Pardon me for not even getting three weeks into my blogging before falling off the face of the earth this last week. I've been hit with the whirlwind called Life,visiting family in NYC and moving into a new place across town. Nevertheless, here I am with a quick post of good news!
I recently accepted a position with UF/IFAS Communications as their new Social Media Communications Manager! As such, I'll be their main communication specialist managing the main UF/IFAS social media presence and
helping oversee the more than 300 UF/IFAS social media accounts across the state of Florida. Some of my responsibilities will include strategy, content, analytics and measurement, site approvals and training.
I am honored and humbled by the opportunity to apply my curriculum and new skill set to the position. In preparation, I've been reading up on all kinds of blogs to ease my anxieties (I know more than I'm willing to admit TBH!) I can't wait to learn the realities and practicalities of all things social media!
BullHorn Media is the newly separated corporate video production
services brand from Mark and Lisa DeGrand. Their original business, Pro One Video, has
provided over 20 years of wedding videography services to Orlando, Florida. The
tagline and idea behind BullHorn Media is to help businesses in need of
“amplifying [their] image,” in which Mark can produce corporate and education
video services like live streaming, conventions coverage, testimonials,
meetings, on-site editing, title/motion graphic design, branding and
photography.
As a boutique creative office,
their focus on the customer is what sets them apart from the heavily saturated
market. Their expertise and quality work in video production has allowed them
to perfect the art of recognizing customer needs, and exceeding their goals
even when they’re not be clearly stated at the start. Since the duo has low
staff overhead costs, they are able to work with small businesses with smaller
budgets, or call on a network of creatives to assist when approached about
larger corporate projects. Regardless of the project size, they pride
themselves on offering unmatched personal attention.
Their target audience includes associations, small businesses, trade
shows, and corporations. They will provide their services for anyone with video
needs whether for a presentation or convention interviews during an event. They’ve
worked with not-for-profit organizations
The overall campaign messaging/theme/goals for BullHorn Media to
achieve in the fourth quarter:
Catch
and keep the attention of potential clients and current BullHorn Media audience.
Make
a personal connection with BullHorn Media audience.
Increase online presence and reinforce BullHorn
Media brand.
Stand out from your competition as well-rounded
video, photography, graphic design experts.
Increase leads by 5% in fourth quarter.
Trends and habits that happen during fall/winter:
September through fourth quarter is busiest
season for conventions and corporate business.
Strengths and Opportunities
Strengths
Skilled workforce
Established identity and credibility in the Orlando
area with Pro One
Ability to convert video shoots to DVD on-site
Provide a wide array of services including: photo
restoration, photo montages, Photo FX
Strong Management
Pricing Power based on quality of work
Innovative Culture as they are open to a variety
of ways to market their new brand
Opportunities
Growing demand
Ability to focus on photography side of
videography through their services offered: photo restoration, photo montages,
photo FX
Ability to convert and author video shoots to
DVD
Ability to expand their services by placing
video shoots on the internet
Financial Leverage allows BullHorn Media to
quickly expand into other markets
Greater innovation
Why use an Integrated Marketing Communications Plan
According to the American Association of Advertising Agencies’
definition, integrated marketing communication is a form of planning achieving
the objectives of a marketing campaign through a well-coordinated use of
different promotional methods that are intended to reinforce each other. By
integrating marketing communication tools such as advertising, direct mail,
social media, telemarketing and sales promotion, a business provides clarity,
consistency and maximum communications impact.
BullHorn Media should utilize an IMC strategy using various channels because
it will give their small business the potential to get better results from
their campaigns and reduce marketing costs. By repeating the headlines, key
phrases and images in communication, they will ensure that prospects and
customers receive consistent messages each time they see one of the elements of
the campaign – no matter the platform or touch-point. Creative consistency
helps reinforce the basic campaign themes by increasing the number of times
prospects see or hear the same message.
All in all, I think with
a bit of strategic planning and personal investment (more time than money) in
learning about their respective platforms and audience, there is a lot of
opportunity for BullHorn Media to catch and keep the attention of potential clients and audience in the
long run. Their social sites like Facebook, Twitter and blog will allow them
to make a personal connection with their audience as long as they are
consistent in their messaging and response time.
