All posts tagged with
Social Media
Facebook Launches Facebook Places
Category: Social Media
20 Aug 2010Beginning on Wednesday, August 18th, Facebook made it possible for you to immediately tell people about your favorite spots with Facebook Places. You can share where you are and the friends you are with in real time from your mobile device.
Ever gone to a show, only to find out afterward that your friends were there too? With Places, you can discover moments when you and your friends are at the same place at the same time.
You have the option to share your location by “checking in” to that place and letting friends know where you are. You can easily see if any of your friends have also chosen to check in nearby.
To get started, you’ll need the most recent version of the Facebook application for iPhone. You also can access Places from touch.facebook.com if your mobile browser supports HTML 5 and geolocation.
Go to Places on the iPhone application or touch.facebook.com site and then tap the “Check In” button. You’ll see a list of places near you. Choose the place that matches where you are. If it’s not on the list, search for it or add it. After checking in, your check-in will create a story in your friends’ News Feeds and show up in the Recent Activity section on the page for that place.
When you check in, you can also tag friends who are with you, just as you can tag a friend in a status update or photo. You can post an update along with your check-in to tell people more about what you are doing.
In the “People Here Now” section, you can see others who are checked in with you at that place. This section is visible for a limited amount of time and only to people who are checked in there. That way you can meet other people who might share your interests. If you prefer not to appear in this section, you can control whether you show up by unchecking the “Include me in ‘People Here Now’ after I check in” privacy control.
The next time you head off on vacation or go to a show, check in with Places to find out which friends are there. See who is close by and read the comments from other friends who’ve been there before.
Places is only available in the United States right now. But we expect to make it available to more countries and on additional mobile platforms soon.
To read more about Facebook Places, click here.
Studies Show Twitter Users Have Big Impact On Brands
Category: Social Media
6 Aug 2010Active Twitter users are three times more likely to impact a brand’s online reputation via Tweets, blog posts, articles and product reviews than the average consumer, according to a new survey by Exact Target.
“Consumers active on Twitter are clearly the most influential online,” said Morgan Stewart, principal, ExactTarget’s research and education group.
“What happens on Twitter doesn’t stay on Twitter. While the number of active Twitter users is less than Facebook or email, the concentration of highly engaged and influential content creators is unrivaled-it’s become the gathering place for content creators whose influence spills over into every other corner of the Internet.”
Twitter users are the most influential online consumers – 72 percent publish blog posts at least monthly, 70 percent comment on blogs, 61 percent write at least one product review monthly and 61 percent comment on news sites.
Daily Twitter users are 6 times more likely to publish articles, five times more likely to post blogs, seven times more likely to post to Wikis and three times more likely to post product reviews at least monthly compared to non-Twitter users.
Nearly a quarter (23%) of online consumers read Twitter updates at least monthly and 11 percent read Twitter updates but do not have an account.
To read this article in its entirety, click here.
Millennials Won’t Quit Facebook And Twitter
Category: Social Media
13 Jul 2010A recent article published on WebProNews is claiming that new research from Pew Internet and Elon University is showing that Millennials are planning on making online sharing on social media sites a lifelong habit.
In an online survey of 895 technology stakeholders and critics, 67 percent agreed with the following statement:
“By 2020, members of Generation Y (today’s “digital natives”) will continue to be ambient broadcasters who disclose a great deal of personal information in order to stay connected and take advantage of social, economic, and political opportunities. Even as they mature, have families, and take on more significant responsibilities, their enthusiasm for widespread information sharing will carry forward.”
Some 29 percent agreed with the opposite statement:
“By 2020, members of Generation Y (today’s “digital natives”) will have “grown out” of much of their use of social networks, multiplayer online games and other time-consuming, transparency-engendering online tools. As they age and find new interests and commitments, their enthusiasm for widespread information sharing will abate.”
Most of the individuals surveyed believed the sharing of personal information online has many social benefits as people open up to others in order to build friendships, form and find communities, seek help, and build their reputations. They said Millennials have already seen the benefits and will not reduce their use of these social tools over the next decade as they take on more responsibilities while growing older.
To read this article in its entirety, click here.
Finding Topics for Your Business Blog – The Ultimate Cheat Sheet
Category: Social Media
7 Jul 2010Finding topics to blog about can be a chore, but Site-Reference has put together a list of 50 topics to blog about on your business blog.
Not every topic below will apply to your specific situation or business, but you can keep the following list close to your computer so you’ll have an easy stream of ideas when it’s time to compose a new blog entry.
