Microsoft Advertising is a brand that takes customer engagement seriously and values building relationships with its audience. However, as a global brand this engagement needs to be tailored to each market and each audience – no mean feat!
Jenny Leahy, who leads the Web Marketing and Evangelism team at Microsoft Advertising, will be speaking at the International Search Summit @ SMX Advanced on June 9th, where she will share Microsoft Advertising’s experience of running multinational social media campaigns.
Here she shares a few insights into Microsoft’s successful strategy, as well as the challenges they’ve faced.
Jenny, what are the major challenges of developing a social media presence in multiple countries/languages?
The social media tools landscape is different in each country – there are some more “universal tools” but you really need to evaluate your strategy in each region and market before establishing your social channels. I find that marketers in the local markets, especially the smaller markets are often the most dynamic and creative marketers – but they are often running all of the marketing channels for the country. Social needs to go beyond the amplification of a message to the daily engagement with customers in a local language – I see the challenge in having an already over taxed marketer take on an additional channel.
How does Microsoft use social media to engage global users and build lasting relationships?
Microsoft Advertising focuses on a few social channels to drive engagement with marketers. We focus on our blog, twitter, Facebook and youtube.
What have you found to be the most successful tactics for growing a social media presence around the world?
Our event coverage in multiple regions has been our strongest tactic in growing our global audience. We use the major advertising festivals to drive traction in this area.
If you had just one tip for organisations trying to develop an international social media presence, what would it be?
Cheating…I have two:
1) Create a global framework (i.e. look and feel of social channels, structure of your handles etc.)
2) Build global, social communications cascades that focus on amplification that can be easily localized, allowing local markets more time to focus on 1:1 conversations.
And finally, why attend the International Search Summit?
Content is global, we have to learn how to build marketing campaigns and online experiences that don’t alienate individuals, but bring people together and into an experience regardless of their location.
There are still places available at the International Search Summit. Other speakers include search engines Yandex and Baidu, global brands Dell and Logitech and international search specialists Bill Hunt, Andy Atkins-Krüger and Shari Thurow.
Register now to secure your place!
Gemma Houghton
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