Start Ups and Social Media

Social Media Marketing is for every business. Differing industries and varying sizes of companies can utilize the tools online to make the most of their business. Smaller companies can benefit more from the use of social media because many of the platforms are free to set up and maintain. A new company on the rise that has its origins in Georgia is Peach State Pride and a screen shot of their website's Homepage is below. You can see from the tabs that accessing their social media is extremely easy for consumers. Links to their Facebook, Twitter, Blog, and Pinterest is located at the top of the page unlike some business's websites that list these links at the bottom of the page or on a sidebar or hidden like a buried treasure. It is refreshing to see this new company have such a clean image and connection to platforms that will increase their traffic and sales.

I initially found out about PSP by seeing a car decal on a friend's SUV, then a girl on campus was wearing a PSP shirt and I was digging it, so I did what anyone would do, I Googled "Peach State Pride" and found the website, Facebook, etc. Going to the website, I could easily find the products and what PSP is all about. The owner is happy to make a profit (the foundation of every business) but he also wanted to instill pride for the fine state of Georgia and have the means to donate money to three causes: Georgia Historical Society, Georgia Wildlife Federation, and Georgia Cancer Foundation. Many people feel fulfillment when donating to good causes but more would be willing to give money when getting something in return. Selling shirts, koozies, car decals, and hats are a way to raise funds while satisfying the need to have a souvenir from the donation. 

The Twitter account has over 2,000 followers and they are currently following over 1,000. Many of the tweets are RTs of consumers praising the products and mission of PSP. Their Blog has many posts about new developments and partnerships PSP has made in the apparel industry and includes posts of Instagram pictures of people wearing the PSP products. Maybe PSP should set up an Instagram account  for these posts and the blog can include more content. Their Pinterest account includes boards such as "Georgia Weddings" "'Merica" "Southern Hospitality" and so on. They are not specifically pushing their product on to consumers but more of a lifestyle that consumers of PSP share. Overall, this new company is utilizing social platforms appropriately to grow and keep consumers informed and involved.

How Are You Feeling?

The old days of MySpace and letting your friends know what "mood" you are in seem to be creeping back into the social sphere. Facebook has plans to revamp this emoticon use to let friends know a variety of things. If you are enjoying a half-calf-mocha-latte-hold-the-whip from Starbucks, you can add that to your status update by clicking on the drop down menu to include Starbucks in the post. This new way of engaging with brands can help promote advocacy.

The concept is simple. If a brand or company has a Page on Facebook, aka something you can "Like", then it can be selected or tagged in the status. Your status can be about the beautiful fall weather and not directly about the latte from Starbucks, but the little tag is added to let all your friends know what you have and where it comes from. This is basically free advertising for Starbucks and I think if I saw my best friend post about what she is doing while enjoying a drink from Starbucks, I would then be into getting a drink from there too. It is the suggestion that compels people to purchase certain products at certain times. The presence of this post would encourage me to buy something that I usually enjoy anyway, just sooner than if I thought about it myself.

The addition may take time to actually be used, I still don't "tag" people I'm with as often as I'm with them, but the possibility is there and growth can help brands gain business. Being present on the social media platform (if it makes sense to be on it) can always help to gain an audience. Maybe we should not tell our friends we are feeling "mischievous" on Thursday nights, but instead let them know we just grabbed a pint from Walker's pub. As Facebook users, we can choose what brands to endorse and that proves that social media marketing is in the hands of consumers.

Tweet Tweet

Every person wants to be heard and receive recognition for their thoughts and ideas. And it is somewhat unfortunate that every person has the ability to share their thoughts with essentially the world (at least the online world). Not every teenager's thought should be published online and not every new story of a celebrities' DUI, who Taylor Swift is dating now, or that some teen just got a show on MTV for being preggers should be broadcast across the inter web. It is shameful to publish such trash, but many find this idle gossip to be quite fulfilling and it is no wonder that the Twitter accounts that publish these tidbits have a multitude of followers.

Companies should be cautious to not fall prey to easy engagement. If the company is Entertainment Weekly, then by all means, tell us more about Lindsay Lohan and her train wreck of a life. But for companies that are not exactly in the business of entertaining want to capitalize on the use of Twitter to reach consumers and engage with them in meaningful ways, there is still hope! As a finance major, I will use the example of that industry to illustrate a strategy. If a banking conglomerate were to set up a Twitter account, a great way to gain followers would be first to let their current customers know they have an account. After these users have committed, the tweets should be focused on common sense ways to make the most of the consumers finances. Send out info on wealth management, or alert the followers of a meeting in which the executives will host a Q&A on wealth management. Retirement funds are extremely important and tweeting out tips and advice will go far to keeping the bank's Twitter followers and clients happy with the service they are receiving.

Even industries that are not Hollywood glamorous or a guilty pleasure (like people watching at WalMart) there is always a way to use these social platforms, like Twitter, to a company's advantage. If the way the platform is used provides help, there will always be followers.

