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Social Media

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Social Media articles by the best and brightest in the field

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  • Why All the Talk About Dog Food?by Aaron Strout
    Have you ever heard the expression "eat your own dog food"? It's a concept that essentially means that one is "walking the talk," or leading by example. Many companies have talked about being "customer-focused," but how many really are? Unfortunately, just saying you're committed to doing something is dramatically different from actually doing it. There is no place where this idea is truer than in the world of social media and online communities. more
  • 13 Essential Social-Media 'Listening Tools'by Clay McDaniel
    You're a marketer who's hip to the idea of social media: You have a blog, you know Facebook inside and out, and you can Tweet with the best of them. But the big question is, Are you listening as well as talking? Here are some of the top tools for listening to and monitoring the online chatter about your brand. more
  • How Businesses Can Use Social Media to Shorten the Sales CyclePremium Contentby Barbara Bix
    How can businesses use social media to shorten the sales cycle? And how can marketers measure the ROI of their social media investments? more
  • Whether and How to Build a Branded Customer CommunityPremium Contentby Kimberly Smith
    First, there were blogs. Next came mass-market social-networking sites. Now some companies are bringing it all under one roof and hosting their own interactive online customer communities. Should yours be doing the same? Well, to quote an oft-quoted answer, "it depends." more
  • How to Measure Engagement on Twitter—and Savor the Tweet Smell of Successby Jim Sterne
    If you are on Twitter to represent your company, your boss will probably soon ask you to prove the value that your tweets have to your business, if he or she hasn't already asked. So how do you know whether your followers are listening or whether you're just tweeting in the wind? How do you know whether tweets about topic X have more or less value than tweets about topic Y? more
  • Social Media's 'Gee-Whiz Factor' Must Die: Time to Get Down to BusinessPremium Contentby Chris Brogan
    Social media is cool! Blogging and podcasts are cool! We're so cutting edge! Yeah, whatever. The people looking at social media long and hard fall into a few camps, and this article is for those who are scrunching their noses up and asking, "How exactly does social media improve my business?" more
  • Three Steps to Making Valuable Customer Connections on FacebookPremium Contentby Kimberly Smith
    Facebook provides marketers the ability to directly connect with customers, and potential customers, on a deep and personal level. If you're not leveraging that opportunity to cement relationships and differentiate yourself in the mind of the consumer, you're opening the door to competitors who are. more
  • Terms, Shmerms! Why Business Can't Afford to Get Distracted by Facebook's Usage Policiesby Crosby Noricks
    There's been a lot of brouhaha of late about Facebook's ill-fated attempt to change its terms of service to maintain licensing rights of terminated accounts—and understandably so. The issue of customer data ownership is an important one. However, many businesses with an active presence on the social site are now fearful of getting caught up in any ensuing consumer backlash, and they are wondering what to do—keep our Facebook pages or move on to someplace safer? The short answer is, Right now, just keep focusing on connecting with your customers wherever they are (and they are still, absolutely, on Facebook, in droves). more
  • The Top 4 Ways Smart Marketers Use Digital Branding Applications to Operate More Efficientlyby Allen P. Adamson
    As part of the research I did in preparation for my recent book, BrandDigital, I interviewed some of the best and brightest people in the fields of marketing and digital technology, and they provided incredible insight on how digital tools and tactics can be used to not simply increase operating efficiency but also increase customer loyalty. Here I share some of those insights, with specific focus on my conversation with Bob Pearson, Vice-President of Communities and Conversations at Dell. Though Dell is a computer manufacturer, the ideas that Bob discussed can be adopted by any organization, no matter what size, industry, or level of technological acumen. more
  • The Dark Side of Twitter: What Businesses Need to Knowby Michael A. Stelzner
    As companies tighten their ad spending, inexpensive social media is clearly the next marketing frontier. As with any new craze, there are enormous opportunities. And with them come giant pitfalls that must be avoided. more
