5 Reasons For Starting An E-Newsletter

Below is a blog post I wrote for October 17 Media. You can view the original article here.

E-newsletters, while an old “go to”, is still a great investment. We know what you’re thinking: doesn’t e-newsletters = spam? If you’re mindful and strategic about how often to send them out and what type of content you include, then no! In fact, they are a great way for you to connect with your customers directly and regularly, through a channel they are already invested in: their inbox.

Here are 5 reasons why you should start an e-newsletter:

1. Your customers are already interested. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have signed up! E-newsletter subscribers are more likely to convert because they already care enough to want to know more. That’s a great start!
    
2. It’s a real-time reminder. It’s possible to miss updates on social media. How often have you bookmarked a contest or promotion only to forget about it? E-newsletters provide real-time reminders to your already-interested audience.
    
3. It adds to your brand value. Your website is not always enough to showcase your expertise. An e-newsletter is a great way to share articles, tips and advice that are relevant and time-sensitive (ex. holidays).
    
4. Gateway to your online channels. Ideally, your e-newsletter links back to your website and social media pages. It is one of the best places to list down your online properties because readers are already invested in you.
    
5. Shareability. E-Newsletters go to your customers’ inbox, which makes it easy for them to forward it to friends and family who they think might be interested. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, sharing is direct and  personal.

 We hope we’ve convinced some of you about the importance of having an e-newsletter! Have questions or want to learn more? Drop us a comment below! 

xoxo
Mae

#Hashtag Dos and Don'ts

In light of recent rumors that Facebook may incorporate the infamous hashtag to its growing list of features, today's post will be about--you got it--hashtags!

Before we delve into the dos and don'ts, here is a quick background:

A hashtag is basically anything with a # before it. For example, #forexample. According to Twitter, it is a way to organize conversations and search for topics more easily. Although Twitter is responsible for making it the cultural icon it is today, the hashtag actually originated from online chat rooms even before Twitter was created.

So yeah.

#Hashtag          Notahashtag

On to dos and don'ts.

DO

• Use them on sites where the hashtags function is enabled, such as on Twitter, Pinterest and Instgram, to name a few.
• A bit of research before creating your "own" hashtag to maintain consistency. For instance, established TV shows or events often have an "official" hashtag.

• Use hashtags that others will also likely use or search for (remember it's a content organization tool). Single words are the most common, although popular phrases, figures of speech or terms work too. Example, #yourewelcome, #firstworldproblems, #ohnoyoudidnt.
• Capitalize letters if needed. Case in point: #susanalbumparty vs. #SusanAlbumParty.

DON'T

• Use them on sites that don't support the function, unless it's part of the humour. Hashtags are quickly becoming to go-to solution for the "how to express sarcasm through text" problem.

• Use hashtags that have nothing to do with what you're talking about. Not only is it annoying and confusing, it can even get you in trouble!
• Have too many in one post. Twitter recommends 2 max, otherwise people won't bother reading the message.

• Separate terms that don't need to be separated. For example, #socialmedia is likely more searchable and relevant than #social #media.

There you go! Any more you want to add? Drop a comment below!

xoxo
Mae

How to Choose the Right Social Media Platform

Below is a blog post I wrote for October 17 Media. You can view the original article here.

Choosing which platforms to join is the classic question businesses ask themselves when they decide to enter the realm of social media.

Facebook? Twitter? YouTube? LinkedIn? Pinterest? Instagram? This is just the beginning of a long list of networks which is growing longer as we speak.

 

You only need to look at 3 points to know the answer: 

1. Objectives Is your goal to drive website traffic? Increase sales? Create a forum for customers to interact and share their brand experiences? 
2. Available Resources Do you have an in-house social media manager or will you be outsourcing? What’s your budget and availability? Remember, no account is better than an inactive account! 
3. Target Market Who are they? Where are they most likely spending their time online?

