Think Basis It's Good For Business

Facebook tells the world who you are. Twitter broadcasts to the world what you are doing. Foursquare, the location-based social networking service, allows users to let friends and family know just where they are, with special benefits included.

Foursquare is, at its core, a game. Users check-in at locations where they are, shout a few words to their friends and fight over mayorships, badges and special offers. Unlike Facebook, which took some time to find a true revenue source, and Twitter, which has yet to outline a stable business model, relevance in Foursquare will prove instant value to any local institution.

Foursquare takes word-of-mouth marketing to a whole new level. Receiving a ‘ping’ from a friend checking into 416-Florist.com and shouting, “Just picked up birthday flowers for Susan” will have a far greater affect on you than a bland advertisement on a billboard. As well, advertisers can find great use in Foursquare to collect data on customers checking-in and participating in certain promotions. Soon enough, the hot shots on Madison ave. will be able to pinpoint a message to meet your demands exactly. Although that may seem scary to some, the pros do exceed the cons. Like this story about Miss Shirley’s in Baltimore (via aboutfoursquare.com):

The Sunday brunch line at Miss Shirley’s Café’s two locations in Baltimore often stretches to two hours or more. Since April, they’ve offered to let their foursquare mayor jump to the head of the line.

The competition for that coveted honor has been fierce. According to Ryan Goff of agency MGH, Miss Shirley’s has seen a 427% increase in foursquare checkins since the special launched. They’ve heard several anecdotal reports of people visiting more often just to try to earn the mayorship.

In Toronto, I recently got a friend request from the nationally distributed newspaper, the National Post. I didn’t see any reason to ignore the request and so I accepted, wondering where this paper would be checking into. A little later on in the day, I checked into Hemingway’s Restaurant for a nice lunch with a friend. Only a few seconds after checking-in I received a recommendation from the National Post’s food critic about a particular sandwich. I figured I would give it a shot, and it paid off! The meal was delicious and it was because I put trust in this particular recommendation.  Local businesses can tap into this and gain new customers just by setting up their profile on the city grid. “Special offers nearby” always attract visitors and to be “Trending Right Now” is a sign of immediate success.

Foursquare, and its growing partnerships around the globe, is here to stay. Although there is considerable competition in the market from Gowalla, Foursquare is winning the people over in droves. With connections in Facebook and Twitter, updates may eventually come solely through third-party apps and with Foursquare’s fun and easy to use location-based service, it only makes sense that in time all your tweets will come through the Foursquare platform.

Still don’t get it? Watch the video below. You’ll be hooked after your first checkin.

When putting together a piece of linkbait or viral content, a lot of websites tend to think the more pages, the better. The same goes for slideshows – these freaking things seem to be popping up left and right, most likely by sites whose revenue model is driven by ad impressions. To these guys, the more pages you spread your content, the more views you’ll get and the more money you’ll make. Unfortunately, while this strategy is beneficial to making money, it’s one of the most abhorrent tactics a savvy social news site user can come across.

One of the most basic tenets of website usability is that your user should be able to get from Point A to Point B in as few clicks as possible. From a usability standpoint, does it make sense to spread a list containing 8 items across 4 pages? Your reader has to click multiple times to read something that can be easily presented on one page. It’s annoying and it’s greedy.

Look at any Digg or Reddit submission where the content is superfluously spread across multiple pages, and oftentimes you’ll see a number of comments complaining about the layout. In fact, someone usually ends up linking to the print version of the article so everyone can see the content all on one page. Isn’t that something – you spend all this time and effort putting together a great list with fancy headers and graphics, only to have all of your traffic go to the ghetto print version.

A few well-established websites and brands can get away with shoving content on ridiculous amounts of pages, but even these guys get flack from the social community (I’m looking in your direction, Forbes).