  • Three Essential Market-Research Methods in an Online Communityby John Kembel
    How much do you know about your customers right now, at this moment? A lot of companies can show you composite profiles that describe their target customers, including job titles, needs, obligations, and goals. No doubt about it: It's important to know those things. But relying solely on such information to connect with customers is like trying to strike up a conversation with a cardboard cutout. It just isn't enough. more
  • How Do I Love Thee...? Ten Tips for Using Web 2.0 to Give Back to Your Professional Networkby William Arruda
    Effective networking is all about giving. One of the best ways to give to your network members is to help them build their personal brands. And if you help them build their brands on the Web, you demonstrate how savvy you are about the new Web 2.0 world we live in. And, for marketers, being savvy about social media is essential! Here's a list of 10 free or very low-cost Web 2.0–focused personal-branding gifts. more
  • Deliver a One-Two Punch: Tap the Synergy Between Email and Social Mediaby Ross Kramer
    There are many similarities between social-media marketing and email; but they are two distinct marketing channels, and they should be used separately to enhance or magnify, not just promote, each other. Think of it this way: Social media is for awareness; email is for retention. more
  • Why You Are Unpopular Online: Six Ways to Doom Your Community-Building EffortsPremium Contentby Mack Collier
    Companies are increasingly looking to create vibrant and healthy online communities for their businesses. But many companies are seeing their efforts fail or produce flat results. Here are six reasons why many online communities never materialize, and what you can do to improve your own efforts to build online communities. more
  • Online Reputation Management: A View From the Topby Leslie Gaines-Ross
    The first few months of 2009 have already been tumultuous for reputations. So what can be done? Below, some of the findings of that online-reputation study as they relate to seven realities of managing online reputation in today's world—and some solutions to strengthen your reputation in the months ahead. more
  • Reading Your Buyers' Digital Body Language: A How-To Guideby Steve Woods
    Today's buyer is in control. This transition means that our sales teams are no longer required as a conduit of information. Industry websites, vendor sites, blogs, social media, and search all make the required information readily available and, by doing so, leave the sales representative out of the room. As a result, it's impossible for the sales rep to read a buyer's physical body language to understand what aspects of a message are of interest and determine whether the prospect wants to move forward. Marketing teams must therefore instead read a buyer's digital body language—his or her Web activities, email responses, search activities, and engagements in events and demos—to understand what messages are working. more
  • Secrets of Viral Video: Three Keys to Launching a Campaign That ResonatesPremium Contentby Kimberly Smith
    Video viewing is way up, but so are video postings. These days, it takes more than a dancing baby to attract eyeballs and gather viral momentum. Here's a straightforward guide for netting your audience's attention, with advice from organizations that are working video to their advantage. more
  • Advice to Out-of-Workers: Read This Before You 'Network' With Meby Lori Feldman
    Before you ask me to go to work for you, go to work for yourself. When you've implemented the suggestions above, I'm more receptive to helping you connect with your next job opportunity. But I don't have time or inclination to work with job-seeking networking spammers. Heed the lesson of the online social networkers: "It's the relationship, stupid." You won't stay unemployed forever. But the work you put into documenting your accomplishments online and taking an interest in others in your field is a long-term investment in yourself. more
  • 10 High-Impact, Low-Budget Ideas for Marketing in a Down Economy (Part 1)by Jonathan Kranz
    When the going gets tough, the tough get... cheap. Today, a good marketing idea has to be as inexpensive as it is clever. In this first of a two-part series are five inexpensive suggestions that can lead to productive results. more
  • Four Steps to Marketing Smarter (and for Less) in Today's EconomyPremium Contentby Kimberly Smith
    The economy is sour, consumers aren't buying, and the competitive landscape is mutating. What's a marketer to do? Well, you can start by following advice from the likes of Tim Berry, Seth Godin, David Meerman Scott, Bryan Eisenberg, and Jonathan Salem Baskin, as they discuss marketing smarter, and for less. more

