Outline to help you in designing social media marketing strategy for B2B

B2B organizations have started venturing in social media and content marketing campaigns. Prior planning a social media campaign, B2B organizations have to venture in social listening strategy to understand more about what stakeholders are discussing? What interests them? How can B2B organization engage with them? What are the influencing factors? Etc. Have worked on parameters for which the B2B organizations need to answer before venturing in social media and content marketing strategy.

1. Define your target audience / stakeholders / customers – Unless you know with whom you need to engage, you cannot venture in Social Media campaign. 
2. Information which your target audience likes or feels important – Identify through social listening, what they like, type of information which can engage them, topics of interest, when they share posts, etc. 
3. Social Media networks used by target audience – Identify the social media channels where you can find your target audience, also identify specific groups where they discuss. It is necessary to identify organic and paid channels of social media for specific targeting. 
4. Marketing vision of B2B brand – Whether B2B or B2C, brands should define their vision, as this forms the motive for marketing. Without vision it will be difficult for brands to engage in any marketing communications activity. 
5. Visual Identity of Brand – All B2B brands connect with highly specific customers, but should have a visual identify which stakeholders can recollect or connect when they read about the brand. This in an integral part of marketing, as B2B brands have to influence customers deep learning systems. 
6. Responsibility of content generation – B2B organization have to define employees / people responsible for content generation and authentication before it is published on social media, to ensure any negative impact due to errors. 
7. Identify most important topics / categories – Identify most important topics / categories which help to engage and communicate with stakeholders / target audience. 
8. Keywords– Being a B2B organization it is important to target the content based on keywords search trends by target audience. Having right keywords build into the content helps search engine crawlers to rank the content. 
9. Identify customer journey from Search to Purchase – This is the most important element to measure ROI for campaigns on social media and content marketing. B2B organizations have to identify the complete process along with specific parameters like time required, number of decision makers, customization required, and cost of project.

Future of Technology for Social Media

Smart phones

Smartphone sales in India are expected to reach 80.57 mn by this year end. Most consumers have migrated from ‘feature phones’ to smartphones for using new features, especially Internet. As Internet usage on mobile has increased tremendously, as India lacks broadband connectivity. This boost in sales of smart phones has also been the offer of EMI options from smartphone makers, even for below '$200 segment', as it plays key role in driving growth of the smartphone market

Wearable technology

Wearable technologies are accessories and devices which have wearable technology with computing capabilities and share vision of interweaving technology into the everyday life. Thus, making technology interaction friction less between humans and digital world.

Types of Wearable Devices & Technology

• E-textiles 
• Wearable computer 
• Activity tracker 
• Smart watch 
• Smart glasses 
• GPS watch 
• Virtual reality 
• Computer-mediated reality 
• Clothing technology 
• Smart Shirt 
• Healthcare 
• Augmented Reality 
• Watches

Smart watches

Smart Watches are wearable - technology devices that maintain a relatively persistent wireless connection to between mobile device—usually a smart phone and watch—and can receive notifications of incoming calls, texts, instant messages, social-network updates, and more, from that device.

Bracelet

From activity trackers to wristbands that track and notify about all kinds of things – nobody is safe from this new wave of wristbands. In which brands, big and small, want to get their piece of the cake. Both, Bluetooth Smart as well as optical sensors is state of the art for most of these bands.

Smart Glasses

Smart Glasses has been pioneered by GOOGLE, this Glass displays information in a smartphone-like hands-free format. Wearers communicate with the Internet via natural language voice commands.

Apparels

Evolution of technology has enabled textiles to merge with technology to create fashionable, functional and comfortable solutions to meet every day needs; whether in sports & fitness or outdoor & leisure or home care & health care.

Smart paper

Electronic paper & e- paper are part of display technologies that mimic appearance of ordinary ink on paper. But unlike back lit flat panel which emits light, electronic paper reflects light like paper. This makes them comfortable to read, and provide a wider viewing angle than most light-emitting displays. Ideally this e-paper display can be read in direct sunlight without the image appearing to fade.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality (VR) is referred to as hypothetical future technology, it is a computer - simulated environment which creates perception of being physically present in a non-physical world or imagined world. Virtual reality can recreate experiences which include virtual taste, sight, smell, sound, touch, etc.

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a live, direct or indirect, view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. This is a part of virtual reality, which doesn’t require hardware.

What lies in future for us?

Semantic Search Engine

Semantic search uses artificial intelligence in order to understand the searcher’s intent and the meaning of the query rather than searching for keywords, it understands the complete meaning of search phrase. Google is focusing to build natural language processing – the process by which machines can effectively interpret human speech and phrase. This will become a driving force in the advancement of semantic search, leading to accomplishment of search / query with different tools of GOOGLE.

Social Media + AI

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others are beginning to use artificial intelligence techniques to build - deep learning capacities. They have started to process all activities occurring over their networks from conversations, to photo facial recognition, to gaming activity, etc. Deep learning is a sub-field within AI that focuses on training computers to make logic behind undefined and irregular types of data that humans generate, such as when we speak, write, photograph or film. These Learning systems try to recognizes the trends in all raw data for predications.

Big Data Analytics

Data processing platforms let data scientists analyze, collect and shift through various types of data. In 2012 Summer Olympic Games at London used 1,800 closed-circuit video cameras monitoring Olympic Park and athletes' village. Analysts used applications to process data pertaining to those who were filmed and flag any individuals behaving suspiciously. The big data servers automatically detected the suspicious behaviors. Data visualization has given a new dimension to visual communication especially for statistics. This helps to simplify complete data into infographic or other formats which can be easily transcript by lay people. It is both art and science, since the amount of data generated is huge which makes it difficult to translate or communication. Through infographic or visual art data visualization has becomes easier. Big data and data visualization helps in identifying new Business Opportunities. In 2012 US presidential election demonstrated this how BIG DATA helps to identify voters and donors and plan accordingly to reach them. Campaign managers in both Democratic & Republican parties invested resources for seeking interest led information of voters and taking this information, addressed different election rallies. This information also helped to target advertising and fund raising programs.

Data is everything from text, voice, video, statistics, etc. using right tools of BIG DATA ANALYTICS this valuable information can be processed to offer vital information for mining. This data has huge capabilities, especially predication's for business and healthcare.

The relationship you have with your technology is no longer command and control. It is evolving to become human relationship, and slowly your technology will know you and it will understand you.

Social Media Case Study – Analysis - Strepsils India

Strepsils is a line of lozenges manufactured by Reckitt Benckiser in Nottingham, United Kingdom. They come in a variety of flavours and are part of the Boots Healthcare International (BHI) brands that Reckitt Benckiser acquired in 2006. As of 2010, it is the largest-selling sore throat product in the world. 

Campaign: AbMontu Bolega  

Strepsils connected itself to Swachh Bharat Abhiyan which aims CLEANING INDIA. This is a step to build its CSR initiatives as well as marketing efforts using social media engagement and digital media technology. Strepsils launched the campaign on social media, requesting people to participate by sending images of uncleaned streets, grounds, beaches, etc with an assurance to adopt them for cleaning. 

• The campaign was initiated with launch of competition on Indibloggers.in featuring brief on how participants ensured they are following Swachh Bharat campaign. The blogpost on their website should have specific keywords and mentions of #AbMontuBolega, #SwachhBharat & #Indibloggers. IndBloggers with contest, as part of content generating plan. 
• On Twitter PPC program was launched based on users’ interest analytics. Followers and tweeters were shown images of clean vs uncleaned streets, cluttered railway station platforms vs cleaned platforms, etc along with the caption SPEAK UP. This helped building the campaign with graphic posters on Twitter. The tweets have to be done using #AbMontuBolega & #SwachhBharat and reply to @StrepsilsIndia. Places which have maximum tweets and retweets would be adopted by the company for cleaning program. 
• Interactive website AbMontuBolega
• Facebook – page activity, requesting to post photographs of uncleaned areas

Analysis of the campaign 

Failures:

