Twitter offers a huge amount of information that can be quickly uncovered through simple, targeted searches. For a business, Twitter for Logistics can be a plentiful source of information related to its markets, competitors, and brand management. Great tools for searching on Twitter include http://www.hootsuite.com/ and http://www.research.ly/.
Brand and Reputation Management
Searching on Twitter, you will likely find mentions about your company. Listen to what people are saying and use Twitter as a way to have discussions with those people. Also use Twitter as a way to share good content that your target audience is interested in. If you provide this, people will start to seek you out.
Market Research
A great use of Twitter is to simply find information in the same way you would search on Google. Search on an industry topic or something relevant to your business and you will instantly find out what people are saying about it. It’s a great way to find out what ideas are on people’s mind. One huge advantage Twitter has as a search tool is that it is real-time. How many times have you searched on Google and the results were from an old blog post or website from 3 or 4 years ago? Do a comparison search on Logistics Transportation Software or Ecommerce order fulfillment warehouse and see if Twitter or Google provides better information.
Competitor Research
Similar to searching on your own company name, you can search on competitor’s name to learn about what is going on with them. You’ll see what people are saying about their products and services. It is great competitive insight.
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Top 5 Platforms Social Media for Logistics and Fulfillment Companies
As an introduction here are five platforms that have emerged as the most popular and effective for Logistics companies.
The most popular social networking site among business professionals is LinkedIn. The platform provides a way for individuals (and companies) to post information essentially like an online resume about themselves. The structure of LinkedIn creates a way for people to connect with other professionals and to open up a dialogue with other people either individually or as part of a group (see the Social Media for Logistics Group on LinkedIn). If your company’s audience is Logistics Managers or other C-Level Supply Chain Management people then LinkedIn is where you need to be.
Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world – by far with over 500 MM users. Much like LinkedIn, users create and update profiles with information about themselves. Unlike LinkedIn, the information can be “hidden” more easily and also tends to be more personal in nature. The upside to Facebook is its popularity so the potential audience is huge. The down side is people’s use of the platform is largely kept amongst “friends”. Nonetheless, it offers a large opportunity to find and connect with people and groups.
Understand that YouTube is not just a place to post home videos. It is that of course, and many companies take advantage of the platform to post company videos, presentations, and even commercials. YouTube offers that ability to create your own “channel” to include video content focused on your company. YouTube is a great location to point customers for service information, employee training videos, company presentations, or any video content your company would like to share internally or externally.
Twitter is a “micro-blogging” site – which means users are able to send 140 word or less messages to people who “follow” them. Users follow, and therefore receive messages from people that interest them and have established themselves as experts on certain topics. This happens equally for business, personal, and entertainment. Many third party tools such as Hootsuite allow users to manage their Twitter presence more easily by integrating with other social media platforms (such as LinkedIn or Facebook). The most underrated benefit of using Twitter is as a Search Tool. Twitter is in many ways the most real-time platform for quality content, listen to conversations, and engaging.
Possibly the most powerful social media tool, blogging is the easiest and most immediate way to realize the benefits of social media. Free blogging platforms (such as Blogger, Wordpress, or Tumblr) provide a way for companies to distribute the content and information that customers are looking for, and take that crucial step in establishing themselves as the thought leader in their market. Expert on package optimization and ecommerce order fulfillment for frozen food, or transportation management software? Blog about it. Blogging also allows easy engagement with customers through comments and provides immediate Search Engine Optimization benefits. This means people find you on Google before your competitors.
The most popular social networking site among business professionals is LinkedIn. The platform provides a way for individuals (and companies) to post information essentially like an online resume about themselves. The structure of LinkedIn creates a way for people to connect with other professionals and to open up a dialogue with other people either individually or as part of a group (see the Social Media for Logistics Group on LinkedIn). If your company’s audience is Logistics Managers or other C-Level Supply Chain Management people then LinkedIn is where you need to be.