Social Media: See all 165 marketing articles

Social Media case studies, deconstructing real life examples and illustrating lessons learned

Social Media: See all 36 case studies

Social Media online seminar broadcasts from the best minds in marketing

Social Media: See all 31 seminars

Social Media mini articles distilling bite-sized advice (from our Get to the Point newsletters)

  • Where SEO Yin Meets SM YangSearch Engine Marketing
    "Is your website search- and social-media-friendly?" inquires a recent post at the Online Marketing Blog. According to Lee Odden, search is the most efficient and effective way for consumers to ...
  • Team Up for Social MediaMarketing Inspiration
    Managing your social-media presence can be a full-time job. And in a pair of videos embedded at the HubSpot blog, Mike Volpe interviews Paula Bergs about Southwest's Emerging Media team, ...
  • Stupid—But Enlightened About ItMarketing Inspiration
    What's worse? A stupid marketer who remains blissfully unaware of his ignorance, or one who recognizes—and embraces—his stupidity? In a YouTube homage to Christopher Guest, Kevin Nalty (aka Nalts) adopts ...
  • Is This My Fairest URL of All?Interactive Marketing
    As of June 13, Facebook has made it possible for users to secure a URL for both their profiles and any Facebook Pages they administer. Why this matters: Facebook is ...
  • You Have Much to Learn, GrasshopperMarketing in a Downturn
    In a post at the Marketing Minute, blogger Drew McLellan admits he gets some rather strange mail. "But I have to say," he notes, "chocolate-covered grasshoppers might just top the ...
  • Mom Probably Knows BestEmail Marketing
    In a post at the Deliverability.com blog, Dennis Dayman presents a short series of off-the-cuff emails that his wife wrote in response to his question about video in email marketing ...
  • Seed That Video and Reap Its HarvestInteractive Marketing
    Good news for all you budding Spielbergs out there: YouTube this month made it possible to automatically seed freshly uploaded videos across popular social networks like Facebook and Twitter, and even ...
  • You Want Me to Shave Where?!Marketing Inspiration
    If you're a man, your father probably taught you how to shave your face. It's highly improbable, though, that he included a lesson on shaving the rest of your body. ...
  • Mixology 101Email Marketing
    In a post at the Daily Fix blog, Stephanie Miller says you don't have to choose between the social and email channels. "No need to take sides, my friends," she ...
  • Be a Pocket MillionaireInteractive Marketing
    Right in time for the much-anticipated iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update debut on June 17, AdMob has introduced a slew of ad units that will help enterprising advertisers make the most ...
  • Pack 'Em InSmall Business
    In a post at the Viral Garden blog, Mack Collier discusses why so many companies struggle to launch and maintain active online communities. To find success, you'll need more than ...
  • Ebony and IvoryMarketing Inspiration
    Rodney King famously asked, "Can we all get along?" And in a delightfully low-tech video currently making its way through the blogosphere, Red House Furniture of High Point, North Carolina, ...
  • The Sweet Sound of the B2B TweetB2B Marketing
    Unsure of the worth of a B2B tweet? That's not surprising. After all, the Twitter rage is much more of a B2C social media thing, right? Well, not according to ...
  • Tell Your Own StoryMarketing Inspiration
    Gary Vaynerchuk calls 'em like he sees 'em. And the irrepressible advocate for social media took to his website to ask why so many companies prepare for anticipated criticism with ...
  • So This is What You Look Like!Interactive Marketing
    A cool thing is happening through sites like blogging service Xanga, review site Yelp, and Twitter. Some of their faithful users have started attending meet-ups, where folks who interact online and ...
  • No Chocolate in the Peanut Butter!Email Marketing
    "There are many similarities between social media marketing and email," says Ross Kramer in an article at MarketingProfs, "but they are two distinct marketing channels and they should be used ...
  • The Foolishness of Fencing in FacebookSmall Business
    In a post at the Acidlabs blog, Stephen Collins points to the results of a recent survey that found a whopping 55 percent of Australian employers blocked workplace access to ...
  • When a Viral Pandemic Is GoodMarketing Inspiration
    Things were different in 2007, when Saturday Night Live aired "Lazy Sunday"—a hip-hop ode to movie-going—and a copy of the clip went whizzing around the Internet. "Back then," says Maria ...
  • Put Sociability in B2B SalesHigh-Tech Mktg & Sales
    If you haven't embraced some form of social networking in your B2B sales organization, chances are you're wondering how to start. Not surprisingly, sales experts have different viewpoints on how ...
  • Tell 'Em What You ThinkB2B Marketing
    "One of the best ways to grow your blog, is to leave it," says Mack Collier in a recent post at The Viral Garden. "What I mean by this is, ...

