BW Confidential - Issue #17 - March/April 2014 - (Page 56)

Digital Social media content Talking heads The ins and outs of creating the right content for social media by Naomi Marcoulet W hen done well, social media and usergenerated content can reap spectacular results, as retailer Walmart can testify. The US retail giant has amassed an overwhelming 34 million likes on Facebook in the US and over 437,000 followers on Twitter (at end 2013). In the lead up to Black Friday, Walmart dominated social media responses, attracting 62,000 Facebook posts on Black Friday alone, counting 42 comments per minute. Data by Shareablee, a social analytics company, revealed that 20% of social media content shared or re-posted by shoppers came from Walmart, and it received more than twice the interaction on Facebook and Twitter against 10 other top retailers. According to Tania Yuki, ceo and founder of Shareablee, Walmart's social media dominance comes down to the company's content and its ability to put itself in the shoes of its audience. In the case of Black Friday, a good mix of content that encouraged 'community unity' was key. "They weren't just pushing Black Friday sales, but also messages that highlighted fabulous recipes or asked people what they were thankful for; that's generally the thing that gets people to share the most. The brands that struggle garnering that organic engagement are the ones that keep pumping out promotional messages and treating social media like it's just an advertising platform." " Brands are still having a oneway dialogue, thinking social is there to sell. Yes, it's a platform to raise your profile, but it should be used to get close to consumers, making them feel part of the brand " CODE Beautiful co-founder Sarah Cross This is a message echoed by many social media experts. "The brand has to really understand the passions of particular audience segments and be able to generate content that attracts people to it, as opposed to continually pushing content out," Joel Davis founder and director of social media agency Agency:2. "Brands are still having a one-way dialogue, thinking social is there to sell products. Yes it's a platform to raise your profile but not in an obvious sell, sell, sell kind of way. It should be used to get close to consumers and open up a two-way dialogue, making them feel part of the brand," says Sarah Cross business consultant and co-founder of mascara brand CODE Beautiful. Making the connection Many niche brands and bloggers have risen out of obscurity because their content resonates with consumers. CODE Beautiful's founders invested heavily in social media, including a 12-week Facebook campaign for Crack CODE Beautiful, the brand's launch, after which there was a waiting list for the product. Similarly, beauty blogger Michelle Phan has not only gained a high-profile, but has become an influential personality in beauty because of social media. Improving digital content BW Confidential moderated a panel discussion on digital marketing trends at the Beauty 2.0 summit on November 12 in Paris. Panel participant Unilever digital marketing services gm marketing analytics Alexandra Soubrier talked about creating better social media content. What type of digital content can brands use to better connect to consumers? Consumers are receptive to high-quality images and "soft selling"-it's an image that 56 a brand is selling on digital, as the product is not physically present to try. The key is to target the audience that matters to you and tell consumers stories that matter to them. Sponsored stories tend to perform better than ads. Performance also varies by category. In haircare, product information generates organic reach and tutorials generate viral buzz, with moderate interest in celebrity stories; in make-up, consumers are more receptive to sophisticated messages that include celebrity stories. How can brands better monetize their social media content? ROI has changed. Today, we talk about Return On Impressions for social, rather than a strict definition of classic ROI. Social media inverted the funnel-instead of targeting a high reach to convert a few buyers, social media amplifies the audience through viral buzz. The next step would be conversion to an online-shop, or consumer tracking via market research studies. What do you see as the next big trends in digital content? Bloggers are emerging as key influencers and are seen as independent. We know the success of Michelle Phan with her L'Oreal fans, and Ruth Crilly is successful with her website www.amodelrecommends.com. March-April 2014 - N°17 - BW Confidential http://www.amodelrecommends.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BW Confidential - Issue #17 - March/April 2014

Cover
Comment
Contents
Update
Brand & retail news recap
Companies on the move
Take note Market facts, figures & trends
Best of BW Highlights from our e-publication
Launches The latest in fragrance, skincare & make-up
Interview Guerlain ceo Laurent Boillot
Insight: Make-up
Category overview
Budget brands
The latest trends
Retail
Innovative strategies
Retail
Vending machines
Store concepts
Digital Social media content
Market watch: Latin America
Regional overview
Mexico: country analysis
Mexico: prestige retailing
Colombia: country analysis
Colombia: prestige retailing
Argentina: country analysis
Argentina: prestige retailing
Radar A profile of six up-and-coming beauty brands
Emerging markets Company profile: Mahogany
Travel retail: Brazilian travelers
Analysis
Industry viewpoint
Packaging: Decoration techniques
Trends analysis
Innovations
Last word Diagonal Reports analyst Jacqueline Clarke

BW Confidential - Issue #17 - March/April 2014