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Archive for category Social Media / Web 2.0

Blog In 15-Minutes!

Apr 21

Posted by admin in Social Media / Web 2.0 | Comments off

The honest truth we all know is that maintaining a successful blog takes a bit of time.  We understand that its good for our business but the question still remains: How do keep up a blog without it becoming a 9-5 job? 

For many business owners there is a struggle between managing the content of our social media presence and managing the business operations.  If you’re like me, time is always limited so here is a simple and quick methodology you can follow for writing a blog post is 15-minutes.

  • Keep a running topic list handy – Whenever you get a great topic idea, write it down.  You may not have time to write the actual post then and there, but keep a list of topics you want to someday address.  Try to keep a consistant list of 10 to 15 ideas handy. Tip: Use Google docs to create a free document that you can access from any computer and add to at any time – whether at home or work

  • Write a quick outline – Luckily, blogs are best when kept to 4 to 7 main points. Think about it, who wants to read a dissertation in a blog?  That’s what the library is for so keep your posts succinct.  Once you’ve created your list, go through and edit out what’s not truly important to your topic.  Now start writing a few sentences about each point you’ve kept. Tip: I recommend targeting 600-800 words per blog post. Keep your post short and to the poin and you’ll keep your reader’s attention

  • Reasearch your topic, with Google – This is often overlooked, but simply Google your topic and check out the top 5 article results and quickly skim them.  Especially if you’re stumped, this will help get your fingers typing. Adding links to your references is perfectly fine but never directly copy anyone else’s written word.  Tip: If you’re not an expert, don’t fake it.  Lend your insights and opinions and try to get a discussion started. Your readers don’t expect you to be Encyclopedia Britannica, just honest.

  • Reasearch your topic, with Google – I’m constantly amazed at how many typos I can make even when I’m staring at my words as I type.  Never publish a post until you’ve read it through for errors at least once.  I know this probably goes without saying, but it’s very important to have your posts looked polished. Tip: If you have someone else who can give it a quick glance, take advantage.  Often a 2nd set of eyes can find mistakes you initially overlooked.

  • ALWAYS include the important stuff – Your “must haves” may differ from others, but everyone should have a list of items that appear in every post.  Some people love images and simply have to put an image in every post.  Others feel it is needed to include a direct contact link or website home page link at the bottom.  Figure out what’s important to you and have it prepared and ready.  Tip: If you like your signature or contact info in every post, write it out in a text or Word doc and simply copy and paste.  This maintains your consistancy and saves you time.

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Reasons to Quit Ignoring Twitter

Nov 9

Posted by admin in Social Media / Web 2.0 | Comments off

The topic of Twitter’s use has certainly taken center stage over the last year and there is surely more to come.  The fact remains that the landscape of Twitter is in constant flux.  Meanwhile, as new features, uses, trends, add-ons and conceptual designs are released, the robust nature of this tool is becoming increasingly enhanced.  Here are some reasons why marketers can no longer afford to ignore it.

1. Subscribed & Published Lists

Twitter “Lists” continue to mold the face of Twitter.  With the widespread use of the Lists gadget, your tweets are bound to appear in many different places throughout the web.  Tweets are now popping up in blogs and other sites related to your niche.  This increases the mass reach of your tweets by an exponential number if you are effectively targeting the right audience on Twitter.

2. Complete Transparency and Openness

Twitter is now presented to other audiences such as Facebook and various social networks.  With this in mind, your tweets are no longer contained solely within just the spectrum of Twitter itself.  The sharing of valuable tweets amongst more people across numerous online mediums is more rampant than ever.  This gives your tweets an even bigger pool of prospects from which to target.

3. It’s All About Relationships

The book ‘Twitter for Dummies’ states that your success with Twitter breaks down to 4 basic rules: listen, learn, care and serve.  Twitter is very much a community and your ability to listen to it will create an opportunity to learn from it.  Once you show you care about your peers (or your audience) you will better understand how you might serve them best.  By “serving” your community we mean to say that you are contributing something of value.  Without value, your chances of reaping rewards from Twitter are slim to none.

4. Targeted, Caring Traffic

Twitter will bring you a fair share of traffic “just stopping by” or those you might consider random.  But the tool is also well set up to bring you a highly targeted audience that honestly cares about the niche you represent.  The ability of users to “retweet” your information becomes increasingly important in this regard.  If a person is willing to retweet your content, they are in essence giving you a testimonial of sorts.  This form of public support goes a long way in attracting dedicated followers.

