In a recent study conducted by researchers at the Kellogg College of Management at Northwestern University, a connection was established between the perception of a brand and the context in which it is viewed. The essence of the article is that marketers often strive to “seek contexts that can enhance a brandís image and evaluation.” How can those principles be applied to social media? Here are a few thoughts:
- Blogging – integrate brands that carry a strong appeal to your audiences in each of your posts. Did you notice the reference to the Kellogg College above? If that reference positively impacted your immediate perception of the quality of the research, the carryover effect is that you may also be more impressed with the contents of this blog.†
- Facebook – become a fan of major brands that resonate with your friends/fans and post key updates about those major brands. If you’re an Apple aficionado, for example, including news or updates on iPhone apps, Mac shortcuts, etc. on your wall can enhance the perception of your brand.
- Twitter – follow brands that carry some cachet and tweet about their relevant activities. A marketing friend of mine recently tweeted about how well Estee Lauder was using social media, which also communicates to her followers that my friend is monitoring trends and is a knowledgeable resource.
These are only a few ways in which brands can be leveraged to have a positive impact in social media. Feel free to submit other ideas.
Mike
