Social Media is fundamentally transformative and is rapidly evolving the architecture of business, communications, and the dissemination of information and influence.

Today, there are businesses that engage in social media and those that do not. Those at least experimenting with the formidable, yet shifting landscape of intelligence and communication are learning how to adapt and connect in a new world of conversation, networking, and influence. Those that have yet to evaluate the opportunities and advantages for socialized marketing, service, sales, and branding will find it increasingly difficult to learn, adapt, and magnetize customers, prospects as well as their influencers.

As markets evolve, consumers gain a greater sense of adeptness and perspective. They too learn and adapt. In the process, individuals and the authoritative communities they form, possess a more sophisticated understanding of media literacy, community support, and prowess in new media communication. Consumers have choices and they’re increasingly practiced through natural selection.

There’s a sense of social Darwinism at play here and while it might sound overly dramatic, it is for better or for worse, true. In the new era of influence, those businesses that understand where and how to compete for the future will earn a genuine and advantageous position to shape and steer the perception, prominence, and impact of the brand. It is this idea of competing for attention where it is focused, as it evolves, that will help businesses connect with people and thus set a new, efficient, and effective foundation for advocacy and community.

In order to earn a place within online societies, we must first recognize where they’re emerging, flourishing, and thriving, and also how to engage through authentic and attested immersion.

Social Media: Reporting from the Field

Recently, the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth updated its annual study on the adoption and practice of social media by the Inc. 500, a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the US.

The essence of the report shares the tools that are carving the evolution of the fittest. At a minimum, Social Media is affecting and shaping the pillars of business.

The study found that most businesses recognize the importance of experimentation and engagement, with 91 percent of companies reporting the incorporation of at least one social media service or tool in 2009. Literacy and awareness was also on the rise with roughly 75 percent stating that they were now “very familiar” with social networking. This was reflective in the impressive drop in Inc 500 companies that did not use social media whatsoever, plunging from 43 percent in 2007 to 9 percent in 2009.

Messaging/Bulleting Boards

2007: 33%
2008: 35%
2009: 28%

Social Networking

2007: 27%
2008: 49%
2009: 80%

Online Video

2007: 24%
2008: 45%
2009: 36%

Blogging

2007: 19%
2008: 39%
2009: 45%

Wikis

2007: 17%
2008: 27%
2009: 25%

Podcasting

2007: 11%
2008: 21%
2009: 12%

Twitter

2009: 52%

This is the first year that Twitter was asked specifically, which is interesting considering that the network has been discussed as a business application over the last three years.

No Use of Social Media

2007: 43%
2008: 23%
2009: 9%

Social Media is indeed pervasive. Social networking, podcasting, blogging, and Twitter adoption are nothing less than profound. The number of Inc. 500 companies embracing these platforms and networks increased year over year, and most likely will do so in 2010 until we start to see the segmentation of targeted social activity in the networks that reach and connect niche markets or nicheworks.

The rise in the usage of wikis is encouraging. Even though 2009 numbers are slightly lower than 2007, at 92 percent, it is significantly higher than the 2008 reporting of 77 percent. Applications for wikis include user generated content, ideation, and governance, internal employee communication, as well as the organization of collective intelligence.

I am also pleasantly surprised at the growth in recognition of the importance of social activity within message/bulletin boards. In fact, when I conduct a listening and observation exercise to uncover where, when, how, why, and to what extent relevant conversations are transpiring using the Conversation Prism, messages boards and forums rank among the top of the list, in many cases, outperforming Twitter and placing second only to blogs in terms of consequence.

Not surprisingly however, video appeared to experience a small downward trend but 2009 activity still is significantly greater over 2007. What many either don’t yet realize or learn through a baptism by fire experience, online video requires much more than a Flipcam. Content must be engaging and entertaining. You literally have seven seconds to hold the attention of the viewer and without forethought, most videos are incredibly underwhelming. As such, content requires programming and creativity, much like the programming of any television network or motion picture company. We as consumers need something that captivates and holds our attention. Concurrently, online video also requires a dedicated content marketing strategy in order to connect the theme, essence, and value of the videos to those who could benefit from viewing them.

The Sociology of Social Media

The Center for Marketing Research observed that the Inc. 500 is outpacing the Fortune in many social media activities. In fact, respondents believe that Social Media is introducing a competitive advantage, with adoption ensuring survival and success through practice and evolution. As of now, the Inc. 500 documented success by measuring key, and not so important, indicators such as visits, impressions, comments, leads and sales leads and revenue.

As you interpret and process this information, it’s important to understand that the networks and adoption numbers aren’t necessarily reflective of the strategies you should integrate and pursue. Everything is specific to the behavior, activity, and locations of your community and thus requires an initial listening and observation exercise and audit to uncover the answers to the questions you may have or don’t yet know to ask.

This is why sociology prevails over technology when it comes to engagement. Essentially, brand managers become veritable digital anthropologists or sociologists in order to identify and document the culture of a community, gather information, analyze data, report findings, apply statistics and surface necessary communication and listening skills.

