Cross-Post: Twitter "secrets" aren't really "secrets"

In other words, there is no "secret" to Twitter. Like any other communication medium, the 'key' to success in that medium is hard work coupled with a more sophisticated understanding of that medium.

Nonetheless, MediaBistro put together their top 5 Twitter secrets list:

Understand Twitter search

Now that you’ve set up your dashboard, bookmark this link immediately: search.twitter.com/advanced.

This is Twitter’s own advanced search tool, and it is absolutely essential if you want to get into the conversation happening right now in your niche.

It is similar to Google’s advanced search, in that you can define keywords to include, exclude and target exact phrases. But because Twitter is a social information network, its search includes social queries too: you can search tweets from, to, or referencing a particular person, tweets from a particular location, or tweets with only a negative sentiment.

Twitter search is a powerful way to find out exactly what people are saying within your niche right now. For instance, you could search for “dogs” and “grooming” and “hair cut” in only your state to see if there are any potential clients who might need your services. Or you can use it to discover the most popular hashtags in your niche, the Twitter thought leaders, and more.

That one is probably the only one worth mentioning as the others are common sense. The whole point to Twitter, in our opinion, is that it is far and away the best, most up-to-the-minute information portal on the web today. 

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Cross-Post: Melding your Real and Virtual World Marketing

While the theory may not have worked out all that well for Gabriel Byrne and Kim Basinger in "Cool World", syncing your classic marketing with your new media marketing is an increasingly important tool in your arsenal. We preach the fact that "old" media is in a steep and steady decline and yet we would be remiss not to recognize that a substantial percentage of people still get their news and views from television, radio and print media.

Because the trend toward a more online-centric marketing platform will continue into the forseeable future, however, why not help your present customers along in that process by making the transition as seamless as possible?

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Have You Bought a Magazine Today?

Cross-posted from Cotellc.com

If you're one of the three people reading this then no, you probably haven't. We haven't either.

We're not trying to specifically knock the magazine industry, but rather we only point out that this battle, for the immediate future, has a pretty clear winner:

Perhaps the editors and publishers once figured that they could get their way because Apple chief Steve Jobs needed classy aggregated content for the iPad. If so, the magazine industry had its head in the sand. They need the iPad more than the iPad needs them.

So, this seeming marriage made in heaven of new and old media is getting off to an uninspiring start. As The Wall Street Journal noted on Monday, while an increasing number of magazines are edging toward permitting subscriptions on the iPad, “relations between the publishing industry and Apple remain icy.” 

Don’t look for the iPad to offer consumers much of a break. The Economist, for instance, carries a price tag of $110 a year, and the New Yorker costs $4.99 an issue on the iPad. Magazine publishers fret that by playing ball with Apple, they’ll eventually lose control of the customer data that they need for related marketing programs. Bloomberg BusinessWeek this week began offering subscriptions to an iPad variation of its publication for $2.99 a month. Elle and Maxim are among what the Journal called “a small but growing number of magazines willing to sign despite industry-wide concerns about Apple’s reluctance to share customer data.”

The now age-old war between 'old' and 'new' media will continue until there are a half dozen newspapers and even less magazines on the shelves. In other words, the new media is going to win. The numbers don't lie.

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Is Your New Media Working for You?

That's the question isn't it.

According to a new report from the founder of SocialMediaExaminer.com, the results are a mixed bag:

While 90 percent of marketers now say that social media-related marketing is important for their business, nearly 25 percent are still in the dark when it comes to measuring its effect, according to the third annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report from Michael A. Stelzner, founder of SocialMediaExaminer.com.

Entrepreneur.com

Knowing whether your online marketing is working for your bottom line is what's important. Companies can have all the flashy facebook and twitter pages in the world but if customers aren't following the links and buying something, it's kind of pointless. Style is one thing but style withoutsubstance is, unfortunately, an all-too-common occurrence for small businesses. It also may be one of the biggest reasons why small businesses are hesitant to "justify plowing resources into something that you're not sure is working".

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The Keys to a Whole New Generation of Customers

Social Media

The Keys to a Whole New Generation of Customers

"The 1,100 small business owners surveyed said the biggest benefits of social networking were the abilities to generate leads, keep up with their industry, and monitor the online conversation about their business." Mashable

Research:

• Who are your customers;
• Where are they online;
• What is the best way to reach them.

Plan:

• Which platforms are right for your business (Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, etc.);
• What is the distribution of your customers across those platforms;
• How and when is the best way to launch your online presence.

Execute:

• Content, content, content;
• Full integration with your website and cross-pollination amongst your social media platforms;
• The key to social media is to be social!

It doesn't take a ton of money to own your brand online. A little bit of courage to redirect your existing resources toward new customers in the new frontier is all it takes.

We'll help you get there. Ask us how.