Posted on Wed, Sep 01, 2010 @ 09:07 AM
When marketing on behalf of regulated industries (such as the healthcare companies, financial services and law firms we often work with), working within strict guidelines is a large part of the process - externally and often internally, as well. While you may be more limited in your blogging tone or breadth of discussion topics, there are numerous benefits to corporate blogging that should not be ignored. In highly regulated industries, in particular, there is much to be gained by integrating a blogging strategy as part of your company’s public outreach efforts. The following are the key benefits to incorporating a blog into your current marketing mix:
- Puts a human voice to your company’s name
There’s little doubt that society increasingly thrives on interaction – it’s no wonder then in the age of 24-hour news access and Twitter accounts of celebrities leaves your 1.0 website sounding cold and devoid of personality. Blogs have become a crucial component of incorporating a more personable, human approach that people have come to expect from industry-leaders. If executed properly, a blog can help your company forgo positioning itself as rigid and unapproachable.
If you were to imagine for a moment that your company is a building, a corporate blog would serve as its windows. A good blog allows current and potential customers to peer inside and gain a greater understanding of what is going on internally. While blogs are an excellent tool for building trust and customer loyalty, the most widely read blogs are those that position themselves as news outlets for the industry, rather than a PR tool dedicated to solely promote one company. People hold blogs in higher esteem when they deliver unbiased reporting – particularly in a company blog.
- Starts a conversation with your industry, clients and potential customers
Maintaining a corporate blog will be useless if it’s used only as a channel for promoting a monologue; blogging is a two-way street. If you have no desire to engage readers in a conversation, have no doubt that your readers won’t stay readers for long. This can create reservations for some, but rather than fearing the blogosphere, instead embrace the unique freedom it offers you. A major benefit of running a blog is that you have the opportunity to answer questions or concerns related to your company in an avenue that didn’t exist before. A good blog platform will also allow you to moderate comments so that slanderous or inappropriate language doesn’t appear on your site, but be careful not to confuse constructive feedback with derogatory language. Your blog articles should serve as a starting point, but be sure to keep track of the comments and feedback you receive from your readers. The conversation about your products or services will take place regardless; it is much better to know what is being said and be able to respond to it in a timely manner than to let it simmer on the Internet and build momentum. Participating in that conversation is a proactive approach that will help your company address potential issues and problems when they arise.
- Results are easily measurable
Online measurement tools are increasingly important – like any other avenue of business, the blog food chain derives from results. One of the main criticisms of the social media phenomenon has been how to measure its success without a clear ROI? Blogging, on the other hand, allows you to measure results for various metrics with countless tools available online. For example, Google Analytics, one of Google’s free tools, is a customizable site analysis resource that can provide you with just about any breakdown of information you need. Goals, goal conversion, and return on investment – it’s all available, and better still, it’s all free.
Just like banner ads and spam, it will be the users who ultimately determine how effective a business blog is for them. It is understandable why certain industries remain hesitant about embracing blogging, but those who don’t catch on soon risk being left behind their competition and in the unenviable position of having to play catch-up.
Written by Ilona Lemeshov, Internet Marketing Associate
Posted on Thu, Aug 19, 2010 @ 08:40 AM
Somewhere between the hype
and the compliance-driven stigma lies the truth about social networking for the financial sector: technology and social media provide the industry an opportunity to reach out and engage potential clients and maintain a loyal base with current ones. Over the last few years, client and prospect habits have evolved along with the growth of the internet, and they will no longer tolerate being treated as a number in your mailing list or continue to be fed with direct marketing propaganda. Instead, your newly empowered customers will rely on information online, whether it is on websites, blogs or social media sites.
It’s often said that it can cost up to seven times more to acquire one new customer than to retain an existing one. However, according to a recent study released by the Loyalty Guide, costs are significantly higher in the case of the financial industry. With a growing ease of switching and the vanishing boundaries between company and consumer, relying on inertia is no longer an option for maintaining your customer base. Financial service institutions must proactively build relationships and engage their clients if they hope to stand a chance in today’s highly competitive market. Put simply, to ignore social media, is to ignore your customers.
