This post was contributed by Joe Linford, who writes for the social shopping site Broadband Genie.

Brands give a lot of attention to social media, and really, why shouldn’t they? Social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest have enabled brands to connect with their target audience and increase customer engagement. Businesses can tap into the vast user base of these platforms to provide information about products, services, new product launches, and customer service easily. The best part is that their customers love it! If your customers are sharing what you share, re-tweeting your tweets, and re-pinning your pins, your social media marketing strategy is a success, but the success of any social media marketing campaign isn’t determined by the number of fans and followers. Any marketer worth their salt will also tell you to measure social media analytics.

Most businesses have depended on inbuilt dashboards like the insights section for Facebook page. It gives you information like the reach, number of likes, and so on, but fails to provide a breakdown of advanced metrics such as demographics and conversion data. With social media becoming more complex than ever before, these metrics are now becoming critical for business owners to fine tune their social media strategy, and to understand how the socially savvy customer is reacting to their content.

Here are three simple ways of tracking social media data –

Social interaction analytics

Social interaction analytics is available for Google Analytics users. Initially launched to track Google+ activity, it can now be integrated into social network buttons and used to track general and advanced social interactions.

To use social interaction analytics, you must first install social network buttons from their respective websites. Social network buttons include the Facebook like button, the Tweet button, the +1 button from Google+, and the Pin It button from Pinterest. Currently, tracking is available only for Facebook and Twitter. Google+ tracking is in built and no separate code needs to be installed for it.

Each button code needs to be appended with a specific tracking code from Analytics. The snippet looks like this:

_gaq.push(['_trackSocial', network, socialAction, opt_target, opt_pagePath]);

Use this link to understand each parameter and how you can customize this code snippet to receive data in your Analytics dashboard.

Advanced social interaction features for Facebook include number of unlikes, which can be very useful in creating an effective social strategy.

Google Analytics Tagged URLs

Tagged URLs are the most effective and probably the easiest way to track social traffic to website links and blog posts. By using a unique URL, you can see advanced reporting statistics in the Google Analytics dashboard.

Use the
Google Analytics URL builder to create a tagged URL. If you’re using this to track data from multiple social channels, you will have to create multiple tagged URLs, each specific to one channel.

Tracking with social media management dashboards

Perhaps the easiest way to track analytic data is by using a social media management dashboard. Hoot Suite is a wonderful tool that provides essential social interaction data that helps brands understand the effectiveness and reach of their social media campaigns.

The URL shortening service, bit.ly, also provides reporting features like number of clicks and traffic sources.

It wasn’t long ago that we wrote about some creative ways you can boost your Brand with Pinterest. The new comer is certainly not to be underestimated.

Did you know that customers who discover a new product via Pinterest are more likely to purchase it than those who find the product via other social networks?  There’s no doubt that online consumers are connecting with Pinterest in a huge way.

The proof is in the pudding. Check out this pinteresting infographic from Tamba.

This post is written and provided by Toronto Labour & Employment Lawyer, Doug MacLeod of MacLeod Law Firm.

Did You Know?

• The Ontario Court of Appeal recently recognized the right to privacy.
• Reviewing information on a job applicant’s Facebook page without his or her consent can result in a complaint under the Ontario Human Rights Code.
• It is unclear who retains ownership of business-related social media accounts, like an employee’s business Twitter account.

Fun Facts on Social Media

•  Canada is the world’s biggest user of LinkedIn.
•  85% of people want companies to engage with them via social media.
•  For employees under 35 years of age (Generation Y), more than ½ of their news and purchase influences are received through user-generated ratings and digital word of mouth.

 Use of Social Media in the Workplace

There is no denying that social media has permeated the workplace. This is particularly the case with Generation Y employees. In a study of more than 1000 business professionals, employees estimated spending around 4 hours per day managing multiple inboxes, with Gen Y employees spending 1.8 hours a day on social media websites. For a number of reasons, employers need to manage the use of social media by employees in the workplace.

