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Instagram Web Profiles: What does it mean for the future?

Instagram web profiles didn’t surprise anyone. Since it first started gaining popularity, we have all wondered how long it would take before web profiles were debuted. In fact, when we all started seeing our new profiles in November, the response was more “About time” than anything else. Many of my colleagues were more disappointed that it took this long than they were excited to see the new product. Even two months later, it seems like one question still hangs over all of our head, “What does this mean for the future?”

Facebook and Instagram Are Getting Serious

Instagram Web Profile | Tim Welsh

The relationship between Instagram and Facebook has been one that has been the topic of many blog posts in the industry. Will Instagram be given preferential treatment among all of the picture apps? Will Instagram’s love be exclusive to Facebook? Will Facebook simply steal some of the usability functions that Instagram has that Facebook’s photo applications have always failed to duplicate? While many of these questions still can’t be fully answered, it is clear that Facebook is setting the stage for a more integrated relationship with Instagram. Does anyone else find it curious that the new Instagram profile lays out in the same dimensions as the Facebook profile? Personally, I wouldn’t be surprised if Facebook eventually gives you the option to have your Instagram header take the place of your cover photo in the near future. Other functions that I could see coming include the quick, “Set this Instagram picture as your Facebook profile picture” button and the beginnings of a Facebook-based gravatar.

Third Party Instagram Apps Aren’t Going AwayINK 361 Web Profile

While Instagram was taking their sweet time creating the desktop profile, the market started filling with third-party apps such as Statigram and (my personal favorite) Ink 361. These apps not only provided a place to view online Instagram profiles but a variety of other services such as keyword albums, statistics, map overlays and the ability to save jpegs. Much like the rest of us, third party suppliers were not surprised by the Instagram desktop profile. When I asked Carel van Apeldoorn, CEO of Ink 361, about the new profiles; he said, “No surprise at all and we have been preparing ourselves for this.  We strongly belief that the market is big enough for ink361 to remain valuable for the instagram community and a significant group of users, like there are a variety of services that connect and support twitter.” He went on to remark that while there may be limitations in Instagram’s current profiles, “The fact that the features on the current web version are limited doesn’t mean anything to me, because the guys at Instagram are extremely talented and focused and excellent in execution. We haven’t seen any crappy stuff coming from them and belief that they will remain delivering quality. That said, this new developments gives us an understanding of the way they like to take the experience on the web, and this clarity is useful for us.”

There Will Be New Players

There is always one truth when it comes to the digital space. A new player will emerge. The most obvious choice for the next BIG thing is Path, a service that many have been jumping on with in the industry. Perhaps though, people will start to love the new filters that Twitter is putting out, although I find that scenario far less likely.

Posted by  |  January 29, 2013 | Categories: Mobile, Social Media | Tags: , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

5 Essential Browser Add-ons for the Digital Ninja

A lot of people fancy themselves to be ninjas these days. While I don’t know how I feel about the majority of these people claiming ninja status, it is still a trend. If you are claiming to be, or aspiring to be a ninja in the digital realm, you should at least exhibit the virtues of a ninja. Sometimes that means having the right tools. Online, these tools often come in the form of browser add-ons.

A Digital Ninja…

Knows Who He’s Talking To: Rapportive

Rapportive is a service that spies on the email addresses of those that you are talking to. If you want to see someone’s Twitter, Facebook and Rapportive Browser Add-onLinkedIn accounts, Rapportive allows you to do that. If their email is attached to their Twitter account, you can even see your contacts latest tweets.

There are limitations to Rapportive. If someone uses a different email address for their social media, you won’t be able to do any spying. In other words, if they use a lot of emails, you will probably have to do the typical searches to find profiles. That being said, Rapportive is free and an essential tool for any ninja.

Knows His Enemy’s Arsenal: Wappalyzer

Wappalyzer is another great free application. If you haven’t used it, Wappalyzer allows you to look into all of the technology that is ran on the site. For example, if you want to know what CMS is on a site, which analytics tools a site is using or which javaScript framework that they have; Wappalyzer will tell you. If you have any questions about a technology being used, just click on it and Wappalyzer will give you a quick rundown of that technology and how popular it is.

