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Reading Between the Lines: An interview about Engage and what’s next

I recently spent some time talking to Sarah Morales of Vertical Measures to discuss the new Engage and we wound up having a fun and in-depth conversation that I felts was also worth sharing with you here.

Sarah: This is the updated version of the book that championed, “Engage or Die!” What are the main events in social media that have occurred since the last version?

Me: The difference between Engage 1 and Engage 2 is less about events or technologies and more about the presentation of information for a different group of professionals interested in social media. Engage 1 offered a deep dive into the evolution of social media and how its impact on business grew more profound over time. Social science also played a larger role in Engage 1 where I explained why people raced to social networks and how their connections changed shape and how they expanded over time. This was important as it explained how brands could expect to engage based on the needs of their consumers.

When I was asked if there was anything I wanted to change before the release of the book in paperback, I opted to make it a meaningful update rather than push the same content out there. I listened over the course of a year to the experiences people had with Engage and also other books. I took that feedback and focused the content of the new book on helping strategists develop an infrastructure for social media and design programs that were quite literally more engaging. I also focused on how social media could be tracked to demonstrate momentum and success within the organization to grow the size and scope of social media within the organization.

Sarah: Many authors just hope their book sells, but it’s great to hear you monitored the experience readers were having with your book and incorporated your findings into your new book. The foreword was written by a pretty well-known celebrity, Ashton Kutcher! What is your relationship with Ashton and how have you worked together?

Me: I had the opportunity to work with Ashton’s company Katalyst over the years where we partnered on creative social media campaigns for some of the world’s leading brands, organizations, and of course celebrities. To this day, I still see Ashton and the team at Katalyst. They really are quite brilliant.

Sarah: Humor, good looks and intelligence, Ashton is the total package! OK sorry my inner teenage girl just revealed herself for a moment. Katalyst is indeed a company to watch as it was named one of the Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. In the introduction to your book, you say “The truth is that social media may very well cease to exist as a category one day.” What?! Can you expand on this?

Me: Social media is but a chapter in the ongoing development of new media. At some point, social media becomes pervasive and will likely represent an everyday layer on top of the web and existing functions as we know it. Soon new media will force us to think about how to engage within online channels in ways that might be social in nature, but designed to facilitate new experiences such as augmented reality, gamefication, etc.

Sarah: Makes sense. We currently see social media as a separate channel, where in the future it will be integrated into everything. Your bio reads: “A digital analyst, sociologist, and futurist, Solis has studied and influenced the effects of emerging media on business, marketing, publishing, and culture.” What are the current emerging trends and what do you predict will be the next “big thing” in new media?

Me: You’ll have to read my next book, “The End of Business as Usual.

In all seriousness, social media is maturing. Think about how companies engage in social media today and how they measure activity. It’s only just the beginning. Technology, metrics, consumer needs and expectations, will force businesses to rethink their approach. As a result, strategies, engagement programs, and metrics for success will only become more sophisticated. The next big thing is nothing short of the reexamination of business models and the role customers play in the evolution of business.

Sarah: “Social media is about speaking with, not “at” people.” Can you highlight some companies and specific cases of superb engagement?

Me: In the book, I talk about the importance of engagement and risks of talking “at” people. Part of the problem is that brands only know one language, marketing speak. I think back to a cartoon a friend of mine Hugh MacLeod (@gapingvoid) once published. It said something like this, “If you talked the way advertisers talk to people, you’d get punched in the face.” Businesses know how to talk at people very well. Even in their current social media programs, they’re more antisocial than social in how they engage with people. Antisocial is defined as going against the norms or rules of society and that’s just what social networks are…online societies. It takes more than a conversation, it takes value time and time again.

Sarah: Wow, that sure does put things into perspective. You have to imagine that you’re actually having a real conversation with someone. Were you concerned at all about publishing a book in such an ever-changing industry? Will you continue to publish new versions of Engage?

Me: This is a good question as I didn’t really foresee the development of Engage 2 when Engage 1 was on the market. I haven’t really thought about whether or not there will be a version 3 yet. I intentionally focused less on the tools and more on the business case for effective social media engagement. There are no shortages of great books out there that focus on how to use the tools and networks for business. Instead, I brought it up a few levels to help businesses make more meaningful connections with their customers.

This is the time to show how social media is impacting traditional business philosophies and frameworks.

Connect with Brian Solis on Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Google+


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The New ENGAGE!: If you’re looking to FIND answers in social media and not short cuts, consider either the Deluxe or Paperback edition


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Click here for the Conversation Prism, Twitterverse, Behaviorgraphics, and Social Compass posters…

10 COMMENTS ON THIS POST To “Reading Between the Lines: An interview about Engage and what’s next”

  1. Sharmeenrafique says:

    Thanks Brian for sharing an insight in social media. What i like about is your focus on case studies rather than tools, as business need more to know about how social media can be integrated in long term plans.

  2. Hi Brian,

    Great pointers here.

    Talking at someone is the quickest way to turn someone off to whatever message you’d hope to convey. 2 way streets are most appreciated in life. Really, how can you even hope to convey a message if you haven’t listened to the other party? Talking at someone is similar to cold-calling: it’s spouting out your message before you have a chance to connect with an individual.

    Care more about your market than you do your message. Listen. This is a good starting point, if you hope to build real connections with real people.

    Thanks for sharing your insight with us!

    RB

  3. Eplanettravel says:

    kkkh

  4. It is so true that social media speaks WITH people. I mean, there is where the social aspect comes in ya? Now with gamification, you not only speak WITH people, but behave the same way as well. The engagement goes beyond words, but in actions, ideas , response, etc. 

  5. Stephanie says:

    I loved the book Engaged and this interview makes me excited to see what’s next. Brian your insight on social media is inspiring! @briansolis:disqus

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