Feed your Secret Interest Addiction: Topic Tips from Thoora

September 23, 2011 – 10:28 am

We all have interests that are off the beaten path. Maybe for work, maybe for play, maybe for your eyes only. Budding hobbies, retro cult movies, specialized product lines, a celebrity you have true feelings for… even though you’ve never met.

Thoora Topics are a window into a world of unique interests. Take a look and you’ll be fascinated by the amazing things that Thoora users want to know more about. We want Thoora to feed the special interest addiction in all of us, so with this in mind, we’ve put together tips for crafting great Topics.

Here’s a guide to getting the most from Thoora on your special, strange, niche, unusual, secret hobby Topic:

▸ If you see a Topic with great results, dig into its Topic DNA. This behind-the-scenes look gives you the keywords, Twitter Accounts and RSS feeds that come together to create a beautiful Thoora Topic.

▸ Be really, really specific when selecting your keywords. NFreshH, for example, does a great job with New York Fashion Week by including an exact list of designers and models she’s interested in. Mad love for Crystal Renn!

▸ Use as many keywords as you can. We want to know EXACTLY what you are after, so go bananas! Check out KRestivo’s Topic on Smartphones, where he covers all the goods, brand by brand by brand by brand… Don’t hold back – our engine will take as much as you can give it.

▸ Use your punctuation and add quotes. Thoora is into quotes so if your keyword has several words that belong together, pack them in “quotation marks.” Go for “cloud computing” over cloud and computing; go for “graphic design” over graphic and design.

▸ Avoid getting too general – especially when you’re building a unique Topic. If you’re tracking the NBA Lockout, consider key phrases used when discussing this issue and key personalities (“David Stern” or “ Metta World Peace” maybe?). Be wary of general phrases like ‘basketball’ because the engine will start prowling for stories about basketball, when you know darn well, there’s not a lot of that going on right now!

What special Topics are you cooking on Thoora? What secret interests do you wish you knew more about? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and Twitter.

By thoora | Posted in Beta | Comments (0)

With A Little Help from #CMWorld Friends

September 16, 2011 – 9:34 am

We met so many fabulous people last week at Content Marketing World that we felt compelled to reach out to our new friends for their Top Takeaways from the conference.

Chris Caputo, @FallsDigital

▸ Process is key, but speed and agility ultimately win the content race.

Darin Diehl, Sun Life Financial, @BrighterLife.ca

▸ “Optimize for your customers first, then optimize for SEO.” – @LeeOdden, Top Rank
Lee’s so right about this. Content has to first appeal to the real needs, wants, fears and desires of your target audience. You need snappy, engaging headlines – THEN – you focus on keyword and search optimization.

▸ “You need to understand SEO and SMO – that’s social media optimization” – @LeeOdden, Top Rank
This gets to the issue that it’s now just as important to enable content for shareability as it is to optimize it for search. And that’s because of the power of recommendation. The path to purchase could start just as easily from a recommendation on a Facebook wall post or a Tweet of an article url as it could from a Google search.

Marcie Avram, Content Marketing Strategy & Marketing Services

▸ “Contentmarketing” has now officially become one word. There is no effective marketing without relevant content.

Eric Jacobson, Ascend Integrated Media, @EricAtAscend

A takeaway combining a number of things I heard from the many great speakers:
▸ Create fascinating, story-telling, free content that is instantly captivating and worth a reader’s time and worthy of sharing, then you can build an ongoing relationship with the reader – a trusted relationship that over time will likely turn into an opportunity to generate revenue from that reader.

Don’t be shy! If you attended and have something to add, please let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and Twitter.

By thoora | Posted in Beta, Philosophy | Comments (0)

All About #CMWorld

September 13, 2011 – 4:03 pm

Thoora was rocking in Cleveland last week at the first ever Content Marketing World conference. Congrats to Junta 42 and the Content Marketing Institute for bringing together an incredible roster of speakers, top notch attendees and kickin’ sponsors… (Obvious Disclaimer: Thoora was a #cmworld sponsor!). A sure sign of success is the fact that the #cmworld hashtag blew up the wifi network on site!

