maine web development, web design, internet marketing

Twitter has grown very quickly and it seems like people are talking about it everywhere. Twitter is up to about 6 million registered users. With all of these new users there is that moment – they sign up because they want to know what the fuss is about, they add a few friends, maybe follow CNN and a few other big names and it hits them: This is IT? What am I supposed to do with this?

The value is confusing as a new Twitter user. There are two tools that go hand in hand: Twitter Search and the use of #hashtags to monitor conversations.

Twitter Search is like Google Search but it only searches Twitter conversations. You can see what people are saying about the terms you enter up to the second! It is pretty wild and can be quite addicting.

Try searching some of these things:

• Things that interest you – hobbies, activities
• The city you live in, work in, grew up in
• Your company name (this can be scary to some people – people could be talking about your company right now!)
• Your products and services
• Your name, your twitter name, maybe a misspelled version of your name or twitter name (for example: for us our Twitter name is @Hall_Web but I have found people trying to contact us using @HallWeb so searching helps me catch that.

Twitter search is a great way to find new people and followers. A friend of mine says Twitter is like a cocktail party where you can eavesdrop on any conversation and drop in a thoughtful and funny quip whenever you want.

Using Twitter search is a great way for companies to monitor their brand reputation. Comcast has gotten a lot of props for its Twitter use for its Customer Service Department with Comcast Cares. Twitter is actively monitored for mentions of cable issues or mentions and @ComcastCares is right there with a solution or follow up question.

Using Hashtags

A hashtag is simply putting a # symbol in front of a term you want to be able to mark so you can search for it later and group it together with other people who are participating in conversation about that topic. You can make up hashtags or you can search for popular hashtags and follow along on a conversation already in progress.

As you notice on the Twitter Search page, you can see the most searched for hashtags. You can also check out sites like Hashtags.org which shows you all of the trending topics being talked about on Twitter.

Some hashtags to check out to find new followers

• #followfriday – is a weekly event (Umm on Fridays) where people recommend their favorite Twitterers with this tag
• Television shows like #Lost – real time conversation about the show
• Sports teams – #redsox die hard fans have real time conversation about the game, players and news
• Look for trending hashtags in your specific field – #fashion, #CPA, #HR etc.

Sometimes following hashtags can be hard. Many times you have no IDEA what people are saying (dang acronyms get me every time). There are sites out there to help you with that too, like Tagalus. If you see a tag and don’t know what it is you can just plug it into Tagulus and they will tell you what the heck these people are talking about.

Using Hashtags at Tradeshows and Events

For me, I think the best part about hashtags is extending the life of tradeshows, conferences and events that I attend. These in-person events are always full of information, resources and brilliant minds but you always had that short window to take it all in. Now using Twitter hashtags you can get more value before, during and after your event.

Before: You now have an easy resource to connect with people before an event. Perhaps set up a specific time to meet them in person at the event. You can tell people your schedule at an event, your booth number, what you will be offering and create that relationship before the face to face encounter. Look for the event hashtag on the event’s website, from your peers or even start it yourself if no one else has.

During: While attending an event people are having conversation online about it. Attendees are taking notes from sessions and meetings and tweeting them. Monitor the Twitter feed about the event you are at and see where the action is, who is where and possibly make new connections where you would not have otherwise bumped into in someone.

After: So you pack up and head back to the office with your notes and it is over? No way! Continue to use that hashtag to keep the conversation going. Alert your followers when you post a blog about the event or photos of the event. Contact people you may have missed meeting in person. Set up interviews or follow up conversations with presenters or speakers at the event who are using the hashtags. Ask experts questions. Extend the life of the event by keeping the conversation going after everyone has gone home.

Using Hashtags at Sage Insights

The official Twitter tag for Sage Insights is #insights09. Sage partners and members have been using the tag to promote meetings, opportunities to connect, and sessions. During the event we will be Tweeting every day with what is hot at Insights this year, what people are telling us they have learned this year, notes from sessions and much more. You can follow us at @Hall_Web and feel free to ask us questions whether you are at the show or not and we will seek out the answers for you.

