On February 9th, in the Mirage Hotel and Casino, I stopped for a bite to eat at Japonais. It was after 5pm and I had just finished attending a string of seminars and conference calls. Hungry and not looking forward to the long flight ahead, I just wanted a good meal. Out of habit and professional curiosity, I used Foursquare and checked-in as I had done so with every restaurant visited during my trip. The meal was as delicious. The service was superb. I was pleased. The waitress brought the check. Not in a rush, I took my time. … [more]
Categories: Food & Cooking, M80 Intelligence, Social Media Strategy
Twitter announced the launch of Brand Pages today, giving brands the opportunity to provide a richer user experience on the micro blogging platform. Part of a much larger redesign, this is the first time Twitter has provided tools specifically for brands. The new features give brands more control over the way they present themselves in social media, however, the impact these changes will have on consumer interaction with brands on Twitter are not certain. Should you wish to discuss these or any other social media topics, please feel free to reach out to us via Twitter (@m80im). Twitter Brand Page … [more]
Categories: M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management, Social Media Strategy, Twitter
Audi, always proud to be a ‘first,’ is one of the first automakers to join Instagram, sharing exclusive images to an excitingly engaged community. The results? Over 2,500 followers in 5 weeks, a “Like” rate of 200 per image, and an average daily growth rate of 64 followers*. Not bad. And as a testimonial to the devoted Audi fan base, the community’s engagement is increasing on the daily. What’s that devoted Audi fan base? Keep posting beautiful photos of your favorite Audi models? K. No, you’re the best. Starting an Instagram account for your brand? First, ask yourself this … [more]
Categories: M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management, Social Media Strategy
With the launch of brand pages on Google+, M80 has produced a point of view document discussing what these pages bring to the table for brands, and what sort of brands should launch a presence using them. M80 on google plus.pdf View more documents from Tim Fogarty
Categories: Google Plus, M80 Intelligence
Somewhat dangerously, social media has come to mean “Let’s get on Facebook and Twitter, and maybe do some influencer outreach” to many brands. There is undeniable value and power in those channels, but a look back to the days before the social graph was complete can be valuable when constructing brands’ social presence footprints. Before Facebook knew everything about you, many brands established owned communities to give home to their enthusiasts- making the hard core harder core. A standalone, branded social network gave the consumers the space to explore their passions, connect with people with similar interests, and ultimately bring the … [more]
Categories: M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management
The launch of Google Plus has brought the concept of grouping connections to the general social media audience, and right on time. Brands have been working for years to grow social audiences, and as many have achieved significant scale, a mature approach to segmenting and nourishing these segments is required. Catering to discrete social audience segments must start from the beginning – how and why are consumers showing up, anyway? – and that approach must evolve through the entirety of a brand/consumer social media relationship. This turns the idea of telling the audience to do what the brand wants on … [more]
Categories: Facebook, Google Plus, M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management, Social Media Strategy, Twitter
Facebook. Twitter. Myspace. Friendster. Geocities. Hell, throw in Tumblr, Instagram, Digg and Reddit while we’re at it. What do they all share? The social networks that capture popular attention – and mass audiences – almost always share a very similar origin story: the scruffy, boot-strapped start up. Aping the early histories of HP, Microsoft, Apple and Google, the story of dominant social media websites are pretty much the same – a group of young guys start from nothing but a good idea to make a company that takes over the world. It’s a cute story – even when it’s not … [more]
Categories: Google Plus, M80 Intelligence, Social Media Strategy
Being successful in social media requires us marketers to think differently. There’s no forcing consumers to love our brands on the terms we want them to – it’s their decision to engage with the brand, and we have to respect and nurture that toward mutually beneficial ends. An often-overlooked decision in marketing brands in social media is the determination of when products get their own, standalone presences and when they should be rolled up under a single masterbrand umbrella. Factors stemming from the ways brands bring products to market and the ways consumers perceive bands require us to give great … [more]
Categories: M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management, Social Media Strategy
Following the F8 conference, M80 has compiled the changes to the Facebook platform and detailed what they mean for marketers in social media. M80 on f8.oct03 View more documents from Tim Fogarty
Categories: Facebook, M80 Intelligence, Social Media Brand Management
