Tag Archives: social media

If You Could Do Your Banking on Facebook – Would You?

Posted on July 17, 2012 by Marrissa| Leave a comment

Image: digitimes.ie

From time to time, I might ask close friends and family members for a financial advice, but I can’t say I’ve ever thought about the possibility of “social banking.”

Financial giant, Citibank, is however thinking about the possibility of “social banking,” as least as far as Facebook is concerned. The bank recently posted an interesting message to its Facebook page, asking fans if they would bank through Facebook, testing consumer appetite for “social banking.”

The post has already garnered nearly 800 ‘Likes,’ but comments on the post are overwhelmingly negative – here’s just a small sampling (positive and negative) of my favorites:

“100%”
“No way.”
“Yes, absolutely.”
“Over my dead body”
“No. That would just give hackers an incentive to hack Facebook. In the long run, I get my information stolen, and Facebook AND Citibank lose their reputation for keeping your information safe.”

It’s clear, we live in an ever more-connected world. We check-in, hangout, Tweet, ping and snap photos all day and all night. We can already deposit paper checks into our accounts with mobile banking apps and transfer money with a touch.

That convenience has improved the way we do business and streamlined money management, but is a good idea always worth taking to its logical extreme?

Facebook’s questionable privacy history, combined with the obvious security questions raised by many Facebook users in the comments on Citbank’s post, come together to create what could either be a disruptive partnership that changes the way we think about banking, or, it could be a behemoth privacy disaster.

So, what do you think? If you could do your banking on Facebook, would you?

- Marrissa (@marrissam)

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Social Media

Tagged Citibank, Facebook, social banking, social media

Can English Survive Social Media?

Posted on July 6, 2012 by Jon| Leave a comment

Is the informality of email and social media leading to the ruin of the English language? Is proper grammar and correct spelling going the way of the wired telephone? The answers to those questions are troubling many corporate communications executives.

We have come to accept slang and shortcuts in our electronic communications. The grammar used is often spotty and let’s politely assume that the numerous misspellings we see are typos.

So a tweet contains “c u l8er” instead of “see you later” in order to save space in a message with a maximum of 140 characters. Later in a text message you might read “Mary and myself will handle that.” Then a news release posted on a company Internet site may include that the “Acme Corp. is known for providing their customers with world-class service.” That may not be a problem among friends, but that same writing style is unacceptable when used in external corporate communications.

The blame for our eroding standards is often placed on younger employees who have been raised in a social media era. That’s not entirely fair. All of us regularly engaging in social media take many of the same shortcuts and make many of the same grammatical and spelling mistakes.

We just have to consider social media communications as a different language. The way we communicate to friends via Facebook or Twitter is fine. But, for the time being, that informality has no place in the way we communicate on behalf of or our employers or clients.

In time, much of the social media vernacular will become an accepted part of the language. But until then, we need to remind ourselves — and our employees — of the need for accurate and clear communications in a business setting.

– JD

Twitter: @Jdaum

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Marketing/Communications, Social Media

Tagged communication, grammar, social media

PR: There’s an App for That

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Sara| 1 Comment

Almost everyone has a smart phone, most likely compete with tons of downloaded apps. I recently sat in on a discussion about which mobile apps are most useful for PR industry pros from Cision. Here is the top ten list:

1. Bump

Bump is like a virtual business card that allows you to swap info with people just by launching the app and then physically “bumping” your phones together. It’s perfect if you’re on a time crunch and want to make a quick connection.

2. CardMunch

This app allows you to take pictures of business cards and convert them into contacts right into your address book. The top perk to this app is that it will also show you LinkedIn profile information as well as any connections you have in common.

3. Dropbox

This is a very popular and free service that lets you store/access your photos, docs and videos anywhere and share them easily. It’s so convenient to pull files your Dropbox account from your phone and share with others on the go.

4. Evernote

The Evernote app helps you remember your ideas, projects and experiences across all the computers, phones and tablet platforms you may use. It captures text, photos and audio and then synchs it via the cloud. These files can then be shared, edited and used to collaborate with your co-workers.

5. TweetDeck and HootSuite

Either of these two apps are a great way to keep track of journalists’ feeds and also handy when you need to manage your Twitter/Facebook presence while travelling. As far as layouts go, it’s really a Coke vs. Pepsi thing.

