Real-time marketing, a golden opportunity for brands to capitalize on what the collective world has eyes on, is effective when done well, but embarrassing when it’s not. With the ability to quickly reach a huge number of people comes the double-edged sword of blunders going viral for all the wrong reasons.
More often than not, brands miss the mark when it comes to real-time marketing. For every majorly successful campaign, there’s a thousand that go unnoticed, or worse, get noticed for the wrong reasons. We remember Oreo’s infamous Super Bowl tweet, reactions to Luis Suarez’s infamous bite during the FIFA World Cup and Tides’ recent answer to Lebron James’ return to Cleveland. All of these efforts shared common traits of effective social listening and timely, precise reactions. Getting it right isn't easy, and brands that have succeeded have done so using a few key steps:
1. Get a team and process in place
Effective real-time marketing is far from a one-person gig. Successful brands set up and empower teams of copywriters, social strategists and legal personnel to act and get approval quickly.
2. Listen at the right times
Some of the highest engagement times on social media come during major sporting events. During the Super Bowl in 2014, more than 24.9 million tweets about the game and halftime show were sent. Brands monitor the action closely, and engage the audience with relevant, targeted content when an opportunity presents itself.
3. Be relevant
Most unsuccessful tactics are the result of brand irrelevance. Trying just a bit too hard to find opportunities to promote, or reaching just to latch on to a trend is a waste of resources. Smart brands spend their time monitoring very specific audiences that fall within a targeted profile, and only then react when appropriate.
4. Monitor reaction and respond appropriately
Savvy marketers monitor mentions after releasing tactics, and accordingly adjust strategy if the campaign is falling flat. If negative feedback starts piling up, they have an exit strategy and crisis plan planned and ready to implement quickly.
5. Don’t cross that fine line
Many of the best campaigns derive from brands taking chances, but when they cross the line the backlash is rapid and harsh. Moments after the Netherlands knocked Mexico out of the 2014 World Cup, Dutch airline KLM tweeted “Adios Amigos! #NEDMEX” with a photo of an airport departure sign, photoshopped to include a mustached, sombrero-wearing icon. The tweet was deleted within an hour, but not before it was retweeted nearly 10,000 times, with news coverage galore. Like Johnny Cash once sang, walk the line.
More than one third of marketers worldwide view real-time marketing as extremely important to their organizations in 2014, according to Evergage. As social media continues its expansion, that number may only rise, forcing marketers to devote a larger segment of their time to the channel. If marketers can take the appropriate steps, real-time marketing can be another huge source of ROI. However, if done without appropriate planning, brands are one blunder away from finding themselves in a full-fledged PR nightmare. The difference lies in the preparation.