The biggest way companies and causes are challenged on Facebook? Control. Many are accustomed to traditional push-based messaging. This simply is not an effective strategy on a medium such as Facebook. Geoff Livingston, co-founder of Zoetica, explains, “So many of these organizations are bent on controlling the way their Facebook presence looks that they short the conversation. They don't interact, they don't participate, they don't treat it like the community it should be.”
Clinging tightly to control over a Facebook presence is never a good idea, but that is particularly true with a cause campaign, for which authenticity is even more critical. Some brands direct their cause-focused conversations to a separate tab (page), away from their primary Facebook page; a practice frowned upon by Livingston. “Some brands want their cause messaging clear and separate from their fans and updates. It’s more organic to allow them to co-mingle in the same place. Worst case scenario, you end up with too much engagement on your page and that’s a problem we’d all like to have.”
Campbell’s Soup Company is one that sees the benefit of allowing users to engage directly with their Facebook page. John Faulkner, director of brand communications explains, “One of the things we love about Facebook is the sharing of experience. For example, this year we hosted a Facebook component of the ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ food drive. Post food drive, we start getting stories posted on Facebook about what happened in individual communities. It personalizes the campaign and makes it very real and accessible.”
Have you relinquished control in your cause marketing campaigns on Facebook? How so? Tell us in the comments below!
*********************************************************************************************************
Welcome to the CMF Blog, Companies and Causes.
Get new posts by subscribing to the RSS Feed or sign up for our free monthly newsletter.
Connect with us on Twitter
Visit the Cause Marketing Forum Website
