Digital Street Journal

One thing about blogging is that you need to have the time to do it.  Another thing is you need to have topics that you’ve thought about enough to write about.

I’m going to rekindle this thing.

A lot of restaurants are now looking to somehow get involved in social media.  Or at least utilize social media platforms as a means of promoting themselves.  That’s a good thing.  The problem is that many are going into all of this without any strategy.  They lack a game plan.  They see it merely as a means to send out promotional messages.

That’s too bad.  The misuse of social media can be harmful to a brand.  But more often than not, misuse translates into ineffective use.  And ineffective use can often go unnoticed by the restaurant because they haven’t established any benchmarks to measure or tangible goals to reach.

This is happening all too often in the restaurant industry.  It’s a shame because, if you think about it, restaurants are natural social media entities.  There are plenty of reasons why.

• They are entirely customer/service focused. If any type of industry is people oriented, it’s the restaurant industry.  The entire relationship between the establishment and the customer and the processes that go with it are service oriented.  That’s why many establishments now use the word “server” instead of “waiter”.  It’s why the server appears a few minutes after the meal is served to see if everything is OK.  It’s why the manager then comes by to check on things. That’s called “engagement” - a key pinnacle of social media.

• The customer relationship is based upon an entire experience. Customers look at dining as an entire experience.  From the convenience of parking to the atmosphere in the place to the quality of the food to the price that ends up on a check.  Each one of those is often a factor that’s considered in the overall dining experience.  Those are “touchpoints” that each leave an impression.  Contrast that with going into a retail store and quickly buying a product, taking it to the counter, paying and leaving.  The greater the interaction with the customer, the deeper the relationship.  Which means…

• Loyalty is everything. If relationships are forged by customer experience, then they serve as the foundation for loyalty.  Loyal customers or “regulars” are said to be part of the place.  And loyalty means the relationship goes beyond the time the customer spends inside of the restaurant.  And loyal customers mean that…

• Communities can be established. Organically formed communities - those regulars - happen all the time.  But they’re often not really communities.  Social media can help a community actually grow because it can inspire interaction amongst these regulars to the point that they begin to feel like a community.

• They produce their own product. Again, consider the retail store - the supermarket, the hardware store, the toy store.  None of them produce their own products.  They resell someone else’s product. If you try out a particular type of shampoo you bought at Giant and end up not liking it, you don’t blame Giant.  You go back to Giant and buy another type of shampoo..   A restaurant’s products are their own creation.  Menu selections are often carefully planned out by owners and chefs.

• They are now continually subjected to online reviews. Yelp, despite some controversies has become a universal go-to site for reviews of local businesses.  Open Table has seen a tremendous increase in usage.  Urban Spoon is catching on.  That means people are using social media to research and to rate restaurants.  All of this increases the the need for restaurants to jump into the game and embrace social media strategies.

• Digital means instant communication. Whether it’s people asking one another on Twitter where to meet for happy hour or someone “checking-in” someplace on FourSquare, the instant communication decision factor means that restaurants aren’t just being reviewed online.  They’re being discussed in real time.  Real time means instant opportunity.

It’s when restaurants don’t understand most of the above is when they begin to lose out.  It’s because they don’t realize that they are already social media entities.

2010 will be a year of promise and promise fulfilled.

Time to get this thing going again.

Blogging is a challenge.  It takes independent thought, the will to sit down and think of what to write and to then somehow get into some sort of readable form.  It takes the determination to keep in going.

Sometimes I don’t have that determination.  Hence a three month gap.

But that’s cool because it’s how I’ve come to do things.  At least for the past three months.

Time to get back into the game.

I’m finding it’s increasingly difficult to blog.

The overall trends of digital media can change rapidly - or at least that how many who are considered experts see it.

I think what often happens is that some of the “rock stars” find a new concept, try it out, and like it.  It may be a reasonably cool service or tool and they’ll say so.  So then much of the rest of us will follow suit, thinking we’re ahead of the game.  But we’re not.  Because the vast majority of the general public doesn’t follow.

