"ABC Company," a health-oriented company in central Florida, uses Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and a biweekly email newsletter to promote its brand. In this blog post, I will be analyzing information from their Facebook page's Insights during April 28-May 25, 2013, as well as email newsletter analytics from Bronto on May 21, 2013.
Key findings
On Facebook, ABC is growing fairly steadily in likes and reach, but frequency and engagement are low. Facebook gives links and photos more weight in deciding what to show users in their Newsfeeds, but Facebook's newer algorithim updates also take into account the what different types content users interact with and the past 50 interactions a user has had. If those interactions were with you, your content is more likely to show up in their Newsfeed, making not only interaction but repeated interaction and different types of content important for reaching large audiences on Facebook. It also appears from the posts listed on the Overview page of Facebook Insights that a large portion of their posts are directly promotional, which can turn off the audience. With all this in mind, ABC should make sure it's sharing a mix of content in the most engaging ways possible.
In ABC's email newsletter, about 25 percent of the 2,606 emails delivered are opened, and the click-through rate is 2.7 percent. Conversions and revenue are 0. ABC's open rate is decent, but they definitely have room to improve their click-through and conversion rates. This makes me believe that their subject lines and delivery times may be OK, but the content of their email newsletters is not interesting enough to make people want to click through to read more.
Improvements
When I make recommendations for my company's social media, I always say to focus on engagement and the rest will follow. When you get likes, comments and shares, you also get higher reach and frequency; and you might even attract more likes from friends of the people who are interacting with you. ABC should ask questions and incorporate calls to action into their Facebook posts to achieve these goals. They should also vary their post types with links, photos and occasionally text only. If ABC doesn't already have a blog, they should start one to talk about their health products or services, which also creates useful content to share with their Facebook and other social media audiences. Sharing useful content like blog posts on topics that affect or interest the audience is much more desirable than direct promotions on social media. Social Media Examiner says people on most social platforms are there to simply socialize, not to buy; direct sells turn people off. But pull marketing can help you attract people to voluntarily learn more about your product or service, which ideally results in sales.
With their email newsletter, I think ABC needs to simply make the body of their email better. People are opening the emails, but a small percentage of people are actually clicking through to ABC's website or blog. ABC might consider adding some element of personalization to the subject lines and content of their email newsletters, as personalized emails result in a higher CTR. ABC should also experiment with their e-newsletters with A/B testing to swap out different elements of the newsletter to see what performs best.
Other channels
ABC also uses Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. The company should be utilizing all of their social platforms to cross promote each other, as well as linking to all social profiles from their emails. They could also occasionally invite people to sign up for their email newsletters from the various social platforms. The important thing to remember when doing this is to do it sparingly and subtly. Instead of posting "Follow us on Pinterest" on the ABC Facebook page, they should post something like "Wondering how to eat healthier during this holiday season full of tempting treats? Follow our Eating Clean and Lean board on Pinterest: [Link to board]" You can't expect people to just naturally want to follow you or do what you say. You have to give them a reason to do it; tell them what's in it for them.
Future campaigns/posts
The holidays are coming up, and at least in my family, it's hard to make health and fitness a priority when there are so many delicious treats within reach. In the near future, ABC could publish a series of blog posts, which they would promote on all their social platforms plus email, about being healthy during the holidays -- how to make traditional recipes more healthy, how to fit exercise into a busy holiday season, ideas for gifts that promote health, etc. Another time of the year that ABC should tackle is New Year's. Lots of people make health-related resolutions, and ABC could spark engagement by asking their followers about their particular resolutions. They could also write blog or social media posts to give tips and inspiration for following through with those resolutions.
social studies
Exploring multimedia communications and social media on my way to a master's degree
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Company Analysis: O.C.D. Experience – Organize & Create Discipline
Often born during hectic and stressful times in life, clutter at home or work can also perpetuate that stress. Psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter says that clutter overwhelms your brain with excessive stimuli, leaving you feeling overwhelmed. Having junk – whether paperwork, toys, clothes or something else – piled and stuck everywhere tells your brain that your work is never done and can make it difficult to relax. Phew, I’m stressed just thinking about it.
It’s not easy to introduce order to chaos, especially after
chaos has been allowed to rule for some time. Organization is a lifestyle, and
Justin Klosky is living it. Klosky founded O.C.D. Experience, which stands for
Organize and Create Discipline, in 2008 to help his clients not only tidy their
homes or offices but to also find clarity in their own lives. Klosky and his O.C.D.
team are much more than a maid service; when he takes on clients with deeper
issues hiding behind their clutter, he does so with kindness and understanding.
He works to gain their trust, and he helps them separate the mess from whatever
life stressors contributed to its creation.
Klosky is no stranger to stress made worse by his own mind.
He didn’t use the letters O.C.D. in his business name just to be cute. Klosky
actually has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and he uses his business to channel
his disorder in constructive way. Klosky says in this video that he wanted to break down the acronym of O.C.D. and
change it to Organize and Create Discipline for his business to take control of
a negative thing and make it positive.
Who does O.C.D.
Experience reach?
Since O.C.D. Experience’s creation, the business has
organized closets, garages, homes, businesses and computers across the country.
