Chatterblast

Intern Spotlight: Isabella Meyer

2013-05-29T11:20:38Z

It seems another intern season has come to end. This year we were graced with the presence of Greek! Not a divine presence from Mount Olympus, but we got the next best thing: Isabella Meyer, a sorority sister from Delta Phi Epsilon.

The Long and Short on Shortstack

2013-05-07T12:39:46Z

So, you’ve got a fancy Facebook cover photo and a profile picture that epitomize your brand. Your “About Us” section is perfectly formatted, timeline photos are exact dimension, all of your links are shortened and your content is on point. Think your page can’t look any better? Think again, because Shortstack is ready to take your Facebook page to the next level.

Why do Instagram's NEW features matter for your business?

2013-05-03T15:20:21Z

Instagram rolled out the first significant change to the way we use their platform this week since their billion-dollar acquisition by Facebook. Photo tagging feature allows users to select friends in their photos and tag them with a link to their Instagram account. It has Facebook feel with a more elegant execution. If users choose, photos tagged of them appear on a new section of their profile.

It�s Pheeding Time

2013-04-20T18:09:33Z

Pheed is being touted as one of the hottest new social media apps out there. At one point, it was the most downloaded social networking app in the iTunes Store, with more downloads than even Facebook and Twitter. Will Pheed break new boundaries with the social media savvy? Or is it just another fad or network focused on the teenage crowd pulling away from their parents on Facebook?

Employee Spotlight: Lou Perseghin

2013-04-11T16:54:55Z

ChatterBlast got a burst of energy when Lou Perseghin joined our team in November 2012 as our new Client Services Manager. He’s a die-hard Baltimore Orioles fan from Bel Air, MD, who graduated from La Salle’s School of Communication. He’s an instigator of Side A versus Side B arguments and a proud father to his pitbull pup, Daisy and two cats, Millie and Walter. We decided to sit down to get Lou’s take on the social media landscape.

Battle of the Sexes

2013-04-03T15:48:53Z

Do you know where YOUR market lives online? It's well-known that Pinterest is a favorite of the fairer sex, but what about Facebook? LinkedIn or Google+? Twitter? What about social gaming? This infographic from Digital Flash NYC sheds a unique light on gender demographics on social media; you may find the statistics surprising!

�No Cubicles?!?!�

2013-03-13T10:39:48Z

ChatterBlast Spotlight: Matthew Keeping up our spirits in the bleak winter months, a fantastic intern named Matthew joined our ranks from the Germantown Friends School. Matthew, a junior, entered our ChatterBlast amusement park unsure of what to expect. At first timid to ride the Twitter bumper cars, Matt ended his month-long stay flying up and down the Facebook Kingda Ka (Six Flags New Jersey, anyone?) with hands raised as he typed away! A legacy from Germantown Friends, Matthew quickly learned that last year, his schoolmate Sam worked with ChatterBlast in the same capacity.

You�ve Got 6 Seconds

2013-03-05T15:31:38Z

Sick of new 'must-try' apps yet? Didn't think so! Meet Vine. Your next creative outlet isn't filter-laden and feature rich, but rather a very simple video app that gives you six seconds to make and share whatever type of motion imagery you want. And yeah, they had a little bit of a porn problem in the early going. We were all teenagers once, let's move on.

All About Hashtags

2013-02-20T10:46:00Z

It was only a few short years ago that we met our friend Twitter. Within months, everyone swore it was “over-hyped," “unexplainable," and my consistent favorite – “used by nobody.” But that little blue bird stuck to it, and now even your Aunt Gladys is tweeting! And with the growth of Twitter, and the dawn of the Age of Instagram, the hashtag has crept into our everyday lives. And make no mistake about it – you're using the hashtag WRONG! But, I’m going to fix that.

Come and Celebrate the DoGooders!

2013-02-20T10:46:14Z

Hey, Philadelphians! Are you looking to start your weekend off with a celebration? If so, come out to the Philadelphia DoGooder Awards Ceremony on Thursday, February 21st at 7 p.m. at University of the Arts – Hamilton Hall (corner of Broad & Pine). Come support and encourage the local artists, entrepreneurs, and leaders who have given so much to the Greater Philadelphia Area!

