Archive for the ‘Social Marketing’ Category

TSMs social media following has seen a 30 million decline in the last six months – Digiday

Following the exit of prominent team members such as Ali Myth Kabbani in recent months, leading esports organization TSM has seen a sharp decline in its combined social media following a potential challenge for the esports team that Forbes described as the worlds most valuable in December 2020.

In August, TSMs social media following stood at nearly 80 million across platforms. In the months since, the companys combined social following dropped to 49 million, according to the gaming and esports consultancy and data platform GEEIQ a decline of nearly 30 million followers.

These numbers refer to TSMs combined social media following: the organizations branded accounts, plus the social accounts of its team members and influencers across Twitch, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. This combined figure is what most esports teams use to pitch themselves to prospective brand partners and sponsors.

The way teams sell themselves in the space is through their influence, said Chris Mann, svp of gaming and esports agency REV/XP and former vp of partnerships at esports organizations Dignitas and NRG Esports. Influence isscale, right? So most teams count their social following across their team accounts and all of their players accounts, and their creators, as well.

As far as pitch decks, we do reference what our following is, in terms of how we communicate our reach and how we communicate what that total audience is, said Matthew Boyd, head of research and insights at TSM. Generally, the way things have existed with the partnership equation, up to this point, is that when were talking about social handles and building those into those agreements, weve pretty much been focused on those owned-and-operated channels, as well as the competitive roster, specifically. So creators and streamers have been less of a central focus when weve been going out to the marketplace and talking about whats possible from an activation standpoint.

TSMs official branded accounts have a total of 9.84 million followers across platforms, according to GEEIQ. Followership of these official accounts has decreased by one percent since September 2021, though Boyd said that followership across TSMs social accounts increased by four percent during the 2021 calendar year. Some of this drop might be the result of social platforms recent purges of bot accounts, which are particularly prevalent in the esports scene.

But the primary reason for TSMs follower decrease was almost assuredly the exit of some of TSMs more prominent influencers in recent months, most notably Ali Myth Kabbani, who boasts 21 million followers across platforms and declined to re-sign with the team when his contract ended in December 2021. Obviously, Myth leaving, thats kind of a big thing. I dont think were shying away from the fact that we have had some high-profile departures, Boyd said. Our perspective is, at the end of the day, were a competitive organization. We acknowledge that with any kind of organization, whether its esports or traditional sports, talent comes and goes. I think that kind of comes with the territory.

During Kabbanis tenure at the organization, his fans dutifully became fans of TSM but their loyalty ultimately lied with the influencer, not the team. This phenomenon is common in both traditional and electronic sports. Its the same within traditional sports, said George Mead, partnerships director at Fnatic. When Ronaldo switches from one team to the other, theres a huge spike in the level of followers of the team that he goes to.

Though Kabbanis exit was the cause of the largest drop, TSMs social media following was already on the decline when he left the team. The organization faced a PR crisis in November, when former team member Yiliang Doublelift Peng shared vehement criticisms of the team and its CEO, Andy Reginald Dinh. In January, reports surfaced that Riot Games was investigating Dinh for verbally abusing his colleagues and creating a toxic work environment at TSM. It looks like their Instagram, their Facebook, their Twitch and their TSM in India Instagram are all consistently losing followers even their YouTube is going down, said GEEIQ CEO Charles Hambro. So I dont think this is just isolated to content creators leaving.

Ultimately, the loss of influencers such as Kabbani could just be another downstream effect of TSMs PR crises. In a video about his choice to leave the organization, Kabbani blamed the teams lack of a family feel for his decision.

Late last year, serious allegations were made in a highly-public forum against TSM founder and CEO Andy Dinh. The well-being of our players and staff is paramount, and something we take seriously. This is not how TSM as an organization operates, and it is absolutely not who we aspire to be as a company, said a TSM spokesperson in a statement. Immediately upon learning of these allegations, TSM and its Board of Directors, with Andys full support, created an independent subcommittee, enlisted the services of outside legal counsel and hired an independent investigator to conduct a robust investigation. In addition, Andy recused himself from any oversight of the scope, nature and conclusions of the investigation.

