Advertisers need social media triage

Image by Corey Templeton via Flickr

Supposition: Any time survey data is used to support "trends", be skeptical. In fact, you can ignore it all together. For all (yes, I said all) surveys are deeply flawed.

Take this report by the Association of National Advertisers. It's purports to tell us that "marketers [are embracing] new media platforms, social media and viral videos". Well sure. We know that. No big surprise. What is surprising are the numbers reported by the surveys. See if you can guess what is wrong here:

In 2009, the most effective newer media platforms were as follows:

* Search engine marketing (SEM) (65 percent)
* Own Web site (59 percent)
* Search engine optimization (SEO) (55 percent)
* E-mail marketing (45 percent)

I'm sorry -- newer media? That's more new that new, right? And even if it isn't, I'm pretty sure that it's 2009. We're well past the hump where things like having a website and being concerned about search engine positioning are "new" concepts.

Or maybe we're not.

Maybe we're really ahead of the curve. Maybe we live in the present, but the vast majority of the world is still living in the deep past, circa 2004. And we must remember that we cannot force everyone else to catch up. We have to be able to relate to them. To put it in words you'll understand -- be backwards compatible. Can you be?

Social media should make your city communicate better

Image of City of Chandler, AZ

The government has invaded social media. No, don't take that as a call to arms. I'm talking about a much lower-level invasion than that: Your city is on Twitter.

And on Facebook, YouTube, Photobucket and likely dozens more web 2.0 sites. Or they are busy trying to create their own. Some cities (hi, Tempe!) are even reaching out to denizens, seeking guidance and counsel as these municipalities move towards a closer relationship with their residents. And that's a Good Thing.

But when you start talking to people in their medium of choice, you have to start talking to them in their language of choice. And that should spread to the rest of the communications. For far too long, cities' websites have been vast wastelands of non-speak, bureaucratic ramblings and -- to speak plainly -- shit that only a handful of people truly care about.

Let's get specific. I live in Chandler Arizona. I've met Kim, the fine person who runs the @CityofChandler Twitter account. She's doing a good job of engaging with the community and posting relevant and timely information to her followers (well, the city's followers) on Twitter. But she's hobbled by that drivel that exists on the ChandlerAZ.gov website. Take this recent tweet.



We're in the peak of monsoon season right now, if the frequency I have to clean my pool is any indication. So yes, the tweet was timely and relevant. The "monsoons" we get in the southwest are often scoffed at by many of us who've been here a while. But they can be pretty scary to anyone unfamiliar with their dangerous-albeit-local fury. All the more reason why information on this topic from my city should be a Good Thing.

If only.

If only the information on the page offered up by the city was valuable. But it's not. Well, that's not entirely correct. The information could be valuable, if it were written to convey information to normal humans. But instead, we're treated to an incomplete sentence to start off the post. Not a warm fuzzy. But I can easily overlook that, as I'm no one to call out poor grammar and spelling errors. Our first directive is a point of contact. Who's listed first? 9-1-1. Yep. If you find yourself in a thunderstorm and have the urge to speak with someone, call 9-1-1. Right.

Next up is information on when you can expect thunderstorms and lightning, followed up the this juicy tidbit: "[they] can occur year-round and at all hours". Good for those of us who just left the womb. And then it spirals completely out of control, suggesting we shut off our air conditioners (are you mad?) and to avoid bathing. Bathing. But it is good to know that the human body does not act as a capacitor, holding the charge of the lighting that struck it. Yeah, that's in there, too.

But I get why they may think they have to say this stuff. Why they think this is good information to distribute. But it's not. Or rather, it's not written to be good info. Presenting information is an art form. A craft. Data-dumping isn't helpful. Organizing data is helpful. Concise explanations -- especially for things you know will sound odd to most people -- are helpful. Re-writing the information to make it flow on the page and be consumed easily is helpful. Do that.

The same applies to non-governmental entities, too. How does the information you've been dishing out for years stand up under scrutiny? Are you writing for readers or just following orders? And... does anyone care to read it?

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Social media and the grocery store

Whole Foods, on Ray Road in Chandler Arizona, is by far my favorite grocery store. That's not the same thing as my preferred grocery store. It's not the same thing as my closest grocery store. No, I used the word favorite, and I used that word on purpose.

Every employee I've encountered there has been fun, smart, personable and -- perhaps most importantly -- social.

