Lesson #8 - All Things Tweet Worthy

 ~ The Past ~

Twitter was created by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, and Biz Stone; three co-workers at Odeo Inc, a podcasting company in San Francisco, California. Their intention, when first creating the site, was just to find another way to send simple text messages from their cell phones. The first official tweet was sent on March 21, 2006 by @Jack (Jack Dorsey) – it simply read “just setting up my twttr.” The rest, we can easily say, is history.

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, where did the name Twitter come from in the first place? The original product/code name was actually “twttr,” inspired by the likes of Flickr and SMS short codes being only five characters long (keep in mind, the purpose of the initial program was to simply send text messages).  In the beginning, there was no limitation on the amount of characters you could include. However, the messages would not always be delivered in order and cell phone bills were getting slightly out of hand with all of those additional SMS texts being sent! Eventually, the creative team settled on 140 characters; this would allow room for a member’s username and a colon (;) at the beginning of each message.

“Twttr” launched to the public on July 15, 2006 as a web-based site and was described as “a short burst of inconsequential information.”

Fun fact: A bird enthusiast originally owned the twitter.com domain. Just six months after the launch of Twttr, the founding team decided their idea would eventually catch on and purchased the Twitter URL.

~ The Present ~

Fast forward seven years and we see a completely different platform; one that has come a long way from that cryptic SMS sharing site. However, the basic goal of Twitter has remained pretty much intact. They have yet to stray from their 140 character limit and they are still providing “short bursts of information” to their more than 550 million registered users.  With an average of 58 million tweets sent out each day, Dom Sagolla’s early tweet of “oh this is going to be addictive” seems pretty accurate!

As a social networking and microblogging service, Twitter is living up to its intended use. In fact, Karen Wickre, editorial director for Twitter, said it best,

“As we’ve grown, Twitter has become a true global town square — a public place to hear the latest news, exchange ideas and connect with people all in real time. This is where you come to connect with the world at large. Get on your soapbox to critique elected officials, or go sotto voce to the neighbor next to you. And as in other gathering places, commerce happens too (and jokes and art-making and debating, and — you get the idea).”

So who is using Twitter? As of December 2012, 55% of Twitter users are female and 23% of users are ages 25-34. Nearly 38% of users have a college degree and 30% of users have a household income of $150 thousand or more.

What about the famous hashtag? The creation of hashtag usage can be traced back to Chris Messina. In August of 2007 he tweeted, “how do you feel about using # (pound) for groups. As in #barcamp [msg]?” After some initial skepticism, the hashtag took off and now you can even find a how-to guide on the proper ways to use hashtags in your tweets. Hashtags are simply ways to categorize messages or topics have spread to other social sites as well, now being used on Facebook and Google+.

~ The Fun Stuff ~

In July of 2011, Twitter integrated its own photo-sharing service and completely re-launched their platform. You now had the ability to link your Facebook to your Twitter account – and they said the day would never come! Now days, there is a “share” button on nearly every website you come across; allowing you to send out tweets with a URL link to the exact story you are reading to product you are viewing.

Let’s not forget our smartphones and mobile devices! In its IPO filing, Twitter recently said, “Mobile has become the primary driver of our business.” In May of 2010, Twitter launched their first mobile application for iPhone and iPod touch. Now, in addition to Apple products, the Twitter app is available for Android, Nokia, Windows Phone, Widows 8 tablets, Blackberry 7, and Blackberry 10. In fact, 75% of monthly active users access Twitter on their mobile devices.

In January of 2013, Twitter introduced Vine to the world. Vine is described as a mobile service that lets you capture and share short looping videos. As of late August 2013, Vine had more than 40 million registered users – a huge accomplishment in in less than eight months!

Justin Bieber has over 45 million followers, Barack Obama has over 37 million followers, Starbucks has over 4 million followers, and Pepsi has over 2 million followers.

~ The Business Stuff ~

While Twitter is clearly an enjoyable place for people of all ages to “hang out,” connect with friends and get information quickly; it is also a great tool for your brand to live and play as well! Aside from simply have a Twitter account for your brand or company, the social platform actually has built-in features to encourage and promote advertising to followers and potential followers. Shall we take a look?  I think so!

