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March 19, 2012

MTV on Social Media – Transforming From ‘Music Television’ to ‘Entertainment Anywhere’

MTV, the youth brand that ushered in the demise of Radio (or at least its monopoly on music distribution) when it broadcasted Video Killed The Radio Star in 1981, is now perhaps turning on the very medium it so proudly named itself after. MTV’s product, once ‘Music Television’, has transformed to meet the twenty-first century customer demand for ‘Entertainment Anywhere’.

The internet is supplanting TV as the go-to entertainment medium for people under 30.

Even though Season 5 of “Jersey Shore” – the reality show credited with reviving MTV’s edge – regularly enjoys high ratings, MTV knows that spray-tanned guidos won’t keep them in the spotlight forever. So with 32 million+ Facebook Fans, MTV is clearly taking the migration of its core demo – from passive TV viewing to active online interaction – very seriously.

MTV uses its Facebook presence as a kind of online promo aggregator – a buffet with bite-sized appetizers delivered from all over MTV’s extensive stable of blogs, niche websites, TV programming and movies. And though they were an early adopter of the new Facebook timeline (if you wanna be a trend setter, be the first to change) the content strategy has remained consistent: show promos, celebs news, movie news and trailers, and lots and lots of Beiber.

Posts from MTV’s Buzzworthy blog tease the latest pop culture whatnot, including plenty of celebrity gossip. Tabloid updates are a staple, with the usual suspects – Gaga, Jonas Borthers, Rihanna (both clothed and unclothed), and Beiber’s hair – making regular appearances. A recent pic of Rihanna’s scandalous see-through top no doubt had the affect her publicists hoped it would: almost 8,000 LIKES in less than 24 hours.

Other posts offer clips from anticipated movies like the upcoming Hunger Games as well as interviews with the cast and even a live-streamed red-carpet event.

Watch live right now as we talk to all the Tributes at The Hunger Games red carpet premiere!

Meanwhile posts from “MTV Geek!” spotlight rumors, trailers, and other bits of comic book fandom fodder.

MTV EXCLUSIVE! MTV Geek has all the deets on ‘Before The Watchmen’! Check it out here.

Which brings us to an important lesson: MTV’s Facebook page has something for just about every kind of media-saturated kid.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, It Will Be Web-Streamed.

In successfully transitioning from a niche cable music channel to a multi-faceted youth media mega-brand, MTV has transformed itself into an array of media outlets, appealing to a host of youth subcultures. There’s even “MTV Act” for kids who prefer their pop-culture with a healthy dose of political activism.

MTV’s Facebook page draws eyeballs – and drives interaction – by pulling all these threads together and spooling them out in small nuggets. Sample what you like, pass on what you don’t. There is music, there is video, there is text – all moving at the frenetic pace of our modern digital lifestyle and keeping pace with the ceaseless demand for Entertainment Anywhere.

MTV’s Track Social Profile
MTV’s Facebook Page
MTV’s Website

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Category: Case Studies, Facebook, Social Presence |

March 12, 2012

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The Top 10 Beers on Facebook ~ A Virtual Pub Crawl for St. Patricks Day

(Warning: this article may give you a buzz and should be read responsibly.)

Yes, it’s true, St. Patrick’s Day honors a fourth-century priest who may very well have saved Western Civilization. But let’s be honest, these days it’s really about the green beer.

So with March 17th just around the corner, we’re embarking on a virtual pub-crawl to sample how the world’s top beer brands are performing on social media. And for those who like their online engagement best served cold and frosty, you can play along at home: just crack open your #FavoriteBeer and take a healthy swig every time you see the word “Facebook.” Guaranteed to be the most enjoyable reading you do all day.

#10 – Blue Moon: 143,600+ Facebook Fans
This popular Belgian White from Colorado has a distinct citrus taste (courtesy of Curaccao orange peel) and a distinct branded image (courtesy of its watercolor-inspired advertising.) Appealing to a more sophisticated set, Blue Moon invites Facebook Fans to turn their Facebook Photos into “Blue Moon Art”. Similar to other photo-enhancing programs, Blue Moon’s “Photo Crafter” app gives photos the watercolor treatment. It’s either that – or the “beer goggles effect.” Hard to tell.

#9 – Foster’s: 279,000+ Facebook Fans
Foster’s is celebrating “the Art of Chilling,” inviting Facebook Fans to send their friends a “Chill Head” – a Wall-Post icon representing one of 17 different ways to chill. (Only the Australians could possibly classify so many ways to relax.) There’s Chillhead Boombox, Chillhead Surfer, and Chillhead Burp to name a few. Match them to your friends’ personalities and Foster’s posts them to their Facebook Walls. We looked, but Chillhead Drunk-dial wasn’t one of the choices.

#8 – Stella Artois: 502,000+ Facebook Fans
For a tutorial in cultivating pretension, drop by the Stella Artois Facebook page. You’ll (maybe) be invited to (maybe) join their exclusive online La Societe club. (Maybe). It’s “invitation only” after all. Which means upon entering your email address you get this: “Thanks, we’ve added you to our waiting list.” To get the full charming effect, be sure to read that with a French accent.

