social media | It's All Virtual

Social Media Sharing Falling Short? Why You Should Keep Trying.

October 6, 2015

The results of a recent tweet:

Crickets. No clicks, no engagement, nothing. Did anyone even see the tweet? Twitter’s analytics dashboard tells me some of my tweets receive less than 100 impressions. Given that I have close to 7,000 followers, that’s discouraging.

Given results like this, it’s easy to get discouraged. Here’s why.

We’re Results-Driven

My day job as a marketer makes me data-driven and results-driven. Looking at my personal Twitter account with a Marketing lens, I think about where I can optimize. If optimizing doesn’t move the needle, then I ask whether to focus my time on other things.

Lack of Progress is Discouraging

Occasionally, I’ll hit it out of the park with a tweet. But for the most part, I’m hitting weak grounders to shortstop. Making an out.

At the plate, professional baseball players fail most of the time. But they accept that. On social media, we’re less patient. While we want to continually drive in runs, the reality is that most of us hit below .200.

Is Anybody Out There?

If a tweet falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, was it a waste of time? I tweet to provide interesting content to others. If there was no one on the receiving end, then it wouldn’t be worth sharing.

That’s why metrics (like those shown above) are discouraging. I found an interesting article, I tweeted it and 44 people saw the tweet. But no one clicked or engaged with it. Was it worth my time? Read on to find out why those 44 impressions may mean all the difference in the world.

It’s Important to Keep Trying

“Dark social” is a term coined by Alexis Madrigal to reference hidden measures of social sharing. It’s sharing whose data is not captured and tracked. If you tweet an article and I share the link via email or IM, then that share is not captured by Twitter’s analytics.

My Term: Dark Impact

What I’ve come to discover is this:

Dark social also encompasses the hidden impact of your content. I call it Dark Impact.

Your content can have an impact on people, whether they share it or not. Some personal examples follow.

Recently, I saw a close family friend whom I haven’t spoken to in 10 years. Her first comment was, “I see your posts on LinkedIn. I can almost hear your voice in your posts. I learned a lot about what you’ve been up to.”

Via LinkedIn, she was able to learn about my job changes, as well as understand my current interests.

My friend never once interacted with my LinkedIn posts. I had forgotten we were even connected!

But there sure was an impact to my shares.

LinkedIn, Part 2

At a neighborhood block party, I chatted with neighbors who happen to be retirees. I’m connected with them on LinkedIn. At the block party, they told me they enjoy the content I share on LinkedIn.

One neighbor commented to another, “You should connect with Dennis on LinkedIn for the posts that he shares.”

Another neighbor sees the content I publish via LinkedIn Publisher. “I read your post on LinkedIn. I can’t believe your’s was right next to one by Arianna Huffington,” the neighbor said.

Without speaking to my neighbors, I would not have known the impact my LinkedIn activities made with them.

I had no idea they read my LinkedIn Publisher posts.

Twitter and Blogging

At meetups and events, I’ll meet someone who says, “I think I recognize you from Twitter.” They had seen content that I shared, or saw retweets from users with large followings. Once, I met someone at an event who said, “Aren’t you the person who blogs about virtual events?”

Remember the 44 impressions I mentioned earlier? NONE of the people behind those impressions engaged or interacted with my tweet. But SOME remember me simply for the fact that I tweeted.

The tweet may have been meaningful, it may have been irrelevant. But I tweeted. And as a result, I was remembered for it.

My Twitter and blog metrics may show low clicks and minimal engagement.

But it’s making a difference with someone, somewhere.

What to Do?

Keep trying. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t give up. Share useful information. Whether you realize it or not, you’ll make an impact.

Next, leave home and get out of the office. Meet new people and network. That’ll help connect your social media activities with the people you’re impacting. It’ll shed a light on the dark impact.

Leave a Comment » | Social Media | Tagged: blogging, dark impact, dark social, Linkedin, social media, Twitter | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

How to Be More Authentic on Twitter

June 13, 2015

Note: This post was originally published at Online Super Ninja.

One of the great things about Twitter is its wide variety of users. There are brands, celebrities, executives, sports fans, music fans, startup founders, bloggers and more. Everyone brings their unique style. Some users are real and authentic, while others seem automated.

There are automated accounts out there, in the form of spam (and other) bots. Twitter even has a webpage titled “Automation rules and best practices.”

I prefer to follow and engage with authentic users on Twitter. Here are 16 tips on increasing your Twitter authenticity.

1) In your bio, don’t refer to yourself in the third person

In your Twitter bio, you have 160 characters to tell us who you are. Talk to us as if we’re meeting for the first time at a cocktail party. Tell us your occupation, your interests, your hobbies. But substitute the word “I” instead of your first or last name. If you do refer to yourself in the third person at cocktail parties, people probably think you’re talking about someone else.

2) Avoid overstuffing your bio with hashtags

I get it: you want to insert key hashtags in your bio, to increase the likelihood that people find you. But if your bio is exclusively hashtags, then we really don’t know whom you are. It’s like the old days of SEO: when you keyword-stuffed a web page, people no longer knew what you were trying to say. So include a hashtag or two. But be conversational in your bio.

3) Think twice about Auto-DM’ing new followers

“Auto DM” (or, automated Direct Message) refers to the practice of sending a private message (Direct Message) to new people who follow you. I don’t like receiving these. Other users feel the same way. In fact, some users will unfollow anyone who sends them an Auto DM. Not only are these messages impersonal, they also tend to be promotional (e.g. “Check out my website”, “Visit my YouTube channel”, “Like me on Facebook”).

4) Respond to questions

I try to respond to any question (or comment) that I receive, assuming the question itself is authentic. Twitter is a great conversation channel that enables me to converse with others. The neat thing is, these conversations can result in connections, colleagues and friends.

5) “Favorite” tweets to send positive karma

The “Favorite” button is interesting because people use it in different ways. Some people use it as a bookmarking service. I use it to send positive karma back to the person who tweeted. It’s a way of saying “I like what you tweeted.” And that’s how I interpret it when people Favorite my tweets.

