Social Media Week: Reflecting on the Importance of Social Media in Your Company

February 13, 2012

Jenn

Do you know what today is? Of course, we all know it’s Monday, February 13th, and the day before Valentine’s Day, but what else? Today is the first day of Social Media Week, which is defined as “a week-long festival featuring independently curated (and mostly free) speakers, panels, workshops, events, and parties” that takes place in 12 of the world’s major cities. Even for those of us who do not live close to any of the 12 participating cities and cannot attend the events, we can still participate. How, you ask? In my opinion, the best way to participate is to reflect on how social media is performing as a part of your company’s marketing plan. This will allow you to see how you’ve used social media thus far, how it has helped you to achieve your goals, and you wish to use it in the future.

Here are some ideas for how you can reflect on social media:

1. Make a List of Components of Your Current Social Media Situation
Start by writing out how many followers you have, how many people you follow, how many likes you have, how many pages you like, how many re-tweets you have, how many shares you have, how many mentions you have, etc. This will help you to see how you measure up. Do you have as many followers, like, shares, etc. as you’d like to have? On a day to day basis, one can get wrapped up in the daily grind, and lose focus. This time of reflection is a good time to realize how social media is working for you.

2. Make a List of Social Media Successes
Let’s be honest, we all like to think about our successes. Be sure to make a note of your social media accomplishments. Did you get a re-tweet or mention from someone significant in your industry? Did you get a certain amount of followers or likes? Think carefully about what you’ve been doing, find your best practices, and stick to them.

3. Make a List of What You’d Like to do with Social Media
You’ve already looked at your situation and successes. Now it’s time to look at where you want to go with your social media. Do you want to gain followers, get more re-tweets and comments, and get more shares? Think about where you want your social media to go, and then think of ideas on how you can make it happen. For example, if your goal is to increase followers, you can start to add a Twitter icon and your Twitter handle to all of your printed marketing materials.

4. Write Several Measurable and Attainable Objectives
If I learned one thing as an Advertising/Marketing program graduate, it’s that all marketing and advertising plans must have measurable objectives. Since social media plans are part of marketing plans, they too need measurable objectives. Measurable objectives allow you to track your progress, and create accountability. When I say measurable, I mean you must use numbers or percentages to define what you would like to achieve by a certain date. An example of a measurable objective is: “To increase the number of Twitter followers by 200 by the December 2012.” Likewise, and example of an objective using a percentage would be, “To increase the number of Twitter followers by 20% by December 2012.”

I have already written several of my own reflections on how social media has been a large component of my career in marketing. I wrote about social media tips I learned at the 2011 PRSA Chesapeake Conference, and about how social media can assist with event marketing. Be sure to check out these posts for additional social media ideas!

Happy Social Media Week!

Leave a Comment » | Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Jenn Lake

What is the economic impact of Facebook, Twitter, and all those social media applications?

February 9, 2012

Daraius

What do sites that many people use to share their vacation pictures, make snarky comments, or let everyone know what they are doing every minute of the day in under a 140 characters mean for the economy?  That is a question many individuals have. Aside for the very large IPO last week, what is the real economic value of Facebook or Twitter or the myriad of other social medial sites?

According to a University of Maryland study, Facebook and other social media sites have spawned the “App Economy” which has created between 182,000 and 235,000 jobs and has added between $12.19 billion and $15.71 billion in wages and salaries. A study funded by Facebook finds that in Europe, Facebook added a similar number of jobs (approximately 232,000).

Now one may wonder if Words with Friends and Farmville really add to the nation’s economic activity. While the enjoyment of playing social network games may not add a specific dollar amount to the economy, the development of such applications supports numerous jobs. Moreover, the use of Twitter and other location-based social media such as foursquare also support numerous development jobs and add value to the economy.

While all of these new application jobs are a benefit to the economy, I think the value of social media is how it is transforming the way we use the web and the way businesses use the web. In the first phase of the internet, portals such as AOL and Yahoo! made the internet the place to go to find information, albeit slowly. When Google indexed this information, then we were cooking with gas. However, the web experience remained an individual experience.  With the maturity of social media, the web has become a platform for social interaction. Social change empowers individuals who share common likes and dislikes to join together.

Image credit: tungphoto

The success of Facebook and other social media platforms illustrate the potential for profitability of an open internet and a good idea. The fact is that for every like or dislike we post, every tweet we tweet and every time we check in, we are providing immensely valuable information to firms. The rise in location-specific coupons is driven by this information. According to Richard Florida, the geography of the professional use of social media is concentrated in metro areas in the U.S. that are richer, more technologically advanced, have higher levels of education, higher levels of the creative class, and are more open to diversity of all sorts.

