Most tools now also provide some degree of sentiment analysis, which attempts to derive attitudes from comments. Writing a comment takes more effort than clicking a “like&# button. Posting a blog entry referencing someone else’s words is more involved than writing a comment. My post last week about the shortcomings of Klout got several thousand views and generated quite a bit of discussion. it also got me several e-mails from companies that claim to have built a better mousetrap than Klout. Sentiment analysis is devilishly difficult to get right, however. MORE >>

Please add your own as comments. I spend a lot of time in LinkedIn groups and have learned a bit about maximizing their potential as conversation-starters. Here are 15 of my favorite tips. Ask Questions. The best way to provoke discussion on LinkedIn is to ask questions. Rather than sharing a link to an article, use it to kick off a discussion. Do you agree?”. link]. Make it Personal. LinkedIn is the only major social network that doesn’t permit brands to interact as members. Only people can post content. With that in mind, make sure your posts have a personal tone. Follow Up. MORE >>

Look for engagement metrics: subscribers, likes/dislikes, favorites, comments, shares. I spent some time with comic video whiz Tim Washer  (also @timwasher ) at B2B Forum last week, and he followed up with a few questions about how B2B companies are using online video as part of their content marketing programs. shared some opinions with him, but why not share them with everybody else as well? I’d like to hear your answers to these questions, too. What companies have succeeded/failed at using videos for B2B marketing? would add Cisco to that list. Google also does a great job. MORE >>

posted about 30 comments during the 90-minute session, mostly speaker quotes and summaries of what was being said. Using the #SMB26 hash tag ensured that my tweets would appear in the busy stream of comments from the session. Can you append a comment that adds value to a tweeted quote? A list of tips for building a quality business Twitter following that I recently contributed to The CMO Site mentioned the value of being the eyes and ears of your followers. When you attend a conference, play reporter and tell your followers what you’re witnessing,” I advised. SMB26”. MORE >>

Scan the excerpted customer comments. Scott Wright is the general manager of the Wyndham Wingate Hotel in Erlanger, KY, and in a 15-minute ride to the airport yesterday morning he taught me something about the future of business. The fact that the manager of the hotel was driving me to the airport was unusual in the first place, but Wright makes it part of his routine. “I try to get out of the office at least a couple of times a week and connect with the customers,&# he said. “I don’t ever want to be stuck in a back room shuffling papers.&#. “Take it,&# I said. MORE >>