25 New Social Articles on Business 2 Community |
- C-Level Executives and Social Media: Striking a Balance
- The Shiitake We Have To Put Up With On Twitter
- Klout Gains Influence: Will It Become A Factor In SEO?
- Blogging Without Actually Blogging
- A Sentiment Experiment: This Week’s #BBCQT Panellists On Twitter
- How To Use Social Media To Sell Your Home
- Facebook Engagement 101: Video Examples
- “The Truth” About Social Media and Nonprofits – Or Just Assumptions?
- Why You Don’t Need A Social Media Strategy From #smwldn
- Google+ Authorship Plus Engagement Creates Search Bonus
- Social Media Halloween Costumes
- Google+ Local: What You Need To Know
- B2B Marketing: LinkedIn vs. Facebook (Infographic)
- Twitter Marketing: How To Get Started With Twitter For Your Business
- The ABCs Of Social Media
- 5 Must-Knows For SEO
- Facebook Tries Again With Gifts, Hopes To Improve Revenue
- It Ain’t All About Google+ Just Yet…But It Soon Will Be
- 5 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Business
- B2B Social Networking | What’s In a Name?
- Focus More On Relationships Not Followers On Social Media
- What Social Business Fabric Are You Sewing Into 2013?
- The Friday#: Magna Carta
- Creative Blogging Ideas from 5 Awesome Company Blogs
- 3 Reasons To be Excited About The New MySpace
| C-Level Executives and Social Media: Striking a Balance Posted: 28 Sep 2012 02:10 PM PDT Today's social media landscape calls for c-level executives to be accessible and available; however, due to the speed at which information now travels, many are apprehensive to join these platforms. Besides the potential for a social media gaffe that turns PR nightmare, many c-level executives feel they are too busy to spend time tweeting while running businesses. These concerns are valid – there have been a number of cases where one wrong post or tweet spirals into a national (and at times, international) story about a company's poor judgment and insensitivity. Similarly, anyone who has spent time on Twitter knows there is a nonstop stream of information to keep occupied reading, and Facebook boasts 20% of all page views on the web.
Nevertheless, some experts believe that for c-level executives, being an active presence on social networks is now part of the job description and will only help a business in the long run. According to Bill George, former Medtronic Inc. CEO, "People want CEOs who are real. They want to know what you think. Can you think of a more cost-effective way of getting to your customers and employees?" This is an important point – social networks have created an environment where corporate talking heads are no longer acceptable. Users expect to have a relationship with the companies they do business with. A lack of one of these relationships signals a problem in the mind of the user. Still, the pressure on c-level executives is more complex when legal ramifications are taken into account. A misleading tweet or misunderstood post has the potential to develop a life of it's own at a rapid pace. Perhaps that is why "seven in 10 Fortune 500 CEOs have no presence on major social media networks such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google+, according to a recent report by CEO.com and analytics company Domo. Among those who do 4% have known Twitter accounts and 8% use Facebook under their own names…by contrast 34% of all Americans are on Twitter and 50% use Facebook." For executives who want to take part in these discussions and help actively promote their business, there are options to do so. To start, enlisting the help of a public-relations staff or copy writers will help ensure that updates do not contain easily avoidable grammar or spelling mistakes, and don't cause friction with current events. Similarly, these professionals can help determine the proper tone for social networks based on the business and industry. A Twitter account for a retail store executive will be entirely different than that of an insurance company. Overall, a social media presence for c-level executives runs the risk of inviting criticism, complaints, etc. It's important to keep in mind, however, that these conversations are most likely going on whether or not a person or business is represented on the platform. By taking part in them, businesses and their executives have the change to clarify and set the record straight, while developing relationships with consumers and giving a business a more human and genuine feel. Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Jeff Bullas. |
| The Shiitake We Have To Put Up With On Twitter Posted: 28 Sep 2012 01:50 PM PDT
In no particular order:
Any more shiitake? Let me know in the comments please! photo by: law_keven |
| Klout Gains Influence: Will It Become A Factor In SEO? Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:58 PM PDT Bing, who already has a partnership with Facebook, and earlier this year announced new partnerships with Foursquare and Quora, yesterday (9/27/12) announced a new partnership with Klout.com. If you're not familiar with Klout, it is a site designed to measure an individual's social influence. Klout claims to examine more than 400 variables across multiple social networks in calculating each users social influence score. A number between 0-100 (a higher number represents more influence) is assigned and updated regularly based on the data collected. Klout ControversyThe idea of tracking and assigning a social influencer score has come under attack from some "very influential" social media users (Marcus Sheridan, Danny Brown, among others), and yet adjustments to Klout's algorithm this past year, which resulted in many Klout scores dropping, resulted in a cry of alarm and outrage for many social media users. Bing will display Klout users and their score in the "People Who Know" section of their search sidebar.
Klout will begin displaying "Bing highlights" on some of Klout's users new "Your Moments" feature.
In the announcement, Bing states that "Our engineering teams will work together to expand the scope of social search and influence" and also notes that "for the 1st time Bing is an outbound signal for influence. Search as a new outbound signal is an interesting new development in the way we think about big data and how it can add value to lots of the other services we use each day." What it means for MarketingRight now, a higher Klout score may result in showing up on the sidebar for Bing searches relevant to your industry – it becomes another way of being found or noticed online. The Big Take-a-WayHow long will it be until your Klout score is actually influencing Search Engine Results (much like Facebook "likes" & "share" and "Google +1s" do now)? You can currently go to a Klout User's profile page and give them a +K score (or vote) for specific subject areas of "expertise". How long will it before the +K button becomes ubiquitous across the web, much as the Google +1 has? It may be time to re-consider you Klout score? What are your thoughts on the subject? Are you a Klout fan? Could Klout become that influential? If so, will it change how much attention you give to your Klout score? Would love to hear your thoughts in the space below! |
| Blogging Without Actually Blogging Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:51 PM PDT Blogging, without a doubt, is one of the fastest and most efficient ways to move up the SEO ladder in your industry. Nonetheless, knowing the difference between a lead, a quote, attribution, fact, opinion and any other writing term is not always necessary to becoming an influential and intriguing blogger. There are many activities and tasks you can implement to strengthen your blog's position within your industry without actually blogging. You can garner relationships with your followers, promote your content via social, research keywords, or even just plan out a content schedule. By no means do these actions replace good and sound writing skills, but it can grow your blog to new heights (no matter your journalistic background. Below are five tips to increasing blog traffic without actually blogging:
