Journey of Chaiwala to Prime Minister

Narendra Modi’s life has been a journey of courage, compassion and constant hardwork. At a very young age he had decided to devote his life in service of the people. He displayed his skills as a grass root level worker, an organiser and an administrator during his 13 year long stint as the Chief Minister of his home state of Gujarat, where he ushered a paradigm shift towards pro-people and pro-active good governance.
Narendra Modi’s formative years taught him early tough lessons as he balanced his studies, non-academic life to spare time to work at the family owned Tea Stall as the family struggled to make ends meet.At the age of 17 he left home to travel across India. For two years he travelled across the expansive landscape of India exploring various cultures. 
In 1987 a different chapter began in the life of Mr. Modi when he started work as the General Secretary of the BJP in Gujarat. In his first task Mr. Modi won a victory for the BJP in Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections for the first time ever. He also ensured that the BJP was a close second to the Congress in the 1990 Gujarat Assembly elections. In the 1995 Assembly elections Mr. Modi’s organizational skills ensured the BJP’s vote share increased and the party won 121 seats in the Assembly.It was in September 2001 that Mr. Modi received a phone call from then Prime Minister Vajpayee which opened a new chapter in his life taking him from the rough and tumble of Organizational Politics to the world of Governance, which led him to Chief Minister of Gujrat.
Narendra Modi’s evolution from quintessential Organization Man of the BJP to one of India’s best known leaders recognized for his Good Governance over a span of a decade tells a story of grit, determination and Strong Leadership in the face of grave adversity. Narendra Modi’s transition from the world of Political Organizing to the realm of Administration and Governance neither had the luxury of time nor the benefit of training. Shri Modi had to learn the ropes of Administration while on the job right from Day One. 
Apart from all these today PM Narendra Modi, who extensively uses social media has 11.9 Mn followers over twitter with 7578 tweets. While over facebook he is having 28 Mn fan followers taking him to top 3 social media favourites. 

Even though he kept on attending the public rallies during he Prime Minister electorial Campaign, he was also well connected with the country over social media. Which also led him to become a well known global leader of his era and taking him in the league of Prez. Obama.

Reference: pmindia.gov.in

The Pied Piper of Digital Marketing: On the Pathway of Chief Minister to Prime Minister

Recently on his show, Koffee With Karan, Karan Johar asked three celebrity youngsters who’s the President of India. Responses varied from Manmohan Singh to Prithviraj Chauhan to pass over. Perhaps, Johar would have received a correct response to the question, “Who is the Chief Minister of Gujarat?”

He’s neither a marketing guru nor has he formally studied the Keller's Brand Equity Model; however Narendra Modi has successfully advanced on the brand pyramid starting from creating brand awareness to defining brand purpose to gathering brand response and to building brand advocates. He’s the undisputed Pied Piper (Politician) of the Indian Social Media but the question still remains - will he be able to win the 2014 elections and if he does, how much credit can be given to Social Media? Here’s a review on his journey from - being the Chief Minister of Gujarat to a universally accepted National Leader.

In 2007, YouTube was the first social platform that Modi befriended. His journey on Twitter and Facebook commenced in the month of Januray 2009 and May 2009 respectively. On 14th April 2009, on the occasion of the 118th birth anniversary of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Narendra Modi started blogging and he also had a personal website by then. In 2010, Modi’s Twitter follower base increased to one lakh and by December 2011, he had over four lakh followers which finally crossed the one million milestone in October 2012. He’s named to be the first Indian politician to use Google Hangout and have an App on his name, ‘iModi’. As per FollowerWonk, as on Dec 30, 2013 Modi has about 3,040,192 followers on Twitter and his social authority is 81 (on the scale of 1 – 100; where 1 is lowest and 100 is highest). On Facebook, Modi has 7,549,972 likes and 960,914 people talking about him.

Modi’s content strategy changed as per his objectives. In the early days of creating a brand identity, he established his presence on various social platforms. His Facebook posts were simultaneously sent to Twiter; the content revolved around inspirational quotes (his favourite leader is Swami Vivekanand), quotes from scriptures and his daily activities. In this stage, Modi certainly measured the number of posts and also the content; perhaps he was testing the water then!

