Facebook PPC (Pay per Click) Campaign Results

Not long ago, I decided to run a PPC campaign for one of my clients. I admit that we did not want to have a lot of money invested in this and had no idea how much it might end up costing so we were EXTREMELY conservative when designing the campaign.

Our demographics were narrowly focused into people within that profession who were age 25 or older and lived in the State of Tennessee. The conference this client is planning is for educators so it was felt that a someone qualified to attend would be at least 25 years old and tradition has shown that 95% of the attendees come from within the state.

The campaign has ended and here are the results.

• There were 5,447 impressions which means that the ad appeared on a Facebook page 5,447 times.
• There were 3 people who clicked the ad for a CTR (click thru rate) of .055%. Each of these 3 individuals did "join" as fans of the page.
• We had bid 50 cents per click (CPC) but the rate we actually paid was 38 cents per click. We might have achieved better results if we had bid higher as Facebook recommends around $1 per click.
• There was a $10 daily limit; however, we only spent $1.14 for the entire campaign.
• If only one person who clicked actually decides to pay and attend the conference, $1.14 is a pretty good return on investment.

What are your Facebook PPC campaign results? Inquiring minds want to know!

A Facebook Page that "Gets It"

Facebook pages are supposed to be social. After all, it is called social networking. Many businesses get caught up in promotion but don't have any personality. You just don't get the feeling that you can pick up the phone and call the person who is doing their Facebook postings.

I recently joined the Alabama Gulf Coast Facebook page as I am thinking of vacationing in the Gulf Shores area later this year. This page totally ROCKS! They update continually from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. each and every day -- weekends included. Considering their target audience, weekends are an essential part of their marketing strategy.

One of their strategies that I absolutely love is to take questions posted to their wall and turn them into a question for the masses. An example would be that someone wrote on the wall asking if a local restaurant/bar that will be broadcasting the Alabama football game on Saturday. They will then post that as a question for their fans to answer. It's all about engaging your audience.

There is a video posted every day that gives you a beach update. How can you not want to visit when you hear the waves crashing in the background and see the beautiful white sand?

A lot of companies that use social media want to control what is posted on their pages. The Alabama Gulf Coast encourages visitors (and wannabe visitors) to post their beach photos.

Do you have a favorite Facebook page to share?

What's Coming Up

Life comes at you fast and it really picks up after Labor Day! Do you feel like you woke up and suddenly realized the year is more than half over?

Next Thursday, I will be exhibiting at the Tennessee Society of Association Executives Trade Show in Nashville, Tennessee. My co-exhibitors are Music Valley Event Center and Visual Elements. I am excited to get out and talk social media to everyone over this two-day event.


I also have a couple of webinars on my schedule next week. There are a lot of free webinar opportunities out there on social media and marketing, as well as communications in general. If you would like to know who I'm listening to, give me a shout.

What's on your schedule?

Do You Have a Social Media Policy?

A current headline in The Tennessean:
Teacher's Facebook comments about student's suspension cause stir
Click HERE to read the entire article.

Start by setting standards. Here is a sample of Intel's opening statement for their policy:

These are the official guidelines for social media at Intel. If you're an Intel employee or contractor creating or contributing to blogs, wikis, social networks, virtual worlds, or any other kind of social media both on and off intel.com—these guidelines are for you. We expect all who participate in social media on behalf of Intel to be trained, to understand and to follow these guidelines. Failure to do so could put your future participation at risk. These guidelines will continually evolve as new technologies and social networking tools emerge—so check back once in awhile to make sure you're up to date.

Then educate your employees on social media etiquette. Here are only a few examples:

• It's okay to disagree but keep it respectful, appropriate and polite.
• Ask yourself if you are adding value to the conversation.
• Review your comments before pressing the "send" button. If you are the slightest bit uncomfortable, please take the hint and delete without sending.
• Even if your social media activities take place outside work, what you say can have an influence on your ability to conduct your job responsibilities.

Add in some policy, such as:

• What you write is your responsibility.
• Stick to your area of expertise.
• Be transparent.

