Social Media Spotlight: Parker Detchon

In the past, our Social Media Spotlight series has shown how companies use social media to market to their consumers in a more efficient way, but what happens when a freelancer needs to pay the bills? This week we are proud to introduce Parker Detchon, a freelance digital filmmaker based in Venice, California. Parker, who for the last 4 years has worked with various clients from VH1, MTV, National Lampoon, Break Media and The Ski Channel to individual clients, like aspiring actors and directors. Parker is, well let’s face it, he is a one man band. His skill set allows him to not only write a script and edit the final product, but also direct the actors and shoot the video. He is what Hollywood would call a “preditor,” a producer, director, and editor. Parker also understands that his work includes not only figuring out the clients’ wants, but what they need. Here’s what Parker had to say:

What social media platforms do you currently use?

How to Plan a Solid Social Media Campaign in Just a Few Minutes

Okay, so the title was a little fabrication to grab your attention. It worked, just like how a properly designed social media campaign should entice your consumer to engage with your brand. Although there is no easy way to design a social media marketing campaign, we will cover some of the steps needed to be taken when considering what you will need for such an initiative. Planning a campaign takes time, patience and a true understanding of where you want to take your brand.

The first step towards designing a social media plan of attack is understanding your target market. Since your company is already up and running, your target market should already be established. If for some reason a target market has not been decided, it is best that you do that now. Right now. Pause reading this, and come back after you have targeted a demographic.

Social Media Spotlight: Devan Infiniti

In this week’s edition of our Social Media Spotlight, we would like to present a company located in Fairfield, CT, Devan Infiniti. Automobile dealerships may find social media networks as a valuable tool in gaining customer feedback, as well as informing potential clients of upcoming specials. Devan Infiniti has grown a well-known and credible reputation in Fairfield County while continuing to provide an experience that will last a lifetime to car buyers. We had the pleasure to speak with Rachael Workman, Internet Sales Manager for Devan Infiniti, about their social media efforts.

What social media platforms do you currently use?

R: We use Facebook, Twitter and PR.com for press releases to re-direct traffic from searches to social media. YouTube is a still a consideration at this point.

A Social Media Bubble?

Just like when anything has a rise in popularity, those sticking to their guns on the sidelines always have to raise controversy. So now that social media is the newest and hottest form of marketing and advertising, that must mean there is a bubble? A social media bubble you say? Like the dot-com bubble, right? Wrong. I mean, everyone is entitled to their own opinions on the validity or effectiveness of using social media. Most common arguments claim you can’t measure ROI, or that social media relationships are fake, or whatever people will say to negate the power of social media. The arguments are a dime a dozen and rarely backed with any good juicy information. I also read an article about this “social media bubble” on the Harvard Business Review, stating social media is creating artificial connections. This article is to those skeptics who see no true value in social media and or claim there is a “bubble” inflating…

Now I am not trying to call out this one article in particular, it is very well written with great points. The writer may just lack further insight into social media as a whole, as most of his arguments are based on opinion.

Networking: The Social Media Spider-Web

Social media marketing expands far beyond target based advertisements. Of course, the goal of any social media campaign is to market your product or service to a certain demographic, increase sales and not become a nuisance to the general public. But before you can actively and effectively begin to market your company to the consumer, you need to build a network, a proverbial web, to attract and catch your next paying customer.

Imagine your company’s social media campaign as a spider. You start from Point A, which is your present social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, your blog, etc., and begin to spread outwards to Point B. Creating this first connection takes time and effort, but will soon pay off. Networking is crucial in not only the increased following of your social network, but also the expansion of your brand’s name throughout the web. The more sites people see either linking to or from your social networks, the more credible you become.

4 Ways to Increase Facebook Likes

Facebook is becoming more and more useful for businesses. What Facebook lacks in terms of free marketing is the ability to advertise to a broad audience, like traditional advertising. The difference is Facebook allows you to market to your target audience, or rather your consumer directly. The power of Facebook marketing takes place in the form of Likes. The more Likes a company or business page has, the more people or impressions that advertisement will reach. So what is the key to successfully marketing your product or service on Facebook? That’s correct – increasing the Likes your page has. Having trouble doing this effectively is very common.

