A colleague and I had a discussion today about social media and media relations. My colleague's concern is that we are spending too much time on media relations when we could be talking directly to consumers (a la social media). So the question is...
How much time should we spend on social media activities? What's the ratio between time spent on social media versus media relations? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.
I have also posed this question on Twitter. If you work in the PR, marketing or advertising field, please take a moment to answer the question below. I'll post the results next week.
Your Twitter links from last week include the top 50 Tweeples from 2009, Facebook Lite and information on Milwaukee's Flip Cup tournament.
- RT @prsarahevans Remember the Top 50 Tweeples to Follow of 2008? Wonder what the list would look like today... http://bit.ly/lt4sa
- Rt @avflox The metrosexual is dead, bring out the manly men: http://bit.ly/13Yplc (via @violetblue)
- Rt @mkelover Facebook causes jealousy in relationships? No way! http://bit.ly/2v8T7
- Twitter affects box office results: http://tinyurl.com/lsmhen
- RT @AndrewWeiland @compujeramey: High-speed rail connecting Madison and Milwaukee, where to put the station? http://is.gd/2aNO8
- RT @dan360man Reading: How To Lose a Job Via Facebook In 140 Characters or Less (Applicant) http://post.ly/25eE
- What the F*ck is social media? http://tinyurl.com/lkqdl4 - a lot of great social media statistics!
- RT @bmorrissey cp+b, saatchi, ogilvy, proximity hold american idol-type contest for 30-day freelance gigs. http://bit.ly/j4U1l
- RT @danschawbel HUMOR: Retweeting in Real Life [Cartoon] http://bit.ly/Ixs3n - Guilty?
- RT @LindseyAMiller @chicagocomms @GeoffLiving: Twitter founder's wife tweets in labor.http://bit.ly/CDAPW - Someone please stop the madness.
- RT @laermer Good stuff - how to write a killer bio (I hope my colleagues read this!) http://bit.ly/3jIfdg
- Yikes! Almost half of executives are unhappy in their jobs. http://tinyurl.com/qpw4sa
- Fighting UK knife crime with YouTube. http://tinyurl.com/o4nvvc
- RT @AlKrueger @Mashable Big news right now: "BREAKING: Facebook To Launch Facebook Lite" - http://bit.ly/B0MtF (via @fischer510)
- RT @briansolis Reading: Do PR Agency CEOs Need To Be Twittering? http://is.gd/2dzcL
- RT @DriveAmalfi @raileurope "Explore Amalfi, Italy" beautiful photos from the Boston Globe http://bit.ly/fQ2tz - I'll go here someday.
- RT @prsanews On ComPRehension: Is Public Relations Accreditation Worthwhile? http://ow.ly/15KK2Y
- RT @LyonSHARE World population projected to reach 7 billion next year - http://bit.ly/Dr5o4 #cnn
- RT @saman3259 Qualities that will Rock your Career! http://tischen.at/8gm Great list.
- Correction: RT @FlipCupMKE MKE has a Flip Cup Tourney soon. Winning team represents will represent MKE in Vegas. http://flipcupguys.com
- RT @danschawbel ADVICE: How to Write Sharp and Snappy Blog Posts http://bit.ly/gTNfY - Things we all need to remember.
- RT @agencyspy Don't cheat anymore, because this could happen to you (if you have a lawn) http://bit.ly/rMDgo - Ha!
- RT @sarameaney The truth about Facebook Lite http://sbne.ws/r/2x2G
- RT @TDefren @nytimesbits: brain hardwires us to love Google, Twitter, texting - a bad thing, scientists say. http://bit.ly/3yguhS
- RT @JennaSnacks Study: PR Pros are Unjustly Perceived as Liars—Scoring Higher in Ethics than Surgeons and Accountants http://bit.ly/8aw6t
- Golf and rugby may make the 2016 Summer Olympics. http://tinyurl.com/mcccjg
- RT @MarksKiosk Still have a land line? See who in the world is dumping them fastest: http://budurl.com/mn8w
Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sarahsoczka.
Lots of news, interesting tidbits and resources this week. Take a look.
- Top 10 guidelines for employee social media engagement via @tdefren http://tinyurl.com/nf5le7
- RT @rosemheather @LisaCollierCool: Breaking news: N. Korea pardons 2 US journos after meeting w/ Bill Clinton: http://bit.ly/4kUsYY
- RT @Jourdz For everyone in an agency: http://www.agencyland.net/ - Clever Web site, I'm curious to know how much biz it brings.
- RT @craigtrindl @chrisbrogan: A great recap of yesterdays #broman call with @skydiver and me by @prtini - http://bit.ly/18ZWCC
- Forbes says Milwaukee is the 4th best city for working Moms. What do you think? http://tinyurl.com/mj776g
- Why you should be engaged in social media even if your clients aren't. http://tinyurl.com/kprslc
- RT @AccidentalWI New blog post: meghan & julie & julia: Welcome everyone who has popped over from the Milwaukee Jou.. http://bit.ly/10Yxui
- The Wis. Lottery to give away club seat Packers season tickets! http://tinyurl.com/l4spjc
- RT @gawker John Hughes, Filmmaker http://gawker.com/5331792 #andnowhesdead #obit
- RT @danschawbel IMPORTANT: Back Up Your Social Media Profiles http://bit.ly/4bsZaD
- RT @wistatefair Wondering where you can find your favorite food on a stick @ #wistatefair? Here's a complete list. http://tinyurl.com/nzp8qu
- RT @agencyspy You must watch this trailer: Lemonade (it's about laid off ad people) http://bit.ly/teFld
- There is a cheese and burger hall of fame. Who knew? Register to win a stainless steel grill on their web site. http://cheeseandburger.com/
- With all due respect to the grandmas and grandpas out there... http://tinyurl.com/nz7pgk
Follow me on Twitter @sarahsoczka.
This week there are more social media stats and I also learned about Pet Airways.
- Cornell says traditional media breaks news faster than blogs. http://tinyurl.com/nrfbgl
- In case you needed another reason to drink... http://tinyurl.com/lksxdv
- How to use online video in a crisis. http://tinyurl.com/l6dk23
- Pet Airways, what a great idea! http://tinyurl.com/l4fsra
- RT @danschawbel RESOURCE: 4 Tools to Track Twitpics in Realtime http://bit.ly/Ed8r1
- RT @danschawbel REPORT: 60% of companies are spending more on interactive marketing by shifting from traditional http://tinyurl.com/lp8nuu
- Do you play the brand-spotting game? Coca-Cola hopes you do. http://tinyurl.com/mhlyft
- RT @PRsarahevans In 2009, more data will be generated by individuals than in the entire history of mankind through 2008 http://bit.ly/178Pp5
I hope everyone had a good weekend. This past week I changed my Twitter name from @ladyhero to @sarahsoczka. If you're following me, please remember the change!
Below are links to new social network stats, a video about United Airlines and tips on how to pick up women. Enjoy and have a good week.
- RT @pheadrick Cool stats like: 5% of Twitter users are responsible for 75% of all activity -- http://is.gd/1p3pJ
- Late nite battles for viewers. http://tinyurl.com/pvdwaf - O'Brien catering 2 younger viewers = Tonight Show will still be around in 10 yrs.
- Sad, but true. Why "Speidi" is remarkable and you and your company are not. http://tinyurl.com/ly9prb
- RT @PRtini Ragan's PR reading list. http://tr.im/rfkE
- RT @avflox How To Pick Up Women, a fast @avflox guide on @Manolith: http://tr.im/roAf -- It's really not as hard as you think it is.
- RT @theGlenn Guy had his guitar destroyed by United, so he wrote a song about it: http://bit.ly/rI2ef - I hope United Airlines is listening.
- RT @PRwise Do you Twitter? Then you are more interested in sex than the average Facebook, MySpace or LinkedIn user - http://ow.ly/gUve
- I think I tweet 90% of @tdefren's posts, but they're so good. The latest - What PR can and cannot do for clients. http://tinyurl.com/mdw4m4
- 10 Stunning and useful Twitter stats via @rohitbhargava. http://tinyurl.com/lgkja8
- Wis. state health program gives men family planning options. http://tinyurl.com/meu942
I hope everyone had a good weekend and is ready for the start of another work week. In this week of links you'll find numerous Twitter stories, sweet Milwaukee airline deals, new studies and much more.