Facebook is the most popular social networking site in the world – by far with over 500 MM users. Much like LinkedIn, users create and update profiles with information about themselves. Unlike LinkedIn, the information can be “hidden” more easily and also tends to be more personal in nature. The upside to Facebook is its popularity so the potential audience is huge. The down side is people’s use of the platform is largely kept amongst “friends”. Nonetheless, it offers a large opportunity to find and connect with people and groups.
Understand that YouTube is not just a place to post home videos. It is that of course, and many companies take advantage of the platform to post company videos, presentations, and even commercials. YouTube offers that ability to create your own “channel” to include video content focused on your company. YouTube is a great location to point customers for service information, employee training videos, company presentations, or any video content your company would like to share internally or externally.
Twitter is a “micro-blogging” site – which means users are able to send 140 word or less messages to people who “follow” them. Users follow, and therefore receive messages from people that interest them and have established themselves as experts on certain topics. This happens equally for business, personal, and entertainment. Many third party tools such as Hootsuite allow users to manage their Twitter presence more easily by integrating with other social media platforms (such as LinkedIn or Facebook). The most underrated benefit of using Twitter is as a Search Tool. Twitter is in many ways the most real-time platform for quality content, listen to conversations, and engaging.
Possibly the most powerful social media tool, blogging is the easiest and most immediate way to realize the benefits of social media. Free blogging platforms (such as Blogger, Wordpress, or Tumblr) provide a way for companies to distribute the content and information that customers are looking for, and take that crucial step in establishing themselves as the thought leader in their market. Expert on package optimization and ecommerce order fulfillment for frozen food, or transportation management software? Blog about it. Blogging also allows easy engagement with customers through comments and provides immediate Search Engine Optimization benefits. This means people find you on Google before your competitors.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Benefits of Social Media for Logistics and Fulfillment Warehousing
For logistics companies these benefits can run deeper that just a general improvement in brand awareness and leads. There are logistics companies already effectively using social media for a number of purposes:
There are hundreds of social media platforms on the internet. It is a world that is evolving fast, but definitely not going away. Social Media is not about being everywhere and talking to everyone. It’s just not realistic to do that.
- Carriers are proactively dealing with customer issues and complaints through Facebook and Twitter. Small parcel shippers FedEx and UPS are two good examples. 2011 Rate Increase.
- 3PL’s are posting loads on Twitter to help find carriers to cover loads – and conversely trucking companies are posting the location of equipment looking for loads to haul. Many truckload owner operators are very active on Twitter.
- A variety of logistics software companies are engaging potential clients by posting educational and informative content on topics that matter to their customers which drives traffic to their website.
- Other logistics companies are using social media to create social communities built around their core services, bringing clients and employees together into a virtual conversation.
There are hundreds of social media platforms on the internet. It is a world that is evolving fast, but definitely not going away. Social Media is not about being everywhere and talking to everyone. It’s just not realistic to do that.
Friday, December 17, 2010
What is Social Media and What Does it Mean for Logistics and Order Fulfillment
The Social Media universe can be described as the countless electronic platforms that offer ways for people and companies to connect and communicate with others through the internet.
The things that most people associate with using social media can include:
- “tweeting” a message on Twitter
- posting a video on YouTube
- connecting with a colleague on LinkedIn
- writing a blog post
These platforms are increasingly replacing older ways of communicating. Forget phone calls, and even traditional email has been replaced in some circles by Twitter and Facebook. It’s easy to argue the main purpose of the iPhone has little to do with talking on the phone these days, and most new models of smart phones are now being built primarily around the user’s ability to monitor multiple social networks.
The Benefits of Social Media:
The potential benefits of social media for Logistics and Fulfillment companies are very diverse.
More logistics software sales leads, increased ecommerce order fulfillment warehouse sales, better brand awareness, improved customer service, getting found on Google (Search Engine Optimization) are all very attainable objectives any company can expect to realize through the effective use of social media. Less obvious uses for social media include ways to gain operational efficiencies through better internal communication as well as ways to help create social networks amongst employees.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Other Social Media Platforms for Logistics Companies to Explore
Social Media does not replace your company website - in fact it will enhance the experience for visitors on your site. Internet Marketing “101” states that every website must be continually updated with fresh and interesting content for visitors to keep coming back.