The main limitation for Wappalyzer is that it doesn’t have write ups for every single technology out there. It is always expanding but don’t be too surprised if Wappalyzer doesn’t have everything that you’d hope. Once again, it is a free service and anything that Wappalyzer doesn’t tell could be found in quick search.

Is Stealthy: Do Not Track Plus

I was just made aware of this add-on last week. It was designed by a group of people who believed that marketers and social media sites are evil spies who unapologetically track your every move. Alright. They are kind of right. I can admit that. As a marketer, I hate this add-on, but as a ninja, I love it.  This add-on blocks everything right down to Google Analytics.

I am not aware of the limitations of this add-on yet but I think that it’s interesting that DNT+ gives you medals for the amount of tracking software Do Not Track Plus Browser Add-onthat you block. I just added it to my Chrome browser but I’m anxious to earn my first medal.

Has Miscellaneous Knowledge: Quirk SearchStatus

When it comes to miscellaneous knowledge about a website, you won’t do better than the SearchStatus tool from Quirk. This application will give you a lot of insight into how a website is doing and who is behind it. From the basic Whois function to the amount of pages being indexed on major search engines, this tool is just simply valuable when you need general knowledge. It was my most used tool when I was an SEO Specialist and still one that I like to utilize on occasion when I’m examining the sites of prospective clients and/or competition.

The main weakness of this tool is that it can only find what is readily available. Any semi-savvy internet user could find the information that this tool will give you. It just makes finding that information faster and easier than it would be to do elsewhere on the internet.

____________: ****************

OH NO!!! I had a fifth add-on but it threw a smoke bomb and disappeared. That’s when you mess with ninja stuff. I guess that you’ll have to find your own way beyond this article. Happy hunting, ninjas!

Feel free to comment below with some of your favorite browser add-ons.

Posted by  |  July 19, 2012 | Categories: General Marketing | Tags: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Google+ is Better Than Facebook and Why it Doesn’t Matter

Google+ is better than Facebook. There, I said it. I’m not a hipster or someone who is trying to rebel against mainstream social media. I don’t hate Facebook or any other social media platform (besides tumblr). I love them. They reassure my sense of self-worth and campaigns on each of them pay part of my rent every month. I’ve long preached that Facebook will see the rise of any competitor and adapt to become better. I guess you could call me more of a Facebook advocate than any other social media platform. Still, I believe that Google+ is actually a better network than Facebook. Are you hesitant to agree? Well, let’s break it down piece by piece.

Mobile

There is a reason that Facebook needed to buy Instagram and is reportedly a little afraid of Path. Their mobile apps is horrible! My last update separate the app into three categories, none of which have worked properly. Meanwhile, the Google+ app continues to work without error. It gets used less but it has never disappointed me or made me think about throwing my smartphone at the nearest wall. Facebook, a company noted for many good things, continues to struggle with mobile applications. This could be a problem for Zuck-dawg and the gang as more and more of us do most of our social media engagement on our mobile devices.

Video Chatting Google+ Better than Facebook

Arguably something that we are all continuously yearning for, video chat has emerged as a necessity. Everything from TV’s to phones are getting in on it. So, who has a better video chat? Google+. I wrote a long time ago about Hangouts and why they won’t convert us. It appears that I was right. While Hangouts are much more seemless than the Skype chats provided by Facebook, they haven’t caused us to convert. When I want to video chat, I turn on my real Skype account. Don’t get me wrong. I was all over the Facebook Skype chats for the first 2 months. Now, I go to better video chatting services from Skype itself or Google.

Segmentation

Circles were divine. They allow us to easily grab and throw people into their most relevant social segments. The lists on Facebook have gotten much better but are still a bit cumbersome to deal with, especially when on a mobile device.  Circles have finally allowed us to have one profile that serves every purpose and relates to all of our social circles. I can easily share my favorite articles with my industry people and post my politically incorrect observations to my friends in the same 5 minutes, nobody the wiser. (If only Klout took into account my posts that weren’t public.) I have found Facebook lists to be a little more taxing but that could be chiefly due to the fact that Facebook’s edits came later, an attribute that rarely leads to the most seamless integration.

