The need to be vigilant with contractors isn’t unique to social media

Every now and then I read or hear something that leaves me shaking my head in dismay. That happened today when reading a piece on Search Engine Watch titled, Top 5 Reasons Why SMBs Should Fear Social Media.

Aside from the link-bait headline, it was the last item that led to my dismay. Under the label, “Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations Agencies That Have Hung a Social Media Shingle,” author Tim Judd writes…

It doesn’t mean they understand content that engages, promotes, or converts prospects to customers. “There are very few experts in social media,” (Killer Facebook Ads author Marty) Weintraub said. “It takes a lot of…

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Dear hotel industry: The time for free hotel-wide WiFi has come

It was around 11 p.m. when I arrived at the Delta Hotel in Regina, Saskatchewan. It had been a long day: a full-day workshop in Saskatoon followed by the trip to Regina. By car, it’s only about a 2-1/2-hour drive. But I was flying Air Canada, which required a connection in Calgary, so I was tired and a bit cranky when I got to the hotel.

But I brightened up considerably when I saw this sign on the hotel’s front desk:

I was so happy to see this, in fact, that I shared it Instagram picture, which prompted a few notes from folks, notably this one from Kim Bratanata, a communicator with SWIFT in Belgium:

For someone looking at hotel… Read More »

Facebook Timeline for pages are no big burden for small businesses

Jay Baer is one of the smartest guys working in the social media space, but I don’t think he got it right when he claimed that Facebook’s Timeline for brand pages “betrays small business.”

I read the post and started applying Jay’s concerns to two Facebook pages I manage. Granted, they’re not small business pages. They’re even smaller than that. One is the page for my podcast, For Immediate Release, which I co-host with Neville Hobson. The other is the page for the Social Media Breakfast SF East Bay, which is a joint effort with my breakfast co-conspirators, JD Lasica, Dagan Henderson and Kenny Lauer.

While these are volunteer gigs… Read More »

Regulated companies need to make a plan for the rollout of Facebook Timeline

Come the end of the month, the timeline will become the gateway to all Facebook pages. That’s when Facebook plans to flip the switch so that all pages, not just those managed by companies that have opted for it, will get the timeline treatment.

Opinions about timeline for brands are divided, but there are examples of organizations that have already demonstrated that they can be a powerful way to convey a story.

President Obama’s page has made the switch. According to Sean Ludwig, writing for Venture Beat, “Obama’s team has taken great care to pepper the Timeline with notable events from the President’s life before and during his… Read More »

Rejoice! Employee use of social networks has tripled!

Palo Alto Networks is out with its annual numbers on employee work time spent on social networks. The company’s conclusions are based on analyzing raw data from 1,600-plus companies for a seven-month period last year. Their press release on the study confirms something we already suspected: “explosive growth in global social networking and browser-based file sharing on corporate networks, with a 300 percent increase in active social networking. (e.g., posting, applications) compared with activity during the same period in the latter half of 2010.”

The press release quotes the company’s CMO, René Bonvanie, saying “Whether or not… Read More »

FIR Book Review: The Social Media Strategist, by Christopher Barger

The Social Media Strategist: Build a Successful Program from the Inside Out, by Christopher Barger, is the latest book to be reviewed by FIR Book Review editor Bob LeDrew. From the book description:

“In today’s fast-paced professional climate, large companies are learning that launching a website and taking a wait-and-see approach to engaging customers is not enough. Competition is fierce, and those who master the social media space are the ones who come out on top. There is greater urgency than ever before to establish a vibrant social media program—and it all starts with a key strategist who can best organize and leverage all… Read More »

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