Archive for the ‘Events in Review’ Category

How to Land a Job Using Social Media

Wednesday, August 29th, 2012

By Gabriel Miranda

In the world of business, being able to market a company or product is essential to succeed. The same applies for people who are seeking to land their dream job or advance in their career.

Fortunately, in today’s world, social networks play a big role in the corporate world. As a marketing agency in South Florida experienced in social media, we have a few tips on how to achieve personal success in these networks (such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter) for you to get up on your feet and seek jobs you are not only qualified for, but jobs that will make you regain confidence and a career.

1)     Engage and target your career path:

This step is simple. All it takes is effort and engagement in the social networks of your career area. The best way to do so is to get involved and target companies. For example, targeting possible connections leading to jobs, connecting to people you know that could lead you to a job and so on. Some ways of engaging and connecting with people and companies is to “like” the company’s pages on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and make connections through LinkedIn. As long as you are straightforward as in what you are looking for, and connect with the right people, you will be recognized by these connections. Your best bet will be connecting with people who are at your desired work level or just above it to get answers related to that person’s career and job search opportunities and apply them to yourself.

2)     Do not be scared of going into a new direction:

Social networks can help you make this transition smoothly in case your actual career path and goals are not working out for you. Social networks like LinkedIn offer important tools like webinars, networking groups, etc. that can help you in your search.

3)     Join smaller networks:

It is true that LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook are essential to any corporate employee; however, sometimes it is good to narrow down and to be specific on your objectives and career prospects. These small networks focus on the idea that “quality is better than quantity,” so even if LinkedIn will give you connections and help a lot with the process and with answers, social networks such as FohBoh.com will attract more B2B (Business to Business) companies, which will be way more specific and might reinforce some of your most specific points and skills.

Some reasons why small networks sometimes are better is that networking websites such as LinkedIn have way more marketing tactics and spam messages distributed in it than the ones like FohBoh, so the process to reach an answer is harder. Also, since it is more specific, people that use smaller networks will speak in their own language – e.g. they will not need to keep their language simple, if you are there and you know what you are looking for you will be able to understand and find it way more interesting and efficient than having to go through a lot of communities and forums that are not as specific.

Lastly, these networks provide a more reliable source of peer referrals. Why? Because usually B2B professionals are extremely specialized in certain fields of work, and finding these might be hard. If you are an extremely specialized employee too, you might run into problems using bigger networks and having no one to specifically talk about a question, for example. So having these professionals narrowed down for you might help you share and ask specific questions of your job area, job search, and learn from what they share.

Using these tips will certainly help you in your job search, and give you motivation to engage and go forth on your full-time job search. The job market is a tough place, and only the best can truly succeed in finding, and even keeping, their jobs. So make sure to always engage, go after your goals, and never lose your true career goals because even if you are underemployed or unemployed, it is up to you to change this.

As Seth Godin, marketing guru that wrote Small is the New Big, “focus your sights on the people you really want to reach. Then go forth and engage. Engage on yourself to reach your desired career path.”

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Posted in Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Everything iSource, Facebook, Facebook trends, Netwroking, Social Media, Social Media Tips, SocialNitro | 2 Comments »

Mobile Marketing

Wednesday, May 30th, 2012

By Carolina Perello

One of the downsides of living in South Florida is the traffic. I know I’m not the only one who has been stuck in traffic for hours, and while I know I shouldn’t be using my smartphone while driving, I just can’t help it. With nearly half of Americans using smartphones, chances are I’m not the only one.

As a marketing agency in South Florida, we have noticed that mobile marketing is starting to play a bigger role  in the world of marketing.  But how do you make mobile marketing efficient?

You have to make sure you have the core ingredients: quick, convenient, personal and targeted.

In a fast-paced culture, you have three seconds to get the message across in order to capture the audience’s interest. Keep it simple, brief and to the point. Focus on specific information that will draw the target’s attention as quickly as possible.

The majority of mobile device searches are for local purposes. Make sure to optimize the location if necessary for direct search results. Remember, people are comforted knowing there is always something close by when they need it. (Extra tip: the time most people check their phones for personal updates is around 8-9a.m.)

It is important to keep the target audience in mind. Sure, practically everyone owns a smartphone at this point, but your product/services? Understanding your target audience helps you narrow your content, in turn, getting the message across much faster.

You still want to engage with the audience because even if it might not seem like they have time, they appreciate the feeling of interaction. Adding personal touches to your posts and feeds helps them relate with what you’re marketing to them. Examples?

Mobile devices have made life so much simpler. It would be a crime not to take advantage of what technology has to offer. Mobile marketing is the present of marketing. To fall behind is detrimental at this point. Time to jump on that train!

