I recently attended an interesting talk where the effect of social media on mental well-being was discussed. The idea was being put forward that the positive feedback people receive through social media forums such as Facebook and Twitter (e.g. ‘likes’, comments or retweets) could contribute to better mental well-being as people said, when interviewed shortly after receiving the feedback, that these interactions gave them positive feelings.

However, this got me thinking and I wondered how these people felt a while later. Was this feedback enough to fulfil their needs for social contact or were they left feeling a bit low and wanting more?

I personally feel that the positive feelings that a person receives from a social media interaction can be much like the sugar rush that they would get from a chocolate bar. They think that it will be what they want, but soon after the high of getting it they realise they have not solved their hunger. In terms of food, we then know that it is a proper meal we need. However, had we not been taught this would we have simply gone for another chocolate bar? I feel that this could potentially be the harmful cycle that many people, particularly those who are less outgoing, may go through each day. Prior to the influx of social media they would have invested their time in interacting in ‘real world’ relationships. However, I wonder if many people may now be reaching out to social media channels as the easy option to try and gain that social contact that people need to stay happy. The concern is that they are then not being fulfilled by the results and perhaps can’t break the cycle of looking for their social fulfilment online. With the statistics for depression set to rise further over the coming years I feel that social media could potentially have a part to play in this.

Obviously there are marginalised groups of people for whom the world of social media is a genuine lifeline to gaining social contact. However, I feel that for the majority of people this is not the case and it could easily be that social media is resulting in as many low feelings as it is highs.

I think that social media has a role to play in peoples mental well-being, which could be both in a positive and negative way. However, this is essentially an online world that we have created and I think that healthy and unhealthy behaviour surrounding social media is something that needs to be brought the forefront. People live out their lives online more and more every day and it seems that this can only be set to be an increasingly current debate.

Through making the most of the huge audiences on social networks including Facebook and Twitter, Diabetes UK successfully launched a ‘challenge’ site which resulted in massive increases in fundraising donations and visits to their website. This clever use of social networks provided an excellent example of the viral effect that social networks can have. Friends were encouraged to challenge each other to tasks, which would result in sponsorship if successfully completed. This project followed a user-centred approach, where the interests and expectations of end users were completely understood prior to launching the site.

Speakers from Youth Net also demonstrated a hugely successful project that utilised digital media, including online video and imagery in an art based competition. Since Youth Net is not a sponsorship based organisation, their objectives were very different with the primary aim to drive traffic to an area of their website. Again this project worked fantastically, utilising social networks including Twitter, to spread the word of this competition.

This conference demonstrated the huge potential that the digital space has in generating awareness and fundraising opportunities, at a fairly low cost for charities. The projects that were presented were all success stories, which were perfectly suited to their target audiences. However, this didn’t happen by luck. The user-centred approach that was undertaken was integral to ensuring that the digital tools used were most effective for the target audience of each charity.

Digital fundraising provides an amazing opportunity for conferences of this type, where knowledge and experience from case studies is shared and provides an excellent place for not for profit organisations to learn from, and inspire each other.

It’s still possible to let our views be known manually through a letter or even face-to-face if we so desire. Most of us are perhaps more familiar with expressing opinions via electronic channels, such as telephone, fax, e-mail, forums or blogs. But now more people than ever before are also venting their spleens on digital or mobile platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, TripAdvisor –even FourSquare, Google Maps, and in the future on emerging applications such as augmented reality.

What all of this means is that not only are there now more ways to complain than ever before, many of these methods have evolved from private interactions to belligerently public participatory ones. The very act of complaining has transitioned from a closed private space to a much more open and public one, often involving not only direct participants, but also interested voyeurs who invite themselves to throw their hat into the ring on any topic they choose.

This move away from a reliance on individuals to a reliance on technology reflects the increasing convenience and ease with which modern communications, and therefore complaints, can be made. These relatively recent social and voyeuristic tendencies of complaining are made all the more easy by the lack of geographic or time barriers to posting or responding to complaints. Complaining 2.0 can quickly take on a life of its own at the hands of those people who have no connection to the complaint at all other than morbid curiosity or passing interest. Any one of us could fire up a browser right now and comment or provide feedback about someone else’s complaint and start making waves in the public domain.