Customization

With Google’s newest profile update, Google+ now has the best of Facebook’s last 2 profile layouts. You can either choose one large banner image or 4 of your most treasured images to serve as your header. Admittedly, I do like the Facebook Cover Photo better than the Google+ banner image as it is larger and easier to work with. Google+ needs to add a feature that allows you to blow up an image. Finding images over 900 pixels wide isn’t easy. Still, when it is all said and done, I like the larger profile image of Google+ and I feel like the ability to choose between two styles gives Google a +1 in this category.

Ease of Sharing

Let’s be honest. We all share A LOT of videos on social media, most of them coming from YouTube. Of course Google is going to have a leg up here. You can search out videos directly from the homepage and watch them together with your friends. The automatic photo upload is incredibly handy as you get to choose if those pictures ever go public. The new Google+ share button and +1 buttons are very easy to implement and use. The only problem with sharing on Google+ is that there’s nobody there to see it.

WHY IT DOESN’T MATTER!

I think that you’re getting the point of this post. Google+ has successfully (as long as you don’t mind #whitespace) integrated some of the best elements of Twitter and Facebook into one platform. Their listening and search elements are amazing, as you would expect from the leader in search. Everything about Google+ is top-notch. So, what’s the problem? There Wasn’t a Need! Coming up with a great product is amazing. However, if there is no need for that product to exist, what’s the point? Every other social media platform that has shown success  has answered a need. When Xanga was big, it allowed those of us who can’t code to continuously write our thoughts online. MySpace allowed us to connect with a network of friends and give updates. Facebook gave us a more exclusive social networking experience and has since evolved into an all-you-can-eat buffet of social interaction. Twitter has given us the ability to live quickly and connect with celebrities on a daily basis. YouTube gave us video. Pinterest gave a place to share dreams without the annoyance of words. Where does Google+ fit in this saturated landscape? It might not.

If you’re like many marketers, you’re still asking yourself one question, “Should I write off Google+ or focus on it?” It depends. While Google+ may have not found its way into most of our social media daily rituals, it is still gaining users; especially bloggers hungry for high Google rankings. Google+’s SEO advantage could lead to a boom in the next 6-8 months. I am not so bold as to say that it definitely will but I could see it happening. Where leaders go, people will follow (he says while remaining skeptical about the claimed 30 million active users stat). Still, most of my network’s unwillingness to transfer to a slightly better Facebook will keep Google+ an engagement cemetery for the foreseeable future. Sorry, Google. Having a better product doesn’t always make you the winner.

Posted by  |  April 26, 2012 | Categories: Mobile, Social Media | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Klout and Education: The Influence of the University

Klout, the self-proclaimed and often debated Standard of Influence just took March Madness to a whole new level. It has been suggested that some schools are more influential than others. Well, what better way to settle that debate than by a bracketed tournement of champions hosted by the site that has done the best job thus far of measuring the influence of users in the social media realm? I give you, Influencer Insanity!

Don’t Scream It, +K It!

While I am still trying to figure out exactly how much a +K helps your Klout score, it is clear that a +K is a vote of support in the Klout world. Much the same way that Klout is a popularity contest, +K’s are like a vote for you to become prom king, at least in a certain realm. So, when it came time to vote for the most influential school, why wouldn’t Klout use their easily understood +K function? Klout Influencer Insanity Bracket | Social Media Influence Tournament

Why Influencer Insanity is Genius!

This tournement of Influencer Insanity could introduce Klout to more college students (and alumni) and form the habit of +K’ing things. Based on a previous #KloutChat, I know that I’m not the only one who sees a day when a +K button will appear on brand pages so that users can vote for Nike to be considered more influential on Athletic Apparel. Could this +K challenge, March Madness ripoff be something more than just another marketing ploy in social media? I think so. This is part of the foundation for a more influence-measured tomorrow.

