Answers to your burning digital media questions

Graham Davis's picture
Instructor
3/9/2016
Social Media

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My company is based out of Italy, although it is prevalent in various countries. In terms of adding value, how do you make sure your advertisements are catering to the differences in cultures? Is it necessary to have all different advertisements aimed at the different countries or is it better to find a way to make your message consistent across all cultures?

A few decades ago, one-size-fits-all advertising messages were the norm – in part, because the technology at the time only allowed for this. It wasn't possible to target individuals with personalized, microtargeted messages geared toward their unique interests.

Today, that's obviously not the case. Given that it's so easy to target specific messages, I think it's important for brands to take unique cultural differences into account in putting together their ad campaigns. Personalized and targeted is always better than something generic and nonspecific. 

What is the most important thing to remember when creating social media accounts for not only yourself, but the company you work for? 

Why are you creating a social media account? What's its purpose? What will you do with it that might create value for others? I'd keep these questions in mind in creating any social media account. Creating one "just because" doesn't help anyone. 

Otherwise, I'm not sure there's a good one-size-fits-all piece of advice beyond: create value for others and know who you're talking to! 

Despite the laws mentioned earlier about companies not having the ability to make hiring decisions based on social media, do you think it is a good idea to delete certain social media outlers? 

No. It looks kind of suspicious in 2016 to see people without any social media presence. I wouldn't hire someone for any marketing job who was completely off social media. That send a terrible signal. 

Instead, think about what you're doing on social media. Facebook allows for extremely granular privacy settings. Use them! I have a Close Friends list, a list of political people, etc. This is much better than deleting your accounts altogether.

To clarify too: there is no law prohibiting an employer from looking at publicly available social media profiles in making hiring decisions. Our company recently hired a few people and I definitely looked at everything I could find publicly about each candidate. What you can't do – aside from violating employment nondiscrimination laws – is demand an employee or applicant turn over their password so an employer can log in to a private social network. 

I know that companies check people's social media accounts, is there a particular one they check? Also even if you are on private is there still a way for them to see you? 

Think about it this way: if you were an employer, what would you do? Where would you check? My guess is, you'd look on Google, Facebook, Twitter, etc. 

If you have your account set to private though, or have posts on Facebook targeted to specific friend lists, an employer (or anyone else) can't find it unless you once had it public or if someone you shared it with then shared it publicly. 

I know that when I see ads on Facebook or other sites, I neever intentionally click on them. How effective is social media and display advertising like this?

This has been a hot topic in the marketing world for a long time. Many eye-tracking studies show that people are trained at this point to "tune out" banner ads and other display advertising on websites. This is why it is so important for advertisers to ensure their ads are precisely targeted and really are of interest to the audiences they're being served to. 

Comments & Feedback

Student

Aside from a brand's overall budget and time constraints, what are some not-so-well-known obstacles a company might run into in developing a major marketing strategy?

Student

What percentage of people have a Pinterest for professional use rather than social?

Student

I read this article 2 weeks ago, but I'm going to comment on it again to fufill the requirement for this week but yeah I do know a company who HAS checked on my Facebook profile page. They let us know too (because it's part of the company's policy to let the worker know that they did check on the profile and it has to do with the worker's privacy agreement or something).

Student

Is it seen as a negative if all of your online presence is hidden?

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I agree, it is very important to make sure you specialize your ad campaigns across different cultures. Todays technology allows me to search the world wide web and find virtually any ad i want, and some norms in one culture could be total tabboo in others. Even language, for example, in Italy, Schweppes tonic water translated into Schweppes Toilet Water, and whos going to their local market to buy bottled toilet water?

Student
Do yout think the social media accounts for yout brand receive more attention than the brand's actual website?
Student

Are technological advances like iPhone's new deep touch making their way into mobile website optimization? What are some examples of the best mobile websites you have seen?

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When users are viewing an advertisement or website through a mobile device, the advertiser often has less time to get the user's attention because of the nature of the smaller device. How can an advertiser get the attention of a mobile user in the same way they would on a desktop computer or other larger device?

