#1 Involver Applications
Involver is a great resource for the social savvy marketer that wants the freedom to think outside the confines or limitations of social media websites. Their Facebook applications are superb. Yes, this blog entry is about resources OTHER THAN Facebook and Twitter, but I would argue that Involver (and Wildfire, below) completely transform Facebook. You can add an RSS tab, a YouTube video tab, a Twitter tab, or create a completely custom HTML tab – right on your Facebook page.

#2 Wildfire Iframes
Wildfire offers an entire suite of products, that help with promoting your company through social media. My favorite product of theirs, however, is completely separate from their suite. They have a completely free Facbeook app, called Iframes (much like Involver’s static HTML app), which has a feature, called Fan Gate. Fan Gate is a means to generate likes on Facebook. It essentially allows users to “unlock” coupons, exclusive products, downloadable content, etc. by liking you on Facebook.  This is possible with Involver too, but not quite as simple.

#3 YouTube
YouTube is the Internet’s largest video website and also the second leading search engine in the world. A presence on this site is vital to any business that wants to be found. Aside from that – people like video. Aside from all things Facebook, online video is the most preferred and consumed form of online content.

#4 LinkedIn
It’s important to have a business presence on LinkedIn. This site is the number one professional social network in the world. New additions like status updates for company pages have made their already-robust website a truly viable channel for companies seeking to connect with business professionals. Another notable feature of LinkedIn is Groups. These can be created any user, and have a wide variety of applications. We use groups to engage communities with our clients, but I’ve seen them used as company intranets for employees, and forums for industry professionals.

#5 Yelp and other User Review websites:
Today’s consumer shares their experience with the entire world, through social media review websites. There are several popular review sites, including Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google Places, Yahoo! Local, UrbanSpoon, and the list goes on. Each has somewhat of a  different focus. For example, TripAdvisor is travel and tourism focused, where UrbanSpoon has a restaurant focus. It’s important for brands to claim their business on these websites, and respond to all reviews, both positive and negative.

Have questions or want some help? Want to see examples of these in use for our clients? Contact Alex – alex(at)getpushing.com!

Alex Fernandez
Pushing the Envelope, Inc.
http://www.getpushing.com/about/alex-fernandez/
http://www.getpushing.com/news/alex-fernandez-earns-internet-marketing-masters-degree/

With four people, our old space was just too small. Now we’re in nearly 1,400 square feet with lots of room for our existing staff and those we plan to bring into the fold in the future.

Please join us on Thursday, February 2nd from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for our open house! You can check out the new digs, write on the white erase wall and enjoy some vino / beer on us! More info on our Facebook page…

Can’t make it? Give us a call at (239) 221-2858 and set up a time to stop by! We love guests.

Metrics are a huge component of website analytics. Choosing the right metrics to measure can mean all the difference between gaining insight and “analysis paralysis”. For example, you’re driving in your car, and your battery light comes on. You drive to the nearest service center to have it looked at. Your mechanic isn’t going to check every component of the car – They’re going to test your battery first, right?  Web metrics are similar, in this sense: Your website is a vehicle – a communications vehicle. Your web analytics help you determine how to improve and optimize your website for your users.

Web analytics is defined by the Web Analytics Association (WAA) as, “the study of online experience, in order to improve it.” And the part of that definition that should be stressed is, “In order to improve it!”

Metrics are driven by goals, and goals are driven by the type of website you have. Here are a couple of simple examples that demonstrate how different metrics would be used depending on the goals of the website:

Example 1:

• You have an E-Commerce website.
• Your goal is to increase online sales revenue via your website.
• A appropriate metric would be the average transaction value, or average order size.

Example 2:

• You have a Lead Generation website.
• Your goal is to increase the number of new-business leads via your website.
• An appropriate metric would be the number of opt-ins or number of content downloads.

Now, the metrics in the above examples are actually more than JUST metrics. They are helping us to determine if we are accomplishing our goals – making them Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs. Avinash Kaushik, Digital Marketing Evangelist for Google and author of the book, Web Analytics 2.0, describes KPIs as “The best kind of metrics.” In his blog, Occam’s Razor, he proclaims enthusiastically, “They are our BFFs!”