50 Topic Ideas for a Business Blog
- Post photos of your products being used or your facilities where the magic happens
- Announce and link to any media coverage your company gets
- Announce any company social events (post pictures!)
- Compare and contrast your products or services to help clarify which is better in certain situations
- Highlight any significant new material added to your website (if you’ve recently started a help section, knowledge center, pressroom or even added product comparison or review functionality, for example)
- Link to customer reviews on sites like Yelp.com (and ask people to submit their own reviews, too)
- Describe the process or materials that go into your products or services
- Profile new staff hires
- Highlight new equipment investments (and why it’s good for your customers)
- Draw attention to new or expanded service offerings
- How-to articles
- Expanded FAQs (e.g., address one commonly asked question per week in your blog)
- Industry events (whether you attended or not)
- Industry news (give your opinion or simply explain what’s happening to help keep your readers up to date)
- Your thoughts on different pricing models/price points in the industry
- Explain or clear the air on common misperceptions in your line of business
- Highlight customers (feature their “story”, a testimonial, or just profile them)
- Highlight a staff member (be sure to include photos)
- Interview a colleague or peer (you can do this via email, then post their answers–or use video if you catch up in person!)
- Review a book you’ve just finished reading
- Recommend a colleague’s related service
- Announce your other social media accounts (let people know where to find you on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.)
- Announce contests you’re running (or run a special contest for blog readers only)
- Let people know something new you’re trying (then discuss how it worked after)
- Talk about something you’ve just learned (a new way you’ve discovered your product helps customers, a new way to do something, etc.)
- Talk about charities or causes that mean a lot to you
- List things (top 10 ways to maximize your widget)
- Cover a magazine/trade journal article you just read
- State a little known fact or figure that your readers might find interesting
- Describe a day in your life (or in the life of other important people at your company, especially those who are customer-facing)
- Cover other bloggers (give your opinion on what they’ve written)
- Give advice to people who want to get into your profession
- Give advice to people who want to buy the types of products or services you offer (“What you should know when buying xyz”)
- Embed new videos you’ve posted on YouTube
- Describe an experience you just had with a client, vendor or employee (keep it anonymous if needed, and focus on the takeaway from the experience)
- Ask for readers’ opinions on things happening in the industry (good to encourage comments)
- Talk about your quality measures
- Announce product updates or improvements
- Address complaints, recalls, etc. that may have gained widespread coverage in the media
- Announce sales and promotions
- Profile your products in action
- Discuss a specific need or want your products fulfill
- Discuss topics not directly impacted by your product but that also matter to your customers
- Feature a supplier you use (spread the love by letting everyone know how great they are to work with)
- Tell your readers about something you observed in the course of your day (something you saw an employee do, something you thought of)
- What-not-to-do articles (“What NOT to do when xyz”)
- Explain any new or pending legislation that impacts your industry
- Highlight the feature article in your latest newsletter issue (link to the archive)
- Announce a new advertising campaign
- ________________________________ (add whatever topic idea has just occurred to you here!)
To read this article in its entirety, click here.
Email Click-Through Rates Increase 55 Percent With Multiple Social Sharing Links
Category: Uncategorized
29 Jun 2010A study conducted by e-mail marketing provider GetResponse indicates that e-mail messages that include a social sharing option generated 30% higher click-through-rates (CTR) than e-mails without a social sharing option. Additionally, messages with three or more sharing options generated a 55% higher CTR. The study analyzed social media integration and sharing using Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Digg in almost 500 million e-mails sent by over 19,000 GetResponse customers.
The GetResponse e-mail marketing platform is tailored towards small and medium-sized businesses (SMB). Simon Grabowski, CEO of Implix, for which GetResponse is the flagship product, commented, “The impressive 55 percent CTR increase achieved by adding social sharing options tells us it’s not enough to integrate campaigns with social media networks — the power is in sharing.”
Other findings from the study includes:
- 60 percent of all social e-mails included only one sharing icon. Only 11.2 percent of social e-mails included 3 icons or more.
- E-mails with a Twitter sharing option returned over 40 percent higher CTR than messages without any social media links.
- Twitter was the most popular social sharing option, included in 67.2 percent of all social e-mails; Facebook came in a close second at 62.7 percent.
- E-mails shared on Twitter returned CTR of 10.20 percent — over 40 percent higher than messages not linked to any social media.
- Almost 19 percent GetResponse SMB users linked their campaigns to Twitter at least once. Only 13.5 percent included other social sharing options.
