Brian E. Boyd Sr.'s Blog, page 6

Christmas Is Here!

It’s that time of the year again! Christmas is here. On this Christmas morning, we encourage you to reflect over a cup of eggnog, the most joyous moments you’ve experienced this holiday season. While you’re at it, use social media to express your gratitude to those well doers.  A couple of ideas:

 

Record a video of yourself thanking a friend for their random act of kindness. Tell them how much it meant to you and impacted your day. Post the video to your friend’s Facebook timeline, so the whole world hears how they impacted you.
Share a photo memory of you and your loved one for #TakeMeBackTuesday or #ThrowbackThursday! Instagram is the perfect platform to let the world know that someone has done something special for you.

 

Christmas is about kindness! If someone has made your day brighter, do two things. First – let them know that you appreciate them in the most social way possible. Next – pay it forward; do something surprising and special for a friend or loved one.  Merry Christmas!

All I Want For Christmas Is….

Don’t know what to get a creative person for Christmas? Let me help you out; First and foremost, you must keep these three words in mind: COOL, COOL and oh yeah, COOL! Most times, we really don’t care if we NEED it, as long as it looks cool or does something cool, we’re cool with it! We understand it may seem unnecessary to you, but do you get how COOL the person who designed or came up with the idea for this totally unnecessary thing is? Now you get where I’m going with this right? Here it goes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creatives love their caffeine, we need it actually; how else would we be able to stay up to do that project we got 2 minutes ago that’s due tomorrow? So why not drink it from a chalkboard mug? Drinking your coffee and jotting down ideas at the same time is a magical thing, it just is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those To-Do lists! What better way to keep track of all you have to do than a “to-do tattoo”!? You know you always lose those tiny pieces of paper you write stuff you want to remember on, but you can’t lose your hand right…  #imjustsaying

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t know a creative person who doesn’t love music, it keeps us sane. We can always use an extra speaker. Oversized headphones? Yes please!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anything to personalize something! Cookies? Great! Cookies with that awesome San Serif font with that little bit of decorative detail? AWESOME!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everybody loves social media AND photoshop AND pillows… You can’t go wrong with these made to order Etsy beauties.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bible! Every designer has that one book that will tell them everything they need to know about their art. #greatgift

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clean. Modern. Sleek Design. Yes, yes, yes! Nicely designed cases for electronics are always welcomed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creative people usually have a quirky personality. In other words, we like weird stuff! A tie is a tie, a cup is a cup; But how much cooler is a cup with different noses and a tie that teaches you how to tie the tie you already tied. It’s just COOL.

 

On that note, if all else fails… Just get them this shirt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Shopping!

 

This post was written by Shanelle Marsh. Shanelle is a Graphic Designer with Media Connect Partners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Santa, Please Refer to My Pinterest Boards

What do you want?  No, really… what do you want for Christmas??

If you grew up in my family, this was a standard question everyone got somewhere in that early to mid-November timeframe.  As a kid I would flip through magazines and newspaper clippings delivered to the house and write down each and every item I thought Santa should bring me.  Now that I’m an adult, the question is still the same from the family each year, but the list is a little bit more… well, me. 

Is my Christmas gift wish list on paper? No. 
What about Amazon?  Nope. 
Did I send it via text? Not a chance.

My Christmas gift wish list is on Pinterest.  That’s right, Pinterest.

It’s so easy to just tell family and friends to see my wish list on Pinterest since it’ll give them a link directly to the store for them to purchase it.  With the holidays quickly approaching, I was curious what my colleagues at Media Connect Partners wanted under the Christmas tree this year.  Check out their top gift choices here.

 

So what do you say, Santa? I think I’ve been a pretty good girl this year.  And next year I could be just as good… if you check off my (Pinterest) Christmas list.

 

This post was written by Ashley Scolaro. Ashley is an Account Director with Media Connect Partners.

 

VP of Operations, Matt Gregory confesses to a few things he’s learned from his time on Pinterest. Don’t worry guys, you can be on Pinterest and still keep your man card. 

3 Things Pinterest Has Taught Me, a Man

Pinterest has taught me… I have a huge problem with food.

I find myself looking at recipes and pictures of desserts in an almost hypnotic state. No wonder sometimes I’m starving at 2 a.m. I’m staring at a pin for bacon wrapped deep fried turkey and devoted an entire board exclusively to bacon. 

http://www.pinterest.com/mattagregory/b-is-for-bacon/  #weightwatchers

 

Pinterest has taught me…that it looks easy, but a lot of times it’s not.

Big or small, wooden or metal. It just isn’t going to happen. I will go to Home Depot and spend an ungodly amount of money on everything I think I need. I get home, pull up the directions, and start deciphering the math, angles, and nail sizes – then, nope.  It’s like Ikea furniture-it looks great, but putting it together could cause my death…can anyone relate?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pinterest has taught me… Ryan Gosling’s popularity continues unabated.

Enough already with the “Hey Girl” memes.  I saw Lars and the Real Girl, I get it, he’s a handsome dude. I just feel like it’s time to move on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To see my pins and boards:

http://www.pinterest.com/mediacpartners/meet-the-teammatt/

http://www.pinterest.com/mattagregory/

 

What’s on your Christmas wish list? See how Account Director Ashley Scolaro, cleverly uses social media to share hers. 

 

This post was written by Matt Gregory. Matt is the VP of Operations with Media Connect Partners.

Internet Trolls: What Are They and How Do You Deal with Them?

First, Internet trolls are everywhere. You’ve probably run into one at some point or another and if you spend any time on social media, you’ve probably run into trolls on a daily, if not hourly, basis.

 

What is a troll?

Definition: An Internet troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.

In a nutshell, trolls can be a nightmare to deal with. Especially when it comes to areas of faith. There is nothing a troll loves more than to jump into a faith conversation and to pull in the atheist point of view or to compare people of faith to atrocious events, people, or things.

How do you deal with a troll?

The first thing to understand is that a troll cannot be reasoned with. They are not looking for an intelligent or adult conversation. They do not want to hear your side of the story. A troll is commenting because they want to cause trouble. They want to upset you, to give you a headache, and to make the situation worse. So what do you do?

Do not engage trolls in conversation. If you see a troll, don’t respond. Don’t answer their heinous comment. Don’t give them any of your attention. Similar to a child throwing a temper-tantrum, if you feed their tantrum, you only make it worse.
Don’t be a troll back. If a troll makes an outrageous comment, making a different outrageous comment won’t help the situation. A troll looks for any fuel to throw on the fire.
Hide the troll comment when possible. If a troll comments on your Facebook page or YouTube video, hide it. Don’t let that comment stay there. Even if you decide to ignore the troll someone else might not, and once the ball gets rolling, it can be difficult to stop.
Don’t let a troll get to you. Trolls can be nasty. They can be hateful and can say horrible things that have the ability to knock you down. The best thing you can do is to pretend that the troll does not exist. What they are saying is not truth. Remember the definition, they want to hurt you and sow discord.
Don’t let them win. Internet trolls are everywhere. It seems that more and more crop up each day. But we don’t have to let the trolls win. By continuing to have meaningful conversations and discussions online, in spite of trolls, we are showing them that the Internet is still a wonderful place and that they do not hold the power.

 

This post was written by Kelly Vo. Kelly is the Strategy Director with Media Connect Partners.

Social Media vs. Gaming

I think everyone is a gamer at heart. Social media proved this because the moment games were integrated into platforms such as Facebook, no one was ashamed to spend endless hours on their PC or phone playing online games for virtual prizes and short lived victories any more. Social media is fast becoming integrated with gaming, and whether you enjoy Facebook games or not the following questions are sure to get your attention.

What’s the difference between social gaming and traditional gaming?

Traditional games are usually created on unique gaming engines, played on or offline, not all connected, and generally more about the game than socializing. Social games connect people through social networks and are distributed through invite systems, newsfeed posts, and active requests/notifications. Social media allows you to create characters, personality traits and unique content based on your real life social profile. 

Who do we have to thank for social gaming?

As much as traditional gamers have been labelled nerds, and would shudder at the thought of social gaming being called “gaming” at all, we really do have them to thank for social media in general, let alone social gaming. Years before social media was even a twinkle in the sky, gamers were hooking up to networks, chatting in online chat rooms and gaming forums, creating ways to communicate with friends, and LANing. In fact most “online lingo” was being used years ago by gamers to chat and communicate effectively in fast-paced games. Let’s give the “anti-social” some credit for being a fundamental part of “social” media. To back this up, look at how Mark Zuckerberg along with Facebook just purchased the latest in gaming technology—the “Oculus Rift.”

