Social Media Archives - Page 19 of 29

14Sep 2013 by Bob Cargill

Crowdsourcing Photos to Engage the Audience at a Live Event

I was very happy to have the opportunity to attend the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series recently with my wife, Barbara. After all, what could be more exciting than watching some of the world’s best divers jump off the roof of the Institute of Contemporary Art building some 92 feet or so into Boston Harbor? But besides the enjoyment of watching these guys somersault, tumble, flip, pirouette, spin and fly through the air to the water below, I was particularly impressed with the coverage at the scene of the event. First of all, the announcer had a ton of energy, which went a long way toward keeping the crowd of spectators into every moment of this extreme sports spectacle. He may have been loud and a little over the top, but his enthusiasm…

01Sep 2013 by Bob Cargill

What Brand Apps Can Learn from RunKeeper

Apps, Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

At a recent networking event, I was talking to someone I hadn’t seen in a while about how great it is to keep up with each other through Facebook. I enjoyed the conversation, except for a remark he made about the fact that I share so much about my running regimen via RunKeeper, a very cool app that not only makes it easy to track your runs and other fitness activities, but distribute the details to your friends. “What’s with you and RunKeeper? Do I really care how many miles you’ve run?” Those weren’t his exact words. But that’s what I heard. The impression he gave me was that he could care less about something that means so much to me. Ouch. The truth is, though, everybody else in my social…

03Aug 2013 by Bob Cargill

What You Can Learn from Klout

Business, Marketing, Social Media

Most people who use social media for professional reasons have heard of Klout, a service that uses a unique set of analytics to rank its users in terms of their online “influence.” To have heard of it doesn’t mean to like it, though. Klout has plenty of detractors, those who either question the algorithm it uses for measurement or who simply disapprove of a third party taking the liberty of ascribing a number to their social media status. So yes, Klout has its critics. But don’t count me among them. I’m one of its fans. A Klout score may not be the be-all and end-all of what it means to succeed in social media, but if you ask me, it’s a great gauge on how you’re doing there. Launched in 2008,…

14Jul 2013 by Bob Cargill

10 Reasons Why People Engage with Brands on Twitter

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

Today, many marketers, brands and celebrities are using Twitter to engage with their customers, prospects and fans. Yet while some of them have already experienced tremendous success in this arena, others still haven’t found the sweet spot that lies between self-promotion and making real-time, meaningful connections with their followers in this channel. The fact is that there countless reasons why people follow — and engage with — accounts other than their friends’ and colleagues’ on Twitter. In this survey of more than 1,000 consumers in Australia, more than half were interested in discounts or offers and exactly one third were looking for specific product and service information directly from the brand. Those are two good reasons for brands to have an active presence on Twitter. After all, followers are sometimes customers, prospects…

16Jun 2013 by Bob Cargill

Why Businesses and Brands Should Try Vine

Advertising, Marketing, Social Media

Now that Twitter has released an Android version of Vine, there’s really no reason why anyone involved in marketing, advertising and social media shouldn’t at least experiment with this cool, new video-sharing app. Having debuted on January 24 of this year as an iOS-only app, Vine’s user base is growing at an incredibly rapid clip, so fast that the mobile service is poised to become mainstream among those who can appreciate the value of telling short, visually arresting stories online. If you’re not familiar with Vine, it’s really quite simple. Once downloaded, it allows you to record six-second, continuous-loop video clips from your mobile device which can be shared on Twitter and Facebook. You may wonder how much value you can provide to your audience in such a short period of…

02Jun 2013 by Bob Cargill

Workshop: How to Use Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter

Given how common it is today for businesses and brands to use social media, more people than ever not only want, but need to know the ins and outs of Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and the like. It’s true. No longer is it optional to have knowledge and skills in this area. It’s mandatory. As someone who’s been immersed in social media from the get-go, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see these new digital communication channels and tools being used so much by both individuals and professional organizations today. After all, we’re talking about a revolutionary, new way of interacting with others online, a method of messaging and marketing that is nothing short of transformational. The benefits of using social media are innumerable, including the following… •…

18May 2013 by Bob Cargill

Presentation: How To Create Lists on Twitter

Marketing, New England Direct Marketing Association, Social Media, Twitter

I was so happy to have the opportunity to speak about social media at the New England Direct Marketing Association conference last week. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I enjoy being in front of an audience. It’s always a big thrill for me and an extremely rewarding experience. This gig was no different. As the moderator of a panel discussion – featuring Craig Blake (Director of Business Development at SourceLink), Myles Bristowe (Chief Marketing Officer at CommCreative) and Carla Gates (Digital Strategist at 3to5 Marketing) – I was responsible for introducing my fellow speakers and making sure our session stayed on topic and time. And if you ask me, Craig, Myles and Carla simply rocked the house. But I wasn't just the moderator. I was also the…

06May 2013 by Bob Cargill

My Upcoming Panel Discussion on Social Media at the NEDMA Conference

Blogging, Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

I can’t tell you how excited I am to be speaking at the New England Direct Marketing Association conference next week (May 15 at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts). After all, I get a kick out of being in front of an audience, sharing what I know about a particular topic or issue with people who are genuinely interested in what I have to say. It’s a big thrill for me, an extremely rewarding experience that I always enjoy. [caption id="attachment_4690" align="alignright" width="145"] Craig Blake[/caption] This time around, I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on social media. In addition to the short presentation I’ll be giving on how and why to create lists on Twitter, those in the audience will hear from Craig Blake (Director of Business Development at SourceLink), Myles Bristowe…

07Apr 2013 by Bob Cargill

Four Questions for Ashley Hin about Social Media

Business, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Sudbury, Twitter

[caption id="attachment_4626" align="alignright" width="300"] Ashley Hin[/caption] As co-founder and co-host of the Sudbury Social Tweetup, a networking group for those interested in learning more about social media and marketing, I've had the opportunity to meet some very smart people, many of whom have become mentors, sounding boards and really good friends. Ashley Hin is one of them. Blessed with an incredibly upbeat personality, Ashley is someone I've looked up to her for her creative thinking, open mindedness, high energy and free spirit since the first time I met her. She's quite the trooper, too, as she travels all the way from Manchester, New Hampshire to join our group in Sudbury to talk shop and have fun. Thanks, Ashley, for being such a valuable contributor to the Sudbury Social Tweetup and…