This study provide a useful and easy-to-implement tip to SMB marketers. ROI is high, as the added costs to include social network links is a negligible amount of time. Longitudinal study might include a qualitative assessment of the destination to which the responders are linked. In other words, will those companies that provide better experiences on their social sites and streams keep those customers clicking.
To read this article in its entirety, click here.
Don’t Be Afraid to Engage in Social Media On Your Own Website
Category: Social Media| Stevens & Tate Speaks
8 Jun 2010Most companies believe that by taking part in websites such as Facebook, Twitter and My Space they are “doing social media”. To me, social media begins at home. The first place people look when wanting to interact with a company is their website. True enthusiasts would love to interact throughout your site and help you keep your content updated.
Now I know what you are thinking – everyone fears the backlash. Are you truly that nervous about your brand? Do you not feel like you have a loyal customer base that will be out there speaking well about you more than those speaking badly? In truth, most brands have more ‘champions’ than they do ‘slayers’. And most people who are unhappy about your company will want to tell you first – what better place than on your own website in a controlled environment, versus on someone else’s website where you have less control of the conversation.
How to Convert Your Facebook Superfans Into Brand Ambassadors
Category: Social Media
8 Jun 2010A recent article by Aliza Sherman was published on WebWorkerDaily that discusses the concept of a Facebook Superfan and how marketers can turn their Superfans into Brand Ambassadors.
A brand’s Superfans are defined as the Facebook fans who not only liked their page but also participated and interacted with others on the page and even came back on a daily or near daily basis.
Sure, you could give them a special gift or recognize them publicly in a status update saying “Thanks,” but is that it? What’s so “social” about that? Isn’t social media giving us far more capabilities? And if someone is that engaged with a brand, what else do they want? Clearly, having this kind of unprecedented contact and communications with a brand fills some unidentified need in individuals who revel in the opportunities that social media tools provide.
Why Do Fans Become Superfans?
First, let’s explore what motivates people to do more than just click “Like” on a brand’s Facebook Page, what drives some of them to become active members of an organically-forming community on that Page.
What we are seeing on Facebook Pages is similar to what has been seen in online communities going all the way back to Usenet Newsgroups: People want to feel part of something larger than themselves. They want to belong. It’s human nature to be drawn to communities, and if one doesn’t already exist, then some people have it in them to start building one themselves.
When we see a person moving from clicking on a Like button to responding to status updates to then commenting on what others are commenting on to visiting a page daily and announcing their arrival, we’re seeing the natural community builders rising to the top. These are the Superfans. Some of them could become even more than that to a brand. Some of them want to be more, but don’t know where to start.
How Do You Convert a Superfan Into a Brand Ambassador?
What needs to be put in place is a process to strategically and respectfully offer opportunities to Superfans to become something bigger: a Brand Ambassador.
The term “Brand Ambassador” has been bandied about in marketing for years. Merriam-Webster defines an ambassador as “an authorized representative or messenger or an unofficial representative.” In this context, the concept of a Brand Ambassador is clear: someone who publicly and positively represents and promotes a brand. Note that this is not about buying someone’s loyalty; this isn’t about paying them to be a Brand Ambassador. Once you pay someone a fee for their “ambassadorship,” what you’re really getting is a paid spokesperson. This is about how to create mutually beneficial and transparent relationships with brand Superfans, to harness their passions and convert them into social media Brand Ambassadors. Here’s how to do this:
1. Identify Superfans.
2. Recognize Superfans publicly.
3. Privately request that Superfans respond to a questionnaire to get a better sense of who they are.
4. Evaluate the responses to identify potential Brand Ambassadors.
5. Approach Superfans privately with a proposal to become a Brand Ambassador.
6. Engage the new Brand Ambassadors to amplify their passions around the brand.
All of the steps above can be infused with whatever meaning you want. The choices you make, however, are critical to the success of your Brand Ambassador program. First and foremost, you have to understand the dynamics of social media, online communities and the meaning of value. You then have to be sensitive and respectful to the individuals with whom you are interacting. Let’s face it: You need them way more than they need you.
To read this article in it’s entirety, click here.
10 Tips For Launching Your Business Blog
Category: Social Media
24 May 2010Are you thinking about launching a blog for your business? You are not alone. A recent study by GuideWireGroup has revealed that about 89% of businesses polled use blogs as a way to communicate with their customers. A successful business blog can generate tens of thousands of dollars in revenue each year, with figures for large corporations typically much higher.
