Lauri Nilo, Social Media Manager at Simply Measured
By Cheval John
Today’s episode features Lauri Nilo, social media manager for Simply Measured.
This interview was recorded months before Simply Measured got acquired by Sprout Social.
You will hear
-how Lauri’s entrepreneur mindset led her to start her blog
-how she helped grew the readership of the Gonzaga University Student Publications’ Bulldog Blog by 1,141 views
-the importance of studying abroad
-the one person she admires past or present who she would spend one day with
Snippet on Vallano Media TV
Full episode on BlogTalkRadio
Simply Measured’s website: www.simplymeasured.com
Lauri’s LinkedIn Page
Quotes from Lauri Nilo On
COLLEGE STUDENTS GETTING INTERNSHIPS
I think it’s really important for college students to have an internship before they graduate so that they can see what it’s like in the working world.
A lot of times what you learn in the classroom can be different from how things are actually implemented in the real world.
Let’s say for example, I anted to be a social media manager when I was in college and I thought that this is what being a social media manager meant and then I just went straight into this position and I found out like, “Oh no, this is not what I want to do.”
That’s why you need to have an internship before you graduate so that you have a better realization I guess of whatever it is you want to do.
STARTING THE TWITTER CHAT #SIMPLYCHAT
I started #simplychat because I really was looking into engaging the community that we have on twitter.
When I looked at the data, I found that impressions were not the roadblock for us, it was getting the people to engage back with us.
So I started asking questions in the tweets I posted and then I was like, “Okay, what can I do to really get this community together?”
Then I learned about twitter smarter and I was like, “Okay, how can I create a community like twitter smarter” because that’s an example of an amazing community.
I was like, “Well, why can’t simply measured start their own twitter chat?”
So I talked to my manager about it and wrote up this whole proposal of expected outcomes and why we should do this.
Together we decided to give it a try.
It’s going pretty well.
OVERCOMING DOUBTS
I think it’s natural for people to have doubts when they are taking a step in what they consider a risk.
So I definitely had some doubts but glad I took this opportunity at simply measured.
MENTORSHIP
My main mentor is actually my manager.
I remember talking to her about this during my interview process and she mentioned that it’s really important for her to not really be seen as a manager, but as a mentor.
So she is my biggest mentor right now.
There’s so much I can learn from her.
For example, anytime I write copy for twitter, sometimes I’ll mull over it for like 15-20 minutes and then I realize, “This is 120 characters, I probably should not be spending fifteen minutes on it.”
So I’ll send it over to her.
She’ll look at it and ten seconds later, it’s ten thousand times better.
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM
I like twitter in my role as a social media manager because it’s easy to learn from other people about building relationships on social media in general.
On a personal level, my favorite is definitely instagram because it really challenges people to present their best side which is a good thing and a bad thing.
I think it’s really fun to look at other people’s lives through this curated fashion.
Four Ways To Build A Community On LinkedIn
By Cheval John
Many thought they was no value in LinkedIn because it was not generating buzz like Facebook.
However, LinkedIn has grown quietly to 500 plus million active users with no signs of slowing down.
The recent addition of native video video to their platform gives business owners and jobs seekers more opportunities to build a strong network.
Here are four ways you (as a job seeker or business owner) can build a community on LinkedIn
1. Do Not Send A Generic Invitation
When you send a generic invitation, it comes across as disingenuous because you only want to connect with them only to get new business or get an intro if they are connected to a big name influencer.
What you need to do is send a personalized invitation because the majority are not doing it.
Which leads to number two.
2. Do Your Research
You need to do your research on the person who you are trying to connect with.
Let’s say you are looking for work and you want to connect with a key decision maker.
What you can do is look at their LinkedIn account and see what they accomplished in their careers.
You can also do a google search and see if they have made an appearance on their local media outlets or even major media.
From there, you send a personalized invitation to the key decision maker.
Nine times out of ten they will accept because they saw you went out of your way to know them.
3. Share Other People’s Content.
You might think it is uncool to share your “competition’s” content on LinkedIn because they are vying for the same work position.
If your competition is sharing valuable content that your connections can benefit from, it does not make sense to withhold it from them.
What you are doing is robbing them of a solution that could help them take their careers to the next level.
Marcus Sheridan, who runs River Pools and Spas, wrote a blog post about the top pool builders in the Richmond, Virginia area.
Mr. Sheridan left himself off the list and still got business because of the willingness to recommend the competition.
Zain Asher, anchor at CNN International, shared during her “Trust The Struggle” TED Talk of how she coached her “competition” who was going for the same work position at a television station.
Video courtesy of TED Talks
Zain advised her on what to say during the interview process and how to present herself because she was the first to be interviewed by the executives at that station.
When you share your “competition’s” content, they will eventually become your biggest ally.
4. Use The LinkedIn Publishing Platform Wisely
You should not use the publishing platform just to advertise your latest book or events for your organization because it comes across as distasteful.
The platform should be used to share valuable content that solves a pain point that people are dealing with.
If you are a public relations major in college, you can use the publishing platform to write quality posts about the changing trends happening in the public relations field.
Or chronicle what you are learning during your time in a public relations practicum.
If you are consistent in cranking out quality post by the time you graduate, you will be way ahead of the competition when you are going for any entry level work in public relations because companies are now looking at google to find out more about potential hires.
Also, you can re-purpose your blog posts on the publishing platform to build brand awareness as well.
It takes a while to build your network on LinkedIn.
If you are consistent with all of these tips, you will have the right tribe which will serve you in the long term.
Do you agree or disagree with this post? You can share your comments below.
Mike McGuff, Blogger and Social Media Power Influencer
By Cheval John
December 13th, 2017
Today’s episode of What’s The Word? features Mike McGuff.
Mr. McGuff is a blogger who covers breaking news in the Texas media.
He was named a Houston Social Media Power Influencer in 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Mr. McGuff’s work has been featured in media outlets like the Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle, NBC News, The U.K. Daily Mail and CNN International.
He also been interviewed on media like ABC 13 Houston, The Roula and Ryan Show and Fox 26 Houston.
Mr. McGuff also served as a correspondent for ITV’s Good Morning Britain
In this episode, you will hear:
-How he started blogging
-Why Texas media outlets sends him press releases of changes happening within their organizations
-The importance of being patient in building a business
Snippet on Vallano Media TV
Full episode on BlogTalkRadio
Website: www.mikemcguff.com
Twitter: @mikemcguff
Quotes from Mike McGuff On
FACEBOOK LIVE
I think it’s important to remember that even if you do not have the audience immediately during the live broadcast, you will get more of an audience after the live broadcast in the replays in people’s feeds.
I think what businesses can do is show a more personal human side to the business and get the information out there that they want.
You do not want to sell or market to someone.
Video is a great opportunity to get in front of someone.
It seems one-on-one though it’s not.
But you kind of feel like you know the person when you are watching them on video and actually seeing them and hearing them talk.
I think that makes a stronger connection from the client or customer than just reading words.
So really you’re going to humanize yourself and get the person to like you or your brand more and you can be selling indirectly at that point.
BUSINESSES LEARNING FROM THE HOUSTON ASTROS
When the Astros were sold, they lost a lot of the heart and soul of the team.
What they smartly did was used analytics to look at what they needed and they drafted the players that could help them.
I think any business should say, “Nothing Is Immediate.”
You’ve got to take time to grow your business.
You got to use analytics and measurements to kind of figure out what works and what does not work.
You look for people with specific skills and have the smarts and talent that you can help nurture.
You want to eventually achieve your business goal.
So I think any business can learn a lesson from the Astros definitely in that sense.
Work hard and do it smartly though.
You really got to have an ultimate strategy.
Clearly they had a strategy laid out to win the World Series.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I think social media is a daily struggle.
You always have to have new content out there that’s relevant and interesting to your audience.
What can I do today that will get me more followers tomorrow.
It’s something you always have to be thinking about.
If I miss a day, it’s probably because I’m sick or extremely busy.
Even on vacation, I sometimes put out stuff on social media.
I learned that from working in television because you are putting content out there and I think having that training is perfect for social media.
TWITTER BEING AN UNDERUSED RESOURCE FOR ENTREPRENEURS
A large percentage of my audience are members of the media because that is where they are.
