Top 10 New Tools in Social Media Tech

Selfie Stick Today Show

I’m not sure if I’m turning into a grandma at the ripe old age of 22, but it seems like kids these days always have new toys. I normally would complain, but this year, all the new gadgets are geared towards social media.

As technology keeps progressing and social networking becomes more and more ingrained in our daily life, it’s not surprising to find more and more items that ROCK for the digital generation. Hardware like the selfie stick is designed to make social easier through incorporating digital applications with physical tools (Disclaimer: just… don’t use the selfie stick. Please.) Not only are all these new gadgets super cool, they make life on the internet a breeze.

To save you some time, we compiled a list of the top social media tools for social media marketers, lovers, and lurkers alike.

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Social Media Tips From #Boston Pros!

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Remember our all encompassing, sightly mind-blowing round-up of who to follow on Twitter in Boston? If not, we highly suggest clicking HERE to see who made the cut, and then clicking HERE to subscribe to that list on Twitter.

Don’t worry, we won’t say the word “click” again.

Well, since the birth of that list, we’ve reached out to our Twitter pros in hopes that they’d break off a piece of their social media wisdom. Below you’ll find the results: a magnificent cornucopia of tips, advice, and general online community wizardry, all available at your disposal.

So go ahead — read up and tweet out. Because when it comes to Twitter, it’s totally awesome to follow, but it’s totally awesomer to lead.

Oh, and that promise about no more clicking? We take it back. CLICK AWAY!

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YES, Twitter Parties Can Get You in Trouble

In 2014, it isn’t weird to have Internet friends… so why not have Internet parties?

That’s actually a thing on Twitter. Not to be confused with a tweetup (an in-person meet up with fellow tweeps), a Twitter party is a virtual “party” hosted in real-time on the Twitter platform, most commonly by a company or influencer to build brand awareness. Many are even moderated by an expert panelist. Given a particular topic, a hashtag is determined and announced prior to the event’s scheduled date/time.

For example, @ResourcefulMom mediated a discussion with @Entenmanns on National Donut Day, using donut giveaways as an incentive while spreading awareness about their donuts and the brand’s charitable efforts toward Salvation Army.

Seems cool, yes? And simple. And harmlessly beneficial.   HOWEVER…   When brands involve contests and/or giveaways in their Twitter parties (which is pretty often), they may possibly be directly or indirectly violating the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s rules when using the social platform to promote their brand(s)/product(s).

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5 Lessons We Learned From #GIRLBOSS

Sophia Amoruso

Okay, #GIRLBOSS (by Nasty Gal founder Sophia Amoruso) came out in May and I’m a little late to the game, but I’ve been on the waiting list for it at the library for months, and I finally got the email the other day – your book is ready to be picked up!

The story goes like this: former homeless metalhead eating dumpster bagels rises to well-respected #GIRLBOSS with hundreds of employees and millions in the bank.

That’s the short of it, but she offered some pretty good advice while detailing her journey to success that applies to all of us professional females out there, whether you’re running a business or running up the ladder to your ideal career:

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Responding to Feedback: When Negativity Fails & How To Fix It

Negative Feedback(NSFW language coming up. You’ve been warned!)

You’re a restaurant owner or chef, and a critic or customer totally throws your establishment under the bus. Or an artist, and somebody you’ve never met bashes your work. Or… you get the idea. How do you react?

It reaches you on a personal level, so you feel the urge to fire back. Right?

Just this week, a San Francisco chef did just that via a window sign, saying, “Yes we use MSG, we don’t believe in organic food, and we don’t give a sh*t about gluten-free.”

That’s what you want to do, but definitely not what you should do!

Unfortunately, this type of reaction is not uncommon, and it’s occurring far more often thanks to chefs and restaurant owners venting on very public social media platforms. The outrage gets picked up by news outlets, goes viral, and ends up in articles like this explaining how NOT to handle customer service.

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Big Brands Doing Social Media Right

Dennys fry guy

It isn’t easy to run a successful social media account for your business (which is why you should hire Metter Media, ahem), but there are a few companies who not only do it well, they’re basically our Social Media Heroes who can teach us quite a bit. Your brand has more in common with national names than you think, and if you look closely at their updates, you’ll begin to see patterns that have helped them get to that special place in our Favorites.

