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Archives for February 2011

How to create entertaining AND useful blog posts

by Margie Clayman

There was an interesting commercial on the other day. It was a commercial for a local furniture store. The owner comes on and says, “You may know us for our funny commercials, but what we should really be talking about are our great products and our low, low prices.”

Ding ding!

There’s a lot of talk out there right now about creating content that stands out. You hear phrases like “People don’t like interruption marketing.” You hear that your content is competing against, well, against pretty much everybody else’s content. The reaction to all of this advice seems to be heading towards, “Oh, ok, let’s make content that will get people talking about the content.” This methodology may get people to talk about your product or service, but then again, it may not. Do you want to risk it?  Sure, last year’s Betty White commercial got a lot of press. Do you remember what the ad was promoting?

What this means for you

If you are a blogger, the same challenge applies. You want people to find your content interesting, and hey, it’s great if your blog creates buzz. But ultimately, more than anything, you need your blog to work for you.

How can you accomplish both of these goals? Here are some ideas.

1. Write headlines that are enticing but not spammy. Especially in the world of Twitter, this is a good way to preview what your post will be getting at while also adding some intrigue. For more about this, check out The 8 Most Greatest Tips to write Unstoppably Killer Headlines Guide Ever, by Eric Cummings and Michael Cummings (guest post on ProBlogger).

2. Use hooks wisely. In writing, the opening paragraph is comparable to the punchline of a television commercial. It’s your “aha” moment. Your time to shine. But it’s also your opportunity to tell your readers what you are offering – whether that is information, a soft sell, or something else. For more information about how to make hooks effective and “sticky,” check out The Spectactular Post Formula #2 by Stanford Smith.

3. Don’t out-clever yourself. If you want your content to work for you, your readers have to get it. That means that you don’t want your content to be filled to the brim with jokes, asides, hyperboles, and other stuff.

4. Content should be memorable for the right reasons. Look at what happened to Groupon and their Super Bowl commercials! A lot of people say that creating controversy is a great way to create traffic for a blog, and that’s probably true. But does it help your business? If your stance has a point and it’s tied to what you want your content to do for you, awesome. Have at it. If not, well, maybe another path would suit you better.

5. Don’t over-emphasize the “useful” part. A lot of bloggers can come off as awfully didactic. In fact, sometimes I read a blog post and I find myself quaking in my boots as if I had just heard a fire and brimstone sermon. Other times I feel like I just left a used car dealership. Don’t feel like you have to hammer your point into your readers’ skulls. They’re smart. It’s okay to leave some things to their imaginations, too.

6. Try not to talk like the smartest person in the world. One of the most popular ads during the Super Bowl was the Chrysler commercial. Why? Well, one of the main reasons is that everyone got the fact that the commercial was not just about Chrysler, it was about Detroit, a city trying to pull itself up from the boot straps. It was about the American Auto Industry. The ad didn’t show charts and graphs and statistics. It made viewers feel that message. How can you achieve that with your content?

7. Leave a hole for your readers to fill. Reading is pretty passive. Interacting is, well, interactive, and that makes the whole experience more memorable. If you can guide your readers into contributing to the conversation, everyone benefits.

8. Create new ways to think about your business. If you look at some of the greatest blogs going right now, there is one thing that unites them. They get you thinking in new ways. Chris Brogan’s blog gets you to think about business in new ways. Stan’s blog over at pushing social gets you to think about Social Media in new ways. Lisa Barone certainly gets you to think about SEO in new ways. Stretch your readers’ brains and see what they come back with.

9. Use stories when the time is right. Sometimes the best way to illustrate something is to bring it to a place where almost everyone can relate. Create a meeting ground where you can start out with your readers, and then take them where you want them to go.

What’s number 10?

Now it’s your turn. How do you create content that is both entertaining and useful, either for your readers or for you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Image by Shannon Pifko. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/SEPpics

Filed Under: Marketing Talk

Open Discussion on Facebook Marketing

by TommyWalker

Facebook has made changes yet again to their platform, again altering the impact of and opportunities for businesses with a Facebook presence. It seems like every time there’s a shift in the Facebook universe, fans and foes scramble to re-draw their line in the sand.

So with this series of changes, and the things you’ve learned about Facebook so far, are you using it to market your business?

Are the new changes awesome and helpful, terrible and a nuisance, or just part of doing business on Facebook?

