The document discusses how brands can build loyalty in a connected world through social media. It argues that brands should engage with existing online communities rather than try to create their own isolated social networks. Brands need to participate authentically in conversations and share relevant content instead of just promoting themselves. If done well, social media can help brands form deeper connections with customers and spread word-of-mouth recommendations organically across networks. The key is listening to customers, understanding where they spend time online, and adding value to discussions in a non-intrusive way.

1. The future of
BRANDING.
The future of LOYALTY.

2. HI.
Alex Hunter (@cubedweller)

3. I want to explore a few questions...

4. How do we create enduring loyalty in a
connected world?

5. How is the web changing the face of loyalty?

6. How do we extend our brands onto the
social web without being a dick?

7. ...and fundamentally...

8. Why should I love you?

9. Let’s define this right off the bat.

10. This is NOT a revolution.

11. (despite what the collective social media
douche-baggery might have told you.)

12. *GASP*

13. I know, right?

14. It’s about augmenting, complementing, extending.

15. It’s about loyalty.

16. It’s about engagement.

17. And we’re going to look at this...

18. From both sides of the fence...
http://flickr.com/photos/thoughtsupplies/3046100423/sizes/o/

19. But also...

20. But also...
Business to Business...

21. Local Relevance...

22. But I was thinking...

24. But they’re the exception to the rule.

25. That’s artificial loyalty.

26. I want to talk about pure loyalty.

27. A practical example.

28. Who do you love?

30. How are you going to get US to love YOU?

31. You’re going to have to work your ass off.

32. We, the users, have a really loud voice.

33. Because the conversation has changed.

34. In the 1950s...

35. Brand
Us

37. ...we just took it as gospel.

44. We’ve all been fitted with BS detectors.

45. 18% believe what they read in ads.
* SOURCE: ADWeek December, 2009 Text

46. Text

47. Copyright © 2004 Pilot Boy Productions, Inc

48. YOU
Brand
Us

49. But before we get too into this...

50. ...let’s clear up a misconception.

51. Social networking isn’t about connecting with brands.

52. It’s about people connecting with people.

54. Speaking of the Colonel...

55. Isn’t it amazing...

62. Are we going to see...

64. Anyway...

66. Why?

67. Because they CARE.

68. They care enough to risk their personal reputation.

69. Are you willing to risk your reputation on
the quality of product?

70. You have to believe you’re creating the best
product, the best business, the best experience in
the history of our industry.
Nothing Less.

71. ?
Your Brand

72. But this isn’t just about founders and CEOs

73. This is about EVERYONE.

74. A janitor meets a President.

75. He BELIEVED he was putting a man on the moon.

76. x
You
Them

77. Have the guts to do this.

78. Don’t be scared of “consistency.”

79. Consistency is not Dogma.

80. Consistency is state of mind....like winning.

81. Brands are extending their reach with content
and engagement.
Building up a voice and personality.

82. If you do this, for God’s sake, KEEP IT REAL.

85. Diggnation takes this idea even further.
http://flickr.com/photos/theboybg/2929589405/

86. Diggnation carries the message even further.

87. But you don’t have to be as big(g) as Digg to create
loyalty.

88. Users have told you where they are. And if they haven’t,
you can figure it out. (geolocation)
So... Identify clusters of users, then....
image: National Geographic

89. Bridge the gap between online and offline. This breeds
incredible loyalty.
Host or sponsor real-world events, meet ups, user gatherings,
where the user clusters are.
BONUS: Revenue sharing opportunities with the venues and
co-sponsors.

90. Qype
Digg
Yelp
Qype, Digg and Yelp are just a few examples of how
successful this strategy can be.

91. It’s happening here in Singapore, too.

92. It’s scalable, so do it.

93. nities tha t exist
ink of th e commu
Th
round yo ur brand.
COULD exist) a
(or
Enga ge them.

94. Expand your audience.
(Make them do the work.)

95. Don’t be precious.

96. Extending into existing communities won’t kill you.
In fact, it will save your butt.

97. By embedding tools that allow users to quickly
broadcast right from your site, you expose yourself
to an almost infinite number of potential new
users.

98. The tools exist, we all use them every day.
And since they’re going into existing social graphs,
they’re RELEVANT, too.

99. Word of Mouth has changed.

100. Who do you trust more?

102. Or your friends?

103. WTF

105. x
You
∞
THEM US

106. “Us” and “Them” are VERY powerful now.

