This week in social media…
Google+
Questions over whether or not Google should be experimenting in the social media world arose this week when Wil Wheaton (admission: I assumed they were referring to the character on The Big Bang Theory and not a little show called Start Trek) ranted on his Tumblr about Google+’s sneaky moves. The company replaced the YouTube “like” button with an icon for Google+, requiring users to join the network first. Google claims it was trying out different interfaces, but the move means that Google+ users will homogenize the popularity of YouTube videos. The misstep is one of many in Google’s social media strategy—the company already implemented Google+ pages into its search results as part of its “Search Plus Your World” plan, which author Steven Levy acutely points out “comes dangerously close to reneging on its original promise to provide unbiased links to those searching for information.” Some commenters are already vowing to switch to Bing.
Social TV
Have you seen the preview for the new Twilight movie- Breaking Dawn Part 2? Probably not, because you were too distracted by the giant #BreakingDawn scrawled across the screen to actually learn anything about the movie. But this integration of social media and television- Social TV- is a key component of the Fall TV programming schedule according to an article in USAToday. Networks are capitalizing on viewers real-time reactions to TV moments. According to Trenddr CEO Mark Ghuneim, posting comments about TV shows on Twitter, Facebook and other social platforms grew 194% from April 2011 to April 2012. While Fox leads the networks in terms of likes and followers on Facebook and Twitter, NBC, ABC, and the CW have their own apps that let views watch entire shows for free on smartphones and tablets. And interestingly the CW, which is targeted to a younger audience, is dead last in the Nielsen rankings but has a much bigger share of social media interaction. Taking advantage of social media savvy viewers is an obvious choice—it costs a mere percentage of typical TV show marketing, and generates viewership and word of mouth in a more organic way. And since Hulu does not yet offer shows for smart devices, networks are narrowing the divide to attract TV viewers and hype shows.
Converting Facebook Fans to Buyers
Forrester Research, Inc., one of the most respected sources when it comes to media analysis and reporting, released a new study called “The Facebook Factor: Quantifying the Impact of a Fan on Brand Interactions” which looks at 4 companies Facebook fan ROI—Best Buy, BlackBerry, Wal-Mart, and Coca-Cola. Forrester’s logistical model assesses how engaging with the brand on Facebook affects purchase, consideration, and recommendation of the brand. Results: a Facebook fan has a considerable higher probability of making all three of these brand interactions. Although Facebook fandom has the largest effect on purchase, marketers would be wise to focus on the “recommendation impact” of fans. For example BlackBerry Smartphone owners have an 87% probability of recommending the product to a friend, vs. 44% of non-fans. Of the four brands, Blackberry shows the most difference between Facebook fans and non-fans (based on 3,187 US online adults who own a smartphone). Forrester’s quantified report is welcome news to the social media ROI debate that is currently clouded with chatter. You can read the abridged blog version or download the full report.
Digital Magazines Demand Data
Publishers of tablet-friendly magazine content are being pressured by print media buyers to produce more rigorous data about consumer engagement with tablet-friendly magazines. The 4A’s Print Media Committee (whose members include ad buyers) issued a letter to magazine publishers this week demanding accountability to questions like: how many tablet editions are purchased, how many are actually opened, how does the readership vary per issue, and how much time are people taking to read the issue? Ad buyers want to see data that separates readers who get tablet access as part of their print subscription package, and those who buy tablet-only subscriptions directly. For the record, the Association of Magazine Media (MPA) already developed a set of tablet metrics to drive advertising growth. It’s interesting to think about types of content that literally can’t translate to the tablet medium—like perfume scent seal advertisements. But if these ad concerns lead to quantified third-party data on tablet readership, I’d say it’s a double win.
