Top Story: Facebook to Launch App Center (in attempt to take over the world!)

As if there aren’t enough apps in the world already, Facebook decides to close a self-described gap written into its IPO by launching App Center, a center for applications that will run within Facebook, iOS, or Android devices.  The App Center is set to open in the next few weeks.

Facebook is modeling their App Center after Apple’s App Store and Google Play as it will be a single location for apps that are submitted by developers and approved by Facebook. However, Facebook is not planning to directly compete with these existing app worlds. Facebook will actually refer users directly to Apple or Google to install the app.

When you download an app, App Center will determine which device is making the request and then direct you to the appropriate store.  A requirement, however, is that apps have to be authenticated through Facebook, resulting in a single sign-on and integrated platform. So, though you might download to your iPhone, you will never really be leaving Facebook and the social network will be a part of every mobile app.

This launch is no trial and error for the social king. Even though you’re not buying directly from Facebook, you are using your Facebook login and the more users Facebook has, the more data Facebook gains on its users and the more targeted its advertising can be. So, every time a user logs in to an app using Facebook, it means they are not logging in elsewhere, and can keep other networks from expanding.

So in a nutshell, Facebook will not actually be selling apps, but pointing you to mobile apps on Apple and Google as well as pointing you to free web apps that use Connect (Pinterest & Spotify).  Sounds friendly, but this move is a well devised plan for control of the social web.

Be honest – will you continue using apps the way you have been or will you get sucked in to the Facebook conquest?

Under the Radar: Social Media is as Good as Sex?

And they say staying behind the computer won’t be any good for your social life. A study recently released says that posting on social media platforms like Facebook can actually feel as good as sex. So, maybe that’s a little far-fetched, but the science actually makes sense. The study was led by two neuroscientists at Harvard and the New York Daily News reported on the findings, which revealed that people feel good when they talk about themselves. And that’s exactly what many are doing on social media.

While we already knew users like to talk about themselves on social media, it’s being reported that 80% of social media is devoted to people talking about themselves. In “real life,” people only talk about themselves 30-40% of the time.  So, how does this relate to sex or a really good meal? Well, according to the article, “…humans so willingly self-disclose because doing so represents an event with intrinsic value, in the same way as with primary rewards such as food and sex.” So, self-disclosure triggers a response in the pleasure region of our brains, which means posting on social media platforms has the same effects as sex or a delicious meal.

And it goes even further than that. People enjoy talking about themselves so much, the study found that they’d actually give up cash-rewards for the opportunity to self-disclose. But we want to know if they’d actually give up sex or a four-course gourmet meal for the chance to send a few tweets or Facebook posts about how much traffic they’re sitting in on the highway.

While the study makes sense, it makes us wonder about all those people who use social media for so much more than self-disclosing. We spend much of our time on social media clicking on links put out by the people we follow and sharing and interacting with them in ways that we don’t have an opportunity to do in real life. In fact, we’d much rather do this than talk about ourselves on social networks. Of course, we’re getting pleasure from doing this, but is it the same kind of pleasure the study references?

Do you feel a rush when you post about yourself to Facebook or other social media platforms? What would you give up for the opportunity to post about yourself?

Around the Hub: Red Line, Next Stop Employment

This story has been the buzz around our office, so we thought we’d share it with you.  A Digital Media Manager at CampusLIVE (our neighbors upstairs!), Jack DeManche’s creative resume in the shape of Boston’s T map has gained him attention both online and off.  While many people aren’t fond of Boston’s subway system, Jack’s resume has been a big hit – just another example of creativity in the job market.

Via BostInno.com

The creative piece works well for a candidate seeking a job in the digital space (maybe not so much for landing a position at an investment bank).  Each train line represents a different area of experience or skills, and social media platforms are seamlessly integrated.

The lesson? Keep employers on their toes. They get countless resumes and cover letters that all look the same- if you have creative skills, showcase them!

Tool of the Week: Easel.ly Put Together Your Own Infographics

Infographics are hot right now. But I think you already knew that. They don’t just show up on social media news sites anymore, but in national publications and all types of other media. Lots of companies want to create their own because they are visually appealing, fun to share, and most importantly; actually give out information.

People are often overwhelmed because they don’t want to pay a graphic designer to actually create one, and that is where Easel.ly comes in. They let you actually create your own infographics with their design program. You can choose from a few familiar infographic templates, or build your own from scratch.

