Open-First Social Media Monitoring
- 2. INTRODUCING… Open‐First: • A consultancy dedicated to the art, science and application of social technologies • Operating globally, ofLices in London, San Francisco and Helsinki • Practice areas in strategy, research, communications, technology and process • Website: http://open‐Lirst.com
- 3. WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING? • Social media networks • The impact of contain info about the messages shared personalities, inside these walls is “Across the Internet customers are preferences and not isolated to online points of view of social networking talking, whether you like it or members. communities. not. But this shi2 in the balance Social Media is Social Media is not a closed of power doesn't have to be transparent system your worst nightmare.” • Forums and opinion • What’s important? “Take control, and social media can sites, video sharing, What ideas are gaining ground? Who/ photo sharing, h e l p y o u i m p r o v e y o u r microblogging. What is having the biggest impact on products, marke8ng, sales and your client’s brand? service." Social Media is Social Media is more than blogs measurable
- 4. THE PROBLEM WITH SOCIAL MEDIA RESEARCH… Data and analy8cs are frequently subpar: • Data aggregation often treated as an end in itself • Oversold automation / turnkey solutions for monitoring lead to substandard or incomplete data “Typical approach” to social media analy8cs is: • Tactical, not strategic… lacks appropriate context • Conceived and executed at junior level… ignored at executive level
- 5. OUR APPROACH TO SOCIAL MEDIA RESEARCH • Demonstrating the strategic value created by social media monitoring and analytics • Carrying the Llag for a mature approach to social media research, that can talk credibly to execu8ves • Showcasing the importance of research exper8se during program design, especially in determining appropriate mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods • Demonstrating a methodology for evaluating, selecting and effectively using SM monitoring and analytics tools
- 6. TOOL SELECTION Choice criteria: • Fully supports project objectives We use: • Works transparently • Offers robust, differentiated analysis tools • Creates unique value over free Common problems: • InsufLicient archive • Unreliable search results • Lightweight, or minimal (and our own manpower) differentiation in analytical tools • Little granularity in data
- 7. SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING TOOLS Small to mid‐sized businesses and brands: eCairn Specializes in the blogosphere. Maps out blog communities. Users manually create a list of blogs they wish to track. A proprietary algorithm ranks blogs by “inLluence,” largely by measuring how frequently the blogs cross reference other inLluential blogs. Topical targeting: To help you research who has been talking about you, your competitors or your favorite topics within the scope of your projects communities. Community mapping: To visualize how the various bloggers in your community network with each other, and group them according to your preferences. • Demo: http://ecairn.com/media/Demo_Conversation.swf
- 8. SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING TOOLS Medium to large sized brands and businesses: Scout Labs Automated sentiment analysis: natural language processing techniques to assess the sentiment and tone of your searches in each post. Conversation digest: summary of the most buzz‐worthy stories. Separates results out by medium, giving you separate tabs for blogs, news, forums, photos, videos and Twitter. A proprietary algorithm ranks posts by ”importance,” by measuring relevance of posts, trafLic and links of sources, and post “energy”. Advanced collaboration tools: tags, alerts, bookmarks, notes, tasks. Tour: http://www.scoutlabs.com/tour/
- 9. CASE STUDY 1: THE HTC G1, AKA THE “GOOGLEPHONE” HTC is… • The manufacturer which makes… The “G1” • The first smartphone to operate on… Google’s “Android” mobile opera8ng system • An early contender – with Symbian – in the “open source mobile” space. EssenBally an open code base for developers of mobile apps, supported by an alliance of smartphone manufacturers, network carriers and developers called… The Open Handset Alliance (OHA) • Which has around 50 members as of today, and expects to have launched 18 Android devices by end 2009
- 10. PROJECT BRIEF AND PROGRAM DESIGN Project concept A strategic analysis of the performance at launch of the T‐Mobile / HTC G1 handset. Viewed from the perspecBve of all major stakeholders Content scope Social media content – blogs, microblogs, discussion forums – relevant in a broad, compeBBve context to the handset launch Geographic Scope Global, in the English language Time span Historical analysis encompassing a three month period around launch (Autumn 2008) Resources 6 weeks of full‐Bme resources in program design, research and reporBng. SoWware license costs as required (in consideraBon of cost‐benefit analysis)
