Sunday, June 27, 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A Social Marketing Strategy
As discovered throughout the last 8 weeks, it seems rather obvious that a strategy is needed (by marketers) in order to use social media effectively. According to a May, 2010 study by Digital Brand Expressions, 52% of social marketers are operating “without a game plan,” similar to the 50% found in April 2010. The ones that do have a strategy, find that it does not address all of their concerns or fit their needs. (Wow!)
When respondents were asked what they thought should be part of their company’s plan, their answers had a somewhat different focus. While resource allocation was still top of mind, 71% were concerned with preparing and distributing policies for ongoing communications, such as how to respond to comments on social sites. Just 45% of companies had such policies.
Respondents were equally concerned with the ongoing monitoring of brand reputation, at 71%, but only 52% had a plan for such activities.
A majority of companies with a social strategy included marketing, PR and sales in their plans, but most respondents also thought that human resources and customer service should be added. Respondents agreed that, in general, responsibility for creating strategies should fall to marketing departments. What do you think?
Companies that have held back on adopting social media throughout their organizations could benefit from starting with a cohesive plan that involves all of the key groups within the organization. And for those that have already adopted a social channel - they should get all departments and employees on board with a complete strategy!
When respondents were asked what they thought should be part of their company’s plan, their answers had a somewhat different focus. While resource allocation was still top of mind, 71% were concerned with preparing and distributing policies for ongoing communications, such as how to respond to comments on social sites. Just 45% of companies had such policies.
Respondents were equally concerned with the ongoing monitoring of brand reputation, at 71%, but only 52% had a plan for such activities.
A majority of companies with a social strategy included marketing, PR and sales in their plans, but most respondents also thought that human resources and customer service should be added. Respondents agreed that, in general, responsibility for creating strategies should fall to marketing departments. What do you think?
Companies that have held back on adopting social media throughout their organizations could benefit from starting with a cohesive plan that involves all of the key groups within the organization. And for those that have already adopted a social channel - they should get all departments and employees on board with a complete strategy!
Find Your Voice.....
Voice is one of the most important elements of a successful blog, according to HubSpot (June 21, 2010).So, .... what is voice, and how can we express it through our blog?
There are four steps to finding our ideal writing voice:
1.) Free-flow writing
2.) Writing like you talk
3.) Forgetting conversation
1.) Free-flow writing
2.) Writing like you talk
3.) Forgetting conversation
4.) Writing what you know
Bloggers should identify their unique voice, or the way readers "hear" what they are saying through the words they use and the way they use them. No voice (or a weak voice) will not capture readers' attentions, but a strong voice will keep them coming back for more!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Making Your Website Blog-Driven
It seems as if several companies have useful content on their websites, but have trouble blogging. The problem with many of these companies is not that they are incapable of entering the content mindset. It's that they stop having this mindset once they launch their website.
Websites are static, but blogs are dynamic. All these companies need to do is turn their static content into dynamic content.
An article was posted on HubSpot (June 16, 2010) in regards to the "3 Reasons Why Website Content Should be Dynamic.
They include:
1.) To Keep Visitors Interested
It is quite obvious that you want people to come back to your website. If your website content is static, visitors can just browse your site once and then "be done." However, if you're adding new content all the time, they have reason to come back. If your content is truly interesting, they may subscribe to your updates via RSS or e-mail as well.
2.) More Pages = More SEO Juice
Each blog post is a new page that search engines see, and therefore a new opportunity to get found online. Packing as much content as possible into a few pages is not an effective search engine optimization strategy.
3.) Incentive to Create More Content
After companies pack their websites with useful content, they often avoid adding new content to their sites. If you don't have a blog, adding more content means redesigning the site and complicating the layout.
So, as you can see - presenting the dynamic parts of your website in a blog will help you gain followers, improve your SEO, and encourage you to produce more useful content for your site visitors.
Your website should contain some information about your company, outside of your blog. However, this should be reserved for basic information that does not change often. The information that does change, such as news, offerings and events should be in a blog.
Many companies are already doing the right thing by offering useful content -they just need to make the change from presenting information in a static way to doing so dynamically through a blog.
Websites are static, but blogs are dynamic. All these companies need to do is turn their static content into dynamic content.
An article was posted on HubSpot (June 16, 2010) in regards to the "3 Reasons Why Website Content Should be Dynamic.
