On the other hand, LinkedIn appears to be growing in potential value. Based on discussions we've seen over the last month, people have applauded it as extremely helpful for B2B awareness (especially with LinkedIn Answers), lead generation, and recruiting.
Gone are the days when LinkedIn was considered purely the haven of job seekers. Instead, because of the platform's relatively limited reach, and prohibition of direct promotion, LinkedIn is considered the best suited for smaller B2B targets. Interestingly, it is these strict community-participation rules that helped LinkedIn receive such high marks from professionals.
"Facebook is good for brand awareness and building, Twitter is a micro blog and can be hard to target your niche and LinkedIn does a lot more than both Facebook and Twitter and is taken a lot more seriously."
But the professional conversations and recommendations didn't stop with just these three websites. YouTube and the idea of business channels generated significant discussion, and social-bookmarking sites had smaller -- but extremely passionate -- followings.
The how
So how are marketers using social media? What business objectives appear to be most important when using social media?
Based on online conversation, most business people were surprisingly unfamiliar with Twitter. People continually asked questions about the basic mechanics of the platform. The new Promoted Tweets product, specifically, drove significant interest.
There was a great deal of discussion about effectively using Twitter for promotions. For example, a report that Major League Baseball teams were reaching out to sell tickets through Twitter resulted in considerable attention.
Twitter brand etiquette was also a popular topic. Many marketers were scrambling to find the best approach to using the platform, debating issues like automated tweets, promotional offers, and the best approaches for gaining followers. Lists were also a fairly popular topic among brand marketers. But most comments were focused on the best ways to communicate company and brand news.
When compared to Twitter, the discussions about YouTube appeared to be broader. Contributors seemed most interested in talking about how to drive more traffic, generate viral video, and increase channel subscribers. But can you create a viral video or is it just luck? This very common question sparked lively conversations wherever it appeared, with some users providing intricate formulas and others answering more sardonically:
"OK here is the exact step by step formula to get 100,000 views to your videoStep 1 - PrayStep 2 - Rub a Buddha BellyStep 3 - Break a wishbone and wish for the viewsStep 4 - If that does not work, call up 100,000 friends
Rinse and repeat."
Another example:
"Yes, absolutely -- there is a time-tested, mathematical formula for making viral videos. Here it is...
Hot Babe + Skimpy Clothing + Doing Something Really Stupid = Viral Video
See, it's not so difficult."
The where
Marketers believed that the deepest and most insightful discussions occur on blogs. However, we found that the most valuable conversations about brand building occurred as frequently on Facebook. Nevertheless, while Facebook was lauded for its remarkable reach, blogs still appeared to possess a greater depth of engagement.
As we analyzed the commentary on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, some patterns surfaced:
- Blogs attract hardcore followings and are effective at delivering messages and engaging heavy users.
- Facebook has huge reach.
- YouTube is most attractive to brands searching for viral marketing.
- Twitter attracts hardcore followings as well as deal hunters.
These are powerful insights helping marketers take a decidedly more strategic approach to social marketing. They now have tool sets to deliver against discrete objectives.
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