If you are at Insights send us a tweet and we will meet up!

In my last Spring Inspirations post I spoke with David Meerman Scott about Social Media, going viral and world wide raves. Now with record breaking temps taking over the east coast Spring may have been skipped and gone straight to Summer. We took this opportunity to talk to Greg Cangialosi, CEO of Blue Sky Factory about what’s HOT in Email Marketing and Social Media.

We have heard all the buzz about Social Media but partnering your social media efforts with an email marketing campaign is a solid way to get measurable ROI at a low cost to you. No one knows and executes this better than Greg Cangialosi who has been helping his clients succeed with new media for years.

Here is our quick interview with Greg:

Over here at Hall we are BIG email marketing advocates and love helping small businesses develop their strategies. I love what you guys at Blue Sky Factory are about and how you are sharing your message with the world.

Everyone seems to be getting on board that they need to design their marketing strategies to get the highest ROI for their investments. Why do you think Email Marketing is such a great tool to have in your toolbox to really use your marketing dollars effectively?

Communication with customers and potential customers is key. It’s important to stay in front of, and listen to, your audience, especially during an economic decline. Email marketing is an extremely effective tool because of its ability to make messages relevant to subscribers. By collecting your subscribers’ information through your opt-in form or subscribers preferences, you’re able to segment your lists and send targeted messages to your audience. By saying “happy birthday” to your subscribers or reminding them that they may be running out of your product based on their previous purchase, they’ll appreciate the personal touch.

Email marketing is also measurable, so you are able to find out who opened your email, how effective it was, or even which pages were clicked through most frequently. You can use that information when planning your next campaign.

I was able to attend your webinar on Email Marketing, Social Media and Mobile Technology.

For those who were not fortunate enough to participate (yet) what is your take on the partnership of Email marketing/Social & Mobile Media?

These three mediums offer the most interactive ways for people to engage with your brand. They are two-way, direct channels. It is important for companies to use each medium to complement the others – whether it’s using email to alert your audience of your Twitter and Facebook accounts, or using text-messaging to have your audience sign up for emails, they can work together communicate with customers and prospects. Your audience may want to choose which method is used to reach them, or you can send complementary messages through multiple channels in a staggered “drip” campaign.

View Bluesky’s webinar: Intersection of Email, Mobile and Social Media

For smaller businesses who aren’t quite ready for the mobile revolution, what is the most basic thing about mobile media that they need to keep in mind when they are developing their marketing strategies?

SMS (or text-messaging) is the fastest-growing interactive marketing channel worldwide. Take advantage of text-messaging’s immediate, direct reach. A recent study showed that 94% of text-messages are actually read. Why not try it out, see if it works for your company. Test different messages, find out what your audience will respond to, and develop a larger strategy based on that.

We are preparing for our biggest conference of the year for Sage Insights in May. Blue Sky Factory is always hitting the streets to spread their message. What is the biggest thing you think people can do at a trade show or event to get the most out of that opportunity?

Network! Attend the smaller events within the larger event, talk with as many people as possible, participate in the event’s conversation on Twitter (via hashtag). Follow up with your new contacts after the show, and connect with them through social media sites. Building relationships is key, and events are a great way to start building beneficial relationships.

What do you think are the 2 most important things for any business that is looking to get into email marketing to know?

1. Build your list organically. Don’t buy your list or opt-in your contacts for them. It’s important for subscribers to voluntarily opt-in through a form on your website or giving you a business card at an event (just make sure you ask them first!).

2. Try new things & constantly test. Try sending at different times of the day, try different creatives, try different subject lines, and more. Take advantage of your ESP’s A/B Split Testing feature – it’s a great, streamlined tool that will help you test various elements of your email campaigns.

Back to Spring Inspiration – what inspires you each day to make today an even better day than yesterday and keep telling people about Email Solutions?