#7 – Guinness: 504,000+ Facebook Fans
Of all beer brands on our list, Guinness has the most authentic claim to cashing in on St. Patrick’s Day. So much so, in fact, that it’s flooding its wall with anything and everything St. Patrick’s Day-related. From helping Facebook Fans map out their St. Patrick’s Day route with the Pub Finder app, to fun facts, and even asking fans to partake in helping set the World Record for the Biggest St. Patrick’s Day Party. Over 52,000 Guinness partygoers have already committed to being part of this epic party – and helping consume over 13 million pints of Guinness on March 17th doesn’t sound like it’s too hard to do.

#6 – Corona: 1 million+ Facebook Fans
Corona’s got a new Facebook app called “Beach Break” which is supposed to engage users in online challenges allowing you to earn points which can then be redeemed for Corona bric-a-brac. (Who hasn’t ALWAYS wanted that Corona retractable pen?) Here’s the thing: you better be sober when trying to figure “Beach Break” out because this is the most complicated Facebook app we’ve ever seen – and trust us, we’ve seen them all. Who knew kicking back a cold one on the sand required a degree in programming?

#5 – Coors Light: 1.3 million+ Facebook Fans
For beer drinkers who love to drink but hate the taste of beer – there’s always Coors Light. Unfortunately, just like the taste of their product, the Coors Light Facebook presence lacks some serious flavor. The “Fan Photo of the Week” post is about as original as it gets around here. But hey, 1.2 million Fans are apparently cool with that.

#4 – Budweiser: 1.7 million+ Facebook Fans
Budweiser’s “Birthday Buds” app wants to help you throw your friend his 22nd birthday party. This clever new app searches through your friends list for people who are about to turn twenty-two, then invites you to select the one you want to throw a shindig for. Budweiser then sends that friend a post on their Facebook Wall giving them the chance to claim a $25 prepaid Budweiser card. To which we say: PREPAID BUDWEISER CARDS?! Why have these been kept from us?

#3 – Bud Light: 2.5 million+ Facebook Fans
Bud Light’s Facebook is sports promo central! Like Basketball? Perfect – enter to win a March Madness sweepstakes. Football? No problem – win a trip to the NFL draft. UFC? You got it – enter monthly for a chance to fly to Vegas to see a fight. But don’t assume this crowd is only about counting down to game time. Just click over to the “Bud Light Recipes” tab. That’s right. Bud Light Recipes. Where you’ll find a how-to for Gilled Mah-Mahi Tacos. Don’t forget the “three sprigs of baby arugula.”

#2 – Skol: 3.5 million+ Facebook Fans
Skol might just be the biggest beer you’ve never heard of. But if you’d like to learn all about them from, say, their founding in 1964, just check out their Facebook page. Skol is the first one of our top global brands that’s already embraced the new Facebook Timeline – a feature that will be forced on all brands coming March 30. (And, no, you’re not already drunk. That timeline? Yep, it’s in Portuguese. Skol is Brazil’s biggest beer.)

#1 – Heineken: 6 million+ Facebook Fans
There’s a reason why this family-owned Dutch brewery is far and away the dominant beer brand on Facebook – and it’s only partly about the beer. Decades of savvy marketing have built Heineken into a global behemoth – which is why, of the many enjoyable apps on display at Heineken’s Facebook page, there’s a very simple one that speaks to their truly international scope. “The Sunrise” is an inspired, elegant little app that invites users all over the world to tweet a picture of the sunrise from their corner of the globe. Complete with an interactive map with clickable tags submitted from users across the continents, it encourages users to “celebrate with the world.”

Which is exactly what we’ll be doing this Saturday as we raise a glass to St. Patrick, to Social Media – and, of course, to beer! If you played along to this article, you should’ve taken 31 swigs for every time “Facebook” showed up – wait make that 32 for that last “Facebook.” Now 33.

For more on the performance of beer brands in social media, check out the Beer Zone on Track Social.

When sharing and Retweeting this article, please be sure to include what your #FavoriteBeer is!

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Category: Case Studies, Facebook, Social Audience |

March 5, 2012

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The Most Retweeted Brands on Twitter

If there’s a Holy Grail for Twitter users, most people think it means racking up more followers than Lady Gaga. To which we say, good luck with that.

So if you can’t attract a Gaga-sized followership as a business, how can you amplify your Twitter exposure?

Retweets.

The Value of a Retweet

Savvy consumers are often wary of brands spamming across the social media platforms. But they’re increasingly open to receiving content from people they know. That’s why Retweeting – in which a Twitter follower forwards someone else’s Tweet to his or her own set of Twitter followers – is so potentially valuable for brands.

It is also valuable because your Tweet can get Retweeted by one of your followers, then any of their followers can Retweet your original Tweet, and so there is the potential for a cavalcade of viral messaging that turns your brand into the next @AngiesRightLeg.

Not only does it mean your content gets self-distributed to an exponentially wider audience, but your messaging is being delivered to consumers by people they trust, making them significantly more likely to engage with content.

The concept of sharing is embedded in all social networks, and much of the internet, however in Twitter it is far more implicit to the very concept of the platform.

Who’s Getting Retweeted?

Track Social has dug deep into its Twitter analytics to find out just which Twitter accounts see the most Retweet action per day. Lo and behold the Retweet Leaderboard:

Retweets Per Day For Brands

Joyce Meyer Ministries
ESPN
Joel Osteen Ministries
Miami Heat
Breaking News
NBA
CNN Breaking News
Los Angeles Lakers
Chicago Bulls
BBC Breaking News

At First Glance: Sports dominate this leaderboard.

[Note: Track Social tracks Brands only, not individuals. For more Track Social Leaderboards go here]

Twitter is all about spreading the latest news, fast. That’s why Twitter’s up-to-the-minute headline stream is the perfect medium for sports and news. No surprise then that of our top ten (non-celebrity) brands on Twitter, five were sports-related, and ESPN, the leading sports news cable network, came in at number two.

Play-by-Play

Engaging with media-addicted sports fans is perfectly suited to Twitter’s format. Besides offering an instant portal to ESPN content through headline links, photos and video posts, ESPN makes sure to generate fan interaction – and get the Retweets flowing – by regularly asking followers to jump into the conversation. Not such a difficult task given that participation is written into sports fans’ DNA.

ESPN’s Tweets run the gamut from the sublime: “He’s 5’9 and DUNKS over anything” to, yes, the ridiculous: “What would make for the best #OfficeCombine drill? Reply with the hashtag #OfficeCombine. We’ll RT (retweet) our favorites.”

Keeping fans close to the action – with scores, plays, trades, and highlights – is what Twitter does best. NBA team Miami Heat came it at number 4 while the Chicago Bulls showed up at number 9. Both teams post upwards of 15-25 posts per day and load them up with pictures and player videos: “Joakim Noah dunks to record his 1st career triple double http://bit.ly/btvpotw.”

Extra! Extra! Tweet All About It!

In just the past few years, Twitter has stolen the thunder from radio stations and television news broadcasters to become everyone’s primary go-to place for the most current events. Where do you think most people found out about Whitney Houston’s death? That’s right – Twitter. Three news organizations on the Leaderboard – Breaking News (an aggregate of many different news feed sources), CNN, and BBC Breaking News rank in at numbers 5, 7, and 10 respectively. These sources tend to rely more on the content of the stories themselves to motivate Retweeting, allowing followers to share with their followers, and more often than not, allowing these Tweets to become trending topics.

Lady Gaga, meet Joyce Meyer

But perhaps the most surprising entry in our top ten comes in at number one: Joyce Meyer Ministries is the evangelical preaching and publishing organization of Fenton, Missouri-based preacher Joyce Meyer.

Catering to a largely female following, the posts (about four to six per day) range from cautionary wisdom: “The sooner you learn that feelings are fickle, the better off you’ll be” to motivational exhortation: “If you’re too busy for God then it’s time to change your schedule.” They also include the occasional Bible verse and update on where Joyce will be appearing next.

Given the lack of proprietary content coming through her feed (there’s nothing particularly exclusive about the Psalms), the success of Meyers’ Twitter strategy tells us something about the attraction of social media platforms like Twitter. The real power of this technology is to allow a personality (who would otherwise never be able to engage with one of “the masses”) to speak directly into a person’s daily life.

And that should tell us something about the power of social media platforms like Twitter to erase the distance between “us” and “them.” We’re increasingly comfortable with, and, indeed, increasingly demand a level of personalized interaction. Not just from our preachers, or our celebrities, but from our brands as well. Because the goal of all this technology really is to connect – not just to ideas or entertainment or “content” but to other people – in a meaningful way.

Make the connection – and the Retweets will follow.

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Category: Case Studies, Social Engagement, Twitter | Tags: BBC Breaking News, Breaking News, Chicago Bulls, CNN Breaking News, ESPN, Joel Osteen Ministries, Joyce Meyer Ministries, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, NBA, Retweet

February 27, 2012

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Linsanity on Social Media – How Lin Has Sparked The Knicks’ Online Audience

Jeremy Lin has officially gone viral – and the New York Knicks are seizing the chance to energize their social media game by cashing in on Lin’s stellar rise, racking up big increases in online audience numbers.

Lin’s spectacular “talent finally gets its due” story combined with his captivating on-the-court performance has catapulted him to overnight stardom and turned around the Knicks’ lackluster season – all the while transforming the Knicks’ social media presence.

In fact, Lin’s meteoric rise from bench warmer to starter matches the Knicks’ insane boost in online audience numbers game for game. Prior to his first big game against the New Jersey Nets on February 4th, the Knicks’ audience was only increasing at the same steady pace as every other NBA team. Starting February 2nd, with a loss against the Chicago Bulls, the Knicks were at around 1.59 million social media fans across all social media platforms.

Lin’s stunning 25-point breakout against the Nets kicked off Linsanity and a three-week-long spike in the Knicks’ total social audience across Facebook and Twitter.

With each Linspirational victory, the Knicks’ audience numbers enjoyed a corresponding bump, adding around 500,000 fans and followers and bringing them to a current social audience of over 2 million. In the meantime, the average NBA team has only added around 100,000 in audience.

All this new attention has lifted the Knicks to the number 4 spot on Track Social’s NBA Social Media Leaderboard. The Knicks now come in behind the Miami Heat, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls – all big market teams with much better season records.

But how do the Knicks keep this social media streak going?

Like any good coach will tell you: When a player’s hot, give him the ball.

That’s why Jeremy Lin is now the face of the Knicks. Literally.

Not only have the Knicks changed their Facebook icon to a picture of Lin, but just two weeks ago, as Lin-sanity was starting to take hold, the team launched a new Facebook app to capitalize on all the new attention. “Like the Knicks” is about as simple as it gets: a picture of Jeremy Lin “shooting” for the Like button. If that weren’t enough, Lin is also dominating Twitter with millions of mentions since the onset of Linsanity.

By flooding Facebook, Twitter and their official website with Lin quotes, clips, pics and stats, the Knicks are making sure their on-the-court sensation remains a social media bonanza. A banner add for the Knicks’ free official iPhone/Android app sums it up nicely: “Want the latest ‘Lin-sanity’ news and videos? There’s an app for that.”

Lin is the kind of instant sensation that social media is made for: a tenacious talent that finally gets his shot at the big time and does what nobody expected him to do. It’s the kind of story that makes Fans out of spectators and gets us engaged – both online and at the game.

For all the latest on what the NBA Teams are doing on social media, including a live stream of NBA social media news and our interactive social brand map, check out the Track Social NBA Team Zone!

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Category: Case Studies, Facebook, Social Audience, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Platforms, Twitter | Tags: Jeremy Lin, Linsanity, NBA, New York Knicks

February 21, 2012

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Facebook is for Brands, Twitter is for News, LinkedIn is for High-Tech

Track Social used its proprietary Social Brand Leaderboards to look at the leading brands by audience on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. The results were expected, yet surprising.

Facebook is for Brands

At First Glance: Facebook is used to promote consumer brands that have broad, emotional appeal.

*All Leaderboards in this article are ranked according to the total aggregate audience size of the company on each social media platform (note: it is possible for an individual company to have multiple social media accounts on a given platform). Also note that Track Social does not track individuals or celebrities – it is the premier source of Social Media Analytics for businesses.

When Facebook began allowing companies to set up their own profiles, the real boon for brands was the ability to occupy the same online space as consumers’ friends and acquaintances. After all, online space very quickly translated to occupying the same mental space. Consumers could think of their interaction with brands in the same way they thought of their interaction with people: they could have conversations, share content, and exchange information. They could have a relationship with their Fans.

It’s no wonder, then, that younger-skewing consumer brands consistently dominate Track Social’s Top 10 for Facebook audience numbers. Brands like Coca-Cola, Disney and MTV are best able to exploit Facebook’s inherent value proposition and connect to consumers one-on-one through entertaining posts, special content, and exclusive deals.

Twitter is for News

At First Glance: Whether it’s breaking news, sports news, or celebrity ‘news’, Twitter is for news.

Twitter’s infamous 140 character limit doesn’t suit everyone. But it does work for pithy headlines, instant updates and late-breaking announcements. That’s why news organizations consistently dominate Track Social’s Twitter Top 10. Thinking of Twitter as a highly time-sensitive linking service for information and buzz generation will help organizations determine how to approach their Twitter strategies. Without regularly churning out useful new content or posting timely, exclusive deals, Twitter accounts will have little to offer consumers.

LinkedIn is for High-Tech

At First Glance: High-tech corporations dominate LinkedIn’s top ten.

LinkedIn’s special place in the social media pantheon has always been professional networking. Additionally it has been a central source of truth for corporate information, and many companies are encouraging their employees to connect their profiles to the company profile in order to bolster their presence. It is not surprising then that large corporations would dominate the LinkedIn leaderboards. What is surprising is how many high-tech companies are in the top ten – in fact it is dominated by them.

Does this mean if you’re not a tech company on LinkedIn or you’re not a news outlet on Twitter or a mega-brand on Facebook that these outlets are wastes of time? Of course not. But it does give an overriding indication of how these different platforms are being used. They are distinct ways to reach out to specific market segments – and knowing the strengths and limitations of each platform will better help any organization determine where to put their energy and resources to maximize their social media success.

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Category: Facebook, Social Audience, Social Media Platforms, Twitter | Tags: Audience, Facebook, Leaderboard, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter

February 13, 2012

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How Social Media Can Get You Laid on Valentine’s Day

February 14th: the most unavoidable day of the year. So why not just embrace it? Single or attached, guy or gal, gay or straight, everyone can use a little extra help getting laid this Valentine’s Day. That’s where social media comes in. Brands of all sorts are taking advantage of this Hallmark holiday to market themselves to social users and luckily, Track Social has been keeping track of all Valentine-related Facebook Tabs. Here’s a select few which can help shape how you spend the evening of February 14th:

*Wine Me, Dine Me…*

A night out and a good meal is the obvious ticket. Bonefish Grill’s “The Good the Bad and the Ugly” asks users to confess their best (or worst) memorable date stories for the chance to win a $25 gift certificate. For those who have either been swept off their feet, or have experienced a forgettable date (to put nicely), it’s time to cash in.

