Digital Marketing, Twitter

Hootsuite Recommendation for Social Business

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There are a number of good utilities available for managing multiple social media and social networking properties like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Hootsuite has become our recommendation and the tool we are implementing for clients. Here are some of our main reasons:

  1. Multiple accounts: Hootsuite allows you to manage multiple Twitter profiles, LinkedIn profiles, Facebook profiles and Facebook pages.  It allows posting to one, many or all accounts at the same time.  You can also organize tabs and columns to group accounts by personal preference.
  2. Browser integration: We recommend Mozilla Firefox and Hootsuite has an add-in that is required for our clients to make sharing information and scheduling tweets and post in advance an easy task.team members
  3. Metrics: skip the url shortener, Hootsuite does it for you but adds tracking for each link
  4. Security/User control: Multiple users can log-in to Hootsuite and have privileges to the same account without access to the primary user-name and password.  this is a deal-maker for any entity that wants to spread responsibility for social accounts across more than one person.
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Facebook, Marketing ROI, Social Media Marketing, Twitter

Getting Social Media Education Right

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It’s harder than I thought it would be. Isn’t everything? We’re offering classes in social media and attendance online has been low. It’s mostly due to how we’re marketing. That, and the fact that we’re charging for a class that many may think they can learn elsewhere for free. Not so. I’ve taken a lot of the online free stuff. Simply put, you usually get what you pay for…not that I haven’t pulled an idea or two from a free webinar. Our classroom experience in teaching Social Media Fast Start for business was different.

We had a full and engaged classroom. Attendance was all over the map with representatives from small business, government, non-profit, corporate and “my mom sent me.” I was excited and having fun, and I think the class was too. So, i didn’t get to about 1/3 of my slides. I found myself torn between getting everyone’s questions answered and covering the material as promised.

This seems to be an ongoing challenge – I’ve now spoken to a variety of groups and the conversation goes in so many directions. There are many questions about how to do social media and market online. So, once again, based on customer and student feedback, we’re making some changes.

Our launch begins with a new 11Am – 415PM classroom workshop that includes the initial professional photography and a video clip needed to get online appropriately.  We’ll have enough time to cover basic tools, online properties and the know-how to get started marketing online.   We’re also offering free webinars in addition to more specialized online classes like Facebook Privacy and Security and Twitter Ethics and behavior.

We welcome feedback on what you think your biggest challenge is so that we can address it in class.

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Internet Marketing, Social Technology, Twitter, Uncategorized

Twitter – looking past spam and celebrity tweets

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I’m often asked questions like, “What is Twitter?” and, “How is Twitter useful?” It can be easier to demonstrate than it is to talk about and explain – at least it is for me. The real technological capability above and beyond the “What are you doing?” phenomenon is just beginning to be tapped. And, the opportunity for invention and creative application reaches beyond the mainstream noise. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find interesting examples of how twitter is much more than just another way for the MLM crowd to spam you!

Often I reference a story about a college student that “twitterized” his laundry machines to announce availability.  This could have saved me a lot of trips to the basement of my dorm freshman year.  The twitter feed is http://twitter.com/laundryroom.

Here’s Justin Wicket’s video on how he’s set up his lights to go on and off by sending a tweet via text:

Control Lights with Twitter from Justin Wickett on Vimeo.

And this from Gizmodo: “Ryan Rose added an ethernet port and a limit switch to his washer to detect on/off cycles and transmit the data in a more forceful way than some lame “ding” sound. When Ryan’s drawers are done, his washer sends the signal to a couple of LED signs in his living room that flash “WASH,” as well as sending Tweets to his questionably-named Twitter account, Pimpy3Wash.”567813_com_botanicall

Another great example is the Botanicalls House Plant Twitter Kit.  It’s still very Do-it-yourself with regard to assembly, but you can use twitter to monitor your plant and whether or not it’s getting the water it needs.  It’s discussed on thinkgeek.com as well.

Have some other examples of unique uses of twitter or other social technology tools? Please comment or send us a tweet ~ @socialmediapath.

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Facebook, Internet Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Social Technology, Twitter, youtube

Social Media Skills 101 Class

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Registration is available for: Social Media Skills 101
Location: 3665 Bleckley St., Suite 101, Mather, CA 95655.

Description: Based on student demand and a need for better clarity around social media tools, Social Media Path has partnered with Peppers.TV to offer live, classroom Do-it-yourself education.
You get:
• A cursory overview of the how and why of Social Media
• Social online guidelines for business
• What web sites to use the most and how to use them
• How-to get fans and followers
• How-to build online \”expert\” proof that leads to subscribers and sales
• Time-saving browser tips
• How-to make your writing Google friendly
We’ll cover:
• Blogging
• Linkedin
• Facebook
• Youtube
• Twitter
Our class is fun, engaging, insightful and jargon-free. Best of all, you’ll leave with a renewed sense of how to build interactive online marketing into your business day without feeling overwhelmed. Social Media Skills 101 will alleviate any fear or apprehension of embracing social technology.
Start Time: 14:00
Date: 2009-06-25
End Time: 16:00

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