As a journalist, former programmer and senior editor at Fast Company, Lynne D. Johnson is a social media maven. She was also a general manager for Vibe and Spin magazines with an award-winning blog. She’s been fusing technology, community and journalism since back in the days of online bulletin boards. It’s no surprise that the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) recently snagged her as their first senior vice president of social media to help guide the industry into the new age of community tools. I recently sat down with Johnson to get her take on how brands should be listening while navigating the social web.
Social Times (ST): How did you get involved in technology and, more recently, social media?
Technology came about for me as an undergraduate. I started out studying computer science and business and then switched to journalism because I’ve always been a writer at heart. Even when I had a journalism job, I infused it with technology, getting involved in online communities, like the New York online (a bulletin board service), Yahoo groups, and other types of groups. An opportunity to work with two ethnic sites came up at Community Connect, where I got to meld journalism, community, and technology. That’s where social media came into being
for me. I used to be a programmer and learned how to foster community with technology, as a journalist.
I worked for Vibe and Spin as a general manager of their digital operations. Then Fast Company (FC) hired me because I had been blogging since 2001—back when journalists thought blogging was crazy. But I embraced it early. FC then wanted to integrate their Company of Friends community with their web site and content. The wanted their community blogging alongside their editors and journalists. They brought me in to grow that social network. Then they also launched a video site with Robert Scoble.
ST: How was your experience with Robert Scoble?
They brought Scoble on because he was the hot-shot in social media and Technology at the time. They figured they could tie that to their community emphasis and monetize it with sponsorships. But it didn’t prove to be an effective model. It was around the time the recession was starting. I wouldn’t say it was Scoble’s. It wasn’t the right programming for the Fast Company brand, and video has been hard to monetize on the Web. It was “all Scoble all the time,” and there should have been more FC content on the site. It failed due to the mix of content and the timing.
ST: What’s your role at ARF?
I met Joel Rubinson, Chief Research Officer of the ARF, at a social media conference. He showed me this job description and I said I thought I could do this job. After the recession, I became more of a traditional editor for Fast Company, and I really wanted to work in social media again. I came here to ARF to work on the content and brand and to launch a social media council. We just had a successful event called the Industry Leader Forum with Chris Brogan, who is a top blogger and a good buddy. We’re planning to have the same event in San Francisco. I have been helping them get social media rock stars into conferences. But my goal is to help the industry at large understand social media.
ST: Is social media the flavor of the month and why is it important for brands?
Even more than social media, digital content gives consumers a platform to have a megaphone and talk about anything they want. But the truth is that they are talking about brands. I recently read that 20% of tweets are about brands. We see it now as people use tools like Brightkite and Foursquare to mention the restaurants they’re in on Twitter and other social networking sites. Are people going to be a friend with your brand? That’s the part that’s funny and fishy. But if brands make content that’s relevant to people’s interests and passions then it’s a win-win.
It’s not just about putting up a Twitter or Facebook page; it’s more about engaging in relationships. Brands have to be interested in the narrative. If you have no story about your brand, then people will make up the story for you. It’s not a fad at all; it’s an evolution. Now the consumer is being thought of as a collaborator. Traditional marketing used to have these closed surveys and got feedback from people in private rooms. Now it’s all open. It’s not a fad.
ST: What do big brands need to do and how do they handle criticism from the community?
It’s about listening. Listening to your customers is about making your brand trustworthy. Brands shouldn’t worry about whether they’re up on Facebook or Twitter; they should worry about whether they have a story and can build a community. That community can be built on their own website. They just have to be engaging enough.
In regard to criticism, transparency — that’s the key. If you’re in a relationship with a significant other, it’s the same thing. It’s about communication, and sometimes, there are things you ignore and let blow over. You don’t do this whole crisis management thing and try to spin the story. No more spinning. Be honest and truthful, that’s what people expect now.
I’m amazed at how many “social media experts” I meet. What makes someone an expert or consultant in this area? Some people are basing their expertise on how many followers they have.
There is no “expert” yet because we are still figuring it all out. It’s the quality of followers versus the quantity. I’ve seen people with hundreds of thousands of followers, and they tweet something that falls on deaf ears. Someone who has fewer followers but a selective and focused community who is interested in the same interests would be more influential.
A consultant also has to have business experience and understand traditional marketing because there should still be an overall marketing strategy. Social media is just one part of it and does not replace it completely. Stats say traditional television still works. Do banner ads still work? No. Does everyone need to develop a community? Not necessarily. An expert is not that kid who comes out of college. It could be a traditional marketer who is learning some of these new tricks. It can be people with anthropology, journalism, or even scientific backgrounds.
ST: Are you going to advise brands directly?
Yes, but not alone. We have a social media council with co-chairs from Nielson, Sapient, and General Mills. We have quarterly meetings and talk about case studies. We have a mission and goals, like coming up with metrics and best practices. I will be coming up with a document in 2010 that will be a social media manual.
ST: What’s next for social media?
Mobile is going to play a great role in what happens next in marketing, advertising and social media. The next generation is on their phones at all times. That is where they get their community and information. That’s the next place we have to play.
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