Twitter

Social Media Backlash Shouldn't Prevent You From Profile Upkeep

Posted in: Blog, Facebook, Industry News, Twitter by SpiderWriters on January 5, 2010 | 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.

Marketing Your Brand in 140 Characters or Less

Posted in: Blog, Twitter by SpiderWriters on December 28, 2009 | 1 Comment

In website design, the credo used to be that one had an average of five seconds to capture the attention of a visitor with compelling “above the fold” content. If nothing placed immediately under the address bar prompted somebody to scroll down the remainder of the page, you could be certain the next action would either be the back button or a link offsite. While this principle still holds true – there will always be cause to optimize a website for maximum stickiness, it can be applied to marketing via social media. In the case of micro-blogging sites like Twitter, and to some extent the status update feature on Facebook, your space is limited. And every word posted must count.

It is said that brevity is the soul of wit, and where social marketing is concerned it is also the heart of your strategy. As you consider each tweet and status update to promote your products and services, you must choose the words wisely, and tempt followers to want to click-through to the point of sale or conversion.

One solution for gauging interest would be to approach micro-posts as you would your e-mail marketing strategy. When you prepare a blast, it’s natural to want to achieve a strong open rate. Therefore, the subject line of your message is what will lead people to click through to the mail. One advantage to Twitter, as sometimes opposed to e-mail, is that certain words won’t be filtered as spam. If you have complimentary products or deep discounts to advertise, usage of the words free and sale won’t penalize you on social networks. However, it’s also important to note how often you push the hard sell. Repeated canned text could be a turn-off to followers. Check your analytics to determine how many referrals from Facebook, Twitter, and other networks lead visitors to your landing pages.

Do you engage followers on a regular basis? As you study your social accounts and gauge what interests people, try a direct approach. Address followers with links to specific information on your site or third-party affiliates. Using a URL shortening service like bit.ly can inform you if your target, and others, click through on your suggestion.

Utilizing the economy of words to relay your company’s message can improve traffic flow to your website. Where the Internet tends to foster short attention spans, use the most important words to your advantage and stretch interest from visitors.

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

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.

Taking Advantage of Twitter's New Retweet Feature

Posted in: Blog, Industry News, Twitter by SpiderWriters on December 10, 2009 | No Comments

While browsing through a Twitter feed, I caught sight of a mini conversation between two people trying to figure out how people they do not follow ended up in their feeds. For the time being, this is only a phenomenon that occurs when one reads directly from Twitter’s site – readers such as Echofon and Tweetdeck do not capture these particular posts. What is happening here is that when somebody you follow retweets a post made by somebody you don’t follow, Twitter adds the original post to your feed, with the avatar and profile link of the poster. The purpose, ostensibly, is to broaden a user’s awareness of like-minded Tweeters out there.

What does this mean for the business person who utilizes social media in his/her marketing plan? For one, every time one of your posts is retweeted, there is a chance somebody who doesn’t follow you will see your post, and perhaps be inspired to add you to a feed. Of course, this is based on the assumption that potential followers will use the Twitter site and not a special reader (or a reader that supports this function – as readers update this could become a reality), and that people will retweet your posts in the first place. In order to take advantage of this added exposure to your company, you must not only be social, but be interesting.

Recruitment of Retweeters

It’s not uncommon to see a request for followers to retweet a particular message, be it a sales notice or a call to action. Depending on the scope of your business, you can conduct Twitter-only discount codes for products and services, then request followers to spread the word. Adding incentive (i.e. choosing a random retweeter for a prize giveaway) may boost motivation.

Maintaining your Twitter account on a personal level, too, may encourage followers to spread your wisdom. If you were to constantly post repetitive information hustling people to your main site, you might find you lose more followers than you gain. Take care to nurture relationships with those already opted-in to your feed, and you can cultivate a larger following as you progress socially.

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

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.

Beating a Hasty Retweet? Benefit Your Status Through In-Depth Socialization

Posted in: Blog, Twitter by SpiderWriters on November 20, 2009 | No Comments

The latest Twitter buzz involves the new “retweeting” feature accessible on user’s Twitter home pages. If you read your follow feed through the main Twitter.com site, you have the option now of clicking a simple button to automatically repeat a favorite post without having to cut and paste and add the obligatory “RT @…” prefix. What is unique about this function is that once a post is retweeted, you have the choice to undo your action, too.

