6 Ways Good Social Media is Like the Art of Packing

If you've ever packed a bag for an upcoming trip, you know that just like anything else, there's an art to it. And the art is worth learning, because you don't want to be stuck with too much or too little, and consequently, you want to have what you need at the right time.

Social media is much the same way. You want to express who you are (brand), succinctly and in a balanced way. Here are some parallels I thought of recently, while in the middle of...what else? Packing.

1. The right suitcase= the right social media platform. Choose carefully, as you want to make the best decision for the long-haul. Don't just go with what's popular, or what looked good in the store. You want practicality, with some flair as well.
2. Mix and match = variety. You wouldn't pack a suitcase with ten of the same color shirts, or three of the same style shoes--you want to mix it up. Same with social media. Go for various types of content in your blog posts and social media updates, including videos, podcasts, screencasts, and infographics.
3. Anticipate needs=have backup content. Just like you'd toss a rainjacket or extra pair of socks into your bag, write a few extra blog posts so you have them handy if your schedule gets busy, and take advantage of Buffer or Hootsuite for advance scheduling options.
4. Organize your stuff=channel your thoughts. The more cohesive you are online, the stronger your brand and personality. Just as you would fold your shirts or pack your accessories together, so can you organize your online presence. Publishing a blog series with a specific theme, tweeting keywords for your niche area, and sticking to your tagline and mission, are all ways of organizing your social brand. Pinterest is the latest online platform that reflects how you organize your thoughts and ideas, through pins and boards.
5. Gifting = rewarding your community. You wouldn't travel hundreds of miles, only to show up empty handed on arrival. Learn the art of gifting your community, whether it's a free download, a discounted service or offer, or a unique promotion.
6. Guard your valuables=don't give everything away. Know what your most valuable assets are, and release them sparingly. A great landing page will ensure that you receive important information about your community members that you can use for marketing and promotions later.

So, that's my extended analogy, for now. What did I miss? Post here any observations you've had about how social media is like packing a suitcase!

 

 

 

 

It's All About Pinterest: 5 Great Resources to Keep Handy

Oh my goodness...lately, it seems like Pinterest is everywhere! Instructions on how to use Pinterest, tips for bookmarking and iPading on Pinterest, Pinterest for authors, chefs, designers, travelers, architects, fashionistas...you name it, there's a bulletin board and a pin for it. 

So, you can crawl into a social media hole and pretend Pinterest doesn't exist, or you can jump into the fray and start pinning away. I'll admit that while I ignored Pinterest at first, dismissing it as the latest platform du jour that would be replaced soon enough, I stand corrected. Pinterest is now rated as one of the top 5 social media platforms, right up there with some company that started out as a book about Faces, and another that has something to do with a turquoise bird. 

Of course, once I got invited to start an account and began exploring, I immediately found it addictive, and naturally started posting boards and pins on all my favorite topics--books, writing, travel, social media, nonprofits, etc. Pinterest also has great applications for marketing and networking, discovering new interests, and rediscovering old connections. Since starting my account, I've been amazed at the number of new and older followers I've gained in such a short time, and it's been feeling a little like a social media reunion! 

One of the great advantages of Pinterest I noticed right away is that it's a visual form of microblogging, with images and captions taking the place of blog posts, tweets, and updates. If you're in anyway visual, or love photos and graphics, you'll love Pinterest, especially once you get the hang of it. 

I invite you to follow me, look forward to following you, and in the meantime, onto favorite blog posts.

1. The Marketer's Guide To Pinterest - Neil Patel: 

Provides an in-depth overview on everything Pinterest, including how to pin, 10 tools to help you find great content, 9 reasons why marketers should use Pinterest, (re-pinning is the new retweet), and a list of 21 brands currently active on Pinterest, such as SFMOMA, Etsy, Martha Stewart Living, Mashable, Gap, and others. If you're waiting for the next mini book on Pinterest, this is it.

2. 13 Tips and Tricks for Cutting Edge Users - Mashable

Features an excellent and detailed pop up slideshow on some of the finer points of Pinterest, including its mobile application, integration with Chrome, and adding pricing to your pins.

