Response to Catherine Daly,
Social Media Plans: Problem Solving vs Product Attributes
I consider Microsoft as a corporation “that is
successfully providing solutions and solving problems for buyers.” http://catherinescanlon.blogspot.com/
Described on Wikipedia as “an
American multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, that
develops, manufactures, licenses, supports and sells computer software,
consumer electronics and personal computers and services.” I feel this
description undervalues the massive impact Microsoft has had on our growing
global community. This company not only leads the way in the development of new
technologies but is effective at engaging its target audience in advanced, efficient
business and professional processing capabilities. As Kerpen 2011, mentions “social
media will help you find your target audience and provide you with further
insight about this group.” (p34) As part of Microsoft’s 2011 rebranding their
use of social media channels has enabled them to reach more people but more
importantly lets the focus group of professionals and businesses learn more
about the possibilities offered by Microsoft. Their choice of logo, vibrant
colors and online engagement such as their blog http://blogs.microsoft.com/ and news
site http://news.microsoft.com/ attracts these audience members who
want the high profile, elite system that will benefit them the most. Although
they use social media the blog and news section really push forward the fact
that Microsoft is a leader in its field and provides the consumer with an
informational forum. Microsoft website offers extensive options for contact,
interaction and feedback offering a community forum http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us?auth=1
where they state the following as the company mission, “finding answers,
sharing ideas, problem solving. Whatever your goals Microsoft Community is here
to help you get more out of your technology.” As Scott (2013) highlights a
company should aim to “segment buyers and appeal to them based on their needs, not just talk
about your product.” (p162) A great point by Microsoft
that shows just this is featured in their blog discussing the new Power BI
product. “Today is
an incredibly exciting day as we unveil the new Power BI – a service we believe will fundamentally transform the
“business of business intelligence.” Power BI can help every company adopt a data culture with easy-to-use, accessible tools and innovative
technology that lowers the barrier to entry, for all.” Microsoft doesn’t refer
to this as a new product, but instead as a service and with a direct focus on
the business world as the target audience, with the true aim to make providing
solutions to its consumers.
Follow Microsoft on:
References
Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable Social Media: How to delight your
customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on Facebook
(and other social networks).
Microsoft
Blog, http://blogs.microsoft.com/
Microsoft Website, http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/default.aspx
Scott, D. M., (2013). The New Rules of Marketing
& PR: How to use social media, online video, mobile applications, blogs,
news releases, & viral marketing to reach buyers directly. (4th Ed.).
Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft
Very informative post. It seems that Microsoft has come under fire recently as a company that is short on new ideas. Do you find this to be the case? From the business side of things it seems that Microsoft is still very dependent on their software and struggles to invent anything new. Therefore, the company is dependent on replicating new technology or buying more mature technology assets. Does Microsoft have any new ideas in the pipeline? Loren
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic, Kelly. When I think of Microsoft I automatically think of Windows. I grew up on Microsoft products and consider them a go-to when making a software purchase. However, I have never considered Microsoft while branching out into social media. Did you know that Microsoft has its own social media platform? I certainly didn’t! So.cl (pronounced “social”) is Microsoft’s “social network, said to help students connect with one another – a concept that early adopters of Facebook know well (and often miss)” (Clay, 2012).
ReplyDeleteIt is fascinating to me that in all the reading we have done on social media I have not seen this site mentioned – one developed by a monolith like Microsoft. So.cl was quietly introduced in 2011 and was rolled out to students at Syracuse University, New York University, and The University of Washington (Clay 2012).
How is this site different than other social media sites? To the best of my ability I would describe it as if Facebook and Pinterest merged, you would get something like So.cl. “Users can also create rich posts by assembling various web content. This is similar to Pinterest but adds additional search features” (Finn, 2011). “The primary focus of So.cl is helping people find and share interesting web pages in the way students do when they work together” by combining social networking and search” (Clay, 2012).
