Category

Public Relations

Aug 12
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WTF? Friday: Social Media: Is it Better to do it Badly than Not at All?

By Public Relations, Social Media

Mashable reported this week on a study that said 64% of small businesses think social media is not necessary.

Nicole Perrin, senior editor at eMarketer, says she’s not surprised by the results. “We typically don’t see that they see this as the be-all, end-all,” she says, noting that small businesses often lack the resources to execute a social media marketing plan. “They’re still very focused on traditional word of mouth and very used to traditional marketing.”

A couple of things that are odd, in the quote above — the assumption that word of mouth only happens on the phone or in person — which is ridiculous — and the assumption that traditional marketing remains separate from digital marketing. Is e-mail marketing old enough to be considered “traditional” marketing, yet, I wonder.

I can’t really fathom what small businesses are truly thinking when they respond that they’re not using social media for business purposes at all. How are they hiring people? How do they find vendors?

More results from the study included:

– 47% of respondents indicated they did not use social
media for business purposes at all

For those that did use social media for their business:

 

– 19% are using Facebook

– 15% are using LinkedIn

– 4% are using Twitter

The businesses using social media also ranked the most important channels they used to grow and expand their business:

– 28% selected a company Facebook page

– 18% selected a company page / group on LinkedIn

– 8% indicated a company blog had helped them the most

Small businesses do often point to the lack of resources as their reason for failing to use social media tools (blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, Google+, etc.) to connect with customers and potential customers. In discussion with social strategy thought leaders, the position is sometimes that small businesses would be better off doing nothing than doing a poor job.

I’m curious what other small business people think about this –– is it better, in your opinion, to refrain from having a social media presence at all, to have a website with no blog, to ignore online mentions or reviews of your business, to abstain from joining and participating in social networks, than to do it a little bit, or without much enthusiasm or commitment?

I’ve been giving this a lot of thought . . . and I don’t think I agree. I don’t think that small businesses can steer completely clear of using online tools to support business any more. I don’t think any business really has a choice anymore.

I think there are minimum investments in social strategy that every small business MUST make.  

That’s right. Bold. Italicized. All caps MUST.

Monitoring the social web is one, having a Web site that works for mobile and can be viewed in multiple browsers is another. Being able to update the business’ web presence yourselves is yet another, and a startling number of small businesses still lack this level of control.

Encouragingly, some get it, as the final results from the report show, and while the learning curve is steep, I expect the trend to continue.

When all respondents were asked about how they felt about using social media for their
business:

 

– 12% describe it as a must, they do it all the time

– 24% do it when they have the time

– 14% indicated they don’t know enough about it

 

Aug 10
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Twitter: Who you Follow Does Make a Difference

By Public Relations, Social Media

I'm told this is Kim Kardashian. I really wouldn't know. http://twitter.com/kimkardashian if that's what you're into.

I was doing some research on behalf of a client today and investigated the online presence of a publication in my client’s industry. The Twitter link from the publication went to the account of an individual (good) but what I learned from there had me puzzled.

Now, without divulging too much, I’ll tell you that the industry being investigated is very business-focused, industrial, technical and scientific, as is the publication.

So explain to me why the editor of said B2B publication has elected to, very publicly I might add, exclusively follow celebrities. Seriously — in the search for other industry contacts and publications this representative might be following, I looked carefully at who was represented on the “following” list. I found Kim Kardashian, Sheryl Crow, Chelsea Handler and Demi Moore. The entire list was celebrity-laden, bearing no fruit for my search, certainly, but also casting a certain light on the Twitter user in question.

Just a reminder; who you follow may be saying something about you.

Aug 01
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Believing in the Power of Technology to Help Nonprofits: Cabell Foundation and Legal Aid Justice Center

By Communications, Media, Public Relations, Social Media


Laurel HennemanToday’s guest post is by Laurel Henneman. Laurel, the Foundation Relations Manager for the Legal Aid Justice Center, in a former life was a transactional attorney for a large firm in New York City. She now lives in Charlottesville with her family, where she is active in the community and enjoys both local food and Facebook. She appreciates the invitations she has received for Google+, but says they will have to wait until her children are grown or the laundry figures out how to wash itself.

Do you believe in the power of information technology to improve nonprofits’ services, spread the word about important developments, and reach out to supporters? The Cabell Foundation does, and is providing the Legal Aid Justice Center with a $64K “challenge grant” to upgrade our systems. $136K more is needed by December 2011 to meet this challenge. Please contribute if you can, and spread the word to others who might be interested in supporting our work!

For more than 40 years, we have been meeting the civil legal needs of our low-income neighbors with a special focus on vulnerable populations, including children, immigrants, the elderly, and the institutionalized. We now face an urgent need to upgrade the information technology used by our program, in order to meet the increased needs of our clients in a challenging funding environment.

While there are currently some signs of recovery in the broader economy, there are also signs that for the foreseeable future, we should prudently prepare for a “new normal” level of doing more with less. Strategic investments in information technology (including telecommunications, case management, and e-advocacy) are essential for improving the efficiency of our work on behalf of clients, sharing the learning of our advocates with others, and reaching potential funding sources.

As you know so well, state-of-the-art tools in online advocacy now allow nonprofit organizations to disseminate information easily through email and social networking channels, and guide recipients of this information—through simple navigation and a few mouse clicks—to join their cause, contact legislators and other officials to express views on important pending issues, and donate to the continued work on causes they believe in.

Join us in investing in the future of our program and its important service to our low-income neighbors! Click here to donate, or learn more about the Legal Aid Justice Center at www.justice4all.org. If you have questions or want additional information, contact Susan Kruse: susan at justice4all.org, our Donor Relations Manager.

 

Editor’s Note: Jaggers Communications supports Legal Aid Justice Center with time, talent and dollars and we hope that you will, too.

Jul 29
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WTF? Friday: News Sites Allowing Anonymous Commenters

By Communications, Media, Public Relations

I’m pretty angry this morning, so this is not your typical lighthearted Friday post. I was going to do a WTF? Friday video but I didn’t think anyone wanted to see no sleep, mad face Mj, so this is going to have to do.

Here’s what has me fired up: news organizations allowing visitors to their sites to leave anonymous comments. Think about it: the subjects of the news are called out by name; the reporters of the news are certainly not anonymous, but in some cases, newspapers, television stations and other news sources allow comments from people not required to enter their name (and an unpublished e-mail address).

I understand why it’s been handled this way; the thinking is that this fosters more open conversation and indeed, it often does stir the pot successfully. But what we’ve seen — for years now — is that the anonymity is only license for people to be real assholes.

Case in point: a friend and colleague tragically passed away in May of this year. Her parents have decided, as is well within their legal right, to take legal action in the case. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the story.  This unleashed dozens (65 as of this writing) of comments, MANY of them cruel, thoughtless, insensitive, ignorant and downright insulting. What good does this do anyone? When I think about the additional harm to my friend’s parents as they will no doubt see the words people cast in their direction from behind the Post’s comment curtain, it makes me incensed.

The discussion is NOT what it could be, if comments were owned; about tort reform, the tragedy of sudden death or retailer responsibility. No. It is, instead just a forum for trolls, haters and idiots clinging to stereotypes and flinging words they don’t have the balls to sign their names to. We KNOW that when people use their names and when the conversation is joined by those being discussed, that the conversation is elevated; that it becomes useful, healthy discussion and that people are overall, more polite. Why not foster that, instead of hate?

Yes, I am angry.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch, I challenge you to change your comment policy.