Perhaps the real game-changer has been the development and increasing ubiquity of the smartphone and the explosion of apps. Complaining may have progressed but it certainly isn’t standing still – where the development of technology platforms was catalytic in shifting complaint behaviour, app development is now picking up the critical baton. This shift in technology has rapidly facilitated a move to a more accessible and broadcast oriented medium. Time has also been truncated even further through the use of apps, to such a degree that it’s now possible to complain while the cause of the complaint is still taking place. The act of complaining no longer requires any form of direct human contact, further underlining the evolution over time from complaints being vocal experiences to becoming virtual ones.

In conclusion then, technology may have changed, the ways in which we can complain may have changed, even the proximity of the complaint to its occurrence and resolution has changed. But what hasn’t changed, is that people are free to complain on whatever channels they choose and are available to them whenever their ire rises. It’s easier to complain than ever before. Are you as a business ready for that?

This article was written as part of our September Newsletter

2) First ever tweet: it’s okay to tweet ‘hi’ or about the weather. Don’t listen to everyone telling you to be interesting – it’s too difficult. You’ll get the hang of it soon anyway. Remember though that your mother, cousin or friend in Australia, might still like to receive the odd letter now and again. It’s nice to get something apart from bills or credit card applications.

3) It’s okay to unfollow me: I’ll get over it. A real friend unfollowing me in real life, now that will take a bit longer to get over…

4) If you’re starting out, give Twitter a chance. Type in something you’re interested in: a film you’re thinking of seeing, a possible holiday destination, a book you want to read (you never know the author might even be on Twitter).

5) Remember to be you, remember to share, remember to help others, and remember to tweet; remember you’ve also got real friends.

6) When the sun is out, remember to tweet from under a shady tree. The screen on some smartphones just doesn’t go well with the sun.

7) I’m trying to remember to use FourSquare, but keep forgetting. It takes about 21 days to learn a habit. Reminder to self: set alarm to go off at 10:31am every day for the next 21 days to use FourSquare.

8 ) Don’t read all the stuff with titles like 37 tips for social media success, 29 tips to becoming a power tweeter, 52 tips to making cash via Twitter… read a real book, it’s much more interesting and a better way to spend a summer evening. Pour yourself a glass or two of something as well.

9) Friday 5.30pm, turn off all access to social media, mobile phones, computers. There is a real life to go back to somewhere out there…

Note to self: Remember to charge up battery Sunday night.

The 2008 American presidential election was ground-breaking for a number of reasons; notably that it was the first ‘social media election’. Then in 2009 came the controversial Iranian election where social media played a different, but debatably equally important role. Social media is set to play an equally important role in the upcoming UK election. The question however, is whether the potential of such channels will be realised by any of the parties.

Both official and unofficial campaigns are raging online among the major political parties. Mr Cameron himself is tweeting away, even though the party saw the dark side of social media after doctored Tory posters went viral. Labour has been working on their social media presence, with Gordon appointing an MP to be in charge of all things social, and the creation of Twitter accounts and blogs. Some of the great unwashed are using social media to launch their own campaigns, and the Liberal Democrats are the focus of such a campaign called ‘InVinceCable’, which is pushing for Cable to be made Chancellor of the Exchequer in the event of a hung parliament.

A large proportion of Obama’s social media strategy in his run up to the presidential election was an email campaign. The UK parties have cottoned onto this and started their own email campaigns, however none of them really seems to be taking full advantage of this, or any of the other social media channels. Usability guru Jakob Nielsen has taken a look at the email campaigns and has ranked the Conservatives as coming out on top across a number of factors, including email design. Labour, however, have stated that they have a more sophisticated emailing campaign, where they can target their emails at voters more efficiently.

Social media has also presented an opportunity for the previously unheard to voice their support. Last week Christina Odone made an error of judgement when she posted an unpleasant attack on Lib Dem MP Dr Evan Harris on the Telegraph website. This included inaccuracies and unpleasantries, referring to him as “Dr Death”. Gone are the days when people can make such comments without rebuff (did Jan Moir’s attack on Stephen Gately teach us nothing?) Apart from a few ramblings in support of Christine, Dr Death’s supporters inundated the site with support after a ‘rallying cry’ was placed on Twitter.

The potential role for social media in this election is huge, both in engaging voters and evaluating the effectiveness of campaigns. Historically, younger demographics are disengaged with politics. However, social media might be just the ticket to rectify this. According to a study by Lightspeed Research on behalf of New Media Age, social media such as Facebook and Twitter campaigns, is increasing interest in the upcoming election in more than half of 18-21 year olds. The report also showed that over half of 18-25 year olds are more inclined to think favourably of parties using social media as part of their campaign strategy.

