Brandon Coppernoll Internet marketing, social media, web based strategy and development in Indiana

8Oct/090

Xbox Live to integrate with Facebook, Twitter and Last.fm

For months now on xbox.com there have been announcements and previews that Xbox Live was going to expand into social media. There are several features that are being included for each social network that is being integrated. It will possibly usher in a new era of social media and television, and it will be another step in how gaming and social media's inevitable marriage will one day take place.

Facebook Features:

  • Browse friends and status updates
  • Post your own status updates
  • Browse photos from your television
  • Browse friends who have Xbox Live Gamertags
  • Save, upload and share your favorite gaming moments to your Facebook account
  • Fantastic user interface

Twitter Features:

  • Reading tweets from those you follow
  • Posting tweet updates
  • Fantastic user interface

Last.fm Features:

  • Turn your Xbox 360 and television into a streaming radio station
  • Listen to and create new stations
  • Skip tracks
  • Add favorites
  • Fantastic user interface

You do not get the ability to listen to Last.fm in the background while you play, but it gives you another avenue to listen to music and turn your Xbox into a media center while you have company over.

Filed under: Social Media, Social Networking No Comments
23Sep/093

HOW TO: Measure ROI using social media for your business

A recent study indicates that 84% of social media programs don't measure ROI. That may spell doom and gloom for businesses that are considering the use of these programs, or it may discourage those that are already using these social medial communities for business and branding. I believe nearly every business can find a way to fit the social media paradigm. It may be difficult for some to find their niche, but I believe there is one for all businesses and individuals. You just need to know where to look.

It's easy to jump into social media marketing. In my opinion it may be too easy. For me it's getting much easier to locate a business or brand in a community and decipher whether or not they have a plan behind their presence. It's not to say that the plan is good or bad, but even a bad strategy is better than no strategy in most cases. At least then you're putting some forethought behind what you're doing.

What are ways to measure ROI from social media?

  • First determine how or what you want to measure (conversion forms, traffic, referrals)
  • Google Analytics is a great tool to track not only traffic but other metrics of interest
  • Include Analytics code in URLs you links to help track what program or campaign referred the traffic along with what they did next
  • In online conversion forms include a field such as "How did you hear about us?"
  • Measure, adjust and repeat.
Filed under: Business, Internet Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking 3 Comments
15Sep/094

What you need to know about Facebook's @Mentions

It's been out a few days, and I think that my friends would really like to see how Facebook's @Mentions Status Tags are used. I haven't seen too many take advantage of this new feature yet so I thought I would try to help them use it.

It’s very similar functionality to @replies on Twitter, and most folks will be pretty familiar with how it works and why you’d want to use it. Still, there are some differences to note, and some may appreciate a basic walkthough of how the new feature works.

So in short, here is a step by step on how to use this feature:

  1. Begin typing your message or status on Facebook.
  2. When you want to "tag" a friend, company, brand, artist or virtually anything start with the "@" symbol.
  3. A drop down will appear with suggestions based on what you type next. For instance starting with "@Bran" should suggest my name if I'm on your friend's list.
  4. You can select from the list or continue typing.
  5. When you're complete the "@" symbol will disappear once you've successfully created a tag, and that tag will become a link in your status.

At this time this feature is only available in status updates but not comments. Facebook has received several suggestions about making this feature available elsewhere. So give this new feature a shot. I bet you'll like it. I really do because it can direct me to new people and companies with one click by reading your status. I don't have to hunt down who you're really talking to.

Other Source: HOW TO: Use Facebook's @Mentions Status Tagging

HOW TO: Use Facebook’s @Mentions Status Tagging

Filed under: Social Media, Social Networking 4 Comments
9Sep/090

TweetDeck is expanding to embrace MySpace and more Facebook functionality

I am an avid user of TweetDeck for both work and personal use. I enjoy the consistent Twitter updates I can receive without actually visiting the Web site and breaking up the productivity level of my day. Ever since TweetDeck added Facebook updates to its capabilities a few months ago I've been an even bigger fan because now I can see what is going on in two different social media sources.

The newest version of TweetDeck (v0.30) is due out this morning. Rumor has it the biggest change will be immediately noticeable which is the flooding of new Facebook features. Now you'll be able to receive more than just status updates. You'll be able to create columns for news, photos, videos, wall posts and create groupings for your Facebook friends much like your groups from Twitter. Other Facebook features rumored to be available are page updates, groups, tags and almost anything you can do on Facebook without actually going.

The newest extension of Twitter is the Twitter Directory. You will be able to access this directory and create a new column strictly about the topic of choice based on this directory. It's a one-click pit stop of information at your fingertips.

The final major update is really for MySpace users, but I have not had a MySpace account for over two years now ever since I have embraced Facebook and Twitter. Much like the original Facebook update for TweetDeck you will get only some functionality, but I'm sure much more will be soon to follow. For starters you'll be able to monitor your friends' updates as well as post updates about yourself.

There are many other improvements being made to the Adobe Air application. Below is a list taken straight from the source of my post:

  • Drag and Drop photo sharing – Simply drag a photo to TweetDeck in order to post it on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace.
  • TweetPhoto has replaced TwitPic as the default photo sharing service.
  • Improved interface – We’ve simplified the UI to group features by service and also simplified the update window so you can simply paste or drag and drop a link into the main space and it’ll automatically be shortened and added to your tweet.
  • Minimise to tray – Adding the ability to keep TweetDeck running but minimise it to tray.  This is one of our most requested bug fixes.
  • Click on a hashtag to create a new search column and see what people are talking about immediately.
  • Add your bit.ly account details to use your own account when using bit.ly as a shortener in TweetDeck.
  • Quick Profile – Simply enter a Twitter name to view profiles in TweetDeck.
  • Better follower management – your follower list will be kept up to date over time (including removing people you no longer follow).
  • Open to non Twitter users – Users no longer require a Twitter account to use TweetDeck opening up TweetDeck to all Facebook and MySpace users.

Source: MyTwitFace: TweetDeck Adds Major Facebook and MySpace Features

* Drag and Drop photo sharing – Simply drag a photo to TweetDeck in order to post it on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace.
* TweetPhoto (TweetPhoto) has replaced TwitPic (Twitpic) as the default photo sharing service.
* Improved interface – We’ve simplified the UI to group features by service and also simplified the update window so you can simply paste or drag and drop a link into the main space and it’ll automatically be shortened and added to your tweet.
* Minimise to tray – Adding the ability to keep TweetDeck running but minimise it to tray.  This is one of our most requested bug fixes.
* Click on a hashtag to create a new search column and see what people are talking about immediately.
* Add your bit.ly account details to use your own account when using bit.ly as a shortener in TweetDeck.
* Quick Profile – Simply enter a Twitter name to view profiles in TweetDeck.
* Better follower management – your follower list will be kept up to date over time (including removing people you no longer follow).
* Open to non Twitter users – Users no longer require a Twitter account to use TweetDeck opening up TweetDeck to all Facebook and MySpace users.
Filed under: Social Media, Social Networking No Comments
8Sep/090

Every internet marketing plan needs a link strategy

I've been amazed at the increase of traffic my blog has been getting lately. I know I have been writing about this more often, but I think there are small steps that I'm taking that is making this happen. If you want to have some success at blogging and your overall social networking presence I think there are lessons to be learned. Last week I touched on 5 simple steps to improve your search engine rank, but today I want to touch on a link strategy which will also bring more attention to your blog or your site if executed properly.

The focal point of any link strategy I believe is to have a central point in which you are driving your traffic. This is important whether your are wishing to attract attention to your blog or your web site. Do not forget, however, that a link strategy and increased traffic does no good unless you have an obvious point of conversion.

A couple of benefits to a sound link strategy:

  • Exposure. Well-placed links for your target audience increases your blog or site's exposure to the right people. You don't want to place links to a site that sells children toys on a death metal band's site. I know the idea is far-fetched, but I've seen mismatches of epic proportions such as this.
  • Google. Search engines are also included in this, but this is better documented for Google. In short, Google's PageRank Algorithm measures the relevance of a site through the "weight" of links that point to it. The higher ranked the sites that link to your site, the more "weight" those sites have on giving your site "relevance" or "credibility."
All links must focus on one central point. In my case it is my blog. I don't direct to other sites just to direct back to this point. All value comes from direct interaction between domains.