- 11. WHAT WE FOUND… Summary: • Viewed in isolaBon, the G1 built impressive buzz around its launch. • Looked at in a broader compeBBve context, results are very disappoin8ng – parBcularly for a handset held iPhone dominates, even during G1 launch up as an “iPhone killer” • iPhone commanded more than 12 Bmes the raw volume of new blog comment during the 3 month study period
- 12. WHAT WE FOUND… Summary: • More evidence that launch buzz was a profound disappointment – peak discussion was substanBally overhauled by a trade press story! • A significant downwards dip in G1 launch = “tech story of the year”? discussion towards the end of the launch period is held up by • A longer term view of blog buzz shows that rumors about the G2 the launch was anything but: discussion actually peaked in relaBon to a rouBne OHA news story, several weeks aWer launch
- 13. WHAT WE FOUND… Summary: • The G1 is a complex product to communicate – with much of the anBcipatory buzz built around the Android operaBng system, not the handset on which it operates • The posiBve appeal of and residual goodwill towards the Thumbs up to Android; Thumbs down to G1 Android OS is not successfully • Commentators found a lot to like, but also a lot leveraged in G1 communicaBon to dislike about the G1 handset features • But there was nothing but praise for the Android OS
- 14. WHAT WE FOUND… Summary: • Measuring raw buzz makes the compeBBve posiBon of the G1 look weak, but weighing this for reach or influence makes it look sBll worse • ParBcipants in discussions tend to be either Android OS fans, or G1 handset haters. The G1 has weak friends and powerful enemies “complete package” needs to be • By a simple count, the G1 has a community of beber communicated potenBal advocates that rivals iPhone • But this misses an important nuance: iPhone fans are more strongly connected
- 15. WHAT WE FOUND… Summary: • It’s important to engage with criBcism as well as encourage advocacy – this does not appear to have been done in the case of G1 • As a result, unmoderated criBcal voices dominate the busy hub of the smartphone Mature smartphone network of influence community of interest – a key • The smartphone community of interest comprises a driver of customer intenBon diffuse halo of unconnected sources, and an extensively networked hub of influenBal sites. • Not enough posiBve discussion about G1 takes place in the “hub” of the smartphone community
- 16. RECOMMENDATIONS Coordinate comms Online sources are confused by the relaBonship between the with OHA Partners Android OS and the G1 handset. This confusion is harmful to all OHA members. This could be addressed through a harmonized approach to communicaBon at OHA level Align aims of Developer communicaBons have been very successful, but market and market communicaBons have not. This risks puhng the cart before the horse – developer uptake is ulBmately driven by developer comms market tracBon. Market communicaBons must become a priority Engage exis8ng There is a thriving smartphone community of interest in social smartphone media, that – in contrast to Apple ‐ remains largely unengaged by OHA members. ParBcipaBon in this community needs to community feature in the communicaBons roadmap for Android phones Discourage It is tempBng to encourage such comparisons as a way of driving “iPhone killer” buzz. At present Bme, this is a comparison that the G1 can’t qualitaBvely win. The G1 (and other Android phones) are a narra8ve substanBally different offer to the iPhone – and they should be communicated as such
- 17. CASE STUDY 2: AVG ANTIVIRUS AVG is… • A global security soWware maker protecBng more than 80 million consumers and small businesses in 167 countries • One of the top three most well known freeware anBvirus • The center of conversaBons expressing doubt on whether free anBvirus can be trusted Key strategic and compe8tor analy8cs’ elements: 1 • Community 2 • Thought Leadership 3 • Product 4 • Price 5 • Content
- 18. PROJECT BRIEF AND PROGRAM DESIGN Project concept A strategic analysis of AVG’s online compeBtor landscape. Overall picture of social media presence and compeBBve posiBoning Content scope Social media content (blogs, discussion forums, Q&A sites) relevant in a broad, compeBBve context to PC security soWware market. Limited set of compeBtors Geographic Scope Global, in the English language Time span Historical analysis encompassing a six month period (Summer/Autumn 2009) Resources 4 weeks of full Bme resources in program design, research and reporBng. Content acquired using a range of free and commercial search tools
- 19. WHAT WE FOUND… Blogging Strong average Weak Professional Networks average Strong Weak Personal Networks Strong average Weak Microblogging Strong average Weak Web (inlinks) Strong average Weak