The Conclusion: New Life for Klout

When I asked Lan Nguyen, a marketing associate at Klout, about the tournament; she said, “We wanted to capture the spirit of March Madness with our own brackets revolving around influence. We put schools head-to-head in a competition to get our users engaged with one of the most important features of Klout — the +K. By giving +K, you are not only signaling your affinity for that school but you are indicating that they’ve influenced you in some way.” 

After reading that, is it so far-fetched to see a day when companies who already look at Klout will look to this tournament as a doorway into the possibilities of Klout? Audi and other brands have already started using Klout scores to gauge who to give Klout Perks and coupons to. Why wouldn’t they use this platform to reestablish (or establish) their dominance in an area. Why wouldn’t Audi, a brand that has made great strides in North America over the last 10 years, use their partnership with Klout to try and take down BMW and Mercedes? Why wouldn’t K-Swiss, a company whose latest campaign with 72 and Sunny (Read my Kenny Powers is Marketing F@cking Genius) take a chance to poke a little hole in the armor of Adidas, Under Armour and Nike? I would. The bottom-line, I think that Influencer Insanity is just the beginning of the Madness to come. Well done, Klout.

Posted by  |  March 19, 2012 | Categories: Social Media | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

What You Need to Know About Pinterest

Mark “Zuck-Dawg” Zuckerberg preached about the proliferation of sharing on the internet in his F8 address in 2011. According to Zuckerberg’s Law, the amount of stuff that people share doubles every year. That seems pretty crazy and it has led to more and more companies flocking to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. What if there was a site though that existed totally on sharing. If you’re thinking that Reddit and StumbleUpon have been around forever, you’re right. But, what if there was a site that existed strictly in the sharing realm that had a continuous stream of new and popular multimedia shares? Well, as I mentioned months ago in my Sites to Watch: Pinterest article, there is such a site.

The new rush for companies and advertisers has been to find a way to use Pinterest. It provides a unique opportunity for marketers and companies to connect with women in order to drive traffic and purchases. Here is everything that you need to know about Pinterest. Pinterest Pinning Sigh | Pinterest Humor

Pin It

Pinterest is for Women

No matter what opportunities exist for expansion, the fact is that Pinterest is STILL site that is dominated by women. According to statistics, Pinterest’s user base is 80% women. That could be because the most prevalent areas to share are weddings, interior decorating, fashion and fitness; areas that women tend to be very interested in. Another interesting note is that boring states seem to be more involved in Pinterest. (It’s about time the Midwest led the charge for something.) States like Oklahoma and Utah have the most Pinners. If you want the full demographic breakdown for Pinterest, check out the article from Ignite Social Media.

There is opportunity for men to join and Pinterest seems to be working on cultivating a men’s area of the site. However, the numbers are not there yet to justify a company with a male-dominated customer base to make a heavy spend. Still, keeping this format in mind will be greatly beneficial when designing plans going forward.

Pinterest Drives Traffic

Despite being a straight picture feed on the boards, Pinterest drives traffic to the source site. According to our friends at Mashable and a Shareaholic study, Pinterest drives more traffic than Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube combined. That’s right. Furthermore, the study showed that Twitter barely edged out Pinterest; by 0.01% of referral traffic to be exact.

This can most likely be attributed to a few things. Firstly, Pinterest was designed specifically to drive traffic. People share a link that is meant to be followed. When some people look at the Pinterest wall, they see pictures. As an SEOcial Specialist, I see a page full of links. Think of Pinterest as a fun, ever-updating directory that users flock to. On Twitter and LinkedIn, there is either a constant stream that lives strictly chronologically or not enough time on site to drive any marketable traffic. Pinterest users aka ‘Pinners’ spend hours on the site both dedicated and passively surfing.

What can you take from this stat? Format links so that they are interesting in a single picture. If you run a fashion or crafts website, that is simple. If you run a service website, you may have to get a little creative. Try meme-style photos that can engage interest and evoke an emotional response. Pinterest Profile | Pinterest SEO

Pinterest API is Coming; Pinterest Buttons Exist

Not many API’s have been more highly anticipated than the Pinterest API. While there is obviously areas of opportunity, the lack of a public API has made Pinterest hard to integrate into various other mediums.

Still, if you have the infrastructure and product, I would suggest adding Pinterest buttons to your social media arsenal. Get the Pin It and Follow Me on Pinterest buttons straight from the source today. If your site caters to women, fashionistas, the to-be-wed, teachers or parents; you’re already behind by not integrating these buttons. Google+ buttons help search engine rankings. Facebook buttons boost sharing. Pinterest buttons boost traffic!

I have inserted the Pin It button to this post just to see how it works. I predict a high bounce rate but a traffic boost. I’ll let you know how it works.

Pin It

Pinterest is Social

Much in the same way that people misuse Twitter as a soapbox to shout on, there is a bad way to engage Pinners. Like any other social media site, engagement is key. People need to know that there is a soul behind your pins. It will take a little time to set up a foundation for pinning. You need to build your boards, find similar pinners, follow their boards and tag when appropriate. Pinterest is not just a feed site. It is a social media site and should be treated as such.

Stay tuned for more Pinterest updates and an extensive “How To Pin” from me. Ever since Klout decided that I was influential on Pinterest, I have taken up the mantle to help others better understand and use this innovative service.

Posted by  |  February 15, 2012 | Categories: Mobile, Social Media | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Epic Fail: Ocean Marketing

If you haven’t been looking around the internet lately, you may have missed one of the most epic fails in Public Relations (and grammatical) history. Ocean marketing and its PR representative, Paul, told off a customer with a legitimate complaint. Furthermore, he underestimated the intelligence and abilities of the gaming market. Did he not read the story that gamers broke the mathematical code for AIDS? Did he not realize that 3% of the world account for 100% of all tweets. (That last statistic may not be relevant.)

In his emails, he tells the customer to “put on his big boy hat” and basically piss off because he’s a nobody. Now, I didn’t pay attention to all of my PR professors but I feel like this was a big no-no. If you want to see the entirety of the emails, you can read them on Penny Arcade. Why are they on Penny Arcade? Well, the savvy customer decided to include a bunch of ‘sombodies’ from the gaming world and Mike from Penny Arcade, who also run PAX, decided to step in. Paul proceeded to lay into Mike as well before finding out who Mike really is.

This story has been picked up by people all over the internet from G4 to Geek-O-System. It has even sparked some great spoof videos like the one I have posted below.

In addition to their PR miscues, Ocean Marketing has now been exposed for a variety of things including shady SEO practices.

Lastly, it is worth noting that Ocean Marketing has since changed their Twitter handle to @OceanStratagy. Happy tweeting.

Posted by  |  December 29, 2011 | Categories: General Marketing | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Ashton Hands Over the Twitter Reigns: What Now?

Some of you may have seen on your news feeds that Ashton Kutcher aka @aplusk is relinquishing the management of his Twitter account to Katalyst Media. I heard about it on What’s Trending. If you really care what Ashton Kutcher has to say about news topics, you may need to reevaluate your priorities, but that is besides the point. Ashton has since apologized for tweeting some misinformation about the Penn State scandal to his followers. The real question now is whether or not Kutcher should have given the reigns over to someone else?

Here are both answers as I see them:

Yes, He Should!

After watching the backlash of various celebrities like Gilbert Gottfried for their tweets, Ashton is better safe than sorry. This time, a simple apology seemed to have worked but everyone is vulnerable to a slip up from time to time. What happens if next time his comment is viewed as racist, antisemitic, homophobic or sexist? That’s only cool if you are a Republican presidential candidate. Right or wrong, actors are held to a higher standard and need to be conscious of their words. Ashton is making the right decision to secure his roles in future productions.

No, He Shouldn’t!

By handing over the reigns of his Twitter, Ashton has given up what it was that makes Twitter awesome. When someone tweets a celebrity, they are not-so-secretly hoping to get some sort of reaction out of their beloved star. Knowing that a third-party is tweeting for Ashton could take a little wind out of the sails of every 16-45 year old woman who tweets @aplusk ‘on the daily’.

