Basic Truths of Social Media

The Global Internet:2 Billion Users and Growing

PRSA Certificate in Principles of Public Relations

April 26, 2014

Communications Technology: Always Changing

The Numbers Don’t Lie

• 2/3rds of Global Internet Population Uses Social Media• 10 percent of Total Internet Time is Social Media Time• More Popular Than Checking E-Mail• 93% Believe a Company Should Have a Social Media

Presence• 85% Companies Should Interact with Customers

Through Social Media

Democratizing Communications

• Internet Access; A Few Thoughts; A Few Key Strokes

The Basic Truths of Social Media

1. Ubiquitous, but NOT Monolithic

2. Digital is Eternal

3. Conversational Marketing

4. Thought Leadership

Blogging is Alive and Well

• 54.1 million WordPress sites• 327 million subscribers• 2.5 billion pages• 500,000 new posts daily• 400,000 comments daily• No Need for HTML• Create Own Web Portfolios for Free

From Dorm Rooms to Wall Street

• LinkedIn, 2003• MySpace, 2003• Facebook, 2004• Flickr, 2004• YouTube, 2005• Twitter, 2006• What’s Next?

Tale of Two IPOs

“Connections”• Networking Strategy• 200 million subscribers• $20.7 billion Market

Capitalization• $1.52 billion in revenues• $26 million in profits• Debuted at $45; Now

$171.82

“Friends”• Social Media Strategy

• 1.1 billion subscribers

• $59.7 billion Market Capitalization

• $7.8 billion in revenues

• $1.4 billion in profits

• Debuted at $38; Now $59.72

Digital is Eternal

Thought Leadership

What Now?Strategies to Succeed in a Digital World

• Underpromise; Overdeliver• Brands “Traded” in Cyberspace• 24/7/365 Monitoring & Response• Doing Good, Not Just Doing Well• Two-Way Symmetrical Communication

Not A Matter of “If,” a Matter of “When”

• Tell the Truth• Tell it All• Tell it Fast • Move On

Manage or Be Managed:Your “Brand” is in Play