Tami McCarthy's BuzzCloud

Archive for the ‘Social How-To’s’ category

How I Increased Traffic to My Website and Blog by 198% in 6 months

June 7th, 2010

Data is a very validating thing. My husband, Dan McCarthy, who writes an established and well-regarded blog titled, ViralHousingFix.com, and is Chairman & CEO of Network Communications, Inc. the world’s leading provider of content and information on the housing market, recently walked me through how my website and blog were performing based on the content I was generating, and the social media marketing strategy I was implementing for my agency. He was generous to also write a case study on what we learned, and convincing enough to get me to let him publish it.

You too, can take these steps to build your digital footprint and only then will you see and experience the tangible results — increased traffic, new business leads, engaging dialogue with those in your own community of interest — the social web has to offer. Everything can be tracked and analyzed, so you will always know what’s working and what isn’t.

So, here’s the post.

If this post and case study are helpful to you, please feel free to share.

And here are the two key take-aways that got my attention:

Results:

Tami McCarthy’s BuzzCloud was launched in November 2009. Results for the subdomain buzzcloud.tmgpr.com were tracked separately from the results for the www.tmg-media.com domain so that the impact of the new content strategy could be accurately measured.

That impact was immediate.

In the six months following the launch of the blog, TMG increased web traffic to its TMGpr.com agency site and to its new blog, Buzzcloud, by 198%.

Hidden within this gain are a couple of data points that demonstrate the impact of a well-executed content marketing and social networking program.

Visits to TMGpr.com, the agency site, increased 32% in the six-month period following the blog launch;

Search engines drove 61% more traffic to the agency site in the six-month period;

The number of keywords that drove traffic to TMG’s agency site gained from 425 to 1,178 in the six-month period.

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Posted in Great marketing, Social How-To's, The BuzzCloud, The Latest Buzz

Tags: social media marketing social media measurement tactics tami mccarthy ViralHousingFix web analytics

#1 Way To Jumpstart Your Social Media Dialogue

May 26th, 2010

So much talk about how to leverage social media tools and having a content strategy can be daunting for anyone just starting out on the powerful digital platform we’ve all come to love (or loathe) – the social web – that I thought it would be helpful to those of you who are ready to engage, but do not yet know where to begin, to have a way to just jump in. Taking that first step – which could be writing your first 140 character tweet, blog post, posting an update on your company’s Facebook page, or perhaps you want to shoot that first Flip video for your YouTube channel – whatever it is, that first message about who you are and what you stand for, for many, can cause palms to sweat and heads to pound. Take a deep breath. Here’s a simple way to get started and get talking, without much risk. Ready? Say “Thank you.”

Who doesn’t like to feel appreciated?

Whether you want to reach to your current customers or clients, or connect with old, new or prospective ones…spreading a little heartfelt gratitude is a great way to leverage social media and get the conversation around your brand flowing. Using social media as a universal Thank You card is a win-win. As you’ve probably read elsewhere, there are some methods that work for building your following base, and you need to find out which of your target audience already uses Twitter, Facebook or YouTube. Start following them and when they follow or friend back, that’s a perfect time to say “Thanks.” Take it one step further, and as you build your following (remember it’s not about numbers, it’s about an engaged audience of people that are relevant to your business), start an appreciation campaign that spreads messages of gratitude. Steer clear of sounding like a Hallmark card. Keep it simple. If you use social media to be a talking billboard all the time, that’s a fast way to crash on the interwebs. You’re going to have to be more interesting, more authentic and more open…but that will come later. First, focus on saying thank you and being helpful.

In my business, whenever a reporter writes about one of my clients, or interviews them on TV or the radio because of a pitch I did, I follow up with a “Thank You.” This is something that I’ve religiously practiced for over 15 years. These days my notes can be hand-written or sent via direct message on Twitter, or a simple email. It’s amazing to me that even to this day, journalists are not just appreciative of receiving it, but surprised by this. And the best part? They remember it, and they remember me. I love getting a Thank You note whenever I interview a job candidate, or have a meeting with a new colleague for the first time. I’m so impressed by those who follow up and send one. Those that don’t often just become part of the crowd to me, they don’t really stand out. So, they leave the burden on me to keep them on my radar. I’m busy, so that’s pretty risky.

You’d love to stay on the radar of those important to your business, right? Of course you do!

Forget about the social media revolution (not really), but we all know the mega-numbers by now: pretty much everyone in every demographic uses social media for information in some facet of their life, and that is only going to continue for years to come. Let’s start a new social media etiquette revolution together. Of course, we’ll all keep sharing important links to articles and research and all sorts of data that makes the social web the useful place that it is. But taking a moment to say “Thank You” to those who have helped you grow your business will go a long way in creating a two-way dialogue that builds a relationship of trust and respect. And if you are just getting started, and feeling a little behind the eight ball, this is a great way to get started. Conversations around gratitude lead to sparking new ideas for working together in other ways, or just staying top of mind, which as any marketer knows, ultimately helps shape behavior (be heard, be remembered!).

Think about it: when is the last time you reached out and said “thanks” to those that are important to your brand? What are you waiting for? When you communicate appreciation or the reinforce idea that you are there to help, people will connect with you. If you need help with some thought starters, shoot me an email, or comment here. Thank you!

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Posted in Social How-To's, The Latest Buzz

Tags: best PR practices how to use social media social media etiquette

Pepsi: When Doing Good Means Getting It Right

February 9th, 2010

True leadership sometimes means being unconventional. It takes creativity, and the ability to keep forging ahead, even if you don’t get it right the first time. Not too long ago, Pepsi was getting slammed in the media, much of it on the social web for how it courted influential bloggers and consumer media reporters about its new brand redesign. Many reports focused on “What’s the point?” or how the campaign didn’t feel authentic, or that it didn’t hit the right note, with many bloggers simply feeling Pepsi’s efforts were a waste of time and energy for all involved. Like this example filed by a well-known social media blogger. Well, based on Pepsi’s latest initiatives around the Super Bowl, I would say the brand listened to the blogosphere, and has redeemed itself, big time.

Starting with the Pepsi Refresh Project which debuted on January 29, to its over-the-top Pepsi Fan Jam that kicked off Super Bowl weekend in South Beach, clearly the brand went back, did its homework, and brilliantly put its resources and focus on its #1 asset: customers. With the Refresh Project, Pepsi is giving away millions of dollars through public grants aimed at doing good. Anyone can submit ideas where people can vote, and win money for their idea/cause. The brand is spending millions on the social web, Facebook and Twitter, specifically, to spread the word and generate engagement.

“Our idea was that this year we’d try to shift the marketing and communications to something that’s truly walking the walk,” said Lee Clow, chief creative officer and global director for media arts at the Pepsi-Cola agency, TBWA Worldwide in Los Angeles, part of the Omnicom Group.

I was in Miami over the weekend on business, attending the OchoCinco Mansion Party where my client Kesha Nichols and her dance troupe Sugar & Spice performed for the hot sports celebrity crowd as we rolled cameras for an upcoming project with Ish Entertainment. We had the opportunity on Friday night to attend Pepsi’s Fan Jam in South Beach, a free concert with performances by Justin Bieber and Rhianna. Rhianna was incredible and the entire event which took place on Friday night was simply a prelude to Pepsi’s newfound, spot-on consumer engagement. By focusing on the consumer in this marketing go-round, and shunning traditional pricey ad spots during the Super Bowl game, Pepsi was suddenly in the spotlight as a brand that gets it. Refreshing. (Pun intended.) But the event also spoke to my inner brand geek, as I was fully aware of being part of a brand experience. One that not only felt good, but supported the idea of doing good. And that was cool.

First, Rhianna was on fire, she looked awesome, and people were going wild for her set of crowd-pleasing chart toppers. I’m not a fan of hers really, but she was unstoppable and truly captivated the crowd that stretched for what seemed liked miles on the beach. Regardless of the fact that I was there as part den Mother and part “member” of Kesha’s hot dancer posse, and that we were suddenly escorted up to the stage “at the director’s request” — the concert was being broadcast live on VH-1 — the event itself was pure branding magic. It was exactly the special brand experience that today’s consumer craves and expects.