Controversies notwithstanding, the timing of this decline in followers is not the best for TSM, which entered an eye-popping $210 million, 10-year partnership with cryptocurrency exchange FTX in June 2021. Its likely that FTX signed this deal with TSMs combined social media following then pushing 80 million in mind.

The story theyre trying to tell is one of dominance within the cultural landscape thats the entire value proposition for sponsors. Theyre certainly not doing it on just present numbers alone, said Jason Chung, an assistant professor of sport management and executive director of esports at the University of New Haven. To a certain extent, this is a learning experience for brands that they have to not just latch onto esports orgs because theyre trendy, or they have fans. They also have to look at the management, they have to look at the way its trending, they have to look for scandals, they have to do their due diligence on leadership.

Despite these troubles, TSM is still one of the most storied esports organizations in the business and despite its decline in followers, it remains one of the most-followed teams in North American esports, coming behind only FaZe Clan (which has 33 million followers across its branded accounts and 207 million in total). But the organizations competitors continue to build their follower counts, while TSMs have stagnated in recent months. If TSM continues down this path, its decreased following could put the organizations future brand partnerships at risk.

Its quite easy for a team to grow multiple percent, said GEEIQ CPO James Burden. But to actually lose followers, someone is actively going to your account and unfollowing because they dont like the content. So that is worrying, to say the least.

https://digiday.com/?p=438474

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TSMs social media following has seen a 30 million decline in the last six months - Digiday

‘Boredom’ main reason why two-fifths made effort to quit social media last year – The Irish Times

Two in five people stopped using at least one social media platform either permanently or temporarily over a 12-month period, a study by Deloitte shows.

The professional services firms survey of 1,000 consumers in the Republic found 42 per cent made a move to break their social media habit. Of those who did, the most common reason cited was boredom with the content they found there.

This was followed by reasons such as too much fake news, the content being too negative, a reaction to how much time they were spending on the platform, privacy concerns, because it didnt make them feel good about themselves and harassment or bullying, which was mentioned by 5 per cent of those who quit.

The Deloitte Digital Consumer Trends report also found that three-quarters of respondents (74 per cent) have access to a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, an increase of 11 per cent year-on-year, with access increasing significantly among over-65s from 43 per cent in 2020 to 57 per cent last year.

Netflix is the overwhelming leader, it said, with 65 per cent of respondents having access to it, up from 56 per cent in 2020. It was followed by Amazon Prime Video, to which 26 per cent have access, Disney Plus (24 per cent), Sky-owned Now (10 per cent) and YouTube Premium (7 per cent).

Some 16 per cent of respondents to the survey, which was conducted in July-August 2021, had cancelled a paid subscription to a video streaming service in the prior 12 months, with lack of use the most commonly cited reason.

Lack of suitable content, a desire to cut back on total subscription spending and the ending of a free trial or discount period were the other main reasons given for cancelling.

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'Boredom' main reason why two-fifths made effort to quit social media last year - The Irish Times

6 questions to ask your social media marketing agency – The Adviser – The Adviser

Sarah Barnett05:10 AM, 3 Feb 20227 minute readSarah Barnett05:10 AM, 3 Feb 20227 minute read

Not all marketing agencies are created equal.Sarah Barnett provides six questions you can ask the agency before you agree to hire them.

I know a lot of brokers are looking to ramp up their social media presence in 2022, so Ive put together a list ofsix questions you can ask the agency before you agree to hire them.

How involved are you in the broking industry?

Your social media content should act as the bridge between what you know and what consumers want to know. This means your agency needs to keep up to date with whats happening in the industry by regularly speaking to aggregators, lenders, associations and, most importantly brokers. If your agency knows whos who and is regularly invited to speak at industry events and webinars, then thats a good sign theyll be able to impart your subject-matter expertise to your ideal clients and referral partners.

