Author Archive for Mark Plumb

25
Apr
12

Back Tweet Driver: Eight Twitter Habits to Avoid

By Mark Plumb 2 Comments
Categories: Advertising, Communications, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , ,

As much as we love the unprecedented access to newsmakers and the powerful search engine of Twitter, there is a dark side to the micro blogging service. In some cases, spammers and twitter bots pollute your feed and your @tweets. Sometimes your timeline is overrun with the solo opera (Me, Me, Me, ME), self-promo artists and links that go nowhere. Since we know these are a few of the things we can’t stand about how some people use Twitter, it is important for anyone wanting to use Twitter for its intended purpose to know what types of behavior you need to avoid.

Here is the list of dubious Twitter behaviors:

1. The Snob – When you follow back fewer than 10% of the people that follow you. If you do not choose to follow people back, you are not engaging with your audience. The winning formula is being open, transparent and freely sharing with information.

Interestingly, breaking this rule is the norm for celebrities, but we know there are different social media rules for celebrities. For example, if your name is Lady Gaga with more than 23 million followers, we’ll cut you slack for following back fewer than 2.3 million.

2. Blah, Blah, Blah – You average more than 24 tweets per day (excluding @reply.) These people are pumping out information and not engaging. This tweet volume is the fast track to being ignored or worse…saying so much without saying anything makes you background noise, like a ceiling fan.

3. What He Said – If your tweets either average more than 70% retweets, or more than 50% famous quotes, nobody is going to consider you a thought leader. You become a “hype man” always telling people what someone else said. Mix in an original thought.

4. Snoozefest – If you have fewer than 30% of people follow you back, you are following too many of the first three categories and at the risk of insult…your twitter feed is kinda boring.

5 – 8. Spam-tastic – the following makes you look like you are spamming, even if you don’t think you are:

  • If more than 90% of your content is pushed out from an RSS feed (look like a twitter bot), or
  • More than 50% links to apps (like Foursquare, and paper.li), or
  • More than 25% of the time you post the same link URL (self-promo), or
  • More than 80% of your tweets are links (shameless plugs)

If you are doing one of these, you look like you are spamming, if you do more than one – you are a spammer. Unless spam is your end game, incorporate more appropriate Twitter behavior: ask a question, answer a question, and respond to an issue with your opinion.

I have examples of each one of these categories; I’ll share on request. For example, tweet me to find out who averages more than 125 tweets per day and NEVER replies.

Shout out to @twitcleaner for cataloging the type of behavior and setting thresholds to let us know where innocent Twitter mistakes can make you look terrible. Did we miss anything? Share your thoughts here or on Facebook at Weise Communications and follow us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

Did you see our “Wall Tweet Journal: Four Twitter Tips to Improve Your Presence Today” on the SideNote?  We can’t help ourselves, if we tell you things you shouldn’t do, we have to give equal time to best practices, right?

23
Apr
12

Wall Tweet Journal: Four Tips to Improve Your Twitter Presence Today

By Mark Plumb 2 Comments
Categories: Communications, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , ,

Reporters, news-gathering organizations, celebrities and many businesses have unleashed Twitter as a tool to find, engage and expand their fans and followers.

However, when marketers start tweeting, they can’t understand why they are not making connections and seeing results. I heard a colleague describe Twitter as opening your glove compartment, shouting your info into it and slamming the door shut. Not particularly satisfying.

Resisting the urge to say “You’re not doing it right,” I promised to deliver four tips to improve your Twitter presence that can be implemented today.

1. Make your Twitter bio meaningful and searchable – You have 160 characters of searchable content, use the keywords you wish to be associated with you and/or your company.

Below are two profiles, one has 17 followers and the other has more than 146,000 followers, can you tell which profile has the bigger following?

I have a deep relationship with sleep and I’m about whatever, man!

Social Media Thought Leader, Consultant, Speaker | Author The New Relationship Marketing | Coauthor Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day | Scottish-Canadian

I’ll spare the first bio the embarrassment. The second bio belongs to @MariSmith. Mari recently co-hosted a content-rich webinar with @GuyKawasaki. The webinar is titled “7 Hottest Social Media Business Trends Impacting Your Profits Today.” Since I’m using Mari as an unauthorized example, check out her webinar for other social media trends to leverage today.

