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Tracking the success of your social media efforts |Social Media Breakfast Madison

April 14, 2010 By 1 Comment

If you are interested in keeping up with tracking and measuring your efforts on social media you need to determine what success looks like judged by your business goals. After that, you determine what you will measure to prove it.

Have no have no clue on how to get started?  Then attend the next 2-3 months of Social Media Breakfast Madison where we will talk about tracking metrics, case studies and tools.

On April 21, 2010 at 7:30 am
Speaker: Jim Carlson – TMA+Peritus, Director of Internet Strategies

Jim has been involved in the digital world of bytes, code and pixels for over 18 years and is a member of the University of Wisconsin Business Technology Consortium. He is an expert in Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Management and Social Media Optimization. Prior to joining TMA+Peritus, Jim held various positions with Footlocker.com and played integral roles in the e-commerce Web sites for Footlocker, Champs Sports, ESPN, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association and the United States Olympic Committee.

Jim will highlight his presentation with a case study of the social community for Lion Connects.  Lion is a business to business company providing supplies and equipment to first responders and emergency personnel. The website and social media efforts for this new community (4 weeks old) have been tracked from the beginning. Jim Carlson, SEO and Social Media Optimization Guru, will share with us what they are measuring and why along with strategy behind the community.

TMA+Peritus will be drawing two company names of attendees to do a web audit for free of your interactive space.

As always, we look forward to your attendance at this free event.  Please do your part to help promote this event by:

1. Add to your social networking site status
2. Tweet the event at least twice each day
3. Blog about the event
4. Blog about your own social media tracking efforts.
5. Email your friends, colleagues, and family
6. Bring someone to enjoy coffee with
Please RSVP on the LinkedIn Event or join our group Social Media Breakfast – Madison!

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Google fiber project RFI for Madison | Interview of Preston Austin Imby.info

March 19, 2010 By 1 Comment

When Google speaks, people listen.  When Google offers to bring fast fiber networks into a city, people react. When Google suggest

Even the cows are looking forward to better connection speeds if Google Fiber lands in Madison.

that we might all be able to work on a 1G network with a little cooperation, organization and commitment, people take action. That’s what Madfiber.net is all about.  Even the cows want Google Fiber!

Town hall meeting educates the public

I attended the recent town Hall style meeting designed to educate the public on the RFI that the City of Madison is pursuing to win the hearts and mind of Google.  Community members of all flavors were present including city council, geeks, techies, grandmas, kids, business professionals, TV, radio, and newspapers eager to hear the opinions of the greater Madison community.

Ice cream flavor makes for sweet deal

Babcock Hall has even created a new flavor of ice cream to honor the Google Fiber interest.  I tasted it and it was very good.  I didn’t see it before it melted a little but it had candy pieces that were Google’s colors, granola for fiber, and nuts.   I am sure it had chocolate or I wouldn’t have liked it so much!

Interview of Preston Austin sets the stage for uploads

I had a chance to interview Preston Austin, co-founder of IMBY.info, and to my knowledge a pack leader in the fight to attract Google.  He leads a group who is generating action to convince Google  to extend its boundaries into every aspect of our community, beyond their very secure office in Madison.

If you are interested in participating and wish to speak your mind about this topic, here is your connection touch point:

Local website with all social touch points for Madison’s Google Fiber Network

You can find links to upload videos, pictures, post comments, fill out surveys, and state your opinions. March 26, 2010 is the big deadline for submitting the RFI and we need you on the Fan base on Facebook.

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Reality Check for Twitter and Business Use – Part 3

December 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Image representing Twitter as depicted in Crun...
Image via CrunchBase

A reality check for Twitter: what’s next for businesses now that the hype’s wearing off? (part 3 of 3)

Who is using Twitter

Stats from Pew Internet find that 11% of the U.S. population has used Twitter. Further, it suggest that the young and the connected are most likely to be early adopters.

Twenty percent of 25- to 34-year-olds have used Twitter, while that number drops to just 2% of those over 65.  In August, results by Nielsen showed a surge with a 20% growth happening within the 55+ age range.   Is this because more companies are getting the idea of Twitter? Are they getting profiles and their brand claimed online?

Fun Twitter history statistics by Kodak

  • 72.5% of the 44 million Twitter users joined during the first five months of 2009.
  • 93.6% of Twitter users have less than 100 followers, while 92.4% follow less than 100 people
  • More than 50% of all updates are published using tools, mobile and Web-based, other than Twitter.com. Tweet Deck is the most popular non-Twitter.com tool with 19.7% market share.
  • There are more women on Twitter (53%) than men (47%) This is also confirmed on Quancast reports see below.

