2011 was really a “Tweetastic” year! And these awesome twitter tools were behind it all….

Yep, it’s that time of year when we all reflect on days gone by, this is the 1^st post in my end of the 2011 review. This particular post is about the things that made 2011 a “Tweetastic” year! 

This year I was introduced to some awesome twitter apps and engagement strategies that I would like to share with you. Yep that’s right I said strategies!! Because there really is more to twitter than just a newsfeed of the next Middle Eastern revolution or the outrageous family announcements by the Kardashian's! So let’s have a look shall we…

First up lets discuss some of the twitter apps that I found and how best to use them!

Pay with a tweet

I like Pay with a Tweet, it allows you to give free content to people in exchange for them tweeting that they are reading/using your content! 


I would use Pay with a Tweet if I was new to the industry and wanted to share my new e-book. Because even though I know it has value my potential customer might not want to part with cash to read it but for just a tweet??? Now we're talking!   

Paper.li

Let's you collect tweets, yours and others on various topics, that most often than not have links to some great articles  Another great way to build your brand using content created by others and stay abreast of all the industry topics that are important to you. 

Storify

A great way to tell your story using content provided by others…take a look at how we used it to tell how the U.S. is falling in love with the “The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl”!

Tweetvisor

Recently I have had some issues with Tweetdeck, that have left me red-faced and looking for a back-up solution and then I found Tweetvisor! I love this web-based tweet scheduler!! At a glance I can see my DM’s, @SocialMMMDiva’s and networks posts. I can also pop things in and walk away with the peace of mind that it really is going to post!! Now if only they did Facebook and Google+ too….. 

Twilert

 I like Twilert it’s much like setting a google alert for things you want to be in the loop on only on twitter! So say you can set one for your twitter handle so you can see if anyone is tweeting about you or your brand. Or for keywords that you might want to respond to, like the word #Klout you will get a feed of all the tweets about #Klout. Now this will come in handy if you are writing a blog about #Klout and need inspiration.  

Twylah

Now this tool is a great way to index your tweets. A one stop shop (mini-webpage) for people to see what you tweet about and determine if they want to follow you on twitter! Click the link and head on over to my branded index of tweets.

 So tell me which of these Twitter tools do you use and why? If you didn’t use any of them which will you play around with in 2012? And lastly what Twitter tools made 2011 Tweetastic for you?

Klout 2.0|The fall out and breaking it off with an old friend!

So finally after days of waiting for a response, I received an e-mail from Klout. After reading the canned responses, I am beginning to wonder if they really know what an algorithm is or how it should function! Just one look and you will understand why it is the good folks at Klout couldn’t seem to get the right equation together for their new algorithm! Go ahead click the link I double dare ya! Klout Algorithm Analysts hard at work ; now after that display of awesome tomfoolery one can understand why the new algorithm is what it is! I mean after all of that I guess the best equation they could come up with was (Twitter +FaceBook+ Foursquare -MySpace) + (True Reach + Network)*Amplification=HOT MESS! No, really I have given up all hope of the good folks over at Klout ever addressing the issues! I mean Social Media Enthusiasts everywhere want questions like these listed below answered: • What/who determines what we are influential about? o i.e. how many times can we discuss a topic before we are determined to have "Klout" on that subject? I mean I myself have tweet'd and facebook'd about venues to host a clients speed dating event and suddenly I am influential on bars ( I don't drink) yet nothing on qr codes or social tv or webprogram's which I discuss daily. And this is a common complaint of others in my social tv and qr code networks. • How will "Klout" correct this issue? • Why is it when my true reach or network influence goes down my overall "Klout" score decreases? • Also how can we add a topic that we want to give +K to an influencer on? But alas Klout feels like Jane Q public doesn’t deserve a response! So, I guess like the saying goes I’ll be treating Klout like an old boyfriend; Sure we talk and do other things ….but it’s just not the same….I’ve been eyeing the guy across the hall and he’s looking in-Kred-ibly hot!

