Social media has
revolutionized the way people connect, the way they talk to brands
and the media landscape in the digital age.
So it's no surprise that when two of
the biggest global social media names get together, marketers
should be listening.
Facebook's deal with Skype opens up a
range of potential communications channels that go well beyond
conventional marketing.
The formal announcement is that
Facebook is working with Skype to introduce video calling.
Essentially, it lets you video call all your friends directly via
Facebook rather than having to open up the Skype platform.
So what does this mean for brands? I
believe there are three key opportunities:
Customer service -
Most serious brands have some kind of presence on Facebook, just as
they do on Twitter. Often this can act as a lightening rod for any
consumer frustrations, with negative comments threatening to
takeover their wall.
Using video calling will enable brands
to address any customer that is having difficulty with their
product or service, find out what is wrong and resolve the issue,
quickly and efficiently.
The ease with which customers can now
be addressed via this channel - without having to persuade them to
shift to the phone or email as on Twitter - will make it far more
likely that the result will be a positive status update.
Product set-up -
rather than having to send out a technician to install a new TV or
set up a mobile, a customer service assistant might also be able do
so via video. Such one-to-one service might be offered by
technology brands or retailers as a more cost-effective alternative
to sending staff door to door.
Product demonstration
- brands can make video calling part of their launch strategy as
well. Rather than simply place a film on YouTube, video calling
will allow consumers to log on to a "conference call" where a
technology brand might for example run through the features of its
latest product, answer questions and build excitement within its
fan base.
And because everyone will have to
friend a brand to take advantage of all these services, companies
will also benefit from the fact that more consumers will become
part of their networks.
All this, of course, is just the
start. The integration of video calling across Facebook means that
over time there will be more possibilities for brands.
Key features that brands should aware
of in Facebook's latest update include the expansion of its group
functionality. At the moment groups are used by around 50% of those
on the social media platform.
Now you can call consumers into a
group chat on the fly, without having to set up a special group.
Adding video would enable brands and marketers to create quick and
easy focus groups or brainstorm across offices, for example.
The other key change is a new look for
the Facebook chat page and this highlights how far the platform is
now extending beyond the simple PC.
The new design highlights who you talk
to most by putting the most frequent correspondents. It no longer
shows whether they are online or offline but simply offers to send
a message. Facebook now assumes that we are always connected in
some way, via some device.
Recent research may show that Facebook
has peaked in some developed markets but the depth of service and
message integration that is possible continues to develop.
Few media platforms can offer so much
to so many parts of an organization, be it marketing, customer
service or research.
This deal with Skype extends
Facebook's value immensely. The obvious extensions of that
functionality merely reinforce the need for marketers to dedicate
serious time to understanding the platform.
First published here on Brand Republic.
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