Banyan Branch

More than half of customer loyalty programs have a social media or mobile component currently in place or in development, according to research recently conducted by Banyan Branch and VIPdesk.

Other key findings include:

• 27% of customer loyalty program members prefer to utilize a mobile device to access program features.
• 32% of customer loyalty programs reward members with points or other currency for participating in social media and/or online discussions about their brand.
• While only 17% of customer loyalty programs offer members a mobile application to use when redeeming rewards, another 30% have a mobile app currently in development: meaning that 47% of loyalty programs have a mobile app either in place now or will soon.

This survey was conducted during a recent webinar presented by Banyan Branch and VIPdesk called “Engaging and Retaining Customers through Social Media and Mobile-Enabled Loyalty Programs”. The webinar reviewed how brands can strategically incorporate social media and mobile applications into their loyalty programs in a manner that resonates with their customers and gets results.

“When properly motivated and encouraged, brands’ most loyal customers can become their most active advocates,” says Dave Hanley, co-founder and principal at Banyan Branch. “This path of integrating social media with loyalty programs and rewards will ultimately allow brands to grow their online conversation and provide deep and interesting content created by those who know them best.”

Adds Mark Robeson, senior vice president of sales and marketing at VIPdesk: “These research findings are proof positive that the advent and growth of mobile communication and social media is significantly influencing the way consumers interact with the brands with which they do business.”

Listen to the recording of “Engaging and Retaining Customers through Social Media and Mobile-Enabled Loyalty Programs” featuring Banyan Branch co-founder Dave Hanley.

Facebook has changed the size of the profile picture on all pages, which means both your personal and business pages will need a quick refresh.

The new Facebook profile picture size is 160 x 160 pixels, which is noticeably larger than the old size of 125 x 125 (as you can see by Coca-Cola images below).

On April 26, Facebook automatically made this update and left many users and brands asking why their profile pictures were now so blurry. It’s a minor change but a must to fix. After all, no one likes a blurry brand image.

It’s also important to note that Facebook crops images when generating a thumbnail, so part of the image you use will be lost. This is why many users and brands end up dragging the image so it’s either centered or positioned correctly. Facebook asks that you upload a profile picture that is 180 x 180 pixels and it will crop the image automatically.

Lastly, the new Facebook profile picture size changes the image position slightly. It now sits at 23 pixels from the left and 210 pixels from the top of the page. Again, you can see from the Coca-Cola images below there is a clear difference between old and new.

OLD PROFILE PICTURE SIZE:

NEW PROFILE PICTURE SIZE:

Have you started to notice social media terms, symbols, and logos popping up in your favorite TV shows? How about on the big screen at the end of each new movie trailer? According to Accenture, a global consulting firm, 64% of U.S. consumers recall seeing social media symbols on TV; 42% remember a “Like” button, 28% remember a QR code, and 18% remember a Twitter hashtag. Even more important, a full “33% of viewers actually went ahead and either “Liked” the show on Facebook (20%), scanned a QR code (11%) or searched for the related hashtag on Twitter (7%).”

What’s in it for brands: Most of these viewers said the main reason they looked up the social channels mentioned on TV was to get more information. They are looking for behind-the-scenes details, deals, contests, and other fun and rewarding ways to get involved. Brands that have a presence on TV, whether in actual television shows or commercials, can play it up by offering something extra to viewers on their social media channels. Connect the one-way conversation of mass media TV with the more compelling two-way conversation of social media. TV may be the initial spark for the conversation, but social channels such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest are the platforms fans use to discuss and share what they saw.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• Spotify announced it will launch brand pages soon. A few megabrands like AT&T and McDonald’s will get an early look at the offering, with other brands getting the service later this year.
• Thinking about pitching to bloggers on Pinterest? Here are some tips on the right ways to do it.
• Don’t let your message get lost in the campaign. Read three lessons non-profits can learn from the Kony conundrum.
• Do you really need to check your email again? A clever flowchart will help you decide.
• Facebook’s IPO is getting closer. Cue epic music.
• What did you think of the Tupac hologram at Coachella? Twitter went nuts over it!
• 61% of parents log on to their kids’ Facebook accounts. Are you one of them?