A Sassy Social Mobile Media Marketing Summit in the South 2012

You’re either social or not and who better to learn "Social Mobile Media Marketing Strategies from than a Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva! So after giving it some thought this Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva is asking for help from her friends to make a dream become a reality! That's right I am asking for the help of friends to assist me in funding a Social Mobile Media Marketing Summit in 1st quarter 2012. If each of my friends could give $2 and tell 12 friends we'll be able to reach our goal in no time!

Please Unleash the DIWO! -- 'Do It With Others' by asking folks to get the word out and make some noise about our Campaign. Help us get the word out about our Social Mobile Media Marketing Summit for women. Spread the word! Post that you donated to Facebook and Twitter!

What I pledge to do going forward: I will continue to share my social media tips tricks and overall knowledge with everyone openly - making sure that nobody has to go without basic social media knowledge.
I will mentor anyone who needs assistance in re-inventing their current business strategies to reflect aspects of social business and change the way customers engage and companies engage with their business. this fast paced social mobile media marketing world.
I will continue to tell the whole story - BS free - so that we can see what it really takes to be successful with social mobile media marketing today.

Thank you and keep sending me your love, support and encouragement!

Klout 2.0|The"fall out" and working through the kinks; or not!

OMG the “Twitterverse” has been abuzz with the recent changes that “Klout” has made to their algorithms, the social media world is on fire!

It’s amazing to me how many “Social Media Experts” who previously touted “Klout” as “The Social Media influence tool” to use, are now willing to jump ship and look for some “Kred”ential’s” (not that Kred doesn’t seem to be on top of their game or anything). But frankly I just don’t get it! If you ask me it’s quite laughable at the amount of bruised Klout ego’s out there! I mean really a few short weeks ago many of the so called “Social Media Experts”, (you know who they are!) couldn’t say enough good things about “Klout” and “Klout Perks”! If these so called “Social Media Experts”, were truly on top of their game there would have been little to no changes in their scores when the “Klout Analyst’s”, finally figured out what truly makes up Social Influence.

To me “Klout” was initially a simple measurement of your Twitter presence; however they saw an opportunity to turn the service into a viable business by adding on the measurement of facebook reach and influence, for businesses. As we have entered Social Media 3.0, the expectation is that people now have a way to equate return of engagement to return on investment.

Overtime and with the help of certain “Brands”, Klout now has a growing structure for which to begin measuring social influence. This is important in that so many of our “Social Media Experts”, previously were gaming “Klout” by this I mean they were simply obtaining followers and dousing then with information, not actually engaging them. So here we are today with tons of “Social Media Experts”, with bruised egos because they have been found out and must now start re-building their Social Influence. Perhaps this time they will be better at creatively engaging and communicating with at least 10% of those 9,999 followers on a weekly basis!

Since influence is relative why all the so called “Social Media Experts” are upset that their “Rock star” scores have dropped from 80 to 46? Why are they not upset with the fact that it is took “Klout” so long to understand what Social Influence truly consists of?

My issues with “Klout” are not that they’ve changed the algorithms to what they actually should have been measuring but that they do not address the broken pieces of the system! Such as, how does one become influential of bars after one Facebook post and maybe three tweets, on the subject?! And not be influential in QR codes and they sit on a weekly chat regarding that subject and are constantly retweeted and even quoted in various blogs; on the matter! Not to mention, there aren’t any instructions on how to give +K to an influencer on a subject we feel they are an influencer of? These are the issues we want answers to!

I digress; the good folks at “Klout” were not able to respond back to me in a timely fashion so I had to push forward without a response from them. And while my relationship with “Klout” has been bittersweet I would love to see them re-brand and move forward; as I have invested so much time building my “Social Influence” and “Klout”. However with these unanswered questions I find myself wanting to join in on the #OccupyKlout movement or my favorite “Who needs “Klout” when they have Social Media “Kred”!

For more information on Social Media “Kred” go to www.kred.ly

To read more about measuring your Social Media Influence read this great article on "Social Media Examiner" by Phil Mershon, "6 Ways to Measure Your Social Media Results".

Learn how to be more Tweetastic with these 5 Tantalizing Twitter Engagement Tricks!

Engaging your followers on Twitter can sometimes be elusive at best but hopefully after giving a few of our twitter engagement tricks a try, your followers will think you are Tweetastic!

Now we all know that the “Twitterverse” can be fickle and that to be considered one of the “Tweetastic” people you need to have an ever evolving twitter strategy. As previously discussed in my free Twitter e-book “The SocialMMMDiva’s Twitter Tips & Tricks”, people like to follow tweeters who provide interesting, innovative, useful and engaging content. How do you do all that and stand out from the crowd, you ask? Simple take the time to listen to your followers and then develop your brand’s twitter strategy!

I know you are saying great SocialMMMDiva is going to give us one of those fluff you can do kind of posts and are ready to click off but hold on a sec and I’ll get to the “details” of it all…are ya ready??

Here we go……

Be useful provide your followers with informative and interesting links to great new twitter tools, like tweetreach and twylah.

Be engaging include a call to action or conversational starting comment in each tweet.

Be creative while developing a social engagement strategy for a client recently I came across all kind of ideas from in real life twitter events like “Taste & Tweet” or “Tweet & Toast’s to virtual book clubs and authors hosting “chirptours”.

Be innovative I’ve recently created and hosted “Twirting Tips”, “Tweet Twivia” & “Tweet Scramble” events for a few of my clients.

Be consistent set a posting schedule consisting of the various strategies that you will be using so that your followers will know when to expect to receive useful information or partake in your weekly twitter game or challenges!

Once you have implemented these things into your bag of “Twitter Tricks” your followers just may add you to their list of “Tweetastic” people!

How do you get your customers to use your business without thinking? "Habit Marketing", that's how!

At the beginning of the month I had the pleasure of having Sprint's Doug Rossier on my BTR show Social Mobile Media Marketing Tips & Tricks with the SocialMMMDiva to talk about his pet marketing concept "Habit Marketing". Habit Marketing is the belief that American consumers are creatures of habit. Basically as small business owners you need to learn what is import to your customers and how they go about using those items. Then build habit forming marketing campaigns around that!

"The Samsung Instinct was designed to be habit forming. Inspired by pioneering work by Dr. Neale Martin, Sprint and Samsung created the Instinct interface from the bottom up to work the way your brain works." States- Doug Rossier, Sprint Instinct Marketing Lead.

Innovative marketing concept is being used by companies like "Starbucks" and Apple in the development phase of new products! Look at how addictive the new Ipad is for it's users and not to mention we all want a cup a joe while using it! So take a listen or sit down and have a looksy at the book...whatever's your pleasure just figure out how to make your product habit forming.

To find out more about Neale's book"Habit: the 95% of Behavior Marketers Ignore" go to Neale Martin's website

If you missed this particular episode listen to it now!

Listen to internet radio with SocialMMMDiva on Blog Talk Radio

Be sure to check Doug out at the "Force of Habit:How the Unconscious Mind Drives 95% of Customer Behavior", one day seminar. Doug will be participating in a panel discussion addressing translating habit insights into results (See the flyer below for more information).

Social Media and the 2012 Campaign for President

OMG, have you heard of Storify??

I recently came across this great tool called, "Storify". I know you are wondering why is the SocialMMMDiva so excited, right? Well, have you ever needed to document a story in a hurry? Worse yet have you ever gotten writer's block while in the middle of writing a quick release article? Then Storify is for you!

Storify, is this really cool web based tool that lets you tell stories using social media; such as Tweets, photos and videos. You can search different social networks, blogs etc. basically anything on the World Wide Web, to create your story! You can add text and if you use google websites just upload your own content. Drop it into their URL API and voila you can add that to your story too!

So take a look at how I used Storify to do a quick and dirty case study on a recent event I promoted.



Don't forget to leave the SocialMMMDiva a note with your thoughts, about Storify.

Let’s get Mocial!

I know some of you are wondering what the heck is “Mocial”; well it’s the new buzzword for the summer of 2011!
Mocial(Mo~shul) defined as to use a social networking engine (i.e. Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter etc.) through any mobile device to seek companionship, check in with others and/or receive deals/discounts from businesses while "on the go".
Basically it’s mobile + social and why does “Mocial” matter to you and your businesses marketing plan---because the numbers don’t lie!

Let’s take a look shall we? According to Wikipedia, 96% of the US population has a cell phone. Various surveys have suggested that 50% of those people have their phones within reach 80% of waking hours! Not to mention that 40% of facebook users are accessing the site from their mobile and Foursquare has increased its membership from 500,000 users 9 months ago to 5 million! So like I said the numbers don’t lie!
Beginning July 18th through the 22nd the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva will be coaching you on the dynamics of “Mocial Marketing” and what constitutes an excellent Mocial Marketing campaign. Not only will you be learning about the different tools that can be used to “Go Mocial” but you’ll have an opportunity to get familiar with some of the free tools available to use by taking part in Mocial challenges along the way and maybe even winning a few cool prizes!
 Learn how to use qr codes, twitter, youtube & more to create an interactive and engaging Mocial marketing campaign.
 It’s free & fun.
Get started now! Psst be sure to tell a friend!
For 2 extra points text message “Diva” to 96362 to opt-in to receive VIP marketing tips from the SocialMMMDiva.
Rules:
The first person to reach 15 points wins. Contestants must be a resident of the Continental U.S. (50 states) and does not have a .mobi website or a multi-channel engagement platform system.
Prizes:
All challenge participants will receive $20 off a .mobi website with free domain name registration ($175 value and excludes monthly service fee of $25).
Second place winner gets a 10 day trial from “Hit My Line’s” multi-channel engagement platform! That’s right set up your own opt-in text message campaign and post to twitter & Facebook from Hit My Line’s campaign manager.
The Grand Prize winner will receive a 30 day trial .mobi website with free domain name registration and “Hit My Line’s” multi-channel engagement platform for 30 days (valued at $300 and excludes any associated monthly service fees).

Channel surfing

So today Saphire [my car] has decided that she doesn't want to go outside, so I have to stay home too. Time to channel surf!
As I flip through the channels I see an Oscar Meyer commercial where the husband is soo ignoring his wife @d not going to the kitchen to get his lunch UNTIL drum roll she Texts him a picture of his lunch!  Swoosh I channel changes to my favorite shopping chanel and as the hostess is teling me about a beautiful morganite set I rose and white gold ring she says if you downloaded are app "lucky" you! You can oder and secure your purchase withouut holding on the phome as these are selling like hotcakes! Swoosh channel lands on game tv new show on where the host is telling how us folks at home can play along using the app or by sending a text!
So as I type this out on my Samsung Epic keyboard, I am thinking how did we ever watch tv without my mobile! And my next thought was how can any business owner do business without multi channel social engagement anymore?! 

Digital Summit 2011; Social Search ranking vs Google ranking which carries more weight?

If you are a small to midsized company getting started in Social Mobile Media"; your initial social mobile media concerns should be focused on where you rank socially more so than what your google rank is.

So you might want to start checking out your Bing score too now that Bing.com & Facebook have teamed up to create the second largest search engine behind YouTube!

Hmm I wonder if there will soon be a Bing song?

What can social media and the mobility of it all do for "Brand You"?

Lately I've been having some discussions with friends around social media and how it’s changed what happens when people behave badly. How it can help you project the image you want.

I mean think back a few years to the "Kobe Bryant" issue, first the story broke in the paper that he had raped a 19yr old woman in 2004 and it was a few days before the so called record was set straight and Bryant was able to go back to convincing the world he's such a great guy. His PR team did a good job because 7 years later you really have to scour the web to find anything about him behaving badly! At first glance all you find is references to him being a "gym rat" how hard he works at being #1 and how high he can jump! Kudos to his PR team but have you ever thought about what they could have done with today's tools?

Well then, fast forward to 2011 where "social mobile media" and "social branding" reign supreme!

Now repeat after me and say the name "Charlie Sheen" yep that's right...I said it "Charlie Sheen"! Now "Google" him and what do you see...that's right you get all this stuff saying he's "winning"!

Really??? How can this be?? This man was fired from his job in the morning as a result from the night before wild partying antics! Ranging from drugs and sex parties around his small children to who knows what else!! I mean the man’s children were even removed from his custody!! And the next day he is winning! How can this be you ask? "Social mobile media" and "social branding"!!

Once Charlie sobered up, he began tweeting things like "What did they expect, I am "Charlie Sheen"?" "I'm paid to be a bad boy" and my favorite "I'm winning" after tweeting comments like these and of course hitting every talk show out there, it appears he is winning.

Now I hate to see "social mobile media" and "social branding" used for evil but I mean his tweeting broke a record for most new followers in a day! And this earned him a million dollar contract of sponsored tweets, He's youtube'd and facebooked and has racked up so many endorsements that he has in a few short day's replaced his income from the show 2 1/2 men!

Now for most of us we don't have as much "drama" in our lives as Charlie Sheen does, however in this tough job economy how will you use "social mobile media" and "social branding" to either help you keep your job or get you your dream job? It's just a thought....but what can "social mobile media branding" do for you?

If you need help defining or marketing "your brand" on the go the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva can help you just call 888-546-7947!

QR codes, are they here to stay? Well the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva certainly believes so!

So over the last few months we’ve all been hearing and seeing a lot going on in the “social mobile” world around QR codes and now I know they have not only arrived but are here to stay!! How do I know this because not only is the military using them to get the word out to possible recruits with slick video’s but Target and Macy’s are using them to push out styling tips from today’s hottest designers!
According to the statement Martine Reardon Macy’s executive vice president of marketing provided to Katie Deatsch of internetretailer.com, Macy’s has launched a new campaign called “Backstage Pass” which utilizes the new QR code technology in an exciting manner bringing their fashion experts and designers to the public as they shop at local Macy’s store via their mobile devices.

Oh and did I mention a certain “Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva” added one to her cover letter a few weeks back and OMW the response has been just unbelievable! So yes I would have to say that with Macy’s and Target joining the game QR codes are here to stay! So how will you use them in your marketing campaign? In your personal branding efforts? What creative ways have you seen them used?
Be sure you respond to this post with your QR code story & if you have time check out the show on Wednesday Tracey Dreby from Jagtag will be on talking everything QR codes!
Tata for now the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva!
Be sure to catch my blog talk radio show, on Wednesday, March 9th! “Social Mobile Media Marketing Tips & Tricks with The Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva”, come join the conversation as I chat with Eric Bryant and other industry experts, on how to creatively us QR codes! We go live at 1:30 p.m. Pacific/ 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Callers are encouraged to call (310) 807-5168 to listen or ask questions. The stream and archives are available at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/socialmmmdiva.

Cupid pull back your bow and make a phone that the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva can fall in love with!

Yeah yeah Valentines Day was a few weeks ago I know, but today the question “what would you absolutely love in a phone?” was put to the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva. So I thought about it and was like Samsung was on the right track last year when they brought out the Samsung Diva S7070, as far as handset design and extra divalicous features go; such as the SOS message and Fake Call features for a date gone bad or get out of that oh so boring meeting! Even the beauty editing features on the camera was a great idea and the SMMMDiva really loved the smokey crystal feature as the engage button!! But dear Samsung, everyone knows that the 2011 Diva is also a business owner and she needs all of the features of the Samsung Epic as well as the features listed above!! I mean how do you expect for a true Diva to live without 4g connection speeds? And that tacky Diamond pillow design needs to go!! A mirrored finished with rhinestones’ and smokey crystals strategically placed on the handset to provide the Bling Bling effect would be better appreciated. An elegant matching Bluetooth ear piece and watch would be lovely too. The watch feature would act as a screen to view incoming calls and messages on while in a meeting…. the ear piece well y’all know what to make it do.
So Samsung if you could remake this phone and come out with the Samsung Diva 9000 (cuz the new version should be 2000 times better)before the end of the year…then viola there you have it the perfect phone for the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva!

PS Dear Samsung if you could put a rush on it as the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva turns 44 in 6 weeks!
If not I’ll tell Santa to bring it to me for Christmas …Orange, Lime green & Turquoise are my fave colors ;-)

Tata for now the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva!
Be sure to catch my blog talk radio show, on Wednesday, March 2nd! “Social Mobile Media Marketing Tips & Tricks with The Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva”, come join the conversation as I chat with industry experts, on how to build the perfect, interactive Social Mobile Media Marketing plan for Valentine’s day ! We go live at 1:30 p.m. Pacific/ 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Callers are encouraged to call (310) 807-5168 to listen or ask questions. The stream and archives are available at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/socialmmmdiva.

Cupid pull back your bow and make my customers fall in love with my marketing...

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching now is the time to start you social mobile media marketing plan!
With just 3 weeks until Cupid starts letting those arrows fly it’s time to start engaging our friends/followers on Facebook & Twitter!!
So gather up all of your imagery and your best offer and let’s get to it!
Segment out your friends/followers. Separate those that use LBS apps to check in at their favorite places from those that are quick to share their experiences with others.
• On Friday the 28th it’s time to get interactive!
o Let’s start with a simple post/tweet asking our circle to participate in our FB/twitter Valentine’s Day truth or dare campaign.
o Follow that up with an initial offer to participate in your spectacular Valentine’s Day interactive event! In this case we are having a scavenger hunt to drive them to our stores.
• On Saturday the 29th it’s time to send out your 1st reminder about your 14 days of love spectacular Valentine’s Day interactive event!
• On Monday the 31st it’s time send out your 2nd reminder about your 14 days of love spectacular Valentine’s Day interactive event!
• On February 1st it’s time to get things started!
o Send out a Message update to your FB friends reminding them of your 2 spectacular Valentine’s Day promotions.
 For the facebook/twitter “truth or dare” promotion it’s time to start posting/tweeting your questions !
• At 8:30 am for the next 14 days post/tweet question of the day and advise that they have from 9-5pm your time zone to respond. Best truth answer /best dare picture wins that day’s prize!
• Daily winner’s go into drawing for the Ultimate Lovers drawing held at 6pm on Valentine’s day!
o Now it’s time to design our 14 days of love spectacular Valentine’s Day interactive event!
 Now there are several free resources you can use to build this promo such as foursquare, where.com and even facebook places but today we will be using SCVNGR.
• So go to http://www.scvngr.com/ and sign up, the service is free for a simple hunt!
• Go in and add your 5 challenges (you only get 5 with the free version). Give them a different point values adding up to 14 for the 14 days of the interactive challenge and viola you have just created your 1st social mobile media marketing campaign!

Be sure to catch my new blog talk radio show, on Wednesday, February 2nd! “Social Mobile Media Marketing Tips & Tricks with The Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva”, come join the conversation as I chat with industry experts, on how to build the perfect, interactive Social Mobile Media Marketing plan for Valentine’s day ! We go live at 1:30 p.m. Pacific/ 3:30 p.m. Eastern. Callers are encouraged to call (310) 807-5168 to listen or ask questions. The stream and archives are available at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/socialmmmdiva.
Tata for now the Social Mobile Media Marketing Diva!