Friday, April 29, 2011

Social Media Statistics & The Royal Wedding - Who Came Out On Top?

Congrats to the newly wedded royal couple, William and Kate - the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge! I watched with the rest of the world this morning (although, I didn't get up at 1 AM PDT with my fellow Californians to watch). I dug around this afternoon to find the latest social media statistics for Royal Wedding coverage. 

According to Mail Online, there were 74 Facebook updates per second and over 268 thousand mentions of the wedding on UK Facebook Walls alone. Twitter fell short behind Facebook at 67 Royal Wedding tweets per second. 

Traffic monitor Akamia reported that global news traffic peaked at 1:30 pm (London time) at 5.3 million page views per minute. For diehard fashionistas, Kate's wedding dress ('the dress') was mentioned over 10,000 times (from the UK alone). 

Google reported over 400 million viewers who watched via YouTube's live stream (no crashes reported with a fast response time - 1.24 seconds). Mashable stated that LiveStream had OVER 300,000 viewers who watched early Friday morning. Livestream announced that they broke their Oscars record from a few months ago (their Oscars' streams were only 130,00).

Other top news sites that were close behind Google and LiveStream include ABCNews.com and AccessHollywood.com 

The social media coverage of the Royal Wedding REALLY caused an international frenzy - as we have all experienced online. I'm sure it will continue to buzz  on Facebook and Twitter long into the wee hours tonight and throughout the weekend. Cheers to the Royal Couple! 

Thursday, April 28, 2011

How to Lose Your Online Credibility With Just One Word

I subscribe to my share of social media and marketing newsletters and follow other social media consultants. This morning I started to read a social media-related blog, but I stopped reading after just one word. What made me stop? It was the word ''funnest'. I know that some bloggers and writers use slang as a tongue-in-cheek approach, but I'm fairly certain this writer thought 'funnest' was proper English. At that point, I stopped reading the article and clicked off the site. She lost me at just one word. 

Because of the improper word choice she used (technically, funnest is not a grammatically correct word in the English language), I was immediately turned off because it didn't make her sound credible. Maybe the word 'funnest' doesn't bother other people, and I'm just one of many in her audience but she still lost me as a reader - with just that word alone.

Even though she may be the most credible social media resource in the world, I wouldn't know because I stopped reading. It's important as bloggers and social media users to be conscious of the language you use. Funnest might be acceptable on a parenting or children's blog, but it doesn't fit on a professional social media blog.

And inappropriate word choices go beyond just funnest. I dug around and researched marketing 'turn off' words. Advertising has its share of 'no-no' words that they don't recommend using. According to BusinessWeek, avoid these five cliche words in ads:

1. Quality

2. Value

3. Service

4. Caring  

5. Integrity

If you want to stay away from spam words, check out this list of 200 spam words to avoid. 

Be careful when choosing your words, and remember that your readers and social media followers actually READ what you write. It only takes one word to hurt your online credibility. 

 

Monday, April 25, 2011

The Yogi Approach to Business - How To Stay Focused

Did I stump you with my title? Huhhh!? The yogi approach to business? It's not as random or as 'out there' as you might think. I've been a student of yoga for ten plus years, but it hasn't been until this past year that I've embodied 'yoga' as a way of life - and what I've learned as a result of my yoga practice has truly made a positive impact on the way I conduct my business.

The literal translation of yoga means "to yoke/unite". Yoga is a state of being and not JUST a physical exercise. The Western approach to yoga concentrates on the physical benefits, but yoga is truly a way of life for those who practice (myself included). Because of yoga and meditation, it's helped me in many facets of my business especially with my clarity and focus.

While standing in tree pose (one of my favorites!), my teacher tells us to focus on a spot on the floor to keep our balance/focus- our "dristi". The soft dristi gaze promotes clarity and grounded calmness.

It comes down to your dristi - how do you stay focused? OR are your wobbling in the Tree Pose of Your Business because you have lost your dristi gaze and can't seem to focus?

Here are some 'yogi-style' tips -- how to find AND implement your professional dristi effectively and stay on course:


1. If you make a mistake, don't beat yourself up. Do NOT give up. You are human - yes, even in business. You will never be perfect. Don't let a one-time mistake interfere with your big-picture focus. Brush yourself off, learn from the mistake and move forward.

2. Listen to your gut instinct. That little voice inside your head won't steer you wrong, and will help you stay on course and focused. It's when you don't listen to your instinct  that you get thrown for a loop, and steers you away from your desired goals. Think of intuition as your internal life compass and don't ignore it!

