This is a follow up to my previous post on the Adelaide Zoo's PokemonGo map and their use of social media to promote it. It was a bit negative in that it was opinon based (hey, my blog), but I will definitely conceed that the middle ground I'm running here is one of discussion and ideas and sharing my experience working with not-for-profit and government organisations in the digital space for the past eight years.
So, I was chatting to someone about the recent blog post I wrote about the Adelaide Zoo's PokemonGo map...
It was an interesting discussion. Clearly they were passionate about the campaign because they love marketing and that was really nice to see. I realised that their perspective was from working with organisations that are quite hamstrung when it comes to social.
Because they work in the marketing industry I asked why they thought there had been such a low social media push - I mean after all posting on your organisations page is free - so it's not about money.
Their response was interesting, it felt like if had literally been cut and paste from a social media marketing response fact sheet that they had taped to their office wall. I'm not even sure they were real words...
It was certainly a pleasant chat but we both smiled awkwardly at this point and moved on our respective ways and mingled elsewhere.
What they said made me think though... Why did they think it was standard for social media to be used in a way that was... well, unsocial?
I've been using waaaay more social media that normal lately. And it's mostly because I'm in a start up rather than in a company where other people have responsibility for it.
Mostly, I've been refining the techniques that makes social reach really successful, but I realised after this chat that I needed to figure out what makes it standard for organisations to be so boring online first.
And then I realised...
This person had experience working in or for organisations that have very little control over their social media content calendar once it's been mapped out. So as a high end marketer it wasn't weird to them that an organisation like the Adelaide Zoo didn't quickly change course.
For sure the PokemonGo thing was unprecedented. But one of the problems with social media is it's become so damn strangled and orchestrated that it's boring. And I'm generalising here, this is a pattern I'm seeing across most organisations.
Most (not all) organisations have gotten over the hurdle where they can now access most social media from their offices - or they just use a phone or something. But that doesn't mean that they are free to post and respond and be social.
For years I advised orgs to use tools that helped them schedule and connect social content (especially with web) so they have a presence but these tools also accentuate the passive.
If your organisation is wondering why your Facebook messages are no longer getting through to people it's because Facebook isn't designed to be passive. And neither is Google for that matter. Facebook and Google's core purpose isn't to take your money, yes they'll take it, especially if you have buckets of cash to waste on SEM (Search Engine Marketing) because you think it's more valuable than free SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) (I argue it's really not).
Facebook wants you to be social. If Facebook stops being social it becomes Twitter or LinkedIn and everyone starts wondering when it will die (*cough* MySpace *cough*).
So facebook rewards those that post regularly, use mixed media (all videos with captions remember) and that get shares and comments. And you don't get shares and comments unless you are active and interesting.
It's always good to take a good hard look at your organisations social media - go beyond strategy now you are established and look at actual reach, connection and impact.
If you're just using social to be there passively then do whatever. But if your ability to thrive depends on engaging, educating or mobilising people and stuff (ideas, cash, whatever) then you need to put the social back into social media.
To be honest I'm not sure this can be achieved for some organisations until they let staff use their own personal accounts during business hours (I'll blog on why I think this is soon). But if you're lucky enough to work for an organisation that reaches the general public (as opposed to people in a sector) then take the time and objectively review whether or not your organisations social presence is actually interesting. If you want an outsiders opinion I don't mind taking a quick look if you'd like to contact me.
On engaging around something like PokemonGo, the thing may not have longevity, or at least hype will slow so if you have a good idea to use it for engagement don't play the long game just yet.
You have two key audiences to engage with - Pokemon OG (original gangsta) fans are 21+ and kids - specifically parents looking to find an activity they can do with their kids. These are both really exciting audiences if you have ways to engage them.
I read a nice article Pokemon Potential for NFPs by Jane Metlikovec published on the Probono website who suggested using lures in your fundraiser. In the article Metlikovec recommends "... if Australian Not for Profits and charities move fast, they just may snare a little piece of the extremely large Pokémon pie". Again this stresses the need to act on a good thing as quickly as possible. If you have some cash to drop on this it's definitely worth trying, play around and try different locations and times if you can.
And if you really want to analyse how effective something like PokemonGo luring is set yourself or your team up so they can watch. You'll learn more observing than analysing numbers or doing something passive like surveys. While your there take photos or a video for your page and share it on Facebook, I hear people love stuff like that.
I really hope this makes up for my negative rant about the zoo. In year 10 I did work experience there and because I'd worked for years in a vet clinic I got to go with the vet into the big cat den and I patted the lion, and I helped feed the meerkats who had babies so I got the job of using a rake to scare them so the keeper wouldn't get bitten - they are fearless little suckers! So it truly is a place I enjoy seeing thrive and they've worked hard to overcome past financial woes.
But I also understand how change happens and it doesn't happen unless people talk about it.
I've also changed my image in the previous post because someone pointed out it was a bit negative. #sorry.
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