If your company employs contract employees, develop a social media policy for them as well.

As with all policy, you must make your employees aware of it and ensure that they understand the policy, why it has been established and the consequences of not following it.

Does your company have a social media policy?

How to Remove a Facebook Page When a Loved One Passes

I have an old friend from high school who passed away in April. His wife has left his account active but she posts to it some days when she misses him. I don't know if she has his login information.

This question came up again this week when I was in a social media discussion group as one of the attendee's brother-in-law had passed away a few months ago and people were still receiving friend suggestions. She said it was very upsetting to her sister and her mother.

Link to Facebook policy

There is a form for family members to complete.

Have you experienced this on Facebook or other social media platforms?

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So Many Things This Week

We have a lot of social media items on our agenda this week and I say "bring it on!"

I will be attending the MPI:TN Vendor Trade Show this afternoon. I love to visit with the vendors and see what each property/company have to offer. I will also be taking video and pictures of our client who is an exhibitor, Visual Elements, to post on their Facebook page.

Today is also the day that another client, The Clean Plate Club, will be catering the Nashville NACE luncheon at Houston Station. Chef Chris, Monica and the team have a special menu planned and are ready to strut their stuff.

Thursday is the Social Media Workshop which will be very informal. If you or someone you know would like to attend, I still have a space or two left. Many people that I talk to are intimidated by social media and have basic questions that they need answered. So many of the social media educational offerings are so much more advanced and it is our hope that these informal workshops will help launch some incredible social media campaigns.

I am also getting geared up to exhibit at the TSAE Trade Show in September. Spending time working on printed materials and booth give-away. Hope to see you there.

What's your social media priority this week?

Only TWO Spots Left for the Social Media Workshop

A friend recently stated they wished there was a forum where they could go to get simple social media questions answered.

NOW THERE IS!

I am facilitating an (extremely) informal social media discussion workshop. Bring your questions, no matter how silly you think they are. Some examples:

• I read articles on "social media in five minutes a day." Can this be done?
• How can I incorporate social media into my events?
• My audience is way behind the learning curve. How can I engage them?
• Is it really worth the time and effort?

Date: Thursday, August 19, 2010

Time: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location: Visual Elements, 2416 Music Valley Dr., Nashville, TN 37214 (behind Cracker Barrel)

There is no charge to attend and I will even spring for some refreshments.

In order to have an intimate discussion, the workshop will be limited to the first six who respond. Send an email to beverly@netconnectgroup.com to reserve your space!

5 of My Favorite Facebook Pages

Crap at My Parents House
We used to help clean out houses for people who needed to downsize and we've similar items before. However, I am still amazed every day by what is posted on their Facebook page.

Visit Music City
Lots of places to see and events to attend in Nashville, Tennessee -- my hometown!

Ashley's Bride Guide
If you ever wanted to know what's happening on the wedding scene, look no further than Ashley's Bride Guide. Links, tips, articles, blogs, photos -- it's all here in one place.

The Daily Show
I love Jon Stewart! Enough said.

The Dog of Nashville
We just recently found this restaurant and loved it. They are running a weekly promotion called "Around the World in 30 Dogs" featuring location-inspired hot dog concoctions. If you don't eat meat, they have a veggie dog on the menu that you can substitute.

Please share your favorite Facebook pages or websites.

20 Fantastic Content Ideas For Your Online Community

Engage365 is an online knowledge community where association and corporate meeting professionals can network with each other and learn proven concepts and strategies to help their organizations maximize the use of social media for their events… yada yada yada.

20 Fantastic Content Ideas For Your Online Community
This article is not just for meeting professionals, as there are many good ideas for every business considering the social media marketing arena.

Thought-Based Social Media Dialogue

I was recently reading an article that I found online that contained a paragraph from Marie Domingo (@MarieDomingo) with regard to Twitter. She wrote:

"The best Tweets have a call to action or a link that includes an interesting photo or website. Followers following interesting dialogues."

This got me to thinking about the dialogues that are used to market a product, store or service. I find very few businesses follow this social media model.

