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Charity Begins at Twitter, and Facebook, and…

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Twitter by SpiderWriters on January 19, 2010 | No Comments

From the tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti has come perhaps the best example of global cooperation by way of social media. Following this natural disaster, it’s reported that text message donations alone have accounted for at least $22 million dollars given to relief organizations like the Red Cross. Sadly, with this also comes a number of accounts designed to defraud donors – some might argue the online option to give is not as 100% secure as handing a check over to a Red Cross official. Nonetheless, these actions display well the growing shift toward utilization of social media as an altruistic tool.

More examples of social media involvement in charitable efforts (including Haitian relief and other causes) include:

The Facebook Causes Application – This application allows non-profits to set up their own widgets which allow users to donate via Facebook. Supporters can join the application and list favorite charities and invite others to join as well.

Care2 – A social network geared toward promoting understanding of environmental and similar causes, Care2 utilizes their technology to generate interest in wildlife preservation, political change, and human rights. Organizations can start petition drives and encourage others to use “click to donate” badges to generate awareness.

ChipIn – This widget builder works with Paypal to allow users to collect donations online for any cause. A simple Flash application is then applied to a blog or website, or may be added to a Facebook profile, and promoted easily.

If you plan to give online, it is important to research where you plan to give. Clicking through a link on Twitter may take you anywhere – your Twitter feed client may not always reveal the source of a shortened URL, so it’s best not to provide your financial information immediately. If one social network account claims to collect for the Red Cross, check official Red Cross sites and profiles first for their collection sources. Check websites for the secure lock logo before providing credit card information, and avoid using bank debit cards online. The more you understand how social media can be used for charitable giving, the better for those who benefit.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist assisting clients with social media optimization and travel social media services.

Facebook for the Fun of It? The Advantage of the Random Fan Page

Posted in: Blog, Facebook by SpiderWriters on January 8, 2010 | No Comments

Lately, when I log on to Facebook I noticed many of my friends have joined unusual fan pages. One “Lost” fan, rabidly upset at the notion of an episode’s pre-emption, joined a page called Obama better not schedule his State of the Union Address the night of LOST! Others have aligned themselves with equally absurd names concerning everything from wanting to tell people to pull up their pants or keep their kids from crying in the movie theater. Seems lately not only will people arbitrarily create Facebook pages for an assortment of behavioral quirks, but people are joining them. It begs the question of whether or not setting up such a page for fun can also benefit your business and website.

The most important thing to know about setting up a Facebook page for a business, celebrity, or other organization is that the URL of said page must be linked from the subject’s official website. Say, for example, you wanted to create a page for your favorite rock band. Unless your page is linked from the band’s official site, Facebook will not recognize your effort as valid and may penalize you by revoking your right to post to the page. It may not be shut down entirely, but you will certainly be hindered in growing its content and popularity.

Now, let’s say you have a tribute site for the band, one rich in content with a following among listeners. Creating a page for fans of your website may be a better way to go. You can still provide content on the band, and direct Facebook users to your tribute site.

So how can this tactic work to build your brand? Think about your business – what do you do, what do you sell? Are you known for carrying a particular brand name or product? You may want to supplement your Facebook presence with pages for “fans” of particular items you offer. A car dealer in Atlanta who specializes in foreign makes like Porsche and Ferrari could set up pages for both, place more emphasis on the region rather than the car. Set up pages on your main site to link to your profiles, then build content with photos and information. From there, you may be able to attract the attention of Facebook users in your area who wish to buy either car.

Just a word of caution: don’t get too involved creating random Facebook pages that you lose focus of your marketing campaigns in general. Be careful not to dilute your overall message, which you want targeted to your audience.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist assisting clients with social media optimization and travel social media services.

Social Media and Social Responsibility

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Twitter by SpiderWriters on January 5, 2010 | No Comments

While tracking those I follow on Twitter recently, I noticed a number of posts by a colleague lamenting the quality of material made available on the wires, ostensibly disguised as news. To paraphrase, my friend groaned (as much as one can groan on Twitter these days) her disbelief that, in a time where more troops are to be sent to Afghanistan, the buzz in this nation is more focused toward A) a former sitcom star coming out of the closet; B) a golf champion cheating on his wife; and C) speculation about the death of an heiress. The conspiracy theorist might contend that the buzz generated is intentional, to “wag the dog,” as it were.

