It seems like there is a new social platform launching every few days. Some fizzle out, some hold-on, some take off quickly and others just won’t die. It’s hard enough to hedge your bets and pick where to spend limited time and resources to create and build your own digital profile, but it gets harder when you are taking risks for a brand or client. Recently, I sat down to tackle this issue–just how to I choose? The lens I used is content and what content needs to be created for what platform. I ultimately netted out at considerations I would use to evaluate social platforms to recommend to a client where to invest their limited time and resources (read: where do you put your first hour and first dollar) when it comes to social platform content creation, distribution, amplification or co-produced, shared content.
Here she is in all her glory, my top three list. What am I missing?
1. What platforms are our clients already investing time and resources into?
Does a brand already have established audiences or media commitments with any platforms in particular? Do they have KPIs against growing audiences and engagement on these platforms? In this case we would look to ensure the content is versioned/created in a manner that best resonates with each platform. We would would also work during our negotiations with media partners to ensure rights to distribute or license co-produced or custom content on our owned and earned channels that are most important. Ultimately, there is not enough time nor resources available to manage dozens of paltforms to their fullest potential, and it’s often not needed.
It breaks down to four types of “platform invovlement” for brands:
- BRAND IS HIGHLY ACTIVE ON A PLATFORM: Some platforms, usually a handful, that are valued highest to build relationships and maintain relationships and where the most time and resources are spent (this staples usually starts with Twitter, Facebook, sometimes YouTube and most recently Pinterest)
- BRAND SECURES THEIR PROFILE NAME ON A PLATFORM, BUT NOT HIGHLY ACTIVE: Some platforms are easy to link to existing profiles and brands can ensure they lock-up the user name and distribute appropriate content, but it is more of a push mechanism with little monitoring or relationship building. We have probably turned off some features. We are simply there. And it probably helps our SEO.
- BRAND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF A PLATFORM VIA PAID ADVERTISING (VS. MAINTAINING A PROFILE): Other platforms are a means for brands to be associated with and pay to surround an audience and conversation, not maintaining a profile. This is where you take advantage of audiences gathering, but you treat the platform as a another media partner to run ads within
- BRAND LEVERAGES PARTNER RELATIONSHIP AND THE AUDIENCE THEY’VE BUILT ON A PLATFORM: There are platforms that our media partners or talent are using and brands activate during specific periods. Here it makes sense for a brand to use those during specific times. See more regarding this in #2.
2. What platforms are our media properties and/or talent investing time and resources into?
Part of a platform activation recommendation includes evaluating the social platforms media partners are using that have established and active audiences. For example, ESPN has been using a platform called Tout during Fantasy Football programming to answer fan/user questions. If I were doing a program with ESPN around fantasy football I would seriously evaluate the value Tout and the ESPN fan base could bring to a program.
In addition, when specific talent is being leveraged either through a partnership or an extended agreement, I would look to value the potential amplification if I have them distribute our content to their fans across platforms they are already using. Keek is a great example of this. If I were working with the Kardashians (I know, I know… but sometimes it makes sense) or even some top YouTube talent, they have strong followings on Keek and I may look to weave a brand story into their videos they are already sharing.
In both of these examples, I would want to make sure to determine if I want them driving their audiences to a brand’s platforms, like a CTA to Facebook or Instagram (if the brand isn’t active on the talent’s social platforms) or if the value is in alignment with their audiences and engagement on other platforms.
3. What is happening in the ecosytem or there new audiences or platforms picking up momentum?
For various reasons, some great technologies fail and others rise to the ranks of Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia and YouTube. Part of my day job is to constantly be looking at what platforms different users are adopting and what are the key motivations for doing so. Are high school and college students using platforms differently than mainstream apps? Are users using more than one platform for different reasons? And most importantly, does it make sense for a brand to get involved?
The next questions to tackle is, what is the escape plan?
There you have it. My top three list. I probably spend too much time think about this, but it is fascinating. Agree, disagree?
the world according to schmogel. 