Klosky has created several O.C.D. products – a
slimline wallet and an organizational desk system. He has a book, Organize and Create Discipline: An A-to-Z
Guide to an Organized Existence, being published Dec. 26 and a new app being released soon. In 2014, Klosky hopes to leave
more of the day-to-day organization consulting to his well-trained O.C.D. team
members in Los Angeles, New York and Miami so he can focus on promoting his new
book and further building his brand as the go-to organization personality.
Klosky has already been a guest on talk shows such as “The Talk” with Julie
Chen and Anderson Cooper’s daytime show “Anderson.” He and his business have also
been featured in all forms of media – digital, print, TV and radio. Klosky
plans to do more of these types of guest appearances in the coming year to
solidify the O.C.D. brand as a household name.
O.C.D. Experience’s target audience includes people anywhere
on the scale from grasping for a little more order in their home to dealing
with deep emotional problems that have led to extreme disorder. O.C.D.
Experience can help someone wanting to better organize a small space like a
closet or garage or even a computer, as well as someone who needs to completely
overhaul the organizational system for their entire home or business.
Introducing organization not only makes these spaces better; they make people’s
lives better as they are able to start letting go of those excessive stimuli
and the emotional baggage that goes with them.
Why Integrated
Marketing Communications?
In this communications plan, I will offer my recommendations
for the O.C.D. Experience website, blog, social media, events and more. No
matter how many products and services are offered, and no matter how many
places the O.C.D. Experience brand graces, the most important thing is to give the
audience a consistent experience every step of the way. There are so many ways
that potential customers can consume your marketing messages. They might see
you on TV or social media, or they could see an ad for your company on a
billboard or website banner. They could read about you in a news article or
pick up and read your book. To make sure someone who sees your brand on
multiple platforms connects all those experiences, you have to implement an
integrated marketing strategy. Steve
McKee wrote on businessweek.com about an exercise that his advertising firm
conducts to see which taglines of the world’s ten largest advertisers they can
recall. McKee said that while he doesn’t think taglines are necessarily the
greatest measure of integrated marketing, the one retailer tagline that
everyone can remember proves an important point. The company is McDonald’s, and
it’s not because they’re the biggest spender. It’s because they’ve pushed out
the same marketing messages across multiple online and offline platforms
consistently since 2003. Perseverance with consistency, McKee says, is key to
successful integration. It takes planning, but it also takes time.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
In a hotel social media manager's shoes: Answering positive and negative feedback (samples)
The following are sample hotel reviews, which I am answering for a class assignment as if I were the hotels' social media manager. I do not actually work for either of these companies.
Dear Travelwith3kiddos,
We're so happy to have had you with us not once, but twice! Thank you for choosing Hyatt Regency Orlando and for taking the time to tell us about your stay.
Mother nature certainly throws our pool maintenance team a curve ball from time to time -- but from the the hotel's three pools to our full-service spa to your comfy bed, our Hyatt family strives to exceed your family's expectations. We hope you'll be back soon, and we hope you won't see a single unsatisfactory thing. But if you do, please don't hesitate to report it to the front desk right away. We want to know if there's anything we could do to make your stay better, and we want to do it as soon as possible.
Corey Crawford is the culinary genius behind the B-line Diner, and we'll be sure to give your compliments to the chef. Cappricio Grill is now Fiorenzo Italian Steakhouse. Fiorenzo's open kitchen allows you to enjoy the creation of your steak, seafood, pizza or pasta dinner as well as the taste. Reservations are required at Fiorenzo, which ensures that guests won't wait to be seated due to walk-ins.
During your stay, we do our best to keep your car happy and safe in our covered parking areas, and we're glad to hear that you were pleased with our shuttle service. If you bring your family back between now and Dec. 30, 2014, be sure to check out our "Park and Ride" package (http://orlando.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/offers/offer-detail.html?offerId=52945012). You'll get complimentary hotel valet for one car, plus five I-Ride Trolley tickets per night during your stay.
Thanks again for your stellar review, and please let me know if I can answer any questions for you about Hyatt Regency Orlando. We hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Julie McKinney
Social Media Manager
Hyatt Regency Orlando
Dear Luv2TravelWithHubby,
I hope you'll accept our deepest apologies for not making your 10-year high school reunion the enjoyable experience it should have been. Your room should have been ready at 4 p.m., and your bed and towel requests should have been honored when you asked the first time. Your room and our grounds should have been in tip-top shape, as well, and we regret that this was not so during your visit.
We would love to host you and your husband at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina again -- and this time, we'll blow you away with our service. Please email me at julie@hilton.com, and I will be happy to help you book your next stay at a discounted rate. Take advantage of our hotel's concierge services to book tours and visits to the best attractions in the area. We'll get you set up to go on a snorkeling adventure, play a game of golf or explore the Everglades on an airboat excursion. Without even leaving the hotel, you can enjoy an outdoor heated pool, full-service spa and fitness center. After a full day of fun in Fort Lauderdale, we'd love to have you join us for dinner at Nanking or The G. (Peruse the menus here: http://www.fortlauderdalemarinahotel.com/activities-en.html)
Thank you for your constructive criticism, and I hope you'll give us a chance to redeem ourselves and win your confidence in Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina.
Sincerely,
Julie McKinney
Social Media Manager
Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
Dear Travelwith3kiddos,
We're so happy to have had you with us not once, but twice! Thank you for choosing Hyatt Regency Orlando and for taking the time to tell us about your stay.
