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Category: PR

Super Bowl 2012 Social Intercepts the Game

Posted on February 4, 2012

SuperBowl2012 Indianapolis

The Patriots and Giants will be lining up on the 50 yard line, but the Super Bowl’s MVP – social media, got into the game weeks ago. Here’s a look at what’s going on in the streets and on screens. How has social media affected your Super Bowl experience so far?

Live from Super Bowl Village

With the Super Bowl buzz building to a loud crescendo, I had to see for myself what in the world was going on in Indianapolis. So, I did – on Groundhog’s Day.

In a trip that lasted 10.5 hours, include 7 hours of driving, I experienced first hand the excitement, energy and enthusiasm in the air. Strolling around on a blazingly sunny and unreasonably warm 60 degree day, I encountered a street party that went on for blocks and blocks.

What I most wanted to see, I didn’t get to: a 2,800-square-foot “Super Bowl Social Media Command Center” staffed by folks ready to answer questions coming in via social networks.

I did, however, score a live interview from Radio Row in Super Bowl Village with producer Ted Gregorek.

Super Fast Super Bowl Village Wi-Fi

Ever been to a tech event where you can’t get a signal? Me too. Knowing that thousands of people would want to connect simultaneously, I planned on having a weak signal on the street – not so in Indy. Thanks Verizon!

“Superbowl XVLI in Indianapolis will be the first-ever with widespread 4G and WiFi access. Verizon Wireless spent $160 million on cellular technology in Indiana in 2011. Most of the money was spent building new cell towers but some was targeted specifically at upcoming Superbowl XLVI.”

Super Bowl Ads, as seen on TV and . . .

“Running a Super Bowl ad will cost $3.5 million for a 30-second spot, not including production expenses. 80% of Super Bowl ads will feature social and/or mobile app integration.”

“The Washington Post said this year’s game will be the first ‘second screen’ Super Bowl, since advertisers, the football industry and others will all be trying to get your attention via other venues when you’re not focusing on your television.”

Social46 Bands Together to Back Up Super Bowl Host Committee

Thanks to Chris Theisen, for reaching out on behalf of Social 46. According to Jay Baer, also a Social 46 member, this is “a group of social media representatives selected to help make Super Bowl 46 in Indianapolis the ‘most connected’ Super Bowl ever.” Jay’s post is required reading for any event organizers considering recruiting social media ambassadors.

Here’s Chris Theisen‘s video tour . . .

Super Bowl Coverage Brought to You by Google, YouTube and the NFL

Check out Google’s Super Bowl Game Day dashboard.

Browse YouTube’s Super Bowl Ad Blitz channel.

Watch the NFL’s Super Bowl coverage via live stream on your mobile device.

 

How about you – how many screens will you be watching during the game?

 

Image: copyright 2012 by Barbara Rozgonyi from the Super Bowl XLVI collection, which includes a fun Super Bowl Village zip line video.


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Social Media And PR – Grab More Face Time With Audiences Via Skype

Posted on January 19, 2012

Today’s guest post is by Stacey Acevero, Social Media Community Manager at PR Web. social-media-pr-skype

Looking for a way to boost your social media and PR?  We have the perfect tool to deepen your engagement with consumers and provide your online marketing with a creative spark.

Skype can give your business the face-to-face time with consumers that might otherwise be missing in your marketing.  You can use it in a number of ways to increase your public presence through the social realm.

Check out these 9 tips:

1. Install A Skype Button On Your Website

Give consumers immediate and direct access to your company by installing a Skype button on your website.  The person who manages your social media campaigns, responds to customer and writer inquiries can be the contact for all Skype calls.   

2. Create Video Contests

Because Skype and Facebook are integrated, you have the perfect opportunity to create a live platform for audience contests, combining social media and PR to produce powerful marketing results.

Try offering special rewards for contestants who answer questions correctly or demonstrate how your product worked for them.

For example, invite followers to put together groups and show all the places they ate your pizza or drank your coffee.

3.     Provide Question and Answer Sessions

Introducing a new product or service?  Skype can help you converse directly with potential customers.  Arrange a pre-set question and answer session and put out invitations via all your social channels for followers to join in

4.     Encourage Followers To Speak

One of the best ways to stay engaged with consumers is to ask for their feedback.  They get to share their opinions and you get the benefit of knowing how well you are giving them what they need.

Create regular feedback sessions and reward contributors with special coupons.  You can tweet or post the results and give credit to the folks who participated.

5.     Connect Your Audiences With Your Spokesperson

Do you have a celebrity spokesperson or CEO who conducts interviews for your brand?  Create a schedule of Skype interviews to connect journalists and bloggers directly, and then share the best moments on your website.

6.     Provide Customer Service Assistance

Suppose a consumer is trying to use your product, say an oven, to accomplish something (in this case, cook a holiday turkey) but has questions beyond what the user manual addresses.  Encourage them to Skype your customer service department for immediate support

7.     Help Your Workforce Communicate

Don’t forget the initial appeal of Skype for business.  You can use it for video conferencing between co-workers and vendors.

8.     Create A Video And Share It On Facebook

Get a number of your employees to put together a Skype group and create a video message to followers.  You can share holiday greetings or news of your next big event – and add to your social media and PR library of successful tactics.

9.     Strengthen Your Media Relationships

Perhaps there is a blogger who is especially important to your industry.  You may have sent them dozens of press releases but never met them.  Invite them to chat on Skype and add more power to your pitches.

