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To Tweet or Not to Tweet is One Question Entrepreneurs are Asking

June 18th, 2013 | Posted by admin in security | social media | Twitter - (0 Comments)

To tweet or not to tweet, that is one question that entrepreneurs everywhere are asking when it comes to social media security related to Twitter and other social networks. The recent barrage of highly publicized security breaches have businesses concerned with the benefits of networking versus the complications. The Hootsuite Blog article “The Five-Step Guide to Better Social Media Security, Step 4 – HootSuite Social Media Management” gives a basic review of some simple steps to organize a social networking strategy.

The article points out:

 “Social media management systems offer teams the ability to put in place an approval process for all social messaging. This means that two sets of eyes will see every Tweet and Facebook post before they become public, drastically reducing the likelihood of an accidental or purposefully harmful mistweet from getting through. This process also allows social media managers to edit posts for spelling errors, double check links, and generally ensure that messaging meets the company standard.”

There is no reason to fear social networking when a company handles it wisely. The first step is to develop a plan and allow only limited access by specific employees assigned to social networking. Entrepreneurs unsure of what steps to take to ensure their companies security can get help developing their social media strategy from experts like those at Arnold IT.  Their team of social media professionals help companies create genuine content that’s worth tweeting instead of questioning rather to tweet or not.

Jennifer Shockley, June 18, 2013

Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search

The Key to Social Networking Success has Been Confirmed As Strategy

June 17th, 2013 | Posted by admin in marketing | social media | Strategy - (0 Comments)

Successful businesses are enjoying the benefits of a structured social media strategy and leaving non-networkers in a cloud of dust. Why? The Social Media Today article “Case Studies of Successful Facebook Marketing” presents several different approaches to social networking via Facebook which have brought about positive results.

The article explains:

“Every day, businesses are inspired to bring creative marketing ideas to life on Facebook in ways that have a real impact on their bottom line. Many have discovered how to leverage their Facebook communities to strengthen brand loyalty and communicate directly with customers. As your company invests in the social network for marketing, advertising, and branding, it’s useful to have a few examples of what others have done with the platform. These case studies look at the goals, approaches, and results for several Facebook campaigns.”

Social media expert Tess Arnold reiterated:

“Each company involved in the case study started with clear and concise goals that they believed were achievable utilizing Facebook. The end results were somewhat astounding with goals met for all involved and even exceeded for some.”

Social networking success is within the grasp of any and all entrepreneurs who take the time to develop a targeted social media strategy with genuine content. However, with the networking realm and rules consistently being altered, there is no shame in consulting with social media professionals.  Business owners looking for strategy guidance will find the experts at Arnold IT can easily help design and implement a plan based on the overall operational needs of the company. No matter how many case studies are done… the key to social networking success will always be determined by the company’s strategy.

Jennifer Shockley, June 17, 2013

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

Diving Right In to Social Media is Not Always the Best Option

June 17th, 2013 | Posted by admin in social media | Strategy - (0 Comments)

There is a social media strategy to fit any budget but keep in mind; you get what you pay for. The Soc Med Sean article “How To Develop And Execute A Social Media Strategy For Free” explains how sometimes minimal budgets will get maximum results… but it is not often a common occurrence.

The author stated:

“If you want a social media strategy that performs, dedicate resources that will perform. Unfortunately, all to often, I get asked how to “do social media on a shoestring budget” or how to “get involved in our community with little or no investment” and the answer is generally not to even try.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying not to try social media. I’m saying not to try social media without dedicating the appropriate level of budget and resources.”

Social media expert Tess Arnold explained:

“It is possible to benefit from a limited budget social media campaign if additional time is taken in the planning. When an entrepreneur covers all the bases in the initial process there is a smaller likelihood that errors will be made in the campaign, regardless of budget.”

Social media looks easy, and it can be when entrepreneurs have a clear plan and a responsible person to generate and delegate content. The problem seems to be many businesses try the dive right in approach. The social media experts at Arnold IT can help business owners determine the best route for their company by designing and implementing a social media strategy based on the targeted needs of the business.

Jennifer Shockley, June 17, 2013

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

The Company Reputation May be at Stake but Stalking Social Media Statistics is Not a Crime

June 17th, 2013 | Posted by admin in marketing | social media | Strategy - (0 Comments)

Stalking social media statistics is not a crime… as a matter of fact, it is encouraged within one’s own company. Anyone with a head for business knows that it is important to evaluate your investments and look for ways to improve results. The Social Samosa article “Social Media Strategy Review; The Telecom Industry” paints a portrait of one major industry player who is tracking and continuing to implement improvements for multiple social media campaigns.

