YOUR SECRET WEAPON FOR SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS

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Before you read any further, try this quick experiment. Go to YouTube, type in “how-to” and hit enter. You’ll be inundated with a glut of videos ranging from every imaginable topic. This is to illustrate how incredibly popular “how-to” videos, blog posts and articles have become on the internet.

“How-Tos” have something in common, they are useful. Thinking in terms of “usefulness” can be a powerful tool for improving your social media strategy. Being useful to your audience is a simple way to ensure that you’re doing the most important thing when it comes to social media success, providing value. 

Value for Value

Even if you’re giving your content away for free, it’s important to remember that the audience is paying for it with their time and attention. In return for that time and attention you’d better provide them with value or they won’t be a return customer!

Something I (this post was written by social media strategist – Steve Kandray) come across regularly on Twitter and Facebook is opinion posts and sales promotions. While both of these types of posts have a place in social media strategy, they are generally used far too frequently.

Luckily, it’s pretty easy to use a normal post idea as inspiration for a “useful” post. For example, instead of posting “What’s your favorite cocktail? ” with a picture of a good looking drink you can create or find an article about places that make great cocktails nearby, or create an infographic that shows how different cocktails are concocted.

A few years ago we came across a video from Kimpton Hotels that was a “how-to” about in-room workouts. It’s a perfect example of “useful” content. Rather than just posting about their hotel’s workout facility or asking about what types of fitness people are into, Kimpton went the “usefulness” route and gave their audience value.

Usefulness Checklist

Here are some questions to help you get into a “usefulness” state of mind.

1) What can you teach your audience?

2) What do you know about your product that your audience doesn’t know? 

3) What knowledge do you have that you may be taking for granted. 

 

Like anything else,  “usefulness” shouldn’t be the only tactic in your social media arsenal, sometimes it make sense to be informative or entertaining. Adopting a usefulness mentality takes some extra effort, but after you get the hang of it, your social media results will speak for themselves!

TWITTER: THE REAL WINNER OF SUPER BOWL XLIX

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On Sunday night the New England Patriots captured their fourth NFL championship in dramatic fashion, but for those of us in the social media world, it was easy to see that Twitter was once again the real winner of the Super Bowl.

 

Record Breaking Bowl

This year’s Super Bowl earned the title of most tweeted about event ever, generating 28.4 million tweets during the game. Partly to blame is the growing popularity of Twitter and Pro Football in general, but there’s also a cultural shift taking place. Phone in one hand, remote control in the other, we’re entering a world where watching TV is a two-screen activity.

Brands did a good job capitalizing on this captive audience,  this graphic  showcases the number of mentions each brand received during the big game. McDonald’s was the clear winner followed by Nationwide Insurance  (who actually received a  lot of negative tweets due to a controversial commercial.)

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Like commercials during the Super Bowl that have become “must watch TV” , corporate tweets during the big game have started to become an attraction in themselves. As brands figure out what works and what doesn’t, tweets are becoming more and more unique, creative and interesting. But what is it about Twitter that makes it so powerful during live events?

 

Real Time Responsiveness 

One of the major advantages Twitter hold over traditional media is speed. Rather than taking months or weeks to produce a great commercial, a  tweet can be whipped up in a matter of minutes. It’s hard to compete with the social network’s  ability to provide commentary on a situation as it’s happening. The ability to put out relevant content in real time like Oreo’s dunk in the dark tweet from a few year’s ago, is incredibly powerful. This year we saw a lot of this type of action from brands, including this tweet from Denny’s that tried to make light of an end of game brawl.

 

Brands Become Self Aware

Creating trust with an audience is a big part of any brand building strategy. Whenever a company can seem a little more personal and not look like a  lifeless money making machine they have to take it.  This year we saw a lot of brand self-awareness that helped accomplish this goal. Companies Twitter handles’ acknowledged other ads, tweeted at other brands and even tossed compliments at other organizations.

Doritos, for example, noticed the onslaught of dads and puppies in this year’s commercials, so they created this tweet.

Proctor and Gamble ran a heartwarming commercial aimed at re-branding the phrase “like a girl,” which JetBlue immediately participated in with this photo of two female pilots.

Finally, McDonald’s really knocked it out of the park (apologies for the cross-sport metaphor) with a series of tweets that complimented other brand’s efforts and even offered free give-aways of their products!

Snickers and Disney were a few other examples of brands to receive the “I’m Lovin’ It” treatment. This campaign not only made the golden arches look generous, it also helped boost their follower count, Well done McDonald’s.

 

Cleverness is King

The emergence of the two-screen viewing experience is opening up a lot of unique opportunities for advertisers. Luckily for consumers the currency for success seems to be creativity and entertainment. Monster.com did an excellent job of being clever with this fake social media gaffe.