They provide a number of objects, such as shadow people and arrows. As it is still in beta though, the objects they provide and number of templates are still fairly low, and you cannot choose any background colors yet. Even with limited beta functionality it really does allow for a fast and easy way to create a fun infographic.

Here is one I created, obviously I am no designer, but I was able to insert images and objects and create this simple little cycle infographic in about 10 minutes. With some time and strong images (and hopefully some improved functionality and templates from Easel.ly), this could turn into a great free tool for marketers and companies who want to create an infographic on a tight budget.

As my time working as a Marketing Intern with 451 unfortunately comes to an end, it’s a great opportunity to take a look back at all that I’ve had the privilege to learn this semester.  One of the most exciting parts of this internship was attending the Boston Business Journal events each month.  While the BBJ was making sure that the event itself ran smoothly, they relied on the 451 “Command Center” to produce the promotional tweets as well as the live tweets to be sent out during the event.

Laura, Halley and Amanda at BBJ Pacesetters in front of the 451 Command Center

To be honest, as I began this internship, I had absolutely no idea how much work went into this entire process.  To explain the necessary prep work, let’s break it down into two parts:

1. Promotional Tweeting:

In order to build buzz around your event, you’ll want to send out some tweets before it’s set to take place.  We schedule tweets using our beloved Hootsuite Dashboard beginning about 1-1.5 months before the event.  These tweets can be anything you find interesting about the event: a special guest, an award winner, a panel discussion, etc.  They should always contain a shortened link to the event page as well as the predetermined hashtag for the event.  If you’re the one responsible for choosing the hashtag, remember to keep it short so that you have the opportunity to say as much as possible about the event in each tweet!

2. Live Tweeting:

First of all, you should know that you WILL be running around like a lunatic and will certainly be getting a lot of weird looks from event attendees. In live tweeting, sometimes you’re going to have to make yourself look like a freak for the sake of a great photo op.

The first misconception you can have about live tweeting is to think that it’s just that…live.  There is actually a ton of work that has to be done in advance.  Researching sponsors, honorees, and speakers for the event is necessary to ensure that we can get the best, most accurate, and most timely information out to the audience. Getting research out of the way ahead of time frees up time for taking pictures, quoting the speakers, and finding other interesting tweeting topics that will be of interest to your audience.

So, what type of content should you tweet at an event? Here are some ideas:
1. Pictures: Who doesn’t love a good picture? With all the free new mobile platforms designed for photography (Instagram, PhotoBox, etc.), taking pictures has never been so easy! Snap shots of table settings, flower arrangements, cool views, speakers, guests…anything!

During the opening meditation at the BBJ Healthiest Employers event, guests were asked to use peacock feathers as a point of focus in order to clear their minds. It made for a great photo op!

Some BBJ guests thought this was a great photo too....

2. Quotes: Think about what strikes you as funny, inspirational, unique, entertaining, and so on.  If it interests you, chances are it will also interest your audience!

At the BBJ Healthiest Employers event, winners were only allowed 3 words per acceptance speech, with each additional word costing them a $25 donation to Keynote Barbara Lynch’s nonprofit, Meet the Worms. As a live tweeter, this was a dream come true! It had never been easier to remember quotes exactly as they’d been said!

3. Questions: As always with social media, live tweeting is an opportunity for a conversation between you and your audience.  Ask questions! You can ask something that’s been asked by someone else during the event or something as basic as “What do you think of the food?”  You should then respond to everyone who uses the designated hashtag or tweets directly at you during an event.  Let your followers know that you’re really listening and that their opinions matter.  This is also an opportunity for free feedback! Take note of which information was retweeted or earned the most responses.  That’ll give you a clue as to what your audience wants to see or hear next time.

In the age of smartphones and tablet devices, you can be sure that live tweeting will not become a thing of the past anytime soon. So now that you’ve learned some tips for live tweeting, try it out yourself!  Most importantly, remember to have fun with it—it’s a great opportunity to unleash your creativity and further engage your followers!

-Katie O’Brien is a Marketing intern at 451 Marketing

@KGOBrien

Katie is a Senior at Boston College majoring in Communication.