Here are some general guidelines when it comes to choosing the right platform:

• Facebook is about connecting with people. We don’t go to Facebook for news, but to participate in conversations. Are your updates worth talking about? 
• Twitter is mainly an information resource. It’s a great place to announce updates and share other industry leaders’ content.
• YouTube should only be used if you plan to upload new videos regularly. If you only have a few videos, consider uploading them to Facebook instead. 
• LinkedIn is about widening your professional network. Is your brand B2B? Are you B2C, but heavily dependent on suppliers or certain groups to thrive. 
• Pinterest users are not interested in socializing or updates. They are looking for inspiration on what to buy/try, tips and tutorials. If you can't offer these regularly, don't join. 
• Instagram is a mobile app only available for Apple and Android users. Thus, it is only worth investing in if your customers are active mobile users. 

We hope these guidelines help! If you have more questions or want our professional opinion about your brand, give us a shout! We provide free social media audits, followed by a proposal if you’d like to take the relationship one step further!

xoxo
Mae 

Don't Duplicate, Recreate! (Facebook & Twitter Posts)

For business pages, syncing Facebook and Twitter posts is terrible practice. Posting the same content is fine – but literally duplicating the copy and messaging is not. 

By “content” I mean the topic or subject matter of your post, while by “copy and messaging” I mean actual words used and how the message is framed (phrase vs sentence, question vs statement, etc).

Why Can't We Duplicate?

Different Character Count

Twitter’s 140 limit forces you to be concise. This may mean sacrificing details (replaced by “Learn More” + link) or proper sentence structure (use of abbreviations or slang). This may look okay on Twitter, but robotic and auto-generated on Facebook.

Why waste Facebook’s 63,206 character limit? Inversely, posting from Facebook to Twitter results in fragmented and incomplete sentences.

 

Different Audience

Your Facebook fans and Twitter followers could be completely different. Some may add you on Facebook only and some may add you on Twitter only. This is because they are looking for different things.

Facebook fans are more likely to comment and discuss their thoughts and experiences with fellow fans, while Twitter followers are more likely to look for quick news snippets or updates. A Facebook user might Share a post so his/her friends will also Like it or join the conversation, while a Twitter user might Retweet a post because he/she feels it is worth sharing (but not necessarily worth discussing).

Different Format: Hashtags and Images

The infamous Twitter hashtag serves absolutely no purpose on Facebook but to annoy fans (there are Facebook pages about it here, here and here). Your friends may forgive you for desecrating their sacred walls with your blasphemous hashtags, but the same probably can’t be said for your clients!

Alternately, one of Facebook’s best features is the ability to attach images and link previews to status updates. Twitter does these too but only if you post directly from Twitter. Even then, users must click “View Photo” to see the image or preview. Thus, image sharing may not be the best idea for Twitter.

Instead, Rewrite (or Recreate) Your Posts to Fit the Platform

Facebook 

1. Utilize the space provided and provide as much info as you can without going over 400 characters (otherwise, fans have to click “See More” to read the rest). 
2. Ask for feedback, questions, comments, etc. explicitly. Example: Facebook just launched a new feature! [link]. What do you think of  it? Share your thoughts below!
3. Use images

Twitter

1. Make sure everything, including your URL, fits into the 140 character limit. Link shorteners such as bit.ly and TinyURL are your friends.  
2. Avoid questions and opt for declarative, imperative (commands) or exclamatory sentences. Example: Facebook Launches New Feature. [link]
3. Use hashtags. That way, non-fans can still find you.

There are tons more tips on how to recreate your content to fit Facebook and Twitter respectively, but these are the most important, basic ones. Have questions or want to share your thoughts? Drop a comment below!

Til then,
Mae

I (and my iPhone) are Back!

Has it been 5 months? Whoa! I've obviously been busy--but that's not why you're here so let's get to it!

One of the biggest things that happened to me since I last blogged was getting an iPhone (4S if you're curious). I initially thought of buying one when I realized managing several Facebook pages was too difficult on my Blackberry. My plan didn't include 3G (the horror) and I had yet to find a good Pages app for it. Little did I know that these would only be the tip of the smartphone iceberg.

Facebook

I don't remember much about Facebook for Blackberry, but that itself is a testament to how awful it was. Now, I can barely get off it. That you can occasionally check your business pages without having to log into the Pages app is just an added bonus!

Mail

I don't care how adamantly people argue that checking mail is better on a Blackberry. I could never figure out how to use it on mine. The set-up and learning process was insanely easy on the iPhone, and typing with a touchscreen is not as awful as people claimed.

