Social Media Benchmark Wave One

www.smbenchmark.com | #SMBenchmark

SOCIAL MEDIA BENCHMARK
SOCIAL MEDIA BENCHMARK:
WAVE ONE REPORT
How businesses are adapting to, investing in
and drawing value from social media
March 2012

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SOCIAL MEDIA BENCHMARK: WAVE ONE REPORT www.smbenchmark.com | #SMBenchmark

FOREWORD

“ A pioneering
Do you know your fans from your followers? Your likes from
your connections? How are you measuring? The Social Media
Benchmark is a new, six-monthly study exploring how marketers
are adapting to, investing in and getting value from social media.
Produced by The Chartered Institute of Marketing and supported by portrait of social
media that no
Ipsos ASI and Bloomberg, our aim is to create the definitive guide to
the changing role and potential of social media in business.

This ongoing research is groundbreaking, not only because it will
build a picture of key trends over time, but because each wave of
research will explore fresh themes. In this first wave, we focus on
marketer can
afford to ignore”
the use of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube and investigate
issues including skills, resourcing, risks, barriers and the future.

Other studies have got under the skin of what consumers are doing
within social media – now it’s time to discover how businesses
are getting to grips with it. The results are the first colours in a
pioneering portrait of this fast moving sphere that no marketer can
afford to ignore.

Thomas Brown
Head of Insights
The Chartered Institute of Marketing

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CONTENTS

WHO TOOK PART 1
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 2
SECTION 1: STATE OF THE NATION 4
SECTION 2: PROGRESS, IMPACT AND OPPORTUNITY 14
CONCLUSION 28
DOs AND DON’Ts 29
ABOUT THE RESEARCH PARTNERS 33

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WHO TOOK PART?
Wide range
This inaugural survey was
conducted over a four-week 1,295 of seniority
period among 1295 marketers, respondents 26% practitioner
64% of whom were based in 38% manager
the UK. 64% 36% head of
We experienced a rich mix in the UK department and
across industry sectors, above
including B2B, B2C and B2B2C.
We intentionally focused on a
wide range of seniority – 26%
of whom are practitioners, 38%
managers and 36% heads of
department and above – and
Rich mix
we also ensured there was a across
balanced mix across national,
industry Balanced mix
multinational and global
sectors across national,
companies.
multinational and
including B2B,
global companies
B2C and B2B2C

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SOCIAL MEDIA BENCHMARK

“You can’t presume to pump out
your own marketing messages
• New content is posted regularly
on most platforms, showing
“You can’t presume to pump
anymore. People expect
something more,” says Allister
marketers’ understanding of the
need to keep up the momentum
out your own marketing
Frost, a digital evangelist at on this 24/7 medium. LinkedIn messages anymore. People
Microsoft UK. Indeed, engaging
with customers on their terms,
is the least regularly updated.
expect something more”
• There is a lack of rationale
not yours, is a prerequisite for
building genuine and sustainable
around usage of social media Says Allister Frost,
by marketers and a consequent a Digital Evangelist
relationships using social media. at Microsoft UK.
lack of effectiveness, revealing a
The first wave of our research
need for marketers to go back
explores how well marketers are
to the drawing board in terms of
achieving this.
creating a clear strategy.
Here’s what we found:
• Social media management
• There is positive adoption is inconsistent at best. Many
overall, but too many marketers companies have no social
are still failing to embrace social media champion and a worrying
media. With the exception of number of companies haven’t
LinkedIn, B2C remains ahead of worked out what department it
B2B. should sit in.

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SOCIAL MEDIA BENCHMARK

• The full potential of social to address this by investing in media strategies backfiring This report explores the deeper
media is underestimated by training their current people. spectacularly, yet marketers insights that these findings
marketers. The more obvious seem unaware of the dangers. reveal. In other words, what is
• Investment is growing and
areas of value have been widely the real story behind the figures?
quickly. Last year saw a • The perceived barriers to getting
embraced, but marketers are Moreover, we talk to industry
significant increase, with even value from social media don’t
missing great opportunities, experts to look at what marketers
more companies planning to match the actual obstacles
particularly around customer can take away from the results.
increase investment in the year as outlined in this report. This
insight and intelligence. Or to put it another way, what
ahead. suggests that marketers need
practical things can marketers do
• Robust measurement is not to give more attention to some
• There is lack of understanding to move forward in their journey
evident. Given marketers’ focus of the very real hurdles that
from senior management, with towards gaining optimum value
on measurement of offline may be standing in the way of
only a quarter of marketers from social media?
activity and the fact that many progress.
saying that their senior
of the online analytical tools are In Spring 2012, we will come back
management really understands • Marketers see social media
both free and easy to use, it is to the key questions we cover in
why they are using social analytics, mobile apps and
surprising that marketers are this report, along with some new
media. There is an urgent blogging as the next big
falling behind in this area. ones. As such, this study will get
need for marketers to play an areas in terms of investment.
even bigger and better as time
• Organisations face potential educational role. Proprietary online communities
goes on.
vulnerability due to a significant and hiring a social media
• Reputational risk is
skills deficit, with just 6% agency are also considered
underestimated. There are
claiming that their skills and significant, with Google+ for
many examples that have hit the
competences are at an optimal business prioritised by just 11%
headlines of companies’ social
level. Half of businesses plan of marketers.

