What's the Point? Twitter Part 1 General/Consumers

One of my friends started asking me questions about Twitter yesterday. He essentially wanted to know why anyone would use it. "What's the point?" he asked.  I get asked that a lot, so I thought I I'd write a little something.

By definition, Twitter is a micro blogging site with a maximum of 140 characters per update. There are currently 40 million people visit Twitter on a daily basis. Twitter is great for networking, broadcasting information, and staying current on news and events. I'm going to break this down into two sections: General/Consumer and Business. This actually is too big of a topic to cover in one post. I'll break this out into two separate blogs.

As consumers we want to educate ourselves and research products and services before making the decision to spend our money. So that's the first reason why anyone want to use to Twitter.

1. Use Twitter to learn about brands, products, and services before spending money. You can do this by following brands. For instance, let's say that you're in the market for baseball equipment. You'd probably want to follow Rawlings Gear on Twitter (@rawlingsgear) for deals and product information. 

Twitter is also great at connecting with companies on an "one-on-one" level. I put quotes around that phrase because it feels like it's personal because response is rather quick--only it's not really personal. It's online and the company you're tweeting with isn't going to know the details of your life like your local boutique owner or your local bank if you have that type of relationship.  But what does happen is an exchange that leads to excellent customer service--reason number two.

2. Twitter is great for customer service. Big name brands like DirecTV (@directv), Network Solutions (@netsolcares), AT&T (@att), and countless others monitor Twitter for customer service purposes. Now, this does not mean that you need to go on a grip fest on Twitter. But, if you have questions, brands are on Twitter to help you. Customer service is evolving to include online avenues where consumers are spending most their time. Usually, feeds are monitored all day and some companies provide support via Twitter almost 24/7. All you have to do is mention them in a tweet. 

I personally use Twitter to reach out to brands for customer service. My world is online marketing. It is by far easier for me to tweet a company than it is to call. I don't always gripe or make negative comments. In fact when I do, if the company rectifies the situation, I make sure to tweet that as well. I do have favorite brands that I tweet every now and then. For example, I buy coffee from Laughing Man.  I'll mention them (@livelaughingman) in a tweet because I sincerely believe in their company and love their coffee.

Twitter is also a good information source. Since I'm on Twitter pretty much all day for work, I browse my feed and learn about events and news.  Reason number three.

3. Twitter is where you can get the latest news. Since Twitter is real time, you get the news while it's breaking. Whether it's a celebrity who died or an accident on your route home from work, you get that info instantly. 

You don't have to follow newspapers, radio stations or local televisions stations (although that doesn't hurt either). I do because I want that information. But often times, big news gets retweeted anyway so you'll learn about it.

That's all for now. I'll post part two of this series later this week, possibly tomorrow.

Image source: http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-that-happens-in-one-day-on-the-internet-2012-3

Marketing is Changing: Print and Online Marketing

In my previous post, I defined marketing. Now let's take a more in depth look at print vs. online marketing. Most marketers see the value in online marketing and have shifted their budgets, spending more online than with print marketing. Online ad spend alone is expected to reach $39.5 billion in this year, whereas total print spending is expected to cap at $33.8 billion. That doesn't seem like that much of a gap, but in terms of achieving the best ROI, online marketing has higher returns, justifying the investment. But first, let's look at the pros and cons of print and online marketing before you pass judgement.

Print Pros
There are still some target markets that interact better with print media (specifically trade publications) These are your 55+, warehouse managers, or anyone who isn't comfortable with using a computer or the internet.

Print Cons
Print advertising is expensive.  Let's say an ad in a trade publication costs $5,000. Only people with subscriptions to that publication will see the ad. Now, if you take that same $5,000 can get you a new website or about five months or so worth of basic SEO (depending on which agency you use).

Print limits your reach. I just mentioned that a trade publication is only visible to those who subscribe. The reality is, even subscribers won't notice your ad unless they're really reading the publication. There is a higher chance that your ad will get over looked.

Lower ROI.  The potential for lower return on investment is greater with print than it is with online marketing. Tracking ROI is difficult as it is unless you attach a special code or phone number. Direct mail ROI ranges from 0%-16%.

The other factor to consider is that more and more people are turning to the internet for information and research versus newspapers and magazines. Think about it realistically. When was the last time you picked up the newspaper? Other than waiting at the doctor's office, when did you pick up magazine?

Online Marketing
Now let's turn our focus to online marketing. I want to invite you to follow me on Twitter because I tweet all things online marketing. That's the best place to get the latest information on trends and data.

Online Marketing Pros
Bigger bang for your buck. I went over this a little bit earlier. You get more for your money with online marketing. A website can cost as little $500. SEO can range from $500 a month to $1,000.  PPC (pay per click with Google) averages about $500 depending on how aggressive you are. Social Media services varies too. If you decide to outsource your online marketing, there is something available out there to meet your budgetary needs.  I will tell you that having someone manage your social media campaigns is expensive, but worth it if you don't have the man power or expertise to do it in house. We can discuss this in detail if you want. SEO and PPC are definitely worth outsourcing because agencies have the expertise to do it correctly with higher ROIs.