So maybe the political landscape will change. Social media will not only make people aware of what is happening, but might also make them seem closer to the ‘action’ and might make them believe that their vote can make a difference. Speaking to people using the channels they are familiar with and receptive to, will no doubt make party political messages resonate more.

It’s impossible to tell yet how much of an effect social media will have on the election result, but increasing political awareness among the younger generation can only be a good thing.

Even if you’re not a Facebook addict or regular Twitter user, you’ll know how difficult it is to escape social media. Why? Because social media is revolutionising the way that people consume content.

Social media is opening new channels of communication between brands and customers and there is a lot of potential in the social web that marketers can tap into. For example, a study earlier in the year by Penn State University showed that 20% of all tweets mentioned a brand name. Sales and marketing professionals need to be aware of these significant media consumption trends so they can tailor and target their messages as effectively as possible across a changing landscape.

However, with all the hype around social media it can be difficult to understand where to start. So here is an outline plan of action to dip your toes into the world of social media:

• Set clear aims and objectives.
• Listen to the social world; understand what is going on out there and find out who your audience is.
• Use all the information you have at your fingertips to build up a picture of the social landscape.
• This information will show you how to work with your audience to achieve your goals.
• Then simply measure, refine, repeat.

More businesses should focus on developing social media campaigns relevant to their customers. The days of pure brand ‘broadcasting’ are long behind us. Successful campaigns are now being supported by an online social media component, or taking place exclusively in social media.

As you get to know more about your customers and their social media presence, you will develop a strategy that not only enables you to influence conversations about your brand and win more brand advocates, it will also recruit them as willing foot soldiers in your battle for brand supremacy.

Note: *A Report detailing this subject was written by Jonathan Culling and Billie Andersen for Evaluation Centre. To read this article please go to the crm software, contact centre software and marketing software section of the Evaluation Centre.

Companies continually strive to achieve greater levels of efficiencies, extracting what insightful nuggets they can through the detailed analysis of call volumes, first time fixes, abandonment rates, average handling times and more. Customers on the other hand, armed with increasing ubiquitous smartphones and a rich plethora of tools for self-expression, are becoming ever more vocal and more demanding.

In relation to improved customer service, time is of course critical to both parties. Companies use time in the form of Service Level Agreement’s (SLAs) to manage and control customer expectations. Customers instead turn to Twitter in the hope that something might happen faster, ahead of time, and exceed their expectations.

A resulting tension from these two extremes manifests itself between the company’s need for constancy, consistency, uniformity and structure, and the customer’s arbitrary, subjective, movable and unpredictable demands. In this age of convenience, the idea of ‘now’ is all pervasive; Twitter has simply exacerbated the divide.

I used Twitter myself to provide customer service at The Carphone Warehouse (@GuyatCarphone), where I was Customer Knowledge Manager. I quickly realised that Twitter was not only a great way to identify problems or complaints rapidly but also to be seen to acknowledge or resolve them. However, once we adopted a more formal approach to Twitter customer service and set up a team of agents to provide this service, the need for structure, consistency of approach and constancy of service soon became evident.

A few months ago I posted the following question on a LinkedIn group ‘where social media meets customer service’: “Can Twitter have a meaningful SLA? Or is Twitter, because of its nature, simply the wrong type of platform to try to apply an SLA to?”

One of the contributors to the discussion was Esteban Kolsky, a well respected thinker in the field of social CRM. He wrote: “Why treat Twitter any differently than you did when you went to email, or chat, or even the phone? Would you consider using email for customer service without an SLA? Why would Twitter be any different? Just asking the questions means that Twitter is either not taken seriously or the possibility of doing customer service via Twitter is not seriously considered.”

I believe Kolsky makes an interesting point and wonder how long it took before an email SLA came into effect, or a telephone one, and what actually precipitated it? I do believe that asking the original question actually implies seriousness in considering Twitter as a viable customer service channel. The difference, however, between email and telephone is that these are resolution channels, whereas Twitter is more suited to being an identification channel, so what is a satisfactory identification SLA?