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SECTION 1: STATE OF THE NATION

1. WHO’S DOING WHAT?
“Some organisations still
How many businesses are using social media platforms?
How does this vary by industry or size?
aren’t convinced about the
2. WHEN IS NEW CONTENT POSTED? benefits to their business
How often is new content posted? or sector; others don’t
3. WHY ARE MARKETERS USING SOCIAL MEDIA? know how to get started or
How do marketers rate the effectiveness of their social
media activities? worry that once they do,
4. WHO OWNS SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOW IT’S MANAGED? they won’t be able to keep
How is responsibility for social media resourced? up the pace”
Who is managing the business’s official account?
Says Russ Shaw,
Non-executive
Director at
Game Group plc.

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1. WHO’S DOING WHAT? HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE USING
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS?
Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn understanding of how to use the
are all past the half-way tipping platform. “Some organisations
point in terms of business take- still aren’t convinced about the
up, with only YouTube slower to benefits to their business or
secure widespread use. sector; others don’t know how
to get started or worry that once
If your glass is half full, you
they do, they won’t be able to
could conclude that the
keep up the pace,” says Russ
adoption of social media, and in
Shaw, non-executive director at
particular these four platforms, is
GAME Group Plc.
on its way to being mainstream.
But sceptics might well ask Is LinkedIn for personal or
why such a large proportion of professional use? Is it really Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube
organisations are still shying sensible to use Facebook and
away. Twitter for customer service? 71% 56% 53% 41%
Is YouTube really relevant for
Reasons include fear of the
B2B? These are just some of the
unknown, perceived lack
questions that today’s marketers
of relevance and a poor
are asking.

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1. WHO’S DOING WHAT?

So what should I do?
“There’s a race to catch up
In practical terms, just think
of social media as a logical
Adoption of the core social
and it’s easy to feel daunted to extension of what you already
do. If you have 50 or 500
media platforms is high –
the point of doing nothing at
all,” warns Nick Eades, CMO customers you’d normally invite over 50% in all but one case.
of Psion Plc. “But remember
it has never been a one-way
to an event and show them a
video, try it on YouTube. If you It’s positive to see these
conversation from brand to get hits from half or more of that
number, that’s not a bad start.”
tools being embraced by
consumer.
so many businesses, but
are they using them for the
right reason and are they
delivering value?

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1. WHO’S DOING WHAT? HOW DOES THIS VARY BY
INDUSTRY OR SIZE?
B2C has always had the “prosumer” to highlight the rise
stronger foothold when it comes of professionals as consumers
to social media and our findings in their own right. “This is not Most used of all platforms – B2C
show this continues to be the a group marketers can afford somewhat ahead of B2B but little
case. But B2B looks set to catch to miss out on – they have a variance by size of company
up. “I predict this is the next big massive, and growing, presence
wave of social media usage,” online,” he says. Significantly stronger amongst B2C
says Russ Shaw. audiences, but only slight variation
“Currently, B2B mainly uses it “Spend time looking and between national and global/
for networking and recruitment, listening to what your multinational companies
but it’s time for companies to competitors are doing on social
have more conversations with media,” advises Dara Nasr, Significantly stronger among B2B
each other – a Twitter feed head of YouTube and Display audiences and smaller businesses
somewhere on the value chain at Google. “It will help you see
between company and supplier; where your business fits in the
using Facebook to see what Least used but significantly more
bigger picture. It could lead to
your suppliers are up to in used among B2C audiences and by
you dipping a toe in the water
order to generate new business global/multinational companies
if you haven’t already or getting
opportunities, for example.” more involved, and certainly
Josh Graff, director of marketing more creative, if you’re already
solutions for EMEA at LinkedIn, there.”
has coined the phrase