Social Media Doesn�t Take A Sick Day: Tips to Prepare Your Business� Social Media

2013-02-06T12:38:06Z

Last week was a challenging one at ChatterBlast. I came back from a long weekend vacation, returning to find our CEO Evan and our senior associate Julie both on death’s door with this unstoppable super-flu. A few days later, our intern Chris fell victim to it as well. Our team hunkered down, put on the surgical masks, and started gobbling vitamin C.

BlastOff to the City of Angels

2013-01-17T14:49:43Z

I walked into the offices with a suit and tie at the Philadelphia Building to interview for a social media intern position at ChatterBlast Media in June of 2011. My friend, Steve said, “You use Facebook and you’re fun, you should apply.” I ended up landing the internship, and quickly discarding the suit for the requisite hoodie and jeans, I jumped head first into the world of Facebook, Twitter, and digital marketing. After years of living la vie boheme, as an actor in Philadelphia, I suddenly had a fulltime job, a business card, and financial security.

Facebook's Poke Gets a Facelift

2013-01-07T13:24:54Z

Facebook's Poke feature, a tiny but stalwart staple since the network's beginning, got a huge facelift last week in the form of the new native Poke App for the iPhone.

Paperless Pursuit with Passbook

2013-01-02T14:11:44Z

Have you updated your iPhone recently? Surprised with some of the new electronic bling? Hidden among many of the new updates is a truly handy tool for the digitally inclined: Passbook.

Klout vs. Kred: Who Will Deliver the Influencer TKO?

2012-11-19T13:50:32Z

Do you consider yourself a social media big shot? Perhaps, even a “guru?” If you have over three thousand Facebook friends, are followed by Andy Cohen on Twitter, and are the Mayor of The Big Bean coffee shop on Foursquare – you might well be. But, how much influence do you REALLY wield in the social media world? After all, everyone can tweet and post to their heart’s content, but how powerful is your message?

Friends or Clients?

2012-10-21T19:09:16Z

Clients and colleagues often ask us the proper approach when business associates start requesting to be “friends” on Facebook. Since many of our client’s personal brands are strongly tied to their businesses (examples: Diana Nyad, Gavin McKay of Unite Fitness, even us), this tends to come up often as social media allows for multiple connections and the ability for customers to directly interact with service-providers, celebrities, or spokespeople. But, it is important to think about who is connecting with you, what they are seeing, and how they may react. Many people use Facebook to express political opinions, social views, religious beliefs, personal humor, or emotional reactions. They should do that. But, a client may not share the same beliefs as you and your friends, and it could affect the relationship. Or, they may find those updates to be up-lifting and intelligent, and strengthen the business/personal connection.

Moderately Fashionable...

2012-09-12T13:49:02Z

And you thought Matthew Ray just wore t-shirts and jeans all the time! ChatterBlast principal Matthew Ray will be moderating The Philadelphia Collection's The X Factor: Technology & Media in Fashion panel on September 13, 2012. ...

Summer Tweeps

2012-08-03T13:21:57Z

This summer, ChatterBlast is lucky to have three spritely young interns in the office. They make a killer trifecta – one part eager, one part razor-sharp, and one part daring and ready to make some bold social media moves. Together they are a vital piece of the CBM team – stopping bad tweets in their tracks – but what are they like individually?

ChatterBlast to the Rescue: Facebook Fraud!

2012-05-22T17:51:51Z

In an earlier post we sang the praises of Facebook contests, and we asked - what’s not to like about them? Recently, we found one reason why Facebook contests aren’t all fun and games: Facebook contest fraud!

ChatterBlast Becomes LGBTBE Certified

2012-05-18T12:32:36Z

Building upon a long relationship with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and Philly's local LGBT Chamber of Commerce, The Independence Business Alliance, ChatterBlast is proud to now be a certified LGBT business enterprise. We look forward to collaborating with the Fortune 1000 companies that participate in this program as part of their supplier diversity efforts. Now that we have our official business "gay card," we can continue to promote diversity, creativity and equality in and outside of our company.

