You're more likely to act yourself into feeling,than feel yourself into action.
Many intelligent people never move beyond the boundaries of their self-imposed limitations.
Always help people increase their own self-esteem.Develop your skill in making other people feel important.Be a blessing!
Sunday, November 23, 2014
This week shower
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
This week shower
If a man has limburger cheese on his upper lip,He thinks the whole world smells.
I go at what i do as if there were nothing else in the world for me to do.
Places and circumstances never guarantee happiness.You must decide within yourself whether you want to be happy.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
This week shower
It doesn't pay to worry.If you went through last year's files marked "important",Chances are the only things you'd keep are the paper clips.
Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
My Attitude has always been.
..if it's worth playing,it's worth paying the price to win -Ife Henry Adewusi,Robert Orben,Abraham lincoln,paul "Bear"Bryant.This is to a successfull week ahead
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Be Creative first
http://twitter.com/ Great Read: Why Be Creative? 10 Reasons to Make the Leap http://t.co/Ta8mikETrE From @AlliPolin
Steps to market on pinterest
This are the Simple Steps to Market on Pinterest for Profit http://t.co/ULABDOQWNr via @PegFitzpatrick on twitter
Social media is key
Creating A Social Media Brand: Why Positioning And Differentiation Are Important http://t.co/SoazRvhyoc via @sathishisaac
Monday, November 3, 2014
Carreer Coach
Want to
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Girl in viral Picture gone viral is not kidnaped or Nigerian
The world on Monday morning may have gotten a look at about 130 of the
Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.The group released a video in which it
announced it was willing to release the
girls in exchange for prisoners.In that video, people familiar with the social media campaign advocating for the girls’ release, which uses the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, won’t see the face that most associate with the campaign. That’s because the girl in the widely spread photo isn’t one of the kidnapped girls; she isn’t even Nigerian.Celebrities and thousands of others have been tweeting the image for more than a week.
Mashable reports that the image is of Jenabu Balde, a girl from Guinea Bissau on Africa’s western coast.
The photo comes from the website of the Alexia Foundation,photojournalism organization. The photographer, Ami
Vitale, is trying to correct the misappropriation.“I support the campaign completely, and I would do anything to bring attention to the situation. It’s a beautiful
campaign that shows the power of social media. This is a separate issue,” she told Mashable. “This is about misrepresentation.”The Alexia Foundation published a
statement Friday about the photo. The statement says, in part:No one should take a photograph from anywhere they find it to use it as they want. They shouldn’t. In most circumstances, legally they cannot. What is egregious,
however, in this situation is the misrepresentation.
The Nigerian man who Photoshopped Vitale’s photo to add the hashtag,
creative director Emmanuel Hephzibah,
said he didn’t mean any harm.“I was crying out so that our voice could
be heard in Nigeria, because it seems
our government was not ready to take
any action,” he said. “I credited the source of the image as AlexiaFoundation.org.”Vitale has asked Hephzibah to remove posts with the image in them, but it has
spread so widely on the Web that’s
nearly impossible to do. It seems that, at least for some social media users, Balde is simply going to be the face of a crisis.she had nothing to do with.#Bringbackourgirls
Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.The group released a video in which it
announced it was willing to release the
girls in exchange for prisoners.In that video, people familiar with the social media campaign advocating for the girls’ release, which uses the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, won’t see the face that most associate with the campaign. That’s because the girl in the widely spread photo isn’t one of the kidnapped girls; she isn’t even Nigerian.Celebrities and thousands of others have been tweeting the image for more than a week.
Mashable reports that the image is of Jenabu Balde, a girl from Guinea Bissau on Africa’s western coast.
The photo comes from the website of the Alexia Foundation,photojournalism organization. The photographer, Ami
Vitale, is trying to correct the misappropriation.“I support the campaign completely, and I would do anything to bring attention to the situation. It’s a beautiful
campaign that shows the power of social media. This is a separate issue,” she told Mashable. “This is about misrepresentation.”The Alexia Foundation published a
statement Friday about the photo. The statement says, in part:No one should take a photograph from anywhere they find it to use it as they want. They shouldn’t. In most circumstances, legally they cannot. What is egregious,
however, in this situation is the misrepresentation.
The Nigerian man who Photoshopped Vitale’s photo to add the hashtag,
creative director Emmanuel Hephzibah,
said he didn’t mean any harm.“I was crying out so that our voice could
be heard in Nigeria, because it seems
our government was not ready to take
any action,” he said. “I credited the source of the image as AlexiaFoundation.org.”Vitale has asked Hephzibah to remove posts with the image in them, but it has
spread so widely on the Web that’s
nearly impossible to do. It seems that, at least for some social media users, Balde is simply going to be the face of a crisis.she had nothing to do with.#Bringbackourgirls
posted from Bloggeroid
Monday, May 5, 2014
Amazon goes top in most reputable brands in America
Harris has released the results of its
15th annual poll naming the corporations
with the best reputations in America,
and Amazon tops this year’s list.
The Harris Poll Reputation Quotient is
determined by respondents who were
asked to rate two of the companies that
they’re very or somewhat familiar with.
1. Amazon
2. Coca-Cola
3. Apple Inc.
4. Walt Disney Co.
5. Honda
6. Costco
7. Samsung
8. Whole Foods
9. Microsoft Corp.
10. Sony Corp.
According to 24/7 Wall St.’s write-up on
each of the top 10 brands, “Amazon
routinely shows up at or near the top of
retail customers satisfaction surveys.”
Coke and Apple have gained favor with new, diverse products.
Falling out of the top 10 from last
year’s poll were Johnson & Johnson and
Procter & Gamble.
15th annual poll naming the corporations
with the best reputations in America,
and Amazon tops this year’s list.
The Harris Poll Reputation Quotient is
determined by respondents who were
asked to rate two of the companies that
they’re very or somewhat familiar with.
1. Amazon
2. Coca-Cola
3. Apple Inc.
4. Walt Disney Co.
5. Honda
6. Costco
7. Samsung
8. Whole Foods
9. Microsoft Corp.
10. Sony Corp.
According to 24/7 Wall St.’s write-up on
each of the top 10 brands, “Amazon
routinely shows up at or near the top of
retail customers satisfaction surveys.”
Coke and Apple have gained favor with new, diverse products.
Falling out of the top 10 from last
year’s poll were Johnson & Johnson and
Procter & Gamble.
posted from Bloggeroid
5 ways for taking advantage of mobile advertising during the world cup
Professional sports unite
millions of people regardless
of religion, race, or political
view. The popularity of
sports crosses national
borders, spans cultural
differences, and brings
together many peoples who don't share the same language. All they share is the love of the game.No event demonstrates that notion more than the World Cup. It brings together people from 32 nations, and for 30
days we put aside all of our differences to watch our
teams attempt to win the "FIFA World Cup Trophy."The World Cup is a big event for marketers and brands
not only in Brazil but also across the world. In 2010, FIFA claimed at least 1 billion people across the world saw the
World Cup Final.Researchers have found that sports audiences are
particularly receptive to marketing and mobile advertising
offers new and clever ways to reach fans at scale. Here
are five ways to take advantage of mobile advertising during the World Cup this year.
1. Use mobile in-app ads or native ads to promote your product before the matches Sports fans like to start planning their game-day
festivities ahead of time, regardless of where they are watching the game, either at home or live, in person. Even
casual fans generally prepare a week or two before the game to ensure they have everything they need. For many
advertisers, this means there are big benefits to advertising a week or two in advance not just during an
event. Producers of snack foods, soft drinks, beer, and even grilling accessories can promote their products
before the event.
2. Hotels, airlines, and travel apps should target travelers booking their trip to and from the matches
Sports fans love to travel to new places to see their favorite teams. What better place to see your country's
national soccer team play than in Brazil? Soccer claims some of the most passionate fans in the world.
For a month, hundreds of thousands of fans will flock to host cities like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and BrasÃlia to
enjoy not just the games but also the atmosphere and the
country. That's a great opportunity for hotels, airlines,and travel apps to target offers or messaging to
travelers. Those same apps can apply geo-targeting as a team advances. Perhaps a family from Spain wants to change travel plans to stay in Brazil if Spain keeps advancing in the tourney—a great way to get some last-second bookings. 3. Increase local retail sales by targeting the location of the matches
As a sports fan who has traveled all over to see my favorite teams, I always forget something—such as
toothpaste, or warm clothing that time I went to Pittsburgh... For the World Cup, there will be thousands of
people who are not well prepared for the climate. Retailers can use geotargeting to drive consumers to their stores;they can also use tools such as Foursquare or other "check-in" apps to offer coupons to increase their chances of making a sale. In the case of Brazil, where it is
expected to be warm, targeting users with things such as swimsuits, sandals, or sunglasses could be a logical move for advertisers.
4. Food delivery apps should increase installs prior to each
match
Not everyone cooks at their viewing party, and many
sports fans like to order out. In fact, not only pizza
delivery sales but also chicken wing delivery sales spike
during a major sporting event. During last year's Super
Bowl, Americans ate a whopping 1.23 billion chicken wings.
Chicken wings may not be a "go to" delivery option for
soccer fans, but there is plenty of opportunity for
variety during 30 days of World Cup matches.
Mobile media is still cheap relative to other channels, and
restaurants or apps that offer home food delivery can
buy downloads and drive sales all the way up to each game.
Doing so is cost effective, because these sports fans are
already looking to have food delivered. Using push
notifications and email to re-engage with customers who
have the app installed is another great strategy. Food
delivery apps that use push well can increase re-
engagement rates significantly.
5. Have the marketing team watch matches together
The popularity of social media has made advertising a
24/7 game. The best sports advertising opportunities now
come from interesting or bizarre moments during the
event. You might remember Super Bowl 2013, when during
the third quarter half of the stadium lights went out. The
game was postponed for a full 34 minutes. In that short
time span, Oreo put out this tweet . The Oreo tweet became
legendary in social media advertising circles, receiving
almost as much awareness as the game itself. That clever
and unique approach outdid many of the TV ads, at a
fraction of the price.
A more recent example of social media guerrilla marketing
came at the end of the AFC Divisional Round, when Peyton
Manning was televised saying, "What's weighing on my
mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth." As
expected, the Bud Light marketing team wasted no time,
instantly retweeting the quote and posting a tweet of its
own . Twitter lit up, and the retweets for Budweiser didn't
stop until late into the night. With the simple press of a
button, significant brand awareness was generated with
little or no budget.
Getting the marketing team together for game day is a
fun bonding experience. It can also be a productive and
creative occasion where great marketing moments are
born.
millions of people regardless
of religion, race, or political
view. The popularity of
sports crosses national
borders, spans cultural
differences, and brings
together many peoples who don't share the same language. All they share is the love of the game.No event demonstrates that notion more than the World Cup. It brings together people from 32 nations, and for 30
days we put aside all of our differences to watch our
teams attempt to win the "FIFA World Cup Trophy."The World Cup is a big event for marketers and brands
not only in Brazil but also across the world. In 2010, FIFA claimed at least 1 billion people across the world saw the
World Cup Final.Researchers have found that sports audiences are
particularly receptive to marketing and mobile advertising
offers new and clever ways to reach fans at scale. Here
are five ways to take advantage of mobile advertising during the World Cup this year.
1. Use mobile in-app ads or native ads to promote your product before the matches Sports fans like to start planning their game-day
festivities ahead of time, regardless of where they are watching the game, either at home or live, in person. Even
casual fans generally prepare a week or two before the game to ensure they have everything they need. For many
advertisers, this means there are big benefits to advertising a week or two in advance not just during an
event. Producers of snack foods, soft drinks, beer, and even grilling accessories can promote their products
before the event.
2. Hotels, airlines, and travel apps should target travelers booking their trip to and from the matches
Sports fans love to travel to new places to see their favorite teams. What better place to see your country's
national soccer team play than in Brazil? Soccer claims some of the most passionate fans in the world.
For a month, hundreds of thousands of fans will flock to host cities like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and BrasÃlia to
enjoy not just the games but also the atmosphere and the
country. That's a great opportunity for hotels, airlines,and travel apps to target offers or messaging to
travelers. Those same apps can apply geo-targeting as a team advances. Perhaps a family from Spain wants to change travel plans to stay in Brazil if Spain keeps advancing in the tourney—a great way to get some last-second bookings. 3. Increase local retail sales by targeting the location of the matches
As a sports fan who has traveled all over to see my favorite teams, I always forget something—such as
toothpaste, or warm clothing that time I went to Pittsburgh... For the World Cup, there will be thousands of
people who are not well prepared for the climate. Retailers can use geotargeting to drive consumers to their stores;they can also use tools such as Foursquare or other "check-in" apps to offer coupons to increase their chances of making a sale. In the case of Brazil, where it is
expected to be warm, targeting users with things such as swimsuits, sandals, or sunglasses could be a logical move for advertisers.
4. Food delivery apps should increase installs prior to each
match
Not everyone cooks at their viewing party, and many
sports fans like to order out. In fact, not only pizza
delivery sales but also chicken wing delivery sales spike
during a major sporting event. During last year's Super
Bowl, Americans ate a whopping 1.23 billion chicken wings.
Chicken wings may not be a "go to" delivery option for
soccer fans, but there is plenty of opportunity for
variety during 30 days of World Cup matches.
Mobile media is still cheap relative to other channels, and
restaurants or apps that offer home food delivery can
buy downloads and drive sales all the way up to each game.
Doing so is cost effective, because these sports fans are
already looking to have food delivered. Using push
notifications and email to re-engage with customers who
have the app installed is another great strategy. Food
delivery apps that use push well can increase re-
engagement rates significantly.
5. Have the marketing team watch matches together
The popularity of social media has made advertising a
24/7 game. The best sports advertising opportunities now
come from interesting or bizarre moments during the
event. You might remember Super Bowl 2013, when during
the third quarter half of the stadium lights went out. The
game was postponed for a full 34 minutes. In that short
time span, Oreo put out this tweet . The Oreo tweet became
legendary in social media advertising circles, receiving
almost as much awareness as the game itself. That clever
and unique approach outdid many of the TV ads, at a
fraction of the price.
A more recent example of social media guerrilla marketing
came at the end of the AFC Divisional Round, when Peyton
Manning was televised saying, "What's weighing on my
mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth." As
expected, the Bud Light marketing team wasted no time,
instantly retweeting the quote and posting a tweet of its
own . Twitter lit up, and the retweets for Budweiser didn't
stop until late into the night. With the simple press of a
button, significant brand awareness was generated with
little or no budget.
Getting the marketing team together for game day is a
fun bonding experience. It can also be a productive and
creative occasion where great marketing moments are
born.
posted from Bloggeroid
Friday, April 11, 2014
Google Glass in the Fc Barcelona vs Fc Beskona Match
FC Barcelona v Laboral Kutxa will be the
first game in Euroleague history in
which the players will use Google Glass
to let fans see the action through their
own eyes. Barça’s Marcelinho Huertas
will be wearing the item from the
moment he enters the pavilion, showing
viewers everything he sees when
warming up and preparing for a big
match like this. During the game, a
member of the FCB staff will don the
glasses to show us what it all looks like
from the bench. Nocioni will be doing
likewise for the opposition.
As well as the two players, one of the
three match officials will also be
wearing the glasses so fans can see
what the game looks like through his
eyes. Once the game is over, the
Euroleague will be producing a video
using the recorded images and if the
project is a success, will be using the
system for the Final Four in Milan (May
16-18).
