How to Ensure Your Facebook Application & Page will Crush it! 3 Tips for Advertisers

Freshness and relevance is appropriate regarding anything in social media, but are especially important for brand pages, and applications.  Even though Social Media offers a unique manner of communication with your consumer, that’s not to say it’s easy to engage said users.  Pages must have a dedicated page manager to update posts, and content.  Content management by a third partly is also strongly recommended. Full Disclosure – I work at Buddy Media which provides these services.  I fully feel they are essential if you’re to engage with your users appropriately.  Management, and tracking of these activities will place your Brand ahead of the game.

Consider this: Branded Social Media Applications or App-Vertising campaigns, deliver six times the number of impressions that traditional banner display campaigns.  SIX TIMES!  Essentially what you get as an advertiser is an accelorator.  Applications surpass banner placement on social networks.  When utilizing an appropriately designed, well thoughtout and appropriately implemented application a brand is paying almost 80% less for each engaged user than if they were to purchase display advertising on a social media network.  

1. Applications should have a fresh “hook” to them to facilitate viral growth

2. Don’t reinvent the wheel – if your current UI is loved by your users, request that your application developers replicate the look and feel

3. Give the users a reason to re-visit the application. Anything where they may be competing against friends always works. 

Tweetliers – Why Twitter Has Already Changed Marketing

Yesterday Will Akerlof posted an article on MediaPost titled “Twits: Why Twitter Won’t Change Marketing” I thought perhaps the title was a bombastic contrarian comment to suck the reader in. I was wrong. Mark feels that in a couple of years we’ll look at Twitter as

another online flash in the pan that the press and digerati got all excited about until they found the next new thing.

 Finally he compares Twitter to a Ponzi Scheme Stating:

One could argue that social networks operate like Ponzi schemes. They require rapid growth to maintain interest and draw more users. There is inevitably a point where growth is limited by the size of the potential audience and the appeal of the service. When growth slows and the shine of newness fades, the network begins to wither and die

Here’s my comment I posted

While twitter may not be the final iteration of the micro-blogging/social media sensation, the power of twitter lies in the “changing of the game”. Those that are participating in Twitter realize that they can leverage, and influence large numbers of like minded people. Ask Gary Vaynerchuk – (350,000+ followers). He owns a wine store in New Jersey, and rates wine on his online Vlog. He has the wine industry shaking, and is leveraging the power of Twitter. This type of influence is hugely impactful for marketers. To say that Twitter may be gone in a few years is possibly true, but that’s not to say that this type of social interaction will be gone along with it. This is word of mouth on steroids. If you look at it as if we were growing in the social sphere along the same line as in Maslow’s hierarchy, we have yet to come to self actualization. Twitter may take us there (obviously currently they are not), but what they are allowing people to do is to become experts, and receive esteem from their peers and to contribute in a community. Your post is well written, and obviously well thought out, but I’d recommend perhaps getting more involved in Twitter before passing judgment. I personally didn’t see the point until I fully immersed myself. Yesterday I found a solution from my followers regarding how to remove a stain from a marble counter, shared images from a car wreck on the Saw Mill Parkway to warn other travelers, and passed on a great vacation deal that lasted only 48 hours. Twitter works…for now. Ponzi schemes offer perceived reward. Twitter has already given back with human interaction and information sharing. Final thought – you should follow me @cdessi

here is Mr. Akerlof’s reply

Christopher: I appreciate the argument that I really just need to know Twitter better before I understand the value. I’ve only been using Twitter for a couple of months. I did go over to @garyvee on Twitter and in the first 3 pages of his tweets, don’t see any about Wine. It’s all random comments and a thread about his book on marketing. I think this proves my point about Twitter being an echo chamber. If the proof of Twitter’s success is that there is a man who has had success selling a book on having success using Twitter. I believe you, but I am not convinced it’s a new marketing paradigm.

I appreciate Mr. Akerlof’s contrarian view, and I commend him for sticking to his guns and offering a thoughtful, and gracious response to my comment.  I still disagree with him.  Again, I’ll state that Twitter may not be the savior here, but what it has done is shine a light on the fact that the game is changing and that marketers must evolve or die.  This instead of saying this isn’t your father’s marketing: it’s more like – this isn’t the marketing you did 2 years ago. The world has changed, Twitter is the Tipping Point.