6) Monitor interactions on your scheduled tweets

Tools like Buffer help you schedule tweets to be sent out at specific times. I use Buffer when I find a lot of links to share. Instead of sharing all at once, I spread them out over time. If you schedule automated tweets, be sure to monitor interactions. I stay on top of my interactions by frequently checking Twitter from my smartphone. If someone replied to my scheduled tweet, I’ll see that on my phone. If you schedule a lot of tweets and never reply to a comment, people will think your account is completely automated.

7) Share photos

While you have 140 characters available in each tweet, a picture is worth a thousand words. Sharing photos helps take users into your world. We get to see what you see. I share photos from events, the outdoors and other interesting things I come across.

8) Share your geographic location

This tip comes courtesy of Heidi Thorne (@heidithorne): “I appreciate a general idea of where you’re located. I realize that some are concerned about security issues. I get that and you have to do what’s right for you. But for those without security concerns, including a country, state or region would be really helpful.”

9) Ask questions and encourage conversation

Twitter is one of the world’s best focus groups. I like to start a dialog by asking a question. For example, “What marketing automation solution are you using?” or “Tell me something exciting you have planned for this weekend?” Asking questions gets you engaged with followers and non-followers alike. These sorts of conversations increase authenticity. Just avoid selling yourself or pitching your product when doing so.

10) Own up to your mistakes

This tip comes courtesy of Jenise Fryatt (@JeniseFryatt): “Mistakes make you human. Don’t be afraid to admit them. Taking responsibility for your mistakes adds to your credibility, trustworthiness and authenticity.”

11) Share facts in your bio that no one else knows

Taken literally, this might be hard to do. But the point is, share some unique facts about your hobbies, interests and passions. In my bio, I mention that I love blogs, bad jokes and karaoke. My LinkedIn network doesn’t know this (well, most of them don’t), but my Twitter followers do.

12) Don’t Favorite or RT your own tweets

Let’s just say it: this looks weird. It would be like writing a positive review of your own book. Or walking around town complimenting your good looks. Quick note: a “Favorite” can be un-done. If you mistakenly favorited your own tweet, click on “Favorite” a second time and it’s erased.

13) Use humor

Another tip from @JeniseFyatt: “Humor makes you a more likeable and approachable human.” I’ll crack a joke from time to time. Sometimes, people respond. Other times, the joke falls flat. One metric I use for authenticity is DTMYL: Did That Make You Laugh?

14) Mix business with pleasure

When I started on Twitter, I was “always on” with work-related tweets. I was too focused. I was not authentic. These days, I primarily tweet about Marketing topics, but will mix in tweets about my sports teams (especially when they’re playing) and related non-work interests.

15) Retweet regularly

Retweets get other people’s tweets on your profile (and in your followers’ feeds). If you never retweet, then every tweet is coming from you. Share the love by expanding the reach of others’ tweets. Don’t go overboard, however: use a good mix of original tweets (from you) and retweets.

16) Give thanks

Let people know that you appreciate their share, comment or retweet. Saying “thank you” is not only authentic, but it incents the recipient to share more of your content in the future.

Your Turn

I shared 16 tips for being authentic on Twitter. Surely, I missed a few. What tips would you add to this list? Use the comments area below.

Leave a Comment » | Uncategorized | Tagged: authentic, social media, Twitter | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

5 Completely Surprising Marketing Tips Learned from Fifth Graders

January 21, 2014

Photo source: User Michael 1952 on flickr.

This post was originally published on the DNN Software blog.

Recently, I served as “teacher for the day” in my daughter’s fifth grade classroom. My guest appearance was coordinated by a great organization, Junior Achievement, who “teaches young people about money management and how business works.”

With a lesson plan provided by Junior Achievement, I taught five, 45-minute lessons on topics related to business and entrepreneurship. I know about raising fifth graders from the one I have at home, but spending a day with a class full of them gave me further insights on their attitudes and inclinations.

Before long, these fifth grade students will grow up and become part of the target audience for your marketing. Here are five surprising marketing tips based on my observations.

1) Forget about social media marketing.

I asked students to name examples of businesses. Here’s the list compiled by this Silicon Valley-based class:

Perhaps they were too young to name Snapchat? The point is, fifth graders are on the bleeding edge of technology. They used iPods as toddlers, then graduated to iPads. They may not be using Facebook, but their siblings and parents are. So they’re aware of what it is and what it does.

That being said, forget about the social media marketing you’re doing today to reach their parents. Once these kids enter the workforce, social marketing will no longer be relevant, because another form of advertising will have emerged.

2) Invest in billboard advertising.

Photo source: Eric Fischer on flickr.

We did a lesson on advertising. The fifth graders were given a business scenario and asked to work in teams to devise a business, then create an advertisement for that business. Before they started designing, they were asked to name examples of advertising.

Many of the students mentioned billboard ads that they see on Highway 101 in the Bay Area. They were able to recall the messaging contained on those billboards in impressive detail. Out-of-home advertising works! It’s effective because of the captivated audience it commands. So as these fifth graders grow into adults, think of ways your own marketing content can be delivered to a captivated audience.

3) Decrease your online marketing budget.

If you think about standing up in front of a fifth grade classroom for an entire day, it can be worrisome: will the students have any interest in what I’m saying? To be honest, I noticed that some of them “tuned out” during segments of the lessons.

But what got them to pay attention, engage and interact? Activities. The Junior Achievement lesson plans pair verbal instruction with a fun activity that reinforces that instruction.

Online marketing is great. It’s cost effective and it’s measurable. But to make a deeper connection with your marketing, consider programs that include face-to-face interactions. The fifth graders are kind of expecting it.

4) Tomorrow’s workers won’t be motivated by gamification.

Many of the day’s activities came in the form of games. The fifth graders would high-five each other when they rolled a six, but what got them most excited were forms of peer-to-peer connections and recognition.

WHITE PAPER: How Community Managers Can Use Gamification to Create Sustainable Engagement

We did an exercise in which two students were named partners in a popcorn and ice cream business. The two partners stood at the front of the classroom. Next, they called up classmates (one by one), assigning them to assorted roles within the business (delivery people, business analysts, attorneys and ultimately, a CEO).

