Forgive us? We’re feeling kind of guilty that we’ve written a number of Twitter articles that provide a lot of tips on how to use the popular social media site – without providing an equal number of examples. So let us make it up to you with these great examples of how today’s biggest brands and businesses are using Twitter. Starbucks (@Starbucks): The Seattle-based coffee giant offers “freshly brewed tweets” to a loyal following of over 1 million Twitter users. Check the brand’s profile out, and you’ll be surprised by the number of @replies/mentions they tweet in a day. That’s what engagement is all about. All too often, companies misuse Twitter by spamming their followers with relentless sales talk and ads – without caring to respond to mentions or direct messages. Sure, while Starbucks does post the occasional promo or new offer, the brand’s use of Twitter is mainly to connect intimately with fans and customers. It listens, and as – Read the full article
These days, Twitter is synonymous not only with communication and sharing but also with doing so while on the move. If you need an application to make your Twitter experience more mobile then you won’t have to look too far to find one. Here are 9 Twitter applications to make your life a little – and your business – easier and a lot more fun. Twitpic has become one of the most popular and downloaded apps for mobile phones. Just like the online version, the Twitpic app allows you to easily send images from your phone to Twitter. If that isn’t enough, Twitpic has a bunch of Twitter clients, too (for example, TweetDeck, which has TwitPic integration functionality). Just take a picture (or use your gallery images) and you can upload it to Twitter in an instant. Definitely worth the small cost to download. While of the subject of TweetDeck, what better application is there than this to maintain your Twitter stream? This app – Read the full article
Lakeshore Branding was recently featured on independent news site RINF.com, with a couple of articles on social media for businesses, entrepreneurs, Internet marketers, and startups. RINF.com is a news website with an Internet marketing edge. It’s owned by Mick Meaney, who’s been working on and writing about all things technology since 1998. The first article is “What to Expect from Your Social Media Consultant”, with tips and key insights on what exactly that newly hired employee at the social media department in your office should be doing. Does the job entail tweeting and blogging 24/7? Does the consultant have to double your number of followers or quadruple your number of fans? Or should you be expecting more? Find out more by visiting the social media section of RINF. The second is “7 Twitter Mistakes Businesses Should Avoid”. Well, we all have heard great stories and testimonials from top brands on how Twitter’s so cool – and how amazing it is – Read the full article
We’re sure you’ve heard of The Social Network, this new movie about the founders of Facebook. It opened earlier this month and so far, from what we’ve been hearing, it sounds like this 120-minute thriller-docudrama-comedy will be making plenty of noise at next year’s Oscars. You should see The Social Network if you haven’t done so yet. Not only is it a thrilling closer look at what went on behind the creation of today’s biggest social networking site; it’s also a really, really good movie. You don’t even have to be a Facebook fan to enjoy it. Directed by David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club), written by Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing, A Few Good Men), and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Brenda Song, Rooney Mara, and huge pop musician Justin Timberlake, The Social Network – as Rolling Stone describes it – “brilliantly defines the decade”. Of course, if you’re a startup, small business owner, or marketer, you also might want – Read the full article
We don’t know about you, but Mad Men is a show we can’t get enough of. Sure, it has won a bunch of Emmy Awards, and it provides a gripping depiction of the lives of advertising executives on Madison Avenue in the 1960s, but these aren’t the only reasons why we’re watching. The truth is, Don Draper – played by actor Jon Hamm – is actually wise beyond his years. A classic American figure, sure. But old-fashioned? We don’t think so. Every episode, Don Draper unleashes a brilliant, memorable line, a gem of an advice that we can take and use in the age of Internet marketing and social media. Take for example the following Don Draper quotes. Don Draper: “Our worst fears lie in anticipation.” Sure, trying to learn things like Twitter, SEO, web analytics, PPC advertising, etc. can be downright intimidating. It’s almost like trying to learn a whole new language – something you may be afraid you’re – Read the full article
Social media offers endless possibilities for marketing and selling your product online. But you know that already. (And we must have been going on and on about it.) You know that Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and similar social media sites are great for E-commerce and online retailers – that, if leveraged properly, they can help you engage targeted communities, increase your online visibility, enhance your brand, drive traffic to your site, and maximize your sales opportunities. Now – hold on right there. Before you even think of getting started and unleashing your campaign unto the wonderful world of social media, you may want to be aware of the common mistakes that businesses – regardless of size – make. Mistakes that can make social media marketing a burden instead of an opportunity. Mistakes which you should at all costs avoid. Don’t throw yourself into social media without a plan or strategy. Some businesses think all it takes is to sign up on – Read the full article
There is a multitude of ways that a company can catch the attention of their target audience. More and more, companies are turning to social media outlets to gain the attention that they need for their brands to increase in popularity. These programs can be taken even a step further through the use of mobile marketing as well. The first thing to know about marketing through mobile services is that there are laws which surround this. You are not allowed to use leads which have been purchased as you have to have permission to send messages to clients. If you do not have permission, you face legal difficulties due to the FCC anti-mobile telemarketing laws. There are ways that you can make sure to have a lucrative marketing through the mobile market and a lot of it has to deal with social media marketing. This is because when there is a good social media marketing plan, you can reach new – Read the full article
One of the most exciting milestones that can be achieved by any business owner or retailer is a product or service launch. It marks the fruit of all the hard work that had been done. A launch, however, can also be one of the most terrifying, stressful, and expensive projects that you, as a business owner, will ever have to take on. So why not do it via social media? Traditionally, product launches feature a mix of advertising and PR efforts, pushed by a huge corporate event, media banquet, or some kind of conference. Yes, these still work. But what if you ran a business that was Internet-based? What if a great deal of Internet usage is critical in your day-to-day operations? What if you want to test the waters of Web 2.0 and use social media as your platform for launching a product or service? Don’t think it’s not possible. While many perceive social media as something that only – Read the full article