 Have a great weekend!

You’ve heard all about the influence of mommy bloggers, but how about the dads? According to a recent survey by Edelman PR and The Parenting Group, dads are participating on social media channels at a higher rate than ever. In fact, 42% of dads with kids under the age of 2 regularly share updates on their families. Huggies learned the hard way last month that portraying fathers as inept parents doesn’t go over well these days, and other brands are taking note.

What’s in it for brands: “The dad niche is still largely untapped,” says Andrew Schrage of Money Crashers. Though moms and dads are increasingly sharing parenting responsibilities, they still represent different marketing segments. Stick to tips on time management, budgeting and funny parenting stories when it comes to dads. Just don’t portray parents in gender-specific roles. “Brands that really want to push the envelope now will start engaging parents together,” says Christine Perkett of Perkett PR. Both parents are changing the diapers now, and they want brands to acknowledge that.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• In the biggest news of the week, Facebook bought Instagram for $1 billion! Instagram users weren’t thrilled at the news, but few seem to have stopped using the app.
• LinkedIn has debuted new tools to help businesses target followers, including the ability to tailor content by criteria like industry, seniority, job function, and geography.
• CEOs take heed: a recent survey concluded that employees trust CEOs who use social media more.
• Facebook’s Seattle employees are getting comfortable in their new Seattle offices that overlook the Space Needle.
• Google+ underwent a redesign. Take a look at how the design changes affect the social experience.
• Remember when Facebook was just for college students? In an apparent nod to its early days, Facebook launched Groups for Schools.
• Smart car company Smart Argentina created the first-ever Twitter commercial.
• Heartwarming viral video Caine’s Arcade has already generated over $100K for 9-year-old Caine Monroy’s college fund. If you haven’t seen it yet, grab some tissues now!

The fashion industry has long been a leader in social media marketing thanks to intensely loyal brand advocates. According to a new report by EMarketer, apparel is now the fastest-growing segment in e-commerce and is expected to grow by 20% to $40.9 billion, up from $34.2 billion in 2011. That’s a larger sales increase than books, music and movies, categories that have dominated the e-commerce landscape for years.

What’s in it for brands: EMarketer attributed the growth to new tricks retailers are using to display products online. Amazon’s MyHabit, for example, produces videos of models wearing the clothes for sale, which makes the purchasing decision less of a guessing game for consumers. Displaying products on websites is a critical part of the sales funnel, and the more interactive those displays become the more engaged consumers will be in the product’s conversation. Social media will play an important role in this process, as customers rely on user reviews for guidance and share their thoughts about purchases in real-time with their friends and networks. This is word of mouth marketing at its best.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• A new study shows that many new Twitter users rarely tweet. According to AYTM Market Research, this could make the influencers who are tweeting all the more attractive.
• Google unveiled “Project Glass“, which allows you to control music, get directions, take pictures, give voice commands, and more—all through augmented-reality glasses.
• Oprah Winfrey is thriving in Social TV, encouraging viewers at home to live tweet responses to topics mentioned on the show and then discusses them with her guests.
• Google+ grew 27% in March, logging 61 million visits. The data comes after Google CEO Larry Page wrote in blog post April 5 that Google+ now has 100 million active users.
• Pinterest is now the third most popular social network, behind Facebook and Twitter.
• YouTube now lets you automatically turn your 2D videos into 3D videos. You’ll feel the pain when you watch “Charlie bit my finger!”
• Learn how police departments are using social media to fight crime.
• Cheezburger CEO Ben Huh is getting his own reality show on Bravo. Laughs will be had.

Dave Hanley, co-founder of Banyan Branch, recently spoke with Digiday about How Brands Should Use Cause Marketing.

