In the grand scheme of things, social media is very much still in its infancy. We’re not even 10 years into this thing, and it already seems like marketing is now moving at an exponentially increasing speed. With that speed comes less time for marketers. Less time to research, less time to respond, less time to pitch ideas and get approvals. All of these factors lead to an increased risk that has confounded some brands and paralyzed others. But some smart individuals and companies have learned that intelligent, calculated risks can lead to big rewards, and they are capitalizing on this new frontier. Which kind of brand will you be?
Social Media
Fast Company: Why Yahoo’s “30 Logos in 30 Days” Campaign is Actually Brilliant Rebranding
Speaking of risk, could you imagine going to your CEO and telling him or her that part of your rebranding approach is to create a new logo every day for 30 days and then let it all play out on social media and across the web? That’s exactly what Yahoo! did, and it paid off in a big way. You can check out the logo that was chosen here.
The Guardian: Making Connections: How Kimberly-Clark Embraced Social Media Marketing
One thing brands big and small continue to struggle with is the speed and uncertainty that comes with social media. As this story states, “every aspect of its marketing now has to be more connected and responsive than was even conceivable just a few years ago.” Kimberly-Clark is a great example of a global brand that has learned how to harness the data that can come with an integrated marketing approach and is not afraid to take risks with its strategies.
LinkedIn: When it Comes to Social Media, Question Everything
Guy Kawasaki is one of our favorites here at GFM, and the point he makes in his story and example on LinkedIn is a great one: “It’s not how often you post. It’s what you post.” If you only have one great post a week, only post one thing a week. Don’t share content just for the sake of doing so.
Social Barrel: Why Fake Facebook Likes are Killing Social Media Marketing
While it is true that fake accounts on both Facebook and Twitter can and have significantly hurt social marketing and measurement, GFM has long maintained that the true measure of social media success is engagement and interaction, not the number of followers or likes. Having 100 passionate, involved brand ambassadors is better than any number of “empty” fans. Quality over quantity!
AdWeek: Why Brands Should Be Wary of Animated GIFs
You should be very excited that Facebook is beginning to let brands use animated GIFs on the platform (it’s about time!). The medium, along with Vine and Instagram Video, now allows brands to tell their stories in a more in-depth, easy-to-consume manner. However, there are some unique factors that you need to be aware of before you dive in.