6. Yammer

Yammer is an enterprise social network service and is used for private communication within organizations and pre-designated groups. This is a private way to collaborate with your co-workers and send them messages.

7. Google Analytics (mobile)

This app gives you instant, mobile access to your Google Analytics. It’s perfect if you’re travelling but still need to report back to the office about how a post is doing.

8. Word Press

This app is compatible with almost every operating system. For this reason, it’s a great way to update any blog on the go. This is awesome if you are blogging from a trade show and want to share timely updates.

9. Tripit

If you travel frequently, this app is a lifesaver. It basically takes and organizes all of your trip details (flight, car rental, reservations and anticipated weather) and puts them in one place where you can share those details with others and print out your tickets.

10. Media Database Apps

If you need to look up a media contact and you aren’t by a computer, it’s helpful if the media database service you use has a downloadable app. MyMediaInfo, CisionPoint and Vocus are among those that have them. Great for a last-minute pitch.

Do you have any good apps to add to this list?

Follow me @saraalisia

→ 1 Comment

Posted in Marketing/Communications, Uncategorized, We Like

Tagged apps, Cell Phones, Cision, internal communications, mymediainfo, Pitching, PR, smart phone, social media

Twitter: It’s Not All About You.

Posted on June 8, 2012 by Marrissa| Leave a comment

There’s no question, social media (primarily the “big three” networks: Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) is integral to a successful, comprehensive PR campaign. However, as corporations get more comfortable with social media, we’ve noticed that many of them still have a “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha…” approach to Twitter. To those organizations I say, “Newsflash: it’s not all about you.”

That may sound a bit harsh, but what I really mean is that social media, Twitter especially, should not be used as corporate air horn – only for broadcasting company news, white papers, case studies or executive accomplishments. Twitter is capable of much, much more. That is IF you take the time to step back, think about what interests your followers, engage with them and share relevant news and stories – even if they’re not about you.

I’m not recommending a complete kibosh on sharing corporate news and marketing content. I am however, endorsing restraint when it comes to tweeting corporate news. Take your average enterprise Twitter handle: with 3-6 original tweets per day, no more than half of those tweets should be self-promotional.

What else should you tweet if your not sharing news about your company?

Great question. Twitter is perhaps the fastest way to directly connect with potential customers and even members of the media – they’re all there, and if your talking about a subject that interests them, you just might open the door to your next sale or major feature story.

In order to do that, you must share your knowledge with the ‘Twitterverse.’ No corporate news or product launches this quarter? No problem. What’s going on in your industry? Do you see a major industry challenge on the horizon? Have you noticed an interesting trend in customer buying preferences? These are just a few of the things you can (and should) be blogging about.

Draft a quick blog (100-200 words) and tweet it out. If you’re interested in the topic, chances are, the people following you (including influencers) are interested in it as well. If you regularly share your knowledge, you will be repaid in spades on Twitter. You’ll gain a) Credibility as a thought-leader; b) Trust of customers who are used to being bombarded by marketing messages c) The interest of members of the media looking for expert sources.

Finally, a point on engagement. It’s simple really – do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That means, thanking someone for a retweet or for following, responding to tweets in which your brand is mentioned and asking questions.

When you learn that Twitter is “not all about you,” you’ll gain the social media respect you deserve.

- Marrissa (follow me on Twitter: @marrissam)

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Marketing/Communications, Social Media

Tagged pr campaign, retweet, social media, social media best practices, tweet, Twitter

Move Aside, Gallup, Zip It, Zogby – Leave It to Twitter

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Jon| Leave a comment

Hardly a day passes without a new survey from national pollsters reflecting our changing attitudes about Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney. With more than five months to the general election, this is already getting tiresome — even to a bit of a political junkie.

Several months ago, during the heat of the Republican primary season, one research organization attempted to measure the candidates’ use of social media to pick a winner. In hindsight, the results were very inconclusive at best.

But undeterred, another group has compared Obama’s and Romney’s Twitter-only following. Here’s a look at some of the results.

Obama has almost 16 million Twitter followers, while Romney counts just over 500,000. Nearly half of the Obama followers live outside of the country. About 90 percent of Romney’s live in the U.S.

About seven of 10 Romney followers are men. Obama’s followers are split fairly evenly between the sexes.

Based on percentages, Romney followers are wealthier. Obama’s are younger.