5. Always Current

Showing up in real-time Twitter searches, which is becoming an increasingly important area of focus for many search engines, provides a load of opportunity for added online exposure.  The goal of remaining relevant in present time is becoming more and more imperative to the engines and Twitter is the best example of this today.

6. Attracting Local Customers

Yes, even Twitter gives you the ability to connect with a local customer base.  Downloadable tools such as TwellowHood give you the ability to find and attract Twitter users in your immediate locale.  Related to Steamboat Springs marketing, using Twitter could be as targeted as the Steamboat Today or Steamboat Pilot for advertising purposes.  As the emphasis on creating better tools to target users locally increases (which it is, as seen in the Google “Social Search” example) people’s user profiles will naturally become another means by which savvy marketers direct their efforts.

7. Still A Young Gun!

Considering that Twitter is still being developed into an application that will ultimately fit into the grand scheme of overall search, its current state is still that of a fledgling.  Even with the thousands of current apps designed to give Twitter more productivity, developers have only scratched the surface of what it might do.  Everyday uses of Twitter by various people and businesses both locally and internationally is growing daily.  Chances are good that if you closed your eyes and thought of what you might like to see from Twitter in the future, there is probably somebody already working on its creation.

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Social Networks Don’t Waste Time, People Do

Nov 3

Posted by admin in Social Media / Web 2.0 | Comments off

This post comes from Chris Crum of WebProNews:

 

Social Media policies of well-known organizations often appear in the news with commentary throughout the Blogosphere, the Twitterverse, etc. There is an ongoing debate about just how restricted social networks should be when it comes to employee use.

Bloxx, based in the UK, has released some research finding that 90% of IT Managers surveyed believe access to social networking site should be banned or restricted. 90%. That’s a lot. The managers surveyed came from across the UK public sector as well as private organizations.

The concerns addressed in this survey were the usual suspects: staff productivity, network security risks, and damage to the corporate reputation. Productivity was by far the top concern.

The Bloxx Report Findings

The Bloxx Report Findings

More Bloxx Study Findings

More Bloxx Study Findings

The research found that not only are an increasing number of organizations completely banning staff access from social networking sites, but it is also quite common for staff to post disparaging remarks regarding other employees, their boss, or the company on social networks.

Over 22% of respondents don’t have any controls in place for staff accessing social networks. 35% of IT managers believe staff are spending over 30 minutes each per day on average accessing social networks. The companies are potentially providing an additional 16 days paid vacation for each employee, Bloxx says. Still, the research also shows that social networking is increasingly being used as a valuable business tool. Obviously access is required to take advantage.

“UK businesses really can’t afford to underestimate some of the risks of Social Networking use in the workplace,” says Bloxx CEO Eamonn Doyle. “However, our view is that a complete ban is unrealistic and adopting this approach means that companies can’t obtain the potential business benefits of Social Networking and can alienate staff.” Among Doyle’s suggestions are increased employee education, “well-thought-out” acceptable use policies, and the use of Web filtering. 

There are plenty of reasons why social network access shouldn’t be completely banned. We cover these reasons about every day. If  your company completely ignores social networks, you’re ignoring a tremendous amount of opportunities for marketing, customer service, traffic, sales, communication, etc.

Social networks are not going away. The popularity of specific ones may change in time, but the concept of social networking is going nowhere. It’s not even a new concept. Forums and email are pretty much social media for all intents and purposes. Social networks have recently been blamed for $2.25 billion in lost productivity. I wonder how much money lost productivity from personal email and general web surfing accounts for. I wonder how much employees simply talking to each other at the workplace has cost companies. That’s not necessarily online, but it’s still socializing. How have you handled email and general web use in the past?

Reputation issues are one thing. Security is another (and I think employee education plays a big role there) but as far as productivity, I really don’t see that the use of social networks is really that different than any other form of simply not working. People can spend their time using the phone for personal calls, but you probably haven’t completely banned the telephone. You may need that to communicate with customers, drive sales, etc. I’m sure you see my point.

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Tweet Like a Human!

Oct 7

Posted by admin in Social Media / Web 2.0 | Comments off

The co-founder of Twitter (Jack Dorsey) recently advised users to tweet about things of interest to your followers, the public and prospective clients. Finding things that other people will find useful is one of the best attractors when it comes to gaining more followers.

But let’s not forget the humanizing factor that Twitter offers as well. There’s a great potential for this interface to introduce your personality to clients as much as the utility to transfer information. The occasional tweet about a new dinner recipe you’ve tried or taking the kids to soccer practice might just be the perfect way to endear us to our clients. Ultimately, your current followers as well as prospective clients often look for more than just “business as usual.” Try it!