Meanwhile, over at White Castle, (because nothing says romance like a fast food hamburger chain), they’re turning this joint into a sit-down restaurant and offering reservations throughout the week with its “Valentine’s Day Reservations” Tab. With each reservation comes with it a free dessert, how easy and sexy! And on top of free dessert, White Castle is also allowing Facebook Fans to submit their best “lovey-dovey photo” for a chance to win matching t-shirts (yay!) and a special Valentine’s Day Dinner Kit. For a rare few, burgers, free dessert, and matching t-shirts are just what’s needed to get hot and steamy in bed.

*Retail Romance Valentines*

Tommy Hilfiger’s got a lovely Facebook Tab called “Share the Love” – an inventive way for users to make and send customized valentines through Facebook. The tab allows you to “create” your valentine in three different ways: by “knitting”, with scrabble letters, or with neon lights. “Awwws” are certainly in order. Thank you Tommy Hilfiger for realizing that it’s the little things that count. Tabs like this offer a new twist on an old idea and is definitely fun to play with. Plus, after receiving such a cute and personalized valentine, how could anyone resist?

*Show Them You’re a Good Person*

If the fastest way to your special someone’s – um – heart, is by appealing to his or her humanitarian instincts, check out Macy’s “Follow Your Heart” Facebook Tab. “Liking” Macy’s allows you to create and send a Facebook Valentine to your special someone – and for each Valentine sent, Macy’s will donate $2 (up to $250,000) to the American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women movement. Two birds. One stone.

*Back to My Place? Watch A Movie?*

Everyone knows the foreplay starts on the couch while “watching a movie.” Which movie? Doesn’t matter. So why not use your free rental from Redbox? Their “Valentines” Tab lets you send a free rental to someone. Behold! A virtual Valentine that someone might find worthwhile to receive!

*Sexy Escape*

This last one is pretty much a shoo-in. Aside from restaurants, retailers, and movie rental companies, the hospitality industry is another one looking to cash in on this Hallmark holiday. For example, Hotel Monteleon in New Orleans is generously helping one lucky couple get laid with its “Valentine Getaway” Tab. The process to win the romantic package getaway couldn’t be easier: after “Liking” the Facebook page, just submit some basic info. The prized package? A sweet suite at Hotel Monteleon on Valentine’s Day. But that’s not it – this getaway also includes champagne, chocolates, drinks, room service dinner, breakfast, and a restaurant gift certificate for future use. Man. Talk about the perfect recipe for romance. If that doesn’t help get you laid, nothing will.

So remember, this Valentine’s Day social media’s here to play to wingman. But if you do manage to seal the deal, a word to the wise – best not to tweet about it.

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Category: Case Studies, Facebook, Social Media Marketing, Social Media Platforms, Uncategorized | Tags: Bonefish Grill, Hotel Monteleon, Macy's, Redbox, Social Media, Tommy Hilfiger, Valentine's Day, White Castle

February 9, 2012

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Fashion Week Brands on the Social Catwalk: Fierce or Fugly?

Fashion Week has arrived! As New York transforms into the epicenter of the fashion world, Track Social is taking a look at which brands are fiercely using social media to strut their goods – and which are a hot mess and in dire need of a social media makeover. We proudly present to you the runway that is at the heart of fashion year round: The Social Catwalk.

FIERCE: CONNECT TO THE HEART OF THE BRAND

Connecting, communicating, and appealing to consumers are absolute musts for designers in this industry. Lucky for them, social media is the perfect outlet. With social media, designers can link their unique personas and distinct styles with their consumers, and offer fans the chance to mesh with the personality at the heart of the brand.

Case in point: Tory Burch’s Facebook app “Tory’s Love Letter to NYC.” It’s a slick short video showcasing all that she loves about her adopted city. The app invites Fans to submit photos of their own favorite spots (winning photo and caption scores a chic new messenger bag) but more importantly, it connects Fans to Tory’s own personal journey – from Pennsylvania farm girl to fabulous Manhattanite.

Then there’s the always-colorful Betsey Johnson who makes a point of soliciting Fan reactions to flashy new pieces: “Betsey wonders… what do you think of kitten heels?” “LOVE!” “Obsessed” and “Meow, must have!” are just a few responses from Fans who, through commenting, feel the personal connection with Betsey herself.

And, not to be outdone, Michael Kors’ Facebook wall is flooded with shots of the rich and famous draped in his latest. First Lady Michelle Obama and First Lady of Hollywood Angelina Jolie have both recently been featured. One crucial tactic Michael Kors uses is writing posts in the first person, establishing intimacy and credibility with his online community: “First Lady Fabulous! What do you think of Michelle Obama in my gold top?”

These are just a few brands that rock the Social Catwalk with their unique styles and techniques. Let this be a big warning to brands that can’t think of original ways to connect to their consumers: you’re at risk of being fugly. Eek!

FIERCE: INVITE EXCLUSIVITY

The Social Catwalk is a balancing act: brands have to project exclusivity (and a healthy dollop of fantasy) to prop up their appeal, but they also have to inspire consumers’ realistic aspirations for their products.