New challenges
“New technologies are providing new
opportunities and new ways of
communicating with the spectators” say
the Euroleague organisers, who have
been working on the project with La
Salle Ramon Llull University, Barcelona.
Google Glass is not only used for
recording videos. It also operates as a
hands-free mobile device with voice-
activated Internet use.
first game in Euroleague history in
which the players will use Google Glass
to let fans see the action through their
own eyes. Barça’s Marcelinho Huertas
will be wearing the item from the
moment he enters the pavilion, showing
viewers everything he sees when
warming up and preparing for a big
match like this. During the game, a
member of the FCB staff will don the
glasses to show us what it all looks like
from the bench. Nocioni will be doing
likewise for the opposition.
As well as the two players, one of the
three match officials will also be
wearing the glasses so fans can see
what the game looks like through his
eyes. Once the game is over, the
Euroleague will be producing a video
using the recorded images and if the
project is a success, will be using the
system for the Final Four in Milan (May
16-18).
New challenges
“New technologies are providing new
opportunities and new ways of
communicating with the spectators” say
the Euroleague organisers, who have
been working on the project with La
Salle Ramon Llull University, Barcelona.
Google Glass is not only used for
recording videos. It also operates as a
hands-free mobile device with voice-
activated Internet use.
posted from Bloggeroid
Twitter users have much to say about the re-design
Your Twitter profile page is about to
look a lot like Facebook , and chances
are, you have a pretty strong opinion
about it.
Nearly two months after the company
quietly tested a new layout among a
small group of users, news first reported
by Mashable, Twitter is officially rolling
out a new design starting on Tuesday.
Social media users are notoriously
adverse to change, with the slightest
update often awakening the most
critical of members, so it's not
surprising the news brought a bevy of
negative reactions, mostly with users
calling it out as too similar to Facebook.
SEE ALSO: 14 Facebook Tools You Didn't
Know Existed
Among the major changes is that the
user's main picture and bio are now
scaled to the left, and there is
significantly more real estate dedicated
to the header photo. The revamped
timeline makes tweets look larger and
there is greater focus on photos.
Although the original test had "tiles" or
"cards" that moved away from a
vertical timeline, this design reinstates
what we're used to seeing.
In addition, tweets with more
engagement appear larger in user
timelines, and you can filter based on
photos/videos, replies and so on. It's also
possible to "pin" tweets to the top of
your profile page, calling out specific
content you want followers to notice.
Here's a look at the general (and mixed)
reaction bubbling up on, of course,
Twitter:
So, TODAY just exclusively
previewed a twitter redesign. It
looks like facebook. Brace
yourselves for the "old twitter
was better" tweets...
— Eric (@MrEAnders) April 8, 2014
yikes! my head is HUGE in the new
twitter redesign that looks an
awful lot like facebook
— Jed Bramwell (@jedbramwell)
April 8, 2014
Terrible move, beauty of Twitter is
it's not Facebook RT @mashable
Starting today, Twitter is rolling
out new Facebook-like profile
redesign
— John Feeley (@hawks586) April
8, 2014
I love twitter for it's simplicity, to
redesign similar to Facebook will be
a mistake, IMHO.
— Jeff Morgan (@
walespressphoto) April 8, 2014
Never met a redesign I didn't love
to hate MT @mashable Twitter
rolls out new FB-like profile
http://t.co/c2GwNtfo8g
pic.twitter.com/acmVxEnxBg
— Megan Cassella (@mmcassella)
April 8, 2014
Most people will probably hate this,
but I think its an improvement:
http://t.co/Zd7LtRnFbZ
— Mark Ng (@clapfootmark) April
8, 2014
Twitter Rolls Out Its Facebook-
Like Profile Redesign :/ I hate the
New Look.. :/
— Pankaj (@iempk) April 8, 2014
I am clearly in the minority but I
love the new Twitter profile
redesign. It looks fresh and clean.
— S2 (@stuhunter) April 8, 2014
So much outrage this morning on
Twitter about out the (FB-
similar) profile redesign. When is
the last time you actually viewed a
profile?
— Matt Galligan (@mg) April 8,
2014
I actually do not hate the @
twitter redesign. http://t.co/
ABaD0ZZiij
— R Y A N (@mayanrelic) April 8,
2014
All Twitter users will get the redesign in
the "coming weeks." Take our poll below
and let us know your thoughts on
redesign in the comments.
Have something to add to this story?
Share it in the comments.
look a lot like Facebook , and chances
are, you have a pretty strong opinion
about it.
Nearly two months after the company
quietly tested a new layout among a
small group of users, news first reported
by Mashable, Twitter is officially rolling
out a new design starting on Tuesday.
Social media users are notoriously
adverse to change, with the slightest
update often awakening the most
critical of members, so it's not
surprising the news brought a bevy of
negative reactions, mostly with users
calling it out as too similar to Facebook.
SEE ALSO: 14 Facebook Tools You Didn't
Know Existed
Among the major changes is that the
user's main picture and bio are now
scaled to the left, and there is
significantly more real estate dedicated
to the header photo. The revamped
timeline makes tweets look larger and
there is greater focus on photos.
Although the original test had "tiles" or
"cards" that moved away from a
vertical timeline, this design reinstates
what we're used to seeing.
In addition, tweets with more
engagement appear larger in user
timelines, and you can filter based on
photos/videos, replies and so on. It's also
possible to "pin" tweets to the top of
your profile page, calling out specific
content you want followers to notice.
Here's a look at the general (and mixed)
reaction bubbling up on, of course,
Twitter:
So, TODAY just exclusively
previewed a twitter redesign. It
looks like facebook. Brace
yourselves for the "old twitter
was better" tweets...
— Eric (@MrEAnders) April 8, 2014
yikes! my head is HUGE in the new
twitter redesign that looks an
awful lot like facebook
— Jed Bramwell (@jedbramwell)
April 8, 2014
Terrible move, beauty of Twitter is
it's not Facebook RT @mashable
Starting today, Twitter is rolling
out new Facebook-like profile
redesign
— John Feeley (@hawks586) April
8, 2014
I love twitter for it's simplicity, to
redesign similar to Facebook will be
a mistake, IMHO.
— Jeff Morgan (@
walespressphoto) April 8, 2014
Never met a redesign I didn't love
to hate MT @mashable Twitter
rolls out new FB-like profile
http://t.co/c2GwNtfo8g
pic.twitter.com/acmVxEnxBg
— Megan Cassella (@mmcassella)
April 8, 2014
Most people will probably hate this,
but I think its an improvement:
http://t.co/Zd7LtRnFbZ
— Mark Ng (@clapfootmark) April
8, 2014
Twitter Rolls Out Its Facebook-
Like Profile Redesign :/ I hate the
New Look.. :/
— Pankaj (@iempk) April 8, 2014
I am clearly in the minority but I
love the new Twitter profile
redesign. It looks fresh and clean.
— S2 (@stuhunter) April 8, 2014
So much outrage this morning on
Twitter about out the (FB-
similar) profile redesign. When is
the last time you actually viewed a
profile?
— Matt Galligan (@mg) April 8,
2014
I actually do not hate the @
twitter redesign. http://t.co/
ABaD0ZZiij
— R Y A N (@mayanrelic) April 8,
2014
All Twitter users will get the redesign in
the "coming weeks." Take our poll below
and let us know your thoughts on
redesign in the comments.
Have something to add to this story?
Share it in the comments.
posted from Bloggeroid
15 Free online Images
The ancient saying that a picture is
worth 1,000 words comes as no surprise
to content marketers. Images arouse
emotions, set the tone for your writing,
help you tell a better story, and aid
your readers in "seeing" what you're
trying to convey in words.
You can buy images; it's easy. However,
it can get expensive pretty quickly,
especially if you're committed to
delivering high-quality visual content.
If your budget is tight, you'll be thrilled
to learn that there are places to find
images online for free.
Are you wondering where and how to
find free images for your blog? Just use
the websites below to begin discovering
and downloading cost-free content in
seconds.
Let's get started:
1. Google Advanced Search
Even some of the sharpest content
marketers have no idea that Google
Advanced Search exists. You'll be asked
to specify "usage rights." Here's a quick
guide to what you need to know on this
front:
free to use or share
These images are for using and sharing
on non-commercial websites, like
personal blogs.
free to use or share, even
commercially
These images can be used or shared on
all websites—including commercial ones.
free to use, share, or modify
These images can be freely used, shared
or modified for non-commercial
websites, in ways specified in the license.
free to use, share, or modify, even
commercially
These images are free for use, sharing,
or modification—even commercially, in
ways specified in the license.
2. Creative Commons Search
The official Creative Commons website
lets users search websites for free-to-
use images from a variety of sources,
including Google Images, Flickr, and the
Wikimedia Commons. Obviously, it's
become one of the top places to search
for free images.
Aside from just image search, you can
use it to access Creative Commons music,
media, and video files.
[RELATED: Prepare your
corporate communications for a
content war! Register for Ragan's
Corporate Communicators
Conference in Chicago, IL
.]
3. Yahoo Image Search
Yahoo Image Search recently introduced
a functionality similar to Google, which
makes it easy to find Creative Commons
content
. To find CC images, just perform a
search on Yahoo Image Search, and then
pull up the menu on the left side of the
screen.
If it's collapsed, just hit the arrow
button to expand the menu. Once you're
there, click Show Filters and select
Labeled for Reuse.
4. Stock.Xchng
Stock.Xchng is powered by some of the
world's most talented photographers.
Its library is over 400,000 images strong
and growing daily. Users upload their
photos and can specify how they intend
to use the content.
As a result, it's crucial to check the
Usage Options carefully, to ensure
you're allowed to put the content on a
commercial website.
5. Wikimedia Commons
Although you can also find Wikimedia
Commons' images through Google or
Creative Commons search, it's an
outstanding resource for a number of
reasons. Because it pulls directly from
images and maps on Wikipedia, it's a
powerful way to find photos when your
specifications are tight.
In addition to images of landmarks and
places, there are plenty of public domain
images, videos, and audio files.
6. CompFight
CompFight is a super-fast, easy-to-use
alternative to Flickr Search. Be sure to
narrow your search results by either
Creative Commons or Commercial-Use
search results, as the default settings
may return options that aren't free for
business use.
7. Flickr
Is it any surprise that Flickr is a top
resource for image-sourcing? It's
beloved as a go-to by many top
bloggers.
Though it's one of the world's largest
image repositories, it's crucial to know
and understand that the site enables
the photographer to specify how they
want the image to be used.
When you search for options, be sure to
specify creative commons before you
download the content.
8. The Open Clip Art Library
The Open Clip Art library is the largest
Webresource for free, small cartoonish
images, religious icons, and calligraphy
letters. It's the perfect place to find
website icons, or small images to add a
minimalistic bent to your blog posts.
Virtually all search results will be
licensed for free use (and if they
aren't, it's going to be clearly
specified). It might not be the best
option if you're in a pinch, because its
built-in search engine doesn't always
return the right results for highly
specific queries.
9. Creativity 103
This isn't the largest library of free
images online, but it's certainly one of
the prettiest. Its collection is focused on
fine art photography, which most often
includes abstract or otherwise artistic
images of nature and buildings.
With around 2,500 options, you might not
find exactly what you're looking for,
but you'll certainly find something to
pique your interest. Because few of the
pictures include humans, it's a perfect
resource if you're planning to modify
the pictures with special effects or a
text overlay.
For resources to enhance your free
digital photos, check out 14 Tools to
Create Images for Your Blog Posts in 10
Minutes or Less.
10. Animal Photos
This website may not offer pictures of
humans, landscapes, or technology, but
it does one thing extraordinarily well-
outstanding pictures of creatures of all
kinds.
In addition to dogs and cats, you'll find
more obscure marine and land animals.
The site's library is broken down into
categories, making your searching much
easier.
11. Morgue File
Most of the options on Morgue File are
free to be "remixed," meaning once you
download it, your implementation
decisions are entirely yours.
You can add text, sparkly effects,
Photoshop in headshots of your team, or
any other idea you might come up with.
Unless you intend to sell the finished
product, the sky is the limit when it
comes to Morgue File's photos.
12. Every Stock Photo
Do you hate searching through awkward
or low-quality stock images before
finding just the right photo to use on
your website? Every Stock Photo is
more than just a search engine for free
photos; it's got a focus on high quality.
Users are able to both rate and tag the
comment, enabling you to retrieve only
the best and most-relevant options
when you search. Because it pulls from
multiple websites, citation requirements
can vary. Be sure to read the
specifications on each photo carefully.
13. FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This is an extensive library of royalty-
free images for commercial or personal
use. Small versions of quality stock
photos are free, with high-resolution
versions available for purchase at
affordable rates.
The library contains thousands of
options, many of which are every bit as
useful as images you'd purchase through
Getty or other paid sources.
14. Photo Pin
Another search engine that integrates
directly with Flickr, Photo Pin is
incredibly fast and easy to use. It can
even handle long or specific queries
extraordinarily well.
Best of all, it provides you with simple
HTML code for image attributions that
can be pasted directly into WordPress or
another CMS.
15. Stock Photos for Free
This is another free stock photo website,
with over 100,000 options. It's amazingly
easy to use, and the photos are
effectively tagged to make your
searching efforts simpler.
Although it's easy to start downloading
high-quality shots for your blog, keep in
mind that you're required to create an
account before saving any of their
content.
Now, here is how to give credit properly:
How to attribute the correct way
When attributing the image, you want
to cite the author with the link going
back to the work. The very basic way is
to just write: "image source" and link it
directly to the image. If you want more
details on best practices for citing
images, here is a good post that gives
examples of the best ways to do it.
Keep in mind; many sources for
royalty-free images have their own
specifications on how to properly cite
images. It's crucial to completely read
and understand a site's policies before
taking their photos for commercial use.
Helen Nesterenko is CEO and founder of
Writtent.com . A version of this article
first appeared on Business2Community .
worth 1,000 words comes as no surprise
to content marketers. Images arouse
emotions, set the tone for your writing,
help you tell a better story, and aid
your readers in "seeing" what you're
trying to convey in words.
You can buy images; it's easy. However,
it can get expensive pretty quickly,
especially if you're committed to
delivering high-quality visual content.
If your budget is tight, you'll be thrilled
to learn that there are places to find
images online for free.
Are you wondering where and how to
find free images for your blog? Just use
the websites below to begin discovering
and downloading cost-free content in
seconds.
Let's get started:
1. Google Advanced Search
Even some of the sharpest content
marketers have no idea that Google
Advanced Search exists. You'll be asked
to specify "usage rights." Here's a quick
guide to what you need to know on this
front:
free to use or share
These images are for using and sharing
on non-commercial websites, like
personal blogs.
free to use or share, even
commercially
These images can be used or shared on
all websites—including commercial ones.
free to use, share, or modify
These images can be freely used, shared
or modified for non-commercial
websites, in ways specified in the license.
free to use, share, or modify, even
commercially
These images are free for use, sharing,
or modification—even commercially, in
ways specified in the license.
2. Creative Commons Search
The official Creative Commons website
lets users search websites for free-to-
use images from a variety of sources,
including Google Images, Flickr, and the
Wikimedia Commons. Obviously, it's
become one of the top places to search
for free images.
Aside from just image search, you can
use it to access Creative Commons music,
media, and video files.
[RELATED: Prepare your
corporate communications for a
content war! Register for Ragan's
Corporate Communicators
Conference in Chicago, IL
.]
3. Yahoo Image Search
Yahoo Image Search recently introduced
a functionality similar to Google, which
makes it easy to find Creative Commons
content
. To find CC images, just perform a
search on Yahoo Image Search, and then
pull up the menu on the left side of the
screen.