3. Stay present in the RIGHT NOW! I know that sounds odd since I'm an Internet marketing consultant and my professional world revolves around long-range goal planning for my clients. However, it's when you start to dwell on the past and worry about the future - and fall into that trap of 'not enough! not enough!' - that's when your focus takes a nose dive. The future will happen no matter what and the past has already happened . Why waste your precious time and energy? Keep your focus on today - in this present moment. You will be surprised at how much you can accomplish when you focus on the here and now.

4. Don't compare yourself or your business to your competition, colleagues, clients, etc. As a practicing yogini, I am not the typical poster child for yoga. I'm short and definitely don't have that svelte yogi look. But it's okay, because I'm on my very own Therese Pope path. My yoga journey is completely different than my fellow  students. The easiest way to lose your 'dristi' is to focus on everybody else BUT yourself. Don't worry that Joe Smith is making thousands of dollars more than you or Mary Jones just bought a brand new BMW. Concentrate on your goals and projects that bring YOU success and don't exert energy worrying about your competition down the street. I'm not saying that you don't want to check out altogether, BUT don't obsess over other's people success and don't fall into the 'not enough' mindset trap.

5. Cut out tasks and projects that waste your time and energy (including people, clients, etc. who drag you down). Work with clients who are a GOOD match and don't just take on any client in the world. When you work on projects, tasks and interact with people who pull you away from your business purpose/mission, your gaze becomes muddied. Outsource to sub-contractors or hire part-time help. Focus on what YOU need to do and leave the extraneous tasks to people who are better qualified and can lighten your workload.

How do you stay focused with your daily tasks and projects? I welcome your comments and feedback. 

Thursday, April 21, 2011

3 Free Twitter Media Resources - How to Easily Find Journalists

You don't have to spend thousands on media lists anymore. You can easily track down journalists, editors, bloggers, etc. on Twitter. Remember to build a relationship with the media and don't use Twitter as an excuse to spam them or beg them to write a story about you or your company. Make a comment about their article/story and create a rapport with them over time (the same rules to offline media relations still basically apply). Be professional and read past articles to understand their writing style and focus. Also, look at who follows the media and follow influential industry leaders - another good way to target your Twitter followers. 

Here my top 3 recommended Twitter media resources:

1. MediaOnTwitter - This is a handy media database resource that breaks down journalists/writers by first name, Twitter ID and URL, media outlet, title and country. MediaOnTwitter makes it easy to follow media and stories that fit with your industry/company. 

2. Muck Rack - Subscribe to their daily email digest to get the latest list of journalists who contribute on Twitter. Muck Rack breaks down their 'beats' ranging from arts and entertainment to politics. This is a great way to search for late-breaking news in your industry and to connect with journalists who might be interested in your newsworthy story. However, as I mentioned above, don't spam the media. Reply to their tweets and stories in a real, genuine way.

3. JournalistTweets - Check out what journalists are saying on JournalistTweets. This Twitter media resource connects journalists with PR professionals. However, it's a handy way to research journalists by country and follow the latest scoop with industry news.  You can set up email alerts and track what journalists say about you and your company on Twitter. 

 

Monday, April 18, 2011

Social Media Taboo Topics - What Not to Post

When it comes to what NOT to post on social media, my advice is if you wouldn't say it to your mother's face, then don't post it on your social media! 

To post or not to post - what topics are off limits in social media? It seems like social media has turned into a free-for-all - anything goes...or does it?

Think about how you conduct yourself at an in-person business networking event and apply those same rules to social media.Be professional and courteous. People like to hide behind social media because of the anonymity, but you aren't as anonymous as you think you are!

What are considered 'off limit' topics?

1. Trade secrets and confidential company information - No brainer right?  You would be surprised. Company employees have accidentally 'leaked' confidential information via social media. Review your company's social media policy (if the company has a policy in place) to make sure you follow correct social media protocol. Many companies delegate one representative to handle their social media which is a smart idea!

2. Nasty, negative comments about your boss, employees, customers, etc. - Another no brainer but I see it happen all the time on social media (and people have been fired as a result of said nasty comments).

3. Sex, religion and politics - This is the old stand-by rule but it comes into play with social media as well. However, there is always an exception to that rule - especially if you work in politics, are a rabbi or preacher, and/or a sex therapist. Just use your discretion and always be respectful of other people's opinions and viewpoints. Agree to disagree and be professional!