Our work subtly reflects that of a Margaret Mead or nowadays, Intel’s Genevieve Bell or Whirlpool’s Donna M. Romeo, Ph. D. – at the very least, we’re inspired by their work to apply their methodologies and learning in new fields.

While brand hierarchy isn’t necessarily established through social media alone, it is a highly concentrated and relevant amalgamation of integrated services, programs, and values that ultimately establish prominence.

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The post The Evolution of Social Media and Business appeared first on Brian Solis.

I spend a great deal of time working within the B2B sector, among other things, and social media is a growing and or pervasive program within a comprehensive, integrated communications and service strategy. In almost every scenario I’ve encountered, executives, marcom and service executives, and brand managers have generally assumed that social and interactive activities and programming were ideally best suited for consumer applications. However, as we recently explored, in Social Media, it’s not just business, it’s business-to-business.

Indeed, Social Media is not limited to B2C applications, its impact and effects are actively measured and felt in B2B as well as government, education, military, and other prominent verticals. As decision makers take to the social web, their research, activity, communication, and most importantly, their relationships only intensify over time.

If you’re working in B2B, perhaps this post will provide you with value. Or, at the very least, it will arm with you data necessary to convince, compel, and persuade those skeptical or uninspired colleagues, clients, and managers.

Business.com recently conducted a study that evaluated Social Media activities of those in B2B and B2C. In its report, “2009 B2B Social Media Benchmarking Study,” Business.com found that North American companies focused on B2B were much more rigorous in the world of social media than those in B2C. As you’ll see, B2B leads the fray across the entire regiment of campaigns and programs.

Social Media: B2B vs. B2C

Maintained company-related profiles on social networks:

B2B: 81%
B2C: 67%

Participate in Twitter:

B2B: 75%
B2C: 49%

Host blog/s:

B2B: 74%
B2C: 55%

Monitor brand mentions:

B2B: 73%
B2C: 55%

Engage in discussions:

B2B: 66%
B2C: 43%

Participate in Q&A sites such as Yahoo Answers, LinkedIn, forums:

B2B: 59%
B2C: 44%

Upload content (social objects) to Social Networks:

B2B: 50%
B2C: 32%

Manage a community dedicated to customers or prospects:

B2B: 49%
B2C: 51%

Monitor/support user ratings and reviews:

B2B: 49%
B2C: 51%

Produce Webinars or podcasts:

B2B: 46%
B2C: 22%

Advertise on social networks:

B2B: 42%
B2C: 54%

Utilize social bookmarking sites such as delicious and digg:

B2B: 38%
B2C: 21%

Employee recruiting:

B2B: 36%
B2C: 27%

As expected, those companies engaging in social media, whether B2B or B2C, focused efforts on creating social network profiles, microblogging, blogs, and brand monitoring, hitting a high of 81%. Most social activities however, maintained a level of participation with an average of around 50%. There is room for growth for brand engagement regardless of industry.

Business.com also evaluated where companies were focusing their attention and resources. The study surfaced that not only are a greater number of B2B companies experimenting with Social Media, they are also extending their presence across multiple networks. However, B2C businesses dominated engagement within Facebook and MySpace.

Notice the disparity between B2B and B2C adoption of Twitter. If these numbers truly reflect that of the greater community of businesses, B2B companies are at the forefront of this wildly scrutinized and popularized social property.

Facebook

B2B: 77%
B2C: 83%

Twitter

B2B: 73%
B2C: 45%

LinkedIn

B2B: 56%
B2C: 27%

YouTube

B2B: 43%
B2C: 30%

MySpace

B2B: 14%
B2C: 23%

FriendFeed

B2B: 9%
B2C: 2%

Plurk

B2B: 1%
B2C: 0%

Other

B2B: 4%
B2C: 8%

Also according to the Business.com study, 60% of B2B respondents leverage Twitter search to monitor brand or company mentions compared to just 35% of those in B2C. With Facebook slowly revising their privacy settings to open up real-time search capabilities within the 350 million strong network and MySpace recently announcing the availability of a real-time API, businesses will have the ability, and the responsibility, to search for relevant conversations outside of Twitter and Google.

Google search results, at least prior to the real-time search revolution, also proved valuable for mining and unearthing relevant content. 59% of B2B and 40% of B2C companies report using Google Alerts and 61% of B2C and 60% of B2B reported that they actively googled themselves.

With the rapid evolution of search, business monitoring will assuredly shift its focus from traditional to real-time. Just recently, Google announced both Social Search, the inclusion of content generated by your social graph in traditional search results, as well as real-time results from Twitter and other social networks. We already know that customers, regardless of industry, are actively taking to search engines to learn more about brands and products mentioned in their social stream.

A New Era of Influence

– 20% of tweets published are actually invitations for product information, answers or responses from peers or directly by brand representatives

– About half of Twitter users who were introduced to a brand on Twitter were compelled to search for additional information

– 8% of those who came into contact with a brand name on Twitter went on to search for additional information on search engines with 34% searching other social networks

Customers Take to the Social Web

– 44% admitted that they have recommended products in Social Media and 39% stated that they have discussed a product specifically on Twitter

– 46% of Facebook users talk about or recommending products on the 225 million strong social network

– Social Media already accounted for 18% of all information searching in early 2009

– 30% claim they wished to learn more

– 27% reported that they were receptive to receiving invitations for events, special offers or promotions

– 25% stated that they visited a site after learning about a product on their social network of preference

Engagement Has Its Rewards

In a recent Razorfish study, 40.1% of consumers reported friending a brand on Facebook or MySpace. Once a connection was established, the resulting activity was profoundly beneficial to the awareness and potential revenue of the brand.

Recommend the brand to others:

Always: 22.94%
Usually: 39.15%
Sometimes: 33.92%

Consider the brand when in the market for a similar product of service:

Always: 22.69%
Usually: 40.90%
Sometimes: 34.41%

Raise awareness of the brand:

Always: 21.45%
Usually: 38.65%
Sometimes: 36.66%

Purchase a product/service from the brand:

Always: 17.46%
Usually: 42.89
Sometimes: 36.66%

ROI: Return on Investment or Ignorance?

I recently wrote about the lacking of an industry-wide practice for measuring social media. According to one study, 85% of businesses engaged in interactive programs were not measuring the ROI.

Even though measurement was more pervasive in B2B over B2C, participating companies appeared to actively measure social media in this case – at least those surveyed anyway. B2C companies tended to focus on revenues to assess ROI (where the I represents investment and involvement). B2B companies typically evaluated Web traffic, brand awareness, and the quality and volume of lead generation. That being the case, B2B and B2C reported that Web traffic was considered the top metric.

It appears that an industry typically characterized as lethargic is in actuality, pioneering new forms of communications, service, sales and branding in the social realm.

Questions remain for me however, in order to better ascertain how and why businesses are using these new tools and to what extent. For example, I would ask those within B2B and B2C what their level of engagement and commitment to social media is across multiple departments within the organization. I firmly believe that every department affected by outside behavior or those that have the ability to affect it will ultimately benefit from socializing. Therefore, conducting a benchmark survey to capture the state of the industry as it corresponds specifically to service, sales, branding, communications, HR, etc., will help us better surface opportunities and potential strategies. In addition, I suggest introducing one more set of questions that focuses on what I refer to as the “ a ha” vs. the “uh oh” moment, when a company decides to embrace or experiment in Social Media. Are businesses jumping online because they realized the opportunity specific to a network or because they felt it necessary based on a negative discussion or series of negative and public instances.

The Attention Economy and Earned Relevance

Attention is increasingly thinning and as such, it is considered a precious commodity.

Whether it’s B2B or B2C, we are each in the end, consumers. And, as consumers, we seek information online in order to make more informed decisions based on research, the advice of friends, peers, and experts, and the recognition of our questions and commentary directly from brands. In order to make an impact on the bottom line through sales and the ongoing investment in engendering goodwill and earning loyalty, we must focus our time and resources on the attention dashboards of our prospects and customers, as well as those who also influence them. If we do not, we will quickly find ourselves outside of the parameters within every business decision-making process.

If it is one thing that we learn right here, right now, is that Social Media affects every part of the buying cycle. This is why a company-wide SRM program must be engineered and deployed in order to effectively monitor behavior and sentiment to effectively and genuinely shape perception, cultivate meaningful relations, and inspire action.

General Buying Cycle

1. Acknowledging the need

2. Awareness

3. Research

4. Consideration (the short list)

5. Evaluation

6. Purchase

7. Applications

8. The Experience

9. Reaction

10. Opportunity for advocacy

It should also not go unsaid, that while women rule the social web, the buying process in B2C is also influenced by women in a relationship setting. According to Marti Barletta, author of Marketing to Women and PrimeTime Women, when men and women buy as partners, women control at least four out of five stages of the purchasing process. While this isn’t representative of the bigger pitcure, it is still nonetheless interesting and worthy of consideration.

This is why in the world of B2C marketing, women are considered the Chief Household Officer as they’re actively driving and steering purchase decisions.

Five stages of the purchasing process:

1. Kick-off – women
2. Research – women
3. Purchase – men
4. Ownership – women
5. Word-of-mouth – women

It is how we engage at each step of this cycle that determines our place and stature within the inevitable path of attention, analysis, and action. Once we learn how and where to engage, we can then focus our efforts on earning affinity and advocacy. This is our time to garner relevance through the intelligent practice of poignant and relevant listening, understanding, and participation. In parallel, this is also our opportunity to establish authority and attention. Without it, it’s easy to vanish from the cycle of awareness and consideration. Out of sight, out of mind…

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The post The Business of Social Media: B2B and B2C Engagement by the Numbers appeared first on Brian Solis.

Social Media is often misconstrued as a medium for business-to-consumer or B2C engagement and discounted as a viable communications network for those companies focused on business-to-business transactions. However, B2B, as in any other field impacted by online activity, is faced with a prime opportunity to not only cultivate communities in social networks and other social channels, but also amplify awareness, increase lead generation, reduce sales cycles, and perhaps most importantly, learn and adapt to market dynamics in real-time.

