If you opened your gmail today you were surprised with a new feature to your account – Google Buzz. Google developed an app that was automatically added to everyone’s gmail accounts that is a lot like Twitter but will, in our opinion, have mixed reviews. No setup is needed as it automatically followed the people you email and chat with the most on Gmail. It gives you security features that allows you to share publicly or privately and connects to sites you already use. This way you can share photos, updates and more!
We want to know what you think of Google Buzz!

Google released yesterday that their social search is now in beta for all to use! Check out this great video that will tell you a little more about what Google has done to enhance searches.

I recently got a message on Facebook from a close friend:

It sounded like a fun game so I did as asked and forwarded on the message to my other girlfriends. I soon started seeing tons of people pop up with their colors and my male friends getting frustrated that they didn’t know what was going on.  I didn’t think much about it at the time but as I saw more and more people talking about their colors I realized that this was a GREAT marketing scheme!

I decided to research where the original message came from and found out that it was a breast cancer awareness campaign that has an unknown originator.  The creator doesn’t really matter but what is important is that one person started a message and sent it out to their 130 female friends, who then sent it out to their 75 female friends, who each sent it to their 200 female friends….  Can you see the power of this one Facebook message?  Now that’s a far reach!

All I can say is the power of social media still amazes me!  Have you had a similar story – where on facebook status or video went viral?  Share your stories with us!

Caroline Melberg of Small Business Mavericks and collaborator on the Social Media Incubator™ speaks on social media for the Terry Craig Show!

Terry describes what her show as “this show is about women in business who love what they do and are doing what they love (and helping those that are longing to do so).“

Social Media has revolutionized the world of marketing. On January 7, 2009, Zuckerberg posted on the Facebook blog that Facebook had reached 150 million users. On April 12, he posted that it had reached 200 million. That’s 549,450 new users per day! Now you show me a company that’s had that kind of growth!

Networking platforms have given companies a cost-effective solution to grow their businesses without the multi-million dollar budgets of larger companies.

So is social media just a fad or is it the biggest shift since the Industrial Resolution? You decide!

With today’s social media tools, access to communities of prospective buyers is at the fingertips of small organizations – something that in the past has only been accessible to larger companies with multimillion-dollar budgets. However, the challenge for most organizations is managing the execution of social media in a manner that is relevant, measurable and effective.

Too often small and mid-size businesses try to utilize Web 2.0 social media tools such as blogs, LinkedIn and Twitter without a plan in place to ensure their success. Come learn how to get your company on the right track!

Attend this seminar and learn:
• Why social media is so critical for your business
• Why social media has become more critical NOW than ever before
• How to approach social media strategically so you can create an effective plan that really gets results.
• How to integrate social media with your brand

Presenters are:

Caroline Melberg,

Small Business Mavericks

Cindy Leines,

C.E.L. Public Relations

Space is limited so CALL NOW to reserve your spot!
Cost: $25/person
Tuesday, January 26 at C.E.L.
8:00 – 9:30 a.m.
Contact Chelsea Janke at chelsea@celpr.com or call 763.559.6058

Setup an account on Twitter… it’s as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Go to www.twitter.com and click Sign up now

2. Enter all you information, Full name, username, password, email. Remember to choose a username that you want to be found with. You can use your first and last name together or company name but whatever you choose is permanent so make sure you choose wisely. Then click Create my account.

3. You are then able to add your address book or else you can skip those steps and you are DONE!
There are so many ways to customize your twitter sites that there are endless possibilities. Get your twitter account today, it’s as easy as 1,2,3!

The world wide web has been a buzz with the newly passed rules regarding social media and full disclosure on blogs and other online marketing avenues.

A great new site has been developed to assist the full disclosure of materials.  It’s called Cmp.ly and has derived a short link to be used in full disclosure making it easier to “comply” with the new FTC Rules and Regulations.  Here is a great key to keep as a way to remember the links to full disclosure clauses.

Cmp.ly Disclosure 0 – http://cmp.ly/O
No connection, unpaid, my own opinions

Cmp.ly Disclosure 1 – http://cmp.ly/1
Based upon a review copy

Cmp.ly Disclosure 2 – http://cmp.ly/2
Given a sample by vendor/agency/brand

Cmp.ly Disclosure 3 – http://cmp.ly/3
Paid Post – cash payment or other compensation

Cmp.ly Disclosure 4 – http://cmp.ly/4
Employee/shareholder/business relationship

COMING SOON…

Cmp.ly Disclosure 5 – http://cmp.ly/5
Custom Disclosure

In each box there is a description in more detail of what is covered under each disclosure area.

The FTC has a great site designed to better help you in understanding the rules and regulations as they are set forth and revised.  Here is a video that explains more about the new rules.

Click here to download the full text version of the endorsement guides.

(Cmp.ly Disclosure 0)

Not long ago, a client came and asked if we could “help her business go viral” by launching social media for her company.

In her mind, she was envisioning a world where she could start a Facebook Fan page and post a few Tweets, and immediately her audience would flock to her website.

While it would be great if it really did work that way, it took awhile to explain to her that “build it and they will come” might work in Hollywood, but it doesn’t work on the social web.

Success with social media is inextricably linked to your entire marketing plan.  “Integrating social media into search and PR are the two most obvious and proven success tactics in the industry,” says Aaron Kahlow of ClickZ.  “Integrate social and see the results.  Let it stand alone and you may be in for a rude awakening.”

We are past the point of wondering whether social media is something we should participate in; it’s not an “if” but a “when and how” question for any business who wants to thrive over the coming years.

One of the main reasons for that is Social Search – that is, where conversations taking place on social media sites become a part of the search engine result listings – otherwise known as “real time search.”  (Learn more about how social media helps your search results).

Too often, business owners tell me that they aren’t experiencing a return on their investment of time with social media.  When you approach social media with a strategy, and integrate it into your overall marketing plan, you’ll begin to leverage your efforts and see bottom-line results.

Planning, implementation and measurement of your success!

With today’s social media tools, access to communities of prospective buyers is at the fingertips of small organizations – something that In the past has only been accessible to larger companies with multimillion-dollar budgets. However, the challenge for most organizations is managing the execution of social media in
a manner that is relevant, measurable and effective. Not any more – you can cross it off you list and mark it “done” when you enroll in the Social Media Incubator™.

We utilize Web 2 0 social media tools such as blogs, Linkedln and Twitter with a plan in place and a team to manage and ensure success. Our team unleashes the power of social media FOR YOU while researching and developing best practices.