Archive for the ‘Twitter’

Twitter Tuesdays: Great Follow Friday Advice

Posted in "Net"working, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on April 6th 2010
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The past couple of Follow Fridays I’ve noticed a trend: some Tweeters were getting more personal with their #FF shout outs.

I don’t mean “personal” as in they were getting mean and nasty or anything. Maybe “specialized” would be a better word choice. Instead of just lumping a bunch of names together, they had only a couple and said something specific about each.

I’m going to use my friends Nathan and Chad as examples.

@ASTATEOFMIND

Nathan maintains the blog A State of Mind and is a great Tweeter. He really gets how Twitter works.

He’s also been one of Haunt Jaunts biggest allies on Twitter pretty much from the day he first started following. (In fact, he was so good I bestowed an HJ Best of 2009 award on him.)

Here was the #FF shout out he sent last week.

AStateOfMind #ff @HauntJaunts for writing great paranormal & ghost tours blog @sethanikeem I have no idea why but she attract people :)

He’d done something similar the week before too. I thought it, “Wow. That was nice of him to specifically point me out like that two weeks in a row. Why am I so deserving?”

But he wasn’t the only one…

@CHATEAUGRRR

Chad, aka the Crypt Kicker, runs a website called Chateau Grrr. I met him after Nathan, but from the moment we met it was also a Twitter alliance at first site.

Chad also understands the power of Twitter and social networking. He definitely rivals, if not full on surpasses, Nathan for being my biggest RT proponent.

Here was the #FF shout out he bestowed on me last Friday:

chateaugrrr #FF love: @HauntJaunts for great supernatural get-aways! @MoonSpectre for a deeper blog; @WildClawTheatre for $5 Easter Legion tix!!

Again, I was totally flattered. He’d already clinched a spot on my Top Tweeters list. That only served to make it more solid.

THE TWITIP ARTICLE

I’m always behind on reading my RSS feeds. When I finally had a chance to catch up on my TwiTips feed this past weekend, this article jumped out at me: The #1 Secret to Follow Friday Success.

Guess what it suggested doing? Exactly what Nathan and Chad were.

“By taking an extra five minutes to break apart your #ff tweets and doing individual #ff tweets instead, you’re showing your followers that you value something specific about what they’re doing. It’s another level of respect you’re paying forward to the folks you value in your Twitter stream.” ~~ Dayne Shuda (@dayneshuda), “The #1 Secret to Follow Friday Success.”~~

Nathan and Chad have now raised the benchmark. I want to make sure they don’t get lost in my #FF shuffle anymore, and I want to do the same for a couple other Tweeters I prize.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY

A new, but proving to be another powerful Twitter ally, is Mommy D. (Her real name is Dinell, but Mommy D’s how I’ve come to know and think of her.)

Her para-blog is the Weekly Spectre. @MommyDsKitchen did a “just because she felt like it” #follow shout out Saturday. Between her, Chad and Nathan, the seed was planted.

This morning on Twitter I noticed one of the Trending Topics was “It’s Followback Time.” I took advantage of it to give some personalized #follow mentions to those who had taken the time to do the same for me.

Because did it play to my ego when they did it to me? You bet.

Have those Tweeters made themselves stand out in my mind? You better believe it.

Do I have a special fondness for them and will I go out of my way to RT their Tweets and such? Without a doubt.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

Start participating in Follow Friday if you’re not already.

Keep the “pack” #FFs but give them a little extra attention by grouping similar Tweeters into like categories. (For instance, list your Fave Foodie Tweeps. Create a “#FF luv to my fave foodie Tweeps” list that you can copy and paste each week.)

Take a few moments to create a list of Tweeters you like most and who help you out most. Bestow custom #follow or #FF mentions on those Tweeters who make your list.

(This week I’m taking my own “Put it in practice” advice and making lists galore. Next Follow Friday I’ll be posting grouped and specialized #FFs. And since I should only have to copy & paste, it might even make it all go quicker! Which is another bonus: helping to make #FFs more manageable when you have a lot of followers you want to give #FF luv to!)