2. Use Twitter Lists to gain credibility about a subject – A Twitter list is a selected group of Twitter users. All Tweeps have the ability to create and be a caretaker of a Twitter list. When you click to view a Twitter list, you’ll see a stream of Tweets from only the users included in that list. As you build lists of Twitter users with content that you believe is valuable on your subject expertise, you become a resource for others as your lists are shared.

Here is a hidden SEO tip: Link your Twitter feed to your website (RSS feed) and include your Twitter handle (@username) in the naming convention of your list. When your Twitter list is shared with others, your list will link back to your website through your Twitter handle.  It takes patience and a strong Twitter list curator mentality, but as your credibility increases, it will also impact your SEO.

3. Maintain laser-like focus on your subjects – Friends and colleagues know that I am a proud graduate of the University of Oklahoma and a huge fan of Oklahoma football (Boomer Sooner!) However, my twitter feed positions me professionally as focused on marketing, social media and SEO. It is not the venue to discuss the latest recruit, coaching decision or blowout victory. We recommend multiple twitter accounts, one focused on your professional brand and another that feeds your personal passions.

4. Twitter is a conversation, engage your audience – Nobody really cares what you had for lunch. Instead keep these four words in mind: ask, answer, retweet and respond. The key to engaging is asking and answering questions, retweeting interesting items on topic and responding to subject related inquiries.

If you are looking for an easy way to get involved, Twitter comes to the rescue, through @twchat. There is a collection of nearly 600 chats you can participate, check out this schedule of chats. Your bound to find at least one that you can engage and grow your audience.

To summarize your Twitter action items: optimize your bio, curate Twitter lists, use multiple Twitter accounts and participate in a Twitter chat. You can get these done today.

Let us know how much impact you see after implementing these tips. Share your thoughts here or on Facebook at Weise Communications and follow us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

Be on the lookout this Wednesday for “Back Tweet Driver: Twitter Habits to Avoid” on the SideNote.

18
Apr
12

How franchisors capitalize on social media – help your baby prosper

By Mark Plumb 1 Comment
Categories: Advertising, customer service, Facebook, Franchise, Franchising, Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Its free, its accessible, and it reaches billions of people.  Social media is providing three key factors that should be putting dollar signs in the eyes of franchisors.

Being active in your marketing efforts while maintaining control over how your brand is portrayed is a key for franchise success. Creating awareness, engaging customers, building customer loyalty, and boosting sales are all goals for franchisors, and social media doesn’t just accomplish these things; it does it with a smile.

Smashburger, a fast-casual, gourmet burger franchise is a prime example of how a small business can catapult into the big leagues via social media. Birthing from three Denver locations, this restaurant became a smash hit with its expansion to 150 locations nationwide. With more than 77,000 followers on Facebook, reaching out to bloggers and their tweeting prowess, they have solidified the social media tools for expanding a franchise.

Just how did they do it?  Here are a few suggestions they have for your franchise success:

  • Get on the same page as your customers

People like to talk about themselves and what they want and like.  Give your customers the chance to feel like they are a part of how your product or service is expanding. Use queries relating to feedback on a new product or answer their questions and complaints. If your franchisee is going to prosper, they have to listen to the desires of their target market. Take these examples from Smashburger’s Facebook and Twitter:

 

  • Make your interaction enticing

Posting information about a new product or service can be effective, but allowing the customer to be a part of the decision is even better.  Trivia contests, voting pools and giveaways allow the customer to feel like their opinions are creating your brand.  Interactive coupons also keep customers engaged and coming back to your page to check out what is being offered today; keeping your business in the forefront of their mind.  Smashburger called out for votes and shared a link where they could vote to help their burger make it to the final round of the Dallas Morning News Burger Madness bracket:

 

  • Keep it interesting

Consistency in updating your social media profile will keep people interested.  That said, humor and playfulness should not be overlooked. Simply creating a chuckle from your customer will improve their retention of the message you are conveying.  Check out how Smashburger used humor to reach their customers:

 

Moral of the story, if you aren’t using social media you aren’t gaining the best exposure for your businesses. It is an opportunity to engage customers and that engagement can lead to loyal customers. Be sure to allocate enough resources to effectively manage your social media presence. Your franchisee will thank you. And even more importantly, they won’t go rogue.

