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Knowing what size to create and upload photos to the ever-changing landscape that is Facebook can push even the calmest people to the brink, so we collected all the information you could need into an easy-to-read and visual infographic detailing every image you'll ever upload. We outline the recommended upload size, and display sizes of profile & cover photos, shared images, shared links, and highlighted images. You can also download our handy cover photo templates as Adobe Illustrator Template(.ait), and Photoshop(.psd) files.
Social Media
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Facebook Image Sizes Quick Reference Infographic (2015)
Room 21423 Jan 2015 | 2:25 am -
10 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Blog Post
Social Media Examiner29 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amAre you looking for blog post ideas? Would you like some direction to inspire your editorial calendar? Although it may be challenging to come up with new blog post ideas, there's a lot you could write about. In this article I'll share 10 ideas to inspire your business blog content. #1: Answer Common Questions All […]This post 10 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Blog Post first appeared on Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle -
YouTube as a social media marketing tool
99Quid Social - Social Media Management26 Jan 2015 | 6:31 amYouTube is great as a social media marketing tool. It gives us the opportunity to stream countless vlogs, political satire, cat videos, and epic fails. But did you know that you can use it like any other social media platforms for marketing your business? Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ may be where you can most effectively […] The post YouTube as a social media marketing tool appeared first on 99Quid Social - Social Media Management. -
5 Reasons Your Company Should Open Source More Code
ReadWrite28 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amGiving away software offers way more benefits than hoarding it. -
2 Social Media Apps Kids Don't Want You To Use
(Pro)Social Media - Blog25 Jan 2015 | 6:52 amFollow @adamearn Tweet "The kids aren't on Facebook anymore." That's a common refrain I hear from my friends and co-workers hoping to find ways to market products and services to teens on social media. The fact that teens are abandoning Facebook is only partially true. According to a 2014 iStrategyLabs report, about 3 million teens have left Facebook since 2011. That only accounts for about 25 percent of the U.S. teen demographic on Facebook. Instead, teens likely consider Facebook to be one of many options for connecting with others and cultivating their social profiles. Not all teens…
Rackspace Startups
Fashion Metric and the Rackspace Startup Program
6 Jan 2015 | 3:10 pmFashion Metric is a big data SaaS solution for apparel retailers and brands to gather intelligence about their customers and personalize the online apparel shopping experience. By deploying a comprehensive technology to calculate a customer's full set of body measurements in seconds, FM helps customers get measured for custom clothing or select the best ready-to-wear size. In this video, Fashion Metric Founder & CTO Morgan Linton talks to Rackspace about how his fashion-centric startup allows Rackspace to focus on infrastructure, Cloud hosting and server environments, while his… -
Polycom: The Leader in HD Video Conferencing
19 Jun 2014 | 8:39 amLooking for ways to collaborate and help your organization defy distance? For more than 20 years, Polycom phones have powered voice conversations in over 4 million conference rooms worldwide. Today, Polycom offers a variety of solutions to fit the need of every room– from the home office to cubicles to boardrooms and more. Polycom RealPresence room video solutions are simple to operate and consistently deliver a flawless visual communications experience. http://polycom.com www.rackspacestartups.com -
Scoble Discusses Performance-Based Advertising with Marimedia's Founder Maia Shiran
19 Jun 2014 | 8:37 amRobert Scoble speaks with Maia Shiran, founder and COO of Marimedia Ltd. a Herzliya-based startup about to go public, that helps publishers and website owners generate revenue through performance-based advertising. They also look at Qadabra, Marimedia's new self-serve platform for blogs and smaller websites. http://marimedia.net http://qadabra.com -
Backblaze: Online Backup Made Easy
19 Jun 2014 | 8:27 amWhat does $5 a month get you? How about unlimited cloud storage with BackBlaze to ensure that your photos, music, movies, and documents are backed up. Gleb Budman, CEO of BackBlaze, shows how they designed a 180TB storage server to make this possible. The entire experience with BackBlaze is meant to be easy: simply log on, sign up, and download an app that will automatically backup all your files. Ensure that all your files are backed up today. http://backblaze.com -
Instart Logic: Making Your Apps and Websites Faster
Social Media Examiner
10 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Blog Post
29 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amAre you looking for blog post ideas? Would you like some direction to inspire your editorial calendar? Although it may be challenging to come up with new blog post ideas, there's a lot you could write about. In this article I'll share 10 ideas to inspire your business blog content. #1: Answer Common Questions All […]This post 10 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Blog Post first appeared on Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle -
6 Habits of Successful Social Media Marketers
28 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amDo you want to improve social media productivity? Are you interested in finding ways to energize your marketing? Daily activities separate successful social media marketers from their peers. In this article I'll share six social media habits to improve your marketing. #1: Build Meaningful Relationships Successful marketers know that relationships are the fuel behind business […]This post 6 Habits of Successful Social Media Marketers first appeared on Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle -
26 Tips for Improving Your Social Media Marketing
27 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amDoes your social media need a boost? Do you want to add something to your online marketing? Trying new things can be fun and refreshing, for both you and your audience. In this article I'll share 26 ways, an A-Z guide, to improve your social media efforts. #1: Add Audio If audio wasn't part of […]This post 26 Tips for Improving Your Social Media Marketing first appeared on Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle -
5 Ways to Grow Your Email List With Facebook Contests
27 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amDo you want more email subscribers? Have you run contests on Facebook? Facebook contests and sweepstakes are an excellent method for capturing email leads. In this post I'll share five ways to grow your email list with Facebook contests. #1: Offer Multiple Prizes When you offer several prizes, people are more likely to enter since […]This post 5 Ways to Grow Your Email List With Facebook Contests first appeared on Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle -
15 Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Ads
26 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amAre Facebook ads working for you? Are you looking to get a better return on your Facebook ad investment? To get the best performance from ads, you need to make sure they reach the right audience. In this article you'll find 15 ways to set up and optimize your Facebook ads. #1: Keep Mobile and […]This post 15 Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Ads first appeared on Social Media Examiner. Social Media Examiner - Your Guide to the Social Media Jungle
Betaworks-Backed Giphy Lands $17 Million Series B Led By Lightspeed Venture Partners
29 Jan 2015 | 8:36 amGiphy has just raised $17 million in Series B funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, with participation from General Catalyst and previous investors such as Lerer-Hippeau, betaworks, RRE Ventures, and CAA Ventures. Jeremy Liew, from Lightspeed, took the lead on the investment, according to a report from Business Insider. Giphy is a search engine for gifs, put simply. The company tags… Read More -
Video Review: BMW i8 Hybrid Supercar
29 Jan 2015 | 8:15 amThe i8 is BMW's latest supercar. Able to go 0 to 60 in about 4.4 seconds with its hybrid electric/gas powertrain. The i8 looks like a Hot Wheels car, handles like a supercar and is as expensive as a high-end Porsche. With a starting price of $135,000, this isn't the car for everyone. It's actually a gateway into BMW's other hybrid, the cute and cheap BMW i3, a… Read More -
Apple's iPhone 6 Success Is Mostly Android's Loss, Giving iPhone Plenty Of Room To Grow
29 Jan 2015 | 8:10 amApple's newest iPhone customers aren't just old customers upgrading older devices – in fact, the vast majority are migrating from other platforms. Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that over 85 percent of consumers buying iPhones lately are coming from devices that aren't iPhones, and that most of those are shifting over from Android. This… Read More -
BMW i8: Reviewing The Car Of Tomorrow
29 Jan 2015 | 8:10 amMy body hurt. My mind was numb. I had just spent a week in Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronic show and ready to fly home. But first I had to drive a brand new 2015 BMW i8 to LA. It's a rough job, but someone has to do it. The i8 is BMW's latest supercar. Able to go 0 to 60 in about 4.4 seconds with its hybrid electric/gas powertrain. The i8 looks like a Hot Wheels car, handles… Read More -
CommunicateBetter.io Teaches Entrepreneurs How To Communicate Better
29 Jan 2015 | 8:01 amThe fine people behind some of the best SaaS startups around are putting together 52 weekly lessons to get better at communicating both inside your company, and with potential partners and customers. Every week, subscribers will receive an email with advice on how they can get better at communicating. The best part is that it's free. So far, 15 companies are on board, and it looks like… Read More
Don't Look Now, But Deep Linking Just Got Hot
29 Jan 2015 | 7:06 amMaking apps more like the Web just became huge. -
How Big Data Could Limit Super Bowl Sticker Shock
29 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amBy helping visitors find low-cost lodging in Phoenix for the big game. -
App Revenues Are Booming—But Perhaps Not For Long
28 Jan 2015 | 2:43 pmDon't get too cozy with that mobile-ad revenue, Facebook. -
How A Linux "Ghost" Spooked The Security World
28 Jan 2015 | 9:39 amFirst, a known vulnerability was fixed. Then it was unfixed. -
5 Reasons Your Company Should Open Source More Code
28 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amGiving away software offers way more benefits than hoarding it.
Verizon customers will have to pay more to upgrade or add a new line
29 Jan 2015 | 8:46 amWhile T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint are all busy trying to convince customers that they have the best rate plans, Verizon is taking a slightly different approach. The company confirmed Wednesday that it is raising fees for upgrades and activations beginning next week. Activation fees will now be $40, up from $35, starting on Feb. 5, Phone Scoop first reported on Wednesday; upgrade fees will increase to $40 from $30. from $30 to $40. Verizon last increased its upgrade fees in 2012, and the company says it hasn't raised its activation fees in more than ten years. Verizon is the largest carrier… -
A rare 15-foot megamouth shark washed up on a Philippines beach
29 Jan 2015 | 8:35 amA creature straight out of a Jules Verne fever dream was discovered on the shores of the Philippines. The 15-foot-long male megamouth shark was discovered after washing up dead on a beach in the province of Albay on Jan. 28. Scientists are claiming this is the 66th confirmed instance in which humans have ever encountered the animal. See also: 5 Unbelievable Ocean Mysteries We Still Haven't Solved Much about the megamouth species is unknown, as the creature itself was only confirmed to exist in 1976, when a U.S. Navy vessel caught one in its anchor. According to a 1990 study, the shark spends… -
Seattle vs. New England: The pop culture showdown
29 Jan 2015 | 8:30 amThis year's Super Bowl is a microcosm of the debate that rages daily between the East and West: Which coast is the best coast? It's an endless argument with no qualitative, non-biased decision. But that doesn't mean that we can't fuel the fires. Besides, who cares about the best football team, when there are more important things to debate, like the best beer? See also: The 2015 Puppy Bowl lineup is here to inflate your spirits Before you make a decision about which side to fight for, let this rundown of bi-coastal pop culture highlights help. Share your pop culture picks in the comments. -
Tom Petty says the Sam Smith controversy was a 'musical accident'
29 Jan 2015 | 8:28 amTom Petty has issued a statement about his recent settlement with Sam Smith, in which Smith will pay him royalties for "Stay With Me." "Stay With Me" began dominating radio waves last summer, and fans were quick to point out that his tune sounded extremely similar to Tom Petty's classic hit single "I Won't Back Down," which was released in 1989 and co-written by ELO's Jeff Lynne See also: 10 Copycats Who Stirred Up Treble in Music History Earlier this week, Smith and Petty reached an agreement about the similarities in their songs. "Stay with Me" will now be co-credited to Petty and Lynn as… -
Sundance Valley or Silicon Film Festival? Either way, it's getting there
29 Jan 2015 | 8:15 amPARK CITY, Utah — It's been a while since Sundance was just about buying and selling movies, and as much as film purists may hate to admit it, technology companies have staked out a big swath of Park City real estate in the past few years — particularly in areas that are most relevant to up-and-coming filmmakers. SEE ALSO: Virtual reality is exploding at this year's Sundance Film Festival Firms from Silicon Valley, Silicon Beach, New York, Tokyo and beyond took up more storefronts, restaurants and people's time this year than ever before in Park City. And it's not just the…
Sensei Marketing
Social Media Has Killed Consumer Trust
28 Jan 2015 | 9:36 am"People trust people, not brand advertising." For the last few years, marketing analysts and social media marketers have been sharing copious studies and statistics which reiterate that sentiment. They give credit to social media for this new reality and point to the "wisdom of crowds" effect, which references the observation that people tend to believe what the masses say and share on social media, despite personal experiences or empirical evidence to the contrary. If enough people hold this belief, it must be true. We trust the wisdom of crowds, despite the fact that we neither know… -
Survey: Real Forces Disrupting Marketing Effectiveness
25 Jan 2015 | 5:05 pmIn a 2014 survey conducted by McKinsey & Company and the ANA, B2B and B2C marketers revealed the real forces disrupting marketing effectiveness today. Below is a summary highlighting the results. 1. Complexity and Fragmentation 48% of marketers reported that the fragmentations of the audience, and complexity of solutions and options for audience engagement, are significant disruptions to the success of their marketing efforts. There doesn't seem to be much hope for a near-term fix; 44% of marketers reported that these factors will remain a challenge in the next 1-3 years. 2. Mobile Tops… -
Twitter Saves The Day For Virgin Customer In The Loo, Avoids #PooGate
22 Jan 2015 | 11:22 amHow closely are you paying attention to your customers on social media? Here's a great case study on customer experience from arguably the king of customer experience design and execution: Virgin. The customer, Adam (@AdamPlaysYT), was riding Virgin Train in the UK when nature called. He took advantage of the facilities the train made available; however, upon the completion of his task he noticed that the onboard lavatory was out of toilet paper. What's a guy to do in this situation? Tweet for help of course. Here's Adam's tweet: I suspect Adam turned to Twitter to do what most people… -
Visual Influencer Marketing Is On The Rise, But Is It Worth The Investment?
19 Jan 2015 | 7:27 amImages, videos, infographics, and other visual content have become increasingly popular forms of digital expression for individuals and content marketing fodder for bloggers and marketers. This content has spurred the growth of social networks in which such content is produced and shared such as Vine, Pinterest, and Instagram. So it should be no surprise that advertisers and brands are once again seeking to capitalize on perceived "influencers" within these sites despite the fact that these social networks are still in their infancy. There's no question that visual influencer… -
The Friday Trifecta 01/16/15 – Adidas, Nike, AT&T
16 Jan 2015 | 6:47 amThe Friday Trifecta is an occasional series that highlights marketing or advertising campaigns that capture our attention. Adidas Tells Us What Stardom Isn't. Do You Care? Adidas's new Originals Superstar campaign follows four celebrities (Pharrell Williams, Rita Ora, David Beckham, and Damian Lillard) as they redefine what superstardom truly means by telling you everything it's not. Beckham claims stardom isn't about having your own bodyguard; Ora tells us that it's not filling concert halls night after night, and Pharrell quips that it's not about being recognized by…
Social Media Explorer
Why Every Project Needs to Start with Conditions of Satisfaction
28 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amCan I get a virtual show of hands: How many of you have traveled down the road of implementation quite a ways before realizing you don't know exactly what it is you should be accomplishing? I'm embarrassed to admit that there has been a time or two (maybe more!) in my past where I have been part of a team that has invested so much time and energy into a project only to present it to the executives who no longer share the same "vision". Out the window goes resources, budget, and a chunk of pride. It's not just big implementation efforts, either. The same applies for smaller projects… -
Counting Bugs at LinkedIn
27 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amLinkedIn has a bug problem, in two senses. There are long-standing, unresolved errors, and there are agitators like me (or is it only me?) who keep finding more and say so. This article is my latest "bug LinkedIn" entry. My latest finds center on counting. They're very visible. I'll show you two instances, and toss in a screenshot of a special slip-up. (See also My Search for Relevance on LinkedIn, on search-relevance deficiencies, posted in March 2014; my April 2014 via-Twitter reporting of incorrect rendering of HTML character entities, here and here, since fixed… -
Report Shows Social Channel Effectiveness … Maybe
26 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amThe latest report on marketing leadership is out from Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Their survey of 5,000 marketers asks questions like what specific channels are you using for digital marketing, do you plan to increase your spend here, and so on. Reports like this don't mean much to an individual company other than showing overall trends. But they're still useful. The study focuses on the digital space, so there's no real comparison to off-line tactics or execution, but with that in mind, here's my quick read of the report which surfaced a few interesting nuggets:… -
Listen To This: Jerry Kolber on Unmistakable Creative
23 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amAgainst all of my tangent-loving instincts, this week's "Listen To This" will (attempt to) be laser-focused. That's difficult for me, particularly today, because Unmistakable Creative's entire interview with Jerry Kolber is top-notch. As I was listening through, I kept writing down time stamps and quotes, each time thinking I had found the golden moment. But then…there would be another one. And another one. And another one. I have a page of notes sitting in front of me that I could delve into, but ironically, Jerry also talks about why it's so very important to focus on one… -
Four Traits Every Brand Needs From Agency Partners
22 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amMany of us spend our career on one side of the table: Brand side or agency side. Expectations are set based on the experiences we have with those on the opposite end. I have spent time on both sides, but most of my experience comes from the agency side. From my time as an agency partner, I've come to learn that some brands have very low standards for their agency partners, which leave them with a less than "WOW" experience. A recent conversation with one my clients inspired me to share these four not-so-obvious traits every brand side marketer should expect from their agency partners.
Social Media Era Of Poking
4 Simple Ways to Build Up Your Email List
9 Jan 2015 | 10:46 amFor small businesses, the customer or client list is at the heart of the operation. The goal of customer recruitment is to keep them around for longer than a single sale or experience, after all. A smartly built and maintained email list can ensure that your small business remains on the mind of your customers long after the initial interaction. An effective email list does not need to take a long time to create; you can accelerate your list building with the right approach and resources. Take a look at just a few of the ways to build a solid email list quickly: Ask on your website. -
Unlock these 6 Secrets to Better Email Marketing
27 Nov 2014 | 9:32 amEmail marketing is dead! …at least that's what some corners of the Internet would like you to believe. But take one look at the numbers and you'll find that email marketing is not a dying breed. In fact, it remains one of the strongest channels for driving sales. A recent study by the Direct Marketing Association found that 66% of consumers recently made a purchase as a result of an effective email marketing message. That's more than direct mail, social, telephone, or mobile advertising. How well does your business use email marketing to reach your customers? Could you… -
The Importance of Consumer Insights in Today's Marketing Strategies
10 Nov 2014 | 5:46 amIt may sound funny to even ask this question, but how many businesses really understand their consumers when it comes to developing new products and services, or marketing those products to potential customers? This does not refer to just understanding consumers in the traditional sense of how a product appeals to a specific demographic group. It means really getting down to the nitty-gritty of understanding why consumers act a certain way, how they share information with each other, and what cultural influences are at work in shaping their perceptions and understandings. This is one area in… -
Companies Invest More in Social Media Marketing in 2014
4 Nov 2014 | 5:39 amLast year, Forbes contributor Jayson DeMers wrote a list of predictions for social media trends that would rule this year. One of the most accurate was his prediction that social media marketing would continue to skyrocket, forcing companies who were holdouts in the social media arena to finally buy in. Social media marketing is undoubtedly the new wave of marketing. People can argue that the shift occurred in 2013 or earlier, but 2014 has really seen even more big growth in social media advertising. Companies are being forced, whether they like it or not, to put more and more of their… -
How To Gain Consumer Insights That Boost Your Marketing Results
29 Oct 2014 | 7:57 amThe drive to gain consumer insights cannot be an occasional endeavor. A company wishing to establish a brand or sell a product cannot simply conduct a focus group or survey, and say it now has everything it needs to know about consumers. It must take some very concrete steps to get a firm grasp of the target consumers' tendencies, including: Bringing an anthropologist on-board. Changing the mind-set of senior level executives. Going above and beyond to capture insights. Showing a genuine interest in what consumers have to say. Today's consumers may like something for years, and…
9 Copywriting Rules To Create Hypnotic Posts Your Readers Will Love
29 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amImage via Flickr user Daniel Lee This is a guest contribution from Hassan Ud-deen. Your blog posts have a purpose, right? You want your readers to take a specific action after reading your post. It could be to: like, share, subscribe, comment or just think about something. Either way, you're aiming to elicit a response. And It doesn't matter if you're writing a sale letter, a blog post, or an email. If you aim to evoke any kind of response or action… you're writing copy. Funnily enough, most of the content marketing style writing you read now, is heavily influenced by… -
Design Trends of 2015: How Your Blog Can Adapt
28 Jan 2015 | 6:51 amThis is a guest contribution from Owen Andrew. Since mobile internet began to overtake desktop internet usage in January 2014, there have been major innovations in website design in light of this trend. In general, websites have been opting for a simpler, mobile-friendly design. Maintaining a blog in such a fast-paced environment can be a huge challenge, but staying on top of trends is required for success. In order to keep your blog interesting and relevant in the upcoming year, there are five design trends to keep in mind when continuing your work in 2015. Image via shutterstock.com… -
Going from a Blog to a Vlog: What the Big Companies Can Teach Us
27 Jan 2015 | 6:31 amThis is a guest contribution from social media analyst Matthew Yeoman. The move online from only having a blog for your online marketing is, of course, one which has long since been abandoned. Brands now have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on and on to promote their website and the blogs themselves. A trend towards video, with YouTube leading the way, has lead to the rise of the vlog as the next big thing in content marketing. Many of the biggest brands in the world are on YouTube. They are killing it with views, subscribers (there's a familiar term for bloggers), and brand exposure. -
Blogging and Privacy: How to Blog Authentically Without Losing Your Voice
26 Jan 2015 | 6:39 amLaura Tremaine's blog is called Hollywood Housewife because she is just that – married to a movie producer and living in LA. A longtime blogger, she's learned how to balance honest storytelling with keeping her husband, her family, and their life together somewhat incognito. Always only a Google search away from film fans, Laura has erred on the side of caution when it comes to sharing her tales, but manages never to lose the heart of them. She is a gifted writer with an interesting story to tell, and I have no doubt you'll take away lots to think about if you've… -
The 6 Step Online Marketing Strategy Every Small Business Should Follow in 2015
25 Jan 2015 | 6:44 amThis is a guest contribution from Jawad Khan. 2013 was the year when people started taking content marketing seriously. The momentum grew in 2014 and thousands of corporations, small businesses and startups invested heavily in content creation. 2015 will see this trend grow even further. Thousands of new blogs and millions of new blog posts will be created over the next 12 months. Perhaps the biggest revelation is the way local bricks and mortar businesses have taken up content marketing. From search results to social media, the internet is getting more and more local. Many local businesses…
Scott Monty
This Week in Digital - January 23, 2015
23 Jan 2015 | 2:54 pmStatistics on global social and digital scene, frequency of social platform use, a teen's firsthand take on which platforms are essential, Amazon heads to the movies, Snapchat unapologetically charges an obscene fee for ads, Twitter conquers FOMO, Ubernomics is a thing and we should be concerned, why hearing is believing, what to do with all of that big data, how the New York Times is coming along with its digital transformation and more, it's This Week in Digital.A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry.Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current… -
This Week in Digital - December 19, 2014
19 Dec 2014 | 10:45 amThe unending Sony saga, Time goes all-in with digital, Spanish publishers get exactly what they bargained for, marketing skills, companies and trends to watch in 2015, Instagram makes some changes, the future of Secret and Medium, Serial is over, how to get data to make your PR program better, a growing and pervasive lack of trust in the media and more, it's This Week in Digital. A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry. Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and trends in the worlds of technology, business, digital communications and… -
This Week in Digital - December 12, 2014
12 Dec 2014 | 4:45 amUber's no-good, horrible, very bad week, more 2015 predictions than you can shake a stick at, putting the 'no' in innovation, updates to Facebook's search tool, Instagram surpasses Twitter but Twitter doesn't care, the biggest media company of the future, the data behind binge listening to podcasts, understanding the quality of your audience, the FTC cracks down on agency social media activity, the evolution of the collaborative economy and more, it's This Week in Digital. A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry. Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links… -
This Week in Digital - December 5, 2014
5 Dec 2014 | 10:14 amDisruption hits the New York Times, the real story behind Apple Pay, Facebook makes privacy changes (again), Twitter makes it easier to deal with abuse, the quiet success that is Medium, going viral with audio, Uber takes a beating but bounces back and Lyft bounces higher, dark social and its impact, creating a culture of content, the reason it's hard to recognize genius, why PR is best left to the professionals and more, it's This Week in Digital. A roundup of relevant links affecting our industry. Each week, I compose a newsletter that includes a series of links about current events and… -
Don't Quit Facebook - What Forrester Got Wrong
25 Nov 2014 | 7:48 amEarlier this week Forrester analyst Nate Elliott released another one of his bi-annual "Facebook is failing marketers" reports that takes aim squarely at Twitter and Facebook when it comes to marketing tactics. In our experience, these so-called reports have been overly broad generalizations with questionable advice and based on sampling, statistical and analytical foibles, according to statisticians.Last week, Facebook announced that beginning in January of 2015, it will be cracking down on purely promotional content coming from brands; with limited real estate in the News Feed, Facebook…
Social Fresh
Top Social Media Career Moves of 2014
29 Jan 2015 | 3:49 amIt's a very fast paced industry we live in with this social media thing. So much so, that if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss all the career moves your colleagues made in 2014. A lot of smart and capable folks made big career moves this year in the social media industry, and we are here to catch you up. Tech and media companies continue to commit to social media teams. Big social media software vendors made some big hires. Plenty of folks got promoted, made moves to new companies, and made the all to common switches from agency to brand to vendor to brand… -
Tip: Signs of a healthy Twitter account
27 Jan 2015 | 5:22 amPeter Bray (@petebray) did a great data rich post over on the Moz blog last month about what factors relate to an increase in Twitter followers. It is very in depth, with a ton of charts. If you are a data geek, I highly recommend you go check it out. Cause and effect are always tough, but what Peter did dig up were several correlated data points of Twitter accounts that are growing their follower count. Below are a few of the highlights that I found the most interesting. 1. Using More Photos and Hashtags = 2% more daily followers Using images in your Tweets or hashtags is correlated to a 2%… -
Top 10 social media acquisitions of 2014
26 Jan 2015 | 7:33 am2014 has come and gone, which means quite a few social media companies have done the same. Twitter defended last years leader of acquisitions title with, yet again, 10 notable acquisitions. The leaders are Twitter with 10 acquisitions, Facebook with 7, Yahoo at 5, LinkedIn 3, Hootsuite 3, and Sprinklr, also with 3. Simply listing the number of acquisitions is not a great metric, but it is interesting form afar and can reveal some trends. A few of the clear trends we can see when charting total acquisitions over the last 4 years: Twitter is accelerating the pick up of small shop, especially… -
Ultimate Recap: Top new social media tools of 2014
20 Jan 2015 | 5:27 amFor several years now we have been pulling together our annual list of top new social media tools from the year before. It is always a fan favorite and for good reason. As marketers, we love learning about new tools and processes. In fact, we get such a great response when we talk about tools, that we launched a podcast about it, the Social Toolkit. Our 11th episode, embedded below, was dedicated to rehashing the list and talking through some of the highlights. Check out the podcast on iTunes and let us know what you think. This year's list is our longest yet. There were a ton of new… -
6 Digital Process Tips from Chris Brogan and The Law of 40%
14 Jan 2015 | 4:10 amToday, Social Fresh is launching the Social Toolkit Podcast. Each episode we will discuss the social, marketing, and productivity toolkit from a digital native guest. Our first 10 episodes are available for download today. Listen on iTunes here, or search for the "social toolkit" on the podcast app of your choice. Joining in on our first episode was Chris Brogan of Owner Media Group, who make courses and other tools to help you own your life and business. Chris is a NYTimes Bestselling author & leading authority on owning the game you most want to win. We talked about…
Data Privacy & Protection Will Be Achieved Through Data Literacy
28 Jan 2015 | 2:09 pmToday marks the eighth annual Data Privacy Day in the United States (Data Protection Day in Europe), an event led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). Promoted as an international movement to highlight consumer privacy and data protection efforts, Data Privacy Day centers on "Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data and Enabling Trust." The effort to promote a safer, more secure and trusted Internet is something we can all stand behind. And to that end, businesses and consumers must be equally dedicated to the cause not just of data privacy and protection, but also of data… -
Creating community with user-generated content: An interview with Sony
27 Jan 2015 | 6:20 amSony Electronics is responsible for some of the most popular consumer electronics in history. Recently, they have started a new program to showcase user-generated content in stores and on their website store.sony.com. We had the chance to sit down with Katie Babineau, Sr. Communications Strategist at Sony, to learn how Sony is using social content to highlight the Sony community and the meaningful role their products play in their customer's everyday lives. How do you think user-generated content (UGC) has changed the consumer journey over the past few years? Brands are now really starting to… -
Today's marketplace is a networked dialogue between brands and consumers
23 Jan 2015 | 7:24 amIn our follow-up to last week's post on the growth of user-generated content (UGC), we're continuing to highlight how UGC is changing the Internet and consumer marketplace. This post provides a condensed version of subjects covered our eighth edition of The Conversation Index, which details how sharing UGC across networks (such as Bazaarvoice) and channels improves sales, insights and search results traffic. Content must be authentic On the web, content has always been king. But in 2015, it's UGC's authenticity that helps drive a businesses' online success—particularly when it… -
Six intriguing marketing predictions for 2015
16 Jan 2015 | 8:23 amAh, new year prediction posts. We've dabbled, to be sure. The format can be yawn-inducing, but within some of these lists, one finds truly thought-provoking glimpses into an imagined future. That's why we're going to alter the criteria a bit here to favor the fascinating over the likely. What follows are five of the most interesting 2015 marketing predictions I've encountered, my corresponding commentary, and one of my own predictions. Sensory mind games Expert: Chloe Allan, Brand Planner, The Good Agency Source: The Guardian "This year, we have seen more brands lean towards the use… -
Learn why there's no such thing as "enough" user-generated content
13 Jan 2015 | 8:06 amThe internet is evolving even faster than we imagined—and in ways many of its earliest pioneers never predicted. This is especially true for businesses and consumers in the online marketplace. The driving force of this evolution is user-generated content (UGC), such as product reviews, photos and videos. In the eighth edition of The Conversation Index, we explore how sharing UGC across networks (such as Bazaarvoice) and channels improves sales, insights, and search results traffic—and why there's no such thing as too much UGC. For our time-stretched blog readers (we know you're…
I Like Facebook More Than Twitter These Days and Why That Doesn't Matter
27 Jan 2015 | 5:57 pmLately, I'm finding lots of interaction and fun on Facebook. I once wrote a post about how I was leaving Facebook for Google+ because whoa, that's the future. Until Google decided it wasn't. And I'm reasonably well known for loving Twitter and being an early adopter of it. Which social network is right for you? The real answer? The one you like. I like Instagram plenty. I like Facebook more than I ever did before (no real idea why). I even spent a half hour today in LinkedIn (which I usually complain about). Continue ReadingThe post I Like Facebook More Than Twitter… -
What is Content Marketing?
