Jan11

Social Media is More than a Meme

by Heather Whaling

Last week, Facebook’s equivalent of a chain letter asked women to change their status to the color of their bra. This was supposed to raise awareness about breast cancer. Since then, a host of blog posts have gone up — praising or lambasting this fun little experiment. (Here’s another one from Change.org.)

On one hand, it’s great that millions (?) of people were tangentially discussing breast cancer. On the other hand, the next day — or the next hour — people’s status updates returned to the normal state of affairs. So, did this meme accomplish anything of long-term value in the fight against breast caner? I’d say probably not, even though a spike in conversations about cancer is not a bad thing.

For cancer, or any other cause or company, to see real benefits from their participation in social media, it should strive for the following:

  1. Long-term. A meme spreading through Facebook won’t cause large numbers of women to schedule mammograms. I come from a traditional PR background, so I believe in the value of consistent communication over the long haul. Just as one month of PR won’t deliver the desired results, a short-term approach to social media will fall short.
  2. Multi-faceted. While it may appear that everyone you know is on Facebook, the truth is that there are lots of people who aren’t on the network … or who aren’t constantly checking to see the latest status updates. If you’re ready to engage in social media, what’s your plan to reach those people? (Same goes for for Twitter.)
  3. On- & Offline. Even more surprising than the fact that every one of your stakeholders isn’t on Facebook is the fact that not everyone uses social media. (Shocking, right?!?) Don’t abandon your more traditional “offline” communication initiatives in lieu of emerging media. For example, if a nonprofit prints and mails a quarterly newsletter and sees a significant spike in donations afterward, don’t be so quick to cancel the newsletter. Instead, think of ways to integrate online and offline communication to develop a strong, comprehensive communication strategy.
  4. Measurable. How do you know if your efforts work if you have no way of tracking them? Sure, lots of women posted their bra colors, but did that increase traffic to the American Cancer Society or the Komen Foundation? Sound social media strategy includes a measurable component. Now, that doesn’t mean that you have to see a big spike in sales or donations in a week, but over a period of time, social media participation should offer tangible benefits.

This is an oversimplification of social media, yes. But, I’m hoping that you’re at least thinking about social media from a slightly different perspective. It’s not all about making a wildly popular viral video, creating the next Facebook meme or even amassing lots of fans or followers. Long-term success comes requires a sustainable approach to social media. Not a quirky chain letter experiment.

Tagged as: facebook, integration

  • ...and I thought the whole purpose of any meme was to have fun. Are you implying the fun factor wasn't there? Why must it be more? It's Facebook for crying out loud.
  • heatherwhaling
    Ari, of course a meme can be fun. But, when it involves something as serious as cancer, I don't see any harm in trying to make the fun more meaningful ... use fun as an "in" to actually make a difference, instead of just learning what color bra your co-worker, friend or family member is wearing. The Facebook reference was just a starting point for this post. I was really talking about a larger issue that many organizations face: separating a flash-in-the-pan social media "hit" from a longer lasting presence that will move the needle. Thanks for commenting.
  • But of course. If this meme was launched by a breast cancer organization, your points would likely have been utilized. But as nobody really knows who started the virus, what more can we expect?
  • heatherwhaling
    I'm not saying you're wrong, but I think we're talking about two different things. I didn't say the person(s) who started this chain letter should have known to include an link or a stronger call to action. However, you know as well as I do, that there are lots of companies who bring on a social media consultant in hopes of creating the next viral video. And, now you can be sure that there are people asking how to create the next Facebook meme. My point was that that's not enough.
  • I thought it was interesting to watch this take place on Facebook, but more could have been done with it if it had been tied into a breast cancer awareness campaign. This could have been just one facet of something much larger, as you suggest above. Instead it's something that people are already forgetting.

    I saw that White House | Black Market and Soma Intimates actually jumped on this opportunity. They offered to donate $1 to Living Beyond Breast Cancer for every bra color posted to their Facebook fan pages. I thought this was a smart move on their part. They were able to engage their fans while tying their brand to a good cause that already had momentum on Facebook.

    I wonder, however, if something like this could have taken off the way it did if it had been implemented by a big company or brand. Many people don't want outsiders interfering with their online social lives, especially on a network like Facebook where many use privacy settings. Would we be as receptive to something like this if we knew a big brand with a budget was behind it? I really don't think so. But nonprofits and awareness campaigns may have success with something like this in the future if they tie it into something larger and follow your suggestions.

    Great post, Heather.
  • heatherwhaling
    Abby, that's a great point -- you're probably right in saying that this spread so quickly because there wasn't a big company/organization behind it. It really did look like grassroots. That said, I wish one of the big cancer organizations would have jumped on this to take it to the next level. What could have happened if Komen sent a message to all their fans thanking those who participated in the meme and asked them the next day to put a link to the Komen Foundation in their status instead of or along with their bra color?

    Hadn't heard about the White House Black Market initiative -- thanks for sharing! Now I love that store even more! :)
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