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Why Twitter is an Important Component in Social Media Marketing

Twitter has become a necessity of social media marketing from large to small businesses. In 140 characters or less, brands have been delivering news, information, giveaways and more on the powerful social media avenue. Many marketers believe that Twitter stands out from the rest of the social media channels because of its directness, which benefits brands in relaying information.

How can Twitter benefit brands?

Twitter benefits brands for many reasons. Tweets can include links to virtually all web content. For example this can include: websites, other social channels, articles and more. In addition to linking to other pages, tweets can include links to photos which can be uploaded directly from mobile or desktop. Adding photos to a tweet is an excellent way for brands to relay the message even further. Many social users enjoy visuals as it represents messages in greater context.

How Twitter is Unique

According to an article from Social Media Examiner, the following differences make the social media giant stand out from the others:

Facebook: A tweet is like a short Facebook status update. However, with Twitter, every tweet arrives at every follower’s feed, unlike the filter of Facebook’s EdgeRank.
Pinterest: Twitter allows you to share photographs and provide commentary in your tweet. However, with Twitter, it’s much easier to have conversation around a shared image than with the comment feature on Pinterest.
LinkedIn: A tweet is like a short LinkedIn status update. While LinkedIn is based on trust relationships (and two-way agreements), Twitter allows you to follow anyone, including strangers. This is helpful when you target potential customers.
Google+: A tweet is like a short Google+ status update. Twitter also allows you to organize people into lists that organize conversations similar to Google+ groups.
YouTube: A tweet can contain a link to a video. However, Twitter doesn’t allow you to create a channel or organize your videos for easy location and commentary.

Happy Tweeting!

By mary dagher|June 6th, 2013|Blog, Social Media|Comments Off

How CEOs Should Engage with Social Media Management

With social media marketing and management continuing to climb among companies and brands, now more than ever it is important for CEOs and company leaders to have a voice in social media. There are many benefits to a company when its top leaders become active throughout their social channels. Doing so increases a company’s reputation, information sharing, creates a humanistic approach and gives consumers and social users a better look inside of a company.

According to an article from Mashable, the most highly social CEOs demonstrated the following:

Use an expansive set of social tools: Hyper-social CEOs realize sociability goes beyond dropping messages into a Twitter or other microblog feed. World-class sociability requires a strategically crafted plan for driving the company’s content across several channels.
Keep a blog: Highly social CEOs see the value in long-form content creation as a way of giving their perspectives context, meaning and depth.
Leverage the website: These leaders realize that the website remains “digital ground zero” for company information-seekers and offers a platform for content to be delivered in multiple formats.
Self-author: By taking a DIY approach. Their frequent postings influence their determination to author everything themselves, although they probably take input from their marketing and communications executives.
Be forward-looking: These CEOs intuitively understand that technology and social media are the future of content distribution and they want to be part of this communications revolution.
Be spontaneous yet not too informal: Socially adept CEOs maintain the formality of their office but let stakeholders know that they can react quickly and seize opportunity.
Engage stakeholders. These CEOs see the value in sociability and use it to reach out to a wide portfolio of stakeholders.

By mary dagher|June 3rd, 2013|Blog, Social Media|Comments Off

Social Media Marketing: How to Organize a Successful “Tweetup”

As if social media marketing wasn’t cool enough; ever heard of tweetups? A tweetup is like a gathering for those who Twitter. Normally we connect with friends online after we meet them, however, Tweetups is similar to online dating, you converse with someone before even knowing them. Tweetups are great for networking, learning social media management and marketing as well as meeting those with similar professions, interests and more.

Check out thesetips from Mashable on throwing the #coolest Tweetup on the block:

1. Utilize your Twitter network as a way to drum up support, help and ideas. The number of PR and marketing people on Twitter now is astounding. Use their collective wisdom and networks to create buzz and support for your event.

2. Actually visit the venue. Seems incredibly simple right? But not everyone takes the time and effort to actually visit the bar, conference room, or park where the Tweetup will happen. I’ve never heard of anyone making a great business connection at a dark dive bar.

3. Plan for more people to show up than you think. It’s Twitter. These people do know how to spread the word better than anyone.

4. Ensure a few core people/speakers are at the event.

5. Use Email. Even though it supposedly has fallen out of favor, having the contact information for a variety of individuals is beneficial for all involved. You can keep this core group informed of developments.

6. Use a service like Eventbrite, Amiando or meetup.com to organize your guests, collect donations and otherwise provide shareable content. It takes all the legwork out of the administrative work that a large Tweetup entails. If you are planning on a smaller gathering…this may not be necessary and you can use Facebook or your blog to organize.

Tweetups, like mixers, are great to bounce social media management ideas off of each other. What better way to learn about social media!

By mary dagher|May 1st, 2013|Blog, Social Media|Comments Off

Social Media Management: Tips for Staying Safe on Twitter

It is obvious that keeping your personal information private online is crucial for your security. With more and more companies jumping into social media management, it is important to remember that social media gives everyone a megaphone, anything you comment, tweet, +1, retweet, etc is amplified for all the world to see. There are simple social media management steps to take that will help keep you out of harm’s way on Twitter. In fact some of these steps you probably would have never thought could be a security risk!

1. Avoid games that give away information

There are plenty of games out there that ask you to enter your street name or pet’s name as password-reset questions.

2. Direct Messaging Can Be Just as Risky

In order to direct message someone on Twitter, you both must be following each other. Be aware of who you are messaging and avoid giving away any personal information on Twitter or any social media in this case.

