Tag Archives | Social Media Strategy

This is your time to Bloom!

By on March 27, 2013 in Bay Area, Best Practices, FaceBook, Photography, San Francisco, Social Media

Anais Nin Magnolia bloom

“And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk to bloom.” ~ Anais Nin

This is your time to bloom. The season when you share your skill, the talent you have honed over the years. Nothing tells a story like the video and photography being shared today. You have the talent, now start sharing it!

Going Mobile – Top 5 Reasons Your Company Should be Using an iPhone

By on March 29, 2012 in Best Practices, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Video

Recently I realized that people who hate technology tend to buy Blackberry devices. When they use these devices their distaste for technology is reinforced, this device sucks, it is technology, avoid it. With the social revolution in full swing, mobile technology is increasingly important to effectively manage your time and create opportunities. We use the iPhone and iPad in a couple of ways to empower our business, here are a few ways you can put these tools to work for you!

  1. Facebook on the iPhone – Update your business Page, add photos on the run, repond to comments while waiting in line at the grocery store. 450 million people a day are accessing Facebook from a mobile device. Go mobile and you will get twice the amount done!
  2. WordPress on the iPhone & iPad – Now you are playing with power, blog from anywhere. The simplified interface is ideal for most people and will have you blogging regularly. You can even update web pages if you use WordPress to run your website.
  3. iPhoto & iMovie – File under “Reasons to get a NEW iPad.” You can capture great quality photos on the new iPad and 1080P video, even more exciting Apples intuitive and easy to use software is available for $5 – $15. This isn’t for you to create giant print ads or Blue Ray DVDs, this is for you to create social content and grow your business.
  4. Presentation – The screen on the iPhone and iPad are ideal for showing demos and getting people to engage with your content. You can hand someone your iPad and let them check out a schedule or see the details in that amazing picture you captured. Why ask people to go to your web site later (they will forget) when you can show them right there?
  5. LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Skype – These mobile applications rock. LinkedIn is your rolodex that is better than you ever imagined, Twitter will get you the most immediate access to current news instantly and YouTube has got videos that will teach you how to do anything or simply entertain you (for the rest of your life). Skype will let you communicate with people wherever you are in the world, often for free. Sure you can get these apps on any smart phone today, they look better on an iPhone/iPad and they work better, something about Apple’s touch screen and the responsiveness will make you feel like you are in control of all of this social media craziness.

If you are in the middle of a phone contract and can’t upgrade, get the new iPad. I am not sure whether you need the data plan, between the ubiquity of wifi and the luxury tax of another monthly bill, maybe you are ok with the basic version (you must get the largest size 64 Gb model to hold all of your content however). If you’ve got the money to spend, get the data plan and you will be even more efficient everywhere (think long car drives and airports). The revolution is happening and you can participate, go mobile and social media will become your friend.

Social Statistics from Facebook to YouTube

By on March 5, 2012 in Best Practices, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Video

Social Media is still growing quickly. These are some statistics that tell you, “get in your boat and row – this ship has already sailed.”

Facebook has more than 100 Petabytes of data. Wow!!! As of December 2011 (yes I know that is so last year), Facebook had 845 million users of which 483 million were daily users and 425 million accessed from a mobile device! The only people not on Facebook must be age restricted!!!

YouTube has over 4 billion video views a day. Is that insane? No? How about YouTube had over 1 Trillion videos viewed in 2011. 500 years (yes years) of YouTube video is watched on Facebook every day. Over 3 billion hours of video are watched every month on YouTube. Holy Smokes Batman!!!

Twitter is in on the action also, 700 YouTube videos are shared on Twitter every minute. There are over a billion tweets ever week on Twitter. Twitter is averaging 460,000 new accounts per day (13.8 million per month). Really you don’t need a Twitter account!!!

I love statistics, they help us get a quick snapshot of where we are today. Facebook is holding back on their stats right now (maybe pre-IPO buzz), but you can see the numbers that are relevant are being measured by millions and billions and in 2012 it is going to be trillions. Social Media is here to stay, take off the kid gloves and get into this fight!

 

Posting Consistently on Facebook

By on February 7, 2012 in Best Practices, FaceBook

One of the hardest things to do is consistently execute a social media strategy. Whether you have a publishing schedule or simply post status updates when you have time, consistently posting to your networks is critical for staying in front of your community. How often should I post is a great question, the answer is more often than you do now.

  1. Facebook – Daily. Once a week is not good enough, neither is crappy content. We want the insider dirt.
  2. LinkedIn – Weekly at the minimum. Are you posting in Groups? “Turn it up, bring on the Noise!”
  3. Twitter – Whenever you want as often as you want. There is so much noise you have to rise above. This is a place to converse with people, especially if you have A.D.D!!!
  4. Blog – Once a week is a minimum, 3 times a week sounds a lot better and will drive more traffic to your social presence!!!
  5. YouTube – Post videos as soon as you have them. Try and Like or COmment on other videos weekly.

