A post today at Mashable.com has got me in a bit of a tizzy. The post discusses results of an August 2009 survey by Mzinga and Babson Executive Education.  There’s good news and bad news on the social media front. First, the good news:

86% of professionals in a variety fields said that they have adopted social media in some way.

Social media’s uptake as part of a complete marketing strategy is heartening and reflects estimates early this year that a larger portion of dwindling marketing budgets were being allocated to the social media sphere.

But now, the bad (and in my opinion, it’s really quite bad):

In fact, 84% of respondents said they don’t currently measure the ROI (return on investment) of their social media programs. Even less encouraging, more than 40% of respondents said they didn’t even know whether they could track ROI from their social tools.

I’ve already heard several arguments to explain the phenomenon.

• Companies are allocating so little to social media that it’s cheaper not to track results.
• You can’t measure the quality of the interactions, so it’s irrelevant to track social media ROI.
• You can’t measure the impact of branding and thought leadership.

In my opinion, these arguments just don’t hold water. And I think it’s downright scary that companies are investing in tools that they can’t (or, more accurately, don’t think they can) track. Social media marketing ROI breaks down into two basic categories: concrete financial outcome complete with hard numbers and softer trending that may or may not have stats to back it up.

What’s really behind this issue? In my opinion, it’s that most companies, consultants and non-profits don’t have concrete goals that can be measured within a social media campaign. It never ceases to amaze me how many clients we’ve had that can’t specify a goal for their SMM efforts. Common responses include:

• Getting the name out there. (Out where? What’s the target market? What number of new site visitors is considered a success?)
• Driving web traffic. (Unless you make your money off of page views that you sell to advertisers, Web traffic alone won’t make you any money.)
• Engaging our users. (Let’s be specific – is launching a blog and getting readers and subscribers enough? Are comments critical to you? What about how often your users share your links?)

Without concrete goals, there is no way to track your strategy’s ROI. I understand that it takes more time and costs more, but if your strategy is a success, don’t you need to know that? If your traffic comes entirely from LinkedIn, do you need to keep posting in Facebook? If your PowerPoint presentations on SlideShare.net go viral, but your YouTube videos are a flop, do you really want to keep putting time and money into producing video?

Our intial consultations include working through what might appear to be a simple worksheet. After a lot of experience, we’ve found it to be an extremely useful technique that encourages our clients to quantify (or at least qualify) their goals. We cover:

• Campaign goals that can be measured
• Target market(s)
• Other influential sites
• Competition – both direct competitors and others vying for your audience’s attention
• Content
• Media to be generated in house
• Media to be crowdsourced from users
• Networks to be used for distribution
• Resources available for this campaign – financial, people power and time to build a buzz

Are you getting ready to launch a social media marketing campaign? What tools do you have in place to track the effects? What benchmarks will you use to evaluate the outcome? I’d love to hear your thoughts on SMM strategy and the importance of tracking ROI in the comments below.

Related posts:

1. Adobe's SMM Facebook success story
2. Social Media Marketing classes forming now
3. An introduction to social media marketing

I was privileged to have the opportunity to present to the Israel Translators Association at their annual general meeting tonight. The attendees were a fabulous, attentive audience that asked excellent questions – it’s always a treat to present to such an intelligent group.

I gave a very short presentation as an introduction to social media marketing. My goal was to explain what it is, how it’s different from traditional and mass marketing approaches, how this particular market can use the variety of tools available and why social media works. The presentation is available below from slideshare.net and I hope you’ll give me your feedback in the comments and share it with anyone who might find the tips useful.

Related posts:

1. Using Social Media Tools for Corporate Branding: A Case Study
2. Social media marketing strategy and ROI: What's missing from your equation?
3. Using social media to promote your small business: Blogging and LinkedIn

After a whirlwind month of finishing projects and moving into our new offices (pictures to come as soon as we finish painting!), we’re happy to announce some of the cool things we have planned starting in September.