From left to right: Seth Lieberman, Rob Shavell, Gerry Praysman, Melissa Lacitignola , and Francis Skipper at last Thursday's panel

Last week, 451 Marketing co-hosted a thought leadership panel with our friends from SnapApp. The focus of the panel was Facebook – how to engage fans, increase likes, and opportunities/challenges with the new Timeline format for brands.  In case you missed it, we’ve put together a few takeaways from the event.

Likes Aren’t the Goal

The obsession that brands have with the number of ‘likes’ their page has should be reevaluated. Sure, it’s great to have a lot of fans – but if it’s just a number and not a truly engaged audience. Quality over quantity was stressed.

We’re Not the Only Ones Obsessed with Images

We’ve known for a while that images drive the most engagement of any content on Facebook. Now that new tools like Pinterest and Instagram are on the scene, brands have an opportunity to increase engagement with their users using these innovative platforms. Integrating these types of content into your Facebook communications are key to keeping your audience engaged.

Timeline and Engagement

The panel agreed – there are pluses and minuses to Timeline. New elements are front and center. Think about tabs, which used to be buried.  Now, they can be prominently featured on a page to drive engagement.  At the same time, Timeline seems to lend itself to better, more content-driven posts. Again, it’s all about posting the best content – making sure it is engaging and something of interest to your core audience.

Have any questions about engaging your audience on Facebook? Let us know – tweet to us @451heat.

On Thursday, April 26^th 451 Marketing was recognized by the Boston Business Journal  for the second consecutive year as a 2012 Pacesetter. The Pacesetter list is comprised of the region’s fastest growing privately held companies reporting annual growth of at least 10 percent over a four-year period and have in excess of $750,000 in sales to qualify.

The event was hosted at the Westin Copley Hotel in the Back Bay where 73 companies were honored and announced  by placement order counting down to number one.

 More than 500 people joined the BBJ for breakfast to celebrate the 2012 Pacesetters!

Our table – and just when you thought the event couldn’t get hotter…

…out comes the 451 hot sauce to complement the delicious breakfast!

Anxiously awaiting to hear 451 Marketing announced are Partners Nick Lowe and Tom Lee

#35 was announced and the table smothering their breakfast with hot sauce (oh, wait, that was us!) was on its feet, cheering and clapping as our 451 Partner, Tom Lee, excitedly took the stage to accept the award on behalf of the company.

Tom kept it short and sweet saying, “Thank you to our clients and friends. We’re proud to support @BostonPal.” For every word in their acceptance speeches, honorees committed a $25 donation to Boston Police Athletic League, an organization dedicated to bringing the business community together with schools and police to help Boston’s youth succeed. 

Panelists at the Boston Business Journal’s 2012 Pacesetters Awards Breakfast were FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Jill Becker, founder of Cambridge NanoTech; Mark Hatton, president and CEO Core Security; Susan Leger-Ferraro, president and founder of Little Sprouts; Jon McNeill, CEO of Enservio; Mike Tuchen, CEO of Rapid 7 and moderator Steve Walsh, vice president enterprise services with Comcast Business Class.

451 Partners with the Pacesetters Award - Tom Lee, Nick Lowe, & AJ Gerritson

451 Marketing attendees in front of the  451 Marketing/Boston Business Journal “Command Center”

We are honored to be named a BBJ Pacesetter for the the second time and are excited at how fast we are growing as a brand. We’re looking for number three in 2013!! A big thank you to the Boston Business Journal for another exquisite event and for recognizing 451 Marketing as a 2012 Pacesetter!

You can find out more details about the events here.

Want to know how to grow, engage, and convert your Facebook fans? Join us for networking, drinks, and an interactive panel on Thursday, May 3 from 6-9pm Umbria Prime in Boston. This is a free event, but space is limited due so register now. The hashtag for this event is #FBAskExperts.

Co-hosts 451 Marketing and SnapApp have invited four Facebook experience gurus to share stories and insights on how to best market your brand on Facebook. Our panelists each offer a unique perspective on the ever evolving social media giant – but you decide what secrets they’ll share by asking great questions! In fact, you can share your questions in advance using a custom SnapApp Facebook tab.

Our Moderator:

Francis Skipper (@fskip) With more than 11 years of experience in global digital marketing including search engine marketing, advertising, and sales, Francis Skipper serves as the Vice President of Digital Marketing at 451 Marketing. At 451, Francis oversees all global digital marketing campaigns, including search marketing (SEO, PPC, Display) and social media marketing/ advertising. Selected B2B and consumer clients include

Like 451 Marketing at http://www.facebook.com/451Marketing.