Even worse, if it doesn’t hurt his following, other celebrities with opinions may choose to follow suit, save Ricky Gervais. What happens when Twitter is no longer a medium where you can get the attention of and interact with those you follow? Is it really Twitter anymore or does it turn into a branded Facebook status? I don’t know but I don’t think that any of us want to see an opinion-free, bland Twitter.

What Happens Now?

@AplusK

When the celebrity dies, the brands continue to live. Even a complete loss of celebrities will not kill Twitter. It has become more and more brand-friendly over the years and companies have started using it more effectively. Digital/Viral celebrities will never leave. However, Twitter will be poorer if it loses the honest tweets of our Pop Culture Heroes. Besides, a tweet can be deleted and apologized for. Just don’t let anyone catch your rant on YouTube or audio…cough…Mel Gibson.

If all else fails, take a page from sports icons. It takes one great piece of work (championship) for everyone to forget about the most heinous of crimes. Just ask Ben Roethlisberger, Ray Lewis or Kobe Bryant how much can be forgotten and keep tweeting.

Posted by  |  November 16, 2011 | Categories: Social Media | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

Goodbye Klout: Why the ‘Standard’ is Already on Borrowed Time

I have been a proponent of Klout long before the +K boom. Months ago, I even wrote an article as to why Klout was going to be huge. Today, I am officially removing my support. Furthermore, I will be one of the first to declare that Klout’s role as ‘the standard for measuring influence’ is on the decline (even worse than the Klout scores of positive influencers since Klout’s update). Here is why.

Klout Supports Spam

It has been pointed out by many other bloggers that Klout rewards spammy activity. If you don’t believe me, look at the Klout score for @TeamFollowBack who is nothing if not a spam service. Social influence was not meant to be measured by the ability of one to obtain followers without engagement or interest. At its core, social influence is the ability of one person to affect the thoughts and choices made by their community, and the ability to grow that community organically. 

I could pull a Newt Ginrich and buy a list of twitter followers but that would be like buying an email list. If you start broadcasting to people who don’t care about your message, you should be socially spammed just as you would be if you started sending unapproved emails to the general public. With the Klout scores of people whose network is growing on the decline, it is only becoming annoyingly apparent that spam is rewarded by ‘The Standard.’

Klout Feigns Transparency

As mentioned in another social media blog by Jure Klepic, Klout has said that their goal is to be more transparent with their updates. Where is that openness? It’s a fair question and one that has been asked by multiple people with access to Megan Berry and the gang. When confronted, Klout referenced that Google doesn’t share their algorithm with the world. You’re right, Klout. However, Google doesn’t rank something that affects us on an emotional level. Only SEO specialists like myself are slightly hurt when my page drops a few spot on Google’s results. Saying that someone else was doing what you were doing doesn’t work for getting out of a speeding ticket. It doesn’t work when you were trying to get away with talking in 3rd grade during a lecture, and it won’t work now.

My Klout Rise and Fall

Klout Betrayed the Base

Many of the other bloggers that I read were very excited about Klout months ago. I wrote an article myself about Klout’s destiny for greatness. Now, I am swallowing those words. Klout has proven itself to be a poor listening device as it has been known to make users “Influencers” in peculiar areas. (Guess who is influential in Diarrhea.) Furthermore, the base of Klout’s loyalists seem to be the ones that were hit the hardest with the latest update. My mom doesn’t love me any less because my Klout score is diving worse than the national support for big banks, but that didn’t stop be from throwing a fit like a toddler who was just told, “No more cookies!” You never want to mess with the base of your support system and Klout has done just that.

This IS Personal

Klout scores are not some arbitrary ranking system like Google or Bing. It is not a measurement of how large your following is (or wasn’t supposed to be). It was said to measure the weight of a person’s words, thoughts, ideas and beliefs. What’s more personal than that. You are putting a number to a person’s value when it comes to affecting those around them. To be told day after day that your words are losing their power over those around you, as more people flock to your soap-box, is unacceptable. It attacks people more personally than any other site or service can. When you attack users personally, you need to explain why. People will only get hit in the gut so many times before removing the blindfold and demanding information.

