Ask-Me-Anythings (AMAs): A Dangerous Yet Powerful Tool
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The concept of an ask-me-anything (AMAs) was started back in the late 90s, largely within the romance/dating niche.
We have since seen AMAs become a vital and effective part of the seller/buyer relationship.
We haven’t really had this much access to brands that once seemed so elevated above the masses.
It is the 2022 version of “writing a strongly worded letter” to obtain additional info, voice your grievances, or for some a chance for fans to let it rip.
The only thing better than a good AMA is a bad AMA.
For some context, Steven Seagal hosted an AMA as a way to promote his upcoming movie, CODE OF HONOR. Within ~30 minutes of the AMA going live, Seagal was nowhere to be found. Perhaps for good reason as the AMA was filled with Redditors flaming him relentlessly.
It was fantastic, glorious, funny, cringe, and an indicator that AMAs are dangerous, yet powerful tools in the wrong hands.
Check out the full thread for some comedic gold.
https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/4i0jso/i_am_actor_steven_seagal_live_from_thailand_ama/
As I mentioned, AMAs are dangerous, yet powerful. They can be weapons for peace, community/trust-building, and a fantastic way to connect with fans.
As long as you:
- Define a purpose/focus for the AMA
Have a purpose that extends beyond just promoting a new movie or upcoming product. Are you looking to actually connect with fans and give them a platform to express their thoughts? Fan engagement is a give and take. Give before you take.
2. Prepare for tough questions
Steven Seagal was a bit of a meme far before this AMA. Reddit is a platform notorious for accepting negative amounts of bullshit and promotion. It was a perfect storm for some powerful flaming to ensue. Make sure you are prepared to field tough questions and construct a tone that would permit constructive conversation.
As they say, self-deprecation is one of the most effective ways to end bullying. Seagal could have perhaps leaned into that to win them over.
3. Don’t dodge questions if possible
Seagal left after 20 minutes. While it was probably the right move, that meant he couldn’t address real questions. Generally, try not to provide fluff answers and media-trained responses to real concerns (wherever permitted of course.
4. Pre/post promote
Like any virtual or physical event, promotion is key. Announce it ahead of time, promote it across channels, and make sure your audience has accurate expectations of what the AMA is about.
5. Segment valuable questions and be sure to address them.
You might need a way to segment the shit from the gold. Define a way that fans can get their questions answered. Upvotes, token votings, first-come-first-serve, etc. Make it clear.
Connect. Like Really. Connect.
This is your chance to connect with your buyers, users, audience, etc. in a real way. Give them the floor.
Over-promotion can be sniffed out and attempting to use the medium as an opp to push a narrative is risky and not recommended.
If you are looking for a place to host an AMA, we have just the thing at Liquiditeam.
Our core product LT Fan Platform has an AMA feature where users can submit questions and use tokens to upvote their favorites.
Here is an AMA we just launched to show you the mechanics and answer some questions at the same time:
Check out the platform and if you have come this far, reference Steven Seagal in your question and I will personally answer it.