- Great speech by @skydiver about social media and "making it about you." http://tinyurl.com/kwgx6g
- RT @RochelleVeturis HOW TO: Back Up Your Tweets http://bit.ly/FHVut via @mashable
- RT @Razorfish What happens when u deprive American families of TV? @Razorfish did a study: http://tinyurl.com/ljbu54 #CannesLions
- RT @danschawbel REPORT: 88% of millennials said they still counted on their parents for advice http://tinyurl.com/m2ytw4
- NYTimes article on BB etiquette. http://tinyurl.com/nxcfqe What do you think? If nothing else it encourages presenters to be more engaging.
- Cool tool from @Culvers RT @culvers U can use our new Meal Builder tool 2 plan ur meal & learn its nutritional value! http://bit.ly/Z9qt1
- RT @julieannwarner Touche, Dan Bice? MKE Magazine says Bice is the real journalistic shame in Flynn's affair. http://ow.ly/fxnG
- RT @RochelleVeturis 10 useful Twitter presentations http://is.gd/1acjc via @leeodden
- RT @TDefren Wife & I were Alice.com (client) beta users. Love it. So many fewer trips to WalMart. http://www.alice.com. - Looks interesting.
- RT @NancyStall Just in. Vikings equip manager has already ordered #4 purple jerseys with Favre's name on back. http://bit.ly/NAbKq
- BK Blow job ad. http://tinyurl.com/b6sp24 Disturbing and hilarious. Thanks for the heads up @agencyspy.
- If you're planning to fly in or out of Milwaukee book your tickets now. http://tinyurl.com/mw5p7b
- RT @laermer @carlosdiamond Fortune 100 CEOs Who Are Social Media Slackers http://tinyurl.com/n6xwnz - This is kind of sad.
- RT @streetzapizza A listing of all of the summerfest deals and ways to get in for free... http://milwaukee.about.com/...
- Why Google and Virgin Airlines Online Scavenger Hunt Campaign Rocked http://tinyurl.com/lba3z7
- RT @briansolis A List of Top Media Outlets and Blogs: http://bit.ly/5jMRc - A handy list for PR pro's.
- RT @mashable Twitter Guide Book: Mashable Launches Hub for Twitter Resources - http://bit.ly/JfX4H - A great resource 4 everything Twitter.
- RT @prblog: Okay, PR friends, here's the tool for your journalist research: Google News byline search http://ow.ly/fVSS (via @DwriteN)
Apologies for missing my weekly post again. A busy work week and the second wedding in two weeks kept me busy.
This week in links... A few quirky news stories, a letter of inspiration from Peter Shankman and the newest trends in marketing. Enjoy!
- RT @TDefren "I get around three to four pitches a day from PR firms and they all suck." (@modite - client) http://tinyurl.com/q3w5se
- @NewsHub That's hilarious. Couldn't they have just sent the poor guys home? :) http://tr.im/oBHG
- RT @streetzapizza Top Ten Businesses to follow - milwaukeeconsumer.com: http://tinyurl.com/ko5f4e
- 5 ways gaming can transform healthcare & wellness via @rohitbhargava http://tinyurl.com/ldakzw. - can't wait 2 see what other industries do.
- A letter to high school graduates via @skydiver. http://tinyurl.com/3kjqa6 (And a little inspiration for the rest of us.)
- RT @wausauherald Jail inmate smears a death threat to a judge, using his feces http://tinyurl.com/nk43j5 Ew!!!!
- The next trend in marketing - holocams. http://tinyurl.com/l6tnde
- This makes me think... Why hasn't Wisconsin struck a reciprocity deal with Ill. yet? http://tinyurl.com/l6or7l
Being the maid of honor in my best friend's wedding this weekend didn't leave me much time to Twitter. I'll be back this week in full force. Until I leave for my cousin's wedding on Friday...
- RT @Armano congrats to @stephagresta who joins @porternovelli as EVP of digital strategy http://twurl.nl/m7uw6r
- RT @mashable Local Tweets: 9 Ways to Find Twitter Users in Your Town - http://bit.ly/3B87Fu
- RT @NewsHub A revolutionary development @WIStateFair: Chocolate covered bacon. http://tr.im/nTJX - Maybe I'm weird, but that sounds tasty.
