Social Media and Marketing Trends for eCommerce

1. Social Media and Marketing Trends for eCommerce

2. What is Social Media? Web-based and mobile technologies used to turn communication into interactive dialogue www.connect-arkansas.org

3. Case Study: Social Media Fueled Revolution in Egypt • Started January 25, 2011 • Young people performed a social media coordinated march on Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo using Facebook and Twitter • World news leaders were able to pick up the story immediately through monitoring social media • Lasted 18 days ending with Mubarak’s resignation

4. Key Takeaways from Egypt • Social media can give a voice to those not in a position of power • Young people were the catalysts of this revolution • The speed and virality of communication has been amplified by social media • Revolution took place in only 18 days

5. Coke’s Social Media Statistics • 35 million Facebook fans, the 16th most popular page (Disney is 23rd) • 33.5 million views on Coke’s YouTube Channel • 400,000 followers on Twitter • 2011 Advertising Age “Marketer of the Year”

6. Key Takeaways from Coke’s Social Media Strategy • Customer Engagement • SM allows your brand to be closer to your consumers (Coke fans created the FB page, not Coke) • Coke allowed followers to create a new flavor of Vitamin Water, no brand planning on Coke’s part • You don’t control your brand, the consumer does

7. Key Takeaways from Coke’s Social Media Strategy • Real Time Feedback • SM allows for immediate customer feedback, if you care to listen • In 1985 it took 63 days to get New Coke off the shelves, In 2011 Egypt was toppled in 18 days using SM

8. Case Study: McDonald’s Twitter Campaign Goes Wrong • Wanted to focus on promoting that the chain buys fresh produce from farmers using a Twitter hashtag, #MeetTheFarmers • Transitioned to the hashtag #McDStories for Twitter followers to tweet positive stories • Quickly turned to followers posting negative stories and comments about McDonald’s

9. Key Takeaways from McDonald’s • Companies must be cautious when allowing consumers to promote your message • #McDStories I just read that McDonalds chicken nuggets have a foaming agent in them, similar to products used for building materials @CateStorm • More suitable for smaller companies to use for interpersonal communication • Example: Negative experience is exposed to a much smaller audience • Allows for constant contact with loyal consumers

10. Case Study: Hotdog Mike, a Local Example • A local food cart that sells hot dogs at different locations around Little Rock • Interacts with customers through Facebook and Twitter to make them aware of his locations and causes

11. Key Takeaways from Hotdog Mike • Social Media can be used locally, not just by larger companies • For small businesses, social media can be used as the only means of advertising and still produce adequate results

12. Thanks!