social media strategy Immediate Future

social media strategy

From asking followers for hidden-gem holiday destinations to posting the ubiquitous sunset selfie (framed by palm trees for added effect) and bragging about how amazing and life-affirming their holiday was afterward, travellers are a noisy bunch in social media. So much so that a recent study shows…

Last week, I saw an infographic on the charity and non-profit sectors that perform best – and worst – on social media. And whilst running (and live tweeting!) the London Marathon this year, it occurred to me that charities could be making more of the huge opportunities that…

Every 6 months or so another infographic appears informing us of the best times to post on each social media platform. Well I can tell you that most of these timings are unworkable. Useless insight that is meaningless. Why? Because the best times to post depends on a number…

Recently, I have been working with clients across a wide range of verticals in the B2B space, from pharmaceuticals to chemical engineering to sports equipment. These disparate markets have completely unique business challenges, requirements, sales processes and routes to market. However, there is one thing that many of…

Clinton passed on an ostentatious announcement, and opted for online social conversations to kick-start her campaign for the White House. And the buzz which followed was far greater than fellow candidates from the opposing Republican Party. After announcing her presidential bid, last Sunday via YouTube, Clinton has…

Getting your employees to share content can be a struggle, but when they do it can pay off in ways that company posts cannot. Generating positive employee shared content is easy when you know how. These are five types of content that employees should willingly share that will boost…

There is a lot of social noise when it comes to travel. From flights and holidays to hotels and destinations; brands and consumers alike are chatting, posting and broadcasting on social media. In all that noise though, there is insight that can change the game for travel brands. Get…

Yeah that’s right – especially to those of you working at one of hundreds of social media marketing tools and platforms – I forgot technology! Firstly, it isn’t a ‘p’ so then I would have had to change the title of my blog post. Secondly, I left it out…

According to InsideView, the majority (90%) of CEOs will not respond to cold calls or emails. This is of course a hard segment to reach as they deal with high-level challenges on a day-to-day basis leaving them little time to…

As we move through social media maturity, with some organizations already focusing on optimizing activity and performance based models, the question is – when does social media just become part of everything else? And what is the future of the social media department or even team?…

Last Christmas they gave us #hareandbear but the very next month they took them away. This year instead of a deer they gave us a penguin, special. This time of year we annually see some of the most engaging social campaigns and as the holidays rapidly approach.

Nestle relaunched the Rolo online brand earlier in October with the classic strapline ‘Do you love anyone enough to give them your last Rolo?’ via a series of five videos, and the immediate reaction has been largely positive. They’ve racked up over 180,000 views on YouTube in just over two…

Ever wondered where all those ‘new’ competition entries are coming from on your brand page? Is there a way to attract new page fans that aren’t simply ‘gamers’ but real fans of your brand or product and not simply there for the competition. (Yes, there are people…

Timehop The app service that sends you a reminder of your updates of this time last year, 2 years ago, 3 years and so on, is by no means a new app. However their more recent functionality changes have increased downloads and driven engagements, now enabling users…

Spreading campaign messages via Twitter with the use of hashtags or recruiting dedicated supporters has always been a labour of gaining organic strength. Relying on the persistence and influence of others to spread the message. Now we see the emergence of new apps that access supporters’ social…

Social media is not simply a broadcast channel – and brands that use social media solely for this purpose are never going to get the most out of social media. Social media is a two-way conversation, so get prepared to join in. Social customer service has exploded in popularity over…

What is real-time marketing about? Responding to customers, following trends and ultimately creating a strong, relevant relationship with your audience. It doesn’t sound so bad when you sum it up like that. But real-time marketing is easier said than done. Our research report ‘In the Social…

With over 2 million of them on LinkedIn, Groups are a core part of the platform. Whether it’s to enhance your credibility or to generate leads, we take a look at the important role that Groups can play in your marketing activity. With over 8,000 Groups created every week, there…

Paraphrasing some recent advice at our Social Speakeasy from Jerry Daykin of Mondelez International, “If you want to become a real-time engagement focused business then you need to break some of the traditional marketing practices”. Advice that is mirrored in our brand survey results on real-time social engagement. Where brands…

