social technographics applied

This post comes as a quick study break...a break that will touch on social technographic segmentation and how it can be applied.
Forrester does a great job of outlining how exactly such segmentation can be put to use, particularly in applying the breakdown of various segments against another variable - primary motivation, for example. As you can see below, users motivated by entertainment are more likely to be creators and/or critics than those motivated by career or family use. The insight here is that sites or brands or companies that are associated with entertainment, be it music, movies, or the like can more aggressively pursue social media as a way to connect with their target consumer.

A more specific example of understanding social technographic segmentation can be seen in the comparison between Dell and Apple users. Dell users are less likely to create or critique with respect to their Mac counterparts, particularly due to the creative 'mood' that is set by Apple. The more active stance of the Apple customer can also be linked to the more evangelistic attitude held by many of its customers. A feeling that results from their love of the brand and product, which ultimately leads to them speaking out.

the google graveyard

It's official - nobody can avoid the current economic slowdown. Even Google is "bracing" itself, backing out of unprofitable ventures and reassessing where they are spending. Their most recent move was the closure of their radio advertising service, a 3 year 'trial' program that involved approximately 1600 radio stations.

Although you could point the finger at the recession, this move further illustrates Google's inability to successfully operate offline. The online giant recently shut down their print advertisement department as well, thereby relying almost entirely on online ad revenues. In fact it t is online that they plan to utilize some of the radio technology that has been developed for streaming audio purposes. It should be noted that Google is still attempting to penetrate with television commercials, but I could see that taking awhile to get rolling.

The moral of this story is simple. It's well known that consumers are tightening their spending habits, but if Google and its $22ish billion revenues are doing the same - the recession is here.
*story from Marketing Magazine, see it here.

more on twitter...companies using social media

To continue with my social media theme, I want to briefly explore some of the companies that are currently using Twitter as social and marketing medium.

The basis for this was my stumbling upon an ClickZ article on Agent Provocateur's (AP) entrance to the Twitter world, just in time for Valentine's Day. AP's strategy is similar to that of most companies in this realm - identify with the consumer in an environment that they are comfortable with and establish a consistant and relevant voice that represents the brand. With respect to AP, their Twitter account is just one aspect of their social media blitz. They have recently launced a company blog as well as a Facebook profile, the former being a forum that has delved into intimate topics such as consumers' sex lives.

brands that are also active on Twitter include Comcast and Home Depot. Another Twitter article (found here) documents the various reasons large companies are 'experimenting' with the site. "Some see Twitter as an extension of the marketing department; others view it as a customer service tool, and some say it's best for corporate communications."

All this Twitter talk seems to have me wondering what I'm missing out on...I know I said I was happy with Facebook, but I'm thinking I might start a Twitter account just to see what it's like.

twitter...explained

The basis for this post actually came directly from a brief discussion in class today. A classmate raised his hand and asked, "I don't really understand what Twitter is." Although the 'super app' had been brought up in consecutive classes, some of us had missed the boat...including myself. I have never engaged in 'tweeting' and I have never 'followed' anything.
I then came across a great article titled, "Twitter in Plain English," from InternetMarketing.com. Not only does it explain some of the benefits of the service, there is also a video (below) embedded that walks the viewer through how to connect with other users, companies, etc. Personally, I still don't see myself using Twitter, but I have since come to realize the value that can be provided in the B2B realm. It does seem like a great way to collect 'research' or data as well as marketing directly to those who are already interested (hopefully they are following). But like I said, I don't see myself tweeting anytime soon, Facebook seems to handle me social media needs just fine.

happy birthday fb!

Just a couple of days ago Facebook celebrated its fifth birthday, a seemingly short period of time given the fact that the social media platform has become synonymous with everyday life for so many people. Although I must admit I don't use Facebook as much as some people, it is still plays a crucial role in my social well being. In particular, the Facebook Chat application has revolutionized the way in which I interact with my peers. It instantaneously met my messanging needs, and as a result I have logged into MSN Messenger no more than 10 times in the past 3 months (astonishing given my past behaviour!). PC World took the birthday of Facebook to identify '5 Reasons We Love Facebook,' which can be found here. I agree with all of the aspects they have listed, but I give the most credit to Facebook for Reason #2. The interface they have developed is second to none, intuitive, and extremely consistant. I truly believe their interface drives the quality of social media experience Facebook is able to facilitate.

enterprize finals

As I mentioned below a project group of mine, PURElito Water Solutions, has been competing in a large business plan competition - Enterprize. The final presentations were held this past weekend, where we failed to get passed the semi-final round. However, another group from our class, EasyPlug, placed second in the national finals so congratulations to them!

From now on this blog will be primarily dedicated to providing discussion regarding e-Marketing. Enjoy.