Here are our picks for big brands doing social media right, and what, exactly, we can learn from their bacon tweets and khakis:

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Student Guide: Who to Follow on Twitter in Boston

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As much as we complain incessantly about #Boston, you’ve picked a good city to call home while you’re in school. And one thing we’re really good at is social media. Our Mayor (@marty_walsh) hosts #TwitterChat(s) regularly, we’ve won various awards for the city’s social media prowess, and here’s a protip: if you know who to follow on Twitter, that’s enough to be “in the know” in this city.

So here’s a good list to get you started (subscribe to it here):

General Boston

@BostonTweet
@OnlyInBOS
@universalhub
@BostInno
@ConciergeBoston
@BostonAttitude
@BostonReview
@morisy
@steveannear
@Fara1
@dbernstein
@HeyRatty
@senatorjohn

Events

@TheBostonCal
@BostonTweetUp
@BriteBoston UPDATE: Inactive since 2015.

City of Boston (important) Accounts

@CityOfBoston
Mayor: @marty_walsh
Food Trucks: @bosfood
Bikes: @bikeboston
@DoITBoston

News

@BostonGlobe
@BostonDotCom
@DigBoston
@MetroBOS
@BetaBoston
@WBUR
@wgbhnews
@BostInno
@BostonMagazine
@TheImproper
@cambridgechron
@7news

Live Updates

@CityOfBoston
@UniversalHub
@MassDOT
@BostonPolice
@BostonFire
@BEMSincidents

Schools

@BU_Tweets
@EmersonCollege
@Northeastern
@BostonCollege
@Suffolk_U
@UMassBoston
@BerkleeCollege
@EmmanuelCollege
@Harvard
@MITstudents
@SimmonsCollege
@MassArt
@TuftsUniversity
@SMFABoston

Neighborhoods

@allstonratcity
@YourAllstonBri
@BrightonMainSts
@SomervilleCity
@MissionHillMass
@JP_02130
@thefenway
@YTfenwaykenmore
@kendall_square
@cambridgeUSA
@WelcomeToDot
@DTownBostonBID
@HelloGreenway
@go_centralsq

Food & Drink

@onthebar
@thedrewstarr
@petemfboyd
@hiddenboston
@mysecretboston
@mcslimjb
@bostonmixdrink
@eaterboston
@blumie
@boloco
@ZagatBoston
@TheWriteStuffSK
@lmennies
@thrillistboston
@RestoWeekBoston
@BostonChefsNews
@BostonChefsJobs

LULZ

@backbaymemoirs UPDATE: Inactive since 2015.
@centralsqpigeon  UPDATE: Inactive since 2016.
@lukeoneil47
@BDPizzaBrighton UPDATE: Inactive since 2015.
@The66bus
@TomBradysEgo
@iamchrisscott
@bostonmo

A&E

@AllstonPudding
@DigBoston
@Vanyaland617
@SoundofBoston
@BDCwire
@Boston_Calling
@together
@boweryboston
@LostinSound_org
@mmmmaven
@MASSEDMC
@lawnond
@GlobeMusic
@mfaboston
@ICAinBoston
@amandapalmer

Venues

@mideastclub
@zuzubar
@TheSinclair
@paradiserockclb
@GreatScottROCK
@Brighton_Music
@middlesexlounge
@The_Wilbur
@hob_boston
@ttthebears UPDATE: TT The Bears has closed as of July 2015.
@goodlifebar

MBTA Accounts

@mbta_alerts
@mbta_bus_alerts
@MBTA_CR
@MBTA
@MBTATransitPD

Other Transportation

@bikeboston
@Hubway
@Uber_BOS
@HailoBoston
@Lyft
@Bridj

The best Twitter accounts in Boston

@mettermedia
@haveyoumetter
@discolyssa
@saraherib
@kciccolini
@jasminejamboree
@angelabray
@heshi393
@sierraunsworth

Who are your essential Boston tweeters? Let us know in the comments!

Metter Media LLC is a Boston-based social media management company that implements community-based, localized social engagement strategies for small businesses and corporations alike. Need help with your social media? Email Lauren today.

A Man, A Mouse, and a Twitter Account: How Disney Could Step Up Its Social Media Strategy

disney

“You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make the dream a reality.” – Walt Disney

It also requires an engaging Twitter strategy.

The suits and imagineers behind Lake Buena Vista, Florida’s Walt Disney World (WDW) take many steps to stay current: attractions are built and updated, Starbucks are popping up everywhere, gluten-free and vegetarian food options have been added aplenty, craft beer selections have grown, and last year they even rolled out the MyMagic+ program, an app-and-wristband combination resulting in some serious online magic.

But what they boast in factory-created fantasy, they lack in thorough social media presence.

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