Personally, I don’t need one more social media platform to manage. Perhaps that is why this hasn’t really taken off in the way others have like Facebook, Twitter, and Google +. “It’s clear that Microsoft is attempting to take a swing at Google‘s social network, Google+, which is also designed to combine social and search” (Clay, 2012).
When initially available, the buyer persona (or in this case “user persona” since it is free to sign up) is students at major U.S. universities. Though, it appears now available to anyone interested.
References
Clay, K. (2012, May 21). Microsoft Launches New Social Network To Compete With Google. Retrieved February 12, 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyclay/2012/05/21/microsoft-launches-new-social-network-to-compete-with-google/
Finn, G. (2011, December 15). Microsoft Launches So.cl – A Social Experience For Students. Retrieved February 12, 2015, from http://marketingland.com/microsoft-launches-so-cl-a-social-experience-for-students-1546
Wow - I was unaware of So.cl too! Interesting that Microsoft used the university-first approach, like Facebook.
DeleteNow, I would agree that students are the target audience for So.cl - but how would you describe the "buyer persona" of So.cl? What are the stories of these users? Why would this audience participate on another social media platform?
Most likely, So.cl won't be suitable for all students, therefore it shouldn't be mass-marketed or have a broad buyer persona of university students.
Although - maybe this is why we haven't heard of it - because Microsoft has effectively communicated and defined its buyer personas!
I know...who knew? It's amazing what we've learned in this class. After completing research for this blog, I still am not sure of the answer to your question. I do not know why students would choose so.cl in addition to or over other social media platforms. The only thing I could come up with is that is is a requirement???
DeleteKelly-this is a test. Trying to see if my reply will stick.
ReplyDeletePosting for the 5th time!! References are located in iLearn (testing to see if links are reason).
ReplyDeleteTerrific example, Kelly. Microsoft has significantly evolved over the years, from mainframes, to personal computers, to software, and now as a thought leader in consulting and computer services. As you mentioned, Microsoft is effectively engaging its customers through its blogs, websites, and through social media. David M. Scott argues that “the most important thing to remember as you develop a marketing and PR plan is to put your products and services to the side for just a little while and focus your complete attention on the buyers of your products (or those who will donate, subscribe, join, or apply)” (Scott, 2013, p. 161). Oddly, enough, Microsoft wrote a terrific article entitled, The Rise of the Modern Marketer. In this article, Microsoft outlines its vision for modern marketing in four focal points: Intelligent Analytics; Streamlined Operations: Engaging Ads: and Incredible Experiences (Microsoft, n.d., p. 3). Is this not exactly what we’re talking about?
Contemporary marketing and communication plans cannot rely on product attributes, broad target audience definitions, and mass, unfocused advertisements. Consumers, buyers, prospects, and leads (whatever we’re calling them) will simply tune-out. Microsoft recognized this and enhanced its brand accordingly. Microsoft is more than computers and software, it’s how I personally, communicate and engage my clients (windows, outlook), it’s how I watch Netflix (Xbox), it’s how I connect with my brother overseas (Skype), and it’s how I manage a household budget (excel). It’s also a number of other problem solvers to other individuals, as well as corporations.
Who would you describe as the potential buyer persona for Microsoft, Kelly? The rest of Group Two?
HubSpot actually outlines 9 great questions to consider when examining buyer personas (good link to check out).
References (in iLearn)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny because I am the opposite of Kimberly. I have a viscerally negative reaction when I hear Microsoft, I grew up exclusively on Apple software and products. When I see the spate of articles questioning their ability to innovate and provide products todays aesthetically inclined consumer desire (Frommer, 2015) I get slightly happy. Looking forward to a day when I don't have to run MS software, when iWorks, Google Docs and Open Office command more the a combined 25% of the market (Gassée, 2015).