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2. WHEN IS NEW CONTENT POSTED? HOW OFTEN IS NEW CONTENT
POSTED?
Social media is a 24/7 So what should I do?
investment – it requires a “If you’ve got a new product
level of continuous attention launch, you might want to post
and engagement that doesn’t more regularly – but if you have
typically accompany traditional nothing to say, don’t say it,”
media. We found a regularity advises Russ Shaw. “So often,
and pace behind its use that when I go onto my Twitter feeds,
suggests marketers not only it’s as if organisations can’t stop
understand this, but act on it. and the impact they have over
The picture is most positive time is minimised. Be relevant.”
when it comes to the frequency Philips is an example of an
with which Twitter and Facebook organisation that sees regularity
are used by marketers. But with of posts as a critical issue
almost half of businesses saying not only for marketing, but for
their activity on LinkedIn is either other departments such as Twitter Facebook LinkedIn
highly irregular or idle, there’s product development. Josh
room for improvement – not only Graff believes this is something Once a day or more
from marketers’ side but the marketers are only just starting Once a week to several times a week
platforms themselves. LinkedIn to wake up to. “They regularly Once a month to several times a month
knows this – just last week, they start discussions and ask
Very irregular
launched Company Profiles, challenging questions that have
which provides the opportunity Not been used for a month or more
an impact across their whole
for companies to link together. business and indeed the wider
sector,” he says.

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3. WHY ARE MARKETERS USING WHY ARE MARKETERS USING
SOCIAL MEDIA? SOCIAL MEDIA?
These channels aren’t exactly the scale of organisations and
new, yet the rationale for using markets outstripped the facility
Our competitors do
them is surprisingly opaque. for consumers to come together,
Just doing things because you
feel you ought to or because
you thought you’d test them out
but actions as simple as ‘like’
‘recommend’, ‘share’ and ‘follow’
mean consumers’ conversations
Just experimenting
Other It’s expected
won’t cut it, particularly when
you consider the extent of cuts to
have now been reignited. If
marketers don’t join these
Customers use it Don’t know

marketing budgets this year.

At best, low integration, wide
conversations, they will lose the
influence that is the core of their
role.
Core part of
experimentation and assumptions
shine a light on a lack of strategy
for most businesses in 2011 and
“Experimentation need not
campaign
highlight a priority for 2012. At be taboo,” says Tara Beard-
worst, they can prove fatal for Knowland, director at Ipsos 28% Just experimenting
business. “Here’s a chance to tap ASI. “To a certain extent, we’re 27% Core part of campaign
into word-of-mouth marketing – all experimenting in these early 18% Customers use it
the nirvana of marketing,” says years – the key is to make sure
12% It’s expected
Josh Graff. Indeed, social media you have clear reasons for
transports us back to a time when 3% Don’t know
experimenting. Why am I doing
the market was defined by people 2% Our competitors do
it? What do I want to get out of
talking amongst themselves it? The more focused you are, 5% Other
about a business’s reputation. the more likely you are to be
This was lost for a while as successful.”

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3. WHY ARE MARKETERS USING HOW DO MARKETERS RATE THE
SOCIAL MEDIA? EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR SOCIAL
MEDIA ACTIVITIES?
If someone told you they’d So what should I do?
embarked on a business project YouTube comes out particularly
with no clear objectives, then badly. Marketers are missing a
couldn’t understand why the trick here, believes Nick Eades.
results were disappointing, you’d “YouTube is one of the easiest
wonder if they were for real. Yet mechanisms to put video out Extremely
this is the broad picture when there and video is the future. If a effective
it comes to marketers using written content tells 100 words
social media. Across every and a picture tells 1,000 words, Not at all
effective
platform, more marketers are then video tells a million words.”
dissatisfied than satisfied with
the effectiveness of their social Leona Shepherd, corporate
media activities. marketing director for 3M UK Plc,
agrees. “We have used YouTube
There’s a desperate need to very effectively to position
go back to marketing basics – our brand campaigns and our
what are your objectives? How branding message. It has really
exactly do you want to influence strong measurable metrics and
consumers? Couple this with generates a lot of interest. So, for
learning exactly how the medium example, if we want to reach a
works and how to engage with it. wider audience within a particular
Only then can you hope to truly segment with a more visionary
understand how social media can message, YouTube will be our
help your brand and make your first port of call.” Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube
business grow.

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4. WHO OWNS SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOW IS RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOCIAL
HOW IT’S MANAGED? MEDIA RESOURCED?
Is social media championed What should I do?
by a dedicated resource or “Ensure the responsibility
embedded across the business? lies with someone who has a
Our findings reveal high levels passion for using the tool in
of variation and inconsistency, business – not just the tool
with relatively few organisations for its own sake,” says Leona
having a full-time social media Shepherd. “It’s too easy for
manager. Surprisingly few businesses to get someone in 29% 28% 23%
outsource to a third party. to champion it who lives and 29% 28% 23%
Social is for life, not just breathes social media, but is
surprisingly lost at sea when it We have a Undefined/ Distributed across
for Christmas. That means social media inconsistent from marketing team
attempting to achieve your comes to working out how it can ‘champion’ campaign to
campaign
objectives in the short and long further your cause, be it brand,
term, which in turn means it marketing, customer experience 10%
must be managed and kept or whatever else.” 5% 5% 4%
fresh. It’s hard to see how this
can be done without someone
championing it. Sits within Social media Outsource We have a
digital media resides outside to agency/ dedicated social
manager/team of marketing third party media manager

