Smart Savvy

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You just joined Twitter. Who do you follow? Where do the cool kids hang out? Maybe you just want to follow the most popular entrepreneur tweeters out there…but how do you follow them all at once? Recent Top Grad Finalist and Founder of Aer Marketing, Brian Wong (a.k.a. The Prodigy), has the answer.  Together with his team at Aer Marketing, a full-service web marketing firm, Brian has recently created a new social media web application for Twitter called Followformation.

Followformation helps users quickly follow people that matter in the areas of their interest. Who do you follow and how? For new Twitter users, (Aer coins them “chirpers”) this can be especially intimidating. Followformation helps the social media newcomer simplify the first few steps by categorizing the top Twitter users in their respective categories and automating the entire follow process.

Users are able to choose their categories of interest and preview the people in these categories,  as well as create a custom category if not on the current list.

Followformation is also announcing an advertising platform called the “formation” that will be available in the coming weeks. Companies and individuals will be able to bid on a featured position in each category. Bidders will be pre-approved based on a set of criteria that are designed to preserve the quality of the users in the formation pool. Bidding dates will be announced in the days to come on Followformation’s Tumblr page.

The company plans to expand Followformation’s following concept to other social networks in the months to come, including Tumblr.

I read a very interesting article this morning on about Twitter  and its effects on spreading information. In this case however, it was a negative example. The author points to the fact that Twitter includes people tweeting and retweeting information on the Swine Flu epidemic (currently trending 2 terms: Swine Flu and #Swineflu) and are doing more harm than good.

“Unlike basic Internet search—which has already been nicely used by Google to track emerging flu epidemics—Twitter seems to have introduced too much noise into the process: as opposed to search requests, which are generally motivated only by a desire to learn more about a given subject, too many Twitter conversations about swine flu seem to be motivated by desires to fit in, do what one’s friends do (i.e. tweet about it) or simply gain more popularity.”

I think it would be difficult to argue that Twitter doesn’t add noise to our daily lives, but simply another layer that has been added to our lives, and one that enables us to expand our informational flow to unprecedented levels. This over-stimulation can have detrimental effects.

Twitter’s biggest weakness is also its biggest strength, however.

Think of the tweets from the Hudson River plane crash, or the earthquakes in China. These examples weren’t just noise, they were real time news providing valuable insight into the calamities.

The information on the Swine Flu might be “motivated by desires to fit in and to do what one’s friends do” right now, when hard facts about the crisis is limited, however when pertinent, urgent information becomes available, Twitter will become the first channel of information for a large audience.

I would like to get your thoughts on this - do you think Twitter is vain? Or does it provide specific value?

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I have had a couple of people over the last few weeks list the most essential social media tools for marketers. Rather than launch into a long dissertation on the importance of social media, I thought I would post them to our blog. Feel free to leave your own thoughts in the comments if you have any other favs, but I have found that of the many social media memes, these are the most effective.

1) Twitter

I think we can officially all agree that Twitter has arrived. Explosive adoption rate, massive press, and celebrity followings have launched Twitter (and its new language) into widespread consciousness. As a marketer, Twitter can be an extremely effective tool. With it you can drive traffic, monitor your brand, communicate with your customers, gain clients, build relationships and promote your brand. At Smart Savvy, we have sourced leads directly from Twitter, developed relationships with local companies, and actively utilized the search functionality to monitor our brand. All this from a tool that limits you to 140 characters. If you aren’t following us yet, check us out here.

2) YouTube

YouTube , owned by Google, is not only a place for funny videos but is also among the largest search engines on the web. Companies need to have a presence there. It is important to post and organize company videos so when someone searches a topic your company will show up. These can be short videos explaining basic concepts, internal videos to promote employee culture, or a myriad of other things. Consider this as another way to get your content out on the web. You can check out more of our videos on YouTube here.

3) Blog

Blogs are a great way to communicate and interact, and are an integral part of your social media strategy. Blogs allow people to comment, engage in the conversation, and see the real people behind the company.  This is the essence of today’s social media. A one-way conversation is passive; instead blogs allow people to respond and join in dialogue. In order to avoid blog irrelevancy, you need to be interesting, insightful + topical, and most importantly, consistent.

4) LinkedIn

In the recruitment field, LinkedIn is a tremendous connector. Find thousands of resumes, comprehensive search functionality, and access to passive job seekers. Mastering LinkedIn is not easy. Knowing how to use LinkedIn well is key. Check out this article to give you a head start on some tips and tricks.

5) You

Social media is not a quick fix. Its about building an authentic community and relationships. While the web provides the tools, the people behind the brand are still the most significant component. Without a personality, no one will read, watch or interact with your content. As Seth Godin says, “Be interesting.”

We just passed the 1000 follower mark today on Twitter and want to say thanks to all our amazing followers! We have learned so much, participated in fascinating conversations, and met hundreds of great people along the way. Thanks for your support and let’s keep on tweeting!

If you aren’t following us yet, head over to http://twitter.com/smartsavvy and join in 

An ongoing series highlighting companies in Vancouver who ‘do it best’.

Twitter is both an engaging tool and a daunting task, and doing it right is by no means easy. As it has gained mainstream popularity — with users like Obama, Ellen, and CNN — businesses, especially marketers, are feeling the push to get involved and join the burgeoning service. I don’t want to argue the merits or disadvantages of Twitter, that’s for another post, but I do want to highlight a couple of local companies that are doing it right. Vancouver is considered one of the ‘early adopter’ cities in the Twittersphere.  Here are a few of the companies that stand out.

Japadog- Using Twitter to Sell Your Product

You just have to love Japadog. As a hot dog vendor, traditionally you have to rely on flashy signs, location, and the wafting smell that is more addicting than, well… you know. However,Vancouver’s Japadog took a different approach. Following an L.A. Taco stand’s lead, Japadog now tweets specials they are running, its location, and connects with its customers by tweeting their next destination. The result?  Tons of press, informed customers, and a lot more franks being sold.

Hootsuite - Inform and Update Your Customers

For nothing else, Hootsuite deserves to be on this list because of its 20,000+ followers. Being a Twitter application however, brings this number into perspective. Twitter can be used in a variety of different ways and Hootsuite uses it to inform its customers and users on product updates, new features, and feedback. Created and run by the folks at Invoke , it’s not surprising they do it well.

MakeGood - Become a Thought Leader

Is it incestuous to write about a company you share space with? We don’t think so. MakeGood uses Twitter to carve out a niche as a thought leader in their field (social responsibility) and does a great job interacting and conversing with people across the world that are passionate on the topic. With over 1,500 followers strong, it’s a compelling topic.

Vancouver Canucks - Engage Your Customers

The Canucks are using Twitter to talk to their fans, spread breaking news, and promote events. I love how they use Twitter as a conversation starter, not as a broadcasting device. Fans can @reply and expect a response, and they can tweet their thoughts during games.

BC Business -  Spread The Word

BC Business is one of the province’s most widely read business magazines and they use Twitter to spread their content and connect with their readers. I like how John Butcher injects his insights with tweets like this, “Anyone out there use the word “skookum”? (Adj.: big, hearty, fierce.) Apparently, it’s BC and Yukon slang that comes from the Chinook slang.” You really can’t go wrong. All in all, its a pretty skookum Twitter feed.

lululemon - Connect and Inspire

Oops… this is #6, but I just couldn’t resist.  Lululemon, makers of yoga-inspired apparel for healthy living, actively uses Twitter to inspire their followers to stay well-balanced and healthly. Either join a Yoga class and “boogie woogie” or read an insightful book.  They also like to throw in the odd tweet asking their followers about their favorite lululemon item or about a new product, but why not? Their fabric is like none other.