The Five Hats of Social Media

Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats are used to help people be more productive, focused, and mindfully involved  http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php

So here are the Five Hats of Social Media:

1. Public Relations Hat (PR Hat) – This hat will help you deal with any mishaps, issues or crises – so be prepared by setting up a crisis management strategy - http://www.socialmediamarketing.org/social-media-crisis-management.html. 

(Red is for energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as for feelings, hunches and intuition)

2. Content Hat – for creating,  finding, editing, sourcing, researching and generating content – this is very similar to the thinking cap – so this hat will help you when you need to write, strategise, think, and plan – Set up a content/editorial calendar to help with this - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2136988/How-to-Create-a-Social-Media-Editorial-Calendar 

(Orange is for enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation).

 

3. Customer service hat – This hat will help with all the customer service inquiries, queries and services needed - here's an eBook on social media and customer service from Brandwatch- http://www.brandwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/brandwatch/Brandwatch-eBook-Customer-Service-on-Social-Media.pdf 

(Blue is for trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven as well as aiding the thinking process.)

 

4. Advertising/Marketing Hat – This hat will help you promote, advertise and market your brand - Social Media/New Media still requires old/traditional media methods to reach your fans/followers/customers.  (TV ads, print ads, leaflets, flyers, mail drops, radio advertising, guerilla marketing, email marketing, launches, events, videos, campaigns etc.)

Focus on which method is appropriate for your business, test out different forms of media, use email marketing and reach a wider range of people. 

(Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.)

 

5. Communications Hat – This hat can be used for communicating, sharing information, building relationships, informing and exchanging information. This is the best hat for engaging with customers/fans and followers.

 (Green is for growth, harmony, freshness, fertility as well as possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas)

 

You will find that most days; you are required to do all the tasks above. By putting on a different hat; you will be able to focus and concentrate on each task.

Social Media is best when it is holistic, which means combining a whole range of skills, experiences and services when you work. Use each hat; to grow and develop your skills in each area.

By using different hats and by focusing on each task when needed; you will be providing a better relationship to your customers/fans/followers and focus on what is necessary and needed to get the job done.

source:  www.power-advertising.co.uk

 I used this website for an explanation of colours and what they represent  - http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Social Media Optimisation

SMO is using links, fantastic content and sharing on different accounts to drive visitors to your blog/website.

Now don't get confused between SMO and engagement. SMO is making sure that your content is seen, by using tags, labels and keywords, writing excellent headlines, sharing on other accounts, linking to other accounts and communicating online.

Engagement is sharing with your fans and followers and building an online community. The more interaction you have with a community (whether it's comments on the blogs, likes and shares on Facebook, ReTweets and chats on Twitter) the more likely that your SMO will naturally increase.

One of the keys to understanding how SMO works for you is listening to your audience. You can ascertain when people are liking/commenting/sharing/asking questions. Once you have viewed Google Analytics, Blogger stats, statcounter.com and other social media listening tools online - here are a few which will explain how and when to listen - http://janetfouts.com/listen/ - you will know your audience, which posts they are clicking on and what kind of content they are responding to.

 - Here are the Rules of SMO: http://increaserss.com/the-rules-of-social-media-optimization/

 - The Strategies of SMO: http://increaserss.com/best-social-media-optimization-strategies/

 - And the Techniques of SMO: http://increaserss.com/social-media-optimization-techniques/

 - Engagement vs SMO: http://mashable.com/2011/11/13/smo-vs-engagement/

Now SEO - Search Engine Optimisation is sightly different from SMO. SEO works on backlinks, incoming links and ensuring that your website is found on searches. One way to do this is to find and work with relevant links, list your website in online directories and get other websites to link back to you. The more links you have the higher you will rank in searches. And if the links are trusted links (leading to sites which people trust, recommend and refer) the better this is for your website. Don't worry - the SEO superhero SEOman explains this is a really basic way - http://www.redevolution.com/seo-explained/

According to Active Warrior in an online discussion - here are the differences you should be concentrating on:

Link Building:

SEO – Inbound links are a large determining factor in rankings.
SMO – Links are a result of success, which means that SEO benefits from good SMO.