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4. WHO OWNS SOCIAL MEDIA AND WHO’S MANAGING A BUSINESS’S
HOW IT’S MANAGED? OFFICIAL ACCOUNT?
In over half of companies, people, and you can see how
marketing is leading social management of social media has
media activity. But in the other become a sticking point for so
half, it’s based somewhere many organisations.”
else, with many companies still
There is no doubt that social
trying to work out whether this
media benefits from being
is primarily a tool for marketing,
managed by one particular
PR, sales or another department
department – although that
altogether.
does not mean that it should
There’s a sense of organisations sit in a completely independent
still finding their feet here, says silo. “Social media belongs
Josh Graff. “This is an emerging everywhere, but you need
medium and they don’t have the someone orchestrating it 51% 61% 52%
luxury of decades of traditional and trying to pull together a
advertising which always cohesive strategy. Only then
sat very naturally within the does it have a hope of being
marketing department. Add to embedded into the very fabric of
this the fact that it takes time the organisation,” says Robert Marketing team Third party

to restructure departments, Harles, head of social media at Individuals Sales team
particularly when companies Bloomberg. PR team Other
have tens of thousands of

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4. WHO OWNS SOCIAL MEDIA AND
HOW IT’S MANAGED?
What should I do?
“Don’t lose sight of your primary
It’s encouraging to see that
objectives”, says Tara Beard- the marketing function is
Knowland.

“So many companies put social
co-ordinating social media
media in a particular department, activity in the majority of
without really thinking it through.
What do you want out of it? If businesses, but this still
it’s building brand awareness, it
makes sense to sit in marketing;
leaves a risk: social media
if it’s about ‘softer’ messaging, it isn’t something any one
might be better in PR.
team can ‘own’.
If you are B2B and want to use
it to make connections with key Education and
individuals, consider putting it in
sales.”
internal
communication
therefore
become crucial.

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SECTION 2: PROGRESS IMPACT
AND OPPORTUNITY
5. Where do marketers see the value in social media?
“Seperate the wheat from
6. How is social media being measured?
7. Are the right skills in place to get the job done?
the chaff by always coming
8. How are organisations investing in social media? back to the only question
9. What does senior management make of it? that really matters – how
10. Are there risks to reputation? do you make this strategic
11. What are the barriers to getting value?
to your business, not just a
12. Looking ahead
‘nice to have’?”
Says Leona Shepherd
Corporate Marketing Director
3M UK plc

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5. WHERE DO MARKETERS SEE WHERE DO MARKETERS SEE THE
THE VALUE IN SOCIAL MEDIA? VALUE IN SOCIAL MEDIA?
Are marketers valuing what’s was triggered by the realisation
easy, as opposed to what that a lot of our lawyers dabbled
counts? It’s clear that they with it, but as a firm we hadn’t • Supporting other aspects
recognise some of the worked out a clear strategy of of a campaign.
strongest areas of value, but how to benefit the most from it,”
• Regular communication/
understanding of the commercial says Karim Emara, CMO.
engagement with current
potential of these tools –
He settled on a three-pronged customers.
particularly its listening potential
process. “First, set the
– appears lacking. • Adding value to
boundaries – we have strict
No wonder our research found policies in place for people to
reputation or profile.
that very few marketers believe know how to use it and how
they are getting maximum value not to use it, building a clear
from these channels. Clifford separation between what people
• Prospecting for new
Chance used to be among can do as an individual and as a
customers.
them. “But then we stopped firm. Second, monitor – we look
to ask ourselves, ‘What’s the widely at what people are saying • Generating enquiries.
best way to gain value from about the firm, about our peers
LinkedIn, our preferred social and indeed our clients. • Competitor intelligence.
media platform?’ The question
• Market research and
intelligence.

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5. WHERE DO MARKETERS SEE THE WHERE DO MARKETERS SEE THE
VALUE IN SOCIAL MEDIA? VALUE IN SOCIAL MEDIA?
Thirdly, and most critically, we or drive traffic to their website,
act – if someone is launching then wonder why they can’t spot
a new drink in Poland or a car the value. Use online platforms • Supporting other aspects
firm is branching into a new innovatively and you are far of a campaign.
area of business, we jump more likely to reap benefits.
• Regular communication/
on the opportunity and ask if
Take Vets – the UK’s leading engagement with current
there’s anything we can do to
provider of out-of-hours customers.
help. Now, my team – which
emergency veterinary care –
covers clients such as Deutsche • Adding value to
which worked on building a
Bank, BMW and Procter reputation or profile.
stand-alone, but segmented,
Gamble – are expected to use
community of pet owners (a kind
their social media dashboard
of MumsNet for pet owners)
on a daily basis to spot such
using Facebook in May 2010.
opportunities.” • Prospecting for new
Although Vets is by no means a
customers.
So what should I do? megabrand, it is responsible for
Too many organisations use creating the third most engaged • Generating enquiries.
social media as a bolt-on to a Facebook Page in the UK.
campaign or simply to prop up • Competitor intelligence.
• Market research and
intelligence.

