My husband is an IT project manager, and he doesn't think a whole heckuva lot about Twitter (to put it simply and mildly). So when he forwarded an article to me entitled Helping the Terrorists and written by author and BT's Chief Security Technology Officer Bruce Schneier, I rolled my eyes thinking it was going to be yet another one of those dire articles from IT security specialists about how social media sites like Twitter aren't secure and cyber-terrorists could use it against us.
I was wrong.
It was exactly the opposite. As one of the world's foremost information security experts, Bruce was actually taking a stand against all those doomsdayers who want to scare us back into the Stone Age because every piece of technology we use every day is helping the terrorists (including Google Earth, Skype, cell phones, open wi-fi, chat room, library computers, and cars), so by using these things we're in turn helping the terrorists. The purpose of his article was not to warn us against the dangers of technology; but to make us all take a step back and look at the big picture. We can't stop using Twitter, Google Earth, and wi-fi just because terrorists are using it, and I think he put it best by saying "Terrorist attacks are very rare, and it is almost always a bad
trade-off to deny society the benefits of a communications technology
just because the bad guys might use it too."
So, all I have to say is thank goodness we have this voice of reason to let us know that yes, it is OK to use Twitter, and no, you're not helping the terrorists by using it. You're helping them by not using it.
With more than half of blog readers saying that blogs influence
their purchase decisions, it's no wonder that many companies are eager
to generate some buzz about their products on blogs. Unfortunately, it
doesn't happen magically. In order to get the attention of these
influential bloggers, companies have to reach out to them and make
themselves known - but in a meaningful way.
This is not easy.
It takes time and effort to put together a blogger outreach campaign;
but if you do it right, your efforts will reap rewards in the form of
increased exposure, positive recognition, and more sales.
Here are 10 tips that I've put together based on my own experience conducting blogger outreach campaigns:
Identify the right blogs: You obviously want to find blogs that are the right fit for what you’re offering in terms of content and target audience. Use blog directories and search engines, as well as conversation monitoring tools, to find these blogs. Compile a list with the blog names, URLs, where you found the blog, name of the blogger, and their email address.
Read the blog: The blogger wants to see that you’re paying attention to what their blog is about. Read a few of their posts to get a feel for their subject matter. Participate in discussions by commenting on posts, if you can. Get to know them before sending your pitch, as this will be the foundation of your relationship.
Make it personal: It’s OK to come up with a boilerplate message to send out, but make sure to personalize it as much as possible. Of course, you’ll want to integrate the name of the blog and the blogger; however, take it a step further by mentioning where you found the blog and/or a specific post that caught your interest. I also recommend AGAINST using an email marketing platform to broadcast your message to a list. No matter how many personalization parameters you insert, it just won't work as well. I know sending individual messages takes a lot of time; but it will be well worth it in the end.
Explain the benefits: Why should this blogger promote your offering for you? Why would his audience be interested? What makes your offering valuable? These are all questions you should be answering in your pitch. This is where all the homework you do beforehand by reading the blog will come in handy.
Be transparent: Don’t be dishonest in representing yourself. Tell them who you are, including your title. If you’re with a PR firm or marketing agency, make brief mention of it at the beginning (i.e. “[Company name] is a client of our agency, and I’m reaching out to you today…”) and include in your signature the name of the company and the name of the agency.
Make yourself available: Let the blogger know that you’re available to answer their questions, and include your email address. Respond to any questions they have in a timely matter or schedule phone conversations, if necessary. It’s also a good idea to include links to your social media profiles (like Twitter), either for yourself (if you are representing your own company) or for the company.
Be ready for negative feedback: You may get some less-than-positive responses to your emails. Because of this, have a response plan in place if this should occur. Here are some tips for dealing with negative feedback.
Keep track of responses: As you receive replies from bloggers, make sure to keep track of everything on a spreadsheet (how they responded, if they published a post, questions they had, bounced messages, etc). Not only will this help you track results of your outreach campaign; but it will also give you something to work from for future campaigns.
Don’t spam: I recommend sending one email, and maybe a second one to those who don’t respond (but make the second message different from the first). If you find that certain bloggers just aren’t responding, then leave them alone.
Thank them for posting: Make sure to thank any bloggers that do publish a post about your offering – with an email and/or a comment on their post.
So am I missing anything here? What are your experiences with blogger outreach and what tips would you offer?
Ever since the election of Barack Obama back in November, and subsequently his inauguration, there's been a lot of chatter (and twittering) about our government becoming more transparent. After all, President Obama's use of social media during his campaign seemed to make him more accessible and made us feel like we could actually help him to shape policy in Washington.
Now, even though we haven't heard from him on Twitter since January 19th, he and members of his administration have posted weekly addresses and messages on YouTube on the White House Channel. In my opinion, I think this is great. I wouldn't necessarily call it transparency (we're never going to get that - it's US government); but he's making use of a popular medium outside of television to spread a message. So, the executive branch is on YouTube, so what about the legislative branch.
Um, yeah.
The official YouTube channel of the US House of Representatives is called HouseHub. I checked it out, and I did find some interesting stuff on there. Different representives (and senators) have their own channels, and in their videos they talk about issues that matter to them and what they plan to do. Some of these videos stir up some good discussion and debate in the comments (check out "Meet Senator Sanders" on Vermont senator Bernie Sanders' channel). But others, well, don't give me too much hope. Here's a prime example:
Was I just rickrolled by Nancy Pelosi? And her cats?
So, what do you think? Are congress's YouTube efforts a big step forward, or a big waste of time (for them and us)?
Danny Brown recently published a great post that compared a social media team to a soccer team, going through each of the 4 positions, their tasks, and drafting his lineup of players. This got me thinking about a different kind of team that's more up my alley - a rock band.
I don't hide the fact that I'm a big classic rock fan (I call my Friday link roundup "Whole Lotta Link Love" as my homage to Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love"). So, how about forming a social media rock band?
I've been researching various music blogs that talk about starting a rock band, and I've found some very interesting comparisons that can be drawn:
If you want to start a band, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort to make it successful.
Band members should show a high level of enthusiasm by contributing ideas, putting in extra time to get the notes right, showing up to rehearsal on time, etc.
It's important that your band members not only know their instruments well, but are all on the same page as you when it comes to the kind of music you want to play.
Being open-minded to other music styles could prove important if the band decides to integrate them into their music or change direction completely.
"If you feel that you're not getting enough out of a song, change the instrument" (I found this great piece of advice on the Musician's Notebook blog as part of a post about Mark Knopfler, frontman for Dire Straits)
The brand of your band comes down to each of it's members - what they like, dislike, their abilities and styles, etc.
Sound familiar? Now let's go through the 4 basic roles in a rock band:
Singer: The frontperson of the band and one of the strongest (if not THE strongest) parts of its identity. They know how to establish a rapport with the audience and get them singing along with every song. The singer conveys the message of the songs, and therefore must make it clear so the audience can understand it. They also need to know when to plug some power into the vocals, and when to lower the volume. According to the Musician's Notebook blog, "A lot of singers think 'louder is better' — they'd rather growl or shout than sing. But is that gonna get you over with the audience (whom you're tryin' to get as fans)?" Which rock star is this on your social media team? The Community Manager.
Guitarist: They're technically adept at what they do, provide both rhythm and melody, and also give songs that color and flash to really stand out and get the audience on their feet. The guitarist lends that signature style which is such a huge part of the band's brand. They work in tandem with all the other band members – the drummer for rhythm, the bassist for harmony, and the singer for melody.Which rock star is this on your social media team? The Designer and/or Developer.
Drummer: The drummer may be sitting in the back, but they lay down the rhythm that drives the rock 'n roll train forward. Without them, no one would know how quickly, slowly, strongly, or softly to take the song. That said, they also know not to make the drums louder than the rest of the instruments, when to use "fills" and when not to, and to work in tandem with the rest of their bandmates to make sure the tempo is right. Which rock star is this on your social media team? The Strategist.