Even though some writers may think so, but there are other great writers out there. Chances are, some of them are already reading and commenting on your stuff. Take it one step further and get them writing for your blog. Everyone likes a common voice, but what readers really love is hearing from the experts and hearing opposing sides of the spectrum. Scheduling contributing writers for your blog will not only provide a different look to your blog, but it can vastly increase its social reach as everyone likes to share their own content. Share it across your social channels This should not come at any surprise but a tremendous avenue to spread your blog's message is social. Active social media players check their Facebook's and Twitter as much as 10 times a day so when they go in their newsfeed or look in their Hootsuite, your story better be up there. In addition, you must make the story sharable. It is one thing to post your own content, but when others share your content, its reach is magnified. Research keywords that will drive your SEO It would take any social media or tech guru years to figure out the true algorithm Google uses for its SEO, but one must know what keywords people are using to talk about the industry. The realm is buzzing about content marketing, Facebook Open Graph, or even a widely-popular Pinterest board, you better be writing about it. The more you write about these hot topics, the higher you will climb on people's search boards. Create a content schedule No one likes to hear the same message over and over again. A great way to bypass this dilemma is to create a content schedule so you know exactly who will be addressing what issues. Spread it out. If you covered Facebook targeting one day, make sure to cover Twitter targeting later that week. Planning out a schedule can save blog editors an abundance of time and more importantly, will ensure all corners of their content world are covered. Key Takeaway Sadly enough, companies around the globe are ignoring poor writing skills. Despite this alarming trend, your blogging efforts do not have to take a back seat. By just engaging with your readers via social or creating a content map, you are vastly moving your blog about the blogosphere. So even if you don't know what a graph, fold or independent clause is, blogging is never out of your hands. |
| A Sentiment Experiment: This Week’s #BBCQT Panellists On Twitter Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:22 PM PDT
This is why sentiment reporting for social media discussions is problematic – giving a single 'positive' or 'negative' rating to a comment risks missing the real nuance. Even at a Tweet-level, assessing 140 characters as positive or negative can be wrong as often as it is right. There is another way of looking at sentiment. Not to look at the comment, but to identify known elements within the sentence and look at how they are discussed. For example, let's consider the following Tweet: As much as I absolutely adore BBC Question Time, Steve Coogan is making me hate this week's show so much. He's making me really angry #bbcqt As we read this, we know that it is neither positive or negative. It expresses both things depending on the object being discussed:
So by breaking down the Tweet into elements like this we get a much more nuanced view of sentiment. And probably a much more useful one. If I am analysing what people say about an episode of BBC Question Time, for example, I might be more interested in comparing how people talk on Twitter about the issues raised, or the guests on the panel than I am generically about the tone of discussions during the show. Looking at sentiment at this object-level is more insightful and more actionable. So for the episode first broadcast on 27 September 2012, we conducted an experiment to explore sentiment. Not of the show or general discussions but specifically to investigate people's sentiment towards the five guest panellists. What we analysed
What we found
What we can learn about sentiment analysisWhat can we learn from this? As with all research it is important to understand the biases of our sample – it could be that the audience who view the programme and discuss it on Twitter are more left-wing and so more sympathetic to Harman's point of view. It may be that the discussions about Steve Coogan were coordinated by a small group of individuals who had an agenda against him and so biased his score down. And it may be that the relatively small instance of mentions of Kirstie Allsopp makes her score less reliable. All of these are areas of potential bias that should be explored. But analysing sentiment at the object level like this gives us a much more nuanced understanding of how people were discussing BBC Question Time last night. And it allows us to have much more valuable discussions than just knowing that Tweets during the show were positive or negative. Sentiment is a complex beast, as are the humans that are expressing it. To inform a real discussion and to have a real understanding of what may be happening in discussions online we need to stop thinking in terms of Tweets and posts and comments, and to start disaggregatiog the individual objects discussed and explore those instead. |
| How To Use Social Media To Sell Your Home Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:11 PM PDT Social media has not only changed the way we communicate, but it has changed the way we act as consumers. Our purchasing behavior changes based on what our friends, family and colleagues tell us through social media plugs. We tend to trust the recommendations of our friends far more than obvious marketing messages. This new way of thinking and communicating is extremely powerful, and it is easy to harness its power to accomplish a high pressure act like selling your home. Using social media can help make selling your home easier, and possibly even more effective then old marketing tactics. Social networking can get you in touch with true buyers and other potential home selling leads. If you're preparing to sell your home, here are a few ways you can boost your home's selling power. Get On the Web There are a number of ways that you can promote your home for-sale online. While posting on Craigslist and real estate websites can certainly help, you can go a step further. You can launch a website of your own to send to interested buyers. Include high-quality photos and even a video tour of your home and its more interesting features. Upload these videos to your site and to YouTube, allowing you to give a personal walkthrough of your home, showing its warmth and personality. Promote Your Home Socially Your realtor should already be using online marketing methods to promote your home. However, your help is a huge added bonus. Even if you don't have your own website, all real estate agents have their clients' homes listed on a website. Share this link on your Facebook and Twitter feeds, and ask your friends to share and retweet your listing. Share often. You may not think your social reach is enough, but asking for everyone you are connected with to pass the information along can be priceless. All of your friends have a social reach too. Your home is much more likely to sell when more people are able to see your listing. You never know who will come across your home, simply through shared content. Search For Sellers Searching for other sellers, beyond your real estate agent, is a simple way to find other outlets to push your home sale. Facebook and Twitter allow you to keyword search businesses, brands and actual people that fit your search results. Use this tool and search for other real estate agencies and post your link to their business page. You can tweet directly to them, which may spark a real time conversation, allowing you to engage them with key points about your home. Utilize local organizations like the chamber of commerce or community outreach programs to help get your home information into the hands of a buyer. Networking with these types of social profiles can skyrocket your chances of getting your home viewed online. Another great form of social search is the use of Twitter hash tags. Hash tags allow you to use specific keywords that people may be using in actual conversations on Twiter. If someone is engaging followers about moving, purchasing a home or relocating to a new area, you can follow that conversation through the hashtags being used. It is wise to reach out to these people and let them know what you have to offer regarding their wants and needs. This is an excellent form of social media target marketing. Get Your Home Linked In You may not have thought of LinkedIn as being a positive social media platform for getting your home sold, but it could prove to be the most effective. Connecting with real estate agents, offering information about your home and asking for their help is what Linked In is all about. Look for discussion groups in your area and reach out to relocating professionals. Join home selling groups, introducing yourself as an excited seller. Your connections will trust you, wanting to help you, since you are sharing personal information on a secure, professional networking platform. Getting your information to the fingertips of the world is easy. Create a buzz about your property for sale simply by posting information about your home on several social networking sites. Talk about your home, share pictures and stories, and let potential buyers know that you exist. |