Better ROI. I love this part. ROI for online marketing is huge. On accounts I work with, I see ROI ranging 500% to over 1000% for SEO and PPC. Social ROI is growing quickly as well. It's easy for me to justify my work with clients when I can show them record breaking sales. Granted, there are lots of factors that play a role, but a good online marketing will eventually ( in 3 to 6 months) will see increased ROIs over print. By the way, it's easier to track ROI with online marketing. All you need to do is use tracking code. Sometimes that's as easy as adding code to the end of a url or adding code to the footer a webpage.

Reach. You reach more of your target audience. We all know the internet is a powerful place. All someone has to do is go to Google, search, and learn so much about a topic, product, or service. Online marketers have this amazing influence over consumers. An article, press release, website content-- you can reach so many people with  a page or two of information online versus an ad in a magazine, newspaper or a postcard in the mail. Online marketing transcends time zones and locations. If you optimize your website correctly, you can reach millions--no joke.


Online Marketing Cons
Slowly growing. I'll be honest and tell you that in some instances, it seems that certain industries are slower to move to online marketing than others. This is usually tied to age and gender preferences. But I will tell you that in almost every industry, the younger generation is moving online. It just takes some industries longer than others.

Not all online marketing works for everyone. Online marketing has it's niche. Don't be so quick to jump on the latest trends unless it makes sense for your business. Pinterest seems to be a hot topic. Many companies are exploring it in addition to their current online marketing efforts. However, unless you're in eCommerce, I would advise against it. Women are primary users, so unless that's your target market, it might not be worth your time. B2B businesses may also find that Twitter and LinkedIn are worth more of their efforts instead of Facebook and vice versa. If you're targeting teens, you don't want to have a LinkedIn profile, but stick to Facebook.   I will say this though. EVERYONE needs SEO and PPC. So you should jump those bandwagons.

New and changing. I've said before that marketing is fluid. Well, online marketing is definitely fluid. It's  fairly new and it changes quite a bit. We can thank Google for that with frequent algorithm updates. This makes it harder to keep up with. I will tell you that I spend quite a bit of time everyday staying current. I read lots of articles. I have Google's tweets sent directly to my iPhone. I'm connected 247. Staying current can be a challenge and very time consuming.

This is a very basic overview. I advise anyone to really take a look at their overall business goals, budget, and have a clear understanding of their target market. You should definitely incorporate online marketing in your marketing plan. And if you're used to using yellow pages, consider doing it online. Actually, newspapers and magazine are shifting to online advertising anyway. So instead of going for print, continue to advertise, but do so online.The world is changing, and you should change with it.

Social Profile Breakdown for Professionals: Part 3 Twitter

It still surprises me to hear that most people don't understand Twitter. I feel like a broken record  explaining the importance of Twitter as a major player in Social Media. It happens to be my personal favorite.  I recently wrote a social media best practices document that will be released to Deck Internet Solutions clients. It goes over the importance of Twitter so I feel like I'm repeating myself because if talk about it ALL the time. I might tweak it later and put it on here.

Twitter is good for two things:

1. Connecting with consumers (B2C). When doing this, companies are trying prove themselves worthy of their consumers' hard earned green stuff. You have to persuade people that you solve some sort of problem and meet a need better than anyone else. That's my favorite part. It's a pretty awesome having such an impact on a person that they choose your company's products and services or others. I'll go into this in another blog post. :).
2. Networking. I use Twitter primarily for networking. I'm in Online Marketing so my target audience is B2B. In my mind, most people on Twitter network...or maybe I'm just noticing it because it seems like everyone and their sister (yes, sister, not brother. Have to show us females some love too) is touting to be some sort of social media guru. By the way, it's those people who call themselves gurus that you should watch out for. I believe in proving I'm an expert (through my blogs and other sources) rather than just telling you and getting you to take my word for it.

Professionals need to prove  their expertise and worth as a potential employee on Twitter. It doesn't matter if you're in social media or a biologist. It doesn't matter if you're in politics or something completely opposite. Prove to the world your worth. Show us that you know what you're talking about. Whether you're looking for job or you think you might be 10 years from now, building a reputation online (through Twitter and other outlets) will pay off. 

So unemployment is pretty high right now. I tell people looking for a job to: 

1. Get a website and introduce yourself to the world. Include a portfolio if you have one. I have links to articles/blogs I've written (as an example).
2. Get on on Twitter and LinkedIn.
3. Start a blog and post your blog on Twitter and LinkedIn (even Facebook).

Twitter comes up in searches fairly easily. When you search "Andreea Cojocariu," Twitter pops up first.  By the way, that has saved me twice in one month. Once when dropped my debit card at the Donut Shop in my neighborhood. The owner Googled me and contacted me via Twitter. And another time I left my coat at a restaurant. I tweeted earlier about the restaurant and the owner sent me a Tweet informing me I left my coat. Since I get my tweets on my phone, I was able to turn around and get it.  Anyway, Twitter is awesome for many reasons, but especially if your looking for work because it shows up in searches.

It's also a place where all your expertise can shine. So finally...my Twitter tips.