3. The Less, The Better

Avoid checking into places. This goes for Facebook and foursquare as well. Sharing locations on social media is quite simple allowing everyone to see your exact location, often times sharing it to people you have no desire of sharing that type of information.

4. Disable location services on your Smartphone

Real time access of your location is dangerous for stalkers, burglars and anyone else that shouldn’t know your current location. To disable this feature, go to Twitter’s Account setting page, de-select “Add a location to my Tweets” under “Tweet location.”

5. Switch Your Profile to Private

Setting your feed to private is an excellent way to keep your tweets accessible only to those who follow you. From the settings page, select account, go to Twitter privacy and select protect my tweets.

By mary dagher|April 26th, 2013|Blog, Social Media|Comments Off

Top 10 Mistakes and Myths of Social Media Management

With the integration of social media into marketing and business strategies, it is important for companies and brands to understand how to correctly execute social media management and understand how the platforms work. There are many misconceptions and myths on social media. Check out this article that debunks these misconceptions/myths from Business 2 Community:

Mistake #1. Not Having a Plan

It is imperative that any business looking into social media services establishes a plan. Determine goals for yourself. Set objectives for each site. Are you trying to get 10% more followers each month? How many people would you like to interact with each week? There are so many aspects to a business social media marketing strategy, a plan is a must have advantage.

Mistake #2. Size Doesn’t Matter

Thinking that the size of your audience is most important. Totally wrong. Size doesn’t matter, activity does. You are better off having an intimate group of engaged followers that are constantly interacting with than having thousands of complacent followers that don’t. More followers and more traffic does not equal more money, you need the right people to engage with your business.

Mistake #3: Not Dedicating Time to All your Accounts

Each social media account should have a fair share of your business effort attention. Avoid biting off more than you can chew. If you only have time for Facebook or Twitter, it’s okay. Just be sure to do all you can with those sites. Don’t start a Pinterest, Foursquare, or Tumblr if you don’t have the resources to maintain them.

Mistake #4: Talking About Your Business in Every Post

Vary up your posts so you’re not always talking about your business! Sometimes you have to think of your business as if it were a real person. Don’t be like those people who constantly talk about how awesome they are. The more you force information in your audiences faces, the least likely they are to respond.

Mistake #5: Grammar and Spelling Mistakes

There is nothing attractive about spelling and grammar mistakes. (That sentence alone was painful for me to write.) Double check and proofread your material before you send things out to into the internet. Not only will you look silly, but you could also harm your credibility.

Mistake #6: Not Tracking your Stats

Statistics are important in every marketing campaign. More and more social media services offer analytics and reports to track your page views, post reads, shares, activities, and more. This is all valuable information because it tells you through data which posts your audiences respond best too so you can do more of them.

Mistake #7: Lacking an Online Personality

Social media gives your business the opportunity have a strong and unique voice. Let your hair down a little! Be open, insightful, funny – whatever you feel like your business should embody, do it!

Mistake #8: Not Engaging your Audience

Ask questions! Get Feedback! Start discussions! Outlets like Facebook and Twitter give you the chance that no other marketing channel offers: the opportunity to socialize and connect with your audience on a public and social level. Not only does this strengthen customer relationships, it also brings more activity to your business.

Mistake #9: Getting Defensive or Negative with Comments

Let’s face it, the internet is swimming with people. And unfortunately not all of them are going to be nice or agree with your business. Keep you cool and handle these comment gracefully. Remember, everything is public! It’s always better to be the bigger person in these situations.

Mistake #10: Giving up!

Building your social media up takes some time! Don’t give up. Stay Active. Be patient. Your efforts will pay off, just give it some time! Mistakes are part of the learning process. If you find that you’re sheepishly guilty of a few of these, don’t sweat it! Just take this information and learn from it. Get out there and conquer the social media marketing world!

By mary dagher|April 23rd, 2013|Blog, Social Media|Comments Off

Why Using a Humanized Approach is Important for Social Media Marketing

As more and more brands begin to indulge in the wonderful world of social media marketing, it is important that they grasp the unique concept of social media “etiquette”: humanizing. Creating this persona is important for brands to be able to connect with consumers on a one-to one basis.

According to Mashable, “as marketers, we need to embrace this fundamental nature of user behavior; namely, that people act, engage, and respond not solely as professionals, but as nuanced human beings. Users are not simply — and absolutely cannot be solely treated as — potential sales. Our campaigns, programming and offers must be built to connect with users on that human level — which encompasses, but is not wholly defined by — their professional status.”

It is hard for brands to be able to engage effectively through social media marketing with their consumers if they take on a “professional” approach, thus resulting in limited engagement. When we are thrown into a serious environment, we take on a serious approach towards interaction. When we are out with friends, our interaction standpoint takes a complete 180, for the most part.

Being humanized creates a friendly approach to a brand. For example, many brands take it to Twitter to interact with their consumers (ie. Customer service issues, etc.). This is an excellent social media marketing tactic that shows consumers that brands are not treating you solely as sales potentials.

Mashable states that, “every corporation, no matter how buttoned-up, no matter its product or service, has a unique personality. Being human in social media, then, involves identifying all aspects of that personality — even the less obvious or less corporate ones — and embracing them as a whole. From there, the surface symptoms we referenced at the beginning of the column — tone, language, aesthetics — will be easier to define.”

By mary dagher|April 18th, 2013|Blog, Social Media|Comments Off

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