A big thank you to Bre Wolta for her research and help uncovering Smashburger’s social media success.

03
Apr
12

QR Codes – Unfulfilled Potential: The Next Big Thing or Robot Barf

By Mark Plumb 2 Comments
Categories: Advertising, Business Strategies, Communications, Marketing, Marketing Trends, Mobile advertising, mobile marketing, QR Code and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , ,

The possibilities seemed limitless. QR codes allow consumers with mobile devices to access great content, in-depth information and a higher level of engagement. Yet, companies consistently botch the execution of QR codes.

Back in August of 2010, The Side Note wrote about QR codes for the first time. The inspiration for that article was a Calvin Klein billboard in New York City linked to a video that could not be aired on broadcast television in the U.S. At that time, we saw QR codes as a cutting-edge way for businesses to reach consumers. Little did we know, the Calvin Klein billboard would be one of the better executions of a QR code. It teased to create interest, it clearly identified the sponsor and it delivered content that could not be accessed in another way.

Frankly, the blame for QR code failure lies with marketers. QR codes are simple to use, however the delivery of content requires more finesse and significantly better execution by marketing experts. Since consumers don’t know what the QR code does before they scan it, companies need to reward them for stepping into the unknown.

These errors are frustrating because the majority of these mistakes are the marketing version of basic blocking and tackling errors in football. We’ve categorized errors into three types: stupid, lazy and ignorant.

  • The stupid… the content linked to the QR code is not optimized for a mobile device – this is forehead smacking stupidity.
  • The lazy… businesses use a QR code to direct consumers to their business website – too boring, you have to include more engaging, exclusive and interesting content; Bonus error: if the website is not mobile optimized – that error is both stupid and lazy.
  • The ignorant… simply putting a QR code on an ad with the assumption that consumers know what to do – a friend recently said to me, “These things look like a robot barfed, what do I do with it?”

A little more about the ignorant errors, you would assume that college students would be on the forefront of innovation. Research company Archrival surveyed 500 students at 24 colleges and universities. In the study, Archrival found that although 80 percent of the students owned a smartphone and had seen a QR code, only 21 percent were able to successfully scan the QR code used in the study. A legitimate argument can be made that preloaded software on smartphones with an easier way to scan the codes will increase understanding and if people understand it, they will use it.

However, I believe that the payoff needs to be better. The content someone receives when scanning a QR code needs to deliver undeniable value. For example, give me a discount on something I want. Make something available to me because I scanned the code that others cannot get. Show me something amazing that I can’t see everywhere else. Too often the result of scanning a QR code (assuming I’m successful) is a massive letdown.

Today, I mostly see QR codes sending me to a standard company website. The same website I can get with a simple Google search. This key insight is most succinctly stated in this article from Sean X Cummings, “People will not adopt a technical solution that serves to replace a manual task, if that solution is less efficient than the manual task it replaces.”

Overall, the message to fellow marketing professionals is…step your game up!

29
Feb
12

Top 5 Things Learned At IFA Conference 2012

By Mark Plumb Leave a Comment
Categories: Advertising, Franchise, Franchising, IFA, Marketing, Millenials, Social Media and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Weise Communications team is back from the International Franchise Association (IFA) conference in Orlando. The conference was full of highlights, including newest Hall of Fame inductee Jim Amos  and his moving prayer breakfast speech; Bonny LeVine award-winner, SuperWash COO, Susan Black-Beth; the two keynote speeches – one was from host of the O’Reilly Factor, Bill O’Reilly and the other was New York Times best seller, Guy Kawasaki. There was even an appearance by Shaquille O’Neal, performing a random act of Shaqness on behalf of the Original Soupman. The four-day conference didn’t disappoint. After sessions, roundtables and a host of meetings, here are the top five things Tracy and I learned at the conference.

