The Art of #Hashtags

Twitter can be a daunting world. Many delayed joining the Twitterverse in fear of having to learn the relevance of 140 characters, RT and #hashtags. I have to admit, when I took the plunge back, it was no easy task to adjust to the new digital world before me. But after some practice (and a bit of research), I was able to navigate my way through a timeline full of 140 character posts that were once a foreign language.

It wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Twitter experts before me, so now I’m doing my part to help you newbies (or vets who are still struggling)! The first chapter in this multi-part lesson - the #hashtag.

 

First things first. What is a hashtag? Since their arrival in 2007, hashtags have helped file tweets into organized folders. By putting a # before a word or phrase, you are sending that tweet to a category of tweets all labeled with that same word. So, when you click a hashtag, you are able to view all tweets that contain that hashtag. It’s like keyword searching for Twitter.

How do we use them?

Purpose: Simply, hashtags allow all us Tweeters an easy way to communicate around a certain theme or topic.

Frequency: The key is to not use hashtags in excess. When tweets are littered with hashtags, it often makes it difficult to find the substance of the message. Tag only keywords or topics that are most relevant to your tweet. Tweets with too many hashtags are often less engaging and have lower click-through rates.

Placement: It’s suggested that hashtags are used within the tweet rather than at the end. When they are placed at the end of a tweet, they are the part of the Tweet most likely to be deleted when retweeted so that the RT-ed message can remain in the 140 character limit. Most effective hashtags are used within the tweet and are separated by several words.

Use: Much like trends in the non-virtual world, Twitter is full of hot topics. For example, you couldn’t look at your news feed two days ago without seeing #RoyalBaby plastered from tweet to tweet. Following trending hashtags allows you to monitor conversations and participate in the top-talked about topics. Use hashtags to interject in conversations happening around your area of interest or business. Own a clothing boutique? Search #fashion and insert yourself into the stylish conversations taking place. This will allow you to expose yourself to those in the same area of interest.

There are many tools available for discovering the happening hashtags. I particularly like trendsmap.com. Not only does it tell you what the Twitterverse is discussing, it also shows you what’s being discussed according to your geo-tagged location. You can truly pinpoint conversation that allows you to engage with people and businesses close to home. 

But don’t abuse trending hashtags. If your tweet is about the latest restaurant opening, it doesn’t make sense to tag #Lollapalooza. Tagging an irrelevant topic just to gain more exposure will only damage your Twit cred down the line. It will look like you’re trying too hard to gain exposure. 
 

Other quick tips:  

-Try not to string together too many words in a hashtag. #thisistoodifficulttoread

-When you want to get noticed by certain people or businesses on Twitter, look first to see if they have a designated hashtag. Including the hashtag in addition to or in place of tagging the account will increase your chances of visibility.

-Ready to step it up a notch? Create your own hashtag. It can be extremely effective to create your own Twitter campaign with a hashtag unique to you or your brand. This is especially the case with events. It’s becoming very popular for brands and businesses to invent a hashtag specifically for an event. When your guests are tweeting from the event using the hashtag, it helps immensely with your social media imprint. Attendees feel more compelled to tweet about your brand’s gathering when there is an event hashtag, and when they do, they are exposing each of their followings to your brand! Voilà, more engagement!

A not-so-little graphic for all you visual learners.

 

Total side note, but if you haven't seen Glossed + Found's debut rap video, you definitely need to watch it ASAP. So addictive! Look out for Monika and a bundle of our friends who make cameos.

By Emily Cleary, MDPR Social Media Director

Festival Festivities

How is it already the last weekend of July? Summer is flying by! With Fall quickly approaching, it's crunch time for completing all those summer bucket list activities. We bet you had a Chicago festival (or two) on there, so this is the perfect weekend to check those off!

 

Thursday

Fiesta del Sol in the Pilsen neighborhood {July 25 - 28}

Made in Chicago: World Class Jazz at Millennium Park {July 25 - 29}

 
Friday

Chicago French Film Festival in Wrigleyville {July 26 - August 1}

Jeff Fest Arts and Music Festival in Jeffersen Park {July 26 - 28}

Saturday

The Bounce TV Summer Music Festival at FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island {July 27} 
 
Wicker Park Fest in Wicker Park {July 27 - 28}

   
North Shore Festival of Art at Old Orchard {July 27 - 28}

Superfoods that make you glow!