| Facebook Engagement 101: Video Examples Posted: 28 Sep 2012 12:05 PM PDT Creating engaging content on Facebook so that your brand/business content is seen by more people doesn't have to be a complete mystery! In this video, created for a client of Social Sparkle & Shine, I show you a simple formula for creating a Facebook program that gets your content in front of more of your fans AND their friends, two examples of businesses using this formula, and a simple way to calculate your page engagement so you can document your successes. It's a simple formula and not meant to be applied to every tactic on Facebook, but it can work for you every day, whether your page has a few hundred fans or hundreds of thousands of fans. Please like this video on YouTube (if you do), share it with friends & coworkers, subscribe to my channel and feel free to leave the link to your Facebook page in the comments if you'd to be included in an upcoming video. We also will be scheduling an upcoming version of #SparkleSOS the social media turnaround show for Fall 2012, focusing specifically on car dealerships and automotive sales businesses strategy and tactics on social media. If you'd like to participate on-air as an expert or submit your car business for assessment of your social activities, please email debbie (address below). This is the 8th post in the series on Facebook Engagement 101 – there are still more posts to come on contests, gamification, tabs, special insights and more! Let me know – what are your burning Facebook questions!? We also have begun our series on Twitter Engagement 101 and will soon begin to cover both Foursquare and Pinterest. Hopefully before 2013, we'll begin exploring the secrets to success on LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube! Want me to attend your event, review your app, blog post or plans? Email me at debbie [at] theSparkleAgency [dot] com. Have immediate questions for your business about social media you'd like answered by a panel of experts on #SparkleSOS? Send me an email or ask them on Twitter to hashtag #SparkleSOS and I'll add them to the queue for an upcoming live show! You might even be invited to join us on the show! |
| “The Truth” About Social Media and Nonprofits – Or Just Assumptions? Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:35 AM PDT
The title of the post – The Truth About Social Media and Nonprofits: A New Perspective May Be Required – intrigued me (as a good blog headline should). Unfortunately, the meat of the post was far from "the truth". Jay Jones begins by claiming that nonprofits are seemingly obsessed with social media. Everywhere you look these days; it's another story about nonprofits and social media! (Is that a bad thing?) He then lays out the challenges that nonprofits face when using social media tools, suggesting that "a new perspective may be required" (what this perspective is, we'll never know). This is where he gets it all wrong. "The Truth" Challenge #1: "Social media is relatively new to nonprofits." Social media tools are not new, and they are certainly not new to nonprofits. Blogger and LinkedIn started in 2003. Heather Mansfield started the "Nonprofit Organizations" MySpace profile in 2005. In her book Social Media for Social Good, Mansfield details how nonprofit organizations "ushered in the era of the Social Web" and were the "early adopters of social media tools". The tools may have changed, but nonprofits have been building communities and energizing constituencies through grassroots movements and word-of-mouth campaigns much longer than the Social Web has existed. While the actual online tools may be confusing to some nonprofits, the act of storytelling, communicating with supporters and building an energized constituency shouldn't be. Those nonprofits that lack compelling missions or effective ways to communicate the impact of their work will not succeed, with or without social media. #2 Challenge – "Using social media technology and techniques requires time and expertise." A person or organization can have all the money, technology, expertise and fancy equipment in the world, but that does not mean that they will have a clue as to how to succeed in the social media space. Very few people (the tech savvy included) innately understand how to use social media to build an online brand. The best social media managers already have years of experience with online communications and fundraising. Succeeding with social media requires authenticity, transparency, passion and interest, not a serious knowledge of technology and online marketing. It requires all the things that nonprofits should have been doing all along – identifying and knowing their audience, being transparent, showcasing their success stories, asking for partners. Take the example of Julie Nations, Executive Director of The Ellie Fund. She might not be able to create custom Facebook tabs or build a fancy blog template, but you know what she is good at? Telling her story, communicating with supporters, conveying enthusiasm for her topic, and connecting with people. Those are the reasons why The Ellie Fund kicks serious butt in the social media space. All the technical skills and time in the world in the world are not going to help you if you can't be genuine and interesting, and if you can't tell your story in a way that connects to real people. #3 Challenge – "The idea that social media works is intuitive, but not widely proven." Clearly Jones has not yet read Beth Katner's new book, Measuring The Networked Nonprofit. Nor has he heard of Twive and Receive, #GivingTuesday, Twestival or any of the hundreds of successful online giving campaigns run by Fundly, Razoo and others. Social media tools are just that – tools. "Social media" itself is not a strategy. These online tools, just like an annual giving mailing, a letter writing campaign, and a phone-a-thon are tools that nonprofits use to accomplish their goals and therefore, their missions. It is true that there "aren't as many stories" and studies on the direct ROI of social media for nonprofits – but that does not mean that they aren't out there, waiting to be told. Conclusion – Why Is a Change In Perspective Necessary? Without answering the question posed in the headline (as to why a new perspective is needed), Jones concludes that nonprofits need to use social media in their CRM strategy. I agree with this part. Nonprofits should incorporate social media tools in their donor and support cultivation strategy and not as a standalone solution that will eliminate the need for everything else. We need to get away from the perspective that "this social media stuff" is taking away time from other things. Rather – it should be REPLACING other things – outdated, outmoded, useless things. Think of the money and time you spend printing a paper newsletter, for example. We are all learners in the social media space. Nonprofits shouldn't be discouraged from participating; they should be actively encouraged with open arms. What do you think of the challenges that nonprofits face in using social media? Anything I left out? Please leave your thoughts in the Comments section or continue the conversation on my Facebook page. Thanks for reading! |
| Why You Don’t Need A Social Media Strategy From #smwldn Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:29 AM PDT
It was a great experience to take my thoughts and ideas and share them with a room full of people and get instant feedback. It is similar to me writing a blog but with instant comments from more people. I would take 50 people in a room over 50 page views any day. I wanted to share with you my slide deck, the video recording of the event and some key insights from my presentation from the people in the audience.