4. What you ate for breakfast, you had food poisoning for ten days straight, etc. and other mindless, inane topics that share way too much information. - Social media has turned into a haven for drama and another platform for unnecessary gossip. If you are a chef or a restaurant reviewer, food would be an appropriate topic to discuss but save the pointless "way too much information" topics for offline (or better yet, just forget the gossip altogether). The key to social media is to build your credibility. How will you build credibility as a viable expert in your field if you tweet about your daily menu 24,7 or the latest office drama? 

5. Blatant spam/sales pitches - Just don't do it. Don't spam or blatantly sell in your posts. It's really annoying and you will quickly turn off people. Who wants to be known as 'that' annoying spammer that no one wants to friend or follow! 

What are your social media taboo topics that you won't touch with a ten foot pole? 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, April 14, 2011

3 Easy Ways to Market Your Facebook Page

There is a lot of confusion centered around Facebook Pages versus Facebook profiles, and wanted to pass along 3 easy tips to market your Facebook page. The big question that Facebook users have is "what's the difference between my Facebook profile and my Facebook page?" Business professionals are confused as to WHY they need a Facebook Page and how it can help them. 

Facebook Pages allow businesses, organizations, etc. to create a visible presence on Facebook. Unlike a Facebook profile, Facebook Pages are available to everyone who searches online. You can easily connect with these Pages by becoming a fan and "liking" pages and then receive updates in your News Feeds every time people add information to their pages. There are no limits to how many fans you can have on Facebook pages; whereas, you can have only 5,000 friends on your Facebook profile (although, there is talk that Facebook will eventually lift this 5,000 limit). 

That's a very good reason to stop what you're doing right now and create a Facebook page! However, remember that Facebook Pages are not advised for EVERY business or organization. If you are primarily a B2C (business to consumer/customer) company, then I highly suggest you stick with Facebook but if your concentration is B2B (business to business), I suggest concentrating on LinkedIn marketing. Even though I have a Facebook page, I use LinkedIn primarily to market and use Facebook to complement my marketing efforts (I still post links to my blog, etc. on my Page).

Make sure that your Facebook Page really stands out - include links to your blog, website, contact information, email, etc. Include a professional photo on your Page (and/or your company brand/logo). Your Page represents your business so keep it professional and uncluttered (and manage your page for spammers - spammers love to blast Facebook pages with annoying posts on Walls.)

The biggest challenge that most business professionals face with their social media is that they don't have TIME. Ok, no excuses - here are 3 easy ways you can market your Facebook page - starting today!

1. Include your Facebook Page URL on your Twitter and LinkedIn profiles. This creates a social media funnel to lead your Twitter and LinkedIn followers back to your Page. The goal of social media is to share valuable content and create authentic relationships with your followers/fans. Also, your Facebook page allows you to share more content compared to your tweets and LinkedIn updates, so take advantage of this easy cross-marketing tactic!

2. Create unique content for your Facebook Page. People want to feel special and included, so give them a reason to feel "in the know" when it comes to the content that you share on your Page. Think outside of the social media box. Include video content on your Facebook page to engage your Fans quickly. You don't have to reinvent the wheel and you can still include links to your blog on your Fan Page, but mix it up now and then when it comes to your content. 

3. Share, share and share with your Vanity URL. A Facebook Page vanity URL is ideal and an easy way to share your Page. However, you first need 25 fans before you can set up your vanity URL. I suggest you include your vanity URL in your email signature, business cards, and any online and offline marketing materials/content. Include your vanity URL on your other social media profiles. You want to share this link as much as possible but don't go crazy and spam it everywhere. A vanity URL is set up in the following way:  www.facebook.com/companyname (or whatever name you choose to brand your page).Warning: Don't just ask ANYONE to 'like' your page so you can quickly get your vanity URL. Ask people to check out your page but don't beg for 'likes' just to get a vanity URL - this is a big 'no-no' when it comes to social media marketing. You don't want random fans you don't know - defeats your purpose of engaging fans in a real, authentic way. 

Here is more information about how to create vanity URLs. 

How do you market your Facebook Page? What Facebook marketing tips and tools do you use to promote your Page?

 

Monday, April 11, 2011

How to Pack Valuable Punch With Blog Posts

It's easy to get on a roll when writing blog posts. I definitely don't want to discourage you to share lots of valuable content - I'm all for blog posts that entertain, educate and inform! However, once you have found your blogging mo-jo you might get carried away with rambling sentences in blog posts. Remember that less is more. Here are four easy editorial blogging tips to help create content that packs a punch with your readers.

1. Think like a journalist and write your lede in the first paragraph. A "lede" summarizes your entire post and gets across your key point from the very beginning. Don't wait until the second paragraph to tell your readers what the post is about - you'll lose their interest quickly.