3. Socialmouths-Everything You Need to Know...

Francisco Rosales features some interesting graphs and stats in his post, including the fact that 80% of Pinterest users are women; the biggest age groups are between 25 to 44;  60% of its users have some college; and largest percentage of household income is between $25 to $75k.

 4. WTF Is Pinterest-Remarkablogger

Michael Martine provides a thorough and entertaining screen tutorial on Pinterest, that explains its features quickly and easily. I've chatted with Michael before and subscribed to his blog for years, and he's definitely a trusted authority on social media and all things online.

5. My Interest in Pinterest - Forbes

Forbes contributor Gene Marks offers up a bouncy overview, pointing out how small businesses are always chasing after the social media ROI rainbow, and yet never finding it. But it's human nature to get excited about new stuff, and so be it. "How about SFgirlbybay (almost 476,000 followers)," he writes.  She’s hip.  She’s cool.  She’s a self described  “photographer, photo stylist, design junkie and bona fide flea market queen” from the Bay area.  And she’s got a place to display all of her cool ideas.  Pinterest.  I love her site."

So, what say you? Is Pinterest the next great social media platform? What do you like ir not like about it? Is this the future of social media--images replacing words? What will replace images? Food for thought. (I'll be sure not to "pin" you down on anything...ha!)

-by Carrie Jaffe-Pickett

http://pinterest.com/carriewriter/

 

The Good Wife School of Brilliant Revelations

One of my favorite characters on the hit show "The Good Wife," is Elsbeth Tascioni, played brilliantly by Carrie Preston. Always stealing the scene, Elsbeth is one of those unlikely heroes that miraculously saves the day, no matter what the situation. She's once too clever, and it works. In the most recent episode that aired last week, she comes up with a brilliant strategy to help out Will in his Grand Jury trial, while last season she helped Alicia out of a sticky government situation. 

Whenever I watch an episode where Elsbeth is featured, I find myself thinking about how I haven't met too many Elsbeths, and how her "techniques" might work in everyday life, business, entrepreneurship, etc. 

Here are just a few "Elsbethisms" to consider:

• Be humble. Elsbeth never acts like a know-it-all, she just does her job and does it well. 
• Listen and pay attention. Elsbeth always gets all the information first, before taking action. She also takes notice of the little things, such as people's clothing and jewelry, which can help catch them off guard.
• Allow yourself the brilliant revelation. Elsbeth has these cathartic moments when she achieves a key revelation that ends up winning her case. It can happen anywhere --in an elevator, or a hallway. She stays flexible and open to the moment.
• Strategy Strategy Strategy. As a lawyer, it's Elsbeth's job to come up with a brilliant plan to save her clients. She usually does this by getting into people's heads, to figure out what they'll do next. That's how she predicts future behavior, and how she deduced ahead  of time that Alicia would be called to testify during Will's Grand Jury trial.
• Mindful fumbling. Just like Columbo in the seventies, Elsbeth has moments when she's all over the place. I'm not saying to act confused in real life, but when you admit you've made mistakes, or you can't find your phone, it can endear you to others, who might identify with you and see that you're human.
• Be ethical. At one point when she sees Will and Kalinda whispering, she states: you're not doing anything bad, right? I mean, like illegal...Elsbeth may have tricks up her sleeve, but she's always ethical.
• Be Persistent. Elsbeth isn't shy about directly approaching her opponents while they are going about their daily lives, and she doesn't go away just because they ask her to. She gets what she needs, and then moves on.

So, how about you? Do you like Elsbeth's character, and do you see any parallels in her style, for your business or life?

6 Tips for Writing a Great About Me Page

I'm wrapping up a cool website copywriting project in which I was asked to write an ABOUT and SERVICES page for a Bay Area therapist. While I had written this type of copy before, I had never had a client in the mental health field. While this did require some extra research, particularly for the Services section, I found that most of the things I learned from my past writing experiences still held true, and still will for future clients, no matter what their career or field.

So, here are 6 handy tips that yield great results, and are a good framework for all ABOUT pages.