They include:
1.) To Keep Visitors Interested
It is quite obvious that you want people to come back to your website. If your website content is static, visitors can just browse your site once and then "be done." However, if you're adding new content all the time, they have reason to come back. If your content is truly interesting, they may subscribe to your updates via RSS or e-mail as well.
2.) More Pages = More SEO Juice
Each blog post is a new page that search engines see, and therefore a new opportunity to get found online. Packing as much content as possible into a few pages is not an effective search engine optimization strategy.
3.) Incentive to Create More Content
After companies pack their websites with useful content, they often avoid adding new content to their sites. If you don't have a blog, adding more content means redesigning the site and complicating the layout.
So, as you can see - presenting the dynamic parts of your website in a blog will help you gain followers, improve your SEO, and encourage you to produce more useful content for your site visitors.
Your website should contain some information about your company, outside of your blog. However, this should be reserved for basic information that does not change often. The information that does change, such as news, offerings and events should be in a blog.
Many companies are already doing the right thing by offering useful content -they just need to make the change from presenting information in a static way to doing so dynamically through a blog.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
5 types of posts to create a balanced blog
Are cooking and blogging similar?I think they are!
When you make dinner, you take several ingredients and mix them together to create a balanced meal. Blogging should be looked at in the same way. Create a mix of posts using video, text, and more.
HubSpot believes there are 5 types of blog posts you should be writing about:
1.) Raisin Bran - Basic, Everyday Posts. These posts are the foundation of your blog. They should be educational and should include keywords in the title and throughout the body of each post.
2.) Spinach - Healthy, Thoughtful Posts. This type of post is designed to establish you as a thoughtful leader. Unlike your basic, everyday posts, these posts will be more in-depth and may take extra time to write.
3.) Roasts - Big Blog Projects. These are blog posts that involve extra research or analysis and take more time to create. This type of blog post can generate a lot of inbound links to your blog and discussion. Choose your topics wisely and this type of post will set your blog apart from the competition.
4.) Chocolate Cake - Sweet Stuff. Mix some fun into your blog. Typically this type of blog post will grab the reader's attention and can lead to lots of links and traffic. Video, images and cartoons are great examples of fun posts that help diversify your blog content.
5.) Tabasco - Posts That Start Fires. Make a bold statement about your industry. Just be prepared to defend yourself; this type of blog content can be polarizing. Expect to gain a lof of links and comments (good and bad). Be careful not to write too many of these, as you could lose your audience's trust.
I think these 5 tips are excellent!
Is anything missing?
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Heavy Users are Big Spenders on Facebook and Twitter
Online retailers tend to be some of the biggest beneficiaries of social network users who friend or follow corporate pages. Some, such as Levi's, have adopted Facebook’s new “like” button on individual item pages to help socialize shopping even further.
That could prove a good idea, as research shows that visitors to Facebook and Twitter spend more money on the Web than Internet users. On average, Web users purchased less than $50 worth of goods online in Q1 2010.
On Facebook, the visitors who spend the most time on the site also spend the most dollars on online shopping, with an average of $67 in spending for the top 20% of visitors.
Internet users who did not visit Facebook at all bought significantly less online than average, spending only $27 during the quarter (as you can see above). Not only are retailers on Facebook targeting above-average spenders, but the audience missing from the site is also worth much less in revenues.
On Twitter, higher spending did not correlate with increased usage, but site users did spend more than average, and more than most visitors to Facebook.
With the various generations shopping online today, sites are no longer home to teenagers and young adults with lower disposable incomes. Instead, users tend to be savvy and frequent users of the Web overall, making them more likely to be online buyers as well.
I am really surprised by these results -to be completely honest. I guess I didn't realize how much money individuals (that were Facebook and Twitter visitors) spent compared to individuals who were not loyal to Facebook and Twitter.
What are your thoughts?
Emarketer, June 7, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
ClickZ - Digitalization of Grocery Shopping?
Digital technologies are changing the way we shop! It may be a bit difficult to spot changes happening with consumer-packaged goods, quick-serve restaurants, and grocery purchases, but the impact and ongoing shifts in consumer behavior are no less significant.
