Getting Social Media Right

“How can one man in one night visit all the children of the world?” “There’s some sort of time continuum that breaks down once Santa’s in his sleigh.” -The Santa Clause

How can one company have a personal conversation with thousands of customers and potential customers all over the country and the world? The relatively new marketing tool called social media breaks down the old “time continuum” and allows companies to have a conversation with thousands of people all over the country, indeed all over the world.

There is a great deal of talk about social media and special social media agencies have sprung up to take advantage of the growing marketing spend in this medium. But what is social media really and what is the best way to use it?

Making the Digital Commitment

Doesn’t it make perfect business sense to meet your target market where they’re already located? Today, searching the Internet with Google; communicating with family, friends and colleagues through email; and engaging in conversation via social media is second nature to most. Maybe this is why Ford Motor Company has committed to spending 25 percent of its ad budget on digital and social media programs compared to the average industry spending at just 9 percent, according to a report from BusinessWeek . More recent news may indicate that this digital commitment is paying off.

Choosing to Use Social Media Marketing Means Choosing to Update Corporate Culture–and sometimes Policies

Man, that’s a long title. So long that I’m going to dissect it for a (hopefully) very concise blog post.

Please note this is not a complete list. I invite readers to make additions in the comments!

“Choosing to use social media marketing”

Does not mean:

• Throwing up a company blog for newsletter items and press releases
• Using Twitter to syndicate your RSS feeds
• Placing ads on Facebook
• Anything that requires little or no human company representative to interact

Does mean:

• Engaging stakeholders on a one-to-one and one-to-many basis
• Making a time investment in social media
• Sharing content and offering others to use it on your behalf
• Letting go of controlling the message

Why Use Social Media Marketing? A 5 Minute Response

I speak with business owners and individuals every day about Social Media Marketing (SMM) – what it is, what it isn’t, why to do it and how to measure the returns. What follows is my five minute response.

The best definition I’ve heard for SMM is that is mimics face to face networking in a virtual space. It’s word of mouth marketing taken online. It’s part personality and part opinion. To be successful, it must provide value to the target audience.

Social Media Marketing is not like traditional advertising. You cannot push a marketing message out to the masses and expect it to be well received. In many cases, this practice is considered spamming and will be immediately discarded. Those who practice these techniques will find themselves on the wrong end of criticism and lose the ability to garner respect and a following. Advertisers and marketers must first engage their prospect at a personalized level. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the conversation should be about your personal life but rather that you must first establish a relationship built on trust and respect.

To Tweet or not to Tweet? That is the Question.

I get asked everyday “What is Twitter?” and “Why should I use it?”  Twitter is a micr-blogging website where users share tips, ideas, and personal experiences with their “Friends” (AKA followers.)  The message limit is 140 characters so notes are concise and frequently filled with hyperlinks to websites, blogs, etc.  I encourage everyone to find out more by visiting www.twitter.com.  I also found this video on YouTube that is worth a view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddO9idmax0o

13 Search Engine Optimization Tips for Web Content

No one but the search engine owners know the exact algorithms used to return search findings. However, there are things you an do to increase the chance of your content being found. What’s “content?” Content is the images, copy, and other elements published on your website.

And we’re off!

13 Search Engine Optimization Tips for Web Content

1. Headlines
Headlines are often an afterthought, but are definitely critical in engaging readers. Readers chose their content based on engaging headlines, and notice them based on relevant keywords.

2. Fresh, hot content!
Your husband may not notice a new hair cut, but Google will notice new content. Each time your website or blog updated, a new or updated Google listing is created. This increases your visibility! (Fresh content exemplified in image.)

3. Keywords in content
The key to not making this spammy or awkward is to ONLY use relevant, appropriate keywords. If you have done a keyword analysis, you know which phrases and wording those searching for you are using. Phrase these words in your content as those who are searching for you do.

Example– Keyword: “garden supplies”; your content includes “gardening supplies and tips.” You may want to re-word it to accommodate the singular form (”garden”) instead (”garden supplies and tips”).

If you’re not comfortable doing this, don’t stress. Chances are you’re doing it organically (without realizing) anyway.

The “Twipping” Point?

Over the past six months, I’ve become a fan of Twitter. I “tweet” nearly every day, sharing thoughts and optimistic quotes that I hope will inspire my followers and enhance their lives. I’m not a “just had coffee…” or “walking the dog..” kind of poster. I don’t really belive that has any value to anyone other than the stalkers who have nothing better to do than wonder what I’m doing at this exact moment (AKA no one.) Instead, I try to share various news items, tips, and more that I’ve come across during the day. If nothing comes to mind, I’ll find an inspiring quote that I hope will help others reflect on their current situation and realize how great life is.