Why fuss with expensive juice cleanses, exfoliating scrubs or complicated fad diets for that sought after sun-kissed glow? All you need is to stock up on a few superfoods from your local farmer’s market to achieve a fresh, healthy look. While many popular diets focus on one nutrient, such as protein, gluten or dairy, they also deprive your body of other crucial nutrients it needs to thrive. Especially during summer when you spend a lot of time outside in the draining sun and heat, it’s important to fill your body with nutrient-rich foods. That’s where superfoods come in. Because they are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and polyphenols, they can boost your immune system, lower inflammation, increase serotonin and enhance sexuality in addition to preventing chronic disease and prolonging life. After conducting some research, here are the top 10 superfoods that the we found to help aid in achieving that striking summer glow.

1. Blueberries
Add half a cup of blueberries to your yogurt or cereal for breakfast every morning to help protect yourself against pre-mature aging. These berries are packed with potassium and vitamin C, which will also help boost your immune system.

Try this Mixed Berry Salad with Mint for a refreshing dessert.

2. Spinach
Despite our childhood fears of this leafy, green vegetable, it’s the key to sparkling eyes. Trade in your traditional iceberg lettuce for this powerhouse full of vitamins B, C and E as well as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids.

Serve this Spinach and Strawberry Salad instead of traditional romaine lettuce at your next dinner party.

3. Oysters
In addition to its reputation as an aphrodisiac, oysters are loaded with zinc, which helps with skin cell renewal and maintaining healthy hair, nails and eyes.

Serve Oysters Rockefeller for a classic take on this misunderstood superfood.

 4. Tomatoes
Here is another anti-aging superfood that will keep you looking fresh. Tomatoes are the best source of lycopene, an antioxidant that gives them their red color and is thought to prevent against some cancers.

Make this recipe for a Tomato Stack Salad with Corn and Avocado as a healthy lunch alternative.

5. Dark Chocolate
For those of you always looking for an excuse to sneak in a chocolate snack, this is the superfood for you. Dark chocolate will keep your skin hydrated and protect it from sun damage while satisfying your three o’clock sweet craving. But before you rush down to the vending machine, it’s important to know that chocolate above 60 percent cacao is the best.

It’s best to eat dark chocolate raw so you don’t cook off the powerful nutrients.

6. Yogurt
Mix yogurt with fresh fruit and granola for a healthy snack or even dessert. This calcium rich superfood will help maintain upright posture, strong nails and teeth.

Here are some ideas to help you incorporate yogurt into your diet.

7. Walnuts
Smooth skin, shiny hair, bright eyes and strong bones are only some of the benefits you will receive from eating a handful of walnuts. Eat them a la carte or in a salad for a huge helping of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E.

Walnuts can be used as substitutes in many recipes. Here are some recipes you may want to try.

8. Sweet Potatoes
Whether it’s in the form of fries or pie, or served mashed or baked, this superfood is full of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps prevent aging as well as improve vision, immunity and overall health.

Check out this recipe for Tangy Sweet Potatoes for your next holiday dinner.

9. Kiwis
Large amounts of vitamin C and antioxidants will keep your skin glowing and firm. Kiwis will help prevent wrinkles and are great for strong bones and teeth. They also help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Make Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips at your next barbeque.

10. Wild Salmon
Omega-3 fatty acids found in wild, not farm-raised salmon will help keep your skin feeling supple and moisturized. Selenium, a nutrient that will protect your skin against the sun, and vitamin D, a nutrient that will help keep your bones strong, are also found in salmon.

Experiment with these recipes the next time you decide to enjoy salmon.

Making any recipes? Eating any superfoods? Be sure to share pics with us on Instagram and Twitter at @monikadixonpr using #MDPRInsider!

