PTE on Social Fresh East 2013

 

By: Tiffany Whitaker

Communications Ally

In April our Grand Poobah, Samantha Scott, APR, gave us (me and Alex Fernandez, our Internet Marketing Strategist) the incredible opportunity to attend the 2013 Social Fresh East conference in Tampa, Florida. The event included numerous guest speakers presenting a wide range companies.  From JetBlue to ESPN to author and marketer, Chris Brogan, we were inundated with insights, thought provoking concepts and marketing advice from top strategists in the industry.  Here of a few highlights from segments and that inspired me:

Don’t worry about content, worry about “Youtility”

In Jay Baer’s segment, Youtility: Why Smart Companies are Helping, not Selling, he talked about a kind of marketing that was so useful, people would pay for it. In a world where everyone is on social (your Mom, your sister, your grandparents, your best friend… and your favorite hang-out), companies are competing for attention.  Mr. Baer, a best-selling author, asked, “Are you more interesting than my wife?” That’s the level your content needs to be at!

So, what is “Youtility”? In summary, it’s content that educates, informs, helps the customer… it answers the consumer’s questions. Did you know B2B customers contact a sales representative after more than 70% of the purchase decision is already made? He offered up a great example executed by Hilton Hotels and their activity on Twitter. A customer of Magnolia Hotel, a competitor, on Twitter asked where there were some good local restaurants in the area. Hilton Hotels responded with helpful suggestions. Do you think the chance of that customer checking for a room a Hilton Hotel will increase on their next visit? Most likely.

Remember, Youtility is not a project; it is a process that never ends.

If Content is King, Connection is Queen

Ted Rubin, a leading social media strategist, provided insight into content creation, building relationships, and connecting. In his segment, Content Creation is the Ultimate Fan Advocacy, Mr. Rubin pointed out a common question we (social media advocates) hear from potential clients all the time, “What is the ROI of social? He went on to explain that the answer is… actually another question.

What is the ROI of Trust? Loyalty? Social media is a means of building relationships with your customers and to do that we must provide emotionally connected content! So, how do you connect with people in a way that builds a relationship? Build trust. With interaction as a foundation, a company must be true to their word, authentic, genuine and consistent. He referenced Saks and how they hug their customers instead of just handing them a bag after a purchase.  On social media, look to embrace your customers, hear them, and aim for ongoing engagement. “Relationships are the new currency… honor them, invest in them, start measuring your ROR.”

Remember, social is not the relationship itself and just “being on social” is not enough to build relationships.

Don’t be Data Rich and Insight Poor

The Campbell Company’s leader of social media and digital marketing, Adam Kmiec stresses, “Don’t measure data if you’re not going to do something with it!” And you should be doing something with it. Mr. Kmiec’s segment, Building an Insights Driven Social Organization, focused on insights, not data. We must turn data into insights and insights into action or it’s useless.

So, how do you accomplish this? He advises finding the right platform to measure (and we know there are so many that is a feat in itself) is the first step. Decide what you want from the model/platform (part of the planning process we’ve stressed so many times before).  Then, choose the one that will get you the right data so that you are capable of gathering the insights you need. Leverage those insights by turning them into action. Simply, capitalize on strengths and improve where weak. Identify missed opportunities and take advantage of them moving forward.

Remember, having the numbers isn’t enough. That’s just the start. Use them to determine what’s working (and what isn’t) and then implement plans to enhance your efforts moving forward.

Hungry for more?

For more insights and advice on maximizing your social media efforts, visit our NEW website , follow us on Facebook, or give us a call at (239) 221-2858.

Social Media Day 2012!

June 30th is recognized internationally as Social Media Day. It’s kind of a big deal around these parts… Check out how PTE is participating.

 

So, who’s your favorite PTE-er who’s bringing social media to life?

Twitter Chats – Using Twitter for More than 140 Characters

By: Susan Frantz
Online Communications Assistant

Most people think of Twitter as short bursts of information or tweets. You get 140 characters and that’s it. Both of those ideas are true, but there’s another way to use Twitter – chats.

You may be thinking, Twitter chat, I’ve never heard of that before? That’s okay… Twitter chats can open up a whole new world of possibilities for you in the twitter-sphere and I can’t wait to tell you about them!

First things first, perhaps we should review some background information about Twitter. For those of you who don’t know (where have you been hiding?), Twitter is an online social networking platform that allows users to send “micro blogs” of up to 140 characters, called tweets. As a member of Twitter, or a tweeter, you can follow anyone from Madonna to your mom. You can also follow conversations and trends that people are talking about on Twitter through hashtags. By simply putting a pound sign (#) in front of a word you are joining a conversation about that word, worldwide! For example, one of our favorite hash tags here at PTE is #SWFL. By adding this to our tweets we are joining in on the potentially world wide discussion about all things Southwest Florida.

TIP: Curious if your hashtag is popular or want to find some popular topics? Hashtag.org offers listing of virtually everyone you can think of PLUS a “hashtag trend graph” so you can see what’s hot in real time.

This brings us to the meat and potatoes of this blog, Twitter chats (also known as tweet chats). A Twitter chat is a gathering of people to discuss whatever it is that interests them. All you need to do is search the subject you would like to discuss in Twitter with a hash tag in front of it and voila! All of the tweets that are being posted about that subject are right there before your very eyes. Give it a try, in the twitter search bar type in #dogs and see what everyone in the twitter-sphere has to say about our favorite furry creatures. Want to take out the legwork? Use the live Twitter schedule available in Google docs! It’s open to anyone, anywhere is constantly being updated.

What’s even better is that the smart people of the Internet world have set up sites where you can follow and easily engage in a Twitter chat. One that I’ve become fond of is Tweetchat.com. This site creates a virtual chat room (going old school) based on tweets from people engaged in the chat, using the specific hashtag.

Mashable also offers a number of resources for Twitter chats including a list of chats specifically for social media marketers and some Twitter chat tips.

So there you have it, the mystery of Twitter chats has been solved! Now that you know what a Twitter chat is, have fun with it. Below you will find some links that might help to get you started. Enjoy!

Adding to the Award Wall!

We’ve done it again! The entire team at PTE is excited to share we brought home some gold from the Local Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) Image Awards today!

Susan, Annette, Samantha and Alex after winning the Award of Distinction

Alex Fernandez and Samantha Scott, APR received an Award of Distinction for their social media efforts on behalf of Cruise Naples. Work included creation of a social media campaign involving a custom-designed blog, Facebook page, Twitter account, Flickr, YouTube and video series, Foursquare and many other online communication efforts. All efforts exceeded campaign goals and showed marked growth in traffic to Cruise Naples’ accounts and website.

The Florida Public Relations Association is a statewide organization designed to promote professional and ethical public relations through professional development and community involvement. For more information about the local chapter, please visit www.fpraswfl.org.

Our Newest Addition – Susan!

We are excited to share we’ve recently expanded our team! Please join us in welcoming, Susan Frantz!

Susan is our Online Communication Assistant. She will coordinate social media and online communication efforts on behalf of PTE’s clients in Florida and around the country. From Facebook to Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest or YouTube, she’ll work closely with Alex to service all of our clients’ online communication needs.

Prior to joining Pushing the Envelope, Frantz worked in the marketing field for a variety of industries including retail and sports management, most notably the Orange Bowl. She is currently studying at Florida Gulf Coast University to obtain her Masters in Business Administration and already has her Bachelors in History from Rollins College and Masters in Education in Sports Administration from the University of Miami.

Want to congratulate her on the new gig? Shoot her an email at susan(at)getpushing.com or call (239) 221-2858!

5 Social Media Resources, OTHER THAN Facebook and Twitter

Another gem from our talented Internet Marketing Strategist, Alex Fernandez, this week we’re covering social media resources other than the obvious – Facebook and Twitter. From websites to tools, these are valuable resources anyone can use. There’s certain to be something covered for everyone…

#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/

3 Rs for Getting by in the PR World

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!

Google+… A big PLUS, for all of us

By now you probably know that there’s a new social network in town, and it’s not going away any time soon. Google+ has been hyped throughout the blogosphere as “the next big social network”. Some have even gone as far as calling “better than Facebook”.

So, should we freak out just yet? We all know that upstart social media websites can come and go like the wind… But this one is Google, and grew to over 10 million users in just 16 days, compared to the approximately 800 days it took Twitter or Facebook to reach the 10 million mark.

So why are people flocking to Google+? From what we’ve seen so far, it might be for good reason. Google+ has some very flattering traits:

Smart UI. It has a delightfully simple user interface. You log in, and there is a scarcity of crap. Google + is clean and easy to navigate. The “Circles” feature serves two purposes: sharing the right information with the right people, and viewing only the kind of information you want to view. Now you can share bad humor with your college buddies and not with your mom!

• Initial thought: IF Google+ becomes a behemoth like Facebook – and that’s still a big if – the Circles feature will force any marketer on Google+ to develop nothing but awesome content, or it will never be seen. This is because users can easily filter their activity by Circles. If they don’t want to see your boring, sales-y posts – they won’t.

Instant ubiquity. It’s a Google platform, and integrates with [most] other Google platforms seamlessly. Gmail, Google Talk, Google Reader, Google News, Google Calendar, and now Google+: All accessible and sharable with one login. You’ll notice the Google navigation bar received a facelift recently. The newly added “Share” button allows you to share any content viewed on any Google platform in Google+.

• Initial thought: This allows for super convenient and super rich posts! Check out this example: This person is sharing their location with Google Check-ins, with along with a Google Map, and a picture, right from their Google phone.

Unique features. Case in point: Hangouts. Essentially, Hangouts is a platform for spontaneous video chats. With hangouts, you can broadcast to any of your circles that you are up for hanging out. Up to 10 people can join in at one time, and share text, their screens, and YouTube videos. Other very notable features include Huddle (for texting in real time with a group of people) and Sparks (Google’s new “social media reader”).

• Initial thought: These are all great – but are people going to “get it”? Younger generations that have grown up on MySpace and Facebook might thrive on this technology, but will this be tech-overload for the masses?

Speed bumps for the future… There ARE some minuses when it comes to Google+.

1. For one, the most recently updated content rises to the top of the stream, no matter what it is. We’ve all seen the annoying Facebook posts that have 957 comments, and this is the kind of post that Google+ will keep right at the top of your stream!
2. Also, there’s no stream search? Seriously?! The worlds most popular search company didn’t build a stream search into their social network?
3. Also, it’s silly how many steps it takes to send a private message to someone. I won’t go into detail, just trust me.
4. And no YouTube integration? The new navigation bare and share button would be way cooler if it were on YouTube as well.
5. Lastly, although the Google+ team HAS addressed the issue: There are no business pages, and no marketing tools for businesses – yet.

Despite the minuses, and the uncertainty of any social network’s future, Google+ is an exciting new online experience for us to partake in. The best part about it, in this social media guy’s experience, is that other social networks (ehem… Facebook!) will certainly have to up their game in order to compete. So, whether Google+ succeeds or not – the Internet will become a better place for all users because of it.

Check it out for yourself, at plus.google.com.

3 Steps to Take for Social Media Awareness

Guest Post By: Alex Fernandez, Social Media Strategist at PTE

Creating social media awareness can be the difference between success and failure for any social media marketing campaign. It’s great that you’ve started to leverage social media, and you may have some great content ideas – but you have to let the world know that you’re here! Ask yourself: do your employees and customers have multiple chances to learn about your social media involvement each time they interact with the brand?

The array of opportunities to communicate that you’re using social media is only limited by your creativity. Still, there are several basic steps all should follow when getting started. Here are a few to consider:

Internal awareness comes first. This step is often overlooked, especially with larger companies. In the early stages of a social campaign (when accounts are being created): audience sizes are very small, and it’s not set in stone who will be doing what. Internal awareness solves this issue. Your initial social media advocates should be people working within the organization. Have a meeting with your leadership team to talk about how to spread the word, include social media as a topic in your next newsletter, email links to your social assets and ask for involvement – anything to get the word spreading internally.

Integrate with other communications. Social media should be treated like any media – it needs to be leveraged strategically. While there are many nuances to social etiquette, communications should still be aligned with your overall marketing strategy. Think back to when BestBuy started their Twelpforce campaign: BestBuy launched a 24/7 Twitter-based customer service platform, and created awareness for the campaign with a fully integrated ad campaign, including TV, print, and online display ads. If a large-scale campaign is out of the question, adding social icons and links to your website’s homepage and E-communications is a great start. Social media links should also be included in your email signature.

Add social cues to your print materials. This goes hand-in-hand with integrated marketing communications, but speaks more to attracting the offline world to your social media. For example, if you are having tri-fold brochures, postcards, POS materials, direct mail, or business cards printed, be sure to make sure they have URLs, social icons, or QR codes (a common practice targeting smart phone users) to promote your social media assets. Having these cues on your print materials provides a tangible reminder of your online community.

If your brand is leveraging all of the above means for creating social media awareness, then you are off to a great start! If not, implement some (or all) of the above strategies, and think up a few new ones while you’re at it!

Should you need assistance with your social media awesomeness… [shameless PTE plug] feel free to contact us!

www.getpushing.com | (239) 221 – 2858 | info{at}getpushing.com

How Social Media Can Improve Traditional Orgs, Including Veteran Affairs

In honor of Veteran’s Day yesterday Mashable, online reporter of just about everything to do with social media, posted an article about an Iraq war veteran who after getting off the phone with another Department of Veteran’s Affairs representative, who couldn’t explain his benefits, tweeted his frustration.

Aubrey Arcangel, who was no stranger to social media, decided to used what a buddy called a  “power tweet” to discuss his problem.  He didn’t expect what happened next. The following day he received a new direct message. The VA had tweeted him back responding to his issue.

This story proves social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook have changed the way traditional organizations reach their users.  Veteran organizations have begun to reach out online and have discovered veterans of all ages are adopting the benefits of social media. Traditional organizations are realizing social media has the ability to combat stereotypes by personalizing communication and holding people accountable, which all users appreciate.

“It’s almost liberating to know that you can contact them yourself through a different means and get a response.” – Aubrey Arcangel

A “power tweet” or not, expressing frustration, happiness or just simply sharing about a brand or company is nothing new in the social media world. Hashtags on Twitter like #fail are heavily used to mark a user’s dissatisfaction with a product or service and companies are taking note – even national organizations.

How can your company get on board? If your boss or corporate leaders don’t buy the “social media thing” explain it as a customer service tool. What better way to get direct feedback from consumers? They might actually be able to solve some problems, keep some disgruntled customers and maybe gain a few new ones!