As a Public Relations student, and member of Generation Y, I believe every company can be using social media! However, some company CEOs view the maintenance of social media websites as a lot of trouble, with little return. Their focus is numbers and many times it’s difficult to quantify the impact of activity across various social platforms.

In a podcast I recently listened to from a Ragan Communications Conference; Mark Ragan, CEO of Ragan Communications, plays the role of an executive who is unsure if social media is right for his organization while a panel tries to answer his questions on the adoption of social media and communication channels.  The panel consisted of David Biesack from SAS, Shel Holtz from Ragan Communications, Vida Killian from Dell, Terry McKenzie from Sun Microsystems, and Jim Ylisela from Ragan Communications.

Blogs?

The panel jump started on the topic of blogs. Although blogs do involve a commitment of creating posts, they allow customers to have a conversation with the company and it builds relationships and brand loyalty. Something I learned was that blogs also allow the company to be more transparent to their customers because it exposes the people of the corporation. Transparency in return builds trust! Although there is a chance that customers may post negative comments, one of the panelists stated, “There is no such thing as bad publicity”.

Negative Website?

Another question that was brought up was what to do if a website arises that shines negative light on your company? Mark Ragan asked if he should get his lawyers on it and write cease and desist letters. Surprisingly, the panel said that he should not do that because then the publicity would come back that the wealthier, more powerful man shut down the “little guy”. Instead, what the company should issue a response to the website.

Employees?

One of the great points brought up was about employee retention rate and keeping your employees happy! Many times, companies only focus on their customers because that is where their revenue is coming. They believe they will keep their employees as long as they are getting a paycheck from the company. However, looking at ROI, it costs a lot of money to replace an employee because of the training period and such. Dell came up with an internal site called EmployeeStorm in which employees can post their ideas with their name attached and the company can then take the top ideas posted and make changes necessary.

Although many times, the benefit of social media for a company isn’t easily quantifiable, it does not mean that it isn’t impactful. To hear this entire podcast follow this link!

This year’s Super Bowl didn’t really seem to have too many stand-out commercials. But the Acura commercial with Jerry Seinfeld was my favorite out of all of them. People are usually already in a great mood watching the Super Bowl because many of them are at parties, with family, friends, and eating food! So during the commercial breaks, they are hoping to be entertained and watch feel-good, funny commercials.

Having Jerry Seinfeld and Jay Leno in this commercial were pure genius! I love Jerry Seinfeld in the first place, but even if you don’t, everyone knows that he is a comedian and therefore they expect what he does to be funny. In this ad, Seinfeld wants so bad to have the new Acura NSX that he will stop at nothing to get it. He pulls out all the stops and in the very end when he thinks he won the “number one” guy over… Jay Leno swoops in with his “jet-pack-flying-squirrel suit” and wins the Acura NSX. This is funny on multiple levels because Leno is also a comedian, so it hints at rivalry between the two.

The target audience for this Super Bowl ad is middle-aged men. I’d say it is especially targeted at businessmen because of the negotiation aspect of the commercial. However, even if you aren’t a middle-aged man, you understand the humor of the commercial and get a good laugh at the witty and unique things that Seinfeld brings out to try to score the new Acura.

In Groundswell: Winning in a world transformed by social technologies authors Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff write about the importance of companies energizing the “base” (the most enthusiastic customers) so that positive publicity spreads naturally through word of mouth. Li and Bernoff write, “According to the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), word of mouth ‘is the most honest form of marketing, building upon people’s natural desire to share their experiences with family, friends, and colleagues.’”

3 Basic techniques for connecting with your brand’s enthusiasts:

1. Energizing with Ratings and Reviews. Enabling customers to write reviews on a brand’s website makes the site more credible. Groundswell states that:

• 96% of customers use online reviews to help them make purchases
• and 80% of reviews tend to be positive.

One certain company, eBags, used a negative review to energize one of it’s customers. Jim Noble, a computer security engineer from Georgia and frequent traveler, bought a laptop bag from eBags and the zipper failed. Ebags sent him a new bag the next day! What energized Jim was that the people at eBags actually listened to the review that Jim posted on their Web site, contacted him, and then improved the product.

2. Energizing by creating a community. People like to feel like they are apart of something. Companies should create community amongst their customers, making them feel like stakeholders in their business. Once a customer feels like a stakeholder and feels like they are part of the success, why would they ever want to leave?

3. Energizing an existing community. Some products develop such enthusiastic supporters that communities spring up naturally. When this happens, a company needs to respect the community. Groundswell states that “Community is about people’s needs to connect, not your need to control.”

One community that has a natural following already is Red Bull. Between Red Bull racing, Red Bull Flugtag, New Year’s No Limits, Red Bull Crashed Ice, and not to even mention the multitude of athletes sponsored by Red Bull! In order to help energize this community, Red Bull created the Student Brand Manager program. In which they recruit college students to be apart of their global brand and take charge of their own college campus in energizing others for Red Bull!

Take a look at this commercial from Red Bull… Now tell me you aren’t pumped up after watching this?!

Social media has changed our culture and is still growing at lightening speed. With multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Youtube, Flickr, Google+, Youtube, Tumblr, Myspace, and on and on, it becomes extremely difficult to keep track of the multiple conversations taking place.

Social media monitoring companies helps to regulate and monitor what is going on out there in social media and many brands are implementing it to keep track of what is being said in the numerous areas about their brand.

photo credit: kimba

Some individuals believe this may be unethical because it is an invasion of their personal space- if their conversations are being tagged and watched. But for companies and brands, it is truly the only sane way to keep tabs on what is being said about them.

I don’t believe social media monitoring is unethical because if people are saying their opinions online, they should expect that they would be heard and watched. It is no invasion of privacy. If you really don’t want something to get out that you put online—then DON’T PUT IT ONLINE! Social media monitoring is a wonderful tool for brands and it allows them to improve on their brand and take advantage of what is being said among their audiences to build on and improve their brand.

Although I don’t think social media monitoring is unethical, as of now, I believe that there is always a tendency for things to get out of hand. We need to be aware of being monitored in certain ways and be watchdogs ourselves to keep companies using social media monitoring in check. But for now, don’t worry about it!

1. Disconnect. As a PR person, this is a scary word! We are attached to our iPhones and laptops like they are extensions of our body. But get into the practice of maybe once a week, or even 15 minutes a day, walking away from your electronic devices.

2. Discover a physical outlet. Exercise releases endorphins. So whether it is going for a run outside, or just punching your pillow for 45 minutes. Release your tension by doing some sort of physical activity.

3. Plan out your day. Every morning, make a to-do list of what you need to accomplish that day. Prioritize the list in what you must get down that day, and then in descending order of greatness. This isn’t meant to overwhelm you by all you need to accomplish, but to keep your head clear and focused.

4. Set goals and reward yourself. Set simple goals like “I will work for one hour more, totally focused, and then reward myself with a latte!”

5. Vent to a good friend. Have someone in your life (like your significant other, mom, or old friend) who you feel completely safe with and they know you and love you through and through. In PR, you need to always keep up the positive spirit, but having that one friend you can just be yourself with is truly a comfort!

Date: 1/29/12

Comment: Clear, concise, compelling. Three great key words for media pitches! Also, following a reporter or editor’s tweets is a great nugget of advice. Seeing what they are sharing is seeing what they are actually interested in and what they find compelling. Making sure your story appeals a bit to their interest will make them more likely to place it.

2. 13 annoying communication habits that must end by David Spark

Date: 1/29/12

Comment: These are some good just social etiquette rules. I also need to work on not forgetting someone’s name RIGHT after being introduced. So embarrassing! Another good trick to remembering a person’s name is to say use it many times when addressing them right after being introduced. It may sound silly saying their name over and over like, “Nice to meet you, Martha. What are your interests, Martha?” But people like the sound of their own name and they’ll be impressed that you are going the extra mile to remember.

