Archive for the ‘Social Media’ Category
Thursday, April 1st, 2010
The following is a repost from Chris Brogan’s Blog from almost two years ago. I know, I know, a couple of years on the internet is like ancient history. However, if you haven’t started using twitter or are struggling to see the relevance, this contains some great information and it’s well worth the repost several years later. So without further ado . . .
We really can’t deny the fact that businesses are testing out Twitter as part of their steps into the social media landscape. You can say it’s a stupid application, that no business gets done there, but there are too many of us (including me) that can disagree and point out business value. I’m not going to address the naysayers much with this. Instead, I’m going to offer 50 thoughts for people looking to use Twitter for business. And by “business,” I mean anything from a solo act to a huge enterprise customer.
Your mileage may vary, and that’s okay. Further, you might have some really great ideas to add. Jump right in!
50 Ideas on Using Twitter for Business
First Steps
- Build an account and immediate start using Twitter Search to listen for your name, your competitor’s names, words that relate to your space. (Listening always comes first.)
- Add a picture. ( Shel reminds us of this.) We want to see you.
- Talk to people about THEIR interests, too. I know this doesn’t sell more widgets, but it shows us you’re human.
- Point out interesting things in your space, not just about you.
- Share links to neat things in your community. ( @wholefoods does this well).
- Don’t get stuck in the apology loop. Be helpful instead. ( @jetblue gives travel tips.)
- Be wary of always pimping your stuff. Your fans will love it. Others will tune out.
- Promote your employees’ outside-of-work stories. ( @TheHomeDepot does it well.)
- Throw in a few humans, like RichardAtDELL, LionelAtDELL, etc.
- Talk about non-business, too, like @astrout and @jstorerj from Mzinga.
Ideas About WHAT to Tweet
- Instead of answering the question, “What are you doing?”, answer the question, “What has your attention?”
- Have more than one twitterer at the company. People can quit. People take vacations. It’s nice to have a variety.
- When promoting a blog post, ask a question or explain what’s coming next, instead of just dumping a link.
- Ask questions. Twitter is GREAT for getting opinions.
- Follow interesting people. If you find someone who tweets interesting things, see who she follows, and follow her.
- Tweet about other people’s stuff. Again, doesn’t directly impact your business, but makes us feel like you’re not “that guy.”
- When you DO talk about your stuff, make it useful. Give advice, blog posts, pictures, etc.
- Share the human side of your company. If you’re bothering to tweet, it means you believe social media has value for human connections. Point us to pictures and other human things.
- Don’t toot your own horn too much. (Man, I can’t believe I’m saying this. I do it all the time. – Side note: I’ve gotta stop tooting my own horn).
- Or, if you do, try to balance it out by promoting the heck out of others, too.
Some Sanity For You
- You don’t have to read every tweet.
- You don’t have to reply to every @ tweet directed to you (try to reply to some, but don’t feel guilty).
- Use direct messages for 1-to-1 conversations if you feel there’s no value to Twitter at large to hear the conversation ( got this from @pistachio).
- Use services like Twitter Search to make sure you see if someone’s talking about you. Try to participate where it makes sense.
- 3rd party clients like Tweetdeck and Twhirl make it a lot easier to manage Twitter.
- If you tweet all day while your coworkers are busy, you’re going to hear about it.
- If you’re representing clients and billing hours, and tweeting all the time, you might hear about it.
- Learn quickly to use the URL shortening tools like TinyURL and all the variants. It helps tidy up your tweets.
- If someone says you’re using twitter wrong, forget it. It’s an opt out society. They can unfollow if they don’t like how you use it.
- Commenting on others’ tweets, and retweeting what others have posted is a great way to build community.
The Negatives People Will Throw At You
- Twitter takes up time.
- Twitter takes you away from other productive work.
- Without a strategy, it’s just typing.
- There are other ways to do this.
- As Frank hears often, Twitter doesn’t replace customer service (Frank is @comcastcares and is a superhero for what he’s started.)
- Twitter is buggy and not enterprise-ready.
- Twitter is just for technonerds.
- Twitter’s only a few million people. (only)
- Twitter doesn’t replace direct email marketing.
- Twitter opens the company up to more criticism and griping.
Some Positives to Throw Back
- Twitter helps one organize great, instant meetups (tweetups).
- Twitter works swell as an opinion poll.
- Twitter can help direct people’s attention to good things.
- Twitter at events helps people build an instant “backchannel.”
