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Strategy

Sarah Worsham / Oct 27, 2014

Sharing for Engagement on Twitter

Cat Mandoo too

Content, as we say in the social media biz, is king. Well, that and cats. So cat content is king. But the rest of content is a very close second. It’s what drives the social media machine, garnering likes, gathering retweets, and being spread virally through shares. It’s articles, listicles, photographs, infographics, videos, and so much more. Content is the key to engagement.

No matter the format, be it Facebook or Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram, you’re going to want to share content that occupies that magical space where your own interests and your customers’ interests overlap. Of course, how you share that content is largely determined by which social media platform you’re using. The Vine app, for instance, only posts user-made videos. Instagram started off as a photo-only app, though it now offers video sharing, as well.

Be Concise

When it comes to Twitter, sharing content can be a tricky endeavor. The popular social media site’s 140-character limit per tweet doesn’t allow you to dive into a deep analysis of whatever it is that you’re sharing, like a Facebook or LinkedIn does. Instead, you want to deliver content with a concise but engaging headline with two goals in mind: Users clicking on your content and users retweeting your content.

Be Visual

One of the biggest things that can help is including an image with your Tweet. This used to be more of a hassle but Twitter has recently incorporated images directly into users’ Twitter feed. If you are tweeting a link to someone else’s article, find the author’s Twitter handle and include that in your subject line. This greatly increases the likelihood that you’ll be retweeted.

Be Relevant

You’re going to want your content to be relevant to your message, trustworthy, timely, topical, useful, informative, and personal. And take the time to see what your followers respond to. If you notice that one type of tweet is consistently retweeted more than other types of tweets, thoughtful analysis may reveal what your specific audience is interested in.

Sarah Worsham / Jul 15, 2014

5 Tips for Better Twitter Advertising

Accessible Twitter website icon
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Advertising on Twitter can be effective for increasing the size of your audience and also for sending traffic to your website. Besides knowing what your goal is, these tips will help you advertise better on Twitter…

1. Goal Impacts Type of Campaign

Deciding on your goal for your Twitter advertising will help you choose the right type of campaign. The promoted account campaign (followers campaign) is best for increasing your followers and building audience for the long term. If your goal is to boost traffic to your website (or to particular pages on your website), then take a look at the promoted tweets campaign. And if you’re trying to get people to install or engage with your mobile app, there’s a campaign for that too.

2. Targeting Usernames vs Interest Categories

For smaller organizations that are looking for niche audiences, use username targeting to find followers similar to the ones you enter. Interest category targeting works better for larger organizations or broader audiences.

3. Good Messaging

Just like any other good messaging, Twitter ads should have use plain and understandable text and have a clear call to action. Adding pictures can also increase clicks on your ads. Try adding 3-5 different tweets to test your message and images.

4. Competitive Budget

Advertising on Twitter can be cost effective, but make sure your bids are within the suggested range or you may see a drastic decrease in the impressions of your ads.

5. Test to Optimize

Just like any advertising, testing will help you optimize the ads to get the best results for your budget and goals. Test different messages, images and calls to action. Test for a certain length of time, and then copy your campaign to make changes and save past tests and data.

Twitter advertising can be a very cost-effective way to increase the reach of your social media marketing.

Sarah Worsham / Jun 10, 2014

Book Review: The Visual Organization by Phil Simon

The Visual Organization: Data Visualization, Big Data, and the Quest for Better Decisions (Wiley and SAS Business Series)We are inundated and surrounded by Big Data. So much so, that it is very difficult to wrap your mind around how to use all the information that pelts us from all directions every day. Understanding how to use Big Data is becoming imperative for organizations and data visualization is the method to turn data into understandable information. In Phil Simon’s latest book, The Visual Organization, he uses easy-to-understand explanations and real-world examples from a variety of organizations to help you visualize (pun intended) how your organization could use data visualization. Starting with an example of how a data visualization company made it big, Phil shows how the rapid innovation and quickly changing industry of d.v. has opportunities for big disruptions in every field. Organizations of every kind and size would find this book a helpful primer and resource on the way to becoming a visual organization.

Why & How to Use Data Visualization

Divided into four sections, The Visual Organization is a pleasant and interesting read straight-through, but also allows more experienced individuals to skip to the most important sections. You will get an understanding of what data visualization (d.v.) is, why you should care, why some level of d.v. is vital for every organization and how higher levels of d.v. can improve your business strategy by better informing key decisions. One size does not fit every organization, especially for tools. Phil discusses a variety of data visualization tools from large enterprise vendors, open source tools and design firms.

What is a Visual Organization?

Key to becoming a visual organization is understanding what one actually looks like, beyond just concepts and tools to making d.v. an integral part of how the company operates. Phil uses real organizations in his case studies, which include large companies, small companies, non-profits  and show many different ways to leverage d.v. to improve how the organizations operate.

Become a Visual Organization

Becoming a visual organization goes beyond just purchasing some d.v. tools, and Phil discusses steps, strategies, tips and insights to help you put d.v. into practice with a 4 level framework. Understanding what a visual organization would do when making business decisions is key to properly implement data visualization and Phil will help you navigate mistakes, myths and challenges in a real world execution.

Data Visualization Tools

As more data visualization tools come to market, the ability to analyze the wealth of information organizations collect will not only become easier, it will be vital to staying competitive. The easier it becomes to get good information from so much data, the more companies will start to leverage data visualization.  Get ahead of the curve by reading Phil’s book to understand the how, what, and why of using data visualization for your organization.

Buy Now: 

(links to the book on Amazon are affiliate links — feel free to use them, or not)

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About Sazbean


Sarah Worsham (Sazbean) is a Webgrrl = Solution Architect + Product Management (Computer Engineer * Geek * Digital Strategist)^MBA. All views are her own.

Business + Technical Product Management

My sweet spot is at the intersection between technology and business. I love to manage and develop products, market them, and deep dive into technical issues when needed. Leveraging strategic and creative thinking to problem solving is when I thrive. I have developed and marketed products for a variety of industries and companies, including manufacturing, eCommerce, retail, software, publishing, media, law, accounting, medical, construction, & marketing.

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