In the second stage of building the brand meaning, Modi focused on "performance" and in turn built his "imagery." He started taking about his achievements and the developments in Gujarat; his fans and followers had started engaging by liking, sharing and commenting. While he garnered support, he also invited criticism by opposition, media and a few citizens.

In the thirst stage of building brand response, Modi’s focus shifted on helping his audience build "judgments" and "feelings." This was the stage where Modi built his credibility, increased his consideration and amplified his superiority. He took to an unusual move by mass following people on Twitter. As on January 01, 2012, he was following 174 people and as on Dec 30. 2013 he is following 885 people. Apart from following his colleagues in the BJP, international leaders, eminent celebrities, Modi also followed a few of his fans and well-wishers. A top public figure’s 'following back’ spree indicated that he is as much a people’s person; this created an army of advocates. Now here I can say that Narendra Modi is the Pied Piper of Twitter (Politician) and his magical pipes (loyal advocates) are:

@MrsGandhi, @sunandavashisht, @tajinderbagga, @anilkohli54, @alok_bhatt, @ratigirl, @KiranKS, @ThinkersPad, @nanditathhakur, @VarshaRitu_, @shilpitewari, @sureshnakhua and more…

By that time Modi has tweeted 724 tweets and since then the frequency of his tweets and posts increased. Also, there was a notable change in the content strategy; in addition to sharing his credentials, he turned more vocal about the opposition and created strong statements to express his opinions. He managed to draw attention of many, reinforced confidence in his existing followers and built conviction of those who were neutral about him. Beginning 2012 up to date, Modi has remained the most talked about politicians on the social media creating a Twitter trend every now and then. Those who were pro-Modi helped in elevating his image and those who were anti-Modi coined the term “Feku” for him. Several questions were raised on genuineness of his fans and followers; controversial stories around he manipulating online poll results to elevate his image were all over. Also, question was raised on how fan following on social media would translate in to a vote for the BJP.

Sentiments on the Social Media clearly signalled appeal for the brand “Modi”. In September 2013, Modi was declared the BJPs prime ministerial candidate for 2014. Now begins Modi’s final stage of buildingbrand resonance with active campaigning for election. Jiten Gajaria of the BJP’s social media cell said, “We are bringing about convergence of social media with ground-level mobilisation. Although many claim that social media had little penetration among the “masses”, who actually come out and cast their ballot, even a minor swing in votes could change fortunes.” The party has now set up 12 tables from where volunteers, who are not party members, can tweet minute-by-minute updates on election rallies. Since November 2013, the party has been extensively using SMSes, emails, Twitter and Facebook to garner support for various rallies. All his events are available LIVE on the YouTube.

A survey earlier this year had claimed that social media could influence the outcome in 160 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies, of which the maximum — 21 were from Maharashtra. A coincidental fact to support the claim, that social media could influence the outcome of election, is four of five state elections have been won by the BJP. We’ll watch and see the outcome in 2014, but certainly Social Media has contributed in the making of the brand “Modi”.

Reference : intelliassist.in

Why Invest in Social Media Marketing ?

Social Media in Human Resource

70% of recruiters now actively use and support the use of social media, and trust has grown significantly over the past two years, according to a research study from Penna Plc, a global HR Services Group.

An initial survey carried out in 2010 found that recruiters were largely suspicious of the benefits of social media, with 51% seeing it as ‘dangerous’ and feeling ‘uncomfortable’ using it. Two years later, this number has dropped to just 5%, and there are now an emerging group of ‘early adopters’ who are actively encouraging the use of social media to their peers. 45% of recruiters even classify themselves as ‘experts’, up from 23% in 2010.

Graeme Wright, Head of Strategy at Penna said, “It’s no surprise to hear that social media usage has increased among recruiters and HR professionals, but what’s interesting is the shift in attitudes towards it, from a general reticence or fear, to embracing and recommending. It’s clear that having a social media strategy is now considered ‘the norm’ within the industry.”

LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are the three most used social media channels among HR professionals and recruiters, with occasional use of blogs and videos. The research shows that whilst engagement with social media is increasing, recruitment and HR professionals have no plans to experiment with other forms of social media, which Graeme says “Suggests they would rather realise the full potential of the channels they are already using.” Conversely, 26% of employers are still trying to restrict Facebook access at work. This presents obvious practical challenges as Graeme explains, “ Employers are risking a disconnect with Generation Z, who do not see the need to separate work and social life - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, provided any policy is clear enough for the entire team to understand.”