1. In 2011, there was a lot of discussion about access to financing as the biggest hurdle to overcome for franchise systems to grow. In 2012, financing wasn’t nearly as significant of a topic. There appears to be much more optimism that economy is turning and that the rumored lowering of the corporate tax rate from 35% – 28% will keep the U.S. competitive in the global economy.

2. Millennials, those born between 1980 – 2000, currently make up 25 percent of US population and account for $200 billion in direct spending. This generation is going to be very important for marketers; here are four considerations when marketing to millennials:

  • They consider themselves health fanatics and live a lifestyle to back it up.
  • They actively support causes and prefer to spend with companies that support causes as well.
  • They are early adopters of technology and avid social media participants – more connections and greater frequency.
  • They create and consume more “word of mouth, mouse and thumb.”

3. Social media in a vacuum is not going to sell you a franchise. Any franchisor that doesn’t believe in the value of social media most likely has the wrong mindset. Social media is not a vehicle to pitch products and services; it is one of the tactics a franchisor should use to develop a relationship with a prospect. According to Jeff Hayzlett, your social media goal should be to engage, educate, excite and evangelize.  Thanks Jeff, your session was awesome!

4. There was a lot of interest in franchise sales lead generation. Despite franchisors overwhelming their business development system with poor quality leads, they kept asking the question: “How do I get more leads?” Weise Communications believes that franchisors should be more interested in the quality of lead they generate rather than the volume of leads. There are plenty of methods to generate volumes of poor leads. If the franchisors were more interested in conversion percentage, they wouldn’t stand for the tactics that waste time. Instead, they would ask, “How do I close the sale?”

5. Veterans are going to be a target and a trend for franchise sales and franchisors should strongly consider participating in Operation Enduring Freedom through the VetFran Program.  For the uninitiated, VetFran is a voluntary effort of IFA members that offers financial incentives to encourage franchise ownership to honorably discharged veterans.

We have a sixth thing we learned, you must be very careful at the passenger drop-off at the Orlando Airport. Cars, taxis and shuttle vans are constantly moving in and out of very tight spaces. It is possible for a person removing luggage out of the trunk of a car to get their legs crushed between their car and a run-away shuttle van. The results of Tracy’s MRI will be in later this week.

Let us know if you think we missed something. Share your thoughts about IFA with us on Facebook at Weise Communications and follow @Weise_Ideas on Twitter.

See you in Las Vegas in 2013.

17
Feb
12

If You Are Not Mobile, You’re Just Standing Still: Why Mobile SEO Matters

By Mark Plumb 2 Comments
Categories: Advertising, Google, Marketing, Mobile advertising, mobile marketing, SEO and Social Media
Tags: , ,

It was a double jaw-dropping statistic from former Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Annual Leadership Meeting. Schmidt said that YouTube has reached 200 million playbacks of video content, on mobile devices…(first jaw drop), every day (second jaw drop).

With the explosive growth of iPad and the continued adoption of smartphones, it is clear to Weise Communications that mobile is rapidly becoming the primary device used to access the internet. For marketers, it will be crucial to influence organizations to incorporate SEO practices in mobile sites.

Technological advancements in location-based search and integrated social search results will impact how people use mobile search and how browsers deliver results. In order to increase traffic to mobile pages, it is essential for companies to leverage mobile SEO practices in order to increase traffic and provide a better user experience.

I recently attended a mobile marketing roundtable co-hosted by Alex Valderrama and Greg Olson of Growl, a Denver-area mobile marketing agency. They presented three mobile SEO tips that are necessary to consider:

1)     Create a mobile specific landing page that detects the device the person searching is using and make sure you integrate mobile into traditional website strategy. People using the mobile gateway will not replace the traditional desktop search; instead, it helps reach new customers and sets you apart from the competition.

2)     There is no rule that you must have a robust mobile site, instead, start small. First, launch the mobile site as a web app rather than native app. Then, measure results and grow the mobile site. Most importantly, have a share button on every mobile thing that you do.

3)     Whether or not you are targeting mobile users, people are looking at your site on a mobile device. The quickest solution is to create a landing page with basic information that a mobile users wants: hours of operation, location and directions, etc.

