To build brands on social networks, marketers are experimenting with a wide range of strategies. But which efforts are most effective? A recent study by MarketingProfs shows that branded applications top the chart, but they are under-utilized: less than a quarter of all respondents had created them. At Sprout, we know from first hand experience that applications are at the heart of successful campaigns. But we also understand that getting the most out of a branded application requires an integrated approach to social networks.
As brands move away from traditional marketing strategies, campaigns are becoming increasingly conversational in nature, with consumers adding user-generated content and sharing. In general, consumers have greater expectations around engagement with brands on social networks. At Sprout we work with brands to drive engagement opportunities at key points in the cycle: (click to enlarge):
Step 1: Attract (Engaging Ads)
The first stage of the engagement cycle is focused on attracting consumers to your brand’s fan page. For brands that are just beginning to establish a presence on social networks, this often means relying on display ads that sit both inside and outside of the social networks. Sprout’s ads are created with a social platform that helps brands at this stage by attracting consumers with interactive ads that allow users to respond to polls, write reviews, and share with friends right from standard IAB ad units.
Step 2: Identify (Fan Pages)
Once you’ve brought an audience to your fan page, how do you encourage them to become fans? Sprout makes this easy with fun and engaging fan page solutions that encourage users to interact. Fan pages are a foundation for managing relationships and can be used in conjunction with Sprout Publisher to communicate directly with fans via the Activity Stream. For example, some of our clients use this solution to send out weekly coupons, music releases, or polls. All of these experiences are shareable, which helps to keep current fans engaged and drive new fan acquisition.
Step 3: Engage (Applications)
Applications have been proven as the most effective tool for engaging consumers on social networks. For those brands that are in the process of building a fan base, in-stream messaging and ad buys are powerful tools to help promote the application’s release. Brands that have already built an extensive fan base, however, can often rely on their fan community to spread the word, leading to long-term savings.
Sprout’s branded applications leverage Facebook Connect and other social APIs to live inside and outside of social networks, allowing brands to reach their communities wherever they spend time online. Users can publish application experiences straight to their Activity Streams, helping to drive viral spread and increased engagement.
Sprout also offers Publisher applications, which allow brands to place applications directly into fans’ stream. Fans can then engage with the application in the stream and share branded messages with their friends.
Step 4: Measure
Throughout all the points in the engagement cycle, Sprout provides performance metrics to measure the success of ads, fan pages, and applications. Our platform allows us to modify and optimize all of the experiences we create in real time based on this data.
Sprout’s in-depth understanding of the consumer engagement cycle recently helped earn us a spot on Facebook’s Preferred Developers List. We’d love to hear about your experience using applications as part of integrated strategies so we can keep on learning. Thanks for reading!
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