It’s a sure thing that when you say ‘social media’, the vast majority of people will think of either Facebook or Twitter. These are the largest two social media networks in use, and many users have accounts with both. Because of this, it’s not uncommon to see a trend develop on one network and expand to the other. One of the more common trends in use is the hashtag. But how many users know what the hashtag is really used for?

The hashtag (#), commonly referred to on telephone systems as the pound key, was first seen in use on the popular social network Twitter. According to the help forum on Twitter, “It is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages.”

Look at nearly any Twitter message and there will usually be hashtags attached. For example, if you were to search for the term #Cloudbackup on Twitter, you would get a list of all tweets that have mentioned the above example. When Twitter talks about a ‘trending topic’ it means a subject that has become popular.

This way of categorization has become so popular amongst Twitter users that it’s starting to spill over onto the other networks. Instagram for instance has given members the ability to add hashtags to pictures, so that they can be added to groups which can subsequently be searched for. Even Google has gotten in on the act, with Google+ and YouTube both supporting this system.

On Facebook, the hashtag is used to give context to a status. You’ve probably seen some status updates such as: I love Mondays #sarcasm #bored. This should be read with a sarcastic and slightly bored tone.

Because of the usefulness of the hashtag, some users have become overzealous in their use. Reading a Tweet that says ‘#Friday is #awesome, here comes a #fun #weekend.’ just looks unprofessional and could put off followers.

While effective, there are some basic rules you should follow to help get the most out of your hashtags. Here’s four.

1. No long hashtags. Hashtags are meant to be short and associated with one word. Don’t make the mistake of adding more than about two words together, as the likelihood of users finding the tag will decrease. e.g., #Cloudservicesareawesome should be avoided, use #cloudservices instead.
2. Minimize their use. It can be tempting to hashtag every keyword in a message, however this makes them look weird and decreases readability. It is a good idea to limit use to one or two per message.
3. The hashtag is special. Don’t use it for everyday words. Instead use it for product names, or a special part of the announcement. Remember that you don’t have to use hashtags in every message. Check out Samsung Mobile’s Twitter feed to see a good example of proper use.
4. Use a unique hashtag. If you can, try to use a unique hashtag, something that followers will be able to associate and relate to you. The key here is that when it’s used, the user is referred to you, and only you. Do a quick search on Twitter for the hashtag you would like to use, to ensure it’s not taken. Many companies will shorten their tag to initials or a shorter term, which is perfectly acceptable.

Hashtags, when used correctly, can be a great way to build brand identity and increase social media presence. If you are looking for a social media plan, please contact us today to see how we can #expandbrands.

Social media seems to be taking over the planet. Almost every person and organization with an Internet connection has a presence on at least one social media site. While most companies use social media for marketing and connecting with customers, it can also be used to learn more about potential hires.

Here are three steps you can employ to learn a bit more about potential hires before they come in for an interview.

1. Google them
While Googling yourself might be a bit vain, putting the name of a potential hire into Google Search is smart. You can search their name along with specific queries that can help you narrow down information. One tactic is to enter the name with double quotes around it, along with the city they are based in. This will help you find their presence on related social media sites. You can also try using their area code or zip code to narrow down the search.

The point of this is to help you find more information about the person without having to search on individual social media sites. This will also return results like photo albums, recent account activity, and maybe even some hobbies and interest groups. Searching on Google or other search engines is a good way to see if the prospective employee is legitimate.

2. Take a look on Facebook
Almost everyone and their dog are on Facebook, so don’t forget to search for them on this popular service. The new Graph Search should make searching a lot easier. Enter the person’s name, along with some specific interests or information from the resume, and the chances of finding this person’s profile go up.

While some might argue the ethics of doing this, you may see information or posts that counter information that is presented in the resume, or that paint a clearer picture of the applicant. For example, you can ask them about their family when they come in for an interview. It could prove to be a great ice breaker.

3. LinkedIn
Most social media sites focus on the social aspect of people’s lives, but LinkedIn focuses on career and professional areas. Searching for the candidate on LinkedIn can often shed more light on their history, and may even showcase common links between you and them. If you notice that the candidate worked for or with a previous employee or other associate, you could contact that person to see if they have any insights about the candidate.

