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Community and Platform Influence on User Engagement

By Sam Fiorella | influence marketing | Comments are Closed | 28 July, 2012 | 0

The continuing explosion of social media channels is creating a progressively difficult landscape for marketers seeking to engage customers, gather insights and identify true influencers and the nature of their influence over others.  As the audience becomes increasingly savvy and adept at multi-channel communications, I’m beginning to see a different tone and format used to share a single message in different channels by the same individual.

When the same message from the same individual is presented differently in unique communities or on different platforms, which best represents the true intention of the customer?

Is the context implied by the message format or tone in one channel impacted by the community they’re engaged with or the platform they choose to share it in? From customer acquisition to customer loyalty to influencer marketing campaigns, consideration of the communities and the platforms they engage in has become an important filter in marketing strategy.

A few weeks ago I read Ric Dragon’s book: Social Marketology, which presents best practices for creating the ideal social media strategy for your business’ unique needs. In the book, Ric suggests that social media engagement occurs in behavioral patterns and if we can identify and understand these, we’ll be better marketers.  This resonated with me because of the patterns we’ve been encountering among our client’s customers.   How much of those patterns are based, at least in part, on the community culture or the social platform? And if so, what impact does this have on our marketing strategies?

I thought this was a great debate to task the #bizforum community with and so I asked Ric to join our weekly Twitter event to explore this issue. Below is a slide show featuring the debate questions posted and a sampling of the pro and con arguments by members.


#bizforum debate – week 62

How has the growing engagement within communities impacted marketing practices and proceedures, with special guest moderator: Ric Dragon, author of Social Marketology.

Storified by @samfiorella · Sat, Jul 28 2012 17:15:04

Tonight’s Topic: The influence of community on customer engagement & marketing #bizforumSensei Marketing
So, let’s get this thing going. Welcome @RicDragon! Glad to have you on board as a guest debater! #bizforumSam Fiorella
S1: Social Media Marketing cannot be planned. It evolves in reaction to audience’s engagement. Agree/Disagree/Why? #bizforumSam Fiorella
A1: It CAN be planned. Altho I’m not a fan of warfare comparisons – it’s apt – you never know about the engagement #bizforumRic Dragon
A1: John Boyd’s OODA Loops come to mind: Observe, orient, decide, act – or Deming’s PDCA: plan, do, check, act #bizforumRic Dragon
A1 can & should be planned. Doesn’t mean overly “controlled” there must be purpose & intention #bizforumBrian Rensing
A1 Disagree. It can be planned with the right people and right skills.#BizforumKenny Rose
S1: Reaction is only 1 part of successful SM. Need to understand community needs & values then can plan content #bizforumAJ Kulatunga
Just because you’re dealing with unpredictable variables doesn’t mean you can’t plan. #bizforumRic Dragon
A1 Disagree, there are parts of Social Media that can be planned and you need to know what your goals are for SM to be successful. #BizForumLouise DiCarlo
A1) SoMe Marketing can be planned, Strategically; tactics are in the ebb/floww #bizforumJosepf J Haslam
A1: SM is an iterative process of planning and execution. It’s important to evalutate results and make necessary adjustments. #bizforumCatherine Chambers
S1: Social media should have a strategy just like any other area of the company. But it should be flexible & open to change. #bizforumPaulette Bleam
A1 You don’t want to react you want to anticipate, advocate and build a real time social presence #BizforumKenny Rose
@KRLRose There’s a diff. between planning the environment & ppl who engage & the actual communication, which cannot be formulaic. #BizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella Agree. The right people will be able to blend and respond without a formula intelligence scales. #bIzforumKenny Rose
@RicDragon You can plan to “engage” but planned reactions is anti-socialmedia is it not? #bizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella well, yes; although it’s good to have a library of reactions to standard questions (for the brand) #bizforumRic Dragon
@RicDragon I cringe when I hear “Library of reactions” in SoMe marketing. It promotes broadcasting, not conversation. #bizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella & of course, just because you have some stock responses, doesn’t mean it has to be formulaic #bizforumRic Dragon
@samfiorella @ricdragon planned response – this is really a kind of risk mgmt. isn’t part of the point to build/improve brand? #bizforumBrian Rensing
There is no formula for “Never Done Before” #BizforumKenny Rose
@RicDragon I see evolution in mktg, thx to SoMe, that sees it being much more fluid than it’s been traditionally. Agree? #bizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella Totally agree that mktg has evolved; fluidity? maybe. Brand must have more clearly defined personality, and CONVERSE #bizforumRic Dragon
Marketing is struggling to keep up with a new economic paradigm. #BizforumKenny Rose
@KRLRose Yes, mktg is struggling. I fear out-of-box marketing plans are their answer. #BizforumSam Fiorella
So – I think it a false premise to suggest “planning” precludes fluidity. Being ready for this is part of the planning. #bizforumBrian Rensing
S2: Customer’s online activities are really based on platforms, not customer-brand experiences. Agree/Disagree/Why? #bizforumSam Fiorella
A2: each platform does have inherent “media determinism” – some better for some activities more than others #bizforumRic Dragon
A2: the brand can help shape the experience for their customers on each platform in alignment with their brand personality #bizforumRic Dragon
@RicDragon I’d argue that social networks create a void that people fill with platform-specific content. Re-shapes what is *real* #bizforumSam Fiorella
The “void” comes from the perception that you’re “missing out” if not using a certain SoMe platform @SamFiorella @RicDragon #bizforumJosepf J Haslam
@Josepf maybe. the way the invention of the typewriter created a void. It made certain types of narratives possible. #bizforumRic Dragon
A2 agree because the consumer comes to the platform to talk about many topics. So – need to avoid intrusion. #bizforumBrian Rensing
S2 – Disagree. A customers actions will be inspired by their brand experiences, but platform will dictate nature of the action. #bizforumJonathan Barrick
@samfiorella @j_barrick But Sam, people conform/adapt 2 the enviro they are in when interacting & that dictates how they interact #bizforumJim Ducharme
@samfiorella @j_barrick – true; a platform can bring out certain behaviors. #bizforumRic Dragon
A2 Disagree. The platform is also a brand as the evolution of Twittter is proving. SoMe can enhance the xperience when done right. #bIzforumKenny Rose
@KRLRose Most brands are competing with SoMe platforms today vs. truly using them. Shift still req’d in marketing. #bIzforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella Indeed. The way each platform works can be just as inspiring as the brand experience being shared in them. #bizforumJonathan Barrick
A2 DISagree. Customer’s online activities are based on their OWN experiences so brands beware. People IS talking…WildWest! #bizforumMeghan M. Biro
A2) Disagree. The platforms merely allow different types of expressions, carry same message like poetry vs music #bizforumJosepf J Haslam
A2 Disagree, platforms dictate how you get the message out, not what the message is. #BizForumLouise DiCarlo
There is simply a new form of communication and culture that is technology driven, real time 365/24/7 engagement. #BizforumKenny Rose
Actually, I think I might be w/@SamFiorella on this, I can see where SoMe platforms create a “void” @RicDragon #bizforumJosepf J Haslam
Did you hear that @RicDragon? @Josepf agrees with me. That’s called a *steal*. Worth 2 points. #bizforumSam Fiorella
S3: Customer’s online activities are based on community patterns not their individual experiences. Agree/Disagree/Why? #bizforumSam Fiorella
A3: Disagree – people behave in a lot of different ways online, and can cross over many communities in any given day #bizforumRic Dragon
A3 Disagree, a good or bad customer experience dictates customer activity. #BizForumLouise DiCarlo
@LovelyLu I see A LOT of bandwagonism online. “Me too” blogs/tweets, etc. Community dictating convos. cc @RicDragon #BizForumSam Fiorella
I’m with @SamFiorella lot’s of bandwagonism!! People want to belong and therefore just agreeing with community! *sigh* #bizforumBrandie McCallum
S3 – Definitely disagree. Both factors influence every action. In varying degrees, but both are always influential. #BizforumJonathan Barrick
3: they move in & out, like motorcycle in traffic. In any given community, they do typically conform to the norms of that group #bizforumRic Dragon
A3 I think both – an individual might be egged on by community. depends how meaningfully good/bad the experience with the brand. #bizforumBrian Rensing
S3 a bad exp is a bad one – but if everyone is saying “its just you” some will conform but others will revolt. #bizforumJim Ducharme
@hugeheadca actually, more than 75% will conform. See Ash experiments with group conformity. #bizforumRic Dragon
A3) Agree! 🙂 We all all filter our individual experiences through the collective 🙂 #bizforumJosepf J Haslam
A3 Really a mix of both depends on a variety of factors driving the customer/experience #BizforumKenny Rose
There’s community based and experienced based.Community based wants to be part of a group.Experienced is performance based #bizforumOliver Walter Brown
S3: In the beginning, activity is based on comm. patterns… & as he/she gets to know the platform, it’s their own experiences. #bizforumPaulette Bleam
The thing about group conformity is what it means for marketers. and that goes for the whole “influence” bag of kittens. #bizforumRic Dragon
@RicDragon Tidal wave of social media communities are drowning out individualism. Ironic isn’t it? #bizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella Disagree. Social media is all about individualism. Ppl participate to express part of their identity @RicDragon #bizforumAlan Berkson
@berkson0 How much of that individual identify is “formed” by their social community though? #bizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella Doesn’t matter. It’s about context. Social is a way to express who you are. Egocentric, to a large extent #bizforumAlan Berkson
@samfiorella so, we’ve got these 2 great forces in play; group conformity, and ability for micro groups to form #bizforumRic Dragon
S4: Customer’s online engagements can be predicted based on community activity. Agree/Disagree/Why? #bizforumSam Fiorella
A4: Agree: – while people move around, within those communities they typically behave in predictable ways. #bizforumRic Dragon
A4 totally agree – tribalism kicks in regardless of mode of community forum in the end, an algorithm can be identified. #bizforumBrian Rensing
A4: No, everyone is an individual. Some things can via community activity, but not all. #bizforumRob McGahen
S4 I agree with predictions, there’s a market for tracking customer actions to accurately market to their needs and wants. #bizforumOliver Walter Brown
S4 – Patterns always emerge in communities if they’re big enough & have enough of a history. We’re more predictable than we think. #bizforumJonathan Barrick
S4: I think you can predict what might happen based on how others have reacted — but also be prepared for, & welcome, surprises. #bizforumPaulette Bleam
S5: Identifying influencers can only be achieved by studying the micro-communities they engage in. Agree/Disagree/Why? #bizforum @Sam Fiorella
A5) AGREE! no one is universally influential #bizforumJosepf J Haslam
A5: It’s one way to identify–not the only way….So I say Agree Maybe 🙂 #bizforumMeghan M. Biro
A5 I agree, In order to plan for the future you need to find out what is happening now and why #bizforumOliver Walter Brown
S5 – That’s the best way, in my opinion. On average I trust the hardcore enthusiasts much more than most popular experts. #BizForumJonathan Barrick
A6: AGREE – diff communities r influenced n diff ways – netnography or online ethnography important 2 get 2 root of that #bizforumRic Dragon
@RicDragon You mean there’s not a universal score for influence?! W H A T ? ? ! ! #bizforumSam Fiorella
Agree. Influence is pervasive comes in different forms. Influencers can/are influenced by feedback they receive virtuous circles. #BizforumKenny Rose
@KRLRose not sure if research supports that. At least not on particular topics. #bizforumRic Dragon
@KRLRose I agree, but identifying the micro-communities is almost as big a challenge as finding the individuals. #BizforumSam Fiorella
@samfiorella influnce is REALLY complex, dependent on issues/topics, environment, etc. No easy scores. #bizforumRic Dragon
Don’t forget to watch @berkson0 , @samfiorella & @RicDragon duke it out on #bizforum TV! ~> http://bit.ly/OiuYMfSensei Marketing
#bizforum gavel has dropped, ending another week’s debate! Thanks to @RicDragon & Social Marketology for inspiring tonight’s debate!Sensei Marketing
Klcommunications