Our Panelists:

Gerry Praysman (@gpraysman) – is the Buzz Marketer at Brainshark, Inc., the leading provider of online video presentations anytime…anywhere. Like Brainshark at https://www.facebook.com/BrainShark

Rob Shavell – as co-founder of Abine, an online privacy company, Rob brings a unique perspective in the successful merging of social media marketing and privacy protection. Like Abine at https://www.facebook.com/AbineInc

Melissa Lacitignola (@moelissa) – as Community Experience Designer at Gemvara, Melissa creates visually rich spaces where customers can engage and share.  Like Gemvara at  https://www.facebook.com/gemvara or, Pin What You Love!

Seth Lieberman (@sethwlieberman) – as CEO and founder of SnapApp, Seth shares a passion for enabling companies of any size to monetize their online and social marketing efforts. Like SnapApp https://www.facebook.com/snapapp

We hope to see you there! And, don’t forget to submit a question for our panelists here.

On Monday night, @LauraChristo, Account Executive, and @Halleyalice, Marketing Manager, attended PubClub New England’s Panel, “Consumer PR: Planning and Securing Coverage that Counts,” hosted by Thomson Reuters in Boston. The program focus was on consumer public relations and the holiday gift guide season that typically helps consumers find the year’s hottest products and services. Our panel of experts will share their tips for advance planning and securing coverage.

Panelists included: 

Leigh Harrington, Editor, Where Boston @whereboston

Courtney Hollands, Senior Editor, Lifestyles at Boston Magazine @courtney_boston

Audrey McClelland, Lead Blogger, Mom Generation @AudreyMcClellan

Karen Pevenstein, PR Manager, Staples @danprimack

Sabrina Strelitz, Freelancer, RI Monthly and Stuff Magazine; Former Editor, InStyle Magazine @amomentinstyle

The event was moderated by: 

Annette Maggiacomo, Partner and Vice President of PR, Duffy & Shanley, Inc. @amaggiacomo

Annette opened by saying how disappointing it was to see “PR folks who were just not doing it right.” So, what are the top pointers from the panelists on doing it right?

Here are Halley and Laura’s top ten takeaways:

• Be Relevant

Across the panel, there was a resounding consensus to “Do your research!” – On the publication’s rubrics, the editor, and the journalist you are pitching. Nothing is more annoying than a pitch from a PR professional that has absolutely nothing to do with the person you are pitching. Stay on top of trends and if you can suggest which rubric the story should fit into, that’s even better, says Courtney Hollands. Also, if your client’s competitor did a similar campaign six months ago, they aren’t likely to run the story.

• Know Deadlines

For daily publications, know that 9 times out of 10, they’re slammed around 3:00pm to 4:00pm trying to made their deadline, so don’t call them then. For long-lead publications, know what their lead times are. Courtney Hollands said that Boston Magazine will be gathering information for their holiday issue over the summer and really putting it together in October, so keep that in mind when pitching her. If you are too early, you are likely to be forgotten. If you are too late, you are dead in the water.

• Be Clear

Make your point clear – ambiguity in releases and pitches is a major no-no.  Get to the point – Leigh Harrington let us know that typically, she only reads the first sentence of a pitch, so make sure that’s where the ‘meat’ of your pitch is.

• Just the Facts

Again, make sure you get your message out in a quick message at the begin.  Provide all the pertinent information in a concise introduction, then give details later in your message. Sabrina Strelitz let us know that images in pitches are a “must” for her, as well as where the product is available and what the MSRP is.

• Relationships are Everything

Make the relationship easy for them – find a common ground, provide them with what they need, and when they need it. Catering to journalists, like with a deskside media tour that fits into their schedule, can make or break the relationship. If your client is unable to take an opportunity, be honest, apologize and let them know as soon as possible. If you’re reliable, Sabrina Strelitz says, she’s more likely to reach out to you proactively in the future.

• Pick up the Phone

The panelists said they rarely receive cold phone calls anymore and like it. However, a pointer from Leigh Harrington – “Ask if I have a minute rather than immediately jumping into a full on pitch. We’re all strapped for time.” Also, Courtney Hollands said that using a phone call as a follow up to an email is an effective way to reach her. Voicemails are your best bet when trying to reach her.