Leave a Comment » | Economic Analysis, Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Daraius Irani

Social Media and Video Tips from the 2011 PRSA Chesapeake Conference

November 16, 2011

Jenn

If you noticed that the TUOutreach Facebook and Twitter accounts were quiet on Thursday November 3,  good observation! I am the social media manager around here, and I spent Thursday at the 2011 PRSA Chesapeake Conference, learning about social media and other marketing, public relations, and advertising media.

I could go into an in-depth discussion about my day, but I’d like to instead focus on a few of the sessions that I attended, and what I learned from them.

I started my day with a video presentation by Ed Beckett and Sharon Brown from University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). My top take-away ideas from this session:

1. If you don’t have a good space for video, you may be able to rent production space from a local public television station.
2. Try to include experts in your videos, this allows for strong content.
3. Be selective about who you interview on camera and make sure they’re comfortable on camera.
4. Take a thumb drive with you to video meetings so that you can collect photos, presentations, and other visuals to include in the video.
5. Be sure to have the visuals in your video complement the spoken words (for example, if you say “dog”, show a dog, and if you see a dog, say “dog”).
6. Use phrases like “you”, “as you can see here”, and “take a look at this” to draw audience attention.
7. Use your video in other outlets such as emails and social media to maximize efficiency.

After the video session, I sat in on a Twitter session presented by Governor O’Malley’s New Media Manager, Zoe Pagonis, as well as Lori Livingston, New Media Manager for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Some key take-aways from this session include:

1. Use presentation platforms like Prezi to switch it up from PowerPoint.
2. Use a hashtag so that the audience can tweet about your presentation.
3. Have a laptop on hand during the presentation so that the presenters can answer questions received via Twitter.
4. Integrate social media with other departments to maximize efficiency.
5. Include videos in press releases.
6. Use videos to personalize your message.
7. Use websites like Vimeo for paid and free background music for your videos.

While the conference had several sessions, these two stuck out as my favorites. As you can see, the sessions of the 2011 PRSA Chesapeake Conference left their audiences with some great take-aways. This event was a valuable experience, and I hope to return next year.

Logo for the 2011 PRSA Chesapeake Conference


1 Comment | Education, Events, Marketing, Training, Web Services | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Jenn Lake

5 Tips for Using Twitter, Facebook, and Blogs for Event Marketing

October 13, 2011

Jenn

1. Create a Facebook event page
A Facebook event page allows you to publish essential information about your event (time, location, etc.), and track who will be attending. This is a great place to post relevant articles and resources that will further engage the audience. It also gives the audience a place to make comments on the event and share the event with their Facebook friends. The sharing feature is essential because it allows your event to reach more potential attendees.

2. Connect with Guest Speakers or Event Sponsors
If your event features a notable guest speaker, be sure to mention him/her on social media. For example, you can mention the individual on Twitter or tag them on Facebook. You can also mention sponsors in the same way. Mentioning a notable speaker or sponsor on social media will associate them with your event, thus creating increased awareness and credibility. Blogs are also a great place to connect with guest speakers. For example, you can have a guest speaker do a guest blog post about your event.

3. Publish Event Updates on Social media
Social media can also be used to keep your audience up to date as the event approaches. For example, you may want to let your audience know about agenda changes, new sponsors, new speakers, or new attractions. You can also use social media to countdown to the event, and to let your audience know when the event is close to selling out.

4. Publicize Social Media URLs
Be sure to include Facebook, Twitter, and Blog URLs on all websites and/or print collateral that are used to market the event. This should result in increased traffic to your social media websites since the consistent appearance of social media icons and URL’s will remind the audience to connect with your event.  Be sure to create a hashtag and let your audience know about it through your marketing efforts. Hashtags allow the audience to follow conversations about your event if they search the hashtag on Twitter.

5. Use Social Media for Crowd Sourcing
You can also use Facebook, Twitter, and blogs to interact with the audience. For example, you can poll the audience by asking what they’d like to see at the event. This will allow you to hear the voice of your audience and to ultimately present content that is relevant to your audience, creating greater satisfaction with the event.

Check out how DECO is using social media!