Exploring the differences between social good campaigns and cause marketing, Dave says brands can benefit “if the belief within the company is true and the cause they are supporting rings true.” But the effort needs to be genuine, he says, because skeptics will come forward if the connection between brand and cause seems thin or the support itself doesn’t go to the core of the company.

After the Japanese tsunami, for example, some companies who had no direct connection said, ‘like us on Facebook and we’ll donate a dollar to the relief.’ Cause marketing, Dave says, works best when a brand or service has an actual connection to the subject matter, such as a company that has operations in a particular country or a beauty brand that’s connected to a Look Good, Feel Better campaign.

Cause marketing isn’t new, but social media has made it easier than ever. “Companies are investing in social media channels and are in need of good content to talk about,” Dave says. “It’s not just me, me, me. Allocating those assets to charities helps them reach social responsibility goals and gives them great content to talk about with followers and supporters, so it mutually fills the needs for the non-profit and for-profit companies.”

In March, Dave was honored as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, which recognizes distinguished leaders under the age of 40 from from around the world. Dave steered Banyan’s role in the Global Water Awareness campaign, which provided the WEF with social media strategy and website development for its site, thirst4water.org. He is a Fulbright Scholar who studied in Bangladesh under Nobel Laureate Professor Mohammed Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank.

Read Dave Hanley’s full interview with Digiday.

Facebook and Google have gone head-to-head for some time now (hello, Google+). But the stakes may be getting even higher with a recent Businessweek report that Facebook is building a search engine. There is no timetable for this, but Facebook tends to move quickly. And the goal here is to take advantage of the mountains of content Facebook users create every day, including likes, comments, status updates, and interactions on brand pages.

What’s in it for brands: The move into search fits with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s vision of a “semantic web,” where users are able to find personally relevant information based on their own interests and that of their friends. If a search engine based on social data takes off, it will increase the importance of brands establishing meaningful relationships with their fans. Likes, check-ins, and recommendations will be even more valuable and can be used to boost social search queries. For example, a future Facebook search may mean the pizza lover in you could easily find local restaurants that have been liked the most on Facebook, or that have the most check-ins. Facebook doesn’t want users to leave the network, and if it can provide personally relevant search, there’s one less reason to click over to Google to find out what time the movie starts.

Here’s your weekly round-up of major news points from the social sphere:

• Can Twitter be used for historical records? Follow the Titanic’s ill-fated journey on the popular microblogging site.
• Google has partnered with publishers on a new kind of paywall. You might not be interested in paying a monthly subscription for the articles you read, but would you answer a short survey question? That’s what Google is trying to find out.
• Top 10 social-media savvy universities. Who said higher ed was in crisis mode?
• Spotify’s Facebook Timeline shows music history dating back 1,000 years.
• Show me the money! $1 on Apple App Store is just $0.23 on Android. On Amazon, that number climbs to $0.89.
• In 2011, a billion smart devices were activated including phones, tablets and computers.
• Wikidata aims to provide a database of knowledge that can be read and edited by humans and machines alike. Big backers like Google, Paul Allen, and more.

Here’s your weekly roundup of major news points from the social sphere:

• Google’s new privacy policy is now in effect. Did you clear your web history?
• Twitter ads will start appearing on your smartphone soon.
• Pinterest’s potential pitfall is explored along with the question of whether the photo-sharing site will be taken advantage of by marketers.
• Here’s a look at some brands that are “winning” Pinterest—no surprise that it’s mostly style, travel and home décor.