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Events in Review, Everything iSource | No Comments »

What to Expect from a “Public” Facebook

Friday, May 18th, 2012


By: Keilany Inciarte

If you haven’t heard the term “Facebook is going public” in the last couple of weeks, you may be one of the rare individuals who hasn’t joined the flourishing world of social media.
Many experts predict that once Facebook goes public, Facebook will have one of the largest initial public offerings (IPO) in history. IPO is the first sale of stock by a previously private company to the public. Today it was confirmed that Facebook shares will be sold at $38 per share. So what will be different?

Facebook will most likely become an even larger company from the capital raised from their IPO. According to the Wall Street Journal, Facebook will raise $77 billion to $96 billion by selling shares to the public.
Well, why didn’t they do this earlier if the company will profit from it? Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder and CEO, wanted to keep the company private as long as possible because he believes this is the best way to help build the company. With Facebook’s rapid growth in the last eight years since its invention, the company became too large and surpassed 500 shareholders, a milestone that Zuckerberg has been trying to avoid. Zuckerberg has stated in the past that becoming public may impair innovations within the company in return for meeting shareholders’ demands and boosting stock prices.

The Securities and Exchange Commission rule of 1964 states that any private company with more than 500 shareholders needs to abide by the same financial disclosure requirements that a public company does. To put it in a simpler, more straightforward way, Zuckerberg was basically forced into going public, but realistically, it is a great move for the company.

There are several changes that experts say the average user may encounter due to Facebook’s IPO.

Facebook wants to build a stronger mobile presence among its users, possibly leading to the invention of new mobile applications or the acquisition of existing ones. Some say Facebook has reached its peak and that new memberships will start to gradually decelerate, providing a need for other forms of revenue. New inventions will not only be limited to mobile as Facebook is said to experiment with new products, such as the possible introduction of a search engine, one of the most efficient ways to advertise, into Facebook itself. In addition, Facebook will rely heavily on profits from advertisements, leading to the placement of more ads throughout the site. With the addition of applications, brands and media updates to a Facebook user’s news feed, only 12 percent of your friends see your average updates, as reported by Facebook. A possible integration of a paid service in exchange for more exposure on status updates is also being rumored.

Facebook now has approximately 845 million members and has become much more than a social network, serving as a successful media platform for businesses as well.Recently, Facebook has acquired smaller companies like the popular photo-sharing mobile application known as Instagram for $1 billion.

As Facebook approaches a new phase in its history, it’s important to remember that Facebook is not a publisher but a platform.

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Everything iSource, Facebook, Facebook trends, Social Media Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Creating a Social Media Campaign

Tuesday, April 17th, 2012

By Natalia Rodriguez

Luck may exist in life, but not in social media marketing.

As an interactive marketing agency in South Florida, here at iSource Digital, we understand that having a successful social media campaign it’s not about luck, but about the content, strategy and understanding of the target audience.

One of the biggest mistakes many organizations make when embarking onto a social media campaign is that they go into it with little understanding of how social media works and with unrealistic goals and expectations. They think that to gain people’s interest the only thing they have to do is post random content on their Twitter or Facebook page. But social media doesn’t work like that.

To create a successful social media campaign, there needs to be a concrete strategy in mind. Organizations should establish goals and objectives that are relevant to their organization’s needs.

For our most recent social media campaign for BenQ Latin America (BenQ Latam), the first thing we did was establish a strategy relevant to their target audience. Our objectives and goals were relevant and realistic. We dedicated important resources to the campaign. Thus far (the campaign is still in progress), this resulted in more than 10,000 likes on BenQ Latam’s Facebook page in less than a week, and that number keeps on growing.

“Kony 2012” is another great example of a successful social media campaign. The short film, created and produced by Invisible Children, was launched on March 5, 2012. It didn’t take long for the video to go viral. As of March 30, 2012, the video has been viewed 80 million times on Youtube. By creating concrete goals and strong content and by keeping followers updated and active, the campaign has been able to acquire the interest of the public and the press.

Don’t just embark onto a social media campaign if you are not willing to dedicate the resources and time that it needs. That will only lead to failure, and it could do more harm than good. Concentrate, research and communicate correctly to obtain better results.

Social media can do great things for an organization. It’s one of the best tools out there. Give it the attention and resources it needs, and you will see a great improvement.

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Businesses, Current Events, Events in Review, Everything iSource, Facebook, Facebook trends, Social Media, Social Media Tips, SocialNitro, Uncategorized | No Comments »

St. Patrick’s Day 2012

Friday, March 16th, 2012

Here at iSource Digital there is nothing that we love more than a holiday where we get to drink beer at the office, thank you Ari!  St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect reminder that life is more than work and that having fun is a must, especially when you live in Miami.