27 Jan 2015 | 7:53 amContent marketing is the art of using content of any kind (blogs, podcasts, newsletters, and much more) to reach prospects and customers and influencers, and warm them up for the potential of a purchase. You can have an offline business and use content marketing. You can promote yourself, a book, a store, a church, or whatever it is you need to do. The art of content marketing is to create information that entertains, informs, and then CONNECTS a potential buyer with what you do/offer.Continue ReadingThe post What is Content Marketing? appeared first on chrisbrogan.com. -
What a Long Time Friendship and Partnership Looks Like
27 Jan 2015 | 4:33 amI started stalking Brian Clark of Copyblogger back in 2006. Hard to imagine that I'd already been blogging for eight years when he showed up, but I knew from the start that Brian was smarter at a lot of things than I was, and that he'd go far. He, on the other hand, thought I was a weirdo and wouldn't amount to anything. (Long time joke, but true story.) Brian and I Have Collaborated In Many Ways Brian was faster to the idea of helping people learn what they needed to know about the business side of the web in a more formalized way. And he created years of content that… -
Which Conference Should You Attend? Your Own
22 Jan 2015 | 8:00 amI'm working through a few ideas, but I'm a little bit stuck. And as I haven't been invited to speak at a conference this week or next (where I get a lot of thoughts and ideas), I decided to put on a conference in my living room. The content doesn't quite matter, because it's my conference. People ask me all the time which conferences are the ones to attend? My answer: your own.Continue ReadingThe post Which Conference Should You Attend? Your Own appeared first on chrisbrogan.com. -
Measure Your Wealth in Options
19 Jan 2015 | 6:44 amI was lamenting the fact that business has been slow over the last handful of weeks (end of the year and first of the year aren't exactly the roaring seasons for keynote speakers and professional development experts), but a little change of perspective really turned me around. Because there's a lesson in it that would be useful to an owner like you, I wanted to share it with you. Measure Your Wealth in Options The last few weeks have been slow, yes. But that means that I can accept the following truths to go along with it:Continue ReadingThe post Measure Your Wealth in Options…
Scoundrels & Idiots: Manually Updating Sentiment
26 Jan 2015 | 8:00 amFinding and tracking negative sentiment across the web as a way to monitor, engage, and react to potential problems is one of major goals of any brand adopting a social media presence online. But what happens when the search terms you are using, or the words surrounding them, are inherently negative even if the sentiment towards your brand may not be? I recently began a topic involving the Disney XD TV-show Star Wars Rebels. The show's latest episode, entitled "Idiot's Array" (making reference to the card game Sabaac) marked actor Billy Dee Williams' return to… -
The 10 Core Principles of Growth Hackers
20 Jan 2015 | 12:02 pmOdds are if you have ever worked for or with an Internet start-up you've heard the term "growth hacking." The concept, applicable to any business, is to make the most out of your meager marketing budget and promote brand awareness through a variety of creative, innovative, and usually cost effective means (i.e. cheaper than traditional marketing) online. This short video from 24 Motion Design offers a look at the 10 Core Principles of Growth Hackers to keep in mind when developing your own strategy such as be logical and creative, while remaining resilient, empathetic,… -
Hashtag Round-Up – #NAACPBombing & #JeSuisCharlie
12 Jan 2015 | 1:09 pmSince the introduction of the hashtag to social media in 2007 it has been used to promote discussion from everything ranging from brand marketing and fan support of a product to #whyimsingle. We've talked about the use of hashtavism, using hashtags to promote social discussion over troubling trends or events, in the past and it doesn't appear the trend is going away anytime soon. Two recent tragedies help show how discussion and awareness on social media can be far different from TV news depending on how long mainstream media elects to spend on a story. Happening within hours of… -
Spiral16′s Five Most Shared Blog Posts of 2014
29 Dec 2014 | 12:47 pm2014 is coming to an end. Over the past year we've talked at length on the subject of social media, marketing, understanding trends, dealing quickly and responsibly with controversy, and the need for social media plans and monitoring to effectively watch, manage, and control your brand's message online. Looking back over our blog this past year, here is a list of our five most shared posts. How Social Media Amplifies Content Marketing and SEO 10 Qualities of a Great Social Media Marketer [INFOGRAPHIC] This is Your Brain on Social Media. Any Questions? 40 Social Media Marketing… -
Bing Ranks the Top People, Moments & Events Which Shaped 2014
15 Dec 2014 | 9:38 am2014, the year that was. Microsoft's search engine Bing has released it's Big Trends of 2014. Based in part on country of origin of the searcher, you can view "the people, moments, and events that shaped 2014″ in the search engine's interactive look back at the past year. The results for the United States show the most searched terms for 2014 in a variety of categories including vacation destinations, discoveries, animals, news, most searched celebrities, athletes, and musicians, moving stories, sports, politics, and celebrity weddings, break-ups, deaths, and…
New Media Expo Blog
Dennis Miller & Emily Morse to Host the 10th Annual Podcast Awards at NMX
21 Jan 2015 | 7:58 amNMX is pleased to announce Dennis Miller and Emily Morse as hosts for the 10th Annual Podcast Awards being held at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino on Tuesday, April 14th starting at 6:30pm. The awards are attended by world renowned podcasters and other online influencers and fans. This is a pairing that isn't to be [...] -
Nominations for the 10th Annual Podcast Awards Opens January 19th
14 Jan 2015 | 11:16 amby David Jackson – Podcasting Director for NMX Nominations for the 10th Annual Podcast Awards Open January 19th The 10th Annual Podcast Awards are being held in Las Vegas at New Media Expo. Each year podcast audiences nominate and vote for their favorite shows. Both the nominating and voting are done over a period [...] -
NMX + NAB Show = 1 Killer Event!
13 Jan 2015 | 11:26 amWhen we made the announcement about NMX's co-location with NAB Show, April 13-16, 2015 in Las Vegas, our attendees sent us many congratulatory wishes However, we receive questions from time to time from members of our community who aren't familiar with NAB Show, or who are wondering what aspects of NAB Show NMX attendees have access to. [...] -
Adam Carolla and Norman Pattiz To Keynote at NMX
12 Jan 2015 | 12:31 pmNMX is pleased to announce two of our most popular speakers are returning. Podcasting superstars Adam Carolla and Norm Patitz are joining NMX '15 as keynote speakers. When it comes to NMX, this isn't Adam Carolla's first rodeo. He's joined us on stage as a keynoter at other NMX events and remains one of our most requested speakers.. [...] -
One Million Stories at NMX
9 Jan 2015 | 3:51 pmEvery blogger at NMX has a story to tell. Every podcaster, every video producer, every photographer, freelance writer, journalist, Internet marketer, social media professional and crafter at NMX has a story to tell. Every speaker at NMX has a story to tell. Every exhibitor, sponsor, and keynoter at NMX has a story to tell. Every [...]
idaconcpts.com - Ideas and Concepts from Damian Davila
Big Data for Small Businesses [Infographic]
29 Jan 2015 | 12:24 amOne of the biggest tech buzzword from 2014 was big data. There was no IT conference or IT consultant not talking about the benefits of big data. But what exactly is "big data"? This term is used to describe a large amount of organized or unorganized data so overwhelmingly large that it is not possible to process using traditional ways. Examples of big data can be found in the health care and finance industries. While it may appear that large amounts of data can only take place in large enterprises, the reality is that some small businesses are also capable of producing large… -
The Role of Paper Today
23 Jan 2015 | 12:40 amOver the past 15 years, more and more companies are strongly recommending to customers that they quit requesting information on paper. Instead, companies are suggesting that people can get information digitally. While some are concerned by this, the fact remains that printing things on paper is still important. Real and Experiential There has been a growing trend that individuals and companies are deliberately turning to paper to convey a message. The message can be focused on advertising or getting basic information out concerning an individual or fact. Whatever the case is, the message is… -
Be in the Know to Stay on Top
14 Jan 2015 | 11:04 pmWhether you are an entrepreneur just getting ready to dip your toe into the world of business for the first time or you are already established, you need to find ways to give yourself an advantage of everyone else who is out there. The best way to ensure your success is to stay focused, remain diligent, and pool your resources to be in top form. Be Informed You need to do your homework. An InfoTrack ASIC name search can provide you with detailed information when you need to pull up a listing of comparable companies in your field. From that point, research your competition. Find out what… -
3 Options for The Perfect Gift
30 Dec 2014 | 9:20 amSome people have a hard time shopping for their loved ones. This is especially true for people that need to ship items across the country to their loved ones. A gift may be for a college student or a distant relative. Whoever the gift is for, there are sure-fire ways to make them happy this season. Consider these three options for their gifts. 1. Care Packages Send a care package to a loved one. Care packages mean a lot to people because they're filled with specialized items that the receiver will enjoy and love. Care packages can include virtually anything. They mostly contain hygienic… -
5 Tips for Finding an Accounting Firm
29 Dec 2014 | 12:39 pmIf you're in the market for a personal or professional accountant, it can be difficult to wade through all of your options and find the right one. Here are just five tips for narrowing your search and securing a worthy candidate. 1. Stay Local This should go without saying, but always choose an accounting firm in your home state. Laws, policies and taxes will differ depending on the location of your headquarters, so if you're doing business in Hawaii, make sure you choose from accounting firms in Hawaii. You don't want to get any wires crossed when your money is on the line.
NowSourcing.Com » Blog
Why Visuals are Running Our Daily Lives
13 Jan 2015 | 1:12 pmIt's been estimated that over 60% of the population are visual learners and rely heavily on data representations in order to retain information. Though the human experience is a cumulative of all five of our senses giving us an accurate account of the world around us, we rely most heavily on our vision. The brain processes images as a whole, taking in massive amounts of real life "snapshots" all at once to paint a picture of what we see. Reading, on the other hand, works as a linear process going one word at a time. Unfortunately, information gathered through reading… -
The Evolution and History of the Fireplace
8 Jan 2015 | 1:53 pm -
Is Your Home Safe from Radioactive Radon?
7 Jan 2015 | 10:48 amCourtesy of RadonIsReal.org -
10 Best Infographics of 2014
22 Dec 2014 | 3:31 pmWhat a great year it has been in the world of infographics! We've seen some great brands finally adopting more infographic strategies – the Content Marekting Institute has shown that infographics for b2b marketers had the largest jump from 51% to 62% usage. We've also seen a jump in more video and interactive infographics. Without further ado, here's our 5th anniversary of the top 10 infographics of the year! (see 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013) 1 – Where Does Coffee Come From? Brought to you by:BizBrain.org | Open in a New Window 2 – Why Upworthy Has Won the… -
The Psychology of Impulse Buying
19 Dec 2014 | 7:55 am
ManagingCommunities.com is 7 Years Old!
29 Jan 2015 | 2:50 amPlease Update Your ManagingCommunities.com RSS Feed Subscription This feed has moved to: http://feeds.managingcommunities.com/managingcommunities I apologize for the trouble. For more details, please read my post on the matter. Thank you. -
Celebrate Community Manager Appreciation Day 2015 #CMAD
26 Jan 2015 | 12:30 amPlease Update Your ManagingCommunities.com RSS Feed Subscription This feed has moved to: http://feeds.managingcommunities.com/managingcommunities I apologize for the trouble. For more details, please read my post on the matter. Thank you. -
A-B-C. A – Always, B – Build, C – Community. Always Build Community
19 Jan 2015 | 2:50 amPlease Update Your ManagingCommunities.com RSS Feed Subscription This feed has moved to: http://feeds.managingcommunities.com/managingcommunities I apologize for the trouble. For more details, please read my post on the matter. Thank you. -
Why Community Will Never Get the Credit It Deserves
15 Jan 2015 | 2:50 amPlease Update Your ManagingCommunities.com RSS Feed Subscription This feed has moved to: http://feeds.managingcommunities.com/managingcommunities I apologize for the trouble. For more details, please read my post on the matter. Thank you. -
When You Make People Choose, They Won't Choose You
12 Jan 2015 | 2:50 amPlease Update Your ManagingCommunities.com RSS Feed Subscription This feed has moved to: http://feeds.managingcommunities.com/managingcommunities I apologize for the trouble. For more details, please read my post on the matter. Thank you.
Tips on how to hire a good designer
14 Jan 2015 | 10:32 amIt seems like everyone is hiring designers! They're hiring product designers, UX designers, creative directors, directors of design, UI designers, visual designers, etc. There are even acquihires of entire design teams! So…how do you find a good designer? First, a quick backstory for people who have never read my blog before. Until this past August I was the Director of UX at HubSpot, a SaaS marketing company here in Boston that went public in October. So for three years (in which HubSpot was growing quickly) I was the hiring manager for product designers and UX specialists. There is… -
Does Apple care any more?
7 Jan 2015 | 7:17 amMarco Arment, in his recent post Apple has lost the functional high ground: "But the software quality has fallen so much in the last few years that I'm deeply concerned for its future. I'm typing this on a computer whose existence I didn't even think would be possible yet, but it runs an OS with embarrassing bugs and fundamental regressions." After hypothesizing that Apple's priorities are out of whack, he writes: "I fear that Apple's leadership doesn't realize quite how badly and deeply their software flaws have damaged their reputation, because if they… -
In detail: Designing in context for mobile
3 Jan 2015 | 8:08 amI'm noticing an interesting practice emerging when designing for mobile: in-context messages that help you learn or give feedback about an app. Here's an example: In this example from the New York Times Now app, the designers have dropped in a "quick tip" to let you know that you can swipe left to discover new content in the "Our Picks" section. Swiping in this way does the same thing that tapping on the arrow in the nav bar. This is a really nice way to let people know something, in this case that an action is available. (That said, I think it could be… -
In detail: Square's email receipt and feedback flow
29 Dec 2014 | 7:35 amSince paper receipts aren't very useful these days, I've been choosing recently to have my receipts emailed to me. The other week I filled out my email address on a Square checkout device at my local coffee house (Atomic Cafe) and didn't think much of it. But when I read the email receipt later I noticed that the Square designers had very nicely embedded a feedback flow into the email. Nice UI details: Feedback is embedded into the receipt. This has several positive effects. First, it ties the feedback to the actual transaction that the person just had and not some amorphous… -
The problem with "we'll fix it later"
23 Dec 2014 | 6:59 amI was talking to a design team yesterday and one of the team members casually mentioned that they were launching something new. I took a quick look at what they were planning to launch and it was clear that something wasn't quite right…there was a weird UI bug and some data looked off. So I pointed those things out and was told "Oh yeah, we know. We're going to fix it later". Those words, so subtle. I've said them many times. I've had the exact same attitude at a release. But the more I hear them the more I realize they're deadly. Consider the negative effects…
Collective Thoughts| Collective Thoughts
How Much Money Does A College Degree Mean To You?
29 Jan 2015 | 7:08 amHaving a college degree can mean a million more dollars in your lifetime, according to some statistics. Learn more about the value of a college education from this infographic. -
Password Psychology
27 Jan 2015 | 12:03 pmWhy do people use "password" as their password? Because it's easy. Learn more about the psychology of passwords from this infographic. -
How To Keep Your Home Warm In The Winter
22 Jan 2015 | 9:42 amWinterizing your home is an easy way to cut down your home energy bills. Learn some inexpensive tips for winterizing from this infographic. -
The Threat Of Radon Is Real
9 Jan 2015 | 11:38 amRadon is a real concern as the second leading cause of lung cancer. Learn more about radon's myths and facts from this infographic. -
Fireplaces In The Home: A Retrospective
8 Jan 2015 | 8:46 amThe lowly fireplace hasn't always been what it is today. Learn more about the history and evolution of fireplaces from this infographic.
Phone Reviews
Huawei Ascend P7 Review
18 Jan 2015 | 5:10 amThe Chinese company Huawei presented a few days ago officially in Paris their new Phone, the Ascend P7, closely following the line set by his predecessor, Ascend P6 . Instead of going to stop current range hardware, Ascend P7 keeps a careful balance between performance, design and price and that's where the Asian giant delivers a blow on the table. It is their strategy to stand up to the current playing top the trump card of a smaller price to which is added a superb design.However, how serves this terminal, where is situated exactly on the market and which features special offers are some of…
Brian Solis
Make Change Work for You: The Power of Observation
26 Jan 2015 | 1:34 pmI'm a pretty private person usually. From time to time though, I share stories about my past to help others take their next step. This is one such case. Scott Steinberg is a good friend and the other of several books including his most recent title, Make Change Work for You. We chatted recently about lessons learned over the years. I wanted to share our conversation with you here… Scott Steinberg: You've been tremendously successful in your career. Would you call yourself an overnight success? Me: In 1991, I joined an advertising technology firm in Southern California as a… -
Report: Some Brands Go All In on Mobile; Others Suffer from Mobile Mediocrity
22 Jan 2015 | 12:17 pmConsumers aren't just going digital, they're also becoming increasingly mobile. To them, mobile isn't the second screen, it's the first screen. Brands however, struggle to keep up with them and as a result, mobile strategies are off target or underwhelming. This finding among many others is the result of new research conducted by my colleague Jaimy Szymanski and me. I'm proud to announce that the report, The Inevitability of a Mobile-Only Customer Experience, is available today for immediate download. Mobile CX: Digital First and Mobile First After spending several months… -
25 Disruptive Technology Trends for 2015 – 2016
19 Jan 2015 | 10:08 amWith every new year comes a landslide of predictions and trends to guide us into the new year. While the year advances, rarely do such transformative trends or changes take place in alignment with a calendar. Not even Y2K could do so Now with that said, I was asked to present my thoughts on what lies ahead in Vegas during CES at Brand Innovators "Mega Trends" event. By the first week of January, there were already some tremendous thoughts already shared by some of the best. So, I thought about and thought about some more. What I assembled was a list of the most notable trends that… -
Brilliance is Distributed Around The World; Opportunity However is Not
15 Jan 2015 | 9:01 amThe rate at which we progress is defined by the time and energy we invest in ourselves. We can't do everything alone however. As John Lennon and Paul McCartney famously wrote, "I get by with a little help from my friends." But not everyone has access to the same resources you and I do. Sometimes those friends aren't so readily visible or available and thus progress inches along, stalls or sometimes regresses. One of the biggest trends I've seen in Silicon Valley is the drive to teach coding as part of mainstream education. One of the most interesting and… -
Crossing the Experience Divide: Creating positive, lasting experiences is a crucial mandate for any brand
12 Jan 2015 | 8:04 amThe Technology of Us I've been in the technology business for a long time and what I can tell you is this: Technology enables us to invent new products and services at rates that humans never before experienced. Whatever the next big thing is in tech doesn't matter as much as the fact that anyone today has the power to disrupt entire industries with a single, smart idea. In fact, resilient companies, whether they're startups or they merely acting like one, will intentionally break their business models in anticipation of what customers want and need. Look at the "sharing…
Geek Girlfriends
Bosch Coming to Amazon Prime
21 Jan 2015 | 6:24 pmLast year, I watched the pilot to Bosch (starring Titus Welliver, who I liked as Silas Adams in Deadwood.) I didn't expect to like it. But I was curious about the Amazon Prime people's approach to original content. They made the pilot, then asked viewers to tell them if they should do a season. So I watched, just to have a voice. And I was very quickly hooked. Dark, edgy, great performances. The script is tight and based on Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch book series. I voted, "Yes!" And I was apparently not the only one. Because Season One — ten, hour-long… -
My Daughter Tries the High-Tech Venus Swirl™ Razor
6 Jan 2015 | 10:13 amThis is a sponsored post. Thank you Gillette Venus for supporting my blog! The race to get out of the house and into traffic so we can crawl slowly to my daughter's first-period class is behind us, our coffees are secured in cup holders, the final touches have been put on teenage hair and makeup. Ava smiles at me, impish, and puts one foot on the dash, exposing a lot of leg. "Go ahead," she implores me. "Touch it!" Oddly, this is a common morning ritual. She is happy with her baby-soft, just-shaved legs. As her mother, it's my job to admire her hairless handiwork. "I finally… -
Some Audio Books Worth Listening To
29 Dec 2014 | 10:08 pmI love getting books as gifts. And I love to give them. I am blessed with children who enjoy this as much as I do. So Christmas, as always, included a pleasant exchange of literary discoveries. But what's even better than books? Books and the time to read them! That's what audio books are. And I didn't get any of those this year. (Though I did give some.) Cleaning the house? Headphones and an audio book. Hiking alone? A chance to read? (I have read hundreds of books this way, while staying in shape.) Long drive? Port an audio book through the car speakers and everyone in…
Dan Zarrella
Introducing PicStats.com: An Instagram Analytics Tool
27 Jan 2015 | 1:53 amMost modern marketers know that Instagram can be a powerful marketing channel if you know how to use it. Unfortunately it's lacking a bit in the analytics department. So I made PicStats, a free tool that allows you to analyze any Instagram account, yours, your friends' or even your competitors' accounts. You can get data like the best times and days to post and the best tags and filters to use. To use PicStats, simply login with your Instagram account and it'll start off by showing you the report for your account. Then you can enter the username for any other… -
Saying Goodbye to HubSpot
13 Jan 2015 | 12:07 amI joined HubSpot on February first of 2009. In the six years since then we set the Guinness World Record for world's largest webinar and we went public. I got married, wrote and published four books and moved to Las Vegas. I built and we released a bunch of awesome little social media tools and I represented HubSpot by speaking at countless conferences. The smallish company I joined back in 2009 has turned into a pretty big one, with offices on three continents. It was always our goal to be a big, successful public company. And I'm proud of the work I did that helped reach that… -
An Introduction to Memes and Memetics for Marketers
2 Oct 2014 | 12:01 amIf I say the word "meme" around a group of web savvy people, the first thing that will come to most minds is an image macro–a photograph overlayed with funny text. A sort of meta inside joke that gets passed around the internet. Things like Good Guy Greg, Success Baby or Grumpy Cat. And while it's true those are examples of what the word "meme" really means, they're a very small subset of the greater definition. An understand of the larger context of memetics–the science of memes–is useful for marketers interesting in creating content in a socially connected… -
[Infographic] The Science of Instagram
8 Sep 2014 | 5:55 amWhen I'm speaking at a conference, one of the most common questions I'm asked is what do I think the future of social media is. I'm not great at distant future predicting, but I do believe the story of the present and near-future of social media is visual content. From the impact of images and video on Facebook and Twitter to the new crop of media-centric social platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, it's clear that inbound marketers need to be turning out great visual content. I recently spent some time collecting a large Instagram database and analyzing it to… -
[New Data] The Performance of Facebook Post Types Over 3.5 Years
11 Aug 2014 | 10:07 pmUsing a database of 11.4 million posts published by just over 24,000 of the most liked Facebook pages, dating back to 2010 and earlier, I was able to analyse the performance (in terms of likes) of the four most common post types: Photo, Video, Link, and Status (text only posts) over three and a half years. My earlier research showing that Photo posts typically receive the most likes was confirmed by this newer, larger study, but I also found a few other interesting trends. Simple text-based posts have been on a decline since early 2012 and the Video type has begun to gain effectiveness since…
Emily Chang - Designer
rather exhilarating sesh on super low tide
28 Jan 2015 | 12:56 pmInstagram filter used: Normal View in Instagram ⇒ -
friday lines
25 Jan 2015 | 12:12 pmInstagram filter used: Normal View in Instagram ⇒ -
smooth rides. cheers @mitsvensurfboards @mollusksurfshop
23 Jan 2015 | 12:39 pmInstagram filter used: Normal View in Instagram ⇒ -
narwhal by @melaquino
22 Jan 2015 | 12:39 pmInstagram filter used: Normal Photo taken at: Elite Audio Coffee Bar View in Instagram ⇒ -
saturday strolls
17 Jan 2015 | 2:05 pmInstagram filter used: Normal View in Instagram ⇒
Beth's Blog
Hey Nonprofits: Here Comes Gen Z Donors
28 Jan 2015 | 8:51 amMany nonprofit fundraisers know about and have specific strategies to reach, cultivate, and solicit baby boom donors, Gen X donors, and Gen Y donors. But look out, get ready to reach out to Gen Z donors, sometimes called "PhilanthroTeens" or "PhilanthroKids." These potential donors are teens (and pre-teens) with a passion for social change and who grew up not knowing what it was like to not to have a cell phone or be connected to Facebook. That generation has been dubbed as "Generation Z." They are also known as "Qwerty Monsters" who send hundreds of… -
How DoSomething Transformed A Mistake Into Learning: Creating A Culture of Impact
26 Jan 2015 | 11:06 amYou've heard the mantra: Learn from failure. But no one likes to screw up and you can't learn when people are feeling shame and pointing fingers at each other. Dosomething.org knows that mistakes happen, but also knows how as an organization to transform mistakes into organizational learning that leads to better results in a program. This how you create a "culture of impact." Earlier this month the Chronicle of Philanthropy wrote about how the organization corrected a mistake with a text messaging campaign. The mistake: they sent a text message intended for a small… -
Talking Shop with Network Designers and Weavers for Social Change
22 Jan 2015 | 9:50 amWe learn so much about professional practice from having honest and candid conversations. Not only do we learn something new, but it feels great to connect with other people who are asking the sames types of questions about their work. A part of my practice is around network design and facilitation and one of my most respected colleagues in this area is Eugene Eric Kim. So, when he sent around an email that Janne K. Flisrand, who is a network weaver for sustainability networks, was in town and he was organizing an informal gathering, I wanted to go. Eugene is always thoughtful in the… -
Nonprofit Blog Carnival Call for Submissions: What's Your Best Online Personal Productivity Tip?
7 Jan 2015 | 7:57 amI'm honored to be hosting the January, 2015 Nonprofit Blog Carnival and theme is personal productivity online. 2015 has arrived! If you're like most nonprofit folks, you've probably made a few New Year's resolutions that include being more productive and effective at your nonprofit job. But maintaining productivity, especially online, can be challenging. We are living and working ina world that is connected and where sacred space and deep thinking – essential ingredients to online personal productivity – is almost becoming extinct. What is online… -
What Nonprofits Need To Do More in 2015: Embrace Stillness
6 Jan 2015 | 9:21 amThe new year is always a popular time for all of us to take stock and see the big picture. And, every year when the calendar flips over, we embrace reflection and setting goals. However, we live in a connected world where we have gotten so go at being in touch, informed, and connected, that we don't know how to be alone and step away more regularly. People who work in the social good sector world are busy people, flitting from task to the next text or email. Too often, we can caught up on this endless slideshow that is our digital and mobile lifestyle. We focus more…
Rahaf Harfoush - Strategist & NYT Best Selling Author » Blog
[DigiCulture] DYI Cyber-Vigilantism: The Heroes We Need?
26 Jan 2015 | 8:06 amThe Heroes We Need ? This post explores some of my thoughts around concepts of Digital Culture. You can find the other related entries HERE. One of my favorite moments in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is the final scene where Lt. James Gordon tries to explain to his son why the police must hunt down Batman. "Because he's the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now," Gordon says, looking saddened but resigned. I've always loved the quote and find myself thinking of it often. Gotham was dark and flawed and the nature of… -
[SciPO] Course Debrief: Altucher & The Creativity Habit
2 Dec 2014 | 7:08 amThis is the first "show your work" post about my Innovation and Emerging Business Models course for Sciences Po's MBA in Economics and Finance in Paris. You'll be able to see subsequent entries here! This past summer, I was invited by SciencesPo, France's leading university for Social Sciences, to teach a course on innovation for their first year MBA program. 11 sessions later, I can't believe we've reached the end of the semester! For the past few months, every Wednesday I've hopped on the metro and headed over to the beautiful campus in the…
Blogworks: Digital, Social Media, Film Production, Animation, Content Marketing, Brands, Strategy, Research
Web Developer
28 Jan 2015 | 1:53 amLocation: New Delhi Qualifications and Experience: A minimum of 3 years of formal industry/professional experience as a web/mobile designer Solid portfolio demonstrating design savvy Strong understanding of mobile platforms, particularly iOS, Android and Windows Phone7 Understanding of the limitations of web and mobile, with approaches/ideas to flex those boundaries Role Description: Web developer is primarily responsible for working closely with UI/UX designer to create high quality web applications Designing, developing and implementing new websites and landing pages Creating intuitive… -
Creative Director
16 Jan 2015 | 2:47 amLocation: New Delhi Qualifications and Experience: 7+ years of strong experience in a leading advertising & digital marketing agency Role Description: To lead the creative team with strong vision and leadership To craft creative strategies for clients To ensure the timely development and execution of programmes, campaigns and projects Work closely with design and content team on all creative and branding initiatives to ensure a consistent message across channels Develop and facilitate training related to new technology, strategy in sync with the market Ensuring all creatives are on-brand… -
We are 9 today and it's time to b:refreshed.
25 Dec 2014 | 6:35 pmIt's Christmas, 2006. I have spent the night sitting up on my bed, working alongside my developer (he's located in Goa), finalising the www.blogworks.in website. We need to go live tomorrow as our 'Blog the Talk' collaborative series of chats with experts goes live on the site and hits the stand simultaneously in Impact magazine – a first (blogs weren't considered credible by mainstream media back then). Today as I punch this post, news breaks on Twitter first; storytelling, big data, UX/ UI, native apps, mCommerce are common marketing parlance. Digital is mainstream; social… -
11 tips that will help you win digital in 2015
25 Dec 2014 | 5:10 pmWe got together, and spoke with a few brand leaders on what can brands do to refresh their brand stories in 2015. Take a peek: b-shareworthy Content as a driver of conversations – no matter whether it is print, or radio, or TV, or digital, all content will be focussed on driving conversations on digital. Digital, powered by its inherent virality, and backed by fast-growing media spends, will be the reach multiplier for campaigns. Interestingly we wil also see campaigns that go viral then splashed on other media for 'even more mass' reach (and even more virality online). -
16 Dec 2014 | 3:16 amLocation: New Delhi Qualifications and Experience: Post-graduate in Maths/ Statistics/ Operations Research/Economics with 2-3 years of relevant work experience preferably in a knowledge processing role Role Description: Understand client issues and create research designs to address them using primary and/or secondary research methodologies Market Research Project Management, i.e. execute projects through various stages of a project cycle such as data collection, data validation and data analysis Perform quantitative/qualitative and multivariate analysis to look for insights and trends that…
If a Social Media Company Doesn't Offer Both Sides of the Posting Coin, Run Away
23 Jan 2015 | 12:24 amIt's hard to pick a better Joker from the Batman movies. The original Jack Nicholson version was dark and funny and had the psychopathic flare that only Jack can bring to the table. Heath Ledger's Joker brought critical acclaim and an Oscar win because of the raw grittiness in the way he threw himself into the role. We shouldn't choose. We shouldn't have to. Both performances can thrive on their own merits and be watched for generations to come. The same sort of toss-up applies to Facebook and Twitter posting, particularly when it comes to advertising for business. -
Over Half of Internet Users Over 65 Use Facebook
11 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amThe trends have been pointing to older generations jumping on Facebook for a while. Now, the latest numbers from Pew show that over half of internet users over 65 use Facebook. Overall, Facebook's growth slowed but engagement levels increased. On other networks such as Twitter and Pinterest, the number of users rose more dramatically but engagement decreased. While some say this is due to fatigue and accounts going dormant, we speculate that the users are getting more efficient at using the networks. The can be seen in the dramatic rise of adults using multiple networks – 52% in… -
'While You Were Away' Will Make Twitter More Important for Business
5 Jan 2015 | 1:28 amTwitter was tiny. Then it was huge. Then it was irrelevant. Now, it's on the verge of landing somewhere in between "huge" and "irrelevant" with the rollout of their "While you were away" feature. Businesses have had a love/hate relationship with Twitter since its birth. It can be a tremendous communication tool, of course. That hasn't changed. However, it seemed to only be of true benefit for big companies. Local businesses outside of real-time floaters like food trucks or music bands had a hard time generating a true return on investment. The… -
Getting More People to Like Your Facebook Page is 99% Worthless
3 Jan 2015 | 10:50 pmSomeday, I will have the opportunity to prove to a client or prospect beyond any reasonable doubt that this is true. In the meantime, I will continue to write about it in hopes that the facts will win out. To prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, I would have to take a page that has zero fans and send massive engagement and traffic with a small budget. Then, we'd need to look at the statistics to show that a page that starts off with zero likes can have more than just paid reach. It can have more organic reach than pages that have tons of likes. We do have examples, not to the extreme of… -
Building Up a Blog with Social Promotion
2 Jan 2015 | 12:09 amThere are two major components to a good blog. Sure, there are plenty of other components such as design, site speed, consistency, purpose, niche relations… actually, there are so many that I could write a full-length article just listing the different components, let alone going into detail about them. Still, there are two primary components that can overcome poor performance on all of the other areas. Great content. Great promotion. That's it. If your content is strong and you're able to promote your site properly and gain credibility on social media and search,…
Brains on Fire
A Goliath Can Become a David Again
28 Jan 2015 | 8:28 amEarlier this month I was talking with a regional franchise chain with aspirations to grow big… really BIG. But they want to grow BIG without losing their soul. Easier said than done. That conversation reminded me of the growth issue we faced at Starbucks in the late 1990s. At that time, Starbucks was fast approaching 2,000 locations. That's BIG by most standards but Starbucks dreamed bigger and that dream has become reality as Starbucks now operates over 21,000 shops in 63 countries. Starbucks has truly become a Goliath's Goliath. In my love story book about Starbucks, I shared the… -
Now Hiring – Community Manager
26 Jan 2015 | 6:40 amHear ye, hear ye! Brains on Fire is looking for a qualified Community Manager to join our Greenville team. The ideal candidate will be passionate about the environment, and will come ready to rock our clients' worlds with an exceptional ability to think strategically and communicate effectively. A few of the qualities we're looking for: Multi-tasker: The ideal candidate should feel energized by people. They must be able to triage client and advocate needs in a timely manner – and work well under pressure. You'll be wearing lots of hats and responsible for keeping several plates… -
Friday Fotos | BOFLA Edition
23 Jan 2015 | 8:02 amIt has been a big week for Brains on Fire. In case you missed the memo (and the tweets…and the Facebook post…and newsletter…), yesterday we announced the opening of our west coast office, Brains on Fire LA. We were thrilled to have our entire BOFamily together in Greenville this week for the announcement. Here are a few of the highlights… The post Friday Fotos | BOFLA Edition appeared first on Brains on Fire. -
Announcing Brains on Fire LA!
22 Jan 2015 | 7:11 amToday is a really big day for Brains on Fire. We're super excited to announce a new location, new growth opportunities for our team, and most of all, even better services for our clients. Brains on Fire now has a new location in LA! Right in the heart of Atwater Village. Yep. We're officially bi-coastal. Helping brands become a powerful story people want to be part of requires a deeper understanding of what inspires them to care and motivates them to take action. In order to help the brands and organizations we work with grow in new and exciting ways, we always start with people. That… -
5 PSAs That Got "The Art of War" Right
15 Jan 2015 | 6:53 amSun Tzu's "The Art of War" is chock-full of brilliant insights. (So much so, I feel like it should be a required read for every marketer, entrepreneur and business person.) And while we, thankfully, don't have to stand on the frontline of an actual war each day, we are immersed in a form of war. We fight for attention. We fight to be remembered. We fight to break through the noise. We fight to not only make people give a damn, but to give enough of a damn they take action and do something. A tidbit of wisdom from The Art of War… "Engage people with what…
a thousand cuts
Update Your Segmentation Model With Social Data Before It's Too Late
13 Jan 2015 | 7:35 amAttention digital marketers: It's time. If you weren't convinced before, I'm going to attempt to convince you again. If you aren't infusing "why" people are using social media into your marketing segmentation model, you may be missing key ways to make digital marketing successful. Traditional customer segmentation models typically look at some combination of behavioral, attitudinal and demographic data. If leveraged properly that information fuels marketing tactics from personalization to email marketing to direct mail. These models are built through… -
Professional Services at the Digital Crossroads
12 Dec 2013 | 7:22 amI've been watching lots of professional services firms evolve to take on the world of digital. PR agencies are embracing the evolution of communication to online, unstructured and real-time content. Marketers are embracing the troves of data available and looking at how to craft effective campaigns, content and platforms to reach audiences in new ways. Ad agencies are extending "big ideas" to be rooted in shareable social platforms. Even the big consulting firms are finding their way into the digital strategy arena. These are exciting times for anyone in the… -
Engaging the Right Audience on LinkedIn
12 Apr 2012 | 8:21 am(Cross posted on the Fleishman-Hillard DNA blog) LinkedIn, one of the established social networks, is making strides in advancing how businesses can leverage the platform to engage followers. Several weeks ago, LinkedIn launched the LinkedIn Follow Button allowing followers to follow a company page on LinkedIn directly from owned assets like web pages and blogs. This week LinkedIn launched two new products that allow companies to more effectively engage the followers they have. These are both significant leaps forward in helping companies engage followers which typically consist of… -
The Content Convergence Dilemma: Where's the Content Department?
27 Oct 2011 | 6:59 amBy now most companies have figured out that good content is critical in a digital presence. That content can take many forms – user-generated, interactive, structured (data), marketing, conversational, and others. What I've seen in the last month is that most companies still struggle internally with content ownership – who owns the generation? Who owns the publishing? Who owns the maintenance? Someone please tell me, where is the Content Department? Legacy organizational functions are aligned around different types of content, but they converge on the end customer. -
Autumn Transitions
30 Aug 2011 | 5:17 amIt's that time of year. Summer draws to a close, baseball season makes the home stretch to the playoffs, leaves change and school starts. For many it's a new start and a change of seasons. Around this time in 2007, I started exploring how clients could benefit from leveraging social media to build and enhance relationships with customers. Today I am excited to share that I am starting a new position that allows me to focus on doing just that. I have joined Fleishman-Hillard as SVP of Digital and Social Media and as a Partner in the Boston office. It's been more than a decade since I…
Life, Inspired
Best Books of 2014
23 Jan 2015 | 12:04 amWhen I first posted a call on the best books that people have read for the year on my social media accounts, I was thrilled to see what everyone had to share. Some of the recommended books make it to my 'To Read' list. And, I visit revisit the lists regularly. For those interested, here are the links to: Best Books of 2012 and Best Books of 2013. Now, I'm really excited to have a third list to refer to. Thanks again to everyone who contributed! Personally, I'm glad to have had the opportunity to complete reading about 30 books in 2014. I've read many more, but I… -
'Grow': Word of The Year 2015
11 Jan 2015 | 9:15 pmHappy new year! Yes, I know that almost two weeks has passed since 2015 started. And, I am also aware that it has been a month since I last blogged here. I've been avoiding these long breaks over the last few months, but this time, I got defeated. Again. We all know that the holiday season is always a bit hectic. The wisest move would have been to give myself a break and make that official. But, I was overly confident that I would find the time to blog, regardless. Silly, me. I'm not going to give you the details of my holidays – but, needless to say, it was more hectic… -
A New Adventure in Surface Pattern Design
9 Dec 2014 | 7:44 pm1. Throw Pillow 2. Travel Mug 3. Mug (Standard) 4. Mug (Tall) 5. Tote Bag 6. iPhone Case 7. iPad Case 8. Galaxy Phone Case Coming up with my own surface pattern design was something that I've always wanted to do. But, I had no idea how to get started. With my improved digital art making abilities (thanks to DG class), however, I've decided to push my newfound skills a bit further. So, I've scoured the web for tutorials and tips on how to create surface patterns and found: Pattern Design: Creating Inspiring Repeats via Skillshare (Short Ecourse) How To Make Repeating… -
Tea Party Clip Art Set: Now Available on Etsy
4 Dec 2014 | 4:45 amHello, friends. It's Day 4 of 'A Week In The Life 2014' today and I'm meant to be doing a Day 3 recap. But, I must admit, it's feeling pretty lonely, trying to do WITL on my own this year. So, I thought that even though I plan to continue taking photos and notes (I have been doing so for four days now, so I should be able to keep going for three more days) — I'm taking a break from blogging about them on a day-by-day basis. Last year, part of my incentive to make the extra effort to blog about the photos daily was two-fold: Being able to join-in with other people in the… -
A Week In The Life 2014: Day 2
3 Dec 2014 | 4:55 amAs day after crazy day goes by this week, I'm really wondering if I'm going to survive this year's attempt at 'A Week In The Life'. I know I often say that most of my weeks are crazy. But, I think this week is particularly so, with so many things happening that are out of our usual routines – kids' last week of the school year, backyard renovations at a fever pitch, personal/family celebrations, catching up on as much work as possible before the holidays settle in… So, yeah, I'm not sure what possessed me to decide that this week is the week to record to represent 2014…
Bare Feet Studios
Mindful Goal Setting
26 Jan 2015 | 8:17 pmI really wanted to promote my Mindful Social Business Coaching program during the holidays. But I was overwhelmed by the hype being delivered by the email lists to which I myself am subscribed. I really am committed to creating a hype-free zone here for us. So as each day went by, I went inside and listened for a compelling "message to market."... The post Mindful Goal Setting appeared first on Bare Feet Studios. -
Announcing: Your Mindful Social Media Business Coach
6 Nov 2014 | 10:18 amI want to be your social media business coach, offering a mindful approach to using these tools, and especially dedicated to consultants, artists, small business owners, marketing managers, and nonprofits. This is an idea that has literally been on my wish list, years in the making! But it was only recently that I found the perfect web-based platform! NEXT SESSION STARTS MONDAY,... The post Announcing: Your Mindful Social Media Business Coach appeared first on Bare Feet Studios. -
Thank You to Basecamp – You Are Amazing
9 Oct 2014 | 12:49 pmIs it just me or is it getting harder and harder to be wildly surprised, out of the blue, with something so totally unexpected that your first reaction is, this must be a prank? The internet has us all so connected and up to date on life as it is unfolding. We have become a society of know-it-alls (or maybe that is... The post Thank You to Basecamp – You Are Amazing appeared first on Bare Feet Studios. -
Join Our List and Increase Your Internet Literacy
19 Sep 2014 | 6:42 pmI am celebrating 10 years of work using social business* tools, by, ahem, finally starting our own company email list. Yes, you can hear the horns of #irony blowing loudly at this moment, as I have set up over 50 email lists for clients over the years and it is one of my Number One recommended tools. All I can say is... The post Join Our List and Increase Your Internet Literacy appeared first on Bare Feet Studios. -
Social Media Case Study: Collaborate with Traditional Media
26 Feb 2014 | 12:09 amLet me introduce you to my client, HCAP – Honolulu Community Action Program, Inc. They are among the top 10 largest nonprofits in Hawaii, with a wide range of services being provided across Oʻahu. I have been working with them for the past few months as a Social Media Executive-in-Residence. Somewhat surprisingly for an organization of its size, it had managed to... The post Social Media Case Study: Collaborate with Traditional Media appeared first on Bare Feet Studios.
Ignite Social Media
Community Manager Appreciation Day 2015: A Fun Look Inside CM Life
26 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amIt's time yet again for one of our favorite holidays here at Ignite Social Media – Community Manager Appreciation Day. The role of a Community Manager has changed drastically over the last decade, transforming from a forum moderator into a jack of all trades in the digital space. While some days we all just wish the Internet would shut itself off at 5 p.m. so we could have an email-free evening, most days we're thrilled to have one of the most interesting jobs around. To celebrate Community Manager Appreciation Day this year, Kathleen Tierney and I thought we'd give you a little… -
Social Media Marketing Strategies for 2015
26 Jan 2015 | 5:29 amWe created Ignite Social Media in 2007 and so much has changed in the intervening eight years. The rise of Facebook brand pages and the fall of organic reach; Brands chasing likes and followers, encouraged in part by the social networks themselves; Twitter gradually introducing an algorithm to its feed; The great promise of social ads (excellent targeting) failing mightily; The introduction of new networks, from Instagram to Snapchat, with rapidly changing audience demographics; The rise of the mobile phone, becoming the #1 device for accessing social media. Given that, how should brands… -
Counting on Social Sharing for Your Super Bowl Ad? | Social You Should Know
25 Jan 2015 | 8:00 amSuper Bowl Video Sharing Drops; Early Release of Video Does Not Help At a time when sharing of the average video increased 22%, sharing of Super Bowl ads decreased 29% last year vs. 2013. A separate study found that 45% of consumers were aware of a typical Super Bowl ad, but only 3% recalled seeing it before the game. What does help brands drive sales? A pre-Super Bowl promotion that generates 9% brand awareness, rivaling the 15% that the ad itself gets, and outperforming the ads themselves in improving purchase intent. It's time to get back to promotions, including social media… -
Instagram Photography for Community Managers: How To Get Fans To Double-Tap That
24 Jan 2015 | 12:32 pmThe list of things a community manager needs to know seems to keep growing. It now includes everything from writing abilities, to analytics assessment, to a sense of humor paired with a sensei-level patience. With the high engagement rates that we typically see on posts containing visual content, here's one more to be added to the list: photography skills. Gone are the days of stale stock photography and repurposed print content – which is a great thing – so here are some guidelines to ensure your own photos are top-notch, thumb-stopping and thoroughly engaging on Instagram (and… -
Pinterest Advertising Arrives for Brands
23 Jan 2015 | 8:14 amDing, ding, ding! That's the sound of Pinterest hopping in the advertising ring, ready to compete for ad dollars with the other big dogs of social media. While you may have noticed beta testing in Summer 2014 in the form of a scattered, strictly selected promoted pins, the gates opened on January 1 to all potential advertisers. How does Pinterest advertising work? The Pinterest algorithm works to introduce you to new experiences, new things to buy, essentially discovering for you by targeting age, sex, location, and interests. It is the very definition of right time marketing, serving the…
Marketing Roadmaps
2014 in Review: Some of my favorite sponsored content programs (part 1)
5 Jan 2015 | 2:08 pmDisclosure: I am Senior Vice President, Integrated Marketing at SheKnows Media. Advertising and social media marketing programs are a significant source of revenue for my company and for the bloggers in our advertising network. In my job at BlogHer, and now at SheKnows Media following its acquisition of BlogHer, I am privileged to work with our client brands and our community experts, bloggers and social influencers on some truly excellent sponsored content programs. To start off this year, in my next few posts I will share a few of my favorites from 2014, along with why I think the… -
FTC Update: Operation Full Disclosure; Disclosing a compensated trip
1 Oct 2014 | 7:46 amLast Thursday, the Federal Trade Commission issued a press release about its Operation "Full Disclosure." The most important thing for bloggers to know about Operation "Full Disclosure" is that it has NOTHING to do with sponsored posts on blogs. It was aimed squarely at national television and print advertisers that failed to make adequate disclosures in their ads. More than 60 companies received FTC warning letters, largely focusing on disclosures that were in fine print, easy to miss or hard to read. The FTC Guidelines apply to ALL advertising claims and endorsements… -
Blogger Compensation: How Much is a Sponsored Post Worth?
6 Aug 2014 | 12:12 pmCross-posted on BlogHer Disclosure: I am Vice President, Sales Marketing at BlogHer. Advertising and social media marketing programs are a significant source of revenue for my company and for the bloggers in our advertising network. BlogHer 2014. We just celebrated the 10th anniversary of a little conference held to tell the world: Here are the women who blog. Many things have changed in the social media landscape since July 2005. But a constant, at least in my little corner, is that social media offers consumers an opportunity to have a voice about the products and services they buy. To… -
A practical definition of content marketing
8 Jun 2014 | 7:28 pmDisclosure: I am Vice President of Sales & Influencer Marketing at BlogHer. Advertising and social media marketing programs are a significant source of revenue for my company and for the bloggers in our advertising network. Content marketing. It is the hot topic of 2014. And like "native advertising," there are as many definitions of and opinions about it as there are marketing pundits on the interwebs. Far be it from me to back away from a challenge. Linguistically, content marketing simply is using "content" to market products and services. But what exactly is… -
FTC Endorsement Guidelines Update: Disclosing a Sweeps or Contest Entry on Social Media
1 Apr 2014 | 7:51 am(Photo credit: Wikipedia) Disclosure: Not a lawyer. Don't play one on the Internet. But I've studied the FTC endorsement guidelines. A lot. Yesterday news broke that the FTC had issued a warning to shoe manufacturer Cole Haan, notifying it that the disclosures used by consumers in its Wandering Sole contest on Pinterest were not sufficiently clear as to the potential material connection between contest entrants and the company. Said the letter (as quoted in MediaPost "We do not believe that the "#WanderingSole" hashtag adequately communicated the financial…
Koka Sexton | Social Selling Tips | Social Marketing Leader
Content Marketing Resources
27 Jan 2015 | 8:50 amThe great thing about being in intent marketing is that there are so many other content marketing professionals creating…you guessed it, content. Here are some of the best social updates that talk about content marketing on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter and other social networks. These are some great resources for people that are trying to step up their content marketing game. View the story "Must read marketing articles" on Storify Powered by WP Bannerize -
Highlights from LinkedIn's GSK
25 Jan 2015 | 6:38 pmLast week was LinkedIn's Global Sales Kickoff, this year it was hosted in Los Angeles at the famed Nokia Theater where some of the biggest award shows in the world take place. This is my second GSK for LinkedIn [you can see the first one here] and it was bigger and better than the last. I have been to many GSK's in my career either as a participant or a speaker and no one does it like LinkedIn. I was prepared for the grand scale of things but even being prepared didn't fully set me up. It was so great to see so many sales people I know and it was wonderful to have the… -
A collection of #SocialSelling posts for the week
17 Jan 2015 | 2:36 pmI've put together a series of articles that will benefit sales professionals.These are social selling knowledge and strategy posts that I found valuable and thought you would like to see also. Some of these articles are very rich in data that can help drive decisions within your organization. Most of them are around LinkedIn as the social media tool to us but there are some that talk about Twitter and other social networks too. View the story "Favorite #SocialSelling Posts of the Week" on Storify Powered by WP Bannerize -
Content Marketing Posts You Should Read
17 Jan 2015 | 1:16 pmHere are some of the top content marketing posts I found this week. Many of these are great marketing resources that you will want to bookmark and use as reference materials as you build you content marketing strategies for 2015. From agencies to thought leaders these posts have a ton of information for you to learn from. View the story "Content Marketing Tips" on Storify Powered by WP Bannerize -
Content Marketing Food Groups
17 Jan 2015 | 11:19 amMarketing professionals wonder what makes for a great mix of content. You can't have a content strategy or blog strategy that is solely based around your product features and functionality. It will be too boring and the goal is to have people looking forward to the next time you hit the publish button. The team at LinkedIn Marketing Solutions has a model they follow that I feel is one of the best I've seen when it comes to content marketing best practices. The idea is simple, think of your content strategy like a world class chef and break content into food groups that will feed…
MarketingProfs: Marketing Opinions
Why You Can't Ignore Social's Selling Power
29 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amHow much of an influence on sales does social media have? Here's a look at recent findings from the Sloan School of Management and Tsinghua University regarding the power of persuasion via social on buyers. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
Five Marketing Lessons That the Common Core Initiative Should Have Followed
28 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amBetter planning (and marketing) could've helped the Common Core Initiative gain more adoption. Here's what it could've done and what marketers must keep in mind when pitching new programs. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
UGC Can Strengthen the Relationship Between Your Social Media and Content Marketing
27 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amThe relationship between social and content marketing can feel forced, but user-generated content can make it a healthier, happier union. Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
Five Fears of SMBs
26 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amWhat really weighs on the minds of small business owners? And, more importantly, what can they do to help relieve those worries? Read the full article at MarketingProfs -
Why Machine Learning Can Help Marketers Connect With Consumers
23 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amWhen applied to Big Data, machine learning can be used to predict the most effective message to serve to the right person at the right time. Here's a deeper look at how machine learning can help you become a better marketer. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
Digital Trends
Microsoft's new Outlook app for iOS and Android syncs all your email together
29 Jan 2015 | 8:27 amMicrosoft's new Outlook app for iOS and Android syncs email from all your accounts in one place, has a built-in calendar, shows you attachments, and more. The new app makes it much easier to use Outlook email on any platform. The post Microsoft's new Outlook app for iOS and Android syncs all your email together appeared first on Digital Trends. -
Intel's Basis Peak finally gets notifications for calls, texts, events, and more
29 Jan 2015 | 8:20 amThe Basis Peak looks like a smartwatch, but acts like a fitness tracker. The Peak can monitor your heart rate, sleep, activity, and overall wellness. The post Intel's Basis Peak finally gets notifications for calls, texts, events, and more appeared first on Digital Trends. -
Dartz, the company that makes superspy-worthy armored cars, now makes car seats
29 Jan 2015 | 8:15 amLatvian carmaker Dartz, a brand known for tank-like vehicles and gold-plated exuberance, now makes child car seats. Made with top-end Ferrari Red leather, the 'l'Enfante Terrible' is perfect for your little dictator in training. The post Dartz, the company that makes superspy-worthy armored cars, now makes car seats appeared first on Digital Trends. -
Video: Watch the Tesla P85D's 'Insane' torque turn adults into giddy, frightened children
29 Jan 2015 | 7:15 amThe Tesla P85D is a formidable machine, with 691 horsepower and 864 pound-feet of instant torque on tap. The range-topping 'Insane Mode' sends all of that power to the wheels, which is enough to scare the unsuspecting passengers in this video. The post Video: Watch the Tesla P85D's 'Insane' torque turn adults into giddy, frightened children appeared first on Digital Trends. -
This passport lets you use a selfie as the photo, no duck face allowed
29 Jan 2015 | 6:31 amLater this year, Ireland will introduce an official passport which uses a selfie as the photo. A smartphone app will be used to apply for the card, through which the snapshot will also be taken. The post This passport lets you use a selfie as the photo, no duck face allowed appeared first on Digital Trends.