Students were most excited when they were called up to the front of the room. The selection and “job assignment” (in front of the entire class) gave meaning to the activity. It made them feel rewarded. How do you “gamify” experiences for tomorrow’s workers? Make it less about points and badges and more about peer-to-peer relationships and recognition.

5) Make them wait for it.

Photo source: User nooccar on flickr.

Today’s generation of kids live in a world of instant gratification. With timeshifting and on-demand consumption, they get what they want, when they want it. Remember how Thursday nights on NBC were called “Must See TV?” Today’s generation calls it “I See TV” (“When I Want It”).

So first, make your product, content and experiences great. Then, act differently with it. Don’t give it to them right away. Make them wait. Make them go through hoops to get it. Why? Because when they do, they’ll cherish it. They’re so used to getting everything right away, that making them wait adds to the enjoyment.

Conclusion

Today’s fifth graders are tomorrow’s customers. While I enjoyed my time in the classroom, I also considered it a form of market research, in better understanding tomorrow’s buyers. Hopefully, I learned from them as much as they learned from me. And, I hope this post served to spur forward-looking thoughts on how to do marketing in the future.

Leave a Comment » | Marketing | Tagged: #gamification, advertising, fifth grade, fifth graders, Junior Achievemnt, Marketing, marketing tips, online marketing, social media, social media marketing, surprising tips | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

Why Personal Branding Begins at an Early Age (and What to Do About It)

December 7, 2013

Photo source: Dave Lawler on flickr.

Introduction

I asked a class of tenth grade students how many of them have a personal brand. A few looked around the room to see who raised their hand. One student did. And that was it.

When I grew up, the Internet did not exist. Back then, personal branding was centered around experiences and achievements and how they combined to form a reputation – you know, tangible things. Today, those things still matter for your personal brand, but so much of that brand is formed online.

Junior Achievement Program

Photo: I visited a tenth grade class at San Mateo High School.

My visit to a tenth grade classroom was part of a Junior Achievement program called JA Career Success.

Junior Achievement is “the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs.” (learn more: Junior Achievement website)

The JA Career Success program consists of seven sessions. I participated in the seventh session, which is titled “Get Hired: Know Your Personal Brand.” The session’s objectives, as defined by JA:

Explore how to hunt for a job and the tools needed
Determine choices they can make to create a positive personal brand as they build their careers

Why We All Have a Personal Brand

An informal poll of the classroom determined that every student is on Facebook (although their teacher does not use the service), 15% are on Twitter and everyone has an Apple device at home (iPhone, iPad or iPod). In short, these students grew up with mobile devices connected to the Internet.

So I told the students: if there’s one thing you remember from today’s program, it’s this:

You’re online, which means that you already have a personal brand.

In other words: whether you like it or not, the digital footprints you’re leaving across the Internet are the embodiment of your personal brand. By being aware and proactive, you can manage that brand. By being reactive and unaware, it gets managed for you.

So let’s consider ways in which you can start managing your personal brand. And yes, it’s NOT too early to start this in high school, or even middle school.

5 Personal Branding Tips

1) Always Be Mindful of What You’re Sharing

Photo source: Dennis Harper on flickr.

I know that high school students will do things that their parents would not approve of (example: throwing a wild party at the house when the parents are away for the weekend).

High school students will have their fun and should continue to do so. But take a moment to ponder before clicking the “submit” or “tweet” button.

Be sensitive to what you share and know that there can be implications and ramifications. If you post something online, accept the fact that it never goes away.

Even if you’re careful to limit your posts to particular groups, the fact remains that the post is online. Understand that when you apply for a job as a forty year old, what you posted as a teenager could come back to haunt you.

Here’s a good mechanism: when you’re ready to post something online, think whether your parent(s) and your teacher would approve. If they wouldn’t approve, then don’t post it (hat tip to Junior Achievement for this).

2) Pay Attention to Details

When you interview for a job, body language can be far more important than the words you speak. You might have an eloquent and insightful answer, but if you’re slouched in your chair and not making eye contact with the interviewer, your answer doesn’t really matter.

With personal branding, every little thing matters. Start with your email address. People will need to contact you, whether it’s a college admissions officer or a potential employer. Select an email address accordingly. “ilovetoparty” at (gmail dot com) will not curry favor with potential employers.

If you have an unfavorable email address, get a new one to use for college admissions and job applications. Next, have friends and family call your cell phone and listen to your voicemail greeting. Does it say something like: “Yo. Do it now. Over and outtie”? That would make a college admissions officer think twice about your application.

3) Sprinkle in Brand-Appropriate, Proactive Sharing

Photo source: COD Newsroom on flickr.

Yes, you should do some proactive “brand building,” even in high school. Some tenth graders will apply to colleges in a few short years. When you apply to a college, the admissions officers will review your social profiles.

Did you recently receive an academic achievement award at school? Have a friend take a picture of you (with your award), then post that to Facebook. This digital footprint can make a difference, when discovered by the admissions officer (hat tip to a parent volunteer, who provided this suggestion).

4) Don’t Let Your Inside Voice Get Outside

In other words, keep your posts and status updates positive. We all have our dislikes, whether it’s jobs, other people or situations. Think twice before you share those dislikes with the entire world. Social media should not be a venting mechanism.

If you found a new job, but really disliked your previous job, keep your feelings about the previous job on the inside. Negative comments don’t play well when viewed by potential employers. And who knows? Things change and the employer you disliked years ago may be one that you return to years later.

5) Advanced Topic: Start Blogging

I started this blog five years ago and it’s helped a great deal with my personal brand. I’m able to share thoughts and ideas (with you!) and I consider it an add-on to my resume. In fact, blogs and social profiles (e.g. LinkedIn) are far more relevant than the old-fashioned resume.

One important point, however: figure out a “focus area” for your blog that’s tied to the personal brand you’d like to portray.

Your blog should not be an extension of Facebook, in which you share anything and everything going on in your life. Instead, it should be an outlet for you to share thoughts and observations.

Consider what you’re most passionate about and start writing about it. If you write well and share interesting things, I’m sure college admissions officers will take note.

Additional Thoughts on Personal Branding

Photo: Jonha Revesencio (@jonharules).

While writing this post, I posed a question on Twitter:

At what age should we start building our personal brand?

Jonha shared the following:

“In a world where technology has helped in facilitating questions, I think there’s not really an exact “age” to best build your brand, or as I like to put it, #BrandYOU. I think, though, that it’s most essential to “position yourself to be found so you won’t have to look around.”

That means it’s important to provide value even before you ask for one. I’ve given a presentation before college students about this and my main message is for them to use the time they spend on social networks by building their brand instead of using it for activities which will at some point break it (even before they try to build).”

Conclusion

Thanks for those thoughts, Jonha!

The concept of a personal brand was quite new to the tenth graders I spoke to. And that’s a big reason why I wrote this post: to create awareness around the fact that personal branding starts at an early age. Those who get an early start will have an advantage. Start working on your personal brand today.

Leave a Comment » | Personal Branding | Tagged: blogging, Facebook, JA Career Success, Jonha Revesencio, Junior Achievement, personal brand, personal branding, San Mateo High School, social media, social networks, Twitter, voicemail greeting | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

How to Share Content on Social Media in 5 Minutes a Day

November 2, 2013

Photo credit: Flickr User purplemattfish via photopin cc

Introduction

Recently, I participated in a webinar produced by Leadtail and DNN. In the webinar, Leadtail presented findings from a recently published Social Insights report. Leadtail analyzed tweets from 500 North American B2B marketers over a 90-day period. One of their findings was a list of the Top 50 People Most Mentioned by B2B Marketers (on Twitter).

Leadtail then analyzed the Twitter activity of these “most mentioned” users and shared insights on WHY they were so frequently mentioned. One of their findings was: “Top influencers tweet a LOT: 10-20+ times daily.”

Finding Time for Social Sharing

During the Q&A portion of the webinar, a very good question was posed to us. The viewer observed that she simply doesn’t have the time to tweet 10-20+ times per day. We answered by saying that the 10-20+ frequency was not set in stone – and that B2B vendors (who aim to reach and influence thought leaders in their market) ought to tweet (and share) at a frequency that’s comfortable to them.

The goal of this post is to show you how to get started with social media sharing in as little as five minutes a day. The post is geared towards individuals (rather than brands), although some tips certainly apply to brands.

If you can find five minutes in your day, I’ve got a system just for you. This is a system that’s proven to work (or your money back). There are a few prerequisites to complete first.

Prerequisites to Complete First

Minimum Completion Time: 2 hours.

Photo credit: Flickr User The Daring Librarian via photopin cc

Sorry to bust your time budget here, but take the time here to do a thorough job with your profiles. If you implement this system well, you’ll be generating attention. And the last thing you want to do is drive attention to half-populated social profiles. Friends don’t let friends leave the default “egg” on their Twitter profile.

Here are the simple steps:

If you don’t have one already, create a Twitter account.
Populate your Twitter profile. Here’s a useful guide on how to do just that.
If you don’t have one already, create a LinkedIn account.
Populate your LinkedIn profile. The LinkedIn blog provides some good tips on this.
If you don’t have one already, create a SlideShare account.
Populate your SlideShare profile. The SlideShare blog provides a good set of tips to get started.
Connect your SlideShare and LinkedIn accounts. Here’s the page to make that happen.

If you already have accounts on Twitter, LinkedIn or SlideShare, I encourage you to check out these articles (above). Still spend the two hours here to complete and optimize your profiles. Believe me, your social sharing will be the better for it.

Sharing Content in 5 Minutes a Day

1) Review presentations on the SlideShare home page (3 minutes)

Visit SlideShare.net. If you’re already logged in, you may get re-directed to your “Newsfeed” page. If so, simply click the SlideShare logo in the upper left to go to the home page. The first place I look is “Top Presentations of the Day,” a set of three presentations curated by the editors at SlideShare.

From there, I proceed in “top to bottom” order, checking out “Featured,” followed by “Hot on Facebook,” followed by “Hot on Twitter,” followed by “Hot on LinkedIn.” Presentations in these lists got there for a reason: they’re good. So it won’t be difficult to find a few that (a) interest you and (b) are worthy of sharing.

Some of the things that catch my attention are (a) an appealing image on the cover slide, (b) a compelling title and (c) slides that give me actionable information.

So take the full 3 minutes here to find interesting presentations and flip through the slides. Every time I do this, I learn something new!

2) Identify the handful of presentations that are share-worthy (1 minute)

Go for quality over quantity. If you share 15 SlideShare’s during a 5 minute burst each day, followers on social media are likely to tune you out (or unfollow you entirely). I recommend going with a set of 2-3 presentations that you found the most interesting.

3) “Like” the presentations on SlideShare (30 seconds)

There are two ways to “Like” a presentation on SlideShare. The first is to find the button at the top of the SlideShare. The second is to mouse over the thumbnail image (e.g. from the SlideShare home page) and click on the “Like” icon that appears.

If you’ve connected your SlideShare and LinkedIn accounts, then the “Like” (on SlideShare) will automatically appear on your LinkedIn profile. This, in turn, “publishes” that update to the Newsfeed of all your Connections on LinkedIn. Guess what? You just shared content on social media.

4) Click the “Tweet” button on each SlideShare (30 seconds)

Clicking the “Tweet” button launches a new browser window with a pre-composed tweet ready for you to review. SlideShare does just about everything you need: it includes the presentation title, auto-generated hash tags and the Twitter handle of the presentation author (if available). All you need to do is review the tweet, ensure there’s at least 10 characters to spare (to make it retweet-friendly), then click “Tweet.” More sharing on social media, completed.

CONGRATULATIONS.

In 5 minutes, you’ve completed Day 1 of this proven program. You’ve successfully shared interesting information on social media.

