Social Media Advice for Brands

Yesterday the State of the Net conference took place in Washington, DC. The focus of the event is on technology policy in the U.S. and covers an array of topics related to the Internet. One of the sessions this year was entitled “Social Media in Tech Policy” (hooray to government for even recognizing the issue!) and the panel addressed their concerns with government agencies and companies diving into the social media waters headfirst, without the deep-sea gear.

On the one hand, it’s great that big agencies and brands are recognizing the potential to connect with the people that they serve, and their consumer base, by taking to the social media streets; on the other hand these entities need to make sure that they know what they’re getting into. The panel expressed that effective social media interaction requires a sustained effort on their part. It’s one thing to have access to the media, but it’s another thing entirely to actually be social. Companies take heed: you must engage your audience. It’s not enough to just have a Twitter account or a Facebook fanpage. You need to actively use it; listen to the conversations and add value to them. That’s the way to effect change, gain consumer feedback and develop goodwill.

The best advice? Hire someone that understands the space. You’ll be glad that you did. Another great place to start is to attend a workshop on the subject. When used properly, the fruits of social media engagement can be plentiful.

Blissful Bubbles + Bites @ Blissdom

I know that we do not have to tell you about the awesomeness that is the Clever Girls Collective. These gals have become fast favorites of the Blogalicious team. Besides being sweet as all get out, Sheila, Stefania and Cat are smart, sharp and know how to throw a party! Remember the Blogalicious 09 Sweet Suite? ‘Nuff said.

Which brings me to an exciting announcement…

The Clever Girls will be hosting a party at Blissdom 2010! You can RSVP here for Blissful Bubbles + Bites. Irresistable party elements include: chocolate fondue, boas, sparkly lip gloss, bubbly and a rack of raffle prizes from Clever List sponsors. Did I mention that Blogalicious 2010 is a sponsor of Blissful Bubble + Bites? That’s right. If you attend, you can enter to win a Blogalicious Beach Tote with everything you need for a fun day at the beach, including a Full Conference registration to Blogalicious 2010 – $265 value! You can read up on all the details here.

And leave us a comment to let us know if you’ll be at Blissdom. We’d love to clink glasses with ya.

Sign up for our second free webinar

Our Blogalicious Bytes: Lessons in Social Media series continues with Session # 2 on February 11th at 2 p.m. Please join instructor Adria Richards of freshworkshops.com and butyoureagirl.com as she presents on the topic How to be Number One On Google without paying a Small Fortune.

Please RSVP today and tell your friends.

Download webinar #1 - "Monetizing Your Blogs"

Our first webinar held on Monday January 18th, 2010, with instructor Ken Gibbs, Jr., former Site Development/Real Black Network Director on Essence.com, on the topic of "Money Matters: Monetizing Your Blogs" is now available for download here!

Social Media and the Haitian Crisis: Blogalicious 2009 Keynote Speaker James Andrews Explains

Using Social Media for Good

For anyone on Twitter today, the message is clear: #HELPHAITI.

I logged in expecting to see a few tweets about the tragic earthquake and was immediately taken aback that #HelpHaiti and #TextYele and #Port-Au-Prince and #RedCross are all trending topics. This, this, is where the power of social media really shines through. My heart was warmed to see the support that Yele Haiti, Wyclef Jean's Haitian Relief Organization, is receiving. Mamalaw has long been a supporter of Wyclef and this great organization and we keep the Yele button on our blog to spread the word to all of our visitors. His plea for everyone to donate $5 by simply sending a text is being re-tweeted like wildfire.


The country of Haiti is near and dear to our hearts. Justice Jonesie's family comes from Haiti and she still has several family members that live there. In fact, she just returned from visiting Haiti for the holidays less than 2 weeks ago. My mother volunteers with Project Medishare for Haiti and frequently makes trip to the island to help the poorest of people. I often hang up the phone after our conversations in tears after listening to her describe the sad scenes and unthinkable conditions that she'd witnessed. In short, Haiti is special to us.

And how amazing to see that Haiti is important to the Twitter community too. Our very own Blogalicious supporter @LuvvieIG has rallied her blogging community to generate support for Haiti by challenging everyone to place the Yele Haiti banner on their blogs and to donate both money and clothing to Haitians in need.


Blogalicious Weekend will be donating $.25 to the people of Haiti for each Twitter follower that we have. The mobilization and charitable support for Haiti on Twitter and the blogs today is amazing. And really embodies the essence of social media: Community.


We encourage our community to spread the word about the various ways to donate and to keep the earthquake victims in their thoughts and hearts.


A word to the wise: Don't take your social media influence lightly. With a quick re-tweet on Twitter, a short status update on Facebook or a meaningful post on your blog, you can make a difference in the lives of people hundreds of thousands of miles away. That's the real beauty of social media.