This can be problematic if you’re trying to make a solid business case for the use of digital media as a marketing communications tool.  That’s because businesses don’t care as to what seems to be cool to a bunch of social media strategists.  They’re more concerned in what will increase sales and enhance a brand.

So sometimes it’s hard to separate the fun hype from the realistic hype as it relates to business.

But that never stops the hype.

A couple of years ago, I wrote a series of posts on Marketing Conversation regarding the use of blogger relations programs.  There was some controversy then, as there is today, about their legitimacy and transparency.  We’re always going to have the sleeze factor - companies and agencies that set up fake blogs or pay bloggers on the side for positive reviews.  There’s always going to be an unease about this, especially for those of us that are in online marketing and have our own blogs.  We’re playing many roles here.  We’re marketers working on behalf of clients, we’re social media strategists trying to legitimize a practice, and we’re bloggers wishing to maintain our integrity.

The rest of this post is an up-to-date version of what I wrote two years ago.  Slightly changed for today:

[Read the rest of this entry...]

Last week, PBS MediaShift published an article entitled “How PR People Can Tactfully Locate, Pitch Influential Bloggers” on finding and pitching bloggers.  I was once of the three professionals who were interviewed for the article.  The others were Adam Ritchie of Adam Ritchie Brand Direction and Chistine Perkett of PerkettPR.

The article was written by Simon Owens, who has his own blog at Bloggasm.

I just read a puff piece on LinkedIn about how every website NEEDS (his empahis not mine) online video.  It was put out by a guy who, amazingly, is a partner at a company that makes online videos.  The title of the piece was 3 Reasons Every Website NEEDS Custom Marketing Video Today! Of course it had to have an exclamation point at the end of it (!).  Gotta have one of those.

If you write with hype, you often, in my mind hurt your credibility and the issue that you’re addressing.  The title is wrong - not every site NEEDs custom marketing video TODAY.  Most probably don’t and that will continue into the future.  That being said, online video can be a geat tool and is often overlooked and underestimated.

Knowing this, I responded with a new post on LinkedIn that I figured I’d share.  Just a quick set of pointers on what to look out for if you’re looking to use video successfully for your company site, blog, or product minisite:

1) Compelling Content

Whatever you’re having produced, make sure that it satisfies the needs of likely viewers. They don’t have to hear stories of the life history of the company or overly technical jargon as intro pieces. The video itself needs to give the viewer something that they need from the site or something that they can use.

Product demos are something that is needed. It’s something can show actual usage of the product,which, in itself, can answer a lot of questions that could be asked during the sales cycle. And of course, the video can also be placed on YouTube and elsewhere.

Client testimonials can be useful for prospective clients as long as they’re short and sweet. They can be especially effective if the viewer knows of the company or the speaker that’s giving the testimonial.

2) Effective Participants

Wooden speakers, people who continually bob their heads in any direction when they speak, and those that slouch as if they’re watching a rerun on TV at 2:00 in the morning need not apply. Or at least be edited out enough to not cause much damage. Otherwise it will seem amateurish.

People can be trained to perform better, but make sure that videos are created with limitations on poor performers. We’ll all seen people on video who act like robots or clowns. Avoid having that on your website.

3) Dedication

This morning I went to a site for a company that I recently discovered. They seem to have a great concept for what they do. When I went to their About section, I was told that they’d be opening up several new facilities in 2008. That’s ridiculous. An inexcusable…especially if they’re looking for investors.

Video is the same way. Make sure that it is relatively recent or at the very least relevant. Don’t have the CEO (or anyone else) be talking about an upcoming event, product release, or new development if it happened during the Clinton administration. Or for that matter, during the Bush administration.

4) Professionalism

Do it yourself videos often cause more harm than good. Dimly lit echo-chamber somewhat fuzzy videos work OK for company parties or for showing off one’s new puppy on YouTube, but it won’t work on your website. Think about it. Terrorists make demands on videos like that. Don’t use the same method. Don’t wing it. It will show. Believe me.

You’ll need the right lighting for the occasion. Warm colors for testimonials or sharp, bright video for product demos.

Microphones are a must. No shouting please.

Cameras that, well, focus. Meaning indoor/outdoor. For close ups and for distance.