Key Performance Indicators are great, because they make metrics meaningful, by assigning those metrics to real goals! Let’s look at a more specific example. Let’s say that you have a basic WordPress blog set up with Google Analytics, and the purpose of your blog is to provide information on the coffee from around the world.

1. Your website is an Informational website.
2. Your goal is to become an authoritative source about all-things-coffee. You want to publish interesting content that people find useful.
3. A few Key Performance Indicators that would measure how much your users are “soaking up” your content would be:
   • Number of user comments
   • Number of shared posts
   • Number of page views per visit.
4. After one month you measure your Key Performance Indicators:
   • You determine that your posts about coffee from exotic locations around the world receive the most comments and shares.
   • Your users are typically viewing only one page per visit.

Now, the “In order to improve it!” part:

1. You develop an action plan, based on your findings, to improve next months results:
   • You will publish more about the content your users value.
   • You will link more to related entries within your content, and add a “Related Posts” section that appears at the end of each entry.
2. Re-evaluate your goals and Re-measure.

This is obviously a very simplified example, but hopefully it helps demonstrate that web metrics aren’t about statistics, pie charts, percentages – metrics are supposed to be meaningful. They are tools to help you determine if you are realizing your goals, so make sure you’re looking at the right ones!

If you have any questions or comments, please drop us a line below. If you think this post was cool, please Tweet this. If you want to take your website analytics to the next level, with Pushing the Envelope, email me Alex(at)getpushing.com.

Today, we’d like to announce some very special news of this genre… Alex Fernandez, Social Media Strategist at PTE has earned is Internet Marketing Masters degree!

We’ve always thought pretty highly of him, but now Alex is well versed in the advanced academic studies of Internet marketing, search engine optimization, e-commerce, and the psychology of the online consumer.  His studies included key areas such as online brand development and consumer behavior / analysis, website usability testing, social and mobile marketing, website conversion optimization, search engine marketing strategy, Internet public relations and more.

“I wanted to obtain a competitive edge in my niche area of social media marketing,” Alex commented, “and the most ‘current’ education possible, considering that the online environment is ever-changing, coupled with my work at Pushing the Envelope, I’ve gained that.”

Alex helps clients communicate effectively through social media and other online platforms by developing fully integrated marketing strategies that enhance a brand’s presence. He has led both regional and national internet marketing campaigns in several industries, including travel, tourism, healthcare, hospitality, education, technology, and more.

If you’d like to pick his brain or learn about how we might be able to help your Internet marketing or social media efforts, contact Alex at alex(at)getpushing.com or (239) 221-2858. He likes high fives, pats on the backs and plus 1s on Google too!

Thankfulness and giving abound this time of year, and not to be cliche, but I wanted to take a moment and say thanks for all the support we received for our CAN IT! Putting Hunger In Its Place This Thanksgiving campaign. You are amazing. You who donated, who solicited your friends and colleagues, who took time and money from your personal supply to help others.

Today, I had the pleasure of going to Community Cooperative Ministries’ (CCMI) Soup Kitchen and dropping off 504 items! We surpassed our goal! Individuals and businesses supported us. Our team – Alex Fernandez, Annette Venditti, Christina Bockisch and Sarah Reaves – all pitched in. In fact, we had an internal competition going on who could get the most. Alex was crowned the king with 175 items!

Some of our donors that I’d like to thank include:

• Staff at Specialists in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery (Dr. Sweet)
• Sub & Pub in downtown Fort Myers
• Salon Adrian at Gulf Coast Town Center
• The Riverside Club
• The Auditor General’s office (our neighbors)
• The many friends, family members and colleagues who donated

It just amazes me how giving people can be – if they want to be and try to be. We saw the good in humanity. It was such a rush of joy to see the faces of the volunteers at CCMI when we pulled up and starting unloading items. I can’t, personally, wait to do it again next year!

Thank you.

By Sarah Reaves,
PR Intern at Pushing the Envelope, Inc.

As a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, we are taught the importance of giving back to the community.  Being one of the guiding principles of FGCU, this idea is reaffirmed in classes such as Foundations of Civic Engagement as well as in the 80 hours of service learning we must complete before graduation.  Whether you’re a college student or a thriving member of the community, good will and civic engagement is always important.  Here are some of the many benefits to giving back to the community.