Of course the incorrigible Ms. Margie Clayman had to jump into cause some trouble:

@samfiorella I don’t know what you’re talking about but I disagree and it depends. cc @KRLRose #bizforumMarjorie Clayman

A usual the group’s opinions and experiences were divided but the collective discussion was enlightening.  Throughout the debate my goal was to push everyone to consider how much of the customer’s engagement is influenced by their community and if so, how does that impact marketing strategies and processes?

I’ll challenge your views on the impact of communities with these arguments:

  1. The customer’s online engagement is no longer the natural conversation that would have occurred between them and a brand representative or with a peer, but is skewed based on the social community and social platform.
    1. The context of customer’s online engagement is in large part affected by the ‘group-think’ nature of communities.
    2. The nature of the customer’s online content is directly impacted the format and rules that the chosen social network creates
  2. The hyper changes that the internet and social technologies are championing means that there are too many disruptions in the brand-customer-brand communication path for current social patterns to be used for anything but historical analysis.
  3. Training staff to adapt to customer engagement and react/respond accordingly is a better marketing investment than attempting to predict customer engagement based on community engagement.

Now I’m turning the debate over to you now:

Is influence marketing thus best achieved by managing communities vs. individuals?

Has the customer’s social engagement become more influenced by their community and the  platform than their individual experiences?

Join the debate by commenting below.

Sam Fiorella – Sensei
Feed Your Community, Not Your Ego

My quick review on Social Marketology, by Ric Dragon
I appreciated the fact that Ric doesn’t provide a litany of social media tactics, but describes a framework from which any business can customize unique and personalized social media marketing strategies. Less about technology and more about understanding human behavior, his lessons and approach are thought-provoking for those who wish to take customer engagement in the realm of social media seriously. I recommend this book for process-oriented marketing pros.

 

Customer Acquisition, Customer Experience, influence marketing, Marketing, social media

Sam Fiorella

Sam Fiorella is a Partner here at Sensei Marketing, a consulting and technology firm focused on aiding global companies grow their business value through improved customer experiences. Professionally, Sam has also co-authored: Influence Marketing: How To Create, Manage and Measure Brand Advocates and is a Professor of Marketing at Seneca College and an Adjunct Professor at Rutgers Center for Management Development. Sam is also the co-founder of YellowIsForHello, a not-for-profit corporation that seeks to decrease the rate of suicide among students through peer-to-peer connections.

More posts by Sam Fiorella

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