- Promoted Accounts

    - Allows you to target by geography, interest or gender

    - Gets your name to show up in search results and in “who to follow”

    - Larger brands can create custom campaign plans with a Twitter Ads specialist

    - Gain a bigger following and get your message spread in greater volume

- Promoted Tweets

    - Regular tweets with the bonus of reaching current and potential target followers

    - Target by different methods:

         - Keywords in tweets

             - Targeting keywords in timeline to reach users at the “right moment”

         - Interests and gender

             - Target a specific gender or interest (gamers, foodies, sport enthusiasts)

         - Geography

             - Target by country to metro area so people in the right places see you

         - Device

             - Target specific mobile or desktop devices to reach busy bodies or home bodies

         - Similarity to existing followers

             - Target followers similar to your current followers

         - Larger brands can create custom campaign plans with a Twitter Ads specialist

- Analytics

    - Track different aspects of your Twitter Ads activity

    - Learn about the behaviors of your customers    

    - Watch your promoted tweets and accounts in real time

    - Including impressions, retweets, clicks, replies, and follows

    - Use your Twitter timeline to view specific tweets and measure their performance

    - Allows for campaign adjustment to gain better results

- Promoted Trends

    - Get to the top of the trending list and jump right into heavy conversation

    - Target your trend by country or reach a worldwide audience by going global

    - Associate your Promoted Trend with Promoted Tweets of your choice

    - Trends are placed next to user timelines and get incredibly huge exposure

- Pricing

    - Charged only when:

         - People follow your Promoted Account

         - People retweet, reply, favorite or click on your Promoted Tweets

- Twitter Cards

    - Allows you to attach media experiences to Tweets

    - Add HTML to your website and users you who tweet links to your content will have a “card”               added to the tweet that their followers can view

    - Give you control of how your content is displayed in tweets

    - Drive more traffic to your website

    - Increase your number of followers through content attribution

Take a look at this video to see some of the business benefits of using just “140 characters.”

~ Real Life ~

Let’s take a look at one particular brand that came to Twitter Ads with a very specific challenge. Arby’s (@Arbys) wanted to grow its email database by encouraging users to sign up for a monthly newsletter. Twitter’s solution was to use Promoted Tweets with Lead Generation Cards to give users a way to sign for the newsletter and receive coupons and deals. Lead Generation Cards allow users to safely and easily share their email address with a business without leaving Twitter or filling out an annoying form or application.

Arby’s used interest and keyword targeting in search and timeline to further the reach of their Promoted Tweets. They targeted phrases like “Arbys” and “I want Arbys” for users interested in their product and keywords like “#fee” and “coupons” for users that were searching for deals.

In the end, over 400 leads were generated, had a 31% higher email open rate than any other type of lead, and a 45% higher click through rate than the average email subscriber. Pretty successful use of Twitter’s advertisement tools, huh?

~ The Future ~

The future is bright for Twitter. If they continue to meet and exceed the needs and demands of marketers while not losing site of the general user’s desires, Twitter will only continue to grow and prosper. I definitely have a new appreciation for all of the marketing and advertising tools available for brands on Twitter. With implements like the promoted tweets and trends, brands can easily jump into conversations with followers and potential followers without being “in your face” and “pushy.”  I always assumed that Twitter was for the general public and brands were just “there” attempting to make something out of nothing. Clearly I was wrong – and boy am I glad! So tweet on world…tweet on!

Be sure to check out my Prezi, All Things Tweet Worthy, for more Twitter marketing tidbits.

{Let's Make A Connection}

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Lesson #7 - Serious Social Savviness

Welcome back! We’ve been talking a lot about the different social media platforms that exist and how important it is for companies to incorporate those outlets into their integrated marketing campaigns. But, it’s not just about incorporating every social outlet available; it’s about incorporating the RIGHT platforms for your brand and including a consistent look and message on each of those platforms. Let’s take a look at three brands that are doing an outstanding job of incorporating consistent branding and messaging on their social platforms.

First up is Target. Target can be found on all the major social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and even LinkedIn. Target does a great job at incorporating a consistent look on each of their pages; most notably, the profile thumbnail photo on each platform is the same. Target’s red target logo is easily identifiable and respected, by using this as their profile photo alone drives traffic to their sites. Their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages are all similar in the items they are promoting at the tops of the pages. Currently, Halloween costumes, décor, and other offerings are being highlighted in these areas. The Target Google+ page is a little different in that only a recent article with the Halloween hashtag is promoting the holiday, rather than their cover photo or background photo. In a similar fashion, Target’s LinkedIn page is very professional and clearly a business space. There are no advertisements or product pushing here. Instead, there are articles about resume writing, charity work, and flu shots. Clearly focusing more on Target’s business side rather than their in-store marketing side.

The content on Target’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages is updated every day at the least, but usually multiple times a day. Their LinkedIn profile usually has one post every day or every other day. Target’s Google+ page, on the other hand, only has four posts total beginning on September 30^th. I’m not sure if this is just a glitch on my computer or maybe Target is just new to the Google+ world. If that’s the case, hopefully they will begin to use this platform more frequently and effectively.

Target does a great job of using various hashtags on all of their sites (with the exception of LinkedIn) to help users search through content and to join in conversations. Also, each platforms clearly lists the Target website in the “About  Me” section and generally includes the website link in each posts. They do not, however, do a very good job of promoting their other social outlets. You cannot find a link to their Facebook on their Twitter page or their Instgram handle on their Facebook page. They do, however, tend to post the same images/stories on each of their social outlets.

Next up we have T.J.Maxx. Much like Target, T.J.Maxx is present on all of the major social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest. Also, similar to Target, their profile photo is the same on each and every social outlet; creating a consistent and familiar place for fans and followers to connect and explore. Each of their pages have a similar look and feel (even the photos to the right are hard to tell apart), showcasing the latest fashion trends, current product offerings, and style tips and tricks.

Their content is updated extremely frequently, unlike Target who has a few platforms that are lacking in the department. T.J.Maxx generally posts multiple times a day on each of their social media outlets; their Google+ page tends to only be updated once a day or several times every other day, but still keeps content fresh and current. Also, each of their social media outlets lists their website at the top of each page, but only occasionally includes the URL in their actual posts.

T.J.Maxx uses hashtags incredibly well, especially when promoting their Maxxinista campaign. All of their social outlets encourage fans to share a photo of themselves in their latest T.J.Maxx finds and post it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the #Maxxinista for a chance to win a $1000 gift card. The one downside of their social media outlets is that they do not do a very good job of promoting each other; there are no “find us on Facebook” links on their Twitter page or a “follow us on Instagram” on their Facebook page.

Last but not least, we have Ebay, the king of online auctions! Ebay can also be found on all of the major social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube. Also, just like Target and T.J.Maxx, Ebay uses the exact same logo as their profile photos on every social media platform, allowing fans and followers to quickly find their pages when searching. Unlike the other two brands I’ve mentioned, Ebay does an incredible job of including their various social media accounts on each of their pages. You can find Ebay’s Facebook and YouTube handles on the background of their Twitter page, there are buttons at the top of their Facebook pages that link you to their Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube pages, and they have included the same buttons on their YouTube page. The exception to this would be their Instagram and Google+ page, neither one of these outlets includes anything but the Ebay URL (which the other three platforms include as well).

For the most part, each of other social media platforms showcases the incredible items that you can find on their website. The use of hashtags is not as prominent on the Ebay pages as the other two brands we’ve talked about; they usually keep it to a general #ebay that is used predominately on their Instagram page and nowhere else. As mentioned before, their website URL is listed at the top of each of their pages, but Ebay also does a great job of including a specific link on each of their posts. For example, if the post is a photo of a Halloween costume, the link attached will take you directly to the page where you can purchase said costume. Ebay’s YouTube channel is unique in that it showcases not just their products, but ways to use and get creative with their products. This helps to create a sense of industry knowledge with their fans and followers, furthering their followers trust and loyalty with the brand. In addition, their social platforms are updated on an extremely frequent basis, generally posting multiple pieces of content each day.

Overall, each of these three brands does a great job at balancing the use of multiple social media platforms. While there are a few things that could be improved with each of these brands, they have an incredible foundation created and the sky is really the limit. These are all great examples of brands embracing social into their integrated marketing campaigns and not being afraid to set the bar extremely high for their competitors. 

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Lesson #6 - A Fairy Tale Email

Greetings!

I’m so glad you took a little leap and opened my email! Allow me to introduce myself – my name is Lacee Utt and I’m a passionate wedding event lover and an avid social media enthusiast. Now, I’m sure you hear that more often than you would like, so let me explain what I mean by that statement…

Much like most young girls, I grew up playing in princess dresses and hosting pretend (albeit quite real to me) tea parties for my dolls and stuffed animals. However, I quickly realized that my fascination with all thinsgs glittery and magical ran much deeper than a simple girlhood dream. I’ve always had a “pixie dust” approach to life, but when I joined the Walt Disney Company my senior year of college, I’m pretty sure that pixie dust quadrupled! It was a range of emotions that can pretty much be summed up like this…

I haven’t had the most typical professional career journey to say the least. From operating theme park attractions to solving guest situations while wearing a plaid wool vest in 90 degree Florida sun, nothing has ever been off limits. It’s been through these “interesting” positions that I have found the core skills and values that make up my professional self. Impeccable guest (customer) service, exceeding guest expectations, anticipating guests needs and desires before they are ever mentioned, and remaining calm, kind, and understanding in high stress and demanding situations. All of those experiences, coupled with incredible skills that I learned along the way, eventually led me to the mecca of all things pixie dust filled: Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings!

My time with the Disney Weddings team has lead me to my true passion; creating and executing fairy tales for any person brave enough to dream of their very own happily ever after! With this passion and my growing knowledge of social media and marketing, I would make an incredible candidate for your Social Media Manager position. While David’s Bridal already has a strong social presence, I would love to further and deepen that presence by creating lasting and real relationships with fans, followers, and customers alike. By taking your existing social media outlets and adding in even more personal touches, together we could take David’s Bridal to places never thought possible. Adding in places for tips and tricks from wedding professionals, places for Brides and Grooms to dream and create their perfect day (take a look at my Pinterest board for an example), and places to showcase real life fairy tales come true are all ideas that I would bring to this position. I hope to strengthen the idea already brought forth in your television commercials…You’ll love David’s Bridal.

I love David’s Bridal and I hope that you will love me too!

In Love and Laughter,
Lacee Utt

{Let's Make A Connection}

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Lesson #5 - Blogging Right Along

Blogs are something that has remained quite mysterious to me over the years. I have attempted to dabble in the art of blog writing a few times throughout college and beyond, but each time I would get bored with it, run out of topics to discuss, or simply get caught up in life and forget about writing. After reading an article post on Copy Blogger’s website, I understand now that the one of the biggest reasons I was an unsuccessful blogger was because I was focusing on me! This quote petty much sums it up, “There’s nothing wrong with a healthy ego, but your blog really isn’t about you. It’s about your readers.”

So this week, I will be taking a looking at several blogs that got the memo and are not simply writing about themselves (or not). I will examine what type of blog it is (news, professional, semi-professional, recreational, link sharing, or group), what its purpose is, what makes it unique and how it reflects its brand. I will also look at what drives traffic to the blog, if it’s a “successful” blog, if there are advertisers potential for advertisers, and what I think is missing from the blog.

J. Crew Blog

• This would be considered a semi-professional blog as they post generally just once a day or once every other day. It’s hard to tell how many contributors there are on this blog as no blog is “penned” by a certain person.
• The purpose of this blog is to showcase the latest offerings from the J. Crew brand and this is primarily done through photo sharing and very limited text. The text that does appear is generally quotes from the featured designer and/or a brief question and answer session with the designer.
• The most unique part of this blog is the fact that it’s primarily a photo blog; it’s even powered by Tumblr, which is known for their photo blogs. The blog does an incredible job at showcasing their designers and giving the consumer “sneak peaks” or “backstage looks” at how some of their favorite pieces of clothing come to life.
• This blog reflects the J. Crew brand accurately and effectively. Starting with the easy to follow and eye catching layout, the blog embodies J. Crew’s easy going and polished relaxed feel of their brand and stores. By featuring designers and new pieces of clothing, it allows their followers to build a better relationship with the brand as a whole, as well as very specific aspects of the brand (i.e. shoes, accessories, sweaters, etc.).
• The best way to find the J. Crew blog is through their website. There is a link to the blog at the very top of the site; right next to their various departs (men, women, girls, boys, etc.). When J. Crew is typed into Google, the blog is not one of the first links to populate; in fact, it’s nearly at the bottom of the search results.
• By most accounts, I would say this is a relatively successful blog. I think that it’s geared toward a very specific, fashion focused reader and therefore may be missing out on potential followers. For the casual shopper or J. Crew browser, the blog might be a little too intimidating as it focuses on the details of fashion creation. However, for those that love the industry or have a passion for fashion, it’s a great place to look around and learn from professionals. Also, the blog allows its readers to follow the brand on their various social media platforms through widgets and social sharing buttons as well as making the blog itself easy to follow (i.e. “Follow Me” button in the bottom right corner of the page, even as you scroll).
• The one piece missing from this blog is the ability to find it! Even though it’s a very specific audience they seem to be playing to, pushing their blog content more could be a way to expand their audience and gain new followers (and eventually customers).
• There are no advertisements on this blog and there really doesn’t need to be, in my opinion. It’s a blog for a specific brand and advertising another brand might confuse the follower. The only way to advertise on a blog like this would be to showcase brands that are not in direct competition with J. Crew (maybe a make-up line or hair products).

