#sowhoknew: Why do I write on LinkedIn and not on other social platforms?
Brand safety has become the ‘topic du jour’ for all marketers. And in the same way that the World’s biggest brands don’t want their content associated with terrorists, supremacists and pornographers, neither do I. That’s why I choose to publish on LinkedIn because, as a professional social platform, it has brand safety built into its context.
The rapid rise of programmatic advertising has been largely responsible for the increasing problem of brand safety. In the not so distant past advertisers or their agencies used to go direct to the vendor / publisher whereas now it is easier and cheaper to use the various intermediaries including software providers, demand-side platforms and specialist companies who will verify viewability, site traffic and brand safety. However, the supply chain is complex and prone to error which is the reason why Marc Pritchard, chief brand officer at P&G has been very vocal on the matter. He believes that agencies and advertisers have a responsibility to place ads ‘only where they belong and keeping them away from objectionable content’.
He goes on to say, “We have a zero tolerance standard when it comes to brand safety. Our brands are protected in other forms of media. The same zero tolerance standard of performance applies to all digital media.”
The pursuit of eyeballs at the lowest possible price has led to this situation but it is becoming increasingly clear that the focus needs to be on guaranteeing that online ads are viewable, that they are not vulnerable to ad fraud and in an appropriate environment. We also need collective acceptance that if you want ads to appear on appropriate sites then the cost will almost inevitably be higher.
Inadvertently funding these repugnant organisations is one aspect of brand safety which needs to be addressed but being associated with these nefarious syndicates has potentially negative long term effects on consumer opinion of brands.
When it comes to B2B brands it’s already hard enough to gain attention and trust from business decision makers in such a hugely competitive and burgeoning social space. Consequently reaching these audiences on consumer platforms is becoming less appealing despite the appeal of a cheaper cost.
I spoke to Andrew Goldman who is Agency Partnership Lead at LinkedIn and he talks about why the platform is a much safer option for brands than some other channels, “LinkedIn enjoys this unique context that drives members to post and share incredibly thoughtful and considerate content. After all, what you say on LinkedIn is a real-time reflection of your professional brand to every first degree connection in your network. That may include a future boss, or teammate, client or investor in your business. This content setting provides a generally safe place for brands to reach out to the audiences that matter. On some personal networks it’s often more difficult to drive quality engagements.”
LinkedIn are also very clear in their guidelines about what constitutes appropriate content and equally what happens if anyone tries to circumvent the rules:
“LinkedIn is a professional platform and each member’s profile directly reflects their professional brand. The vast majority of our members are therefore incredibly thoughtful and considerate over what they post and we very rarely experience the polarising and inflammatory commentary that one may find in other online services. Content that is inappropriate, inaccurate, or objectionable is not welcomed on LinkedIn, as outlined in our user agreement and professional community guidelines. Content that violates these terms is removed from the platform”
When it comes to safeguarding my personal content and brand, this is one of the main reasons why I focus my attention on writing exclusively for the likes of LinkedIn, Forbes, Inc and Digital Market Asia. Through these carefully curated channels I can pretty much guarantee that I reach the most appropriate readers in the best possible environment. I could chase bigger potential audiences via the likes of Facebook, Google or Twitter but I don’t want to compromise the safety of my personal reputation for which I’ve worked very hard to establish. On the few occasions where I have tried alternatives I’ve regretted it because that’s when the internet trolls come out from behind their keyboards and frankly I can’t be bothered wasting my time answering their puerile ramblings. Lesson learned.
So what’s your point of view? Do you protect your personal brand by limiting your content to specific channels or do you think it’s just a matter of maximising reach and the environment doesn’t matter? As ever, I’m interested to hear your thoughts…
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