Maps

Pre-iPhone days, I would Google Map my destination on my laptop, take photos of it with my Blackberry, then clumsily attempt to decipher it during my commute. With Maps, I can do it in real-time and there's even a dot to show where you are! That's some Marauder's Map sorcery right there!

Instagram

Because Blackberry is sad and is not supported by Instagram, I always felt like a fraud every time I recommended it to a client. Now I'm a regular user and love being part of the community.

Games

Pretty much ANY game with a social component is not compatible with a Blackberry (Draw Something and Letterpress being my favorites). Even non-social games like Fruit Ninja and silly apps like I Made Face aren't available. I do, however, recall playing Sudoku a lot.

I could go on forever. You must be laughing at how late I am, but the truth is--and I am talking to the remaining Blackberry users out there--you think you can live without all these features (and technically you can) but why deprive yourself? I'll be honest: my new-found obsession may have sort-of kind-of influenced my lack of blogging of late.

I'll stop here lest I start sounding like an iPhone advert. Legit social media-related posts to come starting next week!

Til then,
Mae

What Makes a Video Viral? Ask Redbull.

It's official: at 8 million concurrent live streams, "Felix Jumps At 128k feet!" has broken the record for “live stream with the most concurrent views ever on YouTube."



In light of this record-breaking news, I ask the age-old (or rather, 7-year-old as YouTube was founded in 2005) question: how do you make a video go viral?

The answer is both simple and improbable: create something uniquely amazing. (I know. Vague).

Take a look at the top 3 viral videos to date:
1. KONY 2012 (100 million views in 6 days).
2. Susan Boyle: Britain's Got Talent (100 million views in 9 days).
3. Friday by Rebecca Black (100 million views in 45 days).

Notice that none of them are particularly short, humorous (not intentionally) or include a cute animal; three characteristics we generally believe will lead to viral success. Instead, the common denominator is that they are all unique and "amazing".

For KONY, it's the message and the execution; for Boyle, the unexpected talent; and for Friday, it's the mere fact that something so mediocre got green-lit to be an official music video at all.

What does this mean for brands? It means you can put a shit-ton of money towards ads, promoted posts, bloggers and more, but it won't work unless you've got something uniquely amazing to show. This is why sequels don't tend to do as well (think KONY: Part II or Old Spice's follow-up commercials).

Red Bull hit the jackpot with Felix's space-jumping video. They created something uniquely amazing, branded it, and it worked.

Til then,
Mae

Related links:
http://www.redbullstratos.com/technology/

The Heresy of Dr. Pepper

I love online debates, especially if it's about something I care about. I'm not an active participant myself, but every now and then I think a good topic deserves its own blog post (see: KONY 2012 and 20 Reasons Why...).

Last Thursday, Dr. Pepper posted this image on their Facebook page:

Evolution of Flavor (Image credit: Dr. Pepper Facebook page)

Unsurprisingly, the ad ignited the age-old argument: evolution versus creation. Many have threatened to boycott Dr. Pepper for "perpetuating a false theory" because obviously, ads are only allowed to show fact (not that evolution can't be a fact). For example, when I drink Red Bull, I grow wings; all Coca-Cola vending machines have little Happiness Factories inside them; and Skittles really do spring from rainbows.

Now I understand the concern of religious groups over serious matters such as pro-life versus pro-choice, but there really is no need to go apeshit over a Dr. Pepper ad (pun intended).

I'm still trying to decide what's more ridiculous: this or the Archie Comics gay-marriage thing from earlier this year. The only thing that came out of that ordeal was the discovery that One Million Moms, the organization actively protesting against it, only has about 40,000 members -- and I'm pretty sure Dr. Pepper will come out just as unscathed.

What do you guys think? Is Dr. Pepper a heretic? Should they remove the ad?

xoxo,
Mae

Related links:
Dr Pepper Facebook Ad Ignites Evolution Debate
Dr. Pepper 'Evolution Of Flavor' Ad Sparks Backlash From Christians On Facebook (PHOTOS) 

Facebook Pages & the 2012 Olympics

Today's blog was supposed to feature Olympic-themed cover photos, but while I was doing research, I discovered something amazing.