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Why Employers Fear Social Media (And What to Do About It!)

Sep 29

Posted by admin in Social Media / Web 2.0 | 2 Comments

Reason #1:  Wasted Time Amongst Employees

Let’s face it, social media sites are becoming more mainstream and the talk around water coolers across the world.  Employees are linked both professionally and socially across platforms like Facebook throughout the day, and mostly during work hours.

Whether employers block access to certain sites from the corporate servers or not, workers are using smartphones (i.e. Blackberry & Palm) to access the internet and the sites they want.  Twitter “tweets” and LinkedIn updates occurring from these types of devices are happening on lunch breaks, during meetings, from the bathroom… and there’s no stopping it.

Bottom line, if an employee wants to access their social networks during the daily “9to5” there’s no way to stop it.  Allowing workers access to the internet but trying to block these types of sites is simply pointless.

Reason #2: Social Comments Might Hurt the Brand

A question that pops up in executive workshops all the time is the threat of bad publicity spreading to the mainstream.  This type of negative feedback about the brand is feared to ultimately hurt sales.

Well… that’s exactly true!  But what CEOs don’t want to fess up to is that sometimes negative feedback is exactly what they need to hear.  It’s easy for the “ivory tower” to forget that their company might have inherent problems or that consumers don’t absolutely love everything about them.  As they saying goes, you can’t fix a problem if you don’t know it exists.

Besides, the upside of social media for honest and upstanding companies is that their supporters are online to support them.  If there’s a negative statement about their products or service that aren’t true, the power of a client to correct the misinformation directly often holds far greater weight than a published corporate statement.

Companies need to monitor brand attacks but view them as opportunities, not threats.

Reason #3: Companies Will Lose Control of Their Brand

The fact remains that in this day and age consumers hold the power, not PR departments.  Long gone are the days of “wag the dog” marketing tactics.  With open access to the internet, the game has changed.  If you think your customers aren’t already talking about you, you’re dead wrong.

Workers are spreading news about the company amongst friends and family through Facebook, emails and personal blogs.  Clients are using Twitter and sites like Yelp (among others) to leave positive or negative feedback about your brand and there’s no stopping it.

So what do you do about it?  Treat each and every employee and customer like an ambassador for your brand.  Providing avenues to generate loyal and lasting customers have never been more important than in the internet age.  And don’t fear the conversations, JOIN THEM!

Reason #4: Keeping Up With Social Media Is Expensive

There is a misconception that social media is absolutely free, and to some extent, this is true.  The reality is that for an employer to effectively participate in social media and monitor their online presence does take at least some resources.  But these don’t have to include a budget line item.

Whether it’s the time spent by staffers tracking feedback across different social media sites or hiring consultants to maintain your presence for you, there is a cost factor.  But just because there are people highly trained in the art of social media science doesn’t mean that you should run right out and hire outsiders.

Many times an outsourced affiliate doesn’t know the inner workings of your operation and can post statements that aren’t all-together factual.  And it is these same firms that will ultimately end up costing you the most money and risk hurting your brand.  Corporations are often better served by empowering existing employees to make social posts.  If they’ve done their job properly training their staff, there shouldn’t be a major concern of information leaks or negative comments.  Chalk the time spent by employees on these social network sites as a necessary operating expense.  Ultimately, the return on investment is well worth it.    

Reason #5: With “No Control” They Risk a Lawsuit

This is the biggest fallacy I’ve ever heard.  Social media was never meant, or presently considered to be, cold-hard fact.  The entire basis of social media is the spread of opinion.  Whether it’s stemming from a current or past customer or originating right within the corporate walls, it’s nothing that would ever give a plaintiff a leg to stand on! 

Those that believe they’ll get sued for what’s posted in forums, blogs or other such sites are going to have a hard time coping in modern day since public opinion is now spread more rampantly than ever.  Assuming your employees are spreading blatant lies about you (and if they are, you have much bigger problems to worry about!) then you simply don’t need to lose the sleep over it.

Reason #6: The Fear of Information Leaks From Within

The remedy to this concern is two-fold:

  1. If you don’t already have a policy for social media use amongst employees, write one up TODAY!  This way your staff will know what’s expected from them and it gives the company a means of protection in the case of a disgruntled employee gone wild.
  2. Train your employees all the way down the line about how to talk to customers and best represent your goodwill.  By instituting good hiring practices and on-going training you should never have to fear a loose-lipped staffer who doesn’t understand what expected of them.