At the same IAB meeting, Mr. Schmidt also shared that 78 percent of smartphone owners use their phones while they shop. “This is the future and everyone will adapt,” Schmidt said. “Because people are fundamentally better off with a better, smarter and more empowered customer.”

I’ve even downloaded the Red Laser app. I use this app shopping all the time, I scan the barcode of an item and this app provides results of nearby places also selling the same item and the price they charge. Red Laser has already saved me money.

Let us know if you’ve joined the mobile revolution, are you using your smartphone or iPad to access the internet more than your desktop? Has your company adopted a mobile SEO strategy? Share your thoughts here, on our Facebook page at Weise Communications, or message us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

04
Jan
12

Google creates a keyword black hole negatively impacting SEO

By Mark Plumb 1 Comment
Categories: Advertising, Business Strategies, Communications, Google, Marketing, Search engine and SEO
Tags: , , , , , ,

On October 18, 2011, Google announced it would block keywords from natural search results for users signed into Google products such as Google+ or Gmail. Google said the motivation behind the decision was to protect the privacy of personalized search results. This motive is bogus for two reasons:

  1. Google has NEVER provided a keyword search result tied to a specific individual.
  2. They are still providing the keyword search results for someone signed into a Google product if it is PAID search traffic.

Now, our Google Analytics for the Weise Communications website, weiseideas.com and for clients’ websites returns, “Not Provided” as the highest or second highest keyword result.

As someone who creates Internet content, I believe hiding keyword search referral data from unpaid search results impairs my ability to deliver high quality content to my audience and my clients’ target markets.

By creating a black hole of keyword results, I also predict that some websites will turn to black hat tactics to compensate for the loss of data.

However, we send major props to Avinash Kaushik for his post about five steps to Smarter Data Analysis of Google’s https (not provided) change. I have not seen anything close to adapting to Google’s decision and improvising a solution.

What Avinash proposes is not easy to do. Quite frankly, I don’t know any clients that would be willing to pay for this analysis today to improve SEO. However, “not provided” is only at 10 – 18 percent, Google wants that to be as close to 100 percent as possible. I reserve the right to revisit that statement as more and more keyword results are hidden from companies and they feel the pain of not knowing what people are searching to reach their website.

Unless they pay for the privilege.

Let us know if you’ve seen “not provided” search results impact on your SEO. Share your thoughts here, on our Facebook page at Weise Communications, or message us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

 

19
Dec
11

SEO Tip: Improve Your Ranking with Google Places

By Mark Plumb 5 Comments
Categories: Advertising, Business Strategies, Communications, Google, Marketing, Search engine, SEO, Social Media and Uncategorized
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Last week, I had the privilege to be interviewed by Angel Tuccy and Eric Reamer of the Experience Pros Radio Show on KLZ in Denver to discuss search engine optimization – SEO (Click on pic of Angel and Eric for the podcast) Unfortunately, we ran out of time before I could provide a hot SEO business tip that any business with a physical location can implement today.

Google Places is a free service provided by Google that combines a physical address with the robust Google Maps application. Google Places allows an individual to review and evaluate business listings. For marketing professionals,of of the best reasons to understand Google Places is that Google has a clear preference for businesses listed in Google Places when providing search results.

Here is an example, I entered the search term “copying” and the first page of Google has two paid ads, a wiki entry about the subject copying, two company websites FedEx Office and Staples, then the Google Places results. Interestingly, the top three selections in the Google Places listings all have customer reviews.

Now that you see Google Places is important to Google ranking, there are some to do’s that are important:

  • Since Google Places uses an algorithm to list the most relevant results, you should include the most important keywords for your business in the 200-character description of the listing.
  • Listings are allowed to include up to five photos. Use appropriate keyword titles for the pictures that will also help with SEO. It is important to control the photos attached to your Google Places listing because with the fleet of street view camera cars, Google reserves the right to use their sources to add photos to your listing.
  • Encourage customers to leave reviews on the Google Places page. You can set up a program to give a customer a discount on a return visit for a positive review. One note of caution: Do not submit multiple reviews from the same IP address. The people at Google are smart, if you cram a bunch of reviews from the same IP address, Google will identify and consider this type of behavior a violation.
  • Be sure to add your Google Places site to your analytics. In addition to traffic, the analytics dashboard will show you the search terms used to find your Google Places listing. This will provide valuable information as you can focus your content creation on relevant search terms.

