The great return

Source: marketingtechblog.com via Stefan on Pinterest

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How would you handle this?

Not long ago I saw a brand post a picture on a social media platform. The picture wasn't anything fancy or special. It was actually kind of boring to be honest and the caption was just ordinary too. What struck me was the comments made.

The comments questioned the companies philosophy, loyalties, manufacturing and one of the commenters seemed to have been employed there. Lets' check that one to the disgruntled employee box.
 I watched throughout the day to see what would happen and another person posted in agreement of the product judgement by an earlier post.

Yet as I kept checking back there was nothing from the company, no response at all.  I checked at the end of the day and  the only  thing left was the original photo, the comments had all been deleted.

These things happen in social media so having the knowledge of how to deal with them helps everyone

So my question is this- What would you have done and how would you have handled the situation?


Weigh in below with your view. If you're shy send me an email (toddvendituoli@gmail.com) and I'll post your response anonymously.

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Making lists on Twitter

Now first I should mention that I rarely use Twitter itself. I do almost all of my posting from http://hootsuite.com/
I also find this helpful as I make lists or groups. I find this helpful in arranging my friends and followers according to different grouping so that I can keep track of what is being said and being able to respond in a timely manner. As you will see below I have a friends list, a building list and more of them to the right which you can't see at present. You can make your lists in any way that makes sense to you but my advice is to make them.

Tools are a valuable asset in social media as the easier it can be accomplished, the better it will be for all.

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Blog topics and inspiration

Recently I was asked how I find enough topics to write about on a blog. 

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The death of social media- 3 possibilities

I read an article recently that stated that the economy was doing much better and people were leaving social media because they were actually busy making money now. It went on and on how social media will still be around but as people are using Twitter and Facebook less as they get on with real business, it will decline even more.
Now let me say that I agree with this but there will have to be a set of events or conditions that happen that will make social media decline. Here they are:

1. All social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and others will have to cease to exist.
2. The internet will no longer exist.

Or trumping both of those- An asteroid the size of Earth hits the Earth and wipes out everything.

So there, I agree as long as the above conditions happen then social media will decline and/or disappear.

Update:

Just checked-  "In fact, as best as we can tell, no large object is likely to strike the Earth any time in the next several hundred years."http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/sl9/back2.html

So I guess it will have to be #1 or #2. That's probably as likely as marketing and advertising going away too.

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"How engaged is your brand?"

http://inblurbs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Alterian-Annual-Survey-Infographic.png

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Pinterest articles - I'm on the fence

With all the talk of Pinterest and should you or shouldn't you participate, will there be legal consequence, should I delete my account and more..... I thought I would post a list of article that I had compiled concerning this site. I know there is a lot of reading here so maybe what you could do is bookmark this page, read some, come back and read more. I don't know the solution but through added knowledge you may be able to make an informed choice.




http://www.mindjumpers.com/blog/2012/02/how-brands-use-pinterest/

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/everything_pinterest_and_tumblr_users_need_to_know.php

http://theory.cribchronicles.com/2012/02/29/pinterest-digital-identity-stepford-wives-edition/

http://makingamark.blogspot.com/2012/03/takedown-how-pinterest-moved-fast-to.html

http://makingamark.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-pinterest-removed-all-my-pinned.html

http://kikolani.com/its-not-just-pinterest-re-copyright-legal-issues.html

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/250700/what_you_should_know_about_pinterest_and_copyright.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/pinterest-addresses-copyright-concerns/2012/03/15/gIQAijAFES_story.html

There seems to be a movement on the part of Pinterest to make changes and I believe we will be seeing those very soon. Hopefully these changes will be for the benefit of all.

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Building a blog for business

Blogging in my opinion is not on the decline as some say but I feel on the increase. Blogs that have relevant content and publish frequently will have a further reach and rank higher in search engines. That means that you and your business will be easier to find.  I'm not making that up, that's a fact.

 Have you started your blog yet? If you answered No then my suggestion would be to start one. Here is an earlier post that highlights some of what you may want to consider doing.  http://www.socialmedia4builders.com/2011/12/you-need-blog.html

Blogging takes time and don't let anyone tell you it doesn't. You have to come up with content that is interesting and relevant and that is always time consuming. Yet the time that you put into your blog will come back many times over. Sometimes this is just from people looking for information. Other times people are searching for someone to build their home, add a deck or someone who has a reputation as a reliable plumber. It really doesn't matter the reason but they have seen your name and if your content is worthwhile they will remember you.