The social activity of the Whole Foods Chandler employees is simply remarkable. And that's another interesting word. Wiser folks than me have said that advertising is a tax on the unremarkable, but I say it every chance I get. Whole Foods Chandler embodies this. So much, in fact, that I lead a group of 40+ of the most highly-engaged social media mavens from the east valley cities of Phoenix to my personal mecca the last Friday of every month. And nearly each time, a few new folks show up, often because of what they've heard about this place. But sometimes the word has bypassed them, but they leave as a convert, ready to carry the message forth.

And that's a good thing, because as remarkable as Whole Foods Chandler and their employees are... they're really only dabbling in the social media world. Only building whuffie at a fraction of the rate they could be. Yes, they are on Twitter... but sporadically. And with less engagement and action than they could be doing. Yes, they have a Facebook fan page, but they've yet to secure their custom URL, the "Info" section is devoid of critical information, and their engagement is lacking. Yes, they have a Flickr tag on their corporate Flickr account, but there are many times more pictures on Flickr taken by Whole Foods Chandler patrons than in the "official" account.

Their outreach method of choice? An email newsletter, usually sent out weekly that highlights the near-future in-store events. Don't get me wrong -- email can still be a valuable tool. Like any tool, it has specific uses and is appropriate for certain jobs, but not others. I'm skeptical that calendar updates fit that bill.

Social Media Triage for Whole Foods Chandler

Image by evo_terra via Flickr

You knew I had a point to this, right? With a few subtle tweaks to their current social media presence, Whole Foods Chandler could see vast -- and measurable -- improvements. No, I've not sat down with anyone at Whole Foods and discussed the people, objective and strategy they have or should have in mind. All I can use are the tactics I've seen and some assumptions I'll make. So with that, here are some tweaks I feel they should make:

1. Fully embrace Twitter. You are tweeting about the right things -- do more of it! And don't be shy about engaging with people. If you don't have a listening campaign in place -- start one! If there's too much for one person, give the keys out to others!
   
   
2. Beef up Facebook. First, get that custom URL. Then fill out the info section. I want to know about the CHANDLER Whole Foods, so make sure it's locally relevant. Give us stuff about various departments. Post photos and videos. Let this be your outlet for ALL of your info. Don't worry about flooding people on Facebook... it's Facebook!
   
   
3. Encourage the use of Flickr. Your store is beautiful. Your people are funky and engaging. Get that stuff captured in pictures! Have patrons bring their cameras to events. Give them the tags you want them to use. Tweet the images you find. Go nuts!
   
   
4. Post your events EVERYWHERE. Upcoming? Yelp? Eventful? Make it a point to spread the news about your events beyond the mediums you have complete control over. Go!
   
   
5. Host more groups. I can promise you that we have a blast when #evfn comes to town. Why not encourage more groups to use WFC as a meeting place? And then SHOUT about those meetings. Help them grow, too!
   
   
6. Video is the way. Think events. Think fun stuff behind-the-scenes stuff like how you build those crazy display walls of product. Focus on a department. Let your employees' personalities shine. And yes, people on YouTube DO want to see fun stuff that happens at Whole Foods.
   
   
7. Tap local indie media people for your events and guests. You should never have a beer tasting with out inviting Charlie The Beer Guy to interview the brewer. Sure, you're telling the big news outlets about it, but there's a much more involved indie community just waiting for the invite. Tap 'em!
   
   
8. Send out multiple emails. Stick with the "this week at Whole Foods" for one, but also educate me with another. Not about new or on-sale products, but about environmental and social issues that you care about... that is likely tied to product. Send me "seasonal" updates, since I know I'm not supposed to be able to get everything all year round. And make ALL of them pretty. You've go a beautiful store -- use it!
   
   
9. What else? What do you all think? While I'm giving out free advice (I need more clients, btw), I might as well open up the floor to my peers. What else should a store like Whole Foods Chandler be doing? What should they watch out for? Got any insight for a single location of very large chain? Your input in the comments section is appreciated.

Speaking of advice, this is a taste of my Social Media Triage service, of which the full treatment goes into much more depth.

Oh and if any of you at Whole Foods Chandler read this? Come by your Tapas & Wine bar between 6-8p Friday, July the 31st and say "hi". I love meeting new people genuinely interested in doing things differently!

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Social Media Triage - Scaling back

Image by Kevin Steele via Flickr

Tune in at 9:00a PDT Saturday at http://ustream.tv/channel/social-media-triage

There's nothing wrong with jumping in with both feed. But sometimes, you jump in with dozens of feet, and then you realize that you only have two.