SocialTimes Feed
The Mindset, Skillset, Dataset Approach to Social Media
29 Jan 2015 | 8:03 amSocial media is known to be an addictive medium and can be a performance deflator at work. But it also represents a big area of opportunity for marketers who want to target market based on social media data. The problem? Social media is comprised primarily of unstructured data, which is difficult to analyze. A new approach called Mindset, Skillset, Dataset can help marketers make sense of complex social media data. Mindset refers to the ability to think beyond a certain frame of reference and look at the bigger 'Why' of solving a particular problem. Skillset refers to analytical… -
Facebook Adds Emoji to Messenger Thread Titles
29 Jan 2015 | 7:05 amOne of the fruits of Facebook's recent hackathon in Seattle's Space Needle was introduced Wednesday by software engineer Bob Baldwin, who announced in a Facebook post that thread titles in the social network's Messenger application can now include emoji. Baldwin wrote: You can now put emoji in Facebook Messenger thread titles! I built this at a Facebook Seattle hackathon in the Space Needle a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy! Readers: What do you think of this new feature? -
Starship Launches Playworld Superheroes on iOS
29 Jan 2015 | 6:05 amStarship, a Liverpool-based digital media, technology and entertainment company, has announced the release of Playworld Superheroes on mobile devices. The game is aimed at players five and up, and engages a child's imagination by allowing them to create and become a superhero of their own design, taking them into adventures to save the world from an alien invasion. Gameplay in Playworld Superheroes is split into two distinct sections: hero creation and hero adventures. In the creation portion of the game, players hang out in and around their treehouse, creating pieces for their superhero… -
People Still Share Most of Their Content on Facebook (Twitter? Not so Much)
29 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amFacebook is dead, right? Wrong, at least when it comes to sharing content, where Facebook continues to reign supreme. Indeed, according to a new study from ShareThis, Facebook's \"share of shares\" grew 8.2 percent in Q4 2014, and was the only platform apart from email to record positive growth. And for the record, sharing via email grew by 0.3 percent. Every other social platform was used less to share content last year. Twitter fared worst of all, falling 3 percent, and now has a smaller overall slice of the pie than Pinterest. Facebook now owns 85 percent of the mobile and 74 percent of… -
Social Media Newsfeed: Facebook Mobile | Tumblr Long Form
29 Jan 2015 | 5:00 amClick here to receive the Morning Social Media Newsfeed via email. Facebook's Q4 2014: Mobile is Now 69 Percent Of Ad Revenue (SocialTimes) All estimates going into Q4 showed that ad spend on Facebook would rise. Facebook validated this belief Wednesday, showing that the company reaped its all-time high in quarterly ad revenue — $3.59 billion. Of that figure, 69 percent of Facebook's ad revenue came via mobile. The New York Times The company reported that revenue increased 49 percent in the fourth quarter compared to the previous year, exceeding Wall Street's expectations. But…
Quick Online Tips
How to Use WhatsApp Online in Your Web Browser
24 Jan 2015 | 8:24 pmDid you know you can use WhatsApp Web online on your computer web browser and use all the WhatsApp features from anywhere. The feature is live now and you can... more »Read full original article at How to Use WhatsApp Online in Your Web Browser©2015 QuickOnlineTips. All Rights Reserved. -
Read 2000 Popular Magazines Online for Rs. 500 Monthly!
22 Jan 2015 | 3:48 amMagzter Gold now offers you 2000+ popular magazines for a low subscription fee of around RS 500 per month ($8). This is a great deal for magazine readers, as this allows... more »Read full original article at Read 2000 Popular Magazines Online for Rs. 500 Monthly!©2015 QuickOnlineTips. All Rights Reserved. -
How to Load Bootstrap Faster in 5 Easy Steps
18 Jan 2015 | 11:42 pmHow can you make Bootstrap load faster? Thousands of websites use Bootstrap for developing a great mobile first website easily and is an essential web design element. Bootstrap scripts and... more »Read full original article at How to Load Bootstrap Faster in 5 Easy Steps©2015 QuickOnlineTips. All Rights Reserved. -
How to Change WordPress Login Page Logo & Background
15 Jan 2015 | 6:19 amDid you know you change the WordPress login screen logo and background easily. Just as you have a custom WordPress theme and a unique site design, why should you not... more »Read full original article at How to Change WordPress Login Page Logo & Background©2015 QuickOnlineTips. All Rights Reserved. -
Fastest Way to Take Screenshots with Dropbox
14 Jan 2015 | 1:55 amWhat is the fastest way to take screenshots and save to Dropbox storage? Well I used to take the long way of press Print Screen key, then paste screenshot into my... more »Read full original article at Fastest Way to Take Screenshots with Dropbox©2015 QuickOnlineTips. All Rights Reserved.
Web Strategy by Jeremiah
A New Industry: These Groups Love Freelancers
26 Jan 2015 | 6:53 amA new industry is birthing to serve ride sharing drivers, Airbnb hosts, Freelancers, Taskrabbits, and Makers. A booming market emerges: The Freelancer Economy is predicted to be 40% of the American workforce in just five years, and the startups that power them have been funded over $10B – and a whole new class of organizations have emerged to support, empower, and connect freelancers. Over the last decade, the Social Media industry birthed many groups to serve content providers. The birth of the social media industry resulted in many realizing that the audience gave way to… -
Collaborative Economy Spreadsheets: Funding, Industry Stats, Brand Deployments
23 Jan 2015 | 6:39 amAs part of our ongoing research on the Collaborative Economy industry, we collect, analyze, and forecast where this market is heading. In the spirit of transparency and sharing, we openly share this data with the open market. Each of the three sheets are in continual production and improvement. They don't stay static for long. Although you cannot edit the online sheets, you can download the files, then edit, splice, or use in your own presentations at will. The first sheet, Startup Funding in the Collaborative Economy, is the most developed, with over a dozen tabs, which include analysis,… -
Crowd Companies: The Year in Review and Planning for 2015
26 Dec 2014 | 10:12 amIt's the end of the year. This post is a reflection of the Collaborative Economy market and Crowd Companies in 2014, as well as a look towards what lies ahead. The Collaborative Economy was a leading business topic of 2014. Over the past year, the Collaborative Economy movement has gained more attention from mainstream media, seen incredible pushback from the incumbents like taxi companies and obtained tremendous amounts of funding, while some startups created situations that left them exposed to intense scrutiny. Meanwhile, adoption by the public was forecasted to double (my findings on… -
2015 Is the Year of the Crowd (Slides & Video)
14 Dec 2014 | 4:28 amLeWeb Deck: 2015 The Year of the Crowd from Jeremiah Owyang In the embedded presentation above, I assert that 2015 Is the Year of the Crowd, and make the point in a few ways: The growth in nearly every sector of society with the expanded Collaborative Economy (healthcare, logistics, municipal, corporate and more), see Honeycomb 2, Massive funding in this space, which has overtook funding to popular social networks, see spreadsheet, How the disruptive incumbents are pushing back –legitimizing the movement, see disruption deck, How brands are moving into this space, their adoption… -
Collaborative Economy Honeycomb 2 –Watch it Grow
7 Dec 2014 | 3:01 pmAbove Image: Honeycomb 2.0, click and access multiple sizes stored on Flickr, Please share widely, with attribution, non-commercially. The first version had six industries –now it's twelve I'll be releasing this graphic on stage tomorrow at LeWeb conference in Paris, on a session called 2015: The Year of the Crowd. Seven months ago, in May 2014, we published the first version of the Collaborative Economy Honeycomb, which is also embedded at the bottom of this post. It contained six families of industries that are being impacted by P2P commerce, including: 1) Goods, 2)…
solar feed crenk-feed
How To Install Marine Solar Panels
26 Jan 2015 | 12:35 amSolar panels can be a great help to sailors, keeping vital lights and appliances functioning, even when batteries run low or a generator malfunctions. They are also a much quieter way of recharging batteries! Learning how to install marine solar panels will be vital for the sailor who wants their advantages, but first he or she must learn which solar panels are best. Three types of solar cells are commonly used in solar panels, each with its own advantages. The sailor needs to learn these advantages and select the solar panels that are best for the need. Types of Solar Panels Solar panels… -
Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels
25 Jan 2015 | 4:47 amWith rising energy costs and massive stress on our electrical grids, solar is gaining in popularity. Not everyone realizes you can heat your home without buying big panel systems. Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels – Gain You can use solar energy to heat your home through a concept known as gain. While you may associate panel systems with any mention of solar power, they are not a component of this approach. Of course, this makes the installation a heck of a lot cheap than going with traditional panel systems. Solar gain is a concept that has been with us for much of the… -
Get Great Tips About Solar Energy From Experts Who Know!
24 Jan 2015 | 1:09 pmSolar panel installation is a green solution. This is an investment that is important. You have to understand if it will fit into your budget. Continue reading to educate yourself about solar energy so that you can decide whether or not it's the right choice for you. If you're prepared to stick with the investment in the long run, solar energy systems are an outstanding means for saving money. Installing solar panels requires a substantial investment, so years may pass before the panels generate sufficient savings to cover your cost. Invest in solar conversion only when you are… -
Concentrating Solar Power Systems
15 Jan 2015 | 8:43 pmIf you have ever seen a field with several mirrors pointing toward the sun you may be looking at a solar power system. These systems work to concentrate the sunlight to one area and use the heat to heat up the liquid that flows along the pipes. This system is called Parabolic-trough system. This type of system heats oil that is flowing through the pipe. The oil is hot and that is why it is used to boil water to power a steam generator which in turns powers electricity. The reason that this system works so well is because the U-shaped mirrors attracts and collects the suns heat which is then… -
Solar Energy – The Future of Generating Energy for the Home
5 Jan 2015 | 2:46 amSolar energy for residential houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of rising cost of real estate; newer more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources. Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced urban planning method of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as possible directed towards where it could capture the most sunlight. The ancients might not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use catch phrases as…
Professional Blog - Chris Saad
Long term, personalized value in the news business
27 Jan 2015 | 4:22 pmJust a quick thought...Media companies are so focused on "going where the audience is" that they forget how to serve those audiences, cultivate them, inform them and build trust with them over the long term with a web and mobile product that serves the needs of the news consumer.They say that Facebook and Twitter have "made the home page irrelevant" - while that's true, in actuality they've dived head first into that irrelevancy by missing opportunity after opportunity for true personalization and next-gen UI/UX metaphors.News feed, social, real-time, follow, notify, citizen journalism,… -
How telling our own stories is disrupting Journalism
8 Jan 2015 | 9:20 amIt's become increasingly clear to a growing number of people that the Internet, and more recently Social Media, are empowering individuals to tell their own story... 1 tweet at a time. Victims, Terrorists, Dictators, Celebrities, Politicians, Countries and even every day citizens get to publish their message, their way, free of pesky intermediaries called 'Journalists'.I've been writing about this, in one form or another, for pretty much as long as I can remember. Certainly since I read the Cluetrain Manifesto some 10+ years ago.Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying there's no place for… -
Context is Everything. News Should Be A Collaborative Work
9 Dec 2014 | 8:16 amNews is broken. In a Twitter Generation most people just read the headlines before getting incensed and outraged... for 15 minutes. For me, I try (and often fail) to make a point of reading the whole article before forming an opinion. Often times reading many, many articles. I find myself wishing there was a great deal more supporting information on the page so that I don't have to work so hard to discover the truth.But I'm a news and information junkie, right? The mainstream audience doesn't need or want that kind of detail, right? It's not worth the effort because it won't… -
Collaborative Works
19 Nov 2014 | 3:34 pmThere's been a lot of talk about the impact of social media on mainstream media, democracy and politics. It's also clear that the 'collaborative' or 'sharing' economy is going to massively disrupt traditional business models and concepts of ownership vs. access.I'd like to propose another area of exploration. Collaborative Works. That is, work product produced as a result of a broad collaboration between loosely tied peers.Think Wikipedia.I struggle to think of too many other great examples. Some loosely related case studies might include...Facebook Groups,… -
The Tyranny of Choice
14 Aug 2014 | 10:02 amFor the longest time I was all about Choice. Give users flexibility, power, choice I'd say. Open ecosystems create opportunities for innovation I'd say.I've recently changed my mind. At least when it comes to the first few stages of creating a new product/company/opportunity.It seems that the number of people with any taste and tenacity is quite small and the opportunity (especially when you're just getting started) is not about consumer choice but about product choices. Creating great Product is all about making hard, opinionated choices based on best practices, intentionality and…
Des Walsh
Getting on the Bus with Zeusvision
12 Jan 2015 | 5:34 pmOn the Bus A while ago in the post Zeusvison Levels the Outdoor Advertising Playing Field I wrote about an exciting new venture in which the Zeusvision company was putting ads on the side of buses, but with a very special twist of interest to anyone in small business, especially because of the amazingly economical aspect – with ads for as little as $99. As I wrote in that post: Think of Zeusvision as a huge iPhone™ on wheels that can position itself wherever the client desires, delivering customized multimedia messages and experiences for as little as $99. It was great to have been… -
Are you aiming up for 2015?
31 Dec 2014 | 8:49 pmAiming Up It's that changeover time again, New Years, when we put behind us what was not so good in the year just ended and indulge in some hoping and dreaming about a better picture for the year ahead. In this post I'm sharing some thoughts and experience about aiming up, setting some stretch goals, not settling for more of the same. It's not about New Year's resolutions. At least not the way I think of them. I don't know about you but I'm not great on New Year's resolutions. Probably too many in the past that I have not kept. But I do think… -
Zeusvision Levels the Outdoor Advertising Playing Field
26 Oct 2014 | 6:47 pmOutdoor advertising Just outside a fire station near where I live there is a modestly sized noticeboard facing the main road. It has the occasional warning in season about high fire danger. It has also featured from time to time messages of congratulation or celebration of various events, someone's birthday, a wedding anniversary, a graduation. I doubt it has cost much to use, as it's not really a big signboard. And it's on a local road, not the highway. It doesn't compare with the huge signs you can see along the freeway, much less with the even more impressive ones… -
5 Things I've Learned About Getting Started with Podcasting
22 Sep 2014 | 5:12 pmI'm planning a new podcasting show and in the process I've been reflecting on my podcasting journey so far, which has included a few starts and a few stops. With a few lessons learned along the way. Some key lessons have been: The focus of your show must fascinate you You don't need elaborate gear to get started Join a community of podcasters Get the sequence of actions right at the outset Get a good hosting service 1. The focus of your show must fascinate you Creating and maintaining a podcast show takes work and discipline. So take time to choose a topic that fascinates…
Chad's Blog
Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: The Power of Testimonials
28 Jan 2015 | 12:07 pmIssue No. 108 January 28, 2015 Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: The Power of Testimonials This week's reflection point: One of the recurring discussions I often have with my clients is all about testimonials. They are critical to create and increase your credibility and demonstrate your track record of success. The more testimonials you have the more impactful they are. I encourage you to solicit them actively and continuously and make sure they focus on describing the impact you have helped create for your client. There are two types of testimonials. The best are unsolicited, when your… -
Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: How Influential Are You?
21 Jan 2015 | 12:03 pmIssue No. 107 January 21, 2015 Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: How Influential Are You? This week's reflection point: One of the interesting phenomena manifesting itself through the social media platforms is the attempt to measure one's virtual influence through a score provided by an online tool called Klout. This tool provides an individualized score from 0 to 100, based on one's activities, connections, conversations and popularity on the web. The higher the score, the more popular one supposedly is. It's rather easy to impact and significantly increase your Klout… -
Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: Thought-Provoking Conversations
14 Jan 2015 | 1:58 pmIssue No. 106 January 14, 2015 Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: Thought-Provoking Conversations This week's reflection point: Earlier today, I had a terrific conversation with Dan Pink, NYT and WSJ bestselling author of books I highly recommend: To Sell is Human, Drive and A Whole New World. Dan is our featured VIP guest for our new electronic magazine, which is scheduled to debut in conjunction with the upcoming launch of our new site for The Chad Barr Group. During our conversation, we discussed topics such as: why right brainers are going to rule the world, how to leverage intrinsic… -
Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: Your Network Exponential Power
7 Jan 2015 | 2:02 pmIssue No. 105 January 7, 2015 Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: Your Network Exponential Power This week's reflection point: There is an amazing potential to grow your business within your existing network. Unfortunately, most don't recognize this awesome power. So let me explain. Take a look at your immediate network that surrounds you: your clients, suppliers (or partners), friends, and associates (or colleagues). If each one of them provides you with a referral that leads to a business, that would be 4 new clients. If you then look at the 2nd connection level where each one of… -
Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: New Year's Resolution
31 Dec 2014 | 1:46 pmIssue No. 104 December 31, 2014 Raising the Barr Weekly Memo: New Year's Resolution This week's reflection point: I recently came across statistics compiled by the University of Scranton regarding New Year's resolutions. Here are some interesting highlights: The top resolutions are: lose weight, get organized, spend less and save more, enjoy life, and stay fit and healthy. 45% of Americans make such resolutions while 38% never make any resolutions. 8% successfully achieve their resolutions. 75% of resolutions are maintained through the first week, which is down to 46% after six…
My top essays in 2014 about mobile, growth, and tech
6 Jan 2015 | 12:30 pmHello readers, Happy 2015 and hope everyone had a relaxing holiday. As always, more essays are coming soon for the next year. In the meantime, I wanted to share some of my essays published here over the last year. If you want to stay up to date, just make sure to subscribe for updates. Also, thanks to the SumoMe team (specifically Noah Kagan!) for supporting my hosting costs. I've used SumoMe since the product was in alpha and find it immensely helpful in building an audience. Thanks, Andrew The essays Without further ado, here's a selection of essays published in 2014: Make… -
Why messaging apps are so addictive (Guest Post)
4 Nov 2014 | 10:30 am[Andrew: This guest post is written by my friend and former Palo Alto running partner, Nir Eyal. Messaging apps have been a fascinating area within mobile, and the big reason for it is that the metrics – especially engagement – have been amazingly strong. I asked Nir to write a bit about why this might be the case, using the habit model. He's in a unique position to comment on this: After spending time at Stanford and in the startup world, recently he's been writing about psychology – particularly habit-building – and applying that to the realm of… -
IAC's HowAboutWe co-founder: How to Avoid Delusional Thinking in Start-up Growth Strategy (Guest Post)
13 Oct 2014 | 10:46 am[Andrew: Trying to build and launch dating apps is a favorite pastime of 20-something tech entrepreneurs. However, dating products are notoriously hard to grow because it requires people to be "in-market" and also they don't necessarily want their friends to know they're online dating. Today, we have a great piece from a veteran of the space. Earlier this year, IAC bought HowAboutWe, a new dating product that was trying to reinvent the entire experience so that it'd focus on activities rather than dating profiles. The cofounder, Aaron Schildkrout, contributed… -
Mobile retention benchmarks for 2014 vs 2013 show a 50% drop in D1 retention (Guest post)
24 Sep 2014 | 11:03 am[Andrew: There's very little data out there on mobile, and so in the last few weeks, I've had guest posts on the % of users who opt-in to push notifications, as well as clickthrough rates of push. Today, I have some new metrics around retention, including for the first time, a systematic study of D1/D7/D30 retention for mobile apps. This is released by Mack Flavelle of Tapstream, who you can follow on Twitter] Mack Flavelle, Tapstream: As most app developers know, retaining new users is hard and some would say it gets harder every year. At Tapstream we wanted to test that notion… -
New data on push notifications show up to 40% CTRs, the best perform 4X better than the worst (Guest post)
16 Sep 2014 | 10:00 am[Andrew: A few weeks ago, the folks at Kahuna released some great data showing that up to 60% of users opt-out of push notifications. Now they're releasing some new data on the click-through rates of push notifications, showing the differences between app categories and breaking down the reasons why some apps are so much stronger than others. They were gracious enough to share this data for the first time, as a guest post on here – you can get in touch with the author, Alli Brian or Adam Marchick, Kahuna's CEO.] Push notification click-through rates via Alli Brian @…
Social Gears
There is a Very Important Reason Why You Should Add a Personal Domain Name to Your Profile Website
26 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amQuite simply, if you want to appear top of the search engines, this one method will significantly help and improve your search engine optimization(SEO). To see it yourself search for Network Earth CEO "Stephen Fells" and take a look at what is top of the organic search results. Here are the Google results: And the results are the same on Bing: That's right – his Follr profile Website appears top of the organic results, above LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, multiple blogs he contributes to, it's even higher than Google Plus. You can register any domain to your Follr… -
Social Wall – A Centralized and Visually Beautiful Way to Highlight Your Social Media
15 Jan 2015 | 8:00 amOne of the most popular Follr features is the "Social Wall": Social Wall automatically aggregates all of your social content and presents a beautiful visual mashup of your Facebook updates, tweets, YouTube videos, blog posts, Pinterest pins and content from many other social Websites. You can also see the content full screen: To see this full size click here or click here: http://stephenfells.com/wall All of the content is responsive which means it will display on your mobile phone or tablet and is updated in real time! Create your Follr account today by clicking here! -
Do You Know Which Social Network Works Best For You?
13 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amIf someone wants information about you, where do they look first? Is it a social network, a Website, some other online location? Which social network provides the most information, the most complete picture of you, but most importantly the most value from the perspective of clients, vendors or potential new business relationships? Like many business owners my information is all over the Web. Using reports provided by Follr I know that, in December, people researched me via the following services: 1. Facebook 2. FourSquare 2. LinkedIn 4. ActiveRain 5. Inman Along with this data Follr also… -
RebelMouse Integration Extended to Follr Personal
19 Nov 2014 | 11:00 amEarlier this month we announced the integration of RebelMouse into the Follr Community platform and we have now added it to the Follr Pro product. RebelMouse is a content platform for the social, mobile web. It is redefining publishing and content marketing by helping content travel farther, faster, and be shared more widely. Like Follr it enables marketers and media companies to create real-time digital experiences across multiple channels at once and mobilizes communities around topics, interests and causes that matter. Adding RebelMouse to Follr provides for a very powerful platform. To… -
"Managing Online Risk: Apps, Mobile, and Social Media Security" Book Released Featuring Stephen Fells
11 Nov 2014 | 8:02 amDeborah Gonzalez "Managing Online Risk: Apps, Mobile, and Social Media Security", authored by Deborah Gonzalez, is a definitive resource that provides an overview of the risk mitigation strategies, solutions and best practices to address liability and security concerns arising from corporate online and digital activity. The book, based on content aggregation, seeks out and integrates the most recent and best information available. Chapter 3, "Reputation and Identity" includes an interview with Follr CEO Stephen Fells. The book presents readers with tools and resources…
comcastic truthiness
29 Jan 2015 | 5:12 amIn the United States everyone loves their cable and internet providers. We love them so much we call them often, give them tons of money and rave about them to our friends and coworkers on a regular basis. It would seem that Comcast doesn't think our reviews and praises are enough, so they run all kinds of ads. In those ads they appear to have been making claims that aren't quite true. As a result, the NAD (unfortunate abbreviation for the National Advertising Division) has told them to cut it out. -
adblock IRL
29 Jan 2015 | 5:06 amYou've used adBlock before, right? Who really wants to see all those sidebar ads with the 'toys' you were just searching Amazon for earlier... no one (especially your coworkers). A group of students have banded together to help you avoid advertising and branded content in the real world with their 'Brand Killer' project. They have modified an Oculus headset to block out logos in real time as you walk around town. The catch... you have to wear a gigantic set of digital goggles on your face. -
beiberman klien
29 Jan 2015 | 4:59 amThere has been a lot of buzz around Justin Beiber's Calvin Klein sponsorship and he has seen his fair share of ribbing due to some suspected photoshop 'enhancements.' But now we have a full on parody video of the Beibs CK commercial and it is something to behold. I haven't decided if it is one of the dumbest or funniest things I have seen in a while. -
do you need fu@k up insurance?
28 Jan 2015 | 5:10 amThe concept is an old one... get your friend, boss, or significant other something nice to use for either forgiveness or credit for a time you fuck up. The execution, however, is fresh. Check out this ad out of Toronto for Carnivore Club (that's a meat-of-the-month club in case you couldn't figure it out), which positions their product as excellent fuck up insurance. You know you could use some...if not now, someday. Someday. -
world's largest animated GIF
28 Jan 2015 | 5:09 amMove over KFC, Ballantine's Scotch Whiskey now owns the most epic "from space" stunt with their latest work. As part of their "Stay True" campaign celebrating creativity, Ballantine's partnered with GIF artist, INSA, to paint four separate paintings in the same place in Rio de Janeiro over four days. Each painting was photographed from space to create a one-second animated GIF. The result is super cool!
Stowe Boyd
Gartner Hype Cycle on the Gartner Hype Cycle [2014]
28 Jan 2015 | 11:12 ammostlysignssomeportents: Read the rest… That's meta. -
How to stop worrying and love the algorithm
28 Jan 2015 | 11:09 amTim Wu wonders if Netflix really relies on algorithms and big data in deciding what to fund: Tim Wu, Netflix's Secret Special Algorithm Is a Human Over the years, however, I've started to wonder whether Netflix's big decisions are truly as data driven as they are purported to be. The company does have more audience data than nearly anyone else (with the possible exception of YouTube), so it has a reason to emphasize its comparative advantage. But, when I was reporting a story, a couple of years ago, about Netflix's embrace of fandom over mass culture, I began to sense that their… -
"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."
27 Jan 2015 | 10:11 am"If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." - African proverb -
"This statement confirmed the findings of the United Nations International Labor Organization that..."
25 Jan 2015 | 4:33 am"This statement confirmed the findings of the United Nations International Labor Organization that the United States is one of four countries — along with Lesotho, Swaziland and Papua New Guinea — that has no paid maternity leave." - An American Outrage: Having Babies on Sick Leave | Judith Barnett "Christian countries," all of them, fwiw. (via slavin) -
"To a coward, courage always looks like stupidity."
24 Jan 2015 | 7:22 pm"To a coward, courage always looks like stupidity." - Bill Maher
Six Pixels of Separation
Real Brand Storytelling
25 Jan 2015 | 11:38 amEpisode #446 of Six Pixels of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to. I have known Bryan Eisenberg forever. Back when I first started publishing music magazines on the Internet (in the mid-nineties), there were few people writing about the power of the Internet from a business and marketing perspective. There were message boards and email lists... and that's where I first started reading the work of Bryan. Now, Bryan Eisenberg is the co-author (along with his brother, Jeffrey Eisenberg) of the bestselling books, Call to Action, Waiting For Your Cat… -
Six Links Worthy Of Your Attention #240
24 Jan 2015 | 5:10 pmIs there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see? My friends: Alistair Croll (BitCurrent, Year One Labs, GigaOM, Human 2.0, Solve For Interesting, the author of Complete Web Monitoring, Managing Bandwidth: Deploying QOS in Enterprise Networks and Lean Analytics), Hugh McGuire (PressBooks, LibriVox, iambik and co-author of Book: A Futurist's Manifesto) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person "must see". -
Find Your Brand Expression
24 Jan 2015 | 4:18 pmMarketing is a game of differentiation. Some might (fairly) argue that a brand's true "win" happens when they're so unique, that the marketing is baked right into the product and service. It's a high bar to set for most, especially businesses that are already established and have been in-market for any length of time. Whether the brand is an original or trying to find its differentiation, this issue is only magnified when it comes to creating content that resonates with an audience. Over the years, marketers - like me - have pleaded with brands to up their game. In order for real content to… -
Google Glass Isn't Dead... And Other Digital News To Know This Week
19 Jan 2015 | 6:15 amEvery Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am a guest contributor on CHOM 97.7 FM radio broadcasting out of Montreal (home base). It's not a long segment - about 5 to 10 minutes every week - about everything that is happening in the world of technology and digital media. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly to SoundCloud, if you're interested in hearing more of me blathering away. I'm really excited about this opportunity, because this is the radio station that I grew up on listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry and Heather… -
The Internet Is The Answer
18 Jan 2015 | 10:29 amEpisode #445 of Six Pixels of Separation - The Twist Image Podcast is now live and ready for you to listen to. Don Tapscott could well be an international treasure when it comes to the Internet and the digital economy. He recently published a majorly updated version of his seminal book, The Digital Economy. It's hard to believe that this book is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. So much has changed. It's fascinating to go through the updated version, because you can read what Don got (so) right... and (so) wrong (though it's not as much as you might think). His newly written thoughts -…
Chris Pirillo
Should Apple Be Forced to Open Up?
28 Jan 2015 | 7:47 pmShould Apple be more open? Should you share this TLDR via group message on Twitter? Watch now! Thanks to our Super Gnomies for watching, participating, and making this all possible! TLDR – Should Apple Be Forced to Open Up? Pirillo Vlog 1002 – Father's Day is Every Day From... Read the full article on http://chris.pirillo.com/ -
The Whipped Cream Face Challenge
28 Jan 2015 | 6:55 pmOkay! We're gonna try to take on some vlog challenges in Pirillo Vlog 1004 with your help. You in? Read the full article on http://chris.pirillo.com/ -
What Tech Are You Most Looking Forward To in 2015?
27 Jan 2015 | 11:56 pmWhat tech is exciting me this year? Watch this TLDR to find out! Thanks to our Super Gnomies for keeping me excited and making this all possible! TLDR – What Tech Are You Most Looking Forward To in 2015? Pirillo Vlog 1001 – Not Quite Starsky & Hutch From LockerGnome and Beyond... Read the full article on http://chris.pirillo.com/ -
Are You Looking Forward to Windows 10?