Promotion/Giveaway – The easiest way to increase your Facebook Likes is engaging the consumer on a level they understand and appreciate – free stuff. If all it takes is a click of a mouse to enter a chance to win free products, then why not? Even discounts will entice the everyday consumer to like your company. If you are giving away a 20% off coupon by printing out tab on you Facebook page, you will see people actively Liking your page, as well as engaging with your business on your Facebook wall.

Social Media Enters the Workplace. A Positive or Negative?

Social media in the workplace seems to be controversial at times, as the opposite view points on this matter can be both backed by valid arguments. If you are the CEO, manager or bottom shelf employee working your way up the corporate ladder, chances are you have used social media during work hours. Whether it’s on your phone, tablet or computer, admit it, you at least sneak a few peeks per day on your social networks. But let’s take a deeper look into whether allowing social media for personal use leads to increased or decreased productivity by employees.

Social media was once primarily used for personal social interaction, as there wasn’t much to offer businesses on a marketing standpoint. But over time, these social networks have integrated more and more ways for businesses in a broad range of industries to market their products to consumers. From a business owner’s viewpoint, I can see how using social media to market and engage your consumer is a positive aspect of these social networks. We have steered away from outsourced phone calls and emails that take weeks to get a response and shifted towards direct and sometimes immediate responses. Whether it is a positive or negative remark, comment or question, managers of these social platforms are always connected to these sites thanks to modern technology.

When Social Media Leads to Social Experiments: FarmVille In Reality

Chances are good that at some point you have dabbled with the Internet game sensation, FarmVille. I mean come on, who wouldn’t want a chance to run their own farm, upgrade and own property, even if it’s virtual. FarmVille, one of the most played Facebook games to date, has caught the attention of some, let’s call them, extremely open minded farmers. Although this experiment is daring and the success of the project could fail, it is still a very innovative approach to any task.

My Farm Experiment is located on the Wimpole Estate, an actual farm located in the UK. Owned by the National Trust, a British charity, they are opening the doors to somewhere around 10,000 people to help the farm manager Richard Morris run the farm. Now, this may seem better than the game FarmVille, and it very well might be, but it comes at a cost. £30, which is about $49 is all it takes to become a virtual farmer.

Social Media Spotlight: SteelVault Data Centers

This week on our Social Media Spotlight, we present SteelVault Data Centers. Launched in August of 2009, SteelVault is an IT Infrastructure Hosting company based out of New York City with Data Centers throughout New England.  Their drive and passion for the IT industry has caused them to seek out venues to differentiate themselves in an industry that is “overly crowded with bland data center marketing and appeal.” We had the opportunity to speak with Timothy Wahba, Co-Founder of Steel Vault, and here is what he had to say.

What social media platforms do you currently use?

T: LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Our company has just begun to incorporate social media actively. Ironically, for a tech-oriented company comprised of the social media generation, we are late to enter.

Social Media Helps Broadcast the Royal Wedding to Millions

If you aren’t aware by now that Prince William and Kate Middleton got married earlier today, they did in fact tie the knot. Those lucky
enough to be present at the wedding across the pond in London, had maybe a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a children’s fairy tale play out in reality. For the rest of us, we had ample amounts of press coverage to experience this tale vicariously through the newlyweds. The advances in technology as well as social networking sites have provided the Royal Family with enough platforms to follow the wedding no matter where on the planet you reside.

Like any major event that takes place, media coverage from news
networks around the world broadcast  it live as much as possible to
gain a steady viewer base. CBS News, Fox News, ABC News and BBC, along with just about every other major news network, began coverage early in the morning EST, while some stations are still covering it live. But is traditional media coverage enough for today’s busy and constantly on-the-move society? No. Which is why on any social media site you log on to, there are links and advertisements on where to watch the Royal Wedding live on the Internet.