Overwhelmed By Irrelevant Resumes? | Successfully Recruit Internet Marketing Talent

Finding experienced internet marketing talent doesn't have to be an exercise in frustration. Don't rely on resume submissions and job board postings alone. You have to be an active participant in the search or else you'll end up with a mile high stack of mostly irrelevant resumes and a bad attitude.

1. Become an Expert!
a. Learn everything you can about the positions you are recruiting for.
b. Develop relationships with qualified candidates and utilize them
as a resource for information. If you don't know something, ask!
c. Subscribe to RSS feeds from industry experts such as mashable.com and SEOmoz.com.

2. Stay Current on Industry Trends and Best Practices
a. Read articles and blogs by current and emerging thought leaders.
b. Participate in blog conversations, ask questions!
c. Use the technology yourself and gain firsthand experience.
d. Join local meet-up groups.
e. Subscribe to industry publications such as Website Magazine.

3. Look Beyond the Resume to Actual Experience and Results
a. Look at the candidates work! Ask for a list of client projects and a summary
of objectives and results for each.
b. Ask knowledgeable questions about the candidate's capabilities and experience.
c. Request to see ranking, linking and other SEO reports.
d. Check out websites the candidate has designed or promoted.
e. Ask candidates to specify their role in projects they've worked on.

4. Create a Social Networking Presence
a. Establish a Twitter account, personalize with your photo and bio.
b. Create a blog or landing page to send candidates to with job & contact information.
c. Do more than send messages, engage in conversations!
d. Write posts and tweets of interest to prospective candidates.
e. Use the search functions on sites like Twitter to find and target candidates
through @ and direct messages.
f. Be consistent and responsive!

5. Network Offline
a. Attend industry events and conferences.
b. Develop trusting relationships with top candidates and working professionals.
c. Ask for referrals.
d. Be aware of industry layoffs and firm closings- this can be an excellent
source of qualified talent!

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.

How to Choose a Social Media Marketing Manager

So you want to add social media into your marketing mix? Here are some must have qualities that any potential hire should possess.

• Hands on Experience- with the main social networks and media sites. Theory is great but do they know their way around the networks? The candidate must have actual experience meeting business objectives through blogging, Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace, application development, etc.

• PhotoShop and Design Chops. Unless you have unlimited resources, the candidate should be selfsufficient and able to do basic design tasks themselves.

• Writing Skills. If this person is going to be the face of your company online, they must be able to write in a way that is in line with your overall marketing message. The various social media channels have their own styles of communication. The candidate should be able to take a company's message and clearly articulate it across multiple channels.

• SEO Experience. Understanding how search engines work, how people search & how to measure success online, are important skills for taking social media from a communications tool to a powerful method for meeting concrete business objectives. Implementing and decifering analytic reports is critical to understanding the success or failure of all online marketing efforts including social media.

• Social Intelligence. Your candidate must be able to think on their feet and respond appropriately. They must be able to engage with people easily and according to the culture of the particular social network.

• Strategy. Your candidate must be able to plan and execute campaigns, establish and maintain profiles, seek out new opportunities, tryout new and varied techniques, while keeping the overall business objectives at the forefront.

• Creativity. To get your message across in the social media space, your candidate must be able to package it in ways that are worth spreading. Developing ideas that people want to pass around to each other through social media channels requires out of the box thinking and creativity.

• Research Skills. The social media landscape changes on a daily basis. The ability and desire to stay on top of new developments and trends in social media technology and marketing is crucial to establishing your company as a forward thinking leader. You don't want to be in the position of having to play catch up to your competitors. Look for someone who can get you there first.

Let's Get Social | Awesome Social Media Marketing Twitter Tees

Twitter Tees is an excellent example of social media marketing and Twissness (a Twitter business). Check them out and vote HECK YES on my Twitter Tee quote of the day!