The realist, however, will use these examples to affirm one more thing that isn’t really news: people like to gossip. People have gossiped for centuries. Hey, did you hear what happened to Eve in the garden? That we have access to something as unifying as social media serves to amplify our vested interest in such non-news.

That said, should one consider to be more responsible while using social networks like Twitter and Facebook? When we post status updates and share news, we essentially share with the world a taste of who we are in real life. Why do we post the words we choose to share? Some of us use Twitter to promote our projects and businesses, and inform clients and customers of new products and services. Some people use Twitter to vent or offer play-by-play commentary of favorite shows or sporting events. I couldn’t tell you how many people I follow watched the MTV Music Awards…actually, yes I can. Nearly everybody had a remark about at least one of Lady GaGa’s dresses.

Still, there are others who see Twitter, I think, as a means of obtaining some level of celebrity. The likes of a helium-voiced pre-teen named Fred and acomedian with a shoe fetish have proven it is possible to cross into the mainstream, and the Internet provides more avenues toward fame than reality TV. Already we’ve learned that plans are in the works to adapt a Twitter account into a sitcom (???), and if you ask me, I highly suspect that people are purposely dressing bizarrely so somebody will snap them for the People of Wal-Mart site.

Is there a fear that we might come off as vacuous or indifferent people, or does social media challenge us to be more interesting and entertaining – always “on”? Perhaps deep down we are all entertainers at heart – deciding if we can’t be in the spotlight, we should at least tweet about it.

That said, perhaps we should also take some time out of the day to post on news and items of social responsibility.  Remind friends to do a self-exam for breast cancer once a month, or retweet Amber alerts in your area. With the growth in smart phone use, one is likely to see news on a feed and do something about it. After work, when we’re ready to unwind, we can catch up on the gossip.

Believe me, there’s plenty to be read.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist assisting clients with Virginia Beach social media services and Virginia Beach web design.

Social Media Backlash Shouldn't Prevent You From Profile Upkeep

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Industry News, Twitter by SpiderWriters on | No Comments

In an age where wives are finding out via Facebook that their husbands are leaving them, a business owner might take pause when considering a social media marketing strategy. It seems lately Twitter, too, is used more as a harbinger for bad news and celebrity gossip (just plug in a search for Tiger Woods and sit back for the fireworks), and one wouldn’t be surprised to guess if a business owner wants to curb social online interaction in favor of less sensationalized promotion. Is that a wise move, however?

The recent news implying that Facebook usage, among utilization of other networks, is responsible for global marital breakdown is fascinating, yet it is hardly an innovation. If a marriage has floundered before Internet use became a factor, one can’t necessarily place the blame on social media. While sites like MySpace, Bebo, Facebook and others allow old friends (and consequently old flames) to reconnect, it’s also a helpful communication tool for families. Fathers keep track of their children’s activities, married couples share photos and videos with friends, and often talk to one another. It may not be the ideal situation, and may fast be replacing the night dinner around the table, but social media can work as well in strengthening familial bonds rather than severing them. Anyone using a social network to expedite divorce could easily do the same with anything else – an obsession with sports or other activities, long hours at work, and so forth.

Social networks in and of themselves are not evil. To be certain, people have abused their better qualities for nefarious purposes, but as such stories are few and far between this should not deter a businessman or company from refraining from their use. For every new item of a threat posted on a blog there are more detailing how people have used social media to find missing children, obtain help for needy families, or reunite siblings separated for years.

How can you keep a positive focus on marketing through social media? Always maintain a healthy attitude when you post items of interest. Not everything you share needs to be company related, and it’s good to engage friends and followers in conversations that highlight a brighter side to humanity. Does your company support a specific charity or non-profit? Find links and articles that showcase the good they do. If you’ve hosted an event recently, share pictures and video. Social media is about making your own news – so make it good.

