Since 2020, the pandemic, social justice movements and other significant global events have hastened the evolution of consumer or audience expectations — and criticisms — of social media. Consumers no longer scroll passively through channel feeds, and brands can no longer consider social solely a distribution channel for content.
Businesses and organizations that engage in social media without an up-to-date audience- or community-specific strategy risk diminishing channel impact and ROI, and losing customers. In this episode, originally broadcast on #Hashtags: The Gartner Marketing & Communications Podcast, Dorian Cundick, a vice president with the Gartner for Marketers Advisory Team, and Amber Gallihar Boyes, a director analyst who works with CMOs and heads of communication, discuss the unique expectations for distinct social channels, why and how audience expectations tend to shift, and the organizations that achieved successful engagement, thanks to highly intentional approaches to community building and audience activation.
Download: Digital IQ: Social Marketing Benchmarks
Subscribe: #Hashtags: The Gartner Marketing & Communications Podcast
Opening Thoughts
Latest Social Media Engagement Trends
Social Media’s Rebalancing Act
How Customers Curate their Social Content Experiences
Social Media Strategies Worth Emulating
How to Navigate Community Partnership Opportunities
What to Listen for When Deploying Social Listening
Social Media and Community Etiquette Essentials for Brands
Are There Platforms Brands Shouldn’t Ignore?
Rethink These Common Approaches to Social Media
How to Get the Right People in Essential Social Roles
Social Media Metrics and Measurements that Matter Most
Dorian Cundick | VP, Advisory
Dorian is a Vice President with the Gartner for Marketers advisory team, specializing in Communications. She has helped lead the team and shape the research agenda since 2007, navigating dramatic changes in the Communications discipline. Through her tenure, she has advised countless Marketing and Communications executives in diagnosing and addressing their key strategic opportunities, and has been a regular speaker and facilitator at communications events around the world. Dorian regularly consults with leaders on how to build impactful teams-- addressing organizational structure, process efficiency, consultative skills and measurement, and all things strategic planning. She serves as a thought partner across brand and reputational considerations, including engaging key stakeholders and crafting cohesive narratives and content strategies. Her expertise also extends to the realms of culture, change, strategy, and manager communications. Prior to joining Gartner, Dorian worked on-air as a broadcast journalist with NBC affiliates in Texas and New Mexico. She has extended her more technical broadcast skills into freelance documentary endeavors, supporting nonprofit causes from Mexico to Brazil to Africa. She has also taught journalism, writing, videography, and video editing at both the secondary and university levels.
Amber Gallihar Boyes | Director Analyst
Amber Gallihar Boyes is a Director Analyst helping equip CMOs, brand and communications leaders with reputation and brand management, crisis communications, PR and social media. As a former practitioner, Amber is highly skilled at navigating complex external organizations to drive communication effectiveness across various audiences and channels. Amber's experience spans social media, influencer and content marketing, media relations and integrated creative brand campaigns as a former lead counselor at an integrated marketing communications agency.
Hosted by: Karen Lockhart
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