Student

For smaller companies, such as a mom-and-pop shop, they are also working with a smaller budget. When should companies decide to outsource their advertsing and marketing efforts? Is there a certain amout of sales or revenue they need to be reaching before they consider outsourcing?

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How would you suggest a company with a small customer base - like a local insurance firm or a small hair salon, which are both mainly grown by referrals - utilize social media to grow their business and encourage referrals.

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I think for some companies and products, it is unnecessary to have social media platforms. Because it seems like not related to out daily life. In this case, what is the best way to motivate the company and the customers?

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Referring to this week's lesson on mobile marketing and mobile apps, at what point should a retailer who participates in e-commerce move from just being available on mobile to having their entirely own mobile app? I know stores like Kohl’s and Target have mobile apps aside from being able to access their websites through your smart phone’s search engine. But for smaller retailers, how do you know if creating a mobile app for your business is the right move and necessary?

Student

Why do brand websites have pop-up email requests? Do they really gain a lot of attention through those?

Student

My question regarding this week's topic is what is the best way to advertise about a new mobile app?

Student

I noticed that with email on phones it is so much easier to delete emails before even reading the subject line. How do you get customers to not delete emails from your company without reading them. 

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Do you believe its possible to create a truely great ad without offending anyone? Like is it truely possible to reach your target market and truely relate as well as gain their attention with out someone feeling "excluded" or "offened"?

Student

How do you get people to register for your email list in order to recieve content. It seems that people will "like" a promotional post but not follow through.

Student
Customer sometimes will be annoied by the email sent from the brand automatically. How to deal with the negative impact of the issue? 
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Do you believe that social media will ever die off, leaving something else on the Internet to take its place? If so, how do you think businesses are able to forecast this occurance so that they are making the most of their advertising time and expenditures?

Student

Do you think that inbound marketing is essential for all companies and corporations these days? I know it makes a lot of sense for start-ups and small businesses, but how about the older, already established companies that have a solid market already?

Student

My question this week is how do companies, such as GoPro,  create relevant and valuable content offers when all the additional content, outside of the products they sell, is offered freely and easily accessible to anyone? What other types of offers can a company like this provide to generate new leads or turn leads into customers?

Student
This past week our assignment was focused on inbound and content marketing. I find the idea of inbound marketing very interesting; however, I do not totally understand how to attract a potential customer's attention without having to outwardly market a brand. Are there certain strategies that are common among all companies?
Student

This past week our assignment was focused on inbound and content marketing. I find the idea of inbound marketing very interesting; however, I do not totally understand how to attract a potential customer's attention without having to outwardly market a brand. Are there certain strategies that are common among all companies?

Student

You mentioned that many people "tune out" banner ads and other display advertisements, due to this do you think it is more effective for companies to take another advertising approach? Such as email marketing or inbound marketing?

Student

I think the most important aspect of social media presence within a company is relatability but for luxury brands it's different why do you think that is?

Student

Many non profits do not have enough money to advertise. How do they reach their market and people of interest if they cannot afford to promote posts on social media?

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With technology continuing to grow and develop, do you think there will ever been a static time where brands are stumped on what to innovate and how to continue to grow their brand using digital media? Or will digital media soon become extinct and brands will move backwards or onto different innovative tactics?

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Do you think social media and digital advertising will completely take over print advertising one day? If so, how soon do you think this will happen? Where will this leave the publishing industry? 

Student

How typical is it for a brand to seek out a third party that specializes in tracking metrics? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so?

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I agree that one-size-fits-all advertising messages were how back in the days was. I feel like today each target specific messages is for the benefit of the customers and potential consumers. Cultural differences definitely is needed in today's diverse world in terms of global advertising.

I feel like the most important when creating social media accounts is the appropriateness of it and make sure you're representing your company the right way in terms of what your professoin is. For example if you work for a specific sports team, don't tweet about another sports organization at all.

I feel like some people use Facebook for more personal reasons and some use it for more professoinal reasons. Why does people use Instagram to market their products when it is easier to reach out by messaging individual on Facebook?