Business blogging is becoming a mainstream marketing tool; however, blogging does not always come easily or naturally for many companies. Blogging, like any form of content, is a commitment of time and resources. Not only do you have to know how to write, you will need to maintain your blogs with fresh, original and insightful content on a regular basis.
Planning out your blogging strategy first is a wise move because it gives your blog a greater chance for success. Beth Hrusch, a Senior Editor at Interact Media, offers these additional tips for launching your business blog:
- Identify Your Readers. Before you start writing anything, make sure you understand who your target market is. This is also known as your “buyer persona”, which marketing guru David Meerman Scott defines as “…a distinct group of potential customers, an archetypal person whom you want your marketing to reach.” You will want to tailor your topics to the groups of people who are most interested in your company. Otherwise, you’re missing the mark and losing out on potential leads and sales.
- Create Social Media Accounts. If you haven’t already done this, register accounts with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Start with these and expand later. This is important because you need places to post links to each new blog, so that your groups, fans, and followers can read them.
- Establish Your Social Media Presence. Lay the groundwork for later blog promotion by establishing relationships with your target markets. One of the best ways to do this is through social media. Now that you have accounts started, you can go in and join forums, listen to conversations and hear what people are saying about your industry. Add thoughtful and insightful comments whenever possible.
- Determine Where To Place Your Blog. You can either put your blog on a page within your website or give it its own domain. Your choice depends largely on your goals. Do you want the blog to be part of your site, and linked to it directly? Or do you have plans to use your blog for other purposes, such as to earn revenue through ads or creating a secondary business from it?
- Use The Right Keywords. If you’re placing your business blog on a page within your site, most likely you’ll be using the same keywords for your blog that you are using for your site. If you’ve done good keyword research, then these are the keywords that reflect your business and are the search terms that people are using to find you.
- Choose A Blogging Platform. WordPress is the most popular blogging platform, but you can also check out Joomla, Blogger, TypePad and others.
- Plan Your Posts. Think about the direction you want your blog posts to go in. A good way to stay on track is to start with one main topic and draft a few blogs in advance. Post them on a regular schedule and you’ll have a supply of targeted blogs that add fresh content to your site and point back to your company each week.
- Network With Influencers. Once you’ve got your blog started, it’s a good idea to look around at other bloggers in your industry. See what they’re doing, what they have to say, and leave insightful comments on their blogs. This kind of web networking will help you establish relationships with these people, which in turn will prompt them to help spread the word about your blog and your company.
- Promote Your Blog. Offering a blog subscription through an RSS feed is an effective way to promote your blog. There are other ways to get the word out, as well. Write an optimized press release, submit articles to directories that link to your blog page, submit your blogs to social bookmarking sites such as StumbleUpon and Digg. Make sure that you link to your blogs in your social media posts.
- Measure Results. If you’re going to take the time to blog for marketing purposes, you’ll want to know how well you’re doing. Since it relies primarily on the building of human relationships over time, blog ROI can be tricky to measure. But, you do have many tools at your disposal to help you determine how much or how little your blog is contributing to the bottom line.
Launching your business blog is, like any project, all about preparation. If you do your homework and lay a solid foundation, your blog will produce results.
10 Tips for Using Twitter
Category: Social Media
20 May 2010When it comes to Social Media, no one “gets it” quite like Twitter. According to Econsultancy, as of January 2010, Twitter has 75 million user accounts. Twitter makes it easy for businesses and entrepreneurs to stay in touch with those who choose to follow them, and stay updated on new products, services, special offers, industry news and more. It’s a win-win for both the Tweeter and their followers.
When it comes to Twitter, there is a right way and a wrong way to use the platform. Your messages (or Tweets) must be kept short – under 140 characters – and they need to be helpful or informative. Don’t Tweet about what you ate for breakfast or the fact that you just brushed your teeth; people will begin to unfollow you.
Merle, author of the site MerlesWorld.com, has put together a list of the top 10 tips for Twitter Users.
- Regular Postings: You need to post to your Twitter account on a regular basis. Be a contributor that your followers get to really know and look forward to your Tweets.
- Retweet: If you see Tweets posted by others that you think your followers would like, then retweet them. It takes just one click and you’ll be creating goodwill with other Twitter users at the same time.
- Be Helpful: Keep in mind that Twitter is a form of Social Media, so social interaction is key. It is not all about you. Whenever a chance arises to answer a question, participate in a survey, or help solve a problem, do so. In this way you’re participating in the community. This also will help your brand and image when others know they can count on you for support or feedback.