• Connecting on Social Media?

Following on Twitter is a yes, but connecting on LinkedIn is only appropriate if you have actually met. Facebook is really only for close contacts, so probably not appropriate for a professional contact.

• Check Before you Send

Not all publications accept unsolicited samples. For example, Sabrian Strelitz let us know that InStyle Magazine actually sends them back, and Courtney Hollands let us know that at past publications, they weren’t even allowed to accept Christmas gifts. Make sure you know their policies before putting your product in the mail – you may never get it back and coverage is never guaranteed.

• Know Where They Are

When pitching via social media, make sure you know which channels the journalists are using. For example; Audrey McLelland and Sabrina Strelitz said that because they are bloggers, pitching via Twitter is just fine. However, other journalists on the panel conduct everything via email. Audrey also said that there is a lot of pressure on bloggers now to not only be on Facebook and Twitter, but also on YouTube and Pinterest. They are building themselves as brands now, so make sure you know all of their properties before pitching.

• Be Exclusive

With consumer pitching, exclusivity can be vitally important. Both Sabrina Strelitz and Audrey McLelland let us know that beating their competitors by having a product first drives much of their editorial content, so make sure you offer exclusives wherever you can.

Were you at the panel or do you deal with consumer reporters? What are some other tips, tools and tricks of the trade? Let us know in the comments section below.

Check out the event with hashtag #PubClubofNE and follow us @451Heat!

Halley Sheffield @halleyalice and Laura Christo @LauraChristo

Top Story: Olympics go Social with New Online Hub Connecting Fans and Athletes

The 2012 Summer Olympics are being dubbed the world’s “first social games” where marketers are creating buzz around all social media outlets in hopes of creating awareness around their brands. Advertisers are targeting social media to help raise brand profiles and engage consumers to chat about promotions online.

But it’s not just the marketers chatting on Facebook and Twitter. The 2012 London Olympics created an online social hub for athletes and fans to connect and interact. The International Olympics Committee organized a site called the Olympic Athletes’ Hub as an effort to better engage fans and create interactions with participating athletes.

The hub integrates Twitter and Facebook feeds of the athletes into one combined feed. Fans can sign up and search the directory by athlete name, country, sport, discipline, or event. Currently there are 1,000 athletes in the hub and more participants will be added as they qualify for events.

In order to create interaction and engagement, the hub has created contests for fans to win prizes; including attending the games, by liking athletes’ Facebook pages and following them on Twitter.

During the London 2012 summer Olympics athletes will:

• Have real time text chats with fans from inside the Olympic Village
• Share their results and engage with fans
• Experience growth in their social media following

Springpad recently re-launched with a whole new look, feel and purpose. What was originally more of an individual list-maker and web page clipper is not uber-Pinterest. While it doesn’t have the audience Pinterest does, Springpad does have a more fully built out functionality for individual ‘Springs’ (think Pinning on Pinterest).

The features that really stuck out for me are;

• Product locators for some items. While it does not appear this is fully built out – I clicked on a Spring of a wine, and was given a location to buy the wine by entering my zip code. This online to offline location can be very powerful for marketers.
• Smart Springs. When I click on a food recipe spring it gives me not just the option to say I ‘like’ it but also an option for ‘want’ and ‘cooked’. This recognition of the difference between major Sprung items is a nice touch.
• Private lists. This one is where I feel Pinterest has really fallen short – being able to privately share boards with friends is a basic, but valuable feature.
• Spring breakdown. Springpad automatically categorizes your springs by type (at least on a major category level). It has broken mine down to recipe, book, note, TV show and checklist.
• Notes and web clipping. As Springpad began as more of an Evernote-type product, they have retained much of this functionality. You can easily create checklists and clip Web pages with a simple Chrome plugin.
• Attractive mobile experience. The iPhone app is user friendly, aesthetically pleasing and seems to have most if not all of the Web functionality.

Overall I have found Springpad to be a valuable tool for business and pleasure. Give it a try and find out if Springpad will work for you as well, and let us know what you think!