1. Write in 3rd person.
There is some debate online as to whether first person is preferable online, vs third person. Generally, third person is considered more professional, while first person us more for blogging or informal communication. I have experience writing bios for a national web reputation firm, and they strictly required writing in 3rd person for SEO enhancement.


2. Be sure to include honors and distinctions, such as awards, publications, professional recognitions, speaking engagements, and academic achievements. These help distinguish your subject from other competitors in their field, and is particularly important in the mental health field when the client will be sharing confidential information with the therapist, as well as sensitive topics.

3. Always keep your audience in mind.
As is true with all good copywriting, you must keep in mind who your audience is, and write for them. If your audience includes potential clients who may not be familiar with your area, it's your role, or the writer's role, to keep the langage simple and explain any unfamiliar terms. Conversely, if you talk down to your audience, or overexplain concepts they already know, they may decide you're not a good fit for them and move on.

4. Solve problems and answer questions.
Your ABOUT ME page should serve as a subtle marketing piece that convinces readers they should hire you, without your coming out and saying as much. Do you provide great value for the service you offer? Then say so. Do you have over ten years of experience in a niche area? Then explain how, where, and when. Do you have a signature program or cornerstone project that can help clients overcome common challenges? Let them know.


5. Include storytelling.
Telling a brief narrative or story is a wonderful way to engage your audience without a "hard sell." Your story gives the audience a chance to identify with you and find common ground, and sends the subtle message that you can connect with them. You can also use your story to show how you are unique, as well as illustrate your passion for your business.


6. Keywords for your niche.
Of course it's important to remember that we write for people, not search engines. Still, SEO is an important component of online writing today. I typically draft my copy first, and then run a keyword check over at Google Adwords, where I look for middle to low competition words that still have a high search rate. Here is a solid article from FreelanceSwitch, " Four Tips on Improving Your SEO," that offers excellent tips.


How about you? Have you come across any great ABOUT ME pages, or want to show off your own? What did I leave out? Comment here!


-Carrie Jaffe-Pickett
writer, editor
@carriewriter

Now That Facebook is in the Neighborhood...

(photo: Austin Walsh)


My intention at first for this blog post was a quick how-to on Facebook advertising, motivated in part by my natural curiosity being a socialmediaist, and from my attendance on Thursday at the Facebook presentation on advertising at the Quadras Conference Center in Menlo Park.

I changed my mind. Here's why.

Facebook has been pushing advertising for small businesses quite a bit lately, and they want users to buy-in -- the idea being that those who know you already are more likely to be interested in what you have to offer. Makes perfect sense. The prospect of connecting with over 800 million potential customers isn't too shabby either.

If you want instructions on how to set up an add, Facebook does a good job walking you through it over here.

But what became quite apparent during the Q and A session, is a classic cart before the horse scenario. Judging from the audience comments, Facebook is still frustrating and confusing a lot of people. One commenter was concerned that the "Review" feature, which businesses need to get referrals, had disappeared entirely. Facebook's response? Well, it wasn't working right so we took it away. How about fixing it or having a better version at the ready so we don't have to wait a few years, in the middle of a sinking economy?

Another user complained that no one was seeing her status updates, and someone else chimed in, confused about the whole FAN page vs Personal page thing. Some uncomfortable skirming in seats, and a noticeable silence as audience members watched Facebook staffers try to jump through some rather sticky hoops.

I don't think this was the reception Facebook had in mind.

I've been doing social media consulting in Silicon Valley for 5 years, and Thursday's event confirms what I've been seeing all along. Comments like:
"I don't have time for Facebook" and "I just don't get it," are dowright common, even with Facebook right in our backyard.

No one's going to cook an omelette if they don't know how to make scrambled eggs first. Now that Facebook is in the neighborhood, they need to do a much better job de-mystifying Facebook for the folks around the corner, or their advertising push, at least around these parts, is going to end up like so many of the Facebook features launched and abandoned in the wink of an eye. Or in this case, a Status Update.

PS The folks at Patch.com did a nice write-up of the event, and below is a screen capture of my comments over to them, including a suggested "Facebookmobile" (not kidding), so we can clear up the basics and move on.