Today I will also be hosting a Twitter chat on this topic- Blogging for Business- and would love to see you there.

http://kbtribe.wordpress.com/2012/03/15/blogging-for-business/  It will be at 2pm EST and the easiest way to participate is by going to http://tweetchat.com/, login to your Twitter account and then type in
kbtribechat in the box. This allows you to not have to type in #kbtribechat as it will do it automatically as you write you tweet.

Hope to see you there!

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Networking

Networking is such an important part of what social media can help you accomplish yet I have heard such comments as:

What good is it Tweeting to a bunch of people all over the place?

I'd rather network at a local place or business event?

You mean make contacts with people you have never met?

For these people they are only looking at a smaller picture and in some ways have not yet seen that the world has grown smaller. The world operates on a global scale as well as a local one and how you connect with your clients or potential clients has changed.

For instance:

A builder says he meets people when at events or through groups and organizations that he belongs to. To that I say great but do you really want to stop there? Have you considered that there may be those potential clients that will search for a builder through the internet and advice posted from others? It happens constantly and even more than you may realize. Years ago I had a client that found me through an internet search.  He then did some real life checking about me and we met, discussed the project and after that the bulk of our conversation was via email.  He had checked me out on line and then followed up with people that he knew. I had spent the time networking in the real world and on line.

For networking today I personally recommend that you using Twitter. It is a great way to meet people and businesses with similar likes and connections. These are people within your industry that may have valuable insights as to what is happening and various information that you may not even be aware of. Every platform is different and has to be treated differently but through Twitter I have made global connections with some great people and gained new friends and a wealth of new information.

If you haven't started using Twitter- sign up and start networking.

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Cats and social media

Bet that got your attention. Cats aren't all that social so what's it mean.

Now some of you may be cat lovers and some not so much but cats are a special breed. Rarely can you find a cat and have it get to like you. They tend to have a sense about friendship and an inner sense about the bonds they will make. Even then it takes time to develop a relationship with a cat. Cats are leery and will give out bits and pieces of themselves and their affection. You may seem fine but cats want to make sure, so it takes time.

Social media is about meeting people, networking and developing relationships. You connect with someone, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. You both have similar interests or knowledge and it is ongoing. Yet in every case it takes time for the development to happen.

Cats and social media take time. There are no shortcuts or quick ways to accomplish either.

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Shift happens

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Promoting yourself without promoting

There is advice everywhere concerning how to best use social media and create a presence for yourself. In the past business has always been more about broadcasting a message or an advertisement and that was the general medium used. It was a direct approach that has had its time, However now the message that, if just purely broadcast, meets with skepticism. People have become less trusting of what brands promote for themselves.

So here you are, trying to use social media and even though it's hard because of how you learned to market yourself, you are told not to solely promote yourself and your business. Don't just spew out continually promotions of how great you are and what you have to offer is the common wisdom. So how to promote yourself without actually promoting yourself.

Here's a five ways to promote yourself:

• Produce articles and posts on your blog that show your knowledge and experience in your field

• Comment and share on other content that is relevant to your field. Show off your employees, their lives and accomplishments- humanize your business.

• Produce a series of videos that emphasis things that are important for others to know and understand such as a first meeting with a client and the best way to approach it.

• Be helpful to others. If someone asks for your advice, freely give it. Social media is about being social, sharing and helping others. It gives you the opportunity to show what you know.

• Extend your blog to friends by inviting them or others to contribute articles or offer opinions and follow up commentary to your writing pieces.

There are many ways to accomplish this but none involve using the method of just blasting out a set message. Social media is part of your marketing program, just don't use it the same way and you will see results.

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How to launch a brand

I recently came across this video as how to launch your brand and wondered what you thought. I should warn you that if there are some off bits of language ie it won't be shown on prime time television.

Now when I put this on it had been viewed over 2 1/2 million times. That seems to me to be a great turnout and at $1 a month for the service, even if 20% of those viewers sign on, that makes ... lets see.

2.5 million x 20= 500,000 x $1 each= $500,000/ month

Seems worth it to me and I must say I was just guessing at 20%. Maybe it was more, maybe less but either way it seems that he has started a great campaign and through social media.

Still having doubts? 

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Would you share?

Now that you have seen this video what do you think?

Did you enjoy it?

What thoughts were going through your mind as you watched it?

Would you share it for others to see?

Why?

One aspect that makes social media such a  great tool is the ability of others to share information so freely.

Now if you did enjoy it and it made you smile or created some emotion within you, my guess is that you would consider sharing it for others to see. Now let's suppose the piece, whether written, pictures or a video was on something else but you enjoyed it and thought others would like it too. Maybe the piece was entertaining or informative. You may even send it to friends or post it on your social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook.

