modernmami™ » social media

Brands Leveraging Reach of Social Media Latinas

Melanie Edwards — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:12:52 +0000

This post was co-written with Ana Lilian Flores of SpanglishBaby.

When I began blogging in 2006, it was hard for me to find other Latino bloggers. There were some, but in the last year and a half there has been an explosion in how many Latino-owned blogs are now published. In fact, the Blogs By Latinas directory had only 156 registered blogs in October 2009 and, less than a year later, has added 505 new ones, with that number increasing by the day. I think it’s all very exciting and couldn’t be happier about it.

I’ve been able to meet some amazing bloggers – and particularly women – who I wouldn’t have met otherwise. They are inspiring, smart, and generous. This is something that is not unique to them because they are Latinas, but the fact that they are, provides for an almost-immediate connection amongst us. We are able to relate on various levels, principally on living a bi-cultural life.

But you see, Latina bloggers are outpacing the general market in our growth. According to Sophia Mind, Hispanic women in the U.S. are one of the fastest-growing online demographics, and more than 85 percent of Latinas visit social networks on a regular basis. It makes sense then, that Latina bloggers are now seeing much more interest and engagement from brands and companies. Why? For the same reasons we connect with each other; we are Americans who easily maneuver two cultures – often times two languages as well – and we love our social media, which is perfect for spreading the right message.

“Brands sponsoring Latina bloggers is a win-win situation: the brands gain an alternate and possibly more effective message stream, and the bloggers gain support in doing what they love.” – Rory Lassanske

Let’s take a look at two companies in particular that have successfully engaged with Latina bloggers: General Mills and V-Me.

This past May, General Mills invited 32 Latina bloggers from around the country – flying most of us to Miami at company expense – to participate in the re-launch of Que Rica Vida, its Hispanic-focused family website. The event was unique in that it was the first time in the blogging world that a company focused so heavily on marketing to Latinas. Through attending, we were able to learn about the brand’s initiatives, connect with other Latinos (bloggers and journalists), and use our social media presence to share relevant information with our various online communities.

“It’s a win-win-win for bloggers, brands, and the larger Latino online community. Bloggers will grow, the exploding Latino online community will have more content designed specifically for it, and for brands, well, for brands they will be first in line in a culture which values loyalty, family and tradition, so for them, can you say fiesta?” – Silvia Martinez

In addition to the efforts of General Mills, there is a group of seven influential Latina bloggers who are being sponsored to attend the BlogHer 2010 conference by V-me, a Spanish-language TV network in partnership with public television. This is the first time any media company is sponsoring a group of bloggers at a major blog conference, let alone a group that is culture-specific. It’s a timely decision, as this year, there will be more Latina bloggers at BlogHer than ever before. We will also have a more active role in the conference with the inclusion of the first all-Latina panel session at BlogHer and the Social Fiesta, BlogHer’s first Latina-inspired community party in celebration of Latina and Hispanic culture.

By selecting these seven women, each with their own following and niche expertise, V-me is building a relationship in which the bloggers act as advocates and create awareness for a brand they already know and trust. “V-Me’s partnership with popular American Latina bloggers is a sign of what is to come — the massive recognition by corporations that Latina brand ambassadors are a smart investment in reaching a powerful market that speaks in two dominant languages and thrives in two cultures,’’ said Carrie Ferguson Weir, publisher of Tiki Tiki Blog, an award-winning site about growing up, and living, Latino in the United States.

So, who are these women that have partnered with V-Me? The seven Latina bloggers chosen by V-me to represent the network are:

Ana Lilian Flores – SpanglishBaby
Carol Cain – The Adventures of a NYCity Mama
Carrie Ferguson Weir – Tiki Tiki Blog
Melanie Edwards – ModernMami.com and 40weeks Plus
Rory Lassanske – Mamá Contemporánea
Roxana A. Soto – SpanglishBaby and MimosBlog
Silvia Martinez – Mamá Latina Tips and Disneylandia al Día

You’ve already heard from some of these bloggers above, but what do the rest of these Latina bloggers have to say about the recent surge in marketing to Latinas? In their own words:

“Marketers and PR agencies are turning their attention to the Latina blogosphere in a big way because they have noticed what a diverse, opinionated and influential group we are. As the Hispanic population continues its upward trend, brands will continue to reach out to bloggers who capture the true spirit of this diverse group and that know how to talk to us in a way that reflects who we are. Such is the case with V-me’s decision to choose seven of the most influential Latina bloggers, each with a voice of our own, to represent them as Ambassadors during BlogHer 10. This is a huge opportunity for us to show how professionally we approach blogging as a career and how far our reach can go.” – Ana Lilian Flores

“I think the time has come for brands to start realizing that we are a real, growing force within the online community, just like V-Me has done by sponsoring a group of 7 diverse Latina bloggers to BlogHer. I believe we’ve been overlooked for too long and as we continue to grow – not only in terms of the population in general, but also in the world of bloggers – we need to continue working for recognition.” – Roxana Soto

“I believe that the support of bloggers by major brands and corporations legitimizes and recognizes the work, dedication, passion, and enthusiasm that goes into so many of the blogs out there. Blogs are the products of many creative people, people who inspire, people who support, and people who have something of value to share. When brands support blogs – good, well written blogs- they also help the entrepreneurs and creative writers behind them.