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6 Rules of Doing Business Using Social Media

Sep 1

Posted by admin in Social Media / Web 2.0 | 2 Comments

Today’s world of online interaction has become more complex, but more exciting, than ever. The ways that connections are now made with friends and clients on the web has evolved to an entirely new level. But I’m here to tell you that this “new frontier” of networking through your computer is not as scary as it might first appear.  As long as you follow these simple rules.

Rule #1:  You have to be good at what you do.

A mistake that people often make when entering the world of social media is to believe that simply setting up a blog, Facebook page, Twitter account or other online presence will automatically bring them customers.  The reality is that your business has to already have strong fundamentals and a solid marketing plan.

Part of being a great social media player is knowing what type of communication resonates with prospective customers.  Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can “fake it” in your online interactions.  If you’re not experienced in what you do, prospects will sniff that out quicker than sharks smell blood.

Rule #2: Social media requires staying on top of your routine.

If you’re thinking about starting a new blog or some other kind of online presence, map out your plan first!  Posting information without a purpose is like skipping rocks on the water.  You might create tiny ripples here and there but there’s no clear path for your customers to follow.

Take the time needed to not only write and post your own material, but to engage in other sites as well.  Reading and interacting with related sites (and customers) is the nature of social media.  Standing alone on the island of your blog without ever reaching out to others will leave you stranded like Tom Hanks in Castaway.  Without one-on-one interactions your message won’t effectively be heard by anyone.

Keep your updates regular and make it a part of your standing routine.  Consistency is a key ingredient.  Though this is a big time commitment, the rewards can be tremendous.

Rule #3: You don’t have to be a “computer geek” to join the fun.

If you’re uncomfortable with using the Internet to leverage today’s business tools, information resources and networking opportunities, it’s time to step up to the plate and take a swing.  If the fear of the unknown is what’s holding you back… stop being afraid right now!  Don’t let slight ignorance of technology be your reason for non-participation.

Though you may find the concept of engaging people online foreign at first, just know that most of the applications you will be using are very intuitive and user-friendly.  Most of the widely used web platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress (blogging) and community forums come with a load of resources you can utilize when getting started.

So what do you do to get started?  Give it a try!  Go ahead and join LinkedIn, set up a Facebook profile, read blogs related to your business as well as social networking, ask your peers and explore new websites.  You’ll be amazed at how quickly these actions will get you where you need to be in the world of online media.

Rule #4: The Internet is constantly changing.  Change with it!

Being the first to explore the early, experimental side of social media can pay off big dividends for those that have an “early-adopter” attitude.  Just think about where you’d be had you started using Twitter just a couple of years ago when microblogging was a foreign concept to most.  Today, Twitter sees over 55 million visits a month… who knew?

Since we can all agree that the web is here to stay and an ever-evolving creature with the possibility of taking your business to new levels, don’t be afraid to try new things.  It might take some time to get started with a new platform and work through the learning curve, but if you find a progressive new avenue for networking with prospective clients, go for it!

Rule #5: No matter what, you can’t fake it.

Just because online communication doesn’t involve face-to-face interaction doesn’t mean that you can be someone you’re not.  In fact, the most successful bloggers and online networkers have seen success by being genuine and representing themselves exactly as they are.  Believe it or not, customers can smell the “B.S.” your slinging, so steer clear of creating a new personality just because you think you can.

This goes for your blog, Facebook, LinkedIn and all of it!  Though you may feel like the worldwide web is an anonymous place to interact, it’s completely the opposite.  Your social networks are your first introduction to the people you hope to do business with, your colleagues and friends.  Make absolutely sure that your impressions showcase the real you.  Remember, it’s better to generate a small number of leads with a higher conversion rate than a large pool of leads that simply suck your time with no real interest of doing business with you.

Rule #6: The web is more than just a prospecting tool.

Sure, the Internet has a great capacity to bring in new customers at a lower cost than traditional media.  But it’s so much more than that!  The real value of the web lies in the amazing opportunity to be an education tool.

This is where people come to learn about you and your business and hear the things you have to say to the world.  Your ideas, expertise, attitudes and personality can be transferred across the world with the click of a button.  There’s no better platform than the web to display your market intelligence and customers want that!

Also, and not surprisingly, the web is a powerful tool at your fingertips to find resources galore about successful online marketing and prospecting tools.  Finding timely information about what others are doing on the web to make real money is as easy as it’s ever been.  Take advantage of that and you will join the ranks of those touted as the most successful professionals in your given industry.

Here’s to your success!

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