Published in MediaPost’s Marketing Daily on November 7th, 2008

Social Networks are a legitimate worldwide phenomenon. Global user numbers have exceeded all reasonable expectations. And yet, even the largest networks have reported difficulty monetizing this enormous base. Why? We’re seeing two things. First, “traditional” advertising in social networks is inefficient at best and obtrusive at worst. Second, brands are still, by and large, in the slow lane of the social networking superhighway.

Social is the new Green
It seems “going social” or doing “the social thing” needs an inflection point in the way that “going green” got its lightning rod in the form of Al Gore. First, companies had to accept that “going green” wasn’t a campaign, and that “green-washing” posers would get called out ultimately harming the perception of their brand. The creation of an authentic Green Brand requires a top to bottom, honest-to-goodness, paradigm and business model shift. When customers stood up and demanded the products and services they purchase come from green companies, the revolution truly began and it is one of the most powerful forces in marketing today.

Socializing with Customers
Recommending an anti-social brand strategy would be as silly as espousing an anti-green marketing approach. Yet, many companies firm footing on the sidelines of the social movement is putting out a less than social vibe and raising the question, “why aren’t you here.” A recent study by Cone points out, Sixty percent of Americans use social media, and of those, 59 percent interact with companies on social media Web sites. One in four interacts more than once per week. According to the study, Americans who use social media believe:
• Companies should use social networks to solve my problems (43%)
• Companies should solicit feedback on their products and services (41%)
• Companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand (37%)

Looking in the mirror
So what is going to be the tipping point for brands to “socialize” themselves? Let’s first examine the end state of what we’re calling “Social Brands” and what you’d see when you check your look in the mirror.

Brands
Solicit customers
Sell to cold prospects
Seek satisfaction
Talk about themselves
Retain customers
Incentivize frequent purchase
All business, all the time
Do well
Advertise
Send mass email
Target demos
9-5

Social Brands
Make friends
Network with happy customers to meet prospects
Strive for passion
Listen more than talk
Engage fans
Reward engagement
Make time for play time
Do good
Invite
Message friends and fans
Seek shared interests
Leave the front porch light on

If we can all agree we’d like to get on the road to a more social brand, then we can start focusing on the route to get there. It reminds me of the positioning statement my former agency Arnold created for VW over a decade ago. “On the road of life, there are passengers and drivers. Drivers Wanted.” The brilliance was the absence of choice that it created. Who in their right mind would raise their hand and say “Yeah, I’m more the passenger type, just along for the ride.” Even if that was true in reality, there’s a part of us all that wants to be the driver in life.

And as with any road-trip, it’s about the journey, not the destination. Becoming a Social Brand takes commitment and flexibility. It will require a curiosity and open-mindedness usually reserved for our life’s passions, not our work endeavors.

Social Brand Signposts
Here’s a few signposts along the road to a more social brand.
• Facebook Page
• MySpace Group
• Twitter
• Blog
• Online community of brand fans
• Online listening community
• Engagement rewards
• Social application
• Social advertising
• iPhone/Mobile application

You’ve made these stops and you want explore the more exotic locales on the social map? OK, but let’s make sure you’ve really socialized with the 200+ million people in Facebook and MySpace before building that remote island in Second Life. As with real friendships, it’s about going deep not wide.

A look down the road
Imagine the state in which your brand moves from the periphery of a “social” network and into the middle of your own brand network. Your Social Ads recruit Fans to your Pages, Groups and Apps. Those Fans seamlessly migrate into a community where they share their opinions, grab tools to evangelize on your brand’s behalf and receive recognition for their engagement. Each activity is broadcasted to friends through tools like Facebook Connect. Open Social has enabled your Fans to follow your applications between multiple social networks and mobile devices. Your blog posts and tweets get synced with messages to that same, constantly growing, ever-green network of friends and fans announcing the arrival of your Social Brand.

The destination is in sight. Check the map. Get on the road and enjoy the ride.