Tweaks that are simple to do, but often left neglected

The concept of SMO (Social Media Optimization) spawns from traditional online marketing where SEO and PPC tactics work to enhance a site’s visibility and drive more traffic. Similarly here are a few tweaks social media strategists may consider to gain better ROI on their own social sites – making them more “spreadable.”

 Spring cleaning is in the air. This is the time of year when people try to organize important yet often forgotten spaces within their home –  whether it is a shelf, under the bed or even the sofa cushions. What about tidying up your social space online? 

Over the past couple years you may have started a blog and/or opened a Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn account. You most likely use these tools every day, occasionally or have all-together forgotten about them. Regardless of how often you use these social tools, why not apply the “spring cleaning fever” toward reducing cyber clutter and optimizing your online world.  Here are some basics to get you started:

To read full article: http://pepperdigitalblog.com/?p=146

10 tips to share with your workplace

According to a report that was commissioned by Microsoft, fewer than 15% of consumers surveyed in the U.S. and the U.K believe that information found about them online would have an impact on their getting a job, yet 70% of U.S. recruiters and HR professionals surveyed claim they have rejected candidates based on information they found online. 

A survey conducted by Liberty Mutual’s Responsibility Project (featured on Mashable) suggests 56% of Americans think it’s “irresponsible” to friend your boss on Facebook, while 62% of bosses agree it’s wrong to friend an employee.

It is clear that there is a lot of confusion. What is and is not appropriate online has been a continuing debate among businesses from both an employee and employer perspective. We’ve all read articles and seen scandals unfold between employees and their employers over social media. As more and more consumers take part in social gaming, virtual worlds and participate openly in online forums and chat rooms, there is an immediate need (if companies haven’t done so already) to implement a social media policy at the workplace. 

The other day a friend of mine, and also owner of a small IT firm posed the question to me regarding what his role was in chaperoning his employees online. He came to learn a current employee was posting enthusiastic Facebook updates regarding business activities and was uncomfortable with the idea of this type of activity taking place under supervision, even though they were good updates. On the other hand, he was concerned that dictating what employees do in their personal space (on or offline) was counter to the corporate culture they had set for themselves.

My response was that if one employee is doing it, chances are others are too – or will – and it might be time for them as an organization to implement some agreed-upon company guidelines for social media, whether that is communicating via a blog, or on social networking sites. Because, as we can clearly see from the study, there is a disparity between what consumers and employers see as proper conduct online, and the  lines between personal and professional can quickly blur, especially in a small business environment. But no matter how large or small your company is, getting ahead of the potential problem and implementing rules that help clearly delineate what is and is not deemed appropriate by the organization can be critical. 

While it is important to tailor guidelines based on your own corporate culture and in your own language, here are a few examples of rules that we at PepperDigital abide by and often share with our clients:

For full article: http://pepperdigitalblog.com/?p=151

Repost from December 29

My last ’12 days of Digital’ post was about a “good” campaign, so today’s post is about a “bad” campaign.

Toyota’s social media campaign was one campaign I’d recommend reading about that that we could all learn from. Without beating them up too much here are some very important PR lessons that can be drawn from unraveling their social media faux pas.

Read full article – http://pepperdigitalblog.com/?p=187

In keeping with the spirit of the 12 Days of Digital, I’d like to highlight a particular retail brand benefiting from a sound social media program rooted in strategy rather than tools.

Best Buy’s Holiday digital marketing campaign, which was also recently featured in the New York Time’s Bits Blog, is worth sharing for its creative strategy and impeccable execution. Although there isn’t anything new or innovative about the platforms Best Buy chose to use for its social media campaign, the underlying theme and tactical approach is. Here is a glance at some of the campaign’s core initiatives and a look at how they were each built to engage enthusiasts in a fun and interesting way.

Link to full article:

http://pepperdigitalblog.com/?p=193

BTW I know it has been ages since I have posted to this blog! I’ve been finding it hard to keep up with these past few months, but I’ll get back into it soon.  Stay tuned…

In the meantime, humor me and please take this survey. It’s quick and painless. Only takes 10 seconds!
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This brings me to the purpose of my post. In my last post on AMEX I gave kudos to the exec(s) that made the decision to continue certain customer service gestures that humanized the brand, such as sending flowers. I mentioned how in this economy companies should cut back carefully and closely review the ROI with each of their spends.

Well recently I read this article on MSN, Recession? What recession? Let’s Party!, about hard economic times and companies’ decisions on whether or not to host holiday parties. To this point, AMEX, amidst layoffs earlier this year, made the executive call not to throw a holiday bash. Some other companies who have also experienced massive layoffs on the other hand plan to continue with their annual tradition. One company featured in the article claim they must go on with party plans simply because event venues had been booked months prior to any layoff announcements, and canceling would mean throwing away all that money already spent.

As I thought about it myself I could understand both sides of the issue– management not wanting to throw a holiday celebration when a company has had to let go of hundreds of people right before the holiday (sort of bad PR), but also the necessity for them to keep spirits up and thank those hard working individuals who have shown commitment to the company (a good corporate message).

So I pose the question. If a company is forced to lay off in masses, is it appropriate to have a holiday party?

Last week, we represented PepperDigital at Silicon Valley’s PRSA 2009 Media Predicts event held at the Computer History Museum. The annual dinner event hosts a panel of Valley tech media insiders who highlight the tech happenings of the current year and offer projections for the following – what’s hot and what’s not.

Mark Zuckerberg

 Facebook may be a good company for now, but if you ask Jim Collins, author of Good to Great, he’d likely say it will never be a great company. Many companies are good and able to sustain themselves through hard times, but only a few make it to a level of greatness and are able to maintain that high level. While there are many determining factors of what makes a company great – one is the ability for the present management team to hire and place capable successors within their leadership roles in order to continue that culture throughout the lifetime of the organization.  

A recent article in Rolling Stone magazine describes how Facebook has repeatedly failed to meet this factor and talks about young Mark Zuckerberg’s fast-lane to success.  A company established by betrayal of friends, colleagues and partners, it turns out Facebook is not all that pure of an entrepreneurial story. According to four of Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard classmates, Facebook was an idea stolen from them. The much envied twenty-something millionaire, is just as hated by those close friends he mistreated to reach the height of his richness. When I first read this I thought this is just a little bad PR put out there by his jealous counterparts. After all, he IS a programming genius. But then when I read that he carries a business card that says, “I’m CEO…bitch!,” all of my hesitation went out the window and regardless, I have labeled him a menace.

Click on the following link to read the full article…http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/21129674/the_battle_for_facebook/6

Designer Yansi Fugel has taken on the identity of a fashion editor named Ella Branford. The character is one of three fictional avatars created as a digital tactic to promote her new travel line, Travel Jersey. In September, the avatars, including the editor, a widower, and a zoologist, will provide information on the line’s different pieces and looks, as well as a travel itinerary, as inspired by the avatars’ destinations.

Fugel will introduce the fantasy avatar and travel itinerary concept first in her pre-design line sheets and then live on a new e-commerce site slated to launch in February. She hopes the site will allow for cross-marketing opportunities with the businesses listed in the avatars’ travel itineraries. Currently, Fugel’s internal PR team is conducting media outreach for the concept, participating in the trade show Expose, and showing five washable looks in the Tide-sponsored Style 360 fashion show.