• AT&T eased its unlimited data throttling policy after consumers complained that it was too heavy-handed. Score another one for the people!
• President Obama took the White House in 2008 largely because of the online support he translated into real votes. Grassroots social media are now extending the GOP race.
• Foursquare dumped the Google Maps API in favor of OpenStreetMap, an open-source initiative that calls itself “the free wiki world map.”
• We compiled a list of the new Facebook Timeline features for brands, which bring storytelling and images front and center.
• Kodak announced it is selling its online photo business to Shutterfly for $23 million. Kodak, the photography pioneer, filed for bankruptcy in January.
• Put down the phone and learn to be alone was the message delivered March 1 at a TED talk by Sherry Turkle, a professor of science and technology at MIT. Turkle recently penned a book called “Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other.”
• LinkedIn unveiled its new “Follow Company” button, which allows users to keep tabs on their favorite companies and organizations.
• The American Journalism Review scorched Twitter for asserting the micro-blogging site “beat” the news media in reporting Whitney Houston’s death.
• Zynga revealed its long-awaited social gaming platform on Zynga.com, called “Project Z.” The move to its own site is supposed to ease the company’s codependence on Facebook, allowing for a gaming environment that’s free of status updates.
• Facebook launches Offers, scraps check-in deals.
• Where did Chinese citizens go when the country’s monolithic internet firewall was breached and they had momentary access to anything on the web? Straight to President Obama’s Google+ page.

Have a great weekend!

Facebook has finally released its Timeline feature for brand pages, and once again companies the world over are rushing to meet the demands of a stunning new opportunity.

Timeline originally released for people in Sept. 2011, giving Facebook’s 800+ million users more freedom to customize the design of their profile page with personalized, and often beautiful, imagery. Now, brands can do the same. But it’s not just a design tweak that brands will be able to take advantage of. “The goal is to make Pages more engaging and more social,” Gokul Rajaram, Facebook’s product director for ads, told Mashable. Timeline will automatically be put in place for brand pages on March 30, and there are likely to be several rounds of updates made to between now and then.

For organizations looking to move ahead of the game, here are a few details about what switching to Timeline means for your brand.

Larger Cover Photo

The cover photo allows you to display a 851 x 315 pixel banner across the top of the page.  The image should convey the emotional appeals of the brand as well as provide a visual representation of what the organization is about. Facebook’s terms of service prohibit prices, calls to action, contact information, and promotions in the cover photo area.

No More Landing Tabs

Maybe the biggest change from the old brand pages is that you can no longer set a default landing tab that users will see upon first visiting your page. Fan-gated apps are still permitted, but since the user will be landing on the Timeline first, these may not be as powerful. Therefore, it will be important to condense and prioritize the apps that appear above the fold on the Timeline.

Message Fans Directly

Offsetting the loss of default landing tabs for marketers is the ability for users to contact pages directly through messages. Pages cannot send private messages to fans, but they can respond once a message has been sent. Notifications about new messages will appear in the new Admin Panel.

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Already the social hub of job and industry information, LinkedIn’s new follow button aims to make keeping tabs on your favorite companies, finding new career opportunities, and staying engaged with the latest industry trends easier than ever.

“Follow Company,” an embeddable button companies can add to their websites, functions similarly to Twitter’s “Follow” button. Instead of searching for a company’s profile on LinkedIn, you can now simply click the Follow Company button on its website. As long as you are logged in to LinkedIn, you will automatically begin following that company’s public profile and seeing its updates in your LinkedIn feed (much like you see the status updates and posts from pages you like on Facebook in your newsfeed).

As LinkedIn points out, this is one of four simple ways to follow the companies you’re interested in. Check out the video below to see how it works:

The new follow button is a big step for LinkedIn. The company launched a “share” button in 2010 that let users share articles with people in their business network, and this is a logical next move. With 150 million active users and 7,610 searches per hour, LinkedIn seems to be on track to achieve its long-term strategy: becoming a major marketing platform for brands.

As more people follow brands on LinkedIn, the more important it will be for brands to have available content in this channel. The new Follow Company button puts more emphasis on a company’s need to actively engage on LinkedIn, so if you manage a company profile, take heed. Whether you’re posting job openings, updating the company profile with new hires, client work, case studies, etc. or sharing stories from the company’s blog or YouTube channel, for example, the people who follow your company will be expecting regular content from you.

Will you follow a company you’re interested in on LinkedIn? If you’re a community manager, will your business be implementing the new Follow Company button?