Someone Will Be Better

I allude to this idea in many of my posts because that is the ongoing truth of the internet. If you do not meet the needs of the masses, you will fall. Like Ra’s Al Goul from the Batman comics (just got done playing Arkham City), somebody is watching Klout fail to meet the needs of the social audience and is rounding up the troops to sack the metaphorical city. Will it be PROskore? I do not know. What I do know is that people are looking for a way out.

As it stands, despite the drop, my score is equal to that of Ad Age Stat and I’ll take solace knowing that I am on the same level as another highly underestimated tool on the net. If you are as displeased as I am with Klout, tweet this article to the rest of your community with the hashtag, #OutWithKlout. Perhaps, they will hear our collective voices. Will it matter? I don’t know. Occupy Wall Street hasn’t changed much other than the topic of small-talk and a few bits on the Colbert Report.

Posted by  |  November 14, 2011 | Categories: Social Media | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave A Comment »

SEOcial: Social Media and SEO Work Best Together

First of all, if you are hiring any sort of digital media expert these days without rounded experience, proceed with caution. Everyone needs experience but that’s what internships are for. When you decide that you want to optimize your digital presence, you need to seek out TRUE professionals and true professionals understand that no one digital outlet truly lives on its own (See article about Clueless Marketers). If you’re trying to look for an exception, your head is in the wrong place already.

Link Through Social Media

Search Engine Optimization and Social Media are two outlets that have consistently been moving closer and closer to each other.The most basic of these reasons is linking. Ethan Lyon  of SEER Interactive has written multiple articles on how to build links with Twitter. (Twitter Backlink Article 2) Links can also be posted on a variety of other websites and I don’t know if you’ve noticed recently but YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+ and the rest of the gamut all have TREMENDOUS Domain Authority. I have mentioned the idea of social link integration before and it is only becoming more and more essential.

Drive Traffic to Dot Com

Besides the linking capability, social media drives traffic to your site, not only from YOUR page but, from pages that you link to on social media. If you aren’t utilizing other brands in your marketing efforts on Social Media, you should. After that, use the partnerships that you’ve made to direct traffic to your site. It’s free and, if you cultivate the relationship with their SM team, they will lend credence to your link by commenting, liking or retweeting. If you need a lesson in relationship marketing, check out Doug Ridley‘s Relationship Marketing Blog.

Optimize User Experience

The bottom line is that users are driven to social media and your dot com presence you experience you in different ways. Social Media allows you to better tailor what you need to post on your site. If it doesn’t pertain to the keywords that you are working for on SEO but could still be relevant to your target audience, direct them to your social media outlets. Tease social media with technical information then, direct them to your internal pages.

The bottomline is that SEO and Social Media cannot stand apart from each other and be truly optimized. They work perfectly hand-in-hand, as should your social and SEO teams…if they aren’t one in the same. Let’s take SEOcial to the next level

Posted by  |  October 28, 2011 | Categories: Search, Social Media | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

7 Steps to Create YouTube Branding Success

Most companies by now realize that YouTube is becoming a more and more essential piece of the digital puzzle. YouTube is the second most used search tool on the internet and happens to be a large part of the first. Furthermore, it is part of the Big Three in the social media realm. (Spoiler alert: When Google+ becomes more relevant, I will call them the Four Horsemen of the SMocalypse) While brands know that they need a YouTube Channel, they put so much less effort into this medium. That simply shouldn’t be the case at all. YouTube is the stickiest media and gives a much larger SEO boost than any other social media platform. It can even be embedded. Even with widgets, Facebook and Twitter can’t begin to compete with embedded videos. If you want your brand to be successful on YouTube, follow these 7 steps. This article is a little long but, much like a Dan Brown novel, worth reading to the end.

Step 1: Bring Personality

This is the first step because it is the most important. If you want to be successful on a platform that is built on entertainment, you need to be entertaining. If you can’t make viewers think, laugh or smile; you will never be more popular than the most recent Talking Dog video. Your brand has a personality. If it doesn’t, you have a much larger problem than YouTube. If you need help finding your personality because you typically aren’t the silliest company, look at your staff. I guarantee that you can find someone who personifies what it means to be a _____-an/ite (insert brand here). Finding a voice that is authentic is essential. The most popular YouTuber’s are little more than themselves and subscribers can see that. Authenticity, real or perceived, is highly rewarded on YouTube. YouTube Logo

Step 2: Leverage Partners

If you don’t already have an audience or seek to grab a much larger one, money can be better spent than on a PPC ad buy. It may take some research but you should look into putting that money into leveraging a video with a YouTube Partner. If you are a NoobTuber, a YouTube Partner is someone who has a large influence on YouTube. If you’re familiar with Klout, think of YouTube Partners as 70+ YouTuber’s. They get thousands of views and are adored by their thousands and thousands of followers. Partners are very much part of a subcommunity that you want to be in. By reaching out to one like Verizon did with DeStorm, you can get hundreds of thousands of views and an endorsement from a trusted member of the community. Make sure to choose a Partner carefully. While they’re all influential, they may not all have the personality that you’re looking for. See my article on digital celebrities you should know for a few good choices.

Step 3: Go HD, ALWAYS

This is a tip that shouldn’t be ignored. People want to view HD whenever possible and since even HTC phones can upload in 720P, there is no reason not to go HD. Your competitors are doing it and by shooting in HD, you have added a new dimension to your YouTube SEO. People want to consume the newest and coolest content. Your 240P video is most likely neither. So, go HD! For the record, 720P is the most viewed and uploaded form of HD on YouTube.

Step 4: Don’t be Shy

You better be prepared to share on YouTube and then share what you shared there on all of your other platforms. YouTube is incredibly easy to share and embed. There is no reason not to share. If you are embarrassed or unsure about something on YouTube, you shouldn’t be posting it. Like I said, YouTube is the second most used search tool on the internet. Once something lives there, it isn’t long before it’s pirated and lives everywhere. Be sure about what you post there and then share it across mediums. Leverage YouTube in emails, social media, on your dot com and in any traditional pieces. If you don’t play the game, you can’t win it!

Step 5: Skin It

Skinning a page is as simple as having your graphic designer make an Illustrator document to the necessary pixel sizes. If you’re a Partner, you can add in buttons and other HTML elements. Until then, skin your page with a basic design. It adds an element of legitimacy and cool to your channel. Companies who forget to do this are missing out on another level of  branding. Just because you own a username doesn’t mean that you OWN your brand yet. K-Swiss is my favorite example of a company whoK-Swiss YouTube Channel went from YouTube nothingness to greatness and back to mediocrity by missing out on this opportunity. Their page leaves a visitor left wanting. I still subscribed because I passionately love the Kenny Powers MFCEO campaign (see my article) but others may not be so anxious. Besides, the lack of a legitimate skin keeps users wondering if this is actually the OFFICIAL K-Swiss page.

Step 6: Ask/Answer Questions

Just like any other social media, people want to talk with you. They want to tell you what they think about you and hear what you have to say in response. Create questions in your videos that you want people to respond with. Take requests for what you should do next a la DeStorm. Let them ask questions in comments and answer them a la FinalCutKing. Let fans pose questions on all of your social media platforms and have your personality answer them a la Bear Grylls  for Degree (best job since Old Spice). Let your fan base know that you enjoy them and care about them by asking questions and answering them. If you answer them, it enhances your brand’s personality and consumer loyalty, at least emotional loyalty. 

Step 7: Attack Trends

Lastly, go after trends. Look on Twitter and see what the #trends are. Go to the YouTube Trends Blogspot. Watch the show, What’s Trending. Check out listening tools. If you were in a position to comment on anything Charlie Sheen related or could just think of a reason that your company has #TigerBlood, last week was a good week. Don’t be afraid to go after what’s happening now. If you see a trend, go after it. Don’t be irresponsible but go for it. Creativity and innovation are rewarded on this platform. Go after what’s happening now and you may find yourself a new audience.

Posted by  |  September 20, 2011 | Categories: General Marketing, Social Media | 2 Comments »

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