Ten Questions for a Digital Native

2012-03-05T00:50:19Z

This past January we welcomed our youngest intern ever to the ChatterBlast team. Sixteen year-old Sam joined us through a special partnership with Germantown Friends School. Being a true “digital native,” he brought a unique perspective to the office having grown up with the internet and social media as an integral part of his life. His intense internship only lasted a month, but he was so professional and such a hard worker that we would have gladly kept him around longer! We caught up with him to see the presentation he showed his classmates and to get his thoughts on the world of social media through the eyes of a modern teenager.

Facebook Contests: What's not to LIKE?

2012-02-15T10:05:37Z

Here at ChatterBlast, we LOVE a good contest! To be honest – who doesn’t? Whether you’re buying a lottery ticket for $10 million, or putting your name in a box to get free cookies, entering and winning contests is the American way. Keeping our fingers on the pulse of the digital world, we’re shining the spotlight on three interesting Facebook contests: ProFresh Breath’s Extreme Breath Makeover, the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network’s T-Shirt Design Contest, and Bank of Hawaii’s Vacation Getaway. ...

Next Year, You Can Stay Home for the Holidays

2011-12-30T10:27:31Z

Spreecast intent on putting the face time back into social networking Look out YouTube, video sharing just got a lot more social with Spreecast, a new social media platform hoping to combine the magic of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Skype all into one fun interaction. Jeff Fluhr, the founder of StubHub, created Spreecast as a way for users to share and interact through video. What distinguishes Spreecast from peers YouTube and Skype is that four users can be live on camera simultaneously, streaming their conversation live while hundreds of others can watch, chat, and participate by submitting comments and questions to those on screen. Now that, my friends, is a PARTY!

All About Danielle: A ChatterBlast Interview

2011-11-15T17:03:40Z

Last June, a new team of interns joined the ChatterBlast team. Danielle Marie, a Temple University Senior, was one of the first to come on board, just as we began to grow our client base. We recently sat down with her to ask where her passion for business and social media came from, and what else she likes to do beyond social media (as much as we love talking about only that!).

Googlegangers: Your Online Alter Ego

2012-01-25T00:51:41Z

We’ve all Googled ourselves from time to time. The process is similar to looking into a mirror: it serves the purpose of seeing what you look like, and of course the chance to be vain. Unlike a mirror however, Googling yourself allows you to see other "you's." On my last Google search I came face to face with the 34 year-old, 195 lbs of man-meat known as Michael Tomasetti. My googlegänger is an underwear model who shoots "shaved or hairy", but “no nudes.” This Michael Tomasetti approves of his good decency and thinks he has enough muscles for the both of us. Since I’ve been at ChatterBlast Media, I’ve been busying myself with Facebook posts, tweets, blog writing and google searches. After my google revelation I wondered: who would my coworkers' googlegangers be? Here’s what I found...

New Contenders: 3 of Our Favorite Social Media Sites

2011-09-15T00:21:26Z

The wild and wonderful world of social media is constantly growing and expanding as more users develop new and unique communities. Every week, it seems that a new site, application, or platform launches and captures the fickle and fleeting attention of the industry. The best ones will make the mainstream audience cut, while everything else will eventually become forgotten relics. What are we excited by? What shiny new social network gizmo has caught our eye? Check out these three social platforms, and see for yourself.

Google+: The Long-Term View

2011-07-27T19:26:33Z

Everybody and their mothers are buzzing about Google+, the new social network that some are speculating will eventually conquer Facebook as the dominant online hangout space. Last week we talked about some of Google+’s cool features. But what exactly does this new platform mean for social media marketing?

Google+: Future of Social Media or a Failed Wave?

2011-07-19T23:45:41Z

Social media is constantly evolving and Google is once again trying to be at the center of this evolution. Their newest project, Google+, has captured the attention of internet users worldwide. Having recently gone public, it is still in its beta phase, and a limited number of people are able to receive invitations. With buzz building, the important question is will Google+, unlike the failed Wave project, live past its hype? The easiest answer to answer this is by looking at the Google+ interface.

