My viewpoint of social media has changed in that it is not a big scrambled mess of random crazy keystrokes. And that everyone can be reached through some aspect of social media. Also, whatever social media is today, it very likely will be different tomorrow and I can learn and change with it.
I have a much better understanding of not only how to use it, but how it can be leverage to grow a business. Also, how social media directly affects SEO, and how email marketing fits into the growth of a business. Social media is more than a way to stay in the customer's face, but a way to make your customer feel like they know you personally and are your friend.
I always felt that a blog post was the most effective way to use social media for my business. But the blog is really only effective if my customer takes the time to read. Using Facebook is a great way to put an idea into the mind of a customer ( through life quotes) without them putting in any real effort.
A service that I would use is email marketing. If a great email can be created that is quick to read and offers an introduction the information on the website or YouTube, I think that would drive the most traffic.
I am still fascinated by Twitter. It is all about timing and being knowledgeable on current events and trends. Still don't know how to integrate it in a way that is more than just place to post the same stuff across multiple sites. But in time I think I will find a path on Twitter that will work.
Friday, December 16, 2016
Week 15A
The social media platforms that are best for Pepper Dare are Facebook for sharing content, blog posts, and YouTube.
I enjoyed the blogs very much, but I think YouTube would be fun. It takes more work, since getting the visual aspect right is a new challenge, but I think it is the best way to get a clear message across. Also, it is another way to inject personality. Since the brand is based on a individual, having a video gives a voice and face to the brand.
On a daily use, Twitter comments or Facebook shares.
I believe the email marketing can be twice or once a week. Videos, about 2 to 3 a month max. It would harder to create more unless they were very simple and short.
Given the need for daily updates, and the amount of time needed to create content for a blog and video, at least one to three hours a day should be devoted to social media.
Using Google Calendar, I would start with just Facebook posts and create content for the week ahead. Then begin a plan for a video. I would plot out a weekly blog post, then use the responses for content for further Facebook posts and for the video. For example, if I get a lot of questions and chatter over profile pictures, I would write a blog post on creating the perfect photo. And I would direct the customer to my webpage for offers of photo editing. Over the next 6 months I would use information from social media conversations with customers to create a path for the future.
I enjoyed the blogs very much, but I think YouTube would be fun. It takes more work, since getting the visual aspect right is a new challenge, but I think it is the best way to get a clear message across. Also, it is another way to inject personality. Since the brand is based on a individual, having a video gives a voice and face to the brand.
On a daily use, Twitter comments or Facebook shares.
I believe the email marketing can be twice or once a week. Videos, about 2 to 3 a month max. It would harder to create more unless they were very simple and short.
Given the need for daily updates, and the amount of time needed to create content for a blog and video, at least one to three hours a day should be devoted to social media.
Using Google Calendar, I would start with just Facebook posts and create content for the week ahead. Then begin a plan for a video. I would plot out a weekly blog post, then use the responses for content for further Facebook posts and for the video. For example, if I get a lot of questions and chatter over profile pictures, I would write a blog post on creating the perfect photo. And I would direct the customer to my webpage for offers of photo editing. Over the next 6 months I would use information from social media conversations with customers to create a path for the future.
Monday, December 12, 2016
Week 14B - Facebook Anayltics - What has changed this past week.
I got my 30 Likes. Hooray.
So, what has changed this past week? Pretty much just Page Views and Likes.
This past week, the Views and Likes have jumped. Since Pepper Dare is not a real business, I have not added too much to the Facebook Page, therefore the Actions on Page and Reach has no data to show. It is pretty clear that the sole source for my activity is from claudiafaulkdesign.com and a few from Facebook. If this were a real business, I would make sure to keep up with the sources of page views. I have no Age and Gender information, although that would be important to me if the business was real.
So, what has changed this past week? Pretty much just Page Views and Likes.
This past week, the Views and Likes have jumped. Since Pepper Dare is not a real business, I have not added too much to the Facebook Page, therefore the Actions on Page and Reach has no data to show. It is pretty clear that the sole source for my activity is from claudiafaulkdesign.com and a few from Facebook. If this were a real business, I would make sure to keep up with the sources of page views. I have no Age and Gender information, although that would be important to me if the business was real.
Week 14A - Google Analytics
Google Analytics is fantastic. So much information on customer behavior insight and website performance that it can be overwhelming at first. Some of the features are best suited while I am trying to get the business running, helping me understand who my customer is and what works and what doesn't. Then once I start a campaign and paying for ads, the features that help analyze the effectiveness of those campaigns will be where I put my focus.
At first, Pepper Dare is still trying to understand the behavior of the typical customer, and the Intelligence feature would be the first thing I would set up. I would set the alerts I need, checking on it most likely daily to make sure they are actually valuable.
The Real Time feature would be great to check frequently on the days a new post is made.
The Audience feature/Demographics is the best way to understand who is using my site, making sure I am offering the right service - especially in terms of gender and age analytics.
The Behavior feature should be checked bi-weekly to let me know if my message is valuable to my audience.
The User Explorer feature could probably take over my life.
The Technology and Mobile features are great to check on a bi-weekly basis, letting me know if my website is designed appropriately.
The Acquisition feature is essential to understanding if my email marketing is effective. I would check it the day of and the following day after an email is sent to see if the message was effective.
At first, Pepper Dare is still trying to understand the behavior of the typical customer, and the Intelligence feature would be the first thing I would set up. I would set the alerts I need, checking on it most likely daily to make sure they are actually valuable.
The Real Time feature would be great to check frequently on the days a new post is made.
The Audience feature/Demographics is the best way to understand who is using my site, making sure I am offering the right service - especially in terms of gender and age analytics.
The Behavior feature should be checked bi-weekly to let me know if my message is valuable to my audience.
The User Explorer feature could probably take over my life.
The Technology and Mobile features are great to check on a bi-weekly basis, letting me know if my website is designed appropriately.
The Acquisition feature is essential to understanding if my email marketing is effective. I would check it the day of and the following day after an email is sent to see if the message was effective.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Week 13 - Create an Ad
The advertisements are for a fictitious business.
The objective of the ads are to offer information in small chunks to earn my customer's trust as a resource. Most ads I make should lead to my blog and YouTube channel so that they look to my social media links for information. From this I will hopefully go up in a Google search and will become a favorite for my customers when looking for answers about online dating. Another objective of the ads are to get my customer to go to my website to make a purchase.
One of the most used and effective videos and blogger ads are top ten lists. For Pepper Dare, that would include topics like - dating do's and don'ts, top ten keywords to put in a profile, or best 5 types of images to use in a profile, etc. However, I wanted to start by focusing on one of the biggest issues people are faced with when dating online, and that is writing an effective profile and email. Everyone I have spoken to has used a Google search about writing a profile. Writing about ourselves and initiating contact without sounding contrived is challenging for just about everyone. I see it as an opportunity to bring in interest and revenue.
Having my customer watch the video on Facebook's site is good, but the main goal is to get them to click through to the YouTube link and see all videos offered in my channel. Some of those may have 3rd party ads if I need to generate additional revenue.
Below is the link to the video ad on Facebook. If this were a real business, the video would contain footage of me speaking in addition to still images and text explaining how to create an effective email. I also kept it very short for ease of viewing for my class. My goal would be to keep the video under 3 minutes with a call to action for them to subscribe to my channel, or visit my blog, website, and Facebook page to learn more information.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWUYiDOeep0
Facebook frowns upon too much text in an Ad. I tried to keep it to the amount of image text to low so to not reduce the reach of the Ad.
