melanie smith

S.M.R.T Learnings

Looking back on this Social Media Research & Techniques course, I’ve learnt a lot about what it takes to successfully brand your business online. It has given me a very good understanding of the importance of ethics, brand personalities and subject relevancy when promoting your brand through social media.

Most importantly, the three key takeaways for me have been:

1. Keeping it simple:

Blogs & social media posts require much simpler language vs. more traditional forms of communication. Users need to be able to read through things quickly to get the message without putting much thought into them, so clear, concise posts are best. This has been a critical learning for me since my writing style tends to stay the same, regardless of the platform. I am now much more conscious of this and am continuously working to get my point across in as few words as possible!

2. The importance of influencers:

Whether it be through Klout or some other form of measurement tool, finding your brand ambassadors who have the broadest reach & ability to influence is critical to spreading your message online. This learning has helped me to realize that it’s not just about the quantity or frequency of posts a brand or company spits out, it’s about the quality and how well these posts resonate with users. Connecting with your brand loyalists in a meaningful way and giving them the opportunity to recruit new users are some of the most useful aspects of social media for your business.

3. Measuring success in real-time:

Without measurable objectives and monitoring, a company will never know what the ROI is on a social media campaign or the benefits it can provide. Setting short-term goals is important due to the fast pace and real-time results the internet provides. In my job, I’m used to setting monthly or yearly objectives and assessing performance basically only at month’s or year’s end. In recognizing the value of real-time results, it’s clear that there are many more opportunities to re-assess and adjust plans as needed in order to meet or exceed objectives.

Now that I have learnt the fundamentals of building a successful social media presence, I’d like to apply these learnings in my current job. It’s such an asset to have been able to study this prior to launching our brand into the social sphere so I plan to share as many learnings as possible with colleagues to help make this launch a huge success!

Course Objectives, Social Media

McMaster University, Social Media

August 7, 2012

2 Comments

Company Profile: E.t.T Communication Strategy

In studying the growing number of food industry sites popping up all over social media, it’s clear that this is a highly engaging platform for chefs and restaurant owners to connect with their customers. As mentioned in a previous post, it’s so important in this industry to stay top of mind in order to keep consumers wanting to come back for more. It seems that a genuine and honest approach is most attractive to followers.

In a recent email, Jeff Crump (Executive Chef at E.t.T) said, “My success with twitter has been in relation to my personal opinions, what I am reading and cheffy stuff.”

Communication Strategy

While Earth to Table does a very good job connecting with followers on Twitter, there are still some clear opportunities to grow their social media presence. They have built a strong fanbase so it would be a great time to launch a true social media campaign helping to further promote thier slow food movement.

Facebook

Largest of all social media sites with 18.5 million users in Canada alone
55% of the population penetration and 71% of online population penetration (comScore Media Matrix, Oct. 2011)
Can be used to measure engagement through ‘likes’, posts and sharing between friends
Great platform to advertise special events and allow users to invite their friends

Given this information, Facebook should be the “big tent” of their social media campaign and Twitter should act as the promoter, drawing fans in with snippets of useful content and promotions. Specific features of Facebook such as the timeline component could help to spread the slow food philosphy by showing the timeline of their food production. This would really give followers an idea of the journey plants & livestock go through before arriving one a plate at one of their restaurants.

YouTube

Platform built to upload and share videos
Allows for companies to host their own channels which users can follow

While E.t.T does have a small presence on YouTube, they could be using this platform more effectively by uploading more videos of their farm and CSA partners. It’s clear through following them on Twitter, that their followers are interested in the E.t.T food journey so this is an obvious platform for sharing videos of the growing, harvesting and menu planning process. While YouTube doesn’t provide as many tools for measuring results, I believe it can have a big impact on their overall social media strategy by linking to the videos from other social media sites.