Around the Hub: The Red Sox Take Some Social Media Initiative

The Boston Red Sox are finally seeming to catch on to something the Celtics, Patriots, and Bruins have understood for quite awhile now. Social media sells. And fans want to hear from their favorite teams and participate in all things team spirit on social media. In all fairness, the entire Major League Baseball organization has been very slow jumping aboard the social media train; not just the Red Sox organization. Sure the Sox are on Facebook and Twitter these days; they just haven’t been too actively interacting with fans or letting us get involved in any promotions.

But with Fenway Park’s Opening Day and their 100th birthday celebration, Bostonians finally saw some signs of life from the Red Sox on the interwebs. And an opportunity to actually get involved. In honor of the celebration, they filled 100 balloons with pairs of game tickets and hid those balloons around Boston. Then, they created a hashtag for the promotion and revealed clues about the balloons whereabouts on their Twitter account. Of course, fans went wild trying to find the tickets and eagerly talked up the team on Twitter.

According to BostInno, the promotion allowed to Sox to double their daily Twitter followers and increase average mentions by 1.5 times. So, was the successful campaign enough to keep the Red Sox going on social media? We think so and have a feeling the 2012 season will be the year we see all of the MLB teams bloom online in a big way. In fact, the Red Sox are very recently joined  Pinterest and Tumblr, too. Now we’re just waiting for them to create a gathering spot for all things social media, like the Bruins recently did. And more of those ticket giveaways, exclusive to followers on social media. Game on.

As PR professionals, we are always racking our brains to develop impressive, effective writing techniques to engage our intended audience and achieve our desired result. Recently, three members of our 451 Marketing team attended a writing workshop hosted by the Publicity Club of New England (PubClub) where Ken O’Quinn @KenOQuinn, founder of Writing with Clarity, provided insight on how to write more effectively, by organizing, focusing, simplifying, and crafting. Ken is a former AP writer and now professionally coaches writers. He has worked with business professionals and executives at companies such as GE, Chevron, Visa, Oracle, John Deere, UPS, Reebok, and more.

Below are some pointers we picked up from Ken:

1. A draft is a draft is a draft

Ken hammered home the idea of loosening up during the drafting process and getting everything out on paper before editing and refining. He reminded us that our drafts don’t have to be perfect, because no one will even see it the first time around. It seems like an obvious piece of advice, but a lot of us get so caught up in making things perfect when we write that we end up wasting time and complicating the process by trying to simultaneously write and edit. It is much easier and more efficient to get your main points down on paper and go back to wordsmith afterwards before even sending it to a supervisor or colleague for their edits.

2. Always keep the reader in mind

According to Ken, the key to strong and effective writing is to ask yourself important questions from the reader’s perspective before you even begin to write. He encouraged us to differentiate between what the reader needs to know and wants to know. From there, determine exactly how much information to include. It’s also important to consider what you want the reader to do after reading our message, which sometimes is nothing if the message only serves to impart information. It’s easy to load messages with as much detail as possible so there are no questions left unanswered, when, in reality, including too much information often hinders our message from being received. If we ask ourselves these essential questions before writing, it will ensure that only the most vital news reaches the reader and we achieve the desired result.

3. There’s no such thing as a silly question

Ken discussed how to get the most out of an interview. Preparation is key – do your homework! Have a clear understanding of what you want to learn from the person you are interviewing to prevent wasting time thinking of questions during the interview. Remember to ask short questions because the shorter the question, the longer the answer and vice versa. Ken mentioned asking questions that begin with “why” and “how” to obtain the best answers. Although we’ve been told a million times before, it’s important to remember that there really is no such thing as a silly question.  Make sure you ask any and all questions to help you write effectively. You have to understand it to be able to write about it!

4. Organize your thoughts

Ken noted that typically writers tend to include more information than necessary which can cause readers to immediately lose interest.  To help edit your content, he recommends re-reading the material and asking yourself, what is the real news here?  Try to fit the imperative news into one sentence to help trim excess words and details.  Also, ask yourself, what will this enable someone to do tomorrow that they can’t do today?  Does it allow them to do something more efficiently or faster? Does it offer convenience or improve employee productivity, etc.?  Whether it’s a product, service, or event, think about how it impacts the reader’s life.  This is a great tip that’s applicable not just for press release writing, but for pitches, marketing materials, website content, etc.