LinkedIn is running ‘full steam ahead’ in its content marketing efforts as it announces the release of two new content analytics tools, dubbed as the “Dynamic Duo” for businesses. Read on to discover why the news should come as music to the ears of B2B brands marketing…

$ Two-thirds of brands manage real-time social engagement in-house, but half have other marketing roles too. Our benchmark report on brands in real-time social media shows that 50% of those at the coal-face of social engagement are also managing other roles in marketing and communications. So are…

Brands know that they need to be monitoring conversations if they are to make the most of real-time social engagement. Our survey, ‘In The Moment’ benchmarks real-time social amongst leading brands. It shows 62% of marketers think the most important best practice is monitoring trends, headlines and…

Measuring, analysing and benchmarking your social activity is essential. It highlights what you are doing well, when you need to improve, and whether you are delivering what your customers want. But in truth, social media isn’t about promoting your business at all. It’s about engaging with your community (something easier…

Everyone is talking about real-time social engagement – it was certainly hot topic at SXSW. So at immediate future, we thought we would ask blue-chip brands for their views. A chance to benchmark the status of real-time marketing. You can download the full report,…

For many brands using social media, you want to prove one thing: that your campaigns are delivering ROI. Whether it’s the number of Facebook likes, Twitter followers, the number of retweets, clicks to your landing pages, email registrations or product downloads, there are a multitude of metrics that…

Roll up! Roll up! Brands that are already investing heavily in LinkedIn will be licking their lips at the prospect of the new publishing power about to be at their finger tips (see the full article on the LinkedIn blog). LinkedIn influencers, launched in 2012, saw powerful…

Call them what you like, Generation Me, the Lost Generation but they remain top of the lust-list for advertisers and companies alike. This new sub-demographic spawned from Generation Y can be described as “the most sophisticated and therefore the most important media consumer that the planet has even known”, and…

OK, I’m no psychologist, so I would have to hazard a guess on the applications of Freud’s psychodynamic theory to social media – I’ll leave that to the psychologists amongst us! What I can tell you though, is that thought processes and emotions play an important role in social media…

Recruiters have taken social media by the horns and well and truly learnt its power to connect them with candidates in a totally new and exciting way. Although it is bringing much success for some, it’s not for all. 2014 will be the year that, finally, recruiters globally…

As usual predictions for 2014 abound. Rather than add to the melee with only our voice, we asked some of the most influential movers and shakers in digital to tell us what they thought would be big this year. Interestingly, even though we asked for opinions individually, the feedback revealed…

If you find a little time in-between now and the New Year, it’s a good opportunity to do a little social media housekeeping. Here are immediate future’s top 14 recommendations (seriously, we are doing our tidy up too!) that will improve your social footprint…

As the end of 2013 draws in, many brands are on a last minute drive to turbocharge their social media activity, capitalising in on the festive season to spark growth. Christmas presents fantastic opportunities for creative campaigns and competitions, sure fire ways to drive new fans and followers. With this…

The beauty industry has gone through an exciting transition over the past 10 years and with the rise of the internet and knowledge sharing, consumers are now empowered and are demanding ground-breaking technologies, ingredients and products – they know what they want and are more than willing to invest in…

If you want to create a following for your company of the most engaged community, get on Instagram. I understand the fear, posting pictures is for kids, what if I don’t know what pictures to put up, does it make my company look like they are having fun and not…

Who hasn’t been trying to monitor their online performance and hit a road block because you can’t access the proper tools? Maybe you’re up to your eyeballs in meaningless figures and graphs? All you need is a little context, some simple analysis, a general overview – but you don’t want…

© Kenichi Nobusue ”My social networks” Photo. Attribution 2.0 Generic There is no simple answer to running a successful business but those who do often rely on business instinct. It could be a sixth sense that leads you to success, but sometimes it’s best…

On Wednesday evening, I attended a Social Media Week session, ‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’. Check out the snap of immediate future‘s Pete looking pretty and enjoying a beverage out of his #SMWLDN cup! As much as I enjoyed the case studies that the panel critiqued and applauded,…