Last but not least, if you do not post semi frequently to social media sites and you do not participate in a general community on Facebook or Twitter, please pick a different career than social whatever your title is. There are a lot of Quacks in the business right now. The painful truth is social media strategy is an art form. You will get better if you practice, I promise. Start posting more frequently and consistently GREAT content to your social media sites.

How to Change Your FaceBook Page into a Place

By on January 12, 2012 in Best Practices, FaceBook

Whether you have been reading my posts on social media strategy, or you have simply had a Facebook Page and don’t understand why people can not check-in to your Page/Business (or check into a junk Page), the answer is very simple. You must change the type of Page to be a Local Business. When you change this setting (under Edit Page – Basic Information, Category – Local Business and PlaceType of Page), 2 “magical” things happen.

1)   Check-ins become enabled on your Page. Now you can launch your campaign to drive engagement and interaction with your Page. Whether it is a Deal (you must check-in to claim a deal) and people are now encouraged to check-in at your Stopping Point (a place where people talk with you and want something from you) or you are igniting a campaign to have your staff Check-In with clients/customers, This is one of the most powerful features on Facebook, NIKE – Just Do It!!!

2)   Recommendations – As soon as your Page becomes a Place – you can start a campaign to get Recommendations on your Page (note the box in the upper right). Your goal for 2012 is to get at least one per week. If someone publishes the recommendation it hits their newsfeed promoting your business! Encourage people to keep them short and reward people on the spot if they write a recommendation on your Page, they are referring their friends to your business!!!

2 Billion Posts are Liked or Commented on Every Day on Facebook

By on September 27, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook

If you saw The Social Network, you watched them celebrate as they grew to 1 million members. As Facebook passes 800 million active members, the more interesting statistic is how engaged are these members? Very engaged, 2 Billion posts are liked or commented on every day!!!

2 Billion!!! That is a huge number and it is just the start. The challenge to you is: create Posts (Status Updates, Picture or Question) that are creative and/or interesting! If you do, you will receive Likes and Comments exposing you to a larger audience, spreading your Page further faster. 400 million people will log in to Facebook today, are you posting content they are interested in? How are you nourishing your community? Feed the people quality content and they will Like and/or Comment on your Posts. Be more generous with your Likes, you will need that Social Capital one day!!!

FaceBook Advertising – Jump Start Your Community

By on May 30, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook

You’ve got a Page on FaceBook for your business. You have started Suggesting the Page to your friends and even gotten a few friends to Share your Page. You are doing the basics, like including links to your Page in your email newsletter and printing the link on all of your collateral, but your Page is not growing fast enough. What’s next? FaceBook Advertising!

Set up an Ad on FaceBook for your Page. Keep the traffic directing to your Page and limit the Ads to friends of your Page. Why? Because a referral in business from a friend is invaluable. When people see your Ad, you want them to see that one of their friends has already liked your Page. This is the equivalent of a business referral.

What else? Tie in a Sponsored Story. This is a long tail Ad that will be purely Social (only friends of people who like the Page will see it). Why do you want this second Ad running? As you get people liking your Page, you will want to reach out to their friends. This Sponsored Story will be promoted in the news feeds of the friends of the new people liking your Page. This is Hot!

What are you waiting for, start your Advertising campaign today!!!

Why YOU should be using Questions on FaceBook! Hint because the Cleveland Clinic isn't!

By on May 10, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook

I make fun of the Cleveland Clinic a lot in the world of Social Media. Why? Because they are the GIANT company in Cleveland and their Page on FaceBook has less people liking them than they have employees. A few months ago FaceBook “viralized” a new feature, Questions. This means, if you use the new feature, you will create a larger wave on FaceBook. Use Questions, it is a brilliant FaceBook feature. Plus, you can limit the potential answers via radio buttons, reducing potentially brand damaging answers.

Because I make fun of the Cleveland Clinic, I also offer them FREE unsolicited advice, see the picture below.

Subscribe to FaceBook Deals – Find out where you can SAVE when you check-in on FaceBook

By on April 25, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook

Do you like to save money? Maybe get a complimentary cup of coffee when you check-in at a restaurant like fire? FaceBook is letting you subscribe to localized Deals within your city/zipcode. Is this hot? Judging by the success of Groupon, Americans love to save money. Now you can find out where there is an incentive encouraging you to check-in. Exciting? Yeah, this is going to encourage competition and that is good for everybody. Competition? Yeah, Competition. Businesses are going to look at what their competition is offering as a deal and you the people of FaceBook are going to be rewarded with better deals.

Want to get in on the action? Subscribe to your local deals on FaceBook here. Update: Nice looks like Techcrunch and the NY Times are reporting this also :-)

The MAGIC Number – Ignite your business with this daily practice

By on February 28, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook, LinkedIn

Every since De La Soul hit the scene in 1989, we have been reminded that Three is the Magic Number. What is the Magic Number and how do you put it to work for you? The Magic Number is daily practice that will contribute to your long term business development. Identify 3 people in your network and reach out to them every day. This simple daily practice will result in you contacting 1,000 people a year!