Social Media Marketing Resolutions for 2010

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Twitter by SpiderWriters on December 21, 2009 | No Comments

With the year drawing to a close, you’re bound to reflect on 2009 and the highs and lows associated with your business. Whether you enjoyed strong sales or disappointing numbers, depending on how the economical climate affected your line of work, it can be argued that you’ll come away from the old year having learned something about social media’s effect on your brand. More importantly, you’ll have the motivation to utilize social networking on a larger scale as consumer turn to online profiles and data sharing to make decisions on purchases and other life issues.

As 2010 nears, now is the time to consider your Social Media Resolutions. Where will you concentrate efforts, and to what extent will online networks play a role in how you present yourself and your company to others? Now, perhaps, you have the Facebook fan page and Twitter account…what else is there to do next year?

Plenty. Social sites aren’t going away. In fact, as platforms like Twitter and Facebook and similar sites develop, they are becoming deeply integrated with established media. Watch a news network on television, and you’ll find they’re getting their news from YouTube videos. In order for your business to find customers, you have to find them through social media, and that means ramping up your campaigns.

This coming year, you need to resolve to:

1) Attract more followers. The adage of “I follow you, you follow me” may not always work in your favor. It’s not uncommon to look at a Twitter profile and see that person is following a number equal to his followers, but when you think about it, is anybody really reading the posts. Mutual admiration can soothe the ego, but at the end of day you want people on Twitter to read your feed because they WANT to read it, not because they feel obliged if you add them to your reading list. How do you attract more followers to any social network? Cross promote among your profiles, add URLs to e-mail signatures, campaign via established opt-in e-mails addresses. Above all else, produce the relevant content on a regular basis and people searching for it will find you.

2) Gain different perspectives and share them. Depending on the size of your business, either you are doing everything yourself, or you have hired a marketing person or firm to handle your social media. Both options are good, but when it comes to nurturing a fan page it’s important to keep the information current and interesting. Every post doesn’t have to be about the hard sell – get to know the people who visit your page. Converse, share information, and if you have the manpower working for you get employees to contribute socially. Mix up the perspectives on your feeds and present to consumers and clients a well-rounded image.

3) Broaden your horizons. Once upon a time, television was all about the Big Three networks. These days, it may seem like social media is all about another big three – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – but don’t discount niche networks that could provide you with a new audiences for your products and services. Restaurant owners should take advantage of sites like Foodbuzz and Yelp and encourage patron interaction and feedback. Businesses seeking to grow gay/lesbian patronage can set up shop on GLEE.com, and Care2.com provides a great forum for people interested in environmental concerns.

The key to keeping strong social media resolutions in the new year, however, starts with producing relevant content. Grab readers, and they’ll grab you right back.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist assisting Virginia businesses with social media optimization and travel social media.

Holiday Shopping with Social Media

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Industry News, Social Bookmarking, Twitter by SpiderWriters on November 25, 2009 | No Comments

With the tenuous economy plaguing consumers this holiday season, retailers have prepared for a likely decline in sales in the coming month, as opposed to last year. While households may not burst through the roof with expensive gadgets and large packages this time, one can still anticipate some level of gift exchange. Shoppers are apt to hunt down deal, online and off, and as Black Friday and the Christmas rush approaches it’s no surprise to see how business have taken advantage of social media channels to promote specials.

Social Media for the Retailer

Businesses with active Twitter and Facebook profiles are well advised to make use of both when courting shoppers to their online carts or brick and mortar locations, but other social networks also prove useful. The key to successfully utilizing social media to stimulate sales, though, is to maintain a high level of activity and sociability. As people pose questions on your Facebook wall or send messages via Twitter, answer promptly and offer links to your sites whenever possible. It may not be necessary to change up sales information via social networks, but it’s important to make sure the messages stay visible.

Social Media for the Consumer

If you consider yourself a savvy online shopper, chances are you are following all the retailers you patronize the most, and have subscribed to all the right mailing lists and forums. However, social media can still optimize your shopping experience.

If you’re aware of a particular shop or restaurant in your area and are contemplating shopping there for a gift card or other item, Yelp.com can prove useful in making up your mind. This social forum, while on the outset a customer review site for dining, also accept commentary on local shops and services.

Similarly, Digg allows Internet users to find links on bargains as discovered and promoted by Digg users. A search on an item you wish to purchase for a friend or relative can yield information helpful in your search for the best deal.