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Twitter Tuesdays: A Question of Followers

Posted in Twitter on March 23rd 2010
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1. DOES IT MATTER HOW MANY FOLLOWERS I HAVE?

If you use Twitter, you might have surmised that followers, both from the standpoint of being one and having them, matter.

Having followers matters because it’s all about perception. The more followers you have, the more important/relevant/Tweet-worthy you must be. Because, face it. When it comes right down to it, Twitter is an online popularity contest –with a twist.

The twist is: You want as many followers as possible, but you don’t just want anyone following you.

You want people who have the same interests, passions, and outlooks following you. If you have a product or offer a service, you want your customer base following you.

You want that because they’ll be interested in your Tweets, they’ll be the ones who will RT them, and they’ll be your biggest allies for recruiting new (legit) followers.

2. SHOULD I FOLLOW EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS ME?

No.

For one thing, some Tweeters aren’t legit. Some are little better than spam of phishing services.

Some Tweeters use services to automatically follow others. Not that that’s bad. They’re just trying to save time and get more followers fast. But check them out first and make sure they’re not just trying to up their numbers to Tweet about whatever they might be pushing. (Because the majority of those who use auto follower services do seem to be pushing something.)

3. DOES IT MATTER HOW MANY PEOPLE I FOLLOW?

To an extent, it does matter how many people you follow. Again, it’s a perception thing.

If your followers/following numbers are about equal, it shows you’re not a Twitter snob and aren’t in it just to Tweet about yourself or push something (be it a product, view, or service).

However, following way more than are following you can work to your detriment. It can be a red flag that perhaps you’re not worth following because all you do is Tweet nonsense, only your own links, or you Tweet nothing at all. (And it is important to Tweet! Twitter is a dynamic environment that relies on audience participation to make it work.)

4. HOW DO I FIND PEOPLE TO FOLLOW AND GET MORE FOLLOWERS?

  • Make sure people know you’re on Twitter. Have a Twitter icon on your website or blog. Put a Twitter link in your email signature. People can’t follow you if they don’t know you’re there!
  • Start Tweeting. Share thoughts about something in the news, in your life, going on at your blog or company. Remember, Twitter is a dynamic environment. If you’re not using it, you’re not giving people a reason to follow you.
  • A good way to find people you’d be interested in following is by using Twitter’s Search. Look for people talking about topics of interest to you and then follow them. They’ll likely follow back. (Also, watch the Trending Topics. When it’s trending on something that interests you check it out. You can find a lot of people to follow that way as well.)
  • Pay attention to what the Tweeters you follow are saying. Engage them in conversation. (ie. On my Haunt Jaunts Twitter account, I often get people saying, “Hey, @HauntJaunts, have you been to…” I’ve ended up following a lot of people that way. I’ve also gotten new followers when people who follow whoever I’m conversing with see the string.)
  • Re-Tweet (RT).
  • Use hashtags (#). It helps people find you.
  • Participate in Follow Fridays.
  • If you’re desperate for followers and want them fast, you can always use a service and pay for targeted Twitter followers. (I actually don’t recommend this one. I firmly believe i they’re meant to follow you, they will eventually find you. Services just make it happen faster –and for a price.)

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Can Using Social Media Get You a Job?

Posted in "Net"working, Examples, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on March 18th 2010
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Can Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn replace a resume? Perhaps not totally, but they can definitely supplement them.

Maybe you’re more used to being warned against using social media or combining it with your personal life for fear of how it will impact your professional one. Heaven knows there’s been a lot of horror stories about people using social media inappropriately and compromising their jobs, if not losing them all together.

However, I’d like to present some examples of how social media could help you find a job.

THE GRADUATE

Today’s post was sparked by something clever I saw someone doing on Twitter. His name is Jordan Barber (@JordanBarber31) and according to his Twitter bio he’s going to graduate from Ferris State University this May with a degree in marketing. He’s also got several E-Commerce, Advertising, B2B MKTG, Direct MKTG and Sales MKTG certificates to his credit.

Now I don’t know whether Justin’s looking for a job or not, but I’ll tell you what: if he was and if I was hiring, Justin’s the kind of candidate I’d consider.

Yep, that’s right, from nothing more than glancing at his Twitter page. Why? Two reasons:

  1. His bio let me know about his background and interest in online marketing and social media, and
  2. A quick scan of his Tweets confirmed he knew how to put it all in practice.

SKILL SET

That second one in particular is important. Anybody can hop on Twitter. You type your message, you hit send, done. But Justin did something a little different.

Partly, he flattered me with an “at” mention he made of The Sociable Scribe. Here’s what it was:

#mktg441 I suggest you follow @SociableScribe SM Marketing Consultant, provides advice & assistance for today’s top social media circles!!!

I of course went to check him out when I read it. But that’s when I realized Justin was on to something for a couple more reasons:

  1. He’d posted similar Tweets to the one he made for me about other marketing and social media companies and enthusiasts. I checked them all out and ended up following them all. They were great referrals.
  2. See the hashtag he used? Smart! That shows he knows not only what they are, but how to use them effectively.

Of course there’s a lot more that goes into offering a person a job than simply being impressed by their Tweets. However, it’s practical experience Justin could refer an employer to as an example of his skills. And if I was in the position to hire it would at least prompt me to request a resume if not set up an interview right out.

And, Justin, if you read this, feel free to refer this to any potential employers. It may help them see your value in ways your resume alone might not point out.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

If you’re looking for a job in social media, do like Justin and make sure to show off your skills.

If there’s a company you’d like to work for, follow them on whatever social media sites they’re on. Be sure to interact with them. Let them know you’re there and are passionate about their company or product.

See ways they could improve their social media presence? Let them know by doing something similar to what Justin did. @ them or DM them and ask, “Hey, have you tried [YOUR SUGGESTION HERE]“. Explain how you think that would behoove their company and why. (Make sure to be nice about it, though. Try to avoid being a know it all. Just let them know you really believe in their product or what they do and saw something that might help them. It may not lead to a job offer but it helps in the making a good impression department.)

Looking for a job in social media? Check out Mashable’s Job Board.

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Twitter and Facebook: Let Them Know You’re There and They Will Come

Posted in "Net"working, Examples, Facebook, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on March 14th 2010
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Earlier this year Karen, who’s both my friend and co-owner of Michael J. Portrait, caught some of my social media excitement.  She decided it was about time they started being more participative with the Facebook fan page they’d created a while back. She decided it really could help them get more business.

It could…if anyone knew their fan page existed.

The biggest mistake my friend is making is assuming just being more active on their Facebook fan page will net them more fans.

Facebook doesn’t work that way. Twitter’s better suited to that approach.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when a couple of weeks passed and my friend said, “I’m really disappointed we don’t have more followers yet.”

Here’s what they’re not doing right:

  1. They’re not maintaining a blog, and
  2. There’s no link to or mention of their Facebook fan page on their website.

How is anyone supposed to fan them if they don’t know they’re there?

You know what comes to mind? The saying from the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”

Something similar can be said for the social networks your company’s active on: Let your clients, fans, and readers know you’re there and they will come.

I saw a great example of letting them know where to find you when I attended a women’s business networking meeting a few weeks back. Before the meeting we all passed around our business paraphernalia. (Biz cards, brochures, pamphlets, etc.)

One woman was a rep with Oli-Co Cosmetics, LLC. In addition to business cards she also had a rack card. The first thing that caught my eye and impressed me as being smart marketing was that in addition to her company’s website her card also listed where else people could follow them online: Facebook, Twitter and on their Skin Journalist blog.

Perfect!