It’s important to understand that the reason why the financial industry has been slow to embrace social media has mostly to do with the heavy legal liabilities associated with sharing too much or inaccurate information on the web. These liabilities, and the lack of understanding on how to maneuver around them, have been the primary road blocks for the financial sector. Nevertheless, there ARE companies who have mastered the delicate balance between liability and transparency. The following are excellent examples of financial institutions who have figured out creative ways to integrate social media to into their overall marketing strategies:
Wells Fargo
- Wells Fargo became the first financial institute to adopt social media when it launched its first corporate blog in 2006. It was used by hundreds of employees to brainstorm with each other and interact with customers.
- That same year they launched StageCoach Island, an online virtual world where you can connect with friends and learn smart money management through tasks and chores.
- A Wells Fargo Twitter account was set up and used as their online reputation management tool. They now boast more than 6,000 followers.
Bank of America
- In January 2009, Bank of America joined Twitter to assist and solve customer problems. Only a year and a half later, almost 900 customer queries have been resolved through their Twitter account.
- There is also a Twitter account with the sole purpose of posting job opportunities. It has listed hundreds of job openings since its creation.
Ernst & Young
- In an effort to reach new hires fresh out of college, Ernst & Young created a specialized Facebook page where they communicate with graduating students starting the interview process online.
Capital One
- Capital One created Slingshot, (and used their YouTube account to promote it!) a ‘yellow pages’ type of social network which allows people to connect to one another, and promote their services.
In other words, if your financial services company is not online yet, get on it as soon as you can. Start by defining a clear online marketing strategy, short-list the top websites where you should establish a presence and begin engaging your networks with valuable content!
Written by Ilona Lemeshov, Internet Marketing Associate
Posted on Fri, Aug 13, 2010 @ 11:12 AM
“We need brands to create more meaningful connections between their consumers in healthcare.” - Dr. Jay Parkinson, founder of The Future Well & Hello Health
While other industries have already designed and implemented social media strategies, most of healthcare remains stubbornly behind the curve. As newly empowered healthcare consumers turn to the web for advice and support, the healthcare industry must embrace the fact that conversations are happening, with or without them. The healthcare sector operates on the same principles as any other industry; in order to succeed, companies need to listen to customers and respond to their unmet needs and unanswered questions. By taking an active role in social media, they can act as resources and partners for professionals and patients. Not convinced? Keep reading.
The Movement Has Started
In a post by Digital Influence blogger Rohit Bhargava, he points out that there are 367 US hospitals using social media; they are responsible for 10,000 Tweets from 267 Twitter accounts. In health care, the #hcsm and #hcmktg chats are excellent places to find people with interesting perspectives, and @danamlewis, @tstitt, @daphneleigh and @meredithgould are among the ringleaders, while @EdBennet has done a great service by pulling together the listing of hospitals using social media. Take a look at several great examples of social media in the healthcare sector:
Patients Like Me - online community created by MIT engineers to allow patients to share information and their personal experiences. The goal is to connect patients suffering from the same or similar diseases so they can rely on one another for support.
The Center for Connected Health - community website designed for healthcare providers and policymakers. Members can discuss controversial topics, share best practices, new ideas, upcoming events and research.
Individual hospitals - The Sarasota Memorial Hospital uses Twitter to answer patient questions and provide immediate customers service. Last March, the Henry Ford Hospital used Twitter to connect with 1,900 people and answer questions during a live brain surgery.
Patients and Potential Future Patients Are Involved In Social Networks
73% of patients search for medical information online before or after doctors’ visits, according to this video from the HealthCare New Media Conference. By integrating social media into the healthcare marketing mix, organizations can share accurate, timely information regarding symptoms, diseases, medications, treatments and more. Social sites like Inspire are providing a forum for patients to share their health problems and questions about treatments with other patients, as well as qualified medical personnel. Hospitals can utilize social channels to answer healthcare- or illness-related questions or simply provide medical information.
Healthcare is Top of Mind, in the News and Continuously Changing
Since the last presidential election, healthcare has been thrust into the public spotlight. From universal healthcare to electronic health records to patient privacy, there’s a new healthcare news item in the headlines every day. Social media can provide an effective mechanism for hospitals and healthcare organizations to stay involved in healthcare legislation discussions and answer industry questions.