It’s an exciting time to be in this industry. There are constantly new and innovative tools being introduced on the market. One of the latest trends in email marketing is “Share with Your Network (SWYN)”.  SWYN allows email subscribers to very easily share the email with their networks on Facebook, Digg, Twitter, etc.

The reach that email marketing has is growing every day, and the possibilities seem to be endless. Email is here to stay, and continues to provide a relevant, cost-effective medium for marketers. We often see success stories, and that makes us want to help other companies gain success through email as well.

---

Want to know more right now…

Making Email Marketing Work For You Email remains one of the most powerful tools in the online marketer’s toolbox. With nearly everyone who uses the web using the email daily, email marketing allows you to connect with customers and prospects with messages they want to hear on their schedule. In this webinar we discuss how to learn what you’ll need to know to get started with an effective email campaign today! » View Webinar

Read: The Importance of Building Your Email List Organically

Read: Email Marketing is so NOT out

Yesterday, Amanda and I attended the Social Media Breakfast Maine at Costa Vida Restaurant in Portland. This was the very first installment of Maine’s Social Media Breakfast and the meetings will continue each month covering different topics about Social Media.

It is always refreshing and insightful to be a part of a networking event where like-minded individuals share their ideas and experiences. Even more so when there is breakfast and coffee involved!

Fred Abaroa, owner of the venue, Costa Vida, and burrito baker extraordinaire dove right into the history of society’s usage of traditional media and the timeless tradition of person to person marketing. Fred acknowledged the big changes throughout the decades from radio to television and then television to the internet. He focused in on the current trends today: Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

These mediums are now used as platforms for professional and personal branding growth. With hordes of users on each of these networking sites, it may be difficult to separate yourself, stand out from the crowd and focus on creating your own particular audience. Trying to “Be the blue lobster,” (ah, Maine!) was the exemplary advice from first guest speaker Stuart Foster – Social Media Consultant and Founder of The Lost Jacket.

Already a coffee and a half-bagel deep, I peruse around to see that 85% of the audience is tweeting, blogging or streaming about the event from their PDA’s, laptops or iPhones. Networking behaviors certainly have changed and these observations are proof that Portland has adapted to these changes.

With this adaptation and massive amounts of content poured into these social media systems comes the availability of information. Social media search is now prevalent online and most personal and professional information can be found through the use of social media search engines such as WhosTalkin.com and Twitter Search, believes Monica Wright from HMG Search Marketing.  Social Media searches are useful tools to see who is talking about you or your company online right now.

To some, this is a scary scenario but to most it promotes company transparency, a pillar of trust between business and client. Transparency within these social media networks should be monitored and require a policy of ethics for those members representing your company, admits Lynelle Wilson of Bold Consulting, the final speaker of the event.

We wrapped up with audience questions and a quick raffle (I remain unlucky).  This event addressed the need for professional and personal brand growth using online social media. I definitely would recommend immersing yourself or within these networking and relationship building opportunities!

Read Twitter Search feed of the event

---

Want to Know More Now

Read: Business Owners Need to be More Involved with their Marketing Strategy

Read: 5 Tips to Take Charge of Your Social Media Strategy

Read: The Marketing Power Shift – Are You On Board Or Will You Be Left Behind?

What is Social Media And Why Should I Care? Wondering what del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and Squidoo can do your for business? Get the dirt on Web 2.0 and beyond in this introduction to the major social media networks with tips on how to create and maintain a profile for your business for best success. » View Webinar

Advanced SEO: Tweeting for your Business Sure, you’ve heard of this crazy “hot app” called Twitter that enables you to micro-blog your story in 140 characters or less… but you already have enough to do, right? Hold on a second – This webinar that talks about Twittering for Business and how you can use this slick service to keep in touch with what you customers are saying and create valuable discussions. » View Webinar

This month Fred and I had the pleasure of speaking at the Maine Bank Expo in Portland, Maine. We had the early bird session at 8:00AM and I was immediately surprised at the large turnout. These very busy professionals got out of bed early to come join us as we talked about Social Media. Our presentation was an effort to cut through the hype of Social Media and discuss the theory behind this phenomenon and the practical benefits for businesses, in this case especially banks.