Starbucks Blog

• Even though this is a HUGE brand, I would have to say that their blog type is actually rather recreational. Their content is produced very sporadically and really isn’t characterized into one specific cause or purpose.
• It seems that the random posting on the Starbucks blog is centered on their philanthropic efforts and their community involvement.
• The most unique part of this blog would be the style of their blog posts. Each post (albeit small in quantity) generally tackles a social issue of some sort and incorporates photos, links, or videos to drive the message home. The latest post is actually an open letter to customers from the CEO talking about certain customer policies and what the “vision” of Starbucks really is.
• The blog is the same layout of their actual website, so it’s easy to navigate and consistent with their overall branding scheme. We all know Starbucks to be a very community centered and environmentally involved company and their blog is an extension of these values.
• To be completely honest, I have no idea how this blog attracts readers (or if it really even does at all). The blog does not appear anywhere on their website or social media outlets and it is not one of the options when Starbucks is searched on Google. The only way to find the blog is to either type “blog” into the search engine on the Starbucks site or to type “Starbucks blog” into a global search engine (i.e. Google).
• By all accounts, I would consider this an unsuccessful blog. It is virtually impossible to even find the blog and once you are there, the quantity of posts is quite disappointing. While there are options to socially share the content on the blog, quite frankly, it’s not really worth sharing.
• There are no advertisers on this blog and the only real potential would, again, be brands that are not directly competing with the Starbucks brand. Possibly the artists that Starbucks showcases could buy a bit of promotional ad space or even earth-friendly merchandise brands would fit nicely. However, without better marketing of the actual blog, no advertiser should spend their precious budget on a blog that posts maybe once a month.

Perez Hilton 

• This would be considered a news blog as it reports the latest and greatest in celebrity and pop culture information. It is maintained by a team of writers even though Perez Hilton himself is the main face of the blog and the person followers connect with.
• The purpose of this blog is to provide the most up to date and exclusive celebrity news to their followers, all done with a snarky and humorous tone.
• Perez Hilton himself is what really makes this blog unique. He is a hilarious, crude, and smart-mouthed person and his blog is nothing short of the exact same thing. Each post generally contains a photo that his team has drawn terribly inappropriate or absolutely hilarious remarks/art work on that further increases the hilarity of the post.
• As previously stated, Perez Hilton himself is a terribly inappropriate and crude man, and his blog site is a true and honest reflection of himself.
• Just by typing in “celebrity gossip” into Google, Perez Hilton is the first link that appears. His take on pop culture and the “paparazzi” lifestyle is extremely well known and quite trusted (as crazy as it may seem).
• This is a very successful blog, all across the boards. While there is no way to “measure” the amount of followers on this blog, Perez Hilton does have more than six million followers on Twitter! His blog allows for easy social sharing with buttons on the bottom of every single post and he utilizes his Twitter account to drive traffic back to his website by posting teasers coupled with links to his site. There are multiple stories posted daily (even hourly) on his blog, so there is never a shortage of fresh and “hot” topics.
• Perez Hilton does a great job of utilizing advertisements on his page. Occasionally, the entire background will be promoting a brand, movie, or event. Currently, the entire top banner of the page is promoting the Emmy awards. Also, towards the bottom of the site, you can find various clothing, shoe, and accessory brand advertisements.

Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings – Ever After Blog

• This would be considered a semi-professional blog simply because there are not multiple posts per day. However, there is at least one post every day or every other day. There is also only “one” contributor to the blog, Korri.
• The purpose of this blog is to showcase real life weddings at the Walt Disney World Resort, as well as share unique stories, adorable photos, new and fresh ideas, and of course, yummy Wedding Cake Wednesdays!
• What makes this blog unique is their ability to weave incredible storytelling together with beautiful photos and real life stories. Disney is known for impeccable storytelling, and this blog is absolutely no exception. I would be lying if I said I didn’t cry nearly every time I read a new “Real Wedding Spotlight” post.
• The Ever After Blog reflects the Disney brand by being true to the art of storytelling, like I mentioned above. It also continues the rich “personal” tradition of the company by showcasing real life events and including real names. Disney is a “first name company” and theses blog posts include that same principle, allowing readers to follow along and truly feel like a part of the couple’s journey.
• This is absolutely a successful blog. It can easily be found on the Disney Weddings website as well as when searching Disney Weddings on Google.  There is a social media widget on the blog so you can easily connect with other Disney Wedding social platforms, as well as social sharing buttons at the bottom of every post. Another unique piece of “sharing” is the “Love It” option attached to every photo posted on the blog (and website). This feature allows the reader to essentially “pin” a photo to the Disney Weddings version of a Pinterest board, called a Dream Board.
• Of course I’m pretty biased toward s this particular blog and I really don’t see anything missing! If I could, I would allow the photos to be “pinned” to a Pinterest board and not just the person’s Dream Board. I see what we are trying to do in this case, keep the traffic on our specific site, but it could be a way of spreading our brand to followers that might not visit the Disney Weddings website.
• There are no advertisers on this blog and there really isn’t a place for them here. This is intended to be a clean and worry free space for followers to dream, create, and get inspired. Plus, when planning a Disney wedding, all of the details are taken care of for you. So, having catering companies, floral designers, or DJs advertising on this blog would not make any sense.