Other interesting stats:

  • 27% of bloggers use Twitter
  • 35% of city-dwellers use Twitter
  • 76% of Twitter users use the internet wirelessly
  • Only 10% of those earning more than $75,000 use Twitter, while 17% of those making less than $30k use the service.

Twitter Statistics 2009

Where does this leave me?
I am an early adopter but define young for me. I have two gmail accounts, two twitter profiles, I am on LinkedIn, Facebook, Myspace (just to save my username), YouTube, Slideshare, etc.  I go by the adage that “You are as young as you feel.” I am not in the rapidly growing 55+ age group but unfortunately can’t honestly say I am under 34.  The important thing is that I am using Twitter in a way that fits with my business strategy of engaging the B2B community. I am a blogging but live in a rural area and have not totally bought into using Twitter on my phone except for direct replies from key people I follow.

I have objectives that include connecting with Wisconsin businesses, driving traffic to my blog, engaging with people who are interested in the larger issues of social media applied across their organization. On top of that I am working hard to understand social media strategy and tools so that I can advise on nuances for B2B organizations. I follow any Wisconsin B2B business I find on Twitter, and many other B2b Business who are active on Twitter.

Interconnectivity of social media platforms

The use of Twitter is tied with the use of other social media; both blogging and social network use increase the likelihood than an individual also uses Twitter. Twitter users and status updaters are also a mobile bunch; as a group they are much more likely to be using wireless technologies — laptops, handhelds and cell phones — for internet access, or cell phones for text messaging.

More third part applications are being created that allow immediate connection and posting between blogs and twitter such as Twitter Tools. Social media sites and twitter – i.e. LinkedIn users can now send status updates to twitter and vice versa.  Google is doing more and more to incorporate real time information into their search results as Search. Twitter becomes a go to page for trending and immediate results of conversations.

I blog and find that TwitterTools is an essential tool to gain broader exposure to my relatively new blog.  I use it to notify my followers of new blog posts But I needed to spend some time on Twitter to develop a following so there was someone to hear my news.

When I first started on Twitter, due to my mobile situation, I tried the phone txt messaging only for a weekend before I turned it off. Just recently I felt that I could turn that back on for direct messaging of select contacts, clients and partners. Obviously I am learning to filter the noise to some degree.

The “killer” application for businesses, news and knowledge

For the SMB business to business market, the application that will be the most successfully embraced social media tool duo, in my opinion, will be incorporating a business blog and Twitter. Twitter can get your messages out to many people simultaneously, and go viral within minutes (not for everyone mind you).

Blogging is the one tool that allows you to brand your messages, brings thought leadership front and center, and helps people get to know companies and the people who work for them.  This should help to push up the 27% of bloggers using Twitter up higher.  As new corporate bloggers are educated on content and begin to publish  they will need to understand how to market a blog. That is where incorporating Twitter integration tools will play a role on blogs and strategy.

Beyond blogging, a recent survey on value added content for the B2B market showed that c-level executives find white papers, ebooks and video tutorials are some of the most trusted educational content for them. They are subscribing to more feeds from blogs created by thought leaders in their industries. The way to promote this valued content is with Twitter.

A recent post by my business associate and nurture marketing specialist, Doug Tangwall of End Result Marketing, on White Papers points out some very convincing statistics both of valued content, but also lead generation success for a proven ROI. Several recent e-book to book publications such as David Meerman Scott, started their lives out as a blog post, accumulated comments, and when marketed as an ebook strictly online, was tweeted, reposted, blogged, and went viral in a very short time. I believe this type of information will gain the attention of B2B marketers who incorporate social media tools for content and Twitter for posting the information stream.

Watch in 2010 how the blogger statistic will grow as more business leaders begin to understand the power of Twitter. They will use it  to let followers know of a new post, video, or podcast  and to spread the word through retweets of articles, blogs, white papers, videos and other value-added information.  As more social media professionals provide training on how to use Twitter to achieve business goals with subsequent case studies, I would expect to see more substantial usage from the B2B market who is looking for more results (case studies and ROI) to justify their involvement.

