Simple Steps for Getting Retweeted

This social media stuff can be tough for newcomers and in this post, I’m going to attempt to not only explain the art of the “retweet” but also provide tips for getting retweeted.

First, let’s define retweet (or “RT”). Retweeting is a method used to share a tweet with their own followers. On Twitter.com and via most tweeting applications, you can click on the “retweet” or “RT” button. The application or site automatically puts the “RT” designation before the tweet and also includes the original person so they, too, get credit for the tweet.  Example: RT @JennaSnacks: Sims is World of Warcraft for Girls

When your tweet is retweeted, you’ll see it noted as a “mention” on TweetDeck or by clicking on your Twitter handle on the Twitter home page.

A quick Google search on the topic at hand nets more than 465,000 hits …

In a June 2009 post on Mashable.com (which, incidentally was retweeted 1,365 times according to the site), retweet behavior was examined. Some key insights:
– The majority of retweets include a link
– New information is king of the retweets
– Retweets rarely include swear words

So is there a secret formula to getting retweeted? Not so much. But there certainly are guidelines. Don’t cuss, be informative, offer value and include a link to back up your claim.  

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Social Networking is Not Like Middle School

Why building a following on Twitter should NOT be like a middle school popularity contest

I have a confession. Over the course of the past few days, I have been checking the follower count on my @JennaSnacks Twitter account daily, watching and waiting to hit 3,000 followers. To some that number is teensy tiny and to others, it’s doesn’t feel attainable. But why is 3,000 the golden number for me? The goal is completely arbitrary and I’m looking forward to doing a little dance in my office when I hit the mark. The only reason it exists as a goal in my brain is to prove to myself that my network is growing and happy.

I haven’t shelled out cash to grow my list of followers like some and really can’t say that I plan to ever do that. For me, it’s more about the conversations and organically growing my followers.

Really, social media isn’t about how many followers you have … the real measure is a little less tangible.  For me, if I’m operating my Twitter account correctly, my followers are not only retweeting what I’m saying, but they’re also interacting. They’re recommending me for #FollowFriday (or are we doing #FF now?). For others, success truly equals the number of followers “listening” to their broadcasts.

And I have to tell you: Nearly 3,000 followers is a lot to keep up with and I’m sure, as my network continues to grow, keeping up will become an even bigger chore. But I’m loving the value of my network and the variety of interests and expertise that exist within it. Really, I can’t imagine life without Twitter.

I’m not going to lie. The idea of amassing more than one million followers sounds good… in theory. But how can you possibly interact with all of those people? Isn’t managing the account more of a chore than anything else? And, by having a large number of followers, doesn’t that completely contradict the purpose of a social network (to converse)?

So what is the magic number? How many followers are just too many? What happens when you hit the magic number?

Do the Twitter accounts with the most followers really win? In my opinion, not so much.

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Facebook Fan Pages vs. Group Pages

We talk a lot about the importance of social media on this blog, but as we dive deeper into the topic, we’re noticing a lot of tactical questions popping up from our followers. A question we encounter quite often is: “What is the difference between a Facebook Fan Page and a Facebook Group Page”? While Facebook Fan Pages and Facebook Group Pages do have an overlapping list of features there is definitely a time and place for each. In this post we help you sort it all out.

Facebook Fan Page  
– Consider launching a Fan Page if you’re a brand, business, band, celebrity … anyone who wants to interact with their fans on a regular basis
– Fan Pages do NOT have a friend cap (Groups DO have a friend cap of 5,000)
– Through Fan Pages you can send updates to an unlimited number of people. SnackTip: Don’t abuse that privilege … you could become annoying!
– On the info tab of any profile, you can see who is a fan of what.
– Fan Pages are much like the profiles on Facebook – you can add pictures, friends, etc. and Fan Pages have walls that fans can post to.
– When a Fan Page posts an update, the update is visible in the Live Stream on the home page.
– Fan Pages are indexed by search engines like Google
– Fan Pages can host applications

Facebook Group Page
– Groups have administrators whose purpose is to manage the Group, content and flow of information
– Permissions can be set for Groups so that certain people can see content or the public as a whole
– Groups are promoted through administrators inviting you to join or you can find them through a search on Facebook
– Groups have security features – as an administrator you can choose who sees your group
– Groups are limited to 5,000 friends
– Groups are directly connected to their administrators
– Google does not index Group pages

Okay, so now what?
For most of our clients, we recommend taking the Facebook Fan Page route versus the Facebook Group Page. Not only are the Fan Pages more flexible, but they offer more marketing opportunities through external search engine indexing, advertising, and so on. So you could say that we’re fans of the Fan Pages (I know, I know … I couldn’t leave that pun alone!)

Whether you decide to use a Facebook Fan Page or a Facebook Group Page, we have some tips to launch a smart page:
– Upload a photo … your fans (or group members) want to know who you are … consider uploading a photo or logo
– Fill out all the information fields … you’re here to share information, so those fields are a great place to start
– Don’t forget to link it up! On your web site, link back to your Facebook page and on your Facebook page, link back to your web site
– Promote your Facebook page through your web site, your blog, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.
– Post often! Post links, updates, etc. Keep it interesting and engaging and interact with your fans or group members

To become a fan of Snackbox on Facebook, click here.  And, to read more on the subject, check out a great post by our friend @mommysnacks by clicking here.

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Jenna Nominated for Social Media Award

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This month we learned that Jenna has been nominated for the Texas Social Media Awards. The nominees will be reviewed by a panel of judges. The judges will look at social media links provided, the nominee’s bio as well as comments posted by readers. To add your own comment or to read the comments that have been posted on Jenna’s page, click here. To learn more about the Texas Social Media Awards, click here.

 

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Facebook Fan Page Done Well

When social media is used correctly, it can do some truly great things. Many of us use Facebook for personal use, but when it comes to using the community for marketing efforts, many feel clueless. Check out the Facebook fan page for Old Spice … it’s engaging and entertaining.

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Some Assembly Required Blog

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Check out this piece written by our favorite professional speaker and author Thom Singer: Relocating to a New City? – Twitter Can Pave the Way!

You can follow Thom on Twitter at @ThomSinger and Jenna at @JennaSnacks

 

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Austin Entrepreneur Network Feature

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Relocating to a New City? – Twitter Can Pave The Way!

Posted on Friday, 25th September, 2009 by Thom Singer

To see the piece in its original form, Click Here.

When Jenna Oltersdorf and her husband Eric made the decision to relocate from Chicago to Austin to be closer to family, they had no idea that Twitter would help propel them ahead in both their business and professional lives.

Jenna and Eric are the owners of SnackBox, a public relations and design firm, now headquartered in Austin, Texas. They founded and grew the company in Chicago, but the desire to be closer to family lead them to Austin, where Eric’s sister and her husband are raising two young children. Jenna is an only child and Eric has the one sister, so being part of their family and seeing their nephew and niece grow up meant being in Austin.

Jenna originally joined Twitter in January 2009 with the thought that it would be a marketing and PR tool for their company. She soon realized that it was really more about communications and relationships, and instead of selling herself, she began to engage people in discussion. Her outgoing personality made her a natural for Twitter, and she soon was creating conversations and expanding her network.

She had grown up in the close knit culture of St. Louis. When you spend your whole life around the same people you establish a natural network. You don’t have to think about it, as it just happens. But moves to both Charlotte, NC and Chicago taught her the importance of cultivating relationships and actively seeking to make real connections. People do business with those they know, like and trust… so a new move would mean starting over in building an inner-circle.

In the spring of 2009, when the decision to come to Austin became official, Jenna began searching out Twitter’s most active Austin voices. She introduced herself, listened, watched, and instigated dialogues with Austinites. As the moving date arrived she began to reach out to her Austin Twitter friends in search of service providers that could help the couple successful execute the move. Most important was finding a lawyer who could help them incorporate the business in their new state. She queried Twitter and quickly found a great attorney.

(Side not to all those in the legal profession who are crying that Twitter is a waste of time. This is an example of how networking works. Her lawyer did not have to even be on Twitter to get this referral. Instead, he just had to know someone willing to take the time to answer Jenna’s request for an introduction!!!)

She also started polling people on what business and networking organizations would make the most sense for her to affiliate with after they arrived. She has been in Austin less than a month and already is getting involved with Leadership Austin’s Engage Program and serves on the board of a local non-profit.

Not only did they provide a long list of business services, her new Twitter friends also shared other interesting Austin factoids and recommended restaurants, best areas to shop, dentists, doctors, and real estate agents (The Oltersdorfs did not need a real estate agent, as Eric’s brother-in-law is Clayton Bullock of Moreland Properties, one of Austin’s top agents!).

Since she got to Austin Jenna’s calendar has been full, as her local Twitter Friends are actively signing up to meet her face-to-face.

I spent an hour with her today at the Starbucks in Westlake and found her to be blessed with a double dose of entrepreneurial spirit. She is excited about growing her company in the city where she expects to live for the rest of her life. While she was not born in Austin, she has that “can – do” attitude that makes this community special.

Additionally she has that “givers gene” that leads to success and win/win for everyone. I have found many people talk about it, but few people (maybe 5%???) really go out of their way to take actions to help others as a natural part of how they do business. Jenna is one of those people! I predict we see big things from Snackbox over the next few years.

I would like to extend a TEXAS SIZED welcome our newest neighbors, friends, and Austinites!! Eric and Jenna Oltersdorf – I wish you much success in Austin!! (I have not yet met Eric, but look forward to meeting him). I got here 18 years ago and have never looked back. I hope that the city is as wonderful of a place for your family as it has been for mine.

You can follow Jenna on Twitter at @JennaSnacks

Have A Great Day.

thom

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Jenna featured in ArtsBiz

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To see the article in its original form, click here.

WILL USING FACEBOOK AND TWITTER BUILD YOUR AUDIENCE? Undefeated drag racer, cupcake baker and PR expert, Jenna Gruhala Oltersdorf, has practical tips for how to use social media to build your brand and grow your audience.
Jenna Gruhala Oltersdorf, Principal of Snackbox Public Relations, recently presented at A&BC’s workshop “PR in the Digital Age” and she’s the mastermind behind the creation of Artsbiz. Her workshop presentation was so tactics-based and interesting; A&BC interviewed her for its newsletter. Everyone keeps talking about social media. What exactly is it? Social media, or SM, is user-generated content on the web. SM offers low-cost and free tools that enable anyone to publish or access information. Examples of SM sites include YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, Wikipedia, Blogger, etc. The key factor of SM is creating conversations and building personal relationships.

Should arts organizations use SM as a PR tactic? SM is a very rewarding PR tactic for arts organizations to employ, though it does require time, creativity and consistency. SM can help your organization connect with volunteers, build relationships with donors, publicize fundraisers and events, and so much more. How much time per week should an organization devote to their SM efforts? I suggest spending about an hour a day on business days with your SM efforts. It’s important to “check in” on a consistent basis.

Do you have any suggestions as to how to make it as easy as possible to maintain SM efforts? A few suggestions for streamlining your SM efforts:

 

  • Create a list of all of the SM outlets with which you’re involved, along with usernames and passwords. This makes passing the baton MUCH easier should you eventually hire someone to help with your efforts, etc.
  • Develop an editorial calendar for topics you want to cover … this helps you stay on top of your messages and keeps the conversation going even on days when you’re not sure what to talk about.
  • Create a folder within your Internet bookmarks so you can store relevant sites for future use. These sites may inspire you for a future blog entry, be something to share with your Twitter followers, and so on.
  • Keep your staff up-to-date on what’s happening with your SM efforts and call for brainstorm sessions so you can keep your content as fresh and creative as possible.
  • Start small … add more and more SM tactics as you become more comfortable with the types that are out there.
  • Don’t be afraid to try new types of SM tactics, but do sit back and listen in on the conversations so you get a good feel for how the environment works.
  • Keep in mind that you get what you give when it comes to SM. There is no secret formula for how much time you should put into it.

 

 

Jenna Gruhala Oltersdorf has managed and executed programs for sole proprietorships, multi-billion dollar companies and nonprofits. When she’s not making PR magic for her clients, Jenna enjoys drag racing Corvettes (she’s undefeated), baking cupcakes and reading Augusten Burroughs. You can find her playing Halo 3 under the Xbox Live gamer tag xxxJENNACIDExxx and on Twitter under @JennaSnacks.

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YouTube Reporters’ Center Debuts

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(via mediabistro.com)

With the explosion of news reports from non-media folks using new technology, YouTube, which ends up hosting a good chunk of those video reports, launched a valuable resource. Click here to read more via MediaBistro.

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Building Your Social Media Approach

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In order to build a social media approach for your company (or for yourself personally), there are five key steps to consider and follow:

Step 1: Research
Take a look at the types of social media available (it’s a constantly changing landscape) and determine which tools are most beneficial to your company. I highly recommend participating in social media on a personal level in an effort to get a feel for how it works before engaging your company.

Look at where your target audiences are online and find out what they’re talking about. How can your company join these conversations and add value?

Step 2: Audit
This steps requires you to take a look at your company and determine what your biggest obstacles are, including slow adoption of social media. During this step, it’s important to evaluate the obstacles you may face and determine how you and your team can overcome them.

Who is on staff that is most enthusiastic about social media? Many times, these are the people that are already involved on a personal level. Are they interested in learning more about the social media craft and are they capable of holding conversations with your target audiences?

Step 3: Plan
Now that you know what types of social media your company will employ and who will be the brand champion, how will you measure your success? Keep in mind that there are generally two types of success: Impact and ROI.

Do the folks in your company understand that you’re not going to see an immediate and direct return-on-investment?

Step 4: Internal Education
So you have a select few who are involved in social media on a personal level and have agreed to assist you in shepherding the company into this new media. What about the majority of employees who not understand how it works and don’t realize the amount of time and conversation it requires?

And, because your company is becoming a part of the social media world, what sort of policies do you need to create to protect both your company and employees?

Step 5: Participation and Evaluation
As you’re diving into social media, keep a watchful eye on what others are doing. Set up RSS feeds and Google News to monitor peers and competitors. Listen in on these conversations and be sure you’re represented within every social media tool that your competitors are using.

Plan your participation, too. If there are major ideas you want to present to your target through social media, consider creating an editorial calendar. By outlining conversations you want to start, this allows you to pick up on your social media efforts and keep the flow going.

And finally, continuous evaluation is key. Are we active in our communities? Are the conversations flowing? How can we improve our presence and our content? What are we doing with the information we gain?

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