Matrix Group International

Category: Content Marketing and Social Media

  • Getting Started with Facebook – Part 2 – The New Facebook Pages

    Getting Started with Facebook – Part 2 – The New Facebook Pages

    FacebookStarting today, March 11, fans of organizations with Facebook pages will interact with their favorite orgs, companies and brands the way they interact with their buddies.  On March 11, all Facebook pages will have status updates, walls, and links, just like personal pages.

    What does this mean? Well…

    • Fans will interact with organizations the same way they interact with their friends. Updates from the org/company pages will be added to fans’ home pages.  Fans can view and comment on status updates, they will get notified when other people join a conversations, and they can view photo, videos and links.
    • Organizations will be challenged to do more with their Facebook pages. The change to the new format is good and bad.  Good because companies can do more and have more engagement with their fans.  Bad because their Facebook pages will need more oversight and content.

    The Matrix Group Facebook page was previously fairly static.  We posted events and pulled in news, blog posts and photos via RSS.  We didn’t want to overuse the “Send an Update to Fans” button too much, so we used the page to have a presence.  But now, our Facebook page just got a whole lot more dynamic.  We uploaded photos with captions, we’re posting status updates, and soon we’re going to post videos.  Just think, when we updated the Matrix Group status to say “congratulates International Assoc of Chiefs of Police for winning Best In Class for Discover Policing from the IMA. http://www.discoverpolicing.org/,” all of our fans’ home pages or status update pages got that post.  Pretty cool and I hope someone will comment on the site or the award.  So now we’ll use Facebook to create more of a dialogue, promote projects, share information about technology we’re playing with, give candidates a sense of what it’s like to work for us. (more…)

  • What is a Tag Cloud? And How Do Tags Connect People?

    What is a Tag Cloud? And How Do Tags Connect People?

    Word CloudHave you visited a Web site recently that had a list of topics and some topics were in a larger font or in a different color? That’s called a tag cloud and I love them. But what exactly are they?

    Wikipedia says that a tag cloud is a visual depiction of the tags (topics) on a Web site. The tags are usually listed alphabetically and font size or color is used to show the relative importance of a tag.

    But first, let’s talk about tags.  The choice is tags is incredibly important on a Web site or blog.  Your tags should represent what’s important to you and your target audiences.  Personally, I think you should limit your tag universe to a couple of dozen topics so that you can focus your content and visitors can easily grasp what your site is about.

    So once you’ve got your tags, you’ve got to tag every piece of content.  Yes, it’s extra work but it will pay off.  With tagging, you can display related content and of course, you can have a tag cloud!

    Take this blog.  You’ll see from the tag cloud on the right that the tags with the most number of posts are: marketing, social networking, blog, leadership, Google and Twitter.  It’s great for me to see the topics I post about most frequently and I can easily see if I need to post on other topics so as not to bore my readers. (more…)

  • I Love the Serendipity of Twitter and StumbleUpon

    Many of my friends and family ask me, “what’s your favorite site?” Recently, my answer has been “Twitter and StumbleUpon.” I love these sites, I keep them open all day long in my browser, and I tell everyone about them.

    I can give you all kinds of reasons why I love Twitter. It’s terrific for knowing what my friends are up to, it’s a great way to promote my company and blog, but most of all, I love the crazy variety of sites and pages I learn about. My favorite tweeters are people who introduce me to new sites, interesting statistics, gorgeous photos, and news articles I would otherwise never chance upon. One of my favorite tweeters is Guy Kawasaki. Some of the recent gems I learned about from Guy are: 9 resistance-boosting foods and ingredients to help you win the cold war, 50 of the world’s best food blogs, and 10 evolution stories Darwin would love.  I suspect that Guy spends all day trolling the Web or has a vast staff that does same and then he tweets the coolest and most interesting of his finds.  Thanks, Guy! (more…)

  • Getting Started with a Facebook Page For Your Organization – Part 1

    Getting Started with a Facebook Page For Your Organization – Part 1

    facebookAfter last week’s webinar on “Creating a Social Networking Strategy For Your Organization,” clients and attendees asked me how they should get started with social networking. It can be a daunting task when you consider all the platforms, and the additional work needed to keep the pages populated.  A simple way to get started is to create a Facebook for your organization or company.