- Twitter breaks news faster than other sources, often (especially if the news impacts online denizens).
- Twitter gives businesses a glimpse at what status messaging can do for an organization. Remember presence in the 1990s?
- Twitter brings great minds together, and gives you daily opportunities to learn (if you look for it, and/or if you follow the right folks).
- Twitter gives your critics a forum, but that means you can study them.
- Twitter helps with business development, if your prospects are online (mine are).
- Twitter can augment customer service. (but see above)
What else would you add? How are you using Twitter for your business?
Tags: Business, Chris Brogan, marketing strategies, Twitter
Posted in Social Media | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Businesses are all a buzz about social media. “Gotta have social media!” Maybe you’ve seen the commercials with twitter and facebook icons? Or driven down the road and seen billboards with these same icons? Or people chatting in the coffee shops? It seems to be all over the place and everyone is on a social network. But what are they doing? Is it just a waste of my time? or will it make a difference in my business to be online?
What are people actually doing on social networks? We could probably sit and chat all day about what people are doing. No two people’s activity is going to be the same. With all the networks and their various applications; we are literally bombarded with activities, requests, and messages from these sites. I know people who sit all day and play the games on facebook, or sit and read and reply to twitter posts for hours, or send status updates about everything they do on facebook. Are these really the most effective ways to be using this medium? That’s a great question and one only you can answer for yourself. Do you have time to do these tasks? What do you want to get out of your social network? Are you using it for personal purposes, business, or both?
These social platforms can become a complete time sink or they can be the best thing that has ever happened to your business. It’s all up to you and how effective your strategy is. If you haven’t got one yet, go ahead, create an account and spend some time just cruising the networks, see what people are saying, doing, being. And then take some time to think about your business goals. How could your business goals be enhanced by using twitter? facebook? linkedin? youtube? or one of the numerous other networks out there? There are different cultures on each of these platforms and what information and how the information is presented may appeal to different groups on each of these. How can you leverage that? How can you make your message stand out?
Find a way to integrate your goals with your activity on your networks. Make sure you can monitor the activity your social network produces surrounding your business strategy. I like Google analytics, but there are plenty of other ways to monitor this. Do some research, listen to the conversation on the internet, ask trusted friends, or call us. We are always ready to help you put together the right strategy.
Maybe the best thing about these networks, you can put in as much time or as little time into these worlds as you want and if you make a mistake, it’s ok. You acknowledge it, re-evaluate your strategy and move forward. No one is going to hold it against you. It’s a new medium and we are all students and someday teachers. We’ll appreciate your integrity and value your connection just a bit more.
So what are you waiting for? I know you’ve got something to say! Say it, do it, be it . . . go!
Tags: Business Strategy, Facebook, Linkedin, Social Media, Social Network, Twitter
Posted in Social Media | No Comments »
Friday, January 15th, 2010
I don’t know about you . . . but I have to admit something . . . I have not even thought about utilizing my local SCORE chapter. . . until now.
I recently won a social media contest through SCORE which gave me a ticket to their big social media learning event. I’ve learned a lot about social media in the “recent” past, but it is always good to refresh and to stay current with the latest trends, after all, in this business they change overnight!
Before I go any further, I want to thank Maryanne Weiss, Chairman of the Greater Phoenix SCORE (otherwise known as GPS), John Adam Kowalski who Mc’ed the event, all the fantastic speakers and experts, and of course the volunteers who all worked very hard to make this event possible! Thank you all for your effort! Yes, I won a ticket, but that doesn’t mean that I have an obligation to SCORE or anyone else at the event in terms of what I have already and am about to share.
As a business owner, it is not always easy to find the time to attend workshops and seminars no matter how important they are to you or your business’s growth. But as I am passionate about internet marketing and of course, the FREE ticket, I felt compelled to attend. What I found was a very well thought-out program with LOTS of meat. The speakers were quite knowledgeable and it was obvious that they truly want to help businesses THRIVE! The layout of the program felt intuitive, kept my attention, and provided the participants with a wealth of information on social media. I actually couldn’t believe that the first day went by so quickly. The event was held at EVIT, East Valley Institute of Technology, a truly remarkable facility. Not only was a group of high school students who attend EVIT present for the seminar, but another group of these awesome kiddos made and served our delicious lunch! (If these students are any indication of our future leaders, we can all rest easy!)
If you did not have to luxury of attending this important event, they did record the event and I believe it will be distributed at a later date, check with GPS for more on that.
