Harlem Shake Craze at UGA

As a student at the University of Georgia, I've been caught up in the Harlem Shake craze that has been sweeping the nation the past couple of weeks. Everyone throughout campus from the football team to freshman dormitories to our now famous swimming and diving "Harlem Shakers" have been creating tons of buzz on both social media and traditional news media.

I'm sure many of you have seen the UGA swimming and diving teams on major news outlets such as the Today Show and Good Morning America. Here's a little more insight into how it all started...

Originally, the UGA men's swimming and diving teams simply wanted to make a better Harlem Shake video than the one the University of Tennessee men's swimming and diving teams made. The Tennessee swimmers and divers made their Harlem Shake video in their locker room, so the Dawgs decided to kick it up a notch by filming it underwater in their 18-foot deep diving well after practice on Monday night. Their coaches thought it was silly when they saw them doing this, but allowed them to do it anyway.

Neither the athletes nor the coaches thought that the video was going to make headlines within 24 hours of one of the team members posting it. Here's a little timeline to get a better gist of the attention it received:

-Sunday, Feb. 10: The UGA men's swimming and diving team decided they wanted to "beat" Tennessee's Harlem Shake video, so they started planning their own video on Sunday night through a Facebook message.
-Monday, Feb. 11: After their evening practice, the UGA men's swimming and diving team filmed their video.
-Tuesday, Feb. 12: The video was posted early in the morning.
-Wednesday, Feb. 13: The video had received over two million views and had been featured on Good Morning America and the Today Show.
-Friday, Feb. 15: The video had received over eight million views.
-Sunday, Feb. 17: The video had received over 16 million views.

After all of the media attention the video received as well as the craze it's started not only at UGA but at college campuses throughout the U.S., I'd say the UGA Men's Swimming and Diving Team's Harlem Shake video definitely beat the Vols'.

GO DAWGS!

Here is the video originally posted by one of the swimmers as well as some other noteworthy UGA Harlem Shake videos.

Think Like Your Audience

I have recently been reading several articles and blog posts regarding how selfish millennials are. As a member of this generation, I assume after reading these that those belonging to previous generations view me as stressed out, too reliant on my parents, and, the most recurring theme, selfish. While these articles do pose some strong arguments about that last view, I can't help but propose a counter-argument  to that regarding social media.

Just like in economics, there is an 80/20 rule in social media marketing: The content that you share should contain 80 percent of what your target audience wants to hear, and the other 20 percent should be what your company wants to share. It seems like the majority of companies that are failing with their social media marketing initiatives these days are not applying this rule to their campaigns. Also, the majority of social media directors for companies, such as CMO's, usually belong to generations other than the millennials, so they are therefore displaying one of the same flaws that they are accusing my generation of.

I receive a weekly email from my journalism school every Monday that is filled with announcements from companies' marketing directors seeking interns, especially social media interns. One description specifically stated that the company wants "to drive Facebook and Twitter followers and activity." I cannot help but #smh (shake my head) at some of these posts, because a description of their company that follows those posts are usually obvious evidence that Facebook and Twitter are not the channels that they need to be targeting their audiences. You must put yourself in your target audience's shoes! For example, if your company is a law firm, why would a potential client go directly to Facebook or Twitter to look for an attorney? Unless your target audience consists of college students who need a lawyer to represent them when they get arrested for underage possession, DUI, etc., this is not the medium where you want to drive engagement.

The description of the internship will also usually say that they want to drive company revenue directly through these social media accounts, such as selling their products by posting a picture and the price on their Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Once again, think like your audience! When was the last time you got on any of your social media accounts and it was flooded with posts from companies trying to sell you something? If you're like me, it was probably the last time you got on that account. And the time before that. And the time before that. And the time before that. You don't want your audience to consider your account "junk mail." Just as your audience can immediately throw away direct mail advertisements and messages in their trash at home without glancing at them, they can immediately "un-like" or "unfollow" you on social media.

The best and simplest way to avoid this absolute disengagement is by easily looking at what your target audience is talking about. When national tragedies happen and your followers/fans are expressing their sympathy via social media, express your company's as well. If there is a major event like the Super Bowl coming up, talk about how it relates to your company. For example, if the president of your company was born in Boston and the vice-president went to college on the west coast, talk about the rivalry between them leading up to Ravens vs. 49ers game. You have to remember that you're considered part of the target audience of multiple companies, and even you, as a marketer, are not going to think about one particular company all the time.

If all else fails and you can't think of something interesting to share with your audience, you can always ask them a question. We're all experts on our own opinions, and we all like to be heard. Not only will this drive engagement for your company's social media, it can also grant some valuable, in-depth, and low-cost information about your customers and target audience.

The adults in your life told you when you were younger to not be selfish. Your target audience on social media is telling you that too by their clicks; you just have to listen!

For more information on using the right channels and content for your messages, I highly recommend this great article by Nate Goodman on Social Media Today.