My current favorite is Chef's Market who almost always uses a photo with their Facebook updates. The scrumptious food photos make my mouth water. The same happens to other Fans as they do post how much they love the food there.

I Love Website Magazine

FREE Website Magazine

I think it was Larry Baltz at Build Team ONE who gave me a copy and said I might like it. An understatement. I love this magazine.

You will like it, too.

Do Fans Really = Fans?

I was watching CBS Evening News last night and saw this story on the Barefoot Bandit. Toward the end of the story, there are a few lines about the bandit's fans on Facebook. The slant made it feel as if all of the fans of this person were supporters.

I am sure that many who are fans are curious bystanders who want to keep abreast of the story. Think about it. You have an interest in a particular story and instead of performing a Google search, you simply become a fan and links to almost every story on this topic will be in one easy, convenient place.

Have you become a fan of a particular Facebook page/person just because you are curious? I have joined many pages just to see what's up with a particular subject. Every month or so I go through and purge those that are no longer of interest.

I'm still a fan of Betty White to host SNL. I'm hoping she will do it again.

Random Ramblings

MPI:TN Fundraising Auction
Down to the last hours (ends at 5 p.m. today). Click HERE to find exotic vacations, services, gift baskets and a whole lot more.Proceeds go to Tennessee Chapter of Meeting Professionals International in order to support scholarships (I have one!) and chapter education and activities. Be sure to tell your friends, family, community. Did I mention that I am co-chair of the auction? Yes, I am.

Maurilio Amorim
I am enjoying reading Maruilio's tweets this week from Singapore. He keeps complaining about the heat and humidity there. Wait until he gets back to Nashville.

Martha Stewart's Twitter Tips
I was so disappointed that Martha's tips did not include anything to do with a glue gun and flowers from the garden. Anyway. It's a good thing.

My Mom's Facebook Status
My brother was helping my mother navigate Facebook and thought it might be funny to change her relationship status to "it's complicated" even though my parents have been married 50+ years. I'm sure that everyone who has been married that long will admit that it really is complicated. One of my mom's FB and "real life" friends saw the change in status and came to visit. My dad was outside cleaning up their camper (for us! Thanks, Dad) and the friend thought my mom was making my dad stay in the camper. Her status has now been changed back to "married" but it was much more fun when it was complicated.

Feel free to post whatever is on your mind. I did.

Words of Wisdom from Billy Kirsch

From Billy Kirsch's Newsletter dated June 2010

TAKING MY OWN MEDICINE: When I work with groups through my team building program, making suggestions for strategic planning, creating new ideas, and helping to create action plans, change seems easy. At least, easy for me. That's because I'm guiding and suggesting plans for someone else. It's so easy for me to drive or fly home from a program feeling self-satisfied, knowing I've made a difference for a group needing a catalyst to evolve or just regroup. But after a month of intense strategic planning for my own business, I'm not so smug! This is hard: stopping the day-to-day busy work, making time to reflect, to dig deeper, to absorb way too much information and to synthesize it all into a logical way forward that makes sense intellectually and also feels right. It has to 'feel right' to work, to engage us and to sustain us, as we move forward with new ideas.

What have I learned about this process by slogging through it for my own business?

• It's hard
• It's worthwhile
• It's overwhelming
• It's satisfying

And we need help from the outside to move from our old models, to shake things up. I spent most of my time the past month either on the phone with potential consultants, or sifting through their information and advice online. I had a point person, my brother Jim, who assumed the constant "let-me-bounce-this-off-you" role. It's very important to have some one who has some distance and can help us sift through the often overwhelming input, conflicting suggestions and new knowledge we're acquiring.

I'm renewed, refreshed, and ready to use some of my new found 'empathy' with my next client. I bet that during our group debrief with my next client, I'll have a little more understanding of just how hard it is to commit to change, to stick with an action plan and to share the confusion that often comes with the process. I can't wait!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I love this!

My husband once worked for Sunbeam Bread and we never had a loaf of bread in our house. We were always running to the grocery store just for bread.

We get caught up in helping others that it is hard to take the time to focus our energy on ourselves.

