Mitch Levinson - Internet Marketing and Social Media Expert, football fanatic » Internet marketing

Social Media Use by Companies

Mitch — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 01:18:41 +0000

MarketingSherpa is a great resource for information and weekly charts on several marketing topics. I particularly like when the topic is about social media or search engine optimization (SEO). This week’s chart summarizes how companies use social media as part of their marketing program. VERY interesting, but I have a slightly different view about marketing and communication in terms of priorities for companies.

Marketing vs. Communication

Most companies don’t differentiate marketing from communication. Corporate messaging, public relations, marketing, advertising, etc. all fall under the directive of ‘communication’ from a company strategy. Interaction with leads, prospects and customers is more sales, not necessarily communication – but it should be. Social media and the use of social networks enable direct and ‘instant’ communication to all groups and provide a forum (in the chosen medium of the lead, prospect or customer) for the company or stakeholder to interact. In other words, it is pretty easy for a customer and a marketer to interact quickly on Facebook.

Why then isn’t this ’social media’ thing then always corporate communication? It absolutely should be! Companies need to build a strategy surrounding their communication efforts that include goals, tactics and key performance indicators for a successful communication strategy.

Corporate Communication Strategy (i.e. the chart)

The MarketingSherpa chart demonstrates an online social media strategy and the amount of time/effort spent on each area. Social networks, like Facebook and LinkedIn, are the top item, Micro-blogs (like Twitter) second and Multimedia (YouTube and Flickr) third…tactics used MOST by companies, not the effectiveness of each, nor the capability impact the others.

When I do a ‘non-scientific’ evaluation of our clients from a traffic-generation, content syndication, reputation management and search engine optimization standpoint, the most effective item on this chart is “blogging on company managed blogs”. Even when not looking at the fact that the blog can feed social networking sites, micro-blogs and email newsletters…can be the repository for online press releases and news stories…and can be the place you send traffic when you ‘tease’ your content on other industry blogs and blogger/wordpress…even when you take ALL these time management and integration components out of your blog, when build right, it still is a top 5 referring site to your main website and appears one the first page of Google and the other search engines for your targeted words (sometimes higher than your website.)

mRELEVANCE builds a LOT of effective blogs. We moderate many of them monthly for our clients to maintain top placements on search engines and track the traffic and effectiveness. If you want to increase your qualified traffic by 50-200% on a monthly basis, contact mRELEVANCE to see how.

Effective SEO Objectives

Mitch — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:38:09 +0000

I wrote about this Marketing Sherpa Search Engine Optimization chart on our website in an Effective SEO Objectives post, but I did not want people who follow this blog to miss out on this chart or that article.

The information is very interesting when you consider what B2B and B2C companies are trying to accomplish relative to their SEO strategy. It seems that more and more companies are beginning to blend their SEO, marketing, public relations, internet technology and corporate communications into a cross-functional department. The goals of all these traditional departments and functions seem to overlap, and companies both realize that and are working toward creating an environment where the message and the goals are the same.

From a traditional marketing standpoint, there are still a few great questions that must be considered no matter which company function takes the lead.

Which function will take the lead at determining the company message?
How will that message be delivered/managed through out the company and across which media?
What metrics should we look at to determine success? Actual sales, branding, sentiment, reputation management and online traffic/reach?

Brand awareness, reputation management and public relations are objectives for SEO efforts and it definitely demonstrates a connection between social media and search engine optimization (which is why mRELEVANCE operates at the Intersection of Social and Search).

“Which function in your company takes the lead with regard to these tactics? PR, marketing, Internet technology, corporate communications or social media.” Please comment on this post to let me know how your company handles these objectives.

New Website for Connecticut’s Best Apartments

Mitch — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:02:39 +0000

I am VERY proud to show you this new website for a luxury Connecticut Apartment developer client. This new website is a piece of artwork that will kick the online effectiveness of their competitors.

If you are interested in reading more about this developer, this project or how mRELEVANCE can help you gain competitive advantage in your Website or Social Media – and specifically see analytically how to track you success, let me know!

But you, at least, have to visit this website

New Stella Website Launched

Mitch — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:49:04 +0000

We just launched a new website for a chic, eclectic boutique in Evanston Illinois. Stella is the store, and the merchandise is unique and incredible! One of a kind gifts for all budgets and people, this new site allows Stella to keep their inventory accurate and up to date online…especially since every time you visit you will have a different experience.

What a GREAT store, what a great site – check it out!

RELEVANCE’s new video!

Mitch — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 16:59:29 +0000

RELEVANCE's new video

Check out our new video for RELEVANCE. This is pretty cool…even though I do not really like watching myself on TV. hee hee

Effective Internet Marketing by mRELEVANCE proves ROI.