Smart phones have an extra boost this year, with specialized apps available to assist in hunting the best sales.  Coupon Sherpa, a website known for providing sales codes for online carts, allows smart phone users to download coupons that are accepted simply buy showing the cashier the phone screen.

This holiday season, keep watch on your social feeds for the best shopping deals, and see how social media can save you money this Christmas.

Customize Facebook Pages for Maximum Branding

Posted in: Blog, Facebook by SpiderWriters on November 18, 2009 | No Comments

Look around your favorite online hangouts these days, and you might see a common theme. No matter where you go for news, amusement, or online shopping, somebody appeals to you to join their Facebook following. As Facebook has fast become the most popular social networking among people over 30, businesses know it is a prime forum for marketing products and services. Everything from pet supplies to coastal resorts, restaurant chains to car manufacturers is on Facebook, working to get social with clients and customers.

Here are some important statistics on Facebook:

• Facebook has more than 300 million active users.This is larger than the population of most countries.
• 50% of active users log on to Facebook in any given day
• The fastest growing demographic of Facebook users is people 35 years old and older
• The average Facebook user has 130 friends on the site (think about how many people read a friend’s news feed…the word of mouth possibilities are endless)
• More than 10 million users become fans of Pages daily.
• More then 65 million active users currently access Facebook through their mobile devices.

With the ease of accessibility Facebook offers to users, communication between friends has increased, along with a user’s tendency to share information. People post links to news stories, videos, and products to their profiles. They recommend books, movies, and local restaurants. Any business without a Facebook presence needs to seriously think about setting on up, not only to market products and services, but to monitor what others are saying about you.

Consider the advantages of having a Facebook fan page:

• Instant socialization: Feedback is real-time, and you can communicate directly with one customer/client while promoting to anybody else reading the feed on your page.
• Search optimization: In blended search paradigms, Facebook pages are showing up in search under certain keywords. With a page, you increase the opportunities for being found online.
• Customization: Create a unique look for your company with a customized fan page.

That’s right, you can add touches to a Facebook page to make it unique. You might think Facebook is limiting in terms of the options you have with regards to marketing. All Facebook fan pages look alike, right? Not necessarily. It’s only a matter of know what tools to use and how to properly arrange your page to maximize exposure of your brand. The application Static FBML (which is short for Facebook Markup Language), allows users to add customized tabs to the fan page, thereby allowing for unique content, graphics, and anchor text to your company’s main site, shopping cart, or anywhere else you want visitors to go.

How it Works

Once logged into Facebook, you will need to go to the page for Static FBML. Underneath the avatar on the top left corner you’ll see a link that says, “Add to Page.” Click to add the capability to your business’ fan page.

Next, go to your fan page and access the backend. The FBML option will appear under the Applications section. Click edit and you’ll find the means to add a new box and tab to your page. You will add raw HTML code into the new boxes you create, but bear in mind that FBML may not accept certain types of code like scripts and iframes.

With FBML, you can create beautiful graphic pages advertising various aspects of your business, even text pages of articles and stories relevant to your company. The more you tinker with this customizable option, the stronger you can build your Facebook community.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist who assists clients with Virginia web design and social media optimization.

It Pays to Advertise Your Social Network

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Twitter by SpiderWriters on October 26, 2009 | No Comments

Driving in to New York City this weekend while attending a conference, I found it difficult not to notice the many billboards scraping the sky. It isn’t uncommon, either, to find advertisements for venues outside of the city – with resorts in Connecticut and New Jersey vying for attention. One in particular struck me – a billboard for Mohegan Sun that featured not the casino’s main URL, but its Facebook fan page! Thanks to the recent application of vanity URLs for the social network, it’s easier to promote memorable addresses, and put them on billboards as well.

That the Mohegan Sun has close to 7000 fans on Facebook – pretty good considering its proximity to Atlantic City, could stand as testament to the power of promoting social media. The page itself is updated regularly with information on touring acts and events, and feedback appears to be active as well. Will definitely keep a lookout for other ways social media is advertised offline.

Ready to get social with your business? Contact us at 757.499.1990.

