PIT Blog

Optimizing Your Content for the Social Web with Productive CMS

Productive IT — 2012-02-20T07:14:33-08:00

Off to a Good Start

Okay, so you've got your site up and running. You've got content lined up and an editorial calendar to release it on a regular basis to keep search engines interested and continually scanning your site to index pages. But what about actual people? After all, that's who you're trying to sell to right?

We've talked about what some refer to as the "social media optimization" before here on this site, but for those just joining us SMO is a term that refers to the relevancy of content to the social relationships people share online through networks like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, YouTube and countless others. While your site may be optimized in the eyes of search engines its becoming increasingly just as important to optimize your content for social.

A Few Good Tips

According to marketing specialist Rohit Bhargava there are Five Essentials Rules to optimizing your content for social media. They're certainly not the only way, but they offer a great guide on how to start.

Create shareable content (either informative or entertaining)
Make sharing easy (add social sharing buttons)
Reward engagement (offer discounts or incentives for those who share)
Proactively share content (make a habit of sharing your own content online)
Encourage the mashup (make it easy for people to use your content; images, quotes, etc - just be sure to sign it!)

Go Behind the Scenes

Rohit's tips definitely serve as a great guideline to follow as you develop your content, but there's also the more technical aspect of SMO that requires improving the behind the scenes information of your content. For instance, Facebook uses Open Graph metatags to index your content rather than the standard Page Title and Description metatags used by search engines. While similar, it does have its own set of rules.

Luckily, our Productive CMS platform offers new Social Tools that can help make optimizing your content for the social web a breeze.

Sharing Image. This option allows to you pre-select an image that Facebook and other social networks can use when your content is shared. In this way you can ensure that the most attention-grabbing image is used for maximum visibility and engagement.

As a sidenote, these images will typically be restricted to appear no larger than 130 by 110 pixels and no smaller than 50 by 50 pixels.

Sharing Title. There are many ways to get someone's attention online. Choosing a title that stands out from the crowd can help you content not only get seen but it make it more likely to be shared with others. Typically this means restricting titles to 70 characters or less, choosing action words, being relevant and/or timely, including keyword phrases, being entertaining or making it a list (5 Steps to a Good Start in Social Media).

Sharing Description. Basically an extension of the Title, your description should be short while still offering enough information to get readers to click and/or share your content. Be informative, be entertaining, be likeable.

Want to know more about Social Media Optimization? Drop us a line or leave a comment below and we'd be happy to help!

About the author

Rondal is Productive I.T.'s Senior Graphic Designer and all around creative instigator. He tackles each day with Red Bull-induced enthusiasm, is a self-professed Twitter addict, and harbors an inexplicable fear of all things fuzzy.

Fresh Site Pick: Alabama Recovery Coalition for the Financial Sector

Productive IT — 2011-12-07T09:13:57-08:00

New site design

Alabama Recovery Coalition for the Financial Sector (ACFS)
www.arcfs.com

Founded in 2006, ARCFS is Alabama's leading non-profit organization whose sole purpose is the maintaining and monitoring the stability the state's financial community - which includes over 120 participating banks. Their website provides access to information, news alerts and communication planning to all its members in the event of a natural disaster.

Keeping it Simple

ARCFS required not only a visual overhaul, but more intuitive functionality as well that would allow its members protected access to its database of information and community. It's old site (see right) was way too crowded and not very intuitive. By simplifying the content, we were able to create a streamlined landing page that emphasizes the site's key call to actions and improve user experience.

Get Your Jingle Jangle on with our Christmas Desktop Wallpaper

Productive IT — 2011-12-01T06:27:29-08:00

It's December 1st , the icy frost of Winter is here, and it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here at the office. In fact, we even got our very first Christmas tree this year (you can check her out on the right). Our staff has already been cranking out the holiday tunes all week long - I prefer Santa Claus is Coming to Town by the California Raisins myself - but now that it's "official" we thought we'd share some Christmas joy with our blog readers in the form of this "beautifully illustrated" Happy Holidays Desktop Wallpaper!

We've got 4 different sizes to cover any screen size and we're making them available for FREE. Simply click the image to download a ZIP file containing all the sizes or click on the text link to instantly winterize your wallpaper!

Download wallpaper: 800x600, 1024x768, 1600x1200, 1920x1080.

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Tis the Season for New Media Holiday Marketing

Productive IT — 2011-11-16T08:48:55-08:00

It shouldn�t come as any surprise that we are on the cusp of a huge wave of holiday marketing. Companies typically plan months in advance for this time of year when customers are willing to spend a little more in the �spirit of the season.� However, with social media becoming an increasingly more prominent part of that mix some business are turning to more innovative ways of grabbing your attention than a simple commercial or magazine ad.

Retail businesses especially are methodically introducing new QR code campaigns, social media widgets and augmented reality apps by the buckets this year. We thought we�d share a few examples of those doing it well that might serve to offer some inspiration for your own season marketing campaign.

Starbuck�s Cup Magic

Macy�s Believe-o-Magic

JCPenney�s Who�s Your Santa?

That�s not to say businesses can�t still use traditional media to be creative � most of the samples here are done in coordination with print and TV campaigns. In fact, the 2011 Toy �R� Us Christmas campaign is focused primarily on the �vintage appeal� of their 1980s commercials as well as Sunday newspaper inserts. The important thing to remember is that, regardless of the tools used, marketing your business is about creating unique, branded experiences for your customers.

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Google Gets Fresh, Changes Search Algorithm

Productive IT — 2011-11-07T10:39:09-08:00

Keeping your website updated with �fresh� new content just got a whole lot more important now that Google has implemented their �Freshness� update. The change, which Google claims will affect 35% of Web searches, took place last week and marks a doubled effort on the search giant�s part to provide users with more relevant, up-to-date results. This means that sites with more recently updated content will be ranked higher than those sites that rarely do anything.

While this mainly affects websites that are tailored to frequent updates � like news sites or blogs � it can also have repercussions on your site�s ranking as indicated by Searchmetrics weekend analysis of the Web�s more popular online destinations. The point being that if you aren�t already using your website to create new content on a weekly � preferably daily basis � you�ve got some work to do!

What are content freshness factors?

While Google hasn�t come forward to specifically identify what defines �freshness� - though they have left a few clues - it�s not hard to pinpoint a few basic credentials that can help you reevaluate your content strategy from here on out.

Content is fresh depending on its inception date*
Content is fresh if it is time-sensitive (news, press releases, product reviews)
Content is fresh if it is unique to a particular site
Content is fresh if it is actively shared across multiple social networks
Content is fresh if it is relevant to a specific niche
Content is fresh if it utilizes keywords appropriately

*This could vary depending on the actual date the content was published or the date it first appeared in search results.

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Social Media in Action � Foosackly�s Facebook Success Story

Productive IT — 2011-11-02T07:56:39-07:00

Often times it�s easy to extol the virtues of social media, after all it�s sort of become a requirement for any business looking to find success online. However, it�s understandably difficult for small businesses just starting out to really grasp just how they can see results. A few common misconceptions are that simply having a profile on a social network is enough or that fans should be flocking to you in droves by your third or fourth update. After all, that�s how it works for the McDonalds and Nikes of the world right?

Surprisingly enough its small businesses that reap more benefit from tapping into social network like Facebook or Twitter than those larger franchises ever will. Those that start adopting it as a part of their marketing early on have the opportunity to create authentic connections with their followers � one on one � and establish brand advocates that are 100% active as opposed to accumulating 500,000 �unactive� followers.

Fusaiotti�s strategy was so successful... It not only helped identify potential markets where the demand was strong, but also strengthened his online community who have now become active investors in the project.

I read a news article earlier this week that demonstrated a prime example of a small business utilizing its social network to great effect (and profit). The company in mention, Foosackly, is a local business located in Mobile, AL that has grown from a single location to seven in the past 11 years. For his most recent restaurants (which should launch by Thanksgiving) Foosackly founder Will Fusaiotti took a unique approach to choosing the location � he asked his Facebook fans.

Fusaiotti�s strategy was so successful (more than 3,000 people voted) that he ended up opening two locations instead of one! It not only helped identify potential markets where the demand was strong, but also strengthened his online community who have now become active investors in the project. And Foosackly isn�t alone; plenty of small businesses have seen big returns on social networks by investing their time and personality to the brand. Naked Pizza, which we covered here previously, is a prime case study for finding the same success on Twitter.

How do you currently utilize your social networks? Do you make it a priority to reward and connect with your followers on a daily basis?

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Tech Tip: Keeping your Server Room Clean

Productive IT — 2011-10-24T09:31:43-07:00

Everything tends to work better when it's properly maintained. After all, there's a reason why we say that something works like a "well-oiled machine" when it's being productive.

For any business, nowhere is this more important than your data center or server room. Luckily, we've rounded up a few key principles that you can follow to keep your company's data safe and sound all year round.

Make sure to clean properly

Computers and other technology equipment tend to attract dust and other particles like a magnet so staying proactive about regularly cleaning can be a simple way to prevent major system damage. Never use anything moist to clean your equipment. Always use either a dry cloth or compressed air to remove any unwanted dirt or dust.

Keep things organized

Part of keeping your data center environment clean requires you to keep everything as organized as possible. Not only will keeping everything labeled and in its place make the best use of your space, your authorized IT tech will thank you for it.

Regulate temperature

Any room with a lot of computer equipment should be kept in an air conditioned environment and out of direct sunlight to prevent overheating. Ideally you want to maintain a steady temperature of anywhere between 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Here's a sample of a client site we just recently helped set up. You can see the differences between the Before and After images are pretty amazing.

Need help re-organizing your server room or re-evaluating your network's security? Give us a call! We'd be happy to meet you on site for an evaluation anytime.

About the author

Brad is Productive I.T.'s Information Technology Director and a devoted father and husband. He has worked in the technology field for 15 years now, and carries degrees in business management and network administration as well more than a dozen more certifications such as MCSE, MCITP, Security+, and Network+.

5 Steps to a Good Start in Social Media

Productive IT — 2011-10-11T10:55:44-07:00

1) Describe your business in 140 characters or less.

It may sound silly, but Twitter's 140 character limit is essentially the equivalent of the social media elevator pitch. Being able to narrow down this core description will not only help you strip out all of the unnecessary technical jargon you business might have grown accustomed to, but it will make you focus on the most important element: how you can make things easier for your customers.

2) Choose the right tool(s).

There are seemingly countless options when it comes to social media networks to join. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn currently reign supreme, but others like Tumblr, Google+, Orkut and MySpace are still very relevant. The most important factor to understand when selecting your network(s) is to start where your customers are at. As our fearless PIT boss likes to say: �Fish where the fish are.�

3) Create an Editorial Calendar and stick to it.

Establishing an editorial calendar has become a particularly useful tool for online marketers. Outlining in advance when a blog post will go out and how you can filter that content into your social media profiles is an effective strategy - especially when you know what time of day your target demographic is most active.

4) Track. Monitor. Report.

Speaking of knowing your targent audience, a good marketing campaign is meaningless if you're not keeping track of how well it's actually working. How often is your content being shared? Are customers truly being engaged by the type of content you provide? Do they ask questions or leave comments? Are you considered a thought leader in your industry? If the answer to even one of these questions is "I don't know" you need to seriously re-consider your strategy.

5) Engage your audience, don't sell to them.

This is perhaps the most difficult step on the list to master, especially for those who are new to social media. However, understanding the difference between a sales pitch and open communication can either make or break a business. Remember that social media is about being social, which makes it just as much about your customers as it does your product and/or service. Don't become an interruption, join the conversation.

Of course, these are only 5 of many things to consider when starting an online marketing strategy, specifically for social media. If you've already excelled beyond these and would like to discuss other opportunities you might be missing out on, drop us a line. We'd be happy to help.

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Shaking Up the Social Landscape: Facebook's New Timeline

Productive IT — 2011-09-27T07:52:31-07:00

Although social sharing platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare have gradually continued to evolve over the past year or so, it wasn�t until a few months ago that two of the biggest competitors (Google+ and Facebook) began creating some pretty gnarly waves in the social atmosphere.

Naturally, Google�s announcement that it would be re-entering the arena after several failed attempts (Buzz and Wave) was not very surprising, there�s little Google isn�t experimenting with at the moment and using Google+ as a springboard towards social search is a no-brainer for the company. What is surprising, however, are the changes coming from Facebook in the past few months. Either in response to Google�s looming presence or something that was pre-destined (perhaps both), Facebook has made its own wave of minor changes (Smart Lists, Subscribe button, Ticker Feed) with something pretty massive on the horizon.

That �something� is called Timeline and it is Facebook�s upcoming makeover (inspired by infographic guru Nicholas Felton) which has become quite the buzz-worthy topic of conversation among industry blogs and left many split in their opinion of it. On the positive side people are calling it �a richer, more immersive social experience than ever,� while others fear that the �massive makeover might just be a bit too much.� After experiencing Timeline firsthand I have to admit that it takes more than a little adjustment to get used to the dual column layout.

Beyond the aesthetics of the new look, Timeline puts a greater focus on user�s personal history (with an emphasis on the story part). Instead of just being able to �Like� things, Timeline will use third party apps such as Spotify, Netflix and others to track your taste in movies, music and perhaps even gaming habits. News Feeds, which are currently at the core of Facebook, will be transitioned over to the Twitter-esque Ticker feed located on the right sidebar where the Chat feature resides.

What�s most interesting and, to my knowledge, as-yet-unaddressed is how this change will impact businesses using Facebook Pages as an online marketing tool. While no official announcement has been made, one would have to think that Timeline will no doubt change the way in which businesses interact with individuals on Facebook, specifically making the exchange more intimate and requiring marketers to become a closely knit part of the individual user�s story. It also indicates a possible trend towards using third-party apps to engage users through ads or online games.

While Facebook has said Timeline will be a gradual change there is no doubt that it is coming and eventually all users will be required to move up or move out. Likewise, businesses will need to re-examine their marketing strategy for the social platform as new forms of ROI associated with one-on-one connections will likely replace mass marketing tactics.

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Content vs Design: Is One Really More Important than the Other?

Productive IT — 2011-09-06T07:27:45-07:00

People often argue about which is more important (content or design) when it comes to web development, they have for years now. The truth is, no website is complete without either component and while many clients focus on how they want their site to look first and foremost, very few take into consideration just how important content is when it comes to actually getting visitors to the site.

More often than not a typical project here at Productive I.T. will begin in the design phase, ensuring the visual elements created work together to establish unity and convey the overall �brand� of the client�s company. As a designer, there is naturally nothing I love more than being able to lay all of the elements on the table and figure out how they fit together. Designers are very much like mathematicians in this respect, we both like to solve problems, only difference is that our (designers) puzzles are more visual.

Once the design is approved the task of compiling content, selecting images and (in most instances) learning the ins and outs of the CMS take place. It�s at this phase that clients can require the most help, whether they�re at a loss to accurately describe their business or simply don�t have the time to commit anything to paper (or email). While our team can certainly help steer their site towards the right audience with our copywriting services, it�s essential that clients work with us to create content that will be considered compelling to potential visitors. For the record, it is NEVER okay to copy content from another website for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is copyright infringement.

�Design in the absence of content is not design, its decoration.�

--Jeffrey Zeldman

As much as I enjoy web design, this quote, by designer/writer Jeffrey Zeldman, makes a brilliant point that while design is required to create an engaging user experience it is the value of that experience itself which keeps people coming back. In other words, if you focus too much attention to the design and not the content you�re not giving your audience any reason to return. Making sure that your content is as well thought out as your site�s design will go a long way to maintain traffic to your site and help to guarantee that visitors have a good reason to visit again and again.

Is it time to rethink the content strategy of your website? Feel free to drop us a line and let our staff know how we can help.

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Facebook Unveils New Privacy Features. How Will it Affect Your Business?

Productive IT — 2011-08-29T07:18:48-07:00

Early last week the developers at Facebook began releasing several new sharing options for users based on privacy controls similar in concept to Google Plus� Circles concept. Whether or not the change was already planned (Facebook product manager Kate O�Neil told VentureBeat it had been in development for 6 months) or done in reaction to the competition will likely be speculated on by both sides for some time, but the important takeaway is that Facebook is evolving (and quickly).

Among the new features, Facebook now allows users greater control over �tagging� in both posts and photos including options to approve, deny, remove and altogether block a tag. In addition users can now take advantage of the platform�s �inline audience selector� to share updates with a specific selection of friends or custom groups (circles?) instead of everything being public. Likewise, Pages can choose to share updates with only certain groups � currently limited to Location and Language.

So what does this mean for businesses seeking better social media engagement through Facebook?

It won�t make it any easier, that�s for sure. While marketers can still offer valuable content for users to share, those same users may now choose to share it with only 20 friends instead of 200. Granted, these 20 friends may be more engaged than the others, but the features could severely restrict a business� reach (not to mention making it harder to track). With Google+ now emerging as a viable competitor, Facebook seems less concerned with businesses (at least momentarily) and more concentrated on not losing their user base. After all, no users is bad for business.

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QR CODES: What are They and How Do They Work?

Productive IT — 2011-08-23T07:41:12-07:00

You may have noticed a tiny, weird looking square popping up more and more on the things you buy, in the restaurants where you eat and especially in the magazines that you read. These squares, known as QR (quick response) codes, are increasingly becoming a larger part of print marketing in the past few years as smartphones (such as an iPhone or Android) have become more popular.

The codes, which require a smartphone to work, are designed to transmit information such as a text-based message, a link, or multimedia content such as images (logo) and video (sponsored message). Most often, however, QR codes are used to promote community-wide contests or special vendor discounts. There are even services that can track and provide analytics for these codes so that you can manage your marketing even better.

Another way in which QR codes are effective is for social networking on-the-go such as sending out a tweet to your followers or �liking� a place or thing on Facebook, just by scanning the code. Google Places even offers a way in which to link a QR code to your business� Place Page where visitors can read reviews or find special offers�all from their mobile phone.

The verdict among marketers regarding the effectiveness of these codes is still up for debate, but the trend among magazine publishers and retailers is growing. According to this QR Code Infographic by Lab42, there�s still potential for those who know how to use them to the advantage of their audience to make ads more �interactive, faster and easier.�

Have you ever scanned a QR code? Are you considering using QR codes as part of your marketing strategy? Let us know and leave a comment below.

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