Social Media Audits:
Assessing whether you should be following or leading the pack.
Have you ever thought about what your image is saying about you? Sounds like a strange question to ask but when you relate it to your online presence it's something that we need to put more thought into - especially since - what we share on our website, or social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter stays around forever.
Over the past few months I've been asking my clients to think about what their online image says about them, identify ways to improve what it says about them and finally implement those tools that will help them enhance how they are viewed and perceived. What I have found is that there are many organizations out there who didn't give their image much thought and then ended up regretting it.
When thinking of our online image I like to quote something from my "Twitter BFF" Gini Dietrich of Arment-Dietrich, "Rather than following the pack, figure out what you want to accomplish and then do an audit to find out where your target audiences are participating online." When considering your online image the questions you have to ask yourself are what do you think the most powerful online tools are to convey your message and why. I'm sure you've heard this as much as I when it comes to, as Gini says, following the pack, "we have a blog because everyone else is doing it." And if you've seen enough bad blogs you can appreciate that most of these never experience return visits. Knowing what will engage your audience - and how - in the discussion you hope have is the main goal behind a Social Media Audit.
Once you know where you are within the social media space you then need to plan out how you'll enter into the fray - as a leader, participant or not at all. Whether you have the internal resources or will rely on external support to help you in this process - knowing where you are and having a plan for where you'd like to go will ensure that the overall health of your online image remains paramount. |
Client Campaigns
With the cost of an undergraduate degree currently estimated at $80,000*, it is essential for parents to start saving early for their children's future post-secondary education. The recent TD Canada Trust Education and Finances Survey showed that many of today's students are having a tough time managing financially - and it is taking its toll. To learn more about what TD Canada Trust offers online for students and recent graduates visit the TD Money Lounge on Facebook.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada continues on its quest to have Canadians become "A Force for Nature" through their Direct Response Television campaign starring home-grown celebrities Ryan Reynolds, Jason Priestley, Rachel Blanchard, William Shatner and Denise Donlon. For more details click on their Social Media Release above or visit www.natureconservancy.ca/tv |
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Greetings!
In our "Back to School" edition of the newsletter, DGI is happy to announce the launch of our "Tweep in Profile audio podcast featuring @parkernow. In additional we share details on our Social Media Audit and offer advice on how to create a successful podcast. We hope you enjoy what you read and experience here and hope you'll share it with you friends, family and colleagues. |
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12 Steps to A Successful Podcast
(Image courtesy of Trafcom News) |
For those of you who have followed my newsletter for some time now, you may be familiar with Donna Papacosta from a previous newsletter and article entitled "The podcaster's guide to the universe" where she shared some pretty good insights on the art of podcasting and doing it well. I thought that sharing her recent blog post on how to create a successful podcast was appropriate especially given our collaboration featured in this month's "Tweep in Profile".
So without further ado, here is an excerpt from her recent newsletter:
As someone who has been producing audio since 2003, I consider podcasts part of my natural way to communicate. When people ask me about the value of adding audio to the communications mix, I start with these 12 benefits of podcasting:
1. Establish your organization's leaders as experts in their niche.
2. Help to deliver the CEO's message to employees using the warmth of the human voice in addition to traditional text channels.
3. Create a "radio show" to educate customers and prospects.
4. Add life to case studies by producing audio interviews with your staff and customers.
5. Showcase the work of your nonprofit organization and its people by interviewing those who benefit from the work you do.
6. Build buzz before a trade show by highlighting key speakers and influencers.
7. Capture the excitement of your company's conference or sales meeting for the benefit of those not in attendance.
8. Give your employees an audio version of the company news as an adjunct to the newsletter; they can listen while commuting or at the gym.
9. Bolster your training efforts by adding an audio component; some people learn best while listening.
10. Remember that customers and prospects can easily subscribe to your podcast; this means that they are asking you for more content!
11. Podcasting is relatively inexpensive; you can start with free tools.
12. Podcasting can be fun and rewarding when done right.
Donna Papacosta is the President of Tralgar Communications and the host of Trafcom News. She is also the host and producer of Donovan Group Inc.'s "Tweep in Profile" Audio Podcast. To learn more about Donna follow her on Twitter. |
September "Tweep in Profile" and Audio Podcast
@parkernow
In this month's edition of "Tweep in Profile", I am thrilled to be introducing you to a new element of the DGI Newsletter - an audio podcast featuring this month's TIP @parkernow (Parker Mason) and hosted by @DonnaPapacosta (Donna Papacosta).
I chose Parker to be my first TIP Audio Podcast since he was instrumental in introducing me to many aspects of the online and Twitter community - none the least of which - my podcast host and industry specialist Donna.
A few years back Parker actually introduced me to Donna and I am thrilled to finally be collaborating with her. With that in mind, please meet Parker Mason.
What do you do?
I'm a Manager, Community Cultivation at Radar DDB, part of DDB Canada
What do you like most about Social Media/Networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook?
I like it because it gives me a chance to connect with people across the world that might not have the same interests as my immediate social circle. Social media has lead to new friendships, job opportunities and countless hours of entertainment, as well as new knowledge to improve my life.
How do you use it in your daily life - personal and business?
Personally, I use it to keep in touch with friends, read about things that interest me and find new music. For work, I use it every day to help promote my clients.
What is the biggest thing you've learned so far about Social Media and how have you implemented it?
Everybody uses social media differently. No two groups use the same tool the same way, if they even use the same tool.
Where do you see this medium going in terms of your profession?
I only see it going up from here - people are always looking for new ways to connect and the advertising and marketing world are positioned to help these connections.
How can people Follow or Friend you?
People can find me as Parkernow as most places (Twitter, Flickr, Delicious, Hype Machine) or they can check out my blog, BlogCampaigning.com
(DGI's profile of members of the Twitter, Facebook or other social networking communities is in no way an endorsement of their services and therefore we assume no responsibility for the information provided by them. Consumers need to perform their own due diligence before hiring or seeking advice from anyone relating to their communication needs.) |
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