Twitter examples

Mike Frichol posted a interesting list of Twitter examples on EzineArticles. He did not list company names in order to focus on how people were using the tool

1. Several computer vendors and retailers offer exclusive discounts to their Twitter followers and bring in substantial revenue from this additional source.
2. A coffee shop in Houston uses Twitter for customers to place to-go orders so that their order is ready and waiting for them at the drive thru window when they arrive.
3. At that same coffee shop, customers can Tweet their orders directly from their table without going to the counter to order.
4. Various hotel chains send special offers to their Twitter followers to fill vacant rooms.
5. Several airlines provide informational updates, customer service, competitions, promotions and general dialog with customers.
6. A bakery in London uses Twitter to notify followers when baked goods are fresh out of the oven.
7. Event organizers use Twitter to notify attendees about logistics, updates, schedule changes and other information about an event.
8. The staff at a New Orleans Pizza restaurant sends information about the healthy and fresh ingredients in their organic pizzas and details about special deals.
9. A hotel chain provides concierge services via Twitter to answer guest questions about getting around the local area for a particular hotel.
10. Street vendors in several cities notify their followers where they’re parked at different times and what specials they have that day.
11. Home improvement stores provide tips, suggestions and how-to advice to their followers.
12. A Research firm notifies their followers when new research, articles or discussions are published.
13. A food supermarket chain gets input from customers on what they like as research to determine what to stock in each store to meet local tastes and preferences.
14. An online retailer has developed a huge following on Twitter by encouraging employees to communicate with customers about a wide variety of topics of mutual interest.
15. A tax preparation service provides question-and-answer services to their customers via Twitter.
16. A cable operator provides real time customer service and problem resolution on Twitter.
17. A fast food chain uses Twitter for customer comments and feedback. They also send coupons to followers.
18. A car manufacturer provides updates on their green vehicles and sustainability initiatives across the business.
19. Several news organizations provide news headlines and breaking news to followers.
20. An online retailer specializing in selling clearance products has over 1.3 million followers by posting daily sale items on Twitter.
21. A seafood wholesaler in Chicago sends Tweets to Chefs with details about available fresh fish and links to photos. Chefs respond with orders directly via Twitter.

Do you have your own Twitter example to add? Contribute your success story in the comments.


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How does cause marketing benefit business?

November 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Nonprofits by their very nature are in touch with the very human face of the

Kelli Parks Snider, ProjectGirl.org and Girls

Kelli Parks Snider, ProjectGirl.org and Girls

people and public they serve.  Many grassroots causes are entirely dependent on volunteer efforts to get anything accomplished.  Finding creative and non-traditional funding sources is task one these days.  Considering “how” not “if” to use social media to stay connected  and find new funding sources should be the topic at the advisory board table.

Social media at its core is a two-way conversation using Internet technology that brings value to the participants through sharing knowledge and information.

If you are a nonprofit are you investigating the use of social media as a channel to connect with your audience?

Extending manpower and budgets

In the town of Lodi WI, the YMCA of Dane County runs a branch – managing the swimming pool operations, swim lessons, lap swim and providing swim lessons to students. They also run fun and increasing numbers of low cost programs designed for healthy living styles for children, adults and seniors. Clearly only a fraction of the programs would be in place if it weren’t for donations, fees recovered for programs, volunteer supervisors and instructors. At the same time, monies collected allow the YMCA to provide scholarships, such as the Strong Kids Campaign, to individuals and families that otherwise would not be able to participate.

It is important for the directors of any type of program to stay in touch with all aspects of the community at large including those who provide funding, those who participate in various programs and those who need to understand the benefit to the community. Creating a blog, an email newsletter and periodic print updates would be some nice communication additions, if they can either afford the time and/or the cost to do so. But can they afford not to do so?

ProjectGirl.org a grassroots nonprofit in Oregon, WI, was able to use social media (Youtube, LinkedIn, Blogs, Facebook and MySpace), email marketing, and Word of Mouth to generate awareness of a youth activism campaign sponsored by Best Buy.  The success of that campaign gained them over $100,000 for support of their curriculum which teaches girls self esteem and critical thinking using multi media technology, video and art to express themselves.

Today, leaders of nonprofits need to consider alternative sources of funding.  With the contributors of the past now out of work in many cases, recognizing that new partnerships and alliances will need to be formed is at the heart of accomplishing missions.   Social media can help possible alliance partners to find your nonprofit and cause.  It allows you to voice your needs and mission.  It also allows you to initiate conversations with supporters, volunteers and mentors.

Cause Marketing

Companies that join with social causes to sell products not only enhance their image but also improve their bottom line, say University of Michigan researchers. This certainly can help but it also benefits the company in terms of profits.