Page Elements:
SEO – Title tags, headers, image title, bold text and use of keywords are all influential on search engine rankings.
SMO – Coding and tags are not so important, while visual attention grabbers make a bigger impact.

Titles:
SEO – The title tag of a page tells the search engines what a page is about and carries a lot of weight in the rankings.
SMO – Titles and headlines are extremely important for grabbing attention and getting users to click-through.

Speak to an SEO consultant - he/she will know the best way to implement SEO.

  

Here are 15 steps you can take to increase your SMO:

1) Use share buttons

2) Enable YouTube videos - to be embedded or mobile so people can share them

3) Enable your blogs to be mobile; so they are easy to read and share when you're out and about

4) Tweet this, Pin This, Facebook like, Google1 - these buttons are gold, place them prominently on your site and blog

5) Use links, share links with others, put a link list on your blog

6) List your blog and website in free online directories

7) Answer questions on LinkedIn or Quora

8) Join online discussions

9) Comment on blogs - with a link back to your blog or website 

10) Take part in community activities online (MeetUps, chats, discussions, blogging events etc)

11) Communicate; update, post , Tweet everyday if you can and concentrate on fresh, unique blog posts

12) Mix and Match your content - use videos, quotes, eBooks, resources, guides, images, tips, tools, questions etc - enlighten and entertain your audience and focus on your brand

13) Share sites, resources, ideas, posts, Tweets, updates, videos,  etc.

14) Listen to your fans and followers; answer questions, provide social service and monitor all your accounts

15) Be genuine, don't focus on SMO as a rule; concentrate on engaging with others, building a community, enjoying social media and the clicks should come!

source: http://www.webmarketingagency.com.au/what-is-social-media-optimisation/

Guy Kawasaki talks about Social Media

His secret is not to plan Social Media but to jump right in and do it.

He chats to Inc. about marketing - having the right product is key- and his strategy is to Dive Right In in this article: http://www.inc.com/eric-markowitz/guy-kawasaki-dont-plan-your-social-media-just-do-it.html

Guy Kawasaki's site http://alltop.com/ keeps you informed on the latest top tech feeds.

He believes that social media is more about effort than expense.

If you'd like to learn more and read more about Guy Kawasaki; find him on American Express Open Forum , Google+, Twitter and Facebook.

His book about Google+ comes out on the 8th March.

Want to learn more SEO and social media secrets from Guy Kawasaki? Join him and other  entrepreneurs from March 5 - 7 at Growco in New Orleans. 

Visit www.growco.inc.com for more information.

Twitter Basics for Business

Think of Twitter as a newspaper. When you sign in; you can find, review and read Tweets that will grant you immediate access to everything that is happening in the world that day.

By using Twitter search - https://twitter.com/#!/search-home - you can search for information about your industry, find resources and content and find users who are purchasing your goods and services and talking about your business, products and services online.

You can find bloggers, PR companies, journalists, interesting users, unusual content, tips, tools, resources and suggestions which will help you build engagement and shape your online business and brand.

Here are three guides and resources on how to use your Twitter account for business:

1. What to Tweet: http://www.maine-seo.com/social-media/what-to-tweet-part-1-of-4-the-marketers-guide-to-twitter

2. Twitter 101 Guide from Mashable - http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/

3. Zen and The Art Of Twitter - http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/zen-and-the-art-of-twitter_b9055

Some more tips:

• Share links about your industry or profession (from your blog, websites, other blogs and interesting news items)
• Comment on the current affairs or hot topics of your industry or profession
• Share resources, tips, suggestions and guides from people who you trust on twitter (read the links first and check their profiles/bios!)
• Attend a professional event, seminar, conference or MeetUp…and share the link!
• Recommend business or services - to build trust amongst your peers
• ReTweet information - you have two options:
  a) You can manually type in a response then RT @awarenetconnect How to Use @StumbleUpon for Business http://www.business2community.com/social-media/how-to-use-stumbleupon-for-business-0138388 (To do this you push the Quote Tweet option on your mobile or just hit reply then type in manually (or copy and paste on your desktop/laptop)
  b) Or you can just hit the ReTweet button - This Tweet goes to all your followers via the original source.
• Participate in Tweet chats   - http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/08/how-to-participate-in-twitter-chat.html
• Communicate with and potentially develop relationships with people that you’ve never met on Twitter; build relationships with like-minded people
• Find people who you can learn from or who inspire you and connect with and engage with them
• Thank people
• Interact with people, answer questions, respond to Tweets and share information
• Participate in #FollowFriday - http://mashable.com/followfri/ This will help you find and follow relevant people in your industry, like-minded people and shared interests with others
• Participate in #CharityWeds. For those of you who are interested in non profit organisations and working with, learning from and promoting non profit organisation, Charity Weds acts as a shout out or recommendation day for the awareness of non profit organisations world-wide.
• Ask questions related to your industry and see what your peers following you think
•  Mix and Match content - use blog posts, images, links to videos, links to your website, quotes, RT, ReTweets to keep your content fresh
• Be aware of social media etiquette - http://www.toastmasters.org/ToastmastersMagazine/ToastmasterArchive/2010/April/Social-Media-Etiquette.aspx

If you'd like to discuss all things social media with me and to receive social media training - group, one on one or on Skype you can find more information:

 - Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ebbye/

 - Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/AwareNetConnect

 - Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/SocialNetworkingandMarketing

or email me ebbyeryan@gmail.com or give me a call on 0408 478224

CarrotCreative

5 Social Media Headlines which Grabbed My Attention

Social Media evolves and changes constantly. It's so hard to keep up to date on the latest trends and happenings world wide on social media.


So here's the latest information which grabbed my attention:

1. Twitter will be rolling out ads for small businesses -in USA http://blog.twitter.com/2012/02/coming-soon-twitter-advertising-for.html

2. Facebook is going to be releasing timeline for Facebook business pages - http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-release-timeline-brands-month/232760/

3. Men are from Foursquare and women are from Facebook!
The research covers users in the UK, France,Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands -http://www.slideshare.net/PNLondon/men-are-from-foursquare-women-are-from-facebook

4.  Social Media Studies, mainly looking at US brands - http://mygoodbuzz.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/coca-cola-is-hosting-hangout-on-google.html

5. Australia's top Facebook pages - http://wearesocial.com.au/blog/2012/02/09/facebook-brands-australia-infographic/ 

For more up to date info, lessons, case studies, changes and trends read:

 - Social Media Examiner - http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

 - Mashable - http://mashable.com/

source: http://chelseanewton.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/thursday-news-day-social-media.html

Pinterest.com - a rapidly growing visual content site!

If you haven't joined Pinterest.com - here is a breakdown on everything you need to know about this rapidly growing site - http://www.blueglass.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-pinterest/. 

It's a great site for visual content and for all your work/interests/ to be seen, build brand advocacy, create interesting boards and share to other social media sites. 

It's also a great site to find inspiration, tips and ideas. There are quotes, clothes, home decor, locations, tutorials, infographics as well as delicious cupcakes and cakes for you to drool over. It's extremely visual and you can search for anything and everything.  

Often when you click on a pin, it leads you to a site you have never seen before - this is a huge advantage for marketing your business or blog.

It's also easy to use, people can like,comment on, repin or share your pins, so it's a great site for start ups, bloggers, people who work from home and small businesses.

For creative companies like designers, architects, bloggers, cooks, chefs, moms, illustrators, artists, musicians - this is a great site to share your work.

And if you're curious top designers and musicians are starting to use the site as well - so there is a branding advantage for businesses and individuals.

Michael Kors is an early user and his boards are divided up between his work and his interests - http://pinterest.com/michaelkors/ - it will be very interesting to see how people make use of this site!

