Posts Tagged ‘social media’

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Facebook Places Puts The Pressure On Foursquare, Google Maps

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

2010 has been a big year for Facebook. Thanks to the introduction of an open graphAPI and the ability to “Like” almost anything on the web (not to mention a new movie coming out this fall), the social media giant has proved that it has the drive and the capacity to rule the digital landscape as we know it. And this week, Facebook launched a new location-based service that challenges the niche markets of startups like Foursquare, as well as the Maps arm of corporations like Google.

Facebook Places is a service that allows users to “check in” to restaurants, bars, retail stores and other local hotspots to share their location with friends. There are three main goals behind the introduction of Places, according to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg:

1. Share where you are in a social way
2. See who is around you
3. Discover cool new places to visit in the future

When a user checks in to a specific location, the update appears on the Place page for that venue, and is posted to the person’s own wall. One interesting aspect of the service, which we haven’t seen in other location-based offerings, is that Places allows you to check your friends in to the location you’re at, as well. However, if you aren’t into the idea of other people checking in for you, you can tweak your privacy settings to opt out of this entirely. Facebook put up a post on it’s blog with more details on the service.

Now that the service is live, the big question is how this is going to impact brands that exist on the platform of social location-based offerings. As opposed to the small niche services, the advantage for Facebook is that it maintains a database of more than 500 million loyal users who are familiar with the brand and how it works. Will people who check into Facebook Places still feel the need to check into Foursquare, as well?

And as a challenger of Google Maps, Facebook’s social component has the draw that no stand-alone map can live up to. While Google Maps aims to provide as much information about a place as possible, it doesn’t have the capability of also telling users who is there.

The verdict is out as to whether Facebook Places means the end of Foursquare and Gowalla as we know them, or if it will simply force these startups to look at other options to differentiate their product. Regardless, the introduction of Places is just one more way that Facebook is proving its place as leader in the social web.

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Optimizing Your Twitter Presence

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

As the world continues its transition to the digital space, the majority of companies have realized that social media is an essential piece of the marketing puzzle, Twitter being a key player. The site has experienced exponential growth over the past couple years, with 23.5 million unique visitors per month being reported in February 2010. While Twitter still has a long way to go to catch up to Facebook, it has proven itself as a powerful force in the world of real-time communications.

In order to take advantage of all it has to offer, we’ve come up with a key list of tools below:

Personalizing Your Presence

  • In addition to maintaining a wide database of pre-made Twitter wallpapers that you can simply select to install on your account, Twitbacks also allows you to customize a background of your own. This website specializes in helping you create backgrounds featuring a left-hand column that may include your social networks, links, photos, an extended bio, phone number and more.
  • MyTweetSpace is a user-friendly site that offers badges, fancy graphics and themes to help you personalize your Twitter presence. The standard backgrounds with badges are available for $5. In addition, the site offers backgrounds specifically customized for your business for a $79 fee.

Growing Your Account

  • Known as the “Twitter Yellow Pages,” Twellow allows you to search for people on Twitter in specific categories, such as: Real Estate, Green, Football, Teachers, Fashion Design, etc. You can also register yourself on the site and select the category, or categories, that you fit in best.
  • Nearby Tweets is a fun application that enables you to plug in your city, and see who is tweeting in your geographical area. While the standard public Twitter stream is bombarded with up to 12 million tweets per minute, Nearby Tweets gives you a microscopic view of who is saying what in your own community.

Platforms

Tweetdeck for desktop

  • Tweetdeck is a popular Twitter publishing application that is available in both desktop and mobile versions. Having just topped 15 million downloads as of July 2010, theservice sends out approximately 4 million tweets and status updates every day. The value in Tweetdeck comes in the ability to customize your personal Twitter experience by creating different columns, groups, scheduled tweets and searches.
  • Formerly Tweetlater.com, Social Oomph is a desktop-based application that is preferred by many due to the extensive number of features that it offers. The free version includes: scheduled tweets, keyword tracking, direct message inbox purging, extended Twitter profiles and the ability to save and reuse message drafts.

Analytics

  • Twitalyzer is a free service that provides a high-level overview of where you fall in the Twitter-scape and how you are making an impact. When you sign in using your Twitter account information, the site generates a report that shows you your impact, engagement, clout, retweet ratio, follower statistics, personality and more. Twitalyzer also provides a section with recommendations for you to create a bigger impact on the site.
  • TweetStats is a tool that allows you to take a broad look at how many tweets you are sending out monthly, daily and hourly, going back to the first tweet you sent during your first month on Twitter. Once you plug in your username, you will be provided with graphs and tweet clouds that offer an inside look into how you are using Twitter.

