Archive | Social Media
Social Media Location Marketing: Using FourSquare and GPS to Market Your Business
One of the more popular social media trends to surface are location-based websites like FourSquare, Gowalla and Loopt, among others. These social media sites have incorporated GPS technology with a layer of gaming businesses are quickly discovering that they’re able to leverage their presence in unique and exciting ways. If these names sound foreign and location-based social media is virgin territory for you, this explanation might help.
FourSquare is a website that really used for letting your friends, co-workers, family or whomever, know where you are. Using your smartphone, you login to FourSquare every time you arrive at a destination. You can ‘check-in’ to a grocery store, the Starbuck’s on the corner of Broadway and 5th Avenue, your favorite French restaurant and even a fun clothing boutique. The gaming aspect happens via check-ins by assigning points that allow you to earn ‘badges’ that can be used toward just about anything a particular merchant can think of.
The more you check-in and interact with a location or business, the more points you earn. Points can earn you the position of “mayor” of a specific location. Eventually, you can become ‘mayor’ and most companies will offer special discounts and offers to the mayor. So there really is a payoff to “hanging out all day”.
In terms of promoting your business, these new sites are a marketing dream with unlimited potential. Some of the more notable ways that companies and individuals are utilizing these social media sites to drive traffic include:
Starbucks. For all FourSquare participants, each store has extended a local offer to the mayor of each location. Starbucks provides a $1 off frappuccino coupon to mayors nationwide.
Kentucky Derby and Courier Journal. This famous sporting event and largest local newspaper united forces to develop a city tour and bar crawl on Gowalla. Users could check-in to specified locations to earn points and even a badge for successful completion of the tour. This was a great revenue generator for the businesses and bars who were involved.
St. Edward’s University. This is a great example that shows you don’t have to be a retail location in order to benefit from location-based social media. The university used Whrrl to have more than 180 students, parents, staff and faculty to check-in and exchange photos and experiences during a graduation ceremony. Instead of having individual Facebook and Twitter updates, people collectively contributed and connected through Whrrl that created a sense of community on a very special day.
Put on your creative caps and try using these social media platforms to build some buzz for yourself. Lots of possibilities with nothing to lose. How can you use this to market your business or book?
Social Media & Internet Advertising: How Can They Work Together?
So you’ve written your book and you’ve laid out out your social media marketing plan to help promote it. Things look good and you’re ready to dig in, but the one area that you’re struggling with is advertising. Should you advertise online and how can you tie it in with your book’s social media efforts? Is it even possible? Good news! These two marketing components work very well together and incorporating internet ads with your social media platform has the potential to yield solid results.
The question that many authors ask is whether social media advertising actually works? Sure it’s great to set-up your Facebook Page, but will promoting it with pay per click ads do anything for you and your novel? Actually, it can. It’s important to understand your social media channel that you’re using. This means if you’re going to advertise on Facebook, educate yourself on the process. Same thing goes for LinkedIn DirectAds. Know the channel before you dive in.
As an author, keep in mind that social media is about connecting with people who want to read your book and who enjoy what you’ve written so far. They’re your target audience. Advertising via social media should be focused on bringing more of those same potential fans to your book’s social media profile. Target these users with advertising messages that will resonate with them, not with the general populace.
You’ll also want to make sure that the social media ads that you’re creating build on the social media content that you’re creating. For instance, if you’re sharing a chapter from your upcoming book on your blog then make sure that you’re teasing readers about it through your ads. As buzz is generated don’t forget to take part in the conversations. Traditional advertising methods no longer work in new media. It requires interaction on your part so be prepared to jump in and discuss what you’re promoting.
Advertising and social media can work well together as long as you’re taking a planned approach rather than haphazardly throwing dollars into a random click campaign. Take the time to get learn about your audience and how they typically respond to ads on each channel. Your diligence will pay off.
