Retweeting (RT) is the most effective way of sharing information you like within Twitter. But to getting someone to retweet your message (or tweet) requires you to use some tools.

1. Include Links.  Tweets have a much higher percentage of being retweeted when a link is used.
2. Use a URL shortner such as bit.ly and ow.ly when adding a link to your Tweet. This will drastically reduce long URLs and allow for more copy within the 140 character allotted space.
3. Speaking of allotted space, don’t use all of it when you are tweeting.  This will make it easier for someone to retweet as they are already losing between 5 and 8 characters plus the length of the username when they are retweeting your message.
4. As much as possible, use keywords and phrases within your Tweets. Research has shown the most retweetable tweets include words and phrases such as “social media”, “check out”, “blog post”, “top”, “please”, “help” and “free”.
5. Avoid tweeting about “boring” items. Yes, Twitter asks you to type in “What’s Happening” but stay away from using words like “haha”, “sleep”, “watching”, “home” and “bored” if you want to get your Tweets to be spread via the RT.
6. Use longer words.  Avoid abbreviations and use better language with more syllables. This will make your Tweet more intellectual and give it a higher chance of being retweeted.
7. Timing.  Many social media experts have said that the highest probability of getting your Tweets retweeted are between the hours of 4 and 5pm. Friday is the highest day of the week for retweets.

To use Twitter as an effective marketing tool, your greatest potential of reaching an audience beyond your followers is by having your tweets retweeted. These are just a few general recommendations to make your

Is there such a thing as social media privacy? Just weeks after Facebook announces that they have gone public with their user’s personal information, Google announced the launch of real-time web and personalized search queries. Google’s new search functionality will allow anyone looking for information, news or events to see live updates in real-time. Users can now view live public social media messages and have an insight into live breaking news the moment it happens. Google’s launch of real-time search engine results is anticipated to have a significant impact on the social media marketing industry. This new development may have both a negative and positive impact on social media users. This new real-time feature may improve the results of social media campaigns and efforts, by allowing user’s news and events to be published within Google’s search results. Companies will now be able to achieve more consumer engagement and drive more traffic to their websites. This move toward sharing more personal information is enticing for companies with Twitter, Google and Facebook profiles. It is a great incentive for companies to invest more time and effort into their social media efforts and gain more exposure. It is hazy as to whether or not consumers will see the value in sharing their personal information with more than just their friends, but with everyone online.

(Screenshot of Google’s real-time news feed)

Pessimists believe that the new Google real-time feature may be opening a Pandora’s Box, by allowing spammers to get their foot in the Google search door. No one knows whether or not social media users will continue to participate in social media efforts knowing that their news will now go public. Before consumers make up their mind on the new social media circumstances, businesses should take full advantage of social media efforts while the iron is hot. This could be a very beneficial attribute that will allow businesses to gain more targeted publicity.

The holiday season is well underway! With decorations galore and festive music playing almost everywhere, you can feel it in the air that Santa will soon be here! I can’t think of a better way for Online Retailers to get into the holiday spirit, other than by playing Santa with their loyal customers (aka fans, followers, connections).

Social Media Marketing affords you (both literally and figuratively) the opportunity to reach out to your existing fans on Facebook, followers on Twitter, connections on LinkedIn, etc. to offer special discounts, incentives, free gifts, free shipping, etc. You can make them feel extra special by rewarding your loyal social media network participants. This will also get them in the habit of visiting your pages more often, as they will not want to miss out on future specials.

It is advisable to use a specific promo code; one that is different than anything else you may be promoting. This is a great way to see how your social media strategy is performing and make optimization adjustments as necessary. The holiday season is a better time than ever to utilize your social media channels to say thank you and happy holidays to your existing fan base. In addition, you can suggest that they pass your special offers along to coworkers, friends, family members, etc. You will be building your current fan base and generating more eyes to your site.

If you are reading this blog and thinking to yourself I do not have social media channels in place so I cannot offer these incentives to my consumers… Well, shame on you! It’s not too late to jump on the bandwagon and I strongly encourage you to do so. Visit our website to learn why social media is anything but a fad; it is mission critical.

Tis the season to wish your fans, followers and connections a VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY and a GREAT BIG THANK YOU for being a part of your social media existence!

There once was a time when social media sites were considered to be just for teenagers or those looking for love. However, that has just changed in recent years, especially on Facebook. Facebook has become a huge asset to advertisers, especially when they are looking to reach to a niche audience. Facebook allows advertisers to geo-target ads and key in on users via specific keywords in their Facebook profile.

Facebook allows advertisers to do geo-targeting by country, state/province, and city. This allows the advertiser to limit or expand their message to their target audience based on geo-target settings that the advertiser can set. An extra benefit is that Facebook is not limited to the United States. Facebook has most of the countries of the world on its geo-targeting list, which keeps advertisers from being locked in to one area or location. Relative to other social media sites Facebook offers advertisers a lot of options.

One option that sets Facebook apart is keyword interest targeting. Let me explain. When Facebook users sign up for an account they fill in information on their profile page based on their interests. When advertisers create an ad in Facebook they have the option of searching and selecting keywords that may be of interest to a Facebook user.

A picture is worth a thousand words so let’s look at an example.  Let’s say an advertiser is looking to reach people who are doing home improvement projects. When the advertiser starts to type in the keyword “home improvement” Facebook pulls up a list of keywords associated with “home improvement that are associated with people’s profiles. The advertiser can then select from any of the keywords suggested.  Once the advertiser selects the keywords for a particular ad; Facebook serves the ad to the people who have those keywords in their profile. 

Facebook is a great asset to advertiser’s especially since it has geo-targeting and specific keyword targeting. By using Facebook, an advertiser can target a specific audience and not feel like they are casting their net too wide. It will be interesting to see how advertisers benefit as Facebook expands their offerings and the world of social media continues to evolve.

Social media has grown new legs and is beginning to capitalize in all industries. In today’s current economy with the National Unemployment Rate at nearly 10.2% (according to United States Department of Labor), Job Seekers are seeking new avenues to find a job. Social media networks have broadened their horizon beyond just marketing and brand awareness, and have become a primary venue for job seekers. 

Traditionally, people sought out employment by contacting former colleagues, networking with new acquaintances, or relying on referrals. Social networking sites now allow job seekers to make those contacts electronically. Networks such as LinkedIn have become a lead proprietor in both the job search and marketing arenas. Social Media networks have become one of the main go to places for all avenues of life.

In addition to creating awareness and establishing relationships, LinkedIn has become one of businesses’ main sources for recruiting employees. A survey conducted by Jobvite found that 80 percent of companies use or are planning to use social networking to recruit candidates.(http://www.jobvite.com/recruit/news/press-releases/pr/jobvite-2009-social-recruitment-survey.html) Companies use LinkedIn tools to converse with former employers or co-workers, check out recommendations, and get a sense of potential employees communication skills, as well as get insights into their qualifications. LinkedIn has established a professional platform for sharing that type of information and establishing those relationships. LinkedIn profiles can serve as both a professional marketing tool, as well as an online resume in a sense. 

Other social media networks such as Twitter and Facebook can also be useful tools for both marketing and recruiting. Companies use their Facebook pages to post new openings or promote offers or products Twitter allows companies to tweet 140 character messages of jobs or current promotions, which can quickly be retrieved on a cell phone. Social media networks have become the next generation of successful marketing tools for companies.