The SCORE volunteers had a plethora of information including brochures, newsletters, and various other handouts, which of course, I grabbed one of each. And as I have begun perusing their materials I can’t help but wonder why I haven’t contacted them sooner? They offer some great services and everything except their workshops and seminars are FREE!!!!! Here is an excerpt from their website,”SCORE counselors provide you with in-depth, industry-specific business assistance to help evaluate a business idea or plan, resolve business problems, stimulate business growth and ensure long-term stability.”
So if you have a business, are starting a business or even considering starting one, please USE this resource! My guess is that you won’t be disappointed!
Tags: Greater Phoenix SCORE, SCORE, Small business, small business counseling, Social Media
Posted in Social Media | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
1. Social Networking is Just for Kids
It was only recently that the majority of social networking sites were full of unscrupulous teenagers whose music blared with each downloaded page. While there are still plenty of teens and tweens cruising the net, social networks have grown considerably in a short amount of time. According to iStrategyLabs, the age group with the most users on Facebook is 35-54. The 55+ group is growing at a whopping 513.7%! So you tell me . . . Is social networking just for kids?
2. Social Media is for Reconnecting with Old Friends
With Facebook’s massive influx of followers and with all the buzz surrounding the site, it’s no wonder people have the misconception that social networking sites are “just a place to reconnect”. It’s true that people are connecting to old friends and loved ones, however, just as many, if not more, are using these platforms for business and marketing purposes. Facebook, for example, allows companies to create pages and advertise on the side banners of profiles. Other sites like LinkedIn and FastPitch are geared almost exclusively towards connecting businesses, as well as promoting products and services. So, whatever your niche, you can find a place on the net that will meet your need.
3. Too Difficult to Use and Keep Up with
If you weren’t born in the last 15 years with a computer attached to your hip, it might seem a bit intimidating to navigate the social sites. I’m not going to tell you that it is simple, because some of them can be daunting. What I will tell you, though, is this: you are not the only one who doesn’t understand. There are plenty of people who need help in order to understand and utilize social networking sites; and you can bet that where there is a need, there is also a solution.
Manuals and video tutorials have been created to help you navigate all of the major networking sites and, better yet, many are free! Try beginning your search on a site like youtube or Google. Just type in your keywords, i.e. “facebook instruction manual”, into the search bar and away you go! This should pull up a ton of information on the subject. If, after all of that, you still aren’t satisfied, check out your local bookstore, there are plenty of books available on the major social sites. With a little instruction, you are well on your way.
Internet and technology are moving at phenomenal rates and will continue to do so in the future, of that we can be certain. We, however, are only human and while we can get things done fairly quickly these days, we can never compete with the speed of today’s technology. That doesn’t mean, however, that we can’t keep up with what is important to us. It is simply a matter of prioritizing. What are you trying to accomplish? There are so many networks with which to become involved and more are being added as we “speak” . . . it is literally impossible to keep up with them all. So pick your niche; sign up for one of the sites; find a few authorities in the field; and take a deep breath! You can do this . . . one foot in front of the other.
4. It’s too Time-Consuming
This one really depends on YOU. Social Networking and Social Media in general, can absolutely take all the time in your day, and week for that matter! There is always one more conversation to have or one more article to read. Believe me, I have been there and had to learn the hard way, it is easy to get swallowed up in the process. In order to avoid this, set real limits for yourself and develop a strategy that you are comfortable with, it will help you stay up-to-date while keeping your sanity intact. And remember that Social Media is a tool, so use it that way.
A tool that I recommend is Google reader, it will help you organize and easily access your favorite blogs, articles, etc. keeping them all in one place. It’s a great tool that is available with any free gmail account. I look at it like a drawer in my house, everything has its place, and when I am ready to use something, I know exactly where to find it. I don’t have to search through a lot of drawers; everything is together, all in one drawer! And just think how much more productive you’ll be!
5. I’ll Lose my Privacy
Let’s look at this another way, if you’re having a conversation with someone you just met, are you going to share your whole life story, complete with intimate details? Most people would answer, “NO”. Facebook, for example, allows you to set your level of privacy so that only people you know can look at your information. You choose with whom you share this information; and you don’t have to approve every person who requests your friendship. If you don’t know them, or don’t want them to have access to your information, you simply deny their request. In most sites, you do not have to fill in every blank and put all your private information on display. Certain information is required, but it is minimal and fairly indistinguishable from the next person’s. It all boils down to what you’re comfortable sharing, you are the deciding factor.