Here are some additional examples of popular social media platforms and sites. There are countless creative ways to leverage these technologies:
Here are some additional examples of popular social media platforms and sites. There are countless creative ways to leverage these technologies:
- Niche Social Networking Communities for Logistics/ Supply Chain: There are several social networking sites (such as www.Logipi.com) that provide a similar service to Facebook, but within a specific industry vertical or niche.
- Digg, Delicious: There are countless “social bookmarking” sites in which users suggest and vote on popular websites. Bookmark Ecommerce Order Fulfillment or Logistics Software.
- Flikr: A photo sharing site - think YouTube for photos.
- Vimeo: A site that helps users produce their own videos.
- Slideshare: For uploading and sharing presentations.
- uStream: A site for sharing live video in which you can basically create your own TV channel.
- Podcasts: A method of producing and distributing your own internet radio show.
- Ning: A platform for building your own Social Network.
- UserVoice: Tool for administering customer surveys.
- Yelp: Local business reviews.
- FourSquare: A site in which users “check in” at whatever location they are at and share the information with others.
- Wikipedia: A vast, community curated “encyclopedia” of information.
Introduction: Social Media for Logistics
NONE of us wants to hear yet again about how important social media is for our logistics business. Yet, ALL of us need to understand why we keeping hearing that drum-beat, and accept it’s the reality of business today. This is as true for you as a logistics services provider as it is for any other business out there, big or small.
The influence of social media (for better or worse) is impacting your business right now. Whether you are selling logistics transportation software or ecommerce order fulfillment warehouse services, your present and future customers are using social media and this influence is not something you decide to accept or ignore on your own terms – it is there.
Simply put, the effects of social media are there for you to take control of or be run over by.
The Bad News is that using social media effectively takes a long term commitment, the ROI can be tough to measure at the outset, and participation is mandatory.
The Good News is that the plan for making social media work for your business is not complicated and the benefits to your company can include more customer loyalty, new leads, and more efficient communication across your business.
The influence of social media (for better or worse) is impacting your business right now. Whether you are selling logistics transportation software or ecommerce order fulfillment warehouse services, your present and future customers are using social media and this influence is not something you decide to accept or ignore on your own terms – it is there.
Simply put, the effects of social media are there for you to take control of or be run over by.
The Bad News is that using social media effectively takes a long term commitment, the ROI can be tough to measure at the outset, and participation is mandatory.
The Good News is that the plan for making social media work for your business is not complicated and the benefits to your company can include more customer loyalty, new leads, and more efficient communication across your business.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Social Media for Logistics
We have created a new group on LinkedIn called Social Media for Logistics.
The Social Media for Logistics Group is a forum for individuals to share and discuss their experiences with Social Media as it relates to supply chain logistics.
Our goal is to build the group forum into a reference resource with examples and advice on how to use Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, and other social media platforms.
Members include thought leaders from 3rd Party Logistics Companies, Supply Chain Professionals, Carriers, Shippers, Manufacturers, Marketing, Logistics/ Transportation Management Software providers, and Order Fulfillment, as well as Supply Chain Industry Researchers and Publications.
Please visit LinkedIn and join in on the conversation.
________________________
Social Media for Logistics Blog
Social Media Supply Chain
The Social Media for Logistics Group is a forum for individuals to share and discuss their experiences with Social Media as it relates to supply chain logistics.
Our goal is to build the group forum into a reference resource with examples and advice on how to use Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs, and other social media platforms.
Members include thought leaders from 3rd Party Logistics Companies, Supply Chain Professionals, Carriers, Shippers, Manufacturers, Marketing, Logistics/ Transportation Management Software providers, and Order Fulfillment, as well as Supply Chain Industry Researchers and Publications.
Please visit LinkedIn and join in on the conversation.
________________________
Social Media for Logistics Blog
Social Media Supply Chain
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)