Tag Archive for 'Facebook'

SES - Successful Tactics for Social Media Optimization (SMO)

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Tom Dressler
on August 20, 2008
in Online Marketing
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Social Media Optimization Session at SES San Jose

Social Media Optimization Session at SES San Jose

Community-built websites like Facebook, YouTube, Microsoft Tagspace, and Wikipedia, and new sites allowing content to be shared through “tagging” can be a great way to tap into links and search-driven traffic. This session looks at some social media services and strategies to tap into them in an appropriate manner. Hear how-to’s and tips from search marketers who have discovered what works today and what to avoid.

Moderator:
Speakers:
Notes from Kendall Allen, Former Managing Director, Incognito Digital, Digital Marketing and Convergence Media Consultant:
  • Kendall opens talking about how we should be looking at Integration vs. Synchronization.
  • “Digital” is a trend that means more today than ever. Creativity flows into great ideas.
  • Social Media come of Age: Consumers voice is now heard. Smart marketers are planning to tap into this buzz. Consumers are big time influencers and smart marketers are giving them tools to use. Today blogs are showing up in integrated media plans as well.
  • Integration and Social Media Case Study from Special K - Various media distribution with a call to action focused on search. Search the Special K Challenge for more details.
  • Ning.com is a new creative social network creation tool with tons of customization
  • sCRM - a new term integrating Social Media and CRM collaboration; surveys, polls, storytelling and the propagation of brand
  • SocialSpark: Blog network - A Social Marketing Network that provides blog marketing, social media marketing, word of mouth marketing, conversational marketing through an online blog advertising service.
Notes from Liana Evans, Director of Internet Marketing, KeyRelevance:
  • She has a focus on Social Media from a SEO perspective
  • Liana says make sure you are talking to the audience in a way that connects you as friends. If you look like a marketer you will be outed.
  • Share in a way that is conversational. They will spread the word for you if your conversation is positive.
  • Social Media gives the consumer the control and is huge.
  • Key understanding include who is in your target market and what are they doing
  • Liana tells us to read “Groundswell” by Charlene Li
  • The 2 biggest areas in social media are video and photo sharing
  • Other areas include social bookmarking, social sharing, etc…

SES - Social Media Marketing: What is it and What is it Good For?

Published
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Tom Dressler
on August 20, 2008
in Online Marketing
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Social Media Strategists Sharing Ideas with peers at SES San Jose

Social Media Strategists Sharing Ideas with peers at SES San Jose

Marketing to and through social networks means humans are hot again. Not as directory editors; it’s Web 2.0, and your customers are in control. The old-fashioned media buy has gone bye-bye. Social media marketing is fast emerging as a must-have in search strategies. Learn about the social search revolution, and hear case studies of how marketers have successfully promoted brands and products with it.