Slides from the event TROUBLE VIEWING? Click here to go direct to slideshare Video on demand The event was streamed live and recorded so you can watch on demand below
Click on this picture to visit the page to view the video on demand TROUBLE VIEWING? Click here to visit streaming site directly Tweets from the audience I went through the event hashtag (#SMWSTRATEGY) and took out the things I spoke about which people felt warranted sharing with their networks. I thought it was great feedback for me as to which points people found most valuable. #smwstrategy with the anti Christ of social media @theotherhef — The term social media will die at some point @theotherhef #smwldn #smwstrategy — Now @theotherhef at Facebook London on why you don’t need a social media strategy. controversial. #smwstrategy — @theotherhef #smwstrategy “social media as a word is dead, welcome to social business” — With @theotherhef at #SMWStrategy explaining ‘social business’: Restoring the balance between customer and company. http://t.co/Yqt0cwvQ — Social business= restoring power equilibrium to make values of customer/employee equal to those of company @theotherhef #smwldn #smwstrategy — What is social business #smwstrategy http://t.co/l6zoImRd — social gives a voice to customers and employess now restoring the equilibrium of power equal to the business #SMWStrategy #SMW12 #SMWLDN — Social Business balance of customer + employees vs company #SMWStrategy @theofferhef ow.ly/i/YggO — #smwstrategy social media restored company/customer power balance, is anti-corporate greed — “Social usage is about 10% of where it could be” #smwldn #smwstrategy — #smwstrategy future of social customer service is peer to peer support rather than responding to thousands of tweets — Where can u use social? Marketing, customer service, product development (crowd-sourcing), supply chain, funding, sales #smwldn #smwstrategy — #smwstrategy Social takes us back to an old fashioned word-of-mouth style of business — With social everyone has got a voice – whether the CEO, secretary, in the factory, you have an equal say @theotherhef #smwldn #smwstrategy — “Use social media as a barometre for your company” Worried what customers might think about an action? Maybe you don’t do it. #SMWStrategy — Something to consider before spending money on social – what is your objective with social? @theotherhef #smwldn #smwstrategy — Consider your objectives with social, before spending money on it #smwldn #smwstrategy — “The future of business will be more honest, open and transparent” claims @theotherhef #smwldn #smwstrategy — #smwstrategy “it’s not about having a social media strategy, it’s about aligning business to your business strategy” @theotherhef — Employees who are on social media have a bigger voice than the managers who aren’t on social media @theotherhef #smwldn #smwstrategy — Yes – “any customer who hates you is passionate about you” i.e. an opportunity to win them over by publicly fixing a problem #smwstrategy — |
| Google+ Authorship Plus Engagement Creates Search Bonus Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:25 AM PDT
Google has quietly rolled out a new bonus for verified Google+ authors whose content engages readers. A new article by AJ Kohn describes what he calls the "authorship bounce": if you click through a search engine result from an author verified with Google+ and remain on the page for a certain amount of time, if you go back in your browser Google will show you additional search results from that author. For example, if I do a search for "vertical measures analytics" my Google+ author-verified post comes up as such:
If I click through and immediately go back in my browser, I get the same search results. But if I click through, wait a few minutes, and then go back I see my original search result with additional author-related links:
Because the user spent a certain amount of time on the site, Google assumes that the content was valuable and so presents other results from the now-relevant author. The amount of time required to trigger the new results seems to be at least a few minutes. Similar results were seen for established Google+ publishers. Results seem to vary a bit: for example, authors who are verified but not established enough to show as a rich snippet do not seem to enjoy this perk. What is evident is that Google is measuring users' time on site as a gauge of the quality of an author's or publisher's content. How this will affect AuthorRank remains to be seen, but it clearly bolsters the value of Google+ authorship, particularly for content that is deemed engaging. It's a nice counterpoint to bounce rate, providing value to content that gives the user what they search for but does not necessarily draw them further into the site. Have you seen this new search result feature? How do you think it will affect AuthorRank and content going forward? |
| Social Media Halloween Costumes Posted: 28 Sep 2012 11:05 AM PDT Every year my workplace has a Halloween costume contest. As the Social Media analyst I find it completely necessary to pull out all the stops and dress in my best social media inspired Halloween costume. I've never won the contest but my co-workers and I have had a few laughs over my antics and I've reinforced my commitment to my craft. What more could I hope for? So here's what I've been able to scare up so far (sorry.) Twitter BirdWhen I started in this business Twitter was still relatively new to people, so very few in my office knew who I was when I wore this costume. Now, most everyone would recognize this.. If you aren't following me on Twitter I sure hope this inspires you to do so.
Now I know you want to follow me on Twitter QR CodeThe following year was the year of the QR code. QR codes were popping up everywhere, including gravestones! While I can't imagine QR codes will still be with us several generations from now, they were the shiny new object then and continue to be a good way to send people to your landing page or social media profiles from print materials. Years from now visitors to our gravestones will be wondering what to do with that funny looking carving on the stone, but for now, here's my Halloween interpretation.
QR Code Halloween Costume The QR codes works. When scanned, the code took you to a landing page with this photo of me in a Facebook profile costume. Facebook Profile Halloween CostumeSince this was just a landing page I didn't actually make this costume. But you could!
Facebook Halloween Costume Coming soon…. 2012 Halloween Social Media inspired costumeI already know what I'm doing this year but I'm not doing a spoiler. Instead, come back for a visit after Halloween and I'll have my 2012 costume posted here for you. What are your ideas for social media inspired Halloween costumes? Post them here or post photos on my Facebook page. |
| Google+ Local: What You Need To Know Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:40 AM PDT
If you haven't checked the Google Place page for your business in a while, you might be in for a big surprise. It now looks completely different and is no longer officially a Google Place page! Instead, all Google local listings have been automatically switched over to Google+ Local pages. We have put together a helpful ebook with the basics of what you need to know, and what you can do with your page now that this change has taken place. Download it now, or check out some highlights of what you need to know about the change. Your Local Page is Part of Google+ Your Reviews Are Intact But Now in Zagat Rating Format Your Google + Local Page is Not a Social Page – Yet You Can Merge a Local Page with a Google+ Business Social Page You Should Optimize Your Page for Local Search To learn more and get easy tips for what you can do to claim, merge, and optimize your page, get the free ebook now. Get Your Ebook: "Google+ Plus Local: Your Guide to Optimizing Local Google+ Pages." Have you claimed your Google+ Local page yet? What do you think about the new listing pages? Share your thoughts in a comment! |
| B2B Marketing: LinkedIn vs. Facebook (Infographic) Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:25 AM PDT It's finally Friday–time for an infographic! As a B2B inbound marketing agency, we at OttoPilot Media are very familiar with LinkedIn and Facebook. Both are recognized as top social media platforms, but which one is better for B2B marketers? One might jump to say LinkedIn due to its professional nature and access to quality potential leads, but we can't rule out Facebook just yet. Facebook is a great way to engage with your leads and make personal connections. Using a variety of social media tools will help your business get the exposure it needs. Brought to you by BOP Design, this infographic highlights the strengths and weaknesses of using both LinkedIn and Facebook for you B2B marketing strategy. See the details below!