Consider how these technologies are already affecting the way we shop in these environments:
Grocery iQ (click)
As we all know - individuals have used paper grocery lists FOREVER. But it should be easier than that, shouldn't it? Every week, gourmet chefs browse cooking magazines and books on the hunt for new flavors and/or new combinations of old favorites. To build a week-long menu means comparing the ingredient list of your desired recipes against your household inventory, and then creating a list based on those careful calculations.
Grocery iQ will not solve everything, but it's a step forward - and is only one example of what's out there now. On the surface, it seems like a simple shopping list application. Dig deeper though, and you will see how it allows multiple users to contribute to the same list. When your significant other adds something to the list on his or her iPhone, you will get an alert on your phone! WOW! You can also organize your list based on the aisle layout of your favorite store, optimizing your list for the fastest possible trip through the store. How convenient!
Today = grocery lists written on a scrap of paper, old newspaper, or napkin.
Tomorrow = a fully integrated and mobile-enabled "smart list"
Modiv Media (click)
Simple - walk into the store, grab a cart, and pick up your personal shopper device. Part PDA, part UPC-scanner, this is a friendly machine that promises to simplify the check-out process while revolutionizing how you shop. It connects directly to the store's loyalty program, learning your preferences and predicting your desires. You scan as you go, adding items both to your cart and to your check-out tab. No need to stand in line to pay at check-out anymore. And, as you shop, the device knows what you've bought on past trips, what you've got in your cart currently, and yes, it knows what aisle you're standing in. YIKES! All of that information turns the device into a ridiculously smart personal shopping assistant.
For marketers, it's a targeting dream. Buying chips? How about a coupon for dip? Entering the frozen food aisle? Here's a deal on ice cream!
TableTop Media (click)
TableTop Media promises to change the dining experience at quick-serve restaurants. It's a small, wirelessly-connected touch-screen device that sits on your table and provides an interactive dining menu along with games, Web-based content from MSNBC, weather forecasts, movies, and more. It makes payment easier as well with an integrated credit card reader and receipt printer. It'll keep the kids entertained while waiting, takes some pressure off the wait staff, and helps the restaurant deliver a more satisfied customer overall.
Hmmmmmm, I am not sure about this one. I definitely see the advantages - however, if I go out to dinner with my husband or friend, the last thing I would want them to do is sit and play with this little device! (although, I think it would be fabulous to run my credit card through this device, so I wouldn't have to wait for the waitor/waitress. I wonder how safe/secure that would be?)
These are just a few simple examples from ClickZ - of how technology is changing the ways we shop. It will be interesting to see "where we are at" in the next 10 years!
Consider how these technologies are already affecting the way we shop in these environments:
Grocery iQ (click)
As we all know - individuals have used paper grocery lists FOREVER. But it should be easier than that, shouldn't it? Every week, gourmet chefs browse cooking magazines and books on the hunt for new flavors and/or new combinations of old favorites. To build a week-long menu means comparing the ingredient list of your desired recipes against your household inventory, and then creating a list based on those careful calculations.
Grocery iQ will not solve everything, but it's a step forward - and is only one example of what's out there now. On the surface, it seems like a simple shopping list application. Dig deeper though, and you will see how it allows multiple users to contribute to the same list. When your significant other adds something to the list on his or her iPhone, you will get an alert on your phone! WOW! You can also organize your list based on the aisle layout of your favorite store, optimizing your list for the fastest possible trip through the store. How convenient!
Today = grocery lists written on a scrap of paper, old newspaper, or napkin.
Tomorrow = a fully integrated and mobile-enabled "smart list"
Modiv Media (click)
Simple - walk into the store, grab a cart, and pick up your personal shopper device. Part PDA, part UPC-scanner, this is a friendly machine that promises to simplify the check-out process while revolutionizing how you shop. It connects directly to the store's loyalty program, learning your preferences and predicting your desires. You scan as you go, adding items both to your cart and to your check-out tab. No need to stand in line to pay at check-out anymore. And, as you shop, the device knows what you've bought on past trips, what you've got in your cart currently, and yes, it knows what aisle you're standing in. YIKES! All of that information turns the device into a ridiculously smart personal shopping assistant.
For marketers, it's a targeting dream. Buying chips? How about a coupon for dip? Entering the frozen food aisle? Here's a deal on ice cream!