Except, when I went to check out both their blog and website I noticed:

  • There’s no link or icon to their Twitter and Facebook accounts from either the blog or website. I was only able to find them because I knew they existed since I saw it on the product card.
  • The company name is Oli-Co Cosmetics. The product is Régén de Peau II. Their Twitter account is @olicocosmetics, but their Facebook page is Regen de Peau II Skin Care. That has the potential to be confusing. Especially because…
  • Both their Twitter account and Facebook page refers back to their blog, and their blog has a link back to their website, but all the names don’t jive with their links. The blog’s link comes up as http://blog.oli-co.com, but on the card, Twitter and Facebook it’s link is http://blog.phoenixskinsolutions.com. Yet the product link on the card is www.regendepeau.com, but the link that comes up in the  browser is http://oli-co.com. There’s no conformity, which makes branding the product in the customer’s mind more difficult.

Simple tweaks, such as sticking with either Oli-Co Cosmetics or Régén de Peau, and making sure all links are uniform, in addition to noting their social networks on their blog and website like they do on their product card, would improve their online presence and enhance their social marketing strategy.

Another example is Maggie’s Station. Plans are in the works to revamp the blog. We’re currently in the process of shuffling it from Blogger to Wordpress, and in turn have more active Facebook and Twitter accounts. All of the above  have been inactive lately.

However, Peggy understood the importance of (a) having a blog, Twitter and Facebook in place, and (b) letting customers know they could find her on them. (She just didn’t have the time maintain them. Happens when you run a successful business. You need help from someone like me!)

But what I want to really point out is that right on her homepage she’s got “Follow us on” followed by the icons of all the places you can friend, fan, or follow Maggie’s Station. (Which for now are Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger, which will soon change to a different icon.)

That’s what you want.

Well, that and as active a blog, Twitter account, Facebook page, and whatever other social networks you’re on as possible.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

Add links and/or icons to any social media network you’re on, including but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.

Cross-reference your social media networks as much as possible. Use your website (if applicable) as the hub that lets people know where to find all of your social media spokes.

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Twitter Tuesdays: Tweet Less, Listen More

Posted in Twitter on March 9th 2010
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Not always, but once in a while it’s better to Tweet less and listen more. Why? Because as I’ve written about before, sometimes you have to give before you can get.

In this case, it can behoove you greatly to give your followers your undivided attention. It’s called developing relationships, a.k.a. networking. As in social media networking. As in that’s a powerful way to endear people to your product, brand or service. You know, because that’s something you’d like to do and the reason you’re probably reading my blog?

A CASE STUDY

I discovered the power of Tweeting less and listening more a couple months back. I was trying to figure out (a) how to increase Haunt Jaunts Follow Friday mentions (they were averaging between four and six, on a few rare weeks they spiked past 10), and (b) have the spikes become more consistent (and make sure the followers who did FF me stayed consistent).

I spent several days Tweeting very little. I’d send out a few links I might find, but mostly I just read the Twitter stream. I learned who was very active on Twitter, who genuinely seemed to engage with other Tweeters, who was most likely to Re-Tweet, and who seemed to share info I could RT.

It resulted in the creation of Haunt Jaunts’ Follow Everyday list. I think of them as my elite Tweeter pals. VITs (Very Important Tweeters) if you will.

Not that all of my followers aren’t important. But I can’t engage with all of them like I can with my FE Tweeps. (Either because they’re not active everyday or their Tweets aren’t always relevant to the topic of that Twitter profile, which holds a major in paranormal and a minor in travel.)

At any rate, the result was that I started interacting with my followers more often. Which let my personality show. Other Tweeters got a taste that I wasn’t just some linking machine. (Before that I pretty much just used Twitter to pass on interesting links I’d find.) For the last month Haunt Jaunts FF mentions have been averaging about 30. (And an unintended side effect of that is I’ve consistently acquired new followers every week, too.)