Mother nature certainly throws our pool maintenance team a curve ball from time to time -- but from the the hotel's three pools to our full-service spa to your comfy bed, our Hyatt family strives to exceed your family's expectations. We hope you'll be back soon, and we hope you won't see a single unsatisfactory thing. But if you do, please don't hesitate to report it to the front desk right away. We want to know if there's anything we could do to make your stay better, and we want to do it as soon as possible.
Corey Crawford is the culinary genius behind the B-line Diner, and we'll be sure to give your compliments to the chef. Cappricio Grill is now Fiorenzo Italian Steakhouse. Fiorenzo's open kitchen allows you to enjoy the creation of your steak, seafood, pizza or pasta dinner as well as the taste. Reservations are required at Fiorenzo, which ensures that guests won't wait to be seated due to walk-ins.
During your stay, we do our best to keep your car happy and safe in our covered parking areas, and we're glad to hear that you were pleased with our shuttle service. If you bring your family back between now and Dec. 30, 2014, be sure to check out our "Park and Ride" package (http://orlando.regency.hyatt.com/en/hotel/offers/offer-detail.html?offerId=52945012). You'll get complimentary hotel valet for one car, plus five I-Ride Trolley tickets per night during your stay.
Thanks again for your stellar review, and please let me know if I can answer any questions for you about Hyatt Regency Orlando. We hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
Julie McKinney
Social Media Manager
Hyatt Regency Orlando
Dear Luv2TravelWithHubby,
I hope you'll accept our deepest apologies for not making your 10-year high school reunion the enjoyable experience it should have been. Your room should have been ready at 4 p.m., and your bed and towel requests should have been honored when you asked the first time. Your room and our grounds should have been in tip-top shape, as well, and we regret that this was not so during your visit.
We would love to host you and your husband at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina again -- and this time, we'll blow you away with our service. Please email me at julie@hilton.com, and I will be happy to help you book your next stay at a discounted rate. Take advantage of our hotel's concierge services to book tours and visits to the best attractions in the area. We'll get you set up to go on a snorkeling adventure, play a game of golf or explore the Everglades on an airboat excursion. Without even leaving the hotel, you can enjoy an outdoor heated pool, full-service spa and fitness center. After a full day of fun in Fort Lauderdale, we'd love to have you join us for dinner at Nanking or The G. (Peruse the menus here: http://www.fortlauderdalemarinahotel.com/activities-en.html)
Thank you for your constructive criticism, and I hope you'll give us a chance to redeem ourselves and win your confidence in Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina.
Sincerely,
Julie McKinney
Social Media Manager
Hilton Fort Lauderdale Marina
Monday, October 28, 2013
Events and multimedia communication: How I think the ISPA did with promoting their 2013 expo
The International Spa Association hosted their 2013 ISPA Conference and Expo on Oct. 21-23 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here's how I think they did with digitally promoting their event -- before, during and after.
Before the expo
The ISPA did a great job blogging up until the event. They posted helpful items like Packing 101 for the ISPA Conference and Expo and Prepare Like a Pro for the ISPA Expo ahead of the event. Posts like these say "This event is coming up and here's how to get ready for it" without obnoxiously shouting "Come to our event! Now!" But the organization could have also kept up the blogging during and after the event. They could still be telling interesting stories about the people or products at the expo or the history of the event or a company -- something to keep people talking about the expo. The blog posts during the event could have even been shorter, including photos from the expo, to make posting more manageable. Then they could have written up a wrap-up post after the expo concluded -- a "we had fun; hope to see you next year!" kind of post. There are surely people out there who couldn't attend the event this year who are interested in how it went. Also, the ISPA could have used such blog posts to attract people to future expos and push them out to Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
The ISPA pinned these blog posts, as well as several YouTube videos, to their Pinterest page in the days leading up to the expo. However, their Pinterest account has been dead since then. If they had done those blog posts during and after the expo, they would have had more material to pin.
On their YouTube channel, the ISPA has one recent video, "Insights into the Consumer Snapshot - Volume IV," which doesn't exactly pertain to the expo but does offer valuable background information to those in or interested in the business. The ISPA definitely missed an easy opportunity to video the crowd, the booths and the speakers at the expo. Posting short snippets from speakers -- the most inspirational parts, of course -- accompanied by crowd and booth footage could encourage their YouTube viewers to make coming to the expo a priority next year. Arm the team with Flip cameras or smartphones and go get that video! This also would have given the ISPA more content to share on Pinterest, as well as Facebook and Twitter.
On Instagram, the ISPA posted several photos of the set-up, which provides followers with a fun behind-the-scenes look at getting ready for the expo.
During the expo
I think the ISPA did a fairly good job updating their social media during their expo. The ISPA used the hashtags #ISPA2013 and, in some cases, #GrowYourWorld most of the time; however, they could have been much more consistent with their use. Potential future attendees would have definitely missed out on parts of the conversation from the expo if they had been following #ISPA2013 on Twitter or Facebook. The ISPA shared lots of photos on Instagram of the goings-on at the expo, and the photos showed a variety of subjects -- closeups of signs or food as wells as group shots of attendees. They updated Facebook and Twitter frequently with reminders/teasers about speakers, meals and other events.