If you do need to spread your content across multiple pages or are creating a slideshow, here are some recommendations:

1. Make the slides load as quickly as possible. This submission from Divine Caroline about candy from our childhood did well on Digg, with minimal complaints in the comments about the slideshow layout. One thing Divine Caroline did well is that they loaded only the image and its corresponding blurb for each slide. Keeping most of the page static and loading only the essential parts cuts down on waiting time and makes each slide transition as quickly as possible.
2. Keep the slides to a reasonable amount. You can probably coax 15-20 clicks from your user, but the below screenshot is pretty ridiculous:

   

3. Don’t sneak in any extra promo/advertising slides. Think of your slideshow as a list — if your title is “12 Reasons Why America Needs Health Care Reform” and you list seven reasons along with three ads and two links to other posts on your site, that’s not really a list of 12, is it?  When a user sees that a slideshow has 15 slides, the reasonable expectation is to see 15 pieces of information related to the subject of the slideshow, not “Here’s some relevant content, now here’s an ad, now here’s some more relevant content, now I’ll have the last slide be a ton of links to other slides!” Case in point: Entertainment Weekly. They pull this crap all the time. Their “season 10 scouting report” for the new season of Dancing with the Stars has 12 slides. Here’s slide #12:

   
   

   Savvy social media users hate extra clicks, and they really hate advertisements. Work other content in the sidebar or underneath your slideshow instead of forcing it into a final slide that dupes the user. Strip out ads, especially if you’re not a known/respected brand (the heavy hitters can get away with this more than a new site trying to establish its presence and get traffic).

While slideshows used to be more of annoyance in the past and are slowly (and begrudgingly) being accepted as a viable means to organize content, there are still some essential do’s and don’ts to keep in mind when putting one together. If you’re mindful of what the community expects and try to deliver something that’s fast, interesting, and straightforward, you should be able to successfully incorporate slideshows onto your site with minimal backlash.

In a case of asking a question they weren’t quite ready to have answered, Domino’s Pizza’s new site Pizza Turnaround (which promotes the chain’s new recipe) is getting the wrong type of buzz. After soliciting user feedback and including a stream of tweets under the hashtag #newpizza on their new recipe’s site, Domino’s seemed a bit startled that the general buzz wasn’t as overwhelmingly positive as they might have expected.

One screen capture showcases a variety of less than complimentary reactions to the new pizza, including the gem, “new dominos pizza just tastes like shitty pizza still. just different. too much sauce. always too much sauce.”

As a response, it appears Domino’s is now manually selecting which tweets will be included in the updates.

If you’re only going to print what you want people to say, why bother including a live feed in the first place? Why not just handpick a few testimonials or fake some positive reviews?

Oh, I forgot, that wouldn’t be “engaging in the conversation.”

I’ve started to develop an allergic reaction to Twitter lately. Not everything about it, just some of the specific types of tweets that seem to be tainting our stream with the unwanted taste of urine and self-importance. Although most of us have been guilty of at least a few of these from time to time, it’s the habitual offenders I’m taking issue with. Overusing these 8 types of tweets is a quick way to get yourself classified in a group you might rather not be a part of.

1. The Validation Seeker

I like to call this the attention whore. It’s usually someone who thrives on having other people inquire about their life so they can tell everyone how great things are while simultaneously receiving that special little “I’m important” feeling. It would be just as easy for them to write the actual news, but doing that would take away from the extra attention they get when someone finally decides to indulge them and ask the question they’ve been desperately waiting for. Plus, it’s a good way for them to test who their “real” friends are, and who actually has a life of their own.

2. The Perpetual Victim

Rarely stemming from legitimate hardship, this style of tweet typically centers on something so trivial that the rest of us probably wouldn’t even give it a second thought. Things like long lines at Starbucks, slow service, or a disappointing meal aren’t nearly the tragedies some people make them out to be. Everyone’s entitled to a bit of complaining now and again, but sometimes you need to nut up a little bit and pick your battles.

3. The Existentialist

There’s a fine line between being thought provoking and being a douchebag that tries too hard. While there’s always a place for a well-quoted song lyric or literary passage, trying to dress these up as a showcase for your depth of thought and incredible insight is questionable at best. Just because you’re quoting Thoreau on a regular basis doesn’t mean you’ve found some deeper meaning that we’re all lacking. You’re not the only one who’s read Walden, and the fact that you’re also on Twitter tells us you couldn’t have found it that inspiring.

4. The Too Cool for School

There’s a huge difference between informing people of what you’re up to and bragging about how awesome you are. We get that we should be envious of your carefree lifestyle and VIP status, but the fact that you’re Tweeting about how you’re shopping for a Ferrari makes us wonder whether you’re not actually sitting at a stoplight in the backseat of your parent’s astro minivan. What’s the deal, are you trying to compensate for something?