Benefits of Social Sharing

1) Let the world know what interests you.

In working closely with people, I get to learn about their capabilities and competencies. Tools like Twitter and LinkedIn help round out the picture: I get to better understand their interests and passions. By sharing on social media, the world around you gets to know you better. And that’s a good thing.

2) Become a useful resource.

If you consistently share information that informs others, you’ll become a useful resource to them. Do this consistently over long stretches and you’ll become a trusted advisor. You add equity to your personal brand and you increase the likelihood of being consulted or contacted in the future.

3) Generate some social credibility.

The more you generate Likes, comments, retweets and mentions, the more you become known on social media. From there, the more followers you’ll naturally accrue.

Side note: on LinkedIn, I’ve discovered that “Liking” a presentation on SlideShare will generate more LinkedIn likes (from my Connections there) than my sharing of articles there. How do you “Like” that?

Advanced Activities: Going Beyond 5 Minutes a Day

1) Publish your own SlideShares.

Have you recently provided a webinar or an “in person” presentation? Consider uploading the slides to your SlideShare channel. Remove the logistical slides (e.g. the “Webinar Q&A” slide), so that what remains is the “meat” of your presentation. This can take as little as 5 minutes per presentation. Feel free to tweet your SlideShare, but I’d hold off on “Liking” it (out of concern for being called a narcissist).

Side note: at DNN, we’ve assembled a content-generating machine by simply posting all of our webinar slides to our SlideShare channel.

2) Pre-schedule your social sharing.

Instead of doing all your sharing in a five minute burst each day, you may want to spread things more evenly during the course of the day. This is especially true as you assemble larger collections of content (e.g. more than the 2-3 SlideShares). Experiment with tools like Buffer and HootSuite, which make pre-scheduling a cinch. In addition, if you’re a customer of Twitter Ad Products, you can now do scheduling directly within Twitter.

3) Mix it up: content.

Once you have this formula down pat with SlideShares, expand the five minutes you’re spending each day to branch out into other types of content. For instance, as I read blog posts and articles throughout the day, I ask myself whether to click the “Tweet” button to share the article on Twitter. Make sharing part of your reading routine.

4) Mix it up: destinations.

This post has revolved around SlideShare, LinkedIn and Twitter. Look to share content in other social networks, such as Google+ and Pinterest. Also, consider sharing content to particular LinkedIn Groups in which you’re a member.

5) Add commentary to your shares.

Go above and beyond the “default” share text and include some of your own thoughts. If you find a particular SlideShare compelling, tell us why via the tweet text.

Conclusion

It might seem intimidating (or excessive) to consider doing 10-20+ tweets per day. In reality, sharing content on social media can be quite easy, especially if you make it a part of your consumption routine. For newbies, I recommend starting off with five minutes a day and then building up from there.

I began this post by referring to a Leadtail presentation. I’ve included the full slide deck below.

Leave a Comment » | Social Media | Tagged: 5 minutes, Google, Leadtail, Leadtail webinar, Like, Linkedin, SlideShare, Social Insights Report, social media, social sharing, tweet, tweet button, Twitter | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

10 Ways to Optimize Your Social Media Channels

September 14, 2013

Photo credit: Flickr user mkhmarketing via photopin cc

Introduction

Some organizations are rocking the house with social media (a few come to mind: Coca Cola, Starbucks, Virgin America). At the same time, many organizations I speak to are challenged to achieve the results they desire using social media.

ON-DEMAND WEBINAR: Social Media Optimization: 10 Tips in 30 Minutes.

The challenge? It’s usually a combination of “lack of know-how” and lack of resources (or both). So here are ten easy steps to take to optimize your social media channels. You can perform these steps in any order.

1) Use consistent branding across channels.

For personal use of social media, I recommend that people use the same profile photo across all social channels. Why? Because followers who know you on Twitter will recognize you on SlideShare.

So the consistent photo removes a barrier to gaining that new follower. For organizations, use the same logo everywhere. Also, if you’re running a campaign, use the same campaign theme across your channels.

2) Strategically hyperlink from profile pages.

Check out all the valuable hyperlinks we’re afforded on the DNN Google+ page. Take advantage of these opportunities. You can drive clicks (to your web properties) from views of your social profile pages.

And, the inbound links will help with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Don’t be too cute, however. Make sure your link’s anchor text aligns with the page you’re linking to.

Additional tip: YouTube allows hyperlinks in the description area of your video:

3) Reciprocate.

Gain a new follower on Twitter? Verify they’re a “real” person (vs. a “bot”), then follow them back. It’s a nice gesture on social media to follow back. And, by following back, you get the opportunity to listen to what your followers are saying. On Twitter, following back allows your followers to send you a “Direct Message” (a private message), which is often an effective channel for customer service or related inquiries.

4) Tag (link to) other users.

When I share an article on social media, I like to “link” to both the publication and the author. Why? Because it gets you (or your organization) noticed by the publication and the author (in addition to sending them some good karma). The author may follow you, retweet you or respond to you. In turn, the author’s followers may decide to follow you. In short, good things can happen.

5) Learn the tricks of the trade of each social network.

Using the “retweet” button on Twitter. Setting up a Google+ Hangout. Managing your Circles in Google+. Each of these things is unique to that service: get to know these unique features well and your use of that service becomes more effective.

6) Measure, evaluate, adjust.

Become BFF’s with analytics (and yes, you really should become best friends forever). Did you know: Twitter now provides free analytics dashboards to all Twitter users (read more on the Constant Contact blog).

Use analytics to evaluate your social media effectiveness across a number of dimensions (e.g. content type, content format, topic, time of day, etc.). Metrics to track include reach, engagement and traffic. Next, draw conclusions that help inform your subsequent social sharing.

7) Mix it up.

I know of professional sportswriters whose Twitter profile is an automated feed of every article they write (and nothing else). While I love their sports writing, I don’t follow them on Twitter. Instead, I follow other sportswriters who comment, respond, retweet and engage. So mix it up: share content, retweet, respond and engage. Don’t be a social media automaton.

8) Engage proactively and respond promptly.

