Integrating social media into a robust strategy for long term growth is a challenge that all businesses face.

Jeremy Waite, head of Social Strategy at  Adobe  EMEA, has devised a simple process that describes the “Like Cycle” of a customer that helps businesses to develop a 360 degree approach to digital marketing. Although it talks about ‘Likes’ it can be applied equally to all social networks.

The cycle addresses the five challenges that most businesses face when looking at their social media strategy:

1. What type of ‘likes’ do you want? - Who are you trying to reach and why?

2. What are you going to do with them? - Building an interesting content and engagement strategy.

3. How are you going to keep them? - Loyalty is harder than ever to achieve.

4. What is the value of a ‘like’? - Its essential to understand how to measure the ROI of what you do.

5. What is the cost of a ‘like’? - How much are you willing to pay to attract someone’s attention?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 40:01 — 18.3MB)

For the links to the Adobe white paper and Jeremy’s slideshare presentation plus other show notes see here:

Who owns big data and what can be done with it?

Euan Semple talks about patterns that can be seen from data that we all provide as we use the internet, how these are interpreted, the benefits and drawbacks and how accessible it is.

When we use Facebook, Twitter and other social networks for free, we become the product. If the data we provide is used in a contextually appropriate way and is helpful to us we don’t mind so much but what about the uses we’re not aware of?

What products are available that allow smaller businesses to gather data and use it for their own benefit?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:41 — 12.2MB)

The books Euan mentions in the show are: Code and Other Laws of Cybersapce by Laurie Lessig and What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly  He also mentions The Cluetrain Manifesto which first discussed the idea of “human to human” conversations back in 1999 and is thought to be the precursor to social media marketing.

Euan was a guest on Show 2   His book Organizations Don’t Tweet – People Do was published last year. http://amzn.to/xRYEHs 

Blog address euansemple.com/theobvious/

Twitter @Euan

Euan also produces a podcast Business Shift 

Things to know before hiring an agency for your social media campaign!

Mark Jennings has worked for organisations as diverse as Sky, Jimmy Choo, Samsung and Scottish Power, as well as government, arts and third sector. He has some interesting things to say about hiring an agency and how a social media campaign works and how the results are measured.

Don’t hire the agency - hire the people!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:17 — 12.5MB)

Follow Mark on Twitter @MarkofRespect

How does blogging three times a day affect your stats?

Graham Jones, Internet Pyschologist, has been blogging every day for several years. His blog was recently voted number 4 in the world’s top 100 psychology blogs. He talks to us about the pros and cons of blogging three times a day and how blog comments are now more commonly left on social media sites instead of the blog.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:12 — 26.7MB)

Find Graham on Twitter @GrahamJones or http://www.grahamjones.co.uk/

Read more about Graham here ……..

Hear how Marcus Sheridan used Social Media to rescue his company

……….. then used that experience to start another company to help other people to do the same.

We waited a long time to get this interview with Marcus and it was worth waiting for!

River Pools and Spas was in big trouble until Marcus, with nothing to lose, starting bringing traffic to his site using great content and social media. The process was such a success that Marcus is now a sleeping partner in that business and started The Sales Lion - a company that  helps small and large organizations develop a culture of content and inbound marketing.

Marcus shares some great lessons that can be applied to any business - and all from hard won experience!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:12 — 36.0MB)

Follow Marcus @TheSalesLion on Twitter

Social Media helps to make the world a better place

This show features two people who believe that what you give out you get back as they talk about using social media as a platform for their work, doing social good.

Martyn Sibley tells us why and how he started Disability Horizons, an online magazine that gives inspiration as well as practical advice to disabled people who like to travel, explore and have adventures. Martyn has become well known for his pioneering use of social media.

Lou Shackleton of The You Can Hub  created Danger Lou - her super hero alter-ego and is using this to battle the robot of mediocrity and show people they can change the world. As well as creating opportunities for social good both Martyn and Lou are having a huge amount of fun!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:49 — 34.1MB)