Here's a Pinterest Guide for beginners from Mashable - http://mashable.com/2011/12/26/pinterest-beginners-guide/

And for people like me who love quotes, reading books and infographics - http://pinterest.com/ebbye/ - I am using it to pin info about social media and business - I spend a great deal of time online researching and searching for content to train my clients and this site is a source of inspiration for me!

Are you on Pinterest.com yet? I'd love to know what you think of this site?

One of my pins today http://pinterest.com/pin/76631631129250424/

The Top Twenty Social Media Blogs Finalists

2012 is the 3rd year for Social Media Examiner to pick up 10 social media blogs among all nominations. The top 10 blogs will be announced in its newsletter and also on their blog. 

Here are the 20 finalists with a brief introduction (in alphabetical order) - written by Kate - thanks to http://evanhugh.com/2012/01/22/the-top-10-social-media-blogs-in-2012/

1. Bundle Post: It is founded by Robert M. Caruso with passion in tech and social media. It takes the first step to automate and schedule the social media contents in one place.
2. Digital Brand Marketing Education: It holds continuing learning philosophy to educate empowered professionals in using digital to brand and market their businesses.
3. Heidi Cohen: She brings you into the world of digital and direct marketing through her established experiences so that readers can easily apply to their current social situation.
4. Hubze: Social media marketers and lovers share how to start the social media engine to engage with customers and manage social media accounts like an elite.
5. inBlurbs: It shows you how to get found on the Internet and convert the traffic into physical customers to bring up your own brand and prospects.
6. Inbound Marketing Spot: It belongs to Trust eMedia and provides inbound marketing strategies to build a loyal social media community to support brands and businesses.
7. Jeff Korhan: He is an inspiring speaker who can help and present the closer connection between social media and small businesses to grow through Internet and social media.
8. Jeff Bullas: The blog, which is being ranked #87 in AdAge Power 150, offers public some useful hints and advices on how to make advantage of social media tools.
9. Likeable Media: It purposes on leveraging social media to build up marketing castle that supports brand, value and services.
10. Marketing Tech blog: There are media marketing experts to analysis the current development and provide technology and marketing tips for social marketers.
11. Media First: A blog from a public relations agency to help clients to win new market share and grow revenues and profits with unique marketing tactics.
12. Media Tapper: The purpose is to discuss day-to-day developments in the social and online media world and share the piece of information globally.
13. My Social Agency: Provide a series of expert advices and solutions in social media management to keep in touch with the current racing world pace.
14. Pushing Social: It tells you to do what to publicize and market around through Stanford Smith’s words. He is an online marketing strategist who loves amplifying social tools.
15. Sales Lion: Read “Why Subscribe” in its site and realize that it is an experience sharing and writing to help people who are involved in sales hardcore and marketing mistakes.
16. Social Mouths: “I help people be successful online” brings readers to meet Francisco Rosales who determines to help every potential reader creating their brand and expertise.
17. Social Strand Media: Provide marketing solutions, from social media to marketing campaigns, at free consultation to accelerate your brand beyond the borders.
18. Spiderworking: Teaching small to medium business how to promote brand and drag online traffic using social media, Amamda Webb shares her knowledge after her first business, Feelgood Organic Hampers.
19. Splash Media: Contains opinion and analysis from a group of social media, marketing and video professionals. Specifically tailor solution and monitor progress for their clients.
20. ViralBlog: Ranked #71 in the AdAge Power 150 as well as collects the daily viral and social media cases over the global, in order to inspire people and create the best social strategies.

All these blogs provide businesses up to date  information regarding social media, case studies, success stories and great marketing tips.

I love reading  weekly mashups from We are Social  - http://wearesocial.net/blog/2012/01/we-are-socials-monday-mashup-103/ and Jeffrey Thomas's weekly EdTech Resources Treasure Chest - http://jeffthomastech.com/blog/?p=11829

Alltop covers news from everywhere about social media - http://social-media.alltop.com/ - so this is another great resource to use, share and provide you with inspiration to write your own blog posts, Tweets and updates.

Social Media keeps growing, so it means we have to keep learning! So there has to be a lot reading, reviewing, researching and staying up to date.