Image Credit: fotographic1980

2 Comments | Events, Marketing, Small Business Development | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Jenn Lake

Social Media for Entrepreneurs

August 25, 2011
http://tuoutreach.com/author/clayhickson/

Clay

Over the past few years, social media seems to have become an essential part in our lives.   Networking sites have changed the way we interact with the world.  While many sites were created mainly for personal uses, it did not take long for companies to discover the potential for business growth.

Amongst those who have benefited greatly from social media are entrepreneurs and small business owners.  Why?  Because of extensive reach and relatively low cost.   After all, sites like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn offer access to 1 billion users combined at minimal costs.  And while big corporations have the means to invest in large marketing campaigns to gain recognition, small businesses and start-ups must focus limited funds on more affordable resources.

Social media has become a key marketing tool allowing for more honed targeting of specific new markets.  It can help build awareness and exposure relatively rapidly both locally and internationally.

Lisa Drouillard, owner of My Hopeful Journey, a web-based application for managing infertility treatment programs, says, “Social media has been my primary method of connecting to both my customers and other stakeholders in the infertility community.  I have connected much more easily through social media than by making a cold call.”  Regarding the impact it has had, she says, “Without social media, launching My Hopeful Journey would have been nearly impossible.”

Mark McTamney, owner of BuffTees.com, a small graphic T-shirt company, adds that social media not only has made the process of attracting customers much more organic but also has facilitated customer interaction with the company, allowing him to be more responsive to customers’ needs.


Despite these benefits, many businesses do not explore social media’s full potential because of how time consuming it can be.  It takes time to create a plan that will be effective, and that will offer results over a short period.  People often mistakenly believe that their initiatives will pay off almost immediately while spending a limited amount of time online.  Nowadays, many companies are creating positions in social media marketing because of the important role it plays in gaining exposure and communicating with customers.

While many start-ups and small business owners cannot afford to hire additional employees, having someone dedicated to managing social media efforts could pay off in the long-term.  Both McTamney and Druillard agree that while they do not spend huge amounts of time online, they try to make the most out of their time networking.  “Social media is what I enjoy the most about my business” McTamney says.  “Interacting with my customers is the best part and it is probably the one thing I’d like to continue doing myself.”

Having a business page or blog does not guarantee success.  Like everything else, it takes time, effort, and planning to see results. As Druillard says, “You can’t just put up a Facebook page and expect people to find you”.

1 Comment | Education, Entrepreneurship, Small Business Development, Web Services | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Clay Hickson

Being Social, too much of a good thing?

May 2, 2011

Dawn

At a recent presentation I attended on Social Media, one of the speakers noted that just as “we” did a few years ago with adding “e” in front of everything (e-commerce, e-business etc.), “we” are now doing it with “Social.”  Of course the skeptic in me thought, no we aren’t.  I mean there is Social Media, Social Worker, Social Studies, Social Class but what else is there?  After a 5 minute search on the web, I now realize we are a lot more social than I originally thought. Here are just are a few of the terms I found:

Some Social Terms

Social Networking Social Policy
Social Psychology Social Contract Theory
Social Responsibility Social Constructivism
Social Law Social Development Theory
Social Investment Social Media Monitoring
Social Media Ambassador Social Learning
Social Recruiting Social Etiquette
Social Technologies Social Gadget Developing Tool
Social Capital


Really what do some of these things mean?
and Does adding the word “social” in front make them that much different if we didn’t add social? According to the American Heritage Concise Dictionary, Social means: living together in communities or groups. As I perused the web trying to find a clear cut meaning of the use of social when added to something else, all I could find was the same thing, the use of Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.   So I guess because I check my sons’ Facebook pages, I’m social parenting and when a friend asked peoples’ opinions on Facebook about an iPad versus a Xoom he was social researching?

We seem compelled to over use a term, just because it has popular connotations. There is probably a time and place to use the word Social to increase the impact or to provide a clearer meaning.  Recruiting used to be about finding and placing eligible employees now Social Recruiting is  when companies and recruiters use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media sites to source and recruit candidates for employment[i]. Networking and Social Networking are two related, but slightly different things, but networking is networking.  How it is done doesn’t change the fundamental meaning of it.  Social Etiquette was another social term that gave me pause, shouldn’t etiquette be etiquette?  I’m not sure how adding social here makes or changes its original meaning.

For someone like me who gets confused and overwhelmed easily, I think we should use some discretion when adding to our already complicated lives or maybe I’m just a person who just isn’t very social.