The top industries represented by Obama’s followers are hospitality, law and marketing/PR. Romney draws more support from followers employed in the fields of software, insurance and fashion.

The influence of each candidate’s followers (as judged by connections across 60 social media sites) give a clear edge to Obama with a “pull” measurement of 5,461, compared to Romney followers and their 466 rating. Yet while Obama has about 30 times the number of followers, they only have about 12 times more pull than Romney’s.

There is even more detail in the report, including a look at swing state followers. So what does this all mean? How do these numbers translate into electability? I doubt anyone can say with certainty. But it does provide us with one more set of statistics to debate.

But before we learn the winner on Nov. 6, I think we’ll all be begging for relief.

– JD

Twitter: @Jdaum

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Social Media

Tagged Mitt Romney, Obama, politics, social media, Twitter

Vancouver Harley Davidson Dealer Rides a Tsunami Toward More Well-Earned Positive PR

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Marrissa| Leave a comment

Ikuo Yokoyama's Harley motorcycle washed ashore on Vancouver Island. Image: Peter Mark / AP

It’s no secret the Harley Davidson’s marketing team is doing something right – the company has a passionate social media following and passionate customers, but one Harley Davidson dealer on Vancouver Island, British Columbia just earned some well-deserved PR, not as a result of a major media campaign, but because it decided to do something good for someone who had lost almost everything.

A Vancouver Island resident recently came upon an unexpected find washed ashore on a local beach – a damaged, heavily rusted Harley Davidson motorcycle in a Styrofoam-lined storage container.

Japanese writing on the license plate gave clues to the bike’s origin – turns out it had floated over 4,300 miles across the Pacific Ocean – washed out to sea by last year’s devastating tsunami in Japan.

After a bit of research and collaboration between a Harley Davidson dealership in Vancouver and a Harley representative in Japan who saw a television report of the bike’s discovery, the Harley Davidson company hatched a plan. They would restore and return the bike to owner Ikuo Yokoyama, who lost three family members, his home and all his possessions when the tsunami battered Japan’s northeast coast.

Harley Davidson’s decision to restore and return the bike makes for the best possible type of PR – the kind generated by companies that know the value of their product or service, appreciate their customers as people (not just dollars) and most importantly – show good, old-fashioned human kindness; because it’s the right thing to do.

So kudos to Harley Davidson! A company that’s gone out of its way to restore and ship just one motorcycle halfway across the world – you’ve just given the term “earned media” a whole new meaning.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Public Relations, Weekly Win

Tagged corporate, Harley Davidson, Japan, PR, social media, Tsunami, weekly win

Key To Social Media Success? Think Like A Wildcat

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Jon| Leave a comment

Image via Stickyegg.com

A truly successful social media campaign requires enthusiastic involvement from your employees, students or vendors – even their families. These are your best ambassadors and offer a glimpse into the organization that goes well beyond what your social media director alone can provide. And why should you expect the general public to embrace your efforts if your own immediate constituency won’t?

The University of Kentucky recently provided a good example as its men’s basketball team moved through March Madness to become NCAA champions. Throughout the tournament, the campus’ social media team posted insights into the team on its Facebook site. It offered its followers regular Twitter updates. Flicker was used to post team photos.

UK students, faculty, staff and alumni were encouraged to add their own comments and photos. They responded in a big way and attracted their friends and followers to the university’s sites. Thousands of new visitors – some from as far away as Army bases in Afghanistan – became Kentucky fans.

Seizing on this opportunity, the social media team added news about other UK sports, academics, student achievements and many other posts to showcase a well-rounded campus. Pardon the mixed metaphor, but this was a real homerun leading to the University of Kentucky’s use of social media being named to two Top Ten rankings among U.S. colleges and universities.

Admittedly, your organization isn’t likely to win one of the most highly publicized national competitions anytime soon. But by encouraging your team to fully embrace your social media efforts, your organization’s message opens up to a much wider community, providing a chance to gain new followers and experience what sets you apart from the competition.

There are ways to keep the process fun and informative and gain employee involvement in a big way. Do that, and you’ll be well on your way to social media success.

Need some ideas on gaining involvement? Is your social media “team” at the breaking point or even non-existent? Then look for an experienced outside vendor to help develop and maintain your social media properties.

Tag Archives: social media

Categories

Follow Daum Weigle on Twitter

Sign Up for Our Security Newsletter

@dwpr

Posts

Sites We Love

Search Site