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6. HOW IS SOCIAL MEDIA BEING HOW ARE MARKETERS MEASURING
MEASURED? SOCIAL MEDIA?
One of the much-praised “Today, you can tell not only how
benefits of social media many people are clicking but
channels – and indeed digital who is clicking too. Suddenly Twitter
in general – is their innate you have the ability to segment Number of Number of Re-tweets Mentions/
followers customer comments
measurability. The tools, and target your audience and followers

many of which are free, even create specific campaigns
provide sophisticated insight accordingly.”
for companies of all sizes to
When Robert Harles arrived
get a pulse check. But we Sentiment CTRs Enquiries via Revenue via
at Bloomberg, nothing was analysis Twitter Twitter
found a worrying number of
measured. “But now we monitor
organisations failing to take
and measure everything from
advantage of this rich suite of
how many people are engaging
analytics.
with us to how often information
LinkedIn
“Measuring by click through is about us is shared. Most Number of group Number of Posts Mentions/
really quite antiquated, yet this is critically of all, we ask, ‘Of the X members customer group
members
comments

still the main tool used by many million people following us, who
marketers,” says Josh Graff. is the most valuable, what are
they doing and how do we use it
to turn leads into real sales?’”
Sentiment CTRs Enquiries via Revenue via
analysis LinkedIn LinkedIn

Advanced
Basic
We don’t use

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6. HOW IS SOCIAL MEDIA BEING HOW ARE MARKETERS MEASURING
MEASURED? SOCIAL MEDIA?
“I often hear people say social matters is the big picture. Focus
media is too embryonic to only on measuring what you
measure – I think that’s a cop- need to find out, if social media Facebook
out,” he says. “It’s all well is helping you connect with Number of fans Number of Posts Mentions/
customer fans comments
and good to build buzz and your customers in a relevant
awareness, but if we can’t say, way – a way that demonstrably
‘We succeeded in these three encourages them to do business
dimensions, failed on these two, with you.
and here’s why, along with what Sentiment CTRs Enquiries via Revenue via
“Ask yourself not how many analysis Facebook Facebook
we are going to do differently
tweets or viewers did we get
next time’, what’s the point,
but, ‘How many did we act on?’
particularly given the pressure
Likewise, if you put a promotion
on marketers for ever greater
on your Facebook page and
accountability and proof of YouTube
upload a video and watch it
ROI?” Number of Average length Number of
go viral, don’t just sit back views of view subscribers

So what should I do? and smile that it’s a job well
While it can be fascinating to done. Work out what it actually
get stuck into all the KPIs that achieved in terms of sales,”
reveal successes, what really agrees Karim Emera.
Number of Comments Likes
customer
subscribers

Advanced
Basic
We don’t use

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7. ARE THE RIGHT SKILLS IN PLACE DO BUSINESSES HAVE THE RIGHT
TO GET THE JOB DONE? SKILLS IN PLACE TO LEVERAGE AND
MANAGE SOCIAL MEDIA EFFECTIVELY
Few marketers would deny the them, with one in five companies
importance of building the right admitting that they are leaving IN 2012?
talent and capability within their the responsibility of managing
business, but this sentiment social media activities to people
Our skills and
appears to be struggling when it who are, at best, under-skilled competencies 6%
comes to social media. Not only and at worst, disinterested. As are optimal

is there evidence of weakness of one person who blogged about
skills and capabilities across all our research put it, “It seems We are average
sectors, but a worrying number that the job description for most for our sector 32%
of businesses have yet to businesses is still, ‘Do you know
determine how to address this. how to tweet?’” We are improving

This is 2011, not 2001. These On the surface, it’s encouraging
but below industry
average
31%
channels have been around for that around half of businesses
some time, yet many companies intend to invest in some training We are
are sceptical about their current for their current staff. But it fundamentally
ill-equipped
19%
ability to make the most of will be interesting to see in our

Don’t know 12%

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7. ARE THE RIGHT SKILLS IN PLACE
TO GET THE JOB DONE?
next waves of research whether
they really do achieve a greater
What should I do? Waste
no time in addressing the
It’s of significant concern
skill set organically, given the
current economic climate. A
widespread skills gap that this
survey has uncovered.
that half of businesses
further alternative is to bring
The gap between businesses
acknowledge a fundamental
in ‘digital natives’, but this too
has potential problems, not
that perform well on social lack of capability around
media and those that don’t
least the creation of silos within
silos, causing companies to
will widen dramatically in social media, or that their
lack a joined-up approach to
2012 and if companies fail to
invest in the skills, time and
skills are below their industry
social media. There is also the
possibility of outsourcing –
training necessary, they will find peers. In times of economic
themselves left even further
although we found this is taken
up by a surprisingly low number
behind in a medium that they uncertainty, will these
of companies.
themselves admit is here to stay.
businesses have
the time and
resources to
rectify this?