Spreading the slow-food philosophy

I think that given the sheer size of Facebook alone, if E.t.T were to launch a social media campaign they could achieve a follower-base of well over 10,000 people within year one. This would help to attract new customers as well as remain top of mind for their current customers, increasing the frequency of their visits. In general, I think that the grass-roots nature of social media coincides perfectly with the E.t.T philosophy. It’s the perfect medium to help grow their business through increased awareness and trial but also help to achieve their biggest objective which is to spread the slow food philosophy.

*Please note: I am not affiliated with E.t.T in any way. These Company Profile posts are part of an assignment for my SMRT-CCE course at McMaster University.

Company Profile, Social Media, Uncategorized

Communication Strategy, Earth to Table, McMaster University, Restaurants, SMRT-CCE, Social Media

June 29, 2012

Company Profile: Earth to Table’s Social Media Presence

Earth to Table has a strong social media presence, focusing mainly on Twitter and YouTube platforms. Both Jeff Crump (Executive chef) and Bettina Schormann (Executive Pastry Chef) are the active voices of E.t.T on these platforms.

The duo is very active on Twitter, sometimes tweeting up to several times per day. They have fewer YouTube videos but the important thing to note is that all content whether it be tweets or videos are relevant to their followers. Jeff & Bettina tweet about new produce, menu planning, local events and some personal posts as well. They are well-connected with other food industry professionals, chefs & customers too. Having followed them both for a little over a year, it’s clear that E.t.T uses Twitter to connect customers with their food in a deeper way. Twitter is the perfect platform for E.t.T because it coincides their slow food philosophy of bringing people closer to the food they eat. What could be closer than tweets straight from the farm?

Their customers are very engaged with E.t.T on Twitter and often re-tweet their posts, ask questions about the daily menu offerings and respond to personal or anecdotal tweets too. On Father’s day this year E.t.T tweeted its followers asking what the best advice their father ever gave them. Over 25 people responded & re-tweeted the conversation in a matter of hours. They also took the opportunity to announce a Father’s Day special which undoubtedly drew in some extra business.

Strengths

Use of strong, appropriate platforms to engage with their customers
Social Media strategy aligns well with their overall business objectives of spreading the slow food philosophy
Frequent posts about things that resonate with their followers
Nearly 7,000 Twitter followers
Thousands of people have also viewed their YouTube videos

Here’s an example of one of their YouTube videos where Jeff & Bettina give tips for shopping at the Farmer’s Market.

Weaknesses

Their own E.t.T YouTube channel has minimal content
Rely on others to upload & tag videos (no ownership of content)
Minimal presence on other platforms like Foodspotting and no presence on Facebook

Opportunities

Extend their social media presence beyond Twitter & YouTube
Opportunities to use the features of different social media platforms to support different objectives of their business

*Please note: I’ll be discussing the opportunities further in my next and final post where I will make recommendations on how they could possibly use this medium more effectively.

Threats

If a customer has a bad experience or feels like the restaurant is not living up to its food philosophy, they can share a bad review with millions of people in real-time
E.t.T is so open about their ingredients and cooking process, they should be prepared on how to handle a situation should a negative story (even if it’s not with E.t.T directly but one of their suppliers) should go viral

*Please note: I am not affiliated with E.t.T in any way. These Company Profile posts are part of an assignment for my SMRT-CCE course at McMaster University.

Company Profile, Social Media, Uncategorized

Earth to Table, McMaster University, Restaurants, SMRT-CCE, Social Media

June 27, 2012

1 Comment

Company Profile: Earth to Table

Who is E.t.T?

Earth to Table is a union of 4 local restaurants that include Breadbar (Locke St., Hamilton), Spencer’s (Burlington), Cambridge Mill (Cambridge) and Ancaster Mill (Ancaster). They also own a 100 acre farm, a farmer’s market stall & cookbook.

An E.t.T staple, Breadbar, is a fully functioning bake-shop by day and converts into a pizzeria by night featuring delicious, seasonal produce. What started out as simply a means of supplying the Ancaster Mill with high quality, local produce has now turned into something much larger; a sustainable system that nourishes the community & environment. (E.t.T)

Their main objective is to provide delicious food that is also local, seasonal & sustainable. They also aim to educate the communities they serve on the importance of sustainable harvesting & eating and to highlight the importance of supporting our local farmers.

What makes them different?

Earth-to-Table doesn’t just preach about how local, sustainable food is better they live and breathe this philosophy in everything they do. Their love of food and ingredients shines through all consumer touch-points. These can include face-to-face experiences at one of their restaurants or farmer’s market stall or through their online social media presence which I’ll be discussing in an upcoming post.

In their cookbook they state, “In the end, I hope it becomes clear that what Bettina and I advocate when we encourage people to close the gap from earth to table is not that we all adopt some regimen of food purity, or that we abstain from certain foods. This is not about sacrifice, it’s about discovery.” (E.t.T)

While the local food movement seems to be a new trend, E.t.T has really pioneered this movement in Canada and when I say that they mean it, I mean they really mean it. They have been working with CSA farms for years and recently purchased their own 100 acre piece of farmland with the intent to farm as much of their own meat, produce & baking staples as possible

Who eats at E.t.T?

While the four E.t.T restaurants each have their own unique look & feel to them, they all have a similar personality; friendly, uncomplicated & unpretentious.

Breadbar is the most casual of the group and acts as a hub for locals to meet, relax and catch up. It has a community feel and you can often find big groups of family & friends meeting for a long weekend breakfasts. The other restaurants in the group are more upscale and are very common venues for big events like weddings, birthdays & anniversaries. Although Spencer’s, Ancaster Mill & Cambridge Mill are more upscale, they still have the same vibe as the more casual Breadbar. This is because they truly believe in the philosophy of slow food and it comes through in everything they do and every restaurant they open.

*Please note: I am not affiliated with E.t.T in any way. These Company Profile posts are part of an assignment for my SMRT-CCE course at McMaster University.

Company Profile, Social Media

Ancaster Mill, Breadbar, Cambridge Mill, Earth to Table, McMaster University, SMRT-CCE, Spencer's

June 22, 2012

1 Comment

The Great Klout Debate

After debating the pros and cons of Klout in class last night, my opinion of Klout has not changed.

As I’ve said before, I believe that Klout is an effective tool to measure online influence when a clear objective is set by a person or brand. People who are completely fixated on their Klout score and their sole objective is to increase thier number (for no real purpose) are not using the program to its full potential.

However, if someone (or a brand) uses it with the objective to reach a certain group of people, or to test the effectiveness of a social media marketing campaign there are many aspects of Klout that can prove to be quite useful. Klout can provide extremely targeted reach to influencers who are naturally inclined to talk about your brand. These groups can be used to test concepts, get feedback from loyal followers and to offer rewards or ‘perks’ to encourage these groups to continue ‘spreading the word’ about your brand.

Klout is still in its infancy and certainly has its flaws but overall, I think it’s an effective measurement tool that can be used in conjunction with other research or information gathered.

Until next time…

-m.

Uncategorized

June 13, 2012

4 Comments

Assignment Two: Industry Impact – Bringing it all together

This has been a really interesting topic and I’ve learnt many lessons about the do’s and don’ts of social media campaigns – especially when you’re in the food industry.

Social media is a natural platform for the food industry as food, in its very nature, is quite social. From homemade meals with family and friends to celebrating a special occasion at a nice restaurant to sharing new foods & recipes from the local market – people love to share their dining experiences.

Social media has changed the food industry in so many ways, I strongly believe – for the good. In the past, independent restaurants have had to rely on local media, word-of-mouth and if they’re lucky enough – travel guides to entice consumers in for a meal. Now, restaurants still rely on positive word-of-mouth, just in a different forum. As discussed in my previous post, with the ability to share real-time, positive experiences and favorite dishes through platforms like Foodspotting, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter also comes the ability to share negative experiences across most of the same platforms. There have been countless examples of how brands have responded to social media disasters but the one that stood out the most to me in my research was the Domino’s pizza case.

Not only was Domino’s quick to respond (as discussed in my previous post) they took the experience and subsequently launched a serious of quite successful social media campaigns which fueled the brand’s growth . The company changed all of the ingredients for all of its pizzas and worked diligently to get the message out on social media platforms. The social micro-site, PizzaTurnaround.com was created to share the company’s efforts and uses third-party endorsements through Twitter to validate the efforts. Domino’s embraced Twitter and kept a flow of tweets going with consumers featuring the hashtag #newpizza.

Social media provides the opportunity for consumers to connect with the people who prepare their food, become engaged about the ingredients and share their dining experiences as they happen. It allows restaurant owners to market their food in a whole new way. Staying connected through platforms like Twitter and Facebook ensures consumers will remember their last visit.

Stu Mitchell, marketing director for Blue 13, a Rock and Roll spot in Chicago, says this act of reminding customers about their last visit “prompts them to want to return, to keep us fresh in the minds of those who have yet to visit, but have been planning on it.” (mashable.com)

Overall I think social media has benefited the food service industry far more than any negative impacts incurred. The internet is a highly relevant medium to share food experiences so restaurants should take notice and get active in online communities. Understanding that you can’t fully control your brands message online means brands should develop remediation plans in case a campaign ‘virals’ out of control – especially in the food industry due to the sensitivity around products we consume and feed our families.

Until the next assignment…

-m.

P.S – Here’s a site to keep you hungry in the meantime : )

Industry Impact, Social Media

foodservice industry, McMaster University, restaurant, SMRT-CCE, Social media impact

May 29, 2012

3 Comments

Industry Impact: Complaints are louder than ever before

There are many benefits of social media sites like Foodspotting and Foursquare for the food service industry however, there’s also quite a few examples of how social media has launched companies into crisis-mode in a matter of minutes.

Take Dominos pizza for example, they barely had any social media presence at all when two employees posted a video on YouTube of themselves doing disgusting things to a pair of sandwiches before they were sent out for delivery. The video went viral almost immediately and Dominos was forced to respond – quickly, in order to try to re-gain control of the situation. They were praised for handling the social media crisis quickly & honestly and three years later the company continues to grow. Below is the video the company’s President released in response to the video.

Taco Bell went through a similar situation, when a class-action lawsuit about thier “all beef” claims started a viral-frenzy of repulsion across social media sites like Facebook, Twitter & YouTube. They were a little late in their response and as a result, were not able to get much traction with their online tactics. Their President, took to YouTube to post his response but the video (below) was met with mixed reviews. Consumers were disappointed with the response posting comments like, “Don’t B.S. us, We know that there is real beef in the taco, but you use some filler” and “Like y’all would come out and say, ‘We’ve just been caught.” (mashable.com)

McDonald’s has also fumbled with social media in the past. They purchased Twitter hashtages for a Twitter campaign to promote the use of fresh produce, and inserted paid-for tweets into the streams of Twitter users with the hashtag #MeetTheFarmers. The campaign was supposed to last 24-hours however it quickly went down-hill when the company changed the hashtag to #McDStories. The hashtag was hijacked by angry customers who posted Tweets like:

“Fingernail in my BigMac once #McDStories, McDonald’s Twitter Hashtag Promtion, Goes Horrible Wrong,” said user @capnmarrrk.

“Hospitalized for food poisoning after eating McDonalds in 1989. Never ate there again and became a Vegetarian. Should have sued #MCDStories,” @Alice_2112 said.

“Watching a classmate projectile vomit his food all over the restaurant during a 6th grade trip #McDStories,” @jfsmith23 said.

Within one hour McDonald’s social media director said in an interview, that they saw the promotion wasn’t going as planned and ‘set about a change of course’. (socialmediatoday.com)

Social media can be extremely useful in building deeper relationships with consumers, “pulling the curtain back” on their favorite dishes and allowing them to get to know the staff on a much more personal level. Through all of the articles and research I’ve done, it’s apparent that behind-the-scenes tactics seem to work much better with higher-end restaurants than fast food chains.