When those bloggers are Latinas, or women of color, they support something more. A voice not often well-represented or heard. I am excited to be a member of the V-Me group not because it gave me a way to get to a conference, but because it gave me an opportunity to stand side-by-side other Latinas who, despite our common culture, represent a variety of interests, lifestyles, and voices different from my own. A difference that was specifically sought out and is enthusiastically supported. Together we represent the differences in our culture on many levels, just as V-Me does. This type of blog-brand relationship is one I hope to see more of in the near future.” – Carol Cain

Are you a Latina blogger? What has been your experience with brands so far? If you’re on the brand or marketing side, what appeals to you about engaging with Latina bloggers?

Disclosure: I attended the Que Rica Vida launch event in Miami, FL as a guest of General Mills. All opinions and thoughts are my own and I was not required to post about the event. In addition, V-Me TV is a sponsor of mine for the BlogHer 2010 conference.

Photos by Dariela Cruz and used with permission.

3 Tips To Help You Manage Your Social Media Presence

Melanie Edwards — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:07:53 +0000

Image from Anne Helmond on Flickr

Every once in a while someone will make a comment about how they “see me everywhere” online. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Plurk, Delicious, StumbleUpon, Friendfeed, and various Ning communities. There’s actually more places to find me, but those are the most commonly known ones. Naturally, I’m also asked how I can keep up with multiple social media accounts. Typical questions include:

Do you log on to all the different sites to update them?
How often do you update your status/account?
Are you always on your computer?

I’d like to say I’m just that talented, but the reality is that there are tools out there that help me keep up and make it “seem” like I’m everywhere. Some are web-based, and others are self-created, but all help me stay on top of my social media presence. I’m going to give you three simple ideas for helping you be more present in your social media efforts without going crazy.

3 Tips To Help You Manage Your Social Media Presence

1. Use Online Tools

Using tools like Ping.fm can help you update multiple social media accounts with one step. You create one account on Ping.fm, link it to all your other accounts, and update your status for all of them from one place. I use this to update Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Plurk, BrightKite, Identi.ca, and a few other sites all by sending one message. The even better part is that you can link your Ping.fm account to your cell phone, Skype, AIM, and other instant messaging platforms to update your status on the go. That is, you don’t have to go to the Ping.fm site to update all of your accounts – you can do it by simply sending a text from your phone or an instant message.

Something else I often do is pre-schedule updates using sites like SocialOomph, ObjectiveMarketer, or HootSuite. With these sites, you can create a message and publish it at a later time. Some even allow you to set the message on a repeat schedule, if it’s something you want to be seen at different times of the day or for multiple days at a time. This is great because it means you can go to work all day, run some errands, spend some time with the family, or have some fun and your social media presence doesn’t suffer.

Image from Aaron Coyle on Flickr

2. Schedule Your Social Media Time

This is one of those self-created tools that has helped me. I try to have set times in my day that I dedicate to managing my social media accounts. I use those times to update my status, respond to comments/replies I received, and manage requests (i.e., followers, friend requests, group/page suggestions). This works better for me than constantly having the windows open on my computer. I can continue to work on other things and know that I won’t be tempted to keep clicking over to check for the latest comment. Taking breaks throughout the day from social media doesn’t greatly affect your presence. People know that you have a life that just may take you away from your computer. It’s ok to have chunks of the day where you’re more interactive than others.

For me, what seems to work the best is to check in on social media about three times throughout the day – on average. Some days I only check in once or twice, but generally speaking, I log on in the morning, mid-day, and evening. I find that this keeps me up to date, present, and coincides with the majority of people’s schedules. There are those who work early in the morning before the kids are up or before heading out to their “day job.” There are also those that take a lunch break and those that work after the kids go to sleep. By checking in on my social media accounts during each set period, I can interact with a variety of people and those in different time zones from me.

I don’t spend a large chunk of time during any of those three periods, either. I log on to each site, respond or manage requests, and move on to the next. Unless something extremely interesting caught my eye or required me to spend more time managing the situation, I typically complete my social media rounds within 30 minutes, if that.

Image from Volker on Mobile

3. Use a Smart Phone

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post about how I use a smart phone to increase productivity. I included ideas for managing home tasks and personal calendars, as well as blogging and social media tasks. Like I mentioned in that post, it helps to fill in some gaps throughout the day where you may find yourself with some time, but you’re not near a computer. You can update your status – use that text feature from Ping.fm – or check in on a few comments you may have received. Either way, you can easily be present while on the go.

I know you’ll find these tools to be useful and will eventually find the right combination that works for you. If you’re already familiar with these tools, you know what a great help they can be for managing your social media presence. What do you find works for you? Let’s hear your tips in the comments below.

Are Mobile Devices Good for Work-Life Balance?

Melanie Edwards — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 05:14:46 +0000

“European consumers believe that mobile technology is enhancing their work-life balance rather than overloading them with communications, according to a new survey by Motorola.”