- Lakefront Brewery launches new Wheat Monkey beer Thurs. June 11. http://pitch.pe/14780
- RT @AlKrueger I enjoyed this: 10 Irrational Behaviors on Twitter that’d make you look crazy in Real Life http://bit.ly/aYvhH
- Somehow, even w/ all the college drownings La Crosse ranked in the top 10 places 2 live by US News & World Report. http://tinyurl.com/m3uwqh
- For anyone still wondering what #blamedrewscancer is all about. http://tinyurl.com/lgw4h8
There are some great studies and surveys out this week on social media users. Also, look below to find out about the new Harry Potter LEGO video game and more.
- RT @SocialMedia411 Poll - Business People Say Twitter More Important Than LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/hpHtl
- RT @mashable YouTube Brands: 5 Outstanding Leaders in YouTube Marketing - http://bit.ly/KhIA9
- RT @SaraMeaney Harvard study says men have 15% more followers on Twitter than women. http://tinyurl.com/lyjs9u - NE1 else think this is sad?
- I don't play many video games, but I'm kind of excited for this one. http://tinyurl.com/pgpjda
- Study shows some men experience pregnancy symptoms like weight gain. http://tinyurl.com/paw78q
- Trend: More and more high school graduates are looking to Canada for college. http://tinyurl.com/qd3jmp
- RT @danschawbel REPORT: Social networking up 83% for U.S. http://bit.ly/1a3Ieq
- Yay New Hampshire! http://tinyurl.com/q49jvj
- RT @boelterlincoln Do you want to build an audience or community? Great post via @chrisbrogan. http://tinyurl.com/oe2j5c
- RT @laermer (I love amusement): @skydiver Amusement: Top 100 movie lines in 200 seconds. http://tinyurl.com/cbfs87 (!)
- RT @BradleyWill 5 Reasons People May Follow You on Twitter http://bit.ly/2fH7c
- Are you buying tactics or strategies? http://tinyurl.com/pkczhx Thanks for the great post @tdefren!
- RT @boelterlincoln Reading: Your Network is Your Only Insurance Policy http://tinyurl.com/o67emr
- RT @danschawbel REPORT: 53% of females participate in social media at least once a week http://tinyurl.com/ogu7pm
For real time updates follow me on Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/ladyhero
Hello, and happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope you are able to get outside enjoy some nice weather before the weekend ends.
PF Chang's lovers check out the last link for a free coupon. Also, be sure to read a great article about tips for making conversations with strangers with graduation parties and weddings upon us they are bound to come in handy.
- RT @fox6wakeup: Free, printable coupons & coupon codes for thousands of stores. Check it out! http://ow.ly/7DPQ
- RT @Vollrath_PR Check this video out -- Marcus Theatres North Shore Cinema Opening http://bit.ly/hWM9i - I didn't know Marcus had a mascot.
- RT @danschawbel REPORT: 1 in 3 Americans Drinks Alcohol at Least Weekly http://snipr.com/iaqx9 - I doubt the East Coast drinks more than WI.
- RT @mashable Useful: "List of Ad Agencies on Twitter" - http://bit.ly/hb67d
- RT @themediaisdying "Why journalists deserve low pay" - economics of journalism explained : http://tr.im/lOmf -- Interesting idea
- Congrats @Draftfcb Chicago for being named the best large company to work for in Ill. One of my cousins works there. :) http://is.gd/BJ7x
- RT @LyonSHARE http://tinyurl.com/qu65mf The Coolest Thing Your Smartphone Can Do - Looking forward to the BB app.
- RT @danschawbel ADVICE: 7 Tips for Making Good Conversation with a Stranger http://tinyurl.com/pupesu - It lives up to the headine.
- Retique moves into the third ward. Will you shop at the high-end Goodwill store?http://tinyurl.com/rbx5fu
- Love PF Chang's lettuce wraps? Enter your e-mail address for a free coupon. http://www.pfchangs.com/bri...
Follow me on Twitter @ladyhero.
There were a lot of good stories out last week. Read below for articles about social media, travel, some of the best cookies ever and WolframAlpha (It's like AskJeeves, but better).