This functionality, however, is not entirely new to the tweeting world. Users of TweetDeck, a popular social media client that allows users to keep track of Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace feeds, are able to retweet with ease. Those with the ability, who use Twitter mainly as a promotional tool, may wonder why retweeting is important at all, and does it really apply to them?

In truth, taking the time to share information parsed by the people you fellow can benefit your status with the social network. If you haven’t considered sharing third-party information via Twitter, now is the time to familiarize yourself with the retweet function as a necessary part of your social networking strategy.

Retweeting = Visibility: With the ability to integrate Twitter into other social networks, thereby allowing one to post once and distribute to many places, you benefit by maxmizing your social media marketing. Consequently, you also run the risk of having a network appear stale and robotic. Followers may get the sense your Twitter profile serves no other purpose but to drive-by with advertising. Taking the time to read the feeds of those you follow, and retweeting something relevant to your work (or not) aids in the viral nature of the medium. Twitter etiquette often calls on a user to publicly thank another for repeating their information, and this allows for more exposure of your brand. A Twitter user who follows somebody you follow, but not necessarily you, now knows you exist. He could be inspired to follow you as a result.

Retweeting = Authority: It’s nice to say you were able to scoop big news on Twitter first. It doesn’t always happen, however, and if you happen to follow users close to your business model you’re certain to find posts relevant to your work. Retweeting the news lends you status in the way that you establish the type of news you want to relay through your profile. If somebody searches Twitter for that particular topic, there’s a chance your post will show in results, and that may prompt users to follow.

Don’t think that refraining from repeating posts will hurt your standing in Twitter. Social media is all about socialization, and it’s important to approach the way your market yourself in a social manner. Lend your expertise through this medium and don’t be afraid to share the spotlight.

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

Using Twitter Lists to Your Site's Advantage

Posted in: Blog, Twitter by SpiderWriters on November 9, 2009 | No Comments

It seemed the buzz on Twitter’s application of Twitter Lists is gaining momentum among the more prolific Tweeters. Just as the eager website owner checks his analytics several times daily to see how many people are visiting his site, so people are surely checking their Twitter dashboards to see how many other users have added them to a list. If the lists are categorized as professionals in one realm or another, all the better for you. It means somebody has recognized you and your posts for what they are – informative and relevant to the topics and products you advertise. This begs the question, however, of how you can use Twitter lists to help optimize your business and main site through social media.

The Bare Bones of Twitter Lists

If you are new to Twitter and social media altogether, you may already know that this site allows users to “micro-blog” data and integrate information into widgets for weblogs, Facebook, MySpace, and other sites. If you are unable to constantly update a blog or website with new information on your business, you can log into Twitter via a dashboard widget or your cell phone and keep the people who follow your feed of posts appraised of sales, events, and last-minute news. The idea behind Twitter lists, for seasoned users trying to grasp this concept, is to allow people group other Tweeters into specific categories, thereby allowing the list owner (if the list is private) or anyone at all to follow a set group of people just by reading the list URL.

As a personal tool, Twitter Lists are handy in allowing power users to group accounts into specific categories. If you use the social network as a primary source of finding news, you may wish to create a list that captures the posts of various outlets like CNN, The New York Times, the Associated Press, and others. Whatever the subject, or if you want to keep all your tweeting friends and family in one place, the list function is quite handy.

Social Optimization with Twitter Lists

How can Twitter Lists benefit your business’ social media optimization? Depending on the size of your company, if several employees use Twitter to promote goods and services, you can create a list of each user to provide as an overview of information for readers. While Twitter doesn’t yet allow for RSS capability for their lists, a simple online search will direct you to tools and widgets that can create a syndicated feed of the accounts. A simple RSS widget module on your site or blog will display the posts.

Creating a Twitter list comprised of users relevant to your business or subject – other professionals in the field, reviewers – can also be helpful if you make the list public. Twitter users can see on their dashboard if they have been added to lists, and this may inspire them not only to follow your feed, but re-tweet your messages and expose you to a broader audience.

Take the time to explore the potential of Twitter lists as a promotion tool. The more you use them, the better it could be for your social profile.

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

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.