Resonance

If you're in a creative endeavor and you don't get final cut, you're beholden to bean counters, who don't only lack vision, but are focused on the dollar.
- Lefsetz

As most of you know by now, Facebook just rolled out a new ad system where peoples´s updates get converted into “sponsored story” ads fed to their friends.

I believe people will actually compete to become part of them down the road. And look out for brands finding ways to reward influencers within your network on different levels.  

Read more about it from more intelligent people than me:
http://rushkoff.com/2011/01/28/the-facebook-panopticon/
http://arstechnica.com/web/news/2011/01/no-opting-out-from-facebook-turning-your-check-ins-likes-into-ads.ars
http://io9.com/5745369/what-happens-when-advertisers-try-to-control-your-mind
http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=18921
http://money.cnn.com/2011/01/26/technology/facebook_sponsored_stories/index.htm

There´s a fundamental shift for branding strategy due to a fundamental shift in the marketplace 

The value exchange of advertising has changed and does certainly not base itself on reciprocation.

One of the main changes that needs to be taken into consideration if you want to succeed in activating the market and thus compete more constructive than your competitors is to stop focusing on reciprocation and instead focus on purpose based initiatives.

As @passitalong also points out: Identify people´s united purposes and passions. Could not agree more.

We need to stop focusing on reciprocation. We need to stop focusing solely on listening and reacting. We need to be bold and activate the market!

A new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project. (US)

75% of all American adults are active in some kind of voluntary group or organization and internet users are more likely than others to be active: 80% of internet users participate in groups, compared with 56% of non-internet users. And social media users are even more likely to be active: 82% of social network users and 85% of Twitter users are group participants.

Groups and their members are using all kinds of digital tools to bind themselves together and some of the most innovative involve social networking sites like Facebook (used by 62% of the internet users in our survey), Twitter (used by 12% of internet users), blogs, and texting (used by 74% of the cell phone owners in our survey) :  

48% of those who are active in groups say that those groups have a page on a social networking site like Facebook
42% of those who are active in groups say those groups use text messaging
30% of those who are active in groups say those groups have their own blog
16% of those who are active in groups say the groups communicate with members through Twitter

Some 65% of those who are social network site users say they read updates and messages on these sites about the groups in which they are active and 30% say they have posted news about their groups on their SNS page. The numbers are similar when it comes to Twitter users: 63% of the Twitter users who are active in groups say they read updates and posts on Twitter about their groups, and 21% say they post news on Twitter about their groups. Some 45% of the texters who are active in groups say they send and receive texts with other group members and leaders.

 

Milliennials, those ages 18-33, remain more likely to access the internet wirelessly with a laptop or mobile phone. In addition, they still clearly surpass their elders online when it comes to:

Use of social networking sites
Use of instant messaging
Using online classifieds
Listening to music
Playing online games
Reading blogs
Participating in virtual worlds

However, internet users in Gen X (those ages 34-45) and older cohorts are more likely than Millennials to engage in several online activities, including visiting government websites and getting financial information online.

Teens are by far the most likely to play online games: 78% play games online, the most popular activity for that age group.

Vies the full report here: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Generations-2010/Overview/Findings.aspx

You do not need a social media campaign, social media strategy, nor necessarily a social media strategist.

You need a strategy that takes into consideration how social media has fundamentally changed the marketplace and thus are able to create a 100% holistic strategy that is aligned with the brands main business goals.

And as the purpose of most brands is to create a new customer you would come a long way just re-defining your purpose to create a customer that not only wants to, but helps you gain new customers. That means focusing on your existing customers. A harder job...

Secondly it would be wise to find the answer to: Why are we in the market?
Based on an emotional answer, you will be able to find an ideal that your ongoing communication can build upon.

Summary:
1. You need a communication strategy that enables you to act more meaningful and constructive in the new marketplace - where trust and activation is key.

2. You need to create solutions, that are ongoing 365 days a year based on a repetitive strategy process, which are a combination of platform, communication and product.

More on the topic
How social media is changing the business of branding: http://aresonance.posterous.com/how-is-social-media-changing-the-business-of
Activate The Market (Presentation): http://aresonance.posterous.com/activate-the-market-its-time-to-roll-up-the-s

The best brands have always been focusing on doing what they are saying.

Then all of a sudden people, every single one of us, could publish content. Not only media, government and brands.

So a brand is no longer only competing against other competitors stories for attention, but peoples own stories.

That´s why brands now try to become part of these stories between people by creating solutions that assists people to tell stories about themselves and each other, assists people in creating a meaning, to belong etc.

My 2 cents in this new marketplace is that brands needs to focus more on activating the market than listening and create more compelling rewards for participation.

Do something with people by activating the market through compelling 365 days solutions (combination of platform, communication and product) and make sure to still tell people what you are doing through advertising to help people after rationalize why their participation is valuable.

That´s not the question. The question could be: How do I activate my Facebook Fans so that they become valuable.

Read: http://blogs.forrester.com/augie_ray/10-07-08-what_value_facebook_fan_zero

It´s not about Facebook. The real question is: How do I build meaningful relationships with people.

Answer: By activating them 365 days a year offering better value exchanges than your competitors. The rewards for participating needs to be compelling according to @karllong. So focusing on content alone is a dead end. Curation, or facillitating as I call it is key – but you stil need to create awesomness. You need emotionally compelling advertising AND 365 solutions.  That´s the key for activating people. That´s the key for people to like your brand because they have been part of the experience. They belong. It adds a meaning. And they want to be part of ongoing initiatives. Then they are not really a fan. They´re part of your brand. And the brand is part of culture.

First out is a great idea for creating buzz, and giving people something in return for creating it. http://paywithatweet.com shows some great examples on how to i.e promote a new single: http://www.paywithatweet.com/theteenagers/

Then there is http://www.flattr.com – providing a simply solution for creators to get paid for their work. Do check it out! http://flattr.com/browse/all/all/1

What do you as brand do to create better value exchange than your competitors. You need to build meaningful relationships with your customers by activating the market enabling people to create something worth sharing: http://aresonance.posterous.com/activate-the-market-its-time-to-roll-up-the-s

@andjelicaaa tweeted an example of collaboration + crowdsourcing + geo-location:

How NeighborGoods Works from sparky rose on Vimeo.