Next, a Facebook offer claim with 20% off professional profile review. The goal is to get the customer to stop waiting and jump in with a low risk purchase. (The pepperdare.com website does not exist).
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Week 12 - Advertising on Social Media
It's funny how ads on Facebook Ads slowly crept onto my page. When I first started noticing them (are we talking a few years ago at this point?) I spent at least an hour researching how to remove them. I was sure it was due to spam wear on my computer or something similar. But I found out that they were legit and were Facebook's way of making money. Go figure. Facebook was finally coming out of it's adolescence and looking to earn a living.
Dating is one of those areas in life that is very personal and something we compartmentalize to keep separate from the rest of our lives until we feel secure. If banner ads or side ads show up on their Facebook page, my customer may see it as an invasion of privacy.
We each think we are unique in what we go through. I don't expect anyone to give me a leap of faith and pay to follow my advice. The only way for me to draw in customers is for advertisements to offer empathy and insight. It's not until I've shown my understanding of their views that they will accept my service. In other words, my target audience has to see my value and consider me a partner that they invite into their lives.
The best way to do that is through life quotes images on Instagram and Facebook, and videos posted as ads on Facebook with click though for more information. Still not sure if Twitter will reach my target audience. Or Instagram for that matter, but it is worth a try. At the very least, it may improve SEO ranking.
As for frequency, dating is like buying a car. You are oblivious about car ads until you want a car. Then finding the right car becomes an obsession. I would need to post a life quote at the very least daily. And a video once to twice a week. I need to be there when my customer is ready.
Dating is one of those areas in life that is very personal and something we compartmentalize to keep separate from the rest of our lives until we feel secure. If banner ads or side ads show up on their Facebook page, my customer may see it as an invasion of privacy.
We each think we are unique in what we go through. I don't expect anyone to give me a leap of faith and pay to follow my advice. The only way for me to draw in customers is for advertisements to offer empathy and insight. It's not until I've shown my understanding of their views that they will accept my service. In other words, my target audience has to see my value and consider me a partner that they invite into their lives.
The best way to do that is through life quotes images on Instagram and Facebook, and videos posted as ads on Facebook with click though for more information. Still not sure if Twitter will reach my target audience. Or Instagram for that matter, but it is worth a try. At the very least, it may improve SEO ranking.
As for frequency, dating is like buying a car. You are oblivious about car ads until you want a car. Then finding the right car becomes an obsession. I would need to post a life quote at the very least daily. And a video once to twice a week. I need to be there when my customer is ready.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Week 10 - blog comments
I commented on the insightful blogs of:
Antiono Russo / Yellow Circle - Blue square company
https://bluesquareco.blogspot.com/
Luellen Raymor / DIY4BIZ - Crafting Social Maxine Raven
http://craftingsocial.blogspot.com/
Kendall Holmes - Carlsbad Counseling Center
http://kendallscsit155.blogspot.com/2016/11/constant-contact-with-emails-week-10.html#comment-form
In addition to my Quiet Woman blog, my other blog and social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pepperdare ( has a little bit of content )
Blogspot (Pepper Dare): http://pepperraedare.blogspot.com/ ( has one post )
Twitter: http://pepperraedare.blogspot.com/ (no posts)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vSSovzJO4zuaQUv0nE7uQ (no videos posted yet)
Antiono Russo / Yellow Circle - Blue square company
https://bluesquareco.blogspot.com/
Luellen Raymor / DIY4BIZ - Crafting Social Maxine Raven
http://craftingsocial.blogspot.com/
Kendall Holmes - Carlsbad Counseling Center
http://kendallscsit155.blogspot.com/2016/11/constant-contact-with-emails-week-10.html#comment-form
In addition to my Quiet Woman blog, my other blog and social media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pepperdare ( has a little bit of content )
Blogspot (Pepper Dare): http://pepperraedare.blogspot.com/ ( has one post )
Twitter: http://pepperraedare.blogspot.com/ (no posts)
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2vSSovzJO4zuaQUv0nE7uQ (no videos posted yet)
Week 11 B
I chose to use Google +, since this fictional business is not on LinkedIn.
I first tried searching on Google + for online dating and found several mail order bride type groups. Had a bit of a slick Craigslist feel. I did find these communities and pages to be useful.
A coupon network couple help drive traffic to my blog and website. I could offer a promo code to download a free online profile checklist, or a list of the differences between each dating site. It could be a great way to drive click through traffic to my blog and Facebook page.
I first tried searching on Google + for online dating and found several mail order bride type groups. Had a bit of a slick Craigslist feel. I did find these communities and pages to be useful.
- Online Dating Safety Tips page is where I could get ideas that I find in my own research.
- The Online Alarm Clock under Collections had many funny memes. Definitely a place where I could share others posts and post a few of my own.
- A Fitness community for ideas to share on Facebook.
- Men after Divorce community and a Divorce and Family Law community both offer information important to my customer base. I can post relevant information in these communities as well.
- Relationships Matters Advice and Support will keep me up to date and help me understand the current struggles and issues that matter most to my customer base. It will help me provide a better service and ideas to target on my blog and videos. This is probably one of the best places for me to post information to gain a following.
- The Social Media Strategy community will help me stay current in my social media tactics.
A coupon network couple help drive traffic to my blog and website. I could offer a promo code to download a free online profile checklist, or a list of the differences between each dating site. It could be a great way to drive click through traffic to my blog and Facebook page.
Friday, November 18, 2016
Week 11a - Other social media sites
Overall, given the demographic of my target customer and that I do not have a brick and mortar business, the other social media sites that may be valuable to my business is Linked In, Meetup, Coupon marketing, Reddit, and possibly Google maps.
Google + has not been adopted by the over 50 age group, so not a good place to connect with customers. It may be valuable as a way to connect other consultants that are in a field that relate to my target audience, like personal trainers or travel agents.
Linked In is a great way for people to find me on a google search and to show my credentials. Also as a way to meet others in a field that has a similar customer base, again like personal trainers, travel agents, winery owners, etc....
Dating is such a personal issue, it is unlikely that my customers will want to share anything on a site like Yelp. There will be those that will post on Yelp, but not a lot. It is also not used by my demographic. Their children use it, so they are aware, but they have great confidence in their own judgement and that of their circle of friends, and they do not tend to look to Yelp as a way gain insight.
Coupon marketing is great for those looking for special offers for joining an online dating site. I can show links or posts current offers to other sites as a service to my readers It is a way to drive readers to my site when they Google search for discount offers.
Living social is not applicable. Google Maps may be useful to show where an event is happening or a Meetup groupd. Also, in the future if I ever take on a brick and mortar site, then Google Maps becomes a must have.
Reddit is a possible option. My customers are familiar with it because of their children, and since it is not hard to use, they are likely to engage in a conversation on Reddit if prompted.
Meetup is the social media site where I first started working with others as a free service. I will continue to use Meetup to gain insight and content for my blogs and videos. I can also use it as a way to drive views to my blog and videos. It is a great way to hold events that are announced on Facebook.
Google + has not been adopted by the over 50 age group, so not a good place to connect with customers. It may be valuable as a way to connect other consultants that are in a field that relate to my target audience, like personal trainers or travel agents.
