Read Matthew Marshall’s original blog post here: https://blogs.ubc.ca/matthewmarshall2/2013/10/08/cisco-takes-social-media-seriously/

Cisco, The Human Network (1)

In effort to gain better knowledge of their customer base, Cisco launched a Social Media Listening Center at its headquarter in October 2012. With the establishment of this listening center, Cisco had a 281% return on investment over a 5 month period.  Moreover, staff productivity was improved: They processed customer inquiries and concerns in a efficient and timely manner. Furthermore, Cisco recognized the value of social media and its remarkable ability to reach out to a large audience.

The transformation of Cisco’s marketing strategy heavily adopts principles of  inbound marketing, a practice of online marketing that uses various social media channels, and blogs to publish content that people will easily find and engage with. The industry giant of 67,000 employees and an annual revenue of $48.6 billion, monitor over 70 company related Facebook pages, 100 Twitter accounts. With over 5000 daily social media mentions, Cisco successfully reaches enterprise goals by incorporating online content production into their brand building.

In my opinion, Cisco’s heavy investment and emphasis on inbound marketing is an excellent low-cost solution to touch base with its large customer base. The company is able to convey its customer-centric brand value through their content. Inbound marketing is also an incredibly personable approach as it allows customers to share content, engage in materials produced, and be in direct contact with the company. Like the message in the commercial above, inbound marketing allows Cisco to make intimate connections with its consumers in a seemingly large world.

References:
(1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DarN3jvzP94