It’s human nature for people to want to feel like they’re “in” – and Facebook apps can be a great way to make Fans feel like they’re exclusively in the know because they have to “Like” the page to gain private access.

BCBG’s Facebook app “We Love Our Fans” invites Fans to submit photos of themselves sporting BCBG pieces embellished with their own special touches.

And wedding gown maven Vera Wang gives Fans a chance to show off with Facebook posts that link to profiles on her website called “REAL WEDDING”. It’s a regular feature in which real Vera Wang brides share the happiest day of their lives through photos and some Q&A. Photos range from the ceremony to the flowers, and of course, the glowing brides in their stunning Vera gowns.

So remember, on the Social Catwalk:

Exclusive = Fierce. Inclusive = Fugly.

FUGLY: BE A BORE. BOO.

This season’s social media fashion victims are a shocker since they represent two of the industry’s most respected and visible brands. But the data doesn’t lie: compared to the rest of the runway, both Tommy Hilfiger and Donna Karen New York fall short at ‘making it work’ with audience engagement.

Posts are either too infrequent or just so blah that they simply fail to seduce any significant audience reactions or comments. In the fashion world, both of these brands have long since eclipsed the distinct personalities of their founders and are now completely disembodied, old-fashioned mega-companies.

Where have these once dynamic and bold designers gone? With a distinct lack of attitude and lack of authentic voice, both brands are slipping off the edge of the Social Catwalk. Unlike the bright spontaneity of Betsey Johnson’s posts, or the personal from-my-lips-to-your-ears intimacy of Michael Kors, the Tommy Hilfiger and Donna Karen Facebook experiences feel utterly rote, requisite and corporate (which by the way, is soooo last season). In social media – as in fashion – sticking with last season just won’t cut it with savvy consumers today. Someone needs to send these companies a memo: get your social media act together. Otherwise, you’ll remain fugly, a bore, and get booed off the Social Catwalk.

ONE MORE FIERCE: WHATEVER MICHAEL KORS IS DOING

Bravo to the fiercest social media king out there! With high scores across the board, Michael Kors is a fashion superstar. Far from offering a dull experience, Michael Kors’ Facebook App “Destination Kors” brings Fans to its Tumblr-like blog which features weekly styling tips, a travel diary, and a ‘Michael On…’ segment that shares everything from the designers’ inspirations to his efforts in helping charities. On Facebook, Fans enjoy a variety of fun randoms like sassy quotes and videos of new collections and sexy campaigns. Michael Kors is the definition of fashion forward, and thus, knows just what needs to be done. Because of that, this brand is able to flaunt, shine, and own the Fashion Week catwalk. You go Michael Kors!

So there you have it! A sneak peek behind the social media analytic scenes as to what makes a brand fierce and what makes it fugly. Keeping up with the hottest and latest is what fashion is all about. With social media functioning as a limitless runway and giving the opportunity to showcase various styles, it’s really up to the brands as to how they exploit it. If they’re attracting fans, building buzz and showing off #trends, then fierce they are! But if they’re mundane, uncommunicative, and impersonal, then well…fugly they will remain. So all in all, The Social Catwalk can be summed up in one simple phase:

Social Engagement = Fierce. Social Disconnection = Fugly.

For more information about the performance of Fashion Brands on Social Media check out The Social Catwalk on Track Social.

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Category: Case Studies, Facebook, Social Engagement, Social Media Marketing | Tags: Analytics, BCBG, Betsey Johnson, Donna Karen New York, Engagement, Michael Kors, New York Fashion Week, Social Catwalk, Social Media, Tommy Hilfiger, Tory Burch, Vera Wang

February 1, 2012

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Social Media Predicts the Super Bowl

It’s that time of the year again. When the pizza sales skyrocket, the DVRs are set to record commercials, and when Disneyland experiences one of its least hectic days of the year. While football fanatics are busy looking at the season’s stats, analyzing injuries, and comparing players, Track Social has swum thousands of laps in its gridiron-sized swimming pool filled with data, and used robust mathematical models to give us the wisdom we all seek…

Track Social has discovered how to translate Social Media Activity into Super Bowl Victory.

Turns out that, just like the real thing, the Social Bowl gets played in four quarters, each quarter representing one of the four pillars of social media success: Presence, Audience, Engagement, and Buzz.

All we have to do is analyze the teams’ performance on these metrics, and we can predict which team will proudly raise the Super Bowl Lombardi trophy this Sunday. So will it be the redemption seeking New England Patriots? Or will it be another upset by the New York Giants? Let’s get to the game to find out!

1^st Quarter: Social Presence

Social Media Presence measures a team’s visibility online, how well established and active it is on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Establishing a dynamic online presence is the first step in capturing a social media audience, and in this quarter, the Pats are starting off strong with a Track Social grade of A. As for the Giants? B+. The Pats dominated the first quarter, now onto the second!