My biggest criticism for their Facebook and Twitter accounts' activity during the expo is I think they should have shared more photos. When reminding followers about a speaker coming up, share a photo of that speaker -- a snapshot from the event or even a professional headshot. When inviting people to join you at dinner, share a photo of the place all set up; or if it's not all set up yet, share a closeup of one of the place settings or the chef preparing the food. According to Hubspot, 40 percent of people respond better to visuals than text alone.
How much more engaging would this post be if it had a photo of Lawrence Biscontini? Not only would it be more likely to catch your eye, it would also give the people at the expo an idea of who they're looking for at 6 a.m.
And how easy would it have been to attach a photo to this tweet of everyone gathering for lunch?
Also, neither of those examples has the event's hashtag. Womp, womp. However, overall, it seems the ISPA had the most interaction going on Twitter.
After the expo
The ISPA posted several times on Facebook after the expo ended, thanking sponsors and inviting people to share what they had gained from attending.
It's nice that they remembered to thank their sponsors on social media, but they could have taken the extra step on this post of tagging the sponsors. Unless the sponsors are closely following the ISPA's Facebook page, they could have easily missed this thank you. Tagging them could have gotten more engagement on this post, not to mention that it would make this a more adequate thank-you.
Here, they could have asked people to briefly share how they grew at the expo in the comments under this post -- in addition to asking people interested in being featured on the blog to email Christine. But because this post only directs people to email, the post got zero comments.
On Twitter, ISPA retweeted people as they posted their farewell messages and thanks, which is good engagement with those talking about the event. They also tweeted the same two Facebook items mentioned above, and my criticisms remain the same. They should have mentioned sponsors who are on Twitter and asked for people to briefly share how they grew at the expo using a hashtag.
Facebook and Twitter are really the only places you see any activity after the expo ended, and as I mentioned above, I think they easily could have done blog posts and videos during and after the show. This would have given them fresh content to share on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to remind the attendees how much fun they had and to entice more people to join them for the fun next year.
Before the expo
The ISPA did a great job blogging up until the event. They posted helpful items like Packing 101 for the ISPA Conference and Expo and Prepare Like a Pro for the ISPA Expo ahead of the event. Posts like these say "This event is coming up and here's how to get ready for it" without obnoxiously shouting "Come to our event! Now!" But the organization could have also kept up the blogging during and after the event. They could still be telling interesting stories about the people or products at the expo or the history of the event or a company -- something to keep people talking about the expo. The blog posts during the event could have even been shorter, including photos from the expo, to make posting more manageable. Then they could have written up a wrap-up post after the expo concluded -- a "we had fun; hope to see you next year!" kind of post. There are surely people out there who couldn't attend the event this year who are interested in how it went. Also, the ISPA could have used such blog posts to attract people to future expos and push them out to Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
The ISPA pinned these blog posts, as well as several YouTube videos, to their Pinterest page in the days leading up to the expo. However, their Pinterest account has been dead since then. If they had done those blog posts during and after the expo, they would have had more material to pin.
On their YouTube channel, the ISPA has one recent video, "Insights into the Consumer Snapshot - Volume IV," which doesn't exactly pertain to the expo but does offer valuable background information to those in or interested in the business. The ISPA definitely missed an easy opportunity to video the crowd, the booths and the speakers at the expo. Posting short snippets from speakers -- the most inspirational parts, of course -- accompanied by crowd and booth footage could encourage their YouTube viewers to make coming to the expo a priority next year. Arm the team with Flip cameras or smartphones and go get that video! This also would have given the ISPA more content to share on Pinterest, as well as Facebook and Twitter.
On Instagram, the ISPA posted several photos of the set-up, which provides followers with a fun behind-the-scenes look at getting ready for the expo.
During the expo
I think the ISPA did a fairly good job updating their social media during their expo. The ISPA used the hashtags #ISPA2013 and, in some cases, #GrowYourWorld most of the time; however, they could have been much more consistent with their use. Potential future attendees would have definitely missed out on parts of the conversation from the expo if they had been following #ISPA2013 on Twitter or Facebook. The ISPA shared lots of photos on Instagram of the goings-on at the expo, and the photos showed a variety of subjects -- closeups of signs or food as wells as group shots of attendees. They updated Facebook and Twitter frequently with reminders/teasers about speakers, meals and other events.
My biggest criticism for their Facebook and Twitter accounts' activity during the expo is I think they should have shared more photos. When reminding followers about a speaker coming up, share a photo of that speaker -- a snapshot from the event or even a professional headshot. When inviting people to join you at dinner, share a photo of the place all set up; or if it's not all set up yet, share a closeup of one of the place settings or the chef preparing the food. According to Hubspot, 40 percent of people respond better to visuals than text alone.
How much more engaging would this post be if it had a photo of Lawrence Biscontini? Not only would it be more likely to catch your eye, it would also give the people at the expo an idea of who they're looking for at 6 a.m.
And how easy would it have been to attach a photo to this tweet of everyone gathering for lunch?
Also, neither of those examples has the event's hashtag. Womp, womp. However, overall, it seems the ISPA had the most interaction going on Twitter.
After the expo
The ISPA posted several times on Facebook after the expo ended, thanking sponsors and inviting people to share what they had gained from attending.
It's nice that they remembered to thank their sponsors on social media, but they could have taken the extra step on this post of tagging the sponsors. Unless the sponsors are closely following the ISPA's Facebook page, they could have easily missed this thank you. Tagging them could have gotten more engagement on this post, not to mention that it would make this a more adequate thank-you.