5. Crafting the perfect language

Seeing is believing – Ken said when readers can “see,” they will grasp your meaning quickly. We learned how important it is to focus on painting a clear image for readers by way of metaphors and similes because it will enable readers to visualize similarities between an abstract idea and something more familiar. Ken reminded us that word choice is a huge factor to crafting cohesive, effective sentences that readers can grasp easily. This includes using industry jargon, avoiding cliché buzzwords, simplifying language, and using examples.

6. Say more with less

At the end of the discussion, Ken reviewed basic writing tips, such as avoiding unnecessary forms of the verb “be” and surplus prepositions like “by, of, for, from.” He also recommended to try not to bury strong verbs – i.e. don’t say “she provided an explanation of the changes” when you can say “she explained the changes.” Additionally, he pointed out we should avoid redundancies like “my personal opinion” and “positive benefits.” While his tips may seem obvious, they’re a helpful reminder. As PR professionals, we love words – we love to talk, and we love to write – and sometimes we love them so much we tend to use more of them than needed.  We definitely can be verbose – so this was a handy reminder to take a step back and review our words so we can remove those words that are edit our work.

And that’s a wrap (cliché to avoid)!

We were excited to review key writing components that we learned long ago, but have since slipped our minds. Ken was a great reminder of all writing blunders and best practices to be aware of when trying to pitch with a purpose and mean it! A big thank you to Ken for his expertise and friendly coaching last night and to the PubClub for organizing the event.

Were these tips helpful for you? Do you have any tips you could add? Check out the event with hashtag #PubClubofNE and follow us @451Heat!

Alice DuBois @aedubois, Meredith D’Agostino @LadyMusic, and Amanda Jupena @AmandaJupena

What isn’t online anymore? Our relationships, social networks, finances and shopping experiences have already migrated online. Millions of people log on the Internet everyday—multiple times a day. It’s no surprise that advertisers want to grab a piece of market share through the Internet. They just need to hold enough attention from Internet users to get them clicking.

What better platform to display their advertisements than on Google? Advertisers and marketers can surely take advantage of Google tools to develop their search engine marketing campaigns, place their advertisements, and track results.

Pay-per-click or PPC ads can be seen on the top and on the right hand side of a search engine result page. Ad copy is important in a PPC campaign, since the content is textual. As the name suggests, advertisers are charged some amount when users click on the displayed ads. To become successful, there are few tips to follow in writing Google ad copy.

1)   Follow Google’s ad copy rules.

The ad copy consists of 4 lines:

- A headline (ad title) limited to 25 characters including spaces

- 2 lines of description (more information, call-to-action words), each limited to 35 characters

- Display URL – the “pretty URL” (hyperlinked to the destination URL).

2)   Get to the point

With a character limit, tailor your language to attract a potential online customer. Include at least one of your keywords in your ad copy. Highlight prices, special offers, promotions and other details that customers may be looking for from their query.

3)   Include call-to-action phrases in the description lines

This will communicate a short and sweet sales pitch to customers. Sample phrases: contact, sign up, buy now, or order today.

4)   Match Ad Copy to Landing Page

Check if the webpage content matches what the ad describes and promises.

5)   Write several versions/copies of the ad copy

Draft several versions of the ad concept, review the performance (# of clicks, sales) after few weeks, and revise them if needed.

Learn With Google tutorials to online advertising:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlI_ji7uuMQ&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05we2g3Edgs&feature=channel

Written by 451 Marketing search marketing intern Yao Wen.  Yao is a senior at Simmons College majoring in Communications.

Top Story: FaceGram, InstaBook – Whatever You Call It – What Does It Mean?

When it was announced that Facebook bought Instagram for 1 Billion (yes, with a B) dollars, three shock waves went through the tech and mobile community. The initial shock was “Wait, Facebook bought Instagram for 1 BILLION?” Followed by a longer lasting and resounding shock – “What the hell is Facebook going to do with Instagram?”

In well under 24 hours a lot of different theories have been thrown out as to why Facebook bought its mobile photo sharing competitor:

1. Facebook wants Instagram user’s data. Really? Facebook spent 1 billion dollars on 30 million people’s data when they have over 850 million users already sharing TONS of data every day?
2. As investor Chris Dixon tweeted, “Giving up 1% of your market cap to take out your biggest threat is a savvy move.” Possible, but is Instagram’s 30 million users really a 1 billion dollar threat? Seems like there is more to it than that?
3. It was a pure user buy. Does Facebook really need 30 million more users? Not for 1 billion, when they are still expanding internationally.
4. Highly engaged mobile users = mobile ad revenue. Instagram is farther from mobile ad revenue than Facebook is now.
5. Use Instagram to improve the mobile experience? This is a vague answer – but seems the most reasonable. Facebook’s mobile photo-uploading experience is miserable. It takes too many clicks, is slow and often crashes. Instagram on the other hand has an uber-fast upload process – combined with filters, blurring, framing, etc. All these features and easy upload process are very appealing to Facebook who sees around 100 million photo uploads a DAY.