You're on LinkedIn and Facebook, but what about Twitter? Check out our Free Twitter Cheat Sheet for quick tips to make your tweets go further! |
| Twitter Marketing: How To Get Started With Twitter For Your Business Posted: 28 Sep 2012 10:05 AM PDT Twitter marketing can feel overwhelming for a new user. Don't give up! It's worth the effort to learn how social marketing with Twitter works. It benefits your business in quite a number of ways:
How to Get Started with Twitter Marketing
The first thing to do is determine if your ideal client is already using Twitter. Not everyone needs to be on Twitter; it all depends upon which social networks your ideal client is using. You can get started with Twitter marketing by setting up your Twitter profile. You should include your location, bio, image and a personalized background. Don't skip this part. Your bio and location are prime opportunities to add keywords to your profile. How do you want to be found? What do you want to be known for? Include those words in your bio. Your background and image are a way to continue your visual branding from your website. If you have a picture on your About page, you can use it for your image on Twitter, otherwise use your company logo. Choose a handle for your Twitter profile that's easy to remember. Ideally, you'll use your company name or your own name. You want something that makes a statement about who you are and helps your followers remember you. When someone wants to tweet to you directly they'll use an @ reply or mention, meaning they'll send a tweet beginning with @yourhandle. The tweet will show up in under mentions and interactions, as well as in your stream. Remember, you may be interacting with one person specifically, but all your followers will see the message in their streams. If you want to interact with someone privately, use a DM (direct message). Twitter allows you to send a private message to anyone who follows you, but don't automatically DM new followers. It's a big turnoff and can make you look unprofessional. Focus on building authentic connections with your fellow Twitter users to get the best results. Learning the Twitter Marketing Lingo There are some features unique to Twitter marketing that can overwhelm new users. Learning how to use them can make your Twitter experience easier and more profitable too! Hash Tags A hashtag is a way for people to search for tweets on a common topic. If you want to find out what people are saying about the new iPhone, search for tweets with the hash tag #iPhone5. Or better yet, tweet using the #iPhone5 hash tag so others can find what you're saying. You can use a resource like Hashtag.org to find popular hashtags related to your niche. Retweets When someone tweets an article or comment that you think would be helpful or interesting to your followers, retweet it. The link or comment will appear in your followers streams marked with RT. When you receive a retweet from someone else, be sure to thank them for sharing your update. RTs are viewable from your Twitter profile homepage under the "@Connect" tab. Twitter's short and sweet posting makes it a fast and easy way to update your customers and clients. There may be a learning curve, but the benefits to your brand are worth the time spent upfront! Do you need some customized advice for getting started on Twitter? Check out our social media marketing training sessions! |
| Posted: 28 Sep 2012 09:50 AM PDT
To help this initiative, two industry experts use a basic learning tool – the alphabet – to share informative ideas on what should be included in a social media strategy. Shama Kabani of The Marketing Zen Group and Jennifer Wilson of Interactive Intelligence are the authors of The Social Alphabet: What You Need to Know About Social Media as the Ultimate Communication Channel. They start with A (Attract) and end with Z (Zeal), and throughout, offer insightful opinions on 26 topics that are key to social media strategies. A common theme throughout this guide is that social media is a channel where consumers feel like they can be heard. The advice of these two authors is about being prepared to respond to these voices in a professional way that continues to promote your brand. Here are some of my favorites on this topic:
Throughout the report, Wilson positions many of her comments around the contact center, with advice on how to be prepared to put a company's best foot forward within the realm of social media. For instance, on the topic of Honesty, she shares that only so much is good over a social network. She notes that some issues may need to be escalated to a one-on-one phone conversation to best serve the consumer and protect the company. This report closes with a five tips for building a social media strategy. The authors offer suggestions for such tactics as determining what your kind of strategy you need, how to allocate resources, and the importance of finding out what your competition is doing. From A to Z, this is a fun read, and full of great advice that is sure to help you make the most of your own social media strategy. Download The Social Alphabet: What You Need to Know About Social Media as the Ultimate Communication Channel now! (No registration required.) Let me know what you think in the comments below and follow the conversation on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or Google+. Share and Enjoy |
| Posted: 28 Sep 2012 09:25 AM PDT
Take a deep breath and stay calm because there are some things in SEO that stay consistent. Here are five SEO constant concepts to consider and build upon: 1. Build your site for people, not for ad dollars or search engines. When creating your site, remember who you’re building it for. Don't bombard your visitors with too many ads or anything other than what will provide a positive user experience. Don't make them click "next" 25 times to see 25 ways to make Ramen. Put your readers first and deliver the user experience they’re looking for. This improves bounce rate, repeat viewers and, maybe you'll get a new newsletter subscriber (if you have your opt-in form on a page), which could lead to sales. 2. Be a resource. There's no Candyland slide for good content. Create content that will reach your desired audience. Make useful pages that educate and inform, and ensure that it's easy for viewers to navigate and find what they’re looking for. Teach, share and most importantly, don't limit your site to just selling. Show some personality, your artsy side and/or spread knowledge through guides, articles and examples. Show Google what a good resource you are by including outbound links, plenty of images and even a video or two. Don't forget to include social sharing icons so your website visitors can easily share all your great content with their own social networks! 3. Use Keywords. Use relevant keywords in copy that users may use in search to find you. Unsure what they are? Check the AdWords keyword tool for ideas. Don't over-optimize by stuffing these terms too much throughout the copy (remember #1 above). Include it only where it makes sense when reading. Include it in the page title, description and throughout the copy a few times. You can also include it in the image name if it's relevant, as well as the alt tag attribute. 4. Don't cheat. I'm a firm believer in playing fair. If you don't want to get de-listed or bumped down to page 50+, be a white hatter (aka – do the right thing). Don't spam, keyword stuff, buy links, cookie stuff, create fake profiles, buy "likes" or any other shady tactics. The last thing you want is to have your site to be removed from the Google index. Yes, this does happen! 5. Get links. Put your wallet away, you don't need to buy links. The right way to get links is to create link-worthy material. You can create guides, infographics, interactive calculators, a unique article, comparison charts, an illustration, a storytelling photograph or dozens of other content types. No matter what it is – the more thought and care you put into it the better. Another great way to gain new links is to guest-post on a blog relevant to your brand’s services or products. These five simple concepts have been consistent in SEO for the last 10 years and will most likely hold true for many more. Although this generally means working harder than some folks, rest assured you won't be banned, blocked or have to duplicate your efforts to regain visibility. Learn more about webmaster best practices. Posted by Bonnie D’Amico Rogers Bonnie is the Affiliate & SEO Marketing Manager at VerticalResponse. Connect with her on Twitter @bonnie_d_rogers |
| Facebook Tries Again With Gifts, Hopes To Improve Revenue Posted: 28 Sep 2012 09:25 AM PDT
And it's not as if Facebook is innocent to investors' criticisms. Since the IPO, Facebook stock has fallen almost 50%. That's a big drop no matter what industry or business a company is in. Facebook hasn't really been able to deliver solid sales numbers for its ads or other offerings even though it has over 900 million users! I tried to create with a clever analogy that conveyed the situation Facebook was in, but I just couldn't. Wait a minute! Here it is —I feel like Facebook is sitting on a gold mine with only a shovel, when it really needs a mining pick. Everyday millions of users don't give up the gold, and Facebook doesn't seem to have figured out the right way to get it from them. Facebook's Next Attempt to Please Investors, and find their Mining PickLast night, news broke that Facebook has, according to the LA Times, launched "Facebook Gifts, a service that lets users buy and send real gifts—not virtual ones—to friends." If you think back a bit, you might remember that Facebook dabbled in gift-giving a few years ago, but it never amounted to anything but silliness. Why Facebook Gifts might WorkWhen I first thought about this idea I found myself thinking, "How is this possibly going to work? We already have plenty of ways to get gifts for our friends." But the more I think about this move by Facebook, the more I can actually see it working for the company. Everyone assumes that Facebook needs to make its money in ads. That's where, according to the LA Times, 85% of their revenue came from last year. But that doesn't have to be the case. Finally, Facebook is showing us that they have what it takes to make money directly from their users. So why might Facebook Gifts work? Because, as Wired writer Ryan Tate reports, "Facebook is trying to monetize common, naturally occurring behavior on its network in a way that feels more natural than other Facebook ads." Actually, Facebook Gifts is likely going to workFacebook Gifts is a natural fit for the company. It can be used on any computer, but more importantly, on mobile as well. Facebook has been receiving a lot of flack and pessimism about its ability to engage mobile users, and now they have something, and it has a lot of potential. The whole purpose of Facebook is to connect people, and now people have a way to connect not only digitally, but with a physical message as well. Happy birthday friend, here's a Starbucks Gift card or a bouquet of flowers! Currently, Facebook is focusing on lower end products under or around the $50 mark. Businesses are going to jump at partnering with Facebook Gifts. Why wouldn't they? Facebook's 900 million users are a big market. Plus, Facebook Gifts has the potential to turn into a much larger sales platform for Facebook. Business and Facebook GiftsIf you run a small or large business, it's going to be important to keep an eye on Facebook Gifts. If what they're currently selling on Gifts fits your product line, you might want to consider jumping on the boat as soon as you can. Otherwise, be patient because if it succeeds—and it probably will—you can expect to see the gift idea expand into something more of a traditional marketplace. Facebook might very well become another place to shop online like Amazon or eBay. Ultimately, I guess what I'm saying here is, Facebook might have found that mining pick they desperately need. I'll definitely be watching to see if Facebook Gifts delivers. Do you think Facebook Gifts is what Facebook needs to impress investors? Do you see your business using Facebook Gifts in the future? |