If it's collapsed, just hit the arrow
button to expand the menu. Once you're
there, click Show Filters and select
Labeled for Reuse.
4. Stock.Xchng
Stock.Xchng is powered by some of the
world's most talented photographers.
Its library is over 400,000 images strong
and growing daily. Users upload their
photos and can specify how they intend
to use the content.
As a result, it's crucial to check the
Usage Options carefully, to ensure
you're allowed to put the content on a
commercial website.
5. Wikimedia Commons
Although you can also find Wikimedia
Commons' images through Google or
Creative Commons search, it's an
outstanding resource for a number of
reasons. Because it pulls directly from
images and maps on Wikipedia, it's a
powerful way to find photos when your
specifications are tight.
In addition to images of landmarks and
places, there are plenty of public domain
images, videos, and audio files.
6. CompFight
CompFight is a super-fast, easy-to-use
alternative to Flickr Search. Be sure to
narrow your search results by either
Creative Commons or Commercial-Use
search results, as the default settings
may return options that aren't free for
business use.
7. Flickr
Is it any surprise that Flickr is a top
resource for image-sourcing? It's
beloved as a go-to by many top
bloggers.
Though it's one of the world's largest
image repositories, it's crucial to know
and understand that the site enables
the photographer to specify how they
want the image to be used.
When you search for options, be sure to
specify creative commons before you
download the content.
8. The Open Clip Art Library
The Open Clip Art library is the largest
Webresource for free, small cartoonish
images, religious icons, and calligraphy
letters. It's the perfect place to find
website icons, or small images to add a
minimalistic bent to your blog posts.
Virtually all search results will be
licensed for free use (and if they
aren't, it's going to be clearly
specified). It might not be the best
option if you're in a pinch, because its
built-in search engine doesn't always
return the right results for highly
specific queries.
9. Creativity 103
This isn't the largest library of free
images online, but it's certainly one of
the prettiest. Its collection is focused on
fine art photography, which most often
includes abstract or otherwise artistic
images of nature and buildings.
With around 2,500 options, you might not
find exactly what you're looking for,
but you'll certainly find something to
pique your interest. Because few of the
pictures include humans, it's a perfect
resource if you're planning to modify
the pictures with special effects or a
text overlay.
For resources to enhance your free
digital photos, check out 14 Tools to
Create Images for Your Blog Posts in 10
Minutes or Less.
10. Animal Photos
This website may not offer pictures of
humans, landscapes, or technology, but
it does one thing extraordinarily well-
outstanding pictures of creatures of all
kinds.
In addition to dogs and cats, you'll find
more obscure marine and land animals.
The site's library is broken down into
categories, making your searching much
easier.
11. Morgue File
Most of the options on Morgue File are
free to be "remixed," meaning once you
download it, your implementation
decisions are entirely yours.
You can add text, sparkly effects,
Photoshop in headshots of your team, or
any other idea you might come up with.
Unless you intend to sell the finished
product, the sky is the limit when it
comes to Morgue File's photos.
12. Every Stock Photo
Do you hate searching through awkward
or low-quality stock images before
finding just the right photo to use on
your website? Every Stock Photo is
more than just a search engine for free
photos; it's got a focus on high quality.
Users are able to both rate and tag the
comment, enabling you to retrieve only
the best and most-relevant options
when you search. Because it pulls from
multiple websites, citation requirements
can vary. Be sure to read the
specifications on each photo carefully.
13. FreeDigitalPhotos.net
This is an extensive library of royalty-
free images for commercial or personal
use. Small versions of quality stock
photos are free, with high-resolution
versions available for purchase at
affordable rates.
The library contains thousands of
options, many of which are every bit as
useful as images you'd purchase through
Getty or other paid sources.
14. Photo Pin
Another search engine that integrates
directly with Flickr, Photo Pin is
incredibly fast and easy to use. It can
even handle long or specific queries
extraordinarily well.
Best of all, it provides you with simple
HTML code for image attributions that
can be pasted directly into WordPress or
another CMS.
15. Stock Photos for Free
This is another free stock photo website,
with over 100,000 options. It's amazingly
easy to use, and the photos are
effectively tagged to make your
searching efforts simpler.
Although it's easy to start downloading
high-quality shots for your blog, keep in
mind that you're required to create an
account before saving any of their
content.
Now, here is how to give credit properly:
How to attribute the correct way
When attributing the image, you want
to cite the author with the link going
back to the work. The very basic way is
to just write: "image source" and link it
directly to the image. If you want more
details on best practices for citing
images, here is a good post that gives
examples of the best ways to do it.
Keep in mind; many sources for
royalty-free images have their own
specifications on how to properly cite
images. It's crucial to completely read
and understand a site's policies before
taking their photos for commercial use.
Helen Nesterenko is CEO and founder of
Writtent.com . A version of this article
first appeared on Business2Community .
posted from Bloggeroid
Monday, April 7, 2014
Poll:People trust IRS than FACEBOOK
Who do you trust with your personal
information?
If you’re anything like me, your answer
doesn’t include anything resembling a
social media website or government
entity.
We’re not alone in our distrust. A recent
survey from Reason.com asked “Which
of the following do you trust the most
with your personal information?”
The answer:
• The Internal Revenue Service or
IRS: 35 percent
• The National Security Agency or
NSA: 18 percent
• Google: 10 percent
• Facebook: 5 percent
• None: 28 percent
• Don’t Know: 3 percent
• Refused: 1 percent
That’s right—people trust the IRS more
than the NSA or, somewhat shockingly,
Facebook and Google when it comes to
their personal information.
Asked who they think is most likely to
violate their privacy, respondents
answered overwhelmingly NSA, with 36
percent saying NSA was most likely to do so. Facebook was No. 2 on the list, at 26 percent.I’m a bit curious about the 1 percent that refused to answer. Does that mean they fear Reason.com shouldn’t be trusted with our personal information?
Whatever the case, asking anything
personal on Facebook appears to
increasingly be a no-no. Take note,
brands.
information?
If you’re anything like me, your answer
doesn’t include anything resembling a
social media website or government
entity.
We’re not alone in our distrust. A recent
survey from Reason.com asked “Which
of the following do you trust the most
with your personal information?”
The answer:
• The Internal Revenue Service or
IRS: 35 percent
• The National Security Agency or
NSA: 18 percent
• Google: 10 percent
• Facebook: 5 percent
• None: 28 percent
• Don’t Know: 3 percent
• Refused: 1 percent
That’s right—people trust the IRS more
than the NSA or, somewhat shockingly,
Facebook and Google when it comes to
their personal information.
Asked who they think is most likely to
violate their privacy, respondents
answered overwhelmingly NSA, with 36
percent saying NSA was most likely to do so. Facebook was No. 2 on the list, at 26 percent.I’m a bit curious about the 1 percent that refused to answer. Does that mean they fear Reason.com shouldn’t be trusted with our personal information?
Whatever the case, asking anything
personal on Facebook appears to
increasingly be a no-no. Take note,
brands.
posted from Bloggeroid
Saturday, April 5, 2014
The power of PR in the AFFORDABALE CARE ACT
The Affordable Care Act is, without a
doubt, one of the most controversial
government programs enacted in recent memory.Despite a rocky (and some say disastrous) rollout, the program met its initial goal of enrolling 7 million Americans in the program by the deadline of March 31.Because each state’s government had the choice of whether to participate in several components of the plan—including marketing and promotion—there were marked differences as to how much residents heard about the
program and its sign-up deadline.
A few states, such as Kentucky and
Arkansas , were vocal about the program and spent state resources to promote it.Many opposing the law, such as Florida,went as far as prohibiting health care workers from encouraging sign-ups on state property.
Despite the controversy surrounding the ACA and its implementation (plus some
technical snafus that arose due largely
to a surge in volume on the last
enrollment day), some practical public
relations strategies and tactics during
the last two weeks of enrollment helped
boost the final numbers past the goal of
7 million enrollees.
1. Audience targeting. This strategy
makes sense because the ACA really only
affects about 20 percent of the
population. Specific audiences included
low-income Americans, young people, and
the uninsured. Targeting was necessary
to devote resources to marketing
channels that would most likely reach
those audiences.
2. Traditional PR. The Obama
administration cranked up its powerful
PR apparatus in the final weeks before
the deadline to use every opportunity to
talk about the ACA. From news releases
to the weekly radio address, the entire
administration talked about little else in
an attempt to flood the 24-hour news
cycle with information.
(3) Constitent outreach. Community
activists who deal with target audience were equipped with the knowledge they needed to help guide people through the enrollment process, and the Obama
administration hosted conference calls
to keep people informed of the latest
details.
4. Surrogacy. Many celebrities lent their
names to the campaign, including Oprah
Winfrey, Ashley Judd, and John Legend.
They participated in media interviews,
bylined op-eds in major newspapers, and
created YouTube videos.
5. Principal involvement. Obama has
made promoting the health care law a
priority, stepping outside his comfort
zone—even doing interviews in very
unconventional media such as the online
comedy show "Between Two Ferns ,"
hosted by Zach Galifianakis. This goes
back to the strategy of audience
targeting.
[RELATED: Find out how to craft
the perfect pitch at our April PR
& Media Relations event in NYC.
]
It will be a while before history decides
whether the ACA is a panacea or a
failure. For now, chalk one up for health
care reform—and the power of PR.
A version of this story first appeared
on the author's blog, Public Relations
Princess.
doubt, one of the most controversial
government programs enacted in recent memory.Despite a rocky (and some say disastrous) rollout, the program met its initial goal of enrolling 7 million Americans in the program by the deadline of March 31.Because each state’s government had the choice of whether to participate in several components of the plan—including marketing and promotion—there were marked differences as to how much residents heard about the
program and its sign-up deadline.
A few states, such as Kentucky and
Arkansas , were vocal about the program and spent state resources to promote it.Many opposing the law, such as Florida,went as far as prohibiting health care workers from encouraging sign-ups on state property.
Despite the controversy surrounding the ACA and its implementation (plus some
technical snafus that arose due largely
to a surge in volume on the last
enrollment day), some practical public
relations strategies and tactics during
the last two weeks of enrollment helped
boost the final numbers past the goal of
7 million enrollees.
1. Audience targeting. This strategy
makes sense because the ACA really only
affects about 20 percent of the
population. Specific audiences included
low-income Americans, young people, and
the uninsured. Targeting was necessary
to devote resources to marketing
channels that would most likely reach
those audiences.
2. Traditional PR. The Obama
administration cranked up its powerful
PR apparatus in the final weeks before
the deadline to use every opportunity to
talk about the ACA. From news releases
to the weekly radio address, the entire
administration talked about little else in
an attempt to flood the 24-hour news
cycle with information.
(3) Constitent outreach. Community
activists who deal with target audience were equipped with the knowledge they needed to help guide people through the enrollment process, and the Obama
administration hosted conference calls
to keep people informed of the latest
details.
4. Surrogacy. Many celebrities lent their
names to the campaign, including Oprah
Winfrey, Ashley Judd, and John Legend.
They participated in media interviews,
bylined op-eds in major newspapers, and
created YouTube videos.
5. Principal involvement. Obama has
made promoting the health care law a
priority, stepping outside his comfort
zone—even doing interviews in very
unconventional media such as the online
comedy show "Between Two Ferns ,"
hosted by Zach Galifianakis. This goes
back to the strategy of audience
targeting.
[RELATED: Find out how to craft
the perfect pitch at our April PR
& Media Relations event in NYC.
]
It will be a while before history decides
whether the ACA is a panacea or a
failure. For now, chalk one up for health
care reform—and the power of PR.
A version of this story first appeared
on the author's blog, Public Relations
Princess.
posted from Bloggeroid
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Why One twitter account is plenty
“Should I have separate Twitter
accounts for personal and
professional?”
I’m often asked that when I conduct my
“CEO of You” personal branding talks.
It’s a great question, because there are
so many opinions.
There’s one camp that says it is
absolutely necessary to have both,
because you do not want to confuse
followers about your brand. A recent
article on The Savvy Intern stressed the
necessity to have a recreational account
for topics that aren’t “on brand.” Tip
of the blog cap to Reganie Smith ( @
ReganiePR) for sharing the post on
Twitter.
I fall into the other camp: I don’t think
it is necessary to have two Twitter
accounts. On full disclosure, I do have
two accounts. One is for my business, @
JRM_Comm ; the other is me, @
JasMollica.
I don’t feel it’s essential for staying
“on brand” to have a second account
for myself. My JRM Comm account is
strictly business; my @JasMollica
account is a mix of professional and
personal.
Here are my reasons why you should
focus on just one Twitter account:
• Time. Regardless of whether you
know how to use Tweetdeck,
HootSuite, or Twitter’s app, it’s
not easy to juggle multiple
accounts. Focus your time on
making your personal account
great, and show people you are
worth the follow.
• Confusion. An important aspect
of personal branding is giving
people a good idea of who you are
and what you do. If you have two
accounts, which should I follow?
The real person or the other
account that just tweets business/
career information? Don’t fall
into the trap of being confusing;
it only clouds your brand.
• Transparency. I’ve stressed in
many of my talks to students and
professionals that openness and
transparency are essential. To me,
multiple Twitter accounts do not
help. I want to know who you really
are—and so do other pros and
potential employers. Frankly, if
you put the more personal tweets
on another account, people will still
find it.
• Noise. We’ve all heard folks
complain about too many tweets.
The presence of two accounts
from one person adds to the
Twitter noise. We see people tweet
the same information, at the same
time, from multiple accounts. That
adds to the noise. Tweeting
information that is valuable to
your followers from one account
cuts down on noise and confusion,
too.
• Personality. I’m in the camp that
wants to see your personal side,
and that’s not to sound like a
stalker. Before I hit follow, I look
at what you’ve tweeted about. It
gives me—and others—a better
idea of who you are and what you
do. If you posted something about
last night’s hockey game, that’s
great. We don’t, however, need to
see the posts about beer pong or
being hung over.
• Smarts. Twitter and many other
social networks might be free to
sign up for, but they all require
responsibility. You can make your
one Twitter account great by just
displaying some smarts. Don’t be so
quick to hit that tweet button.
Take a moment to consider your
audience and your brand.
Displaying smarts on your one
account will go further in
strengthening your personal
brand.
Focusing on your personal brand can be
very difficult. The more honest you are
with yourself and your audience, the
better for your brand, and the better
for your career as well.
[RELATED: Ragan's biggest social
media conference returns to the
Walt Disney World Resort in April!
]
What are your thoughts on multiple
Twitter accounts? Let us know in the
comments, please.
Jason Mollica is the president of JRM
Comm , a public relations and social
media marketing consultancy. Connect
with him on LinkedIn or follow him on
Twitter @JasMollica . A version of this
story originally appeared on the his
blog.
accounts for personal and
professional?”
I’m often asked that when I conduct my
“CEO of You” personal branding talks.
It’s a great question, because there are
so many opinions.
There’s one camp that says it is
absolutely necessary to have both,
because you do not want to confuse
followers about your brand. A recent
article on The Savvy Intern stressed the
necessity to have a recreational account
for topics that aren’t “on brand.” Tip
of the blog cap to Reganie Smith ( @
ReganiePR) for sharing the post on
Twitter.
I fall into the other camp: I don’t think
it is necessary to have two Twitter
accounts. On full disclosure, I do have
two accounts. One is for my business, @
JRM_Comm ; the other is me, @
JasMollica.