27 Jan 2015 | 11:30 pmIn this Ask Me Anything TLDR, I answer the question: "Chris, are you looking forward to Windows 10?" If you're at all curious, the answer's contained herein! Thanks to our Super Gnomies who keep us looking forward to tomorrow — no matter what operating systems happen... Read the full article on http://chris.pirillo.com/ -
All is Fair in Love and Vlog
27 Jan 2015 | 6:36 pmOh, what might the site of VloggerFair 2015 be? We visit it briefly in Pirillo Vlog 1003 for you… Read the full article on http://chris.pirillo.com/
Common Craft - Common Craft - Our Product is Explanation
2000 Cut-Outs
5 Jan 2015 | 3:37 pm2014 was a big year for our Cut-outs. The library doubled in size and Common Craft members are using the images in all kinds of projects. In fact, we recently reached a milestone. Our library now contains over 2,000 Cut-outs, all in Common Craft Style. Our goal is to provide a libary that gives you enough visuals for any kind of project. Whether it's a presentation, video, infographic or blog post, the Cut-outs can create a fun and engaging style. Look for a lot more Cut-outs in 2015. -
Net Neutrality - Explained by Common Craft
2 Dec 2014 | 9:55 amToday we've published a new video that explains Net Neutrality. Note: This video release is special. For the first time in about four years, we're publishing a version of a new video on our website and YouTube so that it can be shared easily. Why? Because it's about a complex and important subject that could impact all US internet users. This subject deserves to be understood by everyone, so we want to make that easy by making it more sharable. Watch the video now on YouTube or Common Craft. About This video: The debate on Net Neutrality is about the future of the Internet and outcomes… -
Amazingly Simple Animation About Addiction
21 Nov 2014 | 11:25 pm"Nuggets" is an animation by German animation director Andreas Hykade. It's an instant classic that exemplifies the beauty of simple yet meaningful communication. It's a must-watch: Viewing in email? Watch it here. -
GoAnimate for Schools - Now with Common Craft Cut-outs
19 Nov 2014 | 3:23 pmWe love to see students and teachers work together on Common Craft style videos. Almost every day we see photos and videos from classroom projects like this one. You can find 100's Common Craft style videos on YouTube. While these live-action videos are awesome, Common Craft style videos can also be created using GoAnimate's online video maker. Last year, we partnered with GoAnimate to offer Common Craft Cut-outs as an upgrade to their standard product. Today, this access has been extended to teachers and schools. GoAnimate for Schools + Common Craft GoAnimate for Schools offers the… -
New Video: The Internet of Things - Explained
4 Nov 2014 | 5:17 pmIt's new video time! This video was suggested by Common Craft members and explains a concept called The Internet of Things in just over 2 minutes. Here's an ExplainerGIF with highlights from the video: About This video: The internet is evolving. It used to be made of computers, but today, the internet includes all sorts of "things" that can work together. This video explains the Internet of Things and what it can mean for both individuals and communities. What it teaches: Why the internet in changing to include more "smart" devices What has enabled these "things" to…
Data Mining: Text Mining, Visualization and Social Media
Stamp of Approval
2 Jan 2015 | 9:31 pmAfter getting a hint of this a few months ago, I've finally tracked down an image of a stamp that will be released this year to celebrate the invention of the World Wide Web using an image I created. Here's the source. Think of me as you lick 'em. -
The Longform Manifesto
25 Sep 2014 | 10:37 pmSometimes a title for a blog posts suggests itself to me which seems so self contained that it takes real effort to actual write the post ('Machine Intelligence, not Machine Learning is the Next Big Thing' is another in this line). The idea behind the (or a) Longform Manifesto is as follows. I have become aware of late of the sense of deterioration that is associated with the mobile 'revolution' and the info snacking, casual gaming and interupt driven lifestyle that it has entailed. The behaviours are perfectly illustrated in this scene from Portlandia: With a daughter… -
Scottish Independence : Bing Predicts 'No'
18 Sep 2014 | 9:58 amBing's prediction team has a feature live on the site right now that predicts Scotland will not become an independant nation as a result of today's referendum. -
Bing hearts World Cup 2014, Google - not so much
12 Jul 2014 | 12:19 pmWhile Google has been doing a great job of their front page animations (today's is very nice, illustrating how Brazil and The Netherlands are on their way to Russia for 2018), Bing appears to be far more attentive to actually answering questions about the competition. For example: Compared to Bing's Google's answer brings up some interesting news articles, but Bing brings up stats on the teams and even a prediction of who will win (Cortana - which is driving these predictions - has been doing a perfect job of predicting game outcomes). -
GrubHub's Phasmid Websites
3 May 2014 | 9:49 pmThe rationale behind mining business data directly from the business's own website is that the business has a clear economic motivation to ensure that the data is up to date. If you own a restaurant that changes location, and your website still publishes the former address, those potential customers who visit your site will not be enjoying your delicious offerings. For the web mining proposition to work, it is important to firstly know that you have in your hand a genuine business website and secondly, to have excellent extraction and inference technology to pull the required…
Drew's Marketing Minute
Could you have zombie loyalists?
27 Jan 2015 | 4:48 amPeter Shankman's new book Zombie Loyalists — Using Great Customer Service to Create Rabid Fans comes out today and I'm looking forward to reading it on the plane tonight! If you aren't familiar with Peter, he's best known for founding Help a Reporter Out, which changed how journalists and sources interact around the world. This new book is his fourth, and is the follow-up to his best-seller, Nice Companies Finish First. He blogs at Shankman.com, and tweets random hilarity at @petershankman. Peter always does things in an innovative way, so to celebrate… -
In marketing, you eat the pie one bite at a time
21 Jan 2015 | 8:53 amIt's the middle of January and by now most people have gone back to life as they knew it prior to January 1st. They aren't getting up at 5 am to jog or only eating grapefruit rinds and prunes or chewing on licorice instead of smoking. No doubt there's been all kinds of studies done on why we both set and violate our new year's resolutions each January. I think one of the reasons why resolutions are so seductive and yet so elusive is because they're too ambitious. We don't resolve to work out once a week or lose five pounds or reduce our cigarette consumption by 20%. We want to go… -
JWt's trend report for 2015
10 Jan 2015 | 6:12 amThis is always my favorite (and I believe most insightful) trend report that comes out around this time every year. In JWT's ninth annual forecast of trends for the near future, they explore how consumers are both welcoming and resisting technology's growing omnipresence in our lives. For many, technology serves as a gateway to opportunity and an enabler of hyper-efficient lifestyles, but those who are most immersed are starting to question its effect on their lives and their privacy. One result is that more people are trying to find a balance and lead more mindful, in-the-moment lives. -
Are you selling what your customers want to buy?
30 Dec 2014 | 10:10 amAll too often, I see businesses advertising their wares…but from their own perspective. They talk about their expertise and what they DO or MAKE, thinking that's what people are buying. Of course, that's not what they're buying at all. Hence my question — are you selling what your customers want to buy? Confused? There's a great story that illustrates this perfectly. A college professor stood in front of his classroom, holding a shovel. He told the class that their assignment was to write an ad, selling the shovel. The students got to work and their ads talked about the… -
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah's SEO-Friendly 'Bluebird' and the Betterment of a Google Ranking
15 Dec 2014 | 9:16 amAs you all know — I love all things Disney, so how could I pass on a guest post that used a Disney classic to talk about SEO! Enjoy this post from Lucas Miller. American actor James Baskett was most famous for his portrayal of Uncle Remus, an extremely deep voice, singing the song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," and inventing the word "satisfactual." However, what many fail to recognize is the prophetic, Nostradamus-like, subliminal message that Baskett originally fed American marketers at the time of his pioneering music video's release in 1946 — exactly 60 years before Twitter and…
The Buzz Bin
Oscar Winning Health
29 Jan 2015 | 6:38 amAs I was sitting in the movie theater watching previews of the many Oscar-nominated flicks that came out this winter, I noticed a theme: health has again made its way into our movies. Movies like Cake, Still Alice and The Theory of Everything are offering glimpses into diseases and conditions which many of us have never seen. These powerful stories allow us to deeply understand things like chronic pain, Alzheimer's and ALS from the patient's perspective. And, these actors can't help but get Oscar buzz when portraying such raw and honest emotion, often doing major research and even… -
5 Free Tools for Communicators in 2015
27 Jan 2015 | 5:48 amIt's the beginning of a new year, and communicators are starting to execute their plans for engaging, informing and inspiring employees in 2015. Here are five free tools to help communicators accomplish goals and revolutionize communications this year. 1. FlatIcon Make your documents and decks more creative with FlatIcon. The use of icons has grown in recent years and has become a staple in creative materials. When used in the right situation, icons can increase employee engagement and make communications memorable. The best part of FlatIcon is that you don't have to… -
How basic on-site optimization can lead to big SEO rewards
26 Jan 2015 | 9:15 amIn the fall of 2014 we pursued some minor site updates for our North Carolina Sweet Potato client in an effort to help enhance their visibility in Google. With Thanksgiving approaching we knew we wanted traffic to our Sweet Potato content from users who searched for sweet potato-related content throughout the month of November. To achieve this goal and get more raw traffic to our client's website, we went through our standard SEO process that included: Keyword Research: Understanding what type of sweet potato searches occur in Google. Content Generation: Identifying current content that… -
Trends You Need to Know From the Winter Fancy Food Show
23 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amThe specialty food industry is more robust and innovative than ever before. It is a great time to be in the gourmet foods business, and there is no better place to see the latest and greatest than the Fancy Food Show. Walking the floor with a keen eye, you will uncover the hottest categories, boldest flavors and latest trends shaping the industry's growth. Fresh Jerky: It sounds oxymoronic, but this is not your father's jerky if you're thinking of the tough leathery jerky he'd grab while fueling up the car on that road trip. I first discovered this new age of jerky while dining at… -
The State of Health Care: 5 Health Care Takeaways from the 2015 State of the Union Address
22 Jan 2015 | 5:00 amHealth care played a starring role in the 2014 State of the Union address, with nine full paragraphs of attention. In 2015, while taking a backseat to issues like the economy, there were some key takeaways for health care professionals. Here are five things from the 2015 State of the Union address that may impact the world of health care in 2015 and beyond: 1) Precision Medicine Initiative - "I want the country that eliminated polio and mapped the human genome to deliver a new era of medicine, one that delivers the right treatment at the right time." What is precision…
Greg Verdino's Marketing Blog
White Collar Robots and the Future of Work
26 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amWe've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/gregverdino Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us. -
A Visual Orientation to Digital Transformation
22 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amWe've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/gregverdino Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us. -
10 Trends for 2015
5 Dec 2014 | 8:31 amWe've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/gregverdino Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us. -
Three Truths About Today's Digital Economy
27 Oct 2014 | 4:01 pmWe've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/gregverdino Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us. -
Digital Is the Answer. What's the Question?
23 Oct 2014 | 11:27 amWe've Moved! Update your Reader Now. This feed has moved to: http://feeds.feedblitz.com/gregverdino Update your reader now with this changed subscription address to get your latest updates from us.
You Don't Define Engagement; They Do
29 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amThere is a lot of talk about engagement in the association and nonprofit world. For one of our clients, I recently wrote up a summary of five different types of conversations I've noticed about engagement in this space, based on the alleged ultimate purpose of the engagement: purchases, customer satisfaction, content, volunteering, or community. From my perspective, engagement is typically a combination of those areas, rather than one exclusively, but no matter what your goals are around engagement, there is one point that came out in our conversation with the client that is perhaps… -
Announcing #culturechat Thursdays!!
28 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amBIG NEWS to announce! In conjunction with Good.co, Jamie Notter and I will be hosting a new #culturechat Twitter chat every other Thursday at 1 pm EST starting February 5th. Mark your calendars!! Our first #culturechat will be about GENERATIONS AND CULTURE – a topic you know is very close to our hearts. Will you join us to talk about such things as generational dynamics, how to retain and/or attract the best talent from different generations, and how to deal with internal conflict arising from generational differences? We'd love to have you join the conversation! MORE INFO… -
Direct marketing is dead. Long live direct marketing!
27 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amGuest post by Sophie Davidson. ———— Direct marketing is all about communicating directly with people. This might be through a direct mail campaign, some banner advertising or SMS marketing (see GlobalMessaging for more information on this). Like most forms of marketing, direct marketing has changed over the years and the old way of doing things is most certainly on the way out. Where you might've had success selling through a catalogue delivered direct to a customer's door, it might be time to consider taking a leap into the modern world and selling through… -
Trends for 2015
26 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amI don't know about you, but I haven't seen as many "trends" an "predictions" slide decks (or blog posts) this year as in years past. Wonder why. 'Course I didn't have the energy to do one, but I have been deep in book writing so I think you can forgive me this time Anyway here are three I liked. Enjoy. Nonprofit Marketing and Fundraising Trends to Watch in 2015 from John Haydon Top 10 Mobile Trends 2015 from Golden Gekko 25 Disruptive Technology Trends 2015 – 2016 from Brian Solis ————– (photo credit) -
[Cool Infographic Friday] 2015 Social Media Image Sizes
23 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amBookmark this! Here's the source. —————– (photo credit)
Christopher S. Penn
How to replace Twitter's website analytics with Google Analytics
29 Jan 2015 | 5:12 amRemember when Twitter rolled out website analytics? It was a wonderful secret just between us marketers. Well, the developers giveth and the developers taketh away. Twitter's website analytics is no more: So how do you replace this? How will you figure out if Twitter is is delivering website performance to you, if you'd become accustomed to measuring your tweets with the built-in tool? Google Analytics is your answer. Here's how to set it up. First, open your Google Analytics profile. Second, start a new custom segment, shown above. Next, create a Traffic Sources match for… -
Which social network is right for you?
28 Jan 2015 | 3:42 amMy friend and colleague Chris Brogan posed the question: "Which social network is right for you?". Our answers differ because our perspectives differ. My perspective is powered by data and analytics. In social media, three categories of metrics are important: taken from my new book, Marketing Blue Belt The social network that's right for you depends on what your goals are. Followers, fans, and Likes are part of audience growth. That's a valid beginning goal, because if you have no one to talk to, you have nothing to measure. Which social network is most efficient for… -
Marketing research you're leaving behind
27 Jan 2015 | 4:08 amYou're paying for enormous amounts of research you're not using. I can make this bold statement because I'm guilty of it, too. I've paid large sums of my own money for research I didn't use as well as I could have. What is this research? I'm speaking of paid advertising. Right now, I'm in the middle of marketing my new book. I'm running Facebook and Twitter ads to capture attention and build interest. To advertise, I have to write copy and select images to create the ads. Most marketers write up the ads, turn them on, and walk away. After the… -
Free yourself from marketing data prison
26 Jan 2015 | 3:55 amStuck. That's the most common thing I've heard from marketers like you when it comes to making use of your data. You get stuck when you try to analyze your data. You get stuck when you look for insights. You get stuck trying to create a coherent strategy from your analysis. The worst stuck is when your boss asks you for an answer that you don't have. I wrote Marketing Blue Belt to help get you unstuck. If you follow the steps and the framework in the book, you'll have a roadmap for freeing yourself from a prison of data and analytics. You'll learn a comprehensive… -
Measure your video content marketing with monetization!
22 Jan 2015 | 4:37 amThe era of eyeballs alone is slowly coming to a close as more marketers demand tangible results from their efforts. One of the easiest ways to prove the quality of your marketing is to fulfill Jay Baer's Youtility statement: marketing so good, people would pay for it. While you may or may not be able to sell your content directly, you can put it up for bid in advertising systems as a proxy for people paying for it. The channel most overlooked for monetization these days is YouTube. That's unfortunate, since it's so easy to do. Let's explore the basic steps. First, you…
Best practices for nurturing B2B leads captured via social media
15 Jan 2015 | 1:42 pmPost by Daniel Kushner Founder, Oktopost Thanks to the reality of social media's astounding adoption rates, B2B marketers are finally moving away from the debate as to the value of their activity on the main networks. With so much of the world now spending significant amounts of time on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and the like, it simply makes the most sense to leverage these platforms to reach your intended audience – this is where they are, so this is where you have to be. Despite all the talk about silos being a thing of the past, B2B social media marketing activity is… -
How to track customer data for your business
12 Jan 2015 | 5:01 amAre you using Big Data effectively to grow your business & sales in 2015? Post by Susan Payton ChamberofCommerce.com Ever heard of Big Data? Probably. Are you using it? Maybe not. Big Data represents disruptive new technologies that capture and track customer information. The data is a goldmine for your business if you know how to use it correctly. With eMarketer anticipating more than 1.75 billion smartphones to be purchased globally by the end of the year and 25% of the world on a social network, there is more data available than ever before. To show how new all of this data really is,… -
Trends for 2015: Light apps, unbundled experiences
5 Jan 2015 | 5:02 amA timelapse created with Instagram's Hyperlapse, one of a new breed of apps. Why people are loving Facebook Messenger, RWND & Hyperlapse The past year has been a year of exciting revolutions in the mobile universe. New mobile messaging and sharing platforms in every conceivable medium — images, videos, texts and even two-letter words — are constantly inventing and reinventing new ways for us to communicate. With different apps available in different mediums, communication is getting better. In the past we may have thought that the most convenient platform for messaging or… -
Email Marketing as Easy as Webmail
14 Dec 2014 | 6:49 amTarget audience: Marketing professionals, SEO specialists, PR pros, brand managers, businesses, nonprofits, educators, Web publishers, journalists. For more than a decade, guys I respect like Chris Brogan, John Hlinko, Nicco Mele, CC Chapman, and Christopher Penn have been a broken record when it comes down to brass tacks: cultivating an email list is the only real reason to do social media marketing, content marketing, inbound marketing, guest blogging, or column-writing. I take that back, selling and making money is the only reason, at the end of the day, but just ask anyone in the world of… -
The Goldilocks of Online Collaboration
8 Dec 2014 | 2:40 pmTarget audience: Marketing professionals, SEO specialists, PR pros, brand managers, businesses, nonprofits, educators, Web publishers, journalists. I love my Gerris-branded Join.me but it's limited in scope. It's perfect for a virtual meeting, for a conference call, for a screenshare, and in support of a pitch, sales call, demo, or razzle-dazzle. It's international, there are loads of global local numbers so that people can even call in locally, even if they're at a cafe in Berlin, so it's pretty handy and it gets global. But it's not the right tool for…
The Future of Biosensing Wearables by RockHealth
14 Jan 2015 | 12:16 pmThe Future of Biosensing Wearables by @Rock_Health from Rock Health -
Target Niche Audiences to Go Viral on Social
14 Jan 2015 | 11:25 am– BuzzFeed's Jonah Peretti in Wired -
BuzzFeed's Social Lift Algorithm
14 Jan 2015 | 10:54 am– Wired -
Audience Development at New York Times
14 Jan 2015 | 9:56 am– Alexandra Maccalum in DigiDay -
Premium in Publishing is About Brand Equity, Not Only Audiences
6 Jan 2015 | 7:19 am– Jon Anselmo in DigiDay.
Google Wallet takes its 1st trip overseas into UK Gmail accounts
29 Jan 2015 | 8:45 amFor the first time, someone outside the U.S. will be able to use a Google Wallet to do something more than buy Android apps and content. Starting on Thursday, Google is bringing Send Money in Gmail money transfer to the UK, allowing users to transfer money […] Google Wallet takes its 1st trip overseas into UK Gmail accounts originally published by Gigaom, © copyright 2015. Continue reading… -
1B Android phones shipped in 2014, but they don't all help Google
29 Jan 2015 | 8:12 amThe big stories this week all seem to revolve around numbers. Apple sold a whopping 74.5 million iPhones sold last quarter, for example. Qualcomm shipped 270 million mobile processors for devices in the last three months of 2014. And an estimated one billion Android phones shipped last year. That latter figure […] 1B Android phones shipped in 2014, but they don't all help Google originally published by Gigaom, © copyright 2015. Continue reading… -
What businesses gain when Hadoop and data warehouse technology converge
29 Jan 2015 | 7:59 amWith virtually every Hadoop distribution vendor offering SQL-on-Hadoop solutions, the key factor in the market is now the integration between Hadoop and data warehouse technology. What businesses gain when Hadoop and data warehouse technology converge originally published by Gigaom, © copyright 2015. Continue reading… -
Canada cracks down on zero-rating in two net neutrality rulings
29 Jan 2015 | 7:53 amThe list of countries that find zero-rating to be a violation of net neutrality just keeps on growing, with Canada the latest to crack down on the practice. "Zero-rating" or "positive price discrimination" refers to carriers providing certain services or apps for free or at a […] Canada cracks down on zero-rating in two net neutrality rulings originally published by Gigaom, © copyright 2015. Continue reading… -
Super Bowl will have 30-mile "no drone zone"
29 Jan 2015 | 7:26 amBuzzing quarterback Tom Brady with an unmanned aircraft might sound like fun, but anyone who flies a drone remotely near the University of Phoenix stadium, where Super Bowl XLIX is taking place this Sunday, could face big, big trouble from the FAA. On Wednesday, the country's aviation regulator singled out drones […] Super Bowl will have 30-mile "no drone zone" originally published by Gigaom, © copyright 2015. Continue reading…
Marketing Land
More Super Bowl 2015 Commercials & Teaser Ads: GoDaddy's Puppy Causes A Stir & Budweiser's Finds Its Way Home
29 Jan 2015 | 8:41 amCharged with supporting the inhumane treatment of dogs, GoDaddy pulled its Super Bowl ad within hours of its release. The post More Super Bowl 2015 Commercials & Teaser Ads: GoDaddy's Puppy Causes A Stir & Budweiser's Finds Its Way Home appeared first on Marketing Land. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. -
Google Will Retire "Other Interests" Display Network Targeting Feb 17
29 Jan 2015 | 8:32 amAn Upgrade Center will roll out to manage bulk campaign changes to affinity or in-market audience targeting. The post Google Will Retire "Other Interests" Display Network Targeting Feb 17 appeared first on Marketing Land. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. -
Google Analytics Simplifies Remarketing Set Up With "Instant Activation"
29 Jan 2015 | 8:08 amTo improve implementation success rates, Google auto-enables Advertiser Features, eliminates the need for retargeting tag updates in Universal Analytics users. The post Google Analytics Simplifies Remarketing Set Up With "Instant Activation" appeared first on Marketing Land. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. -
Growth In Android-To-iPhone "Switchers" Coming From Outside US
29 Jan 2015 | 6:57 amPowered in part by the popularity of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in China, Apple delivered amazing quarterly results this week, selling nearly 75 million iPhones in the quarter. Accordingly Apple has now pulled roughly even with rival Samsung in terms of global smartphone sales. Samsung reported... Please visit Marketing Land for the full article. -
How Marketers Can Keep Pace As Mobile Rises And Matures
29 Jan 2015 | 6:55 amColumnist Soo Jin Oh reviews mobile trends over the 2014 holiday season revealing the power of mobile for e-tailers and e-commerce. The post How Marketers Can Keep Pace As Mobile Rises And Matures appeared first on Marketing Land. Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.
Convince and Convert
LinkedIn Tricks for Social Media Professionals
23 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amTweetable MomentsTreat your LinkedIn page like a website. It really is your online reputation.LinkedInExpertTweet This Next-Level Networking Viveka von Rosen is known internationally as the LinkedIn Expert. She has written the book on it and consults with businesses to optimize lead generation from LinkedIn. Today she shares her knowledge and expertise (free of charge!) on the Social Pros Podcast. Optimize Your LinkedIn Page The first thing to remember is that LinkedIn is great for SEO, so remember that whatever you put on LinkedIn is searchable, both for individuals and companies. Spend the… -
Going Programmatic to Get Your Content Seen
22 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amImage via BigStockPhoto.com Is Red Bull a media company or a beverage company? It's a question that's been raised quite a few times in recent years. No one disputes that Red Bull began as a beverage company, but the content it creates to promote its beverages is so well done and so popular that it often does seem like a viable business in its own right. If Red Bull wanted to, the company could probably sell ads against its own content marketing. I'd argue that Red Bull is still a beverage company because the ultimate aim is to sell beverages. If sales fell and its content marketing… -
Newcastle Is Crowdfunding Their Super Bowl Ad
22 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amImage via BigStockPhoto.com Football is a team sport, and if Newcastle has anything to do with it, so will the company's Super Bowl Ad. Inspired by the success of crowdfunding, Newcastle has introduced Band of Brands, a new campaign asking for brands to pool their marketing budgets together in the name of Super Bowl advertising glory. Hosted on a dedicated microsite, Newcastle kicked off its Super Bowl advertisement crowdfunding initiative with a sassy video starring Aubrey Plaza. In the video, Aubrey quips, "Why do big brands have all the fun? Shouldn't the little guys have a… -
Hack Your Email Growth Rate with This List-Building Tool
21 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amImage via BigStockPhoto.com Just how valuable is email to online marketers? The numbers tell the story: EmailExpert reports email marketing produces a $44.25 return for every $1 spent. McKinsey & Company reports email is almost 40 times more effective at getting new customers than Facebook and Twitter Over 77% of online customers prefer receiving marketing messages via email, according to MarketingLand. Nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases than non-nurtured leads, reports Unbounce. And 81% of digital shoppers in the US say they're at least "somewhat likely" to make… -
How to Create Time for Writing Great Content
20 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amImage via BigStockPhoto.com We all know about the many amazing benefits of blogging, writing, self-publishing, and other forms of content marketing. But one of the hardest parts is actually finding the time to sit down, write, and create content! I've heard from so many people who want to write more or create more content for their businesses but just have so much trouble finding the time and making it a habit. Below are seven tips for finding time in your busy schedule to get your butt in your writing seat and create awesome content. Write what you're most enthusiastic about in the…
Go Big Always | Go Big Always
Smart Cottage Cheese is Smart
13 Jan 2015 | 7:00 am -
The Internet of Things explained
11 Jan 2015 | 11:00 pm -
Time for Marketing Software to grow up.
29 Oct 2013 | 7:35 amMarketing software doesn't help how you market. Marketing software doesn't help you or your company be better communicators. When you look at software solutions you find task-focused point solutions (email blasting) or mess-management automation apps, which offer a "single pane of glass" (combo email marketing, landing pages, social media marketing) with built-in testing, dripping, and […] -
Big Marketing and the Rebel Alliance
3 Sep 2013 | 8:35 amA New Hope It was a period of Big Marketing's online dominance. Rebellious small businesses, striking from hidden Google results, have begun to win victories against Big Marketing's forces. During the battles, rebellious small businesses managed to steal secret plans to the Enterprise's ultimate weapon, the Bloat Star, a massive app with enough power to destroy […] -
Small business software needs to think smaller.
13 Aug 2013 | 7:08 amStripped-down copies of enterprise apps completely miss the mark. Let's say you own a restaurant and grow your own vegetables. Would you be interested in a six-ton combine harvester? No. It's simply not practical. In fact, that's crazy. OK, well, how about a two-ton combine harvester? Still no. It's still not practical, and it's still crazy. […]
The Online Community Guide
Minutia Trips Up Advocacy Campaigns
28 Jan 2015 | 10:17 amMost advice on nurturing advocates can be summarized in four steps: 1) Find people passionate about your brand (usually those that contribute the most) 2) Give them exclusive access, information, and possibly freebies. 3) Connect them with one another to build a community to share advice/feel a sense of connection. 4) Give recognition, training, and encouragement to do their work. If this worked, we would see many more successful advocacy campaigns. We don't because this advice works best when the community manager is tweaking the activity of existing highly active… -
Human Nature Undermines Smart Groups
27 Jan 2015 | 11:41 amBringing the smartest people into the same room rarely leads to successful, positive, outcomes. I can think of 5 reasons for this. First, the people you're approaching probably lack the diversity of experience and expertise to create a new outcome. You probably know the perspectives and views of the person you're approaching, or you wouldn't be approaching them. If you can't solve the problem already, more of the same doesn't help. Including more women is a major asset. You need people who have opinions/views you're not already familiar with. Second, the… -
10 Community Skills You Can Learn In 1 Month
26 Jan 2015 | 1:15 amIn less than a month, you can learn how to tackle many of the biggest challenges we face. We're going to learn how to: Select, develop, and design a community platform. You're going to learn how much a community platform should cost, the process for developing a community platform, who to trust, how to develop frameworks, and plenty more. Grow a community in a sustainable way. You're going to learn the difference between attracting your first few members and growing a community over the long-term.& Scale a community team. You will learn how to find the best… -
Tagging Members
21 Jan 2015 | 9:15 amSome platforms make it easy to 'tag' people in to the discussions. If yours doesn't, consider moving to one that does. If yours does, use the feature a lot. If you can get all members to tag in others they think have the answer, it becomes a powerful cycle. Tag those you want to hear from, have relevant experience, or just need a nudge to get involved. -
Sarah Hawk Joins FeverBee
20 Jan 2015 | 6:47 pmWe know a lot of great community professionals. We know a lot of user experience experts too. I can't think of many that have a proven track record of doing both. Which is why we're thrilled to welcome Sarah Hawk to FeverBee Sarah, from UXMastery and SitePoint, is easily at the top of both groups and exactly the type of person we love to hire. Here are some great links we recommend you check out to learn more about user experience and communities: http://community.sitepoint.com/ - general advice for all things web/platform related.