A perfect example of this is Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The hospital CEO has been using his blog to discuss and comment on health insurance legislation, among other topics.
Social Media Doesn’t Have a Large Price Tag
Budget cuts have become common business practice across nearly all industries—hospitals and healthcare organizations are no exception. But fortunately, social media campaigns don’t include a significant financial investment. Consider the healthcare marketing success story from the Mayo Clinic. The Mayo Clinic began utilizing social media channels to promote and increase downloads of its podcasts. The clinic effectively utilized their Facebook fan page, Twitter account and YouTube channel to promote each podcast, resulting in downloads increasing by more than 8,000%.
The benefits of integrating social media into healthcare marketing efforts are priceless – from improving patient care to gaining media coverage to attracting new patients and staff. If your healthcare organization hasn’t already taken advantage of social networking channels, now is the time.
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Written by Ilona Lemeshov, Internet Marketing Associate
Posted on Fri, Jul 30, 2010 @ 09:13 AM
There's little question that times
are changing for business seeking to build and promote their business. No longer does a business need 20 years to build their image and customer loyalty, or establish word of mouth advertising. No longer do business owners rely on TV Executives, Radio Station Directors and Newspaper Editors for an opportunity to market their brand. Now, we have Social Media. If you are just catching on to the social media craze you had better buckle up, because there is no shortage of social media networks, tools, tips, and resources. For this reason, we've compiled a straightforward, brief summary of what you need to know in order to incorporate an effective social media strategy.
Be real
The age-old saying "be yourself" is equally, if not more, important in online etiquette. Those that have been online awhile know who’s there to market & sell, and who’s there to build relationships. They smell SALES PITCH coming a mile away, and some will call foul the moment they do. Remember, your goal is to build relationships through interaction, not self promotion.
Listen
To be a better marketer you need to be a better listener. Have you ever had a relationship that ended because the other person never seemed to listen to you? That rate multiplies by 10 in social media because it’s easy to click & un-follow.
Value attention when you get it
People are starved for time and are generally thinking about 5 or 6 things at once. If you manage to capture some attention from your prospects don’t squander it, and don’t expect to constantly be in the spotlight. Value the attention you’re given because time is truly a limited resource.
Don’t focus on numbers
A short-term marketer or sales person only sees the quota they need to hit or the volume they need to produce. Social media is about long-term relationship building. Make it your goal to build lifelong connections. Rome wasn't built in a day and your social media strategy shouldn't be either.
Treat your network like a garden
Personal and timely communication is vital if you want to gain business from social media. Tend to your group, help it grow and bloom, and enjoy the beautiful results!
Don’t be a bore
Let your personality shine and you will find the influential connections come much easier. Be different, be fun, be interesting.
Don’t be a social litterbug
If you’re going to create social profiles on every network out there and only visit them once, congratulations, your profile has just become online litter. It clogs the system and will irritate users, not influence them.
Be personable
With the vast numbers of brands and individuals using social networks nonstop, the social sphere can often compare to a virtual vuvuzella. With so many choices and potential competitors available on the web, what makes you different and relatable to others?
Welcome participation and feedback
It's important to keep in mind that due to the internet's ambiguity, people tend to be more direct than they are face to face. But if you are prepared to not take negative feedback too personally, it can be a great way to understand how your brand is perceived by the public and allow you to adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Commit time and resources
Social media does take some time – it’s like attending a meeting and building a relationship all rolled into one, except digitally. Social Media Marketing embedded in your Marketing Mix is a long-term goal, not a quick-fix solution, and if utilized correctly it can bring unparalleled results!
By Ilona Lemeshov, Internet Marketing Associate
Posted on Wed, Jul 28, 2010 @ 01:47 PM
Site Speed
Many website operators may not know or have just become aware that Google now takes into account how fast your web pages render. This will affect your overall Google Page Rank and for good reason. Google realized that web pages that take longer to load have a higher bounce rate than faster loading pages. Through additional data collection Google found that increasing site speed also reduces operating costs. Although there are numerous ways to improve overall Google Page Rank, website operators should pay attention to how quickly your sites open. Check out Hubspot's Website Grader to find Google Page Rankings.
