CaliberPulse

Two recent op-ed pieces featured by Mashable presented opposing opinions on the value of LinkedIn’s relatively new endorsement feature. One article, written by Todd Wasserman, called it “meaningless,” while David Berkowitz’s rebuttal article argued that it is “…one of the best uses of game mechanics online...” So which is true?

Facebook, the world’s largest social network, achieved 1 billion users in September 2012. Why then, would anyone opt out of advertising with a company that has captured the attention of such a large percentage of the world’s population?

More often than not, we are able to understand and present both sides of an argument, allowing our audience to make their own decision about the correct path to follow. There are rare instances when the negatives of a certain topic grossly outweigh any perceived positives, making it difficult to present an unbiased debate. The policy of purchasing Twitter followers, in our opinion, is one such case.

Facebook changed their format for brand pages to the Timeline a week ago today. What do you think of it so far? Are you using it to your brand’s advantage? Some of the updates are behind the scenes, but most are featured on your page. We've pulled together a list of the top five changes to brand pages:

As we cross the threshold of the eleventh month of 2011, we find ourselves once again in a unique position to reflect on lessons learned in the months behind us and apply them to projections and trends in the year to come. November Caliber Pulse articles will do just that. In this week’s post, we will examine the well-predicted trend of localized marketing.

There is more to having a social media presence than just posting statuses. Having a branded Facebook page may help cultivate an audience or garner high numbers of “likes,” but if you only post one-way marketing or media messages, your audience will eventually lose interest. A page’s number of followers pales in value compared to interaction with them.

Now that you’ve taken the plunge into the world of social media, you are faced with yet another decision. How do you find the best person to maintain your company’s message? The importance of this decision cannot be overlooked. Social media has opened a window that gives your customers a more personal connection with your business. It creates an opportunity for us to talk with our customers instead of at them. As a result, loyal followers expect authentic interaction and finding the person or team who will act as your authentic company ‘voice’ is crucial.

Social media use is experiencing a sharp upward trend in popularity, but is it right for your company or clients? This month we will explore the factors businesses should consider when making the decision to engage in this dynamic marketing medium. Most companies today have an online presence. To interact with their customers, some simply send a monthly or quarterly eblast with information, while others actively engage via Facebook, Twitter, blogs, frequent eblasts and constant website updates. Is it information overload or simply what consumers have come to expect?

Have you ever discussed social media with a friend or potential customer and received a skeptical response? Many of us have. Perhaps you are the doubtful one. However you feel (or don’t feel) about social media, there is no arguing that our society has officially plunged into it head first. Social networking sites have become primary online marketing tools, communication outlets, and customer service vehicles. Instead of talking about the influence that social media can have, allow the numbers to speak for themselves. If you have ever doubted the power of social media, here are twenty unbelievable statistics that may make you rethink these qualms, and convince you to get more involved in one of the most influential resources of this generation.

They say “repetition is the mother of education.” In the pursuit of educating an audience and creating brand awareness and loyalty, your story must be told. Due to declining media outlets and staff, the best way to get your story told--the way you want to tell it, on a regular basis--is to tell it yourself. Become your own publisher via newsletters, blogs and social media platforms to relay a brand message, voice, personality and customer focus to loyal and potential clients on a regular basis.

Social media has become a critical tool for companies to share news, product information, and promotions with their followers. While these are important elements of building a brand and executing marketing campaigns, social media is also a powerful tool for providing real-time, continued customer service.

Consumers are increasingly using mobile devices to access the internet for deals, product information and social media engagement. Mobile can be defined as any device that can be taken with you–smart phones, tablets and laptops. By 2015 more people will connect online by mobile devices than desktop PCs. Marketing campaigns and tactics targeted to these devices such as texting campaigns, QR codes, apps and mobile internet sites are quickly becoming required tools for businesses. The mobile advertising industry is expected to be worth more than $1.56 billion by 2013.