3. Five things you should know about dating a PR

Date: 1/29/12

Comment: I absolutely LOVE this post! I definitely agree on each of these matters and it was cracking me up! I emailed this to my boyfriend, so I’ll have to see how he feels after reading it, I’m sure he’ll agree He does get annoyed sometimes, but these are things that a significant other just has to accept! Can’t wait to read more from you.

Date: 1/29/12

Comment: Cute post! I agree with all of your points, especially the third one of continuing to nurture the relationship. Once you build that relationship, you can’t just drop off the face of the earth! I think another thing that PR students and pros can learn from Valentine’s Day is to PLAN! You need to plan ahead your gift and night with that special someone (especially if you are going to be going out to dinner! God Bless you if you don’t have reservations). In the world of PR, we need to be planners so that we don’t get so overwhelmed and we can manage our time.

2. DIY: Melted Crayon Art by Liz Colburn

Date: 1/29/12

Comment: This is such a good idea! I love the drippy look and Jessica- great idea with picking certain crayon colors to match your decor. I am not a Pinterest addict… but I love the website when I’m need of inspiration or even just organizing all my random website “stuff” onto a pinboard. I’m glad you are such a die-hard fan

3. Social Media Monitoring– Ethical or Not? by Mikelle Liette

Date: 1/29/12

Comment: Really well written post, Mikelle! With the magnitude of all the different social media, it is definitely helpful to businesses and brands for it to be organized in SOME capacity. Especially for them to filter what is being said directly about them. This helps them help US by delivering to the customers what we want.

What good is it for your brand to have social media if no one is reviewing your content? Creating and publishing useful content extends your business’s reach, makes you more visible, and connects people to your business.

Content marketing experts: Joe Chernov of Eloqua; Ann Handley of MarketingProfs; Scott Stratten of Unmarketing; and Adam Singer of TheFutureBuzz, give us some tips in the realm of content marketing.

1. Create content that helps people. –Joe Chernov

Create something that is interesting to people, help them do their jobs better, and help them become proficient in an area (preferably related to your business). Offer uncommon, yet practical advice that people will want to pass on to others.

One brand that I think does a tremendous job with this is Red Bull. Granted, I may be slightly bias But I rarely follow brands on Twitter, and @redbull doesn’t solely tweet about their brand, but also inspiring quotes that are very retweetable!

2. Make your content about customers. –Adam Singer

You may be thinking first about your brand. But your customers will want to know why what you are saying is relevant to them.

3. Write for your readers first; it builds trust –Joe Chernov

Write for the reader first and your marketing purposes second. Content that is too brand-centric will fade out because your audience won’t be interested.

4. Remember that pictures can be better than words. –Joe Chernov

Images are easy to share and the age-old saying still sticks, “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

5. Give your whole team the freedom to get involved. –Scott Stratten

6. Get creative: You can make compelling content about anything. –Scott Stratten

Blendtec is a great example of creating great content from something as simple and mundane as a blender. The company started the “Will It Blend” video series in which they blend iPhones, iPads, brooms, and pretty much anything else under then sun! (Including Justin Beiber!)

7. Don’t shy away from being personal; it builds trust. –Ann Handley

Everyone loves a good love story! Express the heart of your brand and what makes you who you are.

8. Learn to find stories to tell.  –Ann Handley

There is always a story to be told. Search for it! Bring out the human interest by really getting to know your coworkers.

9. Learn to tell a story bit by bit. –Adam Singer

Being consistently interesting is your true challenge. The big news is important, but what is equally important is the stuff that happens in between the big stuff.

10. Use your blog as a hub. –Joe Chernov

If your content is housed at your blog, you give your content life, context and edginess

11. When choosing your channels, focus on the ‘why’ to determine the ‘where.’ –Ann Handley

Ask “Why are we doing this?” first before creating a Facebook, Twitter, blog, or any other social media channels and tools.