Facebook Pages

https://www.facebook.com/pages

Someone explain to me how I missed this. As a person who prides herself in staying up-to-date with the latest social media scoop, I'm feeling pretty ashamed right now.

If you haven't figured it out from the screenshot, Facebook Pages is basically a library of all..well...Facebook pages. You can filter results using the categories in the menu bar and Like/Unlike a page by simply clicking the thumbnail. To think, I used to go through my pages from my profile and Like/Unlike them manually. Gosh Mae, you are so 2011!

Anyway, I'm not going delve too much into it because what I really want to talk about is the branded Olympics tab, strategically incorporated into the category menu.

Pages/Olympics

https://www.facebook.com/pages/olympics

The Olympics page acts as an archive of all official Olympics-related accounts, from the 2 official pages: The Olympic Games and London 2012, to a complete list of Athletes, Teams, Sports, TV Networks and Partners.

It may not have the same impact, but I can already see some of the larger global brands imitating this strategy in the future. Imagine how a company like P&G could use something like this to its advantage, with the hundreds of brands under its umbrella! It would be a great way to celebrate milestones such as a 175th or 200th anniversary.

Whoever is in charge of the Olympics' digital marketing strategy, kudos for executing such a simple, yet effective idea that capitalizes on Timeline's new functionalities. No gimmicks, no contests, no fan-gating -- all they did was give people what they want. And with Facebook being the biggest global network and the Olympics being the biggest global event, I can't think of a better partnership.

Til then,
Mae

The Internet is in Session!

It's amazing how quickly people move on online. Last night, my Twitter feed was clogged with fans praising Christian Bale for being a "real life hero." I'm sure you've heard about last week's mass shooting in the The Dark Knight Rises Colorado premiere by now. An online campaign urged Bale to visit the victims, which he did yesterday afternoon.

That was old news by the time I woke up this morning. Kirsten Stewart had just issued a formal apology for cheating on Robert Pattinson with her Snow White & the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders. Out were the "what a guy!" comments and in were the "once a cheater, always a cheater" cracks.

It's like high school all over again, except in cyberspace and with the entire world. Brands, celebs, even regular people -- there's no escaping the watchful eyes of the net. Here are a few things that make the Internet like high school: 

Gossip

Doesn't matter if it's fact, rumour or theory. Netizens love good gossip. No surprise here, given that the web's #1 selling point is real-time reporting. One semi-interesting Tweet is all it takes.

Bullying

The people insisting that the kids from the bus monitor bullying incident should be whipped and sent to juvi need to get off their high horses. How many of the same folks have Liked, shared or laughed at a Justin Bieber or Twilight meme? On- or offline, bullying is bullying. 

Cliques

You've got your social network addicts (guilty), gamers, lurkers, trolls, online shoppers, love seekers, etc. Not exactly the high school cliques we know and love, but it's the same principle (or principal. Get it? Haha. Okay no). 

Grades

Thought you left grades behind when you graduated? Think again. With metrics like Klout, Kred, fans, followers, views, shares, Likes and mentions to name a few, I wouldn't be surprised if online profiles included a "Report Card" section in the future.

 ____

I'm sure there's more, but these are the ones off the top of my head. It just goes to show: we may have graduated high school, but there is no escape from Internet High.

Til then,
Mae

If Content is King, then Quality is Queen

Online marketers, copywriters and bloggers: If we got a dollar for every time we see or hear the phrase "content is king!" then we'd all probably be billionaires, so freaking bad.

True. All the money and best advertising in the world would lead nowhere if you've got nothing (or crap) to offer. However, if Content is King, then I crown Quality Queen. You'd be surprised at how much good content there actually is on the web -- it's just that its packaged so badly that we tend to miss it.

Let's take YouTube celebrity Michelle Phan, for example. What makes her makeup tutorials "better" than the thousands out there? She has great content for sure, but so do a lot of others. What makes her stand out? What made Lancome hand-pick her to be their first-ever online brand ambassador?

http://www.youtube.com/user/michellephan

The answer is quality. Her videos are well-lit and well-edited, with clear step-by-step instructions. Her commentary is friendly, useful and straight-to-the-point, and she always includes a complete product list and related links in the description. With all the low-quality user-generated videos out there, hers are truly a breath of fresh air!

