In a compelling session at the conference, international brand consultant Frank Vinchon shared valuable insights on creating meaningful social media engagement. With over 20 years of experience working with major brands like Google, EA Games, L’Oreal, and Toyota, Vinchon emphasized that successful social media marketing isn’t just about talking – it’s about creating genuine conversations.
The PLEASE Framework for Social Media Success
Vinchon introduced the PLEASE methodology for effective social media engagement:
- Plan: Define clear goals and strategies
- Listen: Monitor and understand your audience
- Engage: Create meaningful interactions
- Activate: Implement your strategy across platforms
- Sustain: Build and maintain community
- Evaluate: Measure results and optimize
The Power of Social Capital
A key concept Vinchon emphasized was social capital – the measure of trust, influence, and relationships within online communities. He stressed that building social capital requires:
- Fostering genuine conversations
- Sharing valuable content
- Encouraging community interaction
- Being responsive and authentic
Beyond Vanity Metrics
Vinchon warned against focusing solely on vanity metrics like follower counts. Instead, he advocated for measuring meaningful engagement through:
- Quality of conversations
- Community growth
- User-generated content
- Real business impact
- Customer loyalty
The 1-9-90 Rule of Engagement
An interesting insight shared was the 1-9-90 rule:
- 1% create content
- 9% engage and support
- 90% observe The goal is to gradually increase engagement across all levels while maintaining authentic connections.
Key Takeaways
The session concluded with several important messages:
- Start small but start somewhere
- Focus on providing value before asking for engagement
- Be authentic and experimental
- Build communities through genuine conversation
- Measure what matters, not just what’s easily counted
Vinchon’s presentation reinforced that successful social media marketing isn’t about broadcasting messages – it’s about creating meaningful dialogue and building lasting relationships with your audience. As he aptly put it, “Don’t ask them to follow you. Give them something and they will follow you.”
His session provided a practical framework for brands looking to build authentic social media presence while avoiding common pitfalls of vanity metrics and one-way communication. The key is to focus on creating value, fostering genuine conversations, and building sustainable communities.