Let us know if you’ve used Google Places and seen impact on your SEO. Share your thoughts here or on Facebook at Weise Communications and follow us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

08
Dec
11

Facebook buys Gowalla, Can we Declare Foursquare the Winner?

By Mark Plumb Leave a Comment
Categories: Advertising, Business Strategies, Facebook, Gowalla, Marketing, Social Media and Uncategorized
Tags: , ,

Facebook purchased the location-based social media service (LBS) Gowalla. This is the latest acquisition by Facebook pre 2012 IPO. Interestingly enough, when Facebook acquires a company, it acquires the leadership, developers and talent instead of keeping just the product.

From the Gowalla Co-Founder Josh Williams, “Gowalla, as a service, will be winding down at the end of January. We plan to provide an easy way to export your Passport data, your Stamp and Pin data (along with your legacy Item data), and your photos as well.”

As with many of the strategic moves from Facebook, there are privacy concerns. In this case, Facebook now owns all the pictures, check-ins and connections entered by users of Gowalla. Early rumors have the Gowalla team working on the new Facebook profile, Timeline. Gowalla’s team and data would add a robust component to the Timeline, but will Facebook risk the inevitable complaints of privacy exploitation?

So, in the world of location-based social media, Foursquare is left standing. In 2009, Gowalla and Foursquare launched in the same week as rival location service apps. Both apps provided a method for people to announce their whereabouts by using their smartphones to “check-in” at real-world locations, such as Starbucks. In 2010, Facebook launched Places as an alternative LBS. Places has received luke-warm acceptance, it is not a huge leap to assume the acquired leadership from Gowalla will be able to improve the user experience of Facebook Places.

In the meantime, Foursquare has a window of opportunity prior to Gowalla/Places integration to capitalize on reduced competition and own the LBS marketplace.  Foursquare should take our advice and use these ways to improve the service.

Let us know if you think Foursquare will seize the day or if Facebook Places with the infusion of Gowalla talent will overwhelm the LBS market. Share your thoughts here or on Facebook at Weise Communications and follow us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

 

07
Dec
11

Facebook Revolutionizes Profiles with Timeline

By Mark Plumb Leave a Comment
Categories: Advertising, Facebook, Flipboard, Marketing, Social Media and Uncategorized
Tags: , ,

One of the often-overlooked parts of Facebook has been the profile, with a combination of privacy concerns as well as Facebook automatic like and app postings apps to the profile.  However, prior to the 2012 IPO Facebook keeps rolling out improvements as well as value added applications to the service. The latest in beta testing is called Timeline. Timing of full release is unknown to due a legal dispute with timelines.com.

This redefining of the personal profile is a significant change. Facebook knows a lot about us. It knows about the crazy party, the time we went on vacation and when we met specific friends. This is the primary source of Facebook power; it is the online service with the most personal data about our lives. Timeline is the vehicle where a user can harness that power.

In another Facebook surprise, Timeline allows users to control what is displayed. (Three cheers for user control over Facebook content!)

  • Certain stories can be promoted, they will grab more real estate on the profile. You are not tied to chronological order.
  • Stories and posts can easily be deleted from the Timeline.
  • If anything is missing, it is easy to add ‘life events’ to the Timeline. The more info you put into the Timeline, the more robust it becomes.
  • It is easy to selectively edit the postings that will shape the view of people going forward.

In the past, I’ve written about my favorite iPad app, Flipboard. It appears that the Facebook team has taken the best of Flipboard to create Timeline. Instead of a random scrapbook, Timeline presents our online life as a high-end photo album.

Tell us what you think of Facebook grouping information to tell the story of our lives. Is Timeline a new, exciting way to detail history or is it a creepy way to reveal everything you’ve done in a potentially unnerving way? One thing for sure, anytime Facebook makes a change there will be a cry over privacy concerns.

Share your thoughts here or on Facebook at Weise Communications and follow us on Twitter at @Weise_Ideas.

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