Michael Brenner interviewed on facebook ads in agencies

Social media marketing is gaining in importance in companies. Pioneers such as Asos, Zara and Otto have been showing how fashion companies can use social networks to generate reach and brand status. Various aspects are combined, from high-quality to exclusive content. Text, image or video media complete the portfolio in the social web.

Michael Brenner, social media specialist and founder of AdBaker – Social Media Advertising. He supervises among other things. EasyBestBrands, Prometheus Cotoure or CM Models. To get a deep insight I wanted to get together with a social media professional and define the most important facts about fashion & social networks in ten questions.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): Good morning! Let us first make a small distinction, which social networks are interesting for companies in 2014.

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): We are mainly on Facebook. We rarely go into other social networks.When, then Google+. But here for reasons of search engine optimization. In special cases we use Twitter and Pintrest. For us, Facebook is at the forefront with over one billion registered members worldwide. In addition, the whole information of the users. A bundle of personal interests that give people over the network. That’s why social media marketing is our main focus on Facebook and we offer services only in this area.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): If we differentiate social networks into text, image and videobased networks, what do you think is the most effective way to advertise? Or in other words, which media transport information and marketing messages best to the user?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): It depends on the advertisers, which target group you have, which topic. In the fashion industry Youtube is not to be underestimated. At the same time – and of course – Facebook. Pinterest is however in the fashion area partly interesting, because the pictures are worked really handsome. All other networks are rather uninteresting for fashion retailers. So I would tend to Facebook and Youtube.

“Talking about-rate is a much more important factor for me than the number of fans!”

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): When we are at different content forms, what indicators are actually meaningful for measurable success in social media. How do you measure the success of a social media campaign at AdBaker?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): I always start with my customers in the beginning, so that I can define them themselves first different goals. These are goals that actually end on the company’s website. Say, the actual action takes place only on the website. The respective social networks then serve “only” as a traffic catcher. Say, we are forwarding the traffic from the social networks, for example to e-commerce (Onlineshop) where the real conversion takes place.
For my customers the fan number is often a key success factor. However, this is to be enjoyed with caution, since the range has been moved down very far. This means that with a normal post on your side, only 20% of the fans really reach you.

To control this, you can offer interactive content. In the hope that the people interact more, so your contributions, the photos, etc. So the so-called Talking-about-rate goes up and so the range is then again higher. The goals can and should not be defined by the number of fans. Talking about-rate is a much more important factor for me than the fan number

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): In short for all readers, how does the talking-about-rate develop?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): The talking-about-rate arises through the interaction with the contribution. This is a factor of how popular the site is among my users. Therefore, the talkin-about-rate is a very powerful factor. You can also have the average range the one side has. As an administrator of Fanpages at Facebook you have the possibility to see an ad in the mail, which shows how many people have been reached. This makes the average reach a second, important factor for social media marketing in companies.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): When we are talking about social networking and e-commerce, how can we effectively link campaigns and actions in social networks?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): That can be. Even if Facebook is often negatively seen and the readiness of users on Facebook is very low. Facebook will never have the same high level of readiness as Google Adwords, because people are already doing search queries with their buying intentions. Facebook still offers a good opportunity to point to products that have not been on the market for so long. Users are attracted to things and are being targeted by us, specifically addressed. This way you reach potential buyers. This is often not a direct purchase, but it is enough for the first time when the user has become aware of your new – for example – fashion platform and follows you (a “Like” there). A few posts later, the user clicks on the website, where he may then make a purchase. The process of attention to the actual purchase is lengthy and somewhat difficult to measure, but can still be used very well for the acquisition of new customers and the acquisition of existing customers.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): What experience have you had with virality in social networks? Have you ever had actions that were particularly surprising?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): Yes, absolutely. But, of course, I always try to predict, as far as possible, how high the virility will be. On the one hand, one can take existing measures, e.g. “What has been working well lately?”, “What pictures and videos were shared?”, “What was commented?”. This can also be influenced by various tools. For example, there are online marketing tools based on keywords, images, and similar media on other Facebook fan pages, and how many Likes and Shares have earned them. You can then orient yourself to these images or textual content and even publish similar content. This is all done through the Facebook API. Through this method you can reach many, whether by old or new fans.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): Viral means “mouth to mouth propaganda”. What effects do users motivate to participate in campaigns or contributions?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): I think the contribution should include a number of factors and should in no case act like plump advertising. A photo with “buy now” will trigger very little action, much more personal, funny and sad content that contribute to the virality. Preferably, they share, comment, and comment on people’s stories or contributions that they can (emotionally) associate with.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): Have social networks changed advertising communication?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): I think there has definitely changed something. Very often I read contributions and do not see the post as advertising. Then the respective advertiser has done in any case good work! When I see a picture, I click on the link that leads me to a blog, there I see then what actions I should actually run. These are often payable.

The kind of advertising has definitely changed more to subconscious advertising, but this does not necessarily have to be something negative.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): In how far do you take feedback from users from social networks into your business processes?

Michael Brenner (AdBaker): This is a good question, but one can not answer so completely. I heard yesterday from a friend that he is very cautious about commenting on social networks. Because he says that if he makes his business processes too much influenced by strangers or fans in social networks, he gets into the danger that he too is unconsciously influenced by the competition – because who knows who ultimately writes the one or two critical posts. In social networks can not be determined by whom the comments or criticisms come. In my opinion, one should not ignore the signals but perceive and analyze them. Over time one should then determine whether one should change certain processes and adapt to the users.

Stephan M. Czaja (Lukinski): Thank you for your open words on social media marketing! Are you looking for a social media expert for your online project? On the AdBaker website you will find all relevant information.