Blog Comments: social media for website promotion
Blog commenting is super way to build links back to your book’s website and to promote yourself as an author. Furthermore, reading blogs and engaging in feedback is an easy and effective way to generate traffic without needing an expensive advertising campaign. As an author, you’re no doubt proud of the book that you’ve written and in a perfect world you’d love to shout about it in the comment section of each and every blog that you can find. Unfortunately, blog commenting requires some consideration so that you don’t end up causing more harm to you and your book than good.
When you visit someone’s blog, take the time to read it and get to know what the blogger’s content and focus is about. Familiarity will give you better insight when it comes to leaving a more profound comment rather than commenting just for the sake of it. Avoid ambiguous comments like, “This is a great post. Thank you for writing it.” Try to leave something of value. If readers of your book simply stated that your book was a “nice read” it would be frustrating to you as an author. The same thing goes for blog comments. Make each one count.
Don’t shamelessly self-promote you or your book right out of the gate. Instead of appearing as a resource, it looks pretentious and arrogant. Add value to the blog and the conversation of others. Consider sharing other resources that are relevant to the topic of the post versus linking to your book’s website just for the sake of slapping a link into the comment.
Be considerate when you comment. If a blog post is focuses on an opinion or perspective that isn’t in tune with your own you don’t have carte blanche to verbally berate the blogger. It reflects poorly on you and it can generate a whopping size of bad publicity that will make it difficult to recover from as an author. Be a gentleman and a lady and politely agree to disagree or avoid commenting at all. In cyberspace, biting your tongue is more aligned with taking the high road than not.
Blog commenting isn’t an art, it just takes some common sense. Think before you post your comment. Once it’s out, it’s out for good.
Viral Video For Book Marketing and Book Promotion
Earlier this year, Erik Qualmann’s book Socialnomics created international buzz when its video book trailer went viral. The book offers a fascinating look at the impact of social media on businesses and consumers, but the video does it even better. Hence its viral accomplishment. The questions are how did this video go viral and what has it achieved in doing so.
Understanding the transformation can provide you with some insight on how to take your own video trailer to the masses successfully. First off, the video wasn’t exorbitantly long, just more than four minutes. Although most video attention spans rank at one to two minutes, Socialnomics has a fast paced format that keeps the visuals coming quickly and creatively.
The content is condensed into eye-raising statistics that leave viewers feeling surprised and mesmerized at the same time. Each fact relates back to the book and a specific social media reference. Regardless of whether you’re a social media novice or a guru, the content that Socialnomics shares is exceptional. Plus, it’s set to a trend Fat Boy Slim song that creates a sense of urgency and movement.
So how does this factor into going viral and what can you do to tap into its power? Truth be known, most people want to be entertained. There’s a time and place for being conservative, but if you want to grab someone and shake them into a response, you’re more likely to get it done with something amusing.
Think about compiling tidbits and pieces in a unique way so that viewers will want to discover more. If that seems challenging, consider adding a bit of controversy by taking an opposing view point through your video. Anything clever is sure to get noticed and that’s what can bring you epic numbers of viewers.
Once you’ve accomplished what you want with your video, don’t rest on your laurels. Take a cue from Qualmann. Instead of deciding ‘mission accomplished’, he has created a reloaded version of the video to continue driving and building its momentum. Guess what? It’s working. Once you’re satisfied with your own video trailer, test it out and don’t be afraid to make adjustments and release fresh versions. There’s no right or wrong way.
Use Qualmann’s video as inspiration to craft your own and see where it will take you. You might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
Taking Social Media to the Next Level
Quite a while ago, I wrote a post on something that I saw happening that disturbed me. It seemed that everywhere I went in my social media circles; I was confronted by hate. Actually, I was simply seeing the tools of social expression and free speech utilized in a way that I abhor. Some people really enjoy engaging in demeaning and destructive behavior. N the face of this I find it important to support people gathering to learn how social media can bring us together, not tear us apart.