| It Ain’t All About Google+ Just Yet…But It Soon Will Be Posted: 28 Sep 2012 09:05 AM PDT
Jesus, it's a nightmare staying on top of it all. In the good old days I used to write a newsletter once a week and the sponsorship was enough to pay the mortgage and more. No longer. WordPress, widgets, plug-ins, Twitter, LinkedIn, (even) Facebook, Reddit, writing for BBC Future, TechCrunch, Telegraph, HuffPo, coding, travelling to keep visible at trade shows, talking at trade shows to keep visible, sussing out emerging economies, setting up funds, fixing this and that, finding good clients, losing bad clients, moving offices… and nine years on, still writing this newsletter every Friday morning for 11.40am email delivery. And like most people in the digital space that are over the age of 25, I'm not really a technophile. I work with these new machines because the people who don't work with these new machines are unemployed and becoming more violent every day. So, it's a pain, a real ennervating pain, to be constantly moving, changing, keeping up, constantly creating content, constantly creating content, constantly creating content, constantly creating content, constantly creating content, constantly creating content. But sometimes it's exciting; sometimes it's amazing. When I got into Twitter I realised this was utterly revolutionary, not quite like the beauty of Bob Dylan's lyric There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air, but world-changing all the same. Twitter opened the web again, tore people away from their bookmarks and transformed the way information (some of which was crap) was disseminated. Not so with Farcebook, a showground for insecure people with Narcissistic personality disorder who give away their video and image content for nothing. LinkedIn has been coming up on the rails, definitely a place for business leads, although expensive for advertising. Forget Pinterest and the rest of them, email marketing is more interesting. Then there's the aforesaid Google + and a social network that has been difficult, very difficult to love. All bells and whistles, crouching on the shoulders of the hit-and-miss social giants before them, teasing us by starting off as a closed network until we're munching on our eyelashes to be invited. Then the stats, 'the fastest-growing social network EVER', the stampede to feature and be featured and then, what? Clever Americans showing off all types of crap that I'd cross the road to stamp on, idiots spamming and us social media types treating it in the same way that french-bound 30-year-old married English teachers treat ugly girls in their class. Then the obvious backlash, Google admitting that things hadn't quite gone to domination. But then the tide of anti-populism is unleashed and it becomes interesting because it has to be if you're publishing anything. How the fuck do you do it or reach any level of critical mass without the brains of the internet? What was I thinking? So, I dug under the bonnet and started to look into its (search – hohoho) engine and boy, does it change things. As I said, I'm no technophile and I barely know what I'm talking about, but if you're a writer or a communciator of any description you need to know about it pronto. This chap for Econsultancy, however does know and this piece will show you how it's done with link backs to other articles that will take away all your fear of finding out about *something else*. Consequently I've sorted out my blog and tagged my online reputation, reach and reason. Traffic to my site has soared and it's been more worth the effort. I even feel as if I know what I'm talking about and that you might listen to what I'm saying – hahahahahahahahahaha. However, if this is what the future is all about, then a weekly Friday newsletter might not be worth doing anymore, I publish this about five minutes after you receive it anway and market through all the social channels I mentioned. Nine years of hungover-Fridays (Thursday nights are the parents' weekend) trying to think of something remotely interesting with only the occasional day off for holiday or illness coming to an end? Yep, maybe it's time to go. Google + changed my life, it's going to change yours. Get used to it, baby. |
| 5 Ways to Use Pinterest for Your Business Posted: 28 Sep 2012 09:00 AM PDT By now, we should all be familiar with Pinterest, the social site where you pin anything and everything you like. You might have already been sucked into looking at pictures of cute animals, colorful arts and crafts, and antique furniture. If you haven't—be warned—it's addictive. And while you might have a Pinterest account of your own, so does your company, right? No? Well, then it might be time you rethink that decision. Pinterest is the 3rd largest social network today—an impressive feat considering the site was started only a few years ago. It drives an enormous amount of traffic, and is the fastest growing social network in history! But when it comes to Pinterest and B2B marketing, it just doesn't seem likean effortless match. That is true in a way. Companies with actual products have a much easier go of it, but there are still plenty of things you can do. You might also want to keep in mind that there was a time when your company didn't even have a Facebook page, and before that, a website. Social media has come a long way since then. Chances are that you have a presence on Facebook these days, and may also be tweeting, blogging, and embracing all the things social has to offer to the fullest. Getting a head start on the relatively new Pinterest might be a worthwhile pursuit as it will evolve and undergo changes in the years to come. Visuals Just like other social networks have their niches, so does Pinterest. Pinterest is all about the visuals. This is one of the most important points you should keep in mind as you create boards and pins. Share any great graphics, banners, or visuals your company has already created. This is why companies with great visual products tend to do well, but if you are a B2B organization, you can still take advantage by creating visual representations of your offering. Infographics Unfortunately, your company doesn't deal in adorable puppies or beautiful jewelry. But don't worry, you can do one better. You can share relevant information and have great visuals with the help of infographics. Infographics are basically visualized data and your company may even already have them. This is a great way to share information that your target audience would be interested in. Written Content You are sure to have plenty of white papers, reports, or other pieces of writing. Share it on Pinterest! You can easily liven up any writing with visuals or creative covers. The goal is to get people interested. Social Another important point to consider of this social network is, of course, the social aspect of it. We all love to see pictures of people. Images of employees or your office can be a strong driving point for your business. Getting an inside look into what goes on at your company can certainly sway a potential customer. You can't go wrong with pictures of happy workers, fun social events at work, or even out-of-work gatherings for good causes such as charities or fundraisers. In the end, people buy from people, not from organizations. So putting a personality to your corporation is going to help you connect at a higher level with your potential customers. Videos Did you know that you can upload videos on Pinterest? You can! Share videos of events or presentations. If you have a webinar you want to share publically, pin that as well. It doesn't all have to be pictures. There are many ideas and considerations to keep in mind when it comes to B2B and Pinterest. Many best practices from other social platforms still hold true, such as linking back to your site, keeping SEO in mind as you add descriptions, and creating engaging content. Use Pinterest not only as a platform to promote your business, but as a place to share fun content, add interests that extend beyond the company, and as a channel to communicate with both employees and potential customers. By keeping the customer in mind, you'll figure out exactly what works best for you and your company. Quaero has taken the first step and recently jumped onto the Pinterest bandwagon. So should you! |
| B2B Social Networking | What’s In a Name? Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:55 AM PDT I frequently find myself thinking that the dumbest thing we Internet marketers ever did in social networking was to rename it social media. In the early days of Web 2.0, there was no such thing as social media. Everyone was just working to make software more social, whatever that meant. Then for a while, the terms "social networking" and "social media" were used almost interchangeably. Today, it's all social media, the Web 2.0 heir apparent of Web 1.0 new media. Social networking is largely reserved for describing the purest of social networks like Faceook and LinkedIn, or the more technical discussions about social graphs and the like. Personally, I strongly prefer the term "B2B social networking"; because once you recognize that the smart way to use B2B social media is to drive B2B social networking, your fundamental understanding of the potential opportunity shifts. Just for fun, I did a quick Google trend analysis on the terms to visualize the issue.