Back by popular demand is our Social Media Marketing class. Our first class will be held in Jerusalem starting on September 3.

This is a popular class so please reserve your spot as soon as possible. This time we are meeting at the beautiful JBS Business Class Center in Talpiot, Jerusalem. For anyone who missed a session from a previous class, please note that on your RSVP.

• Date: Thursdays,  September 3, September 10, and September 17

• Time: from 9 am until 12 noon

• Location: JBS Business Class; http://www.jbsbusinessclass.co.il/

• Address: Hataasiya 8; 4th Floor; Talpiot; Jerusalem

Directions: The office is at Hataasiya 8. Hataasiya Street is the extension of Yad Harutzim after the Achim Yisrael mall. The building has an electrical appliance store on the ground floor called Traklin and an Orange office. The entrance to the office part of the building is on the right side – look for a big statue of a lion in a glass case. Go down the path, into the building and take the elevator to the 4th floor. Make a left and then a right when you get off the elevator.

Do you want to learn how to make the most of your presence online? Need help starting (or customizing – or promoting) a blog or Web site?
Consider joining us for three sessions to build your Web profile, reach new clients, and market yourself using free tools.

Cost for all three sessions is NIS 350. We’ll meet once a week a for three weeks.

Session 1: An Introduction to Social Media

• Starting a blog
• Using Facebook and LinkedIn for professional networking
• Using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for marketing
• Tips and tricks to get started quickly and effectively
• hree ideas you (and your competition) haven’t tried yet
• What not to do – common mistakes and how to avoid them

Session 2: Promoting your Social Media Efforts

• How to promote a blog
• RSS/Social bookmarking
• SEO – Crafting effective headlines and tags, using XML sitemaps
• Facebook groups and fan pages, LinkedIn user groups, Twitter tweets, FriendFeed

Session 3: Advanced Social Media Techniques

• Creating custom blog templates
• Developing Facebook apps
• Plugins and more – bringing it all together
• What’s next? Staying ahead of the curve
• What to do when that’s not enough to beat your competition

I will be teaching the classes and am happy to answer any questions. I have several years of experience using open source tools for Web design and development, SMM and SEO.

After our social media marketing course comes to a close, we’d like to fulfill requests for two other classes: Using WordPress as a CMS and Creating Custom WordPress Templates. If you’re interested in these classes (or others), please let us know by dropping us a note at classes@pixelpointpress.com or filling out the contact form below.
[contact-form 2 "Classes"]

Related posts:

1. Upcoming social media marketing classes: Haifa and Netanya
2. Social Media Marketing classes forming now
3. Social Media Marketing classes starting soon

In last week’s blog post about crafting a successful Facebook fan page (or public profile, as they’re now officially called), I promised a post on five pages that get it done. They aren’t the top five pages on Facebook (Coke comes in at #1, followed by Pringles at #2), but they use a variety of approaches, content and tools to perfectly target their markets.

From smallest number of fans to largest:

Zappos

Zappos Facebook fan page

16,000 fans

Zappos has an impressive social media campaign spearheaded by their CEO (who is on Twitter @zappos) and their Facebook page is no exception. The page has amateur video shot around the Zappos office and interactive photo galleries where fans are encouraged to submit captions. From blog posts to musical videos sung by staff, the page has everything – except shoes. You see, Zappos is in the shoe-selling business. They also sell clothes. And that information is conspicuously absent from their page.

So why is this page a success? Zappos can’t compete on shoes alone. They sell the same brands as every other online shoeseller. They compete on service – and their videos and other quirks are a testament to their interaction with their customer base. Fans at Zappos already know what they can buy at the main Web site – their fan page is a broadcast of customer loyalty. And in that way, a huge success.

Us Weekly Magazine

Us Weekly magazine Facebook fan page cover gallery

32,000 fans

Us Weekly magazine’s fan page highlights the same content that made them famous – celebrity gossip. The page has many of the same features seen in other Facebook fan pages, from videos to polls to the magazine’s Twitter feed – all powered by Involver. What sets this page apart from others? Two main points.