Tend To Your Website Often
- Handle existing content with a close eye on where your niche market stands
- Create new content constantly with new links
- Carefully analyze web analytics to see where your website stands
- Promote your website through various social media outlets
- Build upon your existing relationships
Duplicate Content Myth
There’s an ongoing rumor that Google penalizes a website for duplicating web pages, but it’s not so clear cut as one would think. In a perfect world the most original content is what Google would prefer, but it’s not to say that they wouldn’t rank a page on top because it wasn’t unique. What’s more important is improving the text links to change the overall web page rather than the content itself. Google might not index a webpage if it is exactly duplicated, but it will index a page if you provide quality links and the best links will rank at the top. If you’re constantly worried about duplicating a page, use a 40% mark for making the website content unique.
Establishing Calls to Action
If you’re a website owner and cannot answer the question, “What are your calls to action?” then you have a problem. Creating a Contact Us Form, Subscribe by email, Subscribe to our blog, are all desired objectives for users to your website. Creating these forms is important because their conversion rate will become a great measuring tool for the success of your website. Also, it helps users achieve their overall needs which can be gauged through an experimentation process, distinguishing which forms are most helpful.
By Cameron Moulton, Internet Marketing Associate
Posted on Wed, Jul 14, 2010 @ 01:50 PM
A great way to provide quality information to your readers is by creating e-books on your website. An e-book (electronic book or digital book) is an electronic version of a printed book that can be read on a computer. E-books are great because they are usually short documents that go in-depth on a particular subject that you or your company is well-versed in. An effective e-book will often be much more interactive and engaging than any document you will find on a website, one that contains links for viewers seeking additional information.
Why e-books?
- It’s easy to do- Basically all you need to create an e-book is a PowerPoint software, which is a cost-effective solution for creating a valuable source of information.
- It’s an attractive document– With e-books, it becomes much easier to get your viewers involved and interested in the document. From an e-book you could create links, offer a printable version of the text for referencing, connect your e-book to blog articles, and promote it across social media channels you have a presence on.
- Make your e-book free! – Making the document free is the key to getting your viewers attracted to the downloadable document. Your e-book will become a part of your next email marketing campaign, the document can be blogged about it in your next article and can be traced through analytics to see exactly how the e-book is performing.
- Make it a fun document – The difference with e-books is the ability to make the document much flashier than most documents. When creating your e-book always be mindful of your audience. Including videos, links, step-by-step processes, and other engaging content will further enhance your document.
Creating an e-book or a series of e-books is a great marketing tactic because it can be used in a variety of forms. Our website provides users with a form that must be filled out and then the document can be downloaded. This ensures a company that viewers are indeed interested enough to fill out a form, which is just more positive feedback for your content production. So engage in the production of e-books and keep your audience in mind.
By Cameron Moulton, Internet Marketing Associate
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Posted on Thu, Jul 01, 2010 @ 10:58 AM
As most companies know social media has become a necessity for conducting business. What most companies are having trouble identifying, is what social media can do for your business. There will always be naysayers out there that say, "There are too many social media outlets out there to know what is really going on, I'd rather just pick up a phone." Well for those people in that situation I can understand where you are coming from. But before you start to disengage yourself away from social media, ask yourself, "What do I want social media to do for my business?" Once you are able to assess your needs for social media, then you will you be able to start utilizing social media effectively for your business.
Increase Your Brand Awareness Through Feedback
Creating a buzz around your product on social networks is one of the quickest ways to create brand awareness, but this can attract both positive and negative response. The solution to effectively marketing your brand is by monitoring what is being said about your product. Negative comments aren't necessarily a bad thing for your business; it only creates an opportunity to resolve the issue. By closely monitoring your brand, you will be able to quickly pick up on what is being said and engage your customers better. Negative feedback can become one of the best ways to increase brand awareness, because you have now filled the void of customer satisfaction with a quick response.
Create a Loyal Following
Now that you have engaged conversation with your customers, they now feel bonded to your product. This can be done in a variety of ways...internal blogs, online events, twitter, and just communicating with your audience have shown to be effective. A loyal following goes a long way and will enhance your product for other users that are not yet engaged in your community. Not everything that is conducted online has to be a big sales pitch; users like to see the more personal side. If you are not willing to engage with other users, they will never know who you are.