Linked In is a great way for people to find me on a google search and to show my credentials. Also as a way to meet others in a field that has a similar customer base, again like personal trainers, travel agents, winery owners, etc....
Dating is such a personal issue, it is unlikely that my customers will want to share anything on a site like Yelp. There will be those that will post on Yelp, but not a lot. It is also not used by my demographic. Their children use it, so they are aware, but they have great confidence in their own judgement and that of their circle of friends, and they do not tend to look to Yelp as a way gain insight.
Coupon marketing is great for those looking for special offers for joining an online dating site. I can show links or posts current offers to other sites as a service to my readers It is a way to drive readers to my site when they Google search for discount offers.
Living social is not applicable. Google Maps may be useful to show where an event is happening or a Meetup groupd. Also, in the future if I ever take on a brick and mortar site, then Google Maps becomes a must have.
Reddit is a possible option. My customers are familiar with it because of their children, and since it is not hard to use, they are likely to engage in a conversation on Reddit if prompted.
Meetup is the social media site where I first started working with others as a free service. I will continue to use Meetup to gain insight and content for my blogs and videos. I can also use it as a way to drive views to my blog and videos. It is a great way to hold events that are announced on Facebook.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Week 10a - email marketing
For my online dating consulting business, a weekly newsletter is appropriate. Since some people are only in the online dating pool for 3 months, anything less than a weekly is too infrequent. Bi-weekly emails will work if each has a different focus. For example, Monday's email is about online dating nuts and bolts or ideas on fitness and health. Thursday email would focus on where to take a date and fun things to do or styling and outfit ideas.
Since most folks have time to date on a weekend, sending out a newsletter early in the week gives the customer time to reach out to a romantic interest before Friday. Occasional content on getting into shape, updating a wardrobe, or the latest anti aging treatment would be welcomed. It is also a great place to post answers to questions I've received or share stories of others experiences with online dating. In addition, the email will have links to the blog and events within the coming month. achieve it.
I had not considered email marketing prior to this class. I am now convinced it is a key component to driving business and retaining customers.
Since most folks have time to date on a weekend, sending out a newsletter early in the week gives the customer time to reach out to a romantic interest before Friday. Occasional content on getting into shape, updating a wardrobe, or the latest anti aging treatment would be welcomed. It is also a great place to post answers to questions I've received or share stories of others experiences with online dating. In addition, the email will have links to the blog and events within the coming month. achieve it.
I had not considered email marketing prior to this class. I am now convinced it is a key component to driving business and retaining customers.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Week 9b - Blog categories
I will divide my blog posts into 4 main categories:
The first category is what I get asked most about when enlisting my help in dating. Once they get past the online aspect of dating, there is confusion on how to date in general. And then they just want fresh dating ideas. The first three will be usefull for those using an online search with questions about dating over 50. The last category is to show that I am active and current in my profession.
I commented on the smart blogs of:
Derek Kendall Holmes
MvMontes
Blue Tiger Films
- Understanding dating websites and how to use them.
- How to date - texting vs calling, sex, baggage, how fast to move, medical issues, travel, finances, etc.
- Fun things to do in the San Diego area
- Stories about clients questions and successes
The first category is what I get asked most about when enlisting my help in dating. Once they get past the online aspect of dating, there is confusion on how to date in general. And then they just want fresh dating ideas. The first three will be usefull for those using an online search with questions about dating over 50. The last category is to show that I am active and current in my profession.
I commented on the smart blogs of:
Derek Kendall Holmes
MvMontes
Blue Tiger Films
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Week 9a - Human interest
Ok, a little late here...
I grew up a big Star Trek fan, thinking Mr. Spock was the coolest. Being in control of his emotions was his superpower. Thank goodness he is not one of my customers.
Emotions are as much a part of decision making as logic, so it makes sense that appealing to emotions has to be one of the key components of a marketing campaign. The same for a blog. According to Unruly, the most shared ads and content are emotional ones, with positive posts being forwarded more than negative posts. And human interest stories are a natural way to create positive, happy content.
Human interest posts help build a loyal customer base by creating a sense of trust and belonging in the reader. For my business, it makes sense to tell personal stories so that the reader knows I understand their perspective and needs. When folks feel understood, they can trust my advice and services, andnd will hopefully feel inclined to share those positive stories with others. At the same time, my customers need simple instruction and details on how to move forward with online dating, without the frustration of having to wade through what may be seen as fluff.
My Google analytics account has been set up. UA-873###13-1 (wasn't sure if it was safe to list full number) under Pepper Dare. Hopefully, I'll be able to take full advantage when I get my business off the ground.
I grew up a big Star Trek fan, thinking Mr. Spock was the coolest. Being in control of his emotions was his superpower. Thank goodness he is not one of my customers.
Emotions are as much a part of decision making as logic, so it makes sense that appealing to emotions has to be one of the key components of a marketing campaign. The same for a blog. According to Unruly, the most shared ads and content are emotional ones, with positive posts being forwarded more than negative posts. And human interest stories are a natural way to create positive, happy content.
Human interest posts help build a loyal customer base by creating a sense of trust and belonging in the reader. For my business, it makes sense to tell personal stories so that the reader knows I understand their perspective and needs. When folks feel understood, they can trust my advice and services, andnd will hopefully feel inclined to share those positive stories with others. At the same time, my customers need simple instruction and details on how to move forward with online dating, without the frustration of having to wade through what may be seen as fluff.
My Google analytics account has been set up. UA-873###13-1 (wasn't sure if it was safe to list full number) under Pepper Dare. Hopefully, I'll be able to take full advantage when I get my business off the ground.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Week 8 - Twitter
Search terms for Twitter.
For many of my potential clients, it has been over 30 years since they went out on a date. They may want to gain a more youthful appearance or maybe find new adventures to share with someone. The search words are all things that others need to get back into dating scene. A few of the accounts I chose to follow are magazine writers and tour guides to keep me current on dating ideas and what is happening in the area. I also searched on dating advice to learn what others are saying about dating and relationships.
I found it best to stay local and add San Diego to the search terms.
The accounts I chose to follow:
Things to do in the area
Self Improvement
Advice
The lists will help me quickly find relevant information and ideas that I can blog or share with clients.
Many potential clients are retired or near the end of their structured working days. Mornings before their day gets bus,y around 9 am, or evenings after 8 pm.
- Dating advice over 50
- Baby boomers
- Things to do San Diego
- Wine
- Wine tours San Diego
- Restaurants San Diego
- Fitness
- Fashion advice
For many of my potential clients, it has been over 30 years since they went out on a date. They may want to gain a more youthful appearance or maybe find new adventures to share with someone. The search words are all things that others need to get back into dating scene. A few of the accounts I chose to follow are magazine writers and tour guides to keep me current on dating ideas and what is happening in the area. I also searched on dating advice to learn what others are saying about dating and relationships.
I found it best to stay local and add San Diego to the search terms.
The accounts I chose to follow:
Things to do in the area
- DiscoverSD Travel
- Baja Wine and Food
- PacificSD
- San Diego City Beat
Self Improvement
- Muscle Fitness
- YES Encinitas
- Alicia Kay Style
- RMRStyle
- Mens Fitness
Advice
- DatingInsight
- DatingAdviceCom
- Carolyn Hax
Many potential clients are retired or near the end of their structured working days. Mornings before their day gets bus,y around 9 am, or evenings after 8 pm.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Week 7B - visual support
There is something about finding other businesses successfully navigating the same business model as you that creates a tornado of emotion. Excitement because they've validated your concept and desperation because they are real competition.