First, the magazine has done an excellent job of cornering their target market – online. That’s no small feat for a print product. If you don’t believe me, take a peek at the number of newspapers closing in the U.S. because they failed to conquer the Web. The print magazine’s major drawback is just that – it’s a print magazine. Pretty tough to stay ahead on the gossip front when you publish once a week. Their Facebook page is the venue for new gossip and it allows users to share in the rumor mill with wall posts.

Second, they know their product, know their target market and know what works. What sells the magazine? The cover. What features prominently on their page? A gallery of magazine covers. Playing on the same idea, fans are invited to “guess the cover” each week.

Sometimes the simplest strategies are the ones that work best for a Facebook campaign.

Red Bull

Red Bull Facebook fan page

1.1 million fans

If your approach to social media (and marketing in general) is to spread the message far and wide with whatever tools you’ve got at hand, you want your Facebook page to reflect it.

For this reason alone, Red Bull is a success story. The beverage manufacturer that “gives you wings” might be best known for the Flugtag (German for flight day or air show) where fans compete in homemade, human-powered flying machines – with a variety of success. Red Bull also sponsors a litany of professional athletes in many sports. And hosts a wealth of sports-related Web sites. Recently, they added a magazine to the marketing effort.

The Facebook page serves a clearinghouse online for all of the company’s other marketing efforts – sponsorships, print publications, events, partnerships, and the Red Bull blog. You can find it all in one place – indeed, it’s the only place on the Web (aside from Google’s search results) where you can find all of Red Bull in one place (even other Red Bull fan pages).

Victoria’s Secret PINK

Victoria's Secret PINK Facebook fan page

1.2 million fans

A funny thing happens when a company posts its commercials on the Web. Those commercials, abominable things that we skipped over when watching television, become videos. Instead of skipping them, we’re transfixed, spending more time on the site than usual and clicking the button to share them with our friends afterward. In short, it’s a marketing dream come true.

Victoria’s Secret does an excellent job of balancing upfront advertising with content. Using Facebook Markup Language (FBML – Facebook does not allow HTML in fan pages), the company has populated the page with traditional ads – you’re hit with “5 panties for $25″ as soon as you open the page. In this case, the videos are also advertising, but it seems more palatable on the Web. Finally, the page allows users to upload their own videos – and users have answered the call. It’s social media marketing at it’s finest – allow your fans to do the marketing (even the content generation) for you.

Starbucks

Starbucks' Facebook fan page

1.7 million fans

In case you haven’t heard, Starbucks is having a bit of an identity crisis.

After expanding at a ridiculously rapid pace, the coffee giant lost touch with what made it great. Corners were cut to save time making drinks. Pair that with a worldwide economic recession the likes of which hasn’t been seen in decades and those $5 Frappucinos just aren’t selling as well. At it’s heart, Starbucks isn’t a coffee company – Starbucks is an image company that also peddles caffeine. When that image gets tarnished, you have a major problem brewing.

Starbucks attacked the problem head on. Massive changes were made in store structure, with a renewed emphasis on what made the coffee chain great. Instead of dismissing the populace while growth exploded, the company has opened its collective ears – begging for feedback from customers, critics and fans alike. A social media campaign – complete with crowdsourcing – is at the heart of this and their Facebook page is no exception.

A robust discussion board elicits fan feedback on everything from how to deal with recycling their paper cups to discontinued syrup flavors – in short, Starbucks is listening.

A final touch: Instead of just uploading blog RSS feeds (a timesaver, but not always a good fit for every company), Starbucks uploads each link individually (tracking the results via bit.ly – very smart) referencing the blog writer on a first-name basis. Those of us who enjoyed the coffee back in the hey day probably had a similar relationship with our barista. It’s a small touch that goes a long way toward recalling the nostalgia that made the company great – and that’s what marketing is all about.

