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Time to #GetGlass

March 27, 2013 in Social Media with 0 Comments

“As we go forward, I hope we’re going to continue to use technology to make really big differences in how people live and work.”

- Sergey Brin

As many people in the technology world have seen over the last couple months/weeks, Google has been slowly rolling out their newest product, Glass. Google Glass 2

The glasses boast internet connection and {what seems like} seamless integration between taking photos, shooting video, getting directions, video chatting and every other mobile app possibility – hands-free. They also have a nice, sleek {and somewhat nerdy} look to them, making them practically unnoticeable as something other than glasses.

Google ran an #ifihadglass campaign last month to pick a select group of 8,000 people to have early access to the awesome new gadget. Applicants had to tweet or post on Google+ what they would do with this new technology in under 50 characters.

I saw the campaign and figured, “What the heck. Why not?” My entry was:

#ifihadglass I would hang glide in Punta Cana and live stream it!

The idea was inspired by my spring break trip to the Dominican Republic a couple of weeks ago. I tweeted my response and didn’t expect much beyond that. I saw this article the other day announcing that Google was contacting the winners of the campaign this week, so was expecting quite a bit of social media activity around who won and when to expect the first Google Glass product.

What I didn’t expect was to get a tweet from Project Glass saying that I had been selected for the Glass Explorers Program! Yes, I, Paige Soucie, won something!

The glasses are not set to release until late this year or early 2014 and will cost around $1500 to those who have been selected. Winners will also have to go to LA, San Francisco or New York in order to pick up their new gadget. This Time Tech article goes into more details about what to expect in the coming months regarding the project.

So, looks like this girl is getting a technology-boost, and I have to say, my boyfriend and all his tech-loving friends are quite excited about it!

~ Miss Soucie

8 Ways to Get Back Into Blogging

February 14, 2013 in Post-Grad Life, Social Media with 0 Comments

“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.”

- Colin Powell

Writing is a crucial skill in practically every profession. If not for a job, the ability to write well is something that everyone should be able to do, and blogging is a great way to practice.

I started blogging about a year ago. When I started, it seemed impossible to come up with ideas and keep up the habit. It seriously felt like pulling teeth.

It took a little while, but now I love blogging. It’s an outlet for me to share what I learn and my experiences, all while working on my writing.

Life happens though, and sometimes we get distracted by our other priorities. What happens when you get out of the habit and can’t seem to get back into it?

Here are 9 easy tips to get back into the blogging habit:

Make it a Habit: Set a goal for yourself. For me, I aim to blog at least once a week. I usually brainstorm ideas Monday and Tuesday and write Wednesday and Thursday. Afterwards, I {almost} always have someone else read over it before I publish and do a couple read-throughs on my own. Once you get into the habit, it practically becomes second nature.
Get Inspired: Look for a blog in everything you do. This blog was inspired by a conversation I had with a friend of mine who wants to try to get back into blogging. He asked me how I keep up my blogging consistency, so here I am; writing a blog about how to get back into blogging and keeping it up!
Love What You Write: There’s nothing harder than trying to write about something you’re not passionate about. This is even more true when you’re trying to get back into the groove of things. To make the transition easier, pick a topic you’re interested in and that you can relate to on a daily basis.
Hindsight 20/20: There’s nothing wrong with back-blogging. As they say, hindsight’s 20/20, which provides a lot of raw content for a blog. The important thing about back-blogging is that you’re able to tie it to what you’re involved with and doing now.
Get a Blogging Buddy: Just like working out, it’s easier to keep up a habit when you have someone who supports you. That way, when you’re feeling down, you have someone to help you get back on the horse and vice-versa.
Share Your Work: There’s no better feeling than having friends and family read your work and give you feedback. I actually had a friend quote a line in my blog to me the other day. Talk about making my week! While in the beginning it was hard to share my work with others, it’s the most rewarding feeling once you do!
Maximize Your Mood: Do the words just seem to flow sometimes? Then keep writing! Maximize your productivity and keep writing when your creativity is at its highest.
Change Your Venue: Sometimes sitting in the same spot for 8 hours every day can stifle our writing abilities. Try going to the park, a coffee shop or just going for a walk. A change in scenery can ignite creativity and give you a different perspective on life.