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8. HOW ARE ORGANISATIONS HOW DID COMPANIES INVEST IN SOCIAL
INVESTING IN SOCIAL MEDIA? MEDIA IN 2011? AND HOW DO THEY
ANTICIPATE INVESTING IN 2012?
With over half of businesses “We are seeing incredible
having increased their momentum in terms of
investment in social media investment, but if you can’t
in 2011 and seven out of 10 justify exactly why you’re doing
planning to increase their this, it’s possible that you might
investments in 2012, there’s no have some battles as 2013 INCREASED
doubt about the recognition of approaches,” says Josh Graff. SAME
the potential of social media. DECREASED
What should I do? NOT USING LAST YEAR
Couple this with marketers’ Organisations clearly recognise
lack of rationale for using social where their customers and
media, senior management’s consumers are, but marketers INCREASE
lack of buy-in and questions need to consider the months SAME
over the effectiveness of leading up to the end of 2012 DECREASE
channels and the picture NOT USING NEXT YEAR
as critical in terms of backfilling
appears less rosy, however. a clear strategy around social
Given the current economic media. If they don’t introduce
uncertainty, it’s hard to see how clarity into what they are doing
investing in marketing heads and soon, there’s every possibility
dollars without a good business that the financial outlay will be
case is sustainable. scaled back.

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9. WHAT DOES SENIOR DOES SENIOR MANAGEMENT FULLY
MANAGEMENT MAKE OF IT? UNDERSTAND WHY WE USE SOCIAL
MEDIA?
With just a quarter of marketers the lack of clarity – and in some
reporting that their senior cases scepticism – among
management fully understands senior management becomes Strongly agree

why they are using social media, easier to understand. No strong view either way
that leaves the vast majority in a Strongly disagree
“I’ve seen so many situations
vulnerable situation. A quarter of
where senior management is
marketers say those at the top
ill informed and simply throws
don’t get it at all.
it all into the same bucket –
But then again, should we be blogging, YouTube, Facebook
surprised? This research shows and more,” says Karim Emara.
that yes, investment is growing “For marketers, this is a simple
rapidly, but metrics aren’t in educational process – telling
place to evaluate and guide them about the opportunities
activity, and many marketers are that exist, the impact social
unclear about their objectives. media is already having on the
Add to this the wide variance business, what competitors are
in how social media channels doing successfully and what is
are managed and planned, and your strategy.

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9. WHAT DOES SENIOR
MANAGEMENT MAKE OF IT?
It’s about saying, ‘Here’s what
social media is about and
“So a quick and simple win
for marketers is to get their
There appears to be low
here’s how it needs to work
for us’ – and that explanation
senior management personally
using these social media
concern amongst marketers
needs to ripple down to people platforms.” “Don’t waste time about the potential risks of
throughout the business, all
of whose backing you need to
teaching senior management
the mechanics of social media,” social media. Creativity and
really make it work.” adds Leona Shepherd, 3M.
“What they understand is
experimentation shouldn’t be
“When people recognise the
connecting with customers, so stifled, but marketers need to
benefits of establishing their own
the responsibility for marketers
is to articulate the vision, the have a plan of action that
personal profile online, it very
quickly becomes apparent what
strategy, the metrics and the
insight that social media can
can be implemented
the business benefits are,” says
Josh Graff.
provide.” quickly should a
campaign
backfire.

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10. ARE THERE REPUTATIONAL DO MARKETERS SEE SIGNIFICANT
RISKS? REPUTATIONAL RISK IN SOCIAL MEDIA?
Less than one in 10 marketers “Risk does not have to
recognise the significant hinder creativity or even
reputational risks associated experimentation,” stresses
with social media and nearly half Tara Beard-Knowland. “Some
see no risk at all. You only have of the very best examples of
to turn to the recent tweeting marketing’s use of social media
nightmares for companies such are big, bold and dynamic.
as Qantas and McDonald’s to But awareness of the key
see the folly of this belief. areas of danger is the only Twitter Facebook
way for marketers to minimise
Qantas’s attempt at social media
the chance of social media
promotion turned into a classic
backfiring on them.”
PR disaster when users hijacked
the promotional tag to insult the
airline. Meanwhile, a McDonald’s
Twitter campaign designed to
spread good news boomeranged
when critics unleashed torrents
of abusive tweets.
LinkedIn YouTube