Daily Blog Tips
Win a WP Theme with the TemplateMonster Giveaway
28 Jan 2015 | 12:03 pmIt's time for a new TemplateMonster giveaway. This time we'll be giving out 3 licenses to any WordPress theme on their website. If you are looking for a new theme for your blog or website, read on. The rules are pretty simple: 1. Visit the WordPress themes section on TemplateMonster.com and write down the number (for example #50731) of the theme you want. 2. Leave a comment on this post with the number of theme you want. You can describe why you liked it if you want. 3. Next Monday, February 2, I'll be picking 3 winners at random among those who left a comment. The name of… -
5 Websites with Great Landing Pages
26 Jan 2015 | 12:11 pmA landing page is basically a point of entrance to your website. It is where visitors will "land." As you can guess, the landing page is very important, as if you fail to engage those new visitors you might lose them forever. If you have an efficient landing page, on the other hand, you will capture the interest of those visitors and possibly turn them into loyal visitors, subscribers or customers. A website can have several landing pages. For instance, it can create one landing page for each marketing campaign it runs. For most websites, however, the homepage is usually the most… -
Are You Optimizing Your Conversion Rate?
22 Jan 2015 | 5:06 amWhile increasing your traffic is a guaranteed way to boost your sales and earnings, it's not the only way to do it, and frequently it's not the easiest way either. In fact if you keep your traffic constant but increase the conversion rate of that traffic, your overall sales and earnings will increase. For instance, suppose you are currently getting 1000 people to visit your sales page every month, and your conversion rate is 1%. This means that out of those 1000 visitors 10 end up buying your product. Now here is why I say that working on the conversion rate might be easier and… -
Check Out the Personal WordPress Theme
19 Jan 2015 | 10:16 amQuite frequently I receive emails from readers who want recommendations of WordPress themes and templates. If you are in this same position and are looking for a new design for your site or blog, I recommend that you check out a WP theme called Personal Blog WordPress Theme. First of all, the theme is completely responsive, meaning that it will adapt to screens of any size, including small mobile phones. This is essential because mobile traffic is exploding, and Google is already considering mobile optimization as a ranking factor. In fact, if your site is not yet responsive this could be a… -
10 Tips About Local SEO
15 Jan 2015 | 6:50 amLocal SEO can be very profitable, yet most bloggers and webmasters ignore it. If you are not familiar with the term, it refers to optimizing your website or application to search queries that have a strong local component. For instance, if someone searches for "good dentist", Google will assume that the person is looking for a good dentist close to his or her location, and will therefore adapt the search results to that constraint. With the explosion of mobile phones, more and more search queries are getting influenced by local SEO, and that is why you should learn about it. A…
Nate Ritter
Hacked! It Absolutely Can Happen to You
15 Jan 2015 | 5:33 pmWhy don't you have a solid, third-party, commercial security solution running on your machine right now? Here are a few of the answers I most commonly hear: I'm fine with whatever shipped on my system. Those antivirus programs are more dangerous than going with nothing. I'm not a high-priority target. No one would want my stuff. I don't surf porn or open email attachments. I'm safe. What do I need protection from? I'm an expert. That stuff only happens to idiots and newbies. I've been meaning to do it when I have some time. It's like a one and a million chance. It couldn't… -
What is Technical Debt?
16 Dec 2014 | 9:17 amA few days ago our office bathroom locks were changed (the bathrooms have doors to the outside which are locked), so we were issued a new key by property management. One key. We are an office of 6+ people. This is where I introduce what "technical debt" is. Each day, to get into the bathroom, because we're guys and we don't put things where we're supposed to (near the door), there's a search for who went to the bathroom last, and supposedly who has the key. Naturally, this could have dire consequences. Let's "hypothetically" say that… -
The Importance and Prevalence of Databases in Modern Computing
9 Dec 2014 | 12:18 pmYou might not realize this but databases are pretty much at the root of everything in Information Technology. If you use any type of computer, you access and create databases on a daily basis. For example, the contact list on your smartphone is a database; so is your "Friends" list in Facebook, your wish list at Amazon – along with the record of your previous orders, the activity page for your Fitbit, and the radio stations you create on Pandora. Databases are everywhere, and database management systems control how that data is used and accessed. Types of Database Management Systems… -
$$Billion Idea: JSON-consumable Chart Creator
2 Dec 2014 | 8:55 pmHere's a free idea for you. I'd love the credit if you build it, and if nobody does, maybe I will some day because this is just awesome (read: annoying that it doesn't already exist). Scenario: I have a JSON API I want to build an infographic off, or some charts and graphs that change dynamically. The problem: All services I've seen up to this point that create charts and graphs from JSON data need to be formatted in their own vendor-specific way. The solution: Create a service (looking at you Chartio, et al), which consumes absolutely any JSON endpoint on the web… -
How to find a Small Business Investor
30 Nov 2014 | 1:33 pmGetting a small business off the ground is a difficult thing to do. Not only do you need a good idea that the public will embrace, you also need a small business investor to finance your venture. How do you go about getting this money? In the old days, going to a bank and getting a small business loan was the most common way for people to acquire the necessary funds to turn their small business dream into a reality. However, things have changed dramatically in recent years. People now have other methods available to them for acquiring financing. Let's take a look at some of the ways to…
Louis Gray
Adult Problems Stink. I Blame Drew's Cancer. #BlameDrewsCancer
12 Jan 2015 | 11:30 amI quickly glossed over it during my first post of the year, when I said "Adult problems can be a real pain," but I'd be skirting around some big issues if I didn't go deeper on some very real drama that in years past would see me aggressively pounding the drum to draw attention to their pain, hoping to rally others to their cause. But as I get older, and, as a result, my friends do too, struggles with health, family, work or finance are hardly isolated - making it somewhat selfish to choose one cause against another. And that sucks.Nearly five years ago, +Drew Olanoff, one of the best… -
10 New Year's Resolutions (for you) for the Year 2015
1 Jan 2015 | 7:30 pmA new year is a somewhat arbitrary point in time to mark change. But tradition has it that we do two things when the calendar turns from December to January. We look back on the previous year, either with pride over accomplishments, or dismissal of bad experiences, and we optimistically expect the best for the coming twelve months.In years past I've put forth fun predictions for the world in tech. And trust me, I have some predictions, but I'll hold those close to the vest. Working at Google makes predicting the future like cheating. And I won't bore you with a list of my own resolutions for… -
A Successful 100k Steps Leads to a Sore, Yet Happy, Christmas
25 Dec 2014 | 9:30 pmMonday's personal record setting Fitbit dashboardLast week, I introduced a crazy and audacious goal, of knocking out 100,000 steps (as measured by Fitbit), in the name of personal achievement and to raise money for Camp Taylor, a summer camp for children with heart disease, in honor of colleague Ken Norton's son, Riley. And I'm beyond happy to say our adventure was a success.As chronicled on all the social channels (Twitter, Facebook and Google+ for starters), +Stephen Mack and I passed the 100,000 mark shortly before 10 pm Monday night, after 16 hours of pavement pounding fun… -
Taking the 100k Steps Fitbit Challenge and Raising Money for Charity
18 Dec 2014 | 12:45 pmOn Monday, I have a crazy plan to set a new personal record for Fitbit steps. The goal? 100,000 steps in a single day, blowing away my previous personal best by more than 50 percent, and coming close to fifty miles walked - while also helping raise money for Camp Taylor, a free summer camp for children with heart disease, in memory of Riley Norton, the son of my friend and colleague Ken Norton.Ever since getting my Fitbit and being hooked on challenging myself to walk further and compete with friends, I've seen the allure of reaching new marks. I had my first 50,000+ step day in December of… -
Tablets, Touch and Talk: Technology Through the Eyes of a Child
17 Dec 2014 | 3:45 pmBraden With my Nexus 5, Watching the MLB At Bat app.My children have never known a world without high speed Internet, streaming movies on demand, and a seemingly all-knowing personal assistant, available to answer their every question when asked. They've grown accustomed to concepts which once seemed fanciful, like the ability to order all sorts of items on your tablet and have them delivered in the same day, having every photo you've ever taken available to you from any device, or having video chats with just about anyone instantly. For them, there is no such thing as technology. There's…
ConverStations: Small Business Improvements
4 Ways to Use Technology to Your Advantage
29 Jan 2015 | 5:24 amGuest Post Submission On average, small business owners lose four hours a week on average and four billion hours each year collectively managing routine administrative and operational tasks, a 2013 OfficeMax survey found. Typical time-wasting culprits include website management, tech support, printing, marketing, shipping, credit card processing, payroll, human resources and legal assistance. Additionally, 41 percent of those surveyed said energy wasted on these tasks drained their passion for their business. A parallel eVoice survey found that 53 percent of entrepreneurs felt overwhelmed… -
It Depends: More Than a Blanket Statement
28 Jan 2015 | 2:38 am"It depends." This is more than just a blanket statement. Maybe it should not end with a period, but a comma. "I Don't Know" is like that. Serves better as, "I Don't Know, Let's Find Out." "It depends, let's look deeper." Every business is different. Location, customer-base, goals, competencies, deliverables, deadlines, branding, and et cetera. Two companies in the same town doing the same thing could have very different scenarios, so … "It depends, let's look deeper." The serve might be… -
Why Do I Do What I Do?
27 Jan 2015 | 2:36 amRecently, I've been asking business owners, "Why do you do that (or that way)?" Or "What's the purpose of (strategy or tactic)?" This helps me as their coach, but also helps them define the importance of what they do and how they do it. Sometimes, it reveals how little importance there is in the doing. Maybe the question was motivated by this movie clip with Robert Duvall, one of my favorite clips. Lately, the question has been volleyed back to me by some customers. I usually just smile and wait for them to answer – I've never said, "I… -
Using Twitter for Business – The LIFT Weekly Podcast No. 4
26 Jan 2015 | 2:40 amThe LIFT Weekly Podcast for Small Business Owners Episode No. 4 – Using Twitter for Business. Twitter may seem the easiest of social networks because of its short messages, but it's also possibly the fastest moving stream of posts (short steps = quick steps). We look at four areas, each from the standpoint of our LIFT framework (Learn, Improve, Find Flow, Think) to help you build a better business presence on Twitter. Included are better uses of Search, improving your profile, timing of posts and how much time to spend on Twitter, and thinking who and where your customers are on… -
Week in Review: Posts and LIFT Shares, Jan 18 – 24, 2014
25 Jan 2015 | 3:25 amWeek in Review January 18 – 24, 2014: Posts and Podcasts from ConverStations and SmallBiz Tracks (Almost) Daily Podcasts, and LIFT resources shared on Twitter (@smallbiztracks) This Week on ConverStations Own It or Rent It? The LIFT Weekly Podcast No. 3 Advice of Real Experts on Blogging and Social Media Nobody Ever Won an Election Without Asking for a Vote Take Your Foot Off the Gas, Keep Your Hands On the Wheel Mobile Phones: More Than Just That (Thoughtography) 6 SEO Hurdles for Retailers and How to Beat Them Coaching Styles in LIFT Clips 01-24-15 Bleeding on the Video – LIFT…
RyanSpoon.com » Blog
Introducing Snapchat Discover & ESPN
28 Jan 2015 | 2:18 pmYesterday, Snapchat launched their new short-form, fun media product Discover: "Snapchat Discover is a new way to explore Stories from different editorial teams. It's the result of collaboration with world-class leaders in media to build a storytelling format that puts the narrative first. This is not social media." I am excited to say that ESPN is part of that launch – among ten other great launch partners. We of course represent your sports news and content. You'll find unique, daily sports clips, articles, photos and takes. It is fun and compelling – and… -
My #LongReads Reading List of 2014: From Chris Rock to Jerry Jones and Silicon Valley to Rio de Janerio
27 Dec 2014 | 10:28 amA Reading List of #LongReads in 2014 — From Chris Rock to Jerry Jones and Silicon Valley to Rio de Janerio Continuing the theme of year-end lists, here is an eclectic and certainly incomplete list of interesting, long reads. From pop culture (Chris Rock, Chevy Chase, Dave Chappelle) to pizza founders (Mike Ilitch and Tom Monaghan) to sports (World Cup, Jerry Jones, Ray Rice) to business (Las Vegas, Uber, education) and more. If you read my other list (My Favorite Products of 2014 — from apps to gadgets), you will notice the inclusion of Nuzzel and Pocket. There are many other ways… -
Apple's Best Apps of 2014: Top Free, Paid and Grossing Apps
26 Dec 2014 | 12:26 pmIt's always interesting and valuable to explore Apple's Best of 2014: Top Lists. Below are screenshots of the Top Free, Top Grossing and Top Paid iOS Apps. You'll notice a few things: Top Free: it's a list dominated by big brands. – Facebook has #1, #4, #5 and #11 with Messenger, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp respective. – Snapchat is #2. – Google has #3, #7, #12 with YouTube, Google Maps and Google. – Pandora is #6. Spotify is #9. Top Paid: There is some variety here, Of the top 20 – 14 are games – 4 are Photo and Video – 2… -
My Favorite Products of 2014: From Applications to Gadgets
24 Dec 2014 | 7:55 amFor the past several years, I have used December to write about my favorite products, digital habits, etc. And here again is my annual list of things I habitually use, love and rely on. There are obviously many, many other great products, apps, tools and gadgets – some fun and others meaningfully important to tech trends… this is simply a list of those things I use each and every day. Applications, Tools and more… Nuzzel and Pocket Both of these are new habits in 2014: Nuzzel is a new product and I simply find it to be the most effective and most efficient way to find and… -
Alex Schultz's Fantastic Lecture on Growth
6 Dec 2014 | 5:49 amYCombinator and Sam Altman have put together a tremendous resource for entrepreneurs, product managers, product marketers, etc… they have made available a series of lectures around YC's "How to Start a Startup" course and it is truly excellent. Not only are the topics spot on – and relevant to all aspects of founding, building and growing and business – but they have phenomenal leaders giving their talks. I will ultimately do a couple of these posts – but wanted to start by embedding Alex SChultz's talk on Growth. Alex is an old colleague from…
New Marketing and Interactive
MassChallenge Alumni Dominate the Forbes 30 Under 30
21 Jan 2015 | 5:39 pmCongratulations to the MassChallenge alumni who earned a spot on this year's Forbes' 30 Under 30 List, including: Alain Miguel (Modalyst), Aman Advani, Gihan Amarasiriwardena (Ministry of... An early pioneer in interactive media, sought after speaker and leading expert on search and social media marketing, Dean Whitney is the Founder of Dean Whitney Interactive. -
10 Trends for 2015
30 Dec 2014 | 9:44 amThis year, Havas Worldwide offers its forecast for the new year with "10 Trends for 2015." While two years ago, the report noted the coming rise in "co-" words (co-create, co-parent, copreneur), for... An early pioneer in interactive media, sought after speaker and leading expert on search and social media marketing, Dean Whitney is the Founder of Dean Whitney Interactive. -
Writing actual content with voice dictation
4 Dec 2014 | 6:29 pmDisclaimer: This article was written using voice dictation on an iPhone and edited in Medium. It's a freezing Monday morning in Boston. I'm tempted to work from home but finally I decide to take the... An early pioneer in interactive media, sought after speaker and leading expert on search and social media marketing, Dean Whitney is the Founder of Dean Whitney Interactive. -
22 tips for creating content
14 Aug 2014 | 7:39 amI'm always telling clients how generating great content is so much easier than it looks. Yet I go weeks without adding a new post to our website. Perhaps a bad case of the cobblers kids or... An early pioneer in interactive media, sought after speaker and leading expert on search and social media marketing, Dean Whitney is the Founder of Dean Whitney Interactive. -
New headquarters – Aericon Fort Point
24 Jul 2014 | 8:13 amAericon has moved to our super hip new headquarters at 51 Melcher Street. Boston's Innovation hub in Fort Point is an authentic neighborhood known for its creative community and support for local... An early pioneer in interactive media, sought after speaker and leading expert on search and social media marketing, Dean Whitney is the Founder of Dean Whitney Interactive.
Direct Marketing Observations
Does #IoT Mean Anything to Us Yet?
8 Jan 2015 | 12:49 pmThe short answer is no. The easy answer starts with Google's Nest. Which is a smart thermostat. From there things have quickly spriraled out of control so to speak. In a short time The Internet of Things has become akin to what it was like when social media became a "thing.". Everyone is writing about it, everyone is talking about it and everyone is trying to figure out what it does, what it means and how it will affect us. Maybe this infographic will help. -
Offline Expectations from Online Engagements are Unrealistic
17 Oct 2014 | 1:23 pmPicture this: You're at a stop light. It seems to be taking forever for it to turn green. You become impatient. You start yelling. You're wondering why it hasn't changed. Finally it does change and you peel out. You're angry because it took entirely too long. It's been an astounding and unfathomable 3 minutes. Here's another scenario: You're at your computer, you're on Google and you're searching for something…The screen freezes, you see the little "thingy" going around so you know it's "working," and… -
Facebook Stickers- Bad Idea Good execution…
14 Oct 2014 | 2:00 pmDid Facebook just jump the shark? Or does it just seem like it? Back in April of 2013, Facebook launched stickers but only in private messages. Now they're is rolling out the "stickers" feature to everyone's timeline posts, enabling users to voice their opinions with a cat, a smiley, or anything else that's in the Facebook's Sticker Store (social commerce?) (virtual goods?) Initally only available in Japan, the feature appears to be rolling out globally. One has to ask the question why? Yes we needed something other than a thumbs up, but stickers? -
What Does it Take to be a Senior Social Media Manager? [Infographic]
10 Oct 2014 | 3:12 amThink just because you play on Twitter and Instagram, have a Tumblr page and have a Facebook account that you could "do" social media for a large company? You might want to rethink that.,, -
Social Media is the Back Channel for Teen Angst
6 Oct 2014 | 10:40 amFirst I want to quote a paragraph from the abstract of a 2011 paper by danah boyd, a renowned expert on teen culture and social media at Microsoft Research. The paper is titled, The Drama! Teen Conflict, Gossip, and Bullying in Networked Publics. Here's the quote: "Drama is a gendered process that perpetrates conventional gender norms. It also reflects discourses of celebrity, particularly the mundane interpersonal conflict found on soap operas and reality television. For teens, sites like Facebook allow for similar performances in front of engaged audiences. Understanding how "drama"…
The Engaging Brand
A Poignant Reminder of Social Understanding
28 Jan 2015 | 9:23 amSocial business is not new. Relationship building has always been the cornerstone of business. It may have moved from the golf course to LinkedIn yet relationships are stronger for the investment in social understanding. Understanding is an important word and one that is not valued like it should be. It is a word with significance for me because I remember one of the most poignant moments of Dad's dementia when he looked at me so lovingly and said "I understand you so much and you understand me". It will sound a strange sentence to be poignant but I understand fully what he… -
The Simple Way of Finding Your Market Niche
26 Jan 2015 | 8:43 amAll customers are different. We are not looking for similar people or similar customers. People think that they need to attract 'similar' but is that the right way to look at your market? What if we offered something not to similar people but who share 'uncommon commonalities'? How to think about uncommon commonalities When you start a business there has to be a need that you must fulfil – it is that 'similar' need that creates the market. It is that need that is the link between all your customers. Not their personality, not their looks, not… -
520 – How to Be A Business Romantic
23 Jan 2015 | 7:37 amHow do you find the romance in business? Tim Leberecht joins me to talk about The Business Romantic: Give Everything, Quantify Nothing, and Create Something Greater Than Yourself, a new business book which helps us find happiness in our lives as entrepreneurs. Tim Leberecht is "the chief marketing officer of NBBJ, a global design and architecture firm that helps organizations like Amazon, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Boeing, Google, Samsung, Starbucks, and Tencent create meaningful experiences" How the business world reflects the meanings of life. How the tensions of… -
Top Tip to Add Creativity To Your Business
22 Jan 2015 | 8:36 amLet's admit it, we all have a rebellious streak. You, me and our customers. The more we are asked to conform the more uncomfortable we feel. Not that we all want to break the law BUT we do tend to extend the rules. Who maybe goes a couple of miles per hour over the speed limit because we believe that is OK? Any of you old enough like me to have listened to pirate radio because it played the music that we wanted rather than what traditional stations were paid to play? We are simple creatures. From birth we learn to push the rules – from learning how to be allowed to stay up 5… -
The Strange Truth Behind Great Brands
21 Jan 2015 | 8:43 amNot every business wants to achieve global domination. Not every entrepreneur wants to change the world forever. And that is OK. Business doesn't have to be big to be great. Business needs to be focused to be great. We may not be able to save the world by ourselves however we can improve the world through our business. And isn't offering a way to improve the world or the lives of other humans a noble aim? Sometimes businesses go wrong when they want to be big, then want to be bigger. As if constant growth in market share will somehow define the company as great. Wrong. Because…
Participate in the 2015 Nonprofit Tech Staffing & Investments Survey!
28 Jan 2015 | 6:06 amDid you know that over 64% of nonprofits include technology in their strategic plan, and there's been an increase in the number of "data" staff at nonprofits? These are some of the key findings from last year's Nonprofit Technology Staffing & Investments research. Help us figure out if that trend stayed true in 2014.In partnership with Care2 and TechSoup Global, NTEN is conducting the 9th annual Nonprofit Technology Staffing and Investments survey in order to provide both benchmarks and qualitative data about technology decisions and practices among NTEN, Care2, and TechSoup Global's… -
Three Online Strategies to Improve Your Monthly Giving Program
26 Jan 2015 | 4:24 pmWendy Marinaccio Husman Senior Account Executive Mal Warwick | Donordigital How to turn that one-time donation into a gift that keeps on coming, and makes your donors happy, too! Monthly giving programs are essential to a nonprofit's ability to plan projects and budgets. Sustainers make it possible for organizations to rely on a broad base of monthly support. We work with our clients to help launch, grow, and improve their sustainer programs. -
Submit your nomination for the Care2 Impact Prize!
22 Jan 2015 | 12:06 pmWe invite you to submit nominations for the sixth annual Care2 Impact Prize, which recognizes a campaign or initiative in the nonprofit sector that has made an outstanding impact on the field of online advocacy, online fundraising, or both. The winning organization will receive a cash donation of $1,000 from Care2. The runners up will each receive the Care2 Innovation Award, and Care2 will make a $200 donation to each of these organizations. The award will be presented on Wednesday, March 4 at the 2015 Nonprofit Technology Conference in Austin, TX, during the morning plenary… -
Things We Like (January 2015)
22 Jan 2015 | 10:07 amA monthly roundup of our favorite nonprofit tech resources and other goodies.We start Things We Like in the cloud (technology ebook, in .pdf), complete with special Amy cameo.Returning to earth, specifically the Galapagos, this "last year in review" has everything: webcams, drones, and a shipwreck. Pure paradise!Last year was so … last year. Here are Kickstarter's tech predictions for 2015. DIY circuit boards, anyone?Or how about a DIY supercomputer made entirely of old PlayStations?It's not just for PlayStation: The Games for Change Festival in April celebrates games with positive social… -
Will Your Nonprofit be Ready for the Future of Payments?
20 Jan 2015 | 2:11 pmStacy Dyer Owner TG Consulting Bitcoin and other new payment systems: what they are, what they aren't, and why you should care. The timing is perfect for you to learn from trail-blazing organizations already breaking ground in new frontiers, while still being early enough to claim advantages for your own cause.