That's it! I'm taking time later this week to work on my company and myself. Sometimes it is just that "forest and the trees" thing.

Thanks for the inspiration, Billy.

Using Social Media to Your Advantage

When I meet with a potential client, we always have the talk about negative comments and how to handle them. The experts say to meet them head-on and ask what you can do to help.

I recently had reservations at an extremely "limited-service" motel in Indiana. In this case, limited service means they had a bed and a bathroom that I rented for two nights while in this town on business. No complimentary breakfast, no pool, no shampoo, etc.

My reservations were made online in February but when I checked in two months later, they would not honor the lower online rate. The motel had changed from a corporate owned hotel to a franchise hotel just the week before I checked in. I spoke to the new owner and he said that he would honor the rate and it would be no problem to change it. However, when I checked out, the rate had not been changed and I was charged the higher amount. The owner was nowhere to be found at check-out.

Incidentally, the front desk clerk at check-out told me that the owner had stated that he didn't care what corporate said, he would be charging whatever he wanted for rooms. She wanted to quit her job.

Upon my return home, I visited the corporate website and completed their online complaint form. The next day I received an email response stating that they would be contact the owner and would let me know his response.

I had already been down that road and I wanted something to happen quickly.

This chain of motels had a page on Facebook that I joined. My message was simple:

I guess I have just stayed my last night at XYZ motel as they refused to honor my online rate.

Their response was swift -- only about 10 minutes. They provided me with an 800 number. When I called they asked me to fax them copies of my reservation and the receipt. A return phone call within 30 minutes of doing that resulted in a refund being sent to me within 10 days.

Not every company is likely to respond this quickly or to your full satisfaction but I hope that they would at least try.

I recently saw a quote that stated something like:

Your customers are going to talk about you. Don't you wish they would talk about you to your face instead of to each other?

Have you had an experience of filing a complaint on a social media site? What was the outcome?

Why Do We Feel Compelled to Tell EVERYONE?

I am safe and dry here in my house north of Nashville and feel far, far away from the destruction of the recent Nashville (and other parts of Tennessee) floods.

There was a lunch meeting that I needed to attend yesterday that normally would have been a 35-40 minute drive. It took me an hour and 45 minutes to get there. Traffic was diverted off a major highway onto a secondary road that was not prepared to handle the traffic. Once I figured out how to cut through the back of a shopping complex (and shaving off probably 15 more minutes), I was on my way. Once I get almost to my destination, traffic backs up because the normal four-lane road had been cut to two. I was already stressing about how I was going to get home.

My lunch meeting was over in an hour and it took me another hour to get home as I decided to take my chances on road closures and head cross-country to find my way. It was new territory but all worked out okay. I'm just not planning to venture out again for a couple of days.

But, I digress.

During the lunch with my social media-challenged colleague she posed the following question: "Why do people on Facebook and Twitter think they have to tell everything they know about Nashville and the flood damage?"

I could only answer on how it made me feel to post on Sunday afternoon and Monday as I watched television reports in horror as pieces of Nashville history floated away on the Cumberland River.

It was cathartic to do so. I felt isolated, cut off from my network of friends and family. Lots of people were without power but they still had cell phone service to get updates. I wanted them to feel like I did. I wanted them to know what was going on outside of their own neighborhoods.

So, why DO you feel compelled to tell everything to everyone?

Top 10 Notes from Maurilio Amorim Presentation

I attended Meetings Industry Day yesterday and sat through a three hour (yes --- THREE hours! - I didn't know my ADD would let me do that anymore) session by Maruilio Amorim (@maruilio) which turned out to be great. I have blogged before on the fact that all of the social media sessions (in person or online) are beginning to sound the same and, I have to say, this was different.

First off, Maruilio did not use PowerPoint, he used Keynote. I have been playing around with Keynote and Prezzi and will now dig a little deeper into each one.

My top 10 notes:

1. New term - digital immigrant (that's another term for us old people who didn't grow up with computers.)
2. Amorim likes foursquare. I have been trying to resist but now realize that resisting is futile.
3. Google Alerts - I have been using them for myself and my company but had not thought of that for my clients. I felt so inadequate at that light bulb moment.
   