Monitoring Online Conversations

2011-07-08T00:12:28Z

Ever have that feeling that people are talking about you? Your ears burn, your nose gets itchy, your eyes dart around the room looking for the offenders. None of us like to have our dirty laundry discussed without our input. Even when people are saying nice things about you, it is imperative to know about it and thank your admirers. Now don’t get paranoid, but people are probably talking about you, your brand, your company or your competition RIGHT NOW. What are they saying? If you don’t know, you can’t manage your reputation. The gang at ChatterBlast consider themselves data junkies, and we love working with clients who want to monitor social networks for real-time conversations. How do we do it? Well, there are many tools and tactics. Here is a taste&hellip...

Cracking the QR Code

2011-04-26T11:05:29Z

QR (quick response) codes are popping up everywhere: on your subway platform, in your glossy magazine, on your soda bottle. What’s next…in your underwear? Yes, probably! Just because these little devils are breeding, doesn’t mean people know what they are, or more importantly, how to use them.

Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away Now...

2011-03-24T12:49:50Z

Creating a Facebook page for your business or organization is now a cinch. Making status updates and posting content is getting easier every day. But what can you do to really engage a NEW audience of constituents and customers? We have been experimenting with some new strategies to help clients engage their current base and rally more followers towards action.

"Congratulations, It's an App!" - CoverPuppy is Here!

2011-02-17T17:12:43Z

ChatterBlast is about to release our first iPhone application! CoverPuppy is an app that shows off your adorable dog to the world! CoverPuppy lets you take a photo of your dog and make it into a funny and fake magazine cover with their name on it. You can then share it via email, Twitter or Facebook. All this fun for the low, low price of $1.99!

Payment is Nice. Gratitude is Nicer.

2011-02-01T10:40:56Z

Sometimes we get so busy with our social media projects that we forget how much our work can mean to our clients. We often focus on measuring campaign success, return on investment and other pre-determined goals, but those aren’t the only metrics. After all, we are talking about “social” media, right? Our business practices are based on the fact that strong relationships will be more effective than mass messages.

Social Media: The Fabric of Our Lives

2010-12-08T12:11:20Z

ChatterBlast just completed a social media consulting project for Loop, a local Philly store that sells high-end yarn and knitting supplies and operates a profitable national retail website. The store already maintained an active blog, Facebook, Flickr and Twitter pages and even its own group on the knitting community site Ravelry. With all of these platforms, however, how would Loop “knit” these pieces together into one cohesive social media strategy and take it to the next level? We consulted with Loop to solve this task, and to drop as many clever knitting references in meetings (and blog posts) as possible.

Who are the Silver Surfers?

2010-12-03T13:51:28Z

If you have seen the recent hit movie “The Social Network," you know that the original Facebook was a network exclusively for college students. In fact, Ivy League college students were the first to join the network that now has over half a billion users. The initial wave of preppy college kids might have once been the majority, but they aren’t the only people who have become Facebook addicts. Today, people from all walks of life are online ranging from junior high-schoolers complaining about homework to an elderly gentleman writing philosophical musings about his long life. Your mom, dad, aunt and yes, even grandma and grandpa are now friending, liking, tweeting and tumbling. ...

ChatterBlast is Growing...

2010-11-23T11:43:52Z

ChatterBlast is excited to welcome Laris Kreslins to our growing team of social media marketing enthusiasts. Laris brings diverse marketing, online strategy and project management skills to ChatterBlast after working with an impressive group of national clients over the last nine years. Most recently, Laris managed his own company, Lime Projects, a firm focused on project-based marketing strategies. ...

Back to School, Again

2010-10-19T21:10:37Z

For some members of the ChatterBlast team, the college experience lasted a little longer than usual. Let’s just say we understand the true meaning of the term “super senior.” That’s why we are delighted to be back on campus at Matthew’s alma mater, Temple University! ...

Diving Into Social Media

2010-09-27T14:47:55Z

One of our latest projects is working with Diana Nyad, a world record-holding American swimmer and public radio contributor. Diana is planning a record-breaking swim, 103 miles from Cuba to Key West through the shark-infested waters and volatile weather conditions. It's a dream she's had for a lifetime and something she attempted in 1978 and didn't accomplish. She’s attempting this swim again just a few short days after her 61st birthday. Darn inspiring, right? You can read more about her dream HERE or watch the video below.