Bassist: You may not hear everything they're playing, but you'd notice if they weren't playing at all. Steady and reliable, the bassist plays those crucial foundation notes of every chord of the song, lending depth to the music. Which rock star is this on your social media team? The Content Creator.
I'll leave you with a video of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love". How would you form your social media rock band?
One of my resolutions for 2009 was to read more. Not that I don't read enough online, with my 40+ blog subscriptions; but I wanted to start reading more interesting books and then sharing the information I learned with all of you. So, I've recently started reading Get Content. Get Customers by Newt Barrett and Joe Pulizzi, and I added the Reading List app to my LinkedIn profile in order to start the sharing my reading list with my network.
This got me to thinking about books that other online marketers, PR/communications specialists, and business owners have read and would recommend - so I asked them. I posted the following question in various marketing and social media groups of which I'm a member on LinkedIn:
What marketing, communications, and social media books are you reading or do you
recommend?
I've seen lots of books come out about online marketing and
communications in a web 2.0 world, and I just wanted to get your
recommendations. What books about this subject are you currently reading, or
what would you recommend (for new or experienced marketers, or small business
owners)?
The response was great - we're not talking hundreds of responses; but there were about 30 different people who recommended a total of 31 books that they deem must-read for marketers.
So, in no particular order (and grouped for your convenience), here are those 31 books:
I've been noticing a phenomenon over recent months - something that was inevitable, but is alarming nevertheless. I call it Twitter Tit for Tat, and I don't like it one bit.
I see people talk about using tools like Friend or Follow to "clean out their Twitter accounts" - unfollowing people who aren't following them. I see people follow me, and then unfollow me within 24 hours if I haven't followed them back.
I've seen lots of comparisons between networking and conversing on Twitter, and networking and conversing in an offline, "real life" setting - "If someone isn't listening to me in real life, I won't talk or listen to them; so why wouldn't it be the same thing with Twitter?" That's a valid, logical point; but talking on Twitter is not actually the same as talking face-to-face.
Really? Surely not!
I know, it seems like a "duh" sort of thing for me to say; but my point is that if we make this comparison, then we start playing the Twitter Tit for Tat game. Twitter becomes less about sharing valuable information and more about collecting followers (which, unfortunately, it has already). I follow you, you follow me. You don't/unfollow me, I'll unfollow you.
I don't like playing that game. Sure, I monitor unfollows; but mainly for my own improvement. I look at what I said and how I can improve, then I look at each unfollow to determine the value that each person brings to the conversation. If I still find value, I continue to follow. I do not automatically unfollow anyone who doesn't follow me.
I'm not in the game of collecting followers for the sake of collecting followers. That sort of practice completely misses the point of Twitter. I encourage you to please STOP obsessing over your follower count and who's following who - and START thinking about quality over quantity.
Living in the Washington, DC area, I've been feeling the excitement build for weeks. Now that Inauguration Day is upon us, it's reached a fever pitch - and I'm not even going anywhere near the huge crowds on the National Mall. I'm experiencing it all through my social networks who are there amongst it all.
As I watch Barack and Michelle Obama climb into their fortified limo on CNN, I'm watching a barrage of tweets coming in from people who are on the Mall, next to the Washington Monument, on the Metro heading to Smithsonian station, etc. I'm looking at the photos that people have posted on Flickr - and watching as the number of items in their Inauguration 2009 group album increase by the second. I'm checking out the various websites offering live streaming video of the inauguration.
In the weeks following the election, there was a debate about how social media changed this election. Some people thought it did, others weren't so sure; but you can't deny one thing - social media certainly has changed this inauguration. So much has happened since the last inauguration in 2005, and now we don't don't have to rely on the news networks to watch this one - we can experience it through social media.
This inauguration is historic in so many ways - and we're all lucky enough to be a part of it, whether we're at home, sitting in an office, or in the crowds on the Mall.
According to a study released this week by interactive marketing agency Rosetta, 59% of 100 top retailers are now using Facebook. I think that's pretty impressive, and goes to show that Facebook can be used as part of a well-targeted social media strategy.