Posted in Social Media | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
What is Web 2.0? What is the difference between Social Media and a Social Network? What is SEO? I’ve heard the terms thrown around, but what do they mean? A Webinar, are you kidding me? Why do I even need to know any of this?
If you are like a lot of people using the internet, you are using many of these “things” but don’t really have a good grasp of what they mean. Or, if you haven’t been using them, could you possibly be missing the boat? Our goal is to help you better understand these “things”, what they are, why you aren’t going to stop hearing about them anytime soon and most importantly, how using them could affect your bottom line.
What is Web 2.0? Sounds like an upgrade to the internet, doesn’t it? Web 2.0 refers to the technologies used on the internet to connect with other users, tools and applications. The following is the Wikipedia definition, “Web 2.0 refers to web development and web design that facilitates interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web. A Web 2.0 site allows its users to interact with other users or to change website content, in contrast to non-interactive websites where users are limited to the passive viewing of information that is provided to them.”
Our next term, “Social Media”, is defined in the Social Media Bible as “activities, practices and behaviors among communities of people who gather online to share information, knowledge and opinions using conversational media.” Wikipedia states, “It supports the democratization of knowledge and information, transforming people from content consumers into content producers.” Basically, it is the marriage of traditional media with social interaction formatted for the internet.
Now, how is Social Media different from a Social Network? A Social Network, just as you would use it ‘offline’ refers to the network of people in a community. For online purposes, it really just means that people are interacting with each other through newsletters, blogs, comments, e-mail, etc. for social, professional and educational purposes.
Clear as mud, right? Let’s put together what we have so far. Web 2.0 consists of the technologies and interactive tools consumers use that allow users to actively participate in media within their network of friends, colleagues and clients.
Let’s move on to SEO and we’ll come back to more of the social aspect in just a minute. SEO spelled out is Search Engine Optimization. Most people understand what a search engine is. In fact, recent statistics on Google claim that over 2 million searches a day are performed on Google alone. That is a lot of users looking for something!
Back to Wikipedia, Search Engine Optimization “is the process of improving the volume and quality of traffic to a website from search engines via “natural” (”organic” or “algorithmic”) search results. Typically, the earlier (or higher) a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine. SEO may target different kinds of searches, including image search, local search, and industry-specific vertical search engines. This gives a website web presence.”
Simply put, when you go to Google and put in the keyword of the item you are looking for, Google pulls up a list of websites that match your keyword. Google’s ‘crawlers’ go through and index these sites according to relevant keywords and phrases that are used in the creation, as well as the content, of the pages. Search engine optimizers (people who do this for a living) determine what keywords to target to help websites move up in the search engine rankings.
Most people will only look through the first couple of pages to find what they are looking for; they typically don’t have the patience for any more than that. If they don’t find what they are looking for in those first couple of pages, they will either give up or type in a different keyword. There are over 1 trillion URL’s, or web addresses, indexed on Google right now. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want, nor do I have the time, to weed through all of those sites to find the information I need.
Our final definition of the day is “Webinar”. You may have already figured this one out, but webinar is web + seminar, like a “go to” seminar where you travel to a central location and listen to a speaker on a topic in which you’re interested. A webinar uses the same principles, only you don’t have to leave wherever you are to participate. You can just log into the webinar and participate while in your PJ’s, interacting over telephone lines or over web audio technology. If you happen to miss the “live version”, you can often experience the information through pre-recorded files, as well.
Now, that’s a lot of information we have covered and you must be wondering how it all fits together for you and your business? What it boils down to is this—the ‘old’ ways of communicating and advertising are phasing out as the internet grows and morphs. People are using the internet as a means of gathering information and purchasing products and services. Couple this with the fact that, with the introduction of devices such as TiVo, people are watching less and less TV commercials. Subscriptions to newspapers and magazines are declining, as more and more, the internet is providing all the information people want or need.
It is cheaper, easier and more time-efficient than a TV commercial or magazine ad to go to your social network or search engine and punch in a keyword to find a plethora of information and reviews from peers on what works and what doesn’t. After all, what do most people do after seeing an ad or watching a commercial? They go to the internet to look it up!
Social Media is rapidly becoming a viable, cheap and very profitable means of advertising and smart businesses are taking full advantage of these opportunities. Now that you have a better understanding, are you ready to join them?
Tags: Blog, Newsletters, Organic Searches, SEO, Social Media, Social Networking, Web 2.0
Posted in Social Media | 5 Comments »