4. While this didn't come from Amorim , check to see if your desired username or vanity url is still available at dozens of popular Social Networking and Social Bookmarking websites at namechk. Thanks Angela Layton.
5. Use of photo tagging for viral marketing (ala IKEA). I have always loved IKEA and now love them even more.
6. You should create landing pages on your website that are specific to your different target markets.
7. It matters more what consumers say than what you say about yourself.
8. The more things change, the more things stay the same. Direct mail and email campaigns are still highly successful marketing tools.
9. Wednesday - Thursday afternoon is the time of the week when people buy the most online. Send your product promotion emails out during this period.
10. Create a way for people to share their thoughts. Use a thumbs up or thumbs down icon or ask what they think. Make it easy and quick.

Bonus Note: Don't create a page that you would not want to be a fan of yourself.

Can you think of ONE great social media tidbit you learned recently?

Not Engaging in Social Media Could be Mistake

"Social media is still in the formative stage. Not engaging now could be the biggest mistake you could make." -- Douglas Quinby, PhoCusWright

I attended a webinar last week where Douglast Quinby was one of the presenters and his comment really hit home. I have said this before but it bears repeating, "Social media is not a fad! "

I'm just glad to find someone who agrees with me.

Followers Follow Interesting Dialogues

We refer to social media as being about "the conversation" but does anyone really know what that is? I found the title of this article from a quote by Maria Domingo (@mariedomingo) which helps clarify what "the conversation" means. We use words like "engage," but how do you accomplish that?

Pretend you are at a reception where everyone is wearing HELLO MY NAME IS name tags. Someone approaches, you exchange names and pleasantries and then you ask something about their job.

Engaging an individual on your social media site means asking questions and listening to the answers. Find out about each other and determine common ground. Offer your expertise but don't be pushy.

Start a dialogue -- even if that means talking to yourself. Others will join in if it is interesting enough.

Are You Tired of all the Social Media Hype?

I was asked recently to speak later this year to a group on social media. One of the things they asked me was "do you think we will be social media weary by November?" I think the answer is both YES and NO.

YES because we are beginning to hear the same old rhetoric. Everyone's skill level is different and social media presenters are trying to cover all the bases but losing part of the audience because they are looking for basic, how-to social media nuts-and-bolts. You make the presentation too elementary and you loose the more advanced audience.

NO because we all still have a lot to learn as the face of social media is changing on a daily basis.

My belief is that if I can engage the advanced audience with the nuts-and-bolts audience in discussions with each other, we all benefit. I would no longer be the presenter but take on the role of facilitator.

I like that. It's better than the same old PowerPoint presentation.

Hashtags - Single Most Important Twitter Application for Meetings & Events

I believe that hashtags are the most important items a meeting professional can use when promoting their meetings and events. It helps funnel the chatter on to one back channel that makes the conversation easy to follow. The more people talk about your event, the more excitement is generated.

Hashtags are simply a short way of identifying your event. The # sign is the same as a hashtag. Don't get me started on all of the new language to be learned in social media. That is a whole new topic.

Let's say you are the International Society of Dog Bathers and your upcoming meeting is known as "Splash Your Way to Profits." You might want to assign the hashtag #splash to this meeting. A simple search on Twitter can tell you if your hashtag is already in use by another group.

Going even further, meeting professionals can get their speakers involved in promoting their presentation at the event. You could assign a hashtag to each speaker's presentation (i.e. #splashfleas for a presentation on flea prevention.)

Don't forget to communicate your unique hashtag by using it on your promotional materials, website, email signatures, blogs, Facebook event pages, etc. Attendees, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors and others cannot help promote your event for you if they don't know what it is.

Let's Jump into the Social Media Pool

Your social media options are limitless these days. Trying to make the right decision is overwhelming. Is there nothing more frustrating than putting time and energy into something to find out you took a wrong turn?

There are risk-takers who will jump into the deep end of the social media pool. They may spend a lot of time just trying to stay afloat and, most of them, will eventually swim. Once they jump in they will immediately become overwhelmed and take on water. They will feel like they are drowning and never see the light of day again.