Most importantly, our favorite part: tell us why.

Filed Under: Marketing Talk

How can Geo-Location Services Help Your Business?

by Margie Clayman

This guest post is by Joe Cheray. To read more of her tips and asides and to find out more about Joe visit her at *Wildheart’s Web 2.0* Joe Cheray is a blogger from Topeka Kansas. She also specializes in other aspects of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, and StumbleUpon to name a few.


There are four geo location services or apps I use on my phone. They are:

– Foursquare
– Gowalla
– Whirll
– Yelp

Each one has its own use and purpose as well as distinguished badges of honor so to speak.

For this guest post I will expand on Foursquare.

Foursquare – An Introduction

Foursquare allows you to see where you friends have checked in and when. You
can also leave short comments about the place, or what you are doing there.
You can see what places are nearby and also mark your favorite spots.
Additionally you can leave tips and see what your friends’ tips are. The to
do function lets you make a to do list of places you want to check in to.
Your personal tab lets you see how many mayorships you have, badges, and how
many tips you have left as well as how many check-ins and friends you
have. Currently I have 7 badges: Newbie, Adventurer, Explorer, Superstar,
Local, Swarm and You’re not in Kansas Anymore.

About the Badges

The newbie is the first badge you get for your first check in. Adventurer is
10 check ins, Explorer=25, Superstar=50, Local is checking in at the same
place 3x’s in one week, Swarm=50 people checking in at the same location.
And well, You’re not in Kansas anymore is self explanatory. There are several
other badges you can get but since I haven’t achieved them I don’t want to
give away what the requirements are.

Foursquare and Your Business

Now how can this help business. Ok let me tell you how. If you become Mayor
of a place for example(this is achieved by checking in at the same place
multiple times and is a number predetermined by Foursquare) you are entitled
to some incentive such as free bread sticks at Pizza Hut. If Pizza Hut
promotes this heavily they will have people flocking to their place to be
mayor just to get a free order of bread sticks. Subway here in Topeka ran a
promo awhile back that if you checked in you got a free cookie of your
choice. Lots of folks must have taken advantage of that one because there
were hardly any chocolate chip cookies at the one I went to. Hooters also
has had a check in special where they gave folks who checked in an order of
wings for free.

Foursquare can prove to be an additional incentive for business building
plus it is just fun. It can also provide a unique way to think outside the
traditional marketing box.

Now it’s your turn

How do you use Foursquare either as a consumer or as a business? Do you have any questions about Foursquare? Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Filed Under: Marketing Talk

When Sam Met Twitter

by Sam

This lovely contribution to the series is by Sandra Parrotto, aka Sam. Sam is at heart, a facilitator.  As owner of Qstreet, a leadership and cultural development company, she’s worked with a diverse group of organizations over the past three decades.  Being completely inspired to put her hard-earned wisdom to work, Sam is launching a new website, morepurple.com in May, which will create a provocative online conversation about transformation, consciousness and self development.  She can be reached at sam@qstreet.com, on twitter @qstreet and fb as Sandra Parrotto

When

Sam

Met

Twitter

ASTOUNDED! Astounded I tell you! Twitter isn’t just a way to follow Demi and Ashton.  It isn’t a family-wrecking, time wasting, social-skill killing vehicle destined to be another technology fad.  People, through twitter and other social media channels, are making a serious contribution to my global community.  There is meaningful thought and ready debate awaiting the bold soul who can see past the rhetoric.  I have no idea how I could ever fit – to be accepted, included.  Intimidated and intrigued, I am in awe of the people, possibilities and the pure functionality – I hunger to find a way to be a part of this!
  • Smart people, thoroughly committed to their interests and sharing their knowledge.
  • Thousands of writers able to expose their work to others.
  • An engaged social network of people that challenge, explore and promote any topic that is attention worthy.
  • Real people who grapple with relationship and transparency issues – in an open dialogue.
  • Connections with others that are unconstrained by geography, economics, status, or age.
  • Potential to address the worlds’ issues with those who actively care.
  • An accessible, super-powered subculture already at work shaping thought and moving the collective consciousness forward.

My journey began with a celebrity, a class reunion that was promoted through facebook, transition out of a business that I no longer wanted and a personal mission to uncover my hidden creativity.

I was a skeptic, seeking, determined to find the truth about social media and the people who participated in it.

