Why Brands are Getting Up Close and Personal

Informality and the Customer Experience

Screen Shot 2015-03-17 at 3.38.56 PMIn case you haven’t noticed, the Internet is becoming super casual. This is evident not just in the content that we create and share, but in the type of apps we use as well. There are definitely professional apps available for social networking and productivity, but you can’t deny the popularity of certain casual apps (Tinder, Cuddlr, you get the picture.)

The best marketing professionals are the ones paying attention to these types of apps and other social media trends so they can find the best way to reach a new age of consumers.

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It’s Okay Not to Tweet About the Super Bowl

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With every widely televised event like the Super Bowl comes a barrage of live tweets taking over your feed. We’re all watching the same thing, yet we feel the need to tell each other about it, too.

But that’s exactly the fun of it – live-tweeting a TV show or award show or sporting event lets you share an experience with people around the country (or world), and it can be pretty enjoyable to read everyone’s opinions and witty remarks.

That is, until The Brands come in. People on social media know when they’re being sold to and we finicky millennials don’t like it, so what marketers have to do is be creative when jumping in to popular conversations. Be part of the conversation, if you insist, rather than trying to dominate it. And don’t be all bold about it, OKAY? But there is a fine line between creativity and simply trying too hard.

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Metter Media Social Report, Jan. 24, 2015

In this week’s #MMSocialReport – tips to enhance your visual content, an insightful analysis of the New York Times‘ year in social media, the complex relationship between technology and stress, and some of the best blogs on the internet you should be watching.Continue reading

Metter Media Social Report, Jan. 9, 2015

ICYMI: Facebook has acquired a tech startup and 2015 has been deemed the year of the crowd. Of all the blog posts and articles floating around the Internet this week, we’ve rounded up a few useful posts you may have missed, covering news, trends, and features.Continue reading

Metter Media Social Report, Dec. 26, 2014

You were probably online as little as possible this week due to the holiday, giving yourself no free time to browse the web or check your favorite blogs. But that’s okay! We’ve rounded up a few useful posts you may have missed, covering news and new features from your favorite apps.

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YES, Twitter Parties Can Get You in Trouble

In 2014, it isn’t weird to have Internet friends… so why not have Internet parties?

That’s actually a thing on Twitter. Not to be confused with a tweetup (an in-person meet up with fellow tweeps), a Twitter party is a virtual “party” hosted in real-time on the Twitter platform, most commonly by a company or influencer to build brand awareness. Many are even moderated by an expert panelist. Given a particular topic, a hashtag is determined and announced prior to the event’s scheduled date/time.

For example, @ResourcefulMom mediated a discussion with @Entenmanns on National Donut Day, using donut giveaways as an incentive while spreading awareness about their donuts and the brand’s charitable efforts toward Salvation Army.

Seems cool, yes? And simple. And harmlessly beneficial.   HOWEVER…   When brands involve contests and/or giveaways in their Twitter parties (which is pretty often), they may possibly be directly or indirectly violating the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s rules when using the social platform to promote their brand(s)/product(s).

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