Social Media Advertising Done Right
Five Guys Burgers and Fries are known for freshly-made, gigantic sized burgers. As a rule of thumb, the owners have never splurged on advertising. Instead, they reinvest their profits to go towards their workers and fresh ingredients. Their Facebook page boasts over 200,000 fans and their Twitter page keeps followers updated. With $0 in advertising costs, Five Guys have still managed to grow in popularity and engage their customers. Much like Krispy Kreme Donuts, who is also known for not advertising, these social tools have given these businesses great leverage. These are just some of many examples of social media advertising done right! It also doesn’t hurt that their food is delicious.

One Man’s Story Sparks Online Viral Marketing
While we’re on the topic of food, have you heard about Dave’s Killer Bread? As a former meth addict and felon, Dave Dahl turned his life around by putting his efforts into making delicious, natural bread. With fewer carbs and names like “Killer Sin Dawg”, what’s not to like? Dave’s Bread is also prominent on Facebook and his page has nearly 9,000 fans. If you take a quick glance, you’ll see nothing but amazing praise for his organic bread. We’re not one to be picky, but who knew that people are so passionate about their bread? With such a wholesome product and a compelling story, it’s not a surprise that the popularity of Dave’s Killer Bread took off the way it did.

What are some other unique Facebook/Twitter accounts you’ve seen lately?

Happy Tuesday! I saw this video and it contains some pretty noteworthy factoids. You’ve probably come across some version of this video but this is the most updated one. Enjoy!

1. Social news sites like Reddit are useful because the push time sensitive nature.
2. User generated content from sites like YouTube allow variety. Users can share anything and everything!
3. And of course, social networking sites like Twitter.

What’s the best thing about blogs? They have the ability to cover the span of these three categories. Wes and Francis talk about the difference between internal and external blog sources. It’s important to keep track of the analytics and they really delve into the details – besides their company is an expert in the field! The guys also talk about how you can use paid search to boost your viral campaign efforts. In these ads, you want to point users to a very specific place and get them to participate. Whether it is to comment, retweet, or vote, a call to action is crucial.

Very insightful stuff. I also like Tech Crunch’s look into more so-called secrets behind viral campaigns.

A viral video has hit the internet starring Chuck Liddell of UFC fame and his girlfriend, Heidi Norcott. At first glance, it seems like a paparzzo/ peeping tom is secretly filming the pair as they’re working out. The catch? They’re both in the buff – except for wearing Reebok trainers.
So, my question is, do almost-naked good looking people make you want to buy Reebok shoes? My first thought: what shoes?! Not sure how great the product is but I’m sure Reebok is loving the attention.

Check out more and see the video here.

Psst… you probably don’t want to watch this while your boss is around.

Applying Marketing Goals with Twitter
From raising brand awareness to simply gaining sales, there are many different direct marketing goals. You can even use Twitter as an extension of your customer service. As you think about the goals you want to set for your business, you should also think about using Twitter to reach your audience. There are some different consumers to consider before you start and today, we’re going to discuss the Twitter voyeur.

Taking a Look at the Voyeur
Let’s face it, there are lots of them. They go by many names: the voyeur, the lurker, the shy guy, or even the n00b. Not everyone on Twitter is actively contributing, but their presence can’t be ignored. For example, you may be a boutique owner. Although it’s great to network by following others in your industry, they’re not going to buy what you have to sell. It’s the customers you want to reach out to. Offer rewards and give your followers the inside scoop. Inactive users may stay quiet, but they make take advantages of good deals you offer. Not everyone wants to build and maintain an online relationship with their so-called “friends”. It takes thought and effort, so others may just not have the time.

Monitor with Twitter
Even for those who don’t post to Twitter, it doesn’t mean that they’re not watching. Twitter is a useful, social, and entertaining resource. Some may just browse Twitter’s trending topics to see what others have to say. Twitter is a great tool for small business or individuals to use to gain insight. Bigger companies definitely use it to monitor their brand.

Use Common Sense
Although Twitter is an informal channel, don’t fly blind by forgetting to set a goal. In direct marketing, you have the influencer, decision maker, buyer etc. You can appeal to these same types of consumers when it comes to Twitter. The best thing you can do is to be consistent with your marketing message. Keep some Twitter don’ts in the back of your mind while you do so, and have fun!

So, just how do popular YouTube videos make money? The most obvious answer is that they can act as links that drive traffic to your website. Like updates on Twitter or being featured on social bookmarking sites such as Delicious, your website can benefit from exposure to a huge Internet audience. Video is a growing trend and you can use your creativity to help your site rank higher in search results. From product placement to running affiliate ads on your videos, there are many ways to monetize your YouTube efforts. Just like any other social media campaign, videos are a great utility in promoting your website.

Many have found that video blogs are catching on because you can easily promote yourself, your company, and your brand. Embeddable videos are user-friendly because they are easy to access and share. A popular video can help you gain leverage that you might not get otherwise from using standard PPC ads or SEO. The next time you see a viral video that you like, analyze some of their techniques and see how it can help you in your efforts. Do you have any videos that you’d like to share?

When it comes to Facebook marketing and Twitter advertising, which do you prefer? Both have advantages and disadvantages and social media marketing is still in its early stages of development. Users may have trouble keeping up with all the new changes as marketers struggle to find an effective strategy. An analysis from Compete, shows that Facebook is in the lead, but is Twitter a threat? I believe that Twitter and Facebook are strong competitors that and can be strongly beneficial when properly utilized.

People like to use Facebook because they can keep in touch with old friends and easily meet new ones. However, with Twitter, individuals and companies can build a strong following and promote their awareness of their brand. It is important to keep up on changes with both of these giants because it is hard to tell which has more potential. Taking it up a notch, viral marketing is also becoming prevalent on these social networking sites. For example on Twitter, Ashton Kutcher challenged CNN to a “popularity” contest and won! This may be a victory for Kutcher and embarrassing for CNN, but both parties certainly gained more followers. How are some pros and cons of both Facebook and Twitter:

Facebook
+ Rapidly growing number of users
+ Potential to use third party applications for advertising
+ Some report using Facebook messaging more than email to connect with real friends
- Takes time to learn how to navigate
- Requires testing and research to realize long term benefits
- Numerous applications and features could clutter your message

Twitter
+ Easy to use, navigate and use to promote or share anything
+ Cost advantageous in comparison to Facebook (for the time being)
+ More people can be exposed to your message without any formal confirmation or even logging in
- Limited to 140 character for each update
- Potential for abuse by spammers
- Too early to tell how effective it is in advertising

Have you ever found yourself fascinated by a fun flash game or an interesting video clip? These may have been part of an online viral marketing campaign. Through using online buzz marketing and word-of-mouth on social networking sites, marketers work hard to use clever techniques to capture online attention and increase brand awareness of a company. A notable marketing campaign is Blendtec’s Will It Blend? channel on YouTube. The company demonstrates their product’s strong blending abilities by testing different objects ranging from golf balls to the Apple iPhone in an infomercial type series of videos.

By using unique approaches, marketers can capture more attention than when using a more traditional marketing method. YouTube videos are particularly popular because they are embeddable and easy for users to pass along via links or on their blog. You don’t have to always use outrageous techniques or videos, but it can certainly help when it comes to attracting potential customers.

A focus on web design marketing can be just as crucial in attracting visitors to your site. Your website should always accurately represent your company. It should also display a consistent message that is easy for your clients to understand. Not only should your website be eye-catching, but also easy to navigate. In order to gain favorable traffic, it is also important for your site to be search engine friendly.

So, whether you want to try to build momentum by creating an innovative video clip or adapting a new web design, there are countless different options that you can look into. Remember to do your research and keep in mind that these options are not mutually exclusive. You can mix and match the different methods that work best for you and your company.