Researching your future hires is a good idea because it can help you learn more about them than you might otherwise do from just an interview. It also gives you a better understanding of whether they would be a good fit for your company. If you would like to learn more about how you can leverage social media in your company, please contact us today.

With today’s technology there is so much change in the span of even a single year that it can be a bit tricky to predict what the next year will bring. This includes social media. While there are a number of trends that will continue on from last year, there are going to be some surprises along the way too. But we can put together some strong educated guesses on what to expect, based on what’s going on right now.

Social goes mobile
The way people access and consume information is changing, thanks to increasing adoption of tablets and mobile devices. The adoption rate is forecast to rise in 2013, with the number of users who view your content on mobile devices soon overtaking those using a more traditional PC browser.

Because of this, the use of web technology that resizes text, images and other content to any screen size, will become even more popular. What this means for social media managers is that you will need to keep mobile users in mind when developing content and ensure it can be easily viewed on tablets and smartphones.

Visual marketing
Visual marketing is the use of video, images, infographics, etc. to get your message across to your target audience. The key to this type of marketing is that it enhances brand memory, recall and identity.

Social media sites like Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook are perfect platforms that, with effective use, can create an awareness that resonates with target groups and foment increased engagement. While this marketing concept isn’t new, you can expect to see more companies focusing on developing more content that’s visual in nature throughout the next year and beyond.

Content marketing (B2B)
When it comes to B2B marketing on social platforms, companies have been using content as the main brand driver. This takes many forms, including papers, e-books, infographics, webinars, etc. For example, infographics have proven to be valuable tools in increasing brand awareness. Most companies are well aware of this and it’s hard to find a business that doesn’t have some kind of downloadable content on their website.

In 2013, you can expect to see many enterprises turning to social media platforms like Pinterest, Facebook, and Google+ to develop and share content. Couple this with an increase in visual content and there will be an increased trend for smart marketers to develop engaging posts that are also visually appealing.

Google+ is a Google must
Google is playing the long game with it’s social media platform, Google+. While it currently isn’t anywhere near as popular as Facebook, Google is making changes to the platform and turning the service into a central hub for managing your online presence – at least your presence with Google that is.

Last year, Google rolled out a number of services, such as Local, into Google+. This forced businesses with a Google presence to use this service to manage it. This trend will likely continue over the next few years, with the slow release of valuable services that are exclusively for Google+ users, and that force users to switch to them.

In other words, for companies using Google’s services, Google+ is a Google must.

Facebook remains king. For now…
Despite a disappointing IPO last year, Facebook is still #1 when it comes to social media. This likely won’t change in the near future. Facebook is well aware of this and will continue to take steps to retain users.

We can expect Facebook to introduce a premium version of Pages, along with increasingly powerful analytics tools. Alongside this, their mobile advertising service will likely mature into a viable business option. What this means for businesses is that they will need to keep on top of these offerings and figure out how to best leverage their content.

These are just five social media trends for the coming year. Have you identified any more? What do you think will be the biggest change to social media in 2013? We’re interested to hear your thoughts.

One of the more oft-debated questions these days is whether employees should be allowed to access their personal social media accounts while at the office. There are many valid arguments on both sides of the debate, but few present the viewpoint of what many employees actually think. A recent report has done just that and raises some interesting issues.

The report, published last summer by Kelly Services, reported on social media in the workplace, and highlighted findings and opinions from three major regions: The APAC (Asia Pacific), The Americas, and the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa). Below are some interesting results on the use of social media in the business environment.

Social media at work by region
Many argue that by allowing employees to access social media at the office, they will spend all day surfing their personal accounts and not doing any work. The study found that an average of 30% of employees across all regions feel that it’s OK to access their personal accounts while at work. Interestingly enough, the APAC has the highest percentage (48%) of users who think social media access at the office is acceptable, while The Americas had the lowest (16%).

Social media use at work by generation
Going a little deeper into the use of personal social media accounts at the office, the survey breaks down the numbers by generation. Not surprisingly, Gen-Y (36%) are the most inclined to think it’s acceptable to access social media while at the office. What is interesting about this is that 30% of Gen-X also think it’s fine to access these services while at work.

