Wednesday, February 12, 2014
SEO in 2014, Fact, Fiction and Sensationalism
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2014/02/11/seo-in-2014-fact-fiction-and-sensationalism.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
:: By Travis Bliffen
Working in the SEO industry, it makes me almost cringe to see the day’s long list of “the sky is falling” articles. People do not want the same old boring news; but does it have to be so misleading? No, and instead of ranting about it, here are 11 actionable SEO tips that still work in 2014 and that dispel just a few of the many sensationalized claims making the headlines today.
#1 Let’s face it, SEO will never die. So long as Google relies upon any type of algorithm to generate search results SEO will live. As we move into the future, SEO will evolve to include other traffic generation methods and for some niches it already has, but again, it will not die!
#2 Guest posting is not dead! Google has found a way to crack down on many link schemes over the years, the reason guest posting will survive is the fact that it takes two to make that link. You submit it and someone vouches for you with a link, which is the perfect strategy. Those being said, stay away from sites that auto-approve or are junk filled as spam is detectable by search spiders. Write something of value and you will have no problems.
#3 User experience is crucial. Most of you realize that a great mobile and desktop user experience is critical as the percentage of mobile users continues to climb. Some businesses have failed to update their sites to be mobile friendly, if you fall into this category; the time to update is now, unless of course search traffic is not important to you. Don’t forget to pay close attention to page load speed as well.
#4 Content creation- If you do nothing else, create content for your business and share it with others. So many companies blog non-stop on their own site gaining minimal traffic. Instead of updating your blog all the time, try reaching out to other related sites and creating some content for their site. To get the most from the link, write a follow up or more advanced article on your own site to link back to it. This will help you capture the right audience and drive higher engagement stats.
#5 Self-promotion is key. One day your company may be a huge brand that people cannot stop talking about, until then you need to promote yourself proudly. If you are an expert, share your knowledge with others through social channels, speaking events and even controversial guest posts. Remember, at the end of the day traffic and conversions should be your goal, not just rankings.
#6 You can live without social. Everyone is touting the benefits of social media and claiming it is the only way to gain top rankings….WRONG! Social media is a great way to get more traffic, but you can still rank without it. To further clarify, in 2013 SearchMetrics conducted a study of over 10,000 keywords and associated data. The results indicated that Google +1s and Facebook shares were the two primary ranking factors followed by backlinks at number three. Even if you do not have any social profiles of your own, adding share buttons on your website can help boost your rankings. To make a long story short, social sharing buttons are more important that being active on social sites.
#7 Local SEO is golden. Except for the fact that it is sometimes harder, it's tough to figure out why some SEO companies are avoiding local SEO for their clients. If you have a business serving a local area and are not using local SEO the time to start is yesterday!
#8 Closely monitor keyword data. Google has done its best to be a pain through the creation of secure search. However you can still get a ton of data about what keywords are working for your business. Using data from Bing can be helpful. You can also gather data from Webmaster tools and historic data. Including a search feature on your site will also allow you to see what users are looking for. Google has made it harder to get data but it is still available when you get creative.
#9 Don’t be afraid of change. Google averages more than 500 updates per year. Most are small and go unnoticed and a few rock the SEO practitioners to the core. Since the very inception of SEO change has been required and moving into the future we can expect it to happen even more rapidly. Those who are not willing to adapt will fail, however making changes based upon inaccurate data and you can also fail. Read and consider your changes carefully and do not be afraid to ask for advice from others in the industry or from SEO professionals if you are a business owner.
#10 Tiered link building still works! Tiered link building is often considered a black or gray hat method of ranking sites, but it does not have to be. While you should avoid using tiered linking as your only method, it makes a great addition to other quality link building practices. The key to effectively using this method is to create quality content and links on each level. Whether working in tier 1 or 3, spam links will hurt your main site in 2014 and beyond. Remember though, links are only one of the 200-plus ranking criteria Google uses so cover all your bases.
#11 Matt Cutts is not on your side. Face it folks, Matt Cutts gets paid handsomely to help prevent the manipulation of search rankings. Doing so helps Google earn more money on Adwords and “improves” the organic results they offer. A recent post on SEOBOOK covers the link building methods Google has labeled “spam” and as you will see, it doesn’t leave many options. The bottom line, take what Matt says with a grain of salt.
As the industry continues to evolve at a more rapid pace we can expect the mountains of misinformation to follow the curve. Regardless of what you may hear remember the following: would I build this link if SEO did not exist? If you answer “no” then take some time to learn more before acting and you will save yourself time and money.
Travis Bliffen is the founder and senior SEO consultant of Stellar SEO, a St. Louis based search marketing and design firm. Travis has worked with several national and international clients to date and enjoys researching and writing in the search marketing field. He has been featured at speaking events and on industry leading websites such as Website Magazine and Search Engine Journal. Connect on Twitter or Facebook for updates and actionable tips. -
See more at: http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2014/02/11/seo-in-2014-fact-fiction-and-sensationalism.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter#sthash.ZW9dtjd0.dpuf
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
4 free Instagram measurement tools
http://www.prdaily.com/socialmedia/Articles/14354.aspx
For the past few months, my friend Ryan has been managing a boutique called Apricot Lane
in a nearby shopping center. I
know 80 to 90 percent of the stores in this area are out of my price
range and, because they are so expensive, their typical customers are
more likely to
be women in my mom's age group.
I assumed Apricot Lane was another boutique for women older than me. That is, until my friend started an Instagram account for the boutique. She posted photos of the clothes, jewelry and new items. She even posted photos of people I knew modeling the clothes.
I fell in love with the different styles and fun items. I realized my preconceived notions were wrong, and was quickly convinced I needed to visit the boutique. Not only did I visit, I brought my mom and sister with me, who also loved it.
My wedding photographer and wedding planner are also on Instagram. I hired them both before I started following them on Instagram, but every time I see their photos I am even happier both of them will be part of my wedding day.
They post fun photos of their office construction, clients, DIY projects and everyday life. By giving me a peek into their lives, I feel closer and more comfortable with them as people and professionals. As my trust for them grows, I am inspired by their creativity and love for their professions.
By building identities on Instagram, Ryan changed my perception of her boutique, and my wedding planner and photographer continue to grow my loyalty as a client.
Perhaps this was their goal when they began their Instagram accounts, perhaps it wasn't. Either way, I'm proof that their time spent on Instagram is reaping benefits. But how else can they measure their Instagram success?
Here are four free tools small businesses can use to do so:
1. SumAll
I just started exploring this tool, and it looks perfect for small businesses looking to track their social media success, find out which network reaps the most benefits, and determine how social media affects the bottom line. I have to explore it some more, but it's worth trying for Instagram and more.
2. Statigram
This tool is solely for Instagram. It provides statistics, such as the amount of photos you have, likes received, comments, followers and more.
I like how it shows you the photos with the highest engagement, the day and time your users are most engaged, your most engaged followers, and your growth and loss in followers. You can even manage contests with this tool.
3. SimplyMeasured
This tool allows users to download analytics on different profiles for free as long as you agree to share a tweet to promote the company. You can download a detailed—and I mean detailed—Excel document that even shows you the engagement your photos had outside of Instagram. The free analytics report is definitely worth sharing a tweet.
4. Nitrogram
This tool shows engagement rates, statistics per photo, follower count and the number of photos shared.
Regardless of which tool you choose, it's important to measure and track your brand's Instagram success. Tracking your account's metrics and the engagement of your community can help you learn more about your audience, grow your existing followers, understand what your audience values and convert your followers into loyal customers.
Do you use Instagram for your business? Are there any other tools you'd recommended? Please share!
Rachael Seda is an account executive at CRT/tanaka. A version of this article originally appeared on WaxingUnlyrical.com.
4 free Instagram measurement tools
I assumed Apricot Lane was another boutique for women older than me. That is, until my friend started an Instagram account for the boutique. She posted photos of the clothes, jewelry and new items. She even posted photos of people I knew modeling the clothes.
I fell in love with the different styles and fun items. I realized my preconceived notions were wrong, and was quickly convinced I needed to visit the boutique. Not only did I visit, I brought my mom and sister with me, who also loved it.
My wedding photographer and wedding planner are also on Instagram. I hired them both before I started following them on Instagram, but every time I see their photos I am even happier both of them will be part of my wedding day.
They post fun photos of their office construction, clients, DIY projects and everyday life. By giving me a peek into their lives, I feel closer and more comfortable with them as people and professionals. As my trust for them grows, I am inspired by their creativity and love for their professions.
By building identities on Instagram, Ryan changed my perception of her boutique, and my wedding planner and photographer continue to grow my loyalty as a client.
Perhaps this was their goal when they began their Instagram accounts, perhaps it wasn't. Either way, I'm proof that their time spent on Instagram is reaping benefits. But how else can they measure their Instagram success?
Here are four free tools small businesses can use to do so:
1. SumAll
I just started exploring this tool, and it looks perfect for small businesses looking to track their social media success, find out which network reaps the most benefits, and determine how social media affects the bottom line. I have to explore it some more, but it's worth trying for Instagram and more.
2. Statigram
This tool is solely for Instagram. It provides statistics, such as the amount of photos you have, likes received, comments, followers and more.
I like how it shows you the photos with the highest engagement, the day and time your users are most engaged, your most engaged followers, and your growth and loss in followers. You can even manage contests with this tool.
3. SimplyMeasured
This tool allows users to download analytics on different profiles for free as long as you agree to share a tweet to promote the company. You can download a detailed—and I mean detailed—Excel document that even shows you the engagement your photos had outside of Instagram. The free analytics report is definitely worth sharing a tweet.
4. Nitrogram
This tool shows engagement rates, statistics per photo, follower count and the number of photos shared.
Regardless of which tool you choose, it's important to measure and track your brand's Instagram success. Tracking your account's metrics and the engagement of your community can help you learn more about your audience, grow your existing followers, understand what your audience values and convert your followers into loyal customers.
Do you use Instagram for your business? Are there any other tools you'd recommended? Please share!
Rachael Seda is an account executive at CRT/tanaka. A version of this article originally appeared on WaxingUnlyrical.com.
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
10 Social Sites You're (Probably) Not Using But Should Be
http://www.websitemagazine.com/content/blogs/posts/archive/2013/05/28/10-social-sites-you-re-not-using.aspx?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=newsletter
The Web is full of social destinations where people come together to answer questions, discuss news and share interesting information with each other.
In fact, aside from the ’Net’s most popular social sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest, there are myriad smaller, alternative networks where people participate in conversations every day. Most businesses are missing these conversations (a.k.a. engagement opportunities), because they focus their resources on the larger, aforementioned social networks. And while it is important to maintain an active presence on popular sites like Facebook and Twitter, reaching out to audiences on smaller social networks can help a brand foster new relationships, generate traffic, and build authority and recognition within its niche.
However, in order to participate with smaller social networks, you must first find them, which is why Website Magazine has compiled a list of 10 social sites that you probably aren’t using but should be. Check them out below:
Quora
This question-and-answer platform recently released a video on its blog that reveals that in just a year, Quora has grown by more than three times across all metrics. Brands can take advantage of this growth by participating with the Quora service, via answering questions, asking questions and creating blogs on this platform.
StumbleUpon
Many people use StumbleUpon to kill time and discover new and interesting things, however, businesses can also leverage this platform to reach new prospects. The social network offers a Paid Discovery option, which allows businesses to deliver content to relevant traffic. Companies simply need to submit a URL and select targeting preferences in order to get their content put in front of a new audience that is actively seeking interesting content.
Keek
This video-based social network allows users to create, share and watch short video updates. The site has grown its audience with the help of celebrity users like the Kardashians. And even though there isn’t currently a specific place for business users yet, individuals can sign up for the service and create brand-related videos, which can also be shared via email, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Flickr
Businesses can find success on this photo-sharing site by posting share-worthy images and videos, as these will be more captivating than standard product images. For example, brands can show off behind-the-scenes images of their staffs or products being made as a way to better relate with customers.
Sulia
This platform describes itself as “the subject-based social network.” It connects users with the top social sources on subjects they care about. Brands can contact the company to request to have their content featured on Sulia or to advertise within specific channels.
Klout
You may be using Klout already, however, it is important to know that this platform can be used for more than to just monitor your social influence. In fact, Klout recently launched Klout Experts, which is Q&A feature that allows users who are influential in a specific area to answer a frequently asked topic-related question. Then, when someone searches that question on Bing, the Klout Expert insights are displayed, which helps boost the expert’s visibility and authority.
Tribe
Tribe is a social network that connects people with like-interests. While this platform shouldn’t be used to spam other users or push your brand/product, individuals can participate in conversations with this online community, as well as post information listings and events.
HARO
HARO, which stands for help a reporter out, is a service that helps reporters connect with sources. This social service is particularly useful for B2B businesses, who can sign up to be a source and answer relevant questions in the hopes of making it into a popular blogger’s next article.
CafeMom
Many marketers target moms, as this customer segment is typically a household's decision-maker. Luckily, there are many digital destinations to find moms chatting on the Web, including CafeMom. This momma-based social network is full of ladies discussing everyday events. So even if you don’t feel like participating in these mommy discussions (because you don’t want to come off as a spammer), this site is an inspiring place to come up with content ideas for blog posts and email newsletters based on the subjects moms care about.
Foursquare
Although Foursquare has been around for a while, many businesses have neglected this location-based social network for more popular platforms, like Facebook and Yelp. However, this social network’s business tools make it a valuable way to connect with customers and entice them into brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, Foursquare recently launched a business-specific mobile application that allows brand managers to post updates and monitor activity on the social network.
10 Social Sites You're (Probably) Not Using But Should Be
Posted on 05.29.2013
The Web is full of social destinations where people come together to answer questions, discuss news and share interesting information with each other.
In fact, aside from the ’Net’s most popular social sites, like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and Pinterest, there are myriad smaller, alternative networks where people participate in conversations every day. Most businesses are missing these conversations (a.k.a. engagement opportunities), because they focus their resources on the larger, aforementioned social networks. And while it is important to maintain an active presence on popular sites like Facebook and Twitter, reaching out to audiences on smaller social networks can help a brand foster new relationships, generate traffic, and build authority and recognition within its niche.
However, in order to participate with smaller social networks, you must first find them, which is why Website Magazine has compiled a list of 10 social sites that you probably aren’t using but should be. Check them out below:
Quora
This question-and-answer platform recently released a video on its blog that reveals that in just a year, Quora has grown by more than three times across all metrics. Brands can take advantage of this growth by participating with the Quora service, via answering questions, asking questions and creating blogs on this platform.
StumbleUpon
Many people use StumbleUpon to kill time and discover new and interesting things, however, businesses can also leverage this platform to reach new prospects. The social network offers a Paid Discovery option, which allows businesses to deliver content to relevant traffic. Companies simply need to submit a URL and select targeting preferences in order to get their content put in front of a new audience that is actively seeking interesting content.
Keek
This video-based social network allows users to create, share and watch short video updates. The site has grown its audience with the help of celebrity users like the Kardashians. And even though there isn’t currently a specific place for business users yet, individuals can sign up for the service and create brand-related videos, which can also be shared via email, Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.
Flickr
Businesses can find success on this photo-sharing site by posting share-worthy images and videos, as these will be more captivating than standard product images. For example, brands can show off behind-the-scenes images of their staffs or products being made as a way to better relate with customers.
Sulia
This platform describes itself as “the subject-based social network.” It connects users with the top social sources on subjects they care about. Brands can contact the company to request to have their content featured on Sulia or to advertise within specific channels.
Klout
You may be using Klout already, however, it is important to know that this platform can be used for more than to just monitor your social influence. In fact, Klout recently launched Klout Experts, which is Q&A feature that allows users who are influential in a specific area to answer a frequently asked topic-related question. Then, when someone searches that question on Bing, the Klout Expert insights are displayed, which helps boost the expert’s visibility and authority.
Tribe
Tribe is a social network that connects people with like-interests. While this platform shouldn’t be used to spam other users or push your brand/product, individuals can participate in conversations with this online community, as well as post information listings and events.
HARO
HARO, which stands for help a reporter out, is a service that helps reporters connect with sources. This social service is particularly useful for B2B businesses, who can sign up to be a source and answer relevant questions in the hopes of making it into a popular blogger’s next article.
CafeMom
Many marketers target moms, as this customer segment is typically a household's decision-maker. Luckily, there are many digital destinations to find moms chatting on the Web, including CafeMom. This momma-based social network is full of ladies discussing everyday events. So even if you don’t feel like participating in these mommy discussions (because you don’t want to come off as a spammer), this site is an inspiring place to come up with content ideas for blog posts and email newsletters based on the subjects moms care about.
Foursquare
Although Foursquare has been around for a while, many businesses have neglected this location-based social network for more popular platforms, like Facebook and Yelp. However, this social network’s business tools make it a valuable way to connect with customers and entice them into brick-and-mortar stores. In addition, Foursquare recently launched a business-specific mobile application that allows brand managers to post updates and monitor activity on the social network.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The Truth about Facebook Promotions
http://thesherwoodgroup.com/business-education/the-truth-about-facebook-promotions/#.UZLuVYJAuAE
One of the best features of Facebook Promotions isn’t a single feature per se but rather the option to put a wide range of apps on your page. With the right third-party software and a little creativity, you can easily create an attractive, enticing promotion to increase your fan base and to boost your brand’s profile.
But there are some factors you should be aware of before creating a promotion. Unless your Internet marketing game is great all around, able to attract a large base, then even the best promotions aren’t going to have the effect you’re hoping for. It’s a numbers game in part that you should privy to.
Understanding the Numbers Game
The brands on Facebook that do the best with their promotions usually already have established fan bases and have an ample number of followers. The more fans a brand has, the more likely it is that a great coupon from a promotion will be shared with members of their network. So to that end, the numbers do play a large role. However, even smaller brands can have ample success as long as they put the time and effort into actually getting things right.
A proper promotion is a process. You can’t simply throw an app together sloppily offering a few percentage points off and hope to attract business. And that’s not even dealing with the fact that Facebook has a lot of rules out there that need to be adhered to.
Running a winning promotion requires:
You just cannot expect a promotion to be that miracle conversion-inducing step. You have to remain realistic; and realistically speaking, you should be able to see a spike in conversions if you’re offering an enticing promotion that meets the needs of your fan base. You should also see your numbers grow slowly as more people start to share your promotions with others. It will help build trust and engagement with your brand.
Why Brands Should Choose Facebook
So out of every social network you could choose from, why choose Facebook? Is it only because of the promotions you’ll be able to host from the site? Well, that’s certainly one of the reasons, but it’s far from the only reason to focus on this social networking giant.
You have to understand that Facebook is far and away the biggest and most popular social media site out there: a billion users, and they’re growing more every single day. The site also offers a mobile version of Facebook, which is great for your marketing efforts.
Facebook can act as the hub for all social media for your brand. By advertising on Facebook, you can post a wide range of promotional material, you can interweave your entire Internet presence, and compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is a very low-cost way to get your message out there.
Even if you only wanted to use Facebook to hold promotions, it would still be worth it. But with so many great features on the site, you can build up a thorough following and leverage promotions in order to up your conversion rates significantly.
Author’s bio:
Eric Taylor works as a freelance writer and business developer for a Facebook ad tool – Qwaya. The company’s goal it to provide extensive information, tools and up-to-date news about social media marketing strategies, most specifically in Facebook.
The Truth about Facebook Promotions
It should go without saying that, if you’re a company competing in social media, offering your audience incentives is the way to go. However, it’s surprising that so few brands using social media actually take full advantage of a site’s features. Facebook Promotions, for example, offers a wide range of options one can use in order to bring in the business, but many companies simply overlook them.
One of the best features of Facebook Promotions isn’t a single feature per se but rather the option to put a wide range of apps on your page. With the right third-party software and a little creativity, you can easily create an attractive, enticing promotion to increase your fan base and to boost your brand’s profile.
But there are some factors you should be aware of before creating a promotion. Unless your Internet marketing game is great all around, able to attract a large base, then even the best promotions aren’t going to have the effect you’re hoping for. It’s a numbers game in part that you should privy to.
Understanding the Numbers Game
The brands on Facebook that do the best with their promotions usually already have established fan bases and have an ample number of followers. The more fans a brand has, the more likely it is that a great coupon from a promotion will be shared with members of their network. So to that end, the numbers do play a large role. However, even smaller brands can have ample success as long as they put the time and effort into actually getting things right.
A proper promotion is a process. You can’t simply throw an app together sloppily offering a few percentage points off and hope to attract business. And that’s not even dealing with the fact that Facebook has a lot of rules out there that need to be adhered to.
Running a winning promotion requires:
- Reading, understanding and following Facebook’s promotional guidelines
- Selecting the right third-party software to create the application
- Targeting customers through a promotion with the same detail they’re targeted for products; i.e. catering to a niche’s need with a solution
- Creating an offer that’s enticing enough to not only get those likely to be interested to click-through and participate in the promotion, but also making it enticing enough to share
- Keeping your promotions sporadic and exclusive in order to give a true “sale” feeling to your company
- Ensuring that the promotion you’re running is very representative of your brand
You just cannot expect a promotion to be that miracle conversion-inducing step. You have to remain realistic; and realistically speaking, you should be able to see a spike in conversions if you’re offering an enticing promotion that meets the needs of your fan base. You should also see your numbers grow slowly as more people start to share your promotions with others. It will help build trust and engagement with your brand.
Why Brands Should Choose Facebook
So out of every social network you could choose from, why choose Facebook? Is it only because of the promotions you’ll be able to host from the site? Well, that’s certainly one of the reasons, but it’s far from the only reason to focus on this social networking giant.
You have to understand that Facebook is far and away the biggest and most popular social media site out there: a billion users, and they’re growing more every single day. The site also offers a mobile version of Facebook, which is great for your marketing efforts.
Facebook can act as the hub for all social media for your brand. By advertising on Facebook, you can post a wide range of promotional material, you can interweave your entire Internet presence, and compared to traditional advertising methods, social media marketing is a very low-cost way to get your message out there.
Even if you only wanted to use Facebook to hold promotions, it would still be worth it. But with so many great features on the site, you can build up a thorough following and leverage promotions in order to up your conversion rates significantly.
Author’s bio:
Eric Taylor works as a freelance writer and business developer for a Facebook ad tool – Qwaya. The company’s goal it to provide extensive information, tools and up-to-date news about social media marketing strategies, most specifically in Facebook.
Friday, April 12, 2013
Kmart will go viral with this commercial
I saw this today and predict a big viral hit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCGfgnU18yk
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Viral's Secret Formula
Viral's Secret Formula
April 09, 2013
Participants in a flashmob dance an improvised version of the Harlem Shake in front of the Berlin cathedral February 20, 2013Want to know why things go viral? Why some products get more word of mouth? Let me tell you a secret. It’s not luck.
Viral has become marketing’s Holy Grail. From the Harlem Shake to the Rutgers basketball coach abusing his players, hardly a week goes by without some video or news story going viral. And word of mouth and virality have a huge impact on businesses, large and small. Blender company Blendtec’s sales shot up more than 700% a few years ago after videos of the CEO blending things like iPhones spread like wildfire. But what makes something go viral?
If you ask most social media “gurus,” they’ll tell you it’s all about getting lucky. Viral isn’t a strategy, it’s like buying a lottery ticket. Or they’ll talk about cats. Lots of people share videos of funny kitties, so cats must be the reason things go viral.
All these theories are great, except, well, they’re not really backed up by anything. No data. No analytics. Just old fashioned guesses based on looking at a couple particularly noteworthy successes. It’s like the idea that the Earth was flat. It seemed right until someone actually looked deeper and showed, well…it wasn’t.
Virality isn’t luck. It’s not magic. And it’s not random. There’s a science behind why people talk and share. A recipe. A formula, even.
My colleagues and I have analyzed thousands of news articles and hundreds of brands, all to understand why some make the most emailed list or get more word of mouth. Again and again we found the same principles at work. Six key drivers that shape what people talk about and share.Those six principles are the basis of my new book, Contagious: Why Things Catch On, and the first principle is Social Currency.
New York City is a tough place to open a bar. Competition is fierce and it’s hard to cut through the clutter. There are dozens of options around every corner. But a few years ago Brian Shebairo launched a place that’s been packed since the day it opened. In fact, it’s one of the most sought after drink reservations in the city. Bookings are only available day-of and people frantically hit redial again and again hoping to snag a spot. Yet he’s never advertised the bar. Never spent a dollar on marketing.
How did Shebairo do it?
He hid his bar inside a hot dog restaurant.
Walk into Crif Dogs in the East Village, and you’ll find the most amazing hot dog menu you’ve ever seen. A Tsunami dog with pineapple and green onions, a Chihuahua dog with avocado and sour cream, and a Good Morning dog wrapped in bacon, smothered with cheese, and topped with a fried egg.
In one corner, off to the side, is an old-school phone booth. One of those rectangular numbers that Clark Kent used to morph into Superman. Walk inside and you’ll see a rotary dial phone on the wall. Pick up the phone, and just for fun, dial the number 1. Someone will pick-up the other line and ask you if you have a reservation. And if you do, the back of the phone booth will open and you’ll be let into a secret bar called, of all things, Please Don’t Tell.
Has Please Don’t Tell violated traditional “laws of marketing?” Sure. There is no sign on the street and no mention of it in the hot dog place. In fact, they’ve worked hard to make themselves a secret.
But there’s a funny thing about secrets. Think about the last time someone told you a secret. Told you not to tell another soul. What’s the first thing you did with that information?
You probably told someone else.
And the reason is something called Social Currency. People talk about things that make them look good. Sharp and in-the-know. Smart and funny rather than behind the times. If people go to a place like Please Don’t Tell, or even if they just hear about it, they tell others because it gives them status.
Social Currency isn’t just about hidden bars. It’s why people brag about their thousands of Twitter followers or their kids’ SAT scores. Why golfers boast about their handicaps and frequent fliers tell others when they get upgraded. McDonald’s used social currency to help the McRib sandwich take-off and RueLaLa used it to turn a struggling website into a $500M business.
Want to generate word of mouth? Get people talking about you? One way is to give them a way to look good. Make people feel special, or like insiders, and they’ll tell others—and spread word of mouth about you along the way.
Along with five other key principles (STEPPS: Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories), Social Currency is a sure fire way to generate buzz.
Will following these six principles guarantee that 10 million people spread your message? No. But it will increase the number of people who pass it on. Encourage people to tell two friends instead of just one. It’s like a batting average in baseball. No one hits a home run every time, but by understanding the science of hitting you can boost your average.
The next time someone tells you that going viral is about luck, politely tell them that there is a better way. Science. Word of mouth isn’t random and it’s not magic. By understanding why people talk and share, we can craft contagious content. And use it to get our own products and ideas to catch on.
Photo: John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images
Jonah Berger is a Marketing professor at the Wharton School. Want to learn more about why things go viral? Check out his New York Times bestseller Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Follow Jonah below to stay up-to-date with his articles and updates!
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