 Developing a Social Media Policy

We suggest that an employer address these issues and others in a social media policy. The contents of each organization’s policy will depend, among other things, on whether the organization permits access to social media sites on its computer network, whether the business uses social media like Facebook and Twitter to promote its products and/or services, whether the organization has a website and/or blog, and the size of the business. Here are five issues to consider when preparing your social media policy:

1. Is an employee permitted to use personal social media during working hours?
2. Is an employee permitted to use employer property to access social media sites?
3. Is an employee required to comply with employer policies when creating personal social media content?
4. Is an employee prohibited from posting items that could reflect negatively on the employer or otherwise embarrass the organization?
5. Is the employee prohibited from mentioning the name of any of the employer’s personnel without prior approval?

 Our Complimentary Social Media Policy Seminar

We are offering a complimentary breakfast seminars in Toronto and Barrie from May 1^st to May 8^th to help employers learn more about developing a social media policy. To register for the seminar, please click here.

If you have any questions about managing social media in the workplace, please call us at 1-888-640-1728 or send an email to inquiry@macleodlawfirm.ca.

Infographics are visual presentations of data or information that use elements of design in order to attractively display content. If you’re looking to make your content more appealing and interactive, infographics are definitely the way to go.

Here are a few reasons why we think you should integrate the infographic into your overall content strategy:

They’re eye-catching & engaging

We’re not talking about your everyday bar graph, here. Infographics take all that mundane and complex data and turn it into colourful, appealing and unique works of graphic art. Infographics are all about telling a story. Images and words work together to share information and facts relevant to a certain topic.

The format piques interest and demands attention. As Internet users, we read until we’re blue in the face. An infographic, which breaks up the text while still communicating valuable content, is definitely a welcome change. It makes research, learning and discovery more entertaining and, dare I say, fun!

It’s everything you need to know, simplified

Sure, you’ll be impressed by the design, but you’ll be even more blown away by what you’ll learn. No need to rack your brain: infographics are super easy to understand. You could always read the whole 200-page report, but who has the time?

We’re busy people with busy lives and infographics provide access to all the important stuff in a convenient and efficient manner. They deliver the message quickly and clearly in one compact, interesting and appealing package. Because of this, infographics actually enhance comprehension of the content that’s presented.

Leave them wanting more

Infographics are so easily digested because they address the valuable ideas, facts and statistics that people want to know.

It’s true, you can’t relay as much information in an infographic as you can in other information marketing materials. However, infographics can function as a kind of teaser or call to action; encouraging users to read or download the extended e-book or whitepaper.

Unparalleled shareability

Because they are so easy to understand, infographics are also easily shared. Infographics often explode via social media and, in some instances, even go viral.

Be sure to share your infographic with relevant influencers and infographic aggregators to generate the most impressions.

Have you discovered any awesome infographics? Share them in the comments below!

As an adult, Easter is that weekend that allows you to reflect on the first quarter and help get you in the swing of things for long weekends.

As a kid, Easter is all about chocolate bunnies, painting boiled eggs, and of course … the Easter Egg Hunt!

Through this past weekend I thought to myself, is the Easter Egg Hunt really just for kids? Or are some of us still on an Easter Egg Hunt in our Business Development efforts? Waking up every morning, should we be grabbing our basket (or briefcase), and heading out to grab whatever eggs we can find?

Is this the way you want to (or should) be growing your business? Or would it be better to set out with an understanding that you are only interested in purple eggs, or perhaps ones with patterns. Maybe your tastes are best suited for dark chocolate only. Would this identification and selection lead to better outcomes, improved positioning, and all around higher satisfaction?

Good businesses know what they are going after. Great businesses have what they are going after, come to them. Let’s take a look at how digital marketing can help.

Website

Does your website tell customers what you do at a glance, so they know you are right for them? If you’re a professional, does your site convey your personal brand and help answer the question “Why You?”, or does the pattern look like everyone else’s with a template website?

When was the last time you took a close look at your website and considered improvements?

Social Media & Content Marketing

What if you were able to communicate to potential customers, that your business is tailored to their specific needs. Wouldn’t they be more excited to be in your basket (community) rather than your competitors’? What if once they were in that community, there was ample content they could benefit from? They would feel confident that your basket will carry them where they need to go.

Do you have an adequate Social Media presence? Are you getting the feedback you need to direct your community? Most importantly, how are you establishing yourself or your business as a leader in the space?

As you read this, do your days look like an Easter Egg Hunt? If so, we would love the chance to speak with you — are you ready to Spark Conversation™?

PS – If you really want your day made … and are still in the Easter spirit … you have to watch this!