These statistics go to show what most people already know: Younger generations are more embracing of social media. This does run counter however to prevailing thought that all Gen-Y and X want to do, and think it’s okay to do, is access social media in the workplace.

Impact of social media on productivity
Experts are always saying that social media can help improve productivity in the office. While this may be true, the study found that over 40% of respondents find that social media hampers productivity in the office.

You might predict that Gen-Y, with their higher levels of embracing social media, would think drastically different from other generations. However, the findings say otherwise: 49% of Baby Boomers, 44% of Gen-X and 40% of Gen-Y believe social media hinders productivity.

Impact of social media on work/personal relationships
Look a little deeper at the downsides of social media discussed in the report, and you find that slightly less than half of all respondents, regardless of age or location, feel that mixing work and pleasure connections can cause problems in the workplace.

What do the numbers mean?
By themselves, the numbers really confirm what we already know – social media is important, but the way it’s used and viewed differs enormously. But put the findings from the survey together and an interesting picture emerges. The acceptance of social media is growing, and will continue to do so as younger, more social media savvy generations join the workforce. Social media may be a main form of communication outside of the office, but when it comes to personal use in the office, the majority are not as comfortable with it.

While use and acceptance is growing, this report’s findings highlight that many employees still feel that social media is more of a hindrance than an improvement to the working day. This is interesting, because a decent percentage think it is acceptable to log onto such sites in the office, while arguably knowing it causes a decrease in productivity. This is a conundrum all businesses are facing. Do we allow social media to blur the lines between work and life, or resist it? Look around, it’s plain to see that it is creeping into work and being met with mixed results.

The question this report raises, and doesn’t answer, is whether social media and its use by employees at work for personal reasons is a good idea. The truth of the matter is social media isn’t going away, and reports and findings like these emphasize a need to understand how people embrace and use these platforms. From this understanding it’s essential to develop policies that everyone feels comfortable with. Above all, it shows large differences of opinion which indicates a real need for flexibility.

We’d like to know what your thoughts are on social media and how it’s currently used in your office. Do you embrace or resist? Let us know.

There’s no question that professional organizations and companies of all sizes are finding value in the use of social media. It’s the new way to communicate and create rapport with customers. Each social media service has it’s unique uses and benefits, but the one that is most business-oriented has seen slow adoption by SMBs. This service – LinkedIn – is a great tool for businesses to connect, on a professional level, with the world at large.

Here are four reasons why your business should have a presence on LinkedIn.

1. You have more than 1 employee. LinkedIn allows you create a “profile” for your company that gives you a place to share information about what you do and how you do it. Looking for a great place to network with other small and medium size businesses? Currently there are over 1.5 million businesses on LinkedIn that indicate a company size of either 1-10 or 11-50 employees. Add into this the ability to filter companies by industry, location and relationship and you have a powerful search tool that can help you stand out and connect locally.
2. You want to connect with your peers. While Facebook provides a great tool for connecting with nearly everybody, LinkedIn is much better for connecting to colleagues and peers. You may find that these people are constantly sharing topical information and starting discussions that could be of great use when you’re working on a problem, or need advice.
3. You are hiring. LinkedIn is one of the best job boards for mid-level and higher professionals. If you have a job opening, you can post it on the site, and people connected to you and your friends can be recommended for the job. You can also target the posting at professionals whom you want to apply. No more having to wade through stacks of unqualified candidates.
4. You don’t want to deal with games, links to cat videos, and senseless sharing. LinkedIn is a professional network, and as such, there aren’t many time wasting features. If you haven’t bought into, or are tired of notifications about games or other activities, LinkedIn is a great alternative. Just be warned, you won’t connect with your customers on a close basis like you may have with other networks.

If you feel it’s time to get going with LinkedIn and would like to know more about the process, please contact us.

In the early days of social networking it was easy to pick which network to be on, and could be even easier to dismiss social media as a passing fad. Fast forward to the present day, and there seems to be a social network for nearly everything. Despite the growing number of networks, five really stand out.

Here is some important information about the top five social networks as of 2012.

