social software, business excellence and communication strategies
TRANSCRIPT
Social Software, Business Excellence andCommunication Strategies
A framework for theorizing about weblogs, podcasts, wikis and RSS
Dr Ansgar Zerfass
EuroBlog 2006 - International Research Symposium „Public Relations and Social Software“Stuttgart, March 18th, 2006
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Will communication ever be the same?
Source: Robin Sloan/Matt Thompson, Epic 2015, www.snarkmarket.com 2006
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The sociological point of view:Social Software expands our communication culture
Main characteristics of the „Google world“• New information patterns and active publics:
stakeholders search for information, using search engines, knowledge platformsand recommendation systems
• New structures of content production:creativity and authenticity are most relevant, technologies are available for everyone
→ Digital reputation, passion and hubness/connectedness gain in importance→ Renaissance of personal communication and social networks
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Characterizing the Google World
Sources: Castells 2000; Castells 2001; Zerfass/Boelter 2005, pp. 81-91
GutenbergGalaxy
McLuhanGalaxy
InternetGalaxy
GoogleWorld
Most importantmedia channel
Book Television Internet(Linear Applica-tions: Websites,E-Mail)
Internet(Social Software:Weblogs, Wikis,Search Engines)
Overcoming thebarriers of …
Space Time Sequentiality Linearity
Kind of mediation Narrowspread Broadcast Narrowcast Narrowsearch
Enabling … Masscommunication
Masscommunication
Mass comm.,Personal comm.
Mass comm.,Personal comm.
Gatekeeper – Journalists Online journalists Search engines,Bloggers
Bottleneck Distribution Media agenda Attention Digital reputation
Drivers ofsuccess
Availability Coverage Credibility Authenticity
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Personal publishing tools (weblogs, podcasts), social services (wikis, communities)and interactive web technologies (RSS) open up new market opportunities for
• Communication agencies and technology providers- Programming social software- Developing business applications- Consulting and content production
• Online services and media companies - New business models (communication platforms)- New services (personal weblogs for readers)- Extended products (weblog monitoring, weblog advertising)
• Industry, NGOs, Political institutions- Communication management (PR, Marketing, Internal Com.)- Knowledge management- Project management, etc.
The economic point of view:Social software can drive business excellence
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The management point of view:Social software and communication strategy
Using blogs as platformsfor communication
Building relationshipswith bloggers
Utilizing the blogospherefor crisis preventionand viral campaigns
Sources: Zerfass 2004; Zerfass/Boelter 2005, pp. 76-158
How to communicate with whom in which framework
GoalsChannels
RecipientsStakeholders
Public Sphere
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Using weblogs and podcaststo attain communication goals and business objectives
PublicRelations
MarketCommunication
InternalCommunication
ResolvingConflicts
EstablishingRelationships
SupportingContracts
BuildingReputation
DefiningIssues
SharingKnowledge
ArgumentationPersuasionInformation
KnowledgeBlogs
Collaboration/Project Blogs
Product/BrandBlogs Customer
RelationshipBlogs
CrisisBlogs
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CampaigningBlogsService
Blogs
IssuesBlogs
Source: Zerfass/Boelter 2005, p. 127
Classification of corporate blogs
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Defining priorities: Strategy-Exposure-Matrix
Cost leadership
Differentiation strategy
InsiderBrand
NationalBrand
Intervening variables:- Internet usage of stakeholders- Attractiveness for communities- Issues for campaigning
Mini
RenaultTwingo
DaciaLogan
RenaultModus
Audi A3
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Public Exposure
Busines S
trategyBlog Campainingto expand reach and coverage
Issues and Product Blogsfor building reputation and serving customers
Blog Monitoringto avoid reputation crises
Blogger Relationshipsfor building the brand
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Social software WILL change communication culture,business models and communication strategies!
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LiteratureCastells, Manuel: The Internet Galaxy, Reflections on the Internet, Business, and Society, New York 2001Castells, Manuel: The Rise of the Network Society, 2nd edition, Oxford 2000Sloan, Robin/Thompson, Matt: Epic 2015 (Short movie), On the web: www.snarkmarket.com, 2006Zerfass, Ansgar: Unternehmensführung und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Grundlegung einer Theorie der
Unternehmenskommunikation und Public Relations [Strategic Management and Public Relations.A theory of corporate communication and public relations], 2nd edition, Wiesbaden 2004
Zerfass, Ansgar/Boelter, Dietrich: Die neuen Meinungsmacher. Weblogs als Herausforderung für Kampagnen,Marketing, PR und Medien [The new opinion makers. Weblogs as a challenge for campaigns, marketing,public relations and media]; Graz: Nausner & Nausner 2005. Weblog: www.meinungsmacherblog.de
CV / ContactDr. Ansgar Zerfass is a member of the management board of MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, the state’s centre ofexcellence for Information Technology and Media in Stuttgart, Germany, and Privatdozent (honorary lecturer)of communication management at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. He holds a university degreeand doctorate in business administration and a postdoctoral lecture qualification (Habilitation) in communicationscience. He has received several awards both for his academic work and his communication campaigns, amongthem the Ludwig-Schunk-Award for economic science, the German Public Relations Award and the GermanMultimedia Award. Recently, he was elected „PR Head of the year 2005“ by the German Public RelationsAssociation (DPRG). Ansgar Zerfass is author and editor of 13 books and numerous articles on corporatecommunication and interactive communication, among them „E-Content: Technologies and Perspectives forthe European Market“ (2005) and „Handbook of Corporate Communication“ (in German, 2006).E-Mail: [email protected] / [email protected]