We just added 541Live Movie Times to 541Live.com!  Be sure to check out this new convenient tool.  Let us know what you think and what other features you would like us to add!

We are currently showing Southern Oregon movie times for Ashland, Medford, White City and Grants Pass!

Check it out today at www.541live.com/movietimes

So your business is on Twitter? Now what?

A recent Twitter study by digital-marketing agency 360i analyzed 1,800 tweets over a few months. The report describes a huge disconnect between how consumers and marketers are using Twitter.

Peak at the numbers… 43% of original consumer tweets (non-RT’s) are conversations between users. But only 16% of marketer tweets are in dialogue with consumers. Even worse – only 1% of all original consumer tweets are conversations with brands. Bottom line – marketers want to participate on Twitter – they just aren’t doing it right!

Big brands are catching on quick, scooping up experts to manage social media and educating their employees on the basics of joining in. But how can smaller companies and local business owners make the most of Twitter?

Twitter is a huge topic … To get you started down the Twitter path – let’s talk about the basics.

Golden Twitter Rules:

1. be a person, not a company.

• • Brooke at Downtown Grounds is a great example of this. She mixes personal conversations with Barista tips & daily deals

1. Don’t auto *anything*

• • let’s include auto DM’s, auto response and auto follow. Nothing is more annoying than cleaning out an inbox full of auto DM’s from brands introducing who they are – I know who you are already… that’s why I’m following you!

1. Mind your manners! You wouldn’t pick a fight, embarrass or talk to strangers in real life, don’t do it online.

Conversation Tips:

You are ready to tweet, right? Here are a few tips for tweeting … most importantly – getting it to the right person.

@username: Respond publicly to someone. This tweet will only be seen by the person you are talking directly to and all followers you have in-common

• good use: @gautch are you coming by the office later?
• bad use: @gautch just sent an amazing picture, did you see it?  (well no, because you just tweeted this directly to @gautch not your followers as you thought!)

d username: Respond privately to someone. just like an email – this is a private conversation between you and the recipient.

• good use: d @florist email me at amanda@541live.com

RT @username (RT stands for re-tweet) This shares someone’s tweet to your followers.

• Careful there! Use RT’s when necessary… not everything you read and agree with needs to be RT’d.
• good use: @jasonnab tweeted  “Microsofts new tagline #fail http://j.mp/cwv0zo” I think it’s worth sharing with my followers so I hit the Retweet button with or without edits.
• Final result looks like this “RT @jasonnab Microsofts new tagline #fail http://j.mp/cwv0zo”  I can add a note of my own at the beginning or end.

#hashtag Hashtags are used for a few things. Use them so others can follow the conversation or highlight a funny thought.

• good Use:  #Job open at WaDNR. SE Region Mgr. Ellensburg. Open until filled.
  - If you click on the #Job tag, you will see all tweets with that tag – great if you are looking for something,         following an event or participating in a conversation
• great use: My favorite way to use a hashtag is not as serious
  - example: @gracecartwright wrote “my day is off and running! invoices, press releases, writing a new social media policy for the university. #hellotuesday”

You won’t find to many people who actually care about your sales day after day or the dozens of articles you find every day…  Instead – ask a question, encourage feedback, engage with your followers and those you follow.

Time to jump in! Find some people to follow, read what people are tweeting, discuss something you are passionate about and repeat. Simple!

Have other tips? Add them as a comment or tweet them to us!

Today was the big day! Steve Jobs spoke at the annual WWDC and officially released all the details of the new iPhone 4.  One of the features we are most excited about here at 541Live is the ability to record and edit in HD.  This feature alone presents all sorts of interesting possibilities.  And for the fun of it as well as demonstrating this cool feature we are already in the planning stages of our first project that will be filmed and edited entirely on an iPhone 4.  That’s right edited too, the App Store will soon have iMovie available on the new iPhone! Why might you ask? To show you that you don’t need the most expensive DSLR on the market and the fastest editing bays to make a great movie.  So if movie making is your thing get out there and start filming!

Here are a couple more highlights we are excited about.  FaceTime, which is video chatting on the iPhone.  Currently you will only be able to use this feature where wi-fi is available.  Apple is currently in talks with AT&T to make this available over the network!  Now won’t that be cool!

Lastly we can’t wait to check out the new Retina display!  The human eye can only see about 300 pixels per square inch.  This new iPhone packs a whopping 326 per square inch for a super clear display.  For more information see the links below!

Pre-orders start June 15.
Available June 24.

Want to stay up to date from Apple? Click here!

Watch the Keynote Address with Steve Jobs here.

See the new iPhone 4 video here.

a note from the founders of 541Live ….

I can’t believe 541live is almost a year old! We’ve taken a small idea, “what do you want to do this weekend”, and turned it into a growing community of active friends supporting our region.  Pure Awesome!

We all know this valley rocks … fantastic place to go to school, raise families, start a business, buy a house, take a vacation… I could go on and on, right?!

Many, many people have asked us who we are and what are we doing!  We are a team of expert photographers, film editors, web designers, business developers, online marketers and fun havers.  We are passionate about creating a community based website that features things to do, new business info, cool ideas for weekend adventures and more!

We have a lot to talk about, new ideas to share, new ways to market local businesses, fresh ideas to market our region as a destination for new businesses, new residents, more tourists (who doesn’t need those, right!)

We need your help! We are overflowing with creative ideas, we have done a few exciting things with many more to come! If you like reading what we have to say, ever taken us up on recommended activities or destinations or joined us at a meet-up… we need you to spread the news of 541Live.

Here’s what we need … Tell your favorite business about us (specially if you ended up there because of us!) tell your friends to check out our site, give us feedback about what you like, don’t like and want to see more of.  We need you to be a pollinator – spreading the excitement of 541Live!

Can’t wait to start year 2!
Amanda and Jason

PS … stay tuned for our 1 year anniversary party!!!

Sunday Brunch at 38 Central.  Brunch prices start at $5.95!  That includes 3 eggs, trademark 38 Central hash browns and a couple slices of toast!  You can’t go wrong, so whats keeping you from going to Brunch this Sunday?