We’re all aware of social media and the impact it has had on how we market our service or product and value to customers. The ability to deliver real-time marketing messages, at low or no cost via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social platforms has enticed businesses to embrace social technology for a large percentage of their outreach endeavors, and has changed the entire marketing and advertising landscape. Today, most businesses have done the work to embrace and brand themselves via social media. As a result of this shift, savvy companies are applying their social media technology and experience to streamline many of their internal programs and optimize organizational transparen

It’s time for business to overcome the fractured, narrow view of social media as only a marketing channel or a public relations campaign. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and LinkedIn have taught us the value of social networking platforms on a global scale. Businesses fueled by the hype and the excitement to "get online" and drive sales have created a "tools-first, strategy later," environment. The result? Some success stories and just as many social media disasters. In order to avoid this tool trap, businesses need to get latest information about how to maximize processes, analytics and tools available to get ready (systemic social business strategy), aim (integrated methodology), and to fire

98 percent of the people using social media do not know what they are doing, but the 2 percent who do know what they are doing are rapidly expanding their businesses and making money. That’s the message from, Patrick Schwerdtfeger, an author and new media marketing guru, who spoke this week to a group of about 40 small business people at the Sacramento Speakers Network. “Most people practice trial and error and fail their way to Success,” Schwerdtfeger says. The ground floor method is to attempt campaigns, and see what happens.” Schwerdtfeger, 40, a native of Ottawa, Canada now based in the Bay Area, spoke to the group the very day his new book – titled “Marketing Shortcuts for the Self

As part of its 2010 Holiday campaign focused on fighting hunger, Walmart launched a Facebook campaign that invites fans to select the communities that will receive $1.5 million in grants. By visiting the campaign website and "liking" a community via their Facebook account, people influence which communities will receive the funds. The community with the most "likes" will receive $1 million to fight hunger; the next 5 highest scoring communities will receive $100,000 each. Why is this news? Because Sacramento is in now in 6th place which earns a $100,000 grant! With less than 48 hours remaining in the race, Sacramento's social media influencers are campaigning to keep Sacramento in 6th pla

Thanks to all of you who came to the Media Panel at the Urban Hive Wednesday night! We have another engaging event scheduled for next week. Jeff Marmins, who taught our last Facebook workshop, will be leading the Google event titled, "Get Google in your Social Media Mix." Jeff is the creator of Social Media Path and partnership director of Social Media Club Sacramento. The event will be at the Sacramento Press office Dec. 15 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Jeff will discuss how to condense all of the social media sites you post to into one application on Google, successfully use RSS feeds and answer your specific questions. This workshop is designed for intermediate Google users. If you'd like a

Three local non-profit organizations were featured in a Sacramento Social Media Club panel on Tuesday evening hosted by the Sacramento State College of Continuing Education. The panel included Celia Cortez, Projects and Event Manager for the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Jordan Blair, Board Member for River City Food Bank; and Jon Benorden, Program Coordinator for the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Service (CARES). Lesley Miller, Media Director for 3Fold Communication, also sat on the panel. Moderator Josh Morgan, principal at Morgan/Dorado and program director for the Sacramento Social Media Club, focused the discussion on how non-profits are using social media to educ

Some say God is everywhere but last month, we discovered that social media is everywhere too—even in our churches! On October 20, 2009, the Sacramento Social Media Club held a panel discussion on the use of social media by local churches. The event, “Pray for Social Media”, was hosted by The Sacramento Press, and was moderated by Jeff Marmins of Social Media Path and partnership director for the Sacramento Social Media Club. Panelists included Josh Trevino from the Parish Council of St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Roseville; Robert Mees, Director of Evangelism at Sierra Baptist Church in Pioneer in Amador County and CJ Alvarado, Director of Communications and Technology at Bayside Church

Police converged on a ballroom in a downtown hotel Tuesday night, but there wasn’t a crime in progress. “Social Crime” was the topic of Tuesday evening’s Sacramento Social Media Club event hosted by The Citizen Hotel in Downtown Sacramento. Representatives from local law enforcement shared how their organizations are using social media tools to prevent crime, improve community outreach, and even take down predators. Josh Morgan of Morgan/Dorado Public Relations and programming director for the Sacramento Social Media Club presented a “101” on Facebook Privacy. He explained how Friends Lists on Facebook can be used to limit information connections can see on your profile. Josh, for exampl