From the monthly archives:

March 2011

Social Business Leadership Framework

by Mark Smiciklas · March 10, 2011

From a leadership perspective, embedding social business ideas into an organization has less to do with embracing tools and technology than it does with learning how to facilitate and manage culture change. What set of skills do leaders need in their toolbox to effectively lead organizations through the process of adopting social business philosophy?

The following framework is inspired by James Kouzes and Barry Posner’s Five Practices Model, from their ground breaking book The Leadership Challenge . This post is designed to help leaders understand some of the unique considerations, competencies and behaviors related to leadership in the age of social media.

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11 comments

How To Build Social Media Awareness Into Your Website

by Jeff Larche · March 9, 2011

An old man is approached by a traveler. He’s asked how to get to Dublin. The old man replies: “I sure wouldn’t start from here.” As a web analyst I’m occasionally tempted to use that line. It happens when I’m brought into a project long after a site is launched and I’m asked to report on user behavior the site just wasn’t built to measure.

Increasingly the metrics requested are of user engagement, related to social media conversations surround the site content. If my client is lucky I’m able retrofit a solution, but it’s always best to plan for these from the start. Here’s how. I’ve drafted a short list of considerations for you as you prepare for your next site or site redesign.

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19 comments

Three Companies, Three Events For SXSW

by Jason Falls · March 8, 2011

Geek Super Bowl is this week. South by Southwest Interactive in Austin, Texas, brings the technology, social media and marketing worlds together in a five-day fit of networking insanity that is hands down the biggest event in the business I’m in. And I’ll be there in full force as usual, but with a little different focus this year.

The second largest state, Texas, is only 40% o...

Image via Wikipedia

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1 comment

An Insider’s Scoop On Why Content Is King

by Jason Falls · March 7, 2011

A friend sent me a direct message on Twitter the other day asking if I’d perhaps share a link to one of his co-worker’s latest blog posts. Most people who know me know I’m happy to share good content, if it’s good content. So I take a look and if I like it, I share it.

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20 comments

Vaynerchuk’s Thank You Economy Hits Stores This Week

by Jason Falls · March 5, 2011

When Gary Vaynerchuk asked if I would review his new book, The Thank You Economy, last week, I was cautiously optimistic I could even finish it in time to review before it hits shelves this Wednesday. I was also cautiously optimistic I’d like it. Not only did I finish it, but I loved it. And recommend you read it, too. Here’s my review:

Thank you, Gary, for writing this book and for firing us all up again. And thanks for bringing some more depth to the table with this effort. I was pleasantly surprised at the research and case studies presented and think the business audience is going to get a lot out of this. I’m glad I got to read it. Thank you!

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17 comments

Branded content: Shoveling sh*t or fostering solutions?

by Heather Rast · March 4, 2011

The concept of branded content isn’t new; even as the pervasiveness of the digital lifestyle has given rise to the social consumer to provide brands with new channels of access, delivery formats, and greater self-initiated reach. Some familiar examples of branded content include:

  • The monthly mini-mag from your local health system featuring health tips and service spotlights/success stories
  • The magalog from your daughter’s favorite clothing store that shows how to pair pieces for a super-awesome wardrobe
  • The quarterly newsletter from your investment company discussing savings ideas and ways to cut expenses
  • Recipes inside packaging or soup labels
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22 comments

The High Price of Free

by Ike Pigott · March 3, 2011

An interesting confluence occurred a couple of years ago. Just as the economy was siphoning away money for advertising and marketing, a promising class of inexpensive tools was breaking out of the cutting edge and into the discussion. Blogs and tweets and posts and the like held the promise of connecting companies with their customers and their future customers, for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. However, along the way, someone forgot to set the expectation that “Free” comes with a lot of added costs.

If you’re on the cusp of your first foray into anything related to Social Media, pay attention and factor these costs into your budget:

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39 comments

B to B Companies: Social Marketing and A Cautionary Tale

by Ilana Rabinowitz · March 2, 2011

Dear John,

I’m sorry to have to say this to you but I don’t want you to contact me any more. The last email you sent pretty much did it for me with you and your kind.  What you said  is so annoying that although I didn’t say this to you directly (because I don’t even bother to answer your calls and emails), if I were to talk to you I would say, “You don’t have the right to email or contact me.”

In case you forgot what got me so upset, here it is:

Hi

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47 comments

Empowering Your Employees May Solve Your Content Problems

by Eric Brown · March 1, 2011

If you believe the directional flow of marketing has changed and you conclude you really do need to create branded media for your small to medium business, do you know where do you start? The task can seem pretty overwhelming. Is it a blog post, a video, a tweet, a Facebook post? The list seems endless, right?

Consensus is that you need a digital marketing strategy as you approach branded media, which is true. Expanding your digital footprint doesn’t happen without a plan and consistent action. But you also need to start to think differently about what your employees are doing each day.

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25 comments

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