Ello is the latest in the line of social networks that had its moment in the spotlight, but is already drifting into obscurity. Perhaps I’m being premature, after all Ello isn’t even out of beta yet. But in my opinion Ello had a chance to shine and they let it slip away. 1. Ello Didn’t…
For years, one of the greatest draws of social media was a “free” way for brands to promote their products and services. With Facebook leading the way to a pay-to-pay model and the fact that every social platform has advertising options, the days of free social media are long over. Surprisingly, that may not be…
In the Guiding Light blog, we talk a lot about social media strategy, but true social media is about connecting on a personal level, which is why it makes such a difference for non-profit organizations. In honor of #GivingTuesday I asked Jake Lloyd, the Communications Manager at DC Scores, to talk about why social media…
One of the biggest challenges for businesses using social media is figuring out what the heck to talk about. You want to be relevant, and participating in trending conversations can help you connect with your audience. Step it up a notch by offering a unique perspective on the topic and you’ll see your engagement soar.…
Raise your hand if you think that a social media strategy and a content strategy are the same thing. I’ve heard a bunch of people use the terms interchangeably, but a content strategy, is only a piece of your larger social media strategy. When planning your social media strategy you should be thinking about everything…
I’m often asked questions about the value and ROI of social media. It can be difficult to define the value of a relationship, but Kelly Leonard has a fantastic story about the value of relationships. I asked her to be a Guiding Light guest and share her story about realizing the value of LinkedIn. Mom…
Want to know the secrets to blogging success? Me too! Just kidding. The secrets are contained in some of my blogging rules below, but really, a successful blog is one that is useful, relevant, and interesting for your target market, whoever they are. Read on for my tried-and-true tips that will take your blog from…
There’s many a marketing manager out there that seems to live and die by their brand’s sentiment on social media. Social media sentiment can be useful metric to take a quick pulse check, but to use sentiment effectively you have to understand the context through which it is measured. I’d wager a guess that many…
It may sound crazy to be talking about something as stuffy as etiquette around social media, but each platform has its own rules of conduct that you must follow to be accepted in the community. Except on LinkedIn where good social conduct remains a bit undefined. Perhaps it’s because for the first few years LinkedIn…
I am a member of a fantastic group for women in business called Her Corner. Along with other resources, this group has a very active online forum, on which someone recently asked what do you do about people who come to your Facebook page and advertise their own services? This is a totally valid question,…
If it feels like #ThrowbackThursday to talk about Foursquare, it may surprise you to know that the platform is not only still around, but evolving. After emerging in 2009 Foursquare had its moment of social media glory, but even after five years its user base remains relatively small at 45 million (roughly the size of…
Let’s get some of the basics out of the way early. If you’re asking yourself: Does my company really need to be on social media? The short answer is yes. BUT there are so many ways to answer this question and things to consider. First off, if your definition of social media is Facebook, then…