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Leveraging Your LinkedIn Profile

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

Did you know that a new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second?

LinkedIn is a popular social networking site for those seeking to learn about new job opportunities, to connect with co-workers, to research companies in their industry and to find the right people who can help advance their business goals. A LinkedIn profile is based around your resume and the platform of the network is concentrated on the magnitude of professional relationships. LinkedIn offers an advanced view of how your network is laid out and the breadth it carries, making it easy to find people who are connected to you by only two or three degrees of separation.

There are many tools that LinkedIn offers far beyond simply signing up and adding your job title. If you haven’t recently taken the time to explore LinkedIn, below are some additional ways that you can leverage your presence on this growing social network:

  • Take time to thoroughly fill out your profile

A LinkedIn profile that is 100% complete will vastly improve your personal SEO. For many people, a LinkedIn profile is the first result that pops up when you Google their name, leading this to be the first impression that anyone researching you will see. A complete profile includes a photo, professional summary, education, three of your most recent positions and three recommendations from your contacts.

  • Join relevant Groups

There are hundreds of Groups on LinkedIn for every interest, industry, hobby and expertise. Some Groups are open to the public, while others require an administrator to approve you to be a member. Explore the options on the Groups Directory to find those that are relevant to you. If you can’t find a Group that is just the right fit, you can even start your own and invite other contacts to join.

  • Participate in Group discussions to stay engaged

LinkedIn Groups feature a discussion tab in which you are invited to pose questions to fellow members, advise fellow professionals and even learn about new business opportunities. This is also an outlet for you to ask questions of your own, interact with others in your industry and expand your network. If you come across someone in a Group who could be an asset to your work or your business, don’t be afraid to reach out and add them as a connection. Send a personal message with your invitation and pat yourself on the back for being proactive in expanding your network.

  • Don’t automatically delete the weekly update emails

All profile and status updates are automatically aggregated into a weekly update email that’s sent to all your connections. These emails provide an inside look into what your network is doing, what groups they’re joining, who they’ve added as contacts and what new positions they may have taken on. Gain valuable face-time in front of your LinkedIn contacts by updating your profile on a regular basis and answering questions posed by connections or Groups.

  • Share content and news

We often look to our connections on Twitter, Facebook and Google Reader for news and updates. LinkedIn should be considered among these as a resource for business news and highlights from people in your network. Share blog posts, industry news articles, job queries, and upcoming events you’re planning to attend. You can also link your Twitter or Facebook updates to automatically update LinkedIn, but be wary of oversharing information that may be seen as spam on this professional network.

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Posted in Marketing, media, social media | 12 Comments »

Should Interns Run Social Media Campaigns?

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Incorporating social media into your marketing efforts is essential in this digital world. While some businesses have decided to embark on this on their own, by assigning the task to their marketing department, others have turned to what they consider to be the most cost-effective solution – hiring a summer intern.

From the perspective of the Gen Y population, a “deep understanding of social media” or “experience launching viral digital campaigns” is what they do on a daily basis – updating their Twitter statuses every 5 minutes or creating new groups on Facebook.

Source: Business Insider

Image: Business Insider

Sure, these students may claim they are “Social Media Experts” because they know how to upload a YouTube video or follow a Twitter hashtag. But, they may not possess the essential communication skills and strategy experience that are required to move your social media efforts forward.

Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of hiring a college intern or relying on rather than sticking with an external agency.

Pros

· If you are looking to bring on talent at the end of the summer, a summer intern is a great excuse to give someone a trial run before handing over a contract

· Summer interns can provide valuable insight if you are launching a campaign or your company target market is the 18-24 age group

· Low budget

Cons

· College students know how to chat with their friends on Twitter, but they often forget the purposes of managing this for a company rather than for fun

· Students may not be committed to your company the same way that an agency is, especially if they are not getting paid or receiving minimal compensation

· Agencies have worked with numerous companies with various needs, therefore they have familiar with best practices and understand what works better than someone who has only played with social media for personal purposes

· Summer interns require quite a bit of training to educate them on your company’s messages and core values

Interns are great assets for any business, but after you have spent numerous hours, endless effort, and invested valuable resources on building your brand online, it can be risky to leave a public media channel open to someone who is unfamiliar of the foundation of your company. Social media is your company’s face to the world. Make sure you know this face, and most importantly, that the face knows you and your company.

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Strategy, media, social media | 2 Comments »

What’s going on with Facebook?