Benefit #1: Be part of your community

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I take for granted the world I live in.  It’s really easy to do that these days considering we’re constantly on the move.  However, if you stop for a second and look around, you’ll see that communities are suffering and not everyone is afforded the same luxuries in life.  Giving back whether through volunteering or hosting a canned food drive is an easy way to re-connect with the community.  There’s no better way to connect than by giving back.  By doing so, you can return something to the community that gives so much to you.

Benefit #2:  Motivation and a sense of achievement

My nonprofit PR class taught me that nonprofits need three things from their volunteers: time, talent, and treasure.  Much of the community service we do falls under “time.”  I know that time is valuable and limited, but volunteering for a few hours a week can have many personal benefits.  Volunteers often express a sense of achievement, which comes from the desire and enthusiasm to help. When you’re doing something you love, you have the motivation to go back.  We can’t all do everything, but giving a little bit of time can make your community a little bit better.

Benefit #3: Connecting with others

Giving back to the community is a great way to connect with other members of the community.  If you get involved in an organization that involves something you’re passionate about, you will meet plenty of people who feel the same way.  Think about a specific niche that speaks to you – the hungry, children, animals, etc. and see what’s available in your area. Volunteering is also a great way to connect with the organization and find more ways that you can help.

Benefit #4: Goodwill for Business

Participating in community events, making donations of time or money, etc. all lead to a positive connotation for the public about your business. These acts prove that your business cares about its customers, environment, town, etc. From a public relations perspective, it’s important that your businesses target audience and community members hold your company in high regard or at least believe you have good intentions. These are some good options to start that trend.

I hope that you’ve been inspired to get more involved with the community!

Doing our part, PTE is currently hosting CAN IT!, a food drive benefiting Community Cooperative Ministries, Inc. (CCMI).  We’re trying to “put hunger in its place this Thanksgiving,” collecting donations from now until November 23^rd at noon.  Please, help us reach our goal of 500 items!

By Sarah Reaves,
PR Intern at Pushing the Envelope, Inc.

#1 – Resume

Interactive, color, POP! Not the three words that come to mind when you sit down to write a resume.

Communicating is essential in PR so when you can interact and share your creativity through your resume it will (hopefully) up your chances of getting the job.

Fortunately, PR gives you the opportunity to get creative and interact with your audience (i.e. your future boss). I used Photoshop to create my resume but I understand that Photoshop is pricey (especially on a college kid’s budget) and takes some getting used to. I have access to Photoshop via FGCU’s Mac lab but don’t worry if you don’t have the luxury of an on-campus Mac lab. I made almost the exact same copy of my resume using word art and text boxes on Microsoft Word. I wouldn’t suggest adding sparkles or rainbow borders, but a little color doesn’t hurt and definitely stands out. In order to land my previous internship with the Minnesota Twins I added a simple gray baseball in the right corner of my resume and my internship coordinator still talks about it. Bosses see numerous black and white resumes so when they finally come across one with color or one that catches their eye they will appreciate the extra effort.

 #2 – Resources

Social media is one of the fastest and easiest resources to network and put your name out there to future employers.

By no means will I ever (ever, ever, EVER) be the “queen of social media” and I don’t aim to be. The Internet and I don’t always see eye to eye, but I’ve learned that online resources are crucial in PR.

It sounds effortless but keeping your LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, Facebook, etc. profiles current is vital because you never know who is posting a new opportunity or who is looking to hire. They are also great places to post a new blog post or one of your recently published news releases. It gives employers the chance to sample your work. You can turn your social media account into your online professional portfolio.

I know it is easier to delete the annoying e-mails of who added you to their LinkedIn network, who is following you on Twitter, etc. but take a few minutes to do some research. These people are adding/following you for a reason and the saying “it’s all about who you know” might be true. They might be your next boss or could have connections to that internship you’ve been dreaming of landing. Never take your resources for granted and stay on top of who is who in the social media world.

