What Brands And Leaders Can Learn About Social Media From
Narendra Modi
Lessons from India's first
digitally engaged prime minister put together
Long before he announced
#DigitalIndia, Narendra Modi was anointed the digital Prime Minister. Thanks to
being the one who not only introduced terms like Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram into PM lingo, but also walked the talk. Across social media
platforms. Starting with his election campaign and increasing in presence and
momentum in his first year in office. The results are impressive. Modi is now
amongst the top world leaders in terms of number of followers across social
media. He was the first head of government to get on Wiebo, the Chinese social
network. The first leader to embrace selfie mania.
I've watched Modi's social and
digital moves with the keen eye of a marketer, and there are elements that I
feel brands and leaders could draw inspiration from:
1. Timing and topicality:
An early indication of Modi's
digital inclination was when the new PMO site went live as he gave his first
address after taking the oath as Prime Minister. He has continued this
timeliness through embracing the realtime and live nature of social media.
Critical updates in terms of crises as well as pleasant congratulatory messages
break first in the PMO's social media stream before traditional official
announcements.
2. Put a face to the communication:
Modi is a rare Chief Executive that
does not shy away from being visible in the social space. In fact, he seems to
find photo opportunities where one might believe there are none. It certainly
bridges the distance between his high office and the average citizen.
3. Humanise the messages:
Letting a little bit of one's
personality come through creates an affinity with one's audience. Modi's
monthly radio show Mann Ki Baat is an example of a more casual, non-officious
interaction that then spills into how he is seen online, and the comfort people
have in reaching out.
4. Go where your audience is:
Modi seems to understand that
expecting people to come to you is passé. And so goes to his audience where
they are. YouTube for the video watchers. Instagram to reach the selfie-crazy
photo fans.Radio to address the non-online millions across India. Even Weibo,
the Chinese social network to create a connect with young Chinese before he
visited the country.
5. Enable the conversation:
The essence of social media is the
interactions it facilitates, and the introduction and active promotion of the
mygov.in portal is how Modi has created a digital channel of interaction. This
is of course apart from the listening to responses and social media chatter
around topics seeded through Modi's social channels.
6. Integrate across platforms
seamlessly:
Modi seems to have achieved a
healthy cross-platform linkage that allows his audience to get into his stream
wherever they are, and then navigate across his various platforms easily. And
lets him spread and build his narrative smartly.
7. Do the new:
Novelty helps and spikes interest
and talkability.Modi tagging celebrities in his early Swach Bharat invitations
was something never done by a PM earlier, and boosted excitement and traction
around the initiative.Modi's selfie with the Chinese Premier was a first and
went viral around the world.
But it's not all hunky dory. I've
noticed some elements of Modi's social media activity that brands and leaders
will be well served NOT to emulate:
1. Too much amplification is
sometimes just too much:
Often multiple government handles
live-tweet pretty much the same content resulting in overkill in the social
stream. Being in the stream is good, being in the face is not.
2. Trivializing the stature of the
PM:
Modi playing `brand ambassa dor' to
solicit participation in every government initiative lowers the value one would
place on a plea from him. As CEO, he's not expected to play Brand Manager.
3. Hashtag mania:
There are just too many hashtags
floating around that are promoted by the PMO handles. This results in low memorability
of most, instead of potentially seeding a select few that can over time curate
meaningful dialogue around their themes.
4. Over socialisation:
Often every step, every move of Modi
on a foreign trip is tweeted as it happens.Openness and sharing is great, but
pouring it all into the stream creates a flood and so reduces its
efficacy.Smartly capsuled content can do a lot more to engage and inspire. And
live on beyond the moment.
5. Personalised mass messages:
The first time someone received an email
or greeting via Twitter DM from the PM it was cool. But then when folks figured
everyone had got one, it lost its appeal. Without true personalisation, mass
messages are avoidable. So are repeated mass text messages promoting events.
It's always good to leave a little breathing room for your audience.
6. Selective silence:
For a PM who is social almost to a
fault, sudden silence on topics that are stirring national interest seems
strange, and makes people question the real openness of Modi and his willingness
to express himself and engage on seemingly difficult topics. So really it's
about striking the right balance between what to do and what to avoid. Done
right, social can create delight for one's audience, and a great payoff for
one's brand. Overdone, it can alienate the audience as they get overwhelmed by
the digital overdrive.
The author is a digital and mar
keting advisor and the former global head digital marketing Infosys.
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by Ashok Lalla
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BE8JUL15
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