It all started on Thanksgiving Eve. A colleague had recommended the “Serial” podcast to me a couple days prior, and while rolling my arancini for the next day’s Thanksgiving dinner, I decided to give it a try. I’ve never been a big fan of podcasts, but 15 minutes in and I was hooked. Two days later I was all caught up on the nine episodes that had been released at the time. Is binge listening to podcasts going to be the new “it” term? Continue reading “3 Marketing Takeaways from ‘Serial’”
The Top Five Social Media Blunders of 2014
Social media blunders can be extremely funny—until your organization is on the wrong end of the joke. In 2014 a large number of brands found themselves in the unenviable position of apologizing for social media gaffes which garnered negative media attention. Here are five of the worst social mistakes of 2014:
Continue reading “The Top Five Social Media Blunders of 2014”
5 Social Media Mistakes to Ditch in 2015
Let’s face it: we’ve all made some mistakes on social media. But somehow it still surprises me when the basics are thrown by the wayside. This year, make an early New Year’s resolution to finally ditch the following social media mistakes once and for all. 
Spelling & grammatical errors: You proof read your emails before you send them out, your press release before it gets distributed, and your banner ads before they get posted. Get into the habit of doing the same with your social media posts. Yes, it’s more of a casual atmosphere than some other forms of business communication, but you’ll make yourself look like a fool if you don’t know the difference between “your” and “you’re”. Remember the old saying, “measure twice, cut once?” Apply the same principal to your social posts and re-read it twice, post once.
Inappropriate posts: In my very honest opinion, we live in an excessively sensitive world. You may view your joke as harmless, but your neighbor may see it as the most offensive thing they’ve heard. If a post seems like it could be on the verge of inappropriate or offensive, skip it altogether. Keep your brand’s personality and humor alive, but keep it tasteful. Continue reading “5 Social Media Mistakes to Ditch in 2015”
Social Media Contests: Good or Bad Idea?
A few months ago, I entered a contest on Twitter to win a free spa getaway at the lovely Mayflower Grace in Washington, Connecticut. Excited and shocked to learn I was the winner, (I rarely win things) I immediately shared my excitement on social media.
When we arrived at the hotel, we were greeted by friendly staff, and escorted to our beautiful room with a breath-taking garden view. Everything was exquisite, from the delicious food to the out-of-this world spa. At dinner that night, we were asked by our waiter what we did to deserve to win such a great prize. “I think I entered my email address and retweeted something,” I responded. The waiter looked less than impressed, expecting my answer to be a bit more long-winded and involved. His response got me thinking – what is the true value of a contest on social media? Continue reading “Social Media Contests: Good or Bad Idea?”
What ‘Interstellar’ Taught Me About Content Strategy
After months of anticipation, I finally had the chance to see the blockbuster “Interstellar” last week. The film is a Sci-Fi adventure, directed by Christopher Nolan starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, which explores the possibilities for deep space travel and the mysteries of our physical universe.
Continue reading “What ‘Interstellar’ Taught Me About Content Strategy”
The Ello Manifesto: Why Your Brand Should Listen Up
If you haven’t yet heard of Ello, let’s get you up to speed. It’s the new social network that has exploded in popularity over the last couple of weeks, gaining a reported 27,000 new users per hour. Their manifesto sums up what they’re all about:
Continue reading “The Ello Manifesto: Why Your Brand Should Listen Up”
Three Easy Ways to Repurpose Your Content
Repurposing content can be tricky. Do it right, and you can extend the shelf life of a great piece of content and reach a whole new audience. But do it wrong, and you could wind up sounding like a broken record.
Recycling content is all about taking an existing piece of work—whether it’s a case study, white paper, or blog post— and giving it new life. However, this is where marketers often get tripped up as repurposing content is an easy way to get on Google’s bad side and convince search engine “spiders” that you are engaging in black hat SEO when done wrong.
Below are three simple ways you can repurpose content: Continue reading “Three Easy Ways to Repurpose Your Content”
Twitter Analytics for All
Twitter recently opened up their analytics feature, previously only available to advertisers, to all users. Here’s your fair warning: it’s addictive.
This new feature shows your tweet activity, along with impressions, engagement and engagement rate for each individual post. What’s more, if you’d like more detail on a particular post, you can simply click on it to see the number of retweets, link clicks, replies, favorites, and a graph showing the days that the post saw the most activity. Wondering how your stats compare to the last 28-day period? It tells you that too.
I Love You, Warby Parker
Warby Parker has, in my humble opinion, re-invented the world of eyeglasses. They’ve made them hip, fun, and accessible.
If you’re not familiar with the company, here’s how it works: You choose five frames you like, the company then sends them to you to try on at home, and you send them back. Shipping is free and they give you a pre-paid box to return them when you’re done. If you find a pair you like, you simply send in your existing prescription and order them through the website. They’re only about $100 per pair, which includes the frames and lenses. Oh, and did I mention that for every pair you buy, Warby Parker shares a pair with someone in need?
Let me start with the beginning of my romance with Warby. I had just gotten brand new Coach glasses and a co-worker said to me, “Are those Warby Parker?” I had no idea who Warby Parker was, and when he mentioned that they sell incredibly inexpensive eyewear, I had immediately assumed that my $500 glasses looked cheap. Continue reading “I Love You, Warby Parker”
Jumpstarting Your Brand’s Snapchat Presence with ‘My Story’ Feature
Snapchat, a photo and video sharing application, for business may not seem like the most natural fit at first glance, but hear me out. The company’s “My Story” feature may just change your mind.
The platform, which has a demographic made up of primarily 13 through 17 year olds, is known for its short messages that automatically delete after a certain number of seconds, pre-determined by the user. Think of a text message that automatically deletes five seconds or so after you open it. Kids and young adults have been latching onto the platform to share messages with their friends, and businesses are starting to slowly follow.
Continue reading “Jumpstarting Your Brand’s Snapchat Presence with ‘My Story’ Feature”