Instagramagic

The beauty of Instagram is that it can make anyone look like they have taken a photography class or at the very least know how to use a camera. The filter options can turn any object into a thing of wonder, even if it was just a cheeseburger. If you want to capitalize on this app, think about the message you are trying to send--to your friends, clients, or what have you--and then click away. If you want to show the progression of your cooking skills, boom, Instagram all those meals you prepared to show off your new delectable portfolio. If you are capturing the change in seasons for a weather montage, go ahead and pick a location and take photos every day or week to string together in a slide show.

Businesses can update their marketing approach by utilizing Instagram in campaigns. With the help of their followers, they can have a variety of pictures of people enjoying their products and engaging with the brand. Everyone wants to be part of something bigger, and what better way than being part of a campaign that promotes a brand they believe in. All companies have to do is target these individuals and let them submit photos of how they rock a pair of jeans, use a trendy handbag, or scale mountains in hiking shoes. The point is to connect with the people that buy products and to strengthen the bond with a certain brand so that loyalty is a factor when choosing whom to purchase from.

Not every app is right for every business, but Instagram is basically photo sharing and even if you do not think your products are worth the limelight or a photo shoot, think again and come up with a creative perspective. Or let your customers create a new look for your brand by hosting a photo contest that captures the essence of your brand. The beauty of this platform is that pictures can speak volumes, you just need to know what you want to say.

Planning for Busy People

Everyone has busy schedules and deadlines are important. If your job revolves around putting out the latest information on a company Twitter feed, Facebook post, or Instagram picture; it is paramount to do so at the appropriate times to capitalize on the most views and engagement with your audience. Missing these releases can throw off the viability of a tactic or worse, get you fired!

Making sure you have all your ducks in a row can be accomplished through hard copy planners, setting alarms on your smartphone or utilizing applications such as Tweetdeck. However you best manage all your deadlines should be the avenues you choose. I personally like to write things down and look at my planner frequently during the day and update deadlines and assignments when necessary. But sometimes when a certain project consumes all your time for multiple days, looking at that planner comes to a standstill. And that is when you might miss a deadline. So even the most stringent organizational worker can mess up through human error.

Relying on technology to keep you updated can help with this downside of forgetting to look at your planner. Automatic updates can be scheduled for the company blog, so you can write several topics at the beginning of the week or month to be released at certain times. It is such a wonderful thing to have friendly reminders or automation cover for you when things get too hectic.

Wanna Link Up?

LinkedIn has become a popular social site for those looking to connect with others in a more business-related way. It is a networking site that allows users to create profiles that display their professional accomplishments, endeavors, and career goals. Resumes and cover letters can also be included. Individuals can connect with coworkers and bosses and grow their social networking web as they encounter other professionals in life. Companies can actually use LinkedIn as a way to reach out for suggestions when hiring for positions and leads to consumers.

Utilizing this site can help foster greater achievements, but with all social networking platforms, the way one interacts is important. If you have personally met someone in an organization--or for students, possible recruiting events--finding and adding them on LinkedIn is fine. Hearing about an individual that works for a company you are interested in, then finding and adding them, is relatable to Facebook stalking! If you have not been able to meet someone face-to-face but would like to foster a business relationship, try messaging them about a certain event you attended where they spoke or were also in attendance and mention how you wished you had a chance to talk in person. This is a better way to try to establish connection than a straight-forward but completely random addition to LinkedIn.

Businesses that want to leverage this site for potential candidates should start by having a network savvy human resources department. These individuals can connect with other businesses and individuals without being considered creepy or stalker-ish because they work in HR and that is one aspect of their job, be well connected--you never know when you will be in the market for a new job. When interning with HR this past summer, I had the pleasure of reaching out to a few contacts at graphic design studios to see if anyone that was free-lance would like to take on full time position with the company I was interning with. The messages I sent were warm and professional and the responses led me to several viable candidates within about a week.

For those who have yet to make a profile, stop what you are doing, and get to it! In this digital and social media age, being present on this site can help land you a job when you need it because you are networking and relevant to employers. Profiles can only help you to succeed, so what are you waiting for?

Well That's One Way of Getting Social Media Attention

Do marketing gimmicks work? Won't those tactics just annoy consumers and lead to a decline in sales? There isn't an easy answer when the gimmick actually is a way to engage with consumers and make them part of the brand. One of my favorite movie theater candies is pulling off a great marketing gimmick that utilizes social media. Mike and Ike have a strategy that engages consumers by having them visit Facebook, but that is the beginning, because the user can then Tweet, Instagram, or Snapchat about the "campaign" which reaches even more users.

The big deal is that every box of Mike and Ike has either Mike's or Ike's name scribbled out. There is a "letter" on the back of the box explaining that Mike has gone off to have a music career or Ike has gone to pursue his graffiti art. The consumer is then prompted to go to Facebook.com/mikeandike to figure out and help persuade the missing party to come back to the candy brand Mike and Ike. There are posts and tags and YouTube videos that have been made by consumers to bring the two makers together. It is astonishing how well this strategy is working to gather followers and supporters. Not to mention the sales must be gaining from all the buzz. I'm actually enjoying some of the little candies while writing this post!