- RT @danschawbel RESOURCE: Twitter Bible: Everything You Need To Know About Twitter http://tinyurl.com/q6apm7
- Personal-care services are up 4.5% this year. Find out what other sectors are doing well. http://tinyurl.com/owbfom
- RT @TDefren @briansolis updates his Blogger Relations ebook. Download immediately. http://tinyurl.com/qe6gnb
- In defense of Twitter by @PRluna. http://tinyurl.com/przlar
- Non-Profit Social Networking survey results http://tinyurl.com/oqm9tz (via @rohitbhargava)
- RT @wisdells Cool Tool for calculating travel costs for upcoming vacations. Cost To Drive http://bit.ly/UwU4w
- A great post on social media expectations & commitment. You can't go from 0 to 1,000 friends overnight! http://sturly.com/026
- These are some of the best cookies. http://www.k-suerte.com/coo... Thanks Spot Filmworks.
- RT @ironhorsehotel Motorcycle rentals & self-service bike wash are now available. http://twitpic.com/53sds - How cool!
- RT @AlKrueger How cool is that? Milwaukee is the 11th most uniquely American city http://digg.com/u13GPt
- How to get journalists to open your pitch e-mail (via @laermer). http://tinyurl.com/qbh9sl Hint: The subject line is important!
- Need to get away? Check out T+L's 45 best new hotels. http://bit.ly/Ntmiv
- Holy crap! I predict that my kids/grandkids will say, "What did people do before WolframAlpha?" http://tinyurl.com/q735x7
- RT @danschawbel REPORT: 50% of women say no to dating a jobless man http://tinyurl.com/pl6rp8 - Would you date someone w/o a job?
Hello, I apologize for not posting yesterday. I had a really busy weekend. Last week I watched a great TED talk from 2004 on authenticity (yes, it's still relevant), learned about Moms Uprising and attended Ragan's Social Media Unconference. Check out the links below.
- A great talk by Joseph Pine about authenticity. http://tinyurl.com/9zzgjo (via @addthis)
- Make your mom "Mother of the Year" and join Momsrising.org - http://tinyurl.com/d2csbt
- RT @cqpolitics Political Wire: Maine Lawmakers Approve Same Sex Marriage Bill http://tinyurl.com/c2fq44 -- Yay, Maine!
- RT @danschawbel JOB SEARCH: (note: this is awesome!) Big Fat Job List http://bit.ly/uXdJl
- Miller Park is turning into a drive-in movie theater for a few days this summer! $20 gets you admission for 2. http://tinyurl.com/cu2ndf
- RT @julieannwarner: Are You Strong Enough to Care? = good example of compelling online video http://ow.ly/5RBr #raganunconf
Follow me on Twitter @ladyhero.
Good evening, or maybe I should say good morning. This week I discovered some advice for the recently unemployed along with a job opening. I also found some great online travel tools.
- RT @telie Just found the "Mother of all Lists" from employment to pets to family: http://tinyurl.com/dhrep5 - I could spend all day here.
- RT @danschawbel MUST READ: 10 steps for those that got laid off http://www.tribbleagency.co/cy.co/...
- RT @VisitChicago Job posting: Tourism Sales Coordinator / Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau http://budurl.com/CCTBjob
- Governors finally hop on the high-speed rail bandwagon. I think we could use more state partnerships like this. http://tinyurl.com/c36f5s
- RT @TravlAndLeisure Affordable U.S. Weekend Getaways: http://tinyurl.com/bak5w4 - A fun travel planning tool from T+L.
- Really proud of my UWM PR mentees who made the news! http://tinyurl.com/dz2v8d, http://tinyurl.com/c7jok3
- RT @TravlAndLeisure Using Twitter for Travel (So Meta!): http://tinyurl.com/c46uch - Check out these Twitter names for great travel deals
- RT @danschawbel 4 Frequent questions about Gen Y http://tinyurl.com/ca85qg - Note: If u feel valued & are bettering urself u won't leave.
Follow me on Twitter @ladyhero.
Last week the New York Times published a story about ghost twittering that made many Twitter fans stop dead in their tracks. (Ghost twittering is paying someone to tweet on your behalf.)
I understand why this concept upsets many social media advocates who preach authenticity (as do I), but in some cases is ghostwriting really so bad? I mean, does anyone really truly believe that @BarackObama is Barack Obama? Of course not, but during the 2008 election I didn't hear anyone shouting blasphemy. Instead I read stories and listened to newscasts about how innovative the Obama campaign was. How they were leading the way for future political campaigns.
