By now, most people have heard of social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. It seems like with all of the advanced technology and systems in place, security should not be a concern. Or is it?

Social Networks have been used to target homeowners for burglaries, give child predators access to children and to even commit a homicide. The Federal Trade Commission recognizes these threats and has released the following guidelines (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/tech/tec14.shtm ):

• Think about how different sites work before deciding to join a site. Some sites will allow only a defined community of users to access posted content; others allow anyone and everyone to view postings.
• Think about keeping some control over the information you post. Consider restricting access to your page to a select group of people, for example, your friends from school, your club, your team, your community groups, or your family.
• Keep your information to yourself. Don’t post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or bank and credit card account numbers — and don’t post other people’s information, either. Be cautious about posting information that could be used to identify you or locate you offline. This could include the name of your school, sports team, clubs, and where you work or hang out.
• Make sure your screen name doesn’t say too much about you. Don’t use your name, your age, or your hometown. Even if you think your screen name makes you anonymous, it doesn’t take a genius to combine clues to figure out who you are and where you can be found.
• Post only information that you are comfortable with others seeing — and knowing — about you. Many people can see your page, including your parents, your teachers, the police, the college you might want to apply to next year, or the job you might want to apply for in five years.
• Remember that once you post information online, you can’t take it back. Even if you delete the information from a site, older versions exist on other people’s computers.
• Consider not posting your photo. It can be altered and broadcast in ways you may not be happy about. If you do post one, ask yourself whether it’s one your mom would display in the living room.
• Flirting with strangers online could have serious consequences. Because some people lie about who they really are, you never really know who you’re dealing with.
• Be wary if a new online friend wants to meet you in person. Before you decide to meet someone, do your research: Ask whether any of your friends know the person, and see what background you can dig up through online search engines. If you decide to meet them, be smart about it: Meet in a public place, during the day, with friends you trust. Tell an adult or a responsible sibling where you’re going, and when you expect to be back.
• Trust your gut if you have suspicions. If you feel threatened by someone or uncomfortable because of something online, tell an adult you trust and report it to the police and the social networking site. You could end up preventing someone else from becoming a victim.

Social Media is not all bad news though. I use social media to maintain contact with family, friends, classmates, and my old Marine Corps buddies. Businesses can use social media to engage their customers in providing feedback, announcing specials and events and so much more.  The team at Xcellimark urges you to use social media responsibly.

If you would like more assistance about how social media can be used in your business, please contact us .

87 Octane gas is a commodity. No matter where you purchase it. It is offered per gallon at about a 5-cent range within a given area. Some fuel marketers may feel that they can charge an extra cent or two per gallon based on other incentives such as a preferred location or cleanliness of the store. However, no matter where you get your gas, it is essentially the same gas you can get at any convenient store or gas stop.

Cars are not a commodity. A Kia Sephia will never sell for the same price as a Lamborghini. Why? Let me list some reasons: performance, features, reliability, luxury, brand recognition, just to name a few.

Boost ROI with a Customized Online Marketing Plan

For the same reasons, online marketing is NOT a commodity. Business owners often tell me, “Oh yeah, we have SEO .” “We do social media.” “…and we got it at a good rate” or “much cheaper.” Savvy business marketers know that the important number to focus on is ROI. How much money did your online marketing investment make your company in terms of business results (PROFIT)?

Don’t invest in online marketing as if it’s a product on the shelf to check off your marketing shopping list. Be sure that your online marketing plan  is customized to your business’ unique goals. Measure the effectiveness of your online marketing efforts. Ensure that you’re getting a return on your investment that justifies your efforts. Not all online marketing is created equal.

Learn how an online marketing plan from Xcellimark can help you get a return on your business investment. Contact us today.

How One Orlando Business is Using Twitter to Entice Customers

A couple of weeks ago after work, my friend and I decided to hit up @SeitoSushi for Happy Hour before heading over to the grand opening of Pinkberry in Orlando . I wanted to see what kinds of rolls were on the Happy Hour menu but when I went to the website, all I could find were the lunch and dinner menus.