I think that employe prmiarily googles you and check your profile pictures on Facebook and see what you Tweet if your tweet is unlocked and viewable to the public.

I feel like that a lot of the ads that I see on Facebook is irrelevant to what I would like to purchase or consider and I never click on them unless it is by accident and I feel like a lot of waste their money on these display adveritsing.

Student

If a company does something wrong on social media, can the company still gain the reputation back?

Student

I feel as though it is becoming difficult to regularly use/maintain a presence on many of the emerging social media platforms and thus, I have a follow up question pertaining to hiring based on social media marketability. In your opinion, will we begin to see a new emphasis on economists conducting statistical analysis of the correlation between job candidates call back success and an observable factor such as social media presence/availability? As an economics major currently enrolled in Povery & Income Distribution, I would be curious to analyze how an individuals quantity of social media presence correlates with their opportunity for call back interviews and ultimately, employment in said position.

Student

How do you get your webpage to the point where people want to use you to advertise there product? 

Student

I think international marketing and advertising is really interesting--especially relating to brand presence. Some companies like Apple have a uniform product line down to the actual retail store itself--you'll find the same sleek Apple store in San Fransicso that you'll find in Milan. On the other hand, if you look at the film industry, movies are marketed and adverstised differently to suit the geogrpahic location the film's being released in. At what point is it worth breaking the consistency of a brand and the strong consumer expectation at the cost of differentiation and specilization for specific markets? 

Student
What is the best way to make sure all of your social media posts are "clean" for potential employers? How far back can you expect a company to look, and what would be considered unacceptable?
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What is the best way to make sure all of your social media posts are "clean" for potential employers? How far back can you expect a company to look, and what would be considered unacceptable?
Student

At what point do you know that you are creating relevant content for the people you are targeting?

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It's understood that people become so used to ignoring banners and other display ads that its almost a waste of money to even have them on some social media websites. Being a social media users myself, I only notice ads that move or flash. Ads like these tend to slow down your browser which immediate off puts the visitor. How can you create ads that catch visitors attention without overdoing it?

Student

I am also curious about watching perspective employees' social media these days. My parents are very adamant about not having social media because they are in professional fields and do not want any bad news getting back around at them. How much do employers look at social media and how us, as millennials, interact on it?

Student

What is the best way to get started on your own new blog? How do you intially promote it and generate topics that people actually care about, and how do hiring managers usually view this?

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Do you consider cultural barriers when advertising internationally?

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One of the biggest threats to online advertising these days is "Banner Blindness," or the act of purposely ignoring ads placed in online platforms. What is a way advertisers are combatting this? And what are some strategies to get around it?

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What are the benefits/side effects of having a personal blog? Would you recommend someone going into the advertising industry to write their own personal blog, or is this a bad idea?

Student

Do smaller companies, track their emails as well as larger companies, and is it really that useful? I find it annoying and usually unsubscribe from emails when I get a lot. 

Student

What if you choose to delete all platforms but Facebook and LinkedIn>

Student

I would like to know what are some of your favorite blogs out there? Do you follow any blogs that are marketing efforts by companies and what in your opinion sets a great blog apart from a good blog?

Student

After reading this week’s lesson I understand why companies use email marketing as much as they do. I was wondering if email marketing is really that successful for most companies? Because I find it annoying when a company send me three emails a day about offers. So what is the right amount of email marketing a company should use?

Student

Why does it seem like brands don't pay much attention to email marketing? Do they really keep track of the amount of emails sent in a given period of time? It seems like some companies send emails almost everyday and they aren't very interesting.  

Student

There are certain laws that commercials have to abide by, such as beer cannot be consumed on air during a televison commercial, are there rules like that for alochol on social media? Also, what about tobacco? Are tobacco companies allowed to used social media, or are they under strict rules on the internet like they are through traditional medias?

Student

Do you believe email marketing is an effective way of marketing, as I'm sure many can say from experience that they immediately delete any mail that comes in from corporate companies.  How do you find this effective? 

Graham Davis's picture
Instructor
3/9/2016
Social Media