Caleb’s Heart

• This is a recreational blog written by a family friend from home. The posts are not always posted on a consistent basis but they are all generally centered on one topic, Caleb.
• The purpose of this blog is to communicate to family, friends, and followers the daily/weekly progress of Caleb. Caleb was born with a congenital heart defect and was placed in the hospital on a heart transplant list nearly a year ago. Caleb’s mom, Katie, maintains the blog and keeps everyone updated on the latest visits from doctors, the newest information regarding Caleb’s overall health, prayer requests and needs, and the well-being of her husband and their other son, Jonah.
• What makes this blog unique is the honesty and truth in Katie’s writing. Through the past year, we have been able to experience the highs and lows of their journey through Katie’s writing. She doesn’t sugar coat things and when she needs our prayers, she’s not afraid to ask for them. Their entire family has developed an incredibly positive outlook on their situation, and it’s refreshing to read about how great everyone is doing in the midst of pain and challenge.
• While there is no real “brand” in this case, Katie’s writing truly reflects her and her family’s outlook on life and their approach to handling tough situation. It’s a breath of fresh air reading about Caleb having a great day and it’s heart breaking to read about Jonah missing his brother’s company at home. Katie does a wonderful job of making us all feel like part of the family through her writing and allows us to personally connect with them, even when we are thousands of miles apart.
• Katie and her family and friends do a great job of posting a link to the blog each time a new story is posted. Although only 144 people actually “follow” the blog, through Facebook and Twitter sharing, countless more have the opportunity to read about and experience this family’s journey.
• For what this blog is trying to accomplish, I would consider it to be very successful. Katie posts real and honest updates on a fairly regular basis and the content is shared all over Facebook and Twitter. There are social share buttons on the bottom of each post, so it’s simple to spread the word and get more people reading.
• Since this is a relatively personal blog, I wouldn’t change anything that Katie is doing. Like I said, the blog is serving its purpose of keeping friends, family, and followers updated and in the loop. For that same reason, there are no advertisers on this site, nor does there need to be. This blog is being used simply as a common communication tool to share stories with those would like to read.

There are so many different types of blogs out there just waiting to be read, followed, and shared. I encourage you to venture out on the world wide web and find some of your favorites...maybe even get inspired to write your own! With imagination and creativity, the sky really is the limit!

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Lesson #4 - Maintaining the Love

I love David’s Bridal so much that this week’s post is dedicated to that socially savvy and totally trendy Bride loving brand all over again!

Visiting David’s Bridal’s website is a fun, enjoyable, and informative experience for Brides of all kinds. It’s updated constantly with the latest additions to their various collections including bridal gowns, bridesmaid’s dresses, shoes, accessories and much more. With daily deals and online promotions, sometimes the website is more effective than an in-person stop at a David’s Bridal store!

There are several sections of the website that take a Bride far past just browsing for her gown or her bridal party dresses and introduce fresh and new content. The “Dress Your Wedding” link takes her to a virtual world where she can create her entire bridal party and actually put them in their outfits. She can even change the background to fit something closer to her actual wedding atmosphere. This option gives her the ability to “see” what her wedding party will look like when they are standing next to her.

The “Color &Style Inspiration” link brings her to a place where she can do just that…get inspired. There are links to the David’s Bridal catalog and look book, to the latest bridal trends, to real life wedding stories, and of course, to their blog and social media sites. One of the neatest features in this section is the “Find Your Figure” tool. It allows her to click on the body figure that most resembles her own and then gives her ideas for the types of dress that will look most faltering on her.

There is also a “WeddingSolutions” link that offers her advice on various parts of the wedding planning process, apart from dress and shoe buying. This section of the site shows viewers that David’s Bridal is more than just a wedding dress retailer, but that they are also true industry professionals with a great knowledge for their product and beyond. With links to local vendors, tips and advice articles, photographers, reception services and much more, it shows that David’s Bridal is a true expert when it comes to helping you plan your special day.

One of the best features of the David’s Bridal website is their “My Event” section. This is a great way to get Brides hooked on their site and coming back for more than just dresses and shoes and really plays to that “industry professional” piece we just talked about. The My Event site provides her with all of the tools needed to plan her special day. From a budget calculator to a shopping list, this is her virtual filing cabinet and will help keep her on task with the planning process. The best part – it’s completely mobile friendly! 

As you can see, David’s Bridal’s website is a fun and interactive place for Brides to play, dream, create, and be inspired. With “share” and “like” buttons on every buyable item’s page, it’s easy for users to share their findings with friends and followers alike. The best part about their website though is that you can continue dreaming and creating on your smart phone as well! Their mobile website is user friendly and easy to navigate, just like their online version, so the planning doesn’t have to stop when you leave your computer.