What do you do when you've done way too much and you feel yourself being stretched thin? We'll talk about that, and then get to solving your social media problems with real-world and tactical advice.

What is Social Media Triage?

If you’ve seen a M*A*S*H re-run, you know what triage is. It’s providing quick and immediate aid to those who need it the most. It’s patching a hole, fixing something that is broken, or getting something working that has stopped.

Social Media Triage™ is no different. Just with less icky stuff.

SMT assumes you’re already in the thick of things in the social media sphere, but those things are not going according to plan. Or perhaps you didn’t have a plan in the first place. SMT is all about quick and immediate tactical changes to fix what you could be doing better.

SMT is focused. While there is an evaluation of everything you are doing in the social space, it’s applied systematically. It’s not a re-work of your strategy. It’s making sure that your tactics match said strategy. One social media site at a time.

SMT is tough love, with actionable outcomes that are implemented by you on-the-spot. It’s about shifting your perspective and getting you focused back on why you started doing this stuff in the first place.

On uStream.tv, you're getting a "group session" of SMT. It's a taste of what you'll get one-on-one if you hire me. And yes, we can do it remotely. The "full" SMT is an hour and a half of one-on-one consulting time (flat fee of $225) with no required follow-ups or pre-defined retainer arrangements. You pay for what you need, and you move on smarter and wiser for the experience.

Sound interesting? Let’s do it.

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Saturday morning Social Media Triage live on Ustream.tv

Image via CrunchBase

After successive and successful alpha and beta launches of my free weekly group version of Social Media Triage, I'm ready to make it official.


This Saturday morning at 9:00 Phoenix-time (currently PDT) I'll kick off the group session by sharing some things I've learned about Yelp this week. After that, we'll get in to the true meat of the matter -- the issues you're currently facing in your own social media efforts.

I do it live on Ustream.tv so you can enjoy it from wherever you happen to be. Go here to watch it live or to see recordings of the the prior two sessions.

Do you know of someone who should attend? Please tell them about this event. You can direct them to this page, the Upcoming RSVP page, or the event listing on Facebook. And if you'd like to post it somewhere else... please do!

See you Saturday morning!

Interested in having the personal and complete Social Media Triage experience? It’s an hour and a half of one-on-one consulting time (flat fee of $225) with no required follow-ups or pre-defined retainer arrangements. You pay for what you need, and you move on smarter and wiser for the experience. Contact me to schedule a time that works for you. And yes, we can do it over the interwebs. No need to come to Phoenix!

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Social Media Triage beta launch on UStream.tv a success

Update: Pulled my head out and figured out what was wrong with the Ustream.tv embedding. See? Everyone makes mistakes at this stuff. All part of the fun!

Earlier today I did the beta launch of my Social Media Triage on Ustream.tv. I think it went very well, and I'm indebted to those who graciously hung out with me for an hour as I bounced around and answered a few questions.



I'm really amazed at the size of the audience, as I neglected posting anything about the event until late yesterday afternoon. I'll fix that before next time. And there will be a next time. It'll happen each and every Saturday at 9:00am MST (which is about to be the same as PDT, so make a note).

More info coming. If you missed it, watch the recorded video above -- if you have an hour. :)

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Social Media Triage LIVE on Ustream.tv - Alpha launch

Image via Wikipedia

For months now I've been talking about Social Media Triage. It's all about quick and actionable tactics -- course corrections, if you will -- for your current social and new media efforts. Hey, sometimes an outside eye helps. And lords know I've made enough mistakes in this field over time.

I've decided to try and use the power of live internet video to help me get this out to the greater world. Yes, a full 1.5 hour session of SMT does cost money, but the live video I do weekly (?) will be free. I might as well eat my own dog poo, since I preach that giving away free content can and does lead to sales. So here I go!

Right now, this is VERY much an alpha project. I did something similar last weekend specifically to Podiobooks.com authors and producers. It'll be for an hour, so come on over and ask questions.

Please note that this is specifically designed for newbies, for folks who need help. I do not want to see my social and new media buddies show up and turn this into yet another social event. You're welcome to hang out in the wings and offer up your $0.02, but please understand the intent. I won't take offense if I don't see a pile of friends in there.

There are several ways you can RSPV and get more info:

• Upcoming
  
• Facebook event
  
• Facebook group
  
• Current Ustream.tv channel (subject to change)

So come on over and pick my brain for an hour this coming Saturday. After that... we'll see!