All links must focus on one central point. In my case it is my blog. I don't direct to other sites just to direct back to this point. All value comes from direct interaction between domains.

I am finding to give your link strategy the most benefits from execution you must link to one central point. While it may be beneficial to let others know of your other "outposts" it's better to drive the majority of your traffic to your "home." From my blog I link back to my social networks to let my visitors know that my presence is in other places, but I must take the time to have each of the social networks I participate in link back to here because this is where I ultimately want you to be. My conversion here is interaction. If you post a comment then I know you're interacting with me at the level I wish. For your corporate or other site needs it may be to fill out a form, register or buy something. Conversion is where the rubber meets the road.

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking No Comments
5Sep/090

Have you Googled yourself? Your employers will

Social media and networking has done wonders for people on a personal level. We are able to connect to friends we haven't seen for years. There are games out that thrive on a social media community such as Facebook. We are able to post videos and photos of ourselves so our long-distance family and friends can keep up with us.

There is a dark side to social networking that people need to take notice. Whatever you do post to these communities will show up in search engines sooner or later unless you take the extra precautions to make yourself private, and if someone wants to dig deep enough to find dirt on you they probably will.

More employers are screening candidates via social networking sites and it's becoming more important to create a positive public online image. A good rule of thumb is would you want your grandmother to see what is online about you? Would you want your children to be able to see what is found online about you?

While you may view this as an invasion of privacy or "none of their business" you are in for a rude awakening. It is their business. Just as they may be doing research about their potential recruits or their current employees their customers are doing the same to them. Consider a scenario where a sales person has up to twenty photos posted to Facebook all showing a night of drinking and scandalous behavior. If a customer meets with this individual, looks them up on one of these social media sites and finds this person to be of questionable character those same thoughts could correlate to the company.

So my  question to you is "have you Googled yourself lately?" I tend to do this about once a month. I want to make sure my online public image is one that I can be proud of, and I want to be sure that my boss knows that I am out there representing the company even when I'm "off the clock" in a positive manner.

Filed under: Career, Social Media, Social Networking No Comments
4Sep/091

5 simple steps to improve your search engine rank

I don't have a degree in internet marketing. The primary portion of my day-to-day job is not to improve search engine rank. However, in my spare time I have been blogging, and quietly I've been seeing my traffic improve from only a few family members to others that are starting to find me through search and my social networks.

  1. Include your keywords in your title. This is probably the first and easiest step. Actually put what you want to be found by in the title of your page.
  2. Include your keywords in your header tags. Many web developers understand what header tags are. I have found the most important tags are <h1> and <h2> tags. These tags not only show that this portion of your content revolves around those keywords, but it also allows search engines to follow an "outline" of your content.
  3. Use keywords in your internal links. This is often one of the more overlooked strategies, but I have seen great results doing this. You'll notice most blogging software places the title of your post in a <h1> tag and a link. This is no accident. It's Woofer Time! The Anti-Twitter provides your reader and search engines insight on what the page is about and encourages both to investigate. A poor use of creating internal links is to use "click here" rather than the subject of the page in the link.
  4. Find natural ways to use keywords in your content. Do no overuse your keywords. Use them as you naturally speak to your audience. The main strategy I use is to write the post and go back and find ways I can include the keywords without trying to sound forced. If it sounds "forced" then it's probably not the right place to use them. If you can find a way to use your keywords toward the beginning of your content you may be in better shape. It is also recommended to make your keywords bold.
  5. Write for your target audience. This is perhaps the least technical advice I could probably give. You have to try to understand what your audience is looking for. It's better to pick an audience for your post and make it known to that audience rather than trying to be something to everyone.

I hope I was able to give some sound advice to those that are interested. By no means do I claim to be the best or have a full grasp of how search engines work, but I do know based on my recent success and experience what has worked for me. I have found these five steps have not only improved my search engine rank, but they have also improved my writing.

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Social Networking 1 Comment
2Sep/090

Is blog traffic more important than conversion?

