Archive for the ‘Flickr’ Category

Why social media marketing will never die, but, more importantly, why you need to wise up

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

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Marketing traditionally is a very one-sided conversation. Even in the digital age, with banner ads and SMS offers sent to your phone, there often is very little room for conversation; for consumers to offer feedback and share their opinions. Each day, more and more tech savvy consumers are entering your markets, who often will be taking to their blog (little known fact: 20,000 blogs are started every day) and Twitter to talk about their life, opinions and musings, which often can include brands.

You see, social media gives everyone a voice. Instead of being squawked at by your television set, or being bombarded with Netflix pop-ups (yeah, we said it…) when you’re trolling your favorite site for worthwhile news, consumers are now able to broadcast to the masses, just as marketers have in the past, via social media sites. But, more importantly, they are able to join the conversation. And, that’s exactly why social media, and social media marketing, are here to stay. Because, just as much as brands will always need their voice, people will crave their share of attention, too.

One of the first reasons why it’s important to recognize that it’s better to start on social media sooner, rather than later, is three-fold:

1. You’ll miss out on participating, and potentially leveraging, all the conversations surrounding your brand.
2. Joining later, will only make it harder to cut through the clutter and gain a sizeable audience.
3. Social media has a learning curve, and is always changing, so it’s important to get familiar with it and learn what works before your competition even starts.

You see, online, whether it’s to your face or behind your back, people will talk. But, in order to lead, manage or capitalize on those conversations, you need to be there. Even more importantly than being there, is knowing the medium’s norms, culture and language and having a distinct, yet flexible strategy in place.

photo: brigerking

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Posted in Apps, Blogs, Facebook, Flickr, Online Marketing, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube | Comments Off

5 tips on how to market your business appropriately on Flickr

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Picture 1We see many brands, people and organizations using Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to successfully market themselves, however, Flickr seems to still be an enigma to most. Below are five tips on how to make Flickr work for your organization.

#1: Decide what your goals are. Maybe your main goal is to highlight your service or product in a creative way, for example, if you sell baby clothes and products and want to show off how cute your goods are with photos of babies in action using them. Your organization might be looking to attract new talent, so your first goal is to promote an attractive corporate culture, for example, showcasing photos of brainstorming sessions, events and having fun at the office. Without clear-cut goals, your photos will lack messages and purpose and will most likely get lost in the clutter. Of course, you can stray from your main theme or goal, but having somewhat of a guide will help provide clarity for your audience.

#2: Make it worth looking at. Don’t just post photos for the sake of keeping content fresh, make sure that they are compelling and tell a story. Many Flickr users are actually photographers (whether it be professionally or as just a hobby), so don’t be afraid to get artsy, using shots with interesting angles and perspectives. When creating sets, also be sure that your cover image is compelling enough to entice viewers to check out the rest of the images.

#3: Share with like-minded people. Just like many social networks, there is a group for pretty much anything under the sun on Flickr. Own a pet store and want to show of your newest products? Post them to groups related to pets. Want to generate more awareness about your brand new restaurant? Add your photos to foodie groups. Joining relevant groups not only allows you to be part of a greater community and conversation, it can often give you a direct connection to influential and active Flickr users. Also, be sure to tag each photo, although tedious, it opens the doors to discovery from a whole new audience.

#4: Soft sell like it’s your job. The fastest way to tank your Flickr outreach? Including a description to the effect of “You need this new kitchen set! Buy it today!” or “This child needs you! Donate today at feedkids.com.” However, it is important to make sure that your account adequately links to your website, so if people do feel inclined to buy or contribute, they can.

#5: Open up. Encourage people to share your photos and use them. Many bloggers (and on occasion, media) are using Flickr as their photo source. If bloggers, services or media ask for permission to use your images, be sure to get back to them in a timely manner. Also, on your organization’s profile, you can encourage people to use your images, and of course, give credit where credit is due.

Photo: RoninVision

Posted in Flickr, Online Marketing, Social Media | 5 Comments »