    • They’re called Business Pages on Facebook and they need to be connected to an individual profile.  Click on Create a Page for My Business at the bottom of a company page.  I recommend selecting Category = Brand or Product, then select Professional Service.  Choosing this category will let you enter the year the organization was founded, as well as provide an overview, mission and product information.  If you choose other categories, you are likely to only be able to enter the hours of operation and a URL.  And once you choose a category, you can’t undo it!  Thankfully, if you make a mistake, you can just not publish the page or delete it.
    • I recommend uploading a company logo to dress up your page. Gif images don’t display properly, so upload a jpg instead.  The logo on the Matrix Group Facebook page is 720 x 720 pixels.
    • Facebook lets you write on your wall, enter notes, post events, upload photos and videos, even host discussions.  But here’s the challenge: chances are, you’re probably already entering this same information elsewhere (e.g., on your Web site, on YouTube, etc.).  So the trick  is to use one of the zillions of Facebook apps to integrate your Facebook page with other sites. For example, we use MyFlickr to automatically bring in photos from the Matrix Group Flickr page into our Facebook page.  Just know that these third party apps can be a little flaky and there is little support should you run into trouble. (more…)
  • Your Social Networking Strategy Doesn’t Have to Include the Kitchen Sink

    Your Social Networking Strategy Doesn’t Have to Include the Kitchen Sink

    Social NetworksBy popular demand and client request, I conducted a webinar on Tuesday with esteemed Project Manager Cat Lee from Matrix Group on “Creating a Social Networking Strategy (SN) for Your Organization.” Why do a webinar on a topic that is already getting a lot of coverage?  Our reasons:  Clients are looking for help, they want to know why and how to set up their social networking toolbox, and they’re looking for best practices on ways to use SN to help them achieve their overall goals.

    The key take aways from the webinar were the following:

    • The social networking services (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) complement the social networking that non-profits and associations have been offering to their members for years through meetings, e-mail discussions and bulletin boards.
    • It’s no longer enough to have a communications strategy that includes a Web site, e-mail, direct mail and newsletters. Customers, members and staff alike are craving, indeed demanding, engagement and conversation.
    • Every organization needs, at the very least, a listening strategy so that you know what is being said about you, your organization and industry; you are aware of the conversations taking place between members; and you get a sense of the most pressing issues of the day for your field.
    • We organize the SN universe into the following platforms: networking sites; friend networks; broadcasting (with conversation); rating and recommender sytems; sharing systems; and SN community platforms.
    • Social networks are reaching close to 50% of all active Web users and 3 of the top 5 sites in the US (MySpace, YouTube and Facebook) are SN sites.
    • You can use SN to recruit staff, raise money, provide thought leadership, engage members in conversation, provide customer service, promote meetings and events, and extend the learning and networking of events.

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  • Stalking Chris Sacca (Formerly of Google) via FriendFeed

    Stalking Chris Sacca (Formerly of Google) via FriendFeed

    friendfeedLast week, I had the pleasure of attending a keynote session by Chris Sacca, former Head of Special Initiatives at Google, during the ASAE Technology Conference.  Boy was it fun to hear about what it’s like to work at Google, Google’s core values, the perks, and the future of search.  I was so inspired by Chris’ words that I decided to follow him on FriendFeed.  I’m relatively new to FriendFeed, but it feels like I’m stalking Chris Sacca. I can now follow this guy’s tracks as he views, posts, comments, and bookmarks across the Web.  Do I really want all this information about one person?  Even for me, this is starting to feel like TMI (too much information).

    But first, let me tell you about Chris’ speech, which was terrific.  Among the things he talked about:

    • What is Google’s secret sauce? Chris says that Google has become a powerhouse because they take really talented engineers, present them with really big problems, and then give them lots of computing power to solve those problems.
    • The 20% Rule. Evidently, everyone at Google can allocate 20% of their time to whatever they want, so long as: they log their actiivities in the projects database and they present their work to their peers every few weeks.  If a project is deemed worthy, the responsible staff will be given more staff time and computers.
    • You only get laughed at when your ideas are too small. Google leaders Eric Schmidt, Sergey Brin and Larry Page want all Google staff to think big and use their brains and computers to solve really big problems.
    • The 150 feet rule. In addition to having over a dozen cafes on the Google campus, there are snacks every 150 feet to feed the body, feed the mind, and encourage socializing and networking.
    • Search is going to get a whole lot better soon. Although the Google home page looks the same, the search technology behind it is getting better every day.  Google now tracks what we click on when we search; in the future, the search results for the same keywod may be different for you and me, based on our individual preferences and past history.
    • Google Trends is not only cool, it’s surprising what we can learn from search patterns. Chris says that Google Trends can predict the box office success of a movie and where the flu will hit.