So let's see - great content and the ability of others to spread the work you do to others. Ah!

Social Media

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Recent interview

Questions About Social Media

1.     Hours/day week devoted to social media?

I hesitate to put down the amount of time I spend participating in social media but it is a great deal. I have my own blogs that I write for as well as writing for other publications such as “For Residential Pros”, “Avente Tile”, “Bob Vila Nation” and many other individuals. I also spend a good amount of time promoting those pieces as well as works of others on a variety of platforms.

2.     Active platforms?

I use many platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, Linkdin, Stumble upon, Blogger and am constantly evaluating each of them for the results.

3.     What is best now for you?

a.     Space or platform

My best platform is Hootsuite for Twitter in combination with my blogs. Facebook does provide the next best results followed by Google+ but Twitter is where the bulk of my networking and results have started.

b.     Activity

I see a great deal of activity in many forms. Somedays it is from comments on my blog(s) other days it may be on Facebook or Twitter. Other times it’s conversations that develop on Twitter concerning a myriad of topics. It’s just like real life. However there is no predictable way to know what will be said or where so I monitor all my platforms on a consistent base so that I can respond in a timely manner. Timely manner being the key.

4.     Do you use any Social Media management programs?

The only management program that I use is Hootsuite but 99.9% of everything that I post anywhere is done by me personally. I’m not a real fan of scheduling posts as it somewhat anti- social to me. There are occasions that auto posting is used but that is rare for me.

5.     What do you like on the horizon?

I like that social media is gaining a broader acceptance and feel that trend will continue to grow as time goes on. At present it is such a new field that there remains a great deal of skepticism on the part of business to embrace it, yet I see examples of it’s worth almost daily. I also think that we will see more small businesses using social media as they discover the benefits even to a small local market.


6.     Can you track business from your efforts?

I believe that you can but the results are not always present immediately so you have use a different set of criteria for what results you are looking for. Are you using social media for customer service? Is it for gaining new prospective business? Every case is different but there are ways for judging the results as such as engagement from others, actual leads that generate new sales, promotions that lead to quicker results that you can see.  Every person or business has different objectives and therefor the result have to be measured individually too.

7.     Your tips for others.

If you are just starting out in social media, start a blog, sign up for Twitter and Facebook. Watch, listen and learn. Experiment and gauge the results of everything you do and then make changes. Most important of all, don’t be afraid to ask for help. People participating in social media are more than happy to help and answer questions, it’s part of what makes social media so great.  I have relied on many people and am constantly learning. Just ask and be yourself not who you think people expect you to be. Be Real.

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Social media revolution 2012

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Pinterest thoughts

Pinterest is hot and I recently did another post about the site. Yet now I have taken a pause and am wondering what to do as there is a great deal of controversy about copyright laws on the site, terms of service and other legal issues as well as ethical ones too. Some have deleted their accounts and others such as my self are sort of in a holding pattern. I am not a lawyer and I believe the issues will be resolved but when and how-  I have no idea.

http://pinterest.com/

Here's some thoughts:

Almost everything that is put on the internet is there because someone wants you to see it. They wouldn't have put it there if they didn't want you and everyone else to view what they have done or seen. So if you are only sharing that and not making any money from that photo, is it really an issue?

The younger generation has lost for the most part the concept of private. They see everything that gets posted to the internet as free for anyone to use. This is much the same as if you take a picture of a street, public space or anything that is considered part of public domain. So when you post your photos to the internet, does this fall into a new public domain category?

#3 from Pinterest Etiquette

Avoid Self Promotion

Pinterest is designed to curate and share things you love. If there is a photo or project you’re proud of, pin away! However, try not to use Pinterest purely as a tool for self-promotion.

Now if it came to be that you had to get permission from everyone to post their photos, people would probably stop because that's too hard. You would then be left to pin your own but wouldn't that be viewed as self promotion and a no-no offense?

Pinterest says that it will follow all copyright laws and if someone files a complaint, they will pursue it vigorously. Now I would assume by now that there are many copyrighted pieces shown on the site so is no one telling Pinterest or asking that they be removed? Or are they happy that there photo has been getting such exposure?

....you either are the sole and exclusive owner of all Member Content that you make available through the Site, Application and Services or you have all rights, licenses, consents and releases that are necessary to grant to Cold Brew Labs the rights in such From Pinterest Terms of use

Now let's face it, they know that the photos being posted aren't owned by the poster for the most part and I get that. Facebook and You tube ask you a similar question when you post and really how are they going to study every photo that is posted?

