Week 14

Measuring Social Media Marketing

• http://www.business2community.com/social-media/measuring-social-media-sentiment-without-keywords-smiley-faces-0162009

This article describes measing performance of social media marketing in the form of website traffic, conversions, and customers ( from social sites). A measureing tool that monitors positive, negative or neutral words on the social sites are used to measure the effectiveness of the SMM. The article talks  about correalation for positive, negative and neutral measurements. These involve people visiting the website, where they came from , and conversion rates.

• http://www.thedrum.co.uk/news/2012/04/13/analytics-focus-how-can-social-media-be-measured

This article tells how there really isn't an honest way yet to measure ROI for SMM. Alot of analytics for SMM aren't really helpful, because trying to measure it isn't easy. The best way to measure it is manually. This makes many business not want to step into to SMM, especially when it's hard to measure. But there was one solution meantion which is Adobe social. This measure SMM through words used and people on mention the brand on social media sites.

• http://mashable.com/2012/03/28/google-adobe-social-media/

This article tells about Adobe social and Google's Analytics. Both are good for measuring social media marketing in their own ways. A big difference between both is that google's is free.  A little detail is given on how each works, but not enough to understand the software fully. Still after both these tools have been mention, the same conclusion comes forth as all the other articles; there is still no 100 percent way to measure social media marketing.

Summary-

After reading these articles i have came to a couple conclusions on the subject of measuring the success and ROi of social media marketing. There is actually no way to fully measure social media marketing, but there are tools to help somewhat. Adobe offers its software which is Adobe Social. This software links to the social media sites and gathers data which can be used to help see what people are mentioning your brand. And then there is Googles Analytics. This software is free and doesn't gather data from the social sites, but actually from your own site (traffic).

Since there really is no way to measure social media marketing, many businesses don't go into the trend. How safe is it to invest into a marketing strategy that is difficult to measure results. But i see this as a good thing. With businesses less willingly to step into this marketing, this leaves room for startup companies to move in. If they can gather enough information on how social media sites work ( from person use such as facebook), they will be willing to step in and try it, with out caring of ROI. This can provide a cheap marketing strategy that can benefit small mom and pop businesses. It is well known that big corporations are always thinking ahead and trying not to lose money, and not being able to measure results for boards to see, keeps them away probably. And overall, taking this class has put me in the place to take my step into social media marketing for my startup business and expect not to measure results from it, but to see it, through increase in customers, increase in knowledge of my business, free marketing, and relationships with my customers through posting.

 



Week 13

www.bassproshops.com started off in 1971 by Johnny Morris. He created the business from traveling all over the U.S. in a uhaul picking up all kinds of fishing tackle because of lack of tackle in his city. He then sold it out of his fathers liqour store and this started Bass Pro Shops. His first marketing strategy was actually catalogs. Many people wanted catalogs to see all the selections of tackle and gear he had in stock. But eventually technology grew and soon came the internet. Now with the internet marketing has changed dramatically. Social media marketing has came into affect and changed the way marketing is today. Bass Pro Shops has taken a step into the door towards this new strategy. Bass Pro Shops has their own facebook, twitter, and google blogger accounts. We will discuss how they use these channels and how they're effective.

Facebook

Bass Pro Shops uses facebook in a way i haven't seen any other businesses yet, gift cards. Anyone can purchase gift cards for Bass Pro Shops simply through facebook. This is easier than going to the store to pick one up or going to the Bass Pro Shops website when you're already on facebook. This feature easly attracts followers and increases sales. They also currently have over 1.7 million followers. Now imagine if even 5% of these followers purchased a gift card from facebook, it can be said Bass Pro Shops facebook has made them business. 

Besides from the basic photos that show off many outdoor fishing and hunting scenes, they have videos on their facebook. They have videos of their products and just simple fishing videos with no advertising. These videos can attract followers and keep them on their page by keeping them entertained with these videos. With their advertising involved in videos and through the page, this can create more potential sales. If not sales, also makes the follower come back if they decide they want a product later.

Their post contain information about tackle to use during the days forecast and water condition. Also they talk about stories that involve the outdoors. Followers find this as informative and would like to read them if they are in the outdoors. This makes the business seems informative on outdoor topics and appeasing to followers. Contest are also brought up in post. This is a big attractant for followers because who wouldn't want to be in a contest for prizes. This brings many eyes to the business and potentially viewing of the website to see more detail. They have really used facebook to their advantage in gathering attention to them and followers.

Twitter

Twitter is more of customer service feature for Bass Pro Shops. I see many people post issues or feedback about purchases or products and  Bass Pro Shops comments back. This makes Bass Pro Shops look really good to consumers.  They also inform people on sales and discounts which also points to the website and pages that contain the bargains. This can draw people into the website by people wanting to take advantage of the deals. If this information was passed through e-mails, many people wouldn't bother for many reasons. But because this is right there in front of them and safe, they will click and check out the deals. They currently have over 37 thousand followers. This is a pretty high number of followers. With this many, business should be seen as higher compared to before social media marketing.

Blogger

 





Bass Pro Shops blogger has an amazing background and pictures. This is really appealing to a viewers eyes and looks highly proffessional. The blog is also catagorized by outdoor hobbies, and sub catagorized from there on. This makes it really easy to find a blog if needed. Their main page has blogs about seminars and new products. This is really good to keep bloggers or followers informed about such events. Their blogging is high proffessionaly and is one of the best i've seen yet. 

Week 12

Cabelas

 www.cabelas.com is a well known business for all kind of outdoor needs. They have been around since 1961. Since then alot in the business and culture of outdoors has change. Social media is one of the changes that has created a big impact. Cabelas noticed Social media as a channel that must be taken advantage of and they did. They didn't only use one way such as facebook, but many. They use facebook, twitter, and youtube.

Facebook

 Cabelas not only take advantage of facebook, but users also take advantage of cabelas being on it also. Cabelas facebook is loaded with information about the company. It gives details of its history, pictures of its stores, and maps. But this is not the main attract for its followers. They keep followers updated with new products, sales, information updates, events, giveaways, contests, and product testings. Product testings is something new i haven't seen anyone do yet on a social media site. With product testings, users are sure to follow the page to get their hands on products to test for free. The testers also provide feedback that go right onto the page and let other followers learn about it. The contest are not only for indviduals but also for groups. I see their are contest for all kinds of prizes, and these contest involve the outdoors and teams of people to take it on from all over the world. This kind of tactic enables cabelas to make a larger reach than before and provide people all over the world with facebook to take advantage of these contest and giveaways.

 Twitter

Cabelas seem to use twitter a little bit different than they do facebook, but in a positive way. Instead of keeping followers updated about contest, giveaways, products, they maintain understandment of their followers. They read followers tweets and reply to them. They also answer many questions that followers have about products and pictures. I see this as almost customer service live and easy. By providing a service like this, it gives them huge credit and great business.

Youtube

Youtube is the channel they use for showing off products. They have many videos about new products and features. They have experience and respectable people talk about a product and it's features. This is really good for followers that want to see the product in action and how it looks without just pictures. This is what the video's do, provide followers with the capabilites of seeing the product in action. This can urge followers to want to purchase these products and provide more sales to the business. They also reply to questions about the videos and keep followers happy with the feedback.

Lab 9

Heres the link to my twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/Joeypongallo

Rankings:
3rd: Janns Netcraft. They haven't tweeted since 2010. So this makes them the worst since they are not up to date on twitter. They really didn't talk about any of their products either.

2nd. Sage. They mention their products and how people are using them. They also post links to video's of their rods in action. No sales or prices are tweeted though.

1st. Orvis. Orvis talks about products to come and discusses how some of them are used in fishing in different locations. They provide links to pictures and videos and have a picture of the day with a fish and a rod or lure.

Effective use of twitter:

From what i have learned so far about twitter, i have came to a few conclusions about the effective use of it for SMM. A businesses should mention their products ;new, old, and upcoming, through tweets frequently. They shouldn't really tweet tweets that don't seem proffesional. I seen some while looking through tweets, and it made me not even want to follow or read any of their tweets anymore. Links to products and videos should be posted. But the biggest thing is sales and discounts. These are really attractive to see and yet not many businesses are posting them.

Is twitter for some organizations and not others?
I truelly think twitter can be used for all orginazitions, but only if it is done correctly. I think any organization can take advantage of twitters tweeting to get information and news out. It's just like facebook but without pictures, only text. If an organization has to get news out, then its perfect, and almost all organizations have news to get out: updates, sales, products, services, etc.

Other Social Media sites:

Deviant art is great for artist that want to share their art to the community and world. Artist from all over the world come to this social media site because they all share the same interest: art. I see marketing opportunities here for businesses expertising in art software or tools.

LiveJournal seems to be almost for blogging entries. It seems like an online journal for people that post to it like entries in a journal. There is alot of different subjects , but they all seem to be about something and not random, like there is on twitter and facebook. Marketers in the field of journal entries, magazines, and books might have a shot at marketing here. It's really hard to tell since it seems everyone is only on the site to post stories/ entries.

Tagged is a site for meeting people. Seems to be just like the online dating websites. I joined through my facebook to find out what it is and it seems to be filled with advertising for cell phones. So im guessing the best marketer here is cell phone companies and any other that has to do with digital communicitations.