Patriots: A
Giants: B+
Social Presence Winner: Patriots

2^nd Quarter: Social Audience

The Audience category measures the total number of ongoing relationships a team has formed through Likes and Follows. While both teams received “A” grades, for having solid social fan bases, we’re giving this one to the Pats. Why? Because on Facebook alone, the Pats have well over 3 million fans, nearly twice as many as the Giants. With just 1.6 million fans, the Giants have some catching up to do. They’re seizing the chance to rack up as many new Fans as possible as they head toward the big game. Now, a team’s performance on the field is obviously a huge factor in generating new Likes and Follows and both teams stand to gain significant numbers this week. But all that new activity doesn’t guarantee success in the third quarter.

Patriots: A
Giants: A
Social Audience Winner: Patriots

3^rd Quarter: Social Engagement

Engagement is about how successful a brand’s social media interactions are with consumers. In other words, when a team posts or tweets, does anybody care? Are there crickets or are there outpourings of comments, likes, and retweets? It’s possible for a team to rack up big numbers of Facebook Fans and still not capitalize on that audience if their online interactions fail to keep fans engaged. That’s why the game is never won or lost in just the first half. In this quarter, the Giants make a game of it – it’s a near tie in the engagement category with both teams receiving perfect grades. Charging up an already excited fan base is one of the best ways social media can magnify a brand’s momentum. And you can only imagine how crazy the fans get when their teams make the Superbowl.

Patriots: A+
Giants: A+
Social Engagement Winner: Tie

4^th Quarter: Social Buzz

The 4^th quarter is crunch time and in social media, Buzz is what the big plays are all about. Buzz is a measure of how much people are talking with, at, and about a brand in the Social Media Universe. Audience numbers and engagement scores definitely play into a brand’s Buzz, but so does the general level of chatter about all things related to a brand. Say for example you were playing in the Super Bowl – you might expect that to generate some Buzz! And so this quarter was close once again, A+’s to both teams! Another tie!

Patriots: A+
Giants: A+
Social Buzz Winner: Tie

And the Winner is…

When taken together, Track Social’s four Social Pillars: Presence, Audience, Engagement and Buzz, represent the most comprehensive metrics-based approached to understanding how and why some brands succeed online while others lag behind. And when it comes to the Social Super Bowl, hands down the trophy goes to the Patriots. Straight A’s ain’t easy, but leave it to the Pats to be a Social Media powerhouse.

So we boldly proclaim: congratulations to the winners of Super Bowl XLVI, the New England Patriots!

Be sure to check out Track Social’s NFL Zone for all the latest news on what your favorite NFL teams are doing on social media!

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Category: Case Studies, Facebook, Social Media Marketing, Twitter | Tags: Audience, Buzz, Engagement, NFL, Presence, Social Media, Super Bowl

January 25, 2012

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Track Social’s NFL Engagement Leaderboard

When a team kicks, do their fans return?

Track Social’s NFL Engagement Leaderboard takes a look around the league to find out which teams are scoring highest in the daily competition for social media engagement. And just like the action on the field, some online strategies score bigger than others.

The Winners, The Losers, and The Surprises of the Engagement Game

This year, four of the top five NFL teams on our Social Engagement Scoreboard also made it to the Conference Championship round so there’s no question that performance on the field can have a huge impact on fan interaction. Awesome job (on and off the field) and congratulations to the Social Engagement Leaders of the NFL!

Online platforms are the perfect outlets for channeling fan enthusiasm and we can confidently say that:

Winning = Engagement

However, there are always exceptions. Despite a heartbreaking loss to the San Francisco 49ers for a chance to play in the NFC Championship, the New Orleans Saints still manage to attain high levels of fan engagement even without anymore game time this season. What’s their secret? Posting photos and videos on their Facebook page reminiscing of their Superbowl win two years ago. Boy do those memories ignite their fans! Or maybe Saints fans just show more love?

Outside the top five, season stats and engagement rankings don’t always have an automatic correlation.

Leaderboard changes on a constant basis. Image created: 1/24/2012

Three teams that made the Playoffs didn’t rank higher than the middle of the pack. Atlanta, Detroit and Cincinnati (17, 18, 19 respectively) were all surpassed by seven teams that never advanced to the Wild Card round but still managed to cultivate high levels of fan interaction through posts and tweets. What’s more, the team with this year’s worst regular season record – the Carolina Panthers – managed to come in at number 14.

No doubt about it, having an active and loyal social media fan base can get a team far on the Track Social Engagement Leaderboard, even if they do make one too many turnovers on the field.

It’s How You Use It…

In terms of audience size, we’ve previously reported on which teams dominate the Facebook Fan count, but the number of fans doesn’t always tell us about the quality of a team’s interactions. Measuring social media engagement is about observing how online audiences respond to brand-initiated interaction. So when a team puts up a post on its Facebook wall, throws out a Tweet, or launches a new Facebook app, what’s the response it gets back compared to the relative size of its online audience?

Pittsburgh, for instance, took 2^nd in the number of Facebook Fans but drops to 11 on our Engagement Scoreboard. And Jacksonville – last place in Facebook Fans – earns a very respectable 13^th place, by generating engagement partly with fan-centered posts like this: “What would you like to see different at EverBank Field to make your gameday experience better?” (Our favorite response was to ban all Tebow jerseys.)

