A year ago, social media users were giggling, happily tossing cows, kisses, birthday cakes and yes, Cans of Whoop-Ass at each other. But we've tired of it; not so much with the inanity (being stupid is a vital part of making it through your day), but with the wafer-thinness of it. After being "zombied" a 22nd time, people started to rightly ask: "Isn't there more to this?"
Thankfully this year, we've seen there definitely is.
Social media is getting smarter. As we watch it evolve, we are watching novelty wither and utility dominate.
Today, sophisticated users are tagging on to applications and networks that enhance their dot-communities (we each have our own) with digital products that are useful. For example, tools that match your travel dreams to your friend networks and applications that suggest music you'd like based on what your friends or other fans adore.
Three that got it right.
Web 2.0 communities and applications such as Yelp, LastFM, and Dopplr are exploding, as they deliver users more than just a sense of being part of a "big thing”. Each delivers utility in its own way.
Yelp is a social community that reviews all kinds of stuff in cities around the country— restaurants, bars, nail salons, you name it. Individuals post reviews, gain rankings, and communicate between themselves. The utility: It gives you an insider’s view of a city to make more-informed decisions. It’s wildly popular.
LastFM is a "hive mind" music streaming service where you can listen to music streams tailored around your tastes. If you're a fan of Marvin Gaye, the stream plays his songs along with other music the "hive" senses you would also like. Users vote up and down on music as they listen, which makes recommendations intelligent and highly refined. The utility: It offers a faster way to make connections based on your tastes and gives you the capability to create your own playlists for others to listen to and share.
Dopplr is a travel tracker designed around a concept of "Where I am/where I'm going”. It lets you see how your travel destinations may align to where other people live or are traveling to. If you happen to be in the same city at the same time, you can get together. It also features recommendations on things to do in those cities. The utility: Dopplr is helpful in where people are at a glance. It’s used by many companies to help coordinate employee travel and by “just people” for information and fun.
Social media tools are gaining use and popularity because of the depth of their utility. Sites without this depth are leaving users wondering “is that all there is”?
Creating social media utility for your brand.
The speed of change in social media is ratcheting up expectations on brands, many of whom are only now taking their first looks and budgetary swings at the Yelps, Bebos, and Gathers of the landscape.
Industry-wide “sure things” are tough to gauge in the social media space. However, our work for JCPenney, Renaissance Hotels and Universal has given us some clear ideas on getting utility right for your brand.
First, like most things, novelty only gets you so far. To build something that evolves into the “Viral Grail”, the application must serve user needs as much, if not more, as it does yours. Utility, information and uniqueness is now the currency of the community. Users are no longer impressed by just being able to find their third grade girlfriend on Facebook. Give them something that makes them engage, share, think and yes, even smile.
Second, consider that the value of your effort is relative. Your love for your brand is not necessarily shared by users. It’s important to provide some real perceived value for them to interact with you online.
Here is a tangible example. Our "Reveal Renaissance" campaign worked effectively because we offered an incentive: Win a trip to Paris if you tell us about an interesting stay you've made. Prior to offering that incentive, a few thousand people contributed content to the site. After we added Paris, that number increased more than five-fold in just three weeks. In short, we didn't simply rely on brand affinity to drive affinity. We offered a relevant incentive to encourage greater participation.
Lastly, we need to look very critically at the metrics of social media. "How many people did it deliver to my .com homepage" is an insufficient gauge. However, getting a solid read on "time spent" and on more action-oriented usability can help you make a case in your next executive update meeting. A user who sends their buddy an online customized surfboard (something we built for JCPenney) has engaged far deeper with your brand than you guess. That brand takeaway offers the real value, rather than the instant payoff of a click to your .com. If you engage users with smart utility, they are more likely to remember you the next time.
Utility, relative value and the right measures for results: This is how we've been opening entirely new cans of whoop-ass in social media.
Chris Wooster is a Group Creative Director at T3.