How important is social media when it comes to engaging with your customers? Well if it’s being discussed on the BBC’s One Show, it must be! In last night’s episode, the show delved into the increasing numbers of consumers taking to Twitter as a forum to complain and the effectiveness…

As social media carries on evolving at lightning speed, the knowledge and skill set divide continues to widen. To be able to fully unlock the power of social media for your business, you need to think beyond the team who manages your branded social media presence and look at the…

You may have seen The Social Media Policy Workbook already. But if you haven’t, it’s a resource chock-full of checklists, tips and real life examples to help you create a robust social media policy that can stand up to scrutiny. Now we’ve gone one step further…

It feels like a while since I last blogged about social customer care, despite it being one of the areas of social media management and strategy that fascinates me the most. In my time spent working in social media, I’ve observed brands and businesses evolve their clunky social care processes,…

Social media monitoring is essential for business. When “81% of Twitter users expect a same day response to questions and complaints” you can’t afford not to pay attention. Customers are certainly leading the way and it’s our job to keep up. Our very own Katy Howell [follow her @katyhowell] points…

This week London played host to a two-day conference run by Our Social Times, discussing building customer relationships through social media. With real insights and case studies from big brands, including Nokia, Sony, EE, NowTV and eBay, attendees had the opportunity to explore new ideas…

If you have anything to do with social media, then you know that you are always innovating. If it isn’t the constant evolution of the platforms, the new tools sprouting like weeds across the internet, or the ever-changing trends of users – you need to stay on your toes in…

Corporate communication is undergoing rapid change. As a rule of thumb, the challenge for large businesses is to maintain a genuinely personal approach to the customer, despite the sheer volume of enquiries, whilst keeping in line with the overall marketing strategy. Web solutions, intertwined with thought-through social elements provide a…

Let’s cut to the chase shall we. B2B marketers want leads. In fact 70% say it is the top priority. In social media we have the opportunity. Our buyers are there.

It was revealed last week that Google+ has overtaken Twitter in the US as the second biggest social network. Whilst the prominence of Google+ is growing it is becoming more apparent that companies can no longer afford to neglect the platform from their social media marketing strategy. Brands should look…

With the popularity of LinkedIn Groups growing alongside the other conversation platforms, such as LinkedIn Today and company pages, it has become a considerable challenge to identify the most relevant groups to join. Let’s say you are an IT professional looking to network with your peers……

Although creating a tweet or a Facebook status update is quick and easy, brands need to realise that social can offer a lot more in the long-term. The effort that you put into managing your social presence is meant for a lot more than one sale; you are building an…

Word of mouth is a coveted form of marketing. There is nothing like your customers talking positively about your brand, product and services. Google suggests that the value is on the Zero Moment of Truth where consumers jump online to check out a brand before…

Although Vine is still a relatively new app, it has shown that it has clout with brands and advertisers in a short period of time. Vine is a mobile app that lets you shoot six-second videos, or Vines, to share on social networking sites. With brands continuing to utilise the…

Already we’ve explored the recent research on Live Brand Social to look at how people’s behaviours can inform your planning. You’ve seen the best ways you can use a combination of live events and social media; how you can target your audience and interact with…

Google has developed yet another mind-blowing research tool. Despite the rather unimaginative name, “The Customer Journey to Online Purchase”, it nevertheless provides extremely valuable data to boost the imagination of online marketers, providing even further evidence to treat social media as an integral part of any serious marketing strategy. So…

In the last Live Brand Social post we touched on how, together, live experiences and social create a 48% more successful event. Being active on social before, during and after a live event gives you the greatest opportunity to extend the relationship:…

When it comes to social media, one key to success is to focus on the activities that give you the widest reach, as efficiently as possible. You need to know that your message is being heard and more importantly that it is being heard by the right people. It…

There is strength in numbers, and integrating live brand experiences with your social media activities is a prime example of this. Together they become Live Brand Social, and together they generate amazing figures. 53% of consumers said they will purchase a branded product as a result of this…

Did you skim stones at the beach when you were younger? It’s a favourite summer pastime for plenty of kids but it isn’t so far from the marketing mix that many adults find themselves swimming through these days. How so? Skimming stones has a short lifespan when it comes…