What does “reach out” mean? It can be calling, texting, an email (FaceBook counts) or simply liking or commenting on a post on LinkedIn or FaceBook. Can you call 1,000 people a year? Unless all you do is sales, probably not. It just takes too much time. Being personal and staying in touch with your network is not accomplished with a mass email or status update on one of your networks. You probably don’t have the time to meet people for coffee, breakfast or drinks 1,000 times a year either. Should you throw in the towel?

No! Start every morning by identifying 3 people (friend, cousin, ex-coworker, schoolmate) who you want to stay in touch with. Pick the network must appropriate and communicate with them. This should take less than 5 minutes total!!! Avoid excessive communication, make it simple and easy for them to reply to you or simply acknowledge your existence (think like button). Three is The Magic Number – Ignite your business with this daily practice.

3 Reasons why you are excited to Upgrade your FaceBook Page to the Official profile

By on February 10, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook

The Official FaceBook Page upgrade is coming, and if you don’t do the optional upgrade now, it will be done Automatically for you on March 10, 2011. Don’t wait, don’t complain – The Upgrade kicks @$$!!! Why? (see screen shots below).

  1. The ability to change your settings so you can comment on your Page again personally. This is nice if you are a member of your community!!!
  2. FINALLY – Get email notification when someone comments on your Page. Thank You FaceBook (Jamie bowing in deference).
  3. Greater control over communicating what Pages you “Like” and “Featured Page Owners” – This is is an opportunity to cross promote and build some social capital. Kind of like you might do when you link to someone’s website or Blog on your site.

5 Steps to Developing Your Social Media Strategy

By on February 4, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Video

As you evaluate your current state of marketing, social media is an exciting potential part of your plan. How should you get started?

1) Adopt a social media policy – This will give you guidelines to protect your staff and organization.

2) Select the Tools that are right for you – Every plan today HAS to include FaceBook, LinkedIn, YouTube and Twitter. Depending on the content you are creating you should also consider a Blog (This is a BIG Tool).

3) Develop Goals – You have to be able to measure success and return on your investment. Goals will help you monitor and adjust.

4) Create your messaging/content – Wow! Step 4 may be the most dangerous step! You are not creating “Advertising.” You are feeding a community! Put on your creative hat and figure out what your community wants to eat!!!

5) Implementation and Training – Some of this is easy, some will take some research and resources. Your distribution and/or publishing platform must work cohesively and your team must become experts. This is where training is critical to your success.

Increase the Transparency in Your Life Using Social Media

By on February 3, 2011 in Best Practices, FaceBook, LinkedIn

Today, I was fortunate to work with 2 classes of PR and Marketing students at John Carroll University. Today, as I do at the end of each presentation I do, I give out my contact information. Suddenly, I feel like the naked guy in front of the room. Why? Because if you can reach me via FaceBook, LinkedIn or Twitter or even my phone – you will see my entire life. Social Media empowers you to lead a very transparent life. This transparency is the key to our success. Why? Because it is the only way we will get to know each other better. Social Media is only interesting if we are sharing the relevant to banal details of our life. Start living more transparently today.

Top 3 reasons why you should delete people not following you back on Twitter

By on January 26, 2011 in Best Practices, Twitter

Twitter is an amazing tool for getting information immediately. Whether you are doing basic research or want to know the latest score of your favorite team, there are amazing resources for pulling information. If you want to use Twitter to drive traffic to your website or increase your business, what should you do? Follow and Follow Back. Why? Because it is the only way Twitter becomes a two-way conversation. Check out the Beta version of BumKicker when you are done, full disclosure – this is a product we developed at Cleveland Groove.

1) If people are not following you back, they are dead weight in your network – They don’t see your content!

2) People who do not follow you back have indicated they are not interested in communicating with you. Unless you have a passion for their content, find someone else to exchange information with,

3) The basic ratio for followers to non-followers on Twitter. Currently, you are limited to following 2001 Twitter accounts. When you have approximately 1,850 followers your ratio changes to approximately 20%. Meaning if you have 3,000 followers you can follow up to 3,600 people.

*Remember to be careful when following people, more than 500 a day can raise a flag with Twitter and result in account suspension!

Are you ready to get rid of those Bums not following you back? Check out the Twitter application BumKicker developed by Cleveland Groove to identify the people not following you back, and enable you to unfollow them with a simple click of the mouse (Kick of the Boot).

What do you do? Log in with your Twitter account. We will pull a list of the people not following your account back. Type in the code at the top to unlock the delete “Boot” and start Kicking those Bums to the Trash (unfollowing them). You can only kick one bum to the trash at a time, so pick and choose who you want to unfollow easily! BumKicker is in Public Beta right now. If you don’t like something, contact me.