What’s the Difference Between Widgets and Social Media Applications?

I keep hearing this question, so I thought I’d attempt to offer some brief insight:

Applications are platform-specific. (facebook or myspace). Widgets can function on any site that accepts external content. This includes social networks, blog platforms, start pages, desktop platforms personal web sites –

Widgets can function differently on different platforms. So for example a widget may not fully integrate with a specific social network, or deliver varying degrees of integration with a social network like accessing an using certain social data. The benefits of Widgets are that they encourage connectivity, self-expression or collaboration think – GAMES – TOOLS – INTERACTIVE CONTENT

Applications tap into sharing and data via a social network like facebook or myspace via friends, locations etc.

Master your Tweetabolism: How to Trim your Follow Fat

As I continue to immerse myself in Twitter I find there are some problems that have started to rear their ugly head. I’ve been lucky thus far in so much as I’ve been able to resolve said problems relatively quickly.  Currently and issue I’m encountering is how do I figure out who was really worthy of a Follow, and who’s been a lame duck, er..tweeter?

Tweetdeck has been great at letting me see the bigger picture of what’s occurring throughout the day on Twitter, tracking and monitoring certain topics that I’m interested in. For example, search for “social media” and you can view a stream of anyone that mentions Social Media in their Tweets.  I’ll check out someones profile, see if I have interest in following them, make a decision and go for it. This has worked pretty well so far, but what I’m finding is that now I’m following almost 1500 people, and I can’t really keep track of who I want to follow?

There’s a service called Tweepular that’s been a big help with “bulk un-follows”.  It’s perfect to sift through the “get rich quick” guys you may have given a knee-jerk “follow”, and want to remove from your Twitter stream.  You can check them out here: Tweepular

Happy Trimming!

1000 Twitter Followers: How Social Media is Changing the Game

Today I hit a major milestone in the life of an avid Twitterfile. I surpassed 1000 followers.  To those that don’t use Twitter this may not seem like many. They may read about such Twitterati celebrities like @aplusk, @BarackObama, @jimmyfallon, @lancearmstrong, @iamdiddy – but let’s get serious, these people were in the public eye to begin with. To hear that they have hundreds of thousands of people following them shouldn’t come as any surprise. They’re intriguing, talented people that are changing the world, entertaining the world, and breaking records. 

The reason why my 1000 landmark is monumental is because I’ve never been in the public eye.  I’ve never been a guest on a talk show. I’ve never run a country, starred in a movie , cut a rap album, played in an all-star game or crushed the Tour De France.  That’s specifically why Twitter is exploding.  I have a following. Chris Dessi, father of Talia, married to Laura, son to Patricia and Adrian.  I live in a townhouse in a sleepy little town.  I have a good education, from good schools. I’m a good guy, with good values, and a good family.  I’ve never broken a record, let a alone made one.  But for this moment, I have 1000 people that are interested in what I have to say. Now, of course this is in a micro format (only 140 characters), and I fully understand that not all of my Tweets are read by my loyal flock. What I can tell you is that I get a thrill when I find something fascinating online, Tweet it, and see people Re-Tweet it.  WOW – the power of spreading information, and passing on the good.  I even decided to start #feelgoodfriday – where you can pass on stories that make you feel good.  I tweeted it, and saw people pass on a sweet video I found on youtube.com that documented a unique wedding proposal.  This is fascinating. This is powerful. This is also.. ALMOST the pinnacle of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Self actualization will come – with the next iteration of Twitter (who knows what that company will be called). Twitter offers us the ability to fulfill this aspect of our needy little personalities. Today I’m happy that I have 1000 people listening to me. After all isn’t that what we all crave in the end? To be recognized? To be acknowledged? I see you, I’ll follow you, I’ll listen to you.  Twitter is a blast, and can be a powerful business tool. The popularity will not wane, only grow. We’re tapping into some very primal human desires in the interim.  Cool.-

