The 10 year search for digital data integration...

It was not until the last couple years that I saw the hope of digital finally being truly integrated with any data source.  Over the years my colleagues and I dreamed of the day when we could avoid manually consolidating all the information.

Yes, folks, Big Data has always been around....nothing new, just a new focus in the industry.  In all actuality, this many of us have been in the background putting it all together.  We gather with our different marketing groups, business units, statisticians and CRM teams and work to the bone...always understanding that we were likely missing something.

Now, with the consolidation of the digital industry, data automation, agencies and vendors, it's clear to see there's still some paving of the road left but we still have smaller companies like Tableau, Tealium, Bottlenose, Domo working with their developers and cooking up data tornados.  I'm excited to see what's coming up in the next 6 months.

After typing all that, it makes me think of privacy....but that's a whole other kind of posting.  hehe.

Social Media measuring Passive Aggression and Sarcasm

As I am I am asked to combine a product launch initiatives and a global media campaign, I looked at all the text analytics and tools around me and I realized how passive aggression and sarcasm play such a big role in social media.  I think literally at least 20% of postings and responses have one of the two.  Then I wonder, can community managers and tools even tell the difference?  Given the 'customer service' responses I see, I would say, doesn't seem so.   It goes back to the fact that text is left to interpretation and there's great value in companies understanding what the writer is really meaning to say.

Usually we look for positive impact but noting these negative feelings changes the way we manage our communities and more importantly respond.  I have not seen how this data can easily be integrated as well.  My team and I pull all of this manually and we've gotten to the point that because of interpretation, we should limit the number of hands on it and then analyze the analyst's results.  I know Crimson Hexagon was one of the first companies to predict these types of things and note certain sentiments but I'm not quite sure they've reached this level of details.

I find myself on a discovery hunt, as this changes eCRM / customer service through communities.  If any of you have additional insight, please message me.

Critical Mass has taken the plunge and is exploring the topic of Social CRM.  I am moderating, Hurdles Along the Path to Measurable Social Marketing Programs (bit.ly/PY1kjc) this afternoon in Los Angeles, CA for SMWLA.  It’s a panel discussion with an innovative talent mix.  Shaina Boone, flew in from Chicago to join us, Taro Ramberg helped with planning, and as analytics geek, I am excited.

As we know, social measurement is the one subject marketers have been muddling over in their conference rooms for quite some time now.  We are still attempting to figure it all out.  For years, I’ve raised my flag on how social is only a small piece of a large puzzle and rushing all marketing efforts towards it, would probably lead to disappointment.  It’s really about listening and using what you learned.  Experience and research have also shown us that the interaction is mostly personal.   Unless consumers are already advocates, their time on social networks, is not focused on Brands.

Now, we are finally seeing a shift in companies wanting to build strategies around customer service and combine their effort with the other channels to understand the consumer.  This brings me joy because though I am not extremely fond of the name chosen by the industry, perhaps SCRM can be the catalyst for building concrete strategies and truly listening to consumers.   If done right in coming years, we may finally capitalize on multi-channel insights and get corporations to leverage attribution models to really see where they can meet the needs of consumers, while profiting from the effort.  In the end, that’s what SCRM is all about, right?  Well, that’s what we want to figure out!

There are oh, so many questions and oh so many factors to solve for so we’ve taken the plunge and starting the conversation.  I’m looking forward to listening!  Join us! bit.ly/PY1kjc

Is Social Media the new church?

I am far from being into organized religion but I have complete faith in the divine and how we are all connected.
I was invited to my first 'Fall' BBQ by a new group of acquaintances. Their invites included members of the non-denomination church they attend. While I sat around and ate my delicious turkey burger I overheard them speak of their church community and church family and how they met, giving a status on how important it was for them to share their stories. They detailed the people who were involved, versus not...and even discussed the attendees that do not participate at particular times during the week, etc.
I never thought of social media as a religion until that very moment. I mean I look at consumer behavior all day long. It is part of the reason why I think I sometimes feel immune. But it did make me think.

I mean churches are community based just as social and we are gauged by our participation but don't we 'follow' a certain path and stick to a certain group and constantly keep up philosophies and participate in rituals. Instead of waking up on Sat, Sunday or whenever your religion attends services...Do more people now just 'post?'.....is service attendance on a downward trend. hmmm..

Unique Visitors...A new definition?

I WISH!
Well, if the goal was to spark a discussion and fuel up the fireplace...mission accomplished.
Eric Peterson's post last week on "Unique Visitors Only Come In One Size has has done just that...
(http://blog.webanalyticsdemystified.com/weblog/2009/03/unique-visitors-only-come-in-one-size.html)
It's needless to say that Unique Visitors has been a top subject matter on many posts.

Over the years we have all discussed its drawbacks, using a weighted average, how to improve it, and in some ways have found ways around the metric. Plus personally, how many unique visitors I get adds no value to my ongoing analysis. I'm interested in behavior or better yet, whether they are going to accomplish what I desire and/or what the user wants...I know I am the first to use authenticated users and visits before visitors.

But this is not about me...

As someone who participates in the process, fact still remains that the individuals of the Standards Committee have taken these and a bunch of other scenarios into account.
Though I clearly see the IAB's point, a new term is in order. But to say that we are going to deny the definition that we've all used and 'grown' to know, is not going to happen.
I think that we need to validate any new proposal.
It’s not that I disagree with the IAB, it's just unrealistic at this point and at this time we are attempting to establish a common language for 'right now.'
I think its good to expect more and move the industry forward.
Do I think the two should be named differently, of course. Do I believe the industry deserves better measurement, YEP! Is it a good debate, no doubt. But boy do I have bigger fish to fry.
When we get a better metric we will use it and guess what? We would call it something else!
Why? Because even before this, the reality is that it was already confusing...

Among many parts within the post, I found the following to be interesting...
And Joe did clarify for me what a “measurement organization” is … he just didn't directly clarify the impact on web analytics vendors.

HMMM...I recall a conversation between the IAB and the Standards Committee where it was stated by the IAB that it would affect analytics vendors....perhaps I completely misunderstood.

Also, last time I checked the word Panel (used in the IAB definition) in 'our' world, it did not mean population. So...there are negatives on both ends...Plus, where's the algorithm? Let's get that going before we start calling things out. Or perhaps it exists? Be sure to let us all know. Perhaps this may be in the works?

Oh and as someone who worked for DoubleClick, Inc during the early days, I can add the important issues we have with privacy behind identity but I won't...
However, somehow it was forgotten!

There's so much work that goes into all of this and unfortunately this all has spilled over to becoming personal. I am glad to see it has tapered off, because this is all far from personal.
All I can say is, let's embrace what we do have, strive for better, enhance relationships, lead and honor those who volunteer their time just for the love of it.



This is also posted on: http://blogs.zaaz.com/zaaz/