Archive for category Guides & Useful Info
So, what does a Social Media Strategist do anyway?
Posted by Lucy.Payne in Guides & Useful Info on 24th August 2010
I am now in the middle of my 8th full week as Social Media Strategist for Powwownow and this is the most common question I get asked. I am asked this by other staff members, by people I meet when I’m out and about, by my friends, and last night I was asked by my 82 year old grandmother! Considering she is yet to grasp the concept of the internet, explaining my job to her was no easy task.
One of my friends favourite answers to the; “What is it that you do for a living?” question is “My job does not define me!” And although I do agree with her on this, it is understandably a natural first question for people to ask. Although your job doesn’t necessarily define you it does give people a feel for you and something to talk about with you until they know you better.
The description of what my job depends on your knowledge of the internet in the first instance and Social Media in the second and because of this, before you know it, what I “DO” for a living can dominate the conversation! So in order to keep it short and sweet I have tried and tested a number of explanations in order to find the one which best describes my job quickly. My top two definitions include;
- I promote the company I work for on Facebook and Twitter (or on the internet depending on the individuals knowledge) and other sites like that – but I hate this explanation because it’s not really about promotion – yes that comes into it, but it’s not the main purpose, and it’s not just about Facebook and Twitter.
- I work in Online/Digital PR – but in the long run this description only generates the same questions as saying I’m a Social Media Strategist.
As you can see I’m not exactly making great headway in developing this explanation. I think the reason for this is because it’s not really that easy to pigeonhole my job. Yes it is about Communication and yes my background is PR – but for me being a Social Media Strategist is so much more than that. I use social media as a tool to try and achieve these things like this;
- Making sure we have a strong online presence
- Engaging with our online community
- Providing our current customers with fantastic customer service
- Listening to our customers to see what they think could improve
- Looking for opportunities with new customers
- Listening to our competitors’ customers to identify the mistakes our competitors are making – to make sure we don’t go down the same path.
At Powwownow we believe Social Media work involves every department. The Social Media Strategist is there to build the plan behind it (the what, why, who, where and how), to get people in the company excited about it, to get people outside of the company excited about it, and to manage it. This is what I “DO”– I make it happen!
Oh and just in case you were wondering – I LOVE IT!
Using Google Adwords for Small & Local Businesses
Posted by nick.emby in Guides & Useful Info on 22nd June 2010
Small businesses just don’t have the same high budgets as the big boys, but when it comes to PPC that doesn’t mean you can’t get your piece of the action, however small it may be. Yes, it may be difficult to keep up with limited resources, but by being shrewd and closely monitoring your campaign you too can achieve PPC success.
Here are a few simple points to get you on the right track:
Set your Location
Geographic targeting is very important; for example, if you are providing a local service it’s best for you to target a specific area so you are focusing your budget on the areas you are most likely to convert. You can set your location in the campaign settings, by clicking edit under Locations. You can either browse for your target location or you can use the custom targeting to specify a more precise area.
Ad Scheduling
Make use of Ad Scheduling; no doubt the big players in the industry will be running ads 24/7, but with a smaller budget means you have to be smart about what times your ads are shown. Depending on what industry you’re in, you might find that most your conversions come during day (e.g between 8am and 8pm) and very few over the weekends. Target the times of the day when you make most conversions and turn ads off on low converting times and days. This will help improve your keyword’s CTR (Click-Through Rate) and Quality Score, plus reduce the cost. Ad Scheduling can be implemented in the campaign Settings, under Advanced settings (look for Ad Scheduling and click on Edit).
Four simple steps to make your conference call secure
Posted by Powwownowbizfish in Guides & Useful Info on 1st March 2010
[image courtesy of Jom Manilat]
Last week we gave you a useful little guide (well, we hope you found it useful) about which features you should have on your conference call phone to get the most out of Powwownow. We thought we’d follow it up with something similar: a guide to how to keep your conference calls secure.
First of all, I should point out that, on the whole, having a conference call is nothing to worry about and ‘tapping’ into conference calls is a very difficult process. Nevertheless, if it’s something you are worried about, there are a few simple security measures that will help bolster the security of your calls.
Follow the steps below for complete peace of mind on your next conference call.
A conference call phone is just a conference call phone, right?
Posted by Powwownowbizfish in Guides & Useful Info on 26th February 2010
[photo courtesy of revlimit]
Well, not really. Some conference call phones can make having something as simple and enjoyable as having a Powwownow seem frustrating. So here are a few tips to make sure you get a conference call phone that suits a Powwownow – and, more importantly, suits you!
- First of all, don’t just go out and buy the cheapest conference phone you can find. Try to find a phone with everything needed to meet your conference calling needs. Although you can get a number of budget conference call phones, it’s always best to pay for what you need. If you buy a phone without some of the features you need, you’ll only regret it. You’re better off in the long term to spend the money on a phone that meets all your requirements. Spend some time searching the web to find the right phone for you.
Conference calls never sounded so good
Posted by Powwownowteam in Guides & Useful Info on 15th February 2010
[image courtesy of Mark Skalny]
We’ve all been there: waiting on hold while the most annoying, seemingly endless piece of on-hold music loops over and over again, almost mockingly.
Which is why we’re a bit excited about the latest feature of Powwownow conference calls. When you next have a Powwownow, you’ll be able to choose the music you and your conference call buddies hear while on hold during your call.
Conference Call Guide
Posted by nick.emby in Guides & Useful Info on 29th July 2009
Conference calling in business has seen extraordinary growth throughout the last five years due to its declining cost and with businesses experiencing benefits such as cutting travel expenses and having a method of fast, effective communication its usage is set to grow and grow.
I’m sure many have left a conference call feeling frustrated, confused and wondering if they have actually achieved anything. Conducting a good conference call comes with time and experience, follow this five step guide and you’ll be left in good stead for all your future conference calling.