I don’t feel it’s essential for staying
“on brand” to have a second account
for myself. My JRM Comm account is
strictly business; my @JasMollica
account is a mix of professional and
personal.
Here are my reasons why you should
focus on just one Twitter account:
• Time. Regardless of whether you
know how to use Tweetdeck,
HootSuite, or Twitter’s app, it’s
not easy to juggle multiple
accounts. Focus your time on
making your personal account
great, and show people you are
worth the follow.
• Confusion. An important aspect
of personal branding is giving
people a good idea of who you are
and what you do. If you have two
accounts, which should I follow?
The real person or the other
account that just tweets business/
career information? Don’t fall
into the trap of being confusing;
it only clouds your brand.
• Transparency. I’ve stressed in
many of my talks to students and
professionals that openness and
transparency are essential. To me,
multiple Twitter accounts do not
help. I want to know who you really
are—and so do other pros and
potential employers. Frankly, if
you put the more personal tweets
on another account, people will still
find it.
• Noise. We’ve all heard folks
complain about too many tweets.
The presence of two accounts
from one person adds to the
Twitter noise. We see people tweet
the same information, at the same
time, from multiple accounts. That
adds to the noise. Tweeting
information that is valuable to
your followers from one account
cuts down on noise and confusion,
too.
• Personality. I’m in the camp that
wants to see your personal side,
and that’s not to sound like a
stalker. Before I hit follow, I look
at what you’ve tweeted about. It
gives me—and others—a better
idea of who you are and what you
do. If you posted something about
last night’s hockey game, that’s
great. We don’t, however, need to
see the posts about beer pong or
being hung over.
• Smarts. Twitter and many other
social networks might be free to
sign up for, but they all require
responsibility. You can make your
one Twitter account great by just
displaying some smarts. Don’t be so
quick to hit that tweet button.
Take a moment to consider your
audience and your brand.
Displaying smarts on your one
account will go further in
strengthening your personal
brand.
Focusing on your personal brand can be
very difficult. The more honest you are
with yourself and your audience, the
better for your brand, and the better
for your career as well.
[RELATED: Ragan's biggest social
media conference returns to the
Walt Disney World Resort in April!
]
What are your thoughts on multiple
Twitter accounts? Let us know in the
comments, please.
Jason Mollica is the president of JRM
Comm , a public relations and social
media marketing consultancy. Connect
with him on LinkedIn or follow him on
Twitter @JasMollica . A version of this
story originally appeared on the his
blog.
posted from Bloggeroid
Monday, March 10, 2014
6 Ways to analyse your creative ideas
Great marketers, PR pros, and content
creators have one thing in common—
they use both creativity and analytics
to develop their successful ideas.
Christine Perkett dubbed this type of
thinking as “Creatalitics” and gave an
excellent definition for the term:
“[Creatalitic thinkers] combine really
creative and innovative ideas—those
‘dreams and visions’ with data and
analysis—the ‘blazes of insight’ that
tell them if their creations go beyond
initial appeal and into the world of
actionable value to the company’s
bottom line.”
Creativity is an important aspect of our
jobs, but we should not neglect the
warning signs from the left side of our
brains pushing us to analyze our ideas.
Here are six ways to put your creative
ideas to the test to make sure they are
worth your client’s investment.
1. Google it.
This simple test of researching your
creative idea will tell you a lot about its
future success. Has the idea already
been done? Can you do it better or
make it unique to your brand? If it has
been done, what value did it add to that
company? Can those results be
replicated for your brand?
2. Like-improve analysis.
The like-improve analysis is one of the
most helpful ways of analyzing your
creative ideas before they are
implemented. Take a sheet of paper, and
draw a line down the middle; on the left
side write “Like” and on the right side
write “Improve.” Under “Improve,”
reference everything that doesn’t work
about the idea or areas that should be
improved. On the left side, write
everything that you like about the idea
and would bring value to the company.
Next, figure out how you can change
those areas under “Improve” to work
for your creative idea or whether the
idea is still worth pursuing.
3. Answer the hard questions.
Take time to think through or even write
down your responses to those hard
questions your client or boss will ask so
you can be ready to defend your
creative idea. How will this increase the
bottom line? Does this line up with our
goals and objectives? What will be the
ROI? How will you track the results?
4. Talk it out.
Humans are social beings; we produce
the best ideas together . As autonomous
thinkers we each contribute differing
opinions and constructive criticisms that
will strengthen the creative idea. After
you have done all you can to flesh out
and analyze the idea, don’t neglect to
collaborate with your peers.
5. Test your idea.
Even after the creative idea has been
turned into action, you should continue
to improve it. What seems like a solid Web
graphic or campaign in the presentation
room may fall short when implemented.
Testing your idea through focus groups,
A/B testing or other means is often
neglected and forgotten by busy
professionals. But if you are serious
about producing the best, you have to
test your ideas.
[RELATED: Find out how to craft
the perfect pitch at our April PR
& Media Relations event in NYC.
]
6. Learn from your successes and
failures.
Experience is a valuable factor in the
communications field because
professionals have learned from years
of mistakes and successes. After you run
a campaign, take time to analyze it once
more to see what really did work or
didn’t and then apply that knowledge to
your next creative idea.
Alicia Lawrence is an online PR specialist
for WebpageFX and blogs in her free
time at MarCom Land . Her work has
been published by the Association for
Business Communication, Get In Front
Communications, and Spin Sucks.
creators have one thing in common—
they use both creativity and analytics
to develop their successful ideas.
Christine Perkett dubbed this type of
thinking as “Creatalitics” and gave an
excellent definition for the term:
“[Creatalitic thinkers] combine really
creative and innovative ideas—those
‘dreams and visions’ with data and
analysis—the ‘blazes of insight’ that
tell them if their creations go beyond
initial appeal and into the world of
actionable value to the company’s
bottom line.”
Creativity is an important aspect of our
jobs, but we should not neglect the
warning signs from the left side of our
brains pushing us to analyze our ideas.
Here are six ways to put your creative
ideas to the test to make sure they are
worth your client’s investment.
1. Google it.
This simple test of researching your
creative idea will tell you a lot about its
future success. Has the idea already
been done? Can you do it better or
make it unique to your brand? If it has
been done, what value did it add to that
company? Can those results be
replicated for your brand?
2. Like-improve analysis.
The like-improve analysis is one of the
most helpful ways of analyzing your
creative ideas before they are
implemented. Take a sheet of paper, and
draw a line down the middle; on the left
side write “Like” and on the right side
write “Improve.” Under “Improve,”
reference everything that doesn’t work
about the idea or areas that should be
improved. On the left side, write
everything that you like about the idea
and would bring value to the company.
Next, figure out how you can change
those areas under “Improve” to work
for your creative idea or whether the
idea is still worth pursuing.
3. Answer the hard questions.
Take time to think through or even write
down your responses to those hard
questions your client or boss will ask so
you can be ready to defend your
creative idea. How will this increase the
bottom line? Does this line up with our
goals and objectives? What will be the
ROI? How will you track the results?
4. Talk it out.
Humans are social beings; we produce
the best ideas together . As autonomous
thinkers we each contribute differing
opinions and constructive criticisms that
will strengthen the creative idea. After
you have done all you can to flesh out
and analyze the idea, don’t neglect to
collaborate with your peers.
5. Test your idea.
Even after the creative idea has been
turned into action, you should continue
to improve it. What seems like a solid Web
graphic or campaign in the presentation
room may fall short when implemented.
Testing your idea through focus groups,
A/B testing or other means is often
neglected and forgotten by busy
professionals. But if you are serious
about producing the best, you have to
test your ideas.
[RELATED: Find out how to craft
the perfect pitch at our April PR
& Media Relations event in NYC.
]
6. Learn from your successes and
failures.
Experience is a valuable factor in the
communications field because
professionals have learned from years
of mistakes and successes. After you run
a campaign, take time to analyze it once
more to see what really did work or
didn’t and then apply that knowledge to
your next creative idea.
Alicia Lawrence is an online PR specialist
for WebpageFX and blogs in her free
time at MarCom Land . Her work has
been published by the Association for
Business Communication, Get In Front
Communications, and Spin Sucks.
posted from Bloggeroid
Friday, February 28, 2014
3 Ways Brands should use Snapchat
Can a brand benefit from being on
Snapchat, the popular app that allows
users to send instant, temporary photos and videos to friends?
An infographic from Marketo says yes,especially if your brand's audience is between the ages of 13 and 25-Snapchat's primary user base.
Pew Research estimates Snapchat has
26 million active users in the United
States. Those users send approximately
400 million snaps (pictures taken and
sent via Snapchat) a day.
So, how can brands incorporate
Snapchat into their marketing
strategies? Here are three ways:
1. Send secret announcements.
Taco Bell sent followers a snap of its
Beefy Crunch Burrito to announce the
menu item's re-release.
2. Offer sneak peeks.
Acura gave its first 100 followers a
sneak peek of a new vehicle via a
Snapchat video. Acura later posted the
video to Instagram.
3. Use brand advocates.
Wet Seal gave its Snapchat account to a
16-year-old blogger for two days. The
blogger sent Wet Seal's followers photos
of herself wearing Wet Seal clothing
items. Wet Seal earned 9,000 new
followers during that time.
Take a look at the infographic below for more tips on how to use Snapchat:
Snapchat, the popular app that allows
users to send instant, temporary photos and videos to friends?
An infographic from Marketo says yes,especially if your brand's audience is between the ages of 13 and 25-Snapchat's primary user base.
Pew Research estimates Snapchat has
26 million active users in the United
States. Those users send approximately
400 million snaps (pictures taken and
sent via Snapchat) a day.
So, how can brands incorporate
Snapchat into their marketing
strategies? Here are three ways:
1. Send secret announcements.
Taco Bell sent followers a snap of its
Beefy Crunch Burrito to announce the
menu item's re-release.
2. Offer sneak peeks.
Acura gave its first 100 followers a
sneak peek of a new vehicle via a
Snapchat video. Acura later posted the
video to Instagram.
3. Use brand advocates.
Wet Seal gave its Snapchat account to a
16-year-old blogger for two days. The
blogger sent Wet Seal's followers photos
of herself wearing Wet Seal clothing
items. Wet Seal earned 9,000 new
followers during that time.
Take a look at the infographic below for more tips on how to use Snapchat:
posted from Bloggeroid
Monday, February 24, 2014
Comfort in front of a camera:Tips-How to get ready
Most people believe an actor's job is
simple.
You go to hair, make up and wardrobe,
and then you sit in a trailer and wait
until someone ushers you on set. You work
for a few minutes to deliver your lines,
and hit the mark.
This is a common perception, that is,
until you or someone on your executive
team has to be on camera for a
corporate video shoot.
The reality is on-camera work is
challenging. You're put under a
microscope, and expected to perform, be
natural and articulate, and speak with
passion while staying on message.
Oh, and remember to blink, smile and not
talk with your hands.
Being on camera is distinctly unnatural-
the lights, the crew, the pressure. So,
how can you rise to the challenge when
it doesn't come easily to you?
Over many years working with non-
professional talent, my team and I have
developed tips and tricks to make the
most of our on-camera personalities,
ensuring they portray themselves in the
best possible light. I like to say we get
paid to make people look good.
You may be on camera for a live
television interview, be one of many
people being interviewed for a larger
piece, or have to deliver a pre-scripted
message using a teleprompter. Whatever
it is, these tips will ensure you make the
best of the occasion.
1. Remember that it's not what you say,
but how you say it.
More often than not, people fixate on
the words they use to deliver a message
and give little thought to the delivery
itself.
Video is a visual medium, which makes
the delivery far more important than
the content. Yes, what you say must be
correct, but consider the viewer taking
in your message. As you speak, the words
fly by. The viewer's brain processes the
words, but the feeling and experience
will leave the stronger impression.
Consider your experience watching your
favorite band perform live. The
environment, delivery and feeling stay
with you for hours, if not days. If you
were able to record the concert and
play it back, you'd plainly hear the
technical gaffes; the live content would
fall flat compared to a studio recording.
But the feeling is far more potent than
the content itself. The same holds true
for video.
2. Be authentic, but not yourself.
Before you sit down and clip on a
microphone, you should have a clear idea
of how you want people to perceive you.
How you're perceived is different from
just being yourself. Understanding the
target audience and objectives will help
you tailor your perceived self for the
camera.
When I was working with a senior
executive to prepare for an employee-
facing campaign launch, I asked him how
he wanted employees to perceive him. He
considered my question, and admitted
he'd never given it any thought; no
other video producer had ever asked.
We decided he should come across as
approachable and authentic, yet firm-
much like a college football coach. In
that situation, focusing on a specific
delivery style ensured the executive was
not only authentic, but well received.
[RELATED: Learn to write a great
speech, no matter what time
crunch you're in.
]
3. Understand how much editing will take
place.
This is something people rarely consider.
At my firm, it's quite common to edit
three to four hours of interview
footage down to two to three minutes.
In that situation, interviewees can say
almost anything because we will
painstakingly edit. However, if you're
delivering content that producers don't
plan to edit very much, each part of
your delivery must be clear, concise and
well-delivered.
4. Don't over-prepare, and do stay
within your wheelhouse.
These two tips go hand in hand. If
you're speaking on a topic you know well,
there's no need to over-prepare, and
your delivery will be natural. Over-
preparation kills delivery. You'll appear
insincere, even canned. Stay with what
you know, and the content will appear
fresh. If you're forced to deliver
content that is not in your wheelhouse,
plan your message carefully, but don't
lay out the delivery in advance. Save
that for the camera.
5. Don't try to hide anything.
There is no faux pas worse than trying
to hide a technical element from your
audience. If you have notes, put them on
the table. It's OK to look down at notes
if you admit they're there. If you have
a teleprompter, don't try to make it
look as if you don't. People use
teleprompters all the time. If you want
to add in a pre-taped segment, just
mention and introduce it. There's
nothing wrong with pre-taping an
element for technical reasons.
These are just three examples we deal
with often. The point is to embrace
things as they are. An audience will be
forgiving if you're honest. If you
aren't honest, all your efforts to look
your best will make you look worse.
Other important tips to consider:
Don't dart your eyes.
Don't swivel in your chair.
Hold a pen to give you something to
do with your hands (but don't click
it!).
Speak with confidence.
Don't move into delivery mode
(shifting your voice up an octave and
beginning to act).
Don't beat yourself up for small slip
ups. Almost everyone feels awkward
on camera. That's what editing is
for.
Remember that it's OK to be nervous.
Have fun!
What are your tips for being on
camera? Tell us by leaving a comment
below.
Mark Drager is the founder of the
Toronto-area video production firm
Phanta Media . A version of this article
originally appeared on the Broad Reach
Communications blog.
simple.
You go to hair, make up and wardrobe,
and then you sit in a trailer and wait
until someone ushers you on set. You work
for a few minutes to deliver your lines,
and hit the mark.
This is a common perception, that is,
until you or someone on your executive
team has to be on camera for a
corporate video shoot.
The reality is on-camera work is
challenging. You're put under a
microscope, and expected to perform, be
natural and articulate, and speak with
passion while staying on message.
Oh, and remember to blink, smile and not
talk with your hands.
Being on camera is distinctly unnatural-
the lights, the crew, the pressure. So,
how can you rise to the challenge when
it doesn't come easily to you?
Over many years working with non-
professional talent, my team and I have
developed tips and tricks to make the
most of our on-camera personalities,
ensuring they portray themselves in the
best possible light. I like to say we get
paid to make people look good.