I would say no. While you do want maximum exposure you should definitely want a high conversion rate. What's a conversion? A conversion can be as simple as buy now or a contact us, or a more involved point of conversion such as registration for a service or subscription. I'm not going to provide a detailed chart of traffic versus conversion, but I will try to explain my point of view quickly.

In terms of money and investing the main goal is to get a solid ROI (Return On Investment). This means if you spend $10,000 and only get a 20% ROI for the first year you only made $2,000. What this means it will take five years to get all the money you spent back before you really start reaping rewards.

Think about an event on Facebook. Let's say you create an event for a birthday party and send it to your 150 friends on your list. Only about 45 actually respond. That would be a 30% conversion rate. If you had a friends list of 300 and only 45 converted by responding to your event then your conversion rate would be 15%. You still had the same number of responses, but your pool of potentials was much larger and you probably couldn't feel as good about those results as the previous example. I know I wouldn't.

In blogging traffic is great because you have to have traffic to get conversion, but if you have no way of converting that traffic into something that makes your business money then that traffic is much like empty calories. What are some creative ways you can turn blog traffic into conversion?

Filed under: Internet Marketing, Social Networking No Comments
31Aug/090

Newspaper revenues are falling hard – time to embrace social media

The newspaper industry

The newspaper industry

Newspapers are old news. Literally. When you think about it the newspaper provides news that is a day or in some cases older. I still remember the days my older brother had a newspaper route and would go door to door collecting money. At least now the newspaper allows you to pay online or pay for a long-term subscription without that hassle. Unfortunately the one thing that's never changed is the extreme overhead costs and the old news that is brought to you daily.

When you look at the numbers of the failing business model that is the newspaper business you will find that in the second quarter of this year newspapers made $6.8 billion in print and online revenues. At the same time last year they made $9.6 billion which is a 29% decrease between 2008 and 2009.

The numbers found in the above link are staggering. Here's key points that they listed that are worthwhile:

- In Q2 2006, newspapers made $11.69 billion in print revenue and $666.9 million online , nearly identical to 2005 numbers.

- In Q2 2007, print dropped by 10% and online revenue jumped by 19.3% to reach $10.5 billion and $795 million, respectively.

- In Q2 2008 newspaper losses accelerated: 16% in print and 2.4% online. Newspapers made $8.82 billion in print and $776.5 billion online, for a total of $9.6 billion.

- Q2 2009 was simply brutal. Print revenues were $6.16 billion, a drop of 30.15% from Q2 2008, and online revenue dropped by 15.9% to $653 million. You’ll notice that newspapers made more money in Q2 2006 online than they did in Q2 2009.

The high overhead and increasing habit and desire to receive news quickly from many different sources is jeopardizing the newspaper business model. My opinion is that some newspaper organizations are starting to get it. Some have moved to the Web, but a few have gone completely online, downsized their model and run their business much more fluidly. Some newspaper companies have gone to branded community news or social journalism which allows communities to post the news under the umbrella brand of the local news.

Source: FREEFALL: Newspaper Revenues Crash By 29%

Filed under: Business, Social Media, Social Networking No Comments
28Aug/091

Social Gaming is not to be ignored

My recent post regarding social gaming especially focused on Facebook seemed to be on the right track. An article by Mashable reveals that 11 million Facebook users play Farmville every single day. Other reports suggest that social gaming is rapidly on the rise as well.

While this post primarily focuses on Farmville you cannot deny that there is something to social gaming that is making users flock to play. With 11 million users every day on Farmville it's beginning to rival the subscribed user count of World of Warcraft which has a considerably higher advertising budget and prominence in mainstream gaming.

Something I did not know but found interesting was that Farmville also came out on June 19, 2009. The size this gaming community has become in such a short amount of time is staggering. What's more is the company behind this game and others much like it are boasting an estimated $2 billion in sales last year. With how some of these games are quickly growing I am wondering where the ceiling will be. Something else I'll be waiting to see is how engrossing these games can become with improvements in coding and graphics.

Do you play any social games? If so, what games? Do you dislike these games? Let me know in the comments.

Filed under: Social Media, Social Networking 1 Comment
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