June 7, 2011

Don’t Go Nuts During Press Interviews

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all know that having your product team on the same page is important. When it comes to PR and media, it’s vital. Therefore having a good set of media guidelines that you share with your team just makes good business-sense when launching a new product. A recent global product launch with a client reminded me of the best practices in the world of media etiquette and espionage for product launches. I thought we would share.  May the force be with you.

1. If you don’t want to see it in print, don’t say it.

2. NOTHING is off the record anymore (unless you have a signed NDA).

3. If you don’t know the answer, say you don’t know the answer. But, tell them you’ll find the answer and then empower your PR team to help.

4. Stay on topic. If you’re there to address a product, talk product, not corporate initiatives or growth. Your PR team can always arrange a follow-up briefing to review the “state-of-the-company.”

5. Don’t talk about competitors proactively or reactively, unless you can bridge the conversation to demonstrate extra value with your products.

6. Don’t feel compelled to fill space with random comments or information. The more you say, the less chance you have of them picking up on your key messages. If your update is 15 minutes, great, keep it short, press will appreciate it.

7. An interview is not a confession. Just because you know it, does not mean you should share it.

8. Use simple language and not company-speak. Remember, they don’t know your internal acronyms. Be clear.

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Twitt
May 9, 2011

The AP Editors Have Spoken!

That’s right, the AP editors have spoken and laid down some new phrasetastic smack (that’s code for new stylebook changes).

Let’s get right to the point. What do we tech-heads need to know?

- the crowd roars, that’s right “email” instead of “e-mail,” as in “Pippa did you see the email from Sir Justin about your date next week?”

- boo-yaa “cellphone” and “smartphone” are finally one word, as in “I started to cry when told I could spell smartphone as one word.”

- device geek bonus round, 500 points for spelling handheld as one word when a noun, or hyphenated when an adjective, as in “I swear The Queen was texting on her handheld during the wedding. Doesn’t she know hand-held devices are banned from Westminster.”

- okay, okay, I’ll stop, here’s the rest:

Bluetooth (capitalized)

download (and upload, one word)

click-throughs (lowercase, hyphenated)

cyberspace (one word, lowercase)

domain name (two words, lowercase)

e-book, e-reader

end user (as a noun), end-user (as adjective)

fan, follow and friend (acceptable as nouns and verbs)

Google, Googling, Googled (uppercase)

home page (two words, lowercase)

hyperlink (one word)

Internet (always capitalized)

intranet (no capital)

iPad, iPhone

IP address

JPEG, JPG (uppercase acronym, lowercase spelled out)

login, login, logoff (lowercase, no hyphen)

liveblog

microsite

online (no hyphen)

plug-in

search engine (two words)

unfriend (lowercase one word)

URL (uppercase acronym, lowercase spelled out)

World Wide Web or Web (always capitalized)

website (one word, lowercase)

 

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Twitt
April 7, 2011

New Social Media Report Highlights Top Issues and Growth Areas for 2011

Yesterday I sat in on a great HubSpot webinar (with Michael Stelzner) that reviewed a report released today by Social Media Examiner. The report was based on extensive research and surveying about concerns and usage of social media in 2011. You can access the entire report here. I highly recommend it.

If you don’t have time to read the report or sit in on the archived webinar, here’s a summary of the high-level research.

Some quick key takaways:

- 73% of businesses plan to increase their use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and blogging in 2011

- Small businesses are investing heavily in social media

- 90% of marketers believe social media is important to their organization

- Half of marketers have less than one year of social media experience

- B2B (52.6%) companies have been using social media longer than B2C (46.2%)

- 56% of marketers are using social media for at least 6 hours a week (34% for 11 hours+)

- 62% of marketers use social media to increase search rankings

- 72% of marketers that have use social media for at least 3 years reported that it helped close business (i.e., it takes time for social media to impact bottom line)

- With 6 hours a week, 52% of marketers saw an increase in lead gen via social media (more effective with SMB)

- Currently on 28% of marketers outsource social media activities, but that number is expected to grow dramatically in 2011

What are currently the 3 most common questions about social media and their implications:

 

What are some other key research points:

 

Twitt
March 29, 2011

Strange Brews for Social Media

Two things I love — beer and social media. What better way to start off the day, than looking at what top brewers in the world are doing on the social media Facebook front. I’ll have to admit, I already followed Corona and Miller Lite (obviously not a beer snob), so I knew they were doing some cool things (remember Corona’s Time Square customer billboard?). But, I just assumed all the bigger brands were as innovative in this space. I WAS WRONG.  While many are engaged in social media and knocking it out of the park, some are doing it better than others. And, some have either not made a commitment to focus on it, or are just struggling to roll it out effectively.

This is not a comprehensive list. Just some meddling I did based on some of the top name brands I know of.