So the question then is when is it okay to hire a ghostwriter? My personal rule of thumb, if you are a celebrity or business it might be okay to hire a ghostwriter. Obviously, I would encourage everyone to tweet on their own behalf. In Shaq's words, "It's 140 characters. If you need a ghostwriter for that, I feel sorry for you."
However, as long as one person is managing your account I do not take issue with the practice. After all, if I am hired to represent a company I do my best to integrate myself and become part of the team. More often than not I do feel part of the team, so why wouldn't I be allowed to tweet on behalf of company XYZ?
Isn't that what PR people are hired to do? Communicate on behalf of their clients? I realize this is n0t ideal, but as long as the company is posting quality content and continues to be interactive and as transparent as possible does it really matter if the message comes from the PR agency or the internal PR team?
In addition, as long as a celebrity's Twitter account doesn't try to pass itself off as the real person a ghostwriter might even be preferable! After all, a celebrity is a type of brand just like a company. In fact, a celebrity ghostwriter is likely to be much more responsive than an actual celebrity and more responsible. As in they will actually know when the next interview is taking place and at what time.
At the end of the day I too wish that each Twitter account, each blog post could be authentic and real. But let's face it, as different social networks become popular this is not always going to be possible. It's time for some of us to come back to reality, jump down from our high horse and appreciate some Twitter accounts for what they are.
May 13, 2008 - the date of my very first tweet. What did it say? "following Glenn on Twitter." How utterly mundane. The point? The point is no matter who you are we all start out on Twitter (and any social network for that matter) completely clueless.
The good news? I have found the Twitter community to be pretty understanding and more then happy to help. With that in mind I present some of my own Twitter guidelines.
First, in order to be successful you need to know what your purpose is. Why are you Twittering in the first place? So many of us, myself included, jump into Twitter without a game plan. The sooner you figure it out the faster you will be able to gain influence and generate results.
I use Twitter for several reasons. My overall goal is to build and enhance my brand, but apart from that I use Twitter to network and keep up on industry trends.
NOTE: If your goals do not match mine the guidelines you choose to follow may be different and that's okay.
1) Above all else remember, you are a content provider. I believe this point holds true for everyone on Twitter. Whether you're selling shoes or promoting yourself. If the content you're providing doesn't appeal to anyone no one will follow you.
2) Cater to your audience. If you're trying to sell shoes you shouldn't be talking about tech news. Talk about new fashions and your product line. Remember your purpose. As a general rule I tweet about social media, the PR/advertising industry and travel. These are things I'm passionate about, so as I use Twitter to enhance my personal brand I will naturally attract an audience that is looking for these qualities.
3) Do NOT follow everyone. Just because someone follows you does not mean you have to do the same, nor does it mean they have to follow you. This is not Facebook. The people you follow should be those you find interesting and can help further your goals. You can still talk to those you do not follow with @ replies.
4) Join the conversation. I have the most fun on Twitter when I actually communicate with other people. That's what this social networking thing is all about, right? So lend some advice and supply a link. Don't worry if they aren't following you back. If you provide key content and engage others your following will grow organically.
5) Share the love. Now that you're tweeting it's time to give kudos to your fellow tweeters. Did you enjoy that last tweet? Retweet (RT) it! People LOVE being retweeted. It's a great way to give others props and increase your network.
6) Be human. Some may disagree with me, but I think it's perfectly okay (even good!) to let a few "boring" tweets slip out. It proves to the rest of us that there's a real person on the other side of the screen. Two weeks ago I tweeted, "Going home to pack and then off to Wausau for the weekend." Is this very exciting or meaningful? No. But it does give insight to my followers and explains why I may not be responsive during the weekend. However, you should be careful. No one needs a play by play of when you eat, sleep, wake-up and go to the bathroom.
7) Yes, you're on Twitter to promote yourself, but don't overdo it. A lot of times self-promotion seems like a dirty word, it's not. You just have to be careful how you do it. For instance, I typically blog once a week. I would like to more frequently, but that's where I'm at right now. As long as I think my posts are relevant I tweet them, but only once. Never RT yourself. If you blog multiple times a week or have other self-promotional channels try to keep it to a minimum. Only broadcast your very best and most relevant work. We know you're on Twitter, but we don't need it shoved down our throats.
Do you have more Twitter advice? Did I forget anything? Share it in the comments section. Until next time this is @ladyhero signing out.