Moderator:
Speakers:
Notes from Vanina Delobelle from Moster Worldwide:
  • The requirements for Social Media
    • Global means local - You are with your friends in your world; be close
    • Resources - Community managers need to get more focus - People come to be entertained; be proactive as a community facilitator
    • Consistency - The effort should start and last
    • Content - Make it meaningful to the audience
  • Most Social Media links display in the Golden triangle of Search - Social media is updated/current and contains links
  • Moster created user centric products giving them the controls for people to share, etc.
  • Both YouTube Video Views and FaceBook fans used as primary key performance indicators (KPI’s)
Notes from Erik Qualman, Search Engine Watch Expert & EF Education:
  • Erik starts by asking how many people use facebook, twitter and u4 (hmm what’s that?)
  • Don’t be the sender who forwards outdated jokes or messages
  • EF first started in social media by creating a travel application called Global Footprint; Since they were asking for authentication, users started an application without authentication and that one took off. Followed by Cities I’ve Visited and Where I’ve Been. Lesson learned: You don’t need new concepts just make one appliciable to your audience
  • They had a second attempt catering to teens. This sight did not go so well.
  • Third attenpt said “What can we offer that no one else can?” This looked like a application that focused on tour location. A status update allowing travels to tell others where the curently are in the world today. Seems to be successful.
  • Erik recommends starting today with a prototype followed by marketing and understand that the first thing probably won’t work. Don’t give up learn and move on.
  • Does Facebook PPC work? Study it and learn how to use. Look to use your Facebook page as the landing page.
  • What is the best way to use Twitter? - Use to monitor your brand today
  • Erik is talking about how search is diffent than Social Media. A year or two from now when you search “New Car” you will get stats from your friends network showing how many people bought the car, or researched that car, or wrote a comment on that car, etc.
Notes from Brent C. Sutoras
  • His primary use for Social Media is to get SEO Links
    1. Create Content
    2. Submit to relevant communities (Propeller, stumble upon, delicious, reddit, digg, etc…) This voting process get “vote favor” which then becomes distributed webwide.
    3. As a result you build links, even though the window is short that boost helps and when the users read you you now become an authority that creates a ripple effect of inbound links.
    4. Since this is natural Google likes it.
  • Social Media Tips
    • Have a site that is Social Media friendly
    • Pick communities you relate to
    • Check what worked before
    • Create high quality content
    • Undestand how to submit and push social campaigns
    • Understand what to do with success
  • Most Importantly — Be Social -  Just like real life
Open Q&A:
  • Brent recommends being activly involved as a “friend” in social media not a markerter.
  • Social Media is a resource intensive content expert - i.e. IBM has 1 person per country times 26 countries.
  • Content can be broken into two categories; “it” content vs. “me” content which is much more valuable
  • Bring something of value
  • Panel is asked about 3rd party apps related to twitter causing them to use more
    • Twirl - A desktop app like instant mesanger
    • Check GreaseMonkey for tools and scripts
    • TweetPro - Search keywords to add people
  • Reutation management is the current topic-the panel suggests bringing the negative comments should be directed back to your site. Sometimes a call on the phone can be helpful. Give them free stuff if possible…it’s amazing how quickly people change their mind. Also do respond…do not sit idle. Another solution is to contact the community manager for removal if it is serious.
  • The IBM moderators site an example of how community members can take care of reputation management as well.
  • The question is where is socail media going in the next few years?
    • Search results with personal influence from people you choose to listen to.
    • YahooBuzz has some new updates to their site allowing more interaction
    • BusinessWeek announces an upcoming social platform

Search Engine Strategies Conference - Day 3 Agenda

Published
by
Tom Dressler
on August 15, 2008
in Search Marketing
. 1 Comment

Here’s what I am planning on day 3 of the Search Engine Strategies Conference:

First, the Keynote Roundtable: Why Does Search Get the Credit for Everything? This session focuses on gaining a better understanding of how, when and where to attribute revenue gains.

The second session of the day for me will be either SEO Through Blogs and Feeds, which falls under the Organic Track and focuses on advantages blogs offer to SEO efforts or I will attend Social Media Marketing: What is it and What is it Good For? falling under the Social Media Track.  This is the first year SES is offering the Social Media Track, which looks like it will be offering some strong sessions.

The next session I’m looking to attend also falls under the Social Media Track : Successful Tactics for Social Media Optimization (SMO). Here, I will learn how to tap into social media services.

Next, I will be attending yet another session in the Social Media Track. This one is entitled Social Media Analysis and Tracking and focuses on how social search can be used to drive traffic, conversions and increases ROI.

The last session of the day will be another Social Media Track offering, Facebook, Feeds and Micro-Blogging.  This session is all about how social software and feeds are shaping the world we live in and changing the online user experience.

The day ends with yet another party!  The Search Bash is hosted by WebmasterRadio.FM.  I’ll try to post pics from this party as well as all of the others…stay tuned for Day 4..

OMS Session : Social Media Strategies

Published
by
Tom Dressler
on August 12, 2008
in Online Marketing and Social Media
. 1 Comment

Online Communities - A Strategic Marketing Channel:  Learn how leading companies like Nike, CNN and Intel are building online communities and strategically leveraging the latest web 2.0 technologies to proactively engage their customers, drive product innovation and build loyalty across their customer base and partner networks.