Ignorance is Bliss Until It’s Not…

Customers and those that influence them, regardless of industry, are migrating to the social Web at varying paces. While social or digital strategies do not replace proven means that are in play today, they do however, require augmentation and shifts in resources commensurate with the distribution of attention, where it’s focused and to what extent.

In my research, programs measured in hindsight are not the only views that offer 20/20 vision. Unobstructed foresight is now attainable and in some cases, predictable, based on our investment in time, energy and creativity in how we analyze online behavior, interaction, and ultimately influence. And, our ability to study and put research to work is only limited by our process for learning and adapting to earn and increase resonance within our target markets.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of listening to focused online interaction, is the ability to breakdown the decision making process and how customers and influencers impact behavior. To say it blatantly, social media makes it possible to identify and segment the specific stages of decision making online and how to in turn, respond in ways that steer interest in your favor. The results of these interactions also lend to the importance of adaptation. As we learn more about the challenges, considerations, and sentiment of our potential stakeholders, we can introduce those insights into future designs, processes, and communication.

If we are not part of the decision making process, we are then absent from the decision.

Opportunity Clicks

To help make the case, Outsell recently published its “Annual Advertising and Marketing Study” and in the report, Outsell states that B2B advertising and marketing spending will increase by only .8% to $129 billion. Interactive spending, on the other hand, will escalate by 9.2% to $51.5 billion this year.

As Social Media becomes pervasive in workflow and influence, Outsell’s study shows that spending is following the trend. To that end, B2B marketers will increase spending in social networks by 43.3%. While it’s not necessarily as alluring as social, company websites are only receiving a boost of 7.5%.

When we study engagement in interactive media, we find that we captivate attention in a very dynamic environment, but we lose them with each click that we either intentionally or unintentionally introduce to lead their experience post engagement. Many times, the click path is aimed right at the company site, and if we were to analyze the design and effectiveness of B2B websites today, we might just find that a large number are stuck in time, representative of an era more aligned with Web 1.0 than Web 2.0.  Opportunity clicks, and without defining a rich and rewarding click path as well as an enriching experience, which most likely requires the renovation of the corporate website, all online activity associated with increased social spending, will bear the brunt of defining and capitalizing on attention, within social networks, the moment it’s captured.

As part of the study, Outsell surfaced preferences for business engagement and activity in social networks. When asked to rate the effectiveness of particular networks, more than one-half of respondents claimed that Facebook was either “extremely” or “somewhat” effective. LinkedIn ranked second with 45% surprisingly (and not so surprisingly) ahead of Twitter at 35%, which of course, ranked higher than MySpace at 25%.

As eMarketer noted, when HubSpot ran its B2B North America survey, it found that businesses ranked LinkedIn on top at 45% ahead of Facebook at 33% as most effective in lead generation.

B2B, or any business or organization, must evaluate and implement interactive strategies in order to earn relevance and hopefully resonance in order to compete for the present and the future.

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Social media didn’t invent conversations, it provided us with tools to surface and organize them. Conversations about brands predates the mediums used to connect messages and aspirations with consumers.

The motivation for brands to engage in social networks varies based on the culture and agility of each company, but what is constant is the aspiration to connect with customers and prospects to earn awareness, attention and connections. On the other hand, B2B and B2C consumers have also expressed desire to connect with those brands whose intent is genuine and beneficial to the each engagement and the overall relationship. The time has come to not only engage, but do so in a way that’s mutually beneficial to individuals, brands, and the ecosystem at large.

In April 2010, Performics commissioned ROI Research to study Twitter behavior around brands. The study found that 33% of Twitter users share opinions about companies or products at least once per week. More so, 32% make recommendations while 30% seek guidance and direction.

Did you get that?

33% talk brands 1x per week

32% make recommendations

30% seed advice

In the study, we see can compare responses over a short six month period. Depending on how you interpret the data, it appears as though consumer behavior is inching towards the promised land or on the other hand, the documented uptick demonstrates a slow or slowing adoption rate.

Twitter

Clearly, Twitter users are supportive. Their responses and also their online activity indicates tells us as much. But if you were to base future decisions on social marketing and service strategies, the results of this particular study might cause you to second guess your plans. While the numbers are still incredibly promising, we must read between the lines to see beyond a slight downward trend.

Just over 40% would attend a promotional or sponsored event, which for Twitter, equates to the need to factor Tweetups or meetups into the mix.

Roughly 45% stated that they would link to a brand-related ad, which is consistent between 2009 and 2010.

Here’s where things get interesting…In 2009, 51% claimed that they would purchase the company’s product/service, but only 48% expressed similar sentiment in 2010.

In 2009, 55% admitted to talking about or expressed a willingness to discuss brands whereas 52% stated as such in 2010.

Referrals also took a slight hit, with 55% in 2009 and 53% in 2010 stating that they would recommend the product/brand as a result of online connections.