A lot of people think that living in Miami or in South Florida life is all play and no work, but those who live here know that’s not necessarily the case. I’ve been living in Miami for almost a year, and I haven’t been to the beach in moths! Days like this is the perfect opportunity to have some fun and enjoy yourself. Go to your favorite restaurant, let loose, wear the most hideous green outfit you own and enjoy what this beautiful city has to offer.

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Posted in Current Events, Events in Review, Events in Review, Holidays, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Predictions for the 2012 Presidential Election

Wednesday, February 15th, 2012

By: Natalia Rodriguez

In the 2008 presidential election, President Obama’s “Yes We Can” campaign made history.  It was the first time a presidential candidate took full advantage of the power of social media platforms  and used them to directly interact and engage voters. Obama went from being an obscured presidential hopeful to becoming America’s president, and his social media campaign is regarded as one of the most successful social media campaigns to date.

The 2012 presidential election promises to bring the same innovations as its predecessor. With the primary election in full force and the general election just around the corner, the iSource Digital team would like to discuss trends we expect to see from the upcoming presidential campaigns, as well as some tips on how business owners in South Florida can apply some of the candidates’ tactics to their marketing and social media strategies.

One of the biggest players making their debut in the 2012 election will be smartphones. According to Nielson Reports, 55 percent of cellphones purchased from March 2011 to May 2011 were smartphones, and this number has only increased in recent months. Due to their portability and accessibility, smartphones have become the go-to device for many people. As the presidential elections take full force, we can expect candidates to start using these devices to target voters.  Some of the strategies that candidates should utilize are the creation of mobile applications and advertising and modification of their websites to a mobile-friendly version.

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter will continue to play a vital role in the electoral campaign.  We can expect candidates to use these platforms to engage voters, start conversations, ask questions and get feedback.

New players that candidates should take advantage of are Foursquare and Pinterest. By checking-in to Foursquare, candidates can keep voters up to date on their location, speaking engagements, fundraisers and events they are attending. Pinterest has experienced immense growth in the past few months. This platform allows users to create digital boards by posting pictures of things they like or hope to accomplish. Candidates can take advantage of Pinterest by creating boards that make it easier for voters to see candidates’ policies, goals and what they plan to do if they were to become the next president of the United States.

What can business owners and corporations take from all of this? They should start by paying close attention to the strategies and platforms that candidates are using to engage their voters and try to emulate them the best way they can to engage their consumers. Some key elements to note are the types of messages candidates are using to engage their audience, candidates’ interaction with their audience, key platforms they are using and the design and layout of these platforms (type of apps they use, ascetics of their websites, etc.).

As the presidential election gains momentum, we should expect new mediums to emerge. In the meantime, we advise all business owners in South Florida to pay attention to what these candidates are doing with their social media campaigns and try to apply these tactics to their social media and marketing strategies.

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Posted in 2012 Trends, Current Events, Events in Review, Events in Review, Everything iSource, Social Media, SocialNitro, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Would You Like A Digital Promo With That?:

Friday, January 28th, 2011

A Review of “Marketing a Global Brand on a Local Level,” presented by Mark Carlson, Senior Creative Director, McDonald’s Marketing

The world’s most famous drive-thru is looking to spend more time with their customers… online. Mark Carlson explained that one of McDonald’s current initiatives is to beef up their digital presence. From 2005 to 2010, McDonald’s website was heavy on images of satisfied customers and excessive copy about the brand. The new site uses interactive campaigns and digital promotions to engage and educate the user. This includes a sandwich customization and calorie count function, “spin art” games, and the ever-popular Monopoly game, which is now playable online and in-store.

Carlson didn’t divulge much information on marketing a global brand on a local level, but he did show some examples of local print and TV spot travesties that challenge McDonald’s brand consistency. With over 200 agencies handling their promotional materials, brand damage control is a huge concern. McDonald’s provides each location with a variety of ad resources, including photos, footage, full commercials, and radio spots, but making sure that these materials are used in a brand-conscious fashion is a constant effort.

Although light on information, the presentation was full of MickeyD’s love. Retracing the brand’s development since the 1950’s was an interesting look into the evolution of advertising and the ways a brand can adapt to the times. McDonald’s marketing has always placed emphasis on the human condition, featuring mushy ads with sparsely-toothed children or chubby, balding celebrities. Albeit, the “i’m lovin’ it” campaign is successfully in its 8th year, confirming that the global human family is, in fact, lovin’ it.

For more photos of Mark Carlson’s presentation, visit our Facebook page or contact us. Thanks to Miami Science Museum for hosting the event and the South Florida Interactive Marketing Association (SFIMA) for putting it on.

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Posted in Events in Review, Everything iSource, Social Media | 1 Comment »