Need some more help getting back into the swing of blogging or how to maximize your blog once you do? Here some helpful resources:

10 Tips To Get Back Into Blogging by Ashley “Ashe” Robison
10 Social Media Tips for Bloggers by Liz Borod Wright
26 Tips for Writing Great Blog Posts by Debbie Hemley

Good luck!

~ Miss Soucie

8 Ways to Increase Social Reach

January 16, 2013 in Social Media with 0 Comments

“Focus on how to be social, not on how to do social.”

- Jay Baer

During my time working in the digital marketing industry, I’ve talked to many different people with very different opinions about social media. Some see it as the future of marketing while others see it as a blip on the radar and not worth their time.

To me, social media is a revolutionary tool that gives businesses the ability to better understand the customer on a personal level in order to serve them to the best of its ability.

That’s why I put together one of my first blog posts, 10 Steps to Kick-Start Your Social Media.

Without engaging and using social media effectively, no one will know you’re even there. So now it’s time to increase your social reach and share content your customers find interesting.

So without further adue, here are 8 ways to increase your social reach:

Have Social Share Buttons: Make sure people who come to read your content can easily Share, RT and re-post your content. The most effective way to get new customers is by referrals from their friends, family and people they trust.
Engage Influencers: Know who the leaders in your industry are and build relationships with them on social media. Don’t miss out on positioning yourself as a trustworthy business by connecting yourself closely to other leaders.
Utilize Hashtags & Keywords: Make your content easily searchable so people who are interested in the content you’re sharing, but might not know about you, can easily find you and your content.
Use Paid Advertisement: Research the benefits of Google AdWords, Promoted Tweets, Facebook Sidebar Ads & Promoted Posts and other paid advertisement opportunities and evaluate which options are best for your business.
Post Shareable Content: Pictures, quotes and real-time news are just a few examples of the types of content that are considered “highly shareable content.” Make sure you’re posting information that your customers and social media users will actually want to share (which shockingly isn’t continual self-promotion).
Participate in Group Conversations: Research different Twitter Chats, Google + Communities, Facebook Groups and other social media groups that are related to your industry to engage with.
Run Contests: People love winning free stuff, there’s no way around it. Running contests is a great way to increase social reach, just make sure you’re giving away things related to your business so you’re attracting relavent users.
Promote Your Presence: Keep your current customers informed on your social media presence by adding your business’s social media links/information to email signatures, products, in-store/online signage and anything else customers might see!

What are some creative ways you have been able to increase your social reach?

~ Miss Soucie

Holiday Madness

December 18, 2012 in Post-Grad Life, Social Media with 0 Comments

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life – to be happy – it’s all that matters.”

- Audrey Hepburn

The last two weeks could easily be described as a whirlwind of madness/amazing-ness. I traveled back to Maine to visit the family, which is always an amazing experience.

While I was there, I got some first-hand insight into the world of the older generations’ take on social media, which I have to say, is quite intriguing.

Then I went down to Boston to meet friends from my semester abroad in Alicante, which was amazing. It was our two-year reunion, and it seemed like we were just there yesterday!

I also got asked, “so what is it exactly that you DO?” by these amazing friends of mine. It’s always fun explaining that question.

Near the end of my trip, work seemed to sky-rocket.

Of course everyone wants social media right before Christmas. This mean that the last couple of weeks have been complete madness.

I got back to Arizona last Wednesday and was immediately pulled into more work madness.

To my good fortune, it does not seem like things will be slowing down any time soon.

THEN, just when things seem to be getting back into the groove, Instagram changes their Terms of Service, causing mass chaos in the social media world. The jury is still out to what this means for people sharing content on Instagram, but this article delves deeper into the topic.

