Tag Archives: social media

Bloggers Group Meets Up for Discussions

ABC Akron Bloggers CommunityYesterday at the ABC Akron Bloggers Community meet-up we had a lot of lively discussion in a just an  hour and a half:

  • Where to look for tips to drive traffic to the blog
  • How to write content faster
  • Where to find good photos to illustrate your posts
  • How to size photos faster
  • Social media how-to’s and a seminar series
  • Writing guest postings — pro’s and con’s
  • Offering guest postings on your blog — pro’s and con’s
  • Book reviews and why they are growing medium
  • How to figure out to figure out what blog topic to focus on when you’re trying to get started
  • Which software to use when you want to start a quick blog for a mini topic
  • Long tail results and how to encourage more of them
  • New keyword analysis tools that help to tag and help interested readers to self identify

You can do a lot by reading everything you can find on the internet, but actually sitting down and having a cup of coffee with folks who do this all the time is a great boost for a blogger.

Because we have experienced bloggers and newbies in the group, there are all levels of questions, answers and discussions going on.  We’ve found that everyone has something to offer. 

If you’re in NE Ohio and working on your blog or starting a new one, you may want to consider joining us at our next meet up: Feb 25, 9:30 to 11, Mocha Joes Coffee House 3707 Darrow Road at 91 and Graham in Stow, Ohio 44224.

RSVP here, (not required.)

Strategy vs Tactics: Social Media Basics For Executives

Before you jump on the social media bandwagon, take a look at Tim Ho’s PowerPoint Social Media Basics For Executives. View more documents from Tim Ho.

My Key Marketing Take-Aways:

1) Strategy vs Tactics
2) Word of Mouth vs Advertising
3) Dead magazines (one way communications): page 12
4) Research implications page 15

What is your take-away from Social Media Basics For Executives?

Market Your Brand with Events and Promote on Social Media

These are my live blogging notes of Crystal Olig @sparklegem on Twitter from the PodCamp Columbus #pco09 seminar on The Ohio State University campus. Read more from her at her blog, whY genY.

Using Social Media to Market Your Events

Event marketing keys:
Get a GREAT photographer. Capture the event.
Hold events to help to strengthen your career, personal brand and organization because it’s tangible.

Use Facebook to Strengthen your Events:

  • Invite friends
  • Post & tag Photos. It’s a great way to promote
  • Post video
  • Create discussions abou tproducts, speakers content
  • Set a date, ask for help, develop marketing plan as you go
  • Set up a fan page and an album with an event.
  • Discuss topics after the event, maintain brand engagement.

Flickr.com is a search engine for photos. Be mindful of how you tag. Post and tag on FaceBook and Flickr because it gives the feeling of your event and is a great way to promote the event next time.

Don’t just talk about the event. Talk about what the event is about. Create a video and post it on YouTube. How much fun, who was involved. A little about each person. Figure out how to break down every little part and post about it.

Write consistently and add content — but don’t do too much email (it’s annoying) but if you have something legit to say every day, okay, do it.

Stick with YouTube for distributing your video content. They are the leader and it’s easy to use.

Use Twitter to Promote & Market Before,
During & After the Event

  • Ask prospective attendees for input
  • get attendees connected for free
  • PR promote your event before and after
  • Instant message out information and materials
  • Obtain real time feedback from attendees
  • Twitter about the awards ceremony
  • Pre and post event polling and surveys
  • Find Twitter feeds of your local media and figure out how to provide value to them.
  • Research the journalists:Three to one… Value, value, value. Favor. Value, value, value. Favor.

Other Twitter tips:
Use your speaker’s @ Twitter handle when you promote the speakers at your event.
Twitter reduces check-in wait time significantly (according to people surveyed… but I’m not sure how… I need to follow up with Crystal on this.)

Make sure you’re the one to establish the hash tag (like #pco09) and promote it so the group can find each other.
Used Twitter to do a poll.
Set up a time and used Tweet chat to discuss.
Set up a Wiki and post content afterwards.

Thanks Crystal — Awesome job. She was an impromptu speaker today after someone else had to cancel. WOW. Thank you!

Twitter Brain Surgery? How One Hospital Uses Social Media

Do you smirk when someone suggests using Twitter or Facebook as a marketing media? I know sometimes when I suggest using social media to a more traditional client, they respond, “Why would I want to know when someone is brushing their teeth?”

Well, that’s not the only thing people talk about on Twitter. 

Earlier this week at Henry Ford Hospital near Detroit, doctors used Twitter as an interactive media to connect with more than 1,900 people to answer questions during actual brain surgery on a 47-year-old man.  Video of the surgery was uploaded to YouTube. And the story ended up on national news.  Watch this video report from ABC News about brain surgery with doctors tweeting on Twitter here.

The marketing staff at Henry Ford Hospital know how to use media!  Besides Twitter and YouTube, the hospital uses news feeds, Flickr, blogging and an on line press room to enhance marketing communications. 

Oh yeah.  And they also have a website and a speakers bureau too.  All of the sudden that seems so 90’s, doesn’t it?

What new tools are you using to communicate? 

Besides trying to reach new customers, doesn’t your stakeholder group include current and potential employees, the community, families of your employees, your vendors and suppliers, competitors/collaborators in your industry, bankers, students, and the “general public” among others. So what’s the “right” media to use to connect with them?

Social media is the new media…

Hat tip to Ellen Weber’s Brain Leaders & Learners article about Brain Surgery on Twitter for inspiring this post!

Are we having a Conversation? What does that MEAN?

What does conversation mean in Web2.0?? Have social networking sites and social media sites changed the way we communicate.? Texts over the phone and tweets from the desktop… is that conversation? Are phones even part of Web2.0?

In the recently published The Age of Conversation: Why Don’t They Get It?, these questions are asked. This title is a bit confusing… who is “they”? And what is “it”?  They meaning everyone else who isn’t blogging, doing social media, living just a regular life? Continue reading Are we having a Conversation? What does that MEAN?