The power of social is that it creates and sustains relationships.  When adding the immediacy of video to that formula, you’re bound to increase the connection between you and those you want to touch.

Searching for more tips? Check out this social media survival kit.

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B2B Social Media Marketing Methods and Obstacles

Posted on January 10, 2012

In 2011, BtoB  surveyed more than 550 executives for Emerging Trends in B-to-B Social Media Marketing: Insights From the Field.  Three charts about methods and obstacles are yours for the viewing. If you want more information, you can purchase the complete report.

Methods Used for B2B Social Media Marketing

When asked “Which of the following social media methods does your company currently use for your B2B marketing (i.e. not personal use)? (Check all that apply).“, LinkedIn and Facebook almost tied for first place with twitter coming in third. Less than half the businesses use YouTube or blogging as a marketing method. How do you think Google+ will affect these results?

b-to-b-social-media-methods

 

 

 

The One Most Important Method of B2B Social Media Marketing

The next chart shows the answers to this question: “Which of the following social media platforms is the ONE most important method that you use for B2B marketing?” LinkedIn leads again with Facebook and blogging coming in close together at second and third place.

B2B-most-important-method-social-media-marketing

Obstacles to Social Media Marketing

The third set of statistics reveals obstacles to social media marketing and answers the question, “What are the top three major obstacles to adopting social media marketing in your company? (Check as many as three).”

If you’re a social media consultant or company advocate, it’s good to know about these objections. How do you overcome them?

70% Lack of resources

57% Poorly defined success metrics and key performance indicators

44% Lack of knowledge about social media

22% Management resistance

17% Confidentiality

15% Legal and regulatory issues

8% Company policies prohibit social media

It would be interesting to compare these findings with other studies or even the results from this report in the prior year. It’s clear that that B2B companies need more social media education as well as a better grip on how to define success metrics and key performance indicators. One way to do this is to work with a social media marketing consultant to align your social media marketing with your business marketing goals. Another important overlay is purpose. Do you think the answers might vary based on marketing, business development, and branding?

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2 Cooler Social Media Marketing Webinars

Posted on December 1, 2011

cooler social media marketing webinar penguinsYou have about four weeks to get ready for 2012. Don’t let another year go by watching your competition own the market you want to be in. To end 2011 on a high flame and put some kindle on the fire for 2012, I’d like to invite you attend one or both of my December webinar classes. Get WIRED with social media, content marketing and PR or Lock in LinkedIn to fire up your 2012 success.

Why are my webinars cooler? Because you get so much more: live webinar presentation, timed replay, transcripts, mp3s, bonuses and even a one on one power consultation. Sound good? Wait . . . it gets better. How about reader discounts and scholarships?  Read More…

2 Comments - Posted in Marketing, PR, Social Media, social networking, Webinar Tagged with: , , ,

6 Ways to Give Thanks Every Day

Posted on November 23, 2011

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Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.
Aesop

In the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of every year. But, you don’t have to be a resident to count your blessings. To help you do that, here’s a refresh of a post that first appeared here in November 2007 about gratitude and PR.

When you thank someone, you recognize them for the goodness they bring to your business or your life.

When you publicly thank partners, vendors, employees – and of course, clients, your create publicity opportunities for both sides.

1. Give thanks at the first point of contact

One dreary day I strolled into a splashy gift store. After spending 20 minutes looking around, I walked out empty-handed. On my way out the door, the cashier said, “Have a nice day!” – the only words she said the entire time I was there. Is it any wonder the store was out of business a few months later?

2. Let your prospects know – right away – you’re glad they are there.

Bloggers can add a static page or a link to a blog post with a welcome message and a reader’s guide. Want to reach local journalists? A phone call, email or comment on their blog might start out with, “Thanks for the story you did on time management. Here’s how you helped me.” Online PR is a little different. You can’t “welcome” search engine spiders, but you can link to a welcoming landing page from your news release.

3. Keep affirming the relationship

When my hard drive crashed, the repair center called to give me a replacement price. I picked it up and didn’t check the receipt until a few days later. I saw they charged me for installation, but not the part. Back at the store, the associate took my payment and talked about the repair center contact in front of me, but they didn’t thank me for coming back to buy the hard drive. They were too caught up in their own conversation to notice the customer on the other side of the counter.

4. Always, always, always email or call with a thank you to someone who mentions or refers your business.

Use Google Alerts to track where your name shows up. Bloggers can email people who post a valuable comment and show thanks with links. While there’s no need to send a formal thank you note for a Facebook gift app like a cute penguin, you can acknowledge the giver with a quick thank your reply or reciprocate and send them a gift. Online PR continues from the news release to a landing page to an order page to a – you guessed it – thank you page where you can offer additional products [in addition to thanks].

5. Be Thank-full at Thanksgiving or Any day

Stand out from your competition by showing you care with a personalized message to everyone that contributes to your success. Thanksgiving is a great time to think big and write a personal note to authors, bloggers, company presidents and yes, your mom for the good things in your life. You know you wouldn’t be who you are today without them.

6. Send Gifts!

Go off of your holiday list to show gratitude to business partners. Then, reach out to prospective partners with a gift. This year, I sent out copies of Success Secrets of the Social Media Marketing Superstars. I’m the LinkedIn author. Whether you send books or brownies, everyone loves opening presents. Mine went out the Friday before Thanksgiving. Send yours out soon, so you can beat the holiday rush.

What about you? What or who are you thankful for this year?

Image credit: Thanks to Shutterstock for providing images in exchange for credit.

0 Comments - Posted in Marketing, PR