Special attention on how to
use photo and video into their platforms will increase online
presence and reinforce the BullHorn Media brand. By using more than one medium and
by honing in on strong keywords and phrases will positively affect where they stand
in comparison to their competition as well-rounded video, photography, graphic
design experts. All of this, along with their high-level quality work, personal
attention to clients’ needs, and analyzing of success in the areas they've invested time, BullHorn Media will surely increase their number
of leads by 5% in their fourth quarter.
Digital communication planners and social channel users around the world can attest to this.
According to Brand Media Strategy: Integrated Communications Planning, the growth of the social network has taken brands to unforeseen heights in generating awareness, building involvement, increasing active consideration, and driving purchase. This week I'll be covering Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom and how an array of Facebook posts and Twitter tweets create brand experiences that reinforce the brand proposition of fun family entertainment. By using these channels, they create interaction and retain relevance to consumers.
Please note that the following blog post is entirely hypothetical and for academic purposes only. I am in no way affiliated with the Walt Disney brand or any of its subsidiaries. If you have any questions regarding Disney or its parks, you can follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter.
August 1:
Facebook - Be on the lookout for #FreebieFriday posts every Friday for the month of August - we'll announce where you can take advantage of an exclusive freebie while in the park that day!
Twitter - Interested in free stuff at Magic Kingdom? Stay tuned for #FreebieFriday tweets for the month of August!
August 2:
Facebook - Summer in Florida is in full effect. Besides sunblock, what do you wear for your day at Magic Kingdom? #DisneyTripTips
Twitter - What do you wear for a day at Magic Kingdom to have fun and stay cool? #DisneyTripTips
August 3:
Facebook - Our "Celebrate the Magic" Nighttime Spectacular fireworks show will dazzle you as we turn Cinderella's Castle into a work of art. Two shows every night - you won't want to miss this!
Twitter - Let us dazzle you with our "Celebrate the Magic" fireworks show. You won't want to miss it!
August 4:
Facebook - Love Monster's Inc.? Be sure to check out the Laugh Floor Stage Show and have some fun with Sully, Mike, and Boo!
Twitter - Share some laughs with Sully, Mike and Boo of Monster's Inc. at the #LaughFloor stage show today!
August 5:
Facebook - Poll: What is the longest you would be willing to wait in line for a Magic Kingdom attraction? Select one of the options below.
One hour Two hours Three hours I'd wait five hours or more Four hours
Twitter - What Magic Kingdom attraction are you willing to wait in line for? Tell us!
August 6:
Facebook - Cool off and make friends with a visit to Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station. It's an open play area based on the circus locomotive from Disney's Dumbo.
Twitter - Come play in the Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station and beat the summer heat. #StayCool
August 7:
Facebook - Throwback Thursday: Share a photo of you or your princess with a Disney princess! Use hashtags #tbt #disneyprincess
Twitter - Share a photo of you or your princess with a Disney Princess. Include #TBT #disneyprincess in your post!
August 8:
Facebook - It's #FreebieFriday! The first 200 guests to check-in to Main Street USA Confectionery will receive a special treat on us!
Twitter - The first 100 tweets to mention #MainStreetConfectionery will receive a special treat on #FreebieFriday. Stop by the shop to redeem!
August 9:
Facebook - Disney Trip Tip: Pin your name and cell phone number to the inside of your child's clothes and make sure your family wears closed-toe shoes to the park. Don't risk losing a flip flop! #DisneyTripTips
Twitter - Don't forget to pin your name and cell number to the inside of your child's clothes. #DisneyTripTips #thelittledetails
August 10:
Facebook - Fantasyland's "Festival of Fantasy" Parade will highlight all-new magic with music and dancing. The parade starts at 3pm!
Twitter - RT if you plan to head to Fantasyland for music, magic, and dancing by 3pm for the "Festival of Fantasy" Parade!
August 11:
Facebook - Staying at a Disney Resort hotel means you can enjoy more fun in Magic Kingdom! On select days, guests can arrive early or stay later courtesy of Extra Magic Hours.
Twitter - Stay at a Disney Resort hotel and enjoy Extra Magic Hours on select days! Get more info here: bit.ly/mc56n8d1
August 12:
Facebook - Trivia: Which attraction opened in 1956 and has the distinction of being the only one designed by Walt Disney?*
Twitter - Do you know which attraction has the distinction of being the only one designed by Walt Disney? Reply with your answer!*
August 13:
Facebook - Disney is featured in this Theme Park Insider's article on Top Theme Park Travel Tips. A great read if a trip to Magic Kingdom is in the works! Article: bit.ly/4v85er6a
Twitter - Disney was featured in this article on Top Theme Park Travel Tips: bit.ly/4v85er6a - a great read!
August 14:
Facebook - It's that time of the week again - Let's throw it back with a #tbt photo of a Magic Kingdom #fireworks display!
Twitter - Post a #ThrowbackThursday pic of a Magic Kingdom #fireworks display!
August 15:
Facebook - Love to collect Disney pins? Tell us about the best trade you've made to receive an exclusive 2014 Walt Disney pin! Act fast - we've got 1,000 to give away on #FreebieFriday
Twitter - #FreebieFriday: Tell us about the best trade you've made for a Disney pin to receive an exclusive 2014 Walt Disney pin! We've got 1,000 to give away!
August 16:
Facebook - Planning a trip to Magic Kingdom soon? Want to deal with smaller crowds? Most major parks are less crowded in September and October, as school starts up, and April and May, as school winds down. #DisneyTripTips
Twitter - Try planning a Magic Kingdom trip for September, October, April or May. When school is in, the park tends to be less crowded. #DisneyTripTips
August 17:
Facebook - The Electrical Water Pageant is an all-time favorite. Enjoy the sea creatures and twinkling flags across the lagoon to electronic tunes in this nighttime water parade. Fun for all ages.
Twitter - Watch an array of colorful lights as the floats glide by at the Electrical Water Pageant. Fun for all ages.
August 18:
Facebook - Go backstage to meet the most iconic of the Disney characters - Mickey Mouse! He's ready to hug and photograph with his biggest fans at Town Square Theater.
Twitter - Meet and greet Mickey at Town Square Theater - It's the perfect photo op!
August 19:
Facebook - Trivia: What's the legend of The Big Thunder Mountain? Share your knowledge in the comments section below!
Twitter - Which attraction has an eery ghost legend attached to it? Reply with your answer!
August 20:
Facebook - Your time is precious to you and we are here to help with Fastpass+, our ride reservation system.
Using the suggestions for your specific trip can save you up to 4 hours in line per day with touring plans. Use discount code FASTPASS+ to save 20% on a 1-year subscription to touringplans.com.
Twitter - Save up to 4 hours in line per day by using Fastpass+, our ride reservation system. Find out how here: bit.ly/4b7i2oq3
August 21:
Facebook - Share a Throwback Thursday photo of your most memorable Character Meet and Greet! Include #tbt #disneycharacter in your photo.
Twitter - Tweet a photo your most memorable Character Meet and Greet for #tbt. Include hashtags #tbt and #disneycharacter
August 22:
Facebook - #FreebieFriday Need a stroller for your little one during your visit to Magic Kingdom? If you reserve a Disney stroller for 3 days, get the 4th day Free! Available for a limited time only.
Twitter - Reserve a Disney stroller for 3 days, get the 4th day free! Available for a limited time only on #FreebieFriday
August 23:
Facebook - Plan your day with Disney's Mobile Magic application - you can quickly pinpoint restaurants and provide up-to-the-minute estimates on wait times at rides and attractions. Available for Android and iOS users. Download it today! bit.ly/t7lo760 #DisneyTripTips
Twitter - Download the Disney Mobile Magic app to plan your day right from your phone! Available for Android and iOS users - bit.ly/t7lo760 #DisneyTripTips
August 24:
Facebook - Put on your dancing shoes and prep your moves in Tomorrowland for the #INCREDIBLESSuperDanceParty from 5pm-10pm. It's the most heroic dance party around from Disney-Pixar's The Incredibles!
Twitter - Boogie down in Tomorrowland at the #INCREDIBLESSuperDanceParty from 5pm-10pm!
August 25:
Facebook - Love Frozen? A Sand Sculpture brought Olaf to Frozen Summer Fun at Disney's Hollywood Studios in the Disney Blog - Weekly Recap!
Twitter - Find out how a sand sculpture brought Olaf to Frozen Summer Fun at Disney's Hollywood Studios: bit.ly/3u02bd
August 26:
Facebook - Trivia: The first Audio-Animatronics figure in human form were developed at Walt Disney's request for which Magic Kingdom attraction?
Hint: The result lead to rave reviews at the 1964 New York's World Fair.
Twitter - Do you know the Magic Kingdom attraction in which the first Audio-Animatronics figure was developed? Tell us!
August 27:
Facebook - The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has been open for three months already, and broke records for the number of guests to ride in 90 days. What's your favorite aspect of the ride?
Twitter - The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has been open for three months - Tell us why you love it!
August 28:
Facebook - Share your favorite photo with #CinderellasCastle in the background for #throwbackthursday
Twitter - Have a great #CinderellasCastle photo for #ThrowbackThursday? Share it with us today!
August 29:
Facebook - Did you know that #FreebieFriday can take place year round at Magic Kingdom? Many guests assume PhotoPass Cast Members are not useful if they don't plan on purchasing the CD or prints. The truth is that these picture-taking Cast Members will take photos of you with your own camera. All you have to do is ask!
Twitter - Take advantage of #FreebieFriday year round by asking PhotoPass Cast Members to take photos of you with your own camera at Magic Kingdom!
August 30:
Facebook - #DisneyTripTips Go against the flow: Head to the back of the park at opening while everyone boards the rides nearest the front gate. Opt for the left-hand line at snack bars and souvenir shops because most are programmed to turn right.
Twitter - While at Magic Kingdom, go against the flow. Opt for the left hand line at snack bars and shops. More #disneytriptips here: bit.ly/1w70loz
August 31:
Facebook - Go Wild on the #JungleCruise! Expand your horizons and tour the most exotic rivers of Asia, Africa, and South America. Encounter the wonders of nature in an unforgettable adventure!
Twitter - Embark on the #JungleCruise for a true-life adventure of the world's most exotic locales!
*The Answer is Tom Sawyer Island. The original opened to the public at Disneyland Resort in 1956.
Whole Foods Market (WFM) is a leading natural and organic food store, with nearly 300 stores across North America and the United Kingdom. They have an integrated marketing approach as their social media strategy is built around their company website and additional platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest. WFM is often considered a role model for other brands after five years of having successfully executed their social media marketing plan.
They are successful for a number of reasons, but I'll list the four that I find most important:
1. Each social platform has its primary objective. For example, Twitter is primarily for customer service, questions, and requests. Meanwhile, Facebook is where WFM promotes products, engages and educates their customers. None of their platforms are neglected, as they see the value of each being used equally to build their brand image.
Whole Foods Market on Google+ pictured above;
WFM Facebook on lower left and WFM Twitter on lower right
2. WFM keeps messaging and imagery consistent across platforms, using the logo and a prepared food item in their photo covers (see right). Content is updated daily (almost hourly on Twitter) and they drive users mostly to their blog with links. Their hashtags include #WFMdish and #WFMwine, but are used sparingly.
3. They prioritize the local component of each store. Community managers focus on being where the customers are. These individuals work to engage with customers on WFM's multiple platform accounts.
4. They believe customer engagement and conversation should occur as naturally as possible. They are good at social listening and are ready to apply new ideas from what they learn.
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It takes a lot for a company to admit struggling to determine ROI in their social media strategy. It speaks volumes, however, knowing they found a way to make an impact socially utilizing resources already available to them. That's exactly what The Home Depot did by creating the "social media store associate" position. This hybrid role is now three years old, and allows select staffers to be go-to experts and social media content creators two days a week. Through their use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest, they assist with media appearances on Home Depot's How-To Community, The Apron blog, the
Garden Club and HomeDepot.com.
Everything is up to date as the platforms highlight Home Depot's current specials of "Red, White and Blue Savings," for the Fourth of July. They're using this across all platforms, so the messaging and imagery is consistent. Similar to Whole Foods, The Home Depot pushes users through to their blog via links in Facebook and Twitter posts. Their hashtags, #SpringMadeSimple, #DIHWorkshop, and #StyleChallenge produce results on almost all platforms.
Home Depot Vine Video on Facebook
I was especially drawn to their visual platforms -- Vine, Pinterest and Instagram. On these platforms, users can find fun, vibrant videos, and lots of high resolution photos. But each channel has their distinct purpose. Vine is used as a quick educational/tutorial tool. Pinterest is aspirational with the best looking visual information, whereas their Instagram makes the user want to share in the experience. All in all, it's great to see Home Depot make the distinct move toward more visually focused platforms when consumer interest towards the ongoing trend of visual posts is increasing.
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"Unlike the majority of retailers that believe brand to fan engagement is the primary goal of social media, Amazon has always concentrated on personalizing the shopping experience," says Wade Gerten, CEO of 8thBridge, Inc. Out of the three brands I've researched, Amazon is the only one that is almost exclusively promotional on all of its social media platforms. They take an integrated approach, having a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and LinkedIn. All of these channels are consistent in messaging and imagery as they currently advertise "the first smartphone designed by Amazon #firephone."
Facebook is the network with the most up to date content, with Instagram and Twitter in close second. Their newsfeed on Google+ is heavy with promotional information about electronics like headphones, watches, and other gadgets. Amazon's use (or lack thereof) of Pinterest was really surprising and saddening. As the photo below shows, they only maintain 18 boards - many of them old - and a little over 800 pins.
Amazon Pinterest header
Besides #firephone (or any hashtag promoting a new product of theirs), their use of hashtags is inconsistent across platforms. Amazon doesn't drive users to their other social channels. Rather, any consumer interactions that happen on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest drive significant sales to its online retailer site to make a purchase.
Some would argue that Amazon has missed the boat on social media, but their incorporation of social elements into its own site cannot be overlooked. They make it easy for shoppers to share products with their friends with a Like button, Tweet button, Pinterest Pin-it button, Google+1 button, and an Email A Friend button on its product pages. Additionally, Amazon gives customers with Facebook-connected accounts to see reviews written by their Facebook connections. By use of crowd sourcing, Amazon is making efforts to personalize the consumer's shopping experience.
Sources:
Schoultz, M. (No Date). "How Whole Foods Marketing Uses Social Media to be a Difference Maker." Digital Sparks Marketing. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
http://www.digitalsparkmarketing.com/creative-marketing/social-media/whole-foods-marketing/
Stambor, Zak. 5 Dec 2013. "How Social is Amazon?" Internet Retailer: Portal to E-Commerce Intelligence. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
http://www.internetretailer.com/2013/12/05/how-social-amazon
Zmuda, Natalie. 29 Sept 2011. "Home Depot's Social Media Strategy Pays Off." Advertising Age. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
http://adage.com/article/special-report-social-media-guide/home-depot-s-social-media-strategy-pays/229865/
This week I'll be exploring three different blog styles, providing an example of each and analyzing their content:
1. Per this week's lecture, Pandora is a professional blog that focuses on the company's news and features. It acts
as a supplement to their music streaming and automated music recommendation
service. It is unique because its posts are sorted in one of five categories:
The Pandora Story, Pandora Innovators, Inside the Collection, From the Artists,
and Listener Experience. This allows for a plethora of writers and dynamic
content. The blog initially reflected its brand as they published news about
their latest product enhancements and company milestones in product and
technology leadership, but has become much more interactive since March 2014, when Tom Conrad stepped down as Pandora's Chief
Technology Officer.
These days it's updated on a regular basis, shares
the latest updates to the site and services like "Pandora Radio
Comedy." Beyond its services, it keeps users apprised of interesting information about featured and lesser known musical artists. I appreciate how they include a Weekly Curator's Pick
that showcases the newest music and genre station highlights on
Pandora. Unlike its music-streaming site, there aren't any advertisements on the blog. Their content, though, acts as advertisement for their users to research the featured artists and potentially (legally) purchase the artists' work.
To be honest, I'm not even sure how I stumbled across Pandora's blog. There isn't a direct link anywhere on the main interface, nor does it show up high on Google search - you will most likely find links to their Facebook or to the similarly named bracelet site. The blog is well integrated, however. They engage their audiences on social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Youtube. They've created hashtags like #WhiteboardWednesday and use it across its platforms to stay consistent and build anticipation with followers. Avid music listeners, fans of underground artists or opinionated users are usually the people to read and comment on their blog posts.
According to this week's lecture, Pandora runs a relatively successful blog - posts are published often; the blog is linked to their Twitter account and conversely, Twitter streams updates to their blog; they create original content and have the longevity that's made them successful. What I would love to see is a subscription option to their content on the main Pandora page, and labels being used on their individual posts. I think both would positively affect their SEO.
2. Event Manager Blog is a group blog - a collaborative hybrid of different authors that provide centralized content. It is the number one blog worldwide for event professionals, covering topics such as event planning, social media and events, event technology, event trends, event inspiration but also destination management marketing, hospitality marketing. What makes them unique is how they offer professional advice, reports, and tools to alleviate one of the most stressing professions in the world. There are ads listed on the site for Wordpress themes and event solution software. They are building brand credibility by having relationships with these similar-industry businesses. I really enjoyed their "Inspire Me Now" section in between advertisements on the right side of their page. It allows for quick sharing options and provides high visibility for (perhaps) less popular posts.
As the number one blog worldwide for event professionals, it's obvious they're going to show up high on any search engine. Any kind of question/topic related to event planning, or a few good keywords will drive traffic to the blog. General interests or specific items pull people in to read their articles. You can "like" them on Facebook right on their homepage and subscribe to their newsletter, as well. Both of those channels draw people back to their blog for further reading. It makes sense as to why they're so successful as a blog - they truly love the idea of staying connected to their readers and don't isolate them on their blog. In my opinion, they've successfully covered all of their bases - there isn't anything that immediately draws my attention as "missing."
3. Lifehacker's motto is "tips and
downloads for getting things done." They
make for an interesting type of blog. For the sake of this
assignment, I will refer to it as a news blog. I say this because it has
several authors contributing, each specializing in specific subjects, allows
someone to be followed, and I often find their blog content being shared on
channels like Twitter and Facebook. The blog
posts cover a wide range of topics including: Microsoft Windows, Mac, Linux programs, iOS and Android,
but I know them best for general life tips and tricks. The staff updates the
site more than 15 times every day, with reduced updates on weekends.
The blog lives up to the brand of "getting things done" in a world that thrives on efficiency. It shares tons of information and content that could be useful to any reader. It's not the best designed blog, but you can find tips on how to get rid of garlic breath, how to find father's day deals, or a how-to guide on social media customer service (how fitting!). I think it's safe to say that it's their integrated presence on social media channels and constant posts that drive traffic to the blog and gets people to read their content. There is information to be consumed about any and every interest/subject.
Lifehacker is a successful blog because it's updated very often, shares posts via social channels, and is renowned for its original and useful content. I think it'd be most helpful if the articles' subject categories were listed at the top of the page. This is simply for aesthetics and organization, rather than an endless scroll. There are advertisers on the site. I have State Farm ads pictured here on their homepage. I don't think I have State Farm in my cookies, but I'd be interested to see if it changes based on my browser history. (Update: It doesn't - now it's showing Verizon ads, also not in my browser history, and that leads me to believe that these are placement ads paid for by the actual companies.)
I'm an event planner turned social media-er. My desk is riddled with sticky notes.
This blog is following me as I pursue my M.A. in Mass Communications, specializing in Social Media. I do not claim credit for any images posted on this site unless otherwise noted.
I recently accepted a position with UF/IFAS Communications as their new Social Media Communications Manager! As such, I'll be their main communication specialist managing the main UF/IFAS social media presence and
helping oversee the more than 300 UF/IFAS social media accounts across the state of Florida. Some of my responsibilities will include strategy, content, analytics and measurement, site approvals and training.