Barry Tallis, Solutions Consulting Director, Jive Software

A topic that is very popular with The OMS crowd. Standing room only. Barry tells us that this will not be about the technologies, but he will focus on strategy and tactics. The big question is how to get started? Step 1: Start listening to what people are saying about you, on twitter for example. Once you figure out what these conversations are, then you can come up with a strategy.

The marketing aspect of online communities.

Most marketing money is being spent on awareness. The optimal target is telling somebody something once and then they tell all their friends. We tend to believe friends when it comes to advise. Blogs, micro blogs, rss all flow into the first part of the marketing funnel (awareness). An online marketing community actually can flow to all categories in the marketing funnel.

The business case for Online community

  1. Gain Insights - Mine community content & identify experts
  2. Boost Loyalty - Members remain clients 50% longer and revisit your site 9x as often
  3. Drive Sales - Members purchase twice as often and 5x more than the average client
  4. Gain Control - Communities will form around your solution whether you choose to host them or not. Using this approach can allow user-generated content that will define the longer tail keywords. Communities also drive keywords. What are people really talking about and/or interested in? and how can I use that information in my SEO strategy?

Types of Communities

  • Loyalty
  • Enthusiasts
  • Innovations
  • Partner
  • Developer
  • Event
  • Education
  • Support

Case Studies

  • Customer Engagement - Nike
    • Provides a platform for users with similar interests to connect with each other
    • They offer links letting users submit the content to Digg, Delicious, Facebook, etc…
    • They can download their running stats to a website and setup challenges to others
    • Original intent of the site was for support
    • Users took control by issuing challenges
    • Nike adjusted their strategy to allow this type of discussion
    • Through this, they found out the arm band slips when it gets wet and product improvement ensued
    • Now ownership of the site is solely user centric
    • Results
      • 40% of not product owners when joining the community eventually purchased the product.
      • 500,000 members

Q & A

  1. How do you address your reputation when it comes to Social Media?
    • Embrace and learn from it. There might be an uncomfortable situation at first, but properly addressing these issues will benefit you in the long run
  2. Thoughts on strategies for lesser known brands
    • Embrace current online communities
  3. If no one wants to join your community what do you do?
    1. Best practices conversation starters
    2. Hire out initial content (footnoted)
    3. Make sure you reinforce the value on why they are there.

Social Networking in “Plain English”

Published
by
Kyle Bumgardner
on April 8, 2008
in Online Marketing and Social Media
. 2 Comments

I was recently invited to speak in “Plain English” on the topic of online Social Networking for Businesses as part of a quarterly program hosted by Womble Carlyle, one of the nation’s largest and most innovative law firms.

Our discussion outlined best practices in social networking and marketing options available to businesses in as well as an analysis of the potential legal risks facing companies in this space. As expected, the interesting pairing of marketing innovation and legal perspective…drew a diverse crowd of bankers (event held in uptown Charlotte, NC), entrepreneurs and even a few innovative small business owners. Our panel discussed and shared a collection of definitions, case studies, and a few humorous examples of social networking gone bad (Second Life banking crisis). Overall, the event seemed to satisfy the expectations and curiosity of the audience…there were plenty of “head nods” and notes-taken on social networking. Following the event, I eagerly awaited the anticipated growth of my social network from the 120 attendees…through LinkedIn and Facebook requests…which was the final call-to-action from our panel discussion. While, I’m still waiting for the wave of “Friend” requests, I have received a steady stream of feedback (mostly positive) and more importantly, a common theme continues to arise:

How can I explain social networking in 2 minutes or less?

While this question indicates that our panel may have missed the mark of defining social networking in ‘Plain English’… I’ll take the feedback as an opportunity for improvement. In reality, explaining online marketing concepts can be a challenge for busy executives and marketers who need to create vision within their organizations in an ever-changing industry. So, in posing the question to my social network, I stumbled upon an interesting group called Common Craft, which takes visual explanation of difficult marketing concepts to a whole new level… Check out the video below, entitled “Social Networking in Plain English.” By the way, The full video of our panel discussion will be available at WCSR.com/WombleTech soon. Enjoy!