Connecting the dots from old media…to new media.

Social Media Pioneers

Posted by on Aug 22, 2010 in Featured Articles, Latest News, Location Based Social Media, Social Media, Web 2.0 | 0 comments

I recently attended a meeting of the Arizona Internet Marketing Association (AZIMA). The program for the evening was focused on Social Media. The presenters were Chuck Reynolds and Matt Situla both gurus on social media and true pioneers of the medium.


I was struck by how immersed both of them are in the whole social media explosion not only from a marketing perspective but as users of these new location-based marketing tools.

Everyday your customers are having conversations about your brand and your products. The conversations may or may not be positive. The question is, “Are you monitoring these conversations?” If not, you’re not managing your brand or your brand reputation. There are many tools available that allow you to monitor the conversations about your brand and you should be already using these or hiring someone to help you with this very important aspect of your business.

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Along with monitoring conversations about your business, you should realize that these location based marketing tools can help you significantly grow your business. Many early adopters are using these tools to generate traffic for specific events as well as offer ad hoc coupons or discounts just to build traffic in their brick and mortar stores on specific days or at specific times.

Here’s a quick list of websites that are either social media tools or location based marketing tools.

Call me if you want more information about Social Media or if you need help with developing your Social Media strategy. I’m also happy to speak to your group or business about the importance of this new marketing vehicle.

Social Media (SM)

Facebook – with over 1/2 a billion users, this is the 800 lb. gorilla. You can have your own personal page as well as a brand/business page. It’s easy to set up and very customizable. There are many apps that can move your fans into action like: surveys, polls,etc.
Twitter – this application allows you up to 140 characters to let the world know what you’re up to. For both personal and business use. You can do some ‘just-in-time advertising with twitter, letting your customers know that you a special or event…in real time.
Linkedin – Think of this as the business Facebook. Post your resume and connect with other business associates. Linkedin allows you to promote your business persona and to network with others.  One of the more powerful features is the ability to have your colleagues write recommendations for you.  This is especially helpful to gain new business or to help in your job search.

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Location Based Social Marketing (LBSM)

Everyone is getting smart phones theses days.  As people come off their 2 year agreement with their carriers, they are choosing smart phones in overwhelming numbers.  What does that mean?  It means that they are carrying around phones with built-in GPS.  With GPS onboard, businesses can advertise their business not only for just-in-time promotions but can also advertise to people that are close by.  Many times, a well placed, ad can influence a decision and get someone into your store.

Foursquare – Foursquare currently has 2 million members with 17 check-ins per second.  This is a social ‘check-in’ application.   That is, the app allows members to check-in when they are physically in a particular location or to check-in retroactively from the website.  You’re friends can see where you are. Once checked in, users can write reviews about the product or service, leave tips, upload photos and interact with other users that are logged in. In additions, when a user checks in  at or around your business location, they will see specials that you have made available.

As a business owner you can claim your location page.  Once you ‘own’ your page, you can create specials and access analytics on your user base.  If you check in often you can become the ‘mayor’ of that location or earn a ‘badge’.  Businesses can create specials for their most frequent check-ins.  Think of it as the frequent buyer punch card without the physical card.  If you have  a customer that checks in ten times, then perhaps you could provide a free side-dish, appetizer or some kind of discount that rewards them for their frequency.  Foursquare provides window-clings to alert your customers that you participate and reminds them to check-in.  Foursquare also has an analytics tool to help you determine the effectiveness of your promotions.

Gowalla - Gowalla is set-up as a location-based network game.  User of Gowalla check-in to venues where they exchange or leave items.  Like most of the other LB apps, users can upload photos, leave tips and comment on other users or the product or service.  What makes Gowalla interesting and what increased interactivity, is the focus they place on the game aspect of the network.  Gowalla awards users that check-in with items that can be saved or traded with other users. The items you can ‘earn’ on Gowalla are like Foursquare badges but they are actually more representative of the physical location and often look like them.  Another interesting feature of Gowalla is the ability to link a number of locations together and set them up as a trip or crawl.
As a business owner, you can update and correct any misinformation on your page in Gowalla which currently has 1.4 million venues listed.
So as a business owner, you ask yourself, “What’s the big deal?” A few million people using location based media. So what! Well Facebook is the big deal. They announced last week they are launching their location-based application. The application will help users do three things: to allow the user to share where they are, to help find other users around you and to discover new places.
The new Facebook, ‘places’ brings another 1/2 billion users into location-based marketing.

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