- Don’t Be a Follow Copycat: Don’t follow everybody who follows you. Be selective in who you follow or your Twitter stream could quickly fill up with junk or spam.
- What to Tweet: Make sure that the Tweets you post are helpful and/or informative. Late breaking news pertaining to your industry, as well as any specials or sales you may have going on are always good topics. If you find something you think your followers would like, especially if it’s free or a bargain, share the love. Plus, if your Tweets are good, it will encourage others to retweet them.
- Comment: Participate in the community by commenting on other people’s Tweets. If you can answer a question, do so. It doesn’t hurt and people really will appreciate it when you take the time to comment on what they have to say.
- Say Thank You: When someone takes the time to retweet your Tweets, make sure to reply to them with a “thank you”. Manners rule online as well as off, and they’ll like the fact that you noticed the retweet and took the time to show some gratitude. It may even inspire them to retweet more of your tweets in the future.
- Be Personal: Every now and then you should show your human side with a creative thought, quote or other statement. Let people know you’re “real” and not just a lean, mean business machine. You want to tread lightly in this area. Too personal is overkill, but a little can help in establishing a connection with your followers.
- Post Pictures/Video: Twitter is not just for text. It’s easy to post short videos and photos. It’s nice to mix it up a little and share content in other formats.
- Talk About More Than Yourself: It’s not all about you, so please don’t make all your tweets one big marketing message, such as only tweeting about your latest press release, blog posting, or article that was published. No one will want to follow you if you’re one big commercial. Yes, some of this is fine in moderation, but you need to walk a fine line and mix it up with other helpful, interesting topics.
Social Media is all about participating and listening to what others have to say. It’s all about creating and sharing information and becoming part of the community. If you approach Twitter in this fashion, you’ll not only have a lot more fun, but your followers will like and respect you – and if that doesn’t strengthen your brand, nothing will.
Social Networking and Online Travel Marketing Trends
Category: Hotels Resorts & Travel| Social Media
7 May 2010Travel Spike recently published a few statistics regarding Facebook, Twitter and online marketing for the travel and tourism industry.
Facebook Facts:
The average Facebook user spends 55 minutes a day and becomes a “fan” of 4 Facebook pages a day.
People are 60% more likely to recommend your Travel Brand or Destination to their friends if they follow you on Facebook.
Consumers are 51% more likely to buy from a brand they follow on Facebook.
Twitter Facts:
Consumers are 67% more likely to buy from brands they follow on Twitter.
Consumers are also 79% more likely to recommend a company they follow on Twitter to their friends.
66% of Twitter users are over the age of 35.
What is Twitch?
Twitch is your source for creative happenings from all around the advertising industry. Brought to you by Stevens & Tate Marketing and Endora Digital Solutions. Find news, updates and insight on everything from print, interactive and web and social, to viral and search engine marketing. If it's happening, it's Twitch!
Categories
- Anouncements (18)
- Business-to-Business (4)
- Creative (6)
- E-Mail Marketing (18)
- Education & Training (2)
- Food Packaging (5)
- Homebuilding (15)
- Hotels Resorts & Travel (14)
- Media News (20)
- Project & Campaign News (6)
- Retail/Grocery (38)
- Search Engine Marketing (26)
- Senior Living (10)
- Social Media (66)
- Stevens & Tate Speaks (77)
- Uncategorized (3)
- Web 2.0 (21)
- What People Are Saying About Stevens & Tate (10)
- Two Hotel and Resort Groups Offer Advice on Website Design
- Consumer-Based Email Subject Lines of the Month
- Tech Trend of the Month: Mobile Coupons
- Nine Tips on How to Best Use Search Engine Marketing in the B2B World
- Facebook Launches Facebook Places
- The Time Is Now to Take Shopper Marketing Beyond the Store
- How To Avoid SPAM Filters When Executing Direct Email Communication
- What Technology Has Done to Commercials
- How to Create a Search Engine Friendly Websites
- Studies Show Twitter Users Have Big Impact On Brands
- JassiMostru: Hi Very nice and intrestingss story. [...]
- Tim Itano: Agreed! On both your baby boomer comment and your admiration of oval rubber coin holders. I have not [...]
- Elmhurst Erik: The Baby Boomers are unlike any generation. They revolutionized society and mass media. I love ov [...]
- Tim Itano: Good post. And yeah, re: the "last meal" involved in the asteroid attack, I'm not sure I would use m [...]
- Paul: I agree with you, technology is making it easier for marketers to reach their consumers at home, on [...]