In Hawaii, our islands are separated by water, lots of it. Further, we are separated from the mainland by miles of open Ocean. Since our physical location isolates us, facilitating communication and community is crucial for our progress. Recently, our communities have begun to explore the role of social media in our own social progress, city to city, island to island.
Taking Social Media to the next level in Hawaii was the focus of the event held at the Hawaii Convention Center this past weekend. Graced with exceptional speakers, including our own Oahu resident Roxanne Darling, the conference touched on many subjects that intersect with social media including branding, start-up capital, privacy, Facebook, blogging, WordPress, customer service, fans, followers and the democratization of publishing.
Chris Pirillo communicated the importance of not trying to get creating community “right” if it means that you sacrifice creating any community at all. Perfectionism doesn’t belong in your social media strategy.
Chris Pirillo on using social media
Geoff Livingston presented his ideas about publishing content and creating branded networks. Using the example of Lady Gaga, he spoke about her ability to enthrall her community. She is not afraid to let her community use and contribute to her content. It has moved every one of her past six singles to #1. (Click on his name to read his presentation).
Andrew Hyde shared strategies and insights on using social media for start-ups, from getting funded to finding your audience and market share.
Andrew Hyde on start-ups and social media
Aaron Brazell showed us all of the trends and upcoming changes happening in WordPress (my favorite blogging platform). WordPress is about to release the highly anticipated WordPress 3.0 and Aaron explained how companies should look at the latest developments.
Aaron Brazell on WordPress trends
Jesse Stay took us on a tour of Google, Twitter and Facebook in his presentation From Fishers To Farmers. The main idea he wanted us to adopt is to “fish where the fish are” meaning that with the number of people on the internet and using social platforms that you ignore social media at your own peril.
Roxanne Darling rocked the use of video in social media in her presentation on Online Video For Business. Explaining the power of video to communicate, convince and convert, she detailed many different types of video and using them to market your business powerfully.
Clearly, we are beginning to see this kind of education as paramount in the adoption of these technologies, philosophies and strategies to bond communities and bridge gaps, physical or otherwise. In the case of technology and society in Hawaii, I would think we would be early adopters – since we like to “talk story” so much. Sharing is part of the culture here. It is our Aloha.
And for many, the Aloha is why we live here.
So how do you think we will be effected by social media?
Facebook Applications:fun and functionality for your pages and profile
Not only is Facebook is quickly becoming America’s new favorite past time, but it’s spreading like wildfire. Famous for connecting with friends and family, Facebook is a social media giant that has even managed to outrank Google as the internet’s number one site. Because Facebook is used by so many millions of people and for so many different reasons, incorporating various Facebook software applications can enhance your experience and make using the site more efficient and fun.
A Facebook application count from 2008 shows the current directory at 33,000 strong. That’s a heap of apps to choose from. Just because there’s an app doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a good one. Here are a handful that we consider to be the best of the bunch.
DivShare
If you’re tired of being limited to the types of things you can with friends from your status box, like links and photos, then DivShare is the app for you. DivShare lets users share MP3s, images and any other type of file up to 200MB in size with no cap on storage space. This is great for exchanging large files.
Marketplace
With more than 9.7 million active users, this is definitely one of Facebook’s more popular apps. Marketplace is like Craig’s List for Facebook. You can sell, buy or search for anything you want. Plus, you can support charities by selling for a cause.
RockYou Live (formerly Super Wall)
This application lets you share videos, cards and even draw graffiti. Depending on what peeks your interest, you can easily share your favorite media item of the day, like a popular video from YouTube or a home movie of your dog’s silly pet trick. Discover new and interesting content from the web right from your Facebook wall.
Weekly Schedule
A wonderful application for anyone who has friends that don’t require Blackberry’s to manage their time. Use Weekly Schedule to keep tab on your pals and let them know where you are straight from Facebook. This is a convenient way to coordinate meetings, events or conferences.
weRead
Writing and reading go hand and hand. Show off your literary prowess with a this handy app that helps you catalog, track and share all the books that you’ve read, are reading or planning to read.