The four business examples I've chosen are Evan Mark Katz, EFlirt, SmartDatingAcademy, Nick Notas.
Evan Mark Katz is an dating coach that advises both men and women on finding love. On the website, he offers links to Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Google+. The use of visual media is extensive and employs quote graphics over lush stock photography, videos of interviews of Evan answering questions, and video blogs. His images are compelling enough to share and they convey the topic. They add to the sense that the writer is committed and knowledgeable and that Evan Mark Katz is indeed the one running the show. For his social media
- Facebook 65365 followers - last post within the hour.
- Twitter 13200 followers with 840 likes. That's 15 follower/like -last post within the hour.
- YouTube 4197 subscribers - last post one week ago.
- Google+ 67 followers (no longer updated)
Other than Google+, which he seems to have abandoned, he posts several times per day. On Facebook, his last post was a quote graphic 20 minutes prior to writing this blog. That post already had 78 likes, 3 shares, and one comment. His Twitter mirrors his Facebook posts. He never posts without a visual and it is mostly original content (not re-posts). He posts less frequently on You Tube, where he adds a video blog about once a week. By the number of followers,likes, and shares, his visual media is effective. It would not have much weight without his great writing advice, but the visual media is easy to share and is a quick read. In fact, an inspirational quote graphic he shared a week ago has over 1000 likes, 398 shares, and 70 comments. Based on that image post, he gets one like for every 6536 followers. His site shows up on any google search on dating or love advice.
EFlirt is an online dating coach service. The website offers links to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. The use of visual media is almost non-existent on Facebook and Twitter, with only one clipart graphic on Facebook. Image use adds color to the page but is not compelling to share. For her social media
- Facebook 500 followers and 2548 friends - last post was 2 weeks ago.
- Twitter 17800 followers with 2455 likes. That's 7.2 followers/like - last post 15 months ago.
- Pinterest 765 followers - last post 44 weeks ago.
- Instagram 3281 followers - last post 6 weeks ago.
Images used on Instagram and Pinterest are quote graphics. Facebook and Instagram are main social media sites maintained with the last Facebook post getting 140 likes and 14 comments and no shares. Frequency of posts is 2 to 3 times/month on Facebook and Instagram. By the number of followers and friends, this site main marketing strategy is through mixing the dating coach's personal life and business on Facebook. The visual media is pictures of her family life. It seems to be an effective strategy, but does not have the large number of shares as Evan Mark Katz. And this site is not as easy to find on a Google search about dating.
Smart Dating Academy is an online dating service offering help with maintaining an online dating profile and emailing. On the website, they offer links to Facebook, Twitter, and You tube. The use of visual media if frequent with stock photography, plain quote graphics, and video blogs. The visuals are attractive but not informative for sharing. For their social media
- Facebook 1568 likes (no followers) - last post yesterday
- Twitter 1436 followers with 697 likes. That's 2 followers/like - last post was a day ago.
- Youtube 273 subscribers -last update one year ago.
- Instagram 1067 followers.
Facebook and Twitter are the main marketing social media for this business. Most posts on Twitter are re-tweets. Most posts on Instagram are head shots of the dating coach. The last Facebook post has 6 likes with no comments or shares. It is updated about every two weeks, with each post getting no more than 3 likes per post and zero comments. Twitter is updated every week. Based on the lack of interaction, the social media is not the main marketing path for this business.
Nick Notas is an online dating coach helping others to understand how to date online. On his website there are links to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+. The use of visual media consists of stock photography to add impact to blog posts. The images make the blog post more compelling to share.
- Facebook 2068 likes (no followers) - last update one week ago.
- Twitter 867 followers with 3 likes.That's 289 followers/like - last update one week ago.
- Google + 407 followers - last post a week ago.
None of his posts on Facebook have over 3 likes and no recent comments. His 3 social media sites all mirror each other with posts about once per week with links to his blog. Most of his posts do not have visuals. His visual media helps when scanning the page, but is not effective in reinforcing the content.
I am following Evan Mark Katz and Eflirt.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Week 7A - Get Visual
One of the most important aspects of online dating are the pictures. So, absolutely visual platforms are perfect and probably the most effective way to reach my customer base.
It's unlimited the ways I can make visuals or my customers can make and share with me relevant visual content. Videos on Youtube and Facebook explaining how to use the dating applications or a video version of my blog. Pictures of infographics on Facebook and Pinterest of what works and what doesn't. Listicles of top dating issues, quote graphics on romance, images of what to wear along with any number of dos and don'ts - it's endless. Even screenshots of profile fails or successes with the identifiable information blurred out is an option as long as it doesn't come across as mean spirited or a breach of privacy (that one I have to think on).
The limiting factor is my demographic. Folks over 50 years are on Facebook for sure. They are already on those sites because their grandchildren are there.... and so are their old high school sweethearts. In fact, 64% of adults over 50 are on Facebook. And Youtube has a high acceptance in my demographic. While older women are on Pinterest, it may be less effective in my target audience. Maybe Pinterest is valuable as a way to bring customers in through online searches. As for Twitter, the use is under 11%, so most likely not the best place for me to focus my efforts. Same for Snapchat, Google +, and Instagram. LinkedIn is widely used and a great place to post introductory videos of the services I offer.
Here's the thing, folks over 50 years old, and even more so for those over 60 years old, may have the highest divorce rate, but also have the lowest understanding of the web. I have helped numerous friends with online dating, but first I almost always have to help them set up a Gmail account, or teach them how to edit or upload images, and even explain to them that it could be anyone on the other side of that computer communicating with them. A significant amount of folks over 60 years old don't even try to learn about technology and are totally dependent on their children or grandchildren for guidance. So for my business to reach my customers online, I have to stay aware their lack of understanding and stick with where they already hang out - which is Facebook and Youtube.
It's unlimited the ways I can make visuals or my customers can make and share with me relevant visual content. Videos on Youtube and Facebook explaining how to use the dating applications or a video version of my blog. Pictures of infographics on Facebook and Pinterest of what works and what doesn't. Listicles of top dating issues, quote graphics on romance, images of what to wear along with any number of dos and don'ts - it's endless. Even screenshots of profile fails or successes with the identifiable information blurred out is an option as long as it doesn't come across as mean spirited or a breach of privacy (that one I have to think on).
The limiting factor is my demographic. Folks over 50 years are on Facebook for sure. They are already on those sites because their grandchildren are there.... and so are their old high school sweethearts. In fact, 64% of adults over 50 are on Facebook. And Youtube has a high acceptance in my demographic. While older women are on Pinterest, it may be less effective in my target audience. Maybe Pinterest is valuable as a way to bring customers in through online searches. As for Twitter, the use is under 11%, so most likely not the best place for me to focus my efforts. Same for Snapchat, Google +, and Instagram. LinkedIn is widely used and a great place to post introductory videos of the services I offer.
Here's the thing, folks over 50 years old, and even more so for those over 60 years old, may have the highest divorce rate, but also have the lowest understanding of the web. I have helped numerous friends with online dating, but first I almost always have to help them set up a Gmail account, or teach them how to edit or upload images, and even explain to them that it could be anyone on the other side of that computer communicating with them. A significant amount of folks over 60 years old don't even try to learn about technology and are totally dependent on their children or grandchildren for guidance. So for my business to reach my customers online, I have to stay aware their lack of understanding and stick with where they already hang out - which is Facebook and Youtube.