Facebook

Earlier this year, I made a controversial prediction at the Ragan Social Media Conference hosted by Coca Cola. I predicted that in 2011, brands would dedicate greater time and resources to cultivating communities on Facebook over Twitter. I shared this idea not because I believe that Twitter is going to become less prevalent in overall marketing mix, instead I believe that Facebook will grow in its prominence as a centralized hub for defining the consumer experience where brand managers will host organized events, interaction, commerce, and corresponding activity.  The data below seems to offer a glimpse that this might be the case.

Facebook edged a bit higher between the 2009 and 2010 studies, almost across the board.

Consumers expressed a 3% increase between 2009-2010 from 26 to 29% when it comes to interacting with the brand in Facebook.

Customers also shared that engagement on Facebook helps them feel as if they’re valued, increasing from 28 to 30%.

When it comes to inviting greater interaction, growth was stagnant year over year.

Overall, many believe that Facebook is a solid way to get information about companies and products edging 1% higher from 40 to 41%

The Role of the Social Consumer is Gaining Momentum and Importance

When we compare this data to another recent study conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey along with iModerate Research Technologies, we find that individuals who follow brands on Facebook and Twitter are 51% and 67% respectively more likely to buy a product post connection.  Accordingly, Facebook and Twitter users are 60% and 79% more likely to recommend a brand as a result of the engagement online. Those numbers are astounding, yet the opportunity is far from realized.

However, it’s clear that while people are open to meaningful connections and interaction, businesses must learn to convert conversations into corresponding action and long-term value. There is a greater opportunity on Twitter and Facebook than we may realize.

The last mile of engagement is nothing short of the complete socialization of business. The roles of the social consumer, even if they’re a follower on Twitter or they “like” the brand page on Facebook, businesses must cater to the various needs of the whole of the community as well as the parts that contribute to its sum.

Based on the data that I’ve reviewed contained in countless studies, the prospects are nothing short of blinding. But therein lies the opportunity. No two brands or consumers are created alike, meaning that the triggers that incite action and response are yours to discover and cultivate. This is about growing the opportunity based on engagement and adaptation. Social consumers are on a highway where regression isn’t an exit. The question is, how will you participate to guide their journey and experience?

#ThisisYourTime

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To celebrate the release of my new book, The End of Business as Usual, I recently hosted a discussion on behalf of Vocus on how businesses should rethink a marketing-driven social media approach by not just engaging, but activating a market-driven strategy defined by smarter, more meaningful engagement.

More than 1,000 people attended the event and while I tried to answer every question, many were left unaddressed because of time constraints. This post tackles some of the recurring questions we received on Twitter.

Q1: Whenever I hear about strategies, or when I present myself, I always get the feeling that Lewis Carroll said it best: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where…” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

This particular question is unique in how it was presented, but it also reflects the sentiment of so many others who attended the event as well as those I work with every day.

I believe that businesses approach social media with the genuine intention of wanting to engage; however, many miss the tenets and dynamics of what makes social media, well…social. For example, social media is already siloed within most organizations today. The top three departments that “own” social media are marketing, marketing communications, and public relations respectively. When you study day-to-day programs, it’s clear that campaigns, contents, and conversations offer the semblance of engagement, but really add up to nothing more than meaningless platitudes.

Much of new media is just that: new. But businesses are diving into social media without a clear vision, mission or purpose. They are not thinking about the experience they wish to design, the emotions they desire to evoke, the click paths of those they engage, or the outcomes they seek.

In the absence of direction, think about engagement as an opportunity to close existing gaps between an organization and its stakeholders. To get these answers requires research, discourse, and intuition. Without answers or insights, what is this really about? It must mean more than simply creating social presences.

Q2: Are we no longer supposed to speak WITH an audience? What happened to interaction?

Interaction, conversations and responses contribute to dialogue and two-way engagement. Intention counts for everything here, but at the same time, engagement is measured by the sum of actions and words. If you study the nature of dialogue that’s taking place without you today, the ability to learn from existing activity inspires engagement strategies and content programs that deliver value. Some ask questions. Others need help or direction. Certain groups seek affinity or simply entertainment. The reality is that social media can cater to all of the above and more, yet strategies are limited in scope with value measured by soft metrics such as the number of Likes, comments, followers, retweets, views, etc. Engagement is not measured this way and anyone who tells you differently is wrong. I just can’t say it any other way.

Engagement is defined as the interaction between a consumer or stakeholder and an organization. It is measured – here’s the important part – as the take-away value, sentiment and actions that follow the exchange. Without definition, where will they go, what will they feel, what will they do or say?

Your job as a change agent is to create content so compelling that you empower others to ENGAGE, SHARE and TAKE ACTION. To put it simply, that A.R.T. of social media is in the actions, reactions and transactions you can shape and steer. This is why we are no longer merely engaging with an audience, but instead a sophisticated and connected audience with an audience of audiences.

Conversations and interaction is useful. But there’s a gap between what stakeholders or consumers expect and what businesses deliver against today in social media. Don’t just mind the gap – bridge the gap!

Q3: What is the marketing potential for Tumblr? Are consumers escaping the corporate feel of Facebook and Twitter?

Let me first say this, Tumblr is a unique network that is often misunderstood or underestimated by businesses. In terms of social media, Tumblr is third on the list of total minutes spent in social networks and blogs behind Facebook and Blogger according to Nielsen.  Perhaps I should also point out that Twitter is in a not-so-close fourth position.

Tumblr is a hybrid social network and microblog community rich with its own culture. Some businesses look at Tumblr as an opportunity to further syndicate media in a one-to-many approach. For example, a post on Facebook is often published to Twitter and also Tumblr. Yet, Tumblr demands something new, dedicated and introduced within the culture code established by its fervent user-base. As it is also a social network, Tumblr requires more than just content publishing to successfully engage: it requires bona fide engagement outside of your page to cultivate relationships and a community.

Q4: Your social media examples seem skewed to B2C. What are the best practices for B2B?

Social media is not relegated to any industry. The benefits of smarter engagement know no bounds. However, smarter engagement, regardless of market or industry, requires research and an understanding of how people find and share information and also how they influence and are influenced by their peers. You’ll find that with B2B, information, direction, insights around challenges and opportunities, are bound by shared experiences. What’s different of course, are the networks and the nature of the interaction. Depending on the nature of the business, the top networks are usually not Facebook and Twitter – instead, they’re blogs, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Companies focused on solutions for other businesses find that participating in conversations for the sake of conversations carry little value. Instead, delivering value or insights based on real-world challenges or questions helps decision makers make decisions.

For example, Indium, a global solder supplier specializing in solder products and solder paste for electronics assembly materials, studies how prospects search for solutions based on keywords. Rather than manipulate search results to send people to Web pages, the company invests in useful content to match keyword searches with value-added original content. The result? The company experienced a 600% spike in leads over the course of six months.

If you add video to the equation, there’s a reason that Youtube is the second largest search engine next to Google. People are using similar keywords to find results based on a video narrative. The question is, what are your customers and prospects searching for and what’s turning up in their results?

The social media revolution has given way to a new era of consumerism and consumer influence. As a result, the era of business as usual is over. As customers grow more confident and vocal, organizations are either listening and responding or turning towards the inevitable path of digital Darwinism – the evolution of consumer behavior when society and technology evolve faster than the ability to adapt. Meanwhile, fast-moving challengers are making huge gains through smart, meaningful customer engagement.

This is your time to lead, not follow.

Order The End of Business as Usual today…

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One of the most often asked questions about The End of Business as Usual is how it’s different than Engage.

I thought I take a moment to answer it here just in case you were wondering the same thing.

Engage was and is special. In fact, I felt the mission and content of the book was so special, that I wrote it twice. I viewed both versions as my chance to not only document the transformation in marketing and service because of social media, but also empower people to lead change from within. I didn’t expect people to wait for direction. I expected them to lead. Engage helped readers design social media marketing and service strategies and programs that mattered…that worked…that performed against business objectives.

Over the years, I observed their struggles as well as recording my own challenges within the enterprise, governments, and small businesses alike. I realized that the gap that exists between social media and executive leadership is far too great for social marketing or service to solve. And, to be honest, social media isn’t going to save businesses, but instead, it will contribute to relevance. The real opportunity for the transformation of business lies in the evolution of customer behavior and how technology, social networks, smartphones, RFID, and other disruptive innovations empower people AND organizations alike.

The End of Business as Usual makes the case that the need for business transformation is bigger than social media and more important than just connecting or communicating with customers in social networks. For executives to realize the opportunity for innovation and leadership, they need your help in making sense of the differences between traditional and connected customers. They need to know that this emergent consumer category affects business objectives, priorities, and financial goals.

The book examines how leading companies are finding success with connected customers. The lessons, case studies, and best practices contained within will help readers earn the support of organizational leaders by identifying growth opportunities and prioritizing where to invest time and resources. The end result is creating an adaptive foundation for businesses to not only build relationships with connected customers, but improve customer and employee relationships overall.

Adapt or Die!

Order The End of Business as Usual today…

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Guest post by Gib Bassett (@gibbassett), Global Program Director, Consumer Goods, Teradata

Business disruption sometimes happens very quickly, almost too fast to react. Consider what happened to Blockbuster as movie rentals shifted online. Other times it happens more slowly but is no less impactful. Case in point: how online, mobile and social channels are transforming the way we shop and make purchase decisions.

The industries most affected – retail and branded consumer products – possess entrenched business models that pre-date the video-rental industry by decades. With so much invested over so much time, changing direction is like a mile-long oil tanker making a 360 degree turn. It’s much more alluring to stay on course if at all possible. Waiting certainly seems possible with shelves clearing eventually in spite of changes to shopping behavior. It’s just not happening at a growing rate.

The Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry is especially conflicted. Makers of brands in all segments – food, beverage, health and beauty, and household products – rely on retailers as their primary customer and sales channel. It’s the very definition of the oft-cited CPG industry “b-to-b-to-c” (b2b2c) model, where the supplier sells its products to retailers, who in turn sell to consumers. How can a CPG maker approach emergent changes in shopping behavior when physically fenced off from the last mile of the shopping journey?

Many CPGs are today claiming a new focus on consumer centricity; that it’s their consumer who matters, who they care about, and who they serve. It’s less a response to changes in consumer behavior as it is many other factors and complexities affecting the CPG industry that make consumer focus essential. For example, digital channels allow CPGs to communicate directly with their consumers in ways not possible in the past so the marketing mix is shifting accordingly.

At the same time, CPG investment in trade (retail) relationships via promotion (price buy downs to drive volume) is at an all-time high and continues to grow. Layer in consumer price sensitivity, retail private label competition, emerging e-commerce channels, SKU proliferation and a dearth of new product innovation, and the challenges begging for a greater focus on the consumer are many.

Are CPGs putting their money where their mouth is with respect to consumer focus? I’d argue that many CPGs are making moves in the right direction, but any action is still subject to the inherent restrictions of a model that places the consumer at the end of the equation.

From B2B2C to C2B2B

I’d like to suggest CPGs adopt a different view of their business, one that places the consumer first, followed by the CPG itself, and lastly the channels by which products are sold – in other words, a c-to-b-to-b (c2b2b) model.

How would this differ from a b-to-b-to-c model?

– Start with your consumers not the products you produce — who are they, what are their unmet needs, and how do they wish to transact with your brands? The concept of “transaction” expands from a product purchase to any interaction that facilitates a closer bond between brands and consumers. It’s nearly inarguable that the lack of new product innovation and slow growth is due to a lack of consumer focus in this way. CPG makers are still consumed with squeezing efficiency from their manufacturing supply chains – important, but completely insufficient to succeed into the future.

– Next is you, the manufacturer, not your retailers — how do you build the product assortment desired by your consumers, and from where and how do you source your inputs most cost efficiently? This forces the CPG to think like a retailer, but in terms of product experience.

– Lastly, through which channels do your consumers wish to acquire your products? In some cases it will be retail partners. In others, it may be direct from you. It could also be from a pure play e-commerce retailer like Amazon. Or most likely, some blend.

This approach differs from the traditional view of CPG manufacturing that prioritizes the manufacturing process first. From a technology perspective, it explains why ERP investment continues to dominate, while more consumer focused investments remain mostly outsourced. In the past this made sense, but today it places CPG brands at a disadvantage. Industry trends and consumer behavior are evolving quickly, maybe affecting a percentage point of growth at a time – slow compared to a paradigm shift like what affected Blockbuster – but still a very big number for billion dollar brands.

From a technology point of view, the status quo won’t suffice either. Although consumer facing technology and data solutions have been available on an outsourced basis for many years, most lack integration in a meaningful way with the core CPG business. By “meaningful” I mean that the sum and specifics of consumer activity is beyond the grasp of decision makers in a timely and cost effective way.

Many CPGs are finding their old ways of outsourcing consumer facing technology and data solutions can’t keep up with demands for more timely access to insight and actions. No matter whether it’s email campaigns, sales information, product launches or trade promotion, the latency and lack of detail associated with outsourcing lacks the timeliness and efficiency that a more integrated approach yields.

It’s gotten to the point where it’s not necessarily more cost effective to outsource. Instead, progressive CPGs are adopting a self-service approach that takes advantage of the latest cloud technology and data solutions in a way that integrates with the core business – without necessarily requiring IT support, large capital expenditures or lengthy payback time horizons. When it’s possible to stitch together a cloud solution with internal systems to facilitate more timely access to insights and actions is where things get exciting.

A CPG that adopts a c-to-b-to-b model views consumers as the “customer” who’s needs must be understood and uniquely met throughout the path to purchase, bases product development and launch decisions on direct consumer interactions that are perpetual and closed loop, and views sales channels as a function of consumer preferences, as opposed to a tried and true group of high volume retailers supported with trade promotion. Done well and based on analytics means everyone wins — the consumer, the CPG maker and retail partners. Done poorly, the status quo persists and that won’t turn out well for anyone.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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Every day when you get to the office, there is a surmountable volume of work that greets. The list is usually pretty long, with calls to return, to do items stacked up, emails overflowing, meetings, marketing and sales planning to fill the pipeline. It’s all in a day’s work. But what if one day you woke up and noticed that the volume of work was notably less? I’m sure you’d be relieved for a bit. But then each day, you start to notice that the trend only continues.

Your relief shifts to concern and eventually panic. “What’s happening!?,” you start asking. The answers reveal that your markets shifted because your visitors and your tourism stakeholders started to think and then act differently. While you were busy keeping up with your existing tourism plan and your annual campaign, your market inevitably evolved away from you.

Sounds like a nightmare right?

The good news is that it’s the kind of bad dream that you can wake up from and say, “phew!” The bad news is that this scenario is playing out right now, slowly at first, but then quickly. The reality is that change is accelerating and we have a choice in what we do about it. It’s what you do differently moving forward that defines your place in the future.

While the idea of what you market and sell is relatively the same, it’s the how and also why that separates where you are from where you need to be.

If you think about it, change is less of a threat and more of a gift to shape the future of your work and your industry.