Social Media: See all 149 quick reads

Social Media marketing downloads for the busy professional

Social Media: See all 9 downloads

Social Media Daily Chirp for the busy professional

  • Twitter and Trolls and Squatters... Oh My!
    Recently, St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa sued Twitter for the misappropriation of his name by an anonymous account holder (the now vacant @TonyLaRussa) who had a whopping four followers. One issue that the incident brings to mind is Web anonymity and the plethora of online trolls, squatters, and the like that reside on social sites such as Twitter and Digg. more
  • Marketing Addictionary: 'Bird-of-mouth'
    Bird-of-mouth (noun): The spreading of news or information via Twitter. more
  • Streaming Music 2.0
    Top 40. Jazz. Alternative. To stream music online, you have several choices. Whether you want radio or individual songs, some of the more popular sites are radio paradise Pandora, Last.fm, iLike and imeem—and a relatively new site. more
  • Website URLs Are so 2005
    Social network popularity is growing. So much that even TV is noticing. Major brands now list URLs not to their websites but to the social networks that they're on. "Look for us on Facebook" or "Follow us on Twitter" is becoming more widespread. more
  • We Love Eric
    We've seen the power of Twitter's community used for good: spreading vital information during natural disasters, distributing Amber Alerts, and raising money for charities. Now imagine using not only Twitter's power but also the celebrity of the Nine Inch Nails. more
  • Marketing Addictionary: 'Headfake'
    Headfake (noun): A situation in which you are familiar with a person's online avatar picture, which gives you an inaccurate idea of how that person appears in real life. more
  • Twitter in Real Life
    Twitter has swept the world as an Internet phenomenon. What would it be like if we lived out our offline lives speaking in 140 characters or less? The results would be hilarious, if this video is any evidence. more
  • Roll Your Own: 'Mother of the Year' Video
    If you're a mother, or perhaps you have one, check out this fun promotion by MomsRising.org to celebrate someone you consider "Mother of the Year." more
  • Twitter + Wine = Dream Job
    With all that negativity about today's job market, a bit of lightheartedness doesn't hurt, right? Well, looks like Murphy-Goode Winery in Sonoma City, has done so by creating THE dream job for a Twitter and Facebook power user who's a wino (no joke). more
  • Connecting Twitter with the Real World
    Twitter has seen massive growth as an online communications tool, especially with the recent influx of celebrity personas (Ashton, Oprah) using it. But perhaps no celebrity has found more success with Twitter than Tony Hawk, who is using it to bridge both his real and his virtual communities. What are the lessons for marketers? more
  • Marketing Addictionary: 'Mobsmacked'
    Mobsmacked: (adjective) That stunned feeling you get when your marketing efforts worked TOO well, and you can't keep up with customer demand. more
  • Do You Have Good Facebook Manners?
    The social-media world can be a landmine. Luckily, it's fairly easy to be schooled in good Facebook manners. Check out this video on proper etiquette on Facebook, the "electric friendship generator." more
  • This Is Your Brain on Twitter
    Earlier this month, a doctoral student developed a way to post messages on Twitter using only the mind. The discovery could be a lifeline for people with paralysis, offering them a way to communicate when they cannot otherwise speak or move. more
  • Hold the Plastic
    Susan Boyle wowed the world when she recently debuted on "Britain's Got Talent." What are the lessons in her success for marketers? more
  • Marketing Addictionary: 'Social Notworking'
    Social Notworking: (noun) The pursuits of those who spend their workday on Twitter. more

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