As it has grown in popularity, the term "social media" So, what's the big deal Joel? After all, it's just a kind of new media, only social, right? The problem is that the term "social media" clouds our thinking about social networking with advertising concepts. In particular, when it comes to B2B social networking, the term "B2B social media" misses the mark entirely. It makes me cringe when I hear statements from B2B marketers and salespeople such as these:
B2B social networking is not the descendant of new media, like a banner ad, only social. B2B social networking is the new technological enabler of face-to-face meetings, industry events, phone calls, email, sales calls, field marketing and public relations, because it's the networking, not the media that counts! Would you ever expect a B2B marketer or salesperson to make statements such as these?
Cast in this light, these statements are obviously and completely ridiculous. The fundamental purpose of B2B social networking technology is to facilitate B2B networking through automation. In plain English, the purpose of B2B social networking is to increase the frequency, velocity, and quality of business referrals and references. When applied to sales and marketing, this translates into accelerating the B2B purchase process and driving viral revenue growth within an industry. At the core of a referral are two things: a positive, trusted relationship and useful information. Now that sounds just a little bit like sharing a blog post or a comment on LinkedIn. At a minimum, B2B sales and marketing professionals should be using B2B social networking to increase the frequency and velocity of referrals throughout the sales process. At a maximum, B2B social networking can be combined with search, Website marketing and marketing automation to completely automate the B2B purchase process of the new breed of B2B buyer.
Business referrals are the mature B2B cousin of B2C word of mouth marketing. Much of what I propose here in regard to B2B social networking also applies to B2C social networking with the one caveat that B2B social networkers are there to do business, whereas consumers use social networks for personal reasons, so B2C brands must tread carefully on their social turf. In the case of B2C, the term "social media" may serve as a useful reminder to B2C marketers that consumers on social networks are not there in the service of their brands. On the contrary, B2B marketers should find B2B social networking more relevant and more straightforward than B2C, provided they view it as networking and not advertising. I also did an experimental search on Google for the term "B2B social networking" and Google decided what I really meant was "B2B social media." It's really incredible how Google handles synonyms. Thanks for nothing Google!
Even Google treats B2B social networking and B2C social media as synonyms The is the first post in a series designed to help B2B marketers create better B2B social strategies by thinking in terms of "networking" over "media." Future posts will tackle the following increasingly complex B2B social networking challenges.
So, stay tuned for more! |
| Focus More On Relationships Not Followers On Social Media Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:55 AM PDT
This should be a huge red flag! People right now are equating success with follower counts and friend counts and number of likes and number of pluses. Don't get me wrong, these numbers can be very helpful in helping a person learn more about these platforms but ultimately, it is about finding the best way to build, quality relationships. Try this for a better experience and more sustaining results. This week, anytime I was mentioned or retweeted for a comment I made, I performed some checking on the person and followed up with some questions or comments regarding their recent tweets and the website they reference in their profile. In addition, on Linkedin I also endorsed some of my close friends with respect to their skills, (New Linkedin Feature) On Facebook, I actually shared more pictures regarding our company, and people responded by wanting to learn more. See, the platform doesn't matter. It is all about the wow factor and the only way you bulid that is by focusing on building relationships and let others worry about the numbers. Which would you rather have. 20,000 followers or 100 clients? It really isn't that far from the truth. Obviously if you can find a few of those 100 clients who are also followers on social media, then you have really made it big. Quality over quantity will keep you in the game and will keep you competitive. If you want only numbers, then what is your overall game plan? photo credit: MyTudut via photopin cc |
| What Social Business Fabric Are You Sewing Into 2013? Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:54 AM PDT
It's not so much the blanket, coat or comforter that makes the holiday. It's the feeling those items give you. The peace you feel wrapped up in your favorite cozy blanket. It's the warmth you feel from your favorite coat. It's the friends, family, yummy food. It's crazy granny and her yummy chocolate cake. It's the rugrats running around dressed as cops and robbers, Spiderman, Hulk or Cinderalla. It's all of these feelings, emotions, yearnings, wrapped up into one that give you goosbumps about the holidays. It's the security, peace and love they bring that make you want it more. Social networks are very much the same way. I believe we reap what we sow (and sew). If we sow good into people's lives we will see the harvest from doing such. It's not so much about the harvest for our own checkbook but the harvest we get to see and experience in other people's lives and business when doing such. The holidays are drawing near. We are finishing off the year, planning for the New Year. You have campaigns, promotions, deadlines, training and events to organize. Facebook pages to launch, clean-up or better optimize. The list goes on and there is definitely not a shortage for "stuff" that needs done.
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| Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:33 AM PDT This Week's Issue: The Sizzle: RIM. The Fri-Up: Magna Carta. The Sauce: Grandad tweet.. Your weekly round-up of the hottest stories worldwide, served with a slice of topical social media analysis and a dollop of Friday fun
The Sizzle:
The Fri-Up: Magna Carta. As we all know, the Magna Carta is an ancient document that sets out a 'Great Charter' for the United Kingdom.. The UK's first Prime Minister to appear on the Letterman show, David Cameron, embarrassingly had 'no idea' what the latin name acutally meant. He also failed to identify the composer of Rule Britannia in front of an audience of millions. Fellow Etonian and Oxford University contemporary, London Mayor Boris Johnson, has accused the PM of 'dumbing down' for the show to apparently prove that he's just like us. Boris is potentially bitter that he failed his man of the people test on Letterman, when he did not know who scored a hat trick in the 1966 world cup. Whatever the truth, in honour of the PM's shortfalls or similarity to his people, we thought we'd take a look at how widely the term Magna Carta is used. We've turned to social media, and in fact all online media to check this out. Fig 1. History graph for mentions of Magna Carta
The mentions across the month show that Magna Carta is not an every day subject for most people. A quick sift through shows that most mentions are references to legal proceedings in which the document is still sometimes cited. Other mentions included the sale of artwork depicting King John sealing the 'Great Charter' as well as a London folk rock band who are about to embark on their South African tour. Fig 2. Graph showing page types for mentions of Magna Carta
Looking at the spread of mentions, of course there was a lot of banter on Twitter laughing at the Prime Minister (widely believed to have been educated mainly in Latin). The mainstream media, however, also seized on the subject, but rather than simply reporting Cameron's failure, they used it as an excuse to promote features on the charter itself, unearthing Magna Carta experts who had seemingly lain dormant for hundreds of years. Maybe Cameron's plan ran even deeper than Boris insinuated. In his fluffing of the question, he has educated the people!
