate into dollars? First, it’s important to have a global perspective with realistic expectations on monetizing your Social Network. Putting up a Facebook page, or being on Twitter expecting that they will magically translate into hard revenue, is not likely. For your Social Media efforts to generate actual cash, it is important to build a dedicated following, create circular momentum across multiple platforms, combined with traditional media. Creating money-making opportunities tied to Social Media takes time.
Social Media is defined as Web-based, mobile technologies used to turn communication into interactive dialogue. How does one foster online dialogue? First, you create a common thread to talk about. Just like traditional media, it comes down to compelling content and presentation.
“Likes” are the connective pipeline that reinforces return visitation, merch sales and promotion of special events. When consumers “Like” your Facebook page it creates the most important aspect of Social Media - usergenerated endorsements. A prized marketing benefit that is critically important to multigenerational facilities, like museums, zoos and theme parks, is “Memory Marketing”. Social Media transformed passive Memory Marketing into proactive endorsements. Amazon recently stated that each positive endorsement equaled $2 of additional revenue. People are four times more likely to purchase a product or visit a place that their friends “Like”. Creating positive Guest Experiences is more important than ever.
Beware of the Myth that Social Media is a “build it and they will come” solution. Having a Facebook page and Twitter account is not an end-all-beall solution. Social Media is about engaging your consumer, and connecting them with your message. When done correctly, in concert with traditional media as part of a coordinated Media Plan, it creates connective opportunities between your Brand, event, facility and your core demographic.
As Leisure and Social Media content developers, we begin with a good Story. Just like exhibits, films and attractions, when your content is compelling, Social Media will engage Visitors and draw them in. Traditional “word of mouth” to 14 people over the course of weeks/months has been replaced with “digital word of mouth” that reaches hundreds of people - instantly. Finding a common thread, and creating compelling content to engage your consumers in dialogue, are paramount components to Social Media success.
The Mystery
Social Media is not mysterious; it just new. There are common misconceptions about Social Media. For most, the disconnect that comes
Today’s challenge lies in how you engage the Digital Generation. In our view, Social Media Marketing is similar to publicity and eventive marketing, as opposed to traditional marketing. Compelling Content is an important component, but the form in which you present Content is also critical. The Digital Generation is hungry for new and “cool” digital content. The only thing better than cool content is “cool content in a new, cool wrapper”. Just like with Eventive Marketing, inventing new ways to engage the attention of your core audience makes all the difference. “Social Media has become meshed into our marketing plan as a natural channel to connect with our fans,” states Allison McGrath, Director of Online & Graphic Media Services, National Museum of Play at The Strong, Rochester, NY. “Our Facebook page is very active with over 11,000 fans. We run contests all year through Facebook that increases visitor attendance,” Allyson continues. “By using traditional PR that feeds Social Media, and vice versa, it’s very gratifying for our institution when Social Media generates instant feedback.” There are many apps that provide exciting ways to engage your fans. We look for “funky” new technologies and connection vehicles, such as: Gowalla (http://gowalla.com/), a travel story, photo and favorite location app; FoodSpotting (www.foodspotting.com), a user food review app where consumers can post reviews, locations
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These are just a few examples of novel approaches to translating Social Media to financial benefits. As a new, creative technology medium, Social Media is an exciting new frontier with all of the possibilities of traditional media, combined with ground-breaking development as explosive as the opportunities it offers… and that is something that we “Like.” • • • Jim King and Jan Shaw are Industry Veterans specialized in Creative Direction, Master Planning, Social Media for Entertainment & Leisure as Consultants and Content Developers. jim@WyldBlueEnt.com, jan@WyldBlueEnt.com, www.pic2go.com/wyldblue, +1 818 445 8902