Not surprising, since this event took place at the start of the NFL’s biggest weekend, the amount of coverage (earned and paid) was everywhere. But the overall message, in my opinion, went far beyond “Drink Pepsi,” it was more about “Live your Life with Pepsi.” By supporting the brand with this level of marketing support that doesn’t have the standard :30 or :60 spot as its cornerstone showcase piece, and giving us a campaign that prominently features the brand experience front and center, is, to me, a sign that brands are really learning what the social media space is all about, as well as how to leverage it authentically. When that happens, it can be a really amazing thing for all involved. Just look at all the wonderful social causes people are rallying around on the Refresh Project website. I myself voted for one of the celebrity causes — Mark Sanchez who is involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation because a friend’s daughter is Type 1. If he gets the most votes, the JDRF will get $100,000 – fabulous!

It’s the difference between staging a concert to a fake audience to film for a spot, and putting on a free concert for real folks that’s broadcast on national television – where the energy, experience and excitement are real. As a result, the engagement between brand and consumer is real. The experience can’t be replicated, each one is as unique as the last.

Bravo, Pepsi. You did good.

What brands do you think really “get” social media? Has there been a social media campaign that prompted you to get involved or act?

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Posted in Cool Client Happenings, Social How-To's, The Latest Buzz

Tags: Chad Ochocinco NFL Pepsi Pepsi Refresh Project Rhianna social media Super Bowl

2010: The Year To Embrace Social Media for Your Brand

January 3rd, 2010

Reading David Carr’s New York Times article today, Why Twitter Will Endure, I was struck by a simple thought: say what you want about social media, Twitter is one intelligent source for using the web efficiently. David does a great job at drilling down on how even a tuned in, plugged in, at times overloaded and busy journalist went from skeptic to advocate in the past year. And I agree with his piece, wholeheartedly. That’s right, in this age of connectedness, and access to more information than we know what to do with, much less how to process the multiple sources available to us, Twitter is the best way to cut down on surfing the ‘net or spending hours researching the essence of any topic because when everyone uses Twitter –and that is pretty much the case as usership approaches the 100 million mark — anything you want to know is instantly at your fingertips. That is incredibly valuable, regardless of what you are looking for or what you may be interested in. At any given moment. In real-time. It’s where breaking news breaks first, so as a media professional myself with a variety of clients from different business sectors, Twitter is my go-to source for keeping ahead of the curve, and in the know.

In David’s case, he shares:

“I have found transcendent tacos at a car wash in San Antonio, rediscovered a brand of reporter’s notepad I adore, uncovered sources for stories, all just by typing a query into Twitter.”

It’s this collective voice and eternal pipeline of information that will result in Twitter’s evermore usefulness, and therefore, longevity.

THE TIME IS NOW

Make this the year that you embrace social media basics, not just Twitter, but everything from blogging to Facebook, for your brand. Spend time figuring out your social media strategy and what tools make the most sense for your brand. If you are already building your digital footprint, congratulations! Take some time to evaluate what is working and what isn’t. Look at ways to take your community to the next level. How can you drive engagement, and really learn from your fans? Your customers? Your followers? What will you do with all the information you are discovering on the social web to make your brand’s customer experience better? What is your cost/benefit ratio? Have you peeked in on your competitors and looked at how they are leveraging social media tools for their brand? What can you learn from them?

If you are a marketer who has been reluctant to embrace social media, I hate to sound like a therapist here, but what is holding you back? Don’t you want to be wherever your customers are? The livelihood of your business depends on your ability to adapt, leverage and thrive in the new rules of customer engagement. Take baby steps, but step forward you must. Simply get yourself set up, and do nothing more than listen. Listen in on all the conversations that are happening. Find out where your customers are. Where the thought leaders of your industry are. Where interesting people are talking about the things that you care about. Trust me, you will quickly find out the beauty of social media. At some point, you will decide when you want to engage, and then the real power of the digital age will kick in for you. You will be part of a community building process around your brand, and you will be taking an important step to securing your future.