Strongly agree
No strong view either way
Strongly disagree

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10. ARE THERE REPUTATIONAL
RISKS?
“If something does go wrong,
be transparent – better still,
Tara Beard-Knowland. “This isn’t
like a TV campaign where there’s
Companies typically
apologise,” says Robert Harles,
Bloomberg. “Social media is
a beginning, a middle and an
end. It keeps going and often
mitigate reputational risk
about a relationship with your involves changing objectives. through control – the very
consumers and as long as
you admit when you’ve made
If you don’t know what to do
when problems arise, you’ll be antithesis of social media.
a mistake, learn from it and
move on, people may be more
unable to solve them quickly –
and it’s this time lapse between
The digital revolution has
forgiving than you think.” the mistake and acting on it that placed ownership of a brand
What should I do?
often causes orgnisations the
greatest reputational risk.” or business’s conversation
“Do a risk assessment and
revisit it on a regular basis,” says with the customer; is your
business truly prepared?

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11. WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS PREVENTING
TO GETTING VALUE? MARKETERS FROM GETTING MORE
VALUE OUT OF SOCIAL MEDIA?
These channels may be free, but yet in many instances, the fact is
they can take up a huge amount that consumers are well ahead
of time. For today’s marketers, of their companies – using
our research shows this is a real iPhones for home-use and Lack of budget
stumbling block. Blackberries for work-use.
Time to properly
manage these
But perhaps the biggest surprise What should I do? channels
is the number of issues that Take the time to analyse what Inability to measure
marketers don’t consider a is really stopping you gaining
hindrance. Poor skills and maximum potential from these Lack of technology
management understanding four platforms.
come way down the list, for Lack of management
The bad news is that you might understanding
instance, yet marketers have
admitted elsewhere in the study find the list is longer than you Level of change
thought, but the good news is in digital
that key skills and top level
understanding are severely there are proven solutions and Skills of marketing/
brand teams
lacking. many opportunities to learn
from others, with the result that Quality of agency
partners
Likewise, lack of technology progress need not be hindered
capability isn’t seen as a barrier to the extent that it is.
to a large number of marketers,
Significant barrier to progress
Some complications
No problem
Not applicable

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12. LOOKING AHEAD IN WHICH OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA
TOOLS ARE MARKETERS PLANNING
ON INVESTING IN 2012?
It’s encouraging to see almost centre with no real reason and
half of marketers planning that blogs fail to stand out.
40% 40%
on investing in social media
What should I do?
analytics this year, but with just 36%
25% having invested in this area Separate the wheat from the
in 2011, we’ll be keeping a close chaff by always coming back
on eye on whether this actually to the only question that really
happens. At the other end of matters – how do you make this
strategic to your business, not
the scale, Google+ comes low 23% 23%
down the list, almost certainly just a ‘nice to have’? Take that
reflecting its teething problems. crucial step back to give it the
time it deserves.
Whilst it’s of little surprise that
mobile apps and blogging “If you do try something that
– both of which are growing doesn’t work out, move on,” 11%
fast – gain a healthy interest adds Leona Shepherd, 3M.
from marketers, other findings “I think a big part of the learning
in this survey show that many process for marketers in 2012
marketers do not have clear will be to identify when they’ve
sight of their goals. There exhausted the use of a particular
is, then, a danger that some tool in a particular segment.
marketers wind up merely It’s important for marketers to Mobile apps Google+ for business

creating a mini version of a be able to see if something is Proprietary online communities Hiring social media agency
website for a phone, that apps working and if it’s not, to close Social media analytics Blog(s)
may be created left right and off that avenue.”

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CONCLUSION

2012 is supposed to be the year
in which business use of social
nothing out and you may even
do damage. But if you use it Should your organisation be
media matures, but these results
show that we’re a long way
with foresight and planning, the
payback can be huge.
using social media?
away from this at the moment.
Social media is more than a Absolutely. But only if your
A major concern is that only
one third of marketers strongly
buzzword – the next step is for it
to be treated as a key aspect of
presence is supported by a
believe that the social media
channels have potential as a tool
achieving business objectives. clear strategy, investment
to help their businesses grow –
Wave two of the Social Media
Benchmark is live in March
and commitment.
which is somewhat at odds with
2012, where we will build on the
businesses’ growing investment.
learnings from wave one with
In times of economic turbulence,
a deep-dive into the following
marketers need to build a
areas:
more robust rationale to justify
long term investment in these • Social media usage and
channels. resourcing.
Should your organisation be • Digital capability, skills and
using social media? Absolutely. talent.
But only if your presence is • Data, privacy and regulatory
supported by a clear strategy, issues.
investment and commitment. It’s • Social media listening and
not enough to throw something monitoring.
out there for the sake of it. If • Barriers to progress in 2012.
you put nothing in, you’ll get

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LinkedIn DOs LinkedIn DON’Ts