What do you think? Is FB rolling out too many features for its own good? Is it time for FB to hold a Menlo Park Town Hall?




-Carrie Jaffe-Pickett
writer, editor
@carriewriter

8 Days of Social Media Tools & Tips- Buffer, Animoto, Twittelator

Buffer, Animoto, Twittelator

6. Buffer

A few months ago I discovered Buffer for Twitter scheduling, and I find it a fast and efficient way to schedule not only tweets, but Facebook status updates as well. A free Buffer account allows you to schedule as many as 10 updates a day, at customized intervals that you  customizein your settings. It also has an automatic link shortener, a bookmarklet feature for your toolbar so you can easily add to your lineup, and even some suggested quotes if you find yourself a little short on ideas. While Hootsuite and Tweetdeck are also good for scheduling, I like the simplicity of Buffer more for this purpose. You aren't distracted by your Twitter stream while trying to schedule your tweets, and I like the flexibility if being able able to change the frequency and pattern of your updates. You can also choose between bit.ly and j.mp for your preferred URL shorteners, and there is a cool referral feature where if someone were to start their new Buffer account using this link (this is my referral link if you want to send an extra post my way), they get a free extra post beyond the 10 included.

Below is a screenshot of the Buffer settings page, which enables users to select either a random buffering pattern, or specific times of the day for updates.

7. Animoto

Animoto  (affiliate) is probably one of the most important and dynamic tools I've discovered over the last 3 years. This cool photo to video program enables users to drag and drop photos into a screen, add text if needed, select music, and select spotlight features for images you want to highlight.  A video is then created while you wait, and a completed video can be remixed again and again. You can instantly upload to Facebook, YouTube, or just keep the video file on your desktop to have handy when you need it. I have found it super useful for client work, as I can edit or switch out images as needed and the movie remixes without having to begin all over again.

A free account includes 12 images, while a premium account is $30 a year and offers unlimited images and the option of HD quality. One of the challenges of creating original videos is finding good quality, royalty- free music, and I love how Animoto lets you select and preview from a wide variety of genres, including pop, folk, electronic, classical, jazz, and others. Users need to be mindful that when adding video clips to your lineup, there is a 10-second limit, so you will have to edit clips that exceed that length.  Also, there is limited space for text --a title and tagline are about all you'll have room for. Animoto also offers a great selection of images and video clips you can use to embellish your videos.

I previously wrote about Animoto here almost exactly a year ago, if you want to review the features more closely. Recent new features include an iPhone app, and a more streamlined image upload process.  For those interested in creating dynamic event highlights or previews, Animoto works great and is a lot more fun then your typical slideshow. For example, in my highlights for 2010 video, I really had fun creating the sequences, and even found a butterfly template that matched my logo.

8. Twittelator

Twittelator is one of my favorite iPad apps...it's super fast, and only $4.99. The app allows for easy updates to your Twitter account, with an optional toggle that enables your Facebook account as well. New mentions and direct messages are highlighted in a pop-up so you always see the latest activity, and Twitter List and Search features are also included. It's easy to access your photostream and image library to add graphics to your tweet, and if you need to take a new photo you can click right onto your camera. As of now there is no scheduling feature, but of course this would be great to have.

Stone Design, the folks behind Twittelator, not only invested a great amount of time in thinking through the user experience, they also focused a lot on little details. My favorite is the “slide to send” button, which works exactly like the “slide to unlock” control we all know from our iPhone/iPad lock screens. Prevents you from accidentally sending your tweet away by tapping “send” which, on a touch device, happens way more often than not. Last but not least, there is “automatic state saving” everywhere. As on the iPhone, applications on the iPad cannot run in the background. This means whenever you press the home button, Twittelator gets shut down immediately. Now, the next time you launch it, it magically fires up at the exact point where you left it before, whether you were in the middle of typing a tweet or browsing through your direct messages. Love it! Call me silly, but I'm also a fan of the fun emoticons you can add to the end of your tweets.

That wraps up "8 Days Social Media Tools & Tips." Have you tried Twittelator, Buffer, or Animoto? 

 Share your comments here.

 

 

visit www.carriefreelance.com