[i] Definition from About.com

Leave a Comment » | Education, Marketing | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Dawn Bott

Businesses (and TV Shows) Embrace Twitter

February 9, 2011

Sharyn

I heard about a series taking place on LIVE! with Regis & Kelly last week where Regis was learning how to “tweet” in 15 minutes a day. Then, on Sunday morning I was catching up on some DVR’d television shows, and while watching Grey’s Anatomy I picked up on the storyline that Chief Webber was upset with Bailey because she was “tweetering” during surgery. Both Regis and the Chief ended up seeing the benefits of Twitter for their business by the end of the storyline.

Similar circumstances and fears that Regis and Chief Webber faced seem to affect employers in the real business world. They are usually intimidated, don’t understand Twitter, or think that all this social media stuff is just for college aged students, but with a little research and guidance they begin to see how Twitter can add to the marketing plan for their business.

I talked about this with my colleague, Bobbie Laur, who is a project manager with the Integrated Marketing Team and also dabbles in teaching the ins and outs of social media. She has a few tips for the small business owner who is entering the twitter world:

  1. Know your audience—using a twitter search app you can easily identify and begin following the influencers in your region and industry.
  2. Perfect your profile—Having an articulate and intriguing profile will be the key to attracting followers.
  3. Manage your tweets—Twitter can be overwhelming, especially initially, so use a management tool like tweetdeck or hootsuite to assist in scheduling and managing your tweets.

Twitter is just one of many applications available to businesses today to assist with increasing brand recognition, building customer relationships, and increasing sales.  IMT helps clients evaluate their social media marketing efforts and consider which social media tools will benefit them the most.

To find out more about social media strategy development, visit the Integrated Marketing Team’s website.

Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Education, Small Business Development, Training | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sharyn Grove

Maryland’s Broadband Map makes finding the right broadband Internet service faster and easier.

September 21, 2010
Steven

Steve

Unhappy with your current Internet provider, but not sure what your options are? Recently moved, or house hunting, and want to know if broadband Internet access is available at the new location? In the past, finding answers to these questions would involve a significant amount of Internet research and you still might miss potential service options. The new interactive Maryland Broadband Map makes answering these questions much easier.

The development team at Towson University’s Center for GIS (CGIS) spent an arduous summer working with our partners internally and at the Maryland Broadband Cooperative and Salisbury University to bring the map application to fruition. We’ve blogged about the data collection effort, and the initial grant award in previous posts.

Getting started is easy.
Visit the Web site, type a Maryland address into the address textbox along the top of the map, and hit “GO.” The map will zoom to the address, and a green highlight will outline the census block for the location. The Results tab in the left panel will then display information about the types of broadband service available in the area. You’ll see an abbreviation in parentheses for each service type, which you can then match to the providers who deliver those services. Hyperlinks to provider Web sites help you quickly find more provider-specific details.

What else can you do with the map?
Besides the address search and service report, the map offers a number of additional features.

  • Get information on any location in Maryland
    By single clicking anywhere in the state, you can initiate the service report for the location of interest. If an address can be linked to the location, you’ll see the full street address. If no address can be linked to the location, you’ll see standard latitude and longitude coordinates in the results.
  • Revisit previous locations
    The Results tab includes a drop down list of locations you previously visited during your viewing session so you can easily return to a location.
  • Report unserved areas
    Two buttons on the Results tab let you communicate potential errors on the map. You can use the error reporting buttons to let us know of errors on the map, such as service types or a specific unserved location (such as your home). We strive hard for accuracy, but sometimes our data isn’t perfect. Your input helps make the map better.
  • Use social media links
    Currently, we provide links to share the Maryland Broadband Map URL through Twitter and Facebook. You can also share the map through email, with an option to include the address or location information and map view just as you see it on your screen.
  • Print out reports
    By clicking the yellow Print icon in the Results tab, you can print the map, service, and provider information to a one- or two- page PDF, allowing you to take the results with you. The PDF report also includes phone numbers to contact the providers about their service options.
  • Explore data
    The Data tab in the left panel lets you view the statewide coverage of various service types on the map. You can see how close a given service type may be to a location, as well as view the availability of a service type over a region (such as your county).
  • Use the Help section to answer questions
    Along with additional information regarding working with the map, the Help documents include a glossary of terms and simple definitions of service types.

