Beyond Blogs and Social Networks December 1, 2005

1. Beyond Blogs and Social Networks December 1, 2005

2. More than 1 billion postings and growing at 30% CGM: (in millions) 2003 2004 2005 2006 Online Discussion Boards/ 768MM 960MM* 1200MM* 1500MM* Forums/Review (Opinion) Sites Google Groups / Usenet Forums 42MM 48MM* 52.8MM* 58MM* Blogs (i.e. Web Logs, Digital Diaries) 25MM 84MM* 168MM* 252MM* Total CGM 835MM 1092MM 1421MM 1810MM % Consumers creating CGM 18% 20% 24% 32% The CGM Universe is Big Source: Intelliseek

3. It’s Influential

4. Corporate listings Consumer Generated Media Consumer Generated Media Competitive Site It’s Highly Visible Converseon Study: 39% of top search engine listings for BW 100 derived from CGM

5. And it Can Work For – or Against – You

6. Starbucks Detractor Blog Example

7. Why Blogs Matter? • A brand is an “experience that creates an impression” • Brand and product reputation is clearly a discussion that creates a perception • Companies have a stark choice • They can ignore the discussion and let others define them • Or they can join the conversation, help influence it, and define themselves

8. Are You Ready to Join the Conversation? Good!

9. Understand and “Map” the Conversation • Conversation Mining technology scours public, online discussion areas to capture, understand and report the products, issues and opinions that consumers share between and among themselves

10. Understand and “Map” the Conversation • Conversation monitoring and mapping tells us: • What is being said about your company? • Is it positive, negative, neutral? • Key issues? Key Topics? • Volume increasing? Decreasing? • Are there concerns, misperceptions that need to be addressed? • What issues/features are most important to target audiences? • What are most influential venues? Posters? • How is client faring in CGM versus key competition? • What is visibility of opinion in search engines? This intelligence provides basis for development of an effective WOM and communications plan

11. Map the Conversation Topic Mapping Example

12. Mobilize Engage Minimize Typical Online Brand Conversation Competitors, Determined Detractors (10%) Early Adopter Potential Evangelists (10%) Core “Persuadable” Target Audience (Early/Late Majority – 80%)

13. Develop Triage Blog Strategy Based on Intelligence • Mobilize influentials and potential allies to blog on your behalf • Affiliate Marketing • Contests • VIP Reviews • Community Networks • Engage blogosphere via enterprise blog strategy based on business goals • Thought leadership • Content syndication • Internal communications • Acquisition • “Buzz” • Education • Minimize visibility determined detractor blogs

14. Blog Affiliates Are Natural Evangelists

15. Blog Communities Can Evangelize Paypal’s Developers Network Brings Together Community of Developers to Share Ideas

16. Sweepstakes, Contests, Promotions School Teacher George Master’s iPod commercial swept the blogosphere. It was not sponsored by Apple, but it helped open the door to possibilities…

17. Thought Leadership Hitachi Data System’s CTO Provides Commentary and Insight into Industry Trends

18. Content Syndication via RSS Enablement

19. Direct Outreach • Brands can reach out directly in appropriate and transparent manner to: • Educate • Inform • Demystify • The “Starwood Concierge” participates in appropriate venues as resource to consumers

20. Blogs Can Help Maximize Shelf Space Search Engine Reputation Management (SERMA™)

21. Search Engine Marketing: Shelf Space Defined Paid Search Natural Results – Search Engine Optimization

22. Minimize Determined Detractors • Founded on simple premise: According to research firm, Jupiter, 75 percent of search engine users never scroll beyond the first page of results. And it is very rare for a user to scroll past the top twenty (two pages) of search results listings • The critical battleground for reputation management is what content appears within the top twenty listings under a relevant company searches • Via a successful SERMA implementation, companies that fully leverages its content, properties and partners can help control the top listings under their name and key permutations. The benefits are two-fold: • Provides a highly-visible forum to provide accurate and important information about a company to key constituents • “Pushes” negative listings off the “visibility cliff” Search Engine Reputation Management (SERMA™)

23. Key Elements of Successful Blog Strategy • Establish corporate blog policy • Harness, don’t squelch • Be Committed • Speak with authenticity • Take the high road • Be prepared for critics • Let your personality come through • Consider legal parameters • Listen to conversation, then respond • Optimize

24. What Not to Do

25. What Not to Do: Disregard Transparency Mazda’s creation of a “fake blog” to launch viral ads fell flat and Negatively impacted the brand In CGM

26. What Not To Do:Disguise Intentions Depending on the nature of site, reaching out directly to sites for discussion often has decidedly mixed success. Some Not So Clever Rebuttals: “The Neanderthals at Starbucks have begun sending shills to the site…I’m saving their messages in this special section of the site.”

27. What Not to Do: Ignore the Conversation Some marketing experts say Dell and other companies have little realistic choice other than to institute polices that address complaints posted on blogs and other consumer-generated forums

28. Rob Key rkey@converseon.com 212-213-4297 x301