Using Social Networking To Drive Traffic To Your Website Marc Majers Director of Leading Hands http://www.leadinghands.org February 21, 2009

Using Social Networking To Drive Traffic To Your Website What is Social Networking, Really? Where is it! Why do I use it? How do I use it? Questions & Answers

What is Social Networking, Really?

Where is it!

Why do I use it?

How do I use it?

Questions & Answers

Who Am I? Marc Majers is… Avid Blogger Award winning web professional Eagle Scout and outdoorsman Intrigued by online human interaction Problem solver Helping others through learning Always creating something new

Marc Majers is…

Avid Blogger

Award winning web professional

Eagle Scout and outdoorsman

Intrigued by online human interaction

Problem solver

Helping others through learning

Always creating something new

Who Are You? 1. How many people have Twitter accounts? 2. How many people have Facebook accounts? 3. How many people Blog on a regular basis? 4. Who uses photo sharing sites like Flickr? 5. Who used to logon to BBSs back in the day?

What is Social Networking? Iterations of the Web Web 1.0 - Experts control content/conversations (people just getting on web) Web 2.0 - Users control content /conversations (optimizing user experience) Web 3.0 - Users need experts to control content/conversations (information control) Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, at the mix 2008 stated that Microsoft wants to turn the web from a destination into the hub.

Web 1.0 - Experts control content/conversations (people just getting on web)

Web 2.0 - Users control content /conversations (optimizing user experience)

Web 3.0 - Users need experts to control content/conversations (information control)

Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, at the mix 2008 stated that Microsoft wants to turn the web from a destination into the hub.

What is Social Networking? Drop in Screenshot Recent Data about users The Online Publishers Association (OPA) found that social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have changed how users spend time online. OPA released their Internet Activity Index (IAI) , which breaks online destinations into five categories: search, content, commerce, communication and community. "Community" included social networking sites starting in January 2008. Results showed users spend the majority of their time online with content (42.2 percent) and community sites (29.9 percent). Although less time is spent on community sites, 56.9 percent of users use community sites, compared to 92.0 percent with content sites. http://www.online-publishers.org/page.php/prmID/421.

Recent Data about users

The Online Publishers Association (OPA) found that social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook have changed how users spend time online. OPA released their Internet Activity Index (IAI) , which breaks online destinations into five categories: search, content, commerce, communication and community. "Community" included social networking sites starting in January 2008.

Results showed users spend the majority of their time online with content (42.2 percent) and community sites (29.9 percent).

Although less time is spent on community sites, 56.9 percent of users use community sites, compared to 92.0 percent with content sites.

http://www.online-publishers.org/page.php/prmID/421.

What is Social Networking? Spend more time online than other media

Email on the decline? Use of messaging modes

What is Social Networking? Microblogging = Twitter, Facebook, etc… Twitter is a free social networking service that allows users to post and receive messages. It asks the simple question or "What are you doing now?" Updates appear on Twitter and other sites connected to Twitter accounts . Messages under 140 characters in length A Twitterer/Tweeter is a user of Twitter Tweets are your posts. You can follow other Tweeters. Free, Easy and Instant Information overload?

Microblogging = Twitter, Facebook, etc…

Twitter is a free social networking service that allows users to post and receive messages. It asks the simple question or "What are you doing now?" Updates appear on Twitter and other sites connected to Twitter accounts .

Messages under 140 characters in length

A Twitterer/Tweeter is a user of Twitter

Tweets are your posts.

You can follow other Tweeters.

Free, Easy and Instant

Information overload?

Where is Social Networking? Everywhere you look on the Internet PC Worlds Top Sites for 2009 Tweetag - search Twitter Hi5 – the next MySpace Tripit - keep track of your trip Loopt - detect location of user Blip.fm - What are you listening to? Power.com - update all sites Tv.com – Hulu meets TV OnDemand Qik.com - share live video from phone Boxee - gathers video around web Blackberry Apps

Everywhere you look on the Internet

PC Worlds Top Sites for 2009

Tweetag - search Twitter

Hi5 – the next MySpace

Tripit - keep track of your trip

Loopt - detect location of user

Blip.fm - What are you listening to?

Power.com - update all sites

Tv.com – Hulu meets TV OnDemand

Qik.com - share live video from phone

Boxee - gathers video around web

Blackberry Apps

Stats on Twitter Demographic Information

Stats on Facebook 33% users are college 18-21 Majority of users are female 83% of users are under 30 years *Based on whitepaper by Matt Dickman

33% users are college 18-21

Majority of users are female

83% of users are under 30 years

*Based on whitepaper by Matt Dickman

Why Should I Use It? Why Twitter? Expand network Drive traffic to Blog / Websites It’s Fun Message colleagues Monitor buzz Keep up with local Track activity at conference Promote event or seminar Daily learning Opinion Polls Learn events Exclusive deals Study critics Build a community

Why Twitter?

