CDG Interactive Blog

Ever been struck with a fantastic idea, only to realize that you’re the millionth person to think of it? That’s the story of this blog post. In a recent meeting, a client who had just started using Twitter for his business asked us about the protocol for following other people. Was it “polite,” he wanted to know, to reciprocate by following them?

Ah—a lightbulb! Why not do a post on Twitter etiquette? Wait—we’ll call it “Twittiquette.”

Alas, a quick Google search revealed that not only was the idea unoriginal—so was the name. On the up side, though, a conventional wisdom is developing around good Twitter behavior.

So allow me to channel Emily 140-Character Post and present a few rules of Twittiquette for your business.

1. DO follow (real) people who follow you.
Getting right to our client’s question, it’s a good idea to follow folks who follow you. Not only is it “polite,” it will help give you insight into your customer base. You’ll know what they’re doing, what they’re thinking about, and—in some cases—what they think about your products and services. Of course, if a spammer starts following you, there’s no need to return the “favor.”

2. DON’T go berserk with promotional tweets.
People aren’t on Twitter to read mini-commercials. If you have something genuinely interesting or important to say about your business—like a new product launch or an upcoming event—then go ahead. But unless you want people to tune out your tweets—or worse—stop following you, keep it to the bare minimum.

3. DON’T be disrespectful to your clients
In my favorite Twitter morality tale, a hot-shot ad guy (ironically using the grandiose moniker of “KeyInfluencer”) tweeted disparagingly about the city of Memphis. He was in the city visiting a hugely important client, FedEx, to give a seminar on . . . wait for it . . . social media. Someone at FedEx saw said tweet and clued in corporate executives. FedEx excoriated Mr. KeyInfluencer, and it’s safe to say the agency/client relationship was highly frayed.

This is a dramatic example of the dangers of Twitter, but the lesson bears repeating: Don’t tweet anything that you wouldn’t shout out loud in the middle of Times Square. You never know who’s listening.

4. DO ask questions.
As Fast Company points out on its blog, Twitter is about conversation, not “pontificating.” By asking questions, you help spark a dialogue, and hey—you can learn something!

5. DO be transparent
Authenticity is the currency of social media. Avoid all temptation to set up fake Twitter accounts to cheerlead for your business. People will get wise to it very fast. And you’ll never regain your credibility.

There you are. Rules as timeless as saying “please” and “thank you.” What are your guidelines for good Twitter etiquette?

On March 3, Google launched the Analytics Individual Qualification test, allowing web professionals a way to demonstrating their level of Google Analytics expertise to colleagues and clients.

The test is relatively inexpensive, priced at $50, and your Individual Qualification – if you pass with 75% or greater -- is valid for 18 months.

So what does this mean, exactly? What can you expect? And is the test an accurate reflection of your web metrics savvy, both in general, and with this tool in particular?

My colleague Lisa King and I both recently took and passed the IQ; based on what we learned, here are 3 tips for taking the test.

Continue reading "3 Tips for Taking the Google Analytics IQ Test" »

When Conde Nast is writing about Ritz-Carlton Hotels offering Give-Back Getaways, then voluntourism has become a bona fide trend. It may be an outgrowth of the president’s initiative for community service – United We Serve  or it may just be a general trend toward altruism combined with some really great travel deals. Either way, I'm all for it.

The Ritz Carlton program includes opportunities to assist with the greening of Beijing by planting trees, participate in a music therapy session for disabled children in Istanbul, protect the Everglades in South Florida, and help the National Park Service preserve and protect the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Voluntourism can also be a way for hotels to fill rooms – either during traditionally slow times or after a specific event that impacts tourism in the area. After Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, our client, the 4-star Hotel Maison de Ville offered a special volunteer rate to those coming to help rebuild. The offer jump-started their reservations and allowed them to re-open much more quickly than they would have otherwise.  And knowing they would have a great place to stay in the heart of the French Quarter probably reassured and encouraged some volunteers to go.

Concern about facilities is a frequent concern for voluntourists, according to Tara Cavanagh, program manager of InterExchange’s Working Abroad. [Full disclosure: InterExchange is a CDG client.]  “You always want to ask what’s included in the fees,” Tara said when we asked how potential participants should evaluate programs. “Does it include just the participation in the activity or does it include house and food? And if it doesn’t include food, how remote a location will you be in? Will you easily be able to fend for yourself?”

Other questions Tara suggested asking:

• Is there 24/7 in-country support if you have trouble?
• Is there an orientation before you get started?
• How do they screen the participant organizations?
• Where do the fees go?
• How structured is the program?

This last is important, according to Tara. “The only horror stories I’ve heard from other programs are when people who need a structured environment are put in a situation where volunteers have to take the initiative – like orphanages that are so over-run they just need the volunteers to pitch in wherever they see a need. But if you need a more structured program then make sure you choose one that offers that experience.”

If you’re looking for a volunteer experience of your own, InterExchange offers volunteer programs that run from 2 to 12 weeks. The shortest programs are available in Australia, South Africa and Namibia working with wildlife and conservation projects.

And of course, I’m always a fan of Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village trips (I just returned from my fourth trip – this time to Egypt). If you’re looking for a trip closer to home, they also currently have trips listed to Mississippi and Hawaii.

Are there any projects that tempt you? Where would you want to go to volunteer?

My colleague Lisa King and I will be speaking to the monthly meeting of DC Web Women tonight on a topic we think is especially important to marketers -- using data derived from analytics to find actionable insights for marketing strategy. (Can you tell we are faithful readers of Avinash Kaushik? In fact, we'll be giving away his book as a door prize tonight. :))

We'll be looking at both basic stuff -- how often are visitors coming? where are they coming from? -- and advanced stuff: is this campaign working?

It's a special treat to be hosted by Google tonight since Google Analytics is our standard tool here at CDG Interactive, and Lisa and I both recently received our Google Analytics Individual Qualifications. We've also posted the presentation to SlideShare; an embedded slideshow version is below.

In 1970, Gill Scott-Heron  famously said, “The revolution will not be televised.” But we learned twenty years ago this month, when CNN broadcast from Tiananmen Square, the revolution would indeed be televised and provide iconic images that would resonate for years.

In the past, powerful technologies were often to be feared (and depending on who’s using them and how they’re being implemented, caution is often necessary). George Orwell’s 1984 had Big Brother with pervasive government surveillance and control. But now, with powerful and affordable communication technology widely available plus new social media outlets, there’s a shift that we’re only just beginning to appreciate.

As this year began, unfortunate events on the San Francisco BART led to the death of a young man at the hands of a police officer (that’s all I’ll say as this case is currently in front of the court). Many revelers had their cell phones or cameras to capture their evening and documented the events on the BART platform and were even live streaming to the Internet. Some of those videos are now being used as evidence.

We’re now watching the post-election events in Iran unfold, and it’s fascinating that we’re able to see on the ground reports in real time – especially as foreign reporters are reportedly banned from the streets.

Micro-blogging service Twitter even delayed planned maintenance when they realized that a convenient time frame on the West Coast of the United States put it mid-day in Iran – exactly when people would be depending on the service. And it’s easy to feel more connected to people on the other side of the world when you’re hearing directly from them regularly – and worry about them when you don’t.

One of the most striking images that I’ve seen so far – and there have been many – is this video on YouTube from the weekend. When what appears to be smoke bombs and perhaps tear gas are deployed against the protesters, more move in with their cameras to film and disseminate what’s happening. People around the world have worked to provide proxy servers and keep information flowing and ensure that people in the country can communicate with each other and get information out.

What events have you felt more connected to because of social media?

Notice something different about our blog? Hmmm? We’re sporting a snazzy new design, and I must say, we’re quite proud of it. Redesigning the blog has been a goal of ours for a while, but—like all good agencies, we take care of our clients first. While we were (thankfully) busy and engaged with a variety of exciting projects, our poor little blog suffered from Cobbler’s Kids Syndrome.

We’re still just as busy, but thanks to some late nights and extra hours from Amazing Art Director Jeff Walter and User Interface Developer Extraordinaire Ivan Wilson, our blog got the brand, spankin’ new design it deserved.

We hope you enjoy our new look as much as we do. And we promise to keep filling it with great content about the ins and outs of the interactive industry.

Tell us, what do you think of our new design? (Cue the flood of compliments . . . )