Don’t forget that future employers will probably check your Facebook profile too! Be conscientious of what you post and what kind of viewing capabilities you allow visitors. Not everyone needs to see your sorority pictures or otherwise…

#3 – Real World Experience

Okay, so I may have cheated on this “R” because obviously the key word here is “experience”. I cannot stress enough how important real world experience is. Internships are like a test drive of real life. I consider my internships as bridges. They are my connecting link from college life to the real world.

I can honestly say that I would be lost in PR if I didn’t have internships. I know they are time consuming, but you only have 4 years to intern before you are thrown into the real world. Paid internships are almost unheard of, but even if you can squeeze in 5 hours a week you’ll be better off. Soak it all in while you’re there. I know how it feels to have to pay rent, buy books, groceries, etc., but you can make it work. Last year, I saved my birthday and Christmas money to get me by while I interned with the Twins over spring training. It’s tough but it is possible and definitely worth it.

Hope this helps you if you’re looking to get an internship or even if you’re already in the real world!

This week, it’s time to look at the social etiquette of Facebook posts and some reasoning behind it. Some of these points relate to managing content for your businesses Facebook Page, and others pertain to your behavior as an individual. However, many of us (via our personal Facebook profiles) are representatives of the brands we work for, so proper social etiquette is a must, even when we’re off the clock.

Just a note: After reading, I would love for you to comment with your favorite Facebook faux pas below.

DO NOT: Constantly self-promote.

DO: Provide a variety of different types of content, balanced with some promotional elements. We are passionate about the work we do, and it’s easy to fall into a pattern of constant self-promotion. However, we are using the social space to build relationships, right? At Pushing the Envelope, Inc., we recommend a 4:1 ratio. That means for every four interesting, useful, creative posts you make, you can post one promotional or sales driven post.

DO NOT: Invite me to everything.

DO: Again, provide a variety of content! Be careful of over-inviting people to your events, meetings, groups, etc. This also includes sending updates to fans. All of these actions result in a notification message being sent to other Facebook users. It’s important to keep the 4:1 ratio when inviting your fans.

On a side note, if you want me to take you seriously, definitely keep me unaware of your virtual playgrounds. No one cares about your mafiatown or happyville.

DO NOT: Post about every part of your day. TMI!

DO: Post useful, engaging content. This may seem like common sense, but we’ve all seen posts about someone that is bored, going out to the store, etc. While this probably won’t drive people away, how does it help build relationships?

DO NOT: Exhibit unrestrained braggadocio.

DO: Plug yourself, every now and then, using discretion. Every now and then, you deserve a pat on the back. However, since it doesn’t actually help your users, it’s important to keep your kudos in check. This is probably a good place to note that liking your own status isn’t fooling anybody.

DO NOT: Post an inspirational quote everyday.

DO: Not sure what to put here. Inspirational quotes are lame.

It’s time for Pushing the Envelope, Inc. to empower YOU! If you see someone exhibiting bad social media form, be sure to issue them this social media citation:

Next week we’ll look into more social media best practices… If your business is in need of some social media reform (or since we’re the social media police: “rehabilitation”) please call us today at 239.221.2858, or email Alex Fernandez, Social Media Strategist, at alex@getpushing.com.

I was not an English major, nor a journalism or communication major, but I am committed to using good grammar and helping my team, colleagues and even my friends and family use it. Call it a pet peeve, but good grammar is VERY important.

Whether you are a car salesman, Congressman or other kind of professional, it’s important to use the English language properly. In this spur-of-the-moment blog post I’ll give a few reasons why and some resources for keeping your communication skills sharp!

Professionalism & Proof of Intelligence

First of all, using good grammar exudes professionalism and proves your intelligence! If you know how to do your job, excel at it, but can’t effectively communicate what you do or when you are doing it, it will undoubtedly be hard for someone to trust your skills.

In our personal lives communication is prevalent too. We communicate in writing and verbally via conversations. Bad grammar tends to be more obvious when written – “your” in place of “you’re” for example – but saying “I’m doing good” vs. “I’m doing well” or “I feel bad” vs. “I feel badly” can be equally blatant and make you look equally uneducated.

To that point, Brian Clark of CopyBlogger, a fav of mine, put together a list of 5 Grammatical Errors that Make You Look Dumb. Of course, “you’re” and “your” made the top, but there are some others that you should be aware of too.

Good Grammar in 140 Characters

When it comes to social media, there’s a lot of grammar leeway. Punctuation gets left out. Words are abbreviated. I understand this is sometimes necessary, but let’s think about the generation of young people growing up with the “text language” of LOL, C U L8R, etc. as their primary form of
“written” communication. We must all remember that there is a time and place for shortcuts, but that’s not in professional writing, emails, thank you notes, etc.

So I’ve ranted a bit, now it’s time for some resources…

• Grammar Girl -From irregular verbs and fragments to punctuation, this site is packed with resources for all things grammar. Plus, they are socially engaged on Facebook and Twitter.
• For my public relations and writing professional colleagues, the AP Stylebook should be your guide! The 2011 edition is out and even includes a social media section! Check it out.
• Use Harvard’s Tips on Grammar, Punctuation and Style. They might know what they’re talking about.
• Seemingly obvious, but PROOF. Read and reread what you write before you send it to anyone. If you want to be doubly sure, have someone else check it.

Now, go forth and prosper… using good grammar of course!

STOP!

So many times, we see businesses misuse Facebook by creating friend or Group pages for their marketing efforts instead of creating business pages. Facebook Pages are the correct way to establish an effective business presence on Facebook. Creating an actual business page has several benefits:

• More real estate for your company’s branding, via custom page tabs.  Using consistent branding throughout your page and on custom Facebook tabs increases your brand’s visual impact on Facebook users. You can also use custom tabs to accommodate your marketing efforts, such as driving email collections or driving traffic to specific landing pages.
• The ability to assign multiple admins to manage the page. With Facebook Pages, you can have several admins to help you respond to users, manage/remove content, and adjust page settings as needed. Admins can also consist of vendors outside of your company that help you create content (much like what we do for some of our clients).
• Transferability of page ownership, from one person to another. Every now and again, people change companies or leave the company they work for. After managing Facebook Pages for the past few years, I can tell you that Facebook Pages are a great way to keep ownership of this social media asset within the company.  Imagine if you had a friend profile, and an employee changed the password before leaving your company. They could essentially take your asset with them!
• Leveraging targeted updates for news and events. Facebook Pages allow you either send updates to all of your fans at once (think of itas an Email blast on Facebook) or you can target the update to fans of a certain demographic (age, gender, location, etc.). This is an extremely effective, cost efficient way to get a message out to your audience. However! Do not abuse this feature, or you will see your unsubscribe numbers on the rise. Make sure the updates you send are of interest to your fans/likers, and generally no more than once a week
• Facebook Insights. The biggest advantage of a Facebook Page over a friend profile or Group page is Insights. Facebook Pages come loaded automatically with some pretty robust analytics to measure how effective your communications are over time. If you haven’t already please make sure to take some time to view your page’s insights. You’ll be surprised how much you can find out about your audience!
• Tag Cautiously. Another violation of the Facebook User License Agreement is unauthorized tagging of multiple users. I’ve seen many businesses and people alike post a picture or video, and then tag everyone they know in order to drive them to it. While this certainly creates buzz for your content, it is not ethical to tag someone as “in” a certain photo, and according to the User Agreement, this is a violation of privacy. A best practice we follow is to send a friendly private message asking permission from the user, or asking guests at events to sign photography waivers.
• Keep your Contests and Giveaways OFF of Facebook, well, kind of. This one can be a bit ambiguous for marketers. A popular marketing tactic for increasing the number of users to visit/like their business’ pages is to offer an incentive, run a contest, announce a giveaway, etc. Contests/Giveaways/Lotteries are NOT to be administered on Facebook, because it is not legal to force someone to perform an action, such as commenting, liking, or posting, in order to be entered. HOWEVER, if you administer the offer completely separate from the users action on your page, you are okay. For example, using a custom Facebook tab to administer a contest is legal, because custom tabs are considered third party applications. Make sense?

Next week we’ll be looking at the DOs and DON’Ts of Facebook and the reasons behind many of Facebook’s best practices. If your business is in need of some social media reform (or since we’re the social media police: “rehabilitation”) please call us today at 239.221.2858, or email Alex Fernandez, Social Media Strategist, at Alex@Getpushing.com.