The results in traffic and SEO for brands using the site tell a similar story. According to an article by Emma Bazilian entitled,“Pinterest: The New Facebook for Lifestyle Magazines,” “Real Simple’s site traffic from Pinterest has surpassed referrals from Twitter and Facebook combined, making it the second biggest referral source after Google.”

Bottom line: Consumers love Pinterest.

Why the obsession? I believe the success of Pinterest can be attributed to a number of different things, however; above all, Pinterest is so successful because it appeals to our innate VISUAL nature. This may sound extremely obvious, but when it comes to social media content generation I feel like this point is often forgotten.  As I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed everyday I find myself saying in regards to a brand’s update “If only they would have paired that information with an image. How much more successful would it have been?” Additionally, a social media content generator posting images and graphics without a thought for good design is equally as distressing.

Pinterest is eye-candy. Our mind is drawn to the gorgeous photos of food, home décor, beautiful people and stylish clothes.  Once we’re drawn in, we dig for more. We click the referral links. We dig deeper to find out “How do I make this?” or “How can I get this?” We’re hooked. For this reason, magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens and Martha Stewart Living are booming with traffic from Pinterest.

Why?
Let’s face it, when we read magazines and blogs we skim. I don’t sit there and read every single article. I look at the photos and the headlines that connect with me then read further if I am interested.

In short, that’s Pinterest- the photo and the headline. A recipe for success.

An important part of business branding on Facebook in the last 48 months was grounded in the ability to manage content through “tabs” and later “apps”. Now, Facebook puts these front and center allowing businesses to code content into apps displayed at the top of their new timeline pages, allowing up to 12 for each brand. It remains seen how this will evolve in coming months. Currently, businesses are confined to a 520px wide space. At first look this may remain, however, it appears as though Facebook may allow for a wider design space in the future. Long Facebook avatars are changing to the new square avatar for pictures at least 180px wide.

Overall, we feel the change is good and will do a lot of help brands connect with users. Facebook released this video today following three different types of brands: a small deli, a young artist on a world tour and Redbull. They’re illustrating how the new pages will be better for brands moving forward on Facebook. Though the video doesn’t offer much incite as to what is coming, it does offer a visual for basic functionality.

**Update 3-1-12**
Facebook apps will be 810px wide, allowing for greater design space within the business page.

We hear the terms branding and brand thrown around all the time in reference to a logo or visual representation, however a brand is the total image or personality of your business. It is built from a collection of perceptions as a result of exposure to EVERY aspect of your communication with the world. Keep in mind, consumers will determine your brand based on how it makes them feel and their perception is everything.

Here is a sample list of things to keep in mind when evaluating your brand:

- Customer Experience
- Packaging
- Customer Service
- Advertising messages
- Communication via social media
- Pricing
- All aspects of design (colors, fonts, layouts)
- Your logo
- Your name
- Your employees
- Your reputation
- Your physical location / environment

As marketers it is our job to find and focus on the attributes that make each brand different. Every successful company has a unique selling proposition, but it is not enough to simply say that you have one. Every piece of marketing and communication should answer the HOW question. We are different because…

image courtesy Halton Region Small Business Centre

This, of course, is not mis-calulated, foolish risk-taking. Instead, it involves careful discernment and preparation. Even more so, it requires courage to try, go against the norm and say “why not?” when others have stopped at “why?”

Steve Jobs was not satisfied with the status quo and his life will continue to be an inspiration.

In business and marketing don’t settle for good. Push boundaries even if they are uncomfortable. Try something new. Do something great.

The basis of his post states that if you can’t get the rice right, you won’t be able to serve good sushi. Translate that to the marketing world and this becomes a poignant message. Unless you are really good at the MOST important things, you will not succeed with the latest marketing tool etc.

I take this into the realm of social media since that is the buzzword of today and the number 1 thing marketers are flocking to. Every day it seems as though new self-proclaimed “social media experts” and consultants are popping up. It becomes scary to think that someone that spends a great deal of time navigating this technological space believes that he/she is now qualified to coach businesses through using these tools as a marketing platform. Perhaps they are extremely technologically savvy and constantly in the know about the up and coming social networks. They may also grasp the idea of social media and why it is so important for a marketer to pay attention to it. Even still – without solid expertise on the basics, these efforts will fall flat.

The basics boil down to the principles of marketing and communication.

Do you know what your customers want? Do you know your target market? Do you know how to effectively communicate a message? Do you have the ability to look beyond the digital realm and realize how social media efforts play a role in overall branding and marketing? Are you upholding brand image with every piece of communication?  Are you creative?

As marketers, these are questions that we need to be asking every day. These are also questions that potential buyers of social consulting need to ask their potential consultant. Let’s never lose sight of the basics.

1) Keep it short!
People are skimmers. Get your point across with the shortest amount of text possible.

2) Use a relaxed, friendly tone.
Don’t take the copy from your traditional advertising *think radio ad* and use it on social media. (i.e. For more information call 1-800-685-5058) If you feel the need to do this you are probably using a sales-y approach as opposed to generating interesting content. Show your brand’s personality not robotic posting.

3) Change it up.
We have the ability to post links, photos, videos, status updates on Facebook. Use them all (especially photos and videos). Change it up and keep things interesting.

4) Keep it relevant.
People want to read current, relevant content that is on topic to your brand and business. Don’t stray far from your area of expertise. Instead, get creative with your posts!

5) Tag appropriately.
Tagging is a powerful tool for business pages on Facebook. If appropriate, be sure to utilize this tool.

Here are some things to think about when you’re in a content generation rut.

- Don’t post just to post. Sometimes silence is better than posting something half heartedly just for the sake of posting something. I wrote another blog post about this topic. Forcing a conversation is worse than no conversation at all.

- Share! If you’re not doing this already, take the time to share someone else’s article or piece of content. Perhaps enlist a guest blogger. Begin a discussion from another person’s content.

- Ask Questions. I’m not talking about the meaningless “How are you doing today?” type of questions. (see first point: Don’t post just to post.) I’m talking about genuine questions to ask your target audience. If you’re not sure what type of content your fans/followers/readers are interested in, ask them. Get that valuable feedback! Remember: social media isn’t about you, it’s about your audience.

- Strategize and re-group. We always, ALWAYS recommend a strategy before entering into the realm of social media. It is easy to get side-tracked, overwhelmed and waste time when a plan is not in place. It may be time to take a step back and re-evaluate your strategy (if you already had one in place) or take the time to map out a strategy. A well-thought out plan, clear direction and purpose will greatly assist in taking away “content rut” syndrome.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that customer experience-based campaigns are not short-term focused sales messages. This especially holds true for those in the realm of selling a product. You can talk all day about why your product is superior or why a consumer should purchase your product, but that will only get you so far. Instead, completely switch gears and ask the question “how can I SHOW my potential customers why my product is superior through a fun, appealing experience?” P.S. We’re talking online AND offline experiences. This puts your consumer and their wants/needs first. That type of attitude will result in a far better success rate. Allow your potential customers to come to their own conclusions about your product through positive emotions. Truth is, the modern consumer is not going to listen to an advertiser telling them what to think anyway!

Here are some examples of customer experience/interactive initiatives that I love:

Burts Bees invites their visitors to “discover their naturally beautiful shade.”

Google gives tourists a great photo-op with this fun, interactive outdoor billboard.

LOFT gives their customers a chance to interact with stylists to perfect their fall wardrobe.

Make customer experience part of your marketing mix!