2. If you ask a question within your post title, then answer it within your post. For example, my blog title is 'How to Pack Valuable Punch With Blog Posts.' My content is answering that question so you, the readers, understand how to improve your blog posts to make them more 'readable' and valuable to your audiences. Make sure to summarize key points and don't leave them hanging - tie up your blog post with a short and concise conclusion. 

3. Do your research! Add credible links and resources to enhance and build your online credibility. This goes back to your company branding. Make sure the links support your content and add value to your blog posts. 

4. Use sub-headers, bullet points and lists. It's important to break up your content and use sub-headers, bullet points and lists to emphasize your main points. It also makes your content easier for your readers to understand. When people read run-on sentences and jumbled content, it only frustrates them and it's an easy way to turn off your readers.

Even if you add just one of these tips (preferably all four tips), you will pack a valuable punch with blog posts, Your content says a lot - it further brands you as an industry expert and professional resource to your blog readers.

Remember to say MORE with less! Please share your blogging tips - how do you create content that packs a punch every time?

 

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Geolocation - How Safe Are We?

Geolocation is the hot new tech trend that's caused quite a stir this year, especially concerning privacy issues. After my last post about Creepy (the program that aggregates your social network information and gives its users your exact geolocation), I want to explore geolocation and safety concerns. 

Foursquare and other geolocation apps announce to the world that you just checked into your favorite restaurant or bar. As fun as they are (the grown-up techie version of Where's Waldo?), geolocation apps raise an unsettling question: what happens when you announce to the world that you're NOT home?  

One privacy advocacy group tackles this very issue. Please Rob Me  "raises awareness about over-sharing."  According to Please Rob Me, their goal is to raise awareness about how much information people share on geolocation apps such as Foursquare, Google Buzz, etc. 

Another word that's been passed back and forth concerning geolocation is "locational privacy." According to The Electronic Frontier Foundation, locational privacy is " the ability of an individual to move in public space with the expectation that under normal circumstances their location will not be systematically and secretly recorded for later use." 

Is our locational privacy in jeopardy? With the many third-party apps, software programs, etc. that pull our information from social networks and make it easily accessible for other people to know our whereabouts, how safe are we and how 'private' is our life? Will we resort to NOT sharing any information on our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn? That's not very likely, but it might make think us twice about the kind of information (especially our physical location) we share via social media. Just remember to be cautious and aware. 

 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Creepy Social App Knows Where You Live

Facebook has received criticism with their privacy issues, but there's a new social app in town that knows where you live - and ironically, it's called Creepy.

Creepy is a 'geolocation information aggregator' that is a software package for Windows or Linux. Basically, it connects with social networks such as Twitter and Flickr to pull your targeted geographical location. People tend to forget that geographical data is contained within shared images. And even if you are aware, you probably aren't aware that social apps like Creepy know exactly where you live and are allowing random people to access your information.

Creepy uses APIs to access your photos and tweets that have been published to your accounts. Creepy then analyzes the information and delivers the report to the users who asked for your geo-information. I foresee BIG debates about this social app - especially when it comes to the safety of minors who use social networks. My question to Creepy - are you going to monitor the usage of pedophiles who use your app? I don't want anyone accessing where I live, let alone where children live. The clusters of geo-information found by Creepy pinpoints the exact location of a person's workplace or personal residence - and that is definitely CREEPY! 

As someone who uses social media on a regular basis and encourages my clients to use it for their marketing, social apps such as Creepy puts people's privacy at risk and opens up more opportunities for spammers and even stalkers. 

According to Creepy, they warn people about the risks involving geo-location aware services. That really doesn't make sense to me. Their social app is all about 'creeping' people out (literally), yet in the same breath they tell people not to use Foursquare, Twitter, etc. 

Creepy gets a big thumb downs from me. We already have enough to worry about with Facebook and its privacy battles, but we don't need a "Creepy" app tracking our every geographical move. 

With any information you post online, be cautious and careful and please carefully monitor your children's social networks. Unfortunately, I foresee a trend in more social apps who will extract our personal data. However, Creepy takes it too far and social apps should NOT be used at the expense of potentially harming people and threatening their safety. 

For more information about how to protect your online privacy, check out these websites:

http://www.eff.org/wp/effs-top-12-ways-protect-your-online-privacy

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/ou/how-to-protect-your-online-privacy/661

 

Therese Pope, Copywriter/Content Developer & Digital Buzz-icist

Content Writing & Marketing Tips ** Online Buzz Branding

** Digital & Social Media Strategies