I've recently started learning the in's and out's of Facebook fan pages, and you may be thinking about how you might be able to leverage one for your business. Here's what I've learned so far:
The most effective Facebook fan pages are updated on a regular basis with new content.
If there's actually evidence that the page administrator is visiting regularly and interacting with the community, via discussions and what not, the more engaged fans will be (check out the Wall on Dell's page).
Facebook pages work best when their less about "me me me" and more about "you you you" (in other words, the customer). Best Buy does a good job of this with interactive apps that offer value to the fans (like the Cozi and Tripr apps).
These are the main, overarching lessons I've learned about using Facebook for marketing and community building. There are lots of more technical things that I'm learning little by little, and I'd like to share a few resources that I've been referencing:
Nick O'Neill's All Facebook blog keeps you up-to-date on the latest with Facebook, offering news, opinion, insight, and analysis.
Justin Smith's Inside Facebook blog has Facebook tips especially for developers and marketers.
Mari Smith's Why Facebook? blog also has excellent advice for Facebook marketers and business users.
I also scoured Amazon for some books that were about using Facebook for business, including developing apps for Facebook pages:
I hope at least one of these resources will help you in some way as you build your Facebook presence. If 59% of top retailers can do it, so can you!
So, you've started posting on your blog (or have been posting for some time), and you've set up the Twitter account, the Facebook profile (and fan page), the LinkedIn profile, the Slideshare page, and even started a Squidoo lens. Time to start watching the reader, followers, and connections start rolling in.
Not quite. Do people even know you're on all of these sites? Further more, do your various network friends know you have a blog?
A social media strategy consisting of all these pages set up on all of these sites is a fragmented strategy - and cross-promotion is the glue with which you can put all the pieces together.
Cross-promotion in social media is not difficult at all. Many social media sites have developed easy ways for you to promote your presence on other sites through links, apps, and plugins. They've provided you with the tools - all you have to do is use them.
Here are a few social media cross-promotion ideas to help you get started:
Promotion on your blog. This should be a no-brainer. Make it easy for your blog readers to connect with you on other social media sites by providing visible links directly to your various profiles (Follow Me on Twitter, Connect With Me on LinkedIn, etc.). Many sites have ready-made badges you can use for this purpose.
Promotion on Facebook. Facebook has a variety of apps so you can plug in your blog feed, Twitter stream, Slideshare presentations, and Flickr photos to your profile or business page. Even easier than that, you can add a Posted Items box to your profile page with links to your blog and other social media pages (like your Twitter page and your Squidoo lens).
Promotion on LinkedIn. Again, apps save the day! Add your blog feed, Twitter feed, and Slideshare presentations to your LinkedIn profile using LinkedIn applications.
Promotion on Squidoo. If you have a Squidoo lens, there are endless ways you can add links to your website, blog, and other social media profiles. You can also add modules for your videos, photos, and Slideshare presentations. Soon (according to Squidoo), you'll be able to connect your lens with your Facebook page via Facebook Connect.
I'm sure there are a hundred different ways to cross-promote your social media pages, especially from other sites not mentioned here (FriendFeed, Plaxo, Ning communities). These ideas are just the tip of the iceberg - and I'm sure you'll come up with way more!
As we sit on the brink of another new year, we perform that time-honored, nearly obligatory tradition of listing our resolutions. Yeah, I know that the tradition of making resolutions is matched by our tradition of breaking them; but it's still a wonderful opportunity to take stock of the past 365 days and think of all the ways to change for the better (personally and professionally) over the next 365 days.
In terms of technology and online marketing, we saw social media skyrocket in popularity. More and more businesses began launching presences on various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, as well as their own corporate blogs. In 2009, social media is in a position to really come into its own (think search marketing about 3 years ago), and we should see more companies using it as part of their online marketing and customer engagement strategies.
I polled my friends on LinkedIn and Twitter to find out what their marketing resolutions for 2009 are. I think that these go to show that social media and content marketing are on the dockets for many marketers in 2009.