Whether you’re interested in getting organized, traveling or marketing yourself, Facebook seems to have an app that will suit everyone’s needs. Explore to find more.
Not only is Facebook is quickly becoming America’s new favorite past time, but it’s spreading like global wildfire. Famous for connecting with friends and family, Facebook is a social media giant that has even managed to outrank Google as the internet’s number one site. Because Facebook is used by so many millions of people and for so many different reasons, incorporating various Facebook software applications can enhance your experience and make using the site more efficient and fun.
A Facebook application count from 2008 shows the current directory at 33,000 strong. That’s a heap of apps to choose from. Just because there’s an app doesn’t mean that it’s necessarily a good one. Here are a handful that we consider to be the best of the bunch.
DivShare
If you’re tired of being limited to the types of things you can with friends from your status box, like links and photos, then DivShare is the app for you. DivShare lets users share MP3s, images and any other type of file up to 200MB in size with no cap on storage space. This is great for exchanging large files.
Marketplace
With more than 9.7 million active users, this is definitely one of Facebook’s more popular apps. Marketplace is like Craig’s List for Facebook. You can sell, buy or search for anything you want. Plus, you can support charities by selling for a cause.
RockYou Live (formerly Super Wall)
This application lets you share videos, cards and even draw graffiti. Depending on what peeks your interest, you can easily share your favorite media item of the day, like a popular video from YouTube or a home movie of your dog’s silly pet trick. Discover new and interesting content from the web right from your Facebook wall.
Weekly Schedule
A wonderful application for anyone who has friends that don’t require Blackberry’s to manage their time. Use Weekly Schedule to keep tab on your pals and let them know where you are straight from Facebook. This is a convenient way to coordinate meetings, events or conferences.
weRead
Writing and reading go hand and hand. Show off your literary prowess with a this handy app that helps you catalog, track and share all the books that you’ve read, are reading or planning to read.
Whether you’re interested in getting organized, traveling or marketing yourself, Facebook seems to have an app that will suit everyone’s needs. Explore to find more.
LinkedIn Applications
The professional networking site LinkedIn connects members together and is primarily used as a business and relationship building tool. Through LinkedIn’s profile screen, users can customize information about their current and past business accomplishments. It’s very similar to an organized version of an online resume.
Beyond profiles LinkedIn offers quite a few handy applications that allow its members to integrate into their profiles. This enables members to use their LinkedIn accounts in a variety of ways and it takes the profile for a static page to an interactive hub for professionals. Take a peek below to learn about some of the applications available and how they can elevate your LinkedIn profile.
WordPress
From the name of the application you can probably guess what it does. Use it on LinkedIn to incorporate your existing blog feed into your profile. It’s fuss free. Install and done. The application automatically pulls new posts from your blog and populates them to your profile. It gives your blog added exposure and shares blog details with your LinkedIn connections.
Events
If you’ve ever wondered what professional happenings are scheduled in your local area or region, you need to install Events. Conferences and seminars are recommended based on your industry and job function, plus you can see what events your friends are attending too.
My Travel
If you’re a road warrior then this is the app for you. Track your travel and find out when your connections will be in the same city or location as you. Great way to meet-up and catch-up with out friends and it’s great for organizing travel details.
Google Presentation
Sometimes words from a profile need the support of images and pictures. Using visuals makes it easier to convey thoughts, ideas and showcase achievements. With Google Presentation you can upload a portfolio or show off projects. Upload a Powerpoint file and you’re finished.
Huddle Workspaces
Everyone knows that sending attachments via email can be challenging. Depending on the size of the attachment, servers can kick-back and make it difficult to share. With Huddle, you’re able to collaborate online through a private workspace. Documents are safe, secure and best of all, you can choose who gets to see what.
Visit LinkedIn for more great applications to add to your profile and make it stand out from the pack.