There are middle-grounders who check out the depth of the pool and slide in just about the five foot mark so they are not in over their head. One step to the left and they are in the deep end so they spend their time just trying to keep their head above water.

Then there are the beginners. They dip their toes in. Once they are comfortable with getting wet, they will start in the shallow end and form a plan to move into deeper waters. Not every decision they make will be the right one but they will still have a goal in mind.

Diving into social media is very similar.

Many companies are jumping in the deep end without a strategy. Their efforts appear to have a shotgun approach. If something sticks, it must be working.

Other companies are seeking middle ground. They have put some thought into it but are still trying to figure out what works and what doesn't.

Start with a social media strategy. Get all of your team members on the same page. Make sure all understand your goals and are working as a cohesive group toward them. Don't be afraid to ask for advice or say you don't know. Social media is moving so fast, it is impossible to keep up.

I would love to hear from you about how your company has moved into the social media arena. I think the stories are all a part of the day at the pool.

Recap of My Recent Presentation to Meeting Professionals

I was the co-presenter (with Cynthia Moxley) for a social media 101 session at the recent industry day event of the Meeting Professionals International Tennessee Chapter and the East Tennessee Meeting Professionals. After reading an article in USA Today just prior to the presentation, we decided to change the format to be very informal and all about the CONVERSATION. Novel idea, eh?

A presentation had been prepared (you can find it on my Facebook SlideShare page) and it was projected on the screen but we didn't follow the script. Instead we just let the attendees start the conversation. If something could be illustrated via the slide show, we simply clicked through until what was needed was found.

Some of the things that were discussed:

• The vast majority of customer feedback is positive but the negatives are being referred to as "a tidal wave of whispers."
• If you do not have a social media presence, someone else will make one for you. It might not always be positive.
• For an organization to have a positive social media experience, goals must be defined, social media outlets must be updated on a frequent basis, and all who are involved must have a commitment to answer questions/concerns.
• Negative comments are not always a bad thing. It is all in how you address them.
• Utilize your Facebook events tab to promote your meetings and generate buzz.
• The hashtag is probably the single-most successful (and necessary) item to promote your events using Twitter.
• If your organization is involved in a volatile issue, be prepared to make honest statements and treat detractors with respect. (See previous blog entry regarding Nestle.)
• Be careful what you put out there via social media, especially with your personal information. Potential employers, criminals and friends-of-friends are watching.
  

Revisiting a Previous Blog Post

Remember a few weeks ago when I said that some businesses might have a volatile topic and might want to re-think the social media angle? Nestle is well on it's way to being a case study for how NOT to participate in social media. NESTLE FACEBOOK PAGE

The issue is their use of palm oil. It seems they are cutting down the forests and it threatens the orangutan population. Their canned response appears to be greenwashing and they have taken a militant tactic of deleting "fans" who post against them.

Nestle doesn't understand the very basis of social media, which is communicating. Having a dialogue. It's just not happening with them.

Are All Businesses Social Media-Worthy?

I was recently contacted by a hobby dog breeder who was thinking of adding social media to her marketing efforts. Halfway through the meeting it occurred to me that social media might do her business more harm than good. We met around the time of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, who had their share of PETA supporters in the audience, and that probably helped shape her ultimate decision. If your business has what I would call “organized detractors,” you should devote serious time to considering the consequences.

Many consumers know that airlines and hotels have pricing structures based on supply and demand and most understand how and why that works. But doesn’t it bother you just a little that the person sitting next to you on the airplane may have paid a fraction of what you did? If your business has a product that is offered at one price and at another price under different circumstances, your business not be social media-worthy.

Another business owner is thinking of retiring and closing her business within 18-24 months. The business is a franchise and cannot be sold to another individual. Realistically, by the time the synergy of social media starts to reach saturation, the owner would be dreaming of sandy beaches and sunshine.

Maybe social media isn’t for your business. To quote your mother, “Just because everyone else is doing it, doesn’t mean you should.”