How much input will I need to provide?

Before you outsource to a marketing agency, find out how much effort will be required on your part. For instance, will they handle all the content ideation, creation, scheduling and publishing? Will they design an on-brand theme for you, or will you need to provide graphic design assets? Who handles the audience building and engagement tasks? If youre having to spoonfeed the agency content ideas, then they may not be able to free up as much time and headspace as youd like.

Are your copywriters based in Australia?

Your content should sound like you on your best day, which will give people confidence that youre a competent professional. Poor grammar can undermine your credibility in an instant, and if your agency doesnt use local copywriters they may struggle to craft copy that aligns with your brand. Plus, if the copywriters are overseas they may not understand the context of the Australian market theres nothing worse than a brokers social media content referencing 401(k) plans and realtors!

Whats your approach to marketing?

A good social media agency understands the difference between marketing a consumer good vs marketing a professional service. What works well for a 20-year-old influencer wont be the best strategy for your broking business. The wrong kind of marketing can bring you the wrong kind of client. For instance, focusing on cashbacks can attract price-sensitive clients wholl switch to the next shiny thing at the drop of a hat.

Can I see your reviews?

The agency you choose should have a collection of verified reviews to support any claims theyve made. Testimonials are fine, but youll never know if these are several years old, or have been selectively edited. By checking out their Google reviews, youll gain insight into what its like working with them and how consistent they are in providing a great service. Youll also be able to see whos used their services and check the standard of their work.

Do you walk the talk?

Well, this is actually something youll be able to gauge yourself by checking out their website and social media profiles. See if the quality and tone of the content resonate with what youre hoping to achieve for your brand. How the agency handles their own online presence will give you an indication of whether they know their stuff... or not.

A final note on outsourcing

I came across this brilliant reminder recently: If you deprive yourself of outsourcing and your competitors do not, youre putting yourself out of business.- Lee Kuan Yew (ex-PM of Singapore).

While engaging a social media marketing agency can feel daunting, the brokers who are active on social media are not doing everything themselves. Unless you have an in-house marketing resource, its smart to outsource a lot of the grunt work to free you up for the high pay-off activities.

6 questions to ask your social media marketing agency

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Sarah Barnett is the head of content and co-founder of marketing solution provider Social Broker, which targetsbusy finance and legal professionals who want to get noticed online.

Sarah previously headed up marketing and innovation for a leading behaviour change consultancy where she spearheaded data-driven solutions for big banks, insurers, telcos and energy retailers. She has deep insight into the sales behaviours that high-performers consistently demonstrate to win and retain business.

She has been a member of the Australian Market & Social Research Society since 2013 and stays on the cutting edge of voice-of-customer research.

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6 questions to ask your social media marketing agency - The Adviser - The Adviser

Digital marketing expert Javeed Iqbal helps brands get just the right connect with the market – ThePrint

The digital marketing industry is on a boom. With improving technology and modern advancements, business entrepreneurs are required to market their product in the industry to grab the attention of the customers and make the brands presence felt among the audience. Being a top digital marketing expert requires a lot. Excellent analytical skills, leadership quality, adaptability and creative problem-solving attitude, business acumen, and extraordinary communication skills, are some of the things that help people to establish their foothold in the industry and rule the digital marketing industry with their comprehensive approach and unique skill set.

Javeed Iqbalis one such influential digital marketing expert who is leaving no stones unturned to make his organisation count among the top digital marketing firms. The leader is helping brands in connecting with the right audiences at the right time. Having a vast knowledge of the digital marketing industry, the marketer has proved that he is here to stay. Iqbal has done his post-graduation in Strategic Marketing Communications from the United Kingdom, which further builds his reputation as a qualified Social Marketing Expert in Pakistan.

Extensive experience of working in a digital marketing agency in Pakistan and developing marketing campaigns with SEO, Web development, SEM, Google Ads, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and Digital Project Management has helped the entrepreneur in understanding the crux of the digital marketing industry and how the industry operates.

