4 Easy Online Reputation Management Secrets

December 26, 2009 in Blogging Strategy, Content Strategy, Social Media

A while back, I did a blog post on how easy it was to begin participating in the world of social media tools. All you need to do is locate where conversations are happening about you on the web, learn how to monitor them, then learn how to participate and positively impact your brand's online reputation. Since then there has been a recent expansion in the amount of tools available to aid in your online reputation management efforts. Today on Big Picture Web, we'll walk you four easy tools used to monitor your online reputation.

1) Google Reader and RSS

Most online reputation management tools are delivered through either email or RSS ("really simple syndication"). While email is convenient and familiar to most, RSS allows you to see up-to-the-minute information and helps keep all your online reputation reputation management efforts more organized. If you aren't currently using RSS to stay informed, you should be. RSS has quickly become a well-established, yet often misunderstood communication tool. Run out to Youtube and watch RSS in Plain English and Google Reader in Plain English. You'll see the value and be ready to create a free Google Reader account in no time.

2) Search.Twitter.com

Most social media strategies these days involve Twitter to some extent. And believe it or not, sifting the 140-character tweets can provide some incredibly valuable insights about what people are saying about your brand. Your second online reputation management secret is to begin searching through Twitter (for free) on a regular basis. You can actively search Search.Twitter.com on a schedule or set up a few RSS feeds to push notifications to you as they happen. Just enter terms specific to your brand and see what results you encounter.

3) Google Alerts

Google Alerts is like Search.Twitter.com, but for the whole web as opposed to just Twitter. See the most recent news events, web site content, videos and more. Set up a free account with Google Alerts, then set up your alerts. Include terms specific to your online reputation, typically related to your brand, product or services. Again, you can choose to set up your alerts to come to you via email or RSS.

4) Trackur

Google Reader, Search.Twitter.com and Google Alerts are all free. But if you want to spend a few bucks to reduce the time you spend performing online reputation management, you may want to set up an account with Trackur.com. Trackur was created by Andy Beal, author of Radically Transparent and founder of the Marketing Pilgrim blog/website, both excellent sources of online reputation management news and information. Trackur allows you to monitor your brands across the web and Twitter. And comes with some extra tools that make reputation management easier, such as bookmarking and the ability to track and trend sentiment (i.e., are the conversations about you good or bad?). Try their two week risk-free trial to see the extra benefits Trackur can bring to your online reputation management efforts.

Before you start blindly participating in social media, it's critical that you know the lay of the land. Not doing so could make your reputation management efforts appear contrived and insincere. I hope following the steps listed in today's post will help your company get started down the path of online reputation management.

Do you have any thoughts or questions about this post? We'd love to hear them. Leave a comment below to continue the conversation.

Internet Meetups for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Beyond

August 13, 2009 in Internet Marketing, Social Media

Minneapolis and St. Paul Meetup If you're like most people, you're hearing more about Internet marketing and social media every day. Heck, you're probably researching something right now to improve the way you do business on the Internet. Did you know there are people in your city that are willing and excited to talk to you in person about your goals and ideas? It's true. Some really smart folks ranging from enthusiasts to real live experts meet regularly to discuss all types of ideas about how to fully embrace the web and succeed online. In fact, Minneapolis/St. Paul boasts a handful of social media and Internet marketing events each month. Whether you call them a group, a meetup, or even a tweetup, today we'll look at the Big Picture of Internet marketing events in the Twin Cities. (Don't worry if you're not from the area... there's something for everyone. Read on.)

Learn About Minneapolis/St. Paul Meetups

There are many reasons to join folks (like me) at these meetups. These are some of the more compelling ones.

Meetups are Accessible. You don't need a certification or an exclusive membership and the price is usually nominal if not free. All one needs is a passion to succeed online, really.
Meetups are Useful. You meet some really fun and interesting people that know a lot about doing business online. From Minneapolis/St. Paul small business owners/podcasters like @IDS07 to Internet marketers from big agencies like @kareemy, Tweetups and meetups are teeming with Twin Cities Internet talent. Bring your questions and your ideas.
Meetups are Fun. Check out great specials at some of the Twin Cities' best places to meet up. Enjoy a long breakfast once a month with new friends. Even take in a Saints game. You'll find yourself making more and more room on your calendar for these Minneapolis and St. Paul meetups and tweetups.

Join the Twin Cities Meetup Community

At this point, you're no doubt excited to start making new friends and bringing your business to the next level. Tell me where to go, you say. I'm going to have to be honest here, friends. I'm new to the Twin Cities tweetup scene myself, but I have done some research and have even been to a few. This is what I know so far.

MSP Tweetup. With events ranging from happy hours to Saints games and venues ranging from Minneapolis to St. Paul, MSPTweetup is a great Internet marketing and social media tweetup. It's true what they say: you always remember your first meetup.
Social Media Breakfast - Twin Cities. Just one search for the #smbmsp hashtag in Twitter to realize that the Twin Cities Social Media Breakfast meetup is one of the most happening social media events in all of Minneapolis/St. Paul, boasting an active community. Fill up on Internet marketing knowledge and breakfast at this popular event.
Meetup.com. You can use Meetup.com whether you're in Minneapolis/St. Paul or not. Search by keyword within for your city to find any number of meetups about Internet marketing or any other topic for that matter. A quick search in the Twin Cities and some initial vetting turned up Minnesota Online Marketing Mastermind, Minnesota Search Engine Marketing Authority and The Biz Blogger Meetup Group.

Now that you've read about meetups in the Twin Cities and the very best tweetup in all of Minneapolis and St. Paul, won't you come join us? What will you add/take away from this new conversation? For those out of the area, what meetups are big in your neck of the woods?

Find Your Social Media Tools and Purpose

June 16, 2009 in Content Strategy, Internet Marketing, Social Media

social media tools purpose It's the new buzz. Everyone is talking about and participating in social media, the communication and sharing phenomenon where anyone can play an active role in your Internet brand management. And "tweeting" is a blast, but Twitter and the like are not just fun and games. Behind every social media strategy, and for that matter Internet marketing strategy, are numbers waiting to be looked at and a clear path to be taken depending on your business' goals. Social media analytics, you might say. Have you set business goals for your Social Media endeavors? Today, Big Picture Web talks about social media tools and purpose.

Social Media Tools, Toys and Tactics

First off, social media is a broad playground full of tools, toys and tactics . There are communication tools (Twitter), communities ( Facebook), bookmarking sites (StumbleUpon), the blogosphere (Technorati); even user reviews and ratings that you see on Amazon.com are considered social media tools (my friends at Social Media, What? uncover and review new social media tools all the time). Every social media tool has a different purpose waiting to be applied to your business. And that's the real question... have you found your social media purpose?

Internet Brand Management

internet brand management In the days before social media, only a quarterly earnings statement or a carefully crafted press release would make it to the masses. There was a limit to who could define your brand through media. With social media, everyone is a publisher with an opinion. Including your customers. Andy Beal's Radically Transparent is all about Internet brand management and describes how word-of-mouth has gone online. In a nutshell, Mr. Beal stresses the potential impact of social media on your business and explains how to participate in these public conversations to further and protect your brand. This is your social media purpose. And there are tools that will help you get there.

Social Media Analytics. Like Google Analytics

You can combine your social media tools and purpose in three easy steps. Find and listen to the conversations. Participate. Use social media analytics to measure your progress.

Monitor. Sites like Social Mention and Search.Twitter.com allow you to search social media for mentions of your brand, service or product. These passive listening devices are phenomenal for identifying everything from customer service opportunities to copyright infringement issues. Finding your customers can be a challenge, but you'll be happy you did.
Participate. Once you find your audience and have identified your business goals, you can begin to use social media for Internet brand management. Use Twitter to communicate with customers voicing concern about your product via their tweets. Use social bookmarking sites to seed your newest content in an effort to bring new customers. Encourage customers to review your products or services. Just be sure you have a specific business goal in mind as you join the conversation.
Social Media Analytics. Now that you're listening and participating, measure your success with social media analytics. Track Social Mention for the number of good, bad and indifferent comments are made about your brand. You can tag your URLs (e.g., links to your homepage) before you tweet them to make them trackable in your Web Analytics software. Use Twitteranalyzer to see how people are reacting to your message. If you have a business goal, there is a way to track it and folks out there eager to show you how. (In fact, Andy and Doug at Managing the Edge just did a great show on Social Media Measurement.)

So there you have it. Social media is important for Internet brand management. Monitor and participate in these conversations and then use social media analytics to gauge your performance. Combine your social media tools and purpose to achieve results!

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