Social Media in Italy

Well - I'm in Italy! The culture here is so different and this post will hopefully give you an idea of what social media here is like.

I've read a few news articles about how social media is getting more and more popular here but I've noticed that it's no where as big as it is in the states. There are around 61 million people in Italy and only 43% of them use the internet. Even just being in the hotel we're in has shown me how high speed internet isn't as widely available as it is in other countries.

I'm in Rome with my sister currently and we've heard quite a bit of talk about earthquakes. In the past an earthquake nearly destroyed the southern half of the Colosseum and also ruined part of the Roman Forum. Turns out some people actually used social media to keep up with their friends and family during a recent earthquake (or terremoto as they call it) in a city near Rome called Abruzzo. This article states that "For a couple of hours Twitter was the only source available to Italian people to share news and information and, most of all, try to contact friends and relatives living in Abruzzo." 1,500 people were injured and another 50,000 did not have shelter. Social networks allowed people to share information about how to donate and give blood throughout the crisis.

A few social networks they use here that may be new to us are Netlog (which has 75 million members) and Friendfeed so check them out if you want! 

Consumers First

So many companies provide incentives for customers or fans to "like" their page. But what does that do for their company exactly? Not a whole lot. I read an article this week called "What's in a "like"? Not much" and the author made a great point about how many companies focus on the wrong objectives. Organizations set goals for themselves and their employees trying to increase the number of fans on their Facebook page or the number of "likes" but in reality they need to get those customers to actively participate not just passively "like".

A similar article, found here, reiterates the fact that using the number of Facebook fans a company has is an ineffective measure of how involved consumers are. In fact its stated that 80% of people who "like" a page will never even return to it. If you are using Facebook to help your bottom line then you should consider the moment that your fan "likes" your page as the beginning of your journey with them not the end.

The point: engage your customer. Focus on more than just getting your fan total to increase - create content for them that gets them involved and "turns them from a fan into a brand advocate." That's what will really help your bottom line.

What I've learned about Apps Marketing

I've been doing a little research lately for an app company at work and found a book that has some really cool pointers. It's called "iPhone & iPad Apps Marketing: Secrets to Selling your iPhone and iPad Apps." Check it out at Barnes & Noble if you want - it's by Jeffrey Hughes. Today's world is mobile and so companies are beginning to make an effort to make their product available wherever their customers are. If used effectively, iPhone and iPad apps can help a company extend their brand reach as well as increase customer interaction and loyalty. Mobile technology can help in other ways, too. Those in the banking industry, for example, have started providing customers access to their account via apps. Creating new ways to extend the usefulness of existing web-based tools is going to be something that we will see more of in the future.

One great example of a company that successfully extended their product to the mobile technology world is Chipotle. Their app gives customers a full menu, restaurant locator, and a secure ordering system where customers can place orders.

The book asks: Is an iPhone/iPad App Right for Your Company? The answer is, in almost every situation, yes. The book says "Most companies are a good fit for creating an iPhone/iPad app to either promote their brand or extend existing services to their customers."  The real question probably if your company has the resources to create and maintain an app that is helpful to your customer.

Four tips for implementing your marketing plan from Hughes' book:
-Always check your progress
-Always try new things
-Don't jump ship too soon
-Ask for feedback