Around the end of July, I searched leadership, self development, coaching, philanthropy and found 40 to follow.  I studied and traced their conversations.  I read and reread their blogs trying to decipher who they were, what they were attempting to do and how much they were willing to share.  How did they do twitter? What were the rules of engagement?

KittyI Lurked! I followed with a watchful eye.  In disbelief, I scoured their words for authenticity.  I didn’t tweet much in that first month scared to engage for fear of rejection.

There were a few that I ventured into conversation with; @Thebrandbuilder who engaged in an absorbing exchange about leadership with me through dm’s, @Menwithpens not only responded to every reply, but turned every tweet into a literary work of art.  I’ve been in her apprentice writing program since September and met the “oh-so-very-extraordinary” @Realchaseadams through @Jonmorrow’s blogger program (a link that James posted).   @Melissaonline promotes women and is a delightful person who readily engaged – her lists were invaluable.   @Goodmenproject fascinated me, their mission so noble and marketing that functioned like a well-oiled machine – my 1st retweet.  @Txblond was the first to respond to an original tweet and many more since.  My firsts in twitter!

My head raced as I’d lay my head on the pillow each night:  Who are these people?  Oh no, what if I tweeted the wrong thing?  I could never write like that… nor am I witty or clever…I don’t even possess a sense of humor.  Who are these people?  This influential sub-culture has existed right under my nose?  Where have I been?  I had no idea there were so many writers in the world. (amazed)  So this is what a blog is. (duh!)

girl drawing fruitI was ripe for the emotional and intellectual treats offered by the social media smorgasbord.  In search of dormant parts of myself, I wanted to be tickled by all things magical – creative thinking, new ways of relating, unconventional perspectives and readily available discussions.

I had become Sam squared, cubed and organized to the 10th power in my business life.  Twitter became my muse.

August and September were spent learning  – 3 hours a day reading others posts and launching a few of myown.  It seemed like once every 2 weeks, I’d get a response.  I’d scream, gasp for air and call everyone in my family circle to tell them the good news!

I recently hit the 12,500 @ threshold.  I don’t jump up and down, call my friends and scream in euphoria anymore, but I can’t wait to check my Iphone to see who I’ll get to chat with when I wake.  Secret? Some nights, I just can’t wait, so I hide my Iphone under the covers and take a peek. Shhh….

One day during September, I wrote a tweet that said, “My mission is to learn how to be a great follower!”

I surrendered my ego, my role as  “leader”,  and opened my heart to the unpredictable nature of virtual relationships.

isolationIt was oddly empowering to feel: insecure, jealous, competitive, embarrassed, inadequate.  Isolation aptly described the beginning of my twitter struggle.

My ego didn’t like “non-essential” but I knew that this experience of being “not known” and unimportant – was valuable.

With each tweet that landed in the “echoless vacuum”, my determination to understand – grew.  With each tweet that was returned by another, I became more grateful.

I saw my character growth and resulting humility as the cost of the ticket – to play.

I then discovered the #dadstalking hashtag.  @Genuine was so willing to answer questions, engage me in a way that reminded me of my “home folks”.   @ImtheQ, always outrageous, created a space where I could be “me”.  I even had a misunderstanding with @Exhausdad, apologized and made a permanent twitter friend.

Synchronicity was present everywhere. Responding to a link posted by @Geoffliving or @Dancitizen (which, I don’t recall), I enrolled @Dianamalloy, got train tickets and headed to the Mashable Social Good Conference in NYC during UN week.  We found ourselves seated across from both of those guys, which I accidentally discovered by asking, “Are you into technology?”

Shortly after Blog World in October, Chase introduced me to the #UsGuys hashtag.  What a gift! I had built one-to-one connections filled with personal tidbits, but my ability to know others was limited.  Limited because they shared only the part of themselves that was a direct response to me.  Group dialogue that included banter, conflict and individual reactions to other personalities, didn’t occur.  The #UsGuys hashtag provided a social space where a group of people could focus on a topic, simultaneously, creatively sharing and building a kind of community momentum.

Intimacy among the tribe grew exponentially as I witnessed, first-hand, people simply talking to each other.  My desire to be vulnerable within the community increased because of the #Usguys culture.

hand holdingIn real life, when two friends get together and the other isn’t present, the third person has no idea what they missed.  #Usguys made it possible because of the transparency, to listen in, to observe others’ communication.