Users on social media can be chatty. And they expect responses to their issues or comments. Your role: listen to what they’re saying and respond promptly. A same-day (or same-hour) response is far better than one that comes tomorrow or next week.

9) Cross-promote your channels.

While your primary goal is to “be useful” on any given social network, there are times when you’ll want to promote your other social networks. Let fans know that you “exist” elsewhere. And, when you’re running events, contests or campaigns on a particular network, use your other channels to drive additional awareness of those activities.

10) Experiment with paid advertising.

Image: a Twitter Ads dashboard for Promoted Tweets.

It’s great that you have a lot of fans and followers on social media. But did you know they’ll miss 80+% of what you post (that’s my own, unscientific estimate)? That’s just reality.

Paid advertising can create a higher likelihood that fans see your content – and, it extends your reach to people not currently following you. We’ve had fun experimenting with it here at DNN.

Conclusion

Social media can drive tremendous value to your organization – and, it can be a lot of fun doing it. I hope you found these tips useful. I presented a DNN webinar on this same topic recently – you can find the presentation slides below.

Originally published on the DNN Software blog.

Leave a Comment » | Social Media | Tagged: 10 Tips, Facebook, Google, Google Circles, Linkedin, paid advertising, Retweet, social media, social media channels, social media optimization, tagging, Twitter, Twitter Ads | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

5 Reasons to Hire a Social Media Consultant for Your Small Business

August 14, 2013

Photo credit: Flickr user kdonovangaddy via photopin cc

Note: the following is a guest post by Sara Collins.

Introduction

Marketing and advertising are essential factors in a business’s growth. One of the most increasingly important strategies is social media marketing. Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining traffic through social media sites.

For a company or individual, social media marketing efforts will usually center on the creation of content that will attract attention to the business’s products and services.

This content will be spread to others by your readers and customers as opposed to direct marketing efforts, which is a more limiting marketing method. As a business owner, you may not have enough time or experience to do the social media marketing yourself, so considering a professional social media consultant can help you achieve success with your brand identity.

Social Media Consultant

A social media consultant is someone who can implement, optimize, and build your online presence and social media efforts in a structured way that will not only achieve visibility, but lead to tangible results i.e. sales.

Social media consultants usually specialize in a particular brand or product in order to achieve the best possible results. Along with helping your business, social media consultants can also enhance your marketing team’s work quality and bring new ideas to the team.

What a Social Media Consultant Can Do For You

1) Analyzing Business Data

Using such tools as Google analytics, a consultant should be able to see how engaged your audience is. They would then be in a position to tell you what you’re doing right or wrong and provide the solutions that are necessary for you to grow your presence.

2) Creating a Social Media Policy Tailored To Your Brand

Depending on what brand you are promoting or selling, a specialist should be able to let you know which platforms would be or wouldn’t be effective for your business. For example, a clothing brand would find that engaging on a platform, such as Polyvore, is necessary while a platform, such as Café Mom, is unnecessary.

3) Integrating Your Content

All the content on the web that relates to your business should intertwine and lead to your website. This means that any accounts, blog posts, tweets or pictures should be structured in such a way that the user eventually ends up on your website.

4) Mapping Out a Strategy

A consultant should be able to provide you with a clearly defined plan on how to build your social media presence as well as give you advice on how to sustain the growth that they will help you achieve.

5) Always Updated On Latest Trends And Predicts Future Trends

A social media specialist understands the ever-changing Internet trends, whether users are flocking to Pinterest or Twitter. By keeping up with the latest trends, a consultant is able to predict how to best plan your future marketing strategy, ensuring that your business will always stay caught up with the most recent online platforms.

Hiring a Social Media Consultant

Before hiring a social media consultant, figure out what goals you have for your business. Consider the following to decide your business’ goals:

Do you want to sell a product or service?
Will social media marketing be beneficial to your business?
What is your budget for a social media consultant?
How do you want to reach your target market?
Can your marketing team handle the social media marketing and continue implementing strategies after the social media consultant leaves?
What specific skills do you want in a consultant that can help your business?

Once you’ve defined your business goals and have decided to hire a social media specialist, write down what you’d like to ask them to ensure they will be a good team player. Here are a handful of questions you can ask during your interview:

Do you have any experience in digital marketing to my business’ target market?
How can you engage my clients on social media platforms?
What social media tools have you used before?
Do you have one social network that you focus on the most? If so, do you think it would be beneficial to my business and why or why not?
What campaigns have you created or planned before?
How long would it take you to develop my business’ social media presence?

Conclusion

Social media consultants focus on everything that has to do with digital or Internet marketing. Due to their focus, your marketing team can grow in other areas of your marketing strategy, from website design to email marketing. With a social media specialist on the team, the team can also learn different ways to bring more to your business’s online presence that accommodates each member’s specific tasks.

About the Author

Sara Collins is a writer for NerdWallet, a site dedicated to helping consumers find the best balance transfer cards.

1 Comment | Social Media | Tagged: NerdWallet, Sara Collins, small business, SMB, social media, social media consultant | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

10 Ways to Prepare for Your Social Media Manager Interview

August 10, 2013

Introduction

Social Media Manager has become a rather popular position lately. Whether it’s a dedicated or partial position, the function exists within most organizations.

Enterprises, non-profits, small businesses and associations understand the benefits of maintaining social media channels to generate awareness, engage with prospects and interact with customers and partners.

A Friend’s Interview

Recently, a friend of mine was preparing to interview for a Social Media Manager position. He was looking to transition into that position from a related role and asked me for advice on how to prepare for the interview.

Here are ten tips on how to prepare: they’re meant for people who haven’t done the job before.

1) Clean up your social media profiles.

Pictured: privacy settings options on Facebook.

I can guarantee you that your social media presence will be a key consideration for this position. Your prospective employer will look you up on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter (in that order).

Congratulations on passing the “sniff test” – you scored an interview.

That being said, between now and the interview, clean up and optimize your profiles. Professional-oriented sites like LinkedIn are a given; also be careful to review the “Who can see my stuff?” settings on Facebook and un-tag yourself from photos that you wouldn’t want your mom to see.