By Rebecca Taylor, MDPR Team Member

Blog vs. Website

As you all know, the online world is expanding rapidly, raising a lot of questions about the most effective forms of online communication. Recently, we've had a lot of clients come into the office asking whether they would be better off starting a blog or building a website. While there is no right answer to this developing dilemma, we would like to offer some advice for choosing the right outlet for your business.

It's important to note that a blog is a website. It’s simply a more dynamic form of the traditionally static online source. Using a post based structure, content is updated frequently, and more opportunities for interaction between the company and reader are available through newsfeeds, events and social media.

While you can hire a web designer to build a multi-layer website for your business with numerous pages and eye-catching graphic elements, realize that with all of the blog software available, such as WordPress, you can create a blog with multiple pages all on your own. This is especially advantageous if you are an entrepreneur looking for a budget friendly option. Your readers might not even notice that it’s a blog rather than an official website.

The blog vs. website decision depends heavily on your business model and the understanding consumers have of your brand. Here are a couple things to think about when creating an online outlet for your business.

Blogs are great for businesses whose services and ideas change frequently and need to update online information on a regular basis. These are often creative businesses that engage in events, have direct interaction and receive feedback from clients, or are interested in advertising connections with clients. It's also less expensive because you don't need to work with a web developer every time you need to make an update.

On the other hand, business models that don’t include the responsibility of frequently updating company information, such as a medical practice or restaurant, are probably better off with a website.  These businesses will benefit from a simple site that offers customers an overview of the company, its policies and mission statement. It would also be valuable to work with a talented web developer if you have a shopping cart on your site. 

  

While most of us are familiar with the concept of a website, here are a few more tidbits of information about blogs to help you make your decision. 

• Blogs are less expensive because there is less money upfront and they are cheaper to maintain. 
• Blogs increase search engine optimization by automatically notifying the search engine that there is an update every time you make a post. 
• If your blog becomes popular, you may be able to make money by selling ad space. 
• Your clients can subscribe to your blog and receive notifications for every new post.
• Despite the common myth that blogging requires a large time commitment, making a daily blog post is much easier than contacting your web developer every time you want to update information.

Hopefully you have found this post helpful and are closer to making a decision. There is not a right or wrong answer and with the right elements, you are bound to find success either way you decide to go. There is no one that knows your business better than you, and based on that, you will ultimately make the right choice. If you are in need of a website, blog or a writer to keep content updated, please reach out to us. 

PS - Looks like we have another prince-in-training! Congrats to Prince William and Kate Middleton on their healthy baby boy! #RoyalBaby

By Rebecca Taylor, MDPR Team Member

Chicago's Fashion Game

One thing we love about Chicago summers…there’s no shortage of fab events each week! It’s like the city’s style is on high gear and everyone’s ready to celebrate how truly fashionable Chicagoans are - despite our often-undeserved bad rap. 

This week, the MDPR team hit two events that were proof of our city’s fashion footprint. Whether it was to simply enjoy some complimentary fun and girl-time or to learn about the latest must-join-now shopping site, we hit the city to celebrate in the chicest ways possible. 

First stop – Fulton’s on the River for Refinery 29’s Summer Style Tour. It was a full-blown girl’s night (and heartfelt ‘thank you for loving Refinfery29’ gesture), complete with summer-y cocktails, DIY accessories (heavy on the studs and sparkles), a nail art bar, manicure station, and yes, even hand massages. The Big Apple-planned soirée was the perfect opportunity for us to meet some NYC Refinery29-ers, who, until now, we’re just online presences from a faraway land. We chatted for a few with Sales Manager Lauren Blake - who was in for less than 24 hours to help facilitate the event – and she could not have been sweeter. As we left with new arm party material, a fresh mani and an adorably adorned tote bag, we felt like very appreciated (not to mention appreciative) Refinery29 readers.

The following evening, we headed to the first of Garmental and Keep.com’s four-part #KeepItChic event series at RM Champagne Salon. We braved the unrelenting heat and humidity (making it a task to look as chic as we’d like) to attend the event, which featured Chicago boutique Edith Hart and clothing line Paper Crown. Alas, the poufy hair and overly dewy skin was worth it. Charming décor - including oversize balloons and DIY fringe, yummy bites, tasty drinks and signing up for Keep.com made it all worthwhile. But, we have to say Garmental ladies, you are totally to blame for our newfound Keep obsession! We have serious shopping fever. We’ll be browsing (and maybe even purchasing) until next Tuesday’s #KeepItChic gathering when we meet Solstice Sunglasses. 