- 20. TCG RESEARCH WHAT WE FOUND… CONTENT COMMUNITY – FORUM Community: Forums ‐ While relevant discussion on blogs is low in volume, there are tremendous volumes of content relevant to buying decisions over security soWware in Q&A / recommendaBon forums. IT Professionals Small business owners Family Cafemom.com babycenter.com everythingmom.com Gamers games.net momlogic.com “Casual surfers” “PC enthusiasts” destructoid.com parenthood.com ausgamers.com ocremix.org gaiaonline.com Travel Travellerspoint.com www.bootsnall.com File sharers tripadvisor.com Q&A / Reviews filesharingz.com matadornetwork.com answers.yahoo.com forum.emule‐project.net globosapiens.net answerbag.com forum.utorrent.com wiki.answers.com share4all.com linkedin.com/answers dasoWs.com fluther.com
- 21. TCG Research Product – AVG Products WHAT WE FOUND… Product: AVG products Comments highlighted areas of strength and weakness in the AVG product Product liabili8es: ‐ Customer support ‐ Updates ‐ Footprint Product assets: ‐ User‐friendliness ‐ Price
- 22. TCG Research Price – Free v Paid WHAT WE FOUND… Price: Free Vs. Paid Common remarks about “free vs. paid” pricing for AV soWware break down as shown below (frequency of comment is reflected in the size of the bubble) “Always save money – use the “The free software is free version.” “The free program better than works well, so why nothing.” pay for it?” “If you’re serious “There’s not much about protection, difference between get the paid free or paid.” version.”
- 23. TCG Research Price Free to Paid Upgrades WHAT WE FOUND… Price: Free to Paid Upgrades ‐ We audited online reviews for commentary about user decisions to shiW from the free to the paid versions of anBvirus soWware. Where explained, the reasoning for these choices can be classified as follows: Extra ProtecBon: Control: While they appreciate that for an For some users the paid version is more average user the standard protection complicated to monitor but this gives provided by the free version is probably more control (e.g. customisation of sufPicient, it is nice to have the extra update times and free version protection limitations on automatic scheduling) Comprehensiveness: After testing, they feel conPident in Support: upgrading to the paid version, for full For users that feel they need a much protection from a broader set of threats. greater degree of technical support ID and phishing protection are also than provided by free alternatives mentioned as something important missing in the free versions.
- 24. RECOMMENDATIONS Compe88ve The compeBBve environment for security soWware is currently dominated by a set of companies whose emarkeBng efforts are posi8oning in invested in desBnaBon strategies. Challenge: develop an footprint effecBve set of non‐desBnaBon tacBcs Community AVG needs to expand its base of referrer communiBes; gain the trust of non‐referrer communiBes and develop non‐core communiBes. Community strategy needs to operate across those 3 axis, with separate messaging Product At present Bme online user commentary about the av market is characterized by percepBon of: limited product differenBaBon, a gap in the supply of comprehensive soluBons, an unfulfilled user requirement for soWware that is easy to install, and distaste for av soWware that hogs system resources Price The av market is dominated by free product, with pay product capped at costumer “reservaBon price”. ReservaBon price and objecBon to premium product and to conversion from free to paid are very common, but could be overcome via social media and thought leadership. Price alternaBves could be developed in an increasingly zero‐price market.
- 25. LESSONS: Context is king: • Creation of data is not an end in itself, and bad analysis is worse than no analysis at all Insights are driven by exper8se, not tools: • Social media monitoring tools give good support for tactical communications, but are less suitable for articulating and solving strategic challenges • Cost‐efLiciency in learning to use a tool is a false economy if the feature set doesn’t support your goals Systema8zed SM research can support knowledge func8ons: • Competitor analysis • Product feature / brand perception analysis
- 26. THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING More sources, especially Facebook: • Twitter is the primary target for analysis right now because it's wide open and programmatically accessible. It's only 10% the size of Facebook More sophis8cated source analysis: • Semantic analysis of areas of interest and personal background information Conversa8on discovery: • One of the biggest challenges for organizations jumping into social media is Linding and prioritizing all the conversations available
- 27. THANK YOU! Veronica Rosso Social Media Analyst @ Open‐First veronica.rosso@theconversationgroup.com +1 (408) 8237860