As the Internet grows denser every second, I really do believe that quality has made its place alongside content when it comes to gaining and retaining followers. It's sort of like chess. To stay in the game, you need the King. To survive in the competitive online landscape, you need content. No King, no game. No content, no presence.

The Queen, on the other hand, is the driving force that defeats the competition and ensures that the King stays alive. Likewise, quality (whether in the form of a sleek website design, catchy copywriting, or well-edited videos like Michelle's) may be the deciding factor that makes users choose you over your competitors and ensures your content gets the attention it deserves. Imagine losing your Queen in chess. You'd still be in the game, but not for long!

So put in the effort, people! It could make or break your game.

Til then,
Mae

What Captain Planet Can Teach Us About Making Websites

Earth

Stay grounded. Think about what you want to achieve and be realistic about what your website can/can't and should/shouldn't do. What is the main purpose of your site? Who is your target audience? People don't visit websites for flashy effects, but for relevant content. Build a strong foundation first and the fancy stuff can come in later.

Fire

Just because your website is grounded doesn't mean it has to be boring. To attract and retain visitors, it must have oomph, flair, spark! Differentiate your site by adding a personal twist or offering something others aren't. Make it interesting enough and it will spread like wildfire.

Wind

Everyone has access to wind and air. Expand your reach by making your website as accessible and easy to navigate as possible. It is cross-browser compatible? Is it mobile friendly? Consider factors such as loading time, screen resolution, JavaScript availability and color limitations, to name a few. It doesn't matter how awesome your website is if people can't see it.

Water

Be "fluid" i.e. adaptive to change. Keep your website up-to-date and flowing with fresh content. Some people think building a website is a one-time thing; after all, there's not much to update when it comes to About or Contact Info. Point taken -- add a News or Blog section then. No need to update it everyday, but don't let it become stagnant either.

Heart

Never underestimate the power of heart. Your passion is what motivated you to create your website in the first place, and it will continue to motivate you to make it better. If your audience can feel how meaningful your work is to you, then your output will become meaningful to them. Nothing produces (quality) traffic more than an emotionally invested audience.


That, dear readers, is what Captain Planet can teach us about making websites. And remember:

Til then,

Mae

Imitation Inspiration

Originality is overrated.

As a social media marketer and digital artist, I've often been instructed to "be creative," "think outside the box" and "try something new." In a world where everything seems to have already been said and done, originality is the elusive Road Runner that we strive so hard to catch.

Helmut Krone, an art director considered to be the pioneer of modern advertising, once said:

I asked one of our young writers recently, which was more important: doing your own thing or making the ad as good as it can be? The answer was "Doing my own thing." I disagree violently with that. I'd like to pose a new idea for our age: "Until you've got a better answer, you copy." (Passage taken from "Hey Whipple, Squeeze This. A Guide to Create Advertising" by Luke Sullivan)

Oftentimes, people are so consumed with discovering the next big thing that they forget about the tons of great resources already available at their fingertips. Turn on the TV. Browse the net. Pick up a magazine.

I used to think I was a terrible artist because my works consist mainly of fan art, but even the most "original" art is inspired by something somehow; an event, a person, an object. There are several degrees to inspiration (some more direct than others), but as long as you put your own twist to it, there is nothing to be ashamed of. I believe the same principle applies to good advertising and social media.

I do, however, want to draw the distinction between copying outright and getting inspiration. Think of it this way:

COPYING OUTRIGHT = REPOST
GETTING INSPIRATION = MEME

Memes, to me, are the perfect example of "copying someone" the right (and legal) way. After all, a meme is essentially taking an idea and customizing it to make it your own. And guess what? People love them!

In a nutshell:
- Originality is overrated
- Copying is okay, but don't be a repost. Be a meme.

Til then,
Mae

Visual.ly: Browse & Create Infographics

If you're a social media fanatic like me, then no doubt you've noticed the recent Infographic craze. Everywhere you look -- news sites, blogs, viral sharing sites like 9GAG or Pinterest -- everyone seems to be hopping onto the Infographic bandwagon.