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Do you tweet... like I do?

Image by CRASH-candy via FlickrNewsflash #1: anyone claiming proficiency in any aspect of social media is making it up as they go along. Present company included.

Resist the temptation to alter your behavior because Social Media Expert suggested you do so. For every gem presented, the schmee (my word, run with it) probably exhibits one or more traits of deplorable activity. That should indicate to you the schmee (or this schmee) isn't perfect. Which is rather obvious, as this medium is designed imperfection.

But don't ignore their advice. If something is worth the wadded panties they suffered, it probably bears examination your part. They may not be perfect, but they aren't stupid.

Case in point: Chris Brogan's latest rant on "robot behavior". I'm long-time user of an auto reply for new followers on Twitter. Yet I agree with much of what Chris had to say. Counter-intuitive? Maybe. But I see auto replies as a tool; the difference is made in how you wield it. And just by typing the word difference, it is implied that that difference -- a change from state A to state B -- can be measured.

Newsflash #2: Yes, social media can be measured. In a myriad of ways.

In my case, the numbers weren't proving out my intended goal. So I modified my auto reply. I changed how I use the tool. In my case, I abandoned the first goal (not all that important to me).

If your auto reply on Twitter is designed to cause someone to take action; measure those actions. If it's working, great! Keep on keepin' on. But if it's not... well then you have some thinking ahead of you. Maybe your audience doesn't want to take that action. At least not in this environment. Maybe it's just not how they want to interact with you. Or maybe they really do only care about what you tweet. Not your free ebook. Not your blog. Not the "personal" video you made just for them.

Bottom line: not all auto replies are evil. But most are worthless. Because I said.

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Launching Social Media Triage™ - Bite-sized Evo Terra goodness

Image via WikipediaIf you've seen a M*A*S*H re-run, you know what triage is. It's providing quick and immediate aid to those who need it the most. It's patching a hole, fixing something that is broken, or getting something working that has stopped.

Social Media Triage™ is no different. Just with less icky stuff.

SMT assumes you're already in the thick of things in the social media sphere, but those things are not going according to plan. Or perhaps you didn't have a plan in the first place. SMT is all about quick and immediate tactical changes to fix what you could be doing better.

SMT is focused. While there is an evaluation of everything you are doing in the social space, it's applied systematically. It's not a re-work of your strategy. It's making sure that your tactics match said strategy. One social media site at a time.

SMT is tough love, with actionable outcomes that are implemented by you on-the-spot. It's about shifting your perspective and getting you focused back on why you started doing this stuff in the first place.

Perhaps best of all, SMT is get-in-get-out. It's an hour and a half of one-on-one consulting time (flat fee of $225) with no required follow-ups or pre-defined retainer arrangements. You pay for what you need, and you move on smarter and wiser for the experience.

Sound interesting? Let's do it.

Tip of the hat to CC Chapman for hearing me out on this a week ago. And to Marcus Nelson for tweeting about unstick.me on Monday. And to Luanne Mattson for being my first client.

Google Blog authors should subscribe to their own RSS feed

Attention anyone who happens to write or knows someone who writes on the Official Google Blog: your company purchased Feedburner to get a handle on RSS (or Atom, in this case). Please drink your own kool-aid and subscribe to your own blog. If you did, you'd notice the same thing I'm pointing out in the picture above -- I get dozens of false updates from you each day. Someone is tweaking your RSS code and doing a terrible job.

Listen, you and I both know you didn't update your blog 25 times between 2:44 and 3:35 PM today. No one posts that much. Not even Scoble. I noticed this over a week ago and reported the problem. Your website says "We Love Feedback", but I'm not sure I believe your story. I never received a reply and the problem is happening again.

So please, for the love of Dave Winer, please have someone on your team subscribe to your feed so you can see what is happening. And subscribe in something other than Google Reader. Nice tool, but the error isn't happening there. Probably because your toolset is ignoring changes to your Atom tag. Here's how it looks:

<published7>2006-07-25T06:03:00.000-07:00</published>
<updated>2007-06-11T15:38:04.493-07:00</updated>

As you can clearly see, you published the file back in 2006. But you, for some strange reason, updated the file today. This is a problem with the automation that kicks out your feed. And it needs to be fixed. Now that you own Feedburner, maybe you could run it through those guys? At any rate, we'd like a fix as soon as you can get to it. Or tomorrow. Whichever comes first.