The tribal community answered a social need that everyday twitter couldn’t.  One group conversation with 5 people, led to 15 more commenting throughout the next day.  It became possible to be connected to many & jump in whenever I  felt the urge.

Twitter allows me to see. And, it occurs each and every time someone tweets; it’s reflective, it’s within 140 characters and it’s like waking up with my husband each day.  A level of familiarity that typically takes years to acquire is created in 1/10th the time.

We have a daily connection and ability to observe that deepens, alters and ultimately builds a remarkably accurate picture of how we see and relate to one another.

It is an honor for me to be allowed into an aspect of modern day life that I believe will completely alter how society relates to itself.  I fantasized about living in the future with Captain James T. Kirk, social media makes that a partial reality.

I talk to @Pramitjnathan in India about human suffering and positive thinking.  I share cupcake pics & relationship dynamics with @Myagenda.

I hear about marathons and healthy living from @All_swagga and @Danenow.  @Veron is always willing to discuss “truth”.  Injustices of the world are the specialty of @Smith_blarney and @Blackrocket.  @Grit08 is my personal authenticity meter.

I giggle at @Righteousgeek and revel in his heart.  I watch as @PaulaKPorter makes a difference in children’s lives.  I get brilliant marketing insight with a hint of mischief from @Nickkellet.  I write poetry with @Seanotd.  I discover the benefits of homeschooling and engagement from @Mantywebdesigns or @Littlewys.  I watch in awe as @Josepf launches one idea after another.  I share a virtual Thanksgiving with @Solete while she lived in Barcelona and other “out on the town” events with @mikulaja.

I discuss business with @Seanmcginnis, @SMSJoe and @Fredmcclimans.  I’m told that I “rawk” by @Carlsorvino.  @Pproethe warmly shares the milestones of his life.  I’m mentored by @Margieclayman and @Sandyhubbard.  I learn about world events while sharing tv role models from That Girl and the Mary Tyler Moore Show with @Debmorello.  And I get priceless support and feedback from my real life pal @SuzyQfollower.  I would like to mention every person that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.

For those that I adore but didn’t mention. Alas, space does not permit me to mention every person who has made a difference, intrigued and engaged with me!  I would not want this post to have you question how much each of you matter.   Thank you for making room in your hearts and sharing life with me.

Thank you for altering my squared up world, making it possible to be re-energized about living in this time and freely giving so much of your creativity to others.

So many of you have generously shared yourselves with me.  I have grown, feel like I am welcome and can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.

Filed Under: Marketing Talk, Musings

Book Review: Content Rules

by Margie Clayman

I just finished reading Content Rules, by Ann Handley and CC Chapman, and I thought I’d share my thoughts about it.

Let me start off by saying that if you are new to online marketing and/or Social Media, I would 100% classify this book as a must-buy for you. In fact, if you read Trust Agents, UnMarketing, and Content Rules before your fingers first make contact with your keyboard, you’ll be ready to be a superstar right out of the gate.

Why is Content Rules good?

Content Rules can be used in two ways. The first way is to read it cover to cover as I did. In particular, the first part, which introduces you to the key tenets of online content creation, is an excellent introduction to creating usable, valuable material for a blog, a webinar, an e-book, or other marketing channels.

What I think time will prove, though, is that Content Rules is even better as a “as you need it” resource. Section two of the book dedicates chapters to how to create content for very specific purposes. It walks you through objectives, how-to information, things to avoid, and more. So, if you are getting ready to work on your first e-book and you are feeling shaky, you can thumb right over to that chapter and feel more ready for the work ahead.

The third section of the book (and technically the final one) is interesting in that it highlights a few different companies who used content creation (and the rules that Chapman and Handley outline) to find success. While these companies are mentioned at various times throughout the book to illustrate points, it’s interesting to see all of the different puzzle pieces come together. The “Ideas you can steal” section of each chapter puts the finishing touch on how you can act on the information you’ve been given.

A couple of things that I think could be improved

All of that being said, there were a couple of things that I think could be improved.

First and foremost, the biggest plus of the book, which is that it is a must-have if you’re just getting started, is a bit of a double-edged sword. For the most part, Content Rules is not aimed at people who have been generating online content for awhile. That’s not to say there’s nothing new to learn, but a lot of the core elements of the book will be things content creators will be familiar with. I was hoping to see some advice that would help take a person like me, who’s been blogging for about a year, up to the next level.This is not really a negative thing – it just simply shows that CC and Ann had a specific audience in mind, and that is one of the rules they establish!

The other thing I would say is that in a couple of places, the language gets to be almost too basic, no matter where you are in your path of creating content. This is I think an easy trap to fall into when you’re doing a lot of explaining. You start explaining things that your audience probably already knows. This didn’t happen very often, and it doesn’t deter from the value of the book, but it’s just something to watch out for.

Those are my thoughts – what are yours?

Have you read Content Rules? What did you think about it? I’d love to have a discussion in the comments section!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

From Madison to Manama

by Margie Clayman

Something very interesting is happening around the world right now. Whereas we have all been united for the last few years in suffering a worldwide almost-Depression, we are now finding ourselves united in another kind of battle – a battle between the old way and the new way.

The Recession as San Andreas Fault

They say that when an earthquake happens of gigantic magnitude, the earth actually gets tilted a bit on its axis, thus altering time by one second. The great recession of the 21st century seems to have had a similar effect. Of course, in the marketing world, this is not breaking news. Before the recession, we were debating whether or not print was dying. Now we are asking if our websites look okay on the iPad. Would this transformation have happened without the great crack of hard times? Probably, but maybe we would have focused on the transition a bit more. We were occupied with tight credit and the actual danger of bank runs.

Well, in the world at large, something similar has happened. There has been a revolution. The shot heard round the world happened at some point, but we all missed it. The battle is not about politics. It’s not about US versus Al Qaeda. It’s not about Israel versus Palestine. Rather, this revolution is about the old ways versus the new ways.

Freedom is the word

What is most striking, to me at least, about events going on in Madison, Wisconsin, my own home state of Ohio, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Algeria, and Libya is that in all places, the word you hear most, or see most visibly, is freedom. In contrast, you see people who are seeing the battle as an attack on the old ways, the proven ways. In Egypt, people were not chanting, “Let’s do what the US wants us to do.” They were celebrating the new-found freedom that they were fighting for to actually make change. Mubarak represented the past. Freedom was the present. As an almost perfect tribute to this battle, relics from ancient Egypt were attacked in the Cairo museum. You can’t celebrate pharoahs when you’re crying for freedom, after all.

In Madison, Wisconsin, where workers’ rights are under attack, the protesters are chanting, “This is what Democracy looks like,” as if we had all forgotten that we have the right to assemble. People protesting the protesters, who often are affiliated with the Tea Party, also affiliate themselves with their interpretation of what America’s founding fathers would have wanted. Old versus new, though of course in the US Democracy is not really new. It just seems we forgot what it meant.

In Bahrain, Libya, Yemen, and Algeria, people are protesting the old ways. They are protesting dictators, oppressive rule from European countries, and a lot more. What’s newer still is that the US is not jumping in. In these countries, the leadership is fighting back without mercy. In Ohio, our governor has suggested that anyone who protests should be fired on the spot.

You can almost hear the words echoing down through the centuries. “Let them eat cake.”

Clinging to the ancient past

And yet, while all of this is going on – while the senior citizens in Prichard, Alabama, who have not received pensions for years are fighting back at council meeting after council meeting while the mayor sits by stone-faced, while the people of Madison, Wisconsin, fight for what they have earned, while the people across the Middle East fight for the freedom they have been yearning for, old ways are thriving in other places. Nothing is more symbolic of the old ways than the fact that invitations were sent out for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Revolution on one side, royals on the other. And there’s the rift.

The World is Changing

Have you ever watched the development of a little baby? When they’re first born, they kind of are like a really sweet smelling, cuddly raisin. Then one day, they realize that they have fingers. Then they discover their toes. You can almost see the recognition grow in their faces. “Oh, hey, that voice means I get to eat now!” Or, “Wow, no one told me about this rolling over thing. That’s terrific!”

I feel like the world is kind of going through that recognition state right now, in many different places. “Oh, so, I can make a difference in my world, really. Wow. That’s amazing.”

But there are a lot of people who don’t want to see those changes, and they will fight hard to keep what they are used to as the status quo. It’s not really about political parties or ethnicity or religion. It’s about the old versus the new. It’s about print versus web. It’s about the internet versus mobile.

Which side of the great divide are you pinning your hopes to?

image by Richard Simpson. http://www.sxc.hu/profile/nzric

Filed Under: Musings

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