You might think that brands having an active presence on Twitter would be annoying, but exactly the opposite is true. In order to be effective these tweets have to be entertaining, interesting or useful. It’s a win-win for consumers and brands! It’ll be exciting to see what kinds of things company’s come up with during the next big event.

What was your favorite branded tweet from the Super Bowl? let us know in the comments section below. 

Why You should be on “Facebook at Work”

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No… we’re not advocating that you spend your time on the clock liking selfies or commenting on photos of adorable kittens. “Facebook at Work” is actually a new service being rolled out by Facebook that hopes to connect workplaces through their own internal social network.

What is “Facebook at Work” 

“Facebook at Work” is a closed version of Facebook that aims to facilitate better communication in the workplace. It offers the same functionality as Facebook like adding comments, liking posts and uploading photos. The idea is for coworkers to use it for work projects and communications just like they would use regular Facebook for personal items.

Not a LinkedIn Competitor

Don’t confused “Facebook at Work” for a LinkedIn knock-off. While both aim to bring social media into the work-world, unlike LinkedIn, FB at Work doesn’t help users build a professional network. It’s purely a communication tool.

The idea behind FB at Work isn’t original, competitors like Yammer, an “enterprise networking” service  have already capitalized on the idea of social networks on the job. However, Facebook has a big advantage over these earlier sites because it brings a platform that people are used to and are kind of addicted to.

I work in [insert industry here] why should I use “Facebook at Work?”

Regardless of what type of work you do, better communication among coworkers is always beneficial. A service like “Facebook at Work” can be especially helpful if social media is the preferred communication method of an organization’s members (think Millennials). If a company’s employees want to be on Facebook all day anyway it might as well be a productive version. But there are more specific reasons you’re employer should jump on board Facebook’s new service, for instance:

1. Better Collaboration – As opposed to email, a social network could be a much more effective way to brainstorm, collaborate on ideas or give feedback. FB at Work will allow users to set up groups where discussions can be organized and comment on others ideas in a convenient way while avoiding a massive email chain that clutters up inboxes.

2. Easy Content Generation- Along with being a great enabler of discussion and conversation, Facebook at Work will allow employees to upload photos, documents and ideas. This can be a great way to collect and organize content for an organization’s social media strategy.

3. Team-Building– Social networks are called “social” for a reason. They connect people. Social networks are an excellent way for  people to share inside jokes and articles and even post what’s on their mind. Having a company wide social network could be a great way to encourage stronger friendships between coworkers.

The Bottom Line

While there are plenty of benefits,  we know Facebook at Work isn’t for everyone… heck it’s not even widely released yet! “Facebook at Work” is a tool, not a solution, but if it  lives up to the ease of use and functionality that traditional Facebook features it’s at least worth trying out!

Right now Facebook at work is only available by contacting Facebook. If you’re interested in using the service be sure to send them a note.

Will you be using “Facebook at Work?” Let us know in our comments section! 

5 little known social networks ready to take off in 2015

Facebook has 1.4 billion registered users. 190 million tweets are sent every day.It’s hard to remember a time before Facebook and Twitter ruled the internet… but everything starts somewhere.

Here are 5 social media sites that could gain mainstream popularity in 2015! 


Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 12.13.07 PM1. Yik Yak

Yik Yak is essentially a location-based anonymous chat room. Unsurprisingly It’s already gained controversy on college campuses and high schools for potentially being an easy vehicle for hazing and bullying.

Why it could be huge in 2015: Who doesn’t love gossip? Yik Yak provides an outlet for live local discussions where users can post their thoughts, complaints and comments. Anonymous chat rooms have existed before, but Yik Yak’s combination of limiting chat by geography and anonymous posts make it stand out.

Why it could fade away in 2015: YY is in danger of suffering too much from anonymity. After the initial novelty, where’s the real value in a site like Yik Yak? There are no selfies in the world of anonymous user-ship, can an anonymous site really establish itself when social network users are obsessed with self-promotion?

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 12.16.47 PM2. Ello

Ello, which has positioned itself as the anti-Facebook is an invitation only social network that prides itself on minimalism. One of Ello’s biggest selling points is that it features no ads of any kind, and promises to stay that way.

Why it could be huge in 2015: The major social media players all seem to be jumping on the advertising bandwagon. Facebook has had them forever, and Twitter has been vamping up their sponsored tweets program. Offering an ad-free experience could be enough of a draw by itself to launch Ello into success.

Why it could fade away in 2015: Lack of features and lack of commercial interest could keep Ello from being anything than a club of folks who want a pure experience.  Sure Ello’s minimalism looks great,  but users could experience a “lack of information shock.” Not to mention Ello is competing with PR departments of companies fully invested in the advertising on social media model.

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 12.13.35 PM3. Tumblr

Tumblr’s probably the most familiar name on this list. Since it was founded in 2007, you might think that that if it were ever  going to be a major site it would already be one by now, but surprisingly In 2014 Tumblr showed that it belongs in the big time social media discussion when it overtook the top spot as fastest growing social network, from Instagram.