1. Facebook. With around 900 million users, Facebook is “the” social network for connecting with nearly everyone, and has become a primary channel for communication among the younger generation. Over half of Facebook users are between the ages of 18 and 34, and users spend an average of 405 minutes connected per month . If you’re looking to connect to customers, while driving brand awareness, your company should be utilizing this network.
2. Linkedin. Linkedin is a social network for professionals to connect with other professionals, share their experience, and find a job. There are around 150 million users, 55% of whom are between the ages 26 and 44 and spend, on average, 21 minutes a month logged in. If you’re looking to connect with your colleagues, other businesses or potential employees, this is a great resource that allows you to do so.
3. Twitter. Twitter allows users to make announcements, or find events going on nearby. With a 140 character limit per “tweet,” Twitter is great for those who are efficient with their words, which is apparently over 550 million people. The majority of twitter users are between the ages of 26 and 44 and spend an average of 89 minutes a month logged in. Twitter is a great way for small businesses to broadcast announcements and promotions, with the goal of driving traffic to other social networks.
4. Google +. Google + is the closest competitor to Facebook, with many similar features. There are two major differences however. The first is the userbase, which is quite a bit smaller, at around 170 million users. The second difference is users only spend 3 minutes a month, on average, logged in. If your business has a Google Places page you’re already on Google +, and with recent changes to the platform, it should become a solid network to connect with your customers in the near future.
5. Pinterest. Pinterest is a great place to discover new content and products and is one of the fastest growing social networks. Founded in 2010 and coming to prominence in 2011, the userbase is around 11.4 million, and is growing rapidly. What’s intriguing about Pinterest is that users spend, on average, 90 minutes a month logged in, which is second only to Facebook. This network is a great tool for companies to drive interest in their physical products.

These five networks are by far the most popular in terms of users, time spent logged in, and overall content. What social networks do you use and why do you use them? We look forward to your comments.

The use of social media to connect with customers and drive brand awareness is now commonplace among companies of all sizes. Using a site like Facebook and its many features can give even small businesses the potential to tap into a large customer base.

While basic Facebook usage is pretty simple, the dozens of options in the settings drop-down menus can be extremely confusing. Hidden among these options are several useful features that can make using Facebook easier and increase its effectiveness for your business.

1. App Settings. This setting tab lets you view and manage all the apps you’ve installed to your profile. From your profile, click the grey arrow near your name at the top of the window, select Account Settings and Apps to view your apps. Clicking the X will delete the app, while Edit will allow you to edit the settings. This feature is good for managing your profile.
2. Archive Facebook. There’s a hidden feature in the Account Settings page that allows you to download your wall posts, everything you’ve shared and your friend’s email addresses. You can also download an enhanced archive which includes info like IP addresses. This feature is in the General tab in Account Settings and is under Language. If your company wants to backup its Facebook data, this is the way to do so.
3. Customize Username. You can customize the username attached to your Facebook account, which in turn changes the URL of your profile to the username selected e.g., www.facebook.com/myprofile. This is useful for businesses as it allows them to have a unique username that they can use on their websites, newsletters and other communication to encourage visits. To change your username, click the grey arrow beside your name at the top of the Facebook window and select Account Settings. Under the General tab, select Edit beside Username. Be aware that at this time, Facebook only allows you to change your username once, so make sure you’re okay with the selection.
4. Facebook email. Did you know that you can message Facebook users from any email account? All you have to do is enter username@facebook.com and anything you type will be sent to that user’s messaging tab (the speech bubble in the top left of the screen). This is a great feature that allows you to quickly and easily send a message to your friends without actually opening Facebook.

These are just four of the many useful features of Facebook that you could use in your business to help further your brand, or make it easier to reach out to your followers. If you’d like to learn more about utilizing Facebook in your business, please contact us.

One issue that’s sparked a large amount of debate is whether or not companies should allow their employees to access social media while at work. One thing’s for certain, the number of employees who actually use social media on a regular basis is large, and growing. There will come a time when companies that block social media can no longer afford to do so.