Oh, and one more thing, simply because this is too fitting for today’s topic not to share. How much do you love this outfit that our job shadow, Donzell, donned today? Polka dots, metallic shoes, effortless wayfarers…too much (in the best way possible)! 

 Stay fashionable!

-By Emily Cleary, MDPR Social Media Director 

Timing is Everything

It’s the age-old question: What’s the best way to get more exposure on social media?

Okay, maybe not age-old considering the birth of social media as we know it only occurred roughly a decade ago. (Although, for many of us, it’s hard to remember a time before we could virtually follow people and like things with the click of a button.)

Let’s take a trip down social media memory lane. (Yes, that’s what we have Facebook timeline for, but we’re doing this the old school way.)

Friendster (remember that?) launched in 2002, followed by LinkedIn and MySpace in 2003. The whole game changed the following year when Facebook hit the web, initially allowing classmates at Harvard to connect online. 140 became ‘the’ number in 2006 when Twitter was created, and four years later, pinning was added to our vocabulary following the birth of Pinterest. 

But having all of these platforms seems relatively pointless unless we know how to effectively use them. So, I’ve been on a hunt, wrangling together information regarding effective social media practices so that you can get the most out of your online presence. (Shall we say, bang for your post?) The first step – knowing when it’s worth your while, and when you’re better off remaining silent.

Here’s the breakdown:

Facebook

Best: 1 pm – 4pm

Worst: 8 pm – 8 am

Twitter

Best: 1 pm – 3 pm

Worst: 8 pm – 9 am

LinkedIn

Best: 7 am – 9 am & 5 pm – 6 pm

Worst: 10 pm – 6 am

Pinterest

Best: 2 pm – 4 pm & 8 pm – 1 am

Worst: 5 pm – 7 pm

Stay calm…we didn’t forget about Instagram (née 2010). Nothing is very conclusive, but it appears that photos are most effective when uploaded in the middle of the day and in mid to late evening.

Remember, these are averages, so there’s never a guarantee that they will be the best practices for your specific purposes. Post at different times, keep an eye on your interaction and learn what works best for you!

A little tip: Print out the chart above and hang it in your workspace so you can refer to it easily. Pretty soon, you’ll get the hang and will be able to take off the training wheels, so to speak.

By Emily Cleary, MDPR Social Media Director

Proactive Planning

It’s only hump day, but there’s no harm in looking ahead to the weekend. In fact, we believe Wednesday is the best day to start getting your Thursday – Sunday plans in order. Nothing like being a little proactive! 

Yes, you read correctly; Thursday is included. Isn’t that technically part of the weekend during the summer? :) 
 
To ensure your days of freedom are some to remember, we gathered together a lineup of events that allow you to take full advantage of summer in this great city that we call home. So, let’s get started.

Thursday

PAWS Chicago Beach Party at North Avenue Beach

Cheeky Chicago’s Women, Whiskey and Runway at Untitled 

ROOF Runway Series at ROOF on theWit 

John Butler Trio at The Vic 

New Kids on the Block, 98 Degreesand Boyz II Men at Allstate Arena 

Friday

Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field 

Saturday

#EXPOSURE2013 benefiting BrightPink at Ohio Street Beach

Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson at Wrigley Field

All Weekend

Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park

Various Farmer’s Markets

Amalia Pica at Museum of Contemporary Art

Movies in the Parks at various locations 
 
Taste of River North at Ward Park 

Lincoln Park MerchantsAssociation Sidewalk Sale at block of Halsted, Armitage, Sheffield & Webster  

Sheffield Garden Walk andMusic Festival at Sheffield & Webster 


And if you’ve got the perfect Suit & Tie for Monday….

Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake at Soldier Field 

Happy planning!

By Emily Cleary, MDPR Social Media Director