Top Social Media Conferences and Seminars
There are hundreds of social media conferences that take place every year and around the globe. No matter what your particular marketing niche is you’re bound to find a seminar that is right for you. Instead of tunneling in on customized gatherings that are unique to a particular city, state or region, we’re highlighting a handful of the larger conferences that have something for everyone.
Hands down, this is one of the most well-attended and most infamous conferences around. Although it’s not specifically geared toward social media, it’s definitely morphed into a platform that seems to be focusing on it. During this week-long event, techies, alternative bands and indie filmmakers gather in Austin, Texas to watch, listen and talk all things social media each spring. This is the place where new applications debut and social platforms launch. Past mentors have included, Chris Brogan, Pete Cashmore and Sanjay Gupta.
The eMarketing Association’s annual two-day conference in San Francisco, California gathers thought leaders and key executives together from well known businesses to discuss best practices, processes and case studies. Attendees learn about marketing directly from the people in companies who practice it every day. This year’s conference takes place in April and features LinkedIn’s Vice President of Marketing & Advertising, Patrick Crane, Technorati’s Vice President and GM, Shani Higgins and eBay’s Senior Manager of Global Internet Marketing & Advertising, Ed Woo. Sign-up today, it’s not too late.
Presented by social media guru Chris Brogan, this two-day conference travels to various cities throughout the U.S. and is geared toward social influence marketers. Field experts share strategies, tools and methods to help you grow your business. The speaker line-up varies from city to city, but this year’s event in San Francisco had HubSpot’s Inbound Marketing Manager, Rick Burnes, Constant Contact’s Regional Development Director, Stu Carty and Radian6’s Director of Community, Amber Naslund. Find a conference coming to a city near year by visiting the website.
Similar to Inbound’s traveling conference, this event is a one-day show that travels to 23 cities throughout the nation. It allows registrants to collaborate and network with the best of the best in social media and beyond. Unlike other conferences, vendor booths are amiss in order to provide a clear focus on education and content. Jay Baer, Rohit Bhargava and Dharmesh Shah have been part of past speaker line-ups.
Bestselling Books on Podcasts
As a broadcast medium, Podcasting is a wonderful way to share information through digital media files in an audio or video format. If you’re thinking about podcasting, but you aren’t quite sure just where to begin, you might want to read up on the subject. There are quite a few podcasting books available that do a great job on explaining a podcast from start to finish. Here’s a run down on some of the bestsellers that are worth the investment.
Podcasting Bible by Mitch Ratcliffe
Veteran technology writer, Ratcliffe, chose an appropriate name for his publication when he picked the word ‘bible’. It contains 570 pages that are packed with podcast suggestions and details. The book is well-organized into seven sections that focus on specific podcast segments, such as production, equipment, distribution and media integration. In order to learn all the ins and outs of podcasting, this book is highly recommended.
Business Podcasting Bible: Wherever My Market Is…I Am by Paul Colligan and Alex Mandossian
Using your podcast to enhance your business and connect with your audience requires a bit of know how. Fortunately, this book lessens the learning curve through case study models. Reviewing how other businesses use this media gives podcast newbies a chance to borrow ideas and tailor them to fit their needs. A solid book with excellent examples.
Podcast Solutions: The Complete Guide to Audio and Video Podcasting by Michael Geoghegan and Dan Klass
The authors of this book have been referred to as pioneers in the field of podcasting. They’ve been around podcasting since the beginning and offer a wealth of insight for people that are just getting their feet wet. The book covers a range of topics that help teach readers about setting-up a podcast and marketing a podcast, as well as how to format a podcast. A fantastic book that educates readers on all things podcast-based.
Podcasting Hacks: Tips and Tools for Blogging Out Loud by Jack Herrington
Having the right hardware and software can make or break a podcast. Additionally, knowing how to search and subscribe to podcasts is also key, especially when you’re ready to produce your own. Whether you’re interested in recording telephone interviews via podcast or concerned about preparing guests for interviews, this book has it all.
One honorable mention that shouldn’t be overlooked is Podcasting for Dummies from the Dummies Series.
