There are some great examples of brands using social media that we use a lot at FreshNetworks. Not because they necessarily get everything right, but because they show what works for them and why, and they help to give ideas and inspiration to others. We’ve looked at some such examples before with how organisations can use Twitter. The cases of Dell, Starbucks, Nike and others are great stories and there is much that we can learn.
That was why it was good to see these brands, among others, performing well in the Wetpaint and Altimeter Group report ranking the worlds Top 100 global brands based on how they engage people online.
The study gives each of these Top 100 brands a score based on their engagement across more than ten social media channels, including blogs, Facebook, Twitter, wikis, and discussion forums. The highest score (127 points) went to Starbucks, and the top ten brands are:
- Starbucks (127)
- Dell (123)
- eBay (115)
- Google (105)
- Microsoft (103)
- Thomson Reuters (101)
- Nike (100)
- Amazon (88)
- SAP (86)
- Yahoo! and Intel tied (85)
The report analyses the different companies and groups them into four types of brands that engage online. But for me the most interesting aspect of the report is the observation that engagement increases at an ever faster rate as brands engage in more social media channels. There is a clear and measurable benefit to brands engaging in an increasing number of places online, and through an increasing number of channels.
This supports a need for brands to have a presence in a large number of social networks – interacting there and engaging with people where they are. But whilst engaging in this ever increasing number of social media channels, it is important to provide a space where these engaged people, these brand loyalists, can be brought together. Whilst you may engage them in a photo-sharing site or a mobile social network, you benefit most when you then provide a place for them to go to. Do you build your own community or go where people are? Do both.
This is what the brands at the top of this list do best. They may have very successful engagement strategies in social media sites and channels, but they also provide their own online community. From MyStarbucksIdea, through the Dell Community and eBay Discussion Boards. It’s about both engaging where people are and providing a place for them to come to. And the most engage brands online do just this.
ENGAGEMENTdb: Most Engaged Brands On Social Media –
Image by communista_unicorn via Flickr
Some more reading
- New Study Finds Correlation Between Social Media and Financial Success
- Social Media ROI: How about an increase in revenue?
- New study: Deep brand engagement correlates with financial performance
- Study: The biggest brands on the Web
Original Post: http://blog.freshnetworks.com/2009/07/the-most-engaged-brands-on-the-web/