My best friend did a quick search and sent me this status update where Seito Sushi  had responded to someone else who had asked about their Happy Hour.

Inspired by how they responded to one of their followers, I sent my own Tweet to them hours before meeting my friend:

They promptly responded back with:

It’s that kind of customer engagement that makes Twitter an invaluable tool for businesses, in particular restaurants. I am now following @SeitoSushi so I can stay up to date on their specials/promotions and ask questions about items on their menu.

But My Twitter Story Does Not End There

Ichiban , another local sushi restaurant was also silently listening to the online conversation and it looks like they had their Twitter feelers out for the keyword “sushi” and “Orlando” when they saw my Tweet:

But that was just their opening line to inquire more into my sushi whereabouts and tastes:

I knew where this conversation was going since I work in the industry but it was interesting to see how they would continue to engage me online. After one or two Tweets back and forth they Tweeted their call to action:

How You can Use Twitter To Market Your Business

Not a restaurant? No problem! You can still get some great benefits and possible leads from using Twitter. Use your status updates to alert followers about your most recent blog posts, company news, industry tips/trends and of course retweets from others in the Twitter community whose advice you find invaluable. You never know who is out there listening for your brand-name and Twitter can be the first-step towards a life-long business relationship.

Online success is becoming a key driver of business growth in today’s environment.

However, there are many challenges that businesses face when implementing and managing an effective Internet business strategy and plan.

The Most Common Challenges to Online Business Success Today are:

• Obtaining an acceptable ROI for your Web marketing efforts.
• Differentiating your business online from your competitors or other competing interests.
• Determining the most effective means and methods of communicating online to your target audience.
• Establishing credibility and presenting a compelling image online.
• Providing continuous resources (time, money, people) to your online initiatives.
• Effectively identifying and then managing different Internet service suppliers, many with competing interests and conflicting strategies, to deliver the tactical elements to a desired holistic online plan.
• Integrating your online experience with your off-line operations of the organization.

These “challenges” need to be an integral part of your Internet business plan and continually managed for ongoing success. For many organizations, that means getting the help you need to really succeed in the online space.

Help Is Available to Manage Your Online Marketing Efforts

Most companies hire accountants to handle their accounting and tax issues and lawyers to handle their legal issues. In the same way, Interactive Agencies like Xcellimark are designed to provide you with the help you need to receive the highest ROI on your marketing efforts while establishing and maintaining a compelling image online.

Contact Xcellimark today  to find out how you can benefit from the help of a professional in the online space. You make back your investment many times over when your online marketing efforts are handled by professionals who have the experience to know the market, technology, and best practices to provide you with the greatest success.

If you’ve been thinking about whether or not to start a blog for your company, there are quite a few things to take into consideration. Two of the most important considerations, in my humble opinion, are these:

Commitment for Consistency

Can you commit the time for at least one blog post per week and work your way up to two or three? Consistency is one of the keys to blogging success, so it’s better not to start a blog unless you can devote the time to keep it going on a consistent basis.

Nothing looks worse than starting to read a blog that seems interesting only to realize it was posted two years ago and the blog hasn’t been updated since then. This is definitely something you want to avoid. So think about your commitment to be consistent with your posts before you launch your blog.

Making Sure the Right Person or Persons are Blogging

Can you or someone in your company be the designated blogger? Choosing who will write is paramount since this person will basically represent your company. One trend many companies employ is having several people within the company write about various aspects of the business.

This is a great plan since it doesn’t over tax one person. If you have 4 people who can write and have something interesting to say, you can cover your blog for a month and each person is responsible for writing only one post per week. Additionally, there should be a plan in place for someone to be in charge of making sure the blog is updated consistently, especially if multiple writers are involved.

Take a Long-Term Approach

Blogging is a fantastic opportunity for you to promote your company, products or services, but taking a long-term approach is the smartest plan. Just as it is with most business strategies, making sure you have the manpower and the time to make a strong commitment is the best plan for success.