The same applies to using social channels to access candidates. The report highlights an ongoing debate, with only 23% having a policy in place, which leads to confusion and a reluctance to use Facebook to research a candidate background for example, in case it constitutes gross misconduct. As a result over 60% say it is a “a concern that candidate information available online could get in the way of a fair recruitment process if used injudiciously”.

When it comes to making direct hires via social media, LinkedIn is highly regarded (12% say they have used it as a direct replacement for a consultant) and finding great talent. However there is still some confusion as to just how much this, along with other channels, can enhance recruitment practices and provide access to hard-to-reach groups. Graeme said, “Many respondents said they didn’t feel it helped them to reach anyone other than graduates, and the research showed it’s not used widely as an internal communication, or knowledge sharing, tool either. However, what is clearly understood is the link between social media presence and profile.”

In addition to using social media as a means of communicating directly to candidates and building profile, employers are also showing they place real importance on monitoring, as a means of understanding the landscape, competitor activity and what people are saying about their brand online. The research showed that monitoring employer reputation in social media is done most effectively by those in HR roles but that those using an external agency report very good results (91% said they monitor well). However, Graeme says monitoring rarely works well in isolation and that managing by actively getting involved in conversations and shaping discussions is the only way to build a solid reputation. “96% of respondents said that managing their reputation online is important, and 85% believe it would have a direct impact on the perception of them as an employer of choice. What presents a challenge is having the time to do both well, which is why external agencies are perceived positively by those we surveyed,” he said.

Overall, the research has shown that whilst social media usage is most certainly increasing, there are still areas of untapped potential, particularly when it comes to advertising, gathering insight, and knowledge sharing. Graeme adds, “Whilst the research shows recruiters are confident in their use of social media, their feedback shows they value external insight and support too. Sometimes, it can be a challenge finding the time to develop and implement a social media strategy, but companies like Penna can help. Social media, used wisely can actively improve your organisation and we’re committed to making this happen for our clients.”

Reference: digitalmarketingshow.co.uk

A recent case study : Pros and Cons of Social Media in General

Boston Blasts Show Two Sides of Social Media

On 16-April-13, when there was two explosions in Boston.Twitter users reacted fast to the explosions that ripped through the Boston Marathon Monday, but the incident also revealed how social media can only be so reliable in such situations.

Twitter spread news of the blasts quickly and was a useful communications tool for public authorities such as the Boston police and the marathon organizers. But information on social media sites can also be questionable or just plain inaccurate, noted Greg Sterling, senior analyst with Opus Research.

"It cuts both ways," Sterling said. "It allows you to get the information out more quickly, but it can also fan hysteria."

Two bombs exploded within 100 yards of each other near the marathon finish line on Monday afternoon. Police say two people were killed and dozens more injured. They have no suspects yet, and President Barack Obama has said it's not known yet if terrorists were involved.

The Boston Police Department's Twitter log showed a positive side of social media. It was updated minute by minute in the aftermath of the bombings, often with instructions about which areas to avoid, or information about where the most police officers might be stationed.

There was also misinformation, however. A report was circulated quickly on Twitter that police had shut down cellphone service in Boston to prevent detonation of further blasts, though it ultimately turned out to be inaccurate, according to network operators.

Others had nefarious intentions. At one point, a Twitter account with the handle @_BostonMarathon was promising to donate US$1 to victims of the blast for every one of its tweets that was retweeted. Users soon called it out as a fake, noting the real Twitter account for the Boston Marathon was @BostonMarathon.

That type of self-correction could be one of social media's strongest assets, said Karsten Weide, an analyst with IDC. There can be a lot of false or misleading content, but the nature of the service means that anyone, regardless of their credentials, can do some fact-checking.

Still, while Twitter is great at disseminating news fast, some see its value diminishing as time passes after an event. "Twitter does its best work in the first five minutes after a disaster, and its worst in the twelve hours after that," said one Twitter user, in a comment that was widely retweeted.

Twitter carried some graphic images of victims after the explosions, including blood-soaked sidewalks and people in the streets with severe injuries. One person urged users to focus on how to help rather than posting photos of victims.

Determining what's useful information and what crosses lines of decency or taste may come down to individual judgment, however. "There aren't really clear etiquette standards for using social media," said Sterling.

"As long as the event happens in a public space, there's no way to stop over-the-top or inappropriate information from getting out there," Weide said.

For sure, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites were a useful source of information for many tracking the events. Google set up a Person Finder, as it did after the Japan earthquake two years ago, to help people connect with friends and loved ones after the incident.

Not surprisingly, the hashtag #bostonmarathon spiked sharply almost immediately after the attacks, said Hashtags.org, and mentions of "Boston" soared on Facebook, reported analytics company Topsy.

Author of the Post: Zach Miners , Zach Miners covers social networking, search and general technology news for IDG News Service. 

Reference: computerworld.in 

The Impact of Social Media over Politics

A recent study said that social media will affect 160 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections. While some have strongly agreed with this figure, others have rubbished it saying that it is overhyped.

Both are missing the main point. While they talk of a high number of Twitter and Facebook users in these constituencies, it’s not just about direct, but more importantly indirect influence.

A few million people get together on social media every day and end up setting the agenda for the country. More often than not, this gets reflected on the TV channels. Anyone following news in India for the last few years will realize that at first social media trends were not taken that seriously, but now they are ending up deciding the lead stories of TV channels along with becoming the discussion points of endless panels.

The same is the case with newspapers. They are not immune to the influence of Twitter and Facebook. It is the TV channels and newspapers together which end up influencing almost all the constituencies.

Every journalist in India is affected by social media. Either he or she is on it, fighting an intense battle to maintain credibility and make a mark, or watching from the sidelines. Either way, they are influenced. While some are swayed by online trends, others attack it with such intensity that it often backfires.

You can love it or hate it, but nobody can ignore social media.

Take Section 66A. Most people in the rural areas probably haven’t even heard of it and even if they have, they couldn’t care less. They hardly use the Internet. But all the arrests that have taken place under it have been high profile.

Almost everyone knows that there is some law under which people are arrested for voicing their views on the Internet. This smacks of Emergency and has contributed to be big factor in the arrogant and dictatorial perception of the ruling government.

A lot of news websites have also come up in the last few years which seem refreshingly different from the MSM and in some part reflect the opinion of blogs and social media trends.

Another important factor is that now it is impossible for the mainstream media to boycott certain news items as they used to in the past. Take the case of the hate speech of MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi. There were absolutely no ripples on mainstream media for days after he made the speech.

It was viewed extensively on YouTube and then Twitter picked it up and refused to let go of it. In the end, the MSM was forced to give it good coverage and subsequently a case was filed. This is not an isolated case, but a general trend where social media is dictating media coverage.

Another case in point is Rahul Gandhi. He came, he spoke and the MSM journalists gushed as if he was the greatest speaker of the century. If this was something that happened 15 years back, then Rahul would have been declared India’s greatest orator.

But Pappu was totally ripped apart in cyberspace and even was crowned Feku, a title that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi held for some mere hours.

The same is the case with Modi. There was Godhra in 2002 along with his first victory in the Assembly elections. Modi saw another high in 2007 and a low in 2009, when the Congress managed to snatch 11 LS seats from the BJP bastion.

But why has Modi reached iconic status on the Internet in the last couple of years?

The truth is that we have the Anna Hazare movement in 2011 and the subsequent anti-rape agitations. While such movements have ebbed up and down offline, online, there has been a continuous battle against the Congress.

For the last two years as the scams have been coming and every Congress leader has been showing his arrogance one by one; status messages, pages, hashtags, funny pictures, cartoons, blogs and spoofs have been attacking the Congress non-stop.

It has been one long Cyberspace versus Congress battle that has been raging for some time now. The BJP have taken advantage of this and have definitely not engineered it, an aspect that is lost on many journalists and Congress sympathizers.

Again, if there is so much angst against the Congress, then there has to be some beneficiary and the biggest one just happens to be Modi. It’s been a matter of chance actually.

So the social media has won big time. Now even the MSM, which at one stage kept asking him to step down as CM, is the biggest discussion board for his PM ambitions.

There are constituencies that have a high number of Facebook and Twitter users that will result in a direct impact in voting. But much much larger is the indirect influence the social media will have in all the Lok Sabha constituencies of India.

Author : Bangalore based Journalist Sunil Rajguru
Reference: http://www.sify.com/news