Well if you haven’t seen those videos, it doesn’t really matter. What does matter is that people are talking about them.
Getting the word out there via sending the link to a friend, having a conversation about it at a bar, having a laugh at work. All of this does matter in the world of promotions, advertising, and marketing. So why aren’t more brands and companies making them?
Well, the folks at KARMA Media Labs thought we’d demonstrate through some short videos. Part 1 of many (and thanks to one KML’er in particular for suffering a red face for the sake of social media).
The first ever Streamy Awardstook place on Saturday, March 28, bringing together the directors, actors, producers, writers, editors, cinematographers, music and production talent responsible for creating some of the best original content on the web.
125 individuals and web series were recognized during the live event, bringing more buzz and awareness to the emerging genre of digital entertainment. I had a chance to chat about the event with a friend of mine Mark Stewart Iverson, director, writer, and co-creator of Dorm Life, one of the nominees recognized at the Streamys.
So how did Mark describe the event?
“[Everyone was] very aware that it was a first annual awards and [the awards were] very aware of itself…a lot of talking straight to the camera.” This made up some of the humorous aspects of the show, Mark told me, like when Lisa Kudrow couldn’t help but laugh, along with the audience, during the very unfunny bit she was given to present. That proved to be a common theme of the night - a direct awareness and acknowledgment of the audience. Mark took this one step further by likening being in the audience at the show to watching a mockumentary–style webisode (aka Dorm Life):
“Mockumentary is great for [the] Internet…the webcam, blogging and talking straight to you [the audience] through the Internet.” Looks like Mark understands the importance of the Internet as a key tool for connecting and interacting directly with fans, which is what the Streamys are all about. Take the Audience Choice Award for Best Web Television Series, which was selected and voted by the public. While Dorm Life didn’t take home the award, the popular webisode was nominated, and that’s HUGE. (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog took home the coveted award, along with a handful of others.)
So how do these webisodes gain a big enough online presence to get nominated?
Mark said of spreading the word about Dorm Life: “Our production company, Attention Span Media, has definitely gone out and gotten us some press and done a little outside marketing. But it really comes down to grass roots and driving people to our web site. Doing the work and writing, blogging, posting like crazy and getting people excited about the show.”
Oh and if you are interested, new episodes of Dorm Life air Mondays @ http://dorm-life.com And trust me, the show is HILARIOUS. But Mark’s my friend so don’t take my word for it. (Instead, take the raving reviews of their 4700 member-strong Facebook group.)
Social Media Marketing = Word of Mouth = Awareness
Social media is as simple as its component parts – social interaction meets media — the sites, events, communities and resources that enable people to share with each other, collaborate, communicate and reinvent.
Social media marketing is harnessing that media to drive conversation, build awareness and spark word of mouth around a brand, individual or particular subject matter.
Your audience is living in the new media space – on Social Networks (Myspace, Facebook, LastFM), Sharing and Bookmarking sites (Digg, Stumbleupon), opinion and voting sites, UGC and video sites (YouTube, DailyMotion), and a variety of communities and blogs targeting niche interests. For successful social media marketing, it is important to:
Find those consumers;
Listen to them;
Amplify their voice; and
Engage them with the information and content they’re asking for.
Why Social Marketing is More Effective.
Traditional Media = Monologue
Social Media = Dialogue
Now, more than ever, consumers have the opportunity to involve themselves in the marketing mix, and they will. As new, digital media became the preferred media of the Millennial Generation, information and content became easier to create, share and manipulate. This democratization has led to an unprecedented interconnectedness both to the world and one another. This real-time, interconnectivity creates a two-way communication channel for everything, always, which is one of its primary advantages over traditional media.
Traditional media is characterized as monologue, slow if ever to adapt and respond. Social media is defined by dialogue, evolving constantly and responding instantly. Consumers have gravitated to and adopted social media because it allows them the opportunity to interact with and engage the people, brands and ideas that matter most to them. And this two-way communication channel requires that brands interact and engage in return. After they are done speaking, they are now required to listen and respond. Those that don’t will be left behind.
Once people are engaged it becomes increasingly likely that they will share and this sharing is the ultimate value for brands practicing effective social media marketing. All of the actions we take online are now shared with our friends – we are clicks away from sharing the links we like, from seeing the clothes and music our friends just purchased, from reading the restaurant reviews posted by our neighbors. And we know this sharing is the most important factor when influencing consumers to adopt a specific brand identity or purchase a certain product.
Have you seen that video… 