Here, they could have asked people to briefly share how they grew at the expo in the comments under this post -- in addition to asking people interested in being featured on the blog to email Christine. But because this post only directs people to email, the post got zero comments.
On Twitter, ISPA retweeted people as they posted their farewell messages and thanks, which is good engagement with those talking about the event. They also tweeted the same two Facebook items mentioned above, and my criticisms remain the same. They should have mentioned sponsors who are on Twitter and asked for people to briefly share how they grew at the expo using a hashtag.
Facebook and Twitter are really the only places you see any activity after the expo ended, and as I mentioned above, I think they easily could have done blog posts and videos during and after the show. This would have given them fresh content to share on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to remind the attendees how much fun they had and to entice more people to join them for the fun next year.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
A month in the role of Disney's Animal Kingdom social media manager
In this week's post, I plan a month's worth of Facebook and Twitter posts for Disney World's Animal Kingdom. I pulled items from Disney's events calendar as much as I could, but beyond a few recurring shows and their holiday parade that runs from November to January, they don't seem to have a lot of special events on the calendar yet.
I tried to share a photo on almost every Facebook post to increase its Edgerank score, and I included links where appropriate to provide the users with easy access to more information about the event or attraction that the post describes. I also tried to ask lots of questions and occasionally directly ask for a like (to wish this elephant happy birthday or something similar) on Facebook to drive audience interaction. Of course, interaction is fun, but it is also valuable because a user who comments or likes one of our posts is more likely to see our updates in their Newsfeed next time.
With Twitter, I often invite our followers to utilize hashtags to get their thoughts and photos in front of us. When we're asking the user to share a photo or an answer to our questions, we would be spending some time afterward replying to, retweeting and/or favoriting the best tweets from our users. Every Monday is #DisneyQuiz day on Twitter, when we ask our followers a question based on animal fun facts.
Overall, I attempt to balance event/attraction promotion with fun prompts and questions that will lead to user interaction. So here's the month of December for the Animal Kingdom's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Sunday, December 1
Facebook:
Mickey loves the holidays. Join our favorite mouse at the Jingle Jungle Parade every day until Jan. 2 to celebrate the season, Animal Kingdom style!
Twitter:
Join Mickey at the Jingle Jungle Parade every day until Jan. 2 to celebrate the holidays, Animal Kingdom style! [Share parade photo]
Monday, December 2
Facebook:
How does Disney take care of more than 1,500 animals in the Animal Kingdom? Make your reservations for the Backstage Safari to take a look behind the scenes! http://bit.ly/1cI7Io5
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: Besides the Animal Kingdom, where do cotton-top tamarin monkeys live? [Share image of monkey]
After about an hour of taking responses, tweet the answer:
#DisneyQuiz answer: Cotton-top tamarin monkeys, one of the most endangered primates, live in Colombia, S. America -- and the Animal Kingdom.
Tuesday, December 3
Facebook: Simba just can't wait to put on a show for you! Come on down to the Animal Kingdom for the Festival of the #LionKing: http://bit.ly/19UGVCM
Twitter:
Simba just can't wait to put on a show for you! Come on down to the Animal Kingdom for the Festival of the #LionKing: http://bit.ly/19UGVCM
Wednesday, December 4
Facebook:
Like if you love the Animal Kingdom, and tell us which attraction is your favorite in the comments!
Twitter:
Love the Animal Kingdom? Share a photo of your #DisneyFamFun at your favorite attraction!
Thursday, December 5
Facebook:
Have you ever eaten in the middle of a rainforest? Satisfy all your critters' appetites in the Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Cafe. http://bit.ly/H870WX
Twitter:
It's #lunchtime! If you were in Disney's Animal Kingdom right now, where would you go to fuel up for your adventures? http://bit.ly/1i5uZAU
Friday, December 6
Facebook: What's your child's favorite animal? Send us a photo of him or her dressed up like that animal for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to more details and contest rules]
Twitter: Send us a photo of your child dressed up like their fav animal for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! How to enter: [Link to more details and contest rules]
Saturday, December 7
Facebook: We think we have the greatest cast in the world at Disney. Tell us how our cast members have made your trip to the park special!
Twitter: We love our Disney Cast! Tell us how our cast members have made your trip to the park special. #DisneyCastProps
[Note: If we get negative feedback, respond with this: We hope everyone's trip is a fairy tale, but if something goes wrong we want to know! Email us at complaints@disney.com]
Sunday, December 8
Facebook: We're craving something sweet today! What's your favorite dessert in the Animal Kingdom? [Share dessert photo]
Twitter: We're craving something sweet today! What's your favorite dessert in the Animal Kingdom? #AKsweets
Monday, December 9
Facebook:
These exotic birds will take your breath away: http://bit.ly/HaOPPk
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: How much weight can an ant carry? [Share image of an ant]
#DisneyQuiz answer: Ants can carry up to 50 times their body weight with their mandibles, or ant "jaws."
Tuesday, December 10
Facebook:
What's your favorite animal living in Disney's Animal Kingdom? http://bit.ly/1gu9yhk
Twitter:
Make friends with goats and sheep at the Animal Kingdom's Affection Section: http://bit.ly/15T9sJe Tweet us your #AKfurryfriend photos!
Wednesday, December 11
Facebook:
Your favorite fish are onstage! Nemo, Dory and company are stealing hearts with "Finding Nemo, the Musical" in the Animal Kingdom. When are you going? http://bit.ly/19ZBWVb
Twitter:
You're halfway through the week! #JustKeepSwimming [Share the following photo]
Thursday, December 12
Facebook: What's your favorite memory of your trip to the Animal Kingdom?
Twitter:
Show us your favorite Animal Kingdom souvenir! #AKgoodies
Friday, December 13
Facebook:
The Tree of Life is the icon of the Animal Kingdom, and we bet you have some beautiful photos. Share them using #AKtreeoflife
Twitter:
The Tree of Life is the icon of the Animal Kingdom, and we bet you have some beautiful photos. Share them using #AKtreeoflife
Saturday, December 14
Facebook:
It's Animal Kingdom caption time! If this tiger cub could talk, what would he be saying when this photo was taken?
Twitter:
If you could grant one type of animal the ability to talk to humans, what animal would it be? #IfAnimalsCouldTalk
Sunday, December 15
Facebook: We know a special mommy lion who's going to have three new cubs any day now. We're taking nominations for the cub names! [Share photo of the pregnant lion]
Twitter: We should have three new lion cubs any day now. What should they be named? #AKlioncubs
Monday, December 16
Facebook:
Know any young paleontologists? Let your dino-fascinated kiddos unearth prehistoric remains in the Boneyard! http://bit.ly/17Wj1DW
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: What has short arms, more than 50 teeth, a killer sense of smell and can run up to 20 miles per hour?
#DisneyQuiz answer: Tyrannosaurus rex had 50-60 teeth and ran up to 20 mph. This plus a sensitive nose made T-rex a formidable predator.
Tuesday, December 17
Facebook: Help us welcome the newest additions to the Animal Kingdom -- 3 lion cubs! [Share photo of the new cubs]
Twitter: Help us welcome the newest additions to the Animal Kingdom -- 3 lion cubs! [Share photo of the new cubs]
Wednesday, December 18
Facebook: Today's the last day to get your "Little Animals" photos in for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to details/rules again.]
Twitter: Today's the last day to get your "Little Animals" photos in for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to details/rules again.]
Thursday, December 19
Facebook:
Remember this baby girl? Nadirah turns 8 today! Like to wish her a happy birthday!
Twitter:
Guess who turned 8 today? African bush elephant Nadirah! #TBT to Nadirah's first weeks in Disney's Animal Kingdom. [Share above photo]
Friday, December 20
Facebook: Congrats to our "Little Animals" photo contest winner! The Green family won a trip to the Animal Kingdom in January.
Twitter: Congrats, Green family -- winner of our "Little Animals" photo contest and a trip to the Animal Kingdom in January! [Share photo]
Saturday, December 21
Facebook: Watch Jeff playing with the Animal Kingdom's new lion cubs. [Share video of the jungle cat guy playing with cubs]
Twitter:
Our jungle cat expert is taking your questions from 2-3 p.m. Eastern. Tell Jeff what you want to know using #JungleCatQ
[Have Jeff answer as many people's questions as he can within an hour.]
Sunday, December 22
Facebook:
White Christmas is overrated. Join us in sunny Orlando this week to celebrate the holidays; no snowsuit required. [Share a screenshot of the 10-day forecast]
Twitter:
White Christmas is overrated. Visit the Animal Kingdom in sunny Orlando to celebrate the holidays; no snowsuit required. [Share a screenshot of the 10-day forecast]
Monday, December 23
Facebook:
What's it like to be a bug? Find out at Disney's Animal Kingdom! http://bit.ly/19XjzML
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: How many ants does a giant anteater consume in one day? [Share image of giant anteater]
#DisneyQuiz answer: A giant anteater can eat up to 30,000 ants in one day. They also may eat fruit if they find it on the ground.
Tuesday, December 24
Facebook:
What better way to spend Christmas than at Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade?
Twitter:
Merry Christmas! Goofy wants to see you at the Jingle Jungle Parade -- and how can you resist this face? [Share above photo]
Wednesday, December 25
Facebook:
Did Santa leave any Disney magic under your tree?
Twitter:
Did Santa leave any Disney magic under your tree? Tweet photos of your family with their #DisneyGifts
Thursday, December 26
Facebook:
We're still in the holiday spirit at the Animal Kingdom! And there's still time for a Disney trip before the kids head back to school...
[Share photo of holiday decorations at the park]
Twitter:
There's still time for a #DisneyTrip before school starts back...
Friday, December 27
Facebook:
What Disney characters and Animal Kingdom critters are on your must-photograph list?
Twitter:
What Disney characters and Animal Kingdom critters are on your must-photograph list? #MustPhotoDisney
Saturday, December 28
Facebook:
Have you met Dino-Sue? Stand beneath a replica of the largest and most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found in Disney's Animal Kingdom!
Twitter:
Do you know Dino-Sue? Show us your photos with the giant T-rex skeleton! #DinoSue [Share above photo so people know what I'm talking about]
Sunday, December 29
Facebook:
What do your kids want to do when they grow up? Bring your little animal lovers to the Animal Kingdom's Conservation Station to shadow our veterinary staff. http://bit.ly/19VuHaO
Twitter:
Bring your little animal lovers to the Animal Kingdom's Conservation Station to shadow our veterinary staff for a day http://bit.ly/19VuHaO
Monday, December 30
Facebook:
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: What's the largest lizard?