How to Triple What You Can Remember, Psychology Study Demonstrates
29 Jan 2015 | 6:51 amPeople can forget things they were paying attention to just one second later, unless... Dr Jeremy Dean is a psychologist and author of PsyBlog. His latest book is "Making Habits, Breaking Habits: How to Make Changes That Stick" Advertisement 6 Foods That Fight Belly Fat Brought On By Yo-Yo Dieting. Related articles: A Foolproof Way To Use Forgetting To Help You Remember, Study Reveals Here's The Curious Secret To Perfect Learning While You Are Distracted How to Take Notes You Will Remember The Basic Emotion That Makes Infants Remember What They've Seen Men and Women Process… -
The Personality Factor That Makes Some Violent Criminals So Dangerous
28 Jan 2015 | 6:42 amWhy psychopathic violent criminals are more likely than other violent criminals to offend again. Dr Jeremy Dean is a psychologist and author of PsyBlog. His latest book is "Making Habits, Breaking Habits: How to Make Changes That Stick" Advertisement 6 Foods That Fight Belly Fat Brought On By Yo-Yo Dieting. Related articles: Which Professions Have The Most Psychopaths? This Social Media Behaviour Points To Personality Issues How So Many Psychopaths Manage to Reach Positions of Power Why It's Dangerous to Give a Hurricane a Female Name The Type of Daydreaming That Makes The Mind More… -
4 Very Common Medicines Newly Linked to Irreversible Dementia Risk
27 Jan 2015 | 6:37 amThe non-prescription drugs which new study links to dementia risk. Dr Jeremy Dean is a psychologist and author of PsyBlog. His latest book is "Making Habits, Breaking Habits: How to Make Changes That Stick" Advertisement 6 Foods That Fight Belly Fat Brought On By Yo-Yo Dieting. Related articles: The Vitamin Which May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia Lack of Sleep During Critical Period of Night Linked to Dementia Risk How Cynical Personality Traits Affect Dementia Risk 5 Habits Proven to Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's and Dementia Revealed: Long-Suspected Danger of Anti-Anxiety… -
People With This Special Quality Can Control Their Dreams
26 Jan 2015 | 6:44 amLucid dreamers can take control of their dreams, providing freedom in a hyperreal world. Dr Jeremy Dean is a psychologist and author of PsyBlog. His latest book is "Making Habits, Breaking Habits: How to Make Changes That Stick" Advertisement 6 Foods That Fight Belly Fat Brought On By Yo-Yo Dieting. Related articles: Dreams: 10 Striking Insights From Psychological Science The Daytime Benefits of Lucid Dreaming The Mental Quality Which Helps Protect Against Schizophrenia Life After Death? This is What People Experience As The Brain Shuts Down People Choose Electric Shocks Over Sitting Quietly… -
This is What Depression Does to The Brain's 'Disappointment Circuit'
25 Jan 2015 | 6:51 amCould there be a 'dimmer switch' for depression? Dr Jeremy Dean is a psychologist and author of PsyBlog. His latest book is "Making Habits, Breaking Habits: How to Make Changes That Stick" Advertisement 6 Foods That Fight Belly Fat Brought On By Yo-Yo Dieting. Related articles: Mysterious Brain Region That is Vital to How You Decide Brain Region Discovered That Stops You Being a Couch Potato Connectivity: The Difference Between Men's and Women's Brains A Strange Depression Symptom That Most People Don't Know A Blood Test for Depression
Media Culpa
Selfie sticks banned in venues
19 Jan 2015 | 2:09 amSelfie sticks, those extendable poles that enables a user to take selfies beyond the normal reach of the arm, have become incredibly popular. Even the Beckhams use it. But as practical as they are to the user, they can also be annoying to others, for examples at concerts or sports events. Now several venues have started to introduce restrictions or outright banning the selfie stick. Several major British music venues like O2 Arena and Wembley Arena in London have banned them citing safety and health reasons. More likely the reason is that they may disturb the experience of fellow visitors. -
The most commented post on Instagram ever has 400,000 comments and tagged 3 million users
29 Dec 2014 | 5:03 amEarlier this year, Kim Kardashian posted a photo from her wedding with Kanye West. It became the most liked photo on Instagram ever with more than 2.4 million likes to date. However, it is not the Instagram post with most comments. Kardashian's image has about 57,000 comments but last week a video was posted that currently has many times more than that. Apparently spammers are finding new ways to spam Instagram after the social network recently deleted millions of spam accounts. More than 3 million user names tagged The video below is used to post thousands of comments that each tag… -
How to install the drop down menu for suggested accounts on Instagram
29 Dec 2014 | 1:37 amA while back, Instagram introduced a new feature where you would see an arrow and a drop down menu next to the follow button on some Instagram accounts. The menu shows other accounts that are similar to the one you are looking at. But not every account had this menu and it was unclear who got it. I speculated that only accounts with a certain number of followers got it, but now I think I have found the solution. If you log in to your Instagram account on a desktop and edit your profile you will find a box at the bottom of that page. If you tick the box that says "suggested… -
Uber surge pricing during Sydney hostage crisis causes PR disaster
15 Dec 2014 | 2:22 amThe week has barely started yet, but we can already crown the worst corporate tweet of the week. A crisis is taking place in Sydney, Australia as an armed man holds several people hostage in a Lindt café. The busy district is in a lock-down and mass evacuations created an increased demand for taxi services. So Uber, the taxi service app, quadrupled prices and at one point charged a minimum fare of AU$100. According to Quartz, this type of surge pricing is automatic but the tweet from @uber_sydney that followed was not. Of course, Uber was immediately slammed on Twitter for its… -
Nissan's brilliant Twitter response to #breaktheinternet
14 Nov 2014 | 4:46 amThe web has been buzzing the last few days about Kim Kardashian's rear end after it appeared on the cover of Paper magazine's winter issue. Not surprisingly, some brands jumped on the bandwagon trying to not be left behind in the discussion. The practice of real-time marketing is a difficult one, butt one brand that really got to the bottom of the issue sent out a tweet to end the discussion. Here's Nissan's first Twitter rear-time marketing effort. Hate to break it to you, @KimKardashian. #BreakTheInternet (cc: @papermagazine) pic.twitter.com/WOWFy5p6FB —…
Regular Geek
Geek Reading January 29, 2015
29 Jan 2015 | 5:30 amWe start with an excellent post from Valeria Maltoni on what makes people different than machines. Amazon goes after Google and Micrsoft by announcing WorkMail. Google fights back, posting about cloud pricing, how nobody understands how to compare offerings, and oh yeah "we are cheaper". As always, enjoy today's items, and please participate in the discussions on these sites. Top Stories What Makes People Different than Machines | Conversation Agent – Valeria Maltoni Amazon WorkMail – Managed Email and Calendaring in the AWS Cloud | AWS Official Blog Career and… -
Geek Reading January 28, 2015
28 Jan 2015 | 5:30 amToday we have a good article on becoming an engineering manager from TechCrunch. Liz Keogh wrote an interesting post on using scenarios for experiment design. For some reason we had to open source releases of code search and analysis tools, Kythe from Google and Hound from Etsy on the Code as Craft blog. As always, enjoy today's items, and please participate in the discussions on these sites. Career and Process Becoming An Engineering Manager | TechCrunch Technical Debt: Is Management Only Getting Half the Picture? | Javalobby Startup Lesson Learned: Technology Doesn't Matter | Thomas… -
Geek Reading January 27, 2015
27 Jan 2015 | 5:30 amThere was some really interesting news yesterday. Cablevision announces a wifi-only phone service, which might be really useful for lower income families or people looking to replace their home phone. Google gets some help with its Wallet purchasing by partnering with WePay. With Apple Pay growing, this could be the type of thing that finally launches mobile payments. Supposedly, IBM will be laying off over 100K people. Obviously, IBM denies it but other sources are saying it may be closer to 10K or even less. As always, enjoy today's items, and please participate in the discussions on… -
Geek Reading January 26, 2015
26 Jan 2015 | 5:30 amOn Friday, Microsoft announced the purchase of Revolution Analytics. Seth Godin drops some genius on advice and criticism. 0 FPS gives us more about collision detection. And Venture Beat tells us why enterprises are taking a while to adopt devops. There are a bunch of good posts today, so make sure you take a look. As always, enjoy today's items, and please participate in the discussions on these sites. Top Stories Revolution Analytics joins Microsoft | Revolution Analytics Advice or criticism? | Seth Godin Career and Process Trail of Tears Architecture Anti-pattern | Javalobby Agile… -
Geek Reading January 23, 2015
23 Jan 2015 | 5:30 amToday, Andreessen Horowitz gives us "16 things", an excellent batch of advice for startups and entrepreneurs. Ayende @ Rahien has been giving us a low-level performance series based on the work of the RavenDB team. Lastly, LinkedIn open sources a new distributed document store called Espresso. As always, enjoy today's items, and please participate in the discussions on these sites. Top Stories 16 Things | Andreessen Horowitz Career and Process Why it's Important for Marketers to Write Well | Conversation Agent – Valeria Maltoni Letters to junior developers | Code…
Social News Watch
5 Social Media Lessons Lutz Bachmann Learned this Week
21 Jan 2015 | 4:02 pmOver the years, we've seen dozens, perhaps hundreds of prominent examples of social media posts from the past coming back to haunt someone. It's bad when it's someone else who posted an image that got someone fired or otherwise personally damaged. It's worse when the individual posts something stupid on their own. A very easy example to latch onto is the story of Lutz Bachmann, former leader of Germany's Pegida protest movement. They have been mostly considered a fringe hate group until the terror incidents in Paris fueled their anti-Muslim protests and made… -
The Social Reason that Transparent Pricing Works
25 Nov 2014 | 4:36 pmIf one didn't know any better, they might believe that our company was in the business of helping dealers price vehicles. We're not. We're a social company first and foremost, but there's a reason that we point most of our clients towards Automark Solutions. It just makes sense. Today's example came to us through a non-client. It was a friend in the business who was having pricing challenges at their dealership. Apparently, they were getting eaten alive on social media by a customer who was not very pleased with the way that their online pricing didn't… -
Big Data Needs a Great Interpreter to be Effective
18 Nov 2014 | 10:29 amI really don't like dashboards. They tend to make a lot of sense to the people who built them as well as the people who work with them regularly, but those who do not use them all the time tend to have challenges in finding uses for them. Even the best dashboards are more beautiful than effective. This wasn't always the case. I've participated in building dashboards in the past. We made them visually stunning, loaded with data, and intuitive to the point that they would adjust based upon the users' preferences. This is great, but what I've learned over the years… -
The Real Reason that Facebook is Changing to Non-Promotional Business Posts
18 Nov 2014 | 10:05 amThe recent announcement that Facebook is not going to be allowing businesses to post advertisements that are masquerading as stories seems to be a play for more profits. Everyone seems up in arms that Facebook would have the gall to force businesses to pay for placement of their promotional material on their free service and they're calling them out for being greedy. That's a small part of it, but it's not the real reason behind the move. In reality, people don't want to see it. The users of Facebook have always been the focus of the company to the point that their… -
Dealership Gets Social with 'Keys in a Box' Spoof Video
16 Nov 2014 | 3:36 pmWhen a local company tries to spoof something, it normally fails miserably. It can come across cheesy, risky, and unprofessional. In the case of Oak Lawn Toyota's spoof of a popular SNL skit, the end result was pretty darn spot on. They made the video below based upon "D**k in a Box", a popular skit that featured Andy (Andy Samberg) and Raif (Justin Timberlake). The production level, scripting, sound, and everything about what the dealership did was exceptional. I'll let the video speak for itself…
Solar News DannyBrown
How To Install Marine Solar Panels
26 Jan 2015 | 12:35 amSolar panels can be a great help to sailors, keeping vital lights and appliances functioning, even when batteries run low or a generator malfunctions. They are also a much quieter way of recharging batteries! Learning how to install marine solar panels will be vital for the sailor who wants their advantages, but first he or she must learn which solar panels are best. Three types of solar cells are commonly used in solar panels, each with its own advantages. The sailor needs to learn these advantages and select the solar panels that are best for the need. Types of Solar Panels Solar panels… -
Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels
25 Jan 2015 | 4:47 amWith rising energy costs and massive stress on our electrical grids, solar is gaining in popularity. Not everyone realizes you can heat your home without buying big panel systems. Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels – Gain You can use solar energy to heat your home through a concept known as gain. While you may associate panel systems with any mention of solar power, they are not a component of this approach. Of course, this makes the installation a heck of a lot cheap than going with traditional panel systems. Solar gain is a concept that has been with us for much of the… -
Get Great Tips About Solar Energy From Experts Who Know!
24 Jan 2015 | 1:09 pmSolar panel installation is a green solution. This is an investment that is important. You have to understand if it will fit into your budget. Continue reading to educate yourself about solar energy so that you can decide whether or not it's the right choice for you. If you're prepared to stick with the investment in the long run, solar energy systems are an outstanding means for saving money. Installing solar panels requires a substantial investment, so years may pass before the panels generate sufficient savings to cover your cost. Invest in solar conversion only when you are… -
Concentrating Solar Power Systems
15 Jan 2015 | 8:43 pmIf you have ever seen a field with several mirrors pointing toward the sun you may be looking at a solar power system. These systems work to concentrate the sunlight to one area and use the heat to heat up the liquid that flows along the pipes. This system is called Parabolic-trough system. This type of system heats oil that is flowing through the pipe. The oil is hot and that is why it is used to boil water to power a steam generator which in turns powers electricity. The reason that this system works so well is because the U-shaped mirrors attracts and collects the suns heat which is then… -
Solar Energy – The Future of Generating Energy for the Home
5 Jan 2015 | 2:46 amSolar energy for residential houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of rising cost of real estate; newer more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources. Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced urban planning method of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as possible directed towards where it could capture the most sunlight. The ancients might not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use catch phrases as…
6 New Year's resolutions to set you up for media success in 2015
16 Jan 2015 | 2:39 am'Start as you mean to go on' as the saying goes and that is exactly the type of approach I believe is crucial to media success in 2015. Below I've outlined my top six resolutions to keep you at the top of your game and to kick start your new year with highly efficient online media campaigns. 1. Paid Search: Mobile Yes, I know it's been the year of the mobile for so many years now however, with recent changes to Google policy whereby description line 2 was dropped on mobile and replaced with ad extensions, it's more important than ever to get the sitelink, callout or location… -
How chillies are helping to transform women's rights in Swaziland
15 Jan 2015 | 7:02 amClaudia and Joe are a couple of young entrepreneurs who started Black Mamba Chilli, a chilli sauce making company in Swaziland. But what makes them stand out from the crowd is the fact that in a country where women are still treated as second class citizens, with very limited rights, all of their chilli plant growers are women. These women grow the chilli plants from seedlings, provided by Black Mamba, but are able to sell their produce on the open market as well as back to Black Mamba for their chilli sauces. What starts as a seedling goes on to give these women their own money,… -
A look back: Paid social media trends in 2014
14 Jan 2015 | 2:21 amFirst posted on our US blog Great Finds on 13th Jan by Patrick Hoy, Media Analyst, Digital Media. Last year paid social grew well beyond its previous boundaries. Existing players expanded their reach beyond current offerings, and perhaps more excitingly, some social platforms that hadn't previously offered paid options opened up to advertising. As paid social media gained in popularity and momentum in 2014, five prominent trends stood out. 1. A focus on direct response In early 2014, the innovation pipeline for both Facebook and Twitter focused heavily on attracting more direct response… -
Link removals: What you need to know in 2015
8 Jan 2015 | 3:10 amAt the beginning of 2014 we predicted that link removals would be the most valuable SEO activity for the upcoming year. Now, as we look back at the last 12 months we can see that this was indeed on the mark. In the current landscape, more and more companies face the challenge to clean-up their backlink profile due to the regular updates issued by Google. One of the latest and most significant, Penguin 3.0, was rolled out in October 2014 and is just one of the many countermeasures that Google has been adopting since the arrival of Panda in 2012. Before Penguin 1.0 was introduced, a large part… -
Natural search/SEO work experience programme at iCrossing
2 Dec 2014 | 2:28 amLike many graduates, I left university with little idea of what career path I wanted to take. I studied English Literature purely out of enjoyment, as I had little desire to be a teacher or an academic. As my final year came to a close, I ended up falling into business with my dad – setting up a small, artisan bakery in South East London. We worked together for two years before the opportunity to sell the business came up. I was then faced with the same problem of picking a career path. After more than a few desperate job searches, I started leaning towards digital marketing. As an…
LinkedIn needs to dashboard me
28 Jan 2015 | 6:23 pmLinkedIn is an amazing tool. I use it daily for the following tasks Research companies and potential business partners Keep up to date on what's going on in the digital marketing industry (Search, mobile, location, social and data across all three of these, just in case your keeping score) Share content to the LinkedIn group Marketing@Daniels Review who ... -
Usability and the Apple Watch
4 Jan 2015 | 5:24 pmI haven't had much time to comment on the impending release of Apple's Smartwatch, aptly named Apple Watch (not iWatch) and my biggest question was how easy will the device be to use. The minuscule interface puts the term "limited real estate" to the test. But after watching this video, I'm excited to try it out. ... -
The real issue with privacy
17 Dec 2014 | 8:07 pmIMHO I pretty much nailed how privacy needs to be handled on a person-by-person level here. But we can't even get to this point if we don't solve one issue that 100% of everyone agrees needs to be solved. Security. As a consumer, I can't even begin to worry about how you're going to use ... -
Mobile Consumer Behavior: The trip home
9 Dec 2014 | 4:50 pmIt has been an amazing class/trip to Japan. I learned a lot about mobile consumer behavior and the cultural characteristics that drive some of the behavioral differences. In the end, if you boil the trip down to its base element(s), it all comes down to culture. When I started this class, the equation I came up with ... -
Mobile Consumer Behavior: Day 9 in Japan
8 Dec 2014 | 5:56 pmToday is our last day in Japan and I got up early, ate and headed out to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. This is a place I've always wanted to go and it did not disappoint. It's about 1/2 hour from our hotel and it was easy to find. There are roughly 1 million photo opportunities and the ...
Twilight Fairy
Had a Kneecap dislocation & now need MPFL surgery
23 Jan 2015 | 11:51 pmIt's been a while since I've seriously blogged any personal stuff here or even blogged at all, for that matter. I'd been planning to get back to blogging since quite a while now (does anyone even read these blog updates anymore?) … but twitter always stood in the way of expressing myself in long form. Or even reading long form for that matter. I digress. To cut a long story short, I've had a kneecap dislocation (patellar dislocation) & it turns out that one of my ligaments (MPFL) is now torn to such an extent that it needs reconstruction through an invasive surgery The post op… -
Making merry
15 Jun 2014 | 11:43 amEver since I arrived in London on 2nd June, we got busy with the tour around various departments at Kingston university campus. But it wasn't just all work and no play. In fact right on the day we reached, after freshening up, we went to see the Graduate fashion week at Central London. On this particular day, the show was put up by the students of the Fashion department at Kingston university. We reached the venue in Central London and the place was swarming with fashionistas of all shapes, sizes and genders. For me the latest fashions were already there to observe in the crowd itself. Once… -
Education expedition
11 Jun 2014 | 7:09 amI arrived in London on the 2nd June. We were quickly whisked away to Antoinette Hotel right next to Kingston University. Kingston is a quaint little place with cosy little houses. Lots of roses growing in everyone's yard. The weather was perfect unlike the many predictions of rains. In fact it seems we got along a little sunshine here because it was after quite a gap that the rains had stopped. After freshening up, we went to see the Graduate fashion week at Central london. On this particular day, the show was put up by the students of the Fashion department at Kingston university. (More on… -
London Thumakda
2 Jun 2014 | 7:43 amA few months back I was contacted by Kingston university. They wanted to invite me to take a tour of their campus, check out the various courses offered and see what life is like out there. Now, I don't have any direct connection to universities or the profession of teaching (except for being the daughter of one), but I have been contemplating since quite a few years about doing a course on photography (the art, not the technique) from London or Paris. That would give me a global perspective, get me exposure to many more luminaries in the field as well as allow me to globe-trot more often. -
My brush with Turkey & why I want to make it real
11 Dec 2013 | 10:11 amMy first brush with Turkey was as a child, when we had to learn the capitals of all the countries in the world. I must have been in the third or fourth grade I suppose. Now this was in the '80's and one had to buy special books that contained all this information. It wasn't as easily accessible as it is today – like the tap of a finger . That was the first time I came to know that a country called 'Turkey' existed. I was still unaware about a bird existing with the same name though. I learnt that the capital was Ankara and the phrase "Turkey-Ankara" just rolled off my tongue…
Ben Werdmüller
Community-owned startups: taking a cue from the Co-op
27 Jan 2015 | 9:36 am3 min read One of the first conversations I had when I moved to California was with Kaliya, about alternative models of ownership for startups. I know it's something that's come up at events like Future of Money, and it's interesting to see it emerge in USV's question of the week. What would community-owned applications look like? Are they even possible?Growing up in Oxford, I lived around the corner from a Co-op: a national, collectively-owned chain of small supermarkets and other community businesses. Co-operative branches employ over 70,000 people, and their ownership structure makes them… -
No, journalists shouldn't need to learn to code. They need better tools.
26 Jan 2015 | 10:26 am2 min read Aaron Chimbel, over on PBS MediaShift:At most universities, students are required to take English composition courses, and at many others speech and/or foreign language classes are also required. Yet in the debate about teaching code in journalism programs, code is often reduced to a shiny toy.I've argued before that learning to code is not the same as being a coder, and that some degree of digital literacy is useful in a world that is slowly being eaten by software. Most recently, that was shown by the Silk Road trial, where a single investigator found the marketplace's founder… -
Artists should control their work. That means we need better networks.
23 Jan 2015 | 2:57 pm3 min read The musician Zoë Keating (who I admire) has written a very transparent, and a little sad, post about the decision she needs to make about YouTube:They were nice and took time to explain everything clearly to me, but the message was firm: I have to decide. I need to sign on to the new Youtube music services agreement or I will have my Youtube channel blocked.So what's in the YouTube music services agreement?It turns out to be a five-year contract that requires her to make all of her catalog available for free on YouTube, with an ad on it. In other words, YouTube requires her to… -
Censorship and Silos
15 Jan 2015 | 5:37 pm5 min read This is a summarized version of my talk at Hacks and Hackers tonight at Matter in San Francisco.This last summer, Alberto Guzman, a hairdresser in New York, uploaded a picture of him and his husband sharing a kiss on their wedding day. He tagged it with the hashtag #happy, as well as #gaypride and #equalrights. It was a wonderful day for them both.And then Instagram removed it - for being inappropriate.It turned out that it had been flagged as inappropriate, which is very easy to do on Instagram. You just click flag, and then tell them why. There isn't a lengthy procedure to go… -
Homebrew Website Club: January 14, 2015
8 Jan 2015 | 4:30 pmHomebrew Website Club: January 14, 2015 Discuss progress; meet up; make new friends. Location: Mozilla SF, 1st floor, 2 Harrison st. (at Embarcadero), San Francisco, CA Time: January 14, 2015, 6:30pm Ends: January 14, 2015, 7:30pm Are you building your own website? Indie reader? Personal publishing web app? Or some other digital magic-cloud proxy? If so, come on by and join a gathering of people with like-minded interests. Bring your friends that want to start a personal web site. Exchange information, swap ideas, talk shop, help work on a project ... See the Homebrew Website Club Newsletter…
Why A Good Steakhouse Is A Vegan's Best Friend
4 Jan 2015 | 2:10 pmFood, glorious food. It is no wonder that was my favorite song from "Oliver." Like most humans, I love to eat (and, arguably, it shows via the extra fifteen or twenty pounds I can always "stand to lose...") My love for food notwithstanding, I have been a vegetarian for more than twenty-three years, and a vegan for the past eight or nine of those. I became a vegetarian after my daughter was born and her mom, a very compassionate animal lover, declared that she was going to adopt a vegetarian diet (along with many pets). As the dutiful husband (who did not do as… -
The Time I Interviewed Robin Williams
11 Aug 2014 | 9:15 pmCover of The World According to GarpWhen I was 23 years old I was producing a talk show on cable television called "Celebrity." The hostess was Alison Steele. Known as "The Nightbird," Alison was a legendary rock DJ on New York City's WNEW-FM and probably the first really famous female rock radio DJ. She was also a great personality and a classy "Celebrity" in her own right. Our show was simple. In each hour long episode we spent the first half interviewing celebrities who were promoting their latest movie, and in the second half of the show Alison interviewed a CEO or… -
Bootie Call
13 Apr 2014 | 7:29 pmMy first reaction was denial. A grandfather? Me? In my head I am still 19 years old, and that's certainly too young to be a grandfather. Of course it is also too young to have children who are now in their 20's. In the world outside my head I indeed have three adult kids (Adult kids? Is that an oxymoron?). In the real world my oldest son is soon to be 26, and sooner to be a father himself.I remember the day Zach was born. Although we had moved to Rockland County we decided to still have "the baby" in Manhattan. I remember speeding down the Palisades Parkway with reckless abandon, hoping I'd… -
Three Words: Focus, Focus, Focus.
1 Jan 2014 | 8:24 pmFocus. It is so important, and so much harder than ever to manage. Our lives are filled with so many distractions that -- sorry, that was a text from my daughter. Where was I? Oy, yeah, our lives are filled with so many distractions that it has become almost --- cool. Someone just re-tweeted me. Umm, what was I saying? Oh, right, that with so many distractions it has become almost impossible to spend more than a fleeting moment on ---- email. Just had to see what that email was because my Pebble watch was vibrating. Now, as I was saying... -
Teaching My Kid To Get A Career...
11 May 2013 | 7:15 pm(This post originally appeared at Dad-O-Matic.)Those of you with kids in diapers or grade school may want to skip this post (unless you want a peek into the future at one of the many other parenting adventures you can look forward to facing). Those of you with teens and young adults getting ready to enter the workforce and start to earn more than an allowance, please read on...Jobs vs. CareerIn simple terms, I think of a job as something you do to make money. This is especially true when we are young. Babysitting, dog walking, lawn mowing, packing grocery bags, hawking fast-food, etc., are…
What does Apple Pay mean for small business owners? Everything you need to know #smallbiz #ecommerce
28 Jan 2015 | 11:49 amThis month, Apple made several big announcements: A larger iPhone, a fancy new smart watch and perhaps most intriguing, a brand new way to pay for things. They call it Apple Pay. Apple Pay isn't typical business for the tech company best known for its iOS lineup of devices and community of developers who have created more than a billion apps. But if someone is going to shake up the business game when it comes to how we pay for things, it's Apple. So what do small business owners need to know? Here's a quick rundown. About Apple Pay Apple Pay relies on near field communication (NFC)… -
3 Important Considerations for Your Business Social Media
23 Jan 2015 | 6:19 pmWhether your business is in the public eye, or you are just building it to the point where it shows up on Google results, the time is now to start better managing your social media presence. Social media doesn't manage itself, and if you are running your own business, you certainly don't have the time to do it yourself. See something negative in social or search? Don't hit the panic button! There are a lot of strategies to combat negative social media events. All of them occur on two fronts: 1) the side of customer service 2) the side of social media reparations. We'll talk a… -
5 Must-Have Tips for Great Web Design
22 Jan 2015 | 3:06 pmJust as you are judged by your appearance and how you speak and conduct yourself in the offline world, in the online world you are judged by your website's appearance. It doesn't matter if you offer great products, great prices, or both — if your website is out of date, shoddily constructed, or riddled with errors, the majority of your target market won't give you the time of day. Besides making sure you have a clean looking layout, up to date information, and an accurate spell-checker, here are five additional tips that you'll want to use as a checklist of sorts… -
Social Media Management – It's Role in Today's Business World
21 Jan 2015 | 2:36 pmSocial media includes all the social networking sites where people of different ages, castes and creeds share things with a wide audience. At present, almost everyone is attached to one or more social networking sites. Social media also has great influence in today's business world. Social media's role in a business The social media networking sites such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, and YouTube help in the online promotion and marketing of any kind of business. They can help companies and businesses to raise brand awareness to the most prospective customers. Apart… -
Social Media Management for Small Business, Agencies, and Freelancers
20 Jan 2015 | 9:34 amManaging multiple social media accounts is complicated and confusing. Many find remembering usernames, passwords and where to log into each social media network more than they want to do each do. If you're a freelancer or agency who has more than one set of social media accounts it gets even worse. Fortunately, there are tools you can use to organize what you do and measure your results. Social Media Management Goals Before you can choose the right social media management solution, you need to decide what you want to accomplish. To better understand what I mean, read what Ian Anderson…
Social Media Bird Brain
Two Great Thoughts from NonProfit Tech for Good
28 Jan 2015 | 12:00 amBeing a former IT worker, I can't help but geek out when I see technology being used for social good. One of the best groups throwing a spotlight on this is Nonprofit Tech for Good. Technology is crucial to every business and nonprofit and if your small NGO is not keeping up with the latest news in this sector, it could be at a very large disadvantage. This is not to say that you have to have -
There is Always More to Learn
17 Dec 2014 | 12:00 amWe learn from our mistakes and we can learn from the mistakes - and successes- of others. You may remember the #Kony2012 hashtag that was used by the NGO, Invisible Children, which had a video go viral and subsequently suffered a backlash from people saying they were deluded "white saviors" and encouraged slacktivism. Recently, Invisible Children decided to shut down its U.S. operations, -
Measurement is Not a Strategy
10 Dec 2014 | 12:00 amYo. Hope you had a good Thanksgiving, U.S. readers. All the rest of you, what is the deal with importing our Black Friday sales idea? Isn't shopping tough enough? LOL. So, I came across this very interesting piece of writing about measurements - or what biz folk like to call 'metrics' and how they should be collected in an effort to support your social media strategy, not be the strategy -
Explain (Video) Yourself
12 Nov 2014 | 12:00 amLooking for a new way to reach out to your community? Consider an explainer video. As Eric Blattberg lays out in this Digiday article, explainer videos are hot. Why? Explainer videos make a subject quickly understandable Video learning is often easier for viewers as well as entertaining Explainer videos are less expensive to produce than other videos Explainer videos have a long shelf life, -
Is Your Small NGO Outside of the Donor-Advised Fund Pie?
