Community Management is an increasingly important role for many big brands. For Transport for London Cycling – where social media is at the forefront of a user-facing strategy – this has never been more pertinent.
I recently spoke with Matt Moran, TfL’s Online Community Manager for Cycling, to find out more about his role and how TfL is using social to engage with London’s cyclists.
Whether it’s a general comment or enraged criticism – social media is usually the first place customers go to voice their thoughts and opinions about utilities companies.
Because of this, it is important for brands to have a proper online reputation management strategy in place.
I’ve recently been exploring the topic of Community Management, delving into what skills are required for the role, as well as a few examples of successful online brand communities.
But what better way to gain insight than speaking to someone with first-hand experience?
I recently wrote a beginner’s guide to the role of community management.
Following on from this, I’ve been looking at some of the best online brand communities out there.
If you work in social media, explaining your job can be a frustrating experience – especially to family members who probably assume that you just use Facebook all day. For Community Managers, in particular, there tends to be a lot of confusion over exactly what the role entails. To clear things up, I thought I’d […]
Evolutional research suggests that Homo Sapiens survived over other species due to our ability to be social, meaning that forming communities is innately human.
When pharma giant Novartis first started marketing Entresto, a heart failure drug, it found itself facing criticism from cardiologists and consumers who felt the company’s direct-to-consumer ads were far too negative.
But following that criticism, Novartis has taken a much different approach to promoting Entresto.
One of the most important effects of our transition into the age of the customer has been the need for brands to differentiate beyond the price point. They have to have personality, be approachable and inspire loyalty.
Good customer service is the pinnacle of engagement, word of mouth and repeat purchase, and these interactions have been revolutionized by social media.
Airbnb started in 2008 and got its name when its three founders rented out air mattresses on the floor of their San Francisco apartment during a conference.
Since then, the company has come a long way.
It’s been disrupting the travel industry by understanding, and moving with, shifts in consumer behaviour.
Lush Cosmetics is something of a modern marketing success story.
To anyone who has never set foot inside one of its (undeniably smelly) stores, this statement might sound a little surprising.
Campaigns celebrating female empowerment are being used by brands to advertise everything from deodorant to designer clothes.
And it’s a theme which, if executed right, can resonate well with audiences both female and male alike.
In the last year there have been several high profile campaigns along this theme including the #thisgirlcan campaign by Sport England and Always’ #likeagirl campaign, which both achieved massive levels of reach and engagement.
Let’s face it, it’s not too unusual to run into corporate communications that feel impersonal and distant from a customer’s point of view.
So, it’s no coincidence that agencies use the word ‘humanising’ over and over again when providing advice on brand messaging.
Putting aside any possible scepticism towards the seemingly volatile concept, humanising customer interactions must be the ultimate mission of any modern brand, which should empower its brave employees to shake off any robotic feel customers may perceive in their interactions with the company.