Looking at Facebook Analytics for a small business

This week I will be analyzing Facebook analytics for XYZ Company, an HVAC company based in Western Massachusetts.

The XYZ Company Facebook page is still in its beginning stages, but certainly on the upswing and experiencing healthy growth.  All of their stats are up – Likes, Reach, and Engagement.  The eleven most recent posts displayed have all been boosted.  There has been a marked improvement in both page growth and post effectiveness since February, which leads me to believe that they have either hired on some help or made a conscious effort to step up their social media plan.  The posts themselves have become more plentiful, and started focusing more on savings and the chance to win goods.

Out of the first full quarter, only one external referrer is listed- a single hit from Google.  This suggests that more work can be done regarding SEO and the relevance of their website.  Recruiting from within Facebook has been working well, but much more can be done to pull in users that are seeking HVAC repair in the area through Google searches.  The Facebook efforts seem to be well-targeted, as the vast majority of fans are within the Western Massachusetts area, with a few outliers in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and Canada.  I would like to look more at the selections made when boosting the posts to see if they are specifically targeted based on location.

The post made on February 27th performed about 4x better than any other one included on this report.  Other than the photo, it seems to be identical to the one made on March 15th, and I’m interested to know why this particular post was so popular.  The best I can tell from the information provided is that it may have something to do with the time of day it went out- 8:48a on a Friday.  I would recommend trying some a/b comparisons to find the optimal scheduling for their target audience.

Post reach shows a much higher success rate with paid over organic.  I would recommend continuing to boost their posts, depending on their budget and how much they are currently spending.  From what I can tell, it’s working, although I’d like to know if they’re getting quality looks (i.e. legitimate business prospects).  The vast majority of page likes have come from ads as well.

My first recommendation is to post more often, and vary the content more.  Focus on their geographical area, with current events and topics of interest.  Continue with the targeted posts, but ensure that the audience they have selected is narrow enough to weed out fans that will never have any use for their goods or services.

Linking between pages – Twitter, Facebook, Yelp, and the website – can also help to increase visibility and interaction.  Recruiting more page likes from outside of Facebook is important.  Include the Facebook address on their physical mailers and offer an incentive for those that like their page.  Increase SEO on the website with key phrases such as nearby cities and their services.  And continue doing what they’re doing!  Everything seems to be trending upward, and that is very positive for a newer page.

Social Media & Reputation Management

Please note: the following posts and responses are samples, and for educational purposes only.

Thank you so much for taking the time to give our hotel an honest review.  First and foremost, I am so sorry that you did not have a good experience with us.  We strive to  make every stay a comfortable one, and are disappointed to have failed you this time.  At our most recent staff meeting, your housekeeping and cleaning issues were directly addressed, as was the problem with our gate box – that is something we have never thought about, and really appreciate you bringing it to our attention!  If you would please send us an email at xyz@xyz.com, we would like to speak more about ideas for improving our hotel.

We hope you choose to stay with us the next time you visit Ft. Lauderdale so we can show you firsthand just how dedicated we are to making our guests happy.  Thank you! -Lenny L, Hilton Ft. Lauderdale

Thank you for your review.  We are constantly looking for ways to improve our hotel, and your feedback is very helpful.  I’m happy to hear that both your first and second stays were enjoyable, and hope you’ll make your third soon.  I would definitely recommend trying out our beautiful Coconuts Poolside Bar & Grill with your entire family next time – although there’s no Ralph at Coconuts, I love the food there, and the view is beautiful!

I know that our parking fee may seem a bit high, but I assure you, rates are competitive with nearby hotels and your car is just as happy with its stay as you are.  Please come back soon and see what else the Hyatt Regency has to offer! -Lenny L, Hyatt Regency

Catersource 2015- a social media marketing overview

Note: this analysis is for academic purposes only.

Catersource Conference and Tradeshow is a national convention focusing on the catering and events industries.  I will be looking at their social media efforts before, during, and after the show in order to analyze how effectively they have leveraged these platforms to promote both the event and the brand.

The main landing page for the event links out to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, and Pinterest, each of which are used to varying degrees.  Google+ hasn’t been used as an overall content-sharing source since 2013, and instead links to the various YouTube videos uploaded by the account.  By and large, the biggest source of content and conversation comes from Twitter, which remains a consistently active channel at all times.  Instagram features a flurry of images from the event, but lay dormant for more than two months prior.  The most recent YouTube upload is from 4 months ago, announcing an addition to the CSES 2015 lineup.  Pinterest boasts a range of themed boards and features from past events.

Total audience per account
Facebook- 5,490 likes
Twitter- 3,769 followers
YouTube- 42,660 views
Instagram- 1,452 followers
Pinterest- 1,811 followers
Google+- 5,774 views

Throughout the course of this analysis – ranging from March 3th-15th, including show dates 8th-11th – Facebook is used mostly as an informational tool, Instagram a highlight reel, and Twitter as an active conversation between the brand and its attendees.  Instagram is only utilized during the event, going dark again after the final day of CSES.  The #CSES2015 tag is used in every caption, and relevant companies and individuals are tagged.  The content features schedule happenings and in-the-moment photos from speakers and events.  The only other mention of sponsors is a tag for the company that provided goody bags and a photo of the banner of sponsors for a culinary competition.  The voice is consistent- light and conversational.

As previously mentioned, Facebook is primarily a source of information for attendees.  There are 13 posts over the defined time period, typically once a day until the event, and then 2-3 per day during.  There are a handful of photo albums from the event, only a few shots of which overlap with those posted on Instagram.  The hashtag is also used in every post here.  Most content links users to download the app, view the schedule, or provides event details.  There is no mention of sponsors, and very few links out, just the app, schedule, and one blog style post on the website – no individuals tagged or cross linking to other platforms.

Finally, the real meat and potatoes are on Twitter.  More than 115 Tweets, including some direct RTs and a few MTs with responses, are posted.  There are very few actual replies.  The account is similarly quiet before and after, but takes on a live tweeting approach during the event.  These posts also rely heavily on the event hashtag, and link directly to the Instagram posts.  Featured are a press release about their cookbook, promotional posts similar to those on Facebook for the app and event schedule, timely announcements, and winners of contests and event awards.

Some content is reused across platforms, but generally they vary greatly in quantity, quality, and general topics.  However, no matter the source, each post feels like it comes from the same person.  Interaction isn’t very high, but there are some users responding, sharing, and liking.  Having an app and reminding attendees about it seems like a very wise idea.  I don’t know their target audience as well as Catersource does, but providing information about the city, the event itself, navigating the halls and exhibitors, and keeping track of the schedule can be key for any live event.  I would be interested to see what percentage of attendees downloaded and interacted with the app during the event.

Efforts could have been ramped up more leading up to and after the event.  The occasional question was posed on Instagram, but with little to no response.  I would have liked to have seen more content encouraging conversation and interaction- before the event, perhaps they could ask past attendees some of their favorite events from other shows, during could ask Facebook fans to tag themselves in group photos or weigh in on their favorite speakers, and after the closing would be a good time to ask for comments on what worked or what didn’t.

Overall, Twitter is the one account that really gave me the best idea of the event, what it represented, and how it functioned.  I would have liked to see other platforms utilized a bit more, and the interactive aspects of social media leveraged.  Focus was on enhancing and highlighting the attendee experience, which is a good approach for event marketing.  Catersource gave a good effort, but as with most marketing campaigns, there is certainly room for improvement next year.

Disney’s Epcot- a proposed content plan

This assignment was completed for the University of Florida, has no association with the Disney parks, and is for academic purposes only.

I’m sad to say that I’ve never visited any of the Disney parks, so I first had to do a bit of research concerning the difference between Epcot and the rest of the Disney properties.  Since Epcot features Spaceship Earth, Future World, and the World Showcase, I decided to focus on international and technologically savvy content.  The Flower and Garden Festival runs from March 4-May 17 and promoting attendance is one of the major goals for the month.

Wednesday, April 1

Facebook- Here at Epcot, we’re kicking off an amazing month, and you’re invited!  That’s no April Fools.

Twitter-  Here at #Epcot, we’re kicking off an amazing month, and you’re invited!  That’s no #AprilFools.

Thursday, April 2

Facebook- Let’s get lost in reading together for Childrens’ Book Day – let your imagination take flight! [link to Book Day site]

Twitter- Let’s get lost in #reading together for #ChildrensBookDay – let your imagination take flight! [link to Book Day site]

Friday, April 3

Facebook- This weekend at the Garden Rocks Concert Series, catch special artists @The Orchestra at America Gardens Theatre.

Twitter- This weekend at the Garden Rocks Concert Series, catch special artists @The Orchestra at America Gardens Theatre.

Saturday, April 4

Facebook- Who wants to make history today? The Epcot family is going to break the Guinness World Record for largest pillow fight. Happy International Pillow Fight Day!

Twitter- Who wants to make history today? The #Epcot family is going to break the @GWR World Record for largest pillow fight! #PillowFightDay

Sunday, April 5

Facebook- Explore our beautiful gardens at the annual Epcot Easter Egg Hunt, this morning at 10a. All ages welcome! [link to event page]

Twitter- Explore our beautiful gardens at the annual #Epcot #Easter Egg Hunt, this morning at 10a. All ages welcome! [link to event page]

Monday, April 6

Facebook- Don’t forget, the Flower and Garden Festival continues through May 17th. Learn about gardening with our experts every weekend from 10-4.

Twitter- Don’t forget, the Flower and Garden Festival continues through May 17th. Learn about #gardening with our experts every weekend from 10-4.

Tuesday, April 7

Facebook- Today we celebrate World Health Day – pick up a free Mickey pedometer at the Welcome Center and track your progress in the park.

Twitter- Today we celebrate #WorldHealthDay – pick up a free #Mickey pedometer at the Welcome Center and track your progress in the park.

Wednesday, April 8

Facebook- Stop by the Wonders of Life pavilion for a fun, free art lesson in honor of Draw a Bird Day.

Twitter- Stop by the #Epcot Wonders of Life pavilion for a #fun, #free art lesson in honor of Draw a Bird Day.

Thursday, April 9

Facebook- Pick up your Garden Passport at the Welcome Center, Outdoor Kitchens, and several merchandise locations – see if you can collect all of the stamps from the Festival!

Twitter- Pick up your Garden Passport at select #Epcot locations – see if you can collect all of the stamps from the Festival!

Friday, April 10

Facebook- Bring your brothers and sisters, it’s time to celebrate Sibling Day with this weekend’s concert series featuring The @Village People! [event link]

Twitter- Bring your brothers and sisters, it’s time to celebrate #SiblingDay with this weekend’s concert series featuring The #VillagePeople! [event link]

Saturday, April 11

Facebook- Got a green thumb? Want to learn more about Epcot’s beautiful gardens? Check in with our experts for the inside information.

Twitter- Got a green thumb? Want to learn more about #Epcot’s beautiful gardens? Check in with our experts for the inside information.

Sunday, April 12

Facebook- Today at noon, gather around Spaceship Earth for a special celebration in honor of the International Day of Human Space Flight.

Twitter- Today at noon, gather around #SpaceshipEarth for a special celebration in honor of the International #DayofHumanSpaceFlight.

Monday, April 13

Facebook- What are your favorite flowers – to grow or receive as a gift? #FlowerAndGardenFestival

Twitter- What are your favorite flowers – to grow or receive as a gift? #FlowerAndGardenFestival

Tuesday, April 14

Facebook- Check out our awesome Epcot staff members- today they’re sporting the names of their favorite childrens’ book for Library Day.

Twitter- Check out our awesome #Epcot staff members- today they’re sporting the names of their favorite childrens’ book for #LibraryDay.

Wednesday, April 15

Facebook- Don’t let the tax man get you down. Enjoy special discounted admission today, only at Epcot.

Twitter- Don’t let the tax man get you down. Enjoy special discounted admission today, only at #Epcot.

Thursday, April 16

Facebook- Happy High Five Day! Visit any of our concession stands and give the cashier five for a free drink with any purchase!

Twitter- Happy #HighFiveDay! Visit any of our concession stands and give the cashier #five for a free drink with any purchase!

Friday, April 17

Facebook- Gather ’round for fun / it’s Haiku Day at Epcot / John Seceda sings

Twitter- Gather ’round for fun / it’s #HaikuDay at #Epcot / @John Seceda sings

Saturday, April 18

Facebook- The Flower and Garden Festival continues with more performances by John Seceda and presentations with our landscape and gardening teams! [link to event page]

Twitter- The Flower and Garden Festival continues with more performances by John Seceda and presentations with our landscape and gardening teams! [link to event page]

Sunday, April 19

Facebook- How many different species of flowers can you spot on the Epcot grounds?  Closest guess wins a free day pass to the park.

Twitter- How many different species of #flowers can you spot on the #Epcot grounds?  Closest guess #wins a #free day pass to the park.

Monday, April 20

Facebook- Come to the China pavilion for a crash course in Chinese and special Epcot-style fortune cookies. #ChineseLanguageDay

Twitter- Come to the China pavilion for a crash course in Chinese and special #Epcot-style fortune cookies. #ChineseLanguageDay

Tuesday, April 21

Facebook- Cheerio! Pop on over to the United Kingdom pavilion and enjoy a spot of tea in honor of the Queen’s Birthday.

Twitter- Cheerio! Pop on over to the United Kingdom pavilion and enjoy a spot of tea in honor of the #Queen’s Birthday.

Wednesday, April 22

Facebook- It’s Earth Day, which means Nemo & Friends are teaching us about ocean conservation.  See you at 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!

Twitter- It’s #EarthDay, which means #Nemo & Friends are teaching us about ocean conservation.  See you at 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney!

Thursday, April 23

Facebook- Today, our staff members celebrate Take Your Sons and Daughters to Work Day – say hi to our Epcot family-in-training!

Twitter- Today, our staff members celebrate #TakeYourSonsandDaughterstoWorkDay – say hi to our #Epcot family-in-training!

Friday, April 24

Facebook- It’s Arbor Day!  Hug a tree and grab a seat for this weekend’s Epcot guests, The Guess Who.

Twitter- It’s #ArborDay!  Hug a tree and grab a seat for this weekend’s #Epcot guests, #TheGuessWho.

Saturday, April 25

Facebook- Everyone knows Yankee Doodle went to town, but we’re still not sure why he called his feather Macaroni. Enjoy #MacaroniDay with one of our signature pasta dishes in the Italy pavilion.

Twitter- Everyone knows Yankee Doodle went to town, but we’re still not sure why he called his feather Macaroni. Enjoy #MacaroniDay with us at #Epcot

Sunday, April 26

Facebook- Can you spot all 25 koala bears around the park? Show them some love for Hug an Australian Day.

Twitter- Can you spot all 25 koala bears around the park? Show them some love for #HugAnAustralianDay.

Monday, April 27

Facebook- Innoventions celebrates Morse Code Day with a demonstration on the language first used in the 1800’s.

Twitter- #Innoventions celebrates #MorseCodeDay with a demonstration on the language first used in the 1800’s.

Tuesday, April 28

Facebook- Roll call! Which Epcot attraction is your favorite? Share your Epcot Selfie from the last time you were here!

Twitter- Roll call! Which Epcot attraction is your favorite? Share your #EpcotSelfie from the last time you were here!

Wednesday, April 29

Facebook- Don’t miss the World Showcase today, where we’ll be featuring local dances in honor of International Dance Day.

Twitter- Don’t miss the World Showcase today, where we’ll be featuring local dances in honor of #InternationalDanceDay.

Thursday, April 30

Facebook- See the world without ever leaving the Epcot grounds- visit 11 different countries in one day at our World Showcase.

Twitter- See the world without ever leaving the Epcot grounds- visit 11 different countries in one day at our #WorldShowcase.

Spring.me – an introduction

Overview

Spring.me, formerly known as Formspring, is back and rebranding itself as the ‘friendliest social network’.  In its former life, Formspring had some bad publicity, as its anonymity provided a platform for cyberbullying and eventually contributed to its shutting down.  The site is based on forging friendships based around interest-based discussions, and differentiates itself from “voyeuristic” competitors like Ask.fm, Whisper, and Secret.  Spring.me is self-moderated, as certain users are granted access to flag inappropriate comments.  82% of their users are between 16 and 24, with a focus on college graduates and working professionals.  Spring.me plans on introducing advertising in the near future.

Usage

According to Spring.me, millions of users visit the site each month, and had a reported 5 million total users as of October 2014- I have been unable to find more detailed user numbers and growth information.  There is a native app available for iOS and Android.  Although Spring.me has a partner program in place, it does not appear that any large brands or individuals are currently utilizing it.

How It Works

From a user standpoint, Spring.me is all about posing questions to the users and answering the questions of others.  This is how ‘friendships’ (following and followers) are formed.  Upon creating an account, users are encouraged to fill out a personality quiz, with questions like favorite movie genres, hobbies, interests, and career status.  The answers are used to create a tag cloud describing the individual.  Each Question can receive Smiles, Shares, or Comments, and the main page of spring.me is a feed of the latest Questions.

Marketing Uses and Opportunities

Spring.me offers two different forms of partnerships for businesses- first, by advertising.  They offer options to collect email addresses, interact directly with members via the network, and gain insight into the habits of your target audience.  Taken directly from their advertising page:

• Spring.me members from the around the world use our services every day to meet new people, express themselves and to expand their lives.
• Our targeting options allow you to setup a Spring.me account and build a following of members who are passionate about your business. We can connect you with customers in a specific geography or across specific demographics allowing you to engage them in meaningful conversations.
• Our users love opting-in to desirable brands so from time-to-time we choose specific partners and invite our users to subscribe to their services.
• We are establishing deep relationships with companies to deliver tangible business growth and to improve our member s experience.

Spring.me also has an Influencer program, ranging from $80-$15,000 per month.  The Influencer page states “we’ll be your evangelists!”  The features of this program are as follows:

• Reach more followers likely to be interested in you!
• Build a massive community of influencers with our daily Q&A function
• Instantly get into members inboxes…and plenty of them.
• A bonus: connect with customers in a specific geography or gender or even with specific interests using our targeting options.

Other Information

Spring.me does not integrate directly with other social channels, although some of your activity can be shared via Facebook.  It is very much a standalone site, aiming to collect a large, interactive membership of individuals willing to share their thoughts and opinions with one another, as well as outside businesses.

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A look at Fotolog, an SNS for photography enthusiasts

Most internet users are at least aware of Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, even if they aren’t members.  However, there are a myriad of other, more specialized social networking sites in existence, something which I didn’t realize prior to this week’s lecture.  It’s almost overwhelming how many common-interest groups are out there.

One of my favorite hobbies is photography, so I have chosen to look at a site called Fotolog this week.  My first impression is that there is a lot of spam and inappropriate content on the site.  An automatically updating ‘latest popular photos’ feed is featured on the main page, and there are some unsavory things there – although that’s not entirely unique to Fotolog.  When I managed Blake Shelton’s Facebook page, there were an unmanageable number of spam posts to go through.

Fotolog is a self-proclaimed photo-blogging site with more than 22 million members in over 200 countries.  Their core target audience is under 35 years of age and evenly divided between males and females.  The focus of the site is photography, although there are a lot of casual users posting anime and fandom-related items.  I sought out professional photographers and found some great accounts.  Posts are entirely centered around the photos, with captions and tagging allowed.  Sharing on Facebook, Twitter, etc is built in through buttons underneath the photo.

While Instagram is also focused around photos, it differs from Fotolog by stressing mobile snaps, and only allowing users to upload via their mobile app.  Fotolog is intended for higher resolution shots, and sharing these outside of the platform.  I can see the appeal of using Fotolog when it comes to my photography.  Images are certainly the focus, and it’s fairly easy to navigate and find specific content.  Although there are social aspects that mirror other SNS features – friending, favoriting, commenting, tagging, and user profiles – all of this activity centers around the photo.

Proximity marketing could certainly be incorporated into Fotolog, as each photo is tagged with a location.  I can see photographers using the site to promote their services to local users.  Say, for example, that someone has been searching for wedding photography in Austin, TX.  They could receive notifications that a nearby photographer specializes in weddings and is running a special this month.

Fotolog is user-friendly enough, but leaves a little to be desired aesthetically.  It is also ad-supported, which is not necessarily a negative, but the ads can be a bit distracting.  A visual overhaul could help increase traffic.  The tagging system is effective, much like the use of hashtags on Twitter and Instagram.  There is also a feed of currently popular tags, many of which are spam.  Users tend to live outside of the United States.  I see a lot of room for improvement with Fotolog.  It seems to have reached its peak in 2008, and since gone astray from its original purpose.

I would encourage Fotolog to recruit more professional photographers for the site, and to change the guidelines to cut down on spam posting and the use of copyrighted photos.  User moderators could flag inappropriate posts, and incorporating SEO tactics into each photo page could help increase the appearance of Fotolog content in search engine results, increasing traffic and relevance, perhaps even helping photographers to sell the rights to their content.  Forming the group of user moderators would also serve as a focus group to help effect the direction of the site in the future.  The advertising doesn’t seem to be targeted – most of the ones I received were in Spanish or for indiscernible products.

Although released in 2008, this comScore article remains very relevant in outlining how Facebook increased its international hold by making “a concerted effort to become more culturally relevant in [worldwide] markets,” something that Fotolog would also benefit from.  Tailoring the site to be more targeted in both content and advertising based on a user’s location, and increasing the social aspect to enhance interactivity could be the difference between remaining a relatively unknown site and breaking through to becoming an industry standard.

Brand Analysis- IMC

Target

The Target site links directly to all of their socials.  The brand absolutely takes an IMC approach to their pages- everything is identically branded and unmistakably Target.  The same red color, bullseye logo, and overall stylistic approach can be found everywhere.  Pages are well-maintained and some content is repurposed across platforms, although Twitter is by far the most active.  Hashtags are plentiful, utilizing both generally used and Target-specific ones.  The exception here is Google+, which has not been updated since October, although their current YouTube videos have automatically been imported to the page.  Target is extremely skilled when it comes to social media, carrying their brand voice across each page and understanding how to use each platform to its strengths.

Sephora

Like Target, Sephora features all of their social badges on the main page of their site.  As seen in the screencaps below, all pages feature the same branding, imagery, and even content.  The same photos and copy can be found on each page, including Google+, which is kept just as up to date as Facebook and Twitter.  Even though content is the same, it’s obvious that care is taken to remain mindful of each platform’s strengths and weaknesses, with images cropped and reorganized to best suit each page.  Although it’s impressive that each page is well maintained, there isn’t much reason to visit them on more than one page.  One look at Facebook shows everything you would find on Twitter.  Sephora doesn’t use hashtags very often, but are very careful to tag other companies and individuals mentioned directly in their posts.

Quirky

Quirky is a different type of brand- much smaller than the previous two, and without retail storefronts.  However, they manage their social profiles like a heavy hitter.  Content is plentiful and IMC-centric, with their .com focusing entirely on products and commerce, with links to socials, and the social pages themselves full of conversation-inspiring content.  They are perhaps the most skilled at tailoring posts for each platform.  As seen below, the same Oscars/Weiner Mobile post was made on both Facebook and Twitter, but the former features an embedded video and the latter a brighter, more to-the-point photo and a link out to the same video.  Branding may be the same, but nothing about these pages is identical.  The Quirky Google+ page is not linked from the .com, but much like Target, has not been updated in quite some time.  Hashtags are used sparingly, and usually to drive home a joke or pipe in on an existing tag.

Lenny Leithauser- the brand, the marketer, the all-around rockstar.

Greetings, dear friends.  I write to you today because I’m jumping – no, leaping – out of my comfort zone to embark on my one true career path.  The last five years has found me exploring many different aspects of marketing, and led me to one big conclusion: that I love people.  I love working with, talking to, listening to, and helping people.  My greatest joy comes from connecting with a complete stranger, understanding their needs, and finding a way to give them just that.

My personal brand takes a very kitchen sink approach.  A little bit of everything.  Laughter, glitter, bright shoes, loud music, and wise words.  To give you a better idea of the many things that combine to make me Lenny, check out this Pinterest board.  I’m at my best when given a camera, cold drink, and unlimited internet access.

Marketing
I just straight up, flat out, no other way around it love marketing.  Whether it’s giving fans the experience of a lifetime, sending an unexpected gift, or providing excellent customer service, these things give me joy.  Take, for instance, this video of Taylor Swift being her fans’, well, biggest fans.

Music
Music is one of the best things that ever happened to me.  I know that sounds strange to say.  Music exists almost everywhere we go- it doesn’t happen, it just is.  But trust me when I say that the world of music happened to me.  Eighteen years of choirs, school bands, and talent shows led me to Nashville, where I unknowingly embarked on a huge journey that would show me so many different sides of music.  As art, as industry, and as a living.  It hasn’t all been positive.  There have been a lot of stumbles, all out falls, and lessons learned the hard way.  But it’s all been worth it.

Okay, okay, so maybe this video has nothing to do with me.  But it’s one of the most pure and joyous things I know.  Puppies.  And that is something near and dear to my heart.

The job search has so many ups and downs.  Moments of elation, and absolute rejection.  The way I keep my head up through it all is losing myself in music.  So I leave you with one of my absolute favorite songs right now.

Company blog analysis

I’m generally not a huge blog reader, but I do understand and appreciate the importance of keeping one for your company.  I have chosen three blogs for this analysis that may not be my cup of tea, but do what they do especially well.

PerezHilton.com

1. Perez runs a professional blog – although some might argue just how professionally he acts.  It is updated multiple times per day, and known for breaking celebrity news stories.
2. Its purpose is to inform readers of Hollywood gossip, some completely mundane, others fairly big news stories.  Despite being fairly bombastic, stories are rarely unsubstantiated.
3. Perez has the inside scoop like nobody else.  He is known for taking photos and drawing or writing across them.
4. Perez is a brand, in and of himself.  He has a specific pink color and sassy way of writing.
5. While I’m not sure about in years past, today most of the traffic comes from word of mouth.  If not famous, he’s at least infamous.
6. It is absolutely a successful blog.  It’s popular, been around for 10 years, he has 5.87 million Twitter followers.
7. I’m not exactly well-versed in the gossip scene, but from what I can tell, this blog lacks nothing. It makes commentary on and links to all sorts of popular culture items, from TV shows, to movies, to actors, and singers.
8. There are plenty of advertisers.  Currently, the site is branded for a new Juicy Couture fragrance in a complete takeover- background images, header and footer banners, and at least two more ads within the front page.  Fashion brands are the perfect fit for this site- readership is almost certainly skewed toward females, and those with an interest in current trends.

Mashable.com

1. Mashable is a news blog, although it doesn’t stick to typical news stories like a network or Huffington Post might.  It trends toward tech, although there is some crossover to pop culture.
2. Mashable prides itself on being a cutting edge voice in technology and social media.  The blog is updated often and with a myriad of different topics.
3. I think one of the most unique things about the brand is their heavy use of social media in their own promotion.  They are practiced at linking back to their own .com and creating a conversational voice to encourage discussion with their followers.
4. Mashable is a well-known name in the industry.  The tone of the blog closely follows that of their social media accounts.
5. Social media is a huge driver to the blog.  Their main Twitter account has just under 5m followers, and SEO has them placed very high on Google.
6. This, too, is a very successful blog.  Each post garners a great deal of comments and discussion, and Mashable’s articles are seen as industry standards on reporting.  I can’t even begin to tell you how many Mashable articles are included as required reading for my classes.
7. I don’t see anything missing- links to their social accounts are readily available, and there are links to share each article on Facebook and Twitter right next to the headline.
8. There are advertisers, with banners and other ads featured on each page, although I don’t recognize any of them – PIMCO?  Milk Pep?  The ads are unobtrusive though plentiful.

Elli.com

1. Elli.com is a group of graphic designers that create printed goods for weddings and other events.  Their blog is semi-professional, created to support the main site and brand, and features 3-4 posts per month.
2. Its purpose is to drive traffic to their shop and offer followers DIY ideas and printable freebies.
3. Elli has a very unique style in a flooded market.  Although offering free printables is not uncommon, theirs tend to be of a much higher quality than what you would typically find elsewhere.
4. The printables and DIY projects are very much in line with the products you can buy in their store.
5. I first came across Elli when searching for a printable monthly calendar some years ago.  It was one of the first results on Google.  Their latest post for the 2015 printables expressed how many requests they received, so I have to think this is a major draw to the site.
6. It is successful, although less so than PerezHilton or Mashable.  They don’t always get a lot of comments on their posts, but business seems to be brisk and they have plenty of manpower to devote to both the blog and creating free materials.
7. There could be more posts on this blog.  I can imagine seeing customer-submitted photos featuring their products and how they were used for the wedding.
8. There is a small Ad Choices feature at the bottom of the page, but everything else is all Elli, all the time.

Victoria’s Secret, Part 2

The Victoria’s Secret website is more than just an online version of their well-known storefronts – although it does a great job of providing the same shopping experience to digital customers.  Right off the bat, you find a footer on each page, linking to the VS social accounts.  A ‘push’ email signup box lives right next to that.  Just above are links to download the official VS iPhone, iPad, and Android apps.  Not a lot of ‘pull’ exists on the .com, but most of that is behind the scenes with coding and other SEO tactics.

Although no traditional blog exists, the main page very closely resembles a Tumblr, with graphics boasting current sales and specials.  It feels more conversational than like a sales pitch.

As discussed in my previous blog, VS also employs social strategies in-store, incorporating hashtags and other interactive tactics on signage.  Their brand is strong and well-known.  Even those that have never shopped there recognize the pink stripes and logo.  The website achieves Forbes’ recommendation of building a social media hub, linking out to all other platforms, but offering the only method of shopping online, avoiding a Facebook app estore.  They also offer an honest and consistent identity, as outlined by The Net Impact.  Victoria’s Secret is, first and foremost, unabashedly a lingerie store, although as of late it has branched out into more of a lifestyle brand.  The visuals and voice are the same, no matter where you go.