The article provided several examples of social media tracking:

“Tata Docomo has the largest community on Facebook for an Indian brand. With more 13 million ‘likes’, it is almost three times ahead of its nearest competitor Idea Cellular, which has close to 4.5 million people in its community. Without inside info it’s difficult to tell but a sustained strategic advertising campaign on Facebook could explain the sudden increase in fans. On Twitter, Tata Docomo again holds reign with 68k followers. However, unlike Facebook, Vodafone and Airtel have a following better than the rest. They boast of 64k and 32k followers respectively.”

For those who think the fancy graphs and print outs just look impressive, they can provide the data needed to make success saving alterations to a social media campaign. Many entrepreneurs are unfamiliar with the tracking process and that is where professional services like those offered by Arnold IT can make a difference. Their team of experts can evaluate and redesign a social networking strategy to include the most beneficial aspects possible in order to reach and exceed company goals.

Jennifer Shockley, June 17, 2013

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

Encouraging Efficiency in The Field of Social Media Marketing

June 13th, 2013 | Posted by admin in marketing | social media | Strategy - (0 Comments)

The article Managing A Social Media Marketing Team on Marketing Land refers to the utmost importance of efficiency. Although social media marketing is a relatively new field, there are many areas already ripe for improvement. Avoiding turf wars, taking inventory of resources and determining timelines and project guidelines are all touted.

The article explains:

“Dr. Barry Johnson was fond of saying that problems are to be solved, while dilemmas are to be managed. In social media marketing, we are immediately confronted by a great big hairy dilemma: social media marketing is made up of both open-ended activities and closed-ended tasks. This is a dilemma because we’re not able to report on outcomes in the early stages. Instead, we have to report on activities, which we assume will lead us to the outcomes that we’re seeking.”

Different approaches to social media marketing include Brand Maintenance, which is focused on maintaining social spaces, Influencers, which is focused on engaging with influential social media presences, Big Splash, which grabs attention through projects that are creative in nature. Techniques and tools are still changing, and at ArnoldIT the attention to context aware planning by the staff of social media specialists allows for successful implementation of social media marketing strategies.

Chelsea Kerwin, June 13, 2013

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

As Brand Pages Rise in Popularity Other Social Media Platforms Follow

June 12th, 2013 | Posted by admin in branding | marketing | social media - (0 Comments)

According to the Social Barrel article, The Most Popular Social Media Marketing Tool Now Is Brand Pages. Among advertisers spending upwards of 100,000 dollars on their annual social media marketing budgets, a dependence on branded pages is expanding. Their use of social media does not stop there, however.

The article states:

“In addition, businesses also plan on using various social media platforms to promote their content, build branded apps, and purchase ads. Targeted advertising is going to be used a lot by businesses as well, with the aim of providing relevant content to consumers based on their behavior and certain demographics.

According to the eMarketer report, however, brands are doing more than just providing targeted display advertising to relevant users. Rather, they are using social media to create content that will get users involved and engaged.”

Setting up a social media page, while always free, begins with a commitment to social media marketing that must come from the entire company. The engagement with users is of utmost importance for gathering followers as well as building a conversation.  For example, the website for Whole Foods includes a blog, a separate page for recipes and catering information and connections to local store pages. At ArnoldIT you can learn from social media experts how to best form the platform for your network.

Chelsea Kerwin, June 12, 2013

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

Social Media Marketing Spending Is on the Rise as Facebook Offers Verified Pages

June 12th, 2013 | Posted by admin in Facebook | security | social media - (0 Comments)

In the article on Brafton titled Facebook Verified Pages Bring Authenticity To Social Media Marketing, Facebook’s recently launched platform to verify pages is discussed. Facebook explains the new system as a small blue checkmark in the corner of pages that are guaranteed to be who they say they are. In a time where social media marketing spending is only rising in the U.S., consumers can rest a little easier knowing they can verify the authenticity of Facebook pages.

The article explains:

“Facebook users can learn more about verified Pages and profiles in the Help Center. Brafton recently reported on an eMarketer forecast that suggests U.S. social media marketing spend will increase 31.6 percent this year and total $4.2 billion. The addition of verified Pages may make it easier for corporations to attract online consumers to their official hubs because people will know its monitored by brands directly.”

