2009-12-23T21:39:00Z

This blog sucks?

As I was scouring my usual sources for ideas for this blog, I came across an article I couldn't resist. The article essentially gives 10 reasons why certain blogs suck. After reading all 10, I realized that THIS blog actually is guilty of several of these infractions. Since this is clearly unacceptable, I'm taking to heart the advice given by my friends at Daily Blog Tips.

First of all, I haven't written a post in over a month now, which means the content here is incredibly outdated, stale and probably already irrelevant. A good blogger posts something new at least once or twice per week. Even better bloggers update daily and the best post multiple times per day. If you have your own blog for your business or as a hobby, you will quickly realize how much time this actually takes. It's tough to keep up as it is, let alone report on a topic with your own witty spin. But you (and I) lose regular readers as each hour/day passes by avoiding the inevitable. And with lost readers go lost opportunities for ways to build your brand with new connections. Since this blog serves as a calling card of sorts for my consulting endeavors, it needs to show what I know helps companies build their brand. Clearly I need to step up my game.

Second, I may not be writing enough original content. As with many who blog in the social media, online marketing and other related niches, I often get my ideas for a post from other blogs. Some of my personal favs are:

Guy Kawasaki- How to Change the World
Techcrunch
Chris Brogan
Mashable
Seth Godin
and many more...

However, does that mean we are all writing about the same one article 500 times? Perhaps. And that likely means it's being overdone. Personally, I try to strike a balance between copying an article directly into this blog and actually putting some original thought into each post that may link to said article. However, since this blog is still in infancy, and there is much more to say, I should put some time now into thinking about what original posts I may want to put forth in the coming year.

Finally, this blog may *gulp* be BORING. While that may ultimately be subjective, it is important to remember who your audience is. This blog isn't meant for everyone or as a form of entertainment. It's got a purpose and that's to help build my reputation and hopefully impress potential clients along the way. Hopefully it's not redundant or boring, but that still remains to be seen as my readership grows or doesn't.

In the coming year, I vow to be a better blogger. Feedback is appreciated.

http://www.dailyblogtips.com/10-reasons-why-your-blog-sucks/

2009-10-01T17:37:00Z

Still wondering if your brand should be on Twitter?

If you are a marketer and you are still just talking about getting a Twitter strategy together, here is some data to help you get on board. A new study done by Interpret LLC shows that, among other things, users of Twitter are more likely to click on ads:

• Twitter users were twice as likely to report rating or reviewing products online (24% to 12%)
• 20% of Twitterers sometimes click on ads, compared to just 9% of non-users
• Again, 20% of Twitterers reported visiting company profiles or web sites, almost twice as much as non-Twitterers (11%)

This helps to dispel the myth that consumers are not interested in having a relationship with your brand while on a social network. Consumers are not only interacting more with advertising, but also checking out company profiles and rating products. It's this kind of interactivity that serves your brand by building more connective relationships with your customers.

If you want help deciphering social media or putting together your strategy for Twitter, contact us at Vigor Consulting today.

Reference this study: http://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-users-are-an-advertisers-dream-come-true-2009-9


Share

2009-09-11T01:25:00Z

twittercounter

It may not be that impressive to see that I've only gained 21 followers on Twitter over the past couple of months, but what IS impressive is the site that shows me that data- twittercounter.com



This site is a great way to chart your success in gaining followers and maintaining communication with your customers or audience. However, it's also an interesting reminder of what kind of individuals and companies are the most successful on such a platform- for example, the #1 followed across all of Twitter is the Hollywood actor, Ashton Kutcher. Out of the top 20 followed, only CNN and NY Times are not actors, entertainers or politicians. That being said, if you have a reason to gather followers on Twitter, this is a great way to track your results.

2009-08-13T17:51:46Z

Facebook still captures more users than Twitter

Though Twitter is certainly here to stay, there is some interesting data being reported that shows that the general population still isn't buying into it's utility.

The LA Times recently published a study done by the LinkedIn Research Network/Harris Poll which reported that, of the 2,025 people surveyed, 69% said they didn't know enough about Twitter to comment on the service. Additionally, of those who were aware of Twitter, some said the short-messaging service would grow, and an equal number of respondents said it was just for kids.

Even with all of this new data, as a marketer if you aren't at least aware of Twitter, you must be hiding under a rock. The question is: how can you use Twitter as a platform for your brand? Admittedly, some brands may not belong on this heavily B2C platform. If
you are looking to expand your B2B brand, there are more effective and highly targeted ways to reach your target customers such as email and SEM. However, if you are consumer-facing, start by searching Twitter to see if people are talking about your brand, product or service. If there is enough buzz around you already there- get started ASAP! If you need to build your brand, you can start by creating a Twitter account and then searching for people that have interest in your category to connect to.

A few large brands doing a great job on Twitter that I've seen are: Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Apple iPhone, CNN and NYTimes. There are also several smaller companies using Twitter to grow their business.

The bottom line: you can't afford NOT to be where your customers already are. Twitter may not be as big or growing as quickly as Facebook, but this is a FREE platform for your business to push messages to your target customers. If you need more help getting started with Twitter, contact Vigor Consulting to discuss your needs and how we can help.