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Ten Things Social Media Can't Do

A Healthy Reminder for Setting Expectations

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 11.02.09 @ 10:23 AM

B.L. Ochman

Amid the endless pronouncements about social media -- often shortened to "social" these days by consultants trying to sound like they know what they are talking about -- is the reality that social media is not a solution, or a sure bet.

Social media can't:

1. Substitute for marketing strategy.
   A Twitter campaign or a Facebook page that announces your weekly specials is not a marketing strategy.


2. Succeed without top management buy-in.
   Social media requires a way of thinking that includes willingness to listen to customers, make changes based on feedback and trust employees to talk to customers.
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Six Reasons Companies Are Still Scared of Social Media

Yes, These Fears Still Really Exist

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 09.24.09 @ 10:07 AM

B.L. Ochman

Whether it's time-wasting employees or worrying that haters will damage your brand, many corporations still fear the effects of engaging in social media.

People of Walmart Is a Hit Walmart Can't, and Shouldn't, Stop

Best Thing to Do Is Stay Quiet, Let Hoopla Die Down

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 09.09.09 @ 12:08 PM

People of Walmart is a new blog that lets people upload, rate and comment on photos of oddly dressed people seen shopping at Walmart. And it would seem there's not a damn thing Walmart can -- or should -- do about it.

Walmart should be a good sport
If Walmart tries to squash the site, they'll quickly become the laughing stock of social media. If they laugh with the site, they'll be accused of laughing at their own customers.

They're better off to stay quiet and let the hoopla die down. Which it will, eventually, if Walmart doesn't get heavy-handed. It's not a site that's likely to do lasting damage to the brand, or help it. It's a joke that's gone viral.

But my bet is that Walmart won't suck it up and be a good sport. Time will tell.

Everyone Thinks He Can Be a Social-Media Marketer

In Five Years, Some Things Haven't Changed

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 06.16.09 @ 02:35 PM

From the more things change, the more they stay the same department:

At Ad Age's 2004 New York Advertising Week panel, "Money Talks: The view from the CMO's office," Ad Age editor-moderator Scott Donaton noted that the average tenure of a chief marketing officer is 22.9 months -- half that of the average CEO.

Mars Sends Women Seeking New 'Fling' to Porn Site

It's Counting on Customers to Pay Attention to URL

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 05.19.09 @ 10:28 AM

The site on the left is where you would land if you read about Mars' new 85-calorie Fling chocolate bar, which is aimed at women, and -- logically -- typed in www.fling.com. Ooops!

The one on the right is where Mars -- whose agency and marketing people apparently didn't check to see who else might own a URL related to their product name -- means to send you. Ooops!

Amazon's Silent Mistake in the Face of a Social-Media Firestorm

Incident Demonstrates -- Again -- the Need to Monitor Your Brand 24/7

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 04.13.09 @ 10:56 PM

"Amazon: the Internet company that doesn't understand the Internet" is my favorite of thousands of tweets on the subject of Amazon's sudden censorship of gay- or lesbian-themed books. The episode proved that even a well-liked, household-name company can pay a high price for not monitoring its brand in social media.

Top 10 Reasons Your Company Probably Shouldn't Tweet

Everyone's Talking About It, but Should You Be Doing It?

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 04.07.09 @ 09:16 AM

Mainstream media has gone ga ga about Twitter, which grew more than 1,200% in the past year, doubled its members in the past few months and attained 14 million members in March, according to Compete.

Everyone and his dog seems to be tweeting, from CEOs, celebrities and not-for-profits to venture capitalists, banks, business services, government and, well, dogs (and cats and the random parakeet, too). Should your business be tweeting? Twitter is not for everyone. Here are the "Top 10 Reasons Not to Tweet."

Social Media Playtime Is Over

That Many Marketers Still 'Experimenting' Is Not a Good Sign

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 03.17.09 @ 09:06 AM

Fifty percent of corporations surveyed in Forrester Research's "Social Media Playtime is Over" report are increasing social media spending in the face of the recession. But that's far from the point of the recently released report.

Web 2.0 Etiquette: A Review

A Few Things That Really Get Me Going

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 03.05.09 @ 02:49 PM

B. L. Ochman

E-mail, Facebook, Digg and Twitter all offer opportunities to delight -- or annoy. Make sure you do the former, by following a few simple rules.

Saving the World, One Tweetup at a Time

Twitter as Global Charity Event Organizer

Posted by B.L. Ochman on 01.28.09 @ 07:33 PM

Twitter has become a source of news, networking and marketing opportunity for millions of users around the world -- and now it's become a method of organizing a global charity event. On Feb. 12, in more than 100 cities, Twestival will bring people together to support charity:water.org.