Brands Face Stream Fatigue as Consumers Look Beyond Gimmicks in Social Networks

“The mystique of Twitter, Facebook and Google+ causes a momentary lapse of reason where businesses are surprisingly acting first and addressing “the why” at a later point in time, if at all. Without careful consideration and strategy, a great wave of stream fatigue, social blindness or far worse, customer unlikes and unfollows in will befall unsuspecting businesses en masse in social media. It will come down to a vital, but fixable disconnect. Businesses are interacting with consumers to socialize rather than learn about customer expectations to in turn, deliver tangible value, improve product experiences, and invest in long-term relationships.”

See the full article at:  http://www.briansolis.com/2012/02/brands-face-stream-fatigue-as-consumers-look-beyond-gimmicks-in-social-networks/

5 ways PR can lead to new business

1. Generate inbound links

2. Publish your own press releases

3. Share customer success stories

4. Use social media

5. Include CTAs

View the full article at:  http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/44421.aspx

Is social networking making us all lazy?

“I am certainly guilty of falling into the social networking trap. I have had a Facebook page for several years as well as a twitter account. Recently however, I have come to question the value of them and wondered how much time it has taken away from well….being truly social. I also wonder how lazy it has made us in relationships or in particular, our daily lives. We most certainly found other interests before these things took over.’

View the full article at:  http://www.chicagonow.com/when-you-put-it-that-way/2012/02/is-social-networking-making-us-all-lazy/

Infographic: How the top 50 nonprofits do social media

See the full article at:  http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/Infographic_How_the_top_50_nonprofits_do_social_me_9809.aspx

Social media fuels boost in empathy among teenagers

“So you think social media is making us all a bunch of selfish egomaniacs. 

A new study suggests otherwise—among teenagers, no less. 

The Word Vision study (conducted by Harris Interactive) found that 55 percent of teens say social media sites like Facebook and Twitter have made them more aware of the needs of others. It marks an increase from last year when just 44 percent said social media makes them more aware. More than 500 teenagers, ages 13 to 17, took part in the study in January. 

The findings make sense. Teens have taken to social media channels to speak out against bullying, teen suicide, and more. Another recent study of teenagers’ communication habits said they use Facebook “emotionally.” 

The Huffington Post points out that nonprofits are taking notice and incorporating fundraising tools into their social media channels. According to USA Today, nonprofits that combined social media with traditional methods saw a 40 percent boost in fundraising.”

See the full article at:  http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10883.aspx

10 sports teams doing social media right

“If you wonder how much impact social media has on sports, consider two of the most tweeted events in recent history:  Japan’s victory over Denmark in the World Cup (3,200+ tweets per second), and this year’s Super Bowl (4,000+ tweets per second).   In the last few years, professional sports teams from around the world have tapped social media as a new way to connect with fans, allowing them to share the same enthusiasm and team spirit on Facebook that they do courtside.  But what teams are hitting it out of the park when it comes to their social media presence?  Take a look at ten teams who are doing it right.”

Sports are enjoyed worldwide with nearly religious fervor. Social media is only making it that much easier for fans and teams to connect. Here’s our list of ten teams doing social media right:

•   Manchester United
•   FC Barcelona
•   LA Lakers
•   Vancouver Canucks
•   Green Bay Packers
•   Japan Women’s National Soccer Team (Nadeshiko Japan)
•   Dallas Cowboys
•   Montreal Canadiens
•   St. Louis Cardinals
•   New England Patriots

To view the full article go to:  http://blog.marketwire.com/2011/11/07/10-sports-teams-doing-social-media-right-2/

Twitter winners: 10 deeply engaged brands

“There’s little question that for many companies, Twitter is good for business.  With more than 300 million user accounts and about 13% of online adults in the U.S. using Twitter there is increasing potential for companies to build relationships with customers, increase brand awareness and drive revenue.  Twitter has become a hotspot for social media-savvy brands, and the best-of-the-best use creativity and a customer-centric focus to engage their audiences and cultivate true brand ambassadors.  But for a brand to truly succeed on Twitter, they must look beyond the number of followers and retweets, and instead focus on the level of engagement they have with the stakeholders who can – and do – impact their bottom line.  Take a look at ten brands that are doing it right.”

• Cisco Systems
• The NBA
• Mashable
• E! Online
• Breaking News Worldwide
• Whole Foods Market
• Etsy
• Ustream Video
• Lennar Homebuilder
• Solazyme

To view the entire article go to:  http://blog.marketwire.com/2011/11/21/twitter-winners-10-deeply-engaged-brands/

10 top global PR agency Facebook pages

“With its highly engaging environment and 800 million-plus user base, Facebook represents unlimited opportunity for companies looking to establish brand presence and develop long-standing relationships with customers and fans.  Many public relations and marketing professionals have found success in building communities around their brands (and their clients’ brands) and adapted their communication strategies to be more “Facebook-friendly.”  In this week’s Pulse, see if you can glean some tips from these world PR agency leaders who also lead in connecting, contributing and communicating online. We think you’ll find plenty to learn from here, and even more to ‘like.’”

Here’s who made the cut in our list of “10 top global PR agency Facebook pages.”

• MSL Group
• Edelman
• Grayling
• Dentsu Public Relations
• FSB Communications
• ICF International
• Scholz & Friends
• Llorente & Cuenca
• Professional Public Relations
• Weber Shandwick
• Bonus!  National Public Relations

To view the full article go to:  http://blog.marketwire.com/2011/10/24/10-top-global-pr-agency-facebook-pages/

10 Social Media Meccas: Where to Get Connected Worldwide

“When it comes to social media usage around the globe, the stats, trends, and “did-you-knows” are seemingly infinite.  A lot of surveys have been conducted to determine the most socially connected cities based on numbers alone, so we did things a bit differently:  we identified international cities that personify the social way of life in their own unique ways.  We’ll take you to London, the city with the most Twitter users worldwide, and to Seoul, whose broadband penetration rate of 83 percent is nothing short of astonishing.  And you’ll learn which US city is the best for online dating and where you’d likely get the best salary as a social media manager.”

Top10 social media “meccas”: London, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, Toronto, Boston, San Francisco, Bangalore, Paris, Jakarta, and Washington, D.C.

To view the entire article go to:  http://blog.marketwire.com/2011/09/13/10-social-media-meccas-where-to-get-connected-worldwide/

10 leading socially engaged nonprofits

“Positive word of mouth and brand advocacy are important to any organization.  But for nonprofits, groups that are typically challenged by strict budgets, limited human resources and government regulations, word-of-mouth and advocacy marketing are key strategies.  Enter social media and the abundance of wide-open channels (most of them free to use) and communities of socially and ethically conscious millions.  For many nonprofits, the opportunity to identify and tap into groups of like-minded citizens helps the organization not only share its mission and mandate, but use the common collective of fans and followers to spread those messages far(ther) and wide(r).   Let’s look at ten nonprofits doing just that.”

• The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
• CARE USA (care.org)
• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• The Sierra Club
• MoveOn.org
• World Vision
• The Smithsonian Institute
• Grassroot Soccer
• The Red Cross

To view the entire article go to:  http://blog.marketwire.com/2012/02/09/10-leading-socially-engaged-nonprofits/