#DisneyQuiz answer: Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards, topping out at lengths of more than 10 feet and weights over 300 pounds.
Tuesday, December 31
Facebook:
It's been a great year in the Animal Kingdom. These furballs hope to see you in 2014! [Share photo of new lion cubs]
Twitter:
It's been a great year in the Animal Kingdom. These guys hope to see you in 2014! [Share photo of new lion cubs]
I tried to share a photo on almost every Facebook post to increase its Edgerank score, and I included links where appropriate to provide the users with easy access to more information about the event or attraction that the post describes. I also tried to ask lots of questions and occasionally directly ask for a like (to wish this elephant happy birthday or something similar) on Facebook to drive audience interaction. Of course, interaction is fun, but it is also valuable because a user who comments or likes one of our posts is more likely to see our updates in their Newsfeed next time.
With Twitter, I often invite our followers to utilize hashtags to get their thoughts and photos in front of us. When we're asking the user to share a photo or an answer to our questions, we would be spending some time afterward replying to, retweeting and/or favoriting the best tweets from our users. Every Monday is #DisneyQuiz day on Twitter, when we ask our followers a question based on animal fun facts.
Overall, I attempt to balance event/attraction promotion with fun prompts and questions that will lead to user interaction. So here's the month of December for the Animal Kingdom's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Sunday, December 1
Facebook:
Mickey loves the holidays. Join our favorite mouse at the Jingle Jungle Parade every day until Jan. 2 to celebrate the season, Animal Kingdom style!
Twitter:
Join Mickey at the Jingle Jungle Parade every day until Jan. 2 to celebrate the holidays, Animal Kingdom style! [Share parade photo]
Monday, December 2
Facebook:
How does Disney take care of more than 1,500 animals in the Animal Kingdom? Make your reservations for the Backstage Safari to take a look behind the scenes! http://bit.ly/1cI7Io5
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: Besides the Animal Kingdom, where do cotton-top tamarin monkeys live? [Share image of monkey]
After about an hour of taking responses, tweet the answer:
#DisneyQuiz answer: Cotton-top tamarin monkeys, one of the most endangered primates, live in Colombia, S. America -- and the Animal Kingdom.
Tuesday, December 3
Facebook: Simba just can't wait to put on a show for you! Come on down to the Animal Kingdom for the Festival of the #LionKing: http://bit.ly/19UGVCM
Twitter:
Simba just can't wait to put on a show for you! Come on down to the Animal Kingdom for the Festival of the #LionKing: http://bit.ly/19UGVCM
Wednesday, December 4
Facebook:
Like if you love the Animal Kingdom, and tell us which attraction is your favorite in the comments!
Twitter:
Love the Animal Kingdom? Share a photo of your #DisneyFamFun at your favorite attraction!
Thursday, December 5
Facebook:
Have you ever eaten in the middle of a rainforest? Satisfy all your critters' appetites in the Animal Kingdom's Rainforest Cafe. http://bit.ly/H870WX
Twitter:
It's #lunchtime! If you were in Disney's Animal Kingdom right now, where would you go to fuel up for your adventures? http://bit.ly/1i5uZAU
Friday, December 6
Facebook: What's your child's favorite animal? Send us a photo of him or her dressed up like that animal for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to more details and contest rules]
Twitter: Send us a photo of your child dressed up like their fav animal for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! How to enter: [Link to more details and contest rules]
Saturday, December 7
Facebook: We think we have the greatest cast in the world at Disney. Tell us how our cast members have made your trip to the park special!
Twitter: We love our Disney Cast! Tell us how our cast members have made your trip to the park special. #DisneyCastProps
[Note: If we get negative feedback, respond with this: We hope everyone's trip is a fairy tale, but if something goes wrong we want to know! Email us at complaints@disney.com]
Sunday, December 8
Facebook: We're craving something sweet today! What's your favorite dessert in the Animal Kingdom? [Share dessert photo]
Twitter: We're craving something sweet today! What's your favorite dessert in the Animal Kingdom? #AKsweets
Monday, December 9
Facebook:
These exotic birds will take your breath away: http://bit.ly/HaOPPk
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: How much weight can an ant carry? [Share image of an ant]
#DisneyQuiz answer: Ants can carry up to 50 times their body weight with their mandibles, or ant "jaws."
Tuesday, December 10
Facebook:
What's your favorite animal living in Disney's Animal Kingdom? http://bit.ly/1gu9yhk
Twitter:
Make friends with goats and sheep at the Animal Kingdom's Affection Section: http://bit.ly/15T9sJe Tweet us your #AKfurryfriend photos!
Wednesday, December 11
Facebook:
Your favorite fish are onstage! Nemo, Dory and company are stealing hearts with "Finding Nemo, the Musical" in the Animal Kingdom. When are you going? http://bit.ly/19ZBWVb
Twitter:
You're halfway through the week! #JustKeepSwimming [Share the following photo]
Thursday, December 12
Facebook: What's your favorite memory of your trip to the Animal Kingdom?
Twitter:
Show us your favorite Animal Kingdom souvenir! #AKgoodies
Friday, December 13
Facebook:
The Tree of Life is the icon of the Animal Kingdom, and we bet you have some beautiful photos. Share them using #AKtreeoflife
Twitter:
The Tree of Life is the icon of the Animal Kingdom, and we bet you have some beautiful photos. Share them using #AKtreeoflife
Saturday, December 14
Facebook:
It's Animal Kingdom caption time! If this tiger cub could talk, what would he be saying when this photo was taken?
Twitter:
If you could grant one type of animal the ability to talk to humans, what animal would it be? #IfAnimalsCouldTalk
Sunday, December 15
Facebook: We know a special mommy lion who's going to have three new cubs any day now. We're taking nominations for the cub names! [Share photo of the pregnant lion]
Twitter: We should have three new lion cubs any day now. What should they be named? #AKlioncubs
Monday, December 16
Facebook:
Know any young paleontologists? Let your dino-fascinated kiddos unearth prehistoric remains in the Boneyard! http://bit.ly/17Wj1DW
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: What has short arms, more than 50 teeth, a killer sense of smell and can run up to 20 miles per hour?
#DisneyQuiz answer: Tyrannosaurus rex had 50-60 teeth and ran up to 20 mph. This plus a sensitive nose made T-rex a formidable predator.
Tuesday, December 17
Facebook: Help us welcome the newest additions to the Animal Kingdom -- 3 lion cubs! [Share photo of the new cubs]
Twitter: Help us welcome the newest additions to the Animal Kingdom -- 3 lion cubs! [Share photo of the new cubs]
Wednesday, December 18
Facebook: Today's the last day to get your "Little Animals" photos in for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to details/rules again.]
Twitter: Today's the last day to get your "Little Animals" photos in for a chance to win a trip to the Animal Kingdom! [Link to details/rules again.]
Thursday, December 19
Facebook:
Remember this baby girl? Nadirah turns 8 today! Like to wish her a happy birthday!
Twitter:
Guess who turned 8 today? African bush elephant Nadirah! #TBT to Nadirah's first weeks in Disney's Animal Kingdom. [Share above photo]
Friday, December 20
Facebook: Congrats to our "Little Animals" photo contest winner! The Green family won a trip to the Animal Kingdom in January.
Twitter: Congrats, Green family -- winner of our "Little Animals" photo contest and a trip to the Animal Kingdom in January! [Share photo]
Saturday, December 21
Facebook: Watch Jeff playing with the Animal Kingdom's new lion cubs. [Share video of the jungle cat guy playing with cubs]
Twitter:
Our jungle cat expert is taking your questions from 2-3 p.m. Eastern. Tell Jeff what you want to know using #JungleCatQ
[Have Jeff answer as many people's questions as he can within an hour.]
Sunday, December 22
Facebook:
White Christmas is overrated. Join us in sunny Orlando this week to celebrate the holidays; no snowsuit required. [Share a screenshot of the 10-day forecast]
Twitter:
White Christmas is overrated. Visit the Animal Kingdom in sunny Orlando to celebrate the holidays; no snowsuit required. [Share a screenshot of the 10-day forecast]
Monday, December 23
Facebook:
What's it like to be a bug? Find out at Disney's Animal Kingdom! http://bit.ly/19XjzML
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: How many ants does a giant anteater consume in one day? [Share image of giant anteater]
#DisneyQuiz answer: A giant anteater can eat up to 30,000 ants in one day. They also may eat fruit if they find it on the ground.
Tuesday, December 24
Facebook:
What better way to spend Christmas than at Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade?
Twitter:
Merry Christmas! Goofy wants to see you at the Jingle Jungle Parade -- and how can you resist this face? [Share above photo]
Wednesday, December 25
Facebook:
Did Santa leave any Disney magic under your tree?
Twitter:
Did Santa leave any Disney magic under your tree? Tweet photos of your family with their #DisneyGifts
Thursday, December 26
Facebook:
We're still in the holiday spirit at the Animal Kingdom! And there's still time for a Disney trip before the kids head back to school...
[Share photo of holiday decorations at the park]
Twitter:
There's still time for a #DisneyTrip before school starts back...
Friday, December 27
Facebook:
What Disney characters and Animal Kingdom critters are on your must-photograph list?
Twitter:
What Disney characters and Animal Kingdom critters are on your must-photograph list? #MustPhotoDisney
Saturday, December 28
Facebook:
Have you met Dino-Sue? Stand beneath a replica of the largest and most complete T-Rex skeleton ever found in Disney's Animal Kingdom!
Twitter:
Do you know Dino-Sue? Show us your photos with the giant T-rex skeleton! #DinoSue [Share above photo so people know what I'm talking about]
Sunday, December 29
Facebook:
What do your kids want to do when they grow up? Bring your little animal lovers to the Animal Kingdom's Conservation Station to shadow our veterinary staff. http://bit.ly/19VuHaO
Twitter:
Bring your little animal lovers to the Animal Kingdom's Conservation Station to shadow our veterinary staff for a day http://bit.ly/19VuHaO
Monday, December 30
Facebook:
If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?
Twitter:
#DisneyQuiz: What's the largest lizard?
#DisneyQuiz answer: Komodo dragons are the largest living lizards, topping out at lengths of more than 10 feet and weights over 300 pounds.
Tuesday, December 31
Facebook:
It's been a great year in the Animal Kingdom. These furballs hope to see you in 2014! [Share photo of new lion cubs]
Twitter:
It's been a great year in the Animal Kingdom. These guys hope to see you in 2014! [Share photo of new lion cubs]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)