According to Uday Rajan, one of the Michigan researchers,

“Firms can use cause marketing to increase prices and profits, but should be aware of the implications of placing different products on cause marketing,” Rajan said. “For public policy officials and consumers who may believe that cause-marketing firms are more caring firms and are genuinely interested in helping others, it may be insightful to understand that cause marketing also allows firms to increase their prices and profits.”

Many corporations are seeking creative and unique ways to differentiate themselves beyond product and services. Employees develop greater loyalty to companies that support long-term good works. It’s also being taken into account in the lists for “Best Companies to Work For.”

A good way for nonprofits to start is with reviewing what other larger organizations have done.  The American Cancer Society has a policy developed to find the right match of partners.

Is your company doing any cause marketing? Has your nonprofit used social media to enhance its interaction with donors, volunteers and its community?

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A blogging approach by Wired Wisconsin | Nonprofit social media

November 4, 2009 By 2 Comments

Wired Wisconsin is a coalition of concerned individuals, businesses and organizations working to put the wired-wisconsin-logostate of Wisconsin on the cutting edge of technology. However, like most nonprofits they face challenges in trying to raise funds for outreach and marketing of their message. With only two or three employees and a couple of interns, how do they accomplish statewide what they need to do?

A social approach

After meeting several key staff members of Wired Wisconsin during the recent event – Government 2.0 | Utilizing Social Media – I looked at how they are using  social media efforts to accomplish their organizational goals and the partnerships they are forming along the way.

Wired Wisconsin is actively using social media in their public relations and outreach efforts. They appear to have started their blog about 1 year ago in October of 2008 with weekly updates to Twitter included.  The blog does not identify the author(s)  in anyway, and its lacking a personality at this point. They have a Website setup as a home base for traditional media and social media.  They have links to their Twitter profile, Facebook, Youtube, Podcasts, and a RSS feed for their blog.

Practicing what you preach

You can see that they started slow, with a website and added a blog.  You should have a strong “home” for social media links.  Just consider that with a bio area of 160 characters on Twitter, you don’t have a lot of room to state your mission and issues. So take the time to have good landing pages on your website to explain your mission.  If your budget doesn’t allow that yet, be sure to create a solid LinkedIn profile or other social media profile with very complete details that can help deliver more of your brand and various content for you, but one should be designated as home.

The first six months of blog posts are all Twitter weekly updates of news articles that they added to the Tweet stream. This is an inbound marketing tactic.  This is a good way to start with baby steps based on resources and time. Starting in February 2009, Wired Wisconsin began to offer monthly blog opinion blog posts about the issues they have coalesced around.

May 2009 brought a new addition to the action plan. Bring article content around core issues from other journalists and editorials directly into the blog posts. The Twitter updates continued and in fact they are longer and appear to more much more active during this time period.  Wired Wisconsin also penned more opinion posts covering issues.

While it appears that their Twitter activity is all about outbound press and news media type content, by creating a blog post out of the update (through the use of TwitterTools plugin on their blog)  it does help to give them weekly posts and document activity for the non Twitter users who may want to stay in touch with these issues.

Incorporating video posts

Emily Lenard, Associate Director,  explained that they have used Youtube to post their videos for free and feed to other social media sites such as Facebook. They have an ongoing program to interview state politicians on their stands for issues pertinent to Wired Wisconsin and post them on their Website.

Other uses that they have planned to put in practice for social media include:

  • Press conferences
  • News
  • Events
  • Issue presentations
  • Action alerts
  • Interviews
  • Programs

Wired Wisconsin comments

Emily Lenard has a few comments about a blogging strategy government agencies and nonprofits can follow that might help with blog ideas:

Audit and assess regularly

After a year, it may be time for Wired Wisconsin to take stock and review their activities, audiences, spaces and places for social media sites interaction.  Evaluating and benchmarking the progress over the past year for subscribers, comments, membership growth, partner additions and activity should shed some light on any changes in directions that they should pursue.

Ideally they should be blogging 2-3 times per week.  If the goal of the blog is to strictly be a news source they are doing a good job of that.  I think that they could  increase the Wired Wisconsin opinion pieces to give someone a sense of the passion and drive this organization has to make change happen. And personally, I would like to get sense of who the authors are.

Social media is about people after all and we don’t connect with companies and organizations, we connect and share passions and interest with the people inside them.

Do you have a nonprofit I should review?

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Filed Under: Business Blogging, Government 2.0, nonprofit, Social Media Strategy, Social Media Tools Tagged With: , , ,
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