Who’s hot right now as a beer brand in Facebook?

Miller Lite, Budweiser, Heineken, Corona, Michelob Ultra, Labatt Blue Light, Amstel Light, Dos Equis, all are doing it right. Here’s some samples:

`
Who’s warm?
Coors, Henry Weinhards, Stella Artois, Guinness, Tecate, Beck’s, Miller High Life, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, are all doing social media. They have good fan bases and engaging them. At this time they may not have a promotion of compelling offer.
`
Who’s lagging?
Pyramid Brewery (local company, breaking my heart), Rolling Rock, Fosters, Pacifico, King Cobra, Steel Reserve, all have a Facebook presence, but are not being aggressive (we’re talking the basics here). Perhaps it’s time to take this task off the intern’s plate.

`
Where oh where are you my sweet Pabst???????
Twitt
March 7, 2011

Speedtesting Crosses the Social Chasm

Did you hear the BIG news?  Speedtest.net launched a completely revamped site!  Not only has the look and feel been updated (which rocks), but tons of new amazing features have been added, including tweaks that improve testing (such as a new interface and mapping scheme).

However, what makes all of this very cool is the element of social integration and sharing that Ookla (the company behind the site) built into the latest release. The new site allows for user accounts (the crowd goes wild). Why does this matter? Well, now consumers can test and track broadband performance over time, and have access to their testing history, regardless of browser or location. This information can be vital in holding your ISP accountable (that’s right, you pay for performance, make sure you’re getting it).

They can also start what’s called a Speed Wave. This feature allows a user to create a testing wave by inviting others to group test. Essentially you can start an ACME Company wave, or get a city or ISP wave going. Now, if you’re competitive, this feature could spark some great broadband testing rivalries (think ISP vs ISP, city vs city, college vs college, etc.). What’s the icing on the cake here? For all of us super-geeks, Speed Wave awards users with badges (much like FourSquare) for certain achievements in a testing wave. And, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ookla run some cool contests, if this feature takes off.

How do you get people to participate in your Speed Wave? Inviting others is simple. Speedtest.net allows direct posting to Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, direct email, LinkedIn, Reddit and more, so you can post your call to duty and rally friends.

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about broadband speed testing, the new site has a variety of useful resources.

Twitt
March 1, 2011

Would you “get it for a tweet?”

Lead gen is a big deal in business, and the marketing community is always looking for new ways to capture them. This obsession is at the heart of the current social media craze. Today’s savvy marketers are attacking online communities and embracing social outlets like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others. Establishing a presence within these online communities – and offering compelling content – is all designed to capture that one lead that will turn into a sale.

For marketers looking to generate a landing or fulfillment page, capturing information for lead gen is predictable (name, email, maybe some questions, etc.). But, for those willing to forgo the norm and try their hand with a bit of viral marketing tied to social media, how about giving away a white paper, piece of research, or a iPod, for a Tweet.  Yes, you read correctly — “tweet and get it.”

There’s a project from Innovative Thunder called “Pay with a tweet.” According to the founders, it’s simple, in today’s world the value of people talking about your product is sometimes higher than the money you would get for it. ‘Pay with a Tweet’ is the first social payment system, where people pay with the value of their social network. Every time somebody pays with a tweet, he or she tells all their friends about the product. Boom.

Boom is right. If your audience is social savvy and not afraid to click, why not try some social lead gen instead.

Check it out for yourself – Pay with a tweet

Twitt
February 7, 2011

170 Problems, But My Facebook Privacy Ain’t One?

Did you know you have 170 options in Facebook for privacy? Yes, 170. Nell Carter just fainted (in her grave, may she rest in peace).

With all these options it’s no wonder the landscape for security/privacy in FB is a maze for the common user.

How can we simplify this?  Well, here are some quick tips and things you NEED to know about Facebook’s privacy settings (thanks to Mashable’s Stan Schroeder for some great information).

1. Sharing your content on Facebook

This one’s important, so take some time and review. They try to make it easy by bucketizing some options into Everyone, Friends of Friends, and so on. When in doubt, “preview your profile” so you can see first hand what the mass public can see. Account > Privacy Settings > Sharing on Facebook

2.  Who’s checking out my images?

Not all privacy setting apply to all photos. Concerned about that, then simply go through and adjust the privacy setting for each one - Account > Privacy Settings > Sharing on Facebook > Customize Settings > Edit album privacy for existing photos

3. Friends checking in friends

That’s right, a little known setting is that friends can check you into places. Say what?  Yes, a friend can tell the world where you’re at. Hmmm. Shut it down by going to Account > Privacy Settings > Sharing on Facebook > Customize Settings > Friends can check me in to Places