In visiting the David’s Bridal website, you will encounter some “push marketing” tactics like a pop up chat window that allows you to speak directly with a David’s Bridal representative, emails that offer promotions and insider tips on the latest trends in the wedding industry, and pop up ad windows showing off their exclusive wedding invitation collection. They also make great use of “pull marketing” techniques by giving you the opportunity to sign up for email newsletters, being the first link when “wedding dresses” is searched on Google, an opportunity to sign up for text messages alerts on promotions and trends,  and offer great real-life advice and stories on their official blog site.

Throughout all of David’s Bridal’s multiple online outlets, consistent branding and theming is seen on every platform. From Facebook to Twitter and Instagram to banner ads and websites, the use of their logo and similar colors (depending on the fashion season of course) makes it easy to navigate between each site and never feel lost or confused.

There isn’t a lot about the David’s Bridal website, or brand in general, that I would change. However, there is always room for improvement. I think that marketing their My Event tool more could prove quite useful. I had never even heard of their event tools until pretty recently, I thought that only brands with planning tools were The Knot and Wedding Wire. These two brands also off their planning tools in an app, something David's Bridal could benefit from greatly. It’s also pretty difficult to find their blog on their website and social media platforms. In fact, I’m not entirely sure how I happened upon in the first place. The only way I could find the link to it on their website, was at the VERY bottom of the site in a “Connect With Us” section that houses links to their Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube accounts. They obviously have a great presence in social media, but I feel like they could do a better job of sharing that with their website visitors.

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Lesson #3 - You'll Love David's Bridal

With nearly 2.5 million weddings happening each year in the United States alone, it’s easy to assume how bridal superstore, David’s Bridal has become the most successful bridal retailer in the nation. According to ScottRogers, Director of Strategic Planning for David’s Bridal, from 2006 to 2007 two-thirds of all brides shopped at a David’s Bridal location! One of the many reasons David’s Bridal attracts such a large audience is their “David’sBridal difference.” Rogers explained that this means offering customers the ability to try on dresses in her size and color, and know exactly what she is purchasing (and at a reasonable price too). A stark contrast from the industry standard’s strategy of carrying sample dresses in just a few sizes and making their customers wait several months to “officially” try on their dress.

So how did David’s Bridal get their brand and idea seen in the first place? An incredible integrated marketing campaign – that’s how! David’s Bridal started as a small Fort Lauderdale bridal salon in 1950 and was purchased in 1972 by entrepreneur PhilYoutie. Youtie noticed in the 1980s that Brides were changing; he said, “I saw a busy, intelligent bride-to-be who didn’t have the time, patience, or money to shop for a wedding gown the old way.” Using this insight and analysis, David’s Bridal opened David’sBridal Warehouse in 1990, a first of its kind bridal superstore, offering discounted designer replica wedding dresses in all sizes and shapes. While it was met with industry criticism, budget conscience Brides fell in love with the concept! In 1994 and 1995, David’s Bridal doubled in size from 14 to 36 stores – fast forward to today and David’s Bridal operates more than 300stores nationwide.

So what kind of marketing strategy are we talking about exactly? Sure, David’s Bridal has seen incredible growth and evolution over the past 60 years, but how have their marketing strategies evolved? Simple, they have kept up with the latest and greatest technology creations!

In 1996, you could find this bridal gem on your television! That catchy tune, “You’ll love David’s Bridal,” has been a staple in the companies television commercials since the very beginning…admit it, you’re singing along right now too!

While their television commercials have evolved over the years, incorporating the latest fashion trends and hooking you with incredible sales and promotional offers, that catchy tune has remained a consistent piece of their marketing and advertising scheme.

Television is not the only place you’ll find David’s Bridal marketing on display. Have you ever opened one of the many bridal magazines on display at the grocery store checkout counter? If so, you’ve probably seen a David’s Bridal print ad like the ones pictured here. Often times, these ads also contain coupons or promotional offerings that the reader can redeem at a David’s Bridal location (or even online)..

David’s Bridal also has a presence at nearly every Bridal Show or Expo happening across the country! Bringing along samples of their latest collections, free giveaways for attendees, and helpful brand representatives that are passionate and knowledgeable about their product – couple those elements with the consistent use of their iconic logo and you’ve got a winning combination...and one I’m certainly going to pay attention to.

Speaking of consistency, have you ever stepped foot into more than one David’s Bridal store? If so, you probably haven’t noticed much a difference. Racks and racks of dresses in the front and fitting rooms in the back, it seems pretty standard but the consistent feel offers shoppers a sense of comfort and knowledge while browsing. 