James Gurd, an eCommerce and marketing manager wrote: “If you are using Twitter as a customer service function (however you define its usage) then I think you do need an SLA but the SLA does not have to be based on specific metrics like “time”. It could simply be a measurable statement of intent…”

Certainly time plays a great role in our expectations, and those expectations result from our cumulative experiences. The use of Twitter as a customer service channel offers an unprecedented immediacy of response, whilst the mainstreaming of smartphones frees individuals from the constraints of geography. I can communicate with anyone, from anywhere, at anytime.

What sets each experience apart is how that expectation is unexpectedly exceeded, challenged or questioned. That expectation is also movable, with each instance determining what the expectation will be and whether it will be met, not met or exceeded.

This article was written as part of the April newsletter

There’s probably very few people who would have missed the travel disruption caused by a certain misbehaving volcano grounding planes in the northern hemisphere and turning airports into ghost towns or hotels. Thrown into the mix there are confusing accounts of which flights have and have not been cancelled and when airports will be closed, all being made worse by a second eruption. Due to the high volume of people trying to reschedule travel arrangements, websites have been breaking left, right and centre and call centres have been inundated, making the whole process an administrative nightmare.

However, Swiss Air has proven that it doesn’t need to be like this. The company is very familiar with the use of social media even dedicating a part of its site to the various social media channels the company use. The company have utilised its Facebook page to communicate updates to fans (all 7000 of them) and interacting with the Twitter community to address individual queries. This is a mutually beneficial engagement strategy. Swiss Air are able to broadcast to a sizeable proportion of their customer base, and are able to service them individually at a lower cost than by phone. Customers have access to the latest news and are able to communicate with Swiss Air, alleviating a lot of site traffic for the less socially-minded. With such satisfying customer service, which airline do you think these customers will think about first when booking their next flight…?!

For a long time now, fans and foes of Twitter have speculated on how the site will make money. Well, for those of you who haven’t yet heard, you might want to brace yourself as Twitter has finally unveiled its plan  to make money, and it will be through (drum roll please) advertising!

Wow. Anyone else underwhelmed? Who didn’t see that coming? Not that there’s anything wrong with the advertising model, it’s just that personally, for all the hype surrounding Twitter I was expecting something a little more innovative. Particularly when Twitter founder Biz Stone himself labelled it “non-traditional.”

The way it will work is that companies pay for “promoted tweets” which will allow sponsored messages to appear at the top of search results pages when users search for keywords the companies have bought. Twitter claim they “only want to show tweets that help the user experience” and if promoted tweets don’t have enough “resonance”, if not enough users forward or favourite them, then the promoted tweet supposedly will disappear. Initially marketers will be charged per thousand impressions of their ad but eventually it will evolve to charge based on how users interact with the messages, appearing in a user’s stream even if they didn’t search for it or are following that particular brand.

It is this last part that bothers me most. I can all too easily envisage succumbing to the issues plaguing existing social networks of spamming and marketers posing as customers to plug their own product. But then I’m a cynic. In practice I anticipate it will work in much the same way as either product placement or the contextual Google ads which appear in the sidebar of the Gmail inbox. And how many people click on those? Do you? Yeah, I thought not…me neither.

Typically, the big boys are the early adopters: Starbucks, Sony Pictures, Red Bull, Virgin America and Best Buy, with many more sure to follow. So to all your Twits out there, gird your loins and prepare yourselves for the inevitable onslaught of advertising for stuff you’re already seeing far too much of. Presumably if you’re already following these brands then you’ll welcome the extra sales pitch. Which probably means you’re either not getting enough ads thrown at you via traditional channels or you’re chronically starved of any genuine human contact and crave the crushing embrace of marketers.

Either way, I feel for you…

Johannes Leonardo has launched a mysterious and (potentially) engaging social advertising campaign around New York and it will be interesting to see how New Yorkers respond to it.

Fragments of an advertisement have been appearing all over the city, containing a Twitter hashtag. People can either search the city for the images or respond to clues provided via the company’s twitter account. The idea is then that people take a picture of the fragment and upload it to Twitter revealing the advert (a supposedly explicit image) and the brand behind it.

So will people join in the game? As an indication of popularity, from looking at Twitter people are definitely talking about the campaign, but it will be interesting to see how many people actually take part. While the vast majority of those following the campaign will probably take a passive interest, it will only take a small number of those engaged enough to participate for it to be a success (although with the amount it is being talked about it arguably already is). In any case, the campaign is truly social, requiring collaboration and clashing together the online and offline worlds.