This SXSW coverage is brought to you by Red Square Agency. The agency that also brought you headlines about itself.
In a SXSW panel entitled Social Media Comes of Age Without the Help of Porn, moderator Lisa Joy Rosner and panelists Jeremiah Owyang, Dave Evans, Katie Paine and Jason Falls examine the use of social data to determine consumer preference. Oh and that title comes from the well known fact porn invented everything on the internet except social media. Because, after all, do you really want to share your inner most fantasies on Twitter with a porn brand?
Owyang noted the proliferation of social data is causing a fundamental change in the way brands discover consumer preference and buying intention. He also suggested the use of social sign on (using Facebook to log in) will increasingly allow brands to taylor messages to individual wants, needs and desires.
While most of the panelists advocated the use of social data for improved targeting, Paine cautioned some may be offended by razor sharp targeting based on social profile information.
Owyang pointed out the use of social data helps identify aspirational behavior but aspiration isn’t everything. It must be followed up with behavioral data. In other words, did the person who tweeted they were going to buy a Chevy ultimately buy a chevy.
Falls reminded attendees that marketers must be cautious when painting a picture using social media. He noted most Facebook information is behind the firewall. Many of the conversation that might indicate intent or behavior may never be known because it is private information.
The panel’s nutshell was that a treasure trove of information is and will continue to become available through social channels. But that treasure trove must be approached with a clear understanding it, like all other segments of research, does not paint the entire picture.
This SXSW coverage has been brought to you by Red Square, a small national agency that just happens to be located in the SXSE.