Those are my five – did your favorites make it in? Other amazing ideas I’ve missed online? Please post in the comments so that we can all get a glimpse of what successful companies are doing with their Facebook fan pages.

Next week: Come back for five tips to help you get the most out of Twitter.

Related posts:

1. Five tips for a successful Facebook fan page
2. Tips for successful Facebook fan page after Involver
3. Adobe's SMM Facebook success story

Our next round of social media marketing classes are coming up in June!

We’re pleased to announce that Commtouch will be hosting us for three classes at their offices in Netanya. Class will be held on June 9, 16 and 23 from 10 a.m. to noon.

Our regular three-session course will be condensed into two classes in Haifa. Class will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on June 11 and 18.

Session 1: An Introduction to Social Media

• Starting a blog
• Using Facebook and LinkedIn for professional networking
• Using Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for marketing
• Tips and tricks to get started quickly and effectively
• Three ideas you (and your competition) haven’t tried yet
• What not to do – common mistakes and how to avoid them

Session 2: Promoting your Social Media Efforts

• How to promote a blog
• Lifecycle of your social media content
• SEO – Crafting effective headlines and tags, using XML sitemaps
• Facebook groups and fan pages, LinkedIn user groups, Twitter tweets

Session 3: Advanced Social Media Techniques

• Creating custom blog templates
• Developing Facebook apps
• Plugins and more – bringing it all together
• What’s next? Staying ahead of the curve
• What to do when that’s not enough to beat your competition

Details:

• Classes are taught in English
• You do not need a laptop to attend
• You will receive a cheshbonit mas

Cost:

• NIS 250 for all three sessions
• NIS 100 for a single session

To register for classes, please send your contact information and preferred course location to classes@pixelpointpress.com.

From one participant:

I would just like to post a review on Kelli Brown’s Social Media Course that was originally advertised on Digital Eve.

So – what can I say?  So far – So EXCELLENT.

Kelli held her first lesson in my lounge in Tel Aviv last Thursday and I would like to say that she more than exceeded my personal expectations. She had certainly done her homework and came very well prepared (projector and all) and delivered a very well thought out, professional presentation covering everything that she said she would in her original email.

I also would like to add that on a personal note, I found her unpretentious, down to earth manner to be nothing short of a breath of fresh air.

So, there you go – if any of you are interested in this course –  in light of the first lesson that we received – I WARMLY recommend it and would even go as far to say it’s a MUST do for those that don’t want to get lost in the social media shuffle.

Best,
Jodie Clements
Marketing Communication Services

Related posts:

1. Coming in September: Social media marketing classes and more
2. Social Media Marketing classes forming now
3. Class scheduled for Netanya

I had the pleasure of attending and presenting at the PR Newswire seminar in Israel yesterday. We had a great lineup of speakers, including Lisa Ashworth, CEO of PR Newswire Europe.

I was last on the docket to present and we were running a bit late, but was overwhelmed by the number of people who stuck around to hear me speak and asked great questions afterward. Presenting to such a receptive audience really is a delight.

This case study features RADVISION, an Israeli high tech company that is doing a brilliant job at leveraging their web presence with social media tools: blogs, Twitter and a web community. Their strategy allows them to cover both a B2B and B2C demographic at the same time, saving them precious marketing budget.

For those of you who weren’t able to attend, I’ve posted the presentation here for you to view, download or share. As always comments and feedback are welcome.

| Get your Presentation Pack

If I can finagle a little time later this week, I hope to add the mp3 file to the presentation to improve the experience for online viewers.

Related posts:

1. Using social media tools – a case study
2. Social Media Success Stories: Three Case Studies
3. Upcoming social media marketing classes: Haifa and Netanya

If you’re in Israel, don’t miss PR Newswire’s “Media Engagement on a Shoestring: Working with Media and Analysts” from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, at Rakefet Gallery Hall, Kfar Maccabiah, in Ramat Gan (Tel Aviv area for those outside Israel). You can register for this free seminar by e-mailing prnisrael@yahoo.com by close of business on Wednesday, April 29.