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

facebook_icon

Over the past few years, Facebook has been an object of wonder, entertainment, connection, and, more recently, scrutiny. Today, the social media giant claims to have 400 million active users, half of which are logging on to the site on a daily basis. That’s a whole lot of private information stored on a single site. If you’re confused as to what exactly has been going on with Facebook lately and why there are so many privacy concerns popping up, we have broken down some of the recent changes and key points for you below.

Privacy Opens Up

In December 2009, Facebook made a major shift that led all user information to be public by default. If users didn’t update their privacy settings, all new updates and photos would be shared to the entire internet. Many pondered if this change was to keep up with other real-time, social media sites such as Twitter.

F8

It’s more than just a keyboard command. The latest f8 conference held in San Francisco in April was announced with the mission to “bring together the developers and entrepreneurs who are building the social Web by moving fast, taking risks, and hacking traditional systems.” At the conference, developers unveiled an array of new features, such as:

  • A “Like” button for popular websites such as NYTimes.com, CNN.com and IMDb. When you “like” an article or post on these sites, it will show up on your friend’s news feeds.
  • Instant personalization so that partner websites can cater to your personal interests and style based on information found on your Facebook profile.*
  • The new Graph API platform, which changed the way developers read and write data to Facebook. Sites can now get real-time updates every time a user adds a connection or posts on a wall.

Guidelines and Glitches

Just days after the f8 conference, complaints about privacy started pouring in, specifically from four U.S. senators who asked the FTC to set privacy rules for social networks. Public interest groups also filed complaints with the FTC, pushing to restore privacy of personal information.

Then, in the beginning of May, a glitch in the system opened up private chats to all of a user’s friends. In a New York Times article, one user was quoted saying, “Facebook has become more scary than fun.”

Crisis

An interview that Facebook’s Vice President Elliot Schrage participated in to try and calm user concerns ended up backfiring and stirring up even more discontent. Today (May 13), Facebook will hold a crisis meeting in an effort to create a plan to regain user trust while pacifying the concerns expressed by political organizations. According to this infographic demonstrating the history of Facebook’s default settings, they have a lot of work on their plate. What do you think? Are the critics right or are people over-exaggerating?

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Posted in media | 2 Comments »

Blogging for Business

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Until recently, blogging was seen as more of an extracurricular activity rather than a corporate marketing tool. However, in the age of SEO and thought leadership, blogging can now be an effective and fun way to promote your company, share recent events and create a platform on which to share your personality.

A mediabistro Blogging panel that we recently attended got us thinking about what we value in a corporate blog and how one can be leveraged to promote marketing efforts. Below are some tips if you are looking to start or grow your blog:

  • Streamline your content. Select a clear and consistent messaging strategy that is in line with your company’s industry and communications goals. Consider what those interested in your schedulecompany may want to learn more about and how you can promote your company’s expertise through insightful, related content.
  • Create a posting schedule. The most frequently visited blogs are those that are constantly refreshed with new information to keep readers engaged and interested. Whether you decide to post twice a week or every day, create a schedule and stick to it.
  • Vary post lengths and styles. You don’t have to write a 1,000-word, research-heavy article every time you update your blog. It’s ok to incorporate quick thought pieces with longer, thought-provoking posts. If you’re so inclined, you can also add videos and photos to spice things up and add life to your blog.
  • Talk to your readers. While it’s important to keep in mind that you’re representing a company on a corporate blog, it’s also nice to know that there’s an actual person behind the words. Make sure your blog has a space for readers to comment. Use the comment section to build a relationship with your readers by responding to their questions and thanking them for reading.
  • Be an authority. Any blog, especially one you are using to enhance your company’s online presence, is the perfect place for you to demonstrate that you are an authority in your industry. Write with confidence and stay on topic.

If you want to check out some companies that are doing a great job at corporate blogging, here is a list of 15 blogs that are on the right path. Enjoy and good luck!

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Posted in Branding, Marketing, Strategy, media | No Comments »

#4sqday

Monday, April 19th, 2010

A year ago, we never imagined that there would be an entire day dedicated to a social media application. However, Foursquare Day, which took place last Friday, April 16, was the driver for more than 150 parties across the globe, celebrity swarm appearances (Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore stopped by the NYC event at Hotel on Rivington) and special offerings at hundreds of businesses in locations from Mumbai to Miami.

The origins of Foursquare Day are a true tribute to the power of social media. The idea was generated by an optometrist named Nate Bonilla-Warford, who mused on an open forum that because the number four squared equals sixteen, 4/16 would be the perfect day to celebrate the Foursquare phenomenon. With only three weeks to prepare and market the concept, Foursquare Day became official and was launched globally.