Something for the weekend:
Hope you enjoyed the Friday#, have a great weekend. |
| Creative Blogging Ideas from 5 Awesome Company Blogs Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:30 AM PDT If your company is online, chances are that it has a blog. If it doesn't, there is no better time to start than right now. Blogging introduces a whole new playing field for your business to connect with customers, leads, and potential leads. By creating unique content that they want to read/watch/listen to, you are able to control and express your brand's image and personality. Blogs also offer a way to get customer feedback, which is crucial for improvement. The question is: Is your blog up to par? Or, are you hitting a creative roadblock? Whatever it may be, check out these awesome companies who use blogs to achieve great success among the online community. They can definitely teach us a thing or two! Need a jumpstart on your blogging? Download our free list of 30 Blog Post Ideas for 30 Days! Southwest AirlinesAlthough Southwest Airlines has already been recognized for its corporate blog on various other websites, we couldn't ignore Nuts About Southwest. With this blog, they've achieved creative genius. When it comes to brand personality and aesthetics, Nuts About Southwest hits the nail on the head. Southwest has created a unique page that informs and entertains its audience – and it looks good, too. It's important to find a theme for your blog that embodies your brand's image and allows you to express your company in its best light. So, brainstorm a few ideas for an intriguing title and theme (maybe one that plays with words like Southwest's) and start creating!
The Southwest blog homepage is bright and engaging. PatagoniaPatagonia's blog, The Cleanest Line, targets the right people. This blog isn't targeted to everyone; by scrolling through the various posts and photos, you'll see that this is a blog dedicated to Patagonia employees, customers, enthusiasts, and adventurers. The Cleanest Line is a very good example of niche blogging. This is not a blog for your average web-surfer, but that is the beauty of it. You have to cater your blog to your customers, and do so in a genuine way. Your company should blog about something it is passionate about, not something that will please the most people. Keeping your brand's purpose and personality constant is very important to gaining long-term, loyal customers.
Patagonia's simple (but quirky) theme exemplifies the personality of the brand. Navigation around the blog is also very important, so ensure that your tabs and pages have clear titles that can be accessed easily. Yes, Pinterest has a blog. It's completely different from their social media pages and boards – in a really good way. With all the key ingredients of an engaging, successful blog, the Pinterest blog offers readers a behind-the-scenes look into the company. Similar to other social sites' blogs, the Pinterest blog frequently posts updates about their site for users to refer to if they need help. They also have a page for "Pinterviews" with employees, so readers can see who is behind it all. Aesthetics are certainly important to the business strategy of Pinterest, and the blog is no different. Each post has an array of photos to go along with it, which is so important in today's digital world.
The Pinterest blog's header is interactive, and changes when the readers clicks on the left or right arrows. Audience interaction and engagement is key. Lilly PulitzerWhen it comes to the fashion industry, blogging is a crucial aspect of any designer's business model. Lilly Pulitzer is no exception. As a company, they've done everything right in terms of blogging. Does Lilly publish quality content frequently? Yes. Do they use visual aspects in their posts, such as photos and video? Yes. Does their theme convey their brand image accurately? Yes… you get the point. The Lilly blog is engaging and fun, and it offers something new every day. They also publish certain things on specific days, such as their "Trend Tuesday" posts. Overall, the blog is a stylish success.
Lilly Pulitzer's use of vibrant colors and images attracts its readers' attention and keeps them engaged. The blog also has very easy navigation – a must. Turkey HillTurkey Hill's Ice Cream Journal is another noteworthy blog. At first, one might not think a dairy company's blog could be very successful, but the Ice Cream Journal hits the mark. Turkey Hill offers an inside look into the ice cream making process, selects a "Fan of the Month" each month, and even pokes fun at celebrities. With such a variety of content, the Ice Cream Journal still manages to stay relevant to the Turkey Hill brand.
The Ice Cream Journal puts a spin on current events to keep people coming to their website. Do you have a blog that inspires you? Please share it with us in the comments below. Still need ideas? Check out our free Content Creation Kit, and get started today! |
| 3 Reasons To be Excited About The New MySpace Posted: 28 Sep 2012 08:23 AM PDT
Even the holding page itself looks so cool; you just want to share it. I could actually talk about the holding page for a whole blog, but I won't. Instead lets look at three other reasons to be excited about it. The LooksThe one thing that jumps out at you about the new MySpace is the looks. It just looks amazing. The styling is very clean and crisp, no blocky borders or lines. Everything just knits beautifully together. It starts with the profile page. MySpace appears to have taken the timeline header to the next level with a full-page image, or video, that becomes a background once you start to explore. The main stream has a similar look to Pinterest with big, bold images highlighting comments and updates. When you move on to image galleries, or playlist galleries, or connections lists, the text disappears and you're just looking at a collection of images. It's one of those designs that defies immediate explanation. Your first reaction is just, 'oh, that's nice', it takes a while to actually analyze why. My personal favourtie 'that's nice' moment in the video is the appearance of the search and comment boxes. They take up most of the screen with bold lettering and a lovely typeface. Typing can be mundane, but on the new MySpace it will at least look cool. The InterfaceThe looks aren't the only striking thing in the preview though. If the video is to be believed, the interface looks totally new too. The most obvious change is the side-scrolling stream. On it's own, side-to-side instead of up and down isn't a huge change. But it's the implications behind the change that are interesting. Sideways scrolling works great on touchscreen devices, it's natural to scroll that way on a tablet even if it looks strange on a laptop. With that in mind, the thinking behind a lot of the interface details becomes a bit clearer. In the video you can see the user select a video and drag and drop it into a folder on a toolbar at the bottom. You can easily imagine doing this same action in a touchscreen environment. The toolbars are interesting too. They sit on top of the imagery on the side and bottom of the page. The options change depending on the action your taking, again pointing towards mobile usage. They appear unobtrusive and useful, but it will be hard to know exactly how well they work without using them. The MusicMySpace has always been about music. When it was at the height of it's powers, bands built careers on MySpace and music will be at the heart of the new service too. The new MySpace looks like it will contain elements of other music based networks like Spotify. The video shows a music player at the bottom of the page that remains in place throughout, playing a single song across the whole video. Personally, I hope this was more than just a device for the video. Some of my worst memories of the old MySpace are opening someone's page for the first time and being hit in the face by a blaring Emo song. The music options were great but opening a page with auto play in a quiet office is an experience I don't want to relive. It looks like the new version will let you manage your own listening experience. While you browse you can cherry pick music from your friends' pages and build your own playlists. These are just three things that excited me in the preview. There are loads more, and we may need to revisit it once the service is up and running. Have a look at the video and let us know what you think of it in the comments. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself asking people, 'have you seen the new MySpace?' |
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