29 Oct 2014 | 12:00 amImage from Blue Mountain Community Foundation If your small NGO's mission deals with the basic needs of your community, you may already know this economy has left you with less to work with and more to work for as middle-class income has stagnated. But did you know that getting those high-income donors could be more difficult than you thought? And that the reason for that may be
Freelance Social Media
The best of #DeflateGate
23 Jan 2015 | 7:58 amAfter last weekend's win over the Indianapolis Colts, the New England Patriots are under investigation by the NFL about using 12 game balls that were below the proper inflation level. The internet did not hold back on poking fun at #DeflateGate. Below are a few of our favorites: Fully filled #DeflateGate pic.twitter.com/CRKA3G9ZcQ — krispykreme (@krispykreme) January 21, 2015 The internet had a field day with Tom Brady's press conference #DeflateGate http://t.co/JSYiM3H0Vs pic.twitter.com/Vgsn2AgD6d — Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 23, 2015 ShareThis -
2015 Web Design Trends
13 Jan 2015 | 2:30 pmBowen Media recently published an infographic of the top 5 web design tends of 2015. They are: 1) Mobile Focus, 2) Interactive Scrolling, 3) Flat Design, 4) Single Page, and 5) Clean Simple Layout I agree with most of this, especially Single Page. I've seen more and more websites that are condensing their content to one page. I disagree with Parallax scrolling. I think that is a trend that is starting to fade away. ShareThis -
A teenager's views on social media
8 Jan 2015 | 12:53 pmAndrew Watts from the University of Texas in Austin published an article on Medium.com about where peers his age congregate online. For marketers out there that are trying to connect with the younger generation his article is quite helpful. Here's a summation of what he said: Everyone has Facebook but not many are using it all the time. It's used to find friends and for it's group functionality. Instagram is the most popular. The content is higher quality because people take the time to edit their photos. Plus, people only post once a day or a couple of times a week whereas… -
It's a new year, time to audit your online marketing
7 Jan 2015 | 9:29 pmWhile things start to pick back up after the holidays, it is a good idea to take inventory on your online marketing and social media presence. Are you using the right social media tools? And, are you effectively using them? Create a list of your social media profiles and how often you utilize them. Look into more efficient ways of using them by utilizing tools such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social. ShareThis -
Passbook and Small Businesses
8 Oct 2012 | 10:04 amWith iPhones upgrading to the iOS 6 operating system, a new feature to be aware of is Passbook. Passbook is an app that allows you to store loyalty cards, boarding passes, gift cards, movie tickets…the list goes on. How can small businesses use Passbook? Simply put, Passbook "passes" replace paper coupons, loyalty cards, etc. Companies that spend hundreds of dollars a month on loyalty cards can save money using Passbook passes. They can also utilize geo-fencing, which uses GPS features of the iPhone to send messages to customers based on their location. For example, a…
Corporate Eye
State of Marketing 2015
14 Jan 2015 | 2:32 pmLeads, acquisition, and technology top the list of marketers' highest priorities and biggest challenges in 2015 according to Salesforce Marketing Cloud's 2015 State of Marketing report. It's important to note that marketers from around the world participated in the Salesforce survey, so these results are representative of a diverse pool of marketers, companies, and industries. While challenges abound for marketers in 2015, budget increases will focus on digital marketing, particularly social media and mobile marketing. In total, 84% of respondents to the Salesforce survey… -
Kia Rolls out Brand Repositioning Ad Campaign
8 Jan 2015 | 5:36 pmThis month, Kia is making headlines in the United Kingdom with its new ad campaign that includes television, print, digital, and social. It's not the ads themselves that are driving buzz about the Kia brand, it's about the goal of the ads—to reposition the Kia brand. For years, Kia has been known as the affordable car brand. It comfortably occupied that space in the marketplace and consumers were familiar with and trusted the Kia brand promise where value equaled affordability. Now, Kia is trying to reposition its brand as a different kind of value brand than what consumers… -
6 Sins of Marketing Automation
8 Jan 2015 | 5:31 amToday's post is by Ryan Chester, who wanted to talk about automating marketing – and how it can go wrong. Over to you, Ryan! Besides being the current buzzword, marketing automation has become a large thing, and a real thing. There are many billion dollar players in the space. As an executive in a large corporation you're constantly evaluating what software to invest in, and among them marketing automation software sits near the top. It has become the most in-demand tool for marketing professionals. It helps large companies turn leads into customers by nurturing them correctly,… -
Social Media Sentiment – Brand and Industry Winners and Losers
30 Dec 2014 | 6:11 pmWhich brands are winning when it comes to generating positive social media sentiment and which are losing? Which industries are performing best when it comes to social media sentiment overall? These are two of the questions that HootSuite answered in its study of brands in eight industries from September 16 to December 16, 2014. Using 100 million data sources tracked across 26 social platforms, HootSuite and uberVU identified the brands and industries with the most positive social media sentiment as well as the brands and industries with most negative social media sentiment. The results might… -
Candidate Outreach: LinkedIn
28 Dec 2014 | 11:42 pmCan I ask you a question? Have you heard of a social network called LinkedIn by any chance? Well, of course you have, and maybe you've just checked your own profile for updates (Still no news on that Richard Branson connect request? Oh well, maybe he's busy). With over 332 million members worldwide, Linkedin has become the place for professionals to network, share ideas, and recruit, and it's not just a place for professionals either. The fastest growing demographic on Linkedin are students and recent college graduates, so, with a potential audience of experienced hires and brand new…
Uber.la - tech reviews, opinion and wit
Revitalizing the Professional Social Network: Where Do You Get Social?
21 Jan 2015 | 5:31 amHow do we revitalize the professional social network? -
Facebook Philosophy: It's How You Choose to Use It
18 Jan 2015 | 11:24 amHow are you using Facebook? How would you like Facebook to change? Can you make changes in your behaviors and habits on Facebook that would enhance and improve the experience of others? -
Teens on Social Media – The Kerfuffle.
12 Jan 2015 | 4:27 pmSo have you read the young man's piece on social media that's burning up the net? Andrew Watts wrote a salient and insightful piece on his use, and his peer group's use of social media. A Teenager's View on Social Media – Andrew Watts (@thatswattsup) It's a good read, and led me to install SnapChat and YikYak [...] -
Social Media Referrals, What's Working for Your Business?
5 Jan 2015 | 4:48 amIf we believe Google is now using all kinds of social signals to give rank and value to our content, who's to say that my inclusion on Reddit at all, isn't of benefit? -
Facebook Business Pages: Why I Killed Mine & Why I Just Rebooted It
4 Jan 2015 | 6:05 amTwo years ago I launched my Facebook business page with no real idea what my goals were. And then in boredom and lack of interest, this past August, I unpublished the page. Nothing happening.
הטיפים של טל
אמן חושים לאירועים
25 Jan 2015 | 10:31 pm -
18 Jan 2015 | 4:31 am
18 Jan 2015 | 4:31 am -
דולה- מלווה נשים בהיריון ולידה
15 Jan 2015 | 2:44 amבנוסף, הלידה עצמה היא מאוד מלחיצה כיוון שהולכים לקראת הלא נודע ולא ניתן לדעת באמת מה יהיה. הדולה מלווה כלומר היא נמצאת עבור האישה לכל אורך ההריון או בחלקו ומקשיבה לה ומייעצת לה לגבי צמחי מרפא, תנועות שמחזקות את שרירי האגן וריצפת האגן, יש גם לחלק מהדולות גם עבודה עם לחיצות ממוקדות בגוף כו'. -
משקפי שמש להגנה מקסימאלית לספורטאים
21 Dec 2014 | 9:28 pm -
איך יש קשר בין הכירופרקטיקה לבריאות הגוף?
16 Nov 2014 | 10:00 pm
Seldom Seen Kid
Cluetrain Manifesto: New Clues
9 Jan 2015 | 4:40 amDavid Weinberger and Doc Searls have updated The Cluetrain Manifesto, producing "New Clues". The original manifesto, published in April 1999, set the standard for how people could and should engage on the Internet. David and Doc have seen the way that our behaviours (as people, marketers and companies) have evolved and presented a new standard . I urge you to read and share this widely – I've copied the full manifesto below. Hear, O Internet. It has been sixteen years since our previous communication. In that time the People of the Internet — you and me and all… -
2015 Social Media Trends Round Up
2 Jan 2015 | 3:47 amI've already shared my four 2015 social media trends to watch out for, (Frictionless Social Networks, Microvideo, Paid Media and Digital Convergence) but what does everyone else think will be the main developments in the digital space over the next twelve months? I've gathered together five of my favourite prediction, top tip and trendhunting lists below. Have a read through: what stands out to you as being the most important evolution we should look out for in 2015? Ten Trends for 2015 (via We Are Social) 5 social trends you can expect to see in 2015 (via Gigaom) 1. Chat as a… -
2015 Social Media Trends: Digital Convergence
28 Dec 2014 | 1:07 amIn this final post of four, I'm going to briefly look at the shape of digital, social media and agencies and how they will continue to evolve in 2015. Previously I've looked at Frictionless Social Networks, Microvideo and Paid Media. In this post I'll take a look at how agencies are evolving and how we should expect the landscape to shift. Digital Convergence As new junior hires come into agencies with social media firmly a part of their daily lives, we're going to see fewer and fewer large social media teams. Instead we're going to see digital skills more evenly… -
2015 Social Media Trends: Paid Media
26 Dec 2014 | 1:02 amIn 2015, we'll see social media continue to develop apace, but what will be the main evolutions we see? This is the third post of four that speculates on that question. Previously I've looked at Frictionless Social Networks and Microvideo, today it's the turn of the advertiser's favourite… Paid Media Recent research from Group M suggests that the UK will see 50% of all advertising fees go towards digital activations in 2015. Social media is no longer free; as organic reach decreases and more content as published created than ever before, getting the attention of… -
2015 Social Media Trends: Microvideo
24 Dec 2014 | 1:06 amLast time out I looked at Frictionless Social Networks. Today's 2015 trend is Microvideo. We know that video consumption has, is, and will continue to skyrocket as access to better technology is available to more people. Why is it important and what can we do as digital marketers to make the most of it? Microvideo Video is increasingly being watched in mobile devices – this means that video content needs to be shorter so that a) it doesn't kill your data allowance and b) it can be consumed quickly. This, coupled with Twitter-backed Vine and Facebook-owned Instagram, means that the…
Technology & Marketing Law Blog
Lawsuit Fails Over Ridesharing Service's Disclosures To Its Analytics Service–Garcia v. Zimride
28 Jan 2015 | 10:52 amPlaintiff sued Lyft (and others) over privacy violations based on the allegedly improper disclosure of user information by the Zimride service. He alleged that he used the Zimride service, once owned by Lyft and now owned by Enterprise Holdings, and his information made its way to Mixpanel, a third party analytics service. California has a statute on the books that places restrictions on anyone who has access to personal information gathered "for the purpose of assisting private entities in the establishment or implementation of carpooling or ridesharing programs." Plaintiff alleged… -
Chicago State University Professors Fight Back Against University's Efforts To Shut Down Their Blog (Guest Blog Post)
28 Jan 2015 | 8:36 amBy Guest Blogger Stephen F. Diamond Earlier this month, two faculty activists at Chicago State University (CSU) prevailed against a motion to dismiss a lawsuit they had filed in federal court against CSU's President, Vice President of Labor and Legal Affairs and General Counsel. The faculty suit claims the CSU officials violated the faculty members' free speech rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments when the officials sent the faculty members a "cease and desist" letter demanding they shut down a blog to which they contribute called "CSU Faculty… -
Are Takedowns in 48 Hours "Expeditious" Enough?–Square Ring v. UStream
27 Jan 2015 | 8:52 amUnlike boxing matches, I prefer my 512(c) cases to be first-round knockouts (for the defense). Photo credit: Two young boxers facing each other in a match // ShutterStockThis case involves the March 21, 2009 boxing match between Roy Jones Jr. and Omar Sheika, broadcast as a pay-per-view. (Spoiler alert: Jones won a TKO in the 5th round). Anticipating users would live-stream the fight, promoter Square Ring contacted UStream several times beforehand threatening/cajoling/begging them to prevent live-streaming. Getting no love from UStream, Square Ring's agent then sent three DMCA-complaint… -
Court Rejects VPPA Claim Against Viacom and Google Based on Failure to Disclose Identity
26 Jan 2015 | 5:37 amI blogged before about the privacy lawsuit against Viacom and Google over the disclosure of the viewing habits of minors. Shutterstock / SoulCurry – I love My Privacy The court previously rejected the claims on the basis that the disclosure of user attributes (such as demographic information, unique identifier and IP address), without more, does not amount to disclosure of someone's personal identity ("information which identifies a person as having requested or obtained specific video materials or services from a video tape service provider"). Plaintiffs went back and… -
Another Keyword Advertising Lawsuit Fails Badly
21 Jan 2015 | 8:57 amThat's the way the ill-advised trademark lawsuit crumbles. Photo credit: Angry businessman crashing stone trademark with karate punch // ShutterStockThis case is so pathetic, it probably only warrants a tweet. The TL; DR version: another trademark owner initiates a lawsuit over keyword advertising and gets crushed in court. The end. The antagonist is a Florida van rental service operating under several brands. The services include special transportation services for people with various ailments. The defendant, apparently providing similar or rival services, bought Google AdWords on…
LJ Jones's Blog
The Value of a Good Story
8 Jan 2015 | 10:39 amCan a good story make something more valuable? Consider diamonds.Man-made, "synthetic" diamond are produced in a lab by either high pressure and heat or a chemical process. It takes about a week or two.Real diamonds are produced about 100 miles below the Earth's surface over a couple billion years.The truth is, "synthetic" diamonds aren't actually synthetic. They are in fact real diamonds. But they have a terrible story and sell for about 30% less than a real diamond and few people buy them. No future bride wants to show her friends an engagement ring that was… -
Entrepreneurial Blindness and Bad Origami
19 Dec 2014 | 1:01 pmHave you ever watch the show Shark Tank? Entrepreneurs present their ideas to a panel of successful investors. Often the ideas appear to have at least some potential. But occasionally, the ideas are downright awful. Yet the entrepreneur believes in it with all his heart and "knows it will be successful one day" despite what the experts say. How is it that the entrepreneur could believe so blindly and so strongly in an idea that everyone else thinks is terrible and will never fly? I know I've done this.Let's turn to behavioral economist Dan Ariely for an… -
Nancy Duarte: The secret structure of great talks
17 Oct 2014 | 1:19 pmThis is a wonderful talk by Nancy Duarte on using stories to present an idea. -
Topher Grace, Seth Green and Mark Hamill kidnap George Lucas.
23 Aug 2013 | 12:10 pmMovie Idea. Need Help. The movie takes place at Comicon in San Diego, where George Lucas is the headline attraction/speaker. Upset by StarWars 1,2 and 3, Topher Grace, Seth Green and Mark Hamill kidnap George and attempt to force him to re-edit the 3 movies into one decent movie, destroy the originals and remove all mention of midichlorians from StarWars cannon. In his old age, Mark Hamill thinks he's Darth Sidious. Darth Hamill is the mastermind of the plot and has the entire 501st as his Royal Guard. Not wanting to miss their only chance to meet George Lucas a rag tag bunch of geeks dressed… -
When I was a kid......
3 May 2012 | 5:49 pmWhen I was a kid........ vital Nintendo knowledge, like how to beat a boss or a cool cheat code, was passed from one kid to another at school. You couldn't look it up on the internet when you got stuck. You just figured it out and it worked pretty well. Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Select Start..... you kept a tape in your "BOOM Box", ready to hit record when your favorite song came on the radio so that you could savor that song over and over again. Sometimes you waited for days just so you could get the entire song..... you had to rewind and fast forward things. Cassette tapes.
5 Easy Steps to Determining Your "X Factor"
28 Jan 2015 | 10:00 pm"But there are so many other people out there who do the same thing as me…" Does that sound familiar? Feeling like this is common for entrepreneurs, and it sometimes stops them dead in their tracks. But what about the business owners who've set themselves apart and don't stress about the "competition?" You could say they have that "X Factor," that certain something that differentiates them from the crowd and allows them to attract the best clients, enjoy the best opportunities, and frankly, have a lot more fun. I've recently had my own journey with figuring this out, and… -
What Cher and WordPress Have in Common
22 Jan 2015 | 10:00 pm"This is my final farewell tour. You can verify it with the AARP. I'm never going to come back, I swear." –Cher A little confession today. I've been teaching WordPress for years (5 to be exact). Last year was the last ever time I was gonna teach it. After that, I was finished, done, finito. It was time to make room for other new offerings in the biz. But the protests have been loud and insistent. I know so many people need this info desperately, and they've been very vocal about it! So, I'm doing "a Cher" (or "an Ozzie" if you… -
How to Stay Continually Inspired (Even When Things Get Rough)
21 Jan 2015 | 10:00 pmCreating new habits and processes in our lives often does not come naturally to us. There will have to be a gradual shift from what was to what will be. I'm sure you've heard the expression, "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have." This applies to finding inspiration, especially in times where you're going through a redefining of self: divorce, starting a new business, losing a lot of weight, or moving across the country, for example. When I was first exploring ideas for my own business, those ideas were shot down by some of the people I shared them with. The last thing I… -
How Having My Hands Read Changed the Course of My Business
14 Jan 2015 | 10:00 pmI'm sure like most people, you've wondered what exactly you're here on Earth for. Almost a year ago I had a hand analysis done that confirmed my life purpose and the legacy I want to leave. In the past, I would have been pretty skeptical of something like this! However, so much was confirmed that I couldn't ignore it. The purpose of the analysis was to discover where my meaning and fulfillment are found and what I am hardwired to do. I don't know what your feelings about such analyses are, but it was truly motivational to me and pivotal in my pursuing my life's purpose. The… -
Save the Date… New Spring Event!
14 Jan 2015 | 9:55 amLast Friday I had the honor of filming an episode for my friend Michele Granberg's TV show! We talked about my new book and what it takes to succeed as an entrepreneur. (Marketing + Mindset baby!) I'm thankful to Michele for the opportunity, and it was also fun to chat about the "inner" stuff that affects all of us when it comes to creating success and happiness in our lives. This is the stuff that really gets me charged up! I could talk about it endlessly. In fact, I am excited to bring more of this front and center this year, as I am absolutely convinced more than…
Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®
From Journey to Destination: How Marketing Automation Can Fill Your B2B Funnel
29 Jan 2015 | 2:55 amYou're a busy B2B digital marketer trying to drive leads in an ever-changing world. You're writing awesome emails. You use a marketing automation platform. Maybe you've even created a series of email drip campaigns, monitored their performance and began to nurture your leads. But you wonder, "Am I doing all that I can?" Marketing automation gives many of today's B2B marketing professionals lead nurturing capabilities and structured conversion journeys that not only save time, but build valuable relationships with prospects and ultimately help create revenue. According… -
How Locally Laid Got Paid by Turning Customer Feedback into Brand Storytelling
28 Jan 2015 | 2:55 amHere in Minnesota, a small egg company is getting big press after ruffling the feathers of a concerned shopper. When Locally Laid Eggs received a letter from a grocery store shopper, saying that the company's name is "offensive" and its advertising "vulgar," the company took to its own blog to offer up a rebuttal. In doing so, they enlightened readers about locally-sourced food and responsible farming and revealed some key marketing lessons in the process. Most companies would have tossed the letter and missed out on the opportunity to use this kind of storytelling to pick up on… -
What You Need to Know About Content & Influencer Marketing. BONUS: Case Study
27 Jan 2015 | 3:03 amInfluencer Marketing was a hot topic in 2014 and will continue to gain momentum in 2015 for both B2C and B2B marketers, especially when it comes to content co-creation. Why the warm and fuzzy for influencer content you ask? According to CMI and MarketingProfs, over 90% of B2B marketers are investing in content marketing. Yet, in an age of information overload where 74GB of data are delivered per person, per day (USC), standing out to business buyers can require unreasonable budgets and resources. Inspired by the need to scale content marketing performance, a growing number of B2B marketers… -
Social Media Video – Essential Tips and Takeaways from #SMBMSP74
26 Jan 2015 | 4:33 amPanelists including, from left, Jeff Achen, David Krejci, Farrington Starnes and Chuck Olsen address the audience at the January 23 SMBMSP event. Digital marketers have known for some time that video is an essential part of the marketing mix: 76% of B2B companies use video as a content marketing tactic. Video is also an important part of a social media content strategy. After all, YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google and Facebook has more than 1 billion daily video views. Great examples of companies using video to enhance both B2C and B2B marketing are in high… -
Online Marketing News: Psycho Selfies, Twitter Beefs Up, Google Still Searchin'
23 Jan 2015 | 2:45 amHow To Add Influencer Marketing To Your Content Strategy - Content Marketing and Influencer Strategy must work together for either to be successful. To find out how you can add influencer marketing to your mix, check out the infographic above and this article. Scoop.it STUDY: Men Who Take Excessive Selfies Show Psychopathic Traits - Uh, oh. Not only are we all addicts, we're also displaying psychopathic traits all over Instagram. A study released by Ohio State this week found that men who post selfies — not the ladies, mind you — tend to show more psychopathic traits than those who…
Content Matters
Product Management Roles at Interactive Data
6 Jan 2015 | 7:12 am2015 has arrived and we've got an aggressive growth plan. Interactive Data is growing and we have openings on the product team for rapidly growing, emerging products. I'm currently recruiting for two roles. If you're interested, reach out to me at barry-dot-graubart at interactivedata-dot-com. Product Manager, Vantage Vantage is the industry leading platform for fixed income transparency, price validation, corporate actions and reference data. Vantage today is a critical part of the workflow of hundreds of hedge funds, investment managers and mutual funds. The ideal candidate will have… -
Does LinkedIn Have a Growing Spam Problem?
24 Jun 2014 | 7:31 amIn the past 24 hours, I've received a half-dozen or more spam requests to connect on LinkedIn. No, I'm not talking about the typical LinkedIn news stream spam, nor the random requests to connect from people whom I don't know. These are more like Twitter spam - photos of attractive young women with sparse profiles. In this case, all of them seem to be tied to the media/content/technology industry. So, at the surface level, they seem legit. But, a quick click on any of the profiles shows them to be fake. Beyond their model-like appearances, each seems to have 4 years of professional experience… -
What makes a great product manager?
2 Jun 2014 | 12:40 pmMost roles at technology companies are pretty easy to define. Software engineers write code. QA analysts test to ensure releases meet requirements. DBA's set up and manage data schemas. Marketers market and sales reps sell. But ask the typical person to define the product manager role and they'll struggle. Perhaps they'll say something like "they own the roadmap" or "they define the requirements", which are certainly true, but that's only a part of the product management role. Or, they'll confuse it with project management, which can be a part of the role, but isn't the… -
On Loss (of Data)
2 Jun 2014 | 7:47 amThere are two kinds of people - those who have lost data and those who will. That was a truism for most of us who grew up in the PC-era. I learned my lessons early in my career and have been religious about regular backups. In the early days, that was tape and CD; today, it's a mix of cloud backup (Mozy), external hard drive and occasionally burning files to DVDs and storing them in a fireproof safe (as a fire or storm can take out your external drive along with your laptop). But, as we move more and more of our lives to the Cloud, backing up your data becomes more challenging. My Evernote… -
With Immediacy Comes Great Responsibility
26 May 2014 | 12:29 pmUPDATE (5/26/14): Rap Genius cofounder Mahbod Moghadam has been fired. Community site Rap Genius sets as their mission to annotate the world - or to become the Internet Talmud. That's a lofty goal and perhaps a worthy one, particularly if they expand into poetry, literature, political speeches and more. But it's also a thorny path, as you look to a community to interpret the words of others. Rap Genius co-founder Mahbod Moghadam learned that today when he decided to annotate and publish the "manifesto" of UCSB mass shooter Elliot Rodger. Defenders of Rap Genius will note that the words…
Ad Agency New Business Workshops
23 Jan 2015 | 8:15 amA New Approach for New BusinessNew business has been a problem historically for agencies. It's made worse with the paradigm shift in business development. The battle for new business has now primarily moved online.My epiphany regarding this shift in new business practices came from a CMO study conducted in 2007, 80% of decision makers said they found their vendors not the other way around.Interruptive type tactics such as cold calling and email blasts are ineffective. It's now more important to be FOUND than to CHASE new business.A New Approach to New Business Workshop is designed to… -
The Invisible Sale for Ad Agency New Business
21 Jan 2015 | 2:00 pmA step-by-step guide to create a painless prospecting system.Many agencies have historically struggled with prospecting for clients. Their struggles have been intensified due to the rise of social media, content and inbound marketing. Today's prospects are more in control of the agency selection process than ever before. Instead of chasing new business, it's now more important to be found.Tom Martin has written a helpful guide-book on social selling, it's called The Invisible Sale: How to build a digitally powered marketing and sales system to better prospect, qualify and… -
People You May Know for Ad Agency New Business
9 Jan 2015 | 1:08 pmLinkedIn's People You May Know feature helps build a targeted network of prospective clients fast.LinkedIn is an important new business tool, thanks to its' People You May Know feature. It has been rated as the second most helpful LinkedIn feature, enabling users to easily build new relationships with potential clients.People You May Know provides you with a list of people to connect with using LinkedIn's secret algorithm. From my personal experience, it seems to factor in your personal LinkedIn activities, along with such things as your existing network, profile… -
Win A Ticket To An Ad Agency New Business Workshop in Orlando
6 Jan 2015 | 10:13 amEnter to win a ticket to a one-day regional workshop, co-sponsored by Fuel Lines Business Development and AAF Orlando.Here's your opportunity to join Michael Gass on Friday, February 6, 2015, in Orlando, Florida for this ad agency workshop: A New Approach to New Business.The battle for new business has moved ONLINE. Interruptive type tactics such as cold calling and email blasts are INEFFECTIVE. It's now more important to be FOUND than to CHASE new business. This workshop is designed for agency CEOs and their New Business and Senior Account Management teams.Benefits: You will… -
LinkedIn Publishing for Ad Agency New Business
2 Dec 2014 | 10:40 pmLinkedIn has become an ideal platform to strengthen your professional identity by sharing your insights and expertise.When I first started using LinkedIn, it was primarily a place to post your resume and get a job or research prospective clients. It has now become much more."LinkedIn is opening up our publishing platform to our members, giving them a powerful new way to build their professional brand. When a member publishes a post on LinkedIn, their original content becomes part of their professional profile, is shared with their trusted network and has the ability to reach the…
Kneale Mann | Leadership
Accepted Behavior
28 Jan 2015 | 1:30 am8:13 Tuesday morningGlen is late again for the weekly sales meeting. It's the third week in a row. He says there's a lot going on in the morning with day care and school buses and making lunches for the kids and traffic. So the sales manager surveys the team and discovers four other members are dealing with similar issues. She carefully asks the entire team – so to not hinder those who don't have kids – whether it would help if the meeting was moved to 8:30. Everyone agrees.8:42 Tuesday morning – four weeks laterGlen is late for the third time. What would you do as sales manager? -
Snow Day Revisited
26 Jan 2015 | 2:30 amAs the US East Coast gets slammed with another "storm of the century" we can reflect on two things – leadership and technology. I have a friend whose boss demands she is at her desk every weekday no later than 8:30am and cannot leave the office any earlier than 4:45pm. That may be helpful if you're working on an assembly line but frankly I think it's short-sighted.We are connected through email and mobile devices, webinars and virtual teaming technology, and if you look at the forward-thinking companies in the world, people aren't measured by the number of hours they spend warming… -
Introverts vs. Extroverts
21 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amYou may know that there seems to be a growing introvert movement going on at the moment. It's not that there are more introverts in the world, but they seem to be speaking up for themselves which is a very good thing. There are books and seminars, and workshops and websites on introvert leadership, finding your inner extrovert, dealing with chatty people, navigating the business world in your own quiet way, etc.First, introverts aren't quiet. And they aren't one homogeneous group who share all the same traits. Clearly an extrovert gave them that label! A friend nailed it with one… -
Inspiration Redefined
16 Jan 2015 | 5:06 amIn her 2014 TEDTalk, Stella Young discussed inspiration in a frank, open and funny talk that may make you rethink your perspective.Sadly, Stella passed away suddenly last December. Watch this and let her inspire you, even though she may have claimed it was not her purpose in life.__________________________________________________________________Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit TED | Stella Young -
What if?
13 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amThose are two fairly innocuous words put together to make a powerful question. It can lead us to possibilities and doubt, options and concern, but if we can park the negative for a moment and focus on the curious, let's see what happens. As an example, you may be looking at making a career change for a hundred different reasons. It could be financial, the situation, lack of advancement, a bad boss, etc. But you are not as happy as you think you could be if you stayed where you are now.Perspective changesIf you ask the question – what if I get a worse job? – that could keep you where you…
Social Networking Watch: News on the Social Networking and Social Media Industry
Facebook Q4 Earnings Preview: $10B Annual Revenue
28 Jan 2015 | 12:37 pmMASHABLE - Jan 27 - Facebook is expected to post earnings of $0.48 per share on revenue of $3.77B. If Facebook comes anywhere near that estimate, it will top $10B in annual revenue for the first time in its history. by Seth FiegermanSee full article at Mashable See all posts on Facebook -
Chat App Kik Hits 200M Registered Users
28 Jan 2015 | 12:33 pmTECH CRUNCH - Jan 27 - Kik just passed 200M registered users, but CEO and co-founder Ted Livingston played down that milestone, saying that it "doesn't really matter all that much." The chat app has raised $70M to date. According to ComScore, Kik ranks second behind Snapchat on active U.S. users. Kik is focusing on America's young, mobile-first generation. Kik's users aged under 20 are most engaged with its service. by Jon RussellSee full article at Tech Crunch See all posts on Kik -
Facebook Takes Blame For Service Outages
28 Jan 2015 | 10:54 amREUTERS - Jan 27 - Access to Facebook and its Instagram was blocked around the world for up to an hour on Tuesday, which the company said later was due to an internal fault and not an outside attack. Tinder was also down around the same period, but recovered. A hacker group associated with other recent high-profile attacks on other online services sought to claim responsibility for the outages, but Facebook said the fault was its own. See full article at Recode.net See all posts on FacebookSee all posts on Instagram -
Facebook Releases Facebook Lite
26 Jan 2015 | 11:49 pmLIFEHACKER - Jan 26 - A super lightweight version of its app directed at developing markets, currently only available officially in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The APK is about 252KB, as opposed to the 27MB. by Eric Ravenscraft See full article at LifeHacker See all posts on Facebook -
LobbyFriend: Pop-up Social Networks At Hotels
26 Jan 2015 | 9:42 amUSA TODAY - Jan 25 - The app will enable users to get information on events near and at the property, as well as send messages to other guests for the length of a hotel stay. LobbyFriend launched in February 2012, and will be in four more U.S. properties by March. Hotels pay on average $100 a month for LobbyFriend, which guests can use when they access the hotel's Wi-Fi. Users can remain anonymous, fill out a profile, sign in with Facebook or even create an avatar. by Charisse JonesSee full article at USA Today See all posts on LobbyFriend
Sydney: Unfiltered.
Being the Boss – Day 27: Unapologetic.
27 Jan 