How to Control Brand Messaging on Twitter

Twitter’s claim to fame is fast delivery and response, and consumers have come to appreciate the outstanding customer service such a tool provides. The takeaway from a brand using customer service strategies is a message of care and concern – everything that in-store customer service isn’t. Though, how can brands ensure the key messages part of their created identity will be carried across Twitter feeds? I once said it’s impossible to control brand messages on Twitter, but now I digress after recent revelations.

True, consumers have a powerful voice, but brands can certainly overpower negative and confusing tweets by considering how a consumer typically reaches out to a company on Twitter. Consumers only know how to interact with brands (not the people behind the brands) on Twitter in one way. By offering tweets of praise and complaints, they let the brand rep know the company either is or isn’t doing their job.

Subjectivity is not a good barometer when it comes to brand message development, because a lot of it might be considered blown smoke. (People still reply to @comcastcares with faulty messages about a broken down TV, internet connection, etc. just to see if they’ll actually respond). Knowing the potential for discrepancies, how do brands control the messages on Twitter?

• It’s all in the profile While I agree with a short bio about the tweeting brand rep, I don’t think it’s wise to blur the lines of professional position vs. personal interests by offering up things like “I love Cheetos” in the Twitter bio. In order to ensure brand messaging consistency, companies need to insert a shorter version of their values, mission, and passion. If too personal, consumers might think a company rep’s love for Cheetos is because he/she works for them. Here's a brief bio example I speak of:

• Addressing the issue publicly Honestly, what is the point of DMs (besides avoiding spam e-mail) if, by nature, all social networks and blogging platforms are meant to be transparent? Brands can stop a naysayer quicker by @-ing them. A DM message is not searchable, so when consumers are looking for answers via Twitter search, they won’t find a company’s reply to a very strongly worded consumer comment. And if you want to avoid spam e-mail, you can certainly DM them that info if further discussion is necessary.

• A ground for resource links Twitter is not the only way to communicating a promotion or contest, though companies love to do it all the time. But say a customer was to reply and ask what the promotion was and 140 characters didn’t allow for a good explanation. Hopefully, other communications would come into play, so Twitter could serve as a resource link to additional info on Web sites and blogs. Some companies have avoided this issue altogether by making their Twitter profile more concrete and theme-driven. Here's an example:

• Two Twitter accounts? If you’re a brand rep on Twitter and you really want to interact on a more personal level, a way that taps into your interests, you should consider creating both a personal Twitter account, and a professional one dedicated to brand values, mission, and passion. While I understand a professional Twitter account heightens the possibility of spam, it’s better than having mixed messages about the brand. If you’re McDonalds, you tweet about special menu deals, new products and service, and countries you love to visit. If you work for McDonalds, you tweet beyond your company and talk about your love for snacking on Cheetos, alternative music, and the hit television series “Lost.”

Remember, it's all about tweet consistency and not blurring the lines. People say mix the personal with the professional, but I have to disagree as personality can be conveyed through a professional Twitter account-- keeping in mind those key messages, values, and passion of an organization. I would argue the former only works if you're self-employed or a C-suite level executive.

What are your thoughts on branding consistency via tweets?

Hungry? Why Wait? Because Brand Image Is Important

The most recent social media candy controversy revolves around an online campaign for Snickers. In the attempt to go hand-in-hand with Snickers most recent campaign, "Learn To Speak Snacklish," the creative company, Poke created a site in which users could generate their own Snicker's-styled text to use on social networks online. After Snickers threatened to sue them for unauthorized use of their logo and brand image, Poke was forced to take down the site and posted a blog response saying that Mars overreacted and is now alienating and angering fans.

While some may be upset, I would have to agree with the decision Mars made. Mars has to control their brand image. Anything could be typed into the text generator, including messages that would be inconsistent with their brand messaging and image (such as swearing). This is very similar to the outcome of Skittles decision to make their homepage a live Twitter stream. Mars cannot have people hijacking their brand to be used in immature or crude ways.

What's your take on Mars decision to shut down this campaign?

Marketing with Chaos

This week, we have seen a few big discussions on the validity of a product or message due to their apparently chaotic image being portrayed (Pepsi logo redesign, Jaoquin Phoenix on Letterman).

These things may be real or they may be fake, but I think that maybe marketers are using confusion to create buzz.

While a clear, solid message is often the best approach, disorder, brand inconsistency, and chaos often get just as much attention, whether it is on purpose or not.

5 Tips For Standing Out Online If You Are John Smith

In followup to my last post about managing your online identity, I thought it would be helpful to give a few ideas on how to set yourself apart when others are already using your name. I have it easy with my name, so I have significantly less complicated of a task than if my name were John Smith. Both these men have the same name and both are on the first page of Google image results. It is possible to stand out even when you have a lot of competition.


Here are a few tips on how to stand out if your name is John Smith:

1.) Start early. The early bird gets the worm. Hopefully by getting a leg up on others, you will be able to purchase www.yourname.com or other important sign in names that will become more and more curcial in the future. Find the tools that could be important for your future career and secure a placeholder there under your name. If you've missed out on www.yourname.com already, consider an alternative. A few other valuable URLs include yourname.tv, yourname.name, yourname.info, or yourname.net.

2.) Create your individual brand. No matter if you share a name with someone else, there is only one you. You have to let people know who you are as an individual by showcasing your areas of expertise, interest, and specialty. There is already a famous John Smith, but he is known for being a soldier and sailor, not a marketer, veterinarian, weatherman, small business owner, or blog writer. Consider branding yourself with a logo or other visual element that would easily stick in people's minds.

3.) Tell, but also show. Your profile should give a good description of who you are, but you also need to show what you have done. When people search your name, will they find your blog comments in places that enhance your brand identity? Consider which blogs you would want to be associated with and make a conscience effort to connect yourself with the writers and conversation. Make sure all the conversations and projects you are involved in get linked back to you.

4.) Learn how to use SEO. There are many tricks and techniques for how to optimize SEO on your name (too many to cover here). One important factor to keep in mind is what words or phrases you want to be associated with your name. Are you a real estate agent? Every time you create a website, profile, or relevant post, make sure the phrase "real estate agent" and others are in the tags. One tool for improving the tags you are using is Quintura. By typing in a keyword that you might use as a tag, you will be able to find other keywords that are regularly used in conjunction with yours. By using tools like these to add more related tags to what you are already using, you can improve your chances of being found.

5.) Consistency. If you really want to create a solid picture of yourself, focus on consistency. Make your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc profile pics and descriptions all the same. As people search you out, the consistency will help them find you and create a complete picture. It can be very easy to confuse people with an disjointed picture. By connecting all the places you are active, you will create a bigger and more organized picture of yourself.

I need more suggestions from you. Ideas?

Be Thinking Like Arby's, but Don't Be Arby's

In this tough economy, being on top doesn't matter, as companies like Best Buy received a lot of mouth-drops by analysts who projected good things to come. Instead, the company was prognosticating cutbacks. It's a given that Best Buy won't buckle, but the franchise restaurants miffed by their own brand advertisement might want to reach out direct to their consumers-- to see what it is they really want. Arby's isn't on the forefront of every consumers' mind (of course not!) but its slogan suggests how customers should be thinking about brands: constantly.

One franchise restaurant I'm predicting is going to file for Chapter 11... Chili's. Over the years, they have tried to reinvent food offerings and the customer experience, but had not the legs to stand on. Reacting way too quickly to the competitive franchisee climate, Chili's went from "Spicilicious" to "Pepper in Some Fun" over the course of one year. That's a short window to inform the consumer of a new demographic and a new experience. Confusion then ensued and led to less and less door traffic.

Applebee's did it right... waiting quite some time before introducing its new logo design and spruce-up of "Welcome to the Neighborhood." Nights are packed with college students scarfing down half-price appetizers. The big difference between Chili's and Applebee's: I don't see myself at Chili's. Who are they anyway?

The one chain restaurant that I will promote until I experience my own drop of the mouth is T.G.I. Friday's. "In here, it's always Friday." Ahhh... just rolls right off your tongue, and you know it's going to be a party. It's loud, the food is great, and the atmosphere makes you want to embrace everyone around you. It probably didn't hurt to also receive reigning endorsement from Guy Fieri, host of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," touting his own menu of succulent entrees. Tomorrow I'm going there. Can't wait.

While you don't have to offer horsey sauce and $5 dinner combos to be successful, you certainly need to have brand consistency through and through. Best of luck, Chili's.