3 Social Media Lessons We Learned from Scott Monty and Ford Motor Company

Scott Monty, Ford Motor Co.'s global head of social media, is taking Ford's digital and social media efforts to a whole new level.

"To generate real results and accomplish long-term goals over social media, businesses need to think beyond simple, one-off campaigns and make a regular commitment to marketing and customer engagement on social media." - Scott Monty, "Social Wheels in Motion," Social Media Week in New York City.

And we think this video from Ford Motor Co. wishing their loyal customer a happy 102nd birthday is proof that Scott Monty not only knows what he's talking about, but is also capable of practicing what he preaches.

With nearly 90,000 followers on Twitter, Monty blogs about social media marketing and has developed a reputation as one of the top thought leaders on all things social.

Examining some of the campaigns he's managed at Ford, Monty offers some lessons for managing social media for brands. Here are three of his top takeaways:

1. Let your followers be your voice.

Did any of you pay attention to the social media campaign Ford is best known for -- the "Fiesta Movement?" In 2009 Ford recruited 100 people to drive the Ford Fiesta for six months, and paid for their gas and car insurance. The drivers were then asked to share their experiences driving the car on YouTube and FiestaMovement.com.

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What started with a simple social video contest wound up generating a huge amount of buzz. The Fiesta Movement generated 6.2 million views on YouTube, 750,000 views on Flickr and 40 million Twitter impressions, Monty said, driving more than 100,000 people to Ford's website. (Ford is reviving the Fiesta Movement campaign for the 2014 model.)

Build a great product or service and let your customers use it and share their experiences over social media. "If you have a great product, don't be afraid," Monty said. "Let them be your voice."

2. Create a social media a dialogue, not a broadcasting system.

Monty says that when it comes to social media, customers "want to engage with personalities, not product features."  Translation: Don't use Facebook and Twitter to simply announce new products or services.

Think of your own experience using social media, or your daughter and her friends. If they want product features, they visit a website. On social media sites, the constant updates of what's in our store actually becomes more annoying than gratifying.

To engage with your customers and help increase their loyalty to your brand, understand who they are -- what their interests are and how they interact on social media. As an example, Monty pointed to Ford's creation of Doug, a "spokespuppet" character that appeared in several YouTube webisodes promoting the Ford Focus. The character was brash and funny, and increased awareness about the Focus among a younger demographic.

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"Dialogue with people in a way they can understand, not corporate-speak," Monty said.

3. Celebrate your fans.

At the center of Ford's social media efforts is an effort to give the company's fans and followers a chance to experience the brand in ways they never expected -- and be rewarded for it. Before the 2011 Explorer was revealed, Ford created a Facebook page that gave its fans sneak peeks at features and offered video interviews with the design team and chief engineer. Another example, the Ford Social site, allows customers to claim badges based on their interests, win exclusive access to industry events and even submit suggestions for new vehicle features.

"Engagement matters," Monty said. "Take time to appreciate and celebrate your fans."