It's Not a Fan Page, It's a Festival

2010-08-02T22:33:22Z

One of the challenges in marketing special events is the need to get - and keep - your target demographics’ attention. Traditional methods of advertising and marketing still work well at raising awareness, but converting awareness into action now needs the help of creative social media components to ensure a successful event. ChatterBlast worked with Philadelphia QFest and Danger After Dark film festivals to leverage and coordinate the broad reach of major print/radio coverage with the immediate, focused and interactive engagement that only social media can achieve. ...

Video HELPS the Social Media Star

2010-06-29T13:17:11Z

These days the average online user has an incredibly short attention span. Thanks to modern media and the Internet, we can find endless entertainment and information - all reduced to bite-sized blasts. Our shorter attention span requires marketers to come up with quick and clever ways of catching our eyes and engaging our mind. The brand now has less time to connect with viewers, so getting the attention of your customers requires a little old-fashioned razz-ma-tazz and a solid understanding of how people find and consumer information. We have been successfully experimenting with some new tactics and technology to help spread our clients’ messages.

Professional Services Embrace Social Media

2010-05-07T10:27:50Z

ChatterBlast is excited to welcome two new intriguing professional service clients to our family! Puff Wealth Management and Excel Physical Therapy & Fitness have much to gain from social media engagement, but the approach will vary greatly from many of our previous clients.

Silicon Valley, Meet Delaware Valley

2010-03-09T00:16:48Z

The New York Times ran an article on New York City’s digital startup business landscape. Jenna Wortham dives into a few of the loosely organized start-up groups and calls out new digital leaders, some which I did not know were from NYC: Pingg, Gilte Groupe and TheLadders... I’m excited to see New York City reclaim its place in the digital world after the dot-com bust, and speculate that this new era of successful ventures will grow as more startups call NYC home. VC’s are already beginning to recognize the potential ...

Using Social Media to Market Your Entrepreneurial Business

2010-02-10T11:46:01Z

ChatterBlast is honored to present to The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Institute at Temple University's Fox School of Business on February 16th. The presentation topic, "Using Social Media to Market Your Entrepreneurial Business," is more relevant now to entrepreneurs than ever. ChatterBlast Co-Founder Matthew Ray is particularly excited, being a proud Temple Alum! Learn how to harness the power of the social web. Implement the power of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn into your marketing plan. This is a crash course in Web 2.0 strategies that will pay dividends and allow you to propel your entrepreneurial business to the next level. Complementary lunch will be provided! Seating is limited to the first 25 registrants on a first-come, first-served basis! This is a must-attend event! RSVP to iei@temple.edu. The event is open to the public and we look forward to meeting new entrepreneurs at the session! Click HERE for information on Temple's IEI.

ChatterBlast Featured in Philly AD NEWS

2010-01-25T20:13:28Z

The ChatterBlast team is honored to be featured in this month's Philly AD News, courtesy of our friend Keith Scandone at O3 World: Social media is obviously a pretty fast paced, competitive and overwhelming piece of the marketing landscape these days. Although if you plan on running with it and not away from it, there are more and more companies out there providing a road map to navigate through the congested Internet highway of tweets, Facebook pages and LinkedIn connections. And two of those companies, which are located in Philadelphia, are ChatterBlast Media and Two Birds. ...

Expect the Unexpected

2010-01-07T12:39:29Z

Sometimes what happens around social media surprises even us. Last month, we held a webinar for one of our new clients, Dining Out For Life International. Dining Out For Life is a national organization that coordinates a fundraising event across 55 cities in the U.S. and Canada. In April of each year, diners can visit participating restaurants and a portion of their check goes to a local non-profit HIV/AIDS service organization.

Communication Channels and Priority Levels

2010-01-08T16:22:57Z

Last year, I began thinking about the various ways we communicate with each other and the priority levels that we assign to each of the channels. While we can identify and agree on the different channels of communication, I have come to the conclusion that the assignment of priority is a highly personal function.

Twitter Profits Are Your Profits

2010-03-22T15:52:41Z

Does Twitter's profitability have any impact on your business or organization? I think so. Last month, Bloomberg reported that Twitter, Inc. would make a small profit in 2009 after search deals were made with Google and Microsoft’s Bing search engine. Revenues from both deals will total about $25M, which should just about cover Twitter’s $20-25M estimated yearly expenses.