• Through the video and interactive website promotes campaign for SPEAK UP concept, it failed to connect with audience for all issues related to SPEAK UP, since it has more focus on “Swachh Bharat”.
• The campaign was initiated from 1^st Dec 14, but haven’t been able to achieve viral factor, as  it focused more on blogging and tweets.
• Failed to propagate Who is MONTU of “Ab Montu Bolega”, like “Digen Fruti Peeta hai” for Fruti or Balbir Pasha for AIDS awareness 

Success:

• The innovative concept of visual communication for SPEAK UP for CLEANINESS, worked amongst audience. Cleaning & adoption of playground at Kolkata helped to build case study for CSR also.
• Achieve success to raise awareness on CLEANLINESS on Google search through blogging contest.
• The campaign syncs with vision of Strepsils – Cleans throat, now cleans streets both for better and healthy life.

Conclusion:

• Involvement of “MONTU” didn’t make any impact for awareness.
• It is important to target single category and makes sense to associate with “Swachh Bharat” instead of trying to promote 15 categories and achieving zero success, being category leader helps.
• This brings us to the conclusion that interactive website and video should also focused on “Swachh Bharat”.
• This innovative campaign would have helped to build the concept which has been acceptable across different target audiences and geographical societies “Swachh Bharat”. Adoption of localities, which can be maintained by Strepsils along with branding and initiatives, would help to build bigger brand.
• The campaign would have easily scored viral impact through whatsapp, by requesting users to whatsapp the images of uncleaned societies, streets, grounds, platforms, etc form a lobby around it and pitch to the govt officials for adoption.
• Adoption process should be a BTL activity involving the local people participation in cleaning. (Case study ref - Coke Cola RockCorps)

How to Leverage PR using Social Media?

Public relations have seen huge change in the mode of communication strategies with the rise of social media marketing. Digital marketing has enabled new forms of communication tools which have enabled organizations in better engagement with stakeholders. Public Relation Agencies has also embraced this new form of communications, but the biggest difficulty remains on incorporating both these forms together. Here are few techniques which can help a PR Professional to adapt social media for PR. 

• Social Sharing with Press Releases: Rise of social media has enforced changes in press release to social media release, as press release communicates only to journalists. Social media release incorporates social sharing buttons in press releases as journalists rely a lot on this feature. This feature also helps to build credibility as journalists have a wide following of readers on social networks. Social Media release also enables ease of dissemination of release since it follows the principle of shares, so is less spamming. As social media release is targeted to the online content generators, it is preferable to share only information rather than PR Jargons. Also Social Media Release incorporates all the elements of social media, SEO along with press release, offering all required information for the reader. SMR is beneficial to target bloggers, journalists, content marketers, etc. When creating a news release for print, catchy headline works to attract attention, but when writing for an online audience have to include the keywords and search terms that you want to be found for. 
• Build Campaign around Case Studies: Case study helps to build story for engagement with journalists in much easy way to explain about products / services, since explaining about products is quite boring. Creation of visual case study has better impact than textual. 
• Journalist access and insights: Social media has greatly helped PR professionals to source information and likes about journalists, this helps to build better relationships with journalists. Social Media has also given rise to citizen journalism, which emphasis importance of bloggers, authors, content generators, etc. Further, journalists often search for sources of information and social media is the first place they update about their requirements. 
• Sharing is caring:  To be successful on social media it is important to be helpful and offer information, whether related to your client or information from market. Providing information to journalists and fans helps in developing engaging relationships. Social media is more about working collaboratively. 
• Managing Reputation: Reputation management is about reaching out to fans and clients through social media, rather than depending on journalists as the turnaround time is more. Social media is viral, usually one social media day = 8 hours, so response time for crisis has to be immediate. Also with social media is much easier to respond to crisis, as offline media takes time to respond. To avoid such situation engage regularly rather than when NEEDED. Even though social media gives the option to engage online, any negativity should be taken offline as high chances of hitting viral. Provide clear instructions which are helpful, don’t confuse. If you don’t know then assign person having technical knowledge