It has been a busy couple of weeks at work, so here are my last two weeks of Twitter links. See below for lots of cheap travel opportunities and online tracking tools. Enjoy!
- RT @daynasteele Would you like Twitter with your fries? Great article from Newsweek on the power/speed of Twitter. http://tinyurl.com/cud7yj
- Customized newspapers in L.A. http://tinyurl.com/awb8un It might prolong the printed papers lifetime. What do you think?
- RT @patrickstrother A list of 10 free tools you can use to track what people are saying about your company or products. http://bit.ly/NQTQR
- RT @mashable Cliqset Wants to Unify Your Social Identities http://ping.fm/yiqEx - Has anyone tried it yet?
- RT @TravlAndLeisure 11 Money-Saving European Travel Tips: http://tinyurl.com/cxqc3t - For all my friends looking at Euro. vacations.
- RT @prblog @themediaisdying not sure if you saw top 10 newspapers likely to fold next? http://tinyurl.com/d25m4s - I hope not!
- RT @mashable Your Honor, I Tweeted http://ping.fm/bRZ7p - An interesting problem.
- I'm already in love w/ Twendz. Thank you Waggener Edstrom. http://tinyurl.com/d2arq4
- A really smart post from AgencySpy about the value of advertising online v. TV. http://tinyurl.com/c33fdc
- RT @msnbc_travelTake in Madrid with a vacation from $599 http://tinyurl.com/ctyn4l - So tempting!
For real time tweets follow me on Twitter. http://twitter.com/ladyhero
The PR agency Waggener Edstrom has recently launched a new Twitter tool called Twendz. This tool is incredibly valuable for PR people and anyone else who is in charge of 
managing a brand. By now we are hopefully all aware that the first step to take before using social media is to listen. But even this first step can be daunting. After all, who has time to sift through hundreds of tweets? This is where Twendz comes in.
After entering your keywords the tool pulls the latest tweets and displays the overall mood be it positive or negative. It's a great way to monitor what people are saying about your company or client. My only complaint is depending on your keywords it can take quite a while to load before you have any tangible results.
You can read more about Twendz on CNET. Go check it out and let me know what you think.
The past couple weeks have been filled with valuable and exciting social media events. Last week was Ragan and PRSA's second annual Social Media Conference for Communicators held in Las Vegas. This week brings the much anticipated South by Southwest* festival and conference for the music, film and interactive industries. The festival is being held in Austin, TX March 13-22 and will be the event I kick myself for not attending all year.
But the point of this post (despite it's title) is not to complain about being stuck in dismal Wisconsin where I am excited by a high of 60 degrees. No, the point is to highlight SXSW's awesome use of social media.
SXSW has truly embraced the third component of the conference - Interactive. It is obvious in the blog posts, hashtags, mobile apps and microsites. Here, I would like to highlight a few of the social media endeavors from SXSW that all communicators can learn from (whether or not they are at the event).
1) Blogs
The first is a blog post by one of my favorite bloggers, Rohit Bhargava. On his Influential Marketing Blog he writes "How To Blog, Party, Learn, Promote & Network Like A Rockstar At SXSW 2009." There are many tips in this post that can be used at any large conference or event. One of my favorite nuggets of wisdom is, "Take good notes. In other words, don't write down everything - just the "aha moments" that come from the session. Those are all you'll really need afterwards anyway."
2) Hashtags - #SXSW
By now creating a hashtag for an event is hardly new, but it is incredibly useful. A hashtag allows event goers to communicate with each other and ask event organizers questions. Since Twitter is all about immediacy event organizers can learn about a problem quickly, and hopefully fix it in time to make sure everyone has a great experience. It's also a good way to keep in touch with media.
3) Mobile Apps
Amid many mobile apps making their debut at SXSW, Mashable has dubbed "Foursquare the Breakout Mobile App at SXSW."
where to find you. All you need to do is check-in via SMS (text to 50500) or mobile app.4) Microsites
Microsites have also been a large component of SXSW this year. There was a lot of hype built around http://www.secretsxsw.com/; launched shortly before the festival. The site allows festival goers to keep track of all the cool stuff they can get for free! At an event this large you want to make sure you don't miss out on the best swag. It also provides businesses with a great way to reach their target market.