It will be interesting to see exactly how deep of an integration Facebook and Instagram pursue, or will Facebook simply steal some of Instagram’s mobile experience and convert it to the less than satisfactory mobile apps.

Side Note: It was announced today that three Maryland public school workers share a $105 Mega Millions jackpot payout, which to anyone is a large one day payout. But, when you compare it to what the Instagram employees are splitting (albeit, probably not equally) it looks like pocket change. There are only 13 Instagram employees for that huge 1 billion dollar payout.

Under the Radar: Sephora’s Website Gets a Social Makeover

In a time where so much is rapidly changing in the social media field, it can be a challenge for businesses, especially retailers, to keep up. But one major retailer recently made huge leaps in keeping up with social media: Sephora. If you’ve been to the beauty product store’s website lately, you’ve likely noticed a little sprucing up going on.

In addition to having very visible icons to their social media properties, Sephora’s been working hard on building up their Pinterest boards. They’re even encouraging their salespeople to start their own boards, so customers can see what the knowledgeable staff is choosing in terms of beauty products. And, of course, Sephora has placed “Pin It” buttons next to all products on their website, in hopes that customers will start adding the store’s products to their own pinboards. This is especially important considering many of Sephora’s products can be purchased at various other locations and websites. If Sephora’s getting that direct link from a product being pinned, it’s more likely the product will be purchased from their website. The brand just launched their very first Pinterest sweepstakes, as well.

The beauty product store has also just joined Instagram, posting behind-the-scenes at Sephora photos, as well as shots of new beauty products and fabulously painted nails. Oh, and of course, this is all in addition to the now “traditional” Facebook and Twitter accounts. We love that Sephora isn’t taking things slowly and their diving in to as many platforms as they can.

Sephora is even taking steps to bring digital into their brick-and-mortar stores. There will soon likely be iPads in stores, allowing customers to check out user reviews of various products and learn more than perhaps the salesperson is willing to tell them.

Do you think other online retailers will start following Sephora’s lead and jump into all things social media feet first? Many retailers seem to be resistant to fully immersing themselves and, of course, we understand the risks. But it’s our belief that the benefits strongly outweigh these risks. Social media gives your brand the opportunity to stay front-of-mind for everyone who follows your platforms. Consumers will begin to see your brand everywhere they go and then they can easily access information and reviews about your products, that makes it much more convenient for them to hit that “purchase” button.

Around the Hub: #Hashtag Joggler

Taking social media a step further, a UNH student and marketing intern for The Meat House, will run the Boston Marathon with a hashtag tattooed on his chest: #MeathouseJoggler.  Joggler?  That’s right. According to his twitter profile, Thomas Gounley (@tgounley) will be “Running the Boston Marathon while juggling.”  So, not only is he making his body into a human Nascar, he intends to run the world famous sporting event while juggling.

According to a recent interview with BostInno, Gounley came across the idea when flipping through the Guiness Book of World Records.  While the Marathon won’t come close to the record (which currently stands at 50 miles), we like the idea of body art for digital PR.  We’ll definitely be tracking the hashtag while enjoying the race on Monday!

Tool of the Week: LeFeed

It can be difficult to monitor activity on Facebook, especially if your brand gets an escalated amount of interaction and you want to follow clients’ newsfeeds.  Enter Lefeed.com, a tool with a goal of improving users’ news feed experience.” LeFeed’s +/- system allows a user to teach the tool about the types of updates you’d like to receive in your feed to show which types of information (updates, images, links) a user prefers and from which users.

This could be especially advantageous to a brand.  Say, for instance, you have a goal of featuring more images on your feed.  You can use this tool to find posts with images from users you like and trust to share with your users. Just another example of a free tool that can help to streamline information consumption and sharing for individuals and brands.

Let us know what you think about this week’s #451Labs post – tweet to us @451Heat.