Real-Time Social Media Marketing. Does It Work?

This week on the Magnet Minute, Amy talks about real-time digital marketing strategy, as we’ve seen from brands that try to engage during high profile events like the Super Bowl (which are popular on the second screen).

It’s popular right now for brands to look for opportunities that present reactionary social messaging opportunities. Oreo made this premise famous during last year’s Super Bowl, when the lights went out and it sent out a quick, sharp, and funny replay that went viral. So many companies want to re-create that success, as it was well-received by a wide audience and by the marketing community.

But does this mean brands now have the incorrect focus? Some, like JC Penney, used the Super Bowl stage to type incoherently (in an attempt to advertise Team USA mittens and the dangers of #textingwithmittens). Sure, this attracted attention, but most people didn’t get the joke and just assumed the feed had been attacked or the tweeter had been drinking. All this accomplished with its target audience was viral conversation, not calling people to action around the brand’s purpose.

Then there’s the other end of the spectrum: Progressive and Oreo both decided to take this year’s Super Bowl off. Maybe those bold “night off” statements were enough to make their customers happy because they were cute and fun. It also serves the customer by getting out of the way of real viewer conversation with users’ friends and followers.

If your brand really wants to profit from real-time marketing, the best thing you can do is to remember the main purpose for social media: to be social with your customers. With that in mind, maybe there’s a great moment you want to share based on the ongoing, real-time event, but keep in mind this question: what steps are you taking to turn that media that into something helpful to your audience? If you can engage with customers and add value to their online experience, while driving them to have a positive brand experience, that’s how you’ll really stand out in a positive light.

Any thoughts on real-time marketing? Let us know in the comments and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn.

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