You may be on camera for a live
television interview, be one of many
people being interviewed for a larger
piece, or have to deliver a pre-scripted
message using a teleprompter. Whatever
it is, these tips will ensure you make the
best of the occasion.
1. Remember that it's not what you say,
but how you say it.
More often than not, people fixate on
the words they use to deliver a message
and give little thought to the delivery
itself.
Video is a visual medium, which makes
the delivery far more important than
the content. Yes, what you say must be
correct, but consider the viewer taking
in your message. As you speak, the words
fly by. The viewer's brain processes the
words, but the feeling and experience
will leave the stronger impression.
Consider your experience watching your
favorite band perform live. The
environment, delivery and feeling stay
with you for hours, if not days. If you
were able to record the concert and
play it back, you'd plainly hear the
technical gaffes; the live content would
fall flat compared to a studio recording.
But the feeling is far more potent than
the content itself. The same holds true
for video.
2. Be authentic, but not yourself.
Before you sit down and clip on a
microphone, you should have a clear idea
of how you want people to perceive you.
How you're perceived is different from
just being yourself. Understanding the
target audience and objectives will help
you tailor your perceived self for the
camera.
When I was working with a senior
executive to prepare for an employee-
facing campaign launch, I asked him how
he wanted employees to perceive him. He
considered my question, and admitted
he'd never given it any thought; no
other video producer had ever asked.
We decided he should come across as
approachable and authentic, yet firm-
much like a college football coach. In
that situation, focusing on a specific
delivery style ensured the executive was
not only authentic, but well received.
[RELATED: Learn to write a great
speech, no matter what time
crunch you're in.
]
3. Understand how much editing will take
place.
This is something people rarely consider.
At my firm, it's quite common to edit
three to four hours of interview
footage down to two to three minutes.
In that situation, interviewees can say
almost anything because we will
painstakingly edit. However, if you're
delivering content that producers don't
plan to edit very much, each part of
your delivery must be clear, concise and
well-delivered.
4. Don't over-prepare, and do stay
within your wheelhouse.
These two tips go hand in hand. If
you're speaking on a topic you know well,
there's no need to over-prepare, and
your delivery will be natural. Over-
preparation kills delivery. You'll appear
insincere, even canned. Stay with what
you know, and the content will appear
fresh. If you're forced to deliver
content that is not in your wheelhouse,
plan your message carefully, but don't
lay out the delivery in advance. Save
that for the camera.
5. Don't try to hide anything.
There is no faux pas worse than trying
to hide a technical element from your
audience. If you have notes, put them on
the table. It's OK to look down at notes
if you admit they're there. If you have
a teleprompter, don't try to make it
look as if you don't. People use
teleprompters all the time. If you want
to add in a pre-taped segment, just
mention and introduce it. There's
nothing wrong with pre-taping an
element for technical reasons.
These are just three examples we deal
with often. The point is to embrace
things as they are. An audience will be
forgiving if you're honest. If you
aren't honest, all your efforts to look
your best will make you look worse.
Other important tips to consider:
Don't dart your eyes.
Don't swivel in your chair.
Hold a pen to give you something to
do with your hands (but don't click
it!).
Speak with confidence.
Don't move into delivery mode
(shifting your voice up an octave and
beginning to act).
Don't beat yourself up for small slip
ups. Almost everyone feels awkward
on camera. That's what editing is
for.
Remember that it's OK to be nervous.
Have fun!
What are your tips for being on
camera? Tell us by leaving a comment
below.
Mark Drager is the founder of the
Toronto-area video production firm
Phanta Media . A version of this article
originally appeared on the Broad Reach
Communications blog.
posted from Bloggeroid
Friday, February 21, 2014
How whatsapp handled its $19 Billion news
Depending on whose analysis you read
Wednesday evening and Thursday
morning, Facebook’s decision to acquire
the messaging service WhatsApp for $19
billion was either a terrible idea that
tanked its stock , a bold act of possible
genius, or perhaps a way to get one over
on Google .
WhatsApp itself discussed the deal—$4
billion in cash, $12 billion in stock, and
another $3 billion in restricted stock
that will vest over the next four years—
in terms of what it will mean for its 450
million users.
Here’s what co-founder Jan Koum
wrote on the company’s blog :
Today we are announcing a
partnership with Facebook that
will allow us to continue on that
simple mission. Doing this will give
WhatsApp the flexibility to grow
and expand, while giving me, Brian,
and the rest of our team more
time to focus on building a
communications service that’s as
fast, affordable and personal as
possible. Here’s what will change
for you, our users: nothing.
Koum added that WhatsApp will continue
to cost a “nominal fee,” work on any
smartphone, and be ad-free. That last
point is particularly surprising,
considering that Facebook is now
officially a mobile ad firm, with 53
percent of its revenue coming from
mobile advertising.
“There would have been no partnership
between our two companies if we had to
compromise on the core principles that
will always define our company, our
vision and our product,” Koum wrote.
(Though Koum says the service won’t
change for customers, things have
clearly changed quite a bit for
WhatsApp’s employees, who marked the
occasion with Cristal.)
The reassurances were almost certainly
welcome, but one thing WhatsApp’s
founders may have wanted to add was
some explanation as to just what their
service is. Tweets similar to this one were
not all that uncommon after the
acquisition announcement:
19 billion? What does this mean?
Anything? What the hell is
'WhatsApp'? http://t.co/
XTQ8WlI0wx
— cityofstrangers (@
cityofstrangers) February 20,
2014
WhatsApp is essentially an app that
serves as an alternative to traditional
text messaging. It’s hugely popular
outside North America, particularly in
South American markets and India. In
the U.S., where text messaging is usually
is necessarily part of most cell phone
plans, it’s not as widely used.
The app is a free download and is free
to use for a year. After that it’s $0.99
per year to use.
Facebook paid $42 per user, though. How
did the company explain that? Here’s
what it said in its press release :
The acquisition supports Facebook
and WhatsApp's shared mission to
bring more connectivity and utility
to the world by delivering core
internet services efficiently and
affordably. The combination will
help accelerate growth and user
engagement across both
companies.
Does that sound like things are about to
change for WhatsApp users, in spite of
what Koum said? Please chime in, PR
Daily readers.
Wednesday evening and Thursday
morning, Facebook’s decision to acquire
the messaging service WhatsApp for $19
billion was either a terrible idea that
tanked its stock , a bold act of possible
genius, or perhaps a way to get one over
on Google .
WhatsApp itself discussed the deal—$4
billion in cash, $12 billion in stock, and
another $3 billion in restricted stock
that will vest over the next four years—
in terms of what it will mean for its 450
million users.
Here’s what co-founder Jan Koum
wrote on the company’s blog :
Today we are announcing a
partnership with Facebook that
will allow us to continue on that
simple mission. Doing this will give
WhatsApp the flexibility to grow
and expand, while giving me, Brian,
and the rest of our team more
time to focus on building a
communications service that’s as
fast, affordable and personal as
possible. Here’s what will change
for you, our users: nothing.
Koum added that WhatsApp will continue
to cost a “nominal fee,” work on any
smartphone, and be ad-free. That last
point is particularly surprising,
considering that Facebook is now
officially a mobile ad firm, with 53
percent of its revenue coming from
mobile advertising.
“There would have been no partnership
between our two companies if we had to
compromise on the core principles that
will always define our company, our
vision and our product,” Koum wrote.
(Though Koum says the service won’t
change for customers, things have
clearly changed quite a bit for
WhatsApp’s employees, who marked the
occasion with Cristal.)
The reassurances were almost certainly
welcome, but one thing WhatsApp’s
founders may have wanted to add was
some explanation as to just what their
service is. Tweets similar to this one were
not all that uncommon after the
acquisition announcement:
19 billion? What does this mean?
Anything? What the hell is
'WhatsApp'? http://t.co/
XTQ8WlI0wx
— cityofstrangers (@
cityofstrangers) February 20,
2014
WhatsApp is essentially an app that
serves as an alternative to traditional
text messaging. It’s hugely popular
outside North America, particularly in
South American markets and India. In
the U.S., where text messaging is usually
is necessarily part of most cell phone
plans, it’s not as widely used.
The app is a free download and is free
to use for a year. After that it’s $0.99
per year to use.
Facebook paid $42 per user, though. How
did the company explain that? Here’s
what it said in its press release :
The acquisition supports Facebook
and WhatsApp's shared mission to
bring more connectivity and utility
to the world by delivering core
internet services efficiently and
affordably. The combination will
help accelerate growth and user
engagement across both
companies.
Does that sound like things are about to
change for WhatsApp users, in spite of
what Koum said? Please chime in, PR
Daily readers.
posted from Bloggeroid
Should you hire an agency or keep in house
A few months ago at a marketing
conference in Miami, someone asked me
a crucial question.
Given that I was "the social guy" in the
room, of course, I was asked all of the
questions related to social media, from,
" What should I do on Twitter?" all the
way to, "Does anybody even use Google
Plus ?"
I answered all the questions based on my
experiences, and each answer elicited a
follow-up question.
Then came a question from a man who
apparently wasn't convinced:
"I understand social media is beneficial
to any business, but seriously, no one in
their right mind would hire a social
media agency when they can just hire
someone in house. Am I right, or am I
right?"
Here was my answer:
Employees cost too much
No matter the company, there comes a
time when every CEO decides to take his
or her product or service to the next
level. For this example, we'll call this CEO
Ray. Ray notices that all of his
competitors are using social networks to
engage with their fans and customers,
so he decides to join in. He hires a social
media manager (Chris) to handle his
company's social marketing and pays
him an annual salary of $60,000.
Now, hiring a full-time employee costs a
lot more than it seems. There are
payroll taxes, health benefits, equipment
needs, office space, training, and paid
time off. You see where I'm going with
this?
Alternatively, what if Ray used his $
60,000 budget to hire a social media
agency. For starters, that agency
won't require health and other benefits
that Ray would have to offer to Chris.
Ray can also be certain that his $60,000
annual budget will be stretched to
encompass a full social media marketing
campaign including research, planning,
strategy/execution, and, in most cases,
design, video production, public relations,
social community management, short-
term and long-term campaigns and
promotions, social aggregation, analytics
and reporting, and more.
This brings me to my next point.
Agencies have more brain power
A successful social campaign includes
design, video production, PR, strategy,
and everything else I mentioned before.
So, unless Chris is Superman himself, we
can't really be too certain that he will
have all the skills required to handle all
aspects of the campaign. In most cases,
Chris is probably a very talented writer
with strong communication and
presentational skills. He's a very
organized person who loves planning and
is very optimistic.
Still, he cannot do it all. I mean, "He's
not Superman, you know!"
Hiring an agency, on the other hand, is
like hiring a team of 10-plus people for
the price of one. Most agencies are
made up of executives, designers and
illustrators, strategists, copywriters,
bloggers, social enthusiasts, PR
representatives, Web developers, even
entrepreneurs—all of whom live their
own lives and have their own experiences
that they bring to the table. So when
they're all included in the social
strategy meetings or the brainstorming
session, Ray can rest assured that his
campaign strategy will be looked at
from every angle.
Also, what happens when Chris is on
vacation or out sick? Questions aren't
answered, fans aren't updated,
campaigns aren't being managed, etc.
An agency can have someone else pick up
where the other person left off, and it
has the tools and know-how to schedule
posts as needed.
Having a great agency relationship is
also beneficial for growing companies.
The higher your marketing budget, the
more capabilities the agency can provide
for you.
Agencies breed social nerds
Did you know that there are headphones
that you can use to listen to online
conversations—conversations (both
good and bad) about your company? If
that isn't enough, did you know that
you can use those headphones to listen
to people who might need your company?
Those headphones are actually a very
cool tool/platform that we know as
Twitter.
Twitter has an advanced search feature
that agencies use to monitor and join
conversations about their client's
brand. The agency can then engage
with satisfied customers, not-so-happy
customers, and curious potential
customers in the most appropriate
manner.
Did you also know that some new social
tool was launched in the time it took you
to read this article? The social world is
always evolving.
[RELATED: Ragan's biggest social
media conference returns to the
Walt Disney World Resort in April!
]
Agencies make it their priority to learn
all about the emerging social media tools
and tactics, either from agency
colleagues or from outside sources.
Agency pros challenge themselves to
evolve and modify social campaigns as
alternative tools and tactics appear on
the scene.
So, there's my answer
It's your decision whether to hire a
social media manager or a social media
agency. Keep in mind that not all
agencies are the same, so it's important
to do thorough research before choosing
to hire one.
@JacquesHBastien is the CEO + Creative
Director of @weareboogie , a rapidly
growing design-driven social media and
creative agency in New York. A version
of this article first appeared on Social
Media Today.
conference in Miami, someone asked me
a crucial question.
Given that I was "the social guy" in the
room, of course, I was asked all of the
questions related to social media, from,
" What should I do on Twitter?" all the
way to, "Does anybody even use Google
Plus ?"
I answered all the questions based on my
experiences, and each answer elicited a
follow-up question.
Then came a question from a man who
apparently wasn't convinced:
"I understand social media is beneficial
to any business, but seriously, no one in
their right mind would hire a social
media agency when they can just hire
someone in house. Am I right, or am I
right?"
Here was my answer:
Employees cost too much
No matter the company, there comes a
time when every CEO decides to take his
or her product or service to the next
level. For this example, we'll call this CEO
Ray. Ray notices that all of his
competitors are using social networks to
engage with their fans and customers,
so he decides to join in. He hires a social
media manager (Chris) to handle his
company's social marketing and pays
him an annual salary of $60,000.
Now, hiring a full-time employee costs a
lot more than it seems. There are
payroll taxes, health benefits, equipment
needs, office space, training, and paid
time off. You see where I'm going with
this?
Alternatively, what if Ray used his $
60,000 budget to hire a social media
agency. For starters, that agency
won't require health and other benefits
that Ray would have to offer to Chris.
Ray can also be certain that his $60,000
annual budget will be stretched to
encompass a full social media marketing
campaign including research, planning,
strategy/execution, and, in most cases,
design, video production, public relations,
social community management, short-
term and long-term campaigns and
promotions, social aggregation, analytics
and reporting, and more.
This brings me to my next point.
Agencies have more brain power
A successful social campaign includes
design, video production, PR, strategy,
and everything else I mentioned before.
So, unless Chris is Superman himself, we
can't really be too certain that he will
have all the skills required to handle all
aspects of the campaign. In most cases,
Chris is probably a very talented writer
with strong communication and
presentational skills. He's a very
organized person who loves planning and
is very optimistic.
Still, he cannot do it all. I mean, "He's
not Superman, you know!"
Hiring an agency, on the other hand, is
like hiring a team of 10-plus people for
the price of one. Most agencies are
made up of executives, designers and
illustrators, strategists, copywriters,
bloggers, social enthusiasts, PR
representatives, Web developers, even
entrepreneurs—all of whom live their
own lives and have their own experiences
that they bring to the table. So when
they're all included in the social
strategy meetings or the brainstorming
session, Ray can rest assured that his
campaign strategy will be looked at
from every angle.
Also, what happens when Chris is on
vacation or out sick? Questions aren't
answered, fans aren't updated,
campaigns aren't being managed, etc.
An agency can have someone else pick up
where the other person left off, and it
has the tools and know-how to schedule
posts as needed.
Having a great agency relationship is
also beneficial for growing companies.
The higher your marketing budget, the
more capabilities the agency can provide
for you.
Agencies breed social nerds
Did you know that there are headphones
that you can use to listen to online
conversations—conversations (both
good and bad) about your company? If
that isn't enough, did you know that
you can use those headphones to listen
to people who might need your company?