5. The Negativismo

Named for the fictional superhero that incapacitates criminals simply by bumming them out, this person thrives on sucking the fun from people on a daily basis. Although slightly less annoying than the people whining about their own (often imagined) hardships, you can still rely on this joyless soul’s tweets to put a damper on even the best of moods. Sure, there are a lot of sad things going on in the world, but sometimes we want to forget all about those things with amusing pop culture references and comical video links. Thanks for keeping us grounded in despair.

6. The Baller

Seemingly breast fed on hip hop, despite growing up in a cozy suburban home, this user is tweeting at you straight from the hood. His updates consist mostly of over-the-top-trying-too-hard-ebonics that are barely discernible to even the most studied linguists. Although there’s nothing wrong with tossing around a bit of slang from time to time, The Baller operates on a completely different plain. Fortunately on Twitter it’s easy enough to ignore this confusingly chest-beating macho gibberish once you’ve pinpointed a repeat offender…now if we could just find a way to keep him from commenting on YouTube.

7. The Self Promoter

Usually someone with the word “guru” in their title, the shameless self promoter sees Twitter as their own personal medium for evangelizing their products and/or services. The updates usually consist of projects they’re working on, projects they plan to be working on, and the occasional update on projects they have recently accomplished. It’s like an RSS feed of minutia about a business you have no interest in learning more about. You can usually spot these people by the auto-DM you receive the moment you’re foolish enough to start following them.

8. The TMI-er

Taking the concept of micro blogging to embarrassing heights, this is the person who doesn’t understand where to draw the line between public and private. Just because you have the ability to tweet something while you’re sitting on the can doesn’t mean anyone wants to hear about your most recent contribution to the Regal Cinemas men’s room. It’s bad enough that there’s plenty of noise on Twitter as is, you don’t need to go around adding your flatulence to the mix.

Social media marketing is the next hot topic at every SEO related conference lately. Those of you that have been involved in marketing for a while might call it Viral Marketing with a twist.

Social media is the art and science of communicating with your customers on the grass roots level: being interwoven with their work and private lives in addition to the traditional relationship of client/vendor that is achieved through traditional advertising and marketing.

So what are the benefits of social media?

It really all boils down to top of mind awareness. Numerous studies have shown that the human mind can typically only spontaneously recall 4 things at a time on any give subject. Referred to as Working Memory, this ability to recall only 4 brands at any one time is crucial for referrals and word of mouth business growth. All brands strive to maintain one of these 4 spots in the clients mind. That’s where social media comes in to level the playing field for small businesses.

Play with the big boys

Being top of mind against huge brands and huge budgets is tough for small to medium sized businesses. But luckily, you don’t need much to compete with social trends. A keen imagination and small marketing budget is enough to get you going.

Put your best Facebook forward

Setting up a Facebook page for your business is free. If you understand your customers and their interests, you’re only limited by your imagination. Come up with the right idea and connect with your audience and there is little that even a huge brand can do to compete.

Some ideas could include:
• News and gossip
• Top 10 lists
• Humorous photos or illustrations
• Short videos
• Tips and information
• How-To articles and videos

Don’t expect to succeed off the start

Yes it is okay to fail. Even the experts don’t bat a thousand. The most important thing for your social media marketing campaign is to keep trying. Learn from your failures and your successes alike. Test, test, and then test again. The only way to truly find out what resonates is to keep posting and keep inventing new ideas. See what others are doing. Copy some aspects and then reinvent to succeed. Stamina is a huge part of any business strategy and you should plan to be in the game for the long haul. Don’t give up and don’t worry about falling down. Eventually you will discover the right formula for your niche and your business will be better off for it. Firsthand experience is the kind of invaluable knowledge that you can’t buy.

Know when to call in the big guns

Even the best viral marketing idea may not see the light of day if it’s not promoted properly. And I’m not talking about SEO. Some sites often need an article promoted by someone who is already established within the community. Think of it like a kick start for your campaign. If you feel that your ideas are sound but you just can’t get traction, consider hiring a social media marketing company to help troubleshoot your campaign and give it that initial boost that it needs. Once you go viral, it can be a lot easier to push further content to your audience by leveraging the following you build up. As long as your ideas stay fresh and you remember that your customers are your audience of course. Stay on message and give people a reason to pass your links around and you will reap the benefits of fanatical customer loyalty.

