Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social media. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Monday, June 24, 2013
Lessons learned of my first Facebook ad campaign + other details
If before officially starting to promote and launch my websites - especially the travel oriented ones - I had the (false) impression that I know enough about social media. In the last two months I realized that I need to dramatically review all my knowledge about how to use various tools for success, not only for fun and entertainment.
After I've reached a certain threshold of 'likes' on Facebook for my page, I received a coupon allowing me to use a certain budget for increasing my audience. Worth 30 Euro, the coupon expires in around 3 weeks after assignment. Trying to reach an honorable 200 'likes' I considered that it is the right time to have my campaign started during the week-end.
The main thing I liked about it is that you can shape your target audience, in terms of age and geographical representation. You cut your slice and wait to see what is going on. In the last days, I slowly reached my objective, with a modest budget of 8 Euro the day. My campaign is supposed to end in a couple of hours and for the moment I prefer to work the audience in a different way, trying to offer more content and diversity of perspectives.
What I was not extremely keen about is the random audience that I reached. Till now, I was joined by people that looked interested in what I was writing and doing, but from now on, it is more a matter of random clicks that of clear interests. On the other hand, I am a blogger looking for audience and I should stop thinking in terms of elitist audience. I am no more in the academic world, remember?
As a general conclusion, Facebook Ads are very efficient and probably if used on a regular basis it helps to have a big audience in a relatively short time. I don't know what to say yet about the price, but as I plan to use such methods only short term, I am not afraid that my budget will be seriously challenged by that.
On the other end of the priority list, I have a lot to learn about: creating professional YouTube video, how to get a proper Google indexing rate, increasing my Twitter audience and how to play right the SEO cards. For the next days, I will try to offer as much original content as possible and set up Google+ pages, at least for my foodie and social media blog.
Little by little, the priority list gets bigger and my excitement for the new experiences is pondered only by the careful need to review periodically the stakes and tactics.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
The main competitor to Pinterest
is called LoveIt. After reading the article, I realized for the first time that this time I will not hurry up to open an account. Simply because I realized that the high frequency of apps and networks is appalling enough for competing seriously with my time.
Thus, the next time when I find out the news about a network, will try to focus from the business point of view and thus the next account will be open only when no other solution to survive socially.
Is freedom the future of social media?
Thus, the next time when I find out the news about a network, will try to focus from the business point of view and thus the next account will be open only when no other solution to survive socially.
Is freedom the future of social media?
Friday, July 27, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Book review: Facebook Marketing for Small Businesses
Hopefully, the end of the month is the right time for the freelancer to read and discover new valuable resources for improving his or her work. Yesterday evening I discovered that I have on my Kindle a book about Facebook Marketing for Small Businesses and decided that it is the right time for a useful lecture.
The book belongs to the category of what I call 'anchor books': in the search for new customers, you need to offer as many credentials as possible and thus, a book or more plus an updated website will help you to improve your pitch. Nothing despicable in this case and the advantages of many books and articles from this category are that free of charge or in exchange for a very low price you can read a lot of insightful ideas about a variety of domains.
The book was published at the end of December 2011 and most probably there are many things that Facebook changed since then and in less than one year the book will need an improvement. However, if you are looking for a fast lecture - of around 30 pages - and useful ideas, you should take a break for an hour and read it.
What are my lessons learned?
As for the moment I am not too much involved in social media projects, I got almost all the technical information I was looking for about Facebook Fan Pages and the advantages of using Facebook advertising for businesses.
Randomly, some of the best advices at the end of the lecture:
- The Fan Pages should contain only professional/business related information. The post should be regular - but not as frequent as in the case of Twitter, for instance -, entertaining and addressed to the current and prospective community. You need to set up a plan of posts for at least one month in advance, outlining various aspects of your business. A 'like' is not enough, you should be ready to start and be a part of a conversation.
- Regardless of your object of activity, you should always connect with your community. Thus, before you start writing, you should know what is the profile of your target, to establish the demographics and the main interests.
- If you want to expand your community, the Facebook fan page should be used as a reference to your website and, in general, as part of your general business communication.
There are many ideas that I will explore further soon and thanks to this book I am able to continue the journey through the social media jungle.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Monday, April 2, 2012
With or without the new Facebook timeline
The unexpected took place: the new Facebook timeline is here, for everyone. I am using it since the launch and I must say that it offers a couple of advantages if your social media presence has a purpose: if you want, for example, to outline a certain aspect of your life or if you want to outline a special post. If you are a company, you have more chances of a coherent corporate communication, as it is explained in this article.
