Social Media
Social media workshop Wednesday in Alexandria
The Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce is co-sponsoring a workshop with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center on "Getting Started with Social Media," from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Chamber Office, 1118 Third St. in Alexandria. The workshop will provide the basics on how to use Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, as well as the latest must-have Pinterest, to promote your business or organization at no cost. Full article.
Free social media class set for businesses Nov. 4
A free class to teach businesses how to use Facebook, LinkedIn and other popular social media networks, sponsored by the incubator and the Louisiana Small Business Development Center, is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Central La Business Incubator. Full article.
Companies have new tool for consumer opinion insight
More companies are starting to use a tool that can swiftly analyze large numbers of opinions on the Web, including blogs and social networking sites. It's called Mass Opinion Business Intelligence (MOBI), developed by a California-based company, and works by providing a real-time feed of relevant consumer sentiment, gathered from millions of sites. Full article.
Consider hiring a blogger to promote your business
Outsourcing all kinds of social media marketing—from writing a company blog to updating social media programs is becoming a viable option for small business owners. While, a well-written blog can be a useful and important tool for branding/personalizing a company, a poorly written blog could also produce the opposite effect. When considering outsourcing this effort, businesses need to ensure that anyone entrusted with this effort properly projects a company's "personality.” Full article.
Stop playing defense on Social Media
Most companies use social media to focus on discovering customer complaints after they happen, which doesn’t do a good job of engaging with the people who enjoy your product. Social media should be about offense—providing messages that are socially enabled, can raise product awareness, establish meaningful relationships with customers. Full article.
Driving business results with Social Media
Question of the day: How can your business reap a return on investment from its forays into social media programs? Companies who accomplished this goal had several things in common, some of which included actually listening to what your customers are saying online and responding accordingly and widening their view of how they used social media programs. Full article.
Establish a commonsense Social Media policy
Online and off, social media are creating conflicts between employers and employees that involve privacy rights, civil rights, and at times even criminal conduct. In a recent interview, attorney Anthony Haller indicated that small businesses should establish commonsense social media policies before disputes arise. Full Interview.
Social Media aiding long distance relationships
Long distance romance has gotten a lot easier in the world of digital access. Psychologists and counselors say there's been a shift in attitudes, from young people not wanting to deal with love over the miles. Social media like Facebook help, where couples can electronically stay in touch. Full article.
Social Media resolutions for 2011
There are several important things to keep in mind when devising your Social Media strategy for 2011. They include being original, not auto-tweeting your friends, and not being narcissistic. Full article.
E-Mail gets instant makeover
Text messages are eclipsing emails these days, and Internet companies like Facebook are responding with message services that are focused on immediate gratification. E-mail does have its place — namely work and other serious business, like online shopping, but this is less a generational phenomenon than a situational one. Full article.
