The article Why Social Media Engagement Trumps Social Media Strategy on Ronell Smith argues that the war for getting Facebook Likes has missed the point entirely. Some companies offer discounts and deals for Likes, while others just seem to barrage Facebook with marketing posts to gather up some Likes that yield…nothing.

The article explains:

“If everyone is doing it, there must be great value in it, right? So now everyone is on the bandwagon in a blatant attempt to get more “Likes.” What’s lost in all the hype is that most of those “Likes” are totally worthless.

Why? Most fans never return to a page once they’ve “Liked” it, says writer Brian Carter, who found that “The average page post is only reaching 17 percent of the page’s fans.”

Smith promotes that engagement trumps blatant marketing because the inherent neediness of getting people to like you on social media (as in real life) often leads to people disliking you. Instead, attempt to mix marketing with value posts that encourage conversation and authentic community. But any social media strategy should begin with getting advice from social media professionals. The experts at ArnoldIT will develop a personalized platform of social networking tailored to fit all different types of entrepreneurs.

Chelsea Kerwin, May 31, 2013

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The aptly named Facebook is the reigning face of social media, but that might be starting to change. Smart entrepreneurs are beginning to give the competition more notice and the Cox Business Blue article “Developing a Social Media Strategy Means More Than Just Facebook” points out some of the Facebook alternatives being recognized and utilized by increasingly successful businesses everywhere.

The article advises six methods to improve a social strategy:

“*Social media dashboards can help with cross-posting.                

*Multimedia content is more engaging. Why post text when you can use photos and video to make your content more attractive to consumers?                    

*Wikis can provide links to important resources
*Websites can handle customer service interaction; build a social media interface for customer service as well.                                                       

*Consumers can form communities together, you’ll foster a greater sense of community centered around your product.                              

*Analytics show you the big picture.

According to Forbes, every marketing activity needs to have a result, and there are always resources out there for measuring that result.”

Strategic moves are pointless if one is unsure how to coordinate them with relevant content. When it comes to combining methods, the consultation of a social media professional can be a viable step to take for success. Experts like those at Arnold IT can develop a plan to combine old and new strategies, utilizing the right number of platforms to help a company reach their desired goals and continue to thrive into the future.

Jennifer Shockley, April 22, 2013

If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville

Facebook is not going anywhere but some of its users are. The Media Bistro article “How Will ‘Facebook Fatigue’ Affect Social Media Strategy for 2013?” explains how some social media enthusiasts are taking a break from the site due to a lack of time, lack of content and/or redundant content.

The fact that Facebook users are taking a hiatus due to lackluster content should say a lot to advertisers. Companies that have been hearing virtual crickets chirping amongst their inner circles need to re-evaluate their social media strategy.

The article states:

“It’s very true that Facebook is already old hat but it still draws millions of valuable eyes–and a memorable campaign will stick in customers’ heads like a dumb Miley Cyrus song. Customers are considerably more likely to remember a company’s status update than a clever line from a book they just read and most who “like” your brand will still remember relevant activity. Just make sure that your carefully chosen updates are truly valuable, or users will quickly tune you out.”

Businesses yearning for success can easily become a virtual hot spot just by changing their plan. Social media maestros, like those at Arnold IT can help companies create and implement a pied piper’s campaign that ignites the interest of targeted consumers. The right tune will have prodigal customers wandering back towards the company Facebook in no time.

Jennifer Shockley, February 18, 2013

If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville

Liking, Sharing, Friending—all those activities that create the network of connections that is Web 2.0—they can be more than just social. They can bring together the collective knowledge of thousands of individuals and have a powerful impact on the world.

One such story recently surfaced on Facebook. Camille Bautista reported on it for Mashable in the article “Woman Finds Birth Parents Through Viral Facebook Photo.”

21 year old Utah adoptee Jenessa Simons had been searching for her birth parents since she turned 18. During the 3-year wait before she could submit paperwork to the state, she decided to try Facebook, inspired by numerous pages dedicated to adoptee/birthparent searches:

“Her photo included what little information she knew: her birthday, hospital, parents’ dates of birth and contact information. They were 16 at the time, and they named her Whitney. The image spread quickly, with more than 14,000 likes and 160,763 shares at time of writing.”

That last sentence is the one that stops me.  If you assume Simons was a fairly average Facebook user for her age, with maybe 600 or so Friends, well, look at the reach of that network. In less than a week, she had the connections and contact information she had been waiting for.

If your social media isn’t bringing you results like Jenessa Simons’, consider using the services of a social media strategist like ArnoldIT to make the power of connection work for your business.

Laura Abrahamsen, February 12, 2013

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There is an increasing possibility that, thanks to social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, what happens at work will no longer stay at work. The ease and convenience of posting social media communications is affecting companies more every day and according to PR Wire’s press release “Australian Businesses Face Increasing Social Media Risks”, in some cases the impact could be problematic.

A socially savvy, but disgruntled, employee may choose to vilify an employer publicly over just about anything. Fortunately, there are some steps available to prevent your company from becoming a Twitter villain overnight:

“Social media is significantly impacting day-to-day business operations and workplace relations in ways that are legally complex and difficult to control. Implementing a social media policy alone will not mitigate an employer’s risk. To be effective a social media policy must be part of a coordinated and properly documented corporate governance and human resources management strategy, that not only includes documented policies and procedures, but also an internal training program and robust record keeping procedures.”

It takes more than reading a generic ‘self-help for the perspective social engineer’ handbook to create a successful social media campaign… or combat one. Professional social media experts like Arnold IT can prevent future vilification by helping businesses locate and eliminate their social engineering vulnerabilities along with developing and implementing a beneficial remediation plan.

Jennifer Shockley, February 05, 2013

If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville