Debbie Laskey's Blog

Welcome to Debbie Laskey's insights and commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.

Showing posts with label social media metrics. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Let's Celebrate Social Media Day 2026!

Do you remember the date you joined the social media world? What did you say for your first Tweet on Twitter (now known as "X")? What was your first post and image on Instagram? How detailed was your professional background on LinkedIn? And what was the topic of your first blog post?

For me, I joined Twitter/X in September 2009 and probably said "hello;" I shared a funny image of three famous yello guys with the caption "Keep Calm and Love Minions" on Instagram; my LinkedIn profile is very detailed; and my first blog post's title was, "Before you jump into social media, ask who speaks for you."

Since today is Social Media Day, let's celebrate what is often referred to as "the online water cooler."

According to NationalDayCalendar, "Founded by Mashable in 2010, Social Media Day is observed annually on June 30. In its short life, social media has redefined how people interact, communicate, and share with family, friends, and the world. With the launch of Friendster in 2002 and MySpace in 2003, social media became mainstream. 2004 brought the founding of the king of social media, Facebook. Twitter (now X) encouraged us to be succinct by posting our thoughts with fewer than 140 characters. When we express ourselves better through imagery, Instagram and Flickr offer all the sharing we can handle. And speaking of video, TikTok and YouTube are the social place for everything from how-to videos to pop culture to what not to do with your fireworks on the 4th of July...Social media makes it possible to stay connected and informed about important people in our lives. Reconnecting with classmates, past work associates, and more is a valuable part of social media. It has also made it possible to connect with ancestors and find relatives you never even knew existed."

Back in 2014, Damian Corbet, a copywriter based in England, shared several reasons why the C-suite needed to use social media. In his post on LinkedIn, he wrote, "You either keep up or become irrelevant. It's that simple." The following three reasons are just as true today as they were nearly 12 years ago:

(1) Social media is now the #1 thing people do online - more than using search engines.

(2) Social media is the most powerful networking tool available. It's an incredibly powerful way to make personal connections and expand business networks.

(3) Social media is an amazing way to listen, gain market insights, assess risks, and scan the horizon. Think of any industry trend and it's already being discussed on social media.

An interesting email recently arrived in my inbox and stood out as memorable due to its timely subject line and message:

Subject line: WE LOVE YOUR SOCIAL PROFILE!

Message: Hi, I'm one of the founders of Sashka Co. and wanted to personally reach out to you. We really love your social profile and would be honored to have you share our bracelets. We would like to give you one free bracelet at check-out! Add any item to your cart to unlock it!
Best, Anna ~ Sashka Co. Founder

What an effective form of marketing, especially for Social Media Day. This brand sells bracelets made in Nepal to raise money for women's independence in that country. Each bracelet is a work of art - and the brand sells many bracelets due to its colorful and engaging posts on Instagram. In fact, that's how I discovered the brand. So, the request for a social shout-out in exchange for a free bracelet is a great idea. Much applause!

Check out some facts about Social Media Day from Awareness Days:

(1) According to DataReportal, approximately 5.3 billion people worldwide used social media in 2024.

(2) The average global social media user has accounts on six platforms.

(3) YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok are consistently among the most-used platforms by global monthly active users.

(4) According to Reuters Institute Digital News Reports, social media has become the leading channel for news and current affairs for people under age 35.

(5) Recent observances of Social Media Day have promoted discussions on misinformation, online abuse, mental health pressures, and the future of social media platforms on life, business, and culture.

So, which social platform is your fave, and which will you be celebrating today? Chime in and share.

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Does Social Media Open Doors for Your Brand?

I joined social media platforms back in 2009, first my blog, and then Twitter (called X today), then LinkedIn, Facebook, etc. Twitter was what I liked to call "an international water cooler," because people from all over the world were represented and participated. I was able to meet people from other countries, and above all, learn from people who I would never have been able to meet had Twitter not existed. Twitter became an educational, supportive, and inspirational personal and business branding resource.