Those headphones are actually a very
cool tool/platform that we know as
Twitter.
Twitter has an advanced search feature
that agencies use to monitor and join
conversations about their client's
brand. The agency can then engage
with satisfied customers, not-so-happy
customers, and curious potential
customers in the most appropriate
manner.
Did you also know that some new social
tool was launched in the time it took you
to read this article? The social world is
always evolving.
[RELATED: Ragan's biggest social
media conference returns to the
Walt Disney World Resort in April!
]
Agencies make it their priority to learn
all about the emerging social media tools
and tactics, either from agency
colleagues or from outside sources.
Agency pros challenge themselves to
evolve and modify social campaigns as
alternative tools and tactics appear on
the scene.
So, there's my answer
It's your decision whether to hire a
social media manager or a social media
agency. Keep in mind that not all
agencies are the same, so it's important
to do thorough research before choosing
to hire one.
@JacquesHBastien is the CEO + Creative
Director of @weareboogie , a rapidly
growing design-driven social media and
creative agency in New York. A version
of this article first appeared on Social
Media Today.
posted from Bloggeroid
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Reputation consultant fast for Diversity in pr and advertisement
Mike Paul, the self-styled “ Reputation
Doctor,” would like to see more diversity
at the executive level of PR and
advertising firms.
To that end, Paul plans to refrain from
eating anything from Wednesday
morning to Friday morning. Paul
explained his motive in a press release,
appropriately enough:
With my fast, I hope to shine a
light [on] accountability and
transparency in global and
national PR firms, leading
corporations and top advertising
firms to focus on recruiting many
more executives of color and not
just kids. At minimum in the
dozens. The track record for 50
years [is] horrible. FYI - An
executive to me is SVP and above
in PR firms and ad firms and VP
or above in national or global
corporations.
Paul wants PR and advertising firms to
share the current number of executives
of color.
“True change in real numbers has to
come and come soon,” he says.
[RELATED: Link creative
communications to the goals of
your organization with this one-
day workshop.
]
Paul has previously put in time at MCI
Communications, Hill+Knowlton
Strategies and Burson-Marsteller.
(Image via)
Doctor,” would like to see more diversity
at the executive level of PR and
advertising firms.
To that end, Paul plans to refrain from
eating anything from Wednesday
morning to Friday morning. Paul
explained his motive in a press release,
appropriately enough:
With my fast, I hope to shine a
light [on] accountability and
transparency in global and
national PR firms, leading
corporations and top advertising
firms to focus on recruiting many
more executives of color and not
just kids. At minimum in the
dozens. The track record for 50
years [is] horrible. FYI - An
executive to me is SVP and above
in PR firms and ad firms and VP
or above in national or global
corporations.
Paul wants PR and advertising firms to
share the current number of executives
of color.
“True change in real numbers has to
come and come soon,” he says.
[RELATED: Link creative
communications to the goals of
your organization with this one-
day workshop.
]
Paul has previously put in time at MCI
Communications, Hill+Knowlton
Strategies and Burson-Marsteller.
(Image via)
posted from Bloggeroid
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Reporters prefer the Email pitch
Do reporters use social media? Yes they
do, almost universally. Do they want you
to send them pitches that way? Not at
all.
That’s according to the 2014 State of
the Media report released by marketing
and PR software firm Vocus Thursday.
In its survey of 256 media professionals
from newspapers, online media, TV,
magazines, and radio, researchers found
that more than 90 percent of
respondents say email is their preferred
method of receiving story ideas.
The other options were social media,
phone calls, and instant messenger.
A magazine health care reporter the
researchers interviewed said, “Social
media is conversation in public with the
public. What I decide to report on is not
open for public debate. Plus, it’s lazy. If
you can find my Twitter handle, you can
find my email.”
Another interviewee, an online business
reporter, added, “I just want a short,
clear press release with some facts so I
can see if I want to follow up.”
Nearly half of the respondents—45
percent— said they’d rather not
receive pitches through social media at
all. The ones who did say they’re OK
with social media pitches tended to
prefer Facebook (37.1 percent) and
Twitter (30.6 percent).
The study found that nearly all the
reporters surveyed do use social media,
at least occasionally. Only 1.9 percent
said they never use it, while more than
three-fourths use it either “very
frequently” or “frequently.”
They view social media more as a tool
for self-promotion than for connecting
with sources, however. The biggest
groups of respondents said they most
often use social media for connecting
with viewers and readers or promoting
stories.
[RELATED: Find out how to craft
the perfect pitch at our April PR
& Media Relations event in NYC.
]
Asked to rank their trust in information
coming from social media on a scale
from one to 10, the biggest group, 27.2
percent, said they’d give it a five.
do, almost universally. Do they want you
to send them pitches that way? Not at
all.
That’s according to the 2014 State of
the Media report released by marketing
and PR software firm Vocus Thursday.
In its survey of 256 media professionals
from newspapers, online media, TV,
magazines, and radio, researchers found
that more than 90 percent of
respondents say email is their preferred
method of receiving story ideas.
The other options were social media,
phone calls, and instant messenger.
A magazine health care reporter the
researchers interviewed said, “Social
media is conversation in public with the
public. What I decide to report on is not
open for public debate. Plus, it’s lazy. If
you can find my Twitter handle, you can
find my email.”
Another interviewee, an online business
reporter, added, “I just want a short,
clear press release with some facts so I
can see if I want to follow up.”
Nearly half of the respondents—45
percent— said they’d rather not
receive pitches through social media at
all. The ones who did say they’re OK
with social media pitches tended to
prefer Facebook (37.1 percent) and
Twitter (30.6 percent).
The study found that nearly all the
reporters surveyed do use social media,
at least occasionally. Only 1.9 percent
said they never use it, while more than
three-fourths use it either “very
frequently” or “frequently.”
They view social media more as a tool
for self-promotion than for connecting
with sources, however. The biggest
groups of respondents said they most
often use social media for connecting
with viewers and readers or promoting
stories.
[RELATED: Find out how to craft
the perfect pitch at our April PR
& Media Relations event in NYC.
]
Asked to rank their trust in information
coming from social media on a scale
from one to 10, the biggest group, 27.2
percent, said they’d give it a five.
posted from Bloggeroid
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Tips in live twitting
Live-tweeting events is an easy way to
promote an organization’s online
presence and—if it’s done well—
generate meaningful content for your
Twitter account.
When you’re hosting or attending an
event, it is well worth taking along a
fully charged smartphone, tablet, or
laptop and posting some updates.
Below are five things you should keep in
mind when you’re planning to live-tweet
an event:
1. Use the event hashtag.
If there isn’t an event hashtag, make
one up. Just keep it short, because every
character counts. Using a hashtag will
group all your tweets, enabling people
searching for the event hashtag (or
the hashtag you think up) to find them.
It also makes it clear to your followers
that you are tweeting about a certain
event , not just spouting off random
sound bites.
2. Tag speakers and companies in your
tweets.
This will not only make your presence
known to those participating, but will
also increase your chances of being
retweeted.
3. Engage with other live-tweeters.
Use the hashtag to search for others
who are tweeting and start a
conversation. From there, you can
always ask to take the conversation
offline.
4. Don’t tweet too much.
You will overwhelm your regular followers
who will not appreciate a barrage of
out-of-context tweets. Though there is
no ideal number of tweets, you should
decide where the balance lies between
over-dominating the conversation and
not contributing enough.
[RELATED: Whip your social media
strategy into shape with this one-
day Los Angeles workshop.
]
5. Take pictures, and incorporate them
into your tweets.
Tweets with pictures are 94 percent
more likely to be retweeted, according to
Social News Daily , so use that camera
promote an organization’s online
presence and—if it’s done well—
generate meaningful content for your
Twitter account.
When you’re hosting or attending an
event, it is well worth taking along a
fully charged smartphone, tablet, or
laptop and posting some updates.
Below are five things you should keep in
mind when you’re planning to live-tweet
an event:
1. Use the event hashtag.
If there isn’t an event hashtag, make
one up. Just keep it short, because every
character counts. Using a hashtag will
group all your tweets, enabling people
searching for the event hashtag (or
the hashtag you think up) to find them.
It also makes it clear to your followers
that you are tweeting about a certain
event , not just spouting off random
sound bites.
2. Tag speakers and companies in your
tweets.
This will not only make your presence
known to those participating, but will
also increase your chances of being
retweeted.
3. Engage with other live-tweeters.
Use the hashtag to search for others
who are tweeting and start a
conversation. From there, you can
always ask to take the conversation
offline.
4. Don’t tweet too much.
You will overwhelm your regular followers
who will not appreciate a barrage of
out-of-context tweets. Though there is
no ideal number of tweets, you should
decide where the balance lies between
over-dominating the conversation and
not contributing enough.
[RELATED: Whip your social media
strategy into shape with this one-
day Los Angeles workshop.
]
5. Take pictures, and incorporate them
into your tweets.
Tweets with pictures are 94 percent
more likely to be retweeted, according to
Social News Daily , so use that camera
posted from Bloggeroid
Monday, February 3, 2014
Pr pros should gain from superbowls adverts
Most of us in PR will never be involved in
a campaign involving a $4 million, 30-
second commercial, but that doesn’t
mean we can’t take a page from Super
Bowl advertisers’ playbook.
All too often, PR ends up in a peak-
and-valley cycle, especially if a core
tactic is media relations. For example,
funding announcements, major
partnerships, and product launches tend
to drive a big burst of media coverage.
That’s great, but after the initial
excitement (the peak) wears off, then
what? A valley. In other words, minimal
media coverage, reduced share of voice,
and decreased visibility. Sustaining the
peak momentum is the real challenge—
and opportunity—for PR counselors.
That’s why I love that so many of this
year’s Super Bowl advertisers, including
M&M , Axe , Jaguar, and Cheerios , are
connecting their ad purchases to an
integrated campaign that extends far
beyond the game and water-cooler
chatter.
These creative campaigns help the
advertisers break the peak-and-valley
cycle, but you don’t need a behemoth
ad purchase to avoid the “Death Valley”
of PR.
Instead, view a major event or news
opportunity as an invitation to kickstart
a long-term, consistent, sustainable
level of awareness.
[RELATED: Prove the ROI of your
digital efforts after hearing
these top-rated case studies in
March.
]
How? Here are five ideas to help you
sustain momentum:
1. “Audience sharing” events. TheLi.st,
Stacey London (of “What Not to Wear”
fame), and Bauble Bar teamed up for
an event with socially savvy, well-
connected women. Attendees fit the
target demographic of all three
partners, making it a win/win/win.
2. Timely content marketing. Our client,
Seen, had identified sports as a major
growth market, so it created an
infographic about Major League
Baseball’s Opening Day, then another
about the London Olympics. These
infographics resulted in placements on
ESPN.com, Mashable and Yahoo! Sports,
and, most important, it generated
valuable new client leads.
3. Virtual events, like this online
scavenger hunt we executed for the
Columbus Marathon.
4. Ambassador Program. In conjunction
with its Ingiegogo campaign, Poppy Soap
Co. , maker of artisan soaps, equipped
ambassadors with tools to share the
product and campaign with their
personal networks. This helped the brand
with its crowdfunding campaign, but it
also expanded its network of brand
loyalists.
5. “Trend-jacking.” Identify big trends
in your industry or community, and look
for relevant, seamless opportunities to
be part of the story. For example, when
Google Fiber first launched in Kansas
City, we were working with a tech
company that was one of the first to
access Fiber. Knowing that Google Fiber
would generate so much interest from
national media, we connected our client
with reporters looking to humanize the
tech story. It generated a wide range
of media coverage, from CNN and WSJ
… to VentureBeat and the local business
journal.
Those are just a few ideas to get the
creative juices flowing. Don’t forget
about user-generated campaigns,
market research, blog “carnivals,” or
speaking tours.
How do you sustain PR momentum even
when you don’t have a major news story
to offer journalists?
a campaign involving a $4 million, 30-
second commercial, but that doesn’t
mean we can’t take a page from Super
Bowl advertisers’ playbook.
All too often, PR ends up in a peak-
and-valley cycle, especially if a core
tactic is media relations. For example,
funding announcements, major
partnerships, and product launches tend
to drive a big burst of media coverage.
That’s great, but after the initial
excitement (the peak) wears off, then
what? A valley. In other words, minimal
media coverage, reduced share of voice,
and decreased visibility. Sustaining the
peak momentum is the real challenge—
and opportunity—for PR counselors.
That’s why I love that so many of this
year’s Super Bowl advertisers, including
M&M , Axe , Jaguar, and Cheerios , are
connecting their ad purchases to an
integrated campaign that extends far
beyond the game and water-cooler
chatter.
These creative campaigns help the
advertisers break the peak-and-valley
cycle, but you don’t need a behemoth
ad purchase to avoid the “Death Valley”
of PR.
Instead, view a major event or news
opportunity as an invitation to kickstart
a long-term, consistent, sustainable
level of awareness.
[RELATED: Prove the ROI of your
digital efforts after hearing
these top-rated case studies in
March.
]
How? Here are five ideas to help you
sustain momentum:
1. “Audience sharing” events. TheLi.st,
Stacey London (of “What Not to Wear”
fame), and Bauble Bar teamed up for
an event with socially savvy, well-
connected women. Attendees fit the
target demographic of all three
partners, making it a win/win/win.
2. Timely content marketing. Our client,
Seen, had identified sports as a major
growth market, so it created an
infographic about Major League
Baseball’s Opening Day, then another
about the London Olympics. These
infographics resulted in placements on
ESPN.com, Mashable and Yahoo! Sports,
and, most important, it generated
valuable new client leads.
3. Virtual events, like this online
scavenger hunt we executed for the
Columbus Marathon.
4. Ambassador Program. In conjunction
with its Ingiegogo campaign, Poppy Soap
Co. , maker of artisan soaps, equipped
ambassadors with tools to share the
product and campaign with their
personal networks. This helped the brand
with its crowdfunding campaign, but it
also expanded its network of brand
loyalists.
5. “Trend-jacking.” Identify big trends
in your industry or community, and look
for relevant, seamless opportunities to
be part of the story. For example, when
Google Fiber first launched in Kansas
City, we were working with a tech
company that was one of the first to
access Fiber. Knowing that Google Fiber
would generate so much interest from
national media, we connected our client
with reporters looking to humanize the
tech story. It generated a wide range
of media coverage, from CNN and WSJ
… to VentureBeat and the local business
journal.
Those are just a few ideas to get the
creative juices flowing. Don’t forget
about user-generated campaigns,
market research, blog “carnivals,” or
speaking tours.
How do you sustain PR momentum even
when you don’t have a major news story
to offer journalists?
posted from Bloggeroid
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Social media changing disaster response
Many now see the facebook,twitter and others as a disaster/crisis response.it is thereby showing a way in helping the goverment&authoritys through their own persponal initiative with their devices.When Hurricane Katrina ravaged the
U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, Facebook was
the new kid on the block. There was no
Twitter for news updates, and the
iPhone was not yet on the scene. By the
time Hurricane Sandy slammed the
eastern seaboard last year, social media
had become an integral part of disaster
response, filling the void in areas where
cell phone service was lost while millions
of Americans looked to resources
including Twitter and Facebook to keep
informed, locate loved ones, notify
authorities and express support. Gone
are the days of one-way communication
where only official sources provide
bulletins on disaster news.
Researchers have now started publishing
data on the use of social media in
disasters, and lawmakers and security
experts have begun to assess how
emergency management can best adapt.