I’ll be presenting on how and why to use social media tools for marketing, as well as a case study of one company in Israel that has had great results in a business-to-business format.

PR Newswire invitation

The presenters look great! I hope to cover the basics of using social media for business:

• Corporate blogging: blog benefits, who should be blogging, what to post
• Twitter: benefits, how to use it, what makes Twitter different
• Web communities: user groups, forums, conditional knowledgebases – how to use them and what the potential benefits are
• All the rest: webinars, videos, newsletters and more

The amazing thing is that one Israeli company is already doing all of this and more – and they are doing it well. We’ll learn about their successes.

My hope is that all seminar attendees will go home with something they can implement, whether it’s one new idea or an entirely new strategy for marketing on the Web. There’s also a question and answer session after the presentations.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Related posts:

1. Using Social Media Tools for Corporate Branding: A Case Study
2. Using social media to promote your small business: Blogging and LinkedIn
3. Social Media Success Stories: Three Case Studies

It’s always nice when companies post the real numbers. It makes estimating return on investment a heckuva lot easier.

Sample from Adobe "Real or Fake" campaign

Facebook, I assume, has motivated some large companies to post their Facebook marketing success stories on the Facebook Marketing Solutions fan page. A case study posted by Adobe is fantastic. From their study:

To do this, we launched “Real or Fake”, a game embedded on our Facebook page that challenged users to determine whether a photo was real or “fake” (edited with Photoshop).

The game lasted for 4 weeks, with 5 photos being posted each week. If a photo had been edited with Photoshop, a tutorial showed how that was done. And, at the end of the game, users were presented with … 3 primary call-to-actions: 1) “Buy Now”, 2) “Play Again” and 3) “Share” the game with others.

Results: This game launched in November 2008 and ran for one month. Social ads on Facebook ran during the first two weeks. About 10% of our page visitors played the game and, of those who played, 6% clicked the “Share” button at the end of the game, and 6% clicked “Buy Now” at the end of the game. Due to this game and media placement, our page received over 6,000 new fans too.

Visit their guest post to learn more about the campaign. While you’re in there, check out what Ben & Jerry’s has been up to.

Related posts:

1. Social media marketing strategy and ROI: What's missing from your equation?
2. Social Media Success Stories: Three Case Studies
3. Using social media tools – a case study

Our social media marketing class will be held in Netanya from 10 a.m. to noon on June 2-9-16. For more information or to register, contact us.

Related posts:

1. Upcoming social media marketing classes: Haifa and Netanya
2. SMM class calendar
3. Coming in September: Social media marketing classes and more

Today’s Jerusalem Post has an article on using social media, and Twitter specifically, to conduct a job search. David Shamah does a good job explaining the basics, but one sentence really caught my eye:

Job-seekers, especially in a place like Israel, have to work a little harder, nurturing a network of locals, who of course will know better where the local jobs are.

I found my first two jobs in Israel through Facebook. Thanks to networking I did online in the States, I stepped off the plane at Ben Gurion with two interviews, was hired and started work less than a week after I arrived. I used the Facebook equivalent of cold calling: search for someone who works where you want to work, send them a message through Facebook and ask them to put you in contact with someone who actually has the ability to hire you. It worked. Twice.

Though social media marketing (which is what you’re doing even if you prefer to call it by a different name – the product here is you) is a valuable tool in any job search anywhere in the world, it’s a crucial asset for job seekers in a small country where many of the openings are filled before the positions are formally advertised. In this case, Twitter may not get you the job, but it might help you find the opening and strike while the iron is hot. It’s even more important if you’re competing from the underdog role: new in the country, weak with Hebrew, lacking in protekzia.

And when you get that job? Make sure you don’t lose it just as quickly.

Related posts:

1. Two new classes – Hands-On Twitter and Facebook on Oct. 25
2. Using social media tools – a case study
3. Using Social Media Tools for Corporate Branding: A Case Study