I myself have joined the craze. As a digital project manager, one of my jobs is to regularly update Facebook fan pages and Twitter feeds, and with this comes the responsibility of searching for fun, engaging yet useful content. This is where Infographics come into play. No only do they brighten up an otherwise bland-looking and text-filled Facebook wall, fans are also more likely to click a link or comment when there a visual in place.

My favorite place to hunt for Infographics? Visual.ly

Visual.ly offers a great selection of Infographics to learn and choose from. The thing I love about it is that anyone can upload their own Infographic onto the site for free -- it's Infographics by regular people like you, about topics that regular people like you care about. Here are some cute examples:

Laundry Symbols Explained
The Coolest Barcode Scanners in Movies
Top Migrant Destinations

Visual.ly also houses a free Infographic-generator app, which currently offers 3 templates: (1) Life of a Hashtag, (2) The Facebook Social Life, and my personal favorite (3) The Twitter Account Showdown! Just enter your data into select fields (example: your Twitter handle or Facebook page) and it creates the Infographic for you!

Just for fun, I've decided to do a showdown between myself and my good friend Kiks (check out her portfolio here)!

 

Give it a shot! It's fun, free and informational! Reminds me of why I got into social media in the first place!

Til then,
Mae

Infographic: American Idol Social Media Showdown

Another season of American Idol has come and gone and surprise! The winner is Phillip Phillips! Yes, American Idol has added yet another WGWG (that's "white guy with guitar" for you) to their growing list of WGWG winners.

From L-R: David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee Dewyze, Scotty McCreery and the newly crowned Phillip Phillips

I'll be honest, I stopped watching AI the moment Taylor Hicks took crown in Season 5. Such a letdown, especially following the amazingly talented, beautiful and down-to-earth Season 4 victor, Carrie Underwood. Still, I kept with the times, reading the news and occasionally chancing upon it on TV.

It was one of these "occasional chances" that made me decide to watch AI again. It was top 8 or 9ish by then and I heard Jessica Sanchez sing. Holy smokes, I thought. This is it. She wasn't perfect. Her renditions of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" were okay at best (Steve Tyler was being nice). Her stage presence needed work, unlike Joshua, Skylar and Phillip, who were naturals. But she had raw talent, she was young, passionate and more importantly she was marketable.

Online, the signs pointed to her victory (let's forget the whole "Saved" debacle, which was totally staged anyway). Check out this infographic I made summarizing Jessica and Phillip's respective social media profiles before the finale:

It's clear that Jessica has a larger, or at least more socially active, following. So why did Phillips win?

It's a simple answer that many businesses tend to overlook. As important as social media is, it does not necessarily represent offline behaviour. First, a handful of Jessica's fans are likely non-Americans. Second, just because someone shares his or her opinion online, doesn't mean it will translate to concrete actions.

I wish I didn't have to say I was disappointed with the results. After all, Phillip Phillips is a very talented man in his own right (and hot to boot). Still, with AI's ratings steadily dropping since Season 6, a fresh new winner might have been just the boost it needed.

Til then,
Mae

Facebook, Marriage and Organ Donors

First things first: Congratulations to Mark Zuckerberg on his wedding with long-time girlfriend Priscilla Chan! For those who haven't heard, the couple tied to knot in a simple surprise ceremony on May 19, 2012.

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Priscilla Chan, who just earned her medical degree at the University of California last week, has no doubt been a inspiration to the world's youngest self-made billionaire; the most recent example being Facebook's decision to incorporate the new Organ Donor feature in Timeline.

"Starting today, you can add that you're an organ donor to your timeline, and share your story about when, where or why you decided to become a donor... (Facebook) can be a big part of helping solve the crisis out there."—Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, May 1, 2012

 

Since the announcement, tens of thousands of users have already signed up to be organ donors. Finally, an online act that can actually potentially make a difference, as opposed to meaningless (and often unrelated) Facebook memes! An act that not only announces your support, but gives you the opportunity to do something about it if and when the need arises.

What do you think? Will you sign up to be an organ donor*? 
*Note: this feature is not yet available in Canada

xoxo
Mae

Related links
Organ donation: Facebook's priceless offering
Mark Zuckerberg wife: Priscilla Chan Profile