“The convergence of social networks
and mobile has thrown the old response
playbook out the window,” Michael
Beckerman, president and CEO of the
Internet Association, told the House
Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and
Communications on June 4.
The new playbook will not do away with
the emergency broadcast system and
other government efforts. Rather, it
will incorporate new data from
researchers, federal agencies and
nonprofits that have begun to reveal
the exact penetration of social media in
disasters.
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) wrote in its 2013
National Preparedness report last week
that during and immediately following
Hurricane Sandy, “users sent more than
20 million Sandy-related Twitter posts,
or “tweets,” despite the loss of cell
phone service during the peak of the
storm.” New Jersey’s largest utility
company, PSE&G, said at the
subcommittee hearing that during
Sandy they staffed up their Twitter
feeds and used them to send word about
the daily locations of their giant tents
and generators. “At one point during
the storm, we sent so many tweets to
alert customers, we exceeded the
[number] of tweets allowed per day,”
PSE&G’S Jorge Cardenas, vice
president of asset management and
centralized services, told the
subcommittee.
Following the Boston Marathon
bombings, one quarter of Americans
reportedly looked to Facebook, Twitter
and other social networking sites for
information, according to The Pew
Research Center. The sites also formed
a key part of the information cycle:
when the Boston Police Department
posted its final “CAPTURED!!!” tweet of
the manhunt, more than 140,000 people
retweeted it. Community members via a
simple Google document offered
strangers lodging, food or a hot shower
when roads and hotels were closed.
Google also adapted its Person Finder
from previous use with natural disasters.
Each disaster sparks its own complex web
of fast-paced information exchange.
That’s a good thing, says Mark Keim,
associate director for science in the
Office of Environmental Health
Emergencies at the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
it can both improve disaster response
and allow affected populations to take
control of their situation as well as feel
empowered.
Drawing up an effective social media
strategy and tweaking it to fit an
emergency, however, is a crucial part of
preparedness planning, says disaster
sociologist Jeannette Sutton, a senior
research scientist at the University of
Colorado at Colorado Springs who
studies social media in crises and
disaster. For the Boston Marathon
incident, she found no consistent
hashtag on Twitter, which can make
tracking relevant information difficult.
Even searching for the word “Boston”
may fall short, she says, because it
could lead to unrelated matter like
Boston tourism or fail to capture
relevant tweets that did not include the
word Boston.
As part of disaster preparedness, she
says, it would be useful to teach the
public how to use social media
effectively, how to get information
from the Web and also how to put out
useful information. “Tweets flow so
quickly it’s like a fire hose where you’re
trying to extract bits of information
that are relevant.”
All the fast-paced information
available via social media does pose
inherent risks when navigating
emergency situations. One is the rapid
spread of misinformation—as was the
case after the Boston bombings with
the identification of a missing man as a
possible suspect. Although mistakes
often get fixed via the “Wikipedia
effect,” in which other users correct
the errors, Sutton notes that false
information can easily go viral. Rumor
Control , run by FEMA, attempts to nip
misinformation in the bud, but in
general there are no clear lines about
who has responsibility to police social
media information or how—or even if—
that would work.
Another key risk is scammers using social
media to steal cash. Whereas the
American Red Cross proved that new
technologies can efficiently raise money
for humanitarian assistance, generating
more than $5 million via text message
donations in the 48 hours following the
Haiti earthquake in 2010, the FBI has
warned that social media can also be a
lucrative platform for scam artists that
crop up in the wake of tragedy. After
the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, for
example, the FBI arrested a woman who
allegedly claimed to be the relative of a
dead victim and solicited money via
Facebook and other sources.
The Haiti earthquake is often pointed to
as the watershed moment that changed
how social media is used in disasters.
Social media was independently evolving
in the years leading up to 2010, but the
size and inherent emotional appeal of
that disaster created the right
environment for it to flourish, says
CDC’s Keim. “I think what we’re seeing
now is the beginning of an age where its
very difficult to predict what will be the
next outlet [in disasters],” he says.
“These things are spontaneous and meet
unique needs in the same way that you
couldn’t predict what app on your
smartphone you may need or want in
the next year.”
U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005, Facebook was
the new kid on the block. There was no
Twitter for news updates, and the
iPhone was not yet on the scene. By the
time Hurricane Sandy slammed the
eastern seaboard last year, social media
had become an integral part of disaster
response, filling the void in areas where
cell phone service was lost while millions
of Americans looked to resources
including Twitter and Facebook to keep
informed, locate loved ones, notify
authorities and express support. Gone
are the days of one-way communication
where only official sources provide
bulletins on disaster news.
Researchers have now started publishing
data on the use of social media in
disasters, and lawmakers and security
experts have begun to assess how
emergency management can best adapt.
“The convergence of social networks
and mobile has thrown the old response
playbook out the window,” Michael
Beckerman, president and CEO of the
Internet Association, told the House
Subcommittee on Emergency
Preparedness, Response, and
Communications on June 4.
The new playbook will not do away with
the emergency broadcast system and
other government efforts. Rather, it
will incorporate new data from
researchers, federal agencies and
nonprofits that have begun to reveal
the exact penetration of social media in
disasters.
The Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) wrote in its 2013
National Preparedness report last week
that during and immediately following
Hurricane Sandy, “users sent more than
20 million Sandy-related Twitter posts,
or “tweets,” despite the loss of cell
phone service during the peak of the
storm.” New Jersey’s largest utility
company, PSE&G, said at the
subcommittee hearing that during
Sandy they staffed up their Twitter
feeds and used them to send word about
the daily locations of their giant tents
and generators. “At one point during
the storm, we sent so many tweets to
alert customers, we exceeded the
[number] of tweets allowed per day,”
PSE&G’S Jorge Cardenas, vice
president of asset management and
centralized services, told the
subcommittee.
Following the Boston Marathon
bombings, one quarter of Americans
reportedly looked to Facebook, Twitter
and other social networking sites for
information, according to The Pew
Research Center. The sites also formed
a key part of the information cycle:
when the Boston Police Department
posted its final “CAPTURED!!!” tweet of
the manhunt, more than 140,000 people
retweeted it. Community members via a
simple Google document offered
strangers lodging, food or a hot shower
when roads and hotels were closed.
Google also adapted its Person Finder
from previous use with natural disasters.
Each disaster sparks its own complex web
of fast-paced information exchange.
That’s a good thing, says Mark Keim,
associate director for science in the
Office of Environmental Health
Emergencies at the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
it can both improve disaster response
and allow affected populations to take
control of their situation as well as feel
empowered.
Drawing up an effective social media
strategy and tweaking it to fit an
emergency, however, is a crucial part of
preparedness planning, says disaster
sociologist Jeannette Sutton, a senior
research scientist at the University of
Colorado at Colorado Springs who
studies social media in crises and
disaster. For the Boston Marathon
incident, she found no consistent
hashtag on Twitter, which can make
tracking relevant information difficult.
Even searching for the word “Boston”
may fall short, she says, because it
could lead to unrelated matter like
Boston tourism or fail to capture
relevant tweets that did not include the
word Boston.
As part of disaster preparedness, she
says, it would be useful to teach the
public how to use social media
effectively, how to get information
from the Web and also how to put out
useful information. “Tweets flow so
quickly it’s like a fire hose where you’re
trying to extract bits of information
that are relevant.”
All the fast-paced information
available via social media does pose
inherent risks when navigating
emergency situations. One is the rapid
spread of misinformation—as was the
case after the Boston bombings with
the identification of a missing man as a
possible suspect. Although mistakes
often get fixed via the “Wikipedia
effect,” in which other users correct
the errors, Sutton notes that false
information can easily go viral. Rumor
Control , run by FEMA, attempts to nip
misinformation in the bud, but in
general there are no clear lines about
who has responsibility to police social
media information or how—or even if—
that would work.
Another key risk is scammers using social
media to steal cash. Whereas the
American Red Cross proved that new
technologies can efficiently raise money
for humanitarian assistance, generating
more than $5 million via text message
donations in the 48 hours following the
Haiti earthquake in 2010, the FBI has
warned that social media can also be a
lucrative platform for scam artists that
crop up in the wake of tragedy. After
the Newtown, Conn., school shooting, for
example, the FBI arrested a woman who
allegedly claimed to be the relative of a
dead victim and solicited money via
Facebook and other sources.
The Haiti earthquake is often pointed to
as the watershed moment that changed
how social media is used in disasters.
Social media was independently evolving
in the years leading up to 2010, but the
size and inherent emotional appeal of
that disaster created the right
environment for it to flourish, says
CDC’s Keim. “I think what we’re seeing
now is the beginning of an age where its
very difficult to predict what will be the
next outlet [in disasters],” he says.
“These things are spontaneous and meet
unique needs in the same way that you
couldn’t predict what app on your
smartphone you may need or want in
the next year.”
Monday, January 20, 2014
Traditional madia still the most trust worthy
You know those ads for that thing you
Googled a while back that keep following
you throughout the internet?
If lack trust in those, you’re not alone.
Traditional forms of paid media are
more trusted than online ads, according
to a recent Nielsen survey.
From Mashable :
More than half of respondents say
they trust traditional advertising
platforms such as newspaper,
magazine, TV, radio and billboard.
However, all new media platforms
mentioned in the survey, including
search, online video, social media,
mobile display and online banners,
received a less than 50% trust
rating.
Newspaper ads are the most trusted,
followed by magazine, TV, radio and
billboards.
[RELATED: Prove the ROI of your
digital efforts after hearing
these top-rated case studies in
March.
]
Statista has put together a graphic
showing the levels of trust across media:
Googled a while back that keep following
you throughout the internet?
If lack trust in those, you’re not alone.
Traditional forms of paid media are
more trusted than online ads, according
to a recent Nielsen survey.
From Mashable :
More than half of respondents say
they trust traditional advertising
platforms such as newspaper,
magazine, TV, radio and billboard.
However, all new media platforms
mentioned in the survey, including
search, online video, social media,
mobile display and online banners,
received a less than 50% trust
rating.
Newspaper ads are the most trusted,
followed by magazine, TV, radio and
billboards.
[RELATED: Prove the ROI of your
digital efforts after hearing
these top-rated case studies in
March.
]
Statista has put together a graphic
showing the levels of trust across media:
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Google want to tap into your home with Nest
Google is knocking at your
front door. It wants to come inside,
make itself at home, and quietly turn all
of your boring home devices into
"smart" connected gadgets that learn
about your patterns and preferences,
talk to each other, collect data about
your habits and make life easier by
assisting with daily tasks.
On Monday, Google announced it was
buying smart-device company Nest Labs
for $3.2 billion in cash. This is Google's
first major foray into connected homes,
and news of the deal ignited a flurry of
speculation about what the Silicon Valley
giant really wants from Nest, as well as
some privacy concerns.
Nest currently only sells two products: a
smart thermostat that learns your
habits over time and adjusts the
temperature accordingly, and a
personable smoke and carbon monoxide
detector that doesn't panic when you
burn toast.
While the devices have been popular, on
the surface they don't seem like they
move enough units to be worth such a
hefty investment, even at $130 to $250
each. It's what's behind the scenes and
inside the gadgets that makes Nest a
coveted get for Google.
Nest makes impeccably designed
hardware powered by clever algorithms.
Its staff comes from major companies
like Apple, Sling and Logitech and is
experienced in machine learning, product
design, artificial intelligence and
robotics.
Nest is a standout in the increasingly
crowded connected-home market. It
may only have two products, but those
devices are considered some of the best
in the field.
Test-driving a $3.2B thermostat
Does Google know too much about us?
The house that Google and Nest built
For now, Nest is expected to continue
operating as its own brand headed by
co-founders Tony Fadell and Matt
Rogers, but down the line Google could
tap the team's expertise to help with its
own hit-and-miss attempts at creating
and selling devices (remember the Nexus
Q? ).
The Nest thermostat uses motion, light,
temperature and humidity sensors to
collect information about what's going
on in the home and uses that
information to control heating and
cooling and predict patterns. The end
result is a customized, more energy
efficient home. Like any good smart
device, it can be controlled from a
smartphone or tablet so your house can
be prewarmed before you get out of bed
or return from work.
"It's amazing to see how they have
taken important but unloved devices and
made them beautifully simple and
useful," said Google CEO Larry Page in a
brief post announcing the deal.
Aside from the financial windfall,
there's a lot Nest could gain from
having Google as its parent company.
Nest has been slow with product releases
so far. The first thermostat came out
in the fall of 2011, and the company
didn't release a new product for
another two years, when it announced
the Nest Protect smoke and CO
detector.
With Google resources, Nest can ramp up
its design process and develop more
projects. New products will come faster
and roll out in more locations globally.
Google also wants to be a player in the
connected home. The trend of
connecting previously "dumb" devices to
each other and the Internet is
sometimes referred to as the "Internet
of things." As regular objects get
connected, they gain the ability to
collect information about mundane
happenings around them. That data can
be used to learn about a person over
time and offer a customized, automated
experience.
At home, that can mean a refrigerator
that knows what food is inside and when
it expires, or security systems that send
your smartphone a push notification
when they detect anything unusual.
Google has cultivated a diverse and
seemingly random set of interests since
starting out as a search engine and
advertising company. It dabbles in e-
mail, smartphones, self-driving cars,
social networking, smart glasses,
television and robots. Nest is the latest
in a string of intriguing acquisitions,
following a handful of robotics
companies.
In the near future, these interests may
not seem so disconnected. Today's
emerging technologies will eventually
blend together. The divisions between
smartphones, home automation, cars,
smart glasses and watches and fitness
trackers will fall away, and our gadgets
and data will work together for a
seamless experience.
All of your devices will communicate with
each other. Where one drops off
another will pick up. Your self-driving
car will share push notifications from
your smartphone, turn it over to your
Google Glass when you park and start
walking, and then a smart home can
take over when you walk through your
front door. (Thanks to GPS on your
phone and car, the house knew exactly
when you were arriving and turned on
your favorite TV show.) Streams of
data from all these devices will be
collected in one place where a company
like Google will analyze it and learn
about you over time, programming
hardware and software to meet your
unique needs.
The Nest Protect is a smart smoke and
CO detector.
A few years from now, you might even
connect your smart devices to your
brain. Dean Aslam, a professor of
electrical and computer engineering at
Michigan State University and a senior
member of IEEE, is working on
miniaturizing single electrode devices
that can be placed in your hair and
read electrical activity from the brain
through a technology called
electroencephalography, or EEG.
"It can read the brainwaves which
determine the state of our minds, like
whether we're healthy or unhealthy. A
lot of information can be obtained
[from EEG]," Aslam said.
He says in the future, smart homes will
pick up on cues from the body and brain
to adjust things like temperature. It if
detects you're in a deep REM sleep, a
home might increase the level of
security. The technology wouldn't be
limited to smart homes and could expand
to include personal heath care systems.
If this is the future, it's no mystery
why Google would want to get into the
business now.
Google owning another tool that would
allow it to gather more data
immediately triggered privacy concerns.
Fresh off of an unpopular decision to
allow Google+ contacts to contact people
in their circles through Gmail, Google
already has users who are unsettled by
the vast amounts of data the company
can collect. Google has access to a
person's data through the Chrome
browser, Gmail accounts, Google search
terms and the many advanced sensors
on an Android smartphone.
That wide reach is actually a good
reason not to worry about a smart
thermostat. Google can collect most of
the same information through an
Android phone. It already knows your
location and your daily schedule.
Samsung's Galaxy S4 Android
smartphone even has a built-in
temperature sensor.
