I first became aware of hashtags circa 2009 when I was taking a social media course about using Twitter for organizations. They appealed to me for a lot of reasons, but primarily, I saw them as a way to get your message out to a wider audience, even if you yourself didn’t have a ton of followers. But while Twitter may have brought hashtags into the mainstream, today they apply to social media platforms across the board. Facebook, Instagram and even LinkedIn now recognize them...

FGIA has several tutorials for members, detailing processes for things like how to join an FGIA committee or task group, how to access and use the FGVL or how to access meeting and conference call information. We have also started doing some short, instructional videos about how to best make use of our social media channels, including our relatively new Facebook page and our other social media accounts - Twitter, LinkedIn company page and groups and Instagram. A tutorial giving an overview of all four...

It is time for a new social media news roundup, in which I share some added features or major moves being made over at our favorite online networking platforms. This fall, there are changes happening to how Facebook users can interact with Instagram content, an explanation of why Twitter revamped its Trending Topics section and a breakdown of LinkedIn’s new features, which include video calling capability and LinkedIn Stories. Let’s get into it!View Instagram Stories Directly Through Facebook: The Verge reported on this news, which...

It’s been a while since we last checked in with some updates about how social media is changing, which means it’s time once again for a social media news roundup! Here is a summary of the biggest moves being made in the social media world this spring, and how they could impact your business.InstagramInstagram is reaching out to smaller businesses to help them through the current COVID-19 crisis. Some tools it is rolling out include a “Support Small Business” sticker which can be used in...

By now, you have probably heard that the FGIA Summer Conference will be held virtually, due to the spread of COVID-19 and requests by government leadership to shelter-in-place. This event, previously intended to be held in Chicago, IL, will be hosted on Zoom instead, with sessions taking place on a single track for participants’ convenience. The event dates remain largely unchanged with the conference taking place Tuesday, June 23 through Thursday, June 25. Registration for the virtual Summer Conference will open the week of May...

This is an updated version of a blog post that originally ran in April 2017.Spring is just around the corner, which feels like a breath of fresh air – even though this winter hasn’t been as treacherous as some in the past! That said, this change of seasons means it’s almost time for warm weather and open windows letting in actual fresh air. It also means it is time to brush up on some window safety tips, since open windows can be dangerous for young...

It’s only the third day of 2020 and a lot has happened in the industry already. As of January 1, AAMA and IGMA “united for good” to officially become the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA)! After a 2019 vote by both bodies to unify, the two organizations have come together to create an exponentially stronger alliance. This big move means there are new social media accounts to follow to make sure you stay in the loop with what’s new in the industry.New Social Media...

The 2019 Joint AAMA and IGMA Summer Conferences offered much in the way of networking with new and existing connections, advancing standards development and learning more about our beloved industry. Now that the fun is over, it’s time to look back at the photos taken by participants. Victoria, BC made for a picturesque meeting location, and between whale watching, Butchart Gardens, a citywide scavenger hunt and dinner at a pub, members and staff alike got some great shots. Here are some highlights, as shared by...

It’s time once again for a social media news roundup! Here is a summary of the biggest moves being made in the social media world this summer, and how they could impact your business.InstagramThe image-sharing platform has long tried to make it easy for users to toggle back and forth between accounts. But now, Instagram is simplifying things even more for those with multiple accounts by allowing them to connect them all and use one login for all those accounts with the same password. This...

This is an updated version of a blog post that originally ran in April 2017.They say March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb – we are still in the lion days, but at least it is almost spring. This change of seasons means it’s almost time for warm weather and open windows letting in fresh air. It also means it is time to brush up on some window safety tips, since open windows can be dangerous for young children who are...

A previous version of this post ran on the Socially Speaking blog in December 2016.Now that 2018 has passed, it’s time to begin planning for the new year. While companies probably have 2019 budget plans worked out, it’s not a bad idea to give an organization’s social media presence a little extra attention, too. Here are some ideas for content you can create and share, as well as some tips for how to make sure your social media plans get off on the right foot...

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about video lately, and the growing popularity of tools like Facebook Live and Instagram Stories are probably why. For a while, AAMA was shooting interviews at conferences to build an inventory of video clips and interviews, but at our most recent conference, we tried something different. We went in with a clear vision of a short video we wanted to produce, one that would be easy to share, and we carried out member interviews to make it happen....

For the last four AAMA conferences, I’ve offered social media workshops on a range of topics. It was great to see several of you who participated in those sessions. So far, members have learned how to make the most out of using LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. During the Q&A section of a recent workshop, I got a great question: Which platform is BEST?As I’ve written before, there’s no simple answer to this question. But it got me thinking about why we choose some platforms over...

While conducting a recent workshop at the AAMA Summer Conference, a member asked a great, but tough, question: What’s the best social media platform? I had to think about it, because there’s no one answer, and the rationale behind this is complicated. For example, I could tell this member that, for AAMA, LinkedIn is a great way to reach most our membership, or that for me personally, I get the most value out of Twitter and find Instagram the most fun. Still, none of those...

As Window Safety Week 2018 winds down, it’s important to remember that window safety is an exercise well worth practicing all year long. That said, we’re glad many in the industry took the time to share resources from the Window Safety Task Force this week. I wanted to shout out those among our membership who did an excellent job in amplifying this campaign through social media.#WindowSafetyWeek Follow these 8 tips from the @WindowSafetyTF to help protect children from accidental window falls. @NSCsafety pic.twitter.com/0yHIyeG3qf— Roto North...

The setting of the AAMA 2018 Annual Conference in Orlando, FL, made for some beautiful pictures on social media. Through these images, those at the event were able to give updates on the gorgeous sunshine and meeting work, as well. It’s all because they used the convenient event hashtag, #AAMAconf, when posting updates to Twitter and Instagram. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences down south! Here’s a quick rundown of what happened in Florida, according to social media.Door & Window Market was active on...

The AAMA Member Directory is a helpful networking tool for members and gives consumers easy access to your business contact information. In this area, site visitors can search by business name or keyword. AAMA members can see even more information about your company as well. You can also search for individuals of a member company which is helpful when connecting for committee and task group work or simply building relationships with peers. Be sure you are logged in to take full advantage of all the...

Do your company’s New Year’s resolutions involve becoming more visible on social media? If it’s not a part of your strategy already, it’s worth learning more about various platforms. Those at next month’s AAMA Annual Conference will have a chance to take a close look at Twitter with my workshop, “The Who, What and Why of Twitter: Better Engage Existing and Potential Customers.” Two sessions of the workshop will be offered at the event happening February 19-22 in Orlando, FL.I love using Twitter to follow...

A lot of news has come out recently in the social media world! Things are always changing, but it’s not a bad idea to keep up with what’s new, especially if changes could mean good things for you or your business. Here’s a quick social media news roundup of some items that could benefit you, either now or down the road once changes are made mainstream.Twitter testing out 280-character tweets: This new feature has already been added to select accounts, but it’s widely believed that...