There’s a reason that people like chilli and chocolate and it’s really simple: opposites attract. Alone, these ingredients are delicious but in very different ways. Combined (despite the initial reaction that you’re preparing a culinary disaster) the result is surprisingly satisfying. It’s not so different in brand marketing. You…

With social media being a hub for news stories and updates brands and companies are ever increasingly jumping on popular stories to engage with wider audiences. This is known as newsjacking. When done correctly newsjacking can be an amazing asset for a brand, however, if done badly the backlash can…

The disclosure of confidential information is widely considered to be the biggest risk of using social media. In fact, our research into social media and the law detailed how 3 out of 5 companies are not confident that sensitive or confidential information is protected on social platforms. But UK…

Copying and sharing information online has never been easier but a simple retweet can gain you a lot more attention than you bargained for, and not necessarily of the good variety. Copyright regulations have evolved to keep up with advances in technology and the use of the Internet. For…

Incorporating social media into your marketing mix may seem like the norm nowadays, but so much activity has led to increased attention when it comes to legal credentials. High profile cases like that of Lord Alistair McAlpine have left 3 pertinent concerns with marketers. Who takes responsibility?…

Have you noticed how blue the colour scheme on most social media platforms is? Apparently it is a very trustworthy colour, subconsciously symbolising intelligence, wisdom and stability. Users can also be quite colourful, not only the content that they are sharing but the shades that their complexion goes through when…

Facebook wants to know what you’re doing This week we have taken a look at the new changes Facebook is rolling out! Facebook is about to launch a brand new update which will affect our Facebook status updates. They are soon to become much more interactive due to a…

Social media is a fast-moving, ever-evolving beast – for all marketers it’s a constant challenge to stay one step ahead of the game. We can’t be 100% sure of the future of social, but we can certainly have a jolly good inkling… The results of B2B Marketing’s Social Media Benchmarking…

YouTube launched annotated videos in 2010; this function allows you to link to other videos within your own video. This lets you create highly engaging videos for fans. Producing an innovative and creative video campaign can result in millions of views and great brand awareness; however, despite being launched 3…

We’re living in times of integrated marketing. The distinction between social, e-mail, SEO and PPC does still exist, but it has become essential that different channels work in conjunction, not competition, towards the same goal. As a consequence, brand websites should reflect this integrated approach. There is a great opportunity…

Brands are constantly trying to find a personal connection with their customers. Social media is a platform where they are able to talk to them more directly. With more and more companies speaking to their customers in conversational tones, and using humour to engage with their fan base, April Fools…

It seems like everyone is at it nowadays – Facebook advertising is more or less a standard element of many brands’ social media activity. But how often are marketers taking a step back to ponder WHY exactly they are running advertising campaigns? What do they hope to achieve? Over the…

“Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” Kennedy’s inauguration speech was as relevant to the American people in 1961 as it is to the content marketer in 2013. Why? Substitute the word ‘country’ with ‘audience’…

I’m sure you’ve probably heard murmurings about Vine, Twitter’s new video-sharing app, which arrived on the social media scene at the end of last week. There has already been lots of excitement around the new app, which is being dubbed the Instagram of video. Twitter’s 500 milllion…

An app says a lot about a branded Facebook page. It can tell us whether a brand has a data and/or member acquisition strategy, while providing insight into the consistency of branding and coherency of content strategy. It can reveal the true extent of on-page geo-targeting, amalgamating localised campaigns and…

I won’t be the first social media marketer whose eyes made a bee-line for ‘Return on Involvement’ in Mashable’s 2013 buzzword bible. Return on involvement – A brand that “gets involved with their community will garner better return on their investment by getting involved hosting fundraisers, partnering with schools and…

For brands using social media, engagement is what it’s all about. Great engagement not only ensures that your content is being seen by your fans and followers, it creates a dedicated community that will lead to more brand advocates who are happy to tell everyone how great you…

As the year draws to a close and we all reflect on the vast and rapid developments that have occurred in social media in 2012, it is clear that one of the most prominent progressions has been the growing importance of smartphones to access social networking sites.