The Fundamentals

As for the top performers, we’ve noted the Patriot’s “Ask A Pat” video series inviting Fans to submit questions for a different team member each week. The answer gets filmed and posted to Facebook. But sometimes the basics work just as well:

“The most important player in this weekend’s game will be _______ because ______.”

With over 3,000 Likes and 4,000 comments, we can safely say that classic old-school prognosticating is still one of the best parts of being a fan.

And that’s really what social engagement is all about: encouraging and provoking the kind of dialogue, excitement, and, yes, controversy that makes being a diehard fan so much fun. What happens on the field is still the reason that fans get excited. But what happens online is one of the best ways to keep fans – and franchises – in the game, even when it’s off-season.

For all the latest on what the NFL Teams are doing on social media, including a live stream of NFL social media news and our interactive social brand map, check out the Track Social NFL Team Zone!

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Category: Social Engagement | Tags: Engagement, NFL, Social Media

January 16, 2012

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Top NFL Teams on Facebook

This season’s NFL scores are in – but we’re not talking about the playoffs. Another kind of pro football competition happens everyday, and this one’s not measured in yards and touchdowns but in Facebook Fans and online engagement.

Tim Tebow memes notwithstanding, when it comes to social media, pro sports teams have an inherent advantage over other kinds of brands. For one thing, NFL franchises don’t have to worry about converting run-of-the-mill consumers into enthusiastic “Fans” – that’s already in the bag. And since sports fans live and breathe the ups and downs of their teams, social media is perfectly suited for the kind of fan-culture engagement that keeps sports franchises healthy and profitable.

But that doesn’t mean NFL teams don’t have to work at their engagement strategies to keep real-world fans active online. Here’s a look at how the top 5 NFL teams on Facebook are keeping their fans engaged:

1) Dallas Cowboys: 4,204,020 Facebook Fans

While it could be just a coincidence that the NFL’s most “Liked” team is also it’s most profitable, the enduring strength of the Cowboy’s brand (despite its ups and downs on the field) allows it to use its Facebook wall as yet another revenue-generating advertising space. Besides the posts about players, coaching changes and game analysis – standard fare on every NFL team Facebook page – the Cowboys are that rare juggernaut of a brand that can also put up explicitly sponsored Facebook posts without squelching Fan interaction. A recent post titled “Gatorade Trivia Time,” for example, asked Fans to guess how many flavors of Gatorade were stocked in the team’s training facility soda machine. In just nine hours over 6,000 people responded. The grand prize? A game towel. The moral of that story? Don’t mess with Texas.

2) Pittsburgh Steelers: 3,819,933 Facebook Fans

Like the Cowboys, the Steelers enjoy a committed fan base spilling well beyond their neck of the woods, and the Steelers’ Facebook page serves as a hub for the far-flung Steeler Nation. The Steelers post about 2-4 times per day, except on game days when they post regular live game updates on their Wall, giving Fans a chance to comment on the ecstasies and the agonies. And for Steelers fans, well, we know which one they feel more often.

3) New England Patriots: 2,824,822 Facebook Fans

Clocking in at number three, the Patriots feature a recurring Wall Post called “Ask A Pat” in which Fans are invited to submit a question to a designated member of the team:

Six-time Pro Bowl guard Brian Waters is this week’s Ask A Pat! Post your questions here & he’ll film a video response tomorrow.

It’s a great way to generate comments, connect fans with players, and highlight video posts – even if they aren’t always particularly profound. Case in point: “Aaron Hernandez talks about his most meaningful tattoo in this week’s Ask A Pat video.”

4) Green Bay Packers: 2,533,878 Facebook Fans

With deep roots and a storied history, this small-market team enjoys a passionate following well beyond Wisconsin. In fact, “Packers Everywhere” is the name of a recently launched official fan site where the Packers often link their Facebook posts. And linking seems to be one the Packer’s engagement strategies; almost every Wall Post ties back to Packers.com, keeping fans securely inside the Green Bay loop. We were heartened to see one link that somehow just seemed so…Wisconsin:

Get your Pack Attack Mac, Brat Bites, and Cheesehead Beer Bread recipes at the all-new Packers Everywhere Online Cookbook! Submit your own recipe or check out others at the only cookbook made exclusively by Packers fans.

5) New Orleans Saints: 2,354,740 Facebook Fans

Who Dat? Over 2.3 million Facebook Fans, that’s who! The Saints are another small-market team consistently hitting above its weight, both in athletic performance and in its branding. The city of New Orleans and its place in our popular imagination might have something to do with that, or maybe it’s just that the Saints are the most, as they might say in the South, loquacious, of the top five teams. The Saints sometimes post as much as twelve times per day. Online, as in the bayou, the conversation never stops.

As for the rest of the pack, our scoreboard finds eleven other teams with Fan numbers above the 1,000,000 mark, but a full eight teams still haven’t broken the 500,000 threshold. While some of these stragglers are relatively new franchises compared to our top five, we were surprised to find the venerable Buffalo Bills coming in at number 30. Looks like somebody’s got some work to do in the off-season.

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Category: Awards, Case Studies |

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