We came away inspired and wanted to share our highlights. Here are Thoora’s Top Takeaways from #cmworld 2011:

Renée Mellow, Marketing Manager, Social Media + PR

▸ “Don’t try to feed them broccoli ice cream.” – Brian Clark, @Copyblogger Founder
Meaning, when you’re creating and/or publishing content, focus on information your audience wants, craves and desires. Sure, everyone needs the protein, thiamin, riboflavin, iron and magnesium in broccoli, but that sundae is way more appealing.

▸ “The best keyword research tool that exists is talking to your customers.” – Marcus Sheridan, @TheSalesLion
Not only did Sheridan tear up the room with his high energy, high impact presentation, he was full of killer insight. I appreciated his ‘back to basics’ approach and finding value in what you already have. If you ever have a chance to see him speak, get there early for a front row seat (and maybe chug a Coke beforehand to keep up).

▸ “Give it away, give it all away.” – Michael Stelzner, @SMExaminer
Speaking about the best content you have, Stelzner blew more than a few minds by advocating for freebies. His rationale is simple; potential clients will think ‘if this stuff is free, imagine how earth-shattering the information you pay for will be.’

Sean Evans, COO

▸ “We know that content needs to be customer centric. But we rarely consider that it can be business aware. They’re not mutually exclusive.” – Jason Falls, @JasonFalls
Shared content should be useful for your customers and potential customers, but it also should serve a purpose in driving your business forward. Consistent with Michael Stelzner’s suggestion of giving away your knowledge for free, make sure it aligns with your business goals.

▸ “The future of marketing is helping, not selling.” – Jay Baer, @JayBaer
Geek Squad, the configuration and repair service company, provides hundreds of do-it-yourself videos for anyone to use via YouTubeGeek. Sounds a bit counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? Yet company founder Robert Stephens notes that they’re not trying to sell, they’re trying to help. As told by Jay Baer, Geek Squad’s best customers are the people who think they can fix it themselves, but really can’t. The second best are those that can fix it now, but not the next problem.

▸ “How do you measure content marketing? Easy. Count.” – Jason Falls, @JasonFalls
More than a few attendees noted the pressure in delivering measurable results as a result of their content marketing efforts. Jason Falls suggests creating a strategy, with appropriately placed calls-to-action, that aligns with your company’s key performance indicators. If you’re providing useful content, over time customers will be drawn to you. As that relationship blossoms, keep track of their interactions and analyze it as your would any other data point. If necessary, adjust!

▸ “‘Mobile marketing’ is like saying ‘laptop marketing’ 10 years ago.” – Morgan Stewart, @mostew
‘Let’s market to people that use laptops!’ Did anyone really say that? Doubtful. And anyone who uses ‘mobile marketing’ isn’t seeing the big picture. As consumers consume increasing amounts of content on mobile devices, marketers need to approach mobile as a platform instead of a channel. Create integrated strategies and tactics with this firmly in mind.

Any other quotes or takeaways to add to our list? Any eye-opening moments or major learnings to share? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and Twitter.

By thoora | Posted in Beta, Philosophy | Comments (0)

#CMWorld Day One: Sports Marketing

September 7, 2011 – 7:46 pm

written by: Sean Evans, COO

We’re having a great time in Cleveland so far, meeting fabulous and friendly people, eating orange food and attending some top notch sessions. The day ended on a high note with a keynote on sports marketing.

When it comes to social media, professional athletes are near the top of the game. Old school tactics like hanging out at the ballpark in the hopes of getting an autograph are being increasingly supplanted by virtual “relationships” on Facebook and Twitter. The emergence of these online social vehicles have enabled athletes to connect with their fans more directly, and more liberally, than ever before. Canned quotes, seemingly restricted to the airwaves, are making way for raw honesty (for better or for worse) in the digital world. As Appinions recently noted:

“Professional athletes love social media and it is not hard to see why, as it allows them to connect with their fans and speak their minds. The perplexing part is how they spew cliché after cliché when doing a radio, newspaper or television interview, but once they log onto Twitter it is an opinion free for all.”

Look no further than Cleveland to find a sports town that is punching above its weight. Despite losing Lebron’s 2.4 million Twitter followers upon his unceremonious move to Miami, Cleveland’s Browns, Cavaliers and Indians continue to push the envelope when it comes to connecting with fans. And it’s hard not to see why after sitting in a session at Content Marketing World called “Creating Fans with Social Content Strategies.”

Curtis Danburg, Indians Senior Director of Communications, Tad Carper, Cavaliers Senior VP of Communications, and Brett Reynolds, Browns VP of Marketing, make a strong case for social media and content marketing tactics to attract and keep fans.

In creating an amazing connection with fans, check Reynolds and his team. Finding stories that resonate with fans meant turning to fans themselves. During the 2011 offseason the Browns launched Cleveland Brown Fanographics, a Facebook app that allows fans to tell their stories of why they are Browns fans. Very cool.

There is a potential downside as well. When launching the Tweetup around the unveiling of the Cavaliers new uniforms last year, Carper notes that you have to have thick skin. There are always detractors, so just be prepared to listen and respond appropriately.

But don’t let that stop you. Just heed Danburg’s advice when engaging your fans – know the rules of the game and remember that they are your fans.

Looking to build content into your marketing strategy? Take some tips from Indians legend Bob Feller:

• Have an opinion or a point of view. And if you can, make it memorable.
• Go out to the people. Your content is no good if your customers can’t access it.
• Give the story away. Don’t miss an opportunity to extend your influence.
• If you’re wrong, admit it and move on. To err is to be human.

Sitting in a roomful of content marketers, you’d get the sense that social media and content marketing are already well explored. But clearly it is still early days. Joe Pulizzi, content marketing’s reigning evangelist and enfant terrible, puts it best:

“If content marketing was a baseball game, we are just getting out of the dugout.”

With all the attention that social media and content marketing can garner, maybe the Cleveland Barons can make a comeback. If only.

Got any sports marketing tips of your own to share? Impressed by the first day of Content Marketing World like us? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and keep following the #cmworld action Twitter.

By thoora | Posted in Beta, Philosophy | Comments (0)

Top Training Tips to Nail Your Next Presentation

August 31, 2011 – 10:39 am

The countdown is on for Content Marketing World (#cmworld). In one week, Thoora will be taking the stage for a ‘Cage Match.’ We love a good friendly fight, so of course, we jumped at the opportunity to battle amongst “the most compelling content marketing technology on the planet.”

Right now, Thoora is hard at work training to enter the ring. It may include one-handed push ups and jumping over tennis nets, but mostly, we’re developing our script.

Here are Thoora’s Top Training Tips to creating a killer five-minute product demo:

#1- Get inspired. We’re watching other talks to ignite our brains, and TED is an obvious go-to (who doesn’t want to know the answer to Matt Ridley’s question When Ideas Have Sex? And why can’t we turn away from Olafur Eliason’s flashing primary-colored shapes in Playing with space and light?). We also love oldie, but goodie Identity 2.0. Canadian Dick Hardt was one of the first to use PowerPoint for good, and not for bullet-overload evil. Office workers: please take a moment to thank him immediately.

#2 – We’re reading The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs by Carmine Gallo, an excellent analysis of why Jobs’ keynotes always rock the casbah. Why not learn from the best of the best and aspire to one day demo world-changing smartphones or envelope-thin computers? Gallo’s takeaways:

▸ Answer the one question that matters most: why should I care? That’s what your audience is thinking as you step up on stage. If you can’t answer that question, you’ll never win your audience over.
▸ Develop a villain, knowing that your solution is the hero. It could be the problem you’re solving. It could be the competition’s solutions. It could be customer pain. Spend time developing your Lex Luthor, so that your Superman can come along and save Metropolis.
▸ Reveal a holy shizzle moment. You know how Jobs always gets to the end, and then says “Oh, and one more thing…” and then he comes out with the most amazing thing of all and then the audience goes nuts?!? Save the best for last, and leave your audience craving more.

#3 – Think engaging, think funny. Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.” At Thoora, we’re thinking of ways to make you lol… short of dressing like kittens and mock fighting with light sabers.

Fingers crossed we’ll have a video of our Cage Match posted here later next week for your viewing pleasure, but in the meantime, how do you prepare for the big presentation? What training tips do you have to increase bicep girth? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and follow all the #cmworld action on Twitter next week.

By thoora | Posted in Beta | Comments (0)

The New Slang: Vocab Lessons for Those Who Want to Talk Social Media

August 26, 2011 – 9:24 am

As prominent social media terms and techie slang make their way into the Oxford English Dictionary, many are faced with the challenge of keeping up with what ‘the kids are saying.’ Here are Thoora’s tips for staying savvy:

#1 – Brush up on the basics. If you can’t comfortably use ‘friend’ as a verb, comment on your favorite ‘mashup’ or understand why Wikipedia isn’t called Online Encyclopedia, you’re behind the eight ball. Start with lingo 101.

#2 – Avoid buzzwords and don’t throw a multitude of terms from your new vocabulary out at once. Slow and steady wins the race here, so when you do finally drop a “are infographics dead?”, you’ll increase your chances of credibility.

#3 – It may have been funny three years ago, but move past any desire whatsoever to call those who use Twitter, all 175+ million of them, ‘twits.’ It’s been done.

#4 – Watch the young. Instead of being shocked by what that teenage neighbour who friend-ed you is posting, consider her a resource. Stay tuned to her stream, not to supervise for inappropriate behavior, but to creep for new phrases and see :-# actually used in context. Gold, pure gold.

#5 – As a general rule, colloquial Twitter is all about hashtags, which often become punchlines for sarcasm. You’ll see many #shudder at what they dislike, pen profound public #confessions and Alanis Morisette-ironically approve of their friends’ behavior with #ohnoyoudidnt.

#6 – As your final test, review the latest round of words to enter the Oxford English Dictionary. If you have studied hard, these words should induce eye rolls (been there, done that). If one, even one word selected by such institution, is new to you, head back to #1 and study up my friend!

How do you keep up with new slang? Discovered any new words or phrases that you love or hate? Let us know in the comments below, on Facebook and Twitter.

PS – Our Thoora lady needs a name! Send us your ideas – last day to submit is today. Thanks!

By thoora | Posted in Philosophy, Super Fun Stuff | Comments (0)

What’s in a Name? Help Us Name a New Thoora Star

August 22, 2011 – 3:20 pm

Last week, Thoora rolled out a ton of new stuff. New Topics, new au-THOORA-ties, new features, new creatures. We’re receiving great feedback (please keep it coming!), but there is one bright young lady who needs some special love.

Starring alongside the Thoora robot, we present her YouTube debut:

More about her…

▸ She’s smart: This one is resourceful with a pretty sophisticated sense of the world, and you can trust her to give you the full story.
▸ She’s savvy: The person you go to when you’re on the prowl for the latest – what’s hip and what’s happening on the web.
▸ She may just have some sass: As in, cool to hang with, witty and quick on her feet with an honest opinion.

So what’s the problem? She is currently NAMELESS. Can you help?

Please suggest some names for this lovely lady. We’ll be accepting them all week in the comments section below, on Facebook and Twitter. You’ve got until Friday, August 26 at 5pm ET to submit yours and please, keep it clean. Thank you!

By thoora | Posted in Super Fun Stuff | Comments (7)

Who is an au-THOORA-ty? #2: Social Media Marketer

August 18, 2011 – 1:16 pm

Here’s the second in our ongoing series about how to put Thoora to good use in your professional life.

au-THOORA-ty? #2: Social Media Marketer

Job Description:
A professional who oversees an integrated marketing communications plan, specifically leveraging social networks and web applications that allow communities of users to share, create and exchange content.

You know who you are! Social Media Marketers are some of the most resourceful peeps out there. Besides the typical day at the office, working in social media has some added responsibility because it’s such a new practice.

▸ You fought for recognition of this field, so you advocate and you advocate HARD for the importance of social platforms in an integrated marketing plan. Any studies, stats or case studies that help build the case are essential reading items for you.

▸ Social media is constantly changing and evolving, so you’re constantly on the prowl for what’s new. You want the scoop on the latest campaign, the newest social platform and the best technology before it hits Mashable. No small feat.

When searching for something specific, like ‘how many litres are in a gallon?’, the answer is easy to find. Tracking down quality content on ‘social media best practices’ or ‘newest social media technology’? Not so simple.

This is where Thoora comes in. Our engine is made for these kinds of Topics. Check out our Social Media Topic:

This snippet covers social media integration into gaming consoles, innovations to a prominent mobile app and new technology that puts social media capabilities within email. Quite a few of your bases have been covered in one spot.