Happy timelining everyone!
Monday, November 28, 2011
Are you looking for an advice?
Are you looking to find out more about Social Media, Internet, PR and communications and how to use them at the highest capacity? Are you curious to find out more about Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn blogging and everything in between? Do you have a small business and what to think in big 2.0 ideas?
I am offering consultancy at good prices for all those hungry to upgrade their knowledge and efficiency and Internet literacy. The first consultation session is free.
I am offering tailored classes and seminaries and special consultancy.
Interested? Contact me: findthewordblog@googlemail.com
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Where you've been when Osama was killed?
Image by gbaku via FlickrMy personal story: for the history of the online world - I was sleeping. When I woke up, I didn't switch on the TV set or open the website of my favorite international newspapers. Not at all, I logged to my Twitter account and to my Facebook account. Since then - the last 5 hourst - I am permanently browsing social media for updates.
But ten years ago... when 11/9 occured, I was in the front of the TV. For a final confirmation, I called several of my friends from NYC asking them what it is all about... The whole operation lasted about 5 hours.
What about you? What kind of recent experience do you have with social media as a source of direct news and information?
Books about the 2.0 world
The latest titles, in German. As usual, I can't stop being surprised about the high level of theoretical discussions about social media, in comparison with the clumsy approached I've encountered very often in the real and practical playground.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Twitter burnout?
Take a cup of tea/or coffee/or milk or whatever you want to, and read this.
And maybe take a long walk too. It might help.
On customers, sellers and digital "body language"
I attended recently a webinar on using social media to increase sales. I am not into sales and my chances to ever get into it are very slim, but I am extremely interested about the general process of interaction and communication between customers and clients in the new 2.0 world.
What I've learned about or remembered is that:
- the customers have more control over the products and are imposing their own demands - we are buying faster than the sellers are developing;
- information is vital and your brand is not only what you say it is, but what people says it is - social media is very important and the discourse provided on various tools - Twitter, Facebook, youtube - is providing at a great extent the image of your company and the content of your brand;
- for sales, YouTube is very important: setting up an account and posting a smart, not exclusively expensive, video about your product is a good idea for attracting more customers;
- Twitter is helpful in offering various coupons for the existing or potential clients;
One of the conclusions of the webinar, going beyond the strict domain of sales is that social media requires new skills: as, for example, the ability how to find the best key-words, or how to read a link. The expression of the week was: "digital body language" - I am still thinking about how to better use it.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Writers on Twitter
This is not only a trendy attitude, but a must-be: writers on Twitter are increasing their branding, introducing directly themselves and talking with their potential and actual readers. Of course, the main condition is to have what to talk about - I mean good and interesting books!
Friday, December 31, 2010
The best social media tool of the year: Twitter
Image via WikipediaI was very active this year on the front of social media, trying at least every day to learn something new, to discover a new application or simply to improve my 2.0 skills. My main focus was to explore how the 2.0 changed our way of life, and I was extremely interested in the influence of the virtual world on the academic life and research.
The best benefits I took from Twitter. I created an account one year and a half ago, but started to use on a daily basis only in March. And, since then, it plays a big part of my virtual life. I found there very interesting people, extremely good resources for what I am interested in and lots of opportunities for expanding my knowledge, including in the area of foreign languages - trying to use my foreign languages for short but efficient communication.
For the next year, I would like to explore more Foursquare for example, as it is a very good tool for marketing and promotion of places and products, but I am sure that Twitter will continue to be a good medium for communication. And, of course, would like to see what's the next diamond in the 2.0 crown.
Wait and see!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Mister Wong and me
While trying to fight with the WordPress blog settings - this is the newest entry in my always expanding media empire, and will share more about this soon - I discovered Mister Wong. What it is the connection: as I am trying to build a blog hosted by a German website, this Mister was recommended as a link to be used for sharing the latest updates. By curiosity, went on Google for a complex search and was happy to get in touch with the German site for social bookmarking. You can save all your favorite websites to your personal account and share it with other people from your network. The site is a direct competitor to del.icio.us and have the advantage of focusing exclusively on the German speaking realm. Recently, there were launched versions in Russian and Chinese. Equally, you can benefit of mobile support, accessing your account and saving your links of interest directly from your cellphone.
You can connect via icq, Skype, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, to access a FreeDigital Library. As privacy is a permanent matter of concern in Germany, the site is offering you the possibility to chose if you want to have your profile private or/and public. Also, you can access a Free Digital Library.
I am wondering if it is any similar website in French - as my blog I will start soon - when WordPress will be kind enough to share its secrets with me?
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