Against the Grain: Social Media

They speak in code, literally. They build and design award-winning websites for Trilix clients and they know the ins and outs of the interwebs like the backs of their hands. They are the Interactive Team. We sat down with them to learn how clients can improve their web presence and maximize their SEO.

Trilix: Building and designing a website is just one component to creating an integrated marketing campaign. What are some things clients should take into consideration when merging traditional marketing with interactive efforts?

Interactive Team: Merging the worlds of traditional and online marketing focus on consistency. Care should be taken to maintain consistent messaging across all platforms of a campaign. A proper campaign should not only include a web presence, but should also incorporate social media.

Trilix: Why is it important for businesses to have an integrated online presence?

Interactive Team: The primary benefits of integrating an online presence are content, access and measurement.

• Traditional content is constrained by the size and format of the piece, but you can use it as a teaser, with a link to your website, in order to drive traffic to more in-depth and interactive content on your website.
• Incorporating an email or social media component is a great way to access a different consumer, which you may have missed using, solely, the traditional piece.
• Online media allows you to measure several aspects of your web traffic, such as clicks, opens, visits, time spent on a page, etc., which provides a snapshot of how they are using your content.

Trilix: What are some common misconceptions regarding web marketing?

Interactive Team: One of the biggest misconceptions is that if you build it, they will come. You can't just build a website and assume that your sales or exposure will increase. You need to create a reason for them to engage with you. Another misconception is that content isn't important. Visitors come to your site to gain information. If that content isn’t there – the website has no purpose. You can use content and key words to drive traffic to your site and increase your SEO.

Trilix: How do you stay on the leading edge of web development, and how does that benefit our clients?

Interactive Team: Our team has more than 35 years of combined experience. We stay on the cutting edge by attending educational conferences, networking with peers in various markets, and reading industry magazines, websites and books.

Trilix: How are mobile apps and websites changing interactive marketing, and how can clients determine which one is right for their business?

Interactive Team: Smartphone sales surpassed PC/desktop computer sales for the first time in 2011. Everything is going mobile–whether it's a strategically designed mobile website or a native mobile app. It is necessary for you to utilize this growing communication channel, and we can help you determine which mobile option is best for your business.

In today’s world, where conversations are shared across multiple platforms at the click of a button, you can spread your brand’s marketing message to your target audiences easier than ever before. Whether you use traditional outlets or embrace social media, make sure that your brand’s message stays consistent across all communications platforms.

Here are a few things you should consider:

• Develop a few key marketing messages. Identify your top products and services and explain what distinguishes them from your competition. Create talking points to help your customers understand how they will benefit from your products or services. Review and update your key messages regularly to share recent data, support marketing campaigns and promote new products or services.
• Maintain your image. Visual branding is an important part of your integrated marketing communications plan because your logo, print collateral and website design tells your company’s story. Create a style guide specifying fonts, logo sizes and color schemes to keep a consistent look. You should also incorporate your visual branding on all official communications, e.g., newsletters, press releases and your company’s Twitter background and Facebook profile picture. When you create a consistent look, people will begin to automatically associate your visual branding with your company.
• Get the word out. Don’t shy away from social media! It is a powerful communication tool that allows you to support your traditional marketing efforts and listen and interact with your target audience online. You can tailor your communications to fit an online forum but the key messages should stay the same. Remember, when you communicate via social media, you are representing your brand online so always be transparent, respond promptly and be respectful of others’ opinions.

Integrated marketing campaigns allow you to use traditional and online media platforms to reach your target audiences. Keep your messaging consistent across all communication channels to raise awareness about your products and services to create a stronger brand.

Congratulations, communications students! You graduated college after those late nights of studying, papers and research. You got ample experience interning and attending PR, marketing and advertising conferences. Now what? It’s time to apply for your first full-time job.

I took the path that a lot of communication students take. I graduated from college in December 2010, and took an internship (mine with Weber Shandwick in St. Louis). I lived at home, got more experience and after a few months, I was ready to fly from the nest.

Sometimes internships after college can lead to a permanent position, but I was looking for a job in Des Moines, Iowa, so that wasn’t an option for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t know anyone in Iowa, so I networked. I began by reaching out to my family, friends and PR connections I made in college. I told them my goals, experience and asked if they knew of anyone who would possibly be able to help. They were extremely supportive and helpful, but I also did my fair share of traditional job searching. That’s exactly how I found Trilix! Networking is very important, but it’s also smart to look at a potential employer’s website. They posted a job and I applied, interviewed and landed the gig!

The first day on the job is intimidating. After so many internships, you may feel like you should already “know” what to do. Try not to be nervous and don’t feel like you need to walk in the door being the expert. Your future employer doesn’t expect you to know everything. Remember, you just graduated college and you’re still learning.

The first couple of days are designed as training days. You learn where you’re going to sit, where the bathroom is and the passwords to your computer, emails, etc. Take those first few days as an opportunity to research your new clients (if you are working at an agency), or your company. These first couple of days can also be used to get to know your new colleagues. Go out to lunch with people you’ll be working closely with, or grab a mid-morning coffee treat with your cube-mate.