Users who are trying to connect with celebrities, companies, big brands and government officials will now know that the Page they are visiting is endorsed and produced by the person claiming the Page. Of course this does not safeguard against hacking scandals, but at least it prevents some simple mistakes. At ArnoldIT you can learn from professional social media engineers about cleaning up your digital footprint and avoiding the risks associated with social media.

Chelsea Kerwin, June 12, 2013

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

A Guide to One Womans Success in Social Media

June 11th, 2013 | Posted by admin in marketing | social media | Strategy - (0 Comments)

The article titled The Ten Commandments of Social Media Marketing on Top Dog Social Media lists the rules that the author claims made her career a success story. The commandments are as follows: Be Consistent, Provide Significant Value, Actually Care About Your Audience, Be a Human Being Not a Corporate Robot, Be Accessible, Make It About Them Not You, Thou Shall Not Spam…Ever, Always Be Listening, Position Yourself As The Authority, Never Underestimate The Importance of Blogging.  View them on this infographic. These may not be as catchy as honor thy father and thou shalt not kill, but the article explains their importance:

“People can tell if you are using social media to promote yourself with zero interest in helping others. This turns people off and, no matter what you believe, caring about your audience cannot be faked. You need to genuinely care about your audience and show this with thoughtful, unscripted replies and by taking the opportunity to go the extra mile whenever possible. The beauty of social media is that it spotlights these encounters in a way that was never possible before, but it must be genuine.”

Some of these commandments apply to general life,  but number ten (never underestimate the power of blogging) ascribes vital benefits of blogging, such as moving up in the world of search engine optimization, more website traffic due to the promise of consistent updates, and gaining a secure grip on your online identity. Learn more about your digital footprint and taking control of your online reputation from the experts at ArnoldIT.

Chelsea Kerwin, June 11, 2013

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

The Finger That Hovers Above the Enter Key Controls the Companys Social Media Power

June 11th, 2013 | Posted by admin in branding | social media | Strategy - (0 Comments)

Whereas a few decades ago consumers depended upon the value of television to lead them to the best service and sales, now that duty falls to more modern social media. Websites and social networking platforms like Facebook now communicate more loudly to the public than any television commercial campaign. The power of advertising has been placed back in the hands of the entrepreneur and the Work Smart Mompreneurs blog “Public Relations and Social Media Strategy for Small Business” reminds businesses it is their time to excel.

The article stated:

“As a brand, you are no longer beholden to the journalist who may happen to stumble upon your press release as the needle in the hay stack. With the popularity of social media (including blogs) you are now the media that has the power to share a message with the audience that is following you. With an intelligent and well-crafted public relations social strategy, you now have the ability to not only create an amazing product or service that generates revenue while building your business, you can write the story that gets shared across multiple platforms and news outlets.”

Social media expert Tess Arnold explained:

“Entrepreneurs must determine their audience and then create and integrate a campaign revolving around the needs of those consumers, complimenting their product or service. It sounds simple, but it takes time, consideration and intense planning.”

The finger that hovers above the ‘enter’ key holds the power to a company’s social media future, so choose your representative wisely. Just like a bad commercial on television, a poorly planned comment can be re-tweeted and reposted as a permanent fixture online. A good place to start for entrepreneurs ready embrace the power of the enter key would be the social media professionals at Arnold IT. Their experts know how to custom fit a strategy towards the needs and goals a company has established.

Jennifer Shockley, June 11, 2013

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

The Book How to Disappear Will Help You Start A New Life

June 10th, 2013 | Posted by admin in Digital Footprint | Privacy | social media - (0 Comments)

The book How to Disappear: Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails, and Vanish Without A Trace by Frank Ahearn and Eileen Horan has made quite a splash. A guide to disappearing from the face of the earth has people rethinking their social media choices. Frank Ahearn began his career as a bounty hunter, tracking down people who were trying to disappear. He was even the person to hunt down one Monica Lewinsky before the scandal even broke. Amazon’s peek into the book reveals:

“An indispensable resource not just for those determined to be anonymous, but for almost anyone in the brave new world of online information, How to Disappear sums up Ahearn’s dual philosophy: Don’t break the law, but know how to protect yourself.”

The book opens with Ahearn eavesdropping on a man nervously purchasing privacy books and travel books with a credit card. The interaction leads to the epiphany that Ahearn’s body of knowledge on disappearing might be very useful to certain people. With the help of his business partner Eileen Horan, the book became a reality.  If you are more interested in erasing your digital footprint than your actual life, visit ArnoldIT, where professionals can offer guidance and even aid in reducing your digital footprint and improving your online reputation.

Chelsea Kerwin, June 10, 2013

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