http://spiral16.com Eric Melin from Spiral16 -- a social media and online monitoring software and services company -- outlines the best strategies for companies to build awareness and trust through social media. This presentation contains statistics and tactics for engaging on Twitter, as well as content ideas for blogging and important, specific advice on making sure that your message reaches the right people at the right time -- maximum relevancy. All of these strategies can be applied across multiple social media platforms, although much of the talk has specific tips specifically for Twitter, since the bar to engaging strategically on that platform can be unusually high.

1. Writing for Social Media
Eric Melin
@SceneStealrEric
@Spiral16

2. Why Use Social Media?
Engaging regularly through social media can:
• Increase awareness
• Build trust and loyalty
• Increase web traffic
• Build relationships
• Help stay up on trends
• Help generate content ideas
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3. Before You Start
• Identify your target audience
• Demographics, needs, wants
• Find out where they live online
• Websites, social channels
• Choose which channels to focus on
• List your goal(s)
• Figure out time/budget constraints
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4. Hitting the Relevancy Bullseye
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5. Hitting the Relevancy Bullseye
Time-relevant – holidays, newsjacking, trending,
seasonal
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6. Hitting the Relevancy Bullseye
• Geography-relevant – include geography if that
is key
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7. Hitting the Relevancy Bullseye
• Audience/interest-relevant – identify, speak to
them in as few words as possible
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8. Hitting the Relevancy Bullseye
• Helpful/useful-relevant – tips, resources
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9. Twitter Tactics
Follow people and
organizations that are
interesting to you/your
audience.
Your Twitter account will
become a real-time news
feed of the issues and topics
you care about.
This is content that you can
share. Make sure it’s
something your audience
cares about.
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10. Twitter Tactics
60% of content should be
from other sources, always
with full credit
30% should be
conversation, thank yous,
adding your opinion
10% should be your own
content.
Some say 70/20/10 – either
way, you get the idea!
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11. Twitter Tactics
Remember to @ people and
give them credit (via
@username) when sharing
links.
Compliment the source, ask
a question, or add
discussion.
If @ is the 1st character of
your tweet, only that person
will see it, so if not a direct
response, use “.@”
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12. Twitter Tactics
Follow local and cause-related
hashtags and join in on the
conversation. Create your own
hashtag for your events.
#activism
#advocacy
#causes
#charity
#charitytuesday
#csr – corporate social responsibility
#donate
#fundraising
#ngo – nongovernmental organization
#nonprofit
#nonprofits
#npcons – nonprofit consultants
#nptech – nonprofit tech
#philanthropy
#sm4sg – social media for social good
#socent – social entrepreneur or social
enterprise
#socialgood
#video4change
#volunteer
#volunteers
CHATS
#nptalk – nonprofit talk
#ynpchat – young nonprofit
professionals
#npcons – nonprofit consultants
#socentchant – social entrepreneurs
#smNPchat – small nonprofits
http://www.companykmedia.com/2011/05/18/30-super-useful-nonprofithashtags-twitter-chats-too/#sthash.O3ixBOLE.dpuf
#EWBUSA2013
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13. Twitter Tactics
Live tweet during events.
Follow others using the
hashtag.
Meeting people in the real
world and following them
on Twitter can cement
relationships.
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14. Twitter Tactics
Establish your “voice.”
Be authentic and friendly.
Use plain-spoken language,
not industry jargon.
Ask questions.
Answer others.
Retweet and favorite.
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15. A Good Tweet
• Is 120 characters or under
– use numbers, eliminate
non-essential characters,
maximize ease of reading
• Uses a link shortener
• Includes a hashtag or two
to expand reach (research
for the optimal one)
• Includes an image
• Includes a link
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18. Statistics
• Tweets using Twitter’s
uploader are 94% more
likely to be retweeted
• Tweets with hashtags are
twice as likely to be
retweeted, but only up to
two
• 70% of RTs contain a link
• Tweets asking for
retweets are 40-50%
more likely to be http://shopify.com/blog/9511075-the-science-of-retweets-10-steps-to-going-viral-on-twitter#axzz2tIijRgCx
http://mashable.com/2013/04/25/nestivity-engaged-brands/
retweeted
http://
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19. Statistics
Frequency
• Trial and error – find the frequency your
audience responds to best
• Look at competitors
Timing
• Response rates are highest between
lunch – end of work day
• Take time zones into consideration
• Take industry into consideration
• Trial and error
http://mashable.com/2013/04/25/nestivity-engaged-brands/
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20. Look at Twitter Analytics
Tells you
• How many clicks the link has received
from Twitter
• How many favorites
• Retweets
• Replies
• Special box for tweets with more than
2X the normal reach
Also gives you a monthly timeline for mentions, follows,
unfollows.
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22. Become an Expert
Branden Hampton, @Notebook = 40 percent more engagement
than any other brand:
“The secret to success as a business on Twitter is conveying the industry’s message,
not your business’. When your followers learn that you’re an industry expert, they’ll
trust your business when they look for a product in that industry.”
“A jeweler, for example, shouldn’t tweet all day about their latest collections or
newest diamonds. Instead, they should tweet checklists for brides, awesome proposal
videos and tips on handling wedding stress. Their followers will see them as an
expert, and are more likely to trust – and purchase from – them when they’re ready
to take the plunge.”
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23. Blogging Subjects
How-tos
Tips/resources/whitepapers
Infographics
Research/reports/surveys
Trends
Different verticals
Personal reflections and how they relate to the bigger
picture
• Tangentially related fun stuff
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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25. Headlines
A catchy headline is the top influencer on Americans' likelihood to read an online or
print article in full (54%) – Harris Interactive
“It’s not just about finding great stories. You also need to choose a
compelling angle and write a great headline.”
“If something can be sensationalized in a certain way to provoke a
certain feeling in the reader that tends to do the best.”
- Neetzan Zimmerman, authored 9 of Top 10 Gawker posts from 2013
• Appeal to human interest; inspire
• Evoke primal emotion
http://www.slideshare.net/HubSpot/9-tips-viralcontentslideshare
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“Study data and improve!”
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26. Humor
Funny posts and pictures of
animals are the most popular
Facebook posts on the planet.
Just make sure your post fits in
somehow with your
mission/story.
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28. Questions?
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29. Thanks!
@SceneStealrEric
@Spiral16