ReplyDeleteTheir Yammer platform which is like a Facebook for intranets is something I just installed on our SharePoint site. It is better than their mySite alone interactions but it still carries the fatal MS flaws of being a little clunky. And that is also how I see their social media outreach exclusive of Yammer. The Facebook page has a very odd feeling. You look at some of the videos which are very helpful in navigating the software and giving a you sense that the company is fun and on trend, then a MS ad pops up in the feed with the standard branding. As one of the buyers personas for this social media effort, I feel disjointed. I wonder if this is because like Skype Yammer is a company with its own culture that was purchased by MS so they maintain their quirkiness in social media while occasionally pushing parent brand content? The result is meaningful honest engagement then the BUY MY PRODUCT (Scott, 2013 p.55) approach.
Frommer, D. (2015). This is the difference between Microsoft and Apple. Quartz. Retrieved 14 February 2015, from http://qz.com/330921/this-is-the-difference-between-microsoft-and-apple/
Gassée, J. (2015). Microsoft is making some clever moves. Quartz. Retrieved 14 February 2015, from http://qz.com/340100/microsoft-is-making-some-clever-moves/
Yammer. (n.d.) Yammer Business Collaboration Software. Yammer. Retrieved 14 February 2015, from https://about.yammer.com/
Yammer on Facebook. (2015). Yammer. Retrieved 14 February 2015, from https://www.facebook.com/Yammer
Yana - Microsoft has dominated the office environment for a long time, do you think there is potential for Apple or Google to step in? Both organization's have tried, but not to the success of Microsoft. I'd agree that both Apple and Google products are superior to Microsoft. Yet, why has Microsoft been more successful?
DeletePotentially, Microsoft may understand and define its buyer personas more clearly. It's possible that Microsoft is accurately targeting and understand how consumers engage and interact with its products or services. Thoughts?
In a pure marketing sense, yes they understand their buyers. But the real reason why Apple couldn't compete is price. Windows runs on machines made by a myriad of manufacturers who sell everything from a $400 netbook to expensive servers. Apple is the only maker of Macs and the cheapest one (Mac Mini) released several years ago started at $600 and still required a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
DeleteApple knows its buyer personas as well. In the past it was educational institutions and creative professionals but they have succeeded in bring PC people into the fold. Do you remember their ads "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" where a cool guy and a nerd stood in front of a white back drop. That kind of connection resonates with their audience.
Despite the fact that I will throw my toys if someone makes me use a PC, I don't follow Apple on social media. Roger Dooley writing for Forbes explains why I am so anti-PC, " Multiple factors created this amazing loyalty – brilliant design, highly original products, intuitive user experience, creative marketing, and more. But there’s one element that gets mentioned less but was a key driver of the fanatical loyalty of many Apple owners: Apple created an enemy, the PC and its users, and built that enemy into much of its marketing. (Dooley, 2012)"
Why do I and many of my other diehard lifelong Apple users not let them into to our social media space? I think it's because they spend more time talking to iPhone users and PC converts than lifelong customers. My fellow creative professionals and I sometimes talk about it, well actually they all think I'm nuts for having an Samsung not a iPhone which starts the conversation However, we always wind up agreeing that Apple can't really lose us, we have no real alternatives since most of our software is designed to run on a Mac so they can spend energy enticing others.
Not that we all aren't eagerly watching Android as it would be nice to do a laptop upgrade that cost less than $2500.
Dooley, R. (2012). Build Loyalty Like Apple: Define Your Enemy. Forbes. Retrieved 15 February 2015, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/rogerdooley/2012/07/17/apple-enemy/
Great discussion everyone, I hope you enjoyed considering the pros and cons of Microsoft's problem solving techniques and its buyer persona descriptions.
ReplyDeleteMicrosoft has successfully reinvented itself over the years without hurting its brand, and while still finding solutions beyond tangible products for its users. Kelly, you mentioned some key components of Microsofts engagement techniques via social media to uncover who its audience is. Kim - your discussion regarding So.cl was very informative, as I had never heard it. And, Yana, I would agree that compared to Microsoft, I enjoy Apple products more. However, as I mentioned, I do prefer Microsoft tools for business purposes.
Nice job, everyone!