When people complain about social media like Twitter, for example, and say things like “I don’t really care what someone is eating for lunch,” they really aren’t taking the time to adapt to the modern age, and that unfortunately is like holding on to your rotary phone or refusing to buy a cell phone.

Sure, having all this access to all this stuff comes with the realization that we also now live in a world of major distraction and this can often lead to procrastination. It also means that the lines have blurred between personal life and professional life. But, the age of social media means that we are all one connected global community, and the world is more transparent than ever. People are sharing important information, as well as the experiences they are having. As marketers, we need to know which ones impact or influence our business. On the positive side, the cost to figuring out who your brand advocates are also just got a whole lot more manageable, as well as your ability to adapt or react to the experiences they are having. Like this one, from David’s article:

“Beyond the throbbing networked intelligence, there is the possibility of practical magic. Twitter can tell you what kind of netbook you should buy for your wife for Christmas — thanks Twitter! — or call you out when you complain about the long lines it took to buy it, as a tweeter on behalf of the electronics store B & H did when I shared the experience on my Blackberry while in line.”

The cost to ignoring this important cultural development? You do the math.

Bottom line: figure out how to tap into the power of social media to build your brand and your sphere of influence.

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Posted in Social How-To's, The Latest Buzz, Twitter buzz

Tags: branding community social media Twitter

Branding Excellence

December 7th, 2009

With so much excitement in the news lately, and no end in sight to the number of women that have slept with Tiger Woods, I wanted to pause from that topic, and start the week off on an entirely new tangent. Clearly, we have seen what can happen when a brand can’t evolve or stay true to itself, or becomes misguided — whether its lack of vision, know-how, or scruples. But from time to time, I will share examples of brands that, in my opinion, capture it all: the look, the walk, the talk, the customer experience online and off.

This is one of them:

You might think I started off with an easy one: after all, beautiful girls and underwear. But, it takes marketing and branding excellence, not cleavage, to make a brand like Victoria’s Secret stand out as a mega-brand, for the long-haul. It’s fresh, feminine, and always on the cutting edge. Sure, at its core, it provides a good quality product at an affordable price. It’s not La Perla, an upscale luxury lingerie line, so it’s not trying at all to be something it is not. Victoria’s Secret is a mass market brand that promotes an all encompassing attitude, a lifestyle and standard of beauty most women aspire to. What are the key factors to its success? Every one of its touch-points delivers (or generally exceeds) on the customer expectation and experience. From ongoing traditional above-the-line advertising initiatives to support its storefronts and catalogs as well as drive online sales, to model search contests and prime-time TV specials (Did you catch the VS Fashion Show on CBS last week, with the Black Eyed Peas performing?) and community-building channels on the social web, it’s no secret that Victoria’s Secret knows its customers and how to deliver on its brand promise. It’s consistent regardless of how you come into contact with it. In fact, with its “all access” website, I’d say that the Victoria’s Secret brand takes customer engagement to the next level. (And it’s refreshing.)

Victoria’s Secret makes “sexy, feminine confidence” accessible, affordable, and fun.

Here’s a quick exercise. What is your brand’s promise? If you don’t know, now is a great time to figure it out. Boil it down to 2 or 3 words only. What you want is an overarching brand story that can translate into a marketing strategy and even better, helps to build a visual identity or campaign. If I say “sexy, feminine confidence” as I did with the Victoria’s Secret example, you can conjure up a whole set of images, colors, typefaces, phrases, channels, media, and more to help guide strategic thinking around development of a branding campaign or marketing platform.

Next step: Tune in; look at all the ways you engage your target audience. Are they consistent? What is your brand saying? Does your brand talk the talk, and walk the walk? Do you know how to engage your customers on the social web? How can you develop your brand to its full potential so that you’re delivering, evolving and engaging in critical ways that add to your bottom line? Take the time to know these answers now, and your brand will flourish for years to come.