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  • Obama Inauguration: Warm and Intimate on the Web, Totally Locked Out in the Cold in VA

    Obama Inauguration: Warm and Intimate on the Web, Totally Locked Out in the Cold in VA

    US Capitol BuildingI’m excited and fascinated by next week’s Inauguration. And I’m relying on the Web to keep me up to date with the festivities.

    • I’m following the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) (@obamainaugural) and loving the YouTube contest, the news about the inaugural activities, and the updates about various balls.
    • I’m following the DC Government on Twitter (@Inauguration_DC) and appreciating the news about road closures, tips from the National Park Service, etc.
    • I’m impressed with the Web site of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, especially the blog.    I have enjoyed reading about the rehearsal and the stand-ins, the concert at Lincoln Memorial is going to be fabulous, and the videos from Barack and Michelle Obama were a nice touch.
    • The PIC’s Flickr account is full of beautiful photos of DC and the preparations for next week’s events.
    • I plan to be part of the Facebook crowd watching the inauguration live and updating my status when the new President is sworn in.

    For the first time ever, I feel like I’m getting an insider’s view of what goes into an inauguration and know about a lot of the activities.  The blog and photos especially are creating an intimacy to the event that I did not think possible, considering that hundreds of thousands (millions?) are going to be here next week. (more…)

  • El Cheapo Ways to Announce Your Web Site Launch

    El Cheapo Ways to Announce Your Web Site Launch

    Announce Your Web Site LaunchMatrix Group recently launched a new Web site for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  Prior to the launch, Chuck and David, our esteemed clients, asked for some suggestions on ways to promote the new launch.  Here were some of my suggestions, including some easy and inexpensive tips:

    • Send out a special e-blast to your membership or customers. Be sure to highlight new features, new functionality, tips for navigation, links to popular pages, etc.
    • Include an article in your newsletter or magazine. Consider a series of articles in the next few issues of your publication.  In each issue, focus on something different about the new site, e.g., the navigation, how to use the site search, how to manage their profile, etc.
    • If you have a printed magazine or newsletter, put in a house ad that promotes the new site. Include a screen shot and list of new features and benefits.
    • Ask your staff to update their e-mail signatures with a message and URL, e.g.,Visit the redesigned Matrix Group Web site – https://matrixgroup-wp-new.matrixdev.net

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  • Why Citizen Journalist Sites are Worrying Mainstream Media

    Every morning, while drinking my green tea, I peruse The New York Times online. Like millions of people around the world, I have canceled my paper subscription to a local or national newspaper and instead rely on the Web to deliver the news.

    But here’s a news flash: an increasing of us are getting our news from citizen journalist sites, or sites that feature news, photos and videos from people like you and me. Armed with camera phones and video cameras, average folks are reporting on news in their neighborhood and covering news from their perspective.

    Here are some of the most popular citizen journalist sites and why I love them:

    • NowPublic is now one of my favorite news sites. Last weekend, NowPublic had lots of coverage about the earthquake in Indonesia. When I mentioned the earthquake to a client, she said, “what earthquake?”

      • (more…)

  • Who Are These People and Why Are They Following Me?

    Who Are These People and Why Are They Following Me?

    Unlike some of my friends and many staffers at Matrix Group, I’m relatively new to Twitter, the mini-blogging site that lets you broadcast your status, location and thoughts. I’ve been “twittering” for just a few months, but I’m addicted. I “tweet” all day long and read most of the tweets of the people I follow. On Twitter, btw, I’m jmpineda.

    For those of you who are new to all this, you can “follow” people on Twitter and people can follow you. When you follow someone, their tweets are posted to your Twitter home page all day long. In my case, I’m following a random collection of friends, Web thought leaders and organizations. My friend Joe tweets his location, the books he’s reading, the articles he’s reading. The National Wildlife Federation tweets about promotions, events and issues. (more…)