Expand network

Drive traffic to Blog / Websites

It’s Fun

Message colleagues

Monitor buzz

Keep up with local

Track activity at conference

Promote event or seminar

Daily learning

Opinion Polls

Learn events

Exclusive deals

Study critics

Build a community

Why Should I Use It? Think Twitter has no business value? Dell made $1 million in revenue through sales alerts in 2008. It’s a tool and a way to get discreet bits of info in front of people.

Think Twitter has no business value?

Dell made $1 million in revenue through sales alerts in 2008.

It’s a tool and a way to get discreet bits of info in front of people.

Why Should I Use It? Talk the talk “ The new generation of customers are already talking to each other all the time and expect business to act the same way.” Rohit Bhargava - Personality Not Included: Why Companies Lose Their Authenticity and Why Great Brands Get It Back

“ The new generation of customers are already talking to each other all the time and expect business to act the same way.”

Rohit Bhargava - Personality Not Included: Why Companies Lose Their Authenticity and Why Great Brands Get It Back

How should you Microblog? Start Conversations Be helpful - jetblue gives travel tips Share links in your community - wholefoods does this well Promote employers outside of work stories – thehomedepot Mix it up and rotate different people What to Microblog about? What are you doing? or What has your attention? Ask questions Follow interesting people that will trigger questions Share pictures Tweet etiquette Reply or retweet to others, this is good conversation Don't try to read everyone or reply to everyone Send direct message to person if personal

Start Conversations

Be helpful - jetblue gives travel tips

Share links in your community - wholefoods does this well

Promote employers outside of work stories – thehomedepot

Mix it up and rotate different people

What to Microblog about?

What are you doing? or What has your attention?

Ask questions

Follow interesting people that will trigger questions

Share pictures

Tweet etiquette

Reply or retweet to others, this is good conversation

Don't try to read everyone or reply to everyone

Send direct message to person if personal

How Do I Use It Effectively? Tips on How To Be Effective Be Consistent Dedicate Resources Stay Interesting Connect with People Give It Your Own Spin Understand your audience Optimize user experience Multi-variant testing Be authentic voice

Tips on How To Be Effective

Be Consistent

Dedicate Resources

Stay Interesting

Connect with People

Give It Your Own Spin

Understand your audience

Optimize user experience

Multi-variant testing

Be authentic voice

How is it being used? Examples: Direct2Dell - Dell Lead Blogger to answer questions Dell - Twitter Alerts Primetime TV – iCarly, Trivial Pursuit and MTV Afternoons Cleveland Institute of Art – Announce events, build community Presidential Election 2008

Examples:

Direct2Dell - Dell Lead Blogger to answer questions

Dell - Twitter Alerts

Primetime TV – iCarly, Trivial Pursuit and MTV Afternoons

Cleveland Institute of Art – Announce events, build community

Presidential Election 2008

Use Free Tools Hard work and discipline Seven entries a week Two hours a day Use Ping.fm, Power.com or Hello.txt Direct majority of your tweets to your website or blog Create dialogue audience Search.Twitter.com or Tweetag How do I personally use it?

Use Free Tools

Hard work and discipline

Seven entries a week

Two hours a day

Use Ping.fm, Power.com or Hello.txt

Direct majority of your tweets to your website or blog

Create dialogue audience

Search.Twitter.com or Tweetag

Example Screen Hellotxt Network

Example Screen Hellotxt Status

Example Screen Hellotxt Results

Free Tools Microblogging Accessories Twit Pic – takes picture sends to Twitter TwitVision – See messages in real time Twitbacks – make nice background TinyURL – shrinks long URL (stats will not track in Hellotxt) Google Analytics – track effectiveness of web referrals YouTube Insight – track where video being watched Technology Resources of Social Media http://www.web-strategist.com/blog http://www.compete.com/blog http://technomarketer.typepad.com/ http://www.leadinghands.org/blog

Microblogging Accessories

Twit Pic – takes picture sends to Twitter

TwitVision – See messages in real time

Twitbacks – make nice background

TinyURL – shrinks long URL (stats will not track in Hellotxt)

Google Analytics – track effectiveness of web referrals

YouTube Insight – track where video being watched

Technology Resources of Social Media

http://www.web-strategist.com/blog

http://www.compete.com/blog

http://technomarketer.typepad.com/

http://www.leadinghands.org/blog

How do I use it? We Are The First “Fully Connected” Society In History (so take advantage of it)

Key takeaways Setup a microblogging account Start talking to your clients/friends online Dedicate time and resources “ As a business, you just need to get into the conversation. It may be a few, but that's where you start.” - Rohit Bhargava

Setup a microblogging account

Start talking to your clients/friends online

Dedicate time and resources

“ As a business, you just need to get into the conversation. It may be a few, but that's where you start.” - Rohit Bhargava

Thank you Marc Majers [email_address] Do you have any questions?