12. Give yourself the first bite of your content. –Adam Singer

Facebook and Twitter are not your platforms; they are platforms run by other businesses. You should first publish your content on your own platform, and syndicate it to other channels and link back to yours.

13. Stop over-commercializing your content when you publish. –Scott Stratten

14. Ease off your readers. –Ann Handley

Build a relationship over time with your content, then ask for just a little bit of information, and then a little bit more over time.

15. Stay committed; it pays off. –Ann Handley

Check out a version of this story on Ragan’s PR Daily.

photo credit: Amber Hoadley Photography

TOW #2

Using images in your blog posts is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to grab and hold the attention of your readers. Why are images important?

photo credit:9220 Roby Benvenuti

1. They deliver the message of your written content with a bigger impact- Inserting a unique, creative, visually appealing image that correlates with the text just reinforces your point.

2. They make your post more memorable- You’ve heard it since you were little. We all learn differently! Some people are visual learners, and a picture will stick with them much better than text.

3. They break up the text visually- Reading a computer screen is necessarily the most comfortable thing in the world. Our eyes get easily tired. Images break up huge chunks of gray text into more easily read bodies of information.

Choosing the Right Image

There are some simple rules when picking the right image to put in your story…

photo credit: paulcoxphotography

1. Good resolution. Nothing is worse than a blurry picture! You feel like your eyes aren’t adjusting correctly.

2. Vibrant colors. Unless the color scheme of dull and boring goes along with the attitude and theme you are portraying in your writing, pick colors that are appealing to the eye and stand out.

3. Interesting. It’s okay if not every single picture matches perfectly with your content, but it must go somehow and draw some intrigue into your article.

Give Credit Where Credit is Due!

Last, but certainly not least, don’t forget to GIVE CREDIT!

There are basically 3 types of images you can use…

1. Your own images

2. Free images

3. Paid images

The first is the easiest because you own the rights to your own image! So you can use it any way you choose. But when using free images, you usually need to attribute the image to its author or creator. The best way to do this is to place a link to the original image in your post! Or credit the author in a caption of the image.

photo credit: kk+

Social media is all around us. It inundates our smart phones, guides our conversations, and surrounds our lives. Keeping up to date in the social media realm is now of such huge importance that companies have created positions for people to manage their social media. Currently, the social media I use is Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WordPress (of course) and Klout.

1. Facebook is a great tool for connecting with people on a more personal basis. I probably use my Facebook about 75% for my own personal use and 25% for my work. I work as an assistant youth director at my church and Facebook is perfect for staying in touch with my youth kids. Also, as a Student Brand Manager for Red Bull, I share lots of content about what is going on in the world of Red Bull!

 2. Twitter is one of my favorite social networking platforms. I use it about 60% for social reasons, and 40% for professional. Connecting and networking with professionals is so easy on Twitter because you can “follow” people without the obligation of them having to “accept” your follow. Twitter is a social media playground for PR professionals to share content, divulge information, give nuggets of advice—all in 140 characters or less!

3. LinkedInis a social media platform that is purely professional. A complete LinkedIn profile contains all your past experience, and you can upload your profile. It’s purpose is simply to connect you with professionals and for professionals to get connected with you! Although I have a LinkedIn profile, I definitely need to utilize it a lot more.

4. Blogging is a wonderful way to build up your credibility as a writer. In my case, I use WordPress because it’s a free and easy-to-use platform. Having a blog creates an online portfolio of your writing for potential employers. So you need to be sure that the content you put on your blog is edited and professional!

5. Klout.Recently, I have discovered a new tool called Klout. One of my friends who is an entrepreneur informed me about this website that takes into account all your social networks and measure your online influence. Your Klout score is your overall influence on the web! Not only does it tell you who you influence, but it tells you what topics you are most influential on. This is a great tool for anyone curious about their online presence in social media.

As a graduating senior, I plan on really utilizing my LinkedIn profile much more than I already have. Keeping it up-to-date and using it in the correct manner could perhaps lead to a potential job!

What social media platforms do you use? And any tips or tricks on getting the best out of them?