As the year draws to a close the inevitable lists of the best and worst moments begin to appear. But what about social media’s biggest successes this year? Econsultancy have published what they think are the 10 greatest social media campaigns from 2012. Looking back at what…

It’s no secret that the last few months for Facebook have been trying. With stock continuing to slump Facebook has been turning to e-commerce as a way to combat this. In the last fortnight the social media giant has launched Facebook gifts; which allows you to buy friends redeemable gifts…

The B2Bs in the Social Marketing Universe Using social media for business is no longer a new or strange concept. Although some businesses have been slow to grasp the full value of social media for B2B marketing. Last week Facebook announced it was awarding 12 of the…

Engagement is of paramount importance when it comes to getting it right in social media. Your contributions on social networks form the outward representation of your brand or company online and define how you are viewed by others. Which is why effective and compelling engagement requires scrupulous planning and calls…

Shortly after my last post on Pinterest this insightful infographic circulated giving further evidence that the platform could really become a big player in 2012 – check out “is Pinterest the next social commerce game changer“ After making such a huge splash in the US…

Two great examples of brands using social engagement at the heart of their campaigns have popped up recently. Both Walkers Crisps and Kit Kat Chunky have launched multi-channel campaigns supported by TV advertising to create a buzz around new flavours of their products, seeking user participation and driving activity through…

Pinterest was the surprise social network of last year in the US achieving over 31 million visits and rising to number 7 in the Hitwise top 10 social networks of 2011. Whilst the network only represents 0.68% share of visits (Facebook represents a staggering 63.31%) – Pinterest is set to…

For years, content strategists have been hiding in the wings, quietly coordinating the show, while the social media rock stars take centre stage. Not anymore. A media frenzy surrounding the information overload debate, combined with the growing impact of social search, mean that the need for sophisticated content planning is…

New research shows consumers who engage with companies using social media spend up to 30% more than consumers that don’t. The same research from Bain & Company, suggests they are also more loyal and emotionally connected than customers who are not socially engaged. Bain…

If so, you are not alone. New research from econsultancy shows a whopping 85% of brands believe increased social media marketing by competitors will have a significant impact on their social media plans in 2012. With all innovation, there is an adoption curve (see…

Whether you’re planning your tactical social media campaign or reengineering your business for the social consumer, social media research is invaluable in setting benchmarks. They help you manage expectations, isolate priorities and best of all, define KPIs that set the evaluation bar. But there is a dearth of…

So in the first blog in this series, we established that Reddit is significant online social movement, but what exactly can it offer a brand or business? Monitoring: Businesses can utilise the platform as a go-to for cutting edge news and content. Monitoring the platform for relevant…

An experimental scientist? A mathematician, an historian, an IT geek, a money making economist or socially savvy psychologist? Last week we conducted a Twtpoll to discover who you would rather employ as a social media consultant for your business. The results were eye opening. To our…

Before hastily setting up a Google+ page for your business, you need to step back and consider whether there is any value in joining the early adopters. We pulled together 4 points to help you evaluate whether it is worth your company embracing Google+: 1. Objective…

Google+ has really got the social media world excited. Twenty-five million users in 6 weeks, makes the growth of similar social networks like Facebook and Twitter look positively stunted in comparison. And the blogosphere is just as fired up – a quick Google blog search for Google+…

In the last post we looked at figures from the twentieth century and the lessons that could be learned from their experiences when implementing brand social media training. In this post we’ll investigate some historical recommendations crowdsourced on Twitter over the…

Those looking to ensure staff are equipped to represent their brand across social media platforms could do worse than learn from some of history’s most famous and infamous historical figures. So what can your social media training learn from the past? “To be ignorant of what occurred before you…

Social media knows no boundaries. Understanding what customers are saying in the social web has value for multiple parts of a business – not just marketing. Breaking down internal silos and sharing social insight is still a challenge for many. A recent piece of research from Dell/Forrester…

What does it take to become a true social business? We analyse the findings of a report from the Harvard Business Review that identifies four types of social media strategy. We pin-point the what you need to be the ultimate social business - the 'social media transformer'.

As a social media consultancy, we find a lot of people ask us: what is social business? Here are our top 3 infographics to help you get your head into the idea of a social business. It should provide inspiration for your social media strategy!