The impact of Foursquare Day? On Friday, there were 550,000 total check-ins on the mobile location-based application (adding up to 9 check-ins per second at peak) and 20,000 new users signed up for the free service. Even people who had never heard of Foursquare or hadn’t the slightest idea how or why they would use it could be found waiting in line for the rooftop parties and spillover events. Talk about a shining moment for the Foursquare founders and hard-working team.

Check out pictures from the events across the world on Flickr or on the Foursquare Day Facebook fan page.

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What Metrics Can You Use to Determine Your Campaign’s Success?

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

When you are trying to determine how successful your campaign will be or is, you must first determine what metrics makes the most sense for your specific needs. These metrics may be in the form of either quantitative or qualitative measurement. Quantitative metrics can be used to track and measure your results in social media based on pure numbers; followers/fans, tweets, etc. You can view results immediately by tracking the increasing number of fans or followers participating in your campaign. Tracking analytics that show click-through rates will determine how effective your campaign has been at converting those fans to consumers.ad-metrics-facebook1

While sales are often the main goal, it is important to remember the value of increased viewership to your site. Although they may not be immediately converted, you may have sparked the interest of a new visitor, causing them to return to your site, and thus increasing the chances of a purchase.

The qualitative results of a social media campaign are the customer engagement and brand awareness you build. What direct interaction with your consumers allows is trust building and feedback. Products and services can be shaped by this feedback and thus produce a positive return. What you do with the quantitative results of a campaign, your fans followers and site visits, is just as important as the numbers.

Qualitative metrics, also known as user-generated content, is in fact measuring the word-of-mouth marketing your brand is receiving. Often times, this is the main factor in a purchasing decision. With social media being the new word-of-mouth, using social media for marketing is one of the most effective marketing tools. This organic conversation about a product and/or brand is viewed as unbiased genuine opinion from consumers and holds great value in the marketplace.

Whether you’re looking to track numbers or create brand loyalty, quantitative and qualitative measurement has the same goal: increase sales. Each is important, but what’s more important is to know how you will define success.

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Objectives of Online Marketing

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Determining your objectives sounds simple. But do you really know what you want? Success only comes after you’ve taken the steps to get there. You want people to recognize, trust, and choose your brand. On top of that, you want consumers coming back for more. Online marketing campaigns can help you reach your objectives; whether those goals are brand recognition, customer engagement, lead generation, or increased traffic to your website.

Online Marketing - Connected Computers

The swoosh, golden arches, and apple are just a few examples of how companies have effectively built their image in our minds. Strong branding allows your brand to stand out among competitors. Through online marketing, you increase your view to consumers, prominently displaying your brand’s message and engaging them. With the need for transparency being a priority today more than ever before, online marketing is one of many avenues used to remain present in your consumer’s everyday life.

Businesses have three main objectives: make money, save money, and build brand equity. Having access to consumers at your fingertips, literally, will allow you to make an impression on your target audience in real time, actively generate and convert leads, and act in a more cost-effective manner than when utilizing traditional marketing techniques; thus maintaining the main objectives.

As Social Media has taken the stage with many brands, coordinating between your company’s Traditional Online Media and Social Media aims can be confusing. Social should be viewed as online PR coupled with brand management, engagement and active advertising and messaging. When defining your goals or strategy, engage a mediator that will help you keep on target while educating you on key concepts that you or your company may be unfamiliar with. Also, keep in mind that there are both Quantitative and Qualitative metrics within online Media and Social Engagement. They vary by industry and company – you’ll want to define them as a baseline for your projects.

Obtaining your objectives, once you have clearly defined what they are, can be a simple process. If your online marketing campaign raises brand awareness, generates leads, converts leads, or engages your consumers, then you have met your metrics for success.

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The Power of Online: 2010 Marketing Trends

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

2010 is the year that online marketing trends really take off. Businesses, moms, companies, vendors, consumers are all out there cruising the web. Twitter, Facebook, Google, iPhone apps, Bogs, YouTube: are the new vernacular and everybody using it and doing it. If you are out to market your goods, turn on your computer and get to work.

With real time benefits, more interaction and connectivity, and audience engagement, online marketing has become more hands on than ever before. For the first time, business can begin to understand their audience in an up close and personal manner. Who they are, where they spend their time online and how they spend their money–and use that knowledge to create strategy accordingly. Business have already started to employ SEO, RSS syndication, bookmarking, pull marketing, and audience sourcing through Social Media platforms to get their products/services directly to their market.

It is important to remember, although marketing is taking a turn to digital, creating synergy between online and traditional campaigns is still crucial to effectively reaching your marketing aspirations. By employing traditional techniques like using a consistent brand and message identity across all channels and understanding objectives and metrics, utilizing these tools to the online sphere will boost any marketing campaign.

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