Over the years, new social media platforms have appeared, some have had staying power, while many shuttered their sites. The jury is still out with the latest crop of new platforms, such as, Mastodon, Threads, and Bluesky.

But let's return to Twitter (I refuse to call it "X" and have noticed that several well-known brands also continue to refer to it as Twitter when promoting their accounts). Back in 2019, I read an article on LinkedIn by a Canadian leadership expert who explained why his company was leaving Twitter. Since I continue to use Twitter for brand-building campaigns, brand engagement, community-building - as well as live-Tweeting during special events, such as, the annual Super Bowl, Presidential elections, and more, I thought I'd check in with Bart Egnal to ask if he regrets his decision to leave Twitter. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief bio.

Based in Toronto, Canada, Bart Egnal is the CEO and owner of The Humphrey Group. Over the past 20 years, he′s written countless speeches, coached hundreds of leaders, written a book, and overseen the expansion of the company from Toronto to Vancouver, Calgary, Mexico City, and the United States. He′s also the host of The Inspire Podcast and serves as Chairman of the Niagara Institute. In 2015, Bart was recognized by the International Alliance of Women for his contributions as an ally and continues to be deeply committed to creating a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable world.

QUESTION: We "met" after I read an article you wrote about social media and the decision you and your company, The Humphrey Group, made to leave Twitter back in 2019. I was inspired by your article and wrote a post on my blog (links to both are provided at the end of our Q&A). You wrote, "After three years on Twitter, The Humphrey Group sent its last tweet. And though we will keep our LinkedIn profile, we intend to invest little time or energy into our social media presence in the coming years." Today, nearly 7 years later, what are your thoughts about leaving Twitter - both your company's account and your personal account?

BART EGNAL: No regrets and no loss. For our B2B work, LinkedIn has been the place to have more robust conversations. We have also built a strong following outside of social media through a strong content strategy.

QUESTION: Following the shutdown of your company's Twitter account, what did you hear from your clients/fans/followers?

BART EGNAL: Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

QUESTION: Some of the best aspects of Twitter/X simply cannot be replicated on other platforms, for instance, discussing the ads during the Super Bowl in real time, showcasing creativity in people's bios (for example, whether a title was "Chief Happiness Officer," "Brand Architect," or "Jungle Cruise Skipper," the uniqueness of a person's bio was an invitation to say hello or follow), and participating in TweetChats (this was always a great way to meet like-minded people based on specific topics with hashtags or for brand-building for businesses). What do you miss about Twitter?

BART EGNAL: On a personal note, I do sometimes miss the chance to connect directly with thought leaders. But I found Twitter became more polarizing during COVID and then following the ownership change, so I made the personal decision to also drop off a few years ago, with no regrets.

QUESTION: There are some brands that continue to "speak and engage" on Twitter/X: Sesame Street, Oreo, Merriam-Webster, Encyclopaedia Britannica, and the New York Public Library to name a few. Do you think Twitter/X has evolved into a business-to-consumer only social platform?

BART EGNAL: I can't comment on the platform's evolution but can say we see little B2B value in it.

My gratitude to Bart for sharing his thoughts about social media and for making a repeat appearance on my blog after nearly a decade.

Debbie Laskey's Blog

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Let's Celebrate Social Media Day 2026!

Subject line: WE LOVE YOUR SOCIAL PROFILE!

Message: Hi, I'm one of the founders of Sashka Co. and wanted to personally reach out to you. We really love your social profile and would be honored to have you share our bracelets. We would like to give you one free bracelet at check-out! Add any item to your cart to unlock it!

Best, Anna ~ Sashka Co. Founder

SHARE THIS: Social Media Day celebrates the global impact of social media on how we communicate, share news, build communities, and run businesses. ~Awareness Days #SocialMediaDay #SocialMediaMarketing #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Does Social Media Open Doors for Your Brand?

SHARE THIS: Don't do social, be S.O.C.I.A.L., which means be sincere, open, collaborative, interested, authentic, and likeable. ~Vala Afshar #SocialMediaTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed. ~Matthew Kobach #SocialMediaTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog