Social Media & The I.T. Strategic Plan
The past three years have seen huge growth in a phenomenon called Social Media, very few organizations understand what it is and don’t have a solid strategic way of maximizing the potential market growth. They know their staff are spending vasts amount of personal time and company time in those networks but don’t understand why and or the power of Social Media Networks.
The challenge with Social Media Networks are many but the one CEO’s and the like will struggle with is control and how they can leverage those environments. Which Network do we hitch our wagon too? How does it work and why? How do we control those networks for our purposes? You can make up your question here as it fits with the not knowing of how to harness a wild beast called Social Media.
Has the time come for organizations to take Social Media Networks seriously and should they include them in their I.T. & Business strategic plans? What’s your plan? Does your company have an I.T. Strategic Plan? Do you know what one is and looks like? Does the I.T. Plan align with with business processes?
Here is a breakdown of how an I.T. Strategic Plan might look:
1.) Purpose (Vision, Mission)
2.) Services
3.) KRA ( Key Result Areas)
4.) Objectives
5.) Action Plans
6.) Markets
7.) List of Similar Providers
8.) Current Business Relationships
9.) Key Success Factors
10.) Core Competencies
11.) SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats)
12.) Budget Alignment
13.) Planning Observations
This is not written in stone but you get the idea, each consulting group will have their own framework, this happens to be mine. If you have questions or thoughts please leave a comment and I’ll try to answer your request.
No matter how or what you do and or how you use technology (Information Technology) you should have a plan and Social Media Networks could be a strategy in your plan, it depends on the perceived value of those networks.
If you would like to hire Owen to assist you in developing a positive I.T. Strategic Plan and ensure that plan aligns with your overall business strategy you can e-mail me: owen@owengreaves.com
8 Ways To Increase Your Traffic
I’ve been watching the traffic for my Blog increase at an astounding rate over the past few months, and it happened in a very subtle way. I want to share what I did with you because I want you to succeed in driving traffic, which I hope, will allow you to make money through your Blog too. I make no promises as your results will most likely be different than mine, why, because you are not me.You will use the following eight ways in the way that only you can use them, because, you think differently than I do. I don’t use all Eight Ways so that should give you hope. Let’s get started and see if I can get you to think like me.
Internet. Business. Profit. To fully integrate these words into a successful merging you will need another word. Traffic. Every article you will find about making your site or company successful would always include the importance of generating traffic. My site is no different. So, we all know that in the core of it all next to the LIST (but that’s another report), traffic is the most essential thing to a successful internet based business company. Aside from ensuring that you have a great product to sell, and you have your company’s internal organization well taken care of, it’s time to generate traffic.
If you already have a site and you think you’re not getting enough traffic that you’re supposed to be getting, then its time to consider your options. If you are contending in these very competitive businesses, you should always be a step ahead of your competition, increasing your traffic flow should have been done starting yesterday.
Timing is essential, that’s an old adage known to everyone. But with generating traffic, you should always be on your toes and be a day ahead of everyone. Never think of today and tomorrow as a starting point for making your site traffic laden, it should always have been before you opened the doors to your site.
Some of these hot tips require an investment so be sure to read the fine print before committing to any pay for services. So, to help you out in generating more traffic for your site, here are eight ways to increase your traffic.
8 Ways To Increase Your Traffic
1.) Invest in good advertising with search engines
Google’s Adwords and Yahoo’s Overture provide great advertising schemes that are very truly popular and assures great traffic. Although with this surefire way to increase your traffic would cost some money. While some would shy away from spending money to increase traffic, it is imperative in this case to do so because Adwords and Overture is the top surefire way to increase your traffic. You could see for yourself the success this search engine advertising methods have reaped rewards for so many companies. Lots of site’s feature these advertising system and many have signed on to reap the benefits.
2.) Exchange or Trade Links with other sites
With exchanging links with other sites, both of you will benefit from the efforts both of you do to enhance your sites traffic. When one site features another sites link, they could provide one another with the traffic one site generates. The efforts are doubly beneficial because it would seem like both of you are working to generate more traffic. The more links traded with more sites the more traffic could be expected.
3.) Use Viral Marketing
Viral marketing allows you to spread the word about your company and product without any costs, if there is, low costs only. This is a marketing method that can be quite productive; you can attach your company’s name, product or link to a certain media such as a funny video, entertaining game, an interesting article or a gossip or buzz. With this method, people get infected with the creativity and entertainment of the medium that they will pass it on to many people. Youtube is the mainstream delivery of video content these days. There are others but YouTube is #1 as of this writing. Online Web Radio & Television has come into mainstream as well.
4.) Search and use proper keywords or keyword phrases for your sites content
Search engines look for certain keywords that they would show in their results page. In doing so, having the right keyword and keyword phrase is a high requirement in ranking in high in search engine results. You could write your own content or you could hire someone to do it for you.
5.) Write Articles that can lead traffic to your site
Submit articles to sites that would contain the same subject that your site deals in. If you sell car parts write press releases and articles about cars and car parts. Attach your sites description and services at the end of the article as well as the link. You can also outsource your article writing if you don’t have time or feel your not creative enough.I recommend you use article services but the best is building relationships with other high traffic sites that will link back to your articles on your site.
6.) Join forums and form online communities
Capture a market and show your expertise and credibility. When you’ve found a good foundation for your site, people will trust you and your site and will pass on to many people their trust. Traffic will certainly increase because they know that you can provide what they need.
7.) Offer Newsletters.
If many people know what you are about and your existence is shared with many others, you will find a loyal traffic that can provide you with more traffic by recommendation. If you arouse the curiosity of your customers they would be pushed to help you with your traffic.
8.) Social Media Networks
Twitter, Facebook and FriendFeed, you can also create your own Social Media Network but that’s another article. I’ve been writing about some of these networks on my Blog so be sure to visit. http://blog.owengreaves.com
I’m personally sold on Social Media Networks and I use Twitter as my primary network and be sure to follow me @owengreaves . Also read my article on how to get 1,000 followers in 10 days. Ten Days To A Thousand, I actually got 1,400 followers in 14 days but your results may vary depending on how much time you have to invest in developing your network. There are others who who got more in shorter spans of time but that’s not the point. Oh and these Networks I mentioned are FREE!
Localize Your Social Media Marketing
What is considered successful marketing using Social Media Networks, is it how much money you made, how popular you are, how many hits your site(s) get? Many think Social Media is just being a good Internet Marketer, not so. There is this thought process of “looking out there” rather than looking in your own backyard in the Social Media World. Why is that? Is it merely thinking big or is it Ego, I think the later has a lot to do with it, we all want our 15 minutes of fame and this is the easiest way to get it.
The old saying, ” Think Globally, Act Locally” is the right approach regardless of the grandeur or weblebrity that might come from all the marketing efforts you expedite in these Social Media Networks. The Internet is the vehicle and Social Media is the platform of choice to deliver your opinion, to be heard, and too be seen! Video is now the rage within the Social Media Networks, be seen and heard is socially acceptable!
So how do you apply these Social Media Networks to a local way of doing business? If print is dead, what options do traditional businesses have in a tangible way to market their business. To quote Guy Kawasaki – ”Advertising is when you tell people how great you are. PR is when someone else says how great you are.”
Print ads have a life span of a day and a half, Radio & Television is a frequency problem and direct mail is a low ROI challenge, what should you do? You have to mass mail or run HIGH rotations of ads, you can spend more money producing no or low results the traditional way. The bigger problem isn’t the vehicle as much as the way business owners think! Old thought processes and methods are written in stone in the walls of their brains, making it very difficult to see the value in Social Media Networks.
Mike Wesely of Twittalk.tv during one of his shows suggested that building the relationship first is paramount, this will build trust which will allow you to influence those who follow you. This trust, like face-to-face relationships, takes time to develop so be patient and care about people. I had the privilege of speaking with Mike on the phone and I can tell you Mike loves people and truly wants to help people with Twitter. You can follow Mike on Twitter @mike_wesely and attend his Twittalk.tv Show for free.
Branding is the BUZZ word these days and frankly should be in traditional forms of making your business or product be top of mind. So, nothings really changed just the method has, the glue, the difference, is and always has been in the relationship. We have become markets of Social Circles that depend on knowing that its safe to buy or deal with a person or business. But most of us just want to belong and be in a safe fun place. Hang on, is that new? We as a people have always been like that, we are creatures of habits.
Now I’m really confused, if nothings changed then why has everything changed? The principles remain the same and have to be applied to every social market, only the methods have changed, not the principles of how and why people buy. So Think Globally and Act Locally helps me communicate to my target market or niche in a more accurate way. By the way, the original phrase “Think Global, Act Local” first appears in the book “The Evolution of Cities” (1915) by Scots Planner and social activist Patrick Geddes.
The world of business has not changed all that much, much of what you do to sell goods and products will continue, you will however add new ways of marketing. The principles of marketing will remain the same but your methods will change, this is going to be determined by where the largest flow of traffic is going not too mention where the greatest pool (demographic) of dollars resides.
You should and will have interaction with people at some level, so you will influence (sell) someone to get them to do what you want. Social Media Networks are best used in your PR efforts, not in advertising programs. No matter what you do, improve and be the best you you can be, because today’s markets are becoming very personal. I hope the shift to a more Social environment will make it possible for everyone to realize their dreams. Don’t forget your community for the sake of reaching the world, localize your Social Media Networks to serve your business and above all, care for your customers no matter where they reside.
Mike Wesely's Twittalk.tv Show – Twitter GURU
There are many places to get help learning Twitter on the Internet, and in my opinion, one of the best places is Mike Wesely’s Twittalk.tv Show. With over 30,000 followers, you’ll get a great deal out of his show not to mention you’ll meet some of the coolest people on Twitter. (as Mike puts it) Mike’s servant heart is the first thing that jumps out at you, he is gentle, helpful, curtious and kind. Mike encourages everyone and is grateful for those who come to his show; he’ll tell you and anyone else who will listen how grateful he is you showed up and participated. Fellowship in an online class room without the teacher telling you to shut up 🙂 ….it’s great!
The format is really quite simple, you ask questions, Mike answers them and you meet great people. You win and the best part is it’s all free! There are a couple ways to participate on Mike’s show, 1.) You can just join the chat 2.) Register and join chat via Video ( there’s only 6 video windows so come early).
Make sure you follow Mike on Twitter to find out what time his show will airing @Mike_Wesely is his handle. Mike likes #QUOTES and will post many on Twitter so be sure to RT (Retweet) them if you think they are worthy.
I invite you to come and ask your questions, meet great people, and learn how to maximize Twitter, it’s time well invested. Oh you can follow me on Twitter at @owengreaves
Thanks Mike for taking your eyes off yourself and putting them on others.
Twitter The Social Media Network Gone Wild!
Social Media Networks are popping up everywhere and no one can stop them! Today it’s clear Twitter is taking the world by storm and is one of the most effective ways to generate traffic to a website, not to mention it’s FREE! Twitter is projected to surpass Facebook and many others as the Social Network of choice. I’ve been using Twitter everyday since December 26th,2008 and I can tell you some of the sharpest minds on the Internet are there and they will follow you if you offer value to the community. Value is measured in many ways on Twitter, like Blogs content is king, find good information, helpful information, develop a reputation as a sound resource, plus, be a great person and you’ll create a large following.
Like many of these Social Media Networks, information is what most are looking for, how to articles and where to find that nugget that can help you be a better you or improve your companies branding. Twitter is the most instant messaging platform with mass appeal, the branding tool of choice and considered a secret weapon by many who use it.
The most common Social Networks to date look like Facebook, Digg, My Space and LinkedIn just to name a few, but none respond faster than Twitter! I’ve helped a number of entrepreneurs and small businesses get started with Twitter and have shown them the value of leveraging the other networks with Twitter. Why not make them all work for you? The phenomenon of Social Media Networks is just starting to realize it’s power by adding value to the market place, whether it in B2B or simple membership environments. It’s getting harder and harder to hide and easier to brand your product(s) and yourself with the power of Twitter.To learn how Social Media Networks can increase awareness, brand a product, increase traffic and develop a revenue stream, send a message to socialmedia@owengreaves.com with your request.
Come join the Social Media Marketing Gone Wild phenomenon. Join Twitter and follow me.
How are you using Twitter, leave a comment and share your experiences.