Monday, October 17, 2016
I've scheduled 3 posts for the upcoming week. First is a short post about why folks over 50 years should try online dating - a very quick read to let folks know what Pepper Dare is about. Second is a link to Pepper Dare's first blog post about online dating - longer more thoughtful content. Third is a link to an advice columnist - wanted to share some of her insight.
Friday, October 14, 2016
Week 6a - Business page likes
Pages liked:
Ok Cupid: Website used by potential customers who would be interested in the consulting services.
Evan Mark Katz: Offers similar advice and services with some overlap. Hope to learn and gain additional insight on how to offer and improve services.
Meetup: Product used by customers that have an interest in meeting others.
Divorce Attorneys San Diego: Local business whose customers may soon be single looking for advice and services.
24 Hour Fitness: Local business that many potential customers use to get into shape so that they can meet others.
Marriage and Relationship Counselor in San Diego: Local business used by potential customers.
Carolyn Hax: Advice writer. Has overlap in customer base.
Ok Cupid: Website used by potential customers who would be interested in the consulting services.
Evan Mark Katz: Offers similar advice and services with some overlap. Hope to learn and gain additional insight on how to offer and improve services.
Meetup: Product used by customers that have an interest in meeting others.
Divorce Attorneys San Diego: Local business whose customers may soon be single looking for advice and services.
24 Hour Fitness: Local business that many potential customers use to get into shape so that they can meet others.
Marriage and Relationship Counselor in San Diego: Local business used by potential customers.
Carolyn Hax: Advice writer. Has overlap in customer base.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Facebook Engagement and Reach
In order to build brand loyalty and create sales, every business wants to build a relationship of some sort with their customer. Facebook Engagement is a measure of that relationship in page views, comments, and likes on the content of a business' posts. The engagement metric lets a business determine the effectiveness their content with the target audience.
But before a business can engage a customer, they have to reach their target audience. Facebook reach is the number of people who have seen a businesses post in a news feed. In other words, it is a measure of the size of the audience. Facebook differentiates between organic and paid reach and is somewhat analogous to seeing a storefront on a morning walk as opposed to a billboard on the interstate.
But before a business can engage a customer, they have to reach their target audience. Facebook reach is the number of people who have seen a businesses post in a news feed. In other words, it is a measure of the size of the audience. Facebook differentiates between organic and paid reach and is somewhat analogous to seeing a storefront on a morning walk as opposed to a billboard on the interstate.
Monitoring the engagement metric on the Facebook insights page allows a business to create better content, find the best day of the week to post content, and decide when to pay to increase viewership.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Target Market 4b
The target audience is single men and women looking for romance. Specifically, men and women over the age of 50 who are recently widowed, divorced, separated, or an empty-nester and living in the United States. For those who live in the San Diego area, additional consulting services may be possible.
Demographic: Nearly 40 million people are dating online. 10% of the overall adult population in the United States log onto a dating site every month. Specifically, for adults over 50 years, nearly 40 percent are single, divorced, or widowed and 12 percent of them having tried online dating.
Many over the age of 50 are at the height of their income earning potential and are willing to spend money on themselves.
Psychographic: Much of the stigma attaching to online dating is gone, but still lingers for those over the age of 50. Spending time online and using mobile technology is still foreign. They are more vunerable to scams because they lack an understanding of the medium.
Many are at the stage in life when their immediate family members have either moved away, or they themselves have moved for employment or retirement. In other words, they are completely alone for the first time in life and do not have a social network for a meeting romantic partner.
Those divorced or recently single feel frustrated with the split in their assets and income.
Those coming out of a divorce have taken a hit to their self esteem and may be looking for affirmation and acceptance.
Seniors want to enjoy fun activites and but are not used to venturing out alone. They want success in finding a partner to enjoy life.
Behavioristic: They believe online dating is a quick fix to their challenges and become quickly disillusioned. They will look for assistance or give up with online dating. One in 5 online daters have asked for help with writing their profiles. Women are more social and will ask a friend for help. Men tend to not ask other men for help and may be more open to professional assistance in writing a profile or help with online communicating.
Demographic: Nearly 40 million people are dating online. 10% of the overall adult population in the United States log onto a dating site every month. Specifically, for adults over 50 years, nearly 40 percent are single, divorced, or widowed and 12 percent of them having tried online dating.
Many over the age of 50 are at the height of their income earning potential and are willing to spend money on themselves.
Psychographic: Much of the stigma attaching to online dating is gone, but still lingers for those over the age of 50. Spending time online and using mobile technology is still foreign. They are more vunerable to scams because they lack an understanding of the medium.
Many are at the stage in life when their immediate family members have either moved away, or they themselves have moved for employment or retirement. In other words, they are completely alone for the first time in life and do not have a social network for a meeting romantic partner.
Those divorced or recently single feel frustrated with the split in their assets and income.
Those coming out of a divorce have taken a hit to their self esteem and may be looking for affirmation and acceptance.
Seniors want to enjoy fun activites and but are not used to venturing out alone. They want success in finding a partner to enjoy life.
Behavioristic: They believe online dating is a quick fix to their challenges and become quickly disillusioned. They will look for assistance or give up with online dating. One in 5 online daters have asked for help with writing their profiles. Women are more social and will ask a friend for help. Men tend to not ask other men for help and may be more open to professional assistance in writing a profile or help with online communicating.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Week 4a - Target Market
I decided to compare the websites and the target markets of Econobum and Just Cheap Diapers. Both businesses claim to be founded by mothers seeking a better diapering solution.
The target demographic is similar as the customers for both sites are exclusively parents of babies and toddlers. And although the companies both have names that emphasis inexpensive, their target customer's standard of measure for value is different. Econobum's customer's are willing to spend more money and an insane amount more effort for an ethical choice, while Just Cheap customer's top concern is finding a less expensive option. Econobum's customer has most likely more disposable income.
Just Cheap Diapers keeps the site simple with fun graphics and information, offering a range of diapers with quantity pricing. Their site lives up to it's name - it's just diapers at a cheap price. Throwing diapers in the landfill is just fine with their customers.
But Econobum website offers the full experience to show the customer their enviromentally responsible values. Starting with their leaf logo and soft natural color choices, they provide a sense of well being and consciousness. Their site goes into great detail about the quality of the cotton, technological features, care instructions, product awards, and many pages describing their values. In fact, there are more pages devoted to describing their ethical values than their product! It does not list the price for any of their diapers.
Just Cheap Diapers is lacking a call to action, other than a Facebook link and a contact us page. Neither of those choices makes it clear on how to purchase their product. Econobum has a 'find stores' link on the home page. This site is geared toward providing marketing support for brick and mortor retail shops.
The target demographic is similar as the customers for both sites are exclusively parents of babies and toddlers. And although the companies both have names that emphasis inexpensive, their target customer's standard of measure for value is different. Econobum's customer's are willing to spend more money and an insane amount more effort for an ethical choice, while Just Cheap customer's top concern is finding a less expensive option. Econobum's customer has most likely more disposable income.
Just Cheap Diapers keeps the site simple with fun graphics and information, offering a range of diapers with quantity pricing. Their site lives up to it's name - it's just diapers at a cheap price. Throwing diapers in the landfill is just fine with their customers.
But Econobum website offers the full experience to show the customer their enviromentally responsible values. Starting with their leaf logo and soft natural color choices, they provide a sense of well being and consciousness. Their site goes into great detail about the quality of the cotton, technological features, care instructions, product awards, and many pages describing their values. In fact, there are more pages devoted to describing their ethical values than their product! It does not list the price for any of their diapers.
Just Cheap Diapers is lacking a call to action, other than a Facebook link and a contact us page. Neither of those choices makes it clear on how to purchase their product. Econobum has a 'find stores' link on the home page. This site is geared toward providing marketing support for brick and mortor retail shops.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Two Websites that are my favs!
It's no secret to those that know me know that I love Target. And I love their website too. It is very sleek with just the right amount of drama mixed with fun and cute. Simple yet complex. If I could marry Target, I would. Target has literally thousands of products in many different categories, but all of the immense product navigation is mostly contained in two drop down menus on the upper right next to the logo. If there is something specific I am looking for, I go straight to that menu. But they are clever and draw my eye by putting the weeks latest offerings with a big bold image on the home page. I can't help but take notice. And I can count on getting the same experience from their mobile site.
Another site I use almost daily is Google Finance. Bare bones news site of the financial markets. If I search on a stock, they give me a snapshot of that stock, a list of current news associated with that stock, and a list of the history of past searches I performed. Now there are hundreds of websites that offer basically the same information, so why choose Google Finance when there is no pretty decoration, no list of related offerings, no fun social media links? Because that's the beauty of it. Stocks change in price so quickly, no one wants a slow loading page with lag time. Google finance may not be the beauty at the ball, but I'm happy it's my dance partner.
I commented on the insightful blogs of
Jennette Leigh
Sherrie Moore
Kendall Holmes
Another site I use almost daily is Google Finance. Bare bones news site of the financial markets. If I search on a stock, they give me a snapshot of that stock, a list of current news associated with that stock, and a list of the history of past searches I performed. Now there are hundreds of websites that offer basically the same information, so why choose Google Finance when there is no pretty decoration, no list of related offerings, no fun social media links? Because that's the beauty of it. Stocks change in price so quickly, no one wants a slow loading page with lag time. Google finance may not be the beauty at the ball, but I'm happy it's my dance partner.
I commented on the insightful blogs of
Jennette Leigh
Sherrie Moore
Kendall Holmes
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Week 3a - Principles of good social media design
Good design for social media is not much different than good design for any other medium, sharing many of the same principles that go beyond the aesthetic to make something more functional and understandable.
When I read the current assignment to assess the design qualities of 4 websites from the list, I was concerned it would be hard to figure out which ones needed improvement. But that turned out to be the easy part. It's what makes a website great that's hard to define. Good design doesn't stand in the way of presenting the material. It often goes unnoticed.
I'm going to start with spotmetering.com. I'm not familiar with what spot metering is, but this website seems to offer valuable information to those in the photography industry. Unfortunately the dark design, poor structure, and lack of branding makes the author seem not in the least bit credible. Clearly he's very technical, but he is also an artist for goodness sake! While the book he is selling is not a high purchase item, his site is poor enough that I would be concerned his book is just a bad and would have reservations about a purchase. Some quick improvements:
Next is www.roverp6cars.com, an auto parts retail website packed with quality content and information for the visitor. Structure, organization, and aesthetics are important if the viewer is able to quickly navigate to the specific auto part they need. This appears to be a Mom and Pop shop, and dealers for classic cars are considered nerdy. Certainly not know for their design expertise. I would expect the website to be a little clunky so I am okay with some ugly. But, if the site makes it too hard for to find what I'm looking for, I'll exit the site in frustration without making a purchase rather than put in the effort.
The Apple website has fantastic design as well, as it should seeing how that is the main justification for the premium price point of it's products. The sleek, well crafted site mirrors the products they sell - products that are of high importance to it's customers. When was the last time you were away from your phone for an extended period of time? I am not a user of Apple products, but I was a little surprised that their site was kind of solemn rather than little more playful, like the old iPod ads. The current design makes me think they are trying to appeal to a broader customer base.
So much more that could be said about each of these sites. Thanks Claudia for throwing softballs.
When I read the current assignment to assess the design qualities of 4 websites from the list, I was concerned it would be hard to figure out which ones needed improvement. But that turned out to be the easy part. It's what makes a website great that's hard to define. Good design doesn't stand in the way of presenting the material. It often goes unnoticed.
I'm going to start with spotmetering.com. I'm not familiar with what spot metering is, but this website seems to offer valuable information to those in the photography industry. Unfortunately the dark design, poor structure, and lack of branding makes the author seem not in the least bit credible. Clearly he's very technical, but he is also an artist for goodness sake! While the book he is selling is not a high purchase item, his site is poor enough that I would be concerned his book is just a bad and would have reservations about a purchase. Some quick improvements:
- Remove the top animation and background image. They attract attention, yet offer no information to the visitor or reinforce the brand. The page is easier to read without these items. Instead put the links near the top of the page to help the viewer find information.
- Layout the page in a column format and left justify the text, placing the page navigation in a side column so that the viewer doesn't have to scroll to read the main content. Padding around the text will help it look less crowded. The page will be more organized making the content easier to quickly scan and read.
- Rather than emphasize text by using all CAPS AND DIFFERENT COLORS AND UNDERLINE, choose one, or better yet none at all and emphasize by using white space to group important content.
- Use a heading hierarchy rather than different colored boxes to help the reader understand how the content is organized. It's difficult to know what and where to read, almost like you have to force yourself to find the content. It's not that boxes are bad, but there needs to be some rhyme or reason to the type of boxes.
- The page has many beautiful photos, perfect for creating a stunning website. Put them near the top of the page to encourage the viewer to read further to learn how to create a beautiful image. The author can display his knowledge and authority on the subject matter.
- Black or dark text on a light background is preferred by viewers. If the owner wants a dark background to create a sense of elegance, then the page needs more white space and a larger font size than the average website.
Next is www.roverp6cars.com, an auto parts retail website packed with quality content and information for the visitor. Structure, organization, and aesthetics are important if the viewer is able to quickly navigate to the specific auto part they need. This appears to be a Mom and Pop shop, and dealers for classic cars are considered nerdy. Certainly not know for their design expertise. I would expect the website to be a little clunky so I am okay with some ugly. But, if the site makes it too hard for to find what I'm looking for, I'll exit the site in frustration without making a purchase rather than put in the effort.
- First thing to address is readability. With the mid-grey background and images behind all of the links, it is impossible to get enough contrast to read without straining. Taking away the images behind the links would increase readability.
- The text is in multiple sizes, colors, and underline, making it hard to understand the hierarchy of the text. Format the text to help the reader understand what is going on. On some of the secondary pages, the pages are formatted, but the text is small with low contrast and the paragraphs are too wide. The use of margins and padding around the paragraphs will make them narrower so that the reader is less likely to jump lines. Larger text in a sans serif with a lighter background will make the text easier to read. Finally, center alignment makes it hard to tell when a topic starts and ends and therefore can only accommodate very little text. Left alignment makes it easier to understand content if there is a lot to read.
- This site has a split personality. It's almost as though you've accidentally jumped to a different website on some of the pages. Using the same style throughout the site helps the viewer understand the content and reinforces the brand. In addition, I see a logo in my Chrome tab, but no where else on the site. Using the logo in the upper left corner will reinforce the brand.
The Toyota website offers many different products, services, and information, but you don't get sensory overload when you open their page. It is polished, current, easy to navigate, giving me a sense that their products offer the same qualities. Everything reinforces the brand. It builds confidence that, as a company, they are organized, competent, well funded, and professional - important considerations for what is one of the biggest purchases I'll ever make.
- Despite all of the information this site offers, the main page is has minimal links (before scrolling) allowing the viewer to focus first on what they are selling - cars! The changing image of the car presents several of their products in a small footprint.
- Drop down links make it easy to navigate and find information on the site. And the "back to the top" link makes it easy to navigate to get back to those top links after scrolling.
- Plenty of white space makes the page easy to scan and read. I'm happy to peruse their product information. The main information they want the viewer to find is available without scrolling, and the rest of the information is laid out in a grid format below.
- They use one color for headlines and the same font throughout reinforcing the brand.
- Social media links are on the main page to help the viewer share and find information.
The Apple website has fantastic design as well, as it should seeing how that is the main justification for the premium price point of it's products. The sleek, well crafted site mirrors the products they sell - products that are of high importance to it's customers. When was the last time you were away from your phone for an extended period of time? I am not a user of Apple products, but I was a little surprised that their site was kind of solemn rather than little more playful, like the old iPod ads. The current design makes me think they are trying to appeal to a broader customer base.
- They are masters at distilling down the information and getting you to read what they want you to read. The pages have a large image with only a few lines of text. This is a case where center alignment works.
- The double row links at the top of the page with simple icons lets the user know what is available on other pages without distracting from what is on the current page.
- The colors, the font, the white space all reinforce the glossy brand.
- The Apple logo is at the top right corner of every page, reinforcing the history of the brand.
- They alter between light and dark backgrounds on different sections of the site, creating impact. Plenty of white space makes the content easy to read.
- Apple offers a wide range of products and services, but the same design and formatting is the glue that holds it together.
So much more that could be said about each of these sites. Thanks Claudia for throwing softballs.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Week 2b - Businesses using Social Media
This was a fun adventure into the social media of several local businesses that I frequent. In fact, some gained my patronage through social media (MacBeth Footwear, Catalina Offshore, and Crossing Dental) , and others through word of mouth (6 degrees and Tasting Room Del Mar).
What I've noticed of many businesses that use social media is that the target audience sees the same information posts on several sites. However, there are a couple of businesses that target different content per social media site. I would imagne that takes effort and my guess is those businesses have one or more staff members dedicated to social media.
Probably tops on the list of effective social media is the wholesale seafood business Catalina Offshore. They use videos as the main form of communication to offer valuable content, presenting entertainment, education on preparing and sourcing seafood, and updates on what's for sale in the shop. They are most active on Facebook and use it and website blogs to offer content and to draw you to their videos. They give you a reason to visit their web page or social media sites almost daily! They are also the only site in this list that responds to users on Yelp.
The networking business of 6 degrees uses Linked In creatively, which makes sense since they are all about offering their members tools to extend their reach. They also offer enough quality content of videos and blogs on local events and members to encourage frequent visits to one of their social media sites several times per week. I know from experience, they have an effective email campaign that draws the customer to their site. And I tend to check out posts on Facebook to see pics and causally communicate with other business professionals I met at an event. They seem to be most active on Twitter.
The local dentist Crossing Dental mainly updated Facebook on occasion to keep human face on the business. Considering it's a place a client visits only every six months, quarterly posts on Facebook seem appropriate. Anything more than that would be a nuisance. As a service provider, they are the only business listed here that has a link to Angie's List. Their Twitter and Google + sites have not been updated in 4 years.
The wine bar Tasting Room is only a few months old and already has over a thousand followers on Facebook and Instagram. They post pics almost daily and both social media sites mirror each other in content. It is hard to tell if their followers have been gained organically and also if their content is effective. So far, the social media does not offer a human face or voice I associate with the business. They are so new, I think it is great that they are establishing a presence from the start. Unfortunately, they hid their social media links at the bottom of their secondary web pages.
MacBeth Footwear is a SoCal footwear shop. They keep regular posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but those posts seem mechanical - mainly pics from professional photoshots of models wearing product or lifequotes. They used to be very active in their posts, blogs, and music updates. The website doesn't seem to have been updated since Jan 2016. I believe this is a business in decline.
Here are the stats:
6 Degrees Networking
http://www.6degreesnetworking.com/
Website: Updated daily
Facebook: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-19-16
Twitter: Updates multiple times per day. Last update 9-16-16
Instagram: Updates several times per week. Last update 9-14-16
You Tube: Updates every six months. Last update 5-16-16
Vimeo: Updates every few months. Last update 8-17-19
Linked In: Updates every other day. Last update 9-11-16
Catalina Offshore Products
http://catalinaop.com/
Website: Updated 7-26-16
You tube: Updates several times per year. Last update 9-16-16
Pinterest: Many boards updated weekely. Last update 9-15-16
Facebook: Updated daily. Last update 9-19-16
Twitter: Updates multiple times per day. 9-06-16
Crossings Dental
http://www.crossings-dental.com/
Facebook: Updates every other month or so. Last update 8-29-16.
Yelp: Had a link to the website. No posted responses to comments
Linked In
Google +: Last update 11-2012
Twitter: Nov 2012
Angie's List
Tasting Room Del Mar
https://www.tastingroomdelmar.com/
Site asks for email upon visiting their page.
Open Table link
Facebook Link: Updated daily. Last update 9-17-16
Instagram: Updated almost daily. Last update 9-17
Macbeth Footwear
http://macbeth.com/us/
Facebook: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-19-16
Twitter: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-16-16
Instagram: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-16-16
I commented on the wonderful blogs of
Antonio Russo
Sophia Ludyjan
Sherrie Moore
What I've noticed of many businesses that use social media is that the target audience sees the same information posts on several sites. However, there are a couple of businesses that target different content per social media site. I would imagne that takes effort and my guess is those businesses have one or more staff members dedicated to social media.
Probably tops on the list of effective social media is the wholesale seafood business Catalina Offshore. They use videos as the main form of communication to offer valuable content, presenting entertainment, education on preparing and sourcing seafood, and updates on what's for sale in the shop. They are most active on Facebook and use it and website blogs to offer content and to draw you to their videos. They give you a reason to visit their web page or social media sites almost daily! They are also the only site in this list that responds to users on Yelp.
The networking business of 6 degrees uses Linked In creatively, which makes sense since they are all about offering their members tools to extend their reach. They also offer enough quality content of videos and blogs on local events and members to encourage frequent visits to one of their social media sites several times per week. I know from experience, they have an effective email campaign that draws the customer to their site. And I tend to check out posts on Facebook to see pics and causally communicate with other business professionals I met at an event. They seem to be most active on Twitter.
The local dentist Crossing Dental mainly updated Facebook on occasion to keep human face on the business. Considering it's a place a client visits only every six months, quarterly posts on Facebook seem appropriate. Anything more than that would be a nuisance. As a service provider, they are the only business listed here that has a link to Angie's List. Their Twitter and Google + sites have not been updated in 4 years.
The wine bar Tasting Room is only a few months old and already has over a thousand followers on Facebook and Instagram. They post pics almost daily and both social media sites mirror each other in content. It is hard to tell if their followers have been gained organically and also if their content is effective. So far, the social media does not offer a human face or voice I associate with the business. They are so new, I think it is great that they are establishing a presence from the start. Unfortunately, they hid their social media links at the bottom of their secondary web pages.
MacBeth Footwear is a SoCal footwear shop. They keep regular posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but those posts seem mechanical - mainly pics from professional photoshots of models wearing product or lifequotes. They used to be very active in their posts, blogs, and music updates. The website doesn't seem to have been updated since Jan 2016. I believe this is a business in decline.
Here are the stats:
6 Degrees Networking
http://www.6degreesnetworking.com/
Website: Updated daily
Facebook: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-19-16
Twitter: Updates multiple times per day. Last update 9-16-16
Instagram: Updates several times per week. Last update 9-14-16
You Tube: Updates every six months. Last update 5-16-16
Vimeo: Updates every few months. Last update 8-17-19
Linked In: Updates every other day. Last update 9-11-16
Catalina Offshore Products
http://catalinaop.com/
Website: Updated 7-26-16
You tube: Updates several times per year. Last update 9-16-16
Pinterest: Many boards updated weekely. Last update 9-15-16
Facebook: Updated daily. Last update 9-19-16
Twitter: Updates multiple times per day. 9-06-16
Crossings Dental
http://www.crossings-dental.com/
Facebook: Updates every other month or so. Last update 8-29-16.
Yelp: Had a link to the website. No posted responses to comments
Linked In
Google +: Last update 11-2012
Twitter: Nov 2012
Angie's List
Tasting Room Del Mar
https://www.tastingroomdelmar.com/
Site asks for email upon visiting their page.
Open Table link
Facebook Link: Updated daily. Last update 9-17-16
Instagram: Updated almost daily. Last update 9-17
Macbeth Footwear
http://macbeth.com/us/
Facebook: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-19-16
Twitter: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-16-16
Instagram: Updates almost daily. Last update 9-16-16
I commented on the wonderful blogs of
Antonio Russo
Sophia Ludyjan
Sherrie Moore
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Week 2a - Business communication through social media
About 15 years ago before social media took off, I used AT&T for my wireless service. I had a problem in that they double charged me for all my long distance calls. This happened more than once. Pretty obvious that it was a mistake, but I could not seem to explain it well enough on the phone to the customer service representative in India. They didn't remove the charges and of course I swore I'd never use AT&T again.
I cancelled my service and switched to another carrier. While that solved my billing problem, I was not satisfied. It was like leaving a room angry and gently closing the door. I felt others should be warned so I filed a complaint with the BBB. Who knows if anyone noticed it. Today, I would have just posted on YouTube or Facebook.
It's rare anymore when I have that kind of negative experience. It's the opposite. Not long ago I posted a favorable review of a hotel on Trip Advisor in Oahu. I felt it was a good value and wanted to share. The hotel manager commented on my post and thanked me for my review. Her comments made me feel like I mattered. That simple positive reinforcement was enough to make me want to book with them again.
For my own business, I hope to respond to comments on social media by showing that I am listening and what my customer says is important. Even if it is a problem that is not solvable, I would hope to make a connection. Sometimes just acknowledgement is enough to gain loyalty.
I cancelled my service and switched to another carrier. While that solved my billing problem, I was not satisfied. It was like leaving a room angry and gently closing the door. I felt others should be warned so I filed a complaint with the BBB. Who knows if anyone noticed it. Today, I would have just posted on YouTube or Facebook.
It's rare anymore when I have that kind of negative experience. It's the opposite. Not long ago I posted a favorable review of a hotel on Trip Advisor in Oahu. I felt it was a good value and wanted to share. The hotel manager commented on my post and thanked me for my review. Her comments made me feel like I mattered. That simple positive reinforcement was enough to make me want to book with them again.
For my own business, I hope to respond to comments on social media by showing that I am listening and what my customer says is important. Even if it is a problem that is not solvable, I would hope to make a connection. Sometimes just acknowledgement is enough to gain loyalty.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Week 1b - Social Media Platforms
Question - Which social media platforms seem geared towards personal use? Which ones seem to work better for business?
In my seventh grade history class, somehow the subject of Raquel Welch came up. During the discussion one of my classmates referred to her as an actress and my teacher replyed "Really? I didn't realize she had a job, I thought she was just, you know, a person." I remember thinking how ridiculous. How can anyone make money by just existing? I never imagined Kim Kardashian.
While there are many sites geared toward businesses, like Linked In, Angel List, and Yelp, most social sites that started out for strictly personal use have morphed into catering toward both. Facebook is a great example. Everything from novels to fan clubs to restaurants have a page now. Snapchat is another. Try a simple Google search of Snapchat for busniess, and you'll see a long list of articles written on how to promote your brand. Which makes sense, since businesses are generally the main revenue source for social media platforms. Even online dating sites and apps like Match.com and POF that monitor interactions to try and keep it strictly social fall short. Businesses professionals (and scam artists) manage to make their way through and connect with potential customers. In short, even if a social media platform is geared strictly for personal use, there will be those like the Kardashians who will find a way to monetize it.
In my seventh grade history class, somehow the subject of Raquel Welch came up. During the discussion one of my classmates referred to her as an actress and my teacher replyed "Really? I didn't realize she had a job, I thought she was just, you know, a person." I remember thinking how ridiculous. How can anyone make money by just existing? I never imagined Kim Kardashian.
While there are many sites geared toward businesses, like Linked In, Angel List, and Yelp, most social sites that started out for strictly personal use have morphed into catering toward both. Facebook is a great example. Everything from novels to fan clubs to restaurants have a page now. Snapchat is another. Try a simple Google search of Snapchat for busniess, and you'll see a long list of articles written on how to promote your brand. Which makes sense, since businesses are generally the main revenue source for social media platforms. Even online dating sites and apps like Match.com and POF that monitor interactions to try and keep it strictly social fall short. Businesses professionals (and scam artists) manage to make their way through and connect with potential customers. In short, even if a social media platform is geared strictly for personal use, there will be those like the Kardashians who will find a way to monetize it.
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Week 1 - CSIT155. My template choice
My first blog post. Hooray!
I'm sitting in the Starbucks that's in a Safeway in Gallup, NM. I'm driving a uHaul filled with what's left of my former life to my daughter's new home in Colorado. As I shed my past lifestyle and move forward, I hope to share one small, but important, aspect of this journey.
I chose the simple template because, in my mind, simple = easy. And who doesn't like easy, right? I'm still working toward finding a focus for my blog. As my content evolves and I learn new skills, so will the layout of my blog.
Ok, so I realize I'm being totally vague about the subject of this blog. I wish it was because I'm the master of suspense. I'm more like the master of undecided. But isn't that every blogger's problem?
Thanks for reading
I'm sitting in the Starbucks that's in a Safeway in Gallup, NM. I'm driving a uHaul filled with what's left of my former life to my daughter's new home in Colorado. As I shed my past lifestyle and move forward, I hope to share one small, but important, aspect of this journey.
I chose the simple template because, in my mind, simple = easy. And who doesn't like easy, right? I'm still working toward finding a focus for my blog. As my content evolves and I learn new skills, so will the layout of my blog.
Ok, so I realize I'm being totally vague about the subject of this blog. I wish it was because I'm the master of suspense. I'm more like the master of undecided. But isn't that every blogger's problem?
Thanks for reading
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