Posts Tagged ‘social media’

Sessions of Social Media and nothing else.

by Brian Casel  ·  1.11.2010  ·  Bits

This is the time of the year that everyone loves to make bold goals based on the calendar.  Like, publish a new blog post every week for a year (guilty), post a daily photo 365 days strait (cool idea, but not for me), etc.

Well, I’ve got one for myself…

Weekly social media sessions

Here’s what I mean:  Simply dedicate one entire morning or afternoon per week (4-5 hours) to engaging in social media and nothing else.

During these social media sessions, I will do any of the following:

  • Write blog posts for my sites
  • Write and submit guest articles for other sites
  • Read and comment on blogs
  • Tweet it up
  • Write and respond to forum threads
  • Engage on facebook

I will not:

  • Design or code websites
  • Take client phone calls or meetings
  • Respond to client emails
  • Do any project related work (client or personal)
  • Hunt for new business leads

OK, so what’s the point?

Most people engage in social media when the mood strikes.  Maybe that’s once or twice per week, maybe it’s several times throughout each day.  I probably fall into the latter, but often lack consistency.  Some days I’ll engage in 20 different ways throughout the day, other days I go “dark” and don’t engage at all.

This… experiment, if you will, is to see what, if any impact a weekly dedicated social media session might have.  What type of impact am I looking for?

More quality traffic to my three sites/businesses.  That is, folks who have gotten to know me on the web, follow my updates and share interest in the things I put out there.  I’m not looking for spiking traffic numbers, but I am looking for more interaction in the form of comments, tweets, RTs, and eventually sales and new clients.

A boost in my own personal brand, behind my business brands that I’m working to build.  As I’m preparing to launch ThemeJam, I want to avoid creating a faceless brand without some type of personality.  And I’m not going to contrive a brand persona that’s not genuine.  So my own social media presence will be the driving force behind that aspect of promoting the ThemeJam brand.

I’ll become more informed about this chaotic web industry we’re in.  I already have my finger on the pulse through my jam-packed Google Reader and Twitter feeds, but this will help me dig deeper.  Especially through engaging in the forums, which is often where more real ideas are shared and lack the self-censorship that often comes with blog posts (mine included).

And finally, the X factor.  Something I’m not taking into account or anticipating as a result of dedicated social media engagement.  This might prove to be the most interesting impact of this project.

Don’t worry…

(Not that you would, I just want to say…) I won’t be slacking on any project work by keeping it off my plate during these sessions.  Customer service remains a top priority for me, and that will be attended to during other parts of the day / week.

This is simply a way to create some structure, boundries, and guidelines for this project.

Another guideline might be that I should conduct these sessions away from my home computer.  I’m currently sitting in a Starbucks typing away on my netbook.  It’s the perfect combination of caffeine, and only enough computing power for web surfing and typing.  This could become the routine…

So there you have it.  My official calendar-based goal for 2010.  Let’s see how it pans out.

Changing the Game on so Many Levels

by Brian Casel  ·  11.5.2009  ·  Inspiration

I’m sure many of you, like myself, have watched hundreds of Gary V videos by now.  This one really stood out to me and hit home on several points:

  • The Internet is only 14 years old.  The way our social web has completely changed the game – every game – is truly mind boggling.  That phenomenon could be the single thing that keeps my passion for the web alive day after day.
  • The idea of change on a massive scale.  It frustrates me when I see so much potential and so little action.  Like my points I made about climate change.
  • Asking older folks for their thoughts as they look back on their life:  It’s all about doing what you love and spending time with the ones you love.  Definitely something to keep in mind as we head into this holiday season.

Orchestrate Social Media

by Brian Casel  ·  9.17.2009  ·  Education, Inspiration

Today I stumbled upon my new favorite company / website to watch.  It’s the From The Couch video blog, from the guys at Obox Design.

In a recent episode, they gave an interesting talk about their strategic approach to managing their social media channels for their business.  It’s quite simple really, but a very powerful concept.

The goal

Don’t just drive traffic to your business.  Drive quality traffic to your business.  Folks who will respond with blog comments, RSS subscribes, re-tweets, and hopefully purchases.  But this concept is nothing new.

The concept

First, attract users to your satellite websites & social media and engage them.  Then give them a road map to reach your business.  The visitors who are motivated enough to finally get there, are the type of quality customers you’re looking for.

A customer might find you on Twitter.  They follow an interesting link, pointing them to your Facebook page.  They contribute to the conversation.  Continuing on, they follow a link from your Facebook page to your blog.  They subscribe and comment on your articles.  Eventually they land at your business’s doorstep, browsing the products that your selling.

At this point, they already feel like they know you.  They can relate to you and your customers.  They’re already involved in your niche community, making them that much more comfortable about buying from you.  That’s the magic of social media.

Here’s the Online Marketing Road Map, presented by From The Couch:

The Social Web. Tap in or Stand Aside.

by Brian Casel  ·  6.18.2009  ·  Business

You can’t afford not to be on Twitter.

But you already know that.  If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably already tuned into the social media scene with the volume turned up.  You already use Twitter to stay up on what’s going on right now in your industry.  You follow several blogs on a daily basis.  You might even have you’re own blog with you’re own readership.

So this post isn’t about you.

It’s about that friend of yours who keeps putting “the internet thing” off.  They’re too busy running their business or their startup to worry about keeping up with that thing called “Twitter”.  They don’t see the point of connecting with others through blogging and social media.

Your friend’s problem is not that they don’t get social media.  Their problem is that they don’t get how today’s social culture operates.  If they don’t tap in, then they’re sitting on the sidelines.

Keeping an ear to the street.  Knowing the needs of your target market.  Reaching customers instantaneously from across the globe.  Staying open for business 24/7.  Networking with others in your industry.  Benchmarking against the competition.  It all happens online.  Through Twitter.  Through Facebook pages.  Through blogging.  Through emails.  If you don’t see the social web as a major part of your business, no matter which business you’re in, then you won’t be in business for long.

It’s up to us, as web savvy citizens to throw our disconnected friends into the pool.  Don’t tell them that social media might be helpful.  Show them that it’s vital.