• Offer insights – Share great • Be innovative – Experiment • Automate your • Share only company content
articles, tips, quotes, advice with your current strategy communications – Create – Current and prospective
and wisdom not just about to find new and interesting thoughtful and conversational customers want to know
your company, but also about ways to present the same content. Engaging with your what’s relevant to them. It’s
relevant third party insights. information to your networks. prospects does not end at not just about you and if you
Gather and share that signing them up as followers. don’t make content about
knowledge to become a hub Even if they’ve agreed to the bigger questions, people
of valuable information for receive updates on your won’t have enough reason to
your customers. company, this is no longer come back for more.
enough to ensure brand
• Interact, then act – Achieving
loyalty.
the right balance between
self-promotion and creative • Work on the basis that one
content often requires a vision size fits all – LinkedIn Ads
of what’s on your audience’s are powerful tools that, as
mind. A simple way of marketers, you can use to
deciphering this is to just ask, target very specific audiences
using tools and applications within a global network.
such as INMail and LinkedIn
Groups.

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Facebook DOs Facebook DON’Ts

• Remember that Facebook is • Ask questions – Companies • Take fans for granted – • Make promises you can’t
a personal social network – should ask people questions Getting fans is only the keep – Offering incentives or
Before ‘leaping in’, take time to make them feel involved first step. Companies must promotions in return for ‘likes’
to understand the ‘etiquette’ with decisions. Business focus on retaining them. Use is fine, so long as you’re able
required. Ask yourself why pages should be a real online Page Insights regularly to to fulfil demand and meet
your customers or consumers community and can be a great track which posts sparked expectations. Failing to do
are using Facebook; how way to gather feedback. Use conversations and sharing so could result in significant
they’d like to engage with Facebook’s Questions feature and keep posting this kind of backlash.
you (listen, respond or and ‘Fill in the blank’ posts content to maintain interest.
contribute); and what value can be particularly useful.
• Bore people – People’s
they expect you to bring to
News Feeds contain a lot of
the conversation.
information and they are busy
• Offer rewards – There are so probably won’t have time
thousands of businesses on to read everything. Posts are
Facebook so marketers need a reflection of a company
to make sure business pages so they should be short and
stand out from the crowd. snappy and ideally less than
Companies can reward fans three lines.
for liking the page by offering
competitions and special
offers.

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Twitter DOs Twitter DON’Ts

• Link Twitter activity with • Respond – An endlessly • Underestimate the resource • Obsess about numbers
other online media – Live ringing phone in a call centre (mainly time) required to of followers – Don’t stress
tweets on your website would be unacceptable, so use Twitter properly – For because you don’t get the
will help to optimise your why would you leave queries instance, telecoms providers same number of followers as
web presence for search, or complaints on Twitter (see @VodafoneUK as an Lady Gaga. It’s better to have
encourage cross-promotion unanswered? example) use Twitter as fewer relevant followers than
of your chosen channels and an extension of traditional more irrelevant ones.
help keep fresh content on customer service channels,
your website. but this requires re-allocation
of headcount, so may not be
• Get the balance right
the ‘cheaper option’ many see
between tweeting and
it as.
listening – Pay attention
to what your customers or • Over tweet – Don’t tweet
prospects are talking about unless you have something
and interested in… Do the to say and provide a
same with your competitors, variety of tweets (news,
who may inadvertently reveal promotions, service-related
a lot about their plans on announcements, comments
Twitter. etc).

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YouTube DOs YouTube DON’Ts

• Be clear on the purpose • Include a call to action – • Just put content designed in YouTube and consider
of video in your campaign If it’s appropriate, a call to for other media onto advertising to get your videos
– Is it to provide technical action can be very effective. If YouTube – That’s not really on the search page.
product information? Is it to your marketing objective is to being integrated. Viewing
• Forget to integrate video
support a brand campaign? increase visits to your channel behaviour is different online,
into other media – Simple
Is it designed to be shared or participate in a contest, so understand what will
steps such as embedding
and spread virally amongst encourage your audience to motivate your audience to
in e-mails, showcasing on
your target audience? Is it get involved. watch, keep watching until
your website, including in
designed to generate leads? the end and share with others.
blogs, building into mobile
Clear objectives should guide
• Forget to help people activity, linking in traditional
what you create.
find your video – Simply direct marketing (such as
• Deliver key messages early uploading to YouTube isn’t through QR codes) can help
on – Traditional TV advertising enough. Make sure you put your audience to navigate
typically builds up to a climax as much effort into how you multiple channels with ease
at the end of the 30-second describe and publish your and supports consistency of
spot, whereas online video video as you do to making the message and use of assets.
is viewed differently. Plan for clip. Credit notable speakers
user tune-out near the end of and partners in your video
the video and deliver your key description and tags, include
message early. your website URL in the video
description, ensure your
video is categorised correctly

BACK TO CONTENTS 32


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As the world’s largest Engaging with us means being We believe that successful Bloomberg is building the
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