Integrated approach leverages social media for enhanced engagement and branding

Brands need to build a socially integrated business or risk getting left behind

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Singapore, Despite social media?s huge potential for personalised interaction, it still remains something of a conundrum for marketers trying to balance the fine line between being everywhere their target audiences are, while also ensuring sufficient resources to maintain a strong stream of content and communication on multiple platforms. It used to still be possible for businesses to merely dip their toes into social media, but moving forward it is increasingly important that they take an active role in the social sphere to stay one step ahead. Now, more then ever is an integrated strategy needed to build a strong brand perception and encourage engagement.

Stuart Pike, Managing Director, APMEA Region for NM Incite, says, ?Social media presents a raft of opportunities for organisations to better engage with their customers and broader stakeholder groups, and what is really important now is to understand social media behaviours, motivators and habits, and then use this knowledge to refine social media strategies in order to realise the full potential that the medium provides.?

Asia?s dominance in digital media consumption makes it even more imperative for brands to master online interaction techniques with customers. Asian businesses have only scratched the surface in using social media as a marketing tool, but in the face of tightened belts due to the economy, digital strategies will play a pivotal role in helping brands to define themselves ahead of the competition. Peter Dingle, APAC Digital Marketing Manager and Social Media Lead for Intel, clarifies, ?Social must be Local and Mobile to be relevant in Asia, especially in Hong Kong and Singapore. Brands must be personal, authentic, useful, generous and transparent.?
Perhaps the biggest hurdle that many brands cite as a cause for second-guessing social participation is the uncontrollable flow of information that is unleashed when brands provide a platform for discussion online. James Walton, Clients and Markets Director for Deloitte Southeast Asia, points out, ?With social media, you have to accept that this is not ?your? forum, but the public forum. Be prepared to empower, trust and open up: you can?t be on social media and try to control content or you will feel a backlash.?

The social web has now effected a global shift in trust and power between individuals, influencers and institutions. More so than ever, it is important for businesses to have a mitigating plan for social media risk should a crisis occur. According to Gaurav Mishra, Asia Director of Social Media, MSLGROUP, ?We need to master three interplays shaping crisis in the ?new normal?: the interplay between mainstream media and social media, the interplay between local and global dynamics, and the interplay between crisis planning and response.?

Pike, Dingle, Walton and Mishra among other experts in the industry, will be addressing these issues and more at the 2-day conference on ?Integrated Social Media Marketing ? held in Singapore on 6-7 February 2012 and in Hong Kong on 9-10 February 2012. The conference will showcase insights from other established social brands including AirAsia, Prudential, SingTel, Deloitte as well as digital consulting experts to bring out actionable strategies and case studies on seamlessly integrating digital elements into traditional media offerings, enhancing branded social profiles for better search rankings and extending the social experience to a mobile platform.

Conference Details
Title         Integrated Social Media Marketing
Date & Venue:     6 ? 7 February 2012, Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Singapore
        9 ? 10 February 2012, Regal HongKong Hotel, Hong Kong

Organiser: Pacific Conferences
Contact Person: Ms Tu Kae Yun
DID: (65) 6592 7363
Email: kaeyun@conferences.com.sg

Full programme can be found at: http://www.conferences.com.sg/s1392-smm5-25t-p.pdf (brochure opens in a new PDF document)

About Pacific Conferences
Pacific Conferences (www.conferences.com.sg) specialises in organising business conferences aimed at providing interactive, insightful information and analysis about issues facing businesses in Asia Pacific. Catered to middle and upper level executives, its events are usually case studies-driven with emphasis on providing in-depth and unbiased practical knowledge.