Social Media Marketing Metrics | Social Accountability

Social Media Marketing is different from all other forms of advertising but it must be held accountable just the same. As companies rush to jump on the social media marketing bandwagon, they seem to check their good business sense at the door. The same companies that have set objectives and strict reporting standards when it comes to the performance of other forms of advertising, respond like a deer in headlights when it comes to holding social media marketing accountable. There have to be set goals and analytics to measure effectiveness or else social media marketing is a waste of time.

How Do You Value Social Interactions?
Businesses are just Twittering away their time if they don’t know how Twitter translates into real business objectives. This is the data that I track to determine the value of Twitter.

Date:
Followers:
Following:
Updates:
Incoming Direct Messages :
Direct Message Responses:
Outgoing Direct Messages:
Incoming @ Replies:
Positive Mentions:
Negative Mentions:
Site Links:
Visitors to Site/Landing Page:

The number of both followers and following should increase over time. Updates should be done regularly. The number of incoming direct messages should equal the number of direct message responses. Outgoing direct messages should exceed both incoming and response DMs. The number of times a link to the site or landing page is tweeted or retweeted is one indication of success. The number of visitors to the site or landing page from Twitter is the most important indication of success.

Social Media Marketing for Business | Applying Old Rules To A New Game

How Is Your Business Using Social Media Marketing? Part I
By Rachael Dror 630-269-3725 RachaelDror@hotmail.com

Social Media Marketing is different from any other kind of marketing or advertising. It is accomplished most successfully through lateral vs. vertical engagement with current and prospective customers. While other forms of advertising are based on a top down approach, the brand dictates the message and the consumer receives the message, social media marketing is not about the brand but rather the experience and tools a brand provides for consumers to use and spread through their online networks. In this consumer-centric environment, engagement and conversations are important but even better are ideas worth spreading. You know that your social media efforts are successful when your consumers take over the distribution of your message!

Brands must learn how to set the stage for success and then step back and watch it happen. Micromanaging a brand’s message on social networks is time consuming and ineffective. Success is when a brand’s message is spread naturally with minimal effort. If a brand refuses to handover control to the masses, it will live a lonely and irrelevant existence in the far reaches of the social space. Time and resources are better spent on development and deployment. After the launch, analytics and accountability should take center stage.

Companies often confuse employing social media as part of their customer service approach with using social media to meet marketing objectives such as brand recognition, increased site traffic and sales conversions. Having a company Twitter account to monitor and respond to customer complaints or questions is an example of using the medium as a customer service tool. Creating a branded Twitter application for a target market to use, link to and spread because they like its functionality is an example of good social media marketing.

Mobile Web SEO | Are You Missing Out?

By Rachael Dror 630-269-3725

With 3.3 billion active cell phones on a planet of 6.6 billion people, mobile internet marketing cannot be ignored! Here are a few tips to get you started creating your mobile web presence...

1. Use the same colors and key elements as your main website.

2. Remove graphics and advertisements- they slow down load time and make mobile navigation tricky.

3. Less is more when it comes to clicks needed to navigate a mobile web page. Remember that your mobile audience has limited time, patience and bandwidth.

Social Media Marketing | Don't Be Old School!

Don't Be Old School
by Rachael Dror

If you want to successfully market your products and services online, social media marketing is the most powerful tool available. In 2008, 79.5 million people visited social networking sites at least once a month according to Debra Aho Williamson of eMarketer! But before you attempt to reach out to this vast audience, the first thing you need to do is to forget everything you know about advertising! Gone are the days when the brands with the biggest ad budgets and loudest voices win. Today you have to ask yourself if your message is worth commenting on, sharing with friends and spending time with when there are infinite options available.

NEW REALITY CHECK:

1. Stop talking about yourself! Listen to what others are saying and join the conversation.

2. Is that the sound of one hand clapping? A good way to be ignored online is to blast your message out to people who just don't care.

3. If you build it, they will not come. Having a website, banner ad, etc. is not good enough.

4. If you don't have something remarkable to say, don't say anything at all!

5. Get off your soapbox and get your hands dirty. Engagement is key to social media marketing success.

6. When in Rome, do as the Romans. Get to know the social network before crafting your campaign.