As we all know millions of conversations are taking place on the Internet about products and services. By participating in these online communities you can have your ear to the pavement on trending topics in your field and on what people are saying off the record about your products and services. I think for banks especially, social media is a great way to connect locally with people in your market and be there as a line of support when people have an issue or question.

Our group at the Maine Bank Expo showed me that this is a very hot topic now in all walks of business but with banking especially, there is more hesitation with that loss of control that can come with social media. Their concerns are valid – identity theft, computer worms and privacy issues. I recently had the opportunity to ask Steven L. Kruskamp Jr. the E-Commerce Marketing Manager at 1st Mariner Bank in Baltimore a few questions about their experiences with social media.

1st Mariner Bank in Baltimore – Online and “In the Know”

When do you think you jumped on this Social Networking train full force?

This has been a progressive effort for us. It took a lot of educating and hand holding before I received the ‘thumbs up’ from management. They had valid concerns ranging from opening up our brand to compliance. I wouldn’t say that we went full force at any specific point. We have had a strategy of testing and measuring new communication channels to see if there is any customer or business value.

Can you give us a few examples on how Social Networking on sites like Twitter and Facebook have helped your business?

The value differs between 1st Mariner and its stakeholders when it comes to Social Networking. Facebook is considered a way to interact with our brand. Our Facebook page is where customers, prospects, locals and employees can see photos, post comments and get a general feel for 1st Mariner. A benefit for us is when people become ‘a fan’ of our page which transfers the credibility they have with their network directly to us.

Our Twitter accounts are our communication ‘duct tape.’ Our twitter account started as a way to join in on conversations – already going on – about the local market, the industry, our bank and to reinforce our statement of being Maryland’s local bank. It has evolved into more than that, now serving as a research, promotional and a customer service tool (also check out @fmbcustserv).

How do you feel about security issues with Social Networking sites? For example if someone is a fan of you on Facebook and their personal profile is set to public does that put you or them at risk?

This is a good questions and one that we originally struggled with. Eventually we realized that regardless of us having a branded Facebook page or Twitter account, people are already in these spaces having conversations – good and bad – about us. Contrary to initial beliefs, having a presence there provides more protection than not. It can even turn a negative mention/post into a positive one.

Who do you think should be monitoring your businesses’ online presence and reputation? Your marketing team? CEO/CFO/Owners? Interns?

It is going to be unique for each organization. It needs to be someone who is comfortable with the social networking/media space and also has a strong understanding of the brand. With Twitter, it needs to be a single individual. Part of the allure of Twitter is that you get a sense of the individual managing the account from their tweets. This gives the Twitter account a more personalized and warm feel making interactions/conversations easier and more relaxed.

Any exciting things coming up in 1st Mariners future we should keep an eye out for?

We recently launched a new product targeting 18-25 year olds. The promotional campaign utilizes Facebook Connect, FriendFeed and Flickr for promotional purposes and to build a community around the product. Check it out at www.1stmarinerbank.com/firstaccess

---

Want to Know More Now

Read: Business Owners Need to be More Involved with their Marketing Strategy

Read: 5 Tips to Take Charge of Your Social Media Strategy

Read: The Marketing Power Shift – Are You On Board Or Will You Be Left Behind?

What is Social Media And Why Should I Care? Wondering what del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and Squidoo can do your for business? Get the dirt on Web 2.0 and beyond in this introduction to the major social media networks with tips on how to create and maintain a profile for your business for best success. » View Webinar

Advanced SEO: Tweeting for your Business Sure, you’ve heard of this crazy “hot app” called Twitter that enables you to micro-blog your story in 140 characters or less… but you already have enough to do, right? Hold on a second – This webinar that talks about Twittering for Business and how you can use this slick service to keep in touch with what you customers are saying and create valuable discussions. » View Webinar