TableTop Media (click)
TableTop Media promises to change the dining experience at quick-serve restaurants. It's a small, wirelessly-connected touch-screen device that sits on your table and provides an interactive dining menu along with games, Web-based content from MSNBC, weather forecasts, movies, and more. It makes payment easier as well with an integrated credit card reader and receipt printer. It'll keep the kids entertained while waiting, takes some pressure off the wait staff, and helps the restaurant deliver a more satisfied customer overall.
Hmmmmmm, I am not sure about this one. I definitely see the advantages - however, if I go out to dinner with my husband or friend, the last thing I would want them to do is sit and play with this little device! (although, I think it would be fabulous to run my credit card through this device, so I wouldn't have to wait for the waitor/waitress. I wonder how safe/secure that would be?)
These are just a few simple examples from ClickZ - of how technology is changing the ways we shop. It will be interesting to see "where we are at" in the next 10 years!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Chapter 10 Discussion #2 - Target vs. Wal-mart
HubSpot's Website Grader! (try saying that (really fast) 10 times in a row! WHEW!)
First of all, what is "Website Grader?"
HubSpot's free marketing tool, Website Grader, measures the marketing effectiveness of a website and provides an inbound marketing score (on a scale of zero to 100) that incorporates website traffic, SEO, the blogosphere, social media and other inbound marketing factors.
Website Grader was built in the early days of HubSpot, - in February, 2007. The tool was initially created as a way to generate buzz, organic/viral traffic, inbound links and leads for HubSpot's inbound marketing software, thus creating a useful tool for the sales process.
Today, Website Grader still proves to be a valuable tool for HubSpot, potential customers, small to midsized businesses and marketers alike. Since Website Grader's launch, several other free marketing tools have been added to what is now a whole family of HubSpot graders, including Twitter Grader and Facebook Grader.
Now, let's get down to business! :)
I chose to compare the following websites:
TARGET AND WAL-MART
3 recommendations for Target:
- they clearly need to increase their number of "Google Indexed pages"! Their current number is 379,000, compared to Wal-Mart's 2,960,000. This is the approximate number of pages on Target's website - that have been stored in the Google index. The google web crawler will visit the website periodically and look for new content for its index. So, the more pages Target has within the Google cache --- THE BETTER.
- in need of a "last google crawl date". Google periodically crawls websites looking for new and updated information. So, in general, a large company like Target - would want Google to crawl their site as often as possible, so their new content shows up in search results immediately.
- increase their "inbound links". Target currently has 320, 103, which is significantly lower than Wal-mart's. One of the most important measures for a website is how many sites link to it. The more links the better! Having links to a website helps companies rank higher in search engines since the links are an indication that a specific website (like Target) is trustworthy and contains good content.
3 recommendations for Wal-mart:
- they need to make their website "easier to read!" Their readability level is "Advanced/Doctoral". In most cases, the content should be made to be simple so that a majority of the target audience can understand it. There is no reason why Wal-mart's website is that difficult to read/view/understand. They should simplify it to a "secondary/high school" readability level - like Target!
- they need to renew their domain. Google and other search engines sometimes penalize websites with domains that are set to expire soon. (Wal-mart's expires in 3 months)
- they need to include more headings. They currently only have 2 -which is very low. Headings help search engine spiders understand the content on a page and what is most important. It is a very good idea to use headings to help signal to the search engines, what the page is all about.
As we all know - both of these websites are EXTREMELY popular and profitable. I wonder if their results would change if they considered my three recommendations!! hee hee :)
First of all, what is "Website Grader?"
HubSpot's free marketing tool, Website Grader, measures the marketing effectiveness of a website and provides an inbound marketing score (on a scale of zero to 100) that incorporates website traffic, SEO, the blogosphere, social media and other inbound marketing factors.
Website Grader was built in the early days of HubSpot, - in February, 2007. The tool was initially created as a way to generate buzz, organic/viral traffic, inbound links and leads for HubSpot's inbound marketing software, thus creating a useful tool for the sales process.
Today, Website Grader still proves to be a valuable tool for HubSpot, potential customers, small to midsized businesses and marketers alike. Since Website Grader's launch, several other free marketing tools have been added to what is now a whole family of HubSpot graders, including Twitter Grader and Facebook Grader.
Now, let's get down to business! :)
I chose to compare the following websites:
TARGET AND WAL-MART
3 recommendations for Target:
- they clearly need to increase their number of "Google Indexed pages"! Their current number is 379,000, compared to Wal-Mart's 2,960,000. This is the approximate number of pages on Target's website - that have been stored in the Google index. The google web crawler will visit the website periodically and look for new content for its index. So, the more pages Target has within the Google cache --- THE BETTER.