AND, Facebook is now a player in local search with their new app tool, “Facebook Nearby,” increasing the importance of having an up-to-date Facebook business page.

So, incase life for people in the social media world wasn’t hectic enough, we now have to figure out what this means for the social media world and our clients.

Time to get to work and try to get ahead of the madness the next few weeks will bring!

~ Miss Soucie

Friendship in the Digital Age

November 29, 2012 in Post-Grad Life, Social Media with 0 Comments

“If have good friends, no matter how much life is sucking, they can make you laugh.”

- P.C. Cast

The most recent #GetRealChat, run by Pam Moore, discussed the topic of friendship. It covered a wide array of things like what words come to mind when we think of friendship and what’s the most important part to a successful relationship.

During the chat, it was mentioned how many different types of friends exist, especially due to social media and the Internet. Here are some common types that I thought of:

IRL Friend (In Real Life Friend)
Facebook Friend
New Friend
Work Friend
Online Friend
Gaming Friend
Office Friend
Life-Long Friend

You get the idea. The point is, each of these friendships are just a little bit different, because the situation that sparked the friendship is different.

Here’s my question: Has social media had a positive or negative impact on the many types of relationships?

Do people who have 3,000+ friends on Facebook REALLY have that many friends? Or have quality friendships gotten lost between the thousands of “friends” and the computer screen?

Social media gives people across the globe the ability to easily stay in touch and up to date about each other’s lives. What does it say about the impact that social media, though, if a friend down the street and a friend in New York seem equally far away?

It’s almost as though social media provides us with enough of a connection to the outside world to create the mirage of having a large social circle, without the true relationships. At the end of the day though, who would really be there for you?

Maybe the people who would be there for you are your Facebook friends or maybe they’re your friends from middle school. Who knows?

What really matters is the quality of the relationship. Not how you met or how often you talk.

One of my best friends I only talk to once or twice a month. Does that make it less of a friendship than the ones I have with people who I chat with on social media on a daily basis? Not at all.

True friendships are one of the hardest things to find, and at times I think social media can make it even harder.

How do you think social media has impacted your friendships?

~ Miss Soucie

Giving Thanks: To Social Media

November 21, 2012 in Social Media with 0 Comments

“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have you will never, ever have enough.”

- Oprah Winfrey

During the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives, we sometimes lose sight of how lucky we are and the many good fortunes that we’ve been blessed with.

I decided that in honor of tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I wanted to put together a list of 10 things that I’m thankful for… in the social media world.

Here is what I came up with (in no particular order):

The fact that Pinterest came into existence.
Awesome deals and discounts that companies offer.
Maintaining friendships with people that live across the world or just across town.
Mobile apps that mean I can lay in bed, Tweet and Facebook-stalk people all day. (Joke! Sort of…)
The ability to make a difference and support causes around the world.
Amazing GIF sites like My Friend Are Married and What Should We Call Social Media that make me laugh throughout the day.
Finding work through sites like Elance and LinkedIn.
The ability to make any picture look awesome with Instagram filters.
Meeting and networking with people from around the world.
Learning something new every day.

Why are you thankful for social media?

~ Miss Soucie

Facebook Gifting – Enhanced

November 17, 2012 in Social Media with 0 Comments

I went on Facebook this morning to find a little notification that told me I can now “Gift” people right on Facebook. We’re not talking the small $1 gifts like before, but full birthday present worthy gifts! Exciting, right?

The first thought that came to mind was, “Wow, if this isn’t a blessing for procrastinators, I don’t know what is.”

Since my boyfriend has been a doll lately, I figured why not test it out and see what this “Gifting” is all about. I clicked on the “Gift” link and a box with a bunch of different cookies, trinkets and other fun gift options popped up. I skimmed through the options and found this cute “All Smiles Cookie.”

That was the winner, so I clicked “Next.” Another great part? This gift ships free!

THEN things got even more exciting when I was able to choose a fun little e-card to send along with my gift. They were all really modern looking – not like the old fashioned cheesy ones. I found one that I liked, clicked on it and personalized it. You can opt to have these cards be viewed only by the recipient or visible to everyone on Facebook.

After you finalize everything, you go to the next page and enter your card information. After that, the gift is “wrapped” and posted on the recipients wall until they “open” it. At that point, the gift becomes visible.

Here’s the FINALE, after the recipient accepts the gift, they enter the address that they want to receive the gift at! No more hassling with finding it yourself!

Facebook does its due diligence and has a notification system that sends a text, email notification and Facebook notification at each step of the process as seen to the left.

Overall, I have to say I thoroughly enjoy this new app. I think it’s a good step for Facebook when it comes to countering Pinterest‘s reign in the eCommerce world.

Could we see more of a move towards eCommerce from Facebook and other big platforms in the future? By the growth that we have seen from Pinterest since it launched, I tend to think that we will. What do you think?

~ Miss Soucie

Top 10 #TechPhx Moments

November 14, 2012 in Social Media with 0 Comments

This past weekend I attended the TechPhx Relevant Media Unconference at the University of Advancing Technology.

I didn’t really know what to expect going into the weekend, but shortly after arriving on the first day, I realized it was going to be a fun, laid-back and educational experience, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

All of the talks were held in small classrooms that provided an intimate and personal setting as opposed to traditional large conference atmospheres.

What truly made the conference such a learning experience was that not only did the presenters have valuable information to share, but so did each of the attendees. Each person contributed something unique to the event as a whole.

Here are the top 10 moments that stood out to me from the TechPhx Unconference:

The Pinterest presentation by Niki Blaker where I learned that people spend on average 16 minutes on Pinterest during each visit, that only 20% of content is original content and that in the UK more men use Pinterest than women.
When Lori Santa Maria told us to, “Make Facebook Analytics our B*itch,” and lets be honest, to make it in the social media world, you really need to!
Learning more about the new Facebook algorithm EdgeRank, how it’s impacting business pages and what it means for community management going forward.
I enjoyed the delicious veggie bowl and my friend Evan Roberts enjoyed the fish and chips from BuzznBeez Good Food Truck!
Learning about new analytics and community management tools such as: WooBox, EdgeRankChecker, ReTweetRank, Topsy & TrendsMap, Repinly, Pinpuff and Reachli.
Meeting more than one person who I’ve followed on Twitter, for the first time, in person!
Learning about 7 great tools for small businesses by Christie Kerner, who shared her inspirational story about how she became an entrepreneur.
Experiencing the “Law of Two Feet” conference style, allowing us to walk around from room to room at our leisure.
Witnessing fencing, in person, for the first time ever.
When April Holle posed the question, “How are you using your social influence to change the world as you’d like to see it?”

Didn’t make it out to the TechPhx Unconference this year? Take a look at their website for upcoming events!

~ Miss Soucie

Pinterest Fit-spiration

October 24, 2012 in Health & Recipes, Inspiration, Social Media with 0 Comments

“The groundwork of all happiness is health.”

- Leigh Hunt

Those that know me know that I am constantly working out, finding healthy recipes and looking for new ways to stay fit. I’ve worked out and played sports for as long as I can remember, and healthy eating has always been important for my family.

During my junior year of college I studied in Spain, which was by far the most amazing experience of my life. I wouldn’t trade any of the 20 pounds I gained during that time for the experience I had.

BUT… When I got back to the United States to what I like to call the “real world,” I had a rude awakening.

I felt unattractive and knew I had to do something about it. Since then, I’ve become dedicated to getting fit. I religiously work out, monitor my eating habits and look for new healthy living tricks.

One great resource that I’ve found for lots of health recipes, motivation and workout ideas is Pinterest.

This relatively-new social media platform is know for its eCommerce benefits, ease of content curation and of course dream-wedding planning. There are some social benefits (for women especially) as well.

It provides women with the ability to make a digital vision board and share inspiration with friends and followers.

Many of my friends are like-minded when it comes to health and fitness, so they frequently pin other healthy recipes and fitness information as well.

Pinterest provides the necessary reinforcements and motivation to inspire people to lead healthy lives.

Trainers always say it’s easier to get motivated and stick to your workouts and heathy eating plans if you have a partner doing it with you, and the Pinterest community is that support system.

I personally use Pinterest on practically a daily basis and have a board named “Fit-spiration.” It’s full of workout ideas, healthy eating tips and general life inspiration. I actually just tried out one of the workout tips this morning, and I have to say, I felt great!

How do you motivate yourself to stay healthy and fit?

~ Miss Soucie

P.S. If you want to learn more about Pinterest, take a look at my other article, Foodie Porn on Pinterest!

6 Reasons Why Not to Buy Followers

October 13, 2012 in Social Media with 0 Comments

“A lack of transparency results in distrust and a deep sense of insecurity”

- Dalai Lama

Social media is based on relationships, and relationships are based on trust. Without trust and honesty, it’s not a real relationship.

I’ll be up-front, I feel strongly against buying followers, RTs, Likes or anything along those lines. I discussed the issue with a friend, and they suggested I write an article explaining in detail why buying followers is not only wrong, but why it doesn’t work.

I decided to do some research to see what others were saying about the practice of buying followers. I found this interesting article in The New York Times that discussed some different opinions about the topic.

One part stood out to me in particular: A marketing pro claimed to have bought over a million followers for his clients, and promotes the practice. His clients include musicians, actresses and other well-known people who he declined to name. “And it’s so cheap too,” he noted.

On the other end of the spectrum, a social media management company, StatusPeople, developed a tool to expose these accounts. The application Fake Follower Check evaluates how many account followers are fake, inactive and real.

I decided to check out the app with some popular people on Twitter, and this is what the results were:

Justin Bieber (28,891,421 Followers): 29% Fake | 36% Inactive | 35% Good
Pres. Obama (20,800,477 Followers): 39% Fake | 32% Inactive | 29% Good
My Personal Account (781 Followers): 1% Fake | 4% Inactive | 95% Good

Despite the initial impression that you get from the high follower numbers, neither Obama or Bieber have hardly any @Replies to followers or high levels of engagement. They’re not very active and probably have a representative managing the accounts for them, and it’s not unreasonable to assume that followers were purchased at some point for the accounts.

So lets sum this all up. Here are the 5 reasons why buying followers, etc. isn’t a good idea and doesn’t work:

Most Followers Aren’t “Real” Followers: The thousands of “followers” that you’re able to buy usually consist mostly of bots, egg heads and inactive accounts that either Tweet spam or are inactive almost entirely.
You’re Betraying Your Followers’ Trust: For those who are following you, you’re betraying they’re trust and confidence in your account’s transparency. Without honesty, there is no relationship.
It Doesn’t Change the Bottom-Line: Despite what the numbers might say, the reality is that you don’t have any real followers who are interested and engaged with you, which is what social media is all about.
People Will See You’re a Fake: It’s easy to tell if an account’s followers are real or fake. If it has thousands of followers and has only tweeted 10 times, they’re clearly fake. If it has thousands of followers and no @Replies or engagement, they’re most likely fake. There are also tools like Fake Follower Check that help detect fake followers.
It’s a Waste of Money: Why spend valuable marketing budget on fake followers when you could be investing in better graphics, a community manager or even social media training that will have a better ROI (return on investment) in the long-run.
You’ll End Up Where You Started: Over time these fake accounts get deactivated, un-follow and shut down. This means that over time your follower count will drop back down and your engagement will be non-existant, leaving you exactly where you were when you started.

What are your thoughts about buying followers?

~ Miss Soucie

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