Driver Traffic To Your Website
Social Media makes this very attainable and it's a fun engaging way to go about it. A few ideas on how to drive traffic to your website are:
• Submitting articles to the correct social bookmarking sites (Top 10 social bookmarking sites)
• Make your headlines enticing; Top 10 articles, Why you need to..., How this product is changing lives. These are engaging headlines that draw attention to your article
• Avoid Pop-ups and banners - they're annoying
• Use images that are fun and relevant to your content
Now that you have a better idea of what your companies intentions are for social media, you must realize that social media is all about communication. Communicating with users is the fastest way to create a buzz around your product. If no one is talking about your product, how will anyone know about it? If you can take anything away from this article it is that communication is the greatest means of interaction and with social media can be used effectively for a business.
By Cameron Moulton, Internet Marketing Associate
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Posted on Wed, Jun 23, 2010 @ 02:37 PM
With the rapid emergence of professional Twitter accounts, it has become more and more urgent to create a Twitter presence and manage it efficiently. Before your company begins Tweeting away, you need to create a Twitter Strategy or "Twittergy" as I like to call it.
Monitor the Online Conversations
First, you need to target your audience by selecting a list of 10 keywords to monitor on a daily basis and follow those discussing the topics your company should be weighing in on. A great way to find people who are writing about hashtags(#) based on your business is to use Blastfollow. Blastfollow will allow you to see anyone that is tweeting and using a "#" to identify the content of their tweets. Identifying these voices and following them is a great way to create a customer Twitter community.
Hashtags are trending topics that people are discussing, and can be seen on twitter in the following format; KeChange seeks answers to #SocialMedia. A hashtag will take the trending topic and serve as a resource for all users searching that topic. This will enhance your online presence and allow users to follow you based on your hashtag.
Project the Right Message
Once you have your 10 keywords in place, you need to establish yourself as an authoritative voice for these areas. Submit articles based on these 10 keywords that pose questions, concerns, and responses for your community of Tweeters. Providing your Tweeters with resourceful information is the best way to get your posts "Retweeted". Retweets are essential for getting your information out to multiple viewers. You can see in this diagram how a retweet can get viewed by hundreds and thousands of external Tweets that aren't apart of your following yet but are potential followers.
Here at KeChange we like to incorporate a content-based formula for Tweeting on an hourly basis. This content schedule includes approximately 8 tweets a day for our business with usually 4-5 of the tweets being business-oriented and 2-3 tweets that are more casual and fun. The combination of these techniques provides a personal way to deliver informative content.
Choose Your Platform Wisely
Twitter has many different outlets for keeping an eye on your followers and we found that a website called Hootsuite is one of the best outlets for staying up to date with your followers. Hootsuite allows you to see your homepage, @mentions, direct messages, as well as trending topics. Hootsuite also allows you to schedule tweets to be delivered at a later time and date. (FYI- @mentions are a public mention of a particular person during a post, designated by using the "@" symbol immediately before a person's twitter name. Responding and recognizing these @mentions is a great way to thank and encourage people to continue interacting with you.
Here's a list of some other effective Twitter outlets:
search.twitter, tweepsearch.com, refollow.com, oneforty.com
By Cameron Moulton, Internet Marketing Associate
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Posted on Mon, Jun 21, 2010 @ 01:36 PM
Attracting and engaging people online is social media at its best. To explain how 
your company can effectively engage viewers, I looked at the company Blendtec.WillitBlend, a video series that literally throws anything into a Blendtec blender and blends it, not limited to Iphones, video games, bic lighters, marbles, etc. I was immediately drawn to a clip that puts an Ipad in a blender.
I stumbled across Blendtec while browsing YouTube for interesting clips about Apple's new Ipad when I stumbled across
The list of products destroyed by this mega-blender is endless, demonstrating that this is certainly not a machine to be reckoned with. I was in awe that a blender had such power because I had never seen any kitchen utility with the ability to do that. I then realized that not only was Blendtec engaging in communities outside of their traditional scope, their impressive videos were actually drawing in viewers that would otherwise never visit their website.