One of the most helpful aspects of my recent David’s Bridal experience is their “Wish List." While I am getting married Florida, my bridesmaids will be coming from all over the country. I was able to go to my local David’s Bridal, pick out my bridesmaid dresses (and shoes), and add it to my “Wish List.” Now, all my bridal party needs to do is go to their local David’s Bridal and say they need items from Lacee’s Wish List. The associate can pull my Wish List from their database and my girls will know exactly what to purchase – super helpful and calms any nerves about your girls getting the wrong dress. After my in-store visit, I now get emails weekly about specials, promotions, and the latest additions to their various collections.

But don’t forget…I mentioned that David’s Bridal was keeping their fingers on the pulse of not just the latest fashion trends but also the latest advances in technologies. As Brides have gotten increasingly more mobile and virtual, David’s Bridal has had no choice but to keep up with the changing industry. They have an incredibly informative website that allows Brides to search their vast inventory at the click of a button. It's easy to register and quickly start receiving exclusive emails. However, it’s become more than just shopping for HER wedding dress; today’s Bride is looking for a one-stop-shop, a place she can browse (and potentially purchase) bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses, shoes, accessories, etc. David’s Bridal has answered her demands with an enormous inventory of personal and designer collections to dress her entire bridal party from head to toe. With the 2012 launch of their mobile website, Brides can literally have it all at their fingertips everywhere they go. KeelyConley, Director of e-Commerce for David’s Bridal said, “Mobile is key to the future of David’s Bridal’s multichannel experience…As a brand, being present across a broad range of consumer touch points is critical in strengthening our relationships with customers.” You can even join a text message club with David’s Bridal to receive bridal alerts and offers straight to your phone.

While the website has been a great tool in enhancing David’s Bridal’s marketing scheme, they knew it was also time to expand into the ever growing social media world. With the creation of official David’s Bridal Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and blog pages, I’d say David’s Bridal is doing pretty well keeping up with the times! Each of these platforms offer ways for David’s Bridal to reach their consumers in ways that Phil Youtie would have never thought possible in 1972. These platforms allow fans, followers, and David’s Bridal themselves to share personal stories about their experiences, tell their own stories on a public platform, and share tips and tricks with the ever-emotional bridal community. Each of these social outlets helps to foster relationships between consumers and the brand better than any television or print advertisement ever could.

David’s Bridal has clearly done a great job of blending outbound marketing (television commercials, print ads, and in-person sales expos) with inbound marketing tactics (websites, emails, and social media platforms). So well, in fact, that David’s Bridal was honored as a Silver Winner at the 2012Channel Innovation Awards for its “innovative approaches to connecting brides to personalized wedding planning resources through its online web store and creative a cohesive brand experience no matter how or where their customers shop.”

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Lesson #2 - New Is Better Than Old

Welcome to the 21^st century, where we have information at our finger tips and we request our news updates come every second rather than three times a day. We are officially a world of on-demand and instantaneous consumers and there is no turning back now. If companies and brands want to keep up with the changing (already changed) times, they need to jump onto the bandwagon…and quick! It’s time (in most cases, past time) to start changing the way our marketing departments are created, maintained, and utilized. We must now look at ways to make our content available to the consumer at all hours of the day, and be ready to react to those consumers’ requests and comments (at all hours of the day). This will take more than staffing our marketing departments with 9am-5pm employees; we need to have a staff dedicated to monitoring and researching our audiences and ready to fire back with a response in a matter of minutes. In this new era of technology and business, letting a post or comment sit untouched for too long can have a negative effect on your brand. At the same time, know when to stop talking or when to stay silent all together. The “old” conventional approach to marketing just doesn't have what it takes to carry your brand to success in this new social media driven world.

While employee and content availability is crucial to success for your brand on social media, so is the language and composition of that content. The content your company or brand shares with its audience needs to be relevant and personal, allowing for human connections to grow and develop. These are much different approaches from the previous safe and formal route marketing campaigns were driven down. With content being available at any moment and never truly going away, it’s no longer a campaign marketers should really be focused on, it’s now solid and engaging content that takes precedence over a simple marketing campaign. Concentrating on forming bonds and relationships with your audience, through genuine and direct contact is what gets your followers excited about your brand and willing to share their excitement with others. In this day and age, word of mouth has morphed into an online sharing phenomenon. For every online conversation, there are nine offline conversations about that same piece of content. Social media has become a spring board for sharing content and a place to get consumers talking about your product!

I for one am clearly a fan of the new way of thinking in terms of marketing and social media. While there is still a place for old school marketing methods, like print ads and television commercials, it’s pretty clear that those methods on their own are no longer enough. If you’re not ready to take the leap into the new way of thinking completely, try adding in a dash of new school methods here and there along with your traditional approaches…after all, it is important to walk before you run!

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