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Want to understand the psychology behind why people interact via social networks?
During this fascinating interview I explore these very concepts.
To learn about the science and psychology of social media marketing, I interview Ric Dragon for this episode of the Social Media Marketing podcast.
More About This Show
The Social Media Marketing podcast is a show from Social Media Examiner.
It’s designed to help busy marketers and business owners discover what works with social media marketing.
The show format is on-demand talk radio (also known as podcasting).
In this episode, I interview Ric Dragon, author of Social Marketology and CEO of DragonSearch.
Ric shares tips on how businesses can build relationships on social media.
You’ll learn how relationships develop and why the concepts of gamification and gifting are important.
Share your feedback, read the show notes and get the links mentioned in this episode below!
Listen Now
Where to subscribe: Apple Podcast | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
Scroll to the end of the article for links to important resources mentioned in this episode.
Here are some of the things you’ll discover in this show:
Social Media Science
How to develop relationships via social networks
People look for other people like themselves, which is called group affinity. People want to find like-minded souls. It is much easier in this age of social media than ever before.
Ric shares insights into the importance of small-talk in building relationships. You’ll learn how small-talk is an extension of social grooming and how sharing a little about yourself humanizes you and makes it easier to grow your social networks. Ric talks about how people bring common salad to social media.
Listen to the show to learn more about building relationships on social media.
What gamification and gifting bring to social media
Ric explains what gamification and gifting are and the different types of elements within social media. Learn why the most powerful rewards are the unexpected ones.
You’ll hear about different ways you can gift someone. Ric explains why it’s important to measure the depth of engagement and also how to measure the effectiveness of your company’s social media activities.
Listen to the show to learn why the need to reciprocate is very powerful and relevant to your social activities.
How communities develop via social media
Strong communities can form very quickly on social media and sometimes there are micro-communities. Ric talks about how strong communities can form spontaneously on social media. He also talks about how these communities form around hashtags.
You’ll learn why listening is important for both pre-existing communities and when communities are forming. Ric talks about online ethnography—the studying of people in an in-depth way online.
Listen to the show to learn about how communities develop.
How to craft the right brand voice on social media
People project personality onto brands and Ric explains why this is important to remember when you shape your brand voice.
Ric shares how brands can create the right voice. For example, you need to make sure that even though you want individuals to have their own voice when they speak for your company, you also want this voice to be consistent.
Listen to the show to find out why it’s important to be consistent.
The different subcategories of social media marketing
As social media evolves, the word community is thought of in different ways by different people. The expression social media also has different definitions for different people. Ric explains how there are at least five different types of social media projects.
You’ll learn why Ric believes brand management will experience the biggest area of growth. He says people are thinking most about brand management and when the brand has a really strong sense of purpose, it becomes a valued member of the community.
Listen to the show to discover more about brands using social media well.
Put Google Analytics to Work for Your Business
Ever thought, "there's got to be a better way" when it comes to tracking your marketing activities? Are you forced to make decisions based on limited data? With the right training, you can use Google Analytics to measure all of your marketing efforts with certainty. You’ll stop the leaks in your ad spending, justify your marketing spend, gain the confidence you need to make better marketing decisions, and know what’s working at every step of the customer journey. Let the world's leading analytics pro show you the way. Check out our new Google Analytics for Marketers course from your friends at Social Media Examiner.
Discovery of the Week
CScore is a free tool that allows you to analyze your Facebook page and provides you with data that give you useful insights into your Facebook marketing. You’ll get data including a conversation score, rank and star ratings in different categories.
Have a look at Social Media Examiner’s CScore here.
Listen to the show to learn more about CScore and let us know how this works for you.
Other Show Mentions
We’re announcing our our new mega-conference—Social Media Marketing World—taking place at the waterfront San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina in San Diego, California.
As you’d expect, Social Media Examiner recruited the biggest and best names in the world of social media marketing for this conference. Only the best for you!
Here are some reasons you should attend:
Meet face-to-face with marketing experts you’ve come to admire. Presenters include Guy Kawasaki, Mari Smith, Jay Baer, John Jantsch, Michael Stelzner, Dave Kerpen, Lee Odden, Jason Falls, Mark Schaefer, Mario Sundar (LinkedIn), Cliff Ravenscraft, Joe Pulizzi, Marcus Sheridan, Ric Dragon, Brian Carter, Amy Porterfield, Nichole Kelly, Derek Halpern, Pat Flynn and experts from more than a dozen major brands—just to mention a few!
Network with 1,000 fellow marketers in an environment like no other. This is the event where you’ll make priceless professional connections. It includes structured networking after keynotes and lunch, and catered evening events at the historic San Diego Natural History Museum and the San Diego Networking Cruise aboard the largest private yacht in Southern California.
Take in highly valuable, pitch-free content—our trademark at Social Media Examiner—from 41 expert-led marketing sessions covering social tactics, social strategy, community management and content marketing.
Vacation in sunny San Diego, California. Social Media Marketing World starts in the evening on Sunday, April 7 and extends through April 9, 2013. Why not stay a few extra days and make a vacation out of your trip? The average weather in San Diego is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, year-round. San Diego also offers beaches, surfing, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, LEGOLAND, San Diego Safari Park and tons more!
If you want to learn more visit socialmediaworld13.com.
Key takeaways mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Ric Dragon on his website
- Check out Ric’s book, Social Marketology
- Check out CScore to discover your Facebook page ranking
- Take a look at Sharpie, Coca-Cola and Nike
- Check out Social Media Marketing World
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What do you think? What are your thoughts on how behavior impacts social media marketing? Please leave your comments below.
Images from iStockPhoto.