The second microsite I found on Kevin Dugan's Strategic Public Relations blog. As a festival sponsor Pepsi went above and beyond the usual in-kind and/or check writing donation with a marketplace booth. To optimize their sponsorship they created a web site that truly provides festival goers value.
Using Twitter, the web site tracks what SXSW participants are doing by breaking activities into six simple categories. The site also tells participants what's popular, where people are, where parties are and what interesting tweets were "overheard." The site accomplishes all this by collecting data from Twitter.
This is one of my favorite SXSW social media examples. Pepsi nailed it. This is a classic example of a company remembering that it's not all about them. It's all about their customers.
*South by Southwest (SXSW, Inc.) is a private company based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to building and delivering conference and festival events for entertainment and related media industry professionals. Since 1987, SXSW has produced the internationally recognized Music and Media Conference & Festival.There was a lot of social media and travel news last week. Look below for the new Skittles web site, find a way to make yourself look thinner on Facebook, find the best cities for Shopaholics and a list of the top 10 U.S. cities for vacation value.
- RT @telie Find out when it's best to tweet someone: http://www.tweetoclock.com
- RT @stedavies Wanna make yourself look thinner on your Facebook profile? A new site that helps you http://tinyurl.com/abp659
- Kudos to #Skittles for trying something new. I'm not sure if I like it though... http://skittles.com
- RT @JeffCole53 @StephenTiano @guykawasaki Are bloggers journalists? Ask the House. http://adjix.com/5eg8
- RT @sorayad @jonathanlandman A new thing for NYT: Local Websites Bklyn http://bit.ly/PlLuI & NJ http://bit.ly/7ZkaH - I hope it's a success.
- RT @davitydave Where Does the Dollar Do Best? Frommer's Global Price Index for March 2009 http://twitclicks.com/loms
- http://twitpic.com/1tncr - I was just handed this orange from my fellow B+Lers. A new Wellness Program at Boelter+Lincoln? Only good can ...
- RT @VisitChicago Chicago made the list: Top 10 U.S. Cities for vacation value http://bit.ly/TGvCw - Some locations surprised me. Atlanta?
- RT @theGlenn Saw last night's perf. of Pride and Prejudice @ the Rep. It was a great show. See it! http://is.gd/lMya
- RT @boelterlincoln @Charno @onmilwaukee Downtown Dining Week May 28 - June 4 http://bit.ly/EJf3G - Mark your calendars!
- RT @msnbc_travel Top 10 cities for shopaholics http://snipurl.com/d5ngx
- RT @jaimy_marie Reading: Freebies + Social Media = Hot Restaurant Strategy (via @microgeist) http://is.gd/l5Hy
A lot of traditional media outlets in Milwaukee have recently started Twitter accounts. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (@NewsHub) and the Business Journal Serving the Greater Milwaukee Area (@BizJournalMke) are two that I follow. And I have to say that NewsHub kicks BizJournalMke's ass. Here are five reasons why.
- Followers - BizJournalMke does not follow anyone! In contrast NewsHub follows two thirds of the amount of people who follow them. Can you guess who is engaging their followers?
- Tweeting Hours - BizJournalMke tends to tweet only during normal business hours. Twitter is all about immediacy and last time I checked news happens 24/7. In contrast NewsHub tweets at all hours. Guess who's getting scooped on stories?
- Community Engagement - If you don't follow anyone it's pretty hard to engage in any type of discussion. NewsHub frequently retweets, direct messages and @Replies. They also link to other Wisconsin media outlets for more coverage and stories. If I have a news question or breaking news tip you bet I'm letting NewsHub know. They provide value to me, so I will return the favor. Plus, it's clear they will receive it!
- Current Events - In addition to talking to followers, NewsHub also engages in larger conversations. For example, last night NewsHub used the #Obama hashtag to talk to the Twitterverse about Obama's speech in real time. Where was BizJournalMke? With all the articles about the economic stimulus package they should have been contributing.
- Character - Finally BizJournalMke just lacks character. Ninety nine percent of their tweets are simply their headline and link to their news story. NewsHub's tweets are catchy and playful. You can tell an actual human is behind them. For example, one tweet said, "Puff daddy, ahem, that is Michael Phelps, commits to making comeback meet May 14." The actual headline was "Olympic hero Michael Phelps to return from 3-month suspension at swim meet in Charlotte." Which one would get you to click the link?