Indemnity

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold Cold Brew Labs, its officers, directors, employees and agents, harmless from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses, including, without limitation, reasonable legal and accounting fees, arising out of or in any way connected with (i) your access to or use of the Site, Application, Services or Site Content, (ii) your Member Content, or (iii) your violation of these Terms.

This one is very troubling as it means if someone does try to sue Pinterest over a photo that you posted, not only will you have to pay to defend yourself but also pay to defend Pinterest. Now I haven't seen any lawsuits concerning Pinterest but it's new and let's not forget the Napster episode. Actual people did get sued and I know the case is a bit different but what was the end result for Napster? I'm not sure I want to use up time working on something if it may potentially be a problem for me or be shut down.

This is an extremely interesting topic and I have no answers. Actually more questions and hope that it gets resolved soon. I like Pinterest!

What do you think?

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Experts and such

Now I'm not an expert in social media. I could easily tell you I am and maybe I know a bit more than some but I also know that I have less knowledge than others. Actually I know a great deal about social media but I am very reluctant to call myself an expert.

I hesitate with the term in any sense because when someone tells me they are an expert, it's like my hair goes up and so do my defenses. Is that person is going to TELL me what to do or what I'm doing wrong or try to sell me his services? It just makes me leery is all. Maybe its just me.

I see so many "experts" out there proclaiming they have the answers and maybe they have some but social media is so new I wonder what great knowledge they have gained so quickly. Another point is that every person needs to be doing social media in a way and fashion that works for them. To me, this can't be a dictated style, it's an individual thing. Individuals participate in social media, even if they represent your company, not office staplers.

You may also get the idea that I am skeptical and its true. Don't tell me you're an expert - show me!

Actions speak louder than words so let me read what you've written. Show me what you have actually done in social media.


Don't get me wrong, I think there many people that have way more knowledge about social media than myself, I just don't like the term expert much.

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Are you real?

Now this has happened quite a few times lately and it frankly bothers me.
I go to follow someone that I believe has some interesting information and would hopefully enjoy their tweets. Then I get a DM- direct message, stating they will only follow people that have been verified or something to this effect:

___________uses TrueTwit validation service. To validate click here________




Now I know this is their right to do. They are trying to avoid spammers and I get that but what I do is automatically "unfollow". Period, end of discussion. 


Here's why:


1. I took the time to look at your tweets and information to see what you had to offer. I thought I liked what i saw, so I followed you.


2. You want to know that I am a real person but will not take the time to actually check me out. You want an automated service to do it for you.


So tell me how interesting are you going to be? Are your tweets and information all automated too?


I'm looking for real people that I can connect with and that I can learn about and from and you can't take the time to learn a bit about me?


So my question to you is:


Are you real?

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Social media marketing infographic

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Followers and Friends

One of the most important and hardest parts of social media is to build a following. Now no matter what any site promises you, having 10,000 followers that you have no relation to is a waste of time in every sense when you are starting out. Seriously what good is that?

What you want is followers that you have serious, honest to goodness relationships with and that takes time. Now before I go any further, I must say I have a bit of a terminology issue with the word "followers". Now if you're Lady Gaga and have 10 trillion people that follow you on Twitter or any where you post anything- Yes those are followers. You have no mutual relationship with them. They follow you and what ever you have to offer. It's great, it's wonderful but few of us have that kind of following or influence. It's marketing people!

https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ_8Lpd7aRTP0wR1LbT4d5wUxfxGms86ylFGX5PGY3NoVZFfRrl

However if you are a regular person or business starting out using social media, you are looking or should be at friends versus followers. You want to connect with people and develop the same type of relationships as if they were there IRL (In Real Life). Don't pretend to be someone you aren't because you think that's what they want. It won't work or not for long. Relationships take time and effort. Period. There are no short cuts and by being relevant in your blog posts, providing useful information, sharing other friends great information and posts and more you will see the friendships develop. You are real, you are trusted for your knowledge and you are developing a level of authority about your business.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6mPtITyWNZM/TRomtnhR7SI/AAAAAAAAAMM/bRyQQ973T9U/s1600/Group_of_friends_3be7.jpg

You respect them and they respect you. Not following each other but friends.

Once that starts to happen so do other friendships and I must tell you that to a certain degree there is a bit of stalkerism to social media. People will watch and see what you are like long before you are ever friends in some cases. That's not a bad thing as it means they truly want to connect with you and that is how friends and followers come to be .

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