Brand Yourself on Every Social Network (Even if You Don't Want To)

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Industry News, Twitter by SpiderWriters on October 15, 2009 | No Comments

The excuses, of course, come plentiful. You don’t have time to “tweet” or update Facebook. You aren’t convinced your private information won’t be compromised or phished. You get enough spam as it is through your regular Web site, so why compound the problem via fake Twitter accounts bothering you every two minutes? Whatever your reason for resisting the use of social media in your online marketing strategy, know that the importance of associating your brand to a profile outweighs all the cons.

Sociability Means Visibility

How would you like it if somebody were to walk into a restaurant or store claiming to be you, and proceed to create havoc – overturning displays, dining and dashing, and just being a plain nuisance. People will remember the face of the troublemaker, but more importantly they’ll remember the name since they’ll be giving it to the cops! You wouldn’t want an unauthorized person misrepresenting you in real life, so why have somebody do it online?

The more you resist setting up social accounts for your business, the more time you allow people to use the names in your brand. If you operate a company in Virginia with a fairly common name, like Acme, Inc., there’s a change a California company with the same name might come along and take the vanity urls you could use to promote your goods and services. As people search, they could come to think “they” are “you,” and you could lose business. Even if you don’t plan to put too much into online socializing, you should at least establish your brand on these sites so it’s clear you are up to date on social networking. Set up each profile to link back to your official site, and include links to the networks on your site to verify the branding.

Connect Your Networks, Cut the Work

The prospect of having to log into every single social network to make updates seems daunting, especially if you are a small company lacking the extra staff to handle online marketing. Luckily, many social networks offer integration with each other to allow for streamlined updating. You can post to Twitter and the updates will appear on Facebook and MySpace, or you can maintain a bookmarking site like Digg to one-click share on other networks. Applying RSS functionality available on these profiles lets you add the information to your main site, and constantly offer fresh info to visitors.

If you think social media is a waste of time, consider what you stand to lose if you ignore it. Establish your brand across the networks, and build a new following.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist who assists clients with social media marketing services and Virginia Web design.

Social Media Use for Business: Focus or Cover the Spread?

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Twitter by SpiderWriters on October 14, 2009 | No Comments

Recently the question came up from a client about the usefulness of Twitter beyond posting updates to thin air. When one sets up a Twitter account, it’s no surprise that businesses may follow an arbitrary number of people in hopes of receiving a courtesy follow back so somebody may view their messages. Add to this the fact that Twitter update and profile URLs are difficult to bring up in search results (not as easy as calling up fan pages on Facebook), and one might wonder…why bother using social media at all?

Pundits and experts may argue the fad factor in social media rates high among smaller businesses, while large corporations with established brands stand to gain the most from social networking. In truth, this thought is pretty much applicable to any aspect of marketing – corporations have more to spend, therefore can devote more money to enhancing social profiles and promotions to strengthen loyalty among their customer base. For a smaller business that may only cater to a local or regional audience, one might not see the value in social networks. However, the size and scope of your business may actually work in your favor. Let’s examine how.

Maintain Local Focus – Social media is global, yet every single person who owns a Facebook page, Twitter account, or MySpace profile is essentially local. It’s common to see people sharing links and stories of national and global interest, but ultimately if somebody uses the Internet for goods and services they want to find a provider close to home. When you tailor you social profiles to emphasize your locality you stand a better chance of reaching the audience you want.

Use What Works – You might find as you experiment with social sites that one will catch on quicker and stronger than others. You could have fifty people following you on Twitter and several hundred on Facebook, or vice versa. Does this mean you should abandon one for the other? Not necessarily. You want to established your brand under as many social sites as possible so nobody else does, and while instinct dictates that you should nurture the more popular profile it’s always a good idea to update others, even if you wish to direct them toward your stronger network so they can find your information and promotions.

Keeping the local/regional angle on your social sites, and building trust through the strongest of the group is a good, and cost effective, method of promotion. Don’t discount social media as a fad, for even if a small percentage of followers click through to conversion, you have reached a goal.

Kathryn Lively is a social media specialist based in Virginia. She assists local businesses with Virginia social media marketing and Virginia Web design.