Blendtec's effective marketing campaign managed to attract several markets that prior to WillitBlend, have never been accessible. Blenders are typically used for blending fruit smoothies, vegetables, and various food related products, but never electronics. By utilizing YouTube, one of the largest social media pioneers, to stream their videos, the company is able to create a buzz around their product and attract an array of people in the technology, food, and blenders market. Blendtec is leveraging YouTube in an effective marketing tactic and according to comscore, YouTube has over 320 million searches a day. Had BlendTec simply targeted the food market, they would have greatly diminished their exposure to countless viewers searching for Ipads, video games and the like.
I typed in Ipad to Youtube and there was Blendtec with a video that generated over 7 million views. If the company was only targeting blending fruit, they would have missed out on the ability to reach all those Ipad viewers, such as myself. Not only are they branching out into unforeseen markets, but they are proving to customers that their blender has remarkable capabilities that truly deserve attention.
So what have I learned from Blendtec?
1. Their blender has some serious swag to it and can blend even the most challenging gadgets without breaking down.
2. The outreach for BlendTec goes far beyond the food market and into the technology market
3. YouTube rules all! Why not view countless videos and expose your own videos to the 320 million daily viewers on YouTube?
4. New products introduced in the technology market are YouTube hits and if you can engage in these communities then you're going to create a buzz
5. Creating a series of videos keeps your viewers engaged and awaiting the next video, best known as retaining your customers.
By Cameron Moulton, Internet Marketing Associate
Posted on Thu, Jun 17, 2010 @ 05:43 PM
Companies of all sizes have been leveraging social media on their homepages in an
effort to establish online communities. After exploring several companies who are at the forefront of this trend, I came across Uni-ball who appears to be effectively using social media to differentiate and promote their brand. Where there once was no online community for pen lovers to share their experience, Uni-ball has filled that void by utilizing three social media networks. The company now has a solid social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, as promoted on their homepage.
There are a number of ways that Uni-ball is using Facebook to promote their products and encourage conversation. The following is a list of just some of the various ways they are engaging in online communities:
1. Scavenger Hunts - Answer questions correctly and receive awards
2. Contests - Draw a picture with a Uni-ball pen. Winners receive free pens and get their picture up on the Uni-ball Facebook page - which currently boasts more than 10 thousand fans!
3. Famous Signatures - Identify the signature and win FREE pens
A trend is apparent in how the company gets its online visitors involved; through these interactive contests and events, they are able to effectively motivate users with rewards for their social engagement. By offering free pens and prizes, Uni-ball has established an incentive for consumers to converse with one another and create a buzz for their products.
After exploring their Facebook page, I felt compelled to inspect the company's YouTube page. YouTube is often an important component of a brand's social media strategy because it engages users by encouraging them to comment, subscribe, and post their own experiences. The videos posted by Uni-ball are informative and help differentiate them from competitors by exploring the unique benefits of using a Uni-ball pen. To maintain a dynamic social media presence, they frequently update their YouTube page with new content and regularly interact with their 50 subscribers.
By this point, I felt so immersed into community of pen lovers that I was eager to visit Uni-ball's Twitter page. Here, I was pleased to find more contests and a following of nearly 2,300 users, many of which provided positive feedback and excellent reviews.
According to Mashable.com, internet users spent 5 hours, 46 minutes on Facebook in the month of August. That is triple the amount of time they spent on Google! It should come as no surprise then, that nearly every successful brand has established an online presence, thus revolutionizing conventional marketing approaches. Research has indicated that approximately 70% of consumers trust fellow consumer opinions that are posted online. In fact, brand websites are trusted around the same 70% level, while only 14% of consumers trust advertisements. As a result, companies have transformed their traditional advertising roles and now act as event planners, aggregators, and content providers. Uni-ball is a great example of a company that has effectively incorporated social media into their overall marketing strategy. They have managed to engage customers by creating an online community for them that had not previously existed, resulting in increased brand awareness and customer loyalty. I would like to hear from Uni-ball to further discuss their use of social media, its impact on their business, and whether my observations are consistent with their experience thus far.
By Cameron Moulton, Internet Marketing Associate
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