Once you start to settle in, begin to show some initiative. Pick up a project on your own; don’t just wait for the boss to give you something to do. Ask for more responsibility or volunteer for a project that other people may not be jumping for joy to do. Taking initiative will show your motivation and willingness to learn — both are incredible attributes companies want to see in employees!

Your first few days are going to be a whirlwind and you will be exhausted after learning so much about your new position, but remember to be positive, ask questions and work hard! You’ll be a big asset to your new company in no time!

For the past few years, advancements in social media have taken the marketing world by storm. Who’s reading my blog? Who’s reading my Facebook posts? Should I even be on Twitter? Why check into places? What’s Google+?

To answer your questions, we pulled together social media statistics with the help of Arik Hanson, APR’s blog.

Why are there so many blogs? Are people reading them?

• According to Tom Webster, The Social Habit, 57 million people read and follow blogs.
• More than 12 million adults maintain a blog.

You can reach out to influential bloggers who write about topics that would interest your audience. They can help promote your services and products in their posts. However, it is important to treat bloggers like journalists — respect their time and really understand their blog’s purpose and community.

Tell me a little bit about Facebook. How can my company benefit? (Source: Tom Webster, The Social Habit)

• Facebook is used by more than half of Americans (older than 52 years old).
• One in four social media users follow brands, products or services. Eighty percent of those people said Facebook is the platform they use to follow companies.
• Twenty-five percent of social media users said Facebook is the platform that influences their buying decisions the most.

Use Facebook to help tell your company’s story. Facebook is a great place to share photos, videos or links that are relevant to your audience. Build a fan base, interact with your audience and listen to what your customers are saying.

How can 140 characters even make an impact?

• We understand. Let’s talk Twitter. According to Twitter’s blog, 200 million tweets are sent per day.
• There were 460,000 new accounts created per day in the beginning of 2011.
• Currently, the TPS (tweet per second) rate is 7,196. This record occurred during the United States vs. Japan Women’s World Cup championship game on July 17, 2011.

Twitter is basically a micro-blogging platform. Use it to share links (use a link shortener, such as bit.ly, so you can conserve characters and track your analytics), updates or even photos. It’s a great tool to spark conversation and engagement between customers or other businesses.

What platform are people using to check into my business? (Source: Dan Zarella, Hubspot)

• Fifty-five percent of mass consumers said they would check-in using Facebook places.
• Six percent of mass consumers said they would check-in using Foursquare.
• Ninety percent of “early adopters” said they would check-in using Facebook places.
• Twenty-two percent of “early adopters” said they would check-in using Foursquare.

Set up a venue on Foursquare, Facebook pages or any location-based social media platform for your business. Offer “specials” for the Mayor and other loyal customers. Allowing people to check into your business can help you understand who your audience is and why they are visiting you.

What is Google+? (Source: Stan Schroeder – Mashable.com)

• Google+ is a new social media platform that was launched just on June 28, 2011.
• It is the fastest-growing social network of all time with more than 10 million members already.
• A few key features include: Circles (friends), Spark’s (recommendations based on your interests), Hangouts (video chat), Photos and a Profile (very similar to all other profile pages).

Google+ is rapidly growing users and they are adding new features, like verified profiles for brands every day.

My company has just one social media platform. Should we be using more? (Source: Tom Webster, The Social Habit)

• Yes. Social media reaches the majority of Americans (older than 12 years old).
• Fifty-two percent of those Americans have more than one social media platform.

Using multiple social media platforms allows you to reach different audiences. Formulate a social media plan for your brand to make sure that your messaging and visual branding are consistent across every platform.

We hope this helps you understand how you can use social media to promote your brand, business or company. If you have questions, feel free to contact us, and we’ll help guide your social media efforts.

In our day-to-day life at Trilix, we all do some form of writing or designing. Today, Trilix sat down with production manager (also known as proofreading extraordinaire), Leng Vong, to gather some of her editing knowledge.

Trilix: What is your process for proofing something?
Leng: First, I prioritize the projects. Then, I look at the piece as one big picture. I ask myself, “What is the purpose of this piece?” “Who is the audience?” “What is the message trying to convey?” Once I figure out the big picture, I read over the whole piece once to look for obvious errors. Then, I make sure to look at it once more to make sure I didn’t miss anything.

Trilix: Why is proofing something so important in our business?
Leng: In our business, we are helping our clients tell their message to their audience. We need to make sure that nothing goes out of our doors with errors, typos or inconsistency.

Trilix: What advice would you give a PR professional, designer or copywriter?
Leng: I would tell them to look over their own work and double check everything. Sometimes it helps to take a step back from the project and come back to it later. Also, people need to make sure to research the client, projects and previous examples. It’s also important to know the messaging, language and tones to provide consistency.

Trilix: What are your biggest pet-peeves in proofing?
Leng: Misused hyphens, the wrong use of dashes and extra spaces!

Trilix: What error do you see the most?
Leng: I see the wrong use of dashes, extra spaces, the wrong forms of words and run on sentences the most when I proof something.

Leng’s other tips –

• Try reading the sentence backwards. It helps misspelled words stand out.
• Read one word at a time, instead of the whole sentence. This trick also helps misspelled words stand out.

Thanks, Leng! I think we can all say we learned a lot today.