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Q&A with Aaron Goldman: Understanding the current state of social

by | Aug 22, 2017 | Public Relations, Social Media

 recent Forrester report unveiled that CMOs are not satisfied with the results of their ads, and need to make the switch from ad interruptions to intelligent, conversational relationships.

Consumers are ready for deeper relationships with the companies that matter to them, but what do marketers and advertisers need to do to better align and communicate with them at the level they are seeking across each channel?

Coming off the heels of their Q2 State of Social report, we spoke with 4C Insights CMO Aaron Goldman about the current social landscape, what opportunities marketers and advertisers can pursue right away, and what to keep an eye on for the rest of the year.

What are the biggest opportunities for PR and communicators in this evolving social world?

The biggest opportunity right now is cross-screen communications. 85 percent of TV viewers are active on another device. PR folks must connect the dots across screens to facilitate a consistent conversation with key audiences.

How can communicators take advantage of the opportunities that are being revealed?

The key for PR pros is to be always-on. Social media never sleeps. That doesn’t mean you can’t either though. Luckily there are tools that can be used to monitor trends and conversations and automate the response mechanisms.

How will the PR/marketing industry be impacted by the current social momentum?

Organic reach continues to decline as social feeds get bogged down with more and more content. The system is completely saturated. Social media managers and those in PR and marketing realms are now relying much more heavily on paid ads to boost their posts and ensure they get seen.

What should everyday marketers know about what their competitors are doing in terms of social advertising?

Every marketer should know what social affinities their customers have with their brand and with their competitors. By understanding affinity overlap or lack thereof, marketers can create conquesting strategies to expand their audience and steal share from competitors.

Can you explain how paid and organic social efforts are working together (or not)?

With organic reach continuing to decline as social network feeds get filled with content, paid ads are the best way for brands to get their messages in front of their key audiences. Additionally, video has proven to be an effective format on social media and brands have begun to use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Snapchat to supplement their TV advertising.

What are some of the advancements in live ads, and best practices for deploying those?

Real-time advertising works best when the targeting, creative, and destination are in sync with real-world events. Whether its pairing second-screen ads on social media to live moments on TV or severe weather triggers, the opportunities for brands to break through the clutter are abundant.

What’s are the biggest takeaways for PR and communicators regarding the current state of social media?

For communicators in today’s very noisy digital environment, it’s important to truly understand the feelings, behaviors, and motivators customers have with brands and with their competitors. Take Coca-Cola for example. They should know that people who engage with its brand on social media are 5 times more likely to engage with Advanced Auto Parts. And people who engage with Pepsi are 1.5x times more likely to engage with Meijer. This is what we refer to as social affinity, and it’s something hundreds of agencies and brands use 4C for each day to get in the heads of consumers and identify opportunities for creative comms.

Aaron Goldman

Aaron Goldman is the Chief Marketing Officer at 4C Insights, a data science and media technology company. Bridging TV and social media, the 4C product suite helps marketers make multi-screen magic. 

Richard Carufel
Richard Carufel is editor of Bulldog Reporter and the Daily ’Dog, one of the web’s leading sources of PR and marketing communications news and opinions. He has been reporting on the PR and communications industry for over 17 years, and has interviewed hundreds of journalists and PR industry leaders. Reach him at richard.carufel@bulldogreporter.com; @BulldogReporter

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