107. Back to the 1950s...

108. In the 1950s...

109. With a few clicks, a million people can hear my
opinion, find out about the song I just listened to, or
discover what I had for breakfast (and what I thought
of the restaurant.)
Enable that.

110. Some interesting stats came out recently.

111. More and more people are becoming part of the
conversation via social sites and social tools.

112. Growth is about 30% per year...
2008 2009
2007
342 426 588
Yearly growth of engagement (in millions), i.e. the
number of new people “joining the conversation”
each year. *
* SOURCE: Post Rank and Ethan Bloch http://www.flowtown.com/blog/how-social-engagement-is-changing?display=wide

113. There’s been a fundamental shift in how engagement
works.

114. 80 % of the social community’s engagement
with content now happens
somewhere other than the site on
which the content originated.*
* SOURCE: Postrank and Ethan Bloch http://www.flowtown.com/blog/how-social-engagement-is-changing?display=wide

115. Offsite Onsite
18% 20%
35%
65%
82% 80%
2007 2008 2009
* SOURCE: Postrank and Ethan Bloch http://www.flowtown.com/blog/how-social-engagement-is-changing?display=wide

116. What’s going on?

117. There’s been a shift from CREATING to CHATTING.

118. Percentage of users engaging in: Chatting
Creating
2007 0.03 19.1
2008 3.2 12.9
2009 29 3.1
* SOURCE: Postrank and Ethan Bloch http://www.flowtown.com/blog/how-social-engagement-is-changing?display=wide

119. The old conversation was happening on blogs, email, social
bookmarking sites, message boards, etc.

120. Now it’s happening on social sites.

121. Yahoo
Twitter
MySpace
Facebook
* SOURCE: Postrank and Ethan Bloch http://www.flowtown.com/blog/how-social-engagement-is-changing?display=wide

122. 5 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook each
week. *
* SOURCE: Facebook and TechCrunch

123. BILLION
* SOURCE: Facebook and TechCrunch

124. 45,000+ tweets
per minute
* SOURCE: Facebook and TechCrunch

125. 200
wordpress
comments
per minute
* SOURCE: Facebook and TechCrunch

126. 80
reddit
comments
per minute
* SOURCE: Facebook and TechCrunch

127. Ok so who is actually doing this? Who is a “future
brand”?

128. Everyone wants to be “fun” and “ethical” and
“challenging”.

129. But what does that actually mean?

130. FUN.
But what does that actually mean?

131. http://www.flickr.c
om/photos/foodbym
ark/
http://www.flickr.
com/photos/food
bymark/

132. http://www.flickr.com/photos/foodbymark/

133. ETHICAL.

134. Ethical is giving
artists and users
what they deserve.

135. CHALLENGING.

136. Rejecting the status quo.

137. Wait, wait, wait...

138. We’ve talked about what TO do...

139. Let’s talk about what NOT to do.

140. Doing any of these will result in large
amounts of....

141. DON’T monopolise the conversation.

143. hings your audience
If you're showing t
e going to listen and
cares ab out, they'r
Money.
respond.

144. But on the flip side...

145. becomes o ne-sided
If the co nversation
on the th ings that
and you o nly focus
Money. about, the
you r organisa tion cares
going to disengage.
audience is

146. DON’T try to be everywhere.

147. But remember, creating a branded social media
presence is easy. You’re ultimately in control.

148. But remember, creating a branded social media
presence is easy. You’re ultimately in control.

149. Getting involved in conversations on sites you don’t
control, now that’s powerful.

150. Responding to comments on blogs, review sites, etc
is a strong statement of commitment. Do it.

151. Do your research.
Find out where your c
Money.ustomers are an
d
engage with them on t
he platforms
where they’re already
talking.

152. DON’T go in blind.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegall/286709039/sizes/o/

153. In other words...

154. MEASURE. EVERYTHING.

155. something that you
You can ’t manage
t the tool s in place
ca n’t measu re. So pu
to m easure.
monitor & adjust.
Set goals and then
ion means to you.
D efine wha t convers

156. DON’T focus on return traffic.

157. This is fundamentally a brand-building exercise.

158. A very small percentage of users are ready to make a
purchase while they’re browsing Facebook.

159. Instead, you’re reaching your target market throughout
the entire marketing cycle, ensuring you’re front of mind
when they’re ready to buy.

160. i.e. Relationship Marketing

161. If you bear all of this in mind....

162. ...and you keep it real with your users...

163. I promise that you’ll change the world.

164. Thank You, you guys are awesome.

165. Alex Hunter
alexhunter.org
twitter.com/cubedweller (hit me up!)