• Start a blog and broad cast your posts on Twitter. Yes, I said this already. But it works--like this blog for instance. I write about online marketing. When I'm done, I post it on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Stumbleupon. I write about things that relate to my industry. Since I've been doing this a while, I have built a reputation for being a reliable source for online marketing tid bits. 
• Post other informative articles related to your industry. Retweet them. 
• Follow industry related online trade publications. And yes, retweet them. Learn from them too. I follow tons, but I regularly retweet Search Engine Watch, eMarketer, and Search Engine Journal.  
• Don't fall for the "Follow me, I'll follow you"speil. It's not about getting the most followers, but getting quality followers. What's the point if you don't connect and interact with your followers? Ideally, if you're looking for a job, your future employer will follow you. 
• Reach out to others. If you see a tweet and your first reaction is to say something in reaction, by all means, respond with a reply. 
• Like with Facebook, don't post tweets about getting drunk, or drunk anything for that matter

So now the question is how often should you post. There is not really a right or wrong answer. Sometimes I'll post 5 tweets a day. Sometimes I post 13 or more. It depends on if I have a lot to say or not. On weekends, I'm lucky if I post one.  Just make sure that you don't go weeks without posting. Out of site, out of mind is how the world of social media works.

That's all for now. The next post will be about LinkedIn.

Social Profile Breakdown for Professionals: Part 1

Late last year, I promised on Smiles and Rants that I would start a series on here on social media for professionals. Most of us have a Facebook account and some of you have or are considering Twitter and LinkedIn. We'll start the series today, the first day of 2012.

I should start with saying that I do believe that we must claim ourselves online. Have you ever google'd yourself? At some point, someone else will and it could be the beginning or end of something amazing. Curating your online presence so that you are accurately represented is key.

You should also know that I speak from experience. I started working on getting myself online and found on Google as a junior in college. I figured smart employers would search for me online and they better have something good to read. I started with a website (a poorly done website, but it helped just the same). Now I have several blogs/websites, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Facebook (although that's private). I landed several amazing jobs, including my current position, because my employer google'd me before my interview. It set me apart from my peers and proved that my success and experience were warranted.

That being said, let's differentiate the top social profiles.

Facebook
This one is a given. You probably already have an account. I started mine to keep up with friends and family who I don't talk to on a daily basis.

Facebook is one of the places online that could get you in trouble. Many of us don't censor ourselves because we do interact with friends. So yeah, drunk pictures and perhaps not so proper language are posted. But the thing is, that stuff can come back to haunt you.

Companies are also using Facebook to connect with consumers. You can still be informal if you ever write on company walls. Just remember that what you post will be public.

You may friend your work friends and coworkers. This where lines can be crossed and you can get in trouble. I'll write more on this later in Part 2 of this series. But for now, keep things as clean as possible. If you wouldn't want your boss knowing something, don't post it.  Simple as that.

Facebook is more informal and casual. You don't need to worry so much like sounding like a professional all the time--you're friends might find that annoying. But you should keep things rather "clean."

Twitter
A lot of people don't know why they should use Twitter. I tell them that Twitter is more for networking with other professionals and connecting with brands and discussing causes and ideas your passionate about. I don't recommend using Twitter to talk about your every day actions or occurrences. Your Facebook friends may want to know that stuff, but your Twitter audience is little more niche. Keep things professional and clean. No tweets of getting drunk or your latest fight with your spouse please. This will be Part 3 of this series.

LinkedIn
This is easy--strictly professional. My employer said he checks LinkedIn profiles of all candidates he interviews. Serious professionals keep their profiles up-to-date and they show their expertise by posting articles and participating in discussions. This will be Part 4 of the series.

For you serious professionals out there looking to stand out in a crowd full of others with similar job qualifications and experience, stick to LinkedIn and Twitter.

Social Posts Now Indexed

Every time I want to write a new post, something else always comes up. Ladies and gents, I'm rather busy actually working :). That is not to say that I shouldn't keep up with Smiling Marketress. I have not disappeared from the world of online marketing. My Twitter feed proves it. 

Tonight, I'm making time because Google announced that Twitter posts and Facebook comments will now be indexed. Honestly, this doesn't surprise me...and it shouldn't you either. In the world of SEO, Social Media is another player in improving our website's rankings.  So for Google to announce that posts and comments will be indexed only reminds us of the value of Social Media.  Wise and experienced online marketers will use this to their advantage if they aren't currently.

Remember, I have an integrated approach to online marketing. My SEO background tells me to use keywords in EVERY post and comment. You don't want to appear unnatural. And don't be afraid to switch things up. For instance, of your keyword is  "metro east St. Louis photographer," "photographer in St. Louis metro east" will work too. Google's algorithm will still pick up on the keyword. And because you're posting the comment or post, you'll be adding SEO value because your profile should link back to your website.
So take to take advantage of this announcement I advise the following:

• Use keywords in your posts
• Respond immediately to negative posts or comments (for the sake of your online reputation) with a keyword of course
• Always post external content (articles, blogs, press releases) as social posts.

Posts shouldn't always be a sales pitches. Provide valuable information about the type of service or product you provide. Don't be afraid to post industry articles, product reviews, and other informative pieces from sources outside your company.