In other words, hire a professional or basically don’t do it. You’re making a presentation to the world with online video.

Much has been made about the supposed millions flocking over to Twitter to sign up for their accounts onthe microblogging service.  While that’s truly impressive, it’s also misleading because it is not a clear indication of the impact that Twitter has had on our culture.

It’s taken a study by Harvard, followed by one by HubSpot to pop a big whole in the balloon of hype surrounding the service.  This shows me a flaw in the way that many of us view social media.  Too often, to many of us stray for the concept that it is participatory phenomenon.  Sure, one can silently watch and read content.  But not with Twitter.

Let’s take a look at some of the stats.

• Just 10% of the users on Twitter create 90% of the conent.  For most social networks, it is 30% of the users.
• 55.50% are not following anyone
• 52.71% have no followers
• 54.88% have never tweeted

There are other stats, but for my point, those are the most important.  It’s obvious that of the millions that are signing up, the vast majority of them don’t end up taking the time to really participate.  They kick the tires, perhaps don’t understand it, and move on and don’t come back.

To an extent, that’s because the way Twitter is set up.  It IS difficult to understand at first.  Getting  oneself “off the ground” can be a challenge.  What to write in an update?  Whom to follow?  Or find whom to follow?  How do I get followed?  Those are legitimate stumbling blocks for the new user.  Enough of a stumbling block to make new users non-users.

The problem here isn’t social media.  It is a bit of Twitter’s - it shows a definite need to streamline the complex way of getting started on Twitter.  But the biggerst problem could be for those of us looking to encompass Twitter consluting strategies in our bevy of services.  If we don’t take into consideration the fact that Twitter is a concept that could end up being overhyped by all sorts of commentators - the mainstream media, other marketers, etc. - to the point that it loses (somewhat unfairly) it’s sizzle.

Twitter is and should continue to be a very important communications vehicle for organizations looking to get communicate, listen, and develop relationships.  Savvy firms will understand this as they establish quality relationships, offer compelling content, and listen and respond attentively to concerns.  But they will also need to show clients and prospective clients that they too understand and can see through the hype to deliver effective strategies.

That’s because the key to social networks is PARTICIPATION.  For Twitter, even more so.  On Facebook, one can put up a bunch of info on one’s self which offers others a lot of opportunity to get to know that person.  Not so with Twitter.  One’s own participation on Twitter is a matter of dedication.  And participation on behalf of an organization is a skill.

The past month I’ve been very busy helping a client launch a sustainability consulting practice that is focused on the food industry.  It’s a very inspirational project as I’ve long had a passion for both the environment and for food.

Greg Christian Consulting is the client.  Or more specifically, Greg Christian.  What an inspirational and impressive character.  Greg is an accomplished chef and caterer out of Chicago where he owned his own firm for seventeen years.  He was determined to use local organic food sources and create his masterpieces in a no waste kitchen.  The concept of a no waste kitchen amazes me because it seems impossible.  But Greg proves it isn’t.

A few years ago, he conceived and founded a the Organic School Project, an in-school program where kids learn about sustainability, nutrition, and eating right.  What impresses me the most about that is that for the past several years now I’ve heard about soft drink companies paying schools to have vending machines placed in cafeterias.  I love some soft drinks, but that within itself causes poor nutrition habits.  As a result of Greg’s work, he has become known as “Chicago’s Concientious Caterer”, a title well deserved.

I came about this opporutnity via my dear friend Jennifer Roberts, a beautiful and savvy marketer herself.  A truly classy lady in every sense of the word.  I knew her for years here in DC.  A while back, she moved to her native Chicago.  That’s DC’s loss.

I’ve also met, via the internet and the telephone, a fine young gent by the name of Bryn Griffiths.  I say “gent” because Bryn is a Brit.  He just got his MBA in finance from DePaul but is a natural in social media and I’m sure he will be a success in all he does.  Besides, he’s a dog lover, just like me.

We’ve launched an online magazine/blog for the company, Local Greenster.  Bryn and I are running it now.  It will entail stories (mostly) of local efforts and challenges toward sustainabilty.

All of this shows me work can be fun.