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

  1. Stalk your followers. Watch who Tweets a lot. Notice whose Tweets you gravitate to the most. See who you might like to grab a drink with someday if you ever met offline. In short, find Tweeps you’d like to hang with, virtually or otherwise.
  2. Create a Follow Everyday list. You don’t have to call it that. You can name it VITs or whatever you come up with. The important thing is to designate a list of Tweeters you find interesting, informative, funny (whatever appeals to you) and that you want to follow everyday.
  3. Start interacting with the folks on your Follow Everyday list. There will come a point when it’s time to start Tweeting again. Start off slow. Check out the links other share. Let them know your thoughts. Comment on their comments. Start a dialogue. Show off your personality a little.

It’s just three simple steps, but they can make a HUGE impact on your PR model.

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You Get What You Give

Posted in "Net"working, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on March 5th 2010
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There’s a phenomenon on Twitter on Fridays known as Follow Fridays, a.k.a. #FF. It’s a marvelous example of the adage “you get what you give.” Which, if you don’t already know, is a key to success.

Using social media for PR purposes is all about getting recognized and getting exposure if you’re in business right? (Heck, even if you’re not in business, a lot of people use social media as a way to connect and be seen. Feeling invisible is no fun.)

But something people do FAR too often is cry, “Look at Me! Buy my stuff!”

And that’s it.

That’s no way to influence people and make friends. It’s a way to come off very self-centered and insincere. All that amounts to is a recipe for repelling people.

But if you want to attract others, you have to give what you want to get. Be it information, business, or attention.

Hence, Follow Fridays. It’s a good way to be seen, but more importantly it’s an excellent way of letting others know you see them.

By nature most people are curious. They’re going to think, “Who is this person suggesting others follow me?” They’ll check you out, and likely follow in return.

Now, you could go out there and #FF 500 people. You might increase your Twitter followers by 500 in one day.

I don’t envy you investing that kind of time to send out all those #FFs though. I’d only envy you if you genuinely had 500 Twitterers you truly cared about suggesting others followed.

See, that’s the key so many people miss. You have to be sincere. People can smell a B.S.er miles away. (Because, face it. Bullshit reeks.)

Plus, going back to the get what you give scenario: do you really want to get back B.S.?

I didn’t think so.

So find people you’d genuinely like to follow and then let them know by listing them in a #FF Tweet. I’ll give you my money back guarantee that you’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you get back in return.

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TwiTip Published “How to Get More Followers and Give Back at the Same Time”

Posted in "Net"working, Blogging, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on February 23rd 2010
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Nathan from A State of Mind, one of my Haunt Jaunts Twitter pals, turned me on to TwiTip (Twitter Tips) a few weeks back. TwiTip is another project by ProBlogger extraordinaire Darren Rowse which specifically focuses on getting more out of Twitter.

What’s cool about TwiTip is you can learn about getting started on Twitter, getting more followers, and about using various tools and other tips in general to enhance your Twitter experience. However, if you happen to know about any of these things and have experience/knowledge which can help others, TwiTip also allows you to share that by submitting articles.

With almost 90,000 Twitter followers and over 37,000 RSS feed subscribers, that’s some mighty nice exposure. Not to mention, for someone like myself it can only help with credential/credibility building.

So I was over the moon when I got the email they’d published my article “How to Get More Followers and Give Back at the Same Time.”

Which also helps explain the jump in Twitter followers already this morning. @HauntJaunts is up almost another 20 and it’s not even a Follow Friday. That’s impressive.

And wonderful. Because my mission is to have as many Haunt Jaunts followers as possible come March 30. That’s the day I officially launched Haunt Jaunts, which was my get-off-the-couch project to help me recover from my cancer.

To celebrate Haunt Jaunts birth, as well as my second shot at life, I decided no celebration would be complete without giving thanks. That’s why for every follower HJ has on 3/30, I’ll donate five cents to the Lymphoma Research Foundation (@lymphoma).

It’s a good way to increase the followers number, yet, like I stated in the article, it’s also a good way to let people know they’re important to me in more ways than one and for more reasons than one.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

What cause do you hold near and dear to your heart that you could do something similar with?

If funds are an issue, what else could you give back besides money that would still raise awareness for both your cause and your brand?

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