Google has access to much of your data.
Now it wants to put it to use connecting
your home, work and mobile life.cortesy -CNN
front door. It wants to come inside,
make itself at home, and quietly turn all
of your boring home devices into
"smart" connected gadgets that learn
about your patterns and preferences,
talk to each other, collect data about
your habits and make life easier by
assisting with daily tasks.
On Monday, Google announced it was
buying smart-device company Nest Labs
for $3.2 billion in cash. This is Google's
first major foray into connected homes,
and news of the deal ignited a flurry of
speculation about what the Silicon Valley
giant really wants from Nest, as well as
some privacy concerns.
Nest currently only sells two products: a
smart thermostat that learns your
habits over time and adjusts the
temperature accordingly, and a
personable smoke and carbon monoxide
detector that doesn't panic when you
burn toast.
While the devices have been popular, on
the surface they don't seem like they
move enough units to be worth such a
hefty investment, even at $130 to $250
each. It's what's behind the scenes and
inside the gadgets that makes Nest a
coveted get for Google.
Nest makes impeccably designed
hardware powered by clever algorithms.
Its staff comes from major companies
like Apple, Sling and Logitech and is
experienced in machine learning, product
design, artificial intelligence and
robotics.
Nest is a standout in the increasingly
crowded connected-home market. It
may only have two products, but those
devices are considered some of the best
in the field.
Test-driving a $3.2B thermostat
Does Google know too much about us?
The house that Google and Nest built
For now, Nest is expected to continue
operating as its own brand headed by
co-founders Tony Fadell and Matt
Rogers, but down the line Google could
tap the team's expertise to help with its
own hit-and-miss attempts at creating
and selling devices (remember the Nexus
Q? ).
The Nest thermostat uses motion, light,
temperature and humidity sensors to
collect information about what's going
on in the home and uses that
information to control heating and
cooling and predict patterns. The end
result is a customized, more energy
efficient home. Like any good smart
device, it can be controlled from a
smartphone or tablet so your house can
be prewarmed before you get out of bed
or return from work.
"It's amazing to see how they have
taken important but unloved devices and
made them beautifully simple and
useful," said Google CEO Larry Page in a
brief post announcing the deal.
Aside from the financial windfall,
there's a lot Nest could gain from
having Google as its parent company.
Nest has been slow with product releases
so far. The first thermostat came out
in the fall of 2011, and the company
didn't release a new product for
another two years, when it announced
the Nest Protect smoke and CO
detector.
With Google resources, Nest can ramp up
its design process and develop more
projects. New products will come faster
and roll out in more locations globally.
Google also wants to be a player in the
connected home. The trend of
connecting previously "dumb" devices to
each other and the Internet is
sometimes referred to as the "Internet
of things." As regular objects get
connected, they gain the ability to
collect information about mundane
happenings around them. That data can
be used to learn about a person over
time and offer a customized, automated
experience.
At home, that can mean a refrigerator
that knows what food is inside and when
it expires, or security systems that send
your smartphone a push notification
when they detect anything unusual.
Google has cultivated a diverse and
seemingly random set of interests since
starting out as a search engine and
advertising company. It dabbles in e-
mail, smartphones, self-driving cars,
social networking, smart glasses,
television and robots. Nest is the latest
in a string of intriguing acquisitions,
following a handful of robotics
companies.
In the near future, these interests may
not seem so disconnected. Today's
emerging technologies will eventually
blend together. The divisions between
smartphones, home automation, cars,
smart glasses and watches and fitness
trackers will fall away, and our gadgets
and data will work together for a
seamless experience.
All of your devices will communicate with
each other. Where one drops off
another will pick up. Your self-driving
car will share push notifications from
your smartphone, turn it over to your
Google Glass when you park and start
walking, and then a smart home can
take over when you walk through your
front door. (Thanks to GPS on your
phone and car, the house knew exactly
when you were arriving and turned on
your favorite TV show.) Streams of
data from all these devices will be
collected in one place where a company
like Google will analyze it and learn
about you over time, programming
hardware and software to meet your
unique needs.
The Nest Protect is a smart smoke and
CO detector.
A few years from now, you might even
connect your smart devices to your
brain. Dean Aslam, a professor of
electrical and computer engineering at
Michigan State University and a senior
member of IEEE, is working on
miniaturizing single electrode devices
that can be placed in your hair and
read electrical activity from the brain
through a technology called
electroencephalography, or EEG.
"It can read the brainwaves which
determine the state of our minds, like
whether we're healthy or unhealthy. A
lot of information can be obtained
[from EEG]," Aslam said.
He says in the future, smart homes will
pick up on cues from the body and brain
to adjust things like temperature. It if
detects you're in a deep REM sleep, a
home might increase the level of
security. The technology wouldn't be
limited to smart homes and could expand
to include personal heath care systems.
If this is the future, it's no mystery
why Google would want to get into the
business now.
Google owning another tool that would
allow it to gather more data
immediately triggered privacy concerns.
Fresh off of an unpopular decision to
allow Google+ contacts to contact people
in their circles through Gmail, Google
already has users who are unsettled by
the vast amounts of data the company
can collect. Google has access to a
person's data through the Chrome
browser, Gmail accounts, Google search
terms and the many advanced sensors
on an Android smartphone.
That wide reach is actually a good
reason not to worry about a smart
thermostat. Google can collect most of
the same information through an
Android phone. It already knows your
location and your daily schedule.
Samsung's Galaxy S4 Android
smartphone even has a built-in
temperature sensor.
Google has access to much of your data.
Now it wants to put it to use connecting
your home, work and mobile life.cortesy -CNN
posted from Bloggeroid
Why social media could be expensive in 2014
For a long time, there was a perception
that social media marketing was free, or
at least very inexpensive. Starting a
Facebook or Twitter account was free,
and hiring a part-time intern to
manage them didn’t cost much.
In reality, social media marketing has
never been free. Sure, there aren't
usually any hard costs required to set up
social media accounts, but someone is
still had to create the content, engage
in the conversation, monitor and
manage those conversations, etc. As
we've seen time and time again , turning
over your brand’s reputation to an
intern isn't always the wisest choice.
Most brands now know the real costs of
social media marketing are not as great
as the opportunity costs of bad social
media strategy.
Fast-forward a few years, and we’re
seeing more and more organizations hire
entire teams to create content for
Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest,
and whatever hot new social media
startup launched last week. Content
marketing, the creation and distribution
of content to attract leads and
generate sales, has become a $118.4
billion industry . According to data from
DOMO and Column Five Media, every
minute of every day sees over 2 million
Google searches, 571 new websites, and
48 hours of new YouTube video. It’s
become overwhelming.
Unfortunately, it’s only going to get
more difficult as brands compete in a
social media arms race. Rather than
creating a slow and steady stream of
high-quality content, most brands
believe they’re better off creating a
ton of low-quality content in the hope
that one or two pieces will have real
results. Yet a recent study by
InboundWriter shows only 10 to 20
percent of a company’s website content
drives 90 percent of its online traffic.
Meanwhile, social networks realize that
brands will pay big money for access to
the millions of users in their online
communities, and they’re going to
charge more and more for that
privilege. According to a recent
Advertising Age article , Facebook
reports: "Content that is eligible to be
shown in news feed is increasing at a
faster rate than people's ability to
consume it."
This means the organic reach of any
one particular piece of content is going
to decline even more from the 16
percent rate it’s at now. Some may see
it drop all the way to 2 percent .
Increasingly, to compete effectively in
social media, brands realize that to play,
they must pay.
To keep up with social networks’ efforts
to monetize their massive online
audiences, companies are allocating more
resources to keep up. Simply creating
valuable content and then authentically
engaging with your audiences often is
no longer enough, especially when you
have to spend more to reach those
audiences. Brands know they now must
create distribution strategies for that
content, sometimes at a substantial cost.
Here are seven ways brands will spend
more money on social media and content
marketing in 2014:
1. Creating content. If brands wish to
rise above the glut of content that’s
being created, they’re going to have to
improve the quality of content they
create. That viral video that looks like it
was shot on a family member’s
smartphone was actually just a bit
created by the “traditional” media
.
2. Promoting content. Expect social
platforms to reward brands that spend
a lot of money in ads on those
platforms. It’s a vicious cycle. Paid ads
and sponsored content will help drive the
“organic” reach of your other content.
In addition, brands with more Facebook
likes are going to see a lower cost for
paid distribution because paid social ads
will show greater social context. If more
“likes” and followers = cheaper ads,
guess who’s going to start to investing
in more contests, giveaways, and other
tactics to reach more eyeballs and then
subsequently buy more ads and
sponsored content.
3. Increasing reach. As brands acquire
more and more fans, followers, and
“likes,” and as these social networks get
larger and larger, the cost to reach
them will continue to increase. When a
brand makes an investment in creating
high-quality content, you can bet
they’ll ensure it reaches the largest
number of people.
4. Syndicating content. Likewise, expect
more dollars to go companies such as
Taboola and Outbrain that specialize in
placing content where it’s most likely to
be discovered. In a sea of content, these
companies help more people find yours.
5. Monitoring, filtering, and analyzing
conversations. Social media monitoring
platforms have been around for years,
but their hefty price tags often
relegated them to a wish list for many
organizations. However, as more people
and brands create even more content,
it’s going to become more difficult to
identify and act on what’s relevant to
you. As a result, pricey monitoring and
analytics tools will be migrating from
the wish list to the approved budget.
6. Paid sponsorships. Those “influencers”
you’re always trying to reach? They’re
realizing their influence is in demand
and that it’s not cheap. According to a
recent IZEA survey, 61 percent of
marketers have paid someone to mention
their product, and that number is only
going to rise in 2014. It’s not just
celebrities and athletes, either.
Everyday people are also asking for
more money and more product, because
they can and because brands will meet
those demands.
7. More full-time employees. As more
content is created and more money is
spent promoting and distributing that
content, more people will be needed to
create, moderate, measure, and analyze
it. Demand for data scientists, SEO
specialists, media buyers, and creatives
will increase as brands try to optimize
the money they’re investing.
[RELATED: Ragan's biggest social
media conference returns to the
Walt Disney World Resort in April!
]
If you thought the days of trying to
persuade your bosses to invest in social
media were over, get ready to go back,
hat in hand, and ask for even more
money. With bigger budgets come bigger
expectations and more pressure. Are
your social media, content generation,
and content distribution strategies
ready?
Steve Radick is vice president,
management supervisor, public relations
at Cramer-Krasselt in Chicago. Follow
him on Twitter @sradick . A version of this was first seen in Ragans pr daily-http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/15854.aspx
that social media marketing was free, or
at least very inexpensive. Starting a
Facebook or Twitter account was free,
and hiring a part-time intern to
manage them didn’t cost much.
In reality, social media marketing has
never been free. Sure, there aren't
usually any hard costs required to set up
social media accounts, but someone is
still had to create the content, engage
in the conversation, monitor and
manage those conversations, etc. As
we've seen time and time again , turning
over your brand’s reputation to an
intern isn't always the wisest choice.
Most brands now know the real costs of
social media marketing are not as great
as the opportunity costs of bad social
media strategy.
Fast-forward a few years, and we’re
seeing more and more organizations hire
entire teams to create content for
Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest,
and whatever hot new social media
startup launched last week. Content
marketing, the creation and distribution
of content to attract leads and
generate sales, has become a $118.4
billion industry . According to data from
DOMO and Column Five Media, every
minute of every day sees over 2 million
Google searches, 571 new websites, and
48 hours of new YouTube video. It’s
become overwhelming.
Unfortunately, it’s only going to get
more difficult as brands compete in a
social media arms race. Rather than
creating a slow and steady stream of
high-quality content, most brands
believe they’re better off creating a
ton of low-quality content in the hope
that one or two pieces will have real
results. Yet a recent study by
InboundWriter shows only 10 to 20
percent of a company’s website content
drives 90 percent of its online traffic.
Meanwhile, social networks realize that
brands will pay big money for access to
the millions of users in their online
communities, and they’re going to
charge more and more for that
privilege. According to a recent
Advertising Age article , Facebook
reports: "Content that is eligible to be
shown in news feed is increasing at a
faster rate than people's ability to
consume it."
This means the organic reach of any
one particular piece of content is going
to decline even more from the 16
percent rate it’s at now. Some may see
it drop all the way to 2 percent .
Increasingly, to compete effectively in
social media, brands realize that to play,
they must pay.
To keep up with social networks’ efforts
to monetize their massive online
audiences, companies are allocating more
resources to keep up. Simply creating
valuable content and then authentically
engaging with your audiences often is
no longer enough, especially when you
have to spend more to reach those
audiences. Brands know they now must
create distribution strategies for that
content, sometimes at a substantial cost.
Here are seven ways brands will spend
more money on social media and content
marketing in 2014:
1. Creating content. If brands wish to
rise above the glut of content that’s
being created, they’re going to have to
improve the quality of content they
create. That viral video that looks like it
was shot on a family member’s
smartphone was actually just a bit
created by the “traditional” media
.
2. Promoting content. Expect social
platforms to reward brands that spend
a lot of money in ads on those
platforms. It’s a vicious cycle. Paid ads
and sponsored content will help drive the
“organic” reach of your other content.
In addition, brands with more Facebook
likes are going to see a lower cost for
paid distribution because paid social ads
will show greater social context. If more
“likes” and followers = cheaper ads,
guess who’s going to start to investing
in more contests, giveaways, and other
tactics to reach more eyeballs and then
subsequently buy more ads and
sponsored content.
3. Increasing reach. As brands acquire
more and more fans, followers, and
“likes,” and as these social networks get
larger and larger, the cost to reach
them will continue to increase. When a
brand makes an investment in creating
high-quality content, you can bet
they’ll ensure it reaches the largest
number of people.
4. Syndicating content. Likewise, expect
more dollars to go companies such as
Taboola and Outbrain that specialize in
placing content where it’s most likely to
be discovered. In a sea of content, these
companies help more people find yours.
5. Monitoring, filtering, and analyzing
conversations. Social media monitoring
platforms have been around for years,
but their hefty price tags often
relegated them to a wish list for many
organizations. However, as more people
and brands create even more content,
it’s going to become more difficult to
identify and act on what’s relevant to
you. As a result, pricey monitoring and
analytics tools will be migrating from
the wish list to the approved budget.
6. Paid sponsorships. Those “influencers”
you’re always trying to reach? They’re
realizing their influence is in demand
and that it’s not cheap. According to a
recent IZEA survey, 61 percent of
marketers have paid someone to mention
their product, and that number is only
going to rise in 2014. It’s not just
celebrities and athletes, either.
Everyday people are also asking for
more money and more product, because
they can and because brands will meet
those demands.
7. More full-time employees. As more
content is created and more money is
spent promoting and distributing that
content, more people will be needed to
create, moderate, measure, and analyze
it. Demand for data scientists, SEO
specialists, media buyers, and creatives
will increase as brands try to optimize
the money they’re investing.
[RELATED: Ragan's biggest social
media conference returns to the
Walt Disney World Resort in April!
]
If you thought the days of trying to
persuade your bosses to invest in social
media were over, get ready to go back,
hat in hand, and ask for even more
money. With bigger budgets come bigger
expectations and more pressure. Are
your social media, content generation,
and content distribution strategies
ready?
Steve Radick is vice president,
management supervisor, public relations
at Cramer-Krasselt in Chicago. Follow
him on Twitter @sradick . A version of this was first seen in Ragans pr daily-http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/15854.aspx
posted from Bloggeroid
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