Twitter to please advertisers

The Social media micro-blogging site has released a new special tool for advertisers which allows them to see what users are tweeting about in regards to TV. This then allows them to target their ads more specifically to users who are discussing particular shows.

This is mainly focused at the TV industry and specifically any networks wishing to create greater interest in live events and shows. Twitter has already forged partnerships with networks like CBS as well as sports leagues like the NFL. 

It has already been shown that TV ratings will boost based when a show starts to trend on the site. This is why targeted TV show ads can raise interest in other shows which may be similar to the one the user is already watching and commenting on.

I recently wrote about the then upcoming launch of TWTR (the Twitter stock) and how Twitters model probably was going to change in order to incorporate more ads; this seems to be the first step to please the new shareholders. Naturally Twitter has had this platform in the pipe for a long time, but it is interesting to see that this is the route they are going to take to start making that all important revenue.

Already Twitter is getting more and more connected with other forms of media, especially the TV. One of the really cool partnerships there includes a linked button with Comcast. This allows Comcast customers who use Twitter to set recording reminders based on Tweets about certain shows.

The interface is easy and intuitive; check it out below. I think this may be the first step in a Tweetsplosion on the Internet.

https://business.twitter.com/start-advertising

 Are you a business owner ready to advertise using Twitter? Leave us your comments below. 

Guest-lecturing at KTH

Today I will be guest-lecturing in Social Media Business at KTH. The lecture will be held in room D3 at 1 pm.

- drop by for an interesting look at how companies leverage social media to communicate with new and existing customers!

Facebook Marketing Success

I’ll be honest. I am getting so tired of reading article after article of people writing about how marketing on Facebook is a waste of time. Whether you are a B2C or B2B company it doesn’t matter. If you are not getting results from Facebook you need to change your strategy plain and simple. While it does take a bit of time, effort and budget there is no doubt Facebook is effective and should be at or near the top of your company’s digital marketing plan.


Tips for creating a successful Facebook page:

1. Understand Facebook’s EdgeRank System
If you want to be successful using anything you need to first learn how to use it. By creating new posts that best follow the EdgeRank criteria you can guarantee that it will be seen by the most possible people. Updates are key: post regularly, include videos, photos and links, have clear call to actions, and post content relevant to your audience. Essentially, the more engagements your post get the longer they stay in the news feed. (read more here: How to EdgeRank)

2. Content is Still King
It all comes down to producing good content. No one is going to engage with your posts and you will have trouble building a quality Facebook community if you are not consistently posting content that is relevant and interesting to your network. No, this does not include posting cute puppy pictures or grumpy cat photos. Those tactics are short lived and will not provide long term Facebook success. Plus that is not what your company is about so why post it? It is good to mix in some funny posts or off topic items once in a while, but you will want to make sure the majority of your posts are related to your company or industry.

3. Sponsored and Promoted Posts
Going the free route will only take you so far. Sometimes it helps to get a little boost by trying out the Facebook paid advertising options. If you have a smaller budget try out the Sponsored Stories and Promoted Posts. These two options keep users on Facebook rather than sending to external sites and this is the preferred method of Facebook. Sponsored stories are great since those are essentially word of mouth recommendations from friends. So if a friend checks in somewhere or ‘Likes’ a page your brand can sponsor those posts so their friends will also see and be likely to ‘Like’ it as well. Promoted Posts are also great when you have an important announcement or content that you want the most amount of people to see and engage with. This option allows you to stay at the top of news feeds longer and when people engage with it their friends will also see it as well.

4. Test, Test and Test!
In marketing you can never keep doing the same thing over and over again. You have to constantly switch things up and test your strategies and Facebook is no different. Test different kinds of posts between text, pictures, video, links, polls etc… See which one’s your followers enjoy engaging with more and also what kind of topics resonate most with them. When you try out the paid advertising options test out different budgets, tactics and see which ones provide the best results. Over time you will find the winning formula that works best for your brand or company.

To me there is no doubt Facebook is a viable and effective advertising option that should not be ignored. Next time you read an article about how it does not work for someone don’t jump to conclusions - give it a fair shot, it will pay off!

Conversation Prism

This is for all you Brian Solis-fans out there. Those who may not have heard of Brian, he coined the words “PR 2.0” and was regarded in the early years of web 2.0 evolution as “a founding father of PR 2.0 concept".

A few years back Solis created what today is know as the Conversation Prism, which is a display of channels, platforms and websites that fall under Social Media. Thankfully it is also the subject to regular updates, the latest one now in 2013. The prism describes all forms of social media with the most important websites and channels covered. It clearly shows how diverse and large the world of online conversation is. Enjoy!