Class 3

Drives Traffic – engaging content encourages linkingReputation Management – a great listening toolBrand RecognitionBlended Results – your content on other sites gets ranked,

other content types appear in Search Engine Results

You must be willing and able to engageRequires constant attention and interactionHonest/Authentic messageConversation not ConversionInteracting not Advertising

Useful Research Sites and ToolsWhosTalkin.comSocialMention.comTechnorati.comblogsearch.google.comBlogPulse.comKeotag.comBoardTracker.comBoardReader.com search.Twitter.comMonitter.com

setup RSS feedssetup Google alerts http://www.google.com/alertsNo more Google Realtime Results… for now.

Find Your Market Find Your VoiceDefine Goals

Find Your Market What are they saying about:Your brandProducts/Services in generalThe industryYour competitionTheir problems, complaintsTheir hopes, dreams, what makes them happy

Find Your VoiceDefine Goals

Find Your MarketFind Your Voice

HumorControversyInformationEducational

Define Goals

Find Your MarketFind Your VoiceDefine Goals

Improve reputationIncrease salesIncrease visits/trafficIncrease leadsGenerate awarenessBuild relationshipsBuild trustFocus groupsCombat negative commentsCustomer service

Focus on goalsWho and How Often: ScheduleJoin Conversation First, Then Convert Them

Who?One or more people?Who will it come from?Who will be the admin?Use internal resources

How often?Set a schedule and stick to itWhat is natural?93% of marketers use social

media, 58% 6 hours or moreTwitter

twuffer.com HootSuite.com

Facebook Socialoomph.com sendible.com

FeaturesKnow the basic commands (hashtag, retweet, like, etc.)Create custom appsHide time wasting apps

Know how to login, post updates, act as PAGEBest Practices

Don't spamCreate social media policy (rules and ethics)Don't retweet too muchRemember to use keywordsCreate content that is usefulShare useful linksEstablish a relationship, don't just give the sales pitch

Social Media SitesFacebookTwitterLinkedInFlickrYouTubeStumbleUponDeliciousYahoo! AnswersDiggNiche SitesStart your own social network – Ning.com

knowem.com or namechk.comCreate keyword rich and interesting profiles so you

appear in more searchesUse your brand and/or keywords as your usernameCreate custom backgrounds and avatarsSetup tracking on all accounts, where possible, and

track initiatives

HootSuiteTweetDeckPhone Apps

TweetDeckFoursquareQR Code ScannersNetwork Specific

(Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn)cotweet.com

General TipsShare with existing friendsReciprocal befriendingSend email inviteBe interestingDeliver valueFollow industry leadersLink to your profilesAdd “Like” button

http://developers.facebook.com

Product announcementsSell – share coupon codes/linksTalk around the brandCutting edge newsContests – RT for a chance to winCustomer serviceListen and respondIndustry specific humorPeriodic tipsSeasonal tips/info

Setup RSS feeds to show mentions of brand

Setup Google AlertsMost social media sites

have a metrics toolbit.lyGoogle Analytics

Don’t focus on proving direct ROIBenefits are often secondary or tertiaryFocus on interaction, value of content, not numbersFocus on BrandingMeasure actions, not just size of networkTrack your time/costs

Baseline DataHow many fans, followers, bookmarks, etc. Search Engine rankingsReferrersNumber of meaningful comments/interactionsSubscribers & Interactions

Interaction – are users engaging in a conversation?Twitter: retweets, answering questions, driving traffic to site,

increasing followers?Facebook: likes, comments, wall posts, mentions?YouTube: views, comments, embeds?

Conversions – are your sales, leads, etc. increasing?Rankings – increasing, adding to the long tail?Retention rates, Repeat business

Create a presencePersonal Profile

No Commercial ActivityFacebook Group

For a quick discussion, orattracting quick attention

Main benefit: you can directmessage your members

Not indexed by search engines Facebook Page

For long term relationshipsMultiple admins allowed Indexed by search engineshttp://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php

Add Applications: Facebook.com/apps

Vanity URL: Facebook.com/username (need 25 likes)

Export updates to Twitter:Facebook.com/twitter

Import Blog: Social RSS

Be searchable – consider setting profile to publicControl who sees what with Friend Groups and

Custom Privacy SettingsAccount > Edit Friends > Create a ListAccount > Privacy Settings > Customize Settings

Connect with industry leaders/influencersJoin groups in your market/networkFollow limits - 5000 friends, unlimited fans