“A local Taco Bell is going to connect and build community in a very different way versus a Michelin-rated restaurant that brings passionate foodies together,” (Lorrie Thomas, CEO of Web Marketing Therapy).

Whoever the target audience is, a company should have clear objectives set but also a crisis-management strategy in-place before launching a social media campaign. It’s impossible to fully control your message online, so being present, engaged and proactive can help to remain the leading provider of information about your brand.

I’m really enjoying researching this topic and am finding so much content! Although I won’t be able to share everything I’ve found, I’ll compile all of my thoughts into next (my final) Industry Impact post.

Until then –

Industry Impact, Social Media, Uncategorized

McMaster University, negative impact, SMRT-CCE, Social Media, social media crisis

May 27, 2012

3 Comments

Industry Impact: Foodspotting

It seems as though social media sites are popping up for almost every hobby or interest out there so it’s no surprise that there’s a platform dedicated to food enthusiasts as well. Foodspotting is a social media site that allows people to not only share restaurant recommendations but specific dish recommendations also. The site is rapdily growing with over 1,717,382 foods spotted around the world since the sites launch in January of 2010.

How does Foodspotting work?

Once you download the food spotting app to your smartphone, you can share food you love by uploading a photo, create guides (based on location, types of cuisines etc.) and earn virtual points for spotting foods and rating them. As a foodseeker, you can explore your city or neighborhood (or anywhere else you might be visiting), look up restaurants to see most recommended dishes, bookmark foods you want to try, vote for foods you’ve tried and love and follow guides created on the site made by people with similiar interests. Foodspotting has really caught on and establishments & celebrity chefs like Food & Wine Magazine, James Beard Foundation, Wolfgang Puck, New York Magazine, Zagat, Bon Appetit and Open Table are all active contributors in the Foodspotting community.

What makes Foodspotting different?

Foodspotting is different from typical restaurant review sites because it allows users to share specific dishes from restaurants rather than rating the restaurant as a whole. I think we can all think of an establishment or two that might not be great overall but has one or two killer-dishes that they’ve become known for over the years. Even a 1-star restaurant can have a great dish worth sharing! Foodspotting also doesn’t allow negative ratings on their site. One of their guiding principles is that they only want users sharing the foods they love because when people are out and about and hungry they don’t want to know what foods people hate – they want a recommendation for something local and delicious. A huge part of the Foodspotting appeal is that the site is so visual. We have all heard the saying, “You eat with your eyes first” and so being able to share photos of the actual dishes is a very enticing feature for users looking for a good meal nearby. While the site is mainly focused on restaurants and food establishments, it also allows users to spot dishes from grocery stores, markets, retailers and even their home kitchens!

To read more about Foodspotting click here.

How does Foodspotting ‘change the game’ for local establishments?

Foodspotting is changing the way restaurants & people in the food service industry market their dishes. Before the age of social media, these establishments relied heavily on word of mouth, local signage & advertisements and maybe radio or television ads for the larger, more corporate restaurants to have their message heard. Now, patrons of the restaurants can share thier own menu favorites with Foodspotting users around the world. This can have a huge impact not only for local customers, but also for the thousands of people who travel each year and are looking for those hidden local gems not typically found in travel guides. The recommendations don’t have to be left entirely up to the customers either. Restaurants themselves can engage on Foodspotting by posting their own dishes and specials, suggest specific combinations or pairings through a guide (i.e. Girl’s Night Out menu) or even create a collector’s guide that features a series of menu items and offer a reward for loyal customers who are able to complete the guide.

While this is a great tool for sharing/finding foods that people love, we all know there’s a lot of negative press that can spread quickly online also. I’ll be tackling that aspect in my next post.

Until next time…

Foodspotting, Industry Impact, Social Media

Foodspotting, industry impact, McMaster University, Restaurant reviews, SMRT-CCE, Social Media

May 25, 2012

4 Comments

melanie smith

The Great Klout Debate

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