25Mar 2016 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways Brands are Using Social Media for Good

Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing, Nonprofits, Social Media
Asking questions. Running contests. Sharing pictures. Promoting products and services. There are many ways for brands to attract attention on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like. Included among this list of ways to get people to sit up and take notice on social media is to show the softer side of your brand and declare your support of a worthy charitable organization. After all, almost everyone on these channels is trying to sell something, whether it’s a product, service or simply themselves. Almost everyone is like the carnival barker cajoling the passersby to step right up and come inside the tent. But a small percentage of them are associating their brands with a noble cause, giving those in the audience a reason to feel good about making the decision to…
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28Feb 2016 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways the Presidential Candidates are Winning on Twitter

Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
There are less than two months to go until the Iowa caucuses and less than a year until we elect a new president of the United States on November 8, 2016. And while each of the candidates for the highest office in the land is more than competent and capable, there will only be one winner at the polls. To some of us, however, what happens between now and then is just as interesting as voting day itself. Who doesn’t enjoy sitting on the sidelines and watching a good, old-fashioned, knock-down, drag-out presidential campaign, especially in this digital day and age? The candidates may be crisscrossing the country on what seems like an endless campaign trail, but they are also sharing news and opinion, commentary, quips and barbs across the…
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24Jan 2016 by Bob Cargill

Social Media: A Revolutionary Change That is Impossible to Ignore

Business, Marketing, Social Media
I’m not going to lie. While I have been writing copy for what seems like forever, not until social media came along did I feel my words were actually making a connection with my audience. Direct mail, even email, may be addressed to your customers, donors, members and prospects by name. But short of face-to-face conversations, there is nothing quite so powerful and promising for a marketer than having the opportunity to interact in real time with someone who is genuinely interested in what you have to offer. Social media makes it possible for brands – and their proxies like me – to connect with members of their target audience directly and instantaneously, building strong, mutually beneficial relationships that have the potential to last indefinitely. Of course, to traditionalists, luddites,…
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26Dec 2015 by Bob Cargill

10 B2B Brands That Are Killing It on Social Media

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media
Social media. It’s not just for B2C brands anymore. More than just dipping their toes in the social media waters, many of those in the B2B space are now diving in head first, making a big splash not just on LinkedIn, but on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and pretty much every other related channel. Like everyone else, of course, they’re publishing the requisite stream of news and information. But more and more of them are beginning to resemble their counterparts on the B2C side, going above and beyond to express their opinions, let their hair down and reveal the personalities behind the brands. But don’t take my word for it. See for yourself. Here are 10 examples of B2B brands that are killing it on social media. 1. IBM on Twitter…
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13Sep 2015 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways to Find Common Ground with Your Social Media Audience

Marketing, Social Media
True story. I was having lunch with a colleague of mine a couple years ago or so, and as I began to take pictures of the food on my plate he asked me why I would do such a thing. I explained to him that food was a huge draw on social media, and that the restaurant where we were eating might reply to me if I tweeted about it, as might my followers. I was as convinced then as I am now that it’s a myth that no one on social media cares what you’re eating for lunch. After all, everybody likes food. While there’s an art and a science to success on social media, there’s also a certain psychology of which brands should take note. If you can…
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19Aug 2015 by Bob Cargill

How 10 Beer Brands Rock the Social Media Scene

Marketing, Social Media
As the number of breweries in the United States continues to grow rapidly, so does the number of beer brands that are establishing a presence on social media, especially craft beer brands. Beer. It’s not just for the barroom or the ballgame anymore. It’s not just for radio and TV anymore, either. Beer has never been more ubiquitous. People are coming together for a cold one or two in real life and sharing those same experiences with their audiences on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Vine. Talk about social drinking. But seriously, it’s only natural that beer is making such a huge splash online. Beer is part and parcel of so many happy occasions and celebrations, the good times of our lives that we can’t help but want to share with…
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12Jun 2015 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways to Humanize Your Social Media Brand

Branding, Marketing, Social Media
A critical mass of brands, businesses, marketers and corporate executives may have a presence on social media today, but that doesn’t mean they have a clue what they’re doing on these online communication channels. Sure, some of them may be thriving in the space, attracting a loyal following and carving out a reputation for sharing timely, indispensable content that couldn’t be found anywhere else. However, an overwhelming majority seem to fall into one of two categories of still doing it wrong. Either they don’t know what to say so their collective silence is deafening, or they’re broadcasting the same old promotional messages over and over again so they sound like a cacophony of carnival barkers. Many of them seem at a loss on how to strike a happy medium with…
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23May 2015 by Bob Cargill

12 Social Media Posts That Are Funnier Than Yours

Marketing, Social Media
It may sound like a cliché, but it’s absolutely true. Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter is good for your health because it’s known to lower blood pressure and stimulate the release of endorphins, a powerful set of hormones that can actually get in the way of pain and may even lead to euphoria. Laughter is good for business, too, because if people are smiling, they’re usually less guarded and more agreeable. Of course, marketers who know this go to great lengths to develop campaigns that are infused with a strong dose of humor. In seasoning their ads with reasons to snicker and snort, they’re putting customers and prospects in the mood to buy without employing anything even close to a hard sell. You might say they’re laughing all the…
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19Apr 2015 by Bob Cargill

Social Media: 15 Ways You’re Doing It Wrong

Marketing, Social Media
Facebook was founded in 2004, Twitter in 2006. Even Instagram’s been around for almost five years. So you can’t say this stuff is new anymore. For some strange reason, however, more marketers and brands than not are still struggling to make heads or tails of social media. Whether they’re surprisingly misinformed or just plain lost, they’re wasting their time and missing the boat. They’re failing to take advantage of what may just be the biggest revolution in communications since the printing press. To say that’s unfortunate would be an understatement. After all, done right, social media marketing can be a big game changer. It can be an incredibly effective way to attract the attention of your target audience, engage with them and curry their favor. Far too many go into…
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