- in need of a "last google crawl date". Google periodically crawls websites looking for new and updated information. So, in general, a large company like Target - would want Google to crawl their site as often as possible, so their new content shows up in search results immediately.
- increase their "inbound links". Target currently has 320, 103, which is significantly lower than Wal-mart's. One of the most important measures for a website is how many sites link to it. The more links the better! Having links to a website helps companies rank higher in search engines since the links are an indication that a specific website (like Target) is trustworthy and contains good content.
3 recommendations for Wal-mart:
- they need to make their website "easier to read!" Their readability level is "Advanced/Doctoral". In most cases, the content should be made to be simple so that a majority of the target audience can understand it. There is no reason why Wal-mart's website is that difficult to read/view/understand. They should simplify it to a "secondary/high school" readability level - like Target!
- they need to renew their domain. Google and other search engines sometimes penalize websites with domains that are set to expire soon. (Wal-mart's expires in 3 months)
- they need to include more headings. They currently only have 2 -which is very low. Headings help search engine spiders understand the content on a page and what is most important. It is a very good idea to use headings to help signal to the search engines, what the page is all about.
As we all know - both of these websites are EXTREMELY popular and profitable. I wonder if their results would change if they considered my three recommendations!! hee hee :)
Does Social Media Make it Difficult To Take Time Off?
On Friday, May 28th, emarketer posted an article in regards to whether or not social media is making it (more) difficult for individuals to take time off of work.
The United States currently has the highest percentage of mobile workers in its workforce, with 75.5% of the workforce, or 119.7 million people, expected to be mobile by 2013. The sad thing is, is that 79% of them plan on taking their work-related devices with them on vacation. A growing number of employees are not leaving work behind, even on weekends, breaks and holidays, because of the struggling economy. Three in 10 workers polled said that they needed to stay connected to their work 24/7. Men were more likely to feel compelled to check in, as were employees in their 30s.
Another survey (of US workers) found that overall, 57% used social media for business purposes at least once a week. And 34% chose a consumer site over corporate-sponsored tools for business purposes, citing ease of use, familiarity due to personal use and low cost. Their No. 1 reason for using social tools for business was to ask questions and acquire knowledge from a community.
But workers are still divided over the benefits social media adds to their productivity. Slightly more than half (52.3%) the employees surveyed by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) agreed that social media helped them learn more in less time - but only 37% said they got more work done.
Social media presents great opportunities for marketers trying to reach workers. However, it might be a good idea to vary marketing messages sent during the workweek and those presented to workers checking in on the weekends.
I think it is sad/unfortunate that some individuals feel obligated to work the entire time they are on a personal/family vacation. Obviously, I think it is fabulous that they have the ability to respond to urgent emails (if needed), however, I think individuals need "their time away from work" as well.
What do you think?
The United States currently has the highest percentage of mobile workers in its workforce, with 75.5% of the workforce, or 119.7 million people, expected to be mobile by 2013. The sad thing is, is that 79% of them plan on taking their work-related devices with them on vacation. A growing number of employees are not leaving work behind, even on weekends, breaks and holidays, because of the struggling economy. Three in 10 workers polled said that they needed to stay connected to their work 24/7. Men were more likely to feel compelled to check in, as were employees in their 30s.
Another survey (of US workers) found that overall, 57% used social media for business purposes at least once a week. And 34% chose a consumer site over corporate-sponsored tools for business purposes, citing ease of use, familiarity due to personal use and low cost. Their No. 1 reason for using social tools for business was to ask questions and acquire knowledge from a community.
But workers are still divided over the benefits social media adds to their productivity. Slightly more than half (52.3%) the employees surveyed by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) agreed that social media helped them learn more in less time - but only 37% said they got more work done.
Social media presents great opportunities for marketers trying to reach workers. However, it might be a good idea to vary marketing messages sent during the workweek and those presented to workers checking in on the weekends.
I think it is sad/unfortunate that some individuals feel obligated to work the entire time they are on a personal/family vacation. Obviously, I think it is fabulous that they have the ability to respond to urgent emails (if needed), however, I think individuals need "their time away from work" as well.
What do you think?
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