What do Facebook games have to do with business?

More and more companies are capitalizing on social gaming, making games that showcase their company which entices people to spend more time on their social pages. Social media opened up a platform for generating revenue with virtual prizes and goods, more lives, better items and getting ahead of your friends. Aside from this you also have the benefit of advertising, sponsorships, and can even make use of resource management and simulation to showcase people’s strengths and weaknesses.

Are there gamer specific social networks?

If you’re a traditional gamer you’ll be pleased know that Microsoft and Sony are directly integrating social networks into their next generation consoles. With the PlayStation4 you can already link your account with Facebook, and Nintendo has created their own social network called the Miiverse for Wii U users. If you’re looking for a social network that caters to your specific gaming needs you can always try Raptr, Playfire, or Duxter. 

 

Gamers have always enjoyed the social aspects of the online world. We’re glad that the rest of the world is catching up and gets to join in on the fun and share in the experience. I can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store for social media and gaming, apart and integrated.

 

 

 

This post was written by Kirstin Venn. Kirstin is a Social Media Content Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

Tips For Learning the Best (and Worst) Times to Post on Social Media

Have you ever published what you thought was a great post, but didn’t see the reaction you were hoping for?

Let’s face it. The trickiest part of increasing engagement and awareness on social media for your brand can very well be knowing the best (and worst) times to reach your audience! Although, it can be the most difficult aspect of social media to master, it’s also one of the most important, because the time of a post determines how many people see and interact with your brand.

Below are a few tips to help your brand’s messaging reach the largest number of people on social media!

 1. Know Your Target Audience:

Figuring out the habits of your target audience, and when your audience logs onto their social media accounts is key. It’s important to always be mindful of where your target audience is during the day. For example, if your target audience is teenagers or young adults, you should probably stay away from posting during school hours. If your target audience is men, ages 35-50, before and after work hours may be your best bet! Think logically, about where your target audience may be, or what they may be doing on certain days and at certain times. 

2.  Use Your Tools:

If you’re a company who already uses analytic tools for social media. It’s important to use these tools regularly. If you don’t use any tools, you may want to consider investing in one.  For example, a program called, Crowdbooster, can track your top and worst preforming posts over any period of time. It’s important to check these top and worst performing posts often, and look for patterns in the time of day those posts were scheduled for. For example, if your two top performing posts were both around 6pm, then it’s your best bet that 6pm is the best time for you to continue to post.

3.  Do Your Research:

There are several studies on the best (and worst) times to post on social media. For example, FastCompany.com states that the highest average click through on Facebook happens daily between 1pm-4pm, with the peak being Wednesdays at 3pm. Also, peak scheduling times for Twitter are Mondays-Thursday 9am-3pm.

Overall, a combination of knowing your target audience, using your analytical tools, and doing research outside of your company, can help you learn the best and worst times to post on your social media pages. It may be tricky at first, but once you figure out what works and what doesn’t for your social media, the process becomes much easier.

Taken from: http://www.fastcompany.com/

 

This post was written by Bethany Couture. Bethany is a Social Media Content Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

5 Social Networks You Can’t Forget About This Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for? This is by no doubt, probably one of the most asked questions of the week as we approach the start of the holiday season. There’s one area of our life, though, that gratitude tends to fall short – our everyday use of the internet.  

The internet is by far one of the best creations of all time – reaching millions of people all over the world daily. Shortly after the start up of the internet came the birth of social media in the early 2000’s, giving everyone in the world the opportunity to virtually connect with one another. In today’s society having the ability to reach someone with the simple use of our laptops, tablets, and of course, from the swipe of our inseparable smartphones. The odds are, you’ll probably be using one of these devices to connect with loved ones this holiday season and to share what you are thankful for.

Here are 5 social networks during the holidays you that you don’t want to forget about:  

Pinterest- Is one of the constantly growing platforms for “do it yourself” recipe ideas, home décor, and let’s not forgot early gift suggestions as Black Friday is around the corner. What is most appealing about Pinterest is that users can choose to repin images you post, which will be shared with all of their followers. Creating and customizing your boards with images to fit your peeked interest will keep your creativity juices flowing straight through Christmas and the New Year.

 

Facebook- With over one billion active profile users daily, Facebook is the best platform to connect with friends and family near or far. I recommend adding a picture to your timeline so that any of your Facebook friends can see what you are up this holiday season.

 

YouTube- It’s one of the best and most commonly used social media platform due to that fact you are able to share your videos on other social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest and Google+. YouTube allows you to reach millions of people by showcasing anything – from home videos as well as enjoyable holiday commercials.

 

Twitter- Every wonder what the current trend is for the holidays, or what sale your favorite department store is having this weekend? Well, make sure that this holiday season you are using Twitter to find out the latest buzz in real time for most of your holiday events. The common use of hashtags will keep you in the loop of what other people are doing as well.

 

Instagram- It’s a fun and easy-to-use mobile app that keeps you connected with your loved ones by posting daily snapshots and short video clips. Instagram is a great platform to share your favorite past holiday photos or even your current holiday greeting card!

 

If you’re ever stuck pondering on a few things to be thankful for when the infamous question comes around the dinner table, let’s start to be more specific. Why not skew the question a little and ask yourself, “What social network am I most thankful for? Here at MCP, we are thankful for every social media platform!

What platform are you most thankful for? Let us know by commenting below. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

This post was written by Karlene Scarlett. Karlene is a Social Media Community Specialist with Media Connect Partners.

Give Thanks

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m sharing a social-media strategy freebee that will get you closer to achieving success in the areas of community building and engagement. It’s really not a secret what I’m going to say, but more of a reminder.

If you read the title of this blog, then this is actually your second reminder: Give thanks.

All I see in my newsfeed from brands these days are promotions.

“Buy this…”

“Sign up for that…”

“Recommend us to your friend…”

After 30-min online my to-do list grows by 20%. Why are we putting our audience to work? They have jobs! …and we need to start doing ours. Let’s start with thinking creatively.

Those opt-in tactics above are all focused on goals that only satisfy the marketing team. If you’re looking for ideas to build your community or raise awareness about your brand, start expressing gratitude to your followers:

Provide an exclusive offer or download.
Host a flash giveaway!
Share a plain, generic post once in a while, and simply thank your fans for their loyalty.

These basic tactics are packed with analytic potential that will organically expand your reach. Don’t boss your followers around! Have some fun with them. Positive results guaranteed.

This post was written by Jordan Moran. Jordan is an Account Manager with Media Connect Partners.

How Do You Know If Your Social Media Is On the Right Track?

Social media may have been around for over ten years—in fact Facebook celebrated its ten-year anniversary this past February—but for many companies, social media is still new. Companies and brands are used to traditional advertising and they’re prepared to spend money, update their strategy with the times, and branch out into new markets. But when it comes to social media, these concepts are an afterthought. It’s still too new! So how do you make sure that you’re doing the right thing when it comes to your social media presence?

 

Conduct a social media audit of your brand or hire someone else to do it. This means that you take a serious look at your social media and you rank yourself on what you think you’re doing right and what you think you’re doing wrong. Some areas to keep in mind:

Social media strategy—do you have one? Is it appropriate? How often do you revisit your strategy?
Social media execution—are you actually implementing your strategy? Do you have a social media team that is writing content, monitoring, and working on your social media day in and day out?
Aesthetics—is your social media pleasing to the eye? Just like with regular advertising, customers are overwhelmed by the visual impact first and foremost.
Messaging and Voice—are you using the appropriate voice in your social media content? Does your voice match your brand or do you sound like an 18-year-old intern?
Content—what type of content are you putting out there? Does the content resonate with your fans and does it represent your brand? Does your content help reach your marketing goals?
Engagement—are you having a one-sided conversation or are your fans engaging with you and are you engaging back?

 

You should also take an in-depth look at each of your social media platforms and rank how well you think you’re doing on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, etc. An audit like this, conducted once every six months, can help you stay on track in your social media.

 

But what if you want to take it one step further? If looking at your own social media isn’t enough, then it’s time to take a look at your competitors. Choose your top five competitors and see what they are doing. Are all of your competitors on Instagram but you’re not? Do your competitors share more or less content each day? What type of content? Your competitors can give you a great baseline and help you decide if what you found in your internal audit is on par or if you were being just a little too nice to yourself.

 

Reviewing your social media isn’t easy. You need to be objective and you need to know what you’re doing. Take a look around the MCP blog to get a better idea about what you should expect out of your social media and if that’s too much work for you, give us a call. 800.627.1265

This post was written by Kelly Vo. Kelly is the Strategy Director with Media Connect Partners.