Leave the conversion rates to the bean counters

Social media marketing is not about conversions. The bulk of your web traffic will not spend a single dime on the day you run your campaign. Focusing on conversion rates misses the point of top of mind awareness and brand building. Your goal is to stay ahead of your competition and be there when your prospect needs to think up a brand to recommend or make a purchase from. As web marketers, it’s easy to become slaves to analytics and conversion rates while scoffing at brand development and social marketing. Don’t make that mistake. Brands like Nike, Apple and IBM cannot charge a premium because of their conversion rates. They charge a premium because of the emotive qualities of their brand and the ability to stay top of mind in their industry. Plan for a 12 month sustained effort and then evaluate your overall sales as a measure of success. Social media is not about the short run or quick success. It’s all about building a foundation for long-term growth.

Focus on your ability to entertain and communicate with your audience on personal level and your business will enjoy the long term benefits of brand development and dialogue through social media marketing.

We finally pinned down the elusive Rebecca Kelley and had an opportunity to get her perspective on internet marketing, current trends, and where she sees the industry heading over the next couple years.

Above: Rebecca Kelley at last year's eCommerce Summit in New Orleans

What attracted you to Internet marketing?

Well, I wasn’t immediately attracted to “internet marketing” so much as the job description that SEOmoz advertised. It focused a lot on writing, which I’ve always loved doing and wanted my career to emphasize. I applied for the job and got turned down, but I stubbornly pestered my boss Rand to at least give me an internship. He did, so I worked at SEOmoz as an unpaid intern during my last quarter of college. When I graduated I was offered a full-time job at SEOmoz. I accepted it because I really liked learning about Internet marketing and marketing in general, and I loved blogging and establishing my voice and attracting an audience. Also, I didn’t want to spend money on fancy “interview clothes,” especially considering I was fresh out of college with student loan debt. Fast forward to three years later and here we are–I’m an Internet marketing consultant and the site manager for SEOmoz (and I still don’t have any fancy interview clothes).

What are the most common mistakes you see SMBs make when it comes to online marketing?

A huge recent mistake is that a lot of small businesses are diving headfirst into social media marketing because they heard it’s this “next big thing,” yet they haven’t a) taken the time to really understand how social media marketing works and what it takes to succeed, b) determined which social media marketing strategies are appropriate for their particular business and which aren’t, and c) focused on more important issues, like on-page optimization and technical fixes.

Social media is definitely an industry buzzword right now, what are your thoughts on the type of companies that should be using it? Or do you think it’s essential for all businesses to be on top of the latest trends?

What a lovely segue from my last answer. I don’t think it’s absolutely essential for all businesses to be on top of the latest trends. Some businesses are just now getting a website up and running–they have better things to worry about than launching a full-scale social media campaign. Likewise, an adult diapers company doesn’t need to have a fan page on Facebook. There needs to be some cohesion in a company’s product/service and its marketing strategy. Just like you wouldn’t advertise feminine products to men, you wouldn’t market certain sectors/products/services on certain social media sites/channels.

Above: Rebecca lives it up as her social media alter-ego "Becseppie"

Where do you see the industry heading over the next two or three years?

I think that mobile and local search will continue to snowball due to the increased adoption of smartphones. Social media marketing will also grow, but I think it could get pretty crowded and the people who actually know what they’re doing will stand out head and shoulders above the rest.

And, on a lighter note, what are some of your hobbies? Do you have any side projects? And, what makes Rebecca happy?

Well, food makes me extremely happy. I am a happy camper when I have a belly full of food. I also watch an unhealthy amount of movies and TV. Thank God for the DVR and for Netflix. Best inventions ever.
Also, I enjoy writing freelance for people (crafting link bait content, lists, etc) and have been doing some personal side projects for fun. I also have been getting into triathlons and race training, and I have a hobby blog called Mediocre Athlete that chronicles my training adventures.

Rebecca Kelley has been in internet marketing for over 3 years and has spoken at over a dozen different conferences on topics ranging from social media to linkbuilding and traditional SEO.