5 Steps to Setting Social Media Limits
Feeling overwhelmed by social media and social networks? Does it occasionally seem that all this connectivity comes at the expense of your free time? Struggling to decide whether to follow back or friend up that guy you met at the local Chamber of Commerce event whom you don’t really know, but might be a useful […]
5 Ways to be a Social Networking Smash
1. Be Helpful Distribute what you know. Make people smarter. 2. Share It’s not all about you. For every time you talk about your own stuff, talk about other people’s great content 8 times. 3. Be Personal People gravitate toward people, not robots. Show what you’re really like. Just don’t be a freak. 4. Ask […]
3 Key Twitter Changes Lost in the Hysteria
As it grows up, is Twitter taking the fun out of it? Lost in the hysteria over changes to Twitter’s reply handling scheme are several other adjustments that were more quietly unveiled/discussed in recent days that are likely to prove much more important. 1. Follower Notices in HTML Notifications that you have been followed by […]
The Social Media Reality Show
A recent survey from Netpop Research showed that U.S. Internet users are spending much more time communicating online, instead of entertaining themselves. That got me thinking? Aren’t they the same thing?
Are You A Shaq or A Penelope?
Are you embracing social media connectivity, or trying to hide from it? I realize that not everyone on the planet is going spend hours and hours each day communicating via social networks, creating content, and generally treating the social Web as if it’s the greatest development since “add your own” butter at movie theaters. But […]
Social Media Adds Viral Frosting to the Email Cake
Are you enabling your email subscribers to spread your message via social media? Call it Forward to a Friend 2.0. Call it the inevitable marriage of two sides of the customer relationship coin. Call it the next big thing in email marketing. The hand-wringing in the email community about the impact of social media is […]
Linkedin – 22 Ways to Dominate
Linkedin is in a resurgence. Since adding applications and mimicking some other Facebook-style functionality, the Grandaddy of social networks is becoming more relevant. Its important to recognize that Linkedin has different demographics than Facebook, Myspace and other social networks. Linkedin is older (68% are 35+), wealthier (66% make $60/year+), and better educated (72% are college […]
A Social Media Slam Dunk
This is a case study about social media usage by the very tall. To the coverage of H&R Block, Dell, Comcast, Southwest, Papa John’s, Whole Foods and other brands for their successful use of social media, I offer another: The Phoenix Suns. Led by Suns’ Director of Digital Media Amy Martin (@phoenixsunsgirl) the NBA team […]
Strategy Destroys Social Media Tools
I’ve written a lot about social media strategic planning and how to find the “hook” for your social media efforts. Why do I write more about strategy than I do about social media tools and tactics? First, because I’ve been an Internet marketing strategist for 15 years, so that perspective is my home turf. But […]
The Paradox of Social Media Control
As discussed recently in “Why Are We So Scared of Our Customers?” and “Presto, How Social Media Makes Bad News Good” I’m seeing the fear of negativity preventing more companies from embracing social media. The typical social media objection is that if the company has a conversation with consumers in a public forum, the company […]
3 Reasons the Recession is Great News for Social Media
This recession is looking worse than Sylvester Stallone all roided up for that recent Rambo 14 (Rambo goes to the buffet for the Early Bird Special with some pals) movie. It’s going to be bad. But for social media, it just might be the best possible circumstance. Here’s why: 1. Smart Buying Consumer confidence is […]
Why Are We So Scared of Our Customers?
Many companies and even agencies are reluctant to engage in social media because they are afraid that some sort of consumer backlash will occur, doing damage to the brand. Certainly, there are a few noteworthy examples of social media missteps from brands like Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola et al. But in most cases, those shortcomings were due […]
Scott Monty – The Twitter 20 Twinterview about Social Media at Ford
Live from Marketing Profs Digital Mixer Scott Monty, the head of social media for Ford, participated in a Twitter 20 interview on October 23 and answered a wide range of questions about social media at big companies, and his ideas for the future of conversation marketing. Scott and myself and 248 other lucky folks were […]
Why the Murder of Old Media is PR’s Best Chance
Since the advent of the printing press, professional opinions have helped shape our own. From Hearst to Murdoch, from Cronkite to Brokaw. Huge companies that employ thousands of trained journalists have helped us understand what’s good and bad, and whom to embrace or fear. Not for long. This is not a flesh wound. The Internet […]
The 6 Dangerous Fallacies of Social Media
Do you have your copy of Youtility: Why Smart Marketing is About Help not Hype? Visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble to get your copy now! (Amazing Gangsta Chimp image by the talented Matt Cioffi) You may have heard of social media. There’s been a bit of news about it recently. However, a lot of […]
The Social Networking Friendship Development Scale
It used to be that you actually met someone in person first, and then developed and nurtured that relationship into its natural culmination – helping them move. The Web and social networking has changed that, and now friendships are developed in a variety of digital forums, eventually moving offline and becoming three dimensional. Below are […]