about me

Tim Ebner - Digital Marketing Consultant

Tim Ebner – Digital Marketing Consultant

Lost in a social firestorm? Desperate about this digital stuff? I can help.

Firestorms can be a chance. Digital marketing can be planned success. Social media communications can be exciting. This is my belief, and that’s why I am blogging about it.

How my blog benefits you

My name is Tim Ebner and I am blogging about digital trends, social media, online law and social media firestorms. I will provide you with tips about:

  • well thought-out digital marketing,
  • innovative social media communications,
  • legal online-traps
  • and modern crisis communications.

I am intentionally saying modern, because classical and dusty crisis communications differ from what is working well in times of social media. This is why I want to inform about this. Are you interested in a journey through the world of digital communications with a twist? You are welcome to subscribe my newsletter on the right and to follow me on Twitter.

Yes, it’s true: I like social firestorms.

You have read correctly: Social media firestorms are my passion. Yes, that’s a bit weird, I agree. What made me liking social media firestorms? Well, many of them are about environmental protection. Such a case happened when I was member of a team launching a congress about responsible consumption. Greenpeace mobilized a Jedi assault on Facebook against the alleged Sith of the car industry: Our former partner Volkswagen.

I was sort caught between between two fronts and suddenly realized, how interesting this position is: Consumers want to take responsibility, as users they do it in the form of social media firestorms. It is just about time for companies to learn how they can use this potential for themselves and to understand social media firestorms as a chance. I was more and more enthusiastic about this topic and this is why I planned to find out more about the causes of social media firestorms in my diploma thesis.

My diploma thesis in a nutshell, or: How social media firestorms work

Social media firestorms are complex processes. However, some patterns can still be explained shortly. On the one hand, my diploma thesis showed that my assumption was right. The users really argue for environmental protection because this topic is important for them. They want to get awareness for this topic with severe comments. On the other hand, I could uncover even more about the backgrounds of social media firestorms.

There are more values like environmental protection letting users go on the warpath online, namely:

  • Intact products,
  • helpful service,
  • family & kids,
  • religion,
  • career,
  • the privacy of one’s home,
  • animal protection,
  • economy & society,
  • individualism,
  • health
  • authenticity
  • and many other values more, as you can read in the German Werte-Index 2016.

Moreover, there are technical causes of social media firestorms:

  • seeding,
  • brand strength
  • and the transfer of others’ scandals on your brand (spillover).

The following factors determine, how huge the social media firestorm will be (so called moderators):

  • media coverage,
  • the reaction of the affected person, brand or organization
  • and the current trust of the public in the affected person, brand or organization.

The reaction of social media users can be expected to be more intense, if some scandals have happened previously to the associated person, brand or organization. In comparison, the ones who promoting good causes can face milder social media reactions.

If you want to know more… 

… I am also available for workshops, sessions & consulting projects. I am consultant since 2013. If you are looking for support for digital marketing, social media or shitstorms, your are welcome to contact me. And if you just want to have chat, you are welcome to tweet with me. Finally, I have some stiff references and a formal dislaimer for you: This blog reflects my private opinion.

And now have fun reading my blog. Cheers!

references

self-written

interviews & quotes:

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