1 > copyright © 2005, converseon, inc. beyond blogs and social networks december 1, 2005

Beyond Blogs and Social Networks

December 1, 2005

The CGM Universe is Big

More than 1 billion postings and growing at 30%

CGM: (in millions) 2003 2004 2005 2006

Online Discussion Boards/ 768MM 960MM* 1200MM* 1500MM*

Forums/Review (Opinion) Sites

Google Groups / Usenet Forums 42MM 48MM* 52.8MM* 58MM*

Blogs (i.e. Web Logs,

Digital Diaries) 25MM 84MM* 168MM* 252MM*

Total CGM 835MM 1092MM 1421MM 1810MM

% Consumers creating CGM 18% 20% 24% 32%

Source: Intelliseek

It’s Influential

Converseon Study: 39% of top search engine listings for BW 100 derived from CGM

Corporate listings

Consumer Generated Media

Competitive Site

It’s Highly Visible

And it Can Work For – or Against – You

Starbucks Detractor Blog Example

Why Blogs Matter?

A brand is an “experience that creates an impression”

Brand and product reputation is clearly a discussion that creates a

perception

Companies have a stark choice

They can ignore the discussion and let others define them

Or they can join the conversation, help influence it, and define

themselves

Are You Ready to Join the

Conversation?

Understand and “Map” the Conversation

Conversation Mining technology scours public, online discussion areas to capture, understand and report the products, issues and opinions that consumers share between and among themselves

Understand and “Map” the Conversation

Conversation monitoring and mapping tells us: What is being said about your company? Is it positive, negative, neutral? Key issues? Key Topics? Volume increasing? Decreasing? Are there concerns, misperceptions that need to be addressed? What issues/features are most important to target audiences? What are most influential venues? Posters? How is client faring in CGM versus key competition? What is visibility of opinion in search engines?

This intelligence provides basis for development of an effective WOM and communications plan

Map the Conversation

Topic Mapping Example

Typical Online Brand Conversation

Early AdopterPotential

Evangelists (10%)

Core “Persuadable”Target Audience

(Early/Late Majority – 80%)

Competitors, Determined Detractors

Mobilize Engage Minimize

Develop Triage Blog Strategy Based on Intelligence

Mobilize influentials and potential allies to blog on your behalf

Affiliate Marketing

Contests

VIP Reviews

Community Networks

Engage blogosphere via enterprise blog strategy based on business goals

Thought leadership

Content syndication

Internal communications

Acquisition

“Buzz”

Education

Minimize visibility determined detractor blogs

Blog Affiliates Are Natural Evangelists

Blog Communities Can Evangelize

Paypal’s DevelopersNetwork Brings TogetherCommunity of Developersto Share Ideas

Sweepstakes, Contests, Promotions

School Teacher George Master’siPod commercial swept the blogosphere.

It was not sponsored by Apple,but it helped open the door to possibilities…

Thought Leadership

Hitachi Data System’sCTO Provides Commentaryand Insight into IndustryTrends

Content Syndication via RSS Enablement

Direct Outreach

Brands can reach out directly in appropriate and transparent manner to:

Educate

Inform

Demystify

The “Starwood Concierge” participates in appropriate venues as resource to consumers

Search Engine Reputation Management (SERMA™)

Blogs Can Help Maximize Shelf Space

Paid Search

Natural Results – Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Marketing: Shelf Space Defined

Search Engine Reputation Management (SERMA™)

Minimize Determined Detractors

Founded on simple premise: According to research firm, Jupiter, 75 percent of

search engine users never scroll beyond the first page of results. And it is very rare

for a user to scroll past the top twenty (two pages) of search results listings

The critical battleground for reputation management is what content appears within

the top twenty listings under a relevant company searches

Via a successful SERMA implementation, companies that fully leverages its

content, properties and partners can help control the top listings under their name

and key permutations. The benefits are two-fold:

Provides a highly-visible forum to provide accurate and important information about a

company to key constituents

“Pushes” negative listings off the “visibility cliff”

Key Elements of Successful Blog Strategy

Establish corporate blog policy

Harness, don’t squelch

Be Committed

Speak with authenticity

Take the high road

Be prepared for critics

Let your personality come through

Consider legal parameters

Listen to conversation, then respond

Optimize

What Not to Do

What Not to Do: Disregard Transparency

Mazda’s creation of a “fake blog”to launch viral ads fell flat andNegatively impacted the brandIn CGM

What Not To Do: Disguise Intentions

Some Not So Clever Rebuttals:

“The Neanderthals at Starbucks have begun sending shills to the site…I’m saving their messages in this special section of the site.”

Depending on the nature of site, reaching out directly to sites for discussion often has decidedly mixed success.

What Not to Do: Ignore the Conversation

Some marketing experts say Dell and other companies have little realistic choice other than to institute polices that address complaints posted on blogs and other consumer-generated forums

Rob Keyrkey@converseon.com

212-213-4297 x301

1 > copyright © 2005, converseon, inc. beyond blogs and social networks december 1, 2005

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