Best of: Twitter

For my 100th blog post, I'm taking a look back at one of my best entries during the past 14 months. Today, I'd like to take a review a post I wrote about Twitter, which originally appeared on March 23, 2010.

In this post, I referred to a Twitter list I created recording all of the brands I knew of at the time – 44 in all. Today, that list has grown to 170 and continues to expand. The column on the right shows the food and beverage CPG brands on this list. Take a look, and be sure to leave a message if there are any additional brands I need to add to my Twitter inventory.

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Are you on Twitter? The latest statistics show that 75 million people possess a Twitter account, but only an estimated 10 to 15 million people are active users.

Twitter is so much more than answering the question "what's happening" in 140 characters or less. The international social media site is a place to learn about news, events, and trends, connect with like-minded individuals, and build your network.

I joined Twitter in February 2009. It took me long time to catch on to what I should be doing and how. Now, however, I find Twitter to be a valuable resource; I learn something new every day.

To aid in my understanding of both social media and how CPG works, I follow quite a few companies, brands, and products on Twitter. I created a list of these accounts, which you can find on my Twitter page. If you have a Twitter account, you can subscribe to my list and follow all 44 (and growing!) members or select specific individuals. You'll find accounts for companies like PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, and Campbell Soup Company, as well as products like Mrs. Butterworths and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. For an added bonus, check out Chex Mix, which tweets as the quirky product.

The accounts send tweets that provide updates, ask for feedback, and list contests and events to engage consumers. Why is this important? A recent study found that consumers who interact with companies via social media are more likely to buy and recommend a product based on this connection. Opportunities are abundant for those companies that are active on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media channels.

If you are not on Twitter, I encourage you to join – you have nothing to lose! If you have an account, but have not sent a tweet in a while, log on and reconnect. The Twitterverse would like to know what's happening.

Is there a company, brand, or product that I should add to my list? Leave a comment and let me know.

Lend Me Your Ears

This Friday brings an announcement that has been in the making for some time. While I enjoy writing my blog and appreciate the comments and support from my readers, writing two posts a week takes a great amount of time.

With the holidays approaching and my schedule getting more hectic, I plan to cut down on the number of blog posts from two a week to just one. This decision will give me more time to focus on creative topics, stronger data, and better posts. As of next week and going into 2011, you can expect to see my updates on Wednesdays.

During the week, I like to share information that I find about the retail and food and beverage consumer packaged goods industry on Twitter. I have also compiled two daily online Twitter papers, which you can take a peek at anytime:

• The Brands Daily follows the brands list I created on Twitter and includes companies like Domino Sugar, Coke, Hormel, and Starbucks.
• The CPG Daily and accompanying CPG Twitter list contain information from organizations like the National Retail Federation, Interbrand, and Progressive Grocer.

In addition, notice that I have created a Twitter widget in the sidebar. Come by anytime to see what food and beverage CPG companies and brands are talking about on Twitter.

If you have a topic you'd like me to address or know of a brand or organization I should be following on Twitter, let me know by leaving a message with your feedback! Thanks for reading and your continued support!

Getting Social

Many brands use social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to keep their loyal customers and fans involved and engaged with its store, product, or service. From information about new items and sales to company news like press releases, corporate social responsibility announcements, and quarterly earnings, brands are turning to online platforms to share data and get to know the people who keep them in business.

When it comes to Facebook, consider the following statistics: The average user has 130 friends and spends an hour a day on the site. In one month, a user leaves an average of 25 comments, becomes a fan of four pages, and joins 13 groups.

Earlier this year, an omnibus study from consulting organization Morpace showed that "[r]etailers who are actively involved in marketing their products and/or services using Facebook may have a distinct advantage over their competitors."

Facebook provides an outlet to announce exclusive deals and offers to already loyal fans, as well as to attract a new base of faithful followers. This summer, Campbell Soup Company used Facebook to introduce its V8 V-Fusion + Tea line, giving away free samples, as well as to advertise a new strawberry version of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies. The company is one of many food and beverage consumer packaged goods companies utilizing social media outlets to connect with consumers online.

Facebook isn't all fun and games, though. Companies are always evaluating their social media presence and comparing it to their bottom line. In May, web research company Vitrue valued Skittle's Facebook page at $7.7 million. To determine an online domain's worth, Vitrue's Social Page Evaluator calculates brand connections, the number of interactions on a site, and other factors. It allocates $5 per "like," based on earned media CPM (cost per thousand impressions) value. Today, more than 11,902,000 "like" Skittles on Facebook.

Even though many companies are using such tactics to communicate directly with its target audience on Facebook, people are more engaged with brands on Twitter, a rapidly growing medium. Today, Twitter has 175 million registered users, up from 145 million users in September, adding approximately 30 million users in less than two months, and 70 million new users since April.

A study conducted last year by researchers at Penn State University found that "users employ Twitter to inquire about product information. About 20 percent of the tweets contained product information in the form of asking and providing, thus giving companies a 'rich source' of information concerning issues and questions that customers have regarding their products." Another study showed that Twitter users in the United States were far more likely than general Internet users to post to forums, blog, comment on blogs, and post ratings and reviews, proving that consumers active on Twitter are some of the most influential online.

While Twitter users are tweeting, brands are listening and connecting with consumers. Just last week, Mashable named the five most engaged brands on Twitter. With numerous mobile apps, more than one million Twitter followers, and 15 million-plus people who "like" its Facebook page, Starbucks landed at the top of the list. Coca-Cola, Oreo, Skittles, and Red Bull rounded out the list. Social media statistics company Famecount released a report with similar results in June that included Twitter and YouTube data.

It is important to note that Facebook and Twitter have not taken the place of CPG websites, although consumers have "found Facebook to be the ideal platform for voicing their opinions and connecting with other customers."

No matter what the next generation of social media tools will bring, it is clear that companies and consumers alike value and appreciate the connectivity and interaction that comes along with online platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

What about you? Leave me a message and tell me about the ways you use Facebook and Twitter to connect with the brands you know and love!

Happy to #HAPPO

If you're an active member of Twitter, you might see the "HAPPO" hash tag today and wonder what that means.

In February, public relations pros and Twitter enthusiasts Arik Hanson and Valerie Simon founded "Help a PR Pro Out" (HAPPO) Day. The duo initiated the online Twitter event and enlisted champions from across the country to connect PR job seekers with employers looking for top talent.

Today, the event continues, this time with a focus on the graduating class of 2010. Up and coming public relations specialists are answering the question, "Why should I hire you?" and doing their best to tweet their way into jobs in the real world. I wish these students luck and encourage any and all of them to leave a comment with a link to their blog, online portfolio, or other social media profile.

For those of us who have already graduated, but are in transition, be sure to follow the conversation on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about openings in the public relations field.

If you are specifically interested in a career in consumer packaged goods, here are a few good sites that may aid in your search:

• Careers in Food
  
• Consumer Connection
  
• CPGjobs

Have a resource to add to the list? Leave a message and let me know. Good luck and happy job hunting!

What’s Happening

Are you on Twitter? The latest statistics show that 75 million people possess a Twitter account, but only an estimated 10 to 15 million people are active users.

Twitter is so much more than answering the question "what's happening" in 140 characters or less. The international social media site is a place to learn about news, events, and trends, connect with like-minded individuals, and build your network.

I joined Twitter in February 2009. It took me long time to catch on to what I should be doing and how. Now, however, I find Twitter to be a valuable resource; I learn something new every day.

To aid in my understanding of both social media and how CPG works, I follow quite a few companies, brands, and products on Twitter. I created a list of these accounts, which you can find on my Twitter page. If you have a Twitter account, you can subscribe to my list and follow all 44 (and growing!) members or select specific individuals. You'll find accounts for companies like PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, and Campbell Soup Company, as well as products like Mrs. Butterworths and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. For an added bonus, check out Chex Mix, which tweets as the quirky product.

The accounts send tweets that provide updates, ask for feedback, and list contests and events to engage consumers. Why is this important? A recent study found that consumers who interact with companies via social media are more likely to buy and recommend a product based on this connection. Opportunities are abundant for those companies that are active on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media channels.

If you are not on Twitter, I encourage you to join – you have nothing to lose! If you have an account, but have not sent a tweet in a while, log on and reconnect. The Twitterverse would like to know what's happening.

Is there a company, brand, or product that I should add to my list? Leave a comment and let me know.