Link/Logo on siteLink/Logo in email signature, print materialsSend Email RequestAct as page, interact on other pages“Like” other pages/content, as company

How to leverage Facebook:Brand awarenessLead generationIntroduce a product or campaignImprove reputationCollect data/contentKeep an ongoing dialogue

How to do it, and Drive more traffic:Run promotionsCreate pollsExtend the page with custom applications

http://developers.facebook.com/If a user interacts with your page, it shows up on their

“wall” = free advertisingAllow fans to upload photosCreate events that users can RSVP toBest times for business use:

Tuesday & Wednesday (yours may vary)

Choose usernameCreate an avatarCustom backgroundUse keywords in your

description so other users can find / follow you

Add Twitter searches to your RSS FeedMonitor your reputation, keywords, industryGo to search.twitter.comType in a keywordUpper right corner -click “Feed for this query”Add to iGoogle Homepage, Google Reader or other

RSS Feed Reader (in your browser settings)

Use various tools to find Twitter users to follow twellow.comTwitter search “Who to Follow”

Follow well known Twitter usersTwitter listsFollow people that engage and influenceWho do the industry leaders follow or RT or mention

frequently?Block “Adult” accounts that follow you – they can damage

credibilityFollow back those that follow youDon’t auto follow everyone back If you follow too many people, it can be too noisyFollow who your network is followingFind local users: Cincinnati Twitter List/Database

Twitter Commands#hashtags@repliesRT’s (Retweets)

Use your accountWho’s retweeting your content?Who’s mentioned you?

Trending topics – what’s hot?Add Retweet Button to your blog / other content

http://tweetmeme.com/about/retweet_button

Leave space at end for retweets

Hashtags#FollowfridayVirtually attend an eventUse of hashtags makes you

look like a fluent tweeterBlock spammers, or report to

@spam on TwitterRetweet feature shows you

who Retweeted

Product testingCreate an online personaBe entertainingRespond within 24 hoursPost links to your contentPeople love lists Use trending keywordsContests, prizes are often sharedAllow users to shareLaunch a help center

Add Company Profile: linkedin.com/companies

Get recommendationsCustomize your links to draw

interestCan share updates on

Twitter and vice versaCustom URLAdd applications

Import contact listSend invitesConnect to everyone you knowBusiness cards at networking events?

Look them up or invite!Follow up with custom requestJoin groups and connectJoin Q&AEmail blast

Career/job postingsStart discussionsStatus updates show in email messagesevents.linkedin.comJoin groups and contribute to Q&A

Create Company Channel How to Rank Higher:

LikesViewsKeyword relevance

Choose a good thumbnailUse Tags

Network within YouTubeEmbed on FacebookAdd Annotations

Gain SubscribersLink to other content

Add link to email signature, print, site, etc.Embed video in Email signatureEmbed video on site

Not for Advertisements. Don’t post commercials, unless viralGoogle uses voice recognition technology so make sure it’s

clear Create relevant, unique, informative contentLess than 5 minutes is generally a good ruleLink to video from your site with keywords in the link text.Surrounding HTML should be descriptive and keyword rich.Keyword rich descriptions in video title, in the tags in

YouTube, etc.Use the word “video” as a keyword in these tags as well. Brand your video.Enable sharing and allow people to embed your video on

their sites

Tag everything with your keywords and web siteUse your web site as your Flickr screen nameCreate Galleries

Join groups & post photos http://www.flickr.com/groups/

Comment on other photos & link back to your site where relevant

GeoTag Contenthttp://www.flickr.com/places/

Embed Flickr stream on your site

Post your photos & use Creative Commons licensing Allows others to use as long as they give you creditCredit = link to your Flickr accountPost links to your site in your tags on your photos

Look for photos in Flickr that you can use on your own siteEmbed in your blog post, article, or other contentLet the photographer know you used their photoAdd comment on their photo with link to your article, blog,

etc.Photographer may even brag about it and link to you!Try to engage the user who posted the photo as well

On SiteSocial bookmarkingShareThis

Off SiteBusiness CardsRadio, TV, TraditionalEventsQR Codes

Don’t SpamBe Respectful & FriendlyIt’s OK to be a “Real” PersonProvide Quality Content – The purpose of these

sites is to share relevant content.You’re there to establish a relationship, not just to

make a sales pitch.Social Media Policy – many companies are

implementing these now.Use your “What if my mother saw this?” filter

Class 4: Advanced Digital Strategies, Metrics Analysis, and Open Q&A

Bring Your Questions!

allison@BareKnuckleStrategy.com