The Facebook page has over 970,000 likes and almost 4,000 people are talking about it right now as I'm blogging about it. There are icons on the homepage that users can click on to read about how the split occurred, games to be played, merchandise to be bought, a design contest for t-shirts, and much more. Making the page interactive ensures that consumers spend more time on the site and become more engaged in this campaign. There are also links to the Mike and Ike tumblr and their Twitter. This campaign is clever and hopefully is accomplishing brand recognition and an increase in consumers who not only find the candy yummy but the brand to be worth their support and loyalty. Other companies may not be able to pull this off like Mike and Ike but they could certainly learn from them on how to use social media in an engaging way.

Get Noticed on Social Media

Social Media Marketing isn't new because the basic concepts of creating a bond with consumers and a company or brand has been the goal of marketing since the beginning. By linking a consumer's emotions to a company or brand, their products will be seen as meeting the needs more than a comparable brand's products. When the goods or services being offered are similar in nature and perceived quality, it is the emotional ties that win over potential consumers and convert them into buyers.

Being online changes some aspects of the marketing game, but a majority of the guidelines stay constant. Here are a few ways social media marketing is an online version of traditional marketing:

1. Relevancy: the company/brand should be pertinent to the needs of the consumers. Goya has increased shelf space at groceries within communities that have many Hispanics. This brand of food would probably not do well in rural areas with predominantly white residents.

2. Connection: the company/brand cannot expect to connect with consumers if they don't seem to have a stake in the community. There is strong loyalty for Coca-Cola on UGA's campus because Coca-Cola has established their brand on campus and have hosted recycling programs which furthers their presence in the minds of college students.

3. Accurate Message: the promotion of the company/brand needs to correlate to the actual function of the products being marketed. When initially marketing a product, it should focus on the features and directly link them to the benefits a consumer will receive. This second part is crucial to conversion of sales. Abstract messages should be saved for the website or after a certain point in the product's life cycle, once its benefits have been well established.

The importance of having a social media presence is that is where consumers are spending increasing amounts of time. There are many subscribers to Hulu and Netflix, which means reaching them on those "channels" will be more effective than on the traditional TV. Getting noticed where consumers spend time is the best use of resources. Companies would benefit from investing in Social Media Marketing and taking the time to do it right.

Pin Pointing Pinterests

What is it that makes Pinterest successful? It uses the share then gather method that has become so popular with social networking sites. Users can install a "Pin it" widget on their tool bars or comparable  panels for use when an item, image, or video clip is Pin-worthy. Users can "pin" whatever they have fallen in love with or want to see again to Pinterest. At the point of "pinning" they are allowed to categorize the "pinned" material onto their personal boards for later perusal. Many wedding dresses, healthy recipes, and funny memes have found their way into the "Pinterestsphere".

If companies want their products or messages pinned onto users boards, the first step would be to make it easier. If I saw a "Pin this" button next to a pair of really swank Steve Madden boots, I would probably be 100x more likely to pin it than if there was no prompt telling me that pinning it was an option. This is the beginning to spreading a company's presence on Pinterest: make it easy to do. Now companies and brands need to be cautious and not be tempted to hire insiders to go Pin-crazy trying to promote the products.

Another way to grab attention is to offer prizes to those who Pin products to their boards and potentially tie-in the number of repins a certain original pin receives (giving the prize to the original pinner). Pinterest allows for people to follow boards just like Twitter allows people to follow other tweeters. This word-of-mouth leads to viral advertising when multiple people continuously repin a pin.

Pinterest as a marketing platform has its limitations but there are enough perks that being well versed in how Pinterest works and how users navigate through pins to become consumers of products that have been pinned.

Facebook: Total Domination?

The rise of Facebook has seen many changes and even though not all of these changes have been popular among users, people continue to frequent this social networking site. MySpace is used as a joke when discussing these types of networking sites, but it was relatively consistent in its design and functionality (which might have been its downfall). So after all the complaining and empty threats of leaving Facebook if one more thing is changed, the fact remains that this evolution and continuing update of the beloved social networking site actually makes it relevant. Just a few additions to this site since I first joined in 2007 include: showing how many people in a group have seen a particular post, "friendship" pages that reveal all the pictures, statuses, and comments that you and a friend have shared; cover photos, "what's on your mind" when it used to be a consistent notice under your profile picture of how you felt, Timeline setup of your page, etc. There are more changes than this but it's a good place to start when thinking about the updates. Each new addition or deletion of Facebook's look or features has prompted media attention in the form of articles and user protests, but the newest change could result in a slam against Google. Many users prefer to search via Google for pictures, information, jobs, travel destinations, etc. But now Facebook is working on becoming a sort of search engine by utilizing the profiles of friends to share information such as: best restaurants in Paris, museums to visit in New York,  where to shop in Milan, and the list goes on. This could potentially take away from Google's empire because it is people you personally know that have rated and accepted these establishments and not just random strangers endorsing a particular restaurant or hang out. People may be skeptical at first but with all Facebook changes in the past, I believe there will be verbal resistance and then a wave of acceptance since this isn't going away and maybe even an eventual feeling of "how did we ever live with it any other way?" as so often happens with these updates.