Millward Brown, a qualitative research firm which set up shop in Kenya, had a talk last week about social media, research & statistics on modern engagement. They did a study in 15 countries and their findings on Kenya showed the increasing use of Facebook, Youtube, and mobile internet, some of which has been covered before in other studies and recent Communication Commission of Kenya – CCK stats – but theirs was from the perspectives of corporates and how they can engage better.

Through their Firefly initiative, Millward Brown can help local companies navigate the online space using tools like ideablogs to find the right mix.

They noted that:
– Locally, Safaricom and Kenya Airways are actively engaging, while Manchester United and Arsenal also do this well with Kenyans
– Kenyans are not yet keen on online marketplace transactions
– The niche may be easier for small retailers than large corporates to navigate
– Marketers are only now coming to grasp the changes in advertising & communications away from traditional media and seeking new ways to engage brands and consumers
– Social media allows two-way communications (unlike TV & radio) and there are effective (and free) social media monitoring tools available
– Social media allows even brands considered boring like detergents to connect with potential & new customer and engage more with current customers

Some tips they shared include:
– Don’t put the corporate Facebook/Twitter account in the hands of new employee or intern; it should be by an experienced hand who knows what they are doing
– Don’t recreate your homepage in social media
– Give your brand a face & talk like a friend
– Offer something of value e.g. discounts, coupons
– Talk like a friend, not a corporate entity
– Don’t ask for personal information too soon