Iteration vs. Innovation

We live in an era of digital Darwinism, a state of evolution where technology and society continues to evolve. The question is, where do we fall in that evolution?

I know, I know. Change is hard, but you’re trying. You’re learning new things, adopting the latest tech, experimenting with state-of-the-art digital marketing. Bravo. This is a great place to start. Learning is how we open new doors. But this only gets us so far. How so, you ask? When we learn something new, we tend to apply it to existing mindsets, how we see and value what we see. Said another way, we take what’s new and use it in ways that are familiar to us. This leads to what I call iteration, which is often confused with innovation. It just takes us incrementally further. But innovation takes, in addition to learning, the ability to also unlearn many things we accept as standard protocol to do new things that unlock new opportunities. The differences between iteration and innovation are important as both are needed to compete for the future right now. It just takes balance…

1. Iteration is doing the same things better.
2. Innovation is doing new things that create new value.
3. Disruption happens when innovative new things make the old things obsolete.

Funnel Vision: Designing the Customer Journey 2.0

In my research as a digital analyst and anthropologist, I learned that one of the catalysts for true innovation and even disruption is exploring not only new technology and trends but also how people are changing in parallel. The answer has been hiding right in front of us this whole time. See, technology is only part of the story. The rest is about how people adopt and in turn use all of this stuff. It reveals how, what and why we need to change, how to be discoverable and relevant and to whom and how to design new products and services that matter to each of our customer groups.

With the rise of social media, pervasive internet and mobile devices, how your visitors and potential visitors discover, learn, share and make decisions has forever changed. In the process, every new technology and the new capabilities they introduce to customers is radically reshaping the customer journey. And, this evolution has impacted everything from marketing to sales to relationship-building.

I know one of the common reactions to this message is to think, “yeah, but that’s just for B2C companies.” Nope. The truth is that it’s every type of company and organization, B2B included and beyond. Because in the end, it’s all about human beings and how they use technology and experiences to make decisions.

How you reach people, how they learn about you, what they value and how they make decisions accordingly is all changing. You must adapt too.

Innovation starts with learning and unlearning. It also takes seeing new possibilities in all the things we missed, misjudged, or chose not to see. Innovation is all the work you do to conform to expectations and aspirations of people as they evolve instead of making them conform to your legacy perspectives, assumptions, processes and metrics of success.

To reach and engage people differently, to earn relevance and ultimately their business, we need to see the world through their eyes and walk in their steps. We need to understand how they discover, where they go, what they ask, what they value, and how they make decisions, et al. Undergoing an out of body digital-first and even mobile-first customer journey teaches us everything. It makes us see and feel things differently.

Yes, you still have your traditional customers who like to do things the way that they always have. However, no innovator ever said, “but that’s the way things have always been done.” You still have to serve them and deliver experiences that they cherish. Change and innovation take an intentional balance between doing what you do well and what you don’t yet know to do well. This takes experimenting with new technology of course, but also learning and unlearning to gain new perspective, empathy and purpose to bring to light new opportunities. Innovation and change start with you.

Please read X, The Experience When Business Meets Design or visit my previous publications

Connect with Brian!

Twitter: @briansolis
Facebook: TheBrianSolis
LinkedIn: BrianSolis
Youtube: BrianSolisTV
Snapchat: BrianSolis

Invite him to speak at your next event or meeting. 

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Pam Neely of analytics app Whatagraph.com recently used Brian Solis as a case example, in an article on new ways companies can be more visible on Instagram.

Excerpt:

Solis made the usual quote-style post more interesting by writing it out on paper and taking a photograph of the handwritten note.

Full article at Whatagraph.com

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Nicole Bitette of Viacom’s “V” blog recently did an overview of 2018’s VidCon, and extensively quoted Brian Solis’ event keynote address.

Excerpt:

In the event’s keynote, Brian Solis, principal analyst of Altimeter Group, said influencer marketing is only a sliver of most B2B and B2C companies’ marketing outlays. He noted that the desire for as few as 5 percent of brands are interested in building relationships with influencers—as opposed to signing one-off campaigns with them—according Traackr and Altimeter, a Prophet company. Solis’ soon-to-be published report, Influencer 2.0, reveals that most companies are still in the early stages of influencer marketing, which is why the conference rooms at VidCon featuring discussions on how to work with an influencer were packed with representatives from brands and agencies.

Full article at V by Viacom

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In Sean Callahan’s LinkedIn article “The Insight Track with Dan Gingiss: Creating Memorable Experiences on Social Media,” Gingiss – a keynote speaker, author and experience consultant – offered his perspective on B2B companies leveraging social media to deliver exceptional experiences online. Gingiss mentions Solis as one of the authors who has been most influential to him.

Referring to him as “the Godfather of Customer Experience,” he mentions Solis’ two game changing books that are actually experiences to read: “What’s the Future of Business?” and “X: The Experience When Business Meets Design.”

Read the entire article here: https://business.linkedin.com/marketing-solutions/blog/content-marketing-thought-leaders/2019/the-insight-track-with-dan-gingiss–creating-memorable-experienc?utm_source=dan_gingiss&utm_medium=social

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