Why it could be huge in 2015: Rapid Growth, Versatility. It’s not easy to say why Tumblr is growing so fast, but it is.  Tumblr does a good job of providing a multi-media platform, by allowing users to post video, blog, photos or audio files.

Why it could fade away in 2015: Facebook and Twitter are so popular in part due to their addictive nature. Tumblr does not seem to share this characteristic.

this chart from Techcrunch.com is a perfect illustration of Tublr’s biggest weakness.

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 12.39.52 PM“Habit forming” that seems to be the key to a great social network. But who knows? Maybe Tumblr can be hugely popular without creating a compulsive need to check impulse.

reddit-logo-vector-014. Reddit

A home for communities is probably a better description of Reddit than a social network.  Reddit basically allows user submitted content to be judged by the entire community based on up and down votes. One of it’s biggest strengths is its ability to be used as a platform for different niche communities.

Why it could be huge in 2015: It’s already huge and has a lot of momentum behind it, Whether or not it gets recognition as a “social network” or is talked about in the same circles as Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin is another story.

Why it could fade away in 2015: Same reason as above, Reddit itself will continue to grow steadily, but it’s success as a “social network” is based on public perception.

Screen Shot 2015-01-02 at 12.13.49 PM5. Quora

Quora is a social question answering site. Users are able to ask questions and get community generated answers from experts. One of its key features is allowing potential question answerers the ability to establish themselves as experts on a subject, as judged by other users.

Why it could be huge in 2015: Novelty, usefulness and giving users an outlet for their knowledge. Quora’s key difference from other social network’s is its narrowly defined purpose. It’s simply a way to get questions answered using crowd sourcing. This level of focus might be a breath of fresh air from the somewhat open ended experience of Facebook or Twitter.

Why it could fade away in 2015: User interface and too much user input. The site looks old, it just doesn’t seem like a cutting edge, modern social media platform. It also provides real input and skill from the audience, if you don’t have answers or expertise in a particular area, this might not be for you. On the other hand, people love to express their opinions even if they are ignorant of the subject!

What little-known social media sites would you put stock in for 2015? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below! 

Meet Marsala, Pantone’s Color of the Year 2015

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Photo attribution: www.us.hellomagazine.com

Last week, Pantone released their 2015 color of the year! While it may not hold the same exclusivity as let’s say “movie of the year”, or “album of the year” it’s still an exciting announcement for anyone in the print or design industry!

What is the Pantone Color of the Year?

Pantone, the color standards giant, selects their color of the year based on several criteria including current atmosphere in the world of color standards, recent fashion and trends and the opinions of industry decision makers.

Twice a year, Pantone hosts representatives from a variety of different color standards groups who help decide on which color should will be christened “color of the year.”

2015: The Year of Marsala

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Photo attribution: www.pantone.com

A naturally robust and earthy wine red, Marsala enriches our minds, bodies and souls. Named after the Sicilian town, and the wine that town originated, Marsala captures the sophistication of a bottle of red wine, yet it’s versatile enough to be used just about anywhere. In the upcoming year you can expect to find anything, from coffeepots to cars, to be tinted with the vintage, yet suave Marsala color.

Color… not just a matter of preferences

Using words like “calming” or “enriching” to describe colors isn’t just a marketing tactic. Research has shown that color can have a big impact on a person’s emotional state. In fact, a German University proposed that designers should be using theoretical research on color psychology rather than intuition alone in their work.

Another study the “impact of color in marketing” found that “up to 90% of snap judgments made about products can be based on color alone”. So, what impact does Pantone’s color of the year bring to the table? Marsala, projects feelings of confidence and enthusiasm, and reddish hues in general are also believed to increase capacity for creative thinking.

Design trendsetter

Even though Marsala was recently announced as “Color of the Year”, some hotel brands have featured the rosy shade for quite some time.

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Photo from: http://www.designwagen.com/pictures/2012/11/Lobby-Hospitality-Interior-Design-of-Doubletree-Hotel-Westminster-London.jpg

DoubleTree is one of those brands, and should be considered a trendsetter when it comes to on-property color choice. While they weren’t the first to feature a deep red wine color at their hotels, they realized the benefits of Marsala before many others did.

By including, Marsala accented pieces such as chairs and pillows; Doubletree has created an environment where guests are more likely to feel confident and enthusiastic.

What’s the point?

Even though this post is all about the color Marsala, the point I’m trying to make isn’t that everyone should suddenly adopt and implement this color into their properties. However, it’s worth noting that by perfecting fine details – such as updating accent pieces – your property can be seen in a new light.

Just as important as the fine details, though, is how your potential guests view your property… And that’s where we come in! We can create stunning property collateral, websites, and many other pieces that will project your property’s unique character. Have questions? Check out our website or email us at info@mcconnellmarketing for more information.