Anyone who knows me knows that I love lists. So imagine my delight when I read Chris Brogan's "50 Ways Marketers Can Use Social Media to Improve Their Marketing." It provides some easy ways of incorporating social media into the mix without having to "reinvent the wheel." In reading this, it strikes me that there are no reasons not to incorporate some of these activities - for the most part, they just require a bit of time with little or no expense.

The ones I particularly love bring a multi-channel approach. Why not plan a campaign around a new product that includes a paper, email offer, live event and a social media strategy? Always remember that people consume information in different ways. This will ensure that you are everywhere you need to be.

Thanks, Chris.

Cheers,
Renay

I just came across this great example of how large companies are getting involved with social media. I am a member of CafeMom and got a message from them about a group that focuses on planning kids' birthday parties. When I went out to the site, I saw that it is sponsored by Better Crocker and is a discussion about everything from themes, to cake recipes, to helpful websites.

It's a perfect example about how it's important to analyze your audience and figure out ways that you can connect with this audience via social media. So fabulous!

Cheers,
Renay

I just listened to a great webinar hosted by Compendium Blogware during which Chris Baggott discussed how to really maximize the benefits of blogging for search. He emphasizes the use of multiple blogs focused on specific keywords. So, for example, if you are focused on sports in your blog, you are better off having a blog for football and another blog for baseball rather than one blog that discusses both. It makes a lot of sense to me. I have always thought of the one corporate blog situation but it is obviously more valuable to get the attention of the engines via very specific search terms in this way.

It all comes down to the user, doesn't it? This is more of "giving them what they want," what they are looking for and they will take action.

Kudos to Chris and Compendium for delivering this great webinar. I took away some really great tactics.

Cheers,
Renay

I just came across this great Ning community site called DreamStake, a network for entrepreneurs to connect and share ideas. Very interesting. It's still pretty small but it claims to be highly facilitated and seems to have some interesting topic categories.

The founder commented out on LinkedIn that LI is very broad in scope and encourages people to check out DreamStake. I believe that each of these sites accomplishes separate goals in the world of social networking. Each is beneficial; LI is a great way to connect with business professionals and then connect to others in their networks. But I don't necessarily view it as a place where everyone doles out advice or visits to get advice from their respective networks. It is really a great way to gain referrals and see "who's who" by industry, company, etc.

DreamStake differs in that there are thought leaders and members who ask questions and impart their expertise to others. It is a way to share and gain information. This is in addition to the ability to gain access to others in the network.

The bottom line is that they are both valuable, just in different ways.

Cheers,
Renay

I have always been a firm believer in blogging and I have been doing it for several years now. I have experienced the benefits of blogging as it relates to an increase in site traffic and search engine optimization. But, I just read a blog post from the president of Compendium Software, Ali Sales, that touched on a few key points.

Ali mentions that quantity is extremely important. I kind of already knew this but her point was that quantity is more important than getting your individual posts perfect. So, if you have something to say, better to write about it as soon as you can, get it posted and move on to the next post rather than trying to perfect and ruminate over the 10 paragraph post that you want to write but may not have time for.

She also mentions inclusion of a call to action. I have to admit that I have not always done this as well as I could have. In my most recent position at Basho Technologies, I would always post a new podcast, link to relevant pages but things probably stopped there. I noticed on Ali's blog, she has a graphic to link to a webinar invitation and a whitepaper download right next to her most recent post. It is done very nicely and I plan to incorporate this strategy in the future.

Happy Blogging!
Cheers,
Renay

This is something that has always irked me. There are many great, well-designed websites out there. But yet sometimes when I look at certain sites, I am trying to put my finger on something that is wrong, something that detracts from the greatness of the website.

I was just reading something by Paul Gillin that really nailed it and I just have to share. He says, "Create points of entry. Magazines like Redbook excel at presenting information in small, clearly defined segments, each with its own headline and images. "These same tactics can work online," says Gillin. "Callouts, sidebars, pull-quotes, Q&As and other visual tools break up rivers of text and give readers more starting points to engage with the content."

YES! That's the answer. To make a good site great, there must be some visual interest beyond the great color scheme and the snazzy photography at the top of the page. These rivers of text are killers.

Case in point...I was reviewing the following page out on the Demandware site and it's just web design perfection to me. The colors, the use of real estate, the blend of imagery and text and then the icing on the cake...that cool little sticky note at the top with a callout. It adds interest and content in a different presentation. I love it!

It's no secret that great websites go hand-in-hand with great social media strategy and usability. So this is one tip that I will definitely keep in mind for the future.

Cheers,
Renay

I'm always looking for information that will enable marketers to justify budget for social media and online community activities. I think we are finally getting to the point of better measurement of social media initiatives which  puts us in a much better position than we were in 2-3 years ago. Of course, it's a double-edged sword because with the current economy, EVERYTHING is in question. I think that if marketing executives look at the results that they achieve - results that impact the bottom line - with the right pieces of the social media pie, they can quickly recognize the value.

I just read the "Get to the Point" newsletter from MarketingProfs entitled, "I Just Came to Hang Out" which has some really great insights about the results that marketers can glean from their efforts: finding the right decision-makers, lead generation, buyer research, and client outreach are just a few of these. Check it out...there is no telling when you might need to pull these bullets out of your hat.

Cheers,
Renay

So this morning I was on a conference call with an organization who is developing a new online community and a question came up about the right balance between content and marketing message: Is it okay to promote my brand through my community?

This is an important question and my answer is that you are promoting your brand just by virtue of the fact that you have a community. Now the key is to offer your community a valuable space that they want to be a part of. It's not okay to have a "If you build it, they will come" mentality. You need to set up the right environment for your audience and incorporate the right content and technologies. If you do this and you engage with your members so that they are gaining value, then you make them a fan and they associate your brand with the experience.

That does not mean that you can never mention a product or service that you offer but if you bombard the audience with a sales pitch, they will go away. So if you do mention your product/service, it should be in the context of the discussion.

Cheers,
Renay

I read a great post today by Vanessa DiMauro. In this post, she discusses "Social Media Predictions for 2009." There are some great insights here and it really echoes everything I have done over the past few years but typically in dribs and drabs. I particularly like the concept of reaching out to a few contacts per week to stay connected to them. I mean, how many of us have contacts out on LinkedIn or elsewhere who they barely recognize by name?

Take a read.
Cheers,
Renay

I would like to take this opportunity to wish friends, family and everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. This year has been tough but I can also say that I have really learned a lot and grown as an individual and as a professional. That being said, 2009 is about pursuing my passion for online community and social media. Although the economy is tough and there are fewer opportunities, I believe it's important to continue to stay true to what you love to do.

In that spirit, this post is interesting. It's about social media predictions for 2009. I believe that any company who does not recognize the value of these endeavors is really missing the boat. It's even more valuable in a down economy.