 

Why do we show the census block?
In most cases the Internet providers supplied their broadband coverage data to the Maryland broadband mapping team by census blocks. A census block can be bounded by streets, roads, or creeks, and can include no or many households. This means that while your census block may be reported as being served by a particular service type or provider, your individual address or site might not be served. This problem of precision exists most typically in rural areas and along the outer edges of provider service areas. If this problem exists at your address, please let us know by using the “Report an unserved area” button on the Results tab.

I hope this overview helps in your personal search for broadband. If it does, please let us know by emailing us or leaving a comment.

Visit http://www.mdbroadbandmap.org/ for more information regarding the Maryland Broadband Mapping Initiative.


Leave a Comment » | Community Outreach, Economic Analysis, Mapping, News | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Past Bloggers

Getting in the Integrated Marketing Game

September 15, 2010

Sharyn

In recent months, DECO began to offer a new and exciting set of services. The Integrated Marketing Team (IMT) was formed to provide comprehensive solutions for communications and media challenges. Social media strategy and web site analysis and development are the focus of the team.

Just last week, the IMT completed a project where tactics, management strategies, and website integration approaches for implementing a Social Media Marketing Strategy were provided to six start-up businesses. Months were spent analyzing the companies and their industries. In turn, the IMT was able to provide a comprehensive strategy that included:

  • An overview of the social media landscape and how Web 2.0 has impacted the way consumers and businesses interact with one another.

    Click here for a one page reference sheet about the IMT services.

  • Specific social media tools that will work most effectively for each company.  Management and measurement strategies were suggested to ensure that implementing these tools are both time efficient and quantifiable.
  • Website analysis that includes improvement recommendations on navigation and functionality.  Also, social media tool integration recommendations were provided.
  • Tactical outreach, blogging, and search engine optimization (SEO) strategies provided additional advice on how to implement the suggested social media approaches effectively.

  • A Tool Kit provided summaries of each of our favorite social media tools.  The summary includes costs, usefulness, key features, step-by-step guide to get started, and helpful resources.

If social media is a marketing avenue your company would like to explore, don’t hesitate to contact me (I am one of the Project Managers for the IMT) for the guidance your business needs to take a strategy and run with it!

Leave a Comment » | Business Analysis, Community Outreach, Entrepreneurship, News, Project Management, Small Business Development | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sharyn Grove

What do you DO all day?

March 9, 2010

Sharyn

A few of my fellow bloggers (Raquel, Lisa, and Jimmy) here on TUoutreach have touched on what they “do all day” and now it’s my turn. My title is multimedia supervisor. Most people wouldn’t even dare to guess what that means so I’ll provide you with some background and then dive into the type of work I’m doing now.

When I first started working at the Center for GIS, my title was graphic design specialist. My primary job responsibilities included

  • supporting the design requests associated with the development of web mapping applications and
  • promoting an annual event that required the creation of a theme based logo, and several printed pieces to encourage proposal submission, exhibitor commitment, registration, and a program for the event, as well as other design related tasks.

Over the years, my role has expanded quite a bit! This is due to the creation of our division (DECO) and the increase in graphic design support requested. I still support CGIS projects needs, but I also support requests that include:

  • maintenance of the DECO web site
  • creation of print materials to promote new initiatives
  • e-marketing campaigns for events or programs
  • blog and social media application oversight (with Bobbie)
  • event planning support
  • deco client design requests

So, you’re still wondering what all this means? Let me provide you with a couple of examples of two projects I really enjoyed working on.

  • Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) web site – CUMU’s international headquarters are housed at TU. In 2006, I was approached about designing their site and provide continued maintenance. The really fun part about this web site is that each year they host an annual conference and I have the opportunity to work with the conference host on designing the site for the year’s event. CUMU is planning to add an enhancement to the site in the next six months that will provide a library of best practice resources to their members. We’re excited about the opportunity to implement this for them.
  • Mapping Solutions Microsite – As part of Towson’s “Thinking Outside” campaign, mapping solutions CGIS has created were highlighted. Many of you may have seen the commercial while watching Raven’s games in 2008. When you caught the commercial and wanted more information about what you just saw, you would have visited the microsite to find out more. The site was a team effort where I worked with several people across campus to get the site up. It was an exciting project because of variety of content that was incorporated and the impact it would have on the university.

Every day is different when I enter my office which is the main reason I do love my job. I may be working on a web site for an upcoming event, designing a survey tool for a project, or creating a logo for a new initiative, but whatever it is, I’m always on my toes and ready for the next challenge.

Leave a Comment » | Mapping, News, TU Faculty & Staff | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sharyn Grove

« Previous Entries
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.