The reason they are on there is because Twitter is immediate.
It really is perfect for delivering news.
Twitter is a headline service.
Though Facebook is fun and has news too, it has a lot of extra distractions.
You can sort through twitter and make your own lists.
For journalists, that extremely important.
So it is a great way to get out in front of them because a lot of times, while going on assignment and their photographers driving, they are scanning their phones looking at twitter and facebook, largely twitter though to search for stories.
HOUSTON MEDIA PERSONALITIES WHO STAND OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Some of the most popular, Dominique Sachse and Jennifer Reyna, those are two of the top people I think of.
Dominique has a YouTube channel where she is offering make up tips because as a television anchor, she has done make up for 20 years on herself and has learned a lot about makeup techniques.
The last time I looked, she had around 50,000 to 60,000 YouTube subscribers.
This is not just the channel to viewers in Houston, this is all over the world apparently.
She gotten this massive following by doing this.
That’s pretty smart to be able to have one successful career in television and then having a totally separate career in YouTube.
John McClain of the Houston Chronicle and Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston are excellent at using twitter to breaking news on the social platform.
You can leave a comment below if you agree or disagree with this post.
Top 10 Livestreamers To Follow In 2018
By Cheval John
As we are coming close to the end of 2017, we can see the rapid changes in social media.
Facebook continues to be the dominant social media platform with over two billion monthly users.
YouTube is second with one billion monthly users this year
The biggest shocker was YouTube TV being the official sponsor of the 2017 World Series in which the Houston Astros won (yeah for my friends here)
Instagram (a subsidiary of Facebook) achieved 800 million monthly users and is on pace to reach one billion monthly users next year.
Snapchat has 178 million monthly users by the third quarter of this year according to Statista.
Though it is less than facebook, snapchat seem to be the dark horse in social media because they are more focused on dominating the iPhone market.
Which leads to video.
It has been the driving force for 78% of all internet activity this year.
It is set to be at 82% by 2021 according to Cisco.
Snapchat is leading the way with ten billion video views a day.
YouTube is second with five billion video views a day.
Facebook has 500 million video views a day.
It is a different story in the case of live video.
According to the state of live streaming by Go-Globe.com
17% of video views is on Facebook Live
16% of video views is on YouTube Live
12% of video views is on Snapchat
And more live streaming shows have become more professional looking thank to third party video platforms like Blue Jeans Network, Zoom and Crowdcast.io.
We can expect to see more businesses invest in live video next year due to personalizing their message to their target market.
We also will see more post cable networks created next year and become a force like Cheddar.
Businesses can take a look at the people who made the top ten livestreamers to follow in 2018 list.
They use a variety of social media platforms like facebook live, youtube, periscope and snapchat to put out quality content on a weekly basis and grow their audience.
So without further ado, here are the top ten live streamers to follow in 2018 (not ranked in any particular order).
1. Vicki Fitch
Vicki’s shows are business related topics since she is a direct sales expert.
She hosted Vicki Fitch Live, A Fresh Perspective which she interviews highly successful entrepreneurs.
You can catch her shows on Periscope and Facebook Live.
2. Jessika Phillips and Mike Gingrich
Jessika and Mike co-host Magnet Marketers, a weekly training which give the viewers advice on social media tactics and the latest trends in social media.
Sometimes, they interview guests who are highly regarded as the leading experts in their particular social media niche.
The show airs on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. eastern, 3 p.m. central on facebook live.
Chelsea is regarded as one of the leading experts on Snapchat.
She written a book on the social platform called “Talking In Pictures: How Snapchat Changed Cameras, Communication and Communities.
She is the host of ChelsChat, a morning weekly show which talks about marketing and the latest tools for social media.
The show is only on Snapchat and you would have to see them within the 24 hour time frame.
4. Kat Macauley and Chris McManamy
They are the host of “Simply Social Live”
The show dives into the world of social media, content marketing and other related topics.
What is really cool is Chris is based in St. Louis, Missouri while Kat is based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
They just completed their second season and will be back on Facebook Live next year.
5. Ross Brand
Ross is the founder of Livestream Universe.
Under the company, he hosts Livestream Stars, a weekly show which interviews live streamers who have made a dent in social media.
Ross recently branched out into hosting Livestream Deals, a show which showcases deals on products and services for livestreamers.
The shows airs on Facebook Live.
6. Stacy Harp
Stacy is the host of Bible News Radio, an interview based show which has grown a loyal listener base.
The show is now available on Spreaker and Periscope.
Jennifer host the JennyQTips, a show where she interviews experts on livestreaming and social media.
Her show airs on Facebook Live
Jennifer has been live streaming since 2015.
8. Winnie Sun
Winnie is the founder of Sun Group Wealth Partners and hosts a weekly twitter chat called #winniesun
She gives advice on finance and managing your money on facebook live.
This week, she has been sharing tips on smart spending during the holiday season.
Madalyn is a well known expert on growing your audience using twitter.
She is the host of two popular twitter chats called #twittersmarter and ManageFlitter‘s #socialroi.
Madalyn host a live streaming show recap with the guests of those twitter chats to dive deeper into the questions.
Both of those shows airs on Facebook Live.
10. Dr. Ai Zhang.
Dr. Zhang is a digital consultant.
She served as a professor at Stockton University in the Philadelphia area before moving to South Korea.
Dr. Zhang was recognized as top social media blogger at Medium and host “Classroom Without Walls.”
The show features experts in higher education and how they use social media to incorporate in their classes.
It airs Wednesdays at 5 p.m. eastern time on Facebook Live
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Lindsey is a reporter at Fox 26 Houston where she covered events like the Super Bowl and the World Series.
She gives her audience a preview on Facebook Live on stories she is working on for the station.
Sometimes, you will see random singing especially during the holiday season.
Meisha is an anchor/reporter for CBS Philadelphia.
She is also the host of #askmeisha.
The show talks about motivation to overcome all the obstacles thrown into a person’s live and learning to have an attitude of gratitude.
It airs every Monday at 2 p.m. eastern time on facebook live.
She is the founder of Smart Chic, a company which helps business owners stay laser focused on their goals.
Cynthia shares tips on how people can eliminate distractions from their lives and have a question and answer day.
It airs on Periscope.
Kami is the host of Social Media Breakfast Houston, a “seminar” where she interviews experts on different trends like livestreaming.
It is held at the Canopy Houston the second friday of each month and is filled to capacity.
The “show” airs on Facebook Live
Do you agree or disagree with this list? You can leave a comment below.
Popups Are Spam
By Cheval John
When you think you have figured out a social media platform, all of a sudden, they change the algorithms.
Now your social media campaigns have very little impact for your business due to the pesky algorithms.
Your try to learn from experts on how to “beat” the algorithm so you can get back to the glory days of organic reach.
Social media are rented land.
If you are building your business solely there, you will have problems.
The old e-mail is still important despite the growing importance of social media because it is your real estate.
When you build your subscriber base through e-mail, you can withstand any algorithm change in social media.
Which lead to the dreaded pop ups.
Pops ups are like the annoying commercials which interrupts your show because the advertisers are trying to get their product out in front of the viewers.
You are reading a fantastic article on a blog when all of a sudden, a pop up appears in the middle of the article asking you to subscribe to their website.
Some believe popups works because they will get more e-mail address.
The tactic of using the popup is very bad and it shows a person or company are very desperate for e-mail address.
That is where the social listening comes into play because you can see what people are chatting about on a daily basis.
The social chatter can give you ideas of what you can write about on your blog.
When you write quality content consistently, your audience will feel inclined to subscribe to your blog.
Over time, you will grow your blog organically through building your e-mail lists.
Even more important is the same people will share your content on social media to their audience which will bring more traffic to your blog.
This is the boomerang effect of building your e-mail lists the correct way instead of using the lame tactic of the popup.
If you decide to go the route of using the popup, you will end up losing the prospective customer in the long run.
Here’s An Additional Article on Avoiding Popups:
4 Easy Ways to Get More Subscribers (Without Using Annoying Popup Boxes)-Julia McCoy, Founder of Express Writers and Contributor To Search Engine Journal
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