OMMA Social

Launched at the end of March 2012, the Facebook Timeline is a relatively new feature that was imposed on all business pages. As a new addition to the digital marketing realm, using the Timeline is still a learning process for marketers and agencies.

This OMMA Social panel, “What we’ve learned from the brief history of Facebook’s Timeline for brands,” instructs marketers, advertisers, and agencies how to successfully use the Timeline for their brand.

Comprising pros in the marketing field and moderated by Catharine Taylor, a MediaPost columnist, the panel shared best practices: including what to post for best visibility, what graphics to use, and how to measure the results.

The Panelists

Patrick Chen, Manager, Social Product Strategy and Marketing Operations, Clickable
Jill Dodge, Managing Director, Global Marketing, NASDAQ OMX
Julie Fajgenbaum, Group Vice President, Brand Social, American Express OPEN
Fiona Gill, VP, Client Services, Performics
Jeff Ragovin, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Buddy Media

Facebook Timeline layout and how a brand can use it

Timeline moved brand focus from advertising strategy to content generation first and foremost
Takes up a lot of time & most Facebook users usually only see your brand in their feed, most won’t visit your timeline.
Efficient for direct marketers: Empowers brand marketers to test + optimize
Brands can control how to portray themselves
Created an opportunity to reward, engage, and discount loyal customers

Content

Content is crucial on Timeline
Know what you’re selling to optimize social: Dove sells beauty not soap; Starwood sells lifestyle not beds
Pick a theme and what’s engaging & share on relevant platforms
Great content is critical and goes beyond just article generation

Strong Content Creates Engagement

Have a long-term staff/adviser to understand audience better and build community
Photos on Facebook create engagement
Timeline is a retention tool; use it to keep customers

Social analytics for marketers

Metrics: Impressions vs. expressions: use qualitative measure to know the true value of participation
Find key influencers in your Market
Use ad testing to inform your content
Use surveys, offers, pay attention to real-time insights to drive content
Advice on %benchmarks, how to boost engagement, and weigh metrics on Facebook

American Express best practices

American Express creates “content” by asking a question and getting people to talk to one another
Amex does all community management in-house OPEN has 2 people on Facebook and Twitter. They’re trained by PR & legal

The creation of the Facebook Timeline has made it very important for marketers, advertisers, and agencies to focus on strong, engaging content generation for their brands. Content is the best way to keep customers loyal, engaged, and spreading the word for your brand.

Thanks for participating @JackWagner54, @LouiseRobertson, @rpmkel @MovableContent, @justincina, @ellenoppenheim,‏ @seventalentv, @ansleyjo @socmedsoc, ‏@CandaceMarks, @tomgerace

Want to learn more on how to create a killer Facebook Timeline? Designated Editor will teach you how!

Looking forward to OMMA Social 2012 next week. Here’s a nugget from last year’s.

In social media’s infancy, marketers used crowdsourcing to get involved with social media. But, as social media got more complex, crowdsourcing tactics had to change to make brands more exciting.

Initially, social media was used to solicit audiences to create commercials for brand contests, but as social media use increased, it is used daily by marketers to communicate with consumers and promote brand evolution.

This OMMA Social panel, moderated by Mel Carson, Microsoft’s advertising community manager, discusses how to use consumers’ opinions to drive brand initiatives, with the end goal to make brands more appealing.

Crowdsourcing

A way to constantly engage target demographics and maintain a consistent channel
Integris Marketing’s article on crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing tips

To avoid mob mentality, ensure your groups are composed of individuals with real identities
Define what you’re looking for: Structure and planning vs. pure creative

Brand tips

Stay current

Life cycle of content is 3 hours; the solution is to keep producing more
You don’t have a choice anymore: Quarterly research campaigns are passé, need to stay current on a daily basis
Once you dive in and start getting feedback from passionate customers, do something with it

Listen to your audience

Trust your consumers
Understand them, and then make your plan
Do not overlook differing views
Have to take the mindset of how will people REACT to your content not how will they read it

Final brand tips

Experience and share your surroundings!
If you are asking, ask for the smallest thing possible
Be transparent: More transparency, more real conversation
Social media activation takes strategy and planning, don’t just dive into it

To summarize and reflect on marketing’s initiative, here’s a great quote from OMMA Social participant @brandone: “Marketing is about mirroring a good idea with the right delivery vehicle.” Social media can be that great vehicle for marketers, if used properly. Be super engaged with your consumer, learn what they want, and then plan out the proper brand execution strategy.”

Thank you @JackWagner54, @HeatherCinOC, @ogilvydigital, @katiedel, @thebuddygroup, @HeatherCinOC, @jencorbett, @YahooAdBuzz, @nicoledunc, @brandone, @socmedsoc

Facebook’s Timeline Lessons for Brands | OMMA Social