In todays fast-paced world, emerging entrepreneurs must adapt to the trending marketing strategies and tactics that help them to embark on a successful entrepreneurial journey. The quality of embracing the trending technologies and tactics and phasing out duds has helped Iqbal to conquer the digital marketing world.

Sharing his thoughts on his successful entrepreneurial journey, the digital marketing expert says, Success does not come easy. You have to push yourself daily to work hard, to bring extraordinary results that further make you a brand in the eyes of the people. I have always been passionate about working in the digital marketing industry. Helping brands to imprint their mark in the entrepreneurial world is the inspiration behind my industrious efforts and positive outlook. To achieve big milestones you have to work hard and think positive, because that only will help you in the long run.

With the audiences shifting their focus on the digital platform, every business entrepreneur is looking forward to making their digital presence felt among the customers and Iqbal is one such entrepreneur who has mastered the industry with his entrepreneurial skills and revolutionary mind.

(ThePrint ValueAd Initiative content is a paid-for, sponsored article. Journalists of ThePrint are not involved in reporting or writing it.)

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Digital marketing expert Javeed Iqbal helps brands get just the right connect with the market - ThePrint

YouTube Announces 2022 Super Bowl Ads Showcase, Highlighting all the Major Super Bowl Campaigns – Social Media Today

Super Bowl LVI is nearly here, and for marketing nerds, that can mean only one thing. Time to check out the latest big-budget campaigns from the major brands, in order to get a sense of the key trends of focus, and maybe figure out how you can adapt the same into smaller social media initiatives for your promotions and plans.

This year could see some big pushes too, with the light at the end of the COVID tunnel coming into sight, and more brands now considering how they can maximize their return to regular business. Were not through the Omicron phase just yet, but projections are that with vaccine take-up rising, and infection rates leveling out, we should be on our way out of the worst of the pandemic in the next few weeks.

I say should, because nobodys confident enough to make any concrete projections after two years of uncertainty. But the outlook is starting to improve, and that optimism looks set to add even more fuel to the latest Super Bowl ad push.

Looking to get ahead of the big game, and take in the nuance of the key campaigns?

Lucky for you, YouTube is bringing back its AdBlitz showcase, where it will host all the Super Bowl tie-in ads for the year.

As explained by YouTube:

Now in its 16th year, AdBlitz is the premier hub for Super Bowl ads with playlists for the most comedic, dramatic, action-packed, and inspirational spots. According to a Kantar survey, when excluding those that don't care about sports or don't plan to watch the Big Game, 72% rewatch at least some football commercials before or after the game.

Which, of course, is part of the reason why Super Bowl ad slots are so expensive, with brands this year paying up to $6.5 million for a 30-second promo during the game.

You can bet that theyll be looking to make the most of it, which means bringing in the top minds in the industry to use their ad knowledge and trend nous to come up with the most innovative, creative brand promotions to grab as much attention as they can, and win the day for their business.

Its like a free lesson in the best marketing creative, and while not every campaign will be a home run, it is worth noting the techniques and ideas on show, with a potential view, as noted, to your own ad experiments.

YouTubes AdBlitz is already active, with teaser clips of the Super Bowl campaigns from Pepsi and Lays among those already up on the site.

Entertainment value alone is likely enough to get you to check it out, while therell also be additional campaigns added to the collection up until the game on Monday the 14th of February.

Its definitely worth taking a look, and taking notes on the clips. Or you could focus on planning out your real-time tweet game to newsjack the Super Bowl discussion (ala Oreo in 2013), or maybe take Reddits approach from last year and come up with an ad that grabs attention by subverting expectation.

Either way, there are always creative lessons to learn from the Super Bowl ad sweepstakes, and YouTubes AdBlitz offers a singular reference point to keep tabs on all the campaigns.

You can check out YouTubes AdBlitz for 2022 here.

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YouTube Announces 2022 Super Bowl Ads Showcase, Highlighting all the Major Super Bowl Campaigns - Social Media Today