There are four distinct advantages to allowing social media:

• Increased productivity. There have been a number of studies that have found that judicious use of social media in the workplace will actually increase productivity. A study conducted by the University of Melbourne found that employees with access to social media are 9% more productive than those without.
• Increased buy-in. Employees like to feel trusted and empowered. If they don’t you can expect to experience higher turnover and lower morale. A good way to gain trust is to allow employees to use social media in the workplace. If an employee feels like they are trusted, they’ll be more likely to stay with the company.
• Recruiting. Small businesses have started to use social media for recruitment, but limit efforts to one account. If you have 10 employees in your organization, each with a social media account with 100 friends, you have the potential to reach 1,000 people. This is achievable if employees are allowed to access social media at work and are encouraged to share posts.
• Identification of business opportunities. Through the use of social media, employees in charge of sales and business development can source new clients and build fruitful relationships.

There are many advantages to allowing access to social networks at the office. If you‘re hesitant to completely open the social media floodgates, try doing so in short periods, like the final three hours of the working day.

No matter what you decide, allowing access to social media is a good practice for your business. If you would like to learn more about social media and how you can leverage it in your business, we are happy to talk with you.

The thing about the social media boom is that so many people are thinking of ways to make it better and to put a unique twist on an otherwise used and reused concept. Pinterest is one of the few that have been successful at this – which means, like in any other social media platform, businesses stand to benefit provided they use it the right way.

What is Pinterest? In a nutshell, it’s something like a social media scrapbook, album, and bulletin board combined. Each interest / theme has its own ‘Pinboard’ where you put photos, videos, or other media that interest you.

What makes Pinterest unique is its concept, which has been consistently growing in popularity, especially with female audiences. And while Facebook and Twitter are more open to overt advertising, Pinterest takes a more conservative stance. While advertising isn’t exactly prohibited, the marketing should definitely be more subtle and more consistent with a personal Pinterest profile. Here are some basic tips that will help you utilize Pinterest to your advantage.

1. Understand your market.
The first question you should ask yourself is if Pinterest is something worth your time investment. Since the majority of Pinterest users are female, ask yourself if your products and services appeal to them directly.

2. Invest time.
As in many other social networking sites, you need to put a personal and human touch to your Pinterest profile and in the way you interact with your audience. Log in often, update regularly, and respond quickly to any kind of feedback. Let your audience know that you’re there.

3. Use other social media to augment Pinterest.
Since Pinterest is less known, use your other social media accounts to point people your way in Pinterest, such as Tweeting or updating your Facebook status with your most recent Pinterest profile update.

4. Talk about what you represent.
As mentioned earlier, since Pinterest isn’t big on overt advertising, you need to market yourself in a different way. Talk about what your brand is all about. What do you represent? What content can you provide that would inspire your audience to share on their own Pinboards? If you’re a furniture company, for example, you can try giving some tips on basic interior design and picking the right furniture pieces for spaces, with pictures or videos. What’s good about Pinterest is that it challenges you to be more creative, and thus, more appealing to potential clients.

If Pinterest interests you, give us a call so we can discuss how you can maximize this new social media platform for your business.

In late February 2012, Twitter hit 500 million users. This milestone has cemented Twitter as a major Social Media player. With this large user base, companies should be seriously considering integrating twitter with their marketing strategies. Benefits of integration include increased followers, brand awareness, and potentially a better bottom line. Here are some tips for increasing your followers.

Search for companies and people you know
While it’s easy to use the search function in Twitter, it can be time consuming to search for people one by one. Instead:

1. Log into your Twitter account
2. Press the # Discover button at the top of the page
3. Press Find Friends
4. Log into the various accounts available
5. Add people as followers

This is a great way to rapidly increase your followers, and reconnect with customers and contacts you may have lost contact with.

Combine your Twitter and Facebook feeds
You can combine your Twitter and Facebook feeds easily:

1. Log into your Twitter account
2. Select Profile Settings
3. Select Profile
4. Select Post your tweets to Facebook
5. Follow the instructions provided

Within minutes, your Tweets will show up in your Facebook status, enabling you to reach two platforms simultaneously. Be warned, this could spam your followers, causing them to stop following you – so it’s best to keep your Tweets or status updates to the most important information.

Join Twitter Ads for Small Business
This recently announced service will be up and running soon, allowing small business owners to advertise on Twitter through Promoted Tweets. This service will be released in the near future, enabling businesses of all sizes to advertise.

If you are not on Twitter, would like to join, or know more please contact us.