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER CLICK THE ICON

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER

Why Your Business has to be on Twitter; Demographics Aren’t what you think

Recently I’ve been going a little Twitter crazy. There are a few factors involved, not the least of which is that I’m unemployed and learning about Social Media as much as I possibly can. The Twitterverse is bubbling with interesting links, updates, Tweets, and tools to grow your business online using Social Media techniques etc.  What I previously thought Twitter was all about has turned out to not be the case at all. I assumed that this would be a teen environment, and I’d be the goofy dad embarrassing his daughter while tweeting about Yankee Opening Day.  After conducting some research my hunch regarding the demographic has been confirmed.  It seems that the largest demographic according to Quantcast on Twitter is 18-34 year olds.  I think this has to do with the idea that entrepreneurs can build a community via Twitter for FREE. They don’t have to bit on Google Key Words, they don’t have to pay per click on a PPC Network. Just generate killer content, have a voice, and people will follow you. there is a strong sentiment on Twitter of shared ideas, and good behavior. Rarely do you see anyone ranting. Take a look at these numbers – I’m sure they’ll change your opinion if your still on the fence about getting your business involved with Twitter.

#FeelGoodFriday

This afternoon I thought that I’d start something different VIA Twitter. Since everyone seems so excited about FollowFriday (which is awesome), I just felt the world needs some more positive energy, so I decided to start #feelgoodfriday where you tweet out the best Feel Good story you can find. Let’s spread some positivity!!

The Internet is the Truth Machine

About 10 years ago, my Uncle recommended a book to me called the Truth Machine
 by James Halprin.

The book is science fiction and truthfully, I wasn’t so intrigued.  The book was published in 1996.  The cover reads: It Could be the Greatest Blessing or The Most Terrible Curse.  The premise of the book is that in the not so distant future a “Truth Machine” is invented.  Over the course of generations borders are secured, individuals become more intelligent because they can no longer cheat, and the reality of life is brought to light in a glaring manner.  The “base line” of truth is brought to the forefront of society. Politicians must tell the truth – wow, what a world.

Last week I attended the Web 2.0 conference in San Fran, and it hit me….the Internet has become the Truth Machine!

Let me explain: for the past however many years, brands have been been doing well online selling goods, building brand awareness etc, but we all know that CPM is dead.  Brands can no longer just broadcast online and hope to win new/loyal customers.  Facebook, Youtube. MySpace, Twitter, Digg, Stubleupon, Yelp, are dominating the interactive landscape and brands need to rethink their strategy.  Listening, engaging, and cultivating a relationship with their customer is the only manner in which brands can communicate now. If not, the ecosystem of Social Media will flesh out the “posers” cough *Skittles* cough…and make sure the brands that aren’t doing it properly are burnt at the stake in the center square.  

What Social Media has effectively created (for Brands) is a Truth Machine.  

So why are so many brands panicking, and why are guys like Gary Vaynerchuk flourishing?  Yesterday I met with my good friend Alex Baydin CEO of Performline and we both agreed, that nomatter what business a guy like Gary Vaynerchuk is in, he will be successful.  Why?  Because he is genuine.  I was lucky enough to meet Gary in person and after fawning over him for the first few minutes of our meeting I commented “I love what your about” to which Gary replied “It was good parenting”….WOW.  When was the last time you heard that?

Brands need to get back to zero, start to listen to their consumer, and actually care. They need to understand that whatever they put out there will be read commented on, blogged about, Tweeted, and Re-tweeted, digested, and then either evangelized, or destroyed. 

The Internet is the ULTIMATE Truth Machine

EXCITED TO SAY THAT FACEBOOKSHOULDHIREME.COM WAS MENTIONED IN FORTUNE.COM

This past week Jamie Varon of “Twittershouldhireme.com” fame was featured in Fortune Magazine.  While Jamie and I have spoken before (considering I’ve shamelessly copied her wonderful idea to appeal to Twitter directly for employment), I only learned of the news from one of her ecstatic “tweets” regarding the coverage.  I was obviously super excited to see that my copy cat site “Facebookshoulhireme.com” was mentioned in the article as well.   Who would have thought that I’d have to be unemployed to get a mention in Fortune.  Outstanding! Oh yeah, if you’re reading this – follow me on Twitter!  @cdessi

What Varon did next made her feel a little crazy. But then, it’s a crazy time to be looking for a job. She created a website called twittershouldhireme.com, including her resume, recommendations, and a blog tracking her quest. Within 24 hours the company contacted her. She had a lunch meeting set up at Twitter, and in the meantime got two job offers from tech companies that had noticed her site, which has even spawned imitators: googleshouldhireme.com and facebookshouldhireme.com.

Check out the full article HERE – or just click on Jamie’s image: