Thoughts On Social Capital And Currency

social capital and graphic concept

I like what Jay Deragon and Dan Robles write on their blog The Relationship Economy. OK, the economy, life itself and even our self-perception is relational but one can’t deny that economical, cultural and corporate changes are happening in what is called the ‘social media age’. And, although social media are not the key drivers in these changes, the ‘social’ dimension definitely is part of them. But let’s not get too philosophical. The thoughts Jay and Dan post look a bit like the posts of Brian Solis and Olivier Blanchard now and then. I guess it’s not a coincidence I mentioned Jay, Brian and Olivier, as people I follow on social media topics in an interview. Although all of them are very different, what they sometimes do have in common is the global view on what, well, one could call the ‘social economy’. We don’t always agree obviously, I guess it has to do with socio-economical differences (I’m from Europe after all) and I guess always agreeing with … [Read more...]

Engagement Has Its Rewards In Social Media

brand and media engagement and emotion concept

One of the most sought after answers in Social Media is whether or not engagement in social networks such as Twitter or Facebook directly correlates to customer acquisition, retention, and advocacy. Before we can earn customers however, we have to recognize that at any given time, there are also prospects. And, prospects require information and confidence in order to make decisions, in your favor of course. The answer to our question lies in social engagement. Prospects are not only searching for guidance, comparisons, and experiences through Google, they are also becoming increasingly social in every step of a decision making process. If brands do not identify the various stages of choice and resolution and also the networks where they socialize and explore, opportunities will be missed. If we’re not part of the decision making cycle, we are absent from decisions. From Fans and Followers to Customers In order to connect with prospects online, we must do so … [Read more...]

Brian Solis: Prominence is Earned Through Attentiveness and Corresponding Actions

Brian Solis

Brian Solis needs no introduction if you follow what is going on in social media marketing and new marketing and customer behavior trends. Earlier this year, Brian published his latest book Engage! which aims to "help businesses build, cultivate and measure success in the new Web". In this interview, Brian shares his thoughts on the social evolutions, the role of content and the importance of listening and taking action to engage and interact. First, I shared a thought with Brian and wanted to know what his reaction was. This was the thought: "social networks are merely a technological extension of our human nature to connect, be part of something and communicate, and ultimately people are the social networks". Brian: “social networks are hubs for the contextual connection of people around ideas, interests, and passions. But at the same time, while social networks serve as the enabling technology to communicate, the relationships that people forge within these networks are … [Read more...]