4. Connecting with folks

Privacy settings for sharing content on Facebook are separated from the settings for connecting, which basically means sharing information about you: Your photo, gender, age, education, hometown etc. Furthermore, these settings determine how people can find you on Facebook. Can they do it simply by searching for your name? Can anyone add you as a friend, and send you a message? Here, you can change those settings to Friends Only, Friends of Friends, Everyone or — in some cases — customize them. Account > Privacy Settings > Connecting on Facebook

5. What’s up with my Apps

No easy way to edit these in mass. You simply have to go through each one and review the settings. Just get ride of those you don’t use. Account > Privacy Settings > Apps and Websites > Apps You Use

6. It gets personal

Lots of sites are letting you get a personal experience via Facebook. Accepting this option gives them access to your personal information. If you want to disable that go to Account > Privacy Settings > Apps and Websites > Instant Personalization

7. Nitty Gritty information tidbits

Regardless of your privacy settings, you’re still sharing info with friends. Want to control that? Head into this granular control area and tweak it. Account > Privacy Settings > Apps and Websites > Info accessible through your friends

8. The Search is On!

If someone searches for you in Google, there’s a good chance they may get part of your profile to pop up, revealing private information. Disable that by going here - Account > Privacy Settings > Apps and Websites > Public Search

9. Different strokes for different folks

Want to let different sets of people see different details about you?  Set up lists to better filter information. Friends > Edit Friends > Create a List

10. HTTPS – get it now!

General HTTP is not secure. Facebook is rolling out the HTTPS option, which is more secure and mitigates the chance of your password, etc., being sniffed or hacked. Head here to ensure you have it - Account > Account Settings > Account Security > Secure Browsing (HTTPS)

Twitt
February 1, 2011

Quick Tips For SEO Optimization in Press Releases

Drafting a release in the future and worried about SEO? Never fear, here are some quick tips to help ensure you get the most out of your content.

- Write your release with search engines in mind. What does that mean? It means include your keywords in the headline and first couple paragraphs.

- If you unsure of the best keywords to use, check out Google’s Keyword Tool.

- Pay attention to your keywords, slight variations can have a huge difference in performance.

-  Normally we recommend short headlines, but if it means cutting out your keywords, consider going longer.

- The subhead is less important than the header and first paragraph, focus on those for keywords (some sites don’t use subheads when reposting)

- The more generic the keyword, the more competition you’ll have. Try long-tail keywords for more dramatic results.

- Spend time crafting your keywords. Research shows that the public trusts organic search more than paid.

- Including multimedia and images in a release positively effects SEO.

- Some wire services allow for tags. If yours does, use them and make them relevant.

(Thanks for your contribution to this Brad S.)

Twitt
January 13, 2011

The Facebook Facts – PURE MARKETING POWER

No need to contribute any commentary to this graphic. Courtesy of Mashable, it’s worth sharing. If you doubt the power of Facebook, regardless of your market, you may need to see a doctor. We’re just saying…

Courtesy of Mashable and OnlineSchools.org

Too small to read, visit the graphic online.

Twitt
January 11, 2011

Employee Guidelines for Social Media

courtesy of Dave and Dawn Cook

With the proliferation of social networks, we often get asked about corporate guidelines and how employees should act in regard to Facebook, blogs, comments, forums, Twitter and more. While the rules are a little different for private vs public companies, if you follow the more stringent (and commonsense) rules that many public companies abide by, it’s a sure way to remain safe.

Most public companies (and smart private companies) are starting to propagate social media guidelines to employees. Those choosing to speak from a company perspective are commonly being referred to as “conversation agents.” No, it’s not my phrase, but commonly used nonetheless. It’s important to differentiate the rules or guidelines associated with posting as yourself, versus posting as a representative of a company. This usually revolves around how a person chooses to identify ones self in a bio associated with an account (or if they call out in a post that they work for X).

If an employee chooses to make the company association a badge of knowledge or validation for their comments, they’re accepting the role as a conversation agent and official spokesperson for the company they work for. It’s the initial step in the social media or online posting decision-making process (do I tell people I work for ACME or do I not).

If an employee decides to be an official spokesperson (or conversation agent) they’re now responsible for supporting existing customers and protecting brand reputation online. They’re no longer just an anonymous source online. That’s the price they pay for corporate affiliation in social media or online.

If your staff or employees choose to be associated with the organization online, here are some simple tenets to help keep your brand safe and your team looking smart and savvy:

- always protect confidential and proprietary knowledge (including financial information) associated with your company

- follow FTC disclosure guidelines for word of mouth

- fully disclose affiliations with the company or other organizations

- distinguish opinion from fact ALWAYS

- instantly identify and address mistakes you make

- track conversations and keep a record in case you need to defend yourself to the team

- put the brand first

Obviously, there is more detail associated with defining and creating online or social media guidelines. If you need more information of wish to discuss this topic in detail, we’re always available at www.voxuspr.com

Twitt
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