24Nov 2018 by Bob Cargill
Rock Your Audience

Rock Your Audience

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media
I recently saw a ridiculously awesome movie, Bohemian Rhapsody. You know the story. It's about the legendary rock band, Queen, and their late, great lead singer, Freddie Mercury. There's a scene in this movie in which the band is developing the idea for their song, "We Will Rock You." You know the song. They wanted to engage their audience. They wanted their fans to be part of that song. Watching that scene and listening to that song gave me a thought. As it was for Queen in playing that song, it is for all brand and businesses. You want to engage your audience. You want to involve them in whatever it is you do in some way, shape or form. You want to rock your audience.
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25Oct 2018 by Bob Cargill
Transparency Beats Privacy on Social Media

Transparency Beats Privacy on Social Media

Social Media
You can't have social media without being social. And...you can't really be social without being transparent. That’s why transparency beats privacy on social media...every time. Being private means to be holding something back, to be hiding something from public view…and ideally, social media is transparent, fully transparent. That's what I believe, anyway, and that was the premise...kinda sorta...of the 2017 movie, The Circle. The Circle was based on a novel written by Dave Eggers in 2013. The movie is about a tech company called The Circle which places small cameras everywhere to provide real-time video of practically everything. It's a little creepy, sure, and certainly scary for some. But it is my opinion that the premise of the movie, the pros and cons of being fully transparent, is something that…
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21Sep 2018 by Bob Cargill
Satellite Stages on Social Media

Satellite Stages on Social Media

Branding, Marketing, Social Media
I heard Bono on Sirius XM Satellite Radio recently say something about satellite stages. His band, U2, uses these types of stages, often set up in the middle of the audience, to get up-close and personal with their fans. That’s how it is for brands, businesses and anyone who uses social media for professional reasons, too. Your website is your main stage, your presence on social media your satellite stages. Use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like to give your own audience the opportunity to see and hear more from you as a human being, not just a corporate logo. Put yourself out there. Connect with your followers. Engage with your fans. Use social media like a series of satellite stages on which you display a more believable and…
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21Aug 2018 by Bob Cargill

200 Boston-Area Agencies on Twitter

Advertising, Boston, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter
Who knows how many marketing, advertising, social media and PR agencies are located in and around Boston? I doubt anybody knows exactly how many there are around here, but I have found 200 of them on Twitter for you to follow. Large, small, old and new, together these agencies represent the best and brightest our industry has to offer. Seriously! Under their roofs right here in Beantown, you could arguably find enough talent, prowess, knowledge and expertise to launch the most sophisticated and successful campaigns in the world. While what they can they do in 280 characters or less on Twitter, of course, isn’t quite the same as what they can do on a blank canvas and an unlimited budget for their clients, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth following…
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09Aug 2018 by Bob Cargill

The Importance of Being Liked on Social Media

Branding, Marketing, Social Media
It’s one thing to be popular in real life, but what about on social media? You want people to like you there, too. Whether you’re on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube, you want your friends, fans and followers to like everything you share as a business and brand. The more content you share, the better, but make sure it’s relevant, timely and high-quality content, not mediocre, run-of-the-mill stuff. Social media is not a one-way street, either. It’s important to engage with others online. The more you like their content, the more likely they’ll be to pay attention to yours. You want people to like you not just in real life, but on social media, too.
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15Jul 2018 by Bob Cargill

Create Content Constantly

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media
I was listening to a podcast the other day. Bill Simmons was interviewing Judd Apatow. They were talking about how difficult it is for comedians to come up with new routines day in and day out. It got me thinking. That’s how it is for those of us in the fields of marketing, advertising, PR and social media. We need to come up with new content on a constant basis if we expect to be seen and heard by our customers, connections and constituents. We need to inform, educate, persuade, convince, entertain, even demonstrate that we have a sense of humor if we want to succeed in this revolutionary, new business era. Watch...
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30Jun 2018 by Bob Cargill
Podcast: The Importance of Authenticity on Social Media in the Fake News Era

Podcast: The Importance of Authenticity on Social Media in the Fake News Era

Advertising, Branding, Business, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media
Fake news is all around us. Turn on the TV. Listen to the radio. Read the newspaper. Liars, cheaters and stealers abound. Who knows who and what to believe anymore? That’s why it’s more important than ever for businesses and brands to have candid conversations with their connections and constituents. Honesty has always been the best policy, but today the truth will set you far apart from the competition and the clutter. Today, the more transparent, authentic and immediate you are, the more successful you will be in business. Use social media to engage with your audience as human beings, not logos and corporate colors. Use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and the like to establish long-lasting, mutually-beneficial relationships with your customers and prospects. Keeping it real as never been more…
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