I came across an article titled, “Mobile technology ‘key’ to the work-life balance,” which starts out with the above quote. I found this interesting because I often hear about people who feel their mobile devices are taking away from their balance. They feel that being so connected and having smart phones or other gadgets is actually adding to the chaos in their lives.

I, on the other hand, have always thought that my smart phone has helped me to keep up with things like email and social media accounts better than if I didn’t have it. I am one to agree with the Europeans surveyed in this study and do believe that in a way, it’s enhancing my work-life balance.

Yes, it’s true that it can be “addicting” and if you let it overrun your life, being connected with so many mobile devices can have the opposite effect. But, I suppose it’s like anything in life – in moderation it can be useful.

Now I want to hear what you think. Do you agree with the Europeans surveyed? Has mobile technology enhanced your work-life balance or overwhelmed you?

Before & After Blogging

Melanie Edwards — Wed, 20 May 2009 04:28:51 +0000

****Originally posted on Scholastic Parent Voices. But, I wanted to share with you as well.****

Before I started blogging my daily routine looked like this: work, pick up kid, cook, take care of kid, watch TV, sleep. Lather, rinse and repeat.

Now, while there’s nothing wrong with that, and I was happy, you can see why it might become a bit monotonous. There was no interaction with other parents in that routine. The people I worked with at the time were either older (with older kids) or younger (with no kids). No one had a child close in age to mine (at the time she wasn’t even 1).

My friends fit into similar categories. They either weren’t even married or were married with no kids. Those who did have kids lived further away so I wasn’t able to see them often.

You might think that I could have joined a local mommy group in order to connect with other moms. However, most of the mommy groups are catered for stay at home moms. I am a working mom. That means I’m unable to attend events during the week and believe me when I say that none of the groups I looked at had events on the weekends.

So, I found myself interacting mainly with my husband and with my own mom, who is our childcare provider when we’re at work. Until I started blogging.

I began blogging in 2006 after I read one of those “here’s how you can make money working from home” e-books. But, after starting my blog and eventually finding myself on twitter, facebook, and other social networks, I found that blogging was so much more. I was able to actually connect with other moms, and dads, who knew what I was talking about. They got it. Sometimes, they even helped by sharing their experience or tips.

You know the saying. “It takes a village to raise a child.” It was like I had found my own village.

Fast forward a few years and I’ve now actually met some local mom bloggers and have attended several tweet-ups. I’m also connected with many moms on twitter.

And my daily routine? It now looks a little like this: social networking, work, pick up kid, cook, play with kid, blog, sleep. Or like this: work, kid, house, tweet-up, sleep. Or maybe even like this: work, kid, husband, blog, social networking, sleep.

It varies. And that is a major improvement over monotony.

Photo by Rita Crane Photography

Win a Poken Courtesy of Momfluence!

Melanie Edwards — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:42:40 +0000

Jessica Smith from Jessica Knows and Got Poken has partnered with Momfluence to give away a Poken!

Don’t know what a Poken is?

It’s this handy and cute little gadget that lets you connect with others via multiple social networks instantly! You choose which social networks to share via the website and you then “high-four” your pokens to connect with each other.

No more having to tell everyone your different profile information and usernames for the 1 jillion social networks you belong to. They’ll all be in your poken and those you connect with can view the profiles you’ve shared.

It seems like a great idea and definitely makes sense with so many new sites popping up all the time. But, I wonder how long it will take before it catches on mainstream? I mean, you can’t be the only one with a poken. That would be pointless.

But, if this catches on and everyone were to have one, it sure would make attending conferences so much easier!

Just think…

How great would this be for BlogHer?! Or tweet-ups!

I’m thinking of getting one before going to BlogHer to try it out.

Do you think this will eventually replace the business card?

How to Enter Contest:

Fill out the Contest Form. That’s it!

Note: I am not hosting this contest and will not be picking the winners.

21 People You Should Follow on Twitter

Melanie Edwards — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:03:12 +0000

I’ve been on twitter for about a year now and have made connections with some pretty cool, but more importantly, very knowledgeable folks.

Here is my personal list of people I think you should definitely follow on twitter. They offer great information, tips, and support. A lot of these folks can be found re-tweeting information from others, including promoting blog posts, contests, or just people in general. Some are willing to help you out if you have a question. But, the best part is, that they’re really nice.

In no particular order:

Latinos on Twitter

I have to set aside a special little section for my fellow Latino twitter users. I haven’t found many of us on there.

@lymari of besitosdecoco.com – she also manages PR for her sons’ perfume company via @maolilove
@mamitamala of mamitamala.com
@FashionGrail of fashiongrail.com
@gabopagan of gabopagan.blogspot.com
@JaiMami of mamistimeout.com
@JamiMiami of jamireyesco.com
@urbanjibaro of sofritoforyoursoul.com
@MamaHeartsBaby of mamaheartsbaby.wordpress.com
@DrMommy of drmommywrites.com
@lazybreeze of lazybreezejewelry.etsy.com
Bonus: I may be biased, but I think you should follow me too! @modernmami of modernmami.com

Who would you add to the list? Feel free to add their twitter IDs in the comments below.