BulletProofBlog the blog on crisis communications

The top six social media tips to know before you leave the office.

Many of today’s leading brands have embraced social media and developed a presence on major social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. But with new websites emerging daily and well-established networks adding new features at a frenetic pace, successful companies must constantly evaluate new online opportunities to better engage customers, promote and protect reputations, and monitor the conversations impacting the corporate brand.

This week’s Six @ Six features six websites that every brand should consider when seeking to establish or enhance an online presence.

Ustream:

Ustream – which should not be confused with YouTube – provides brands with a powerful platform from which to share real-time streaming video on the Web. The network differs from YouTube in that it allows users to stream content as it occurs, instead of having to capture, edit, and upload content after the fact. This opens up endless possibilities for creating a rich viewing experience and fostering a strong relationship with your key audiences. Companies should consider broadcasting live events, mobilizing community members to share streams of their experiences with the brand, or creating a live, regular broadcast that demonstrates thought leadership. Ustream also integrates with other social networks such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter, which enables brands to cross-promote content and ensure it is visible to the widest possible audience. Finally, the site’s impressive iPhone application, which allows users to stream content from their phones onto their Ustream channels, makes this network a great option for sharing content on-the-go.

FourSquare:

This year’s focus on mobile technology has helped FourSquare become one of the hottest new social networks. The service, which allows users to earn points and badges for checking-in at locations they visit, now has more than 1.2 million members. It is quickly becoming a favorite for brands seeking to attract consumers to particular retail locations. As such, your company should consider the ways it can leverage FourSquare, or a similar location-based service, through the use of incentives. At a minimum, you should claim your company’s location and monitor the tips left by people who check-in. For those ready to take the next step, consider developing specials for people who check-in and posting window clings in your physical locations to let people know that your brand participates in FourSquare.

Layar:

Layar is an augmented reality (AR) Web browser for smart phones. The service uses AR technology to overlay real-world objects and locations with information gathered from the Web. Layar uses a phone’s camera and GPS to identify where an individual is and then displays information about his or her surroundings on the phone’s display. With approximately 1.6 million people already using Layar, a number of fantastic marketing opportunities exist. Brands should consider creating layars, which leverage customer incentives to encourage brand engagement. Furthermore, the growth of AR services such as Layar underscores the need to monitor your brand as real-time information from across the Web is uploaded to smart phone users’ displays. 

Ning:

Like Facebook or MySpace, Ning bring together individuals with common interests. Unlike these sites, however, Ning offers a platform for users to create their own social networking communities around these interests. More than 37 million registered users participate in more than 1.8 million networks on Ning. Although this may sound similar to Facebook’s new community pages, the site still holds potential for many brands looking to tap a niche market. Developing a Ning network allows a brand to customize its own social network, tap potential brand ambassadors, gather instant feedback from key stakeholders, and reward those customers most invested in the brand with special promotions. It also allows brands to control and customize everything from the design to the interactive features on their networks. A number of high profile brands are already using Ning to engage brand ambassadors and customers – and forward-thinking companies would be well-served to give this network a good look.

LinkedIn:

When used correctly, LinkedIn holds immense potential for promoting and bulletproofing your brand online. The site’s new “follow” feature, which enables users to track a company from its profile page or the profile pages of its employees has increased the need for companies to take an active role on this site. Whether your company uses the platform to demonstrate thought leadership, network with potential leads, or draw attention to new products or services, developing a presence on LinkedIn has become increasingly important in today’s Digital Age.

StumbleUpon:

Social bookmarking services such as StumbleUpon, Delicious, and Digg make it possible for information to spread quickly online because they expose individuals that might not otherwise interact with your brand to your content. Although a number of services exist, StumbleUpon just hit 10 million users, making it a social bookmarking service companies cannot afford to ignore. According to StumbleUpon, users made half a billion content recommendations to their friends and followers in March alone. Furthermore, the service drives more traffic to websites than Twitter, Reddit, or Digg, according to StatCounter. With these surprising statistics in mind, companies should consider integrating StumbleUpon buttons into their websites and sharing content through the network on a regular basis to gain brand exposure and reach new audiences.

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