Are you a Social Media Marketer who is constantly scavenging for new info? How do you typically uncover the content you are after? Let us know in the comments below, on Get Satisfaction, Facebook or Twitter.

By thoora | Posted in Beta, Who is an au-THOORA-ty? | Comments (0)

Community Call Out: Thoora Users in GTA

August 15, 2011 – 2:02 pm

We want to do the best we can to make sure that Thoora meets your needs, so we’re running a usability test designed to understand how you’re using Thoora, what works, and what could be improved.

Here’s the skinny:
▸ Spend 60-90 minutes at Thoora’s offices in Toronto with Carrie Shaw, Head of Product, as she guides you through a set of 10 predefined tasks using Thoora (e.g. creating a Topic, exploring, favoriting content)
▸ Carrie will ask you to think aloud as you’re going through the tasks and take note of your thoughts. The good news is there are no wrong answers!
▸ Once you’ve finished, you’ll receive a $150 CAD gift card and you’re on your way! (full list of supported retailers below*).

Though we wish we could accommodate people from all over the world, startup budgets are tight and are offices are right downtown, so this round is only open to people in the Greater Toronto Area.

You must be a registered Thoora user and have created a minimum of two Topics to participate. You can sign up here. Registration is free.

If you’re interested, or have any questions, please send an email to info@thoora.com with the subject line Usability Test, and indicate your Thoora username.

As always, find Thoora on Get Satisfaction, Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks!

*If you’re selected to participate, you can choose one gift card valued at $150 CAD from any of the following retailers:

- amazon.ca
- Canadian Tire
- Toronto Eaton Cetnre (accepted at any Cadillac Fairview malls across Canada)
- Holt Renfrew
- Indigo Books & Music
- Starbucks
- The Keg
- Winners
- Whole Foods
- Yorkdale Mall (also accepted at Scarborough Town Centre and Square One)

We’ll ask you to make your selection ahead of time and have the card ready for you on the day of the test.

By thoora | Posted in Beta, Super Fun Stuff | Comments (2)

Summer Time: Sunshine, Patios, New Features!

August 11, 2011 – 9:39 am

While you’re hopefully enjoying some well-deserved vacation, we at Thoora have been busy bees and are thrilled today to reveal the fruits of our summer labors.

Sign up or log in today to our public beta for an exciting new Thoora experience. This is our first product upgrade since we launched in June, and the enhancements are pretty killer, if we do say so ourselves.

Here’s what’s on tap (and we’ll leave it to you to imagine what our dev team will have ‘on tap’ later today!):

▸ Explore the Best of Thoora
Hit ‘Explore’ to browse the most popular Thoora Topics, some of the finest Topic creators and Featured Topics to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening around the web.

▸ Train the Engine
Get busy with the ‘heart’ and ‘trash can’, and Thoora will get better and better at delivering content that reflects these choices. Get specific about why you are deleting items (sketchy source, not relevant?) and we promise to fill your Topics with better quality and more customized information.

▸ Share Your Topic DNA
Get nosy and go behind-the-scenes on all the Topics on Thoora. Keywords, followers, Topics by the same creator – it’s all there so dive in!

And that’s just the beginning! See many, many more new features, including support for special characters in keywords, automatic keyword suggestions, and the ability to see who’s following your Topics.

And finally, we are thrilled to announce our next batch of au-THOORA-ties:

▸ ALTERNATIVE ENERGY, from @RichPhoto, Photographer/New media producer
▸ SMALL BUSINESS, from @HeatherRast, Brand and Content Strategist
▸ DEBT CEILING, from @Chul_Lee, Thoora, CTO
▸ US ECONOMY, from @CharlesBivona, Social Media Writer
▸ TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) MIDNIGHT MADNESS, from Kiva Reardon, Graduate Student and Writer
▸ ENVISIONING INFORMATION, from @LuzMCosta, Web and Content Developer

Let us know what you think of the new features. We’ve got our ears open in the comments section below, on Get Satisfaction, Facebook and Twitter.

By thoora | Posted in Beta, Super Fun Stuff, updates | Comments (3)
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