2) Find and discover the organization’s “brand voice.”

Every organization has a “brand,” which means that every organization has a brand voice. In other words, do some research on your potential employer.

Check their website for a listing of their mission statement or core values (example: the core values of Zappos).

Understand what’s important to the organization, along with their vision for the future. Then, subtly reference some of the information you learned during your interview. When you get the job, you’ll need to tweet, post and pin with the brand voice.

3) Practice being the organization’s Press Secretary.

Photo of Jay Carney via Wikipedia.

Jay Carney is President Obama’s Press Secretary. Like all presidential press secretaries, Carney has a challenging job. He needs to stand up in front of the White House Press Corps and answer questions.

Sometimes he’ll be thrown “softballs,” while other times, he’ll need to address pointed and difficult questions. Carney needs to answer the questions in the “brand voice” of the Oval Office. As a Social Media Manager, your followers on Twitter (for example) are the press corps and you’re the press secretary. So watch a few White House news briefings and see how Carney handles questions.

4) Immerse yourself in the role.

Plan a number of 30-45 sessions during which you observe brands in action (on social media). “Like” some brands on Facebook, both in the target industry and a few outside of that. See how they’re crafting their status updates on Facebook.

Then, venture over to Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and other social networks and observe how brands are using those channels. Pay particular attention to how those brands engage with their audience. You get bonus points for tracking a single brand across channels and figuring out how they uniquely use each one.

5) Be prepared to define ROI.

It’s great that you’re proficient at tweeting, posting and tagging. It’s even better when you can do it in the brand’s voice. Some organizations will want you to take it to the next step and measure the Return on Investment (ROI) of social media.

So do some research on ROI models (for social media) and be prepared to talk through some of them. Then, turn the question around and ask about the organization’s goals with social media. Suggest particular social media metrics that can be assembled to tie back to those goals. The key point: the definition of social media ROI should be unique to each organization.

6) Do research on social media advertising.

Pictured: some of the targeting options available in Twitter’s Promoted Tweets.

There are lots of options for spending money to augment your reach on social media: Promoted Tweets, Boosted Posts (Facebook), Sponsored Updates (LinkedIn), etc.

Do some research on how these work: how are they priced, what are the benefits, how can you measure, etc. If your prospective employer is not yet using these tools, you can score bonus points by planting the seed (with your knowledge).

7) Consider celebrating your outsider status.

Let’s say you’ve never worked in the industry of your prospective employer. Especially for social media marketing positions, employers are starting to look past the “industry experience” pre-requisite.

If the topic comes up during the interview, be prepared with a way to celebrate you outsider status. You may bring a new perspective to the organization’s approach to social media and be able to communicate in a fresh, new way (while maintaining the brand voice).

8) Research agency relationships.

While this may only apply to larger organizations, do some research to see if your prospective employer uses agencies in its social media: PR firms, design firms, interactive agencies, etc. A good place to check is the “Press Release” or “News” pages on their website. Having this information in your back pocket keeps you better informed going into the interview.

9) Think up a creative idea or two.

Do NOT tell your prospective employer what they’re doing wrong on social media. However, it’s fine to observe what they’re doing and think up new and creative ways to do the same thing. Sort of like this: “I noticed you’re doing <this>, have you considered doing <that>?”

10) Research past campaigns and contests.

Take a look at past social media campaigns and contests run by your prospective employer. Understand what they were looking to achieve and how it was received by participants. You’ll have a role in campaigns and contests going forward, so speaking knowledgeably about them during the interview puts you ahead of the pack.

Conclusion

It’s important to remember the “larger calling” of your role. It may be neat to tell friends that you get paid to tweet, post and pin, but it’s all in the context of the organization’s goals.

The social networks are the tools that you use to help achieve those goals. Portray that message during your interview: your excitement about the opportunity is less around social media and more about leveraging social media to advance the organization’s cause.

Leave a Comment » | Social Media | Tagged: brand voice, Facebook, Facebook Ads, interview preparation, Jay Carney, Linkedin, LinkedIn Sponsored Updates, Pinterest, press secretary, ROI, social media, social media ads, social media advertising, social media interview, social media manager, social profiles, Tumblr, Twitter, Twitter Ads | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

10 Lists of 10: Insights on Social Media, Product Marketing and More

May 27, 2013

Introduction

Because “lists of 10” is a popular format on this blog, I decided to round up a “list of 10 covering the lists of 10.” Without further ado, I present you with my ten favorite lists of ten.

1) 10 Reasons Print Rules in The Digital Age

Call me old fashioned: this post provides ten reasons why I enjoy magazine subscriptions to The Economist and SI.

2) 10 Steps to Creating Blog Posts Your Readers Will Love

My ten step process for writing blog posts. Since this post is a compilation of past posts, I didn’t use the process this time.

3) 10 Reasons Texting Has Taken Over the World

Texting is not limited to the younger generation – in fact, texting is taking over the world.

4) Unable to Attend an Event? 10 Ways Twitter Fills the Gap

You simply can’t make it to all events. And when you can’t, turn to Twitter to fill the gap.

5) 10 Reasons Storytelling is The New Product Marketing

Calling all product marketers: tell good stories.

6) 10 Reasons to Skip the Web Site in Favor of Twitter (When Researching a Company)

When I research a company, I find it more useful to skim through their home page, then jump directly to their Twitter profile.

7) Top 10 Tips for Social Media Time Management

Intimidated by the amount of time social media consumes? Check out this list of tips on social media time management.

8) The 10 Things Marketers Should Do When Starting a New Job

When Marketers start a new job, they should engage with Sales right away, among other things.

9) 10 Reasons Social Media Addicts Should Go Camping

Want to get off the grid and disconnect from social media? Go camping.

10) 10 Reasons Product Managers and Event Managers are Kindred Spirits

This list argues that documents how: product managers and event managers do a lot of the same things.

Leave a Comment » | General | Tagged: blogging, event manager, product manager, Product Marketing, social media, Top 10 List, Twitter | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

10 Reasons to Skip the Web Site in Favor of Twitter (When Researching a Company)

March 25, 2013

Exception to the rule: when researching Twitter, you’re more than welcome to visit Twitter.com.

Introduction

Let’s say you’ve never heard of a company before, but want to learn more. You land on the company’s home page and need to answer some rudimentary questions:

What does the company do?
Where are they headquartered?
What’s been going on lately?

You’d typically look for pages such as “Contact,” “About Us,” and “News” and perhaps you’d get some answers. Lately, I skip those pages and simply look for the Twitter icon (which 90+% of companies have). Visiting their Twitter profile tells me everything I need to know.

Let’s consider ten reasons to skip the web site in favor of a company’s Twitter profile.

1) Character limit increases clarity.

What does a company do? On an “About Us” page, they have an unlimited amount of space. The description on your Twitter profile has a limit of 160 characters. As with tweets, the economy of characters forces you to be simple and efficient. The description on a company’s Twitter profile is far better than the text on their “About Us” page.

2) A picture is worth a thousand words.

Photo source: the profile page of @VirginAmerica.

Twitter’s profile page displays six of the company’s most recently posted photos (in thumbnail size). These images helps paint a picture of the company and are more personal (i.e. “real”) compared to what they might post on their web site.

3) Find out where they’re based (right away).

I like to know where a company is based. On some web sites, you’ll get a “Contact Us” page, but no physical address. You might have to navigate to the Press Releases page and find out where the releases were issued from. It’s all too hard. The Twitter profile asks for “Location” and most companies list their headquarters’ location. Just what I need.

4) Find related Twitter accounts.

Photo source: the profile page of @ConstantContact.

Companies will use separate Twitter accounts for assorted functions (e.g. customer support). Sometimes, knowing about these additional accounts can be useful.

5) Now what do you REALLY do?

Companies that sell complex products can lose us when they begin to describe just what it is they do. The first instance of jargon brings with it the potential for confusion. The description (above) by McAfee doesn’t go into detail on products or solutions. But it’s an elegant and simple statement that we can all understand.

6) What have you been up to lately?

Read a company’s five most recent tweets. More often than not, you’ll have your answer. Here’s an example of a recent tweet from @Bunchball:

Caitlin Donaldson, our Data Analyst, recently joined the world of #gamification. Here's what she has learned so far: bit.ly/ZYgruK
—
bunchball (@Bunchball) March 21, 2013

7) What’s your “social persona”?

A company’s Twitter profile can tell a lot about their approach to social. Consider these questions you can ask:

Do they follow back?
Do they retweet others?
Do they interact with other users via “@ mentions”?
Do they post photos?
Do they share others’ content, in addition to their own?

8) View creative images you won’t see on the web site.

I love seeing the creativity used by some companies in their Twitter profiles. When Twitter launched header images (to complement your photo), it unleashed a torrent of creativity. Check out the image combination from @Ford:

9) What’s your personality and culture like?

A company’s tweets tell us about their employees and their culture. In addition, the Twitter account embodies an answer to the question, “hey company, what’s on your mind?” And that’s something social media provides that a web site cannot.

10) Are you following me?

OK, I had to add this one as a form of “Twitter vanity.” If you’re checking out a company and they’re already following you, make sure you follow them back (if you’re not already doing so)!

Leave a Comment » | Twitter | Tagged: social media, tweets, Twitter, Twitter header, Twitter Photos, Twitter Profile | Permalink
Posted by Dennis Shiao

We’re Results-Driven

Lack of Progress is Discouraging

Is Anybody Out There?

It’s Important to Keep Trying

My Term: Dark Impact

LinkedIn

LinkedIn, Part 2

Twitter and Blogging

What to Do?

Share this:

Like this:

1) In your bio, don’t refer to yourself in the third person

2) Avoid overstuffing your bio with hashtags

3) Think twice about Auto-DM’ing new followers

4) Respond to questions

5) “Favorite” tweets to send positive karma

6) Monitor interactions on your scheduled tweets

7) Share photos

8) Share your geographic location

9) Ask questions and encourage conversation

10) Own up to your mistakes

11) Share facts in your bio that no one else knows

12) Don’t Favorite or RT your own tweets

13) Use humor

14) Mix business with pleasure

15) Retweet regularly

16) Give thanks

Your Turn

Share this:

Like this:

1) Forget about social media marketing.

2) Invest in billboard advertising.

3) Decrease your online marketing budget.

4) Tomorrow’s workers won’t be motivated by gamification.

5) Make them wait for it.

Conclusion

Share this:

Like this:

Introduction

Junior Achievement Program

Why We All Have a Personal Brand

5 Personal Branding Tips

1) Always Be Mindful of What You’re Sharing

2) Pay Attention to Details

3) Sprinkle in Brand-Appropriate, Proactive Sharing

4) Don’t Let Your Inside Voice Get Outside

5) Advanced Topic: Start Blogging

Additional Thoughts on Personal Branding

Conclusion

Share this:

Like this:

Introduction

Finding Time for Social Sharing

Prerequisites to Complete First

Sharing Content in 5 Minutes a Day

1) Review presentations on the SlideShare home page (3 minutes)

2) Identify the handful of presentations that are share-worthy (1 minute)

3) “Like” the presentations on SlideShare (30 seconds)

4) Click the “Tweet” button on each SlideShare (30 seconds)

Benefits of Social Sharing

1) Let the world know what interests you.

2) Become a useful resource.

3) Generate some social credibility.

Advanced Activities: Going Beyond 5 Minutes a Day

1) Publish your own SlideShares.

2) Pre-schedule your social sharing.

3) Mix it up: content.

4) Mix it up: destinations.

5) Add commentary to your shares.

Conclusion

Share this:

Like this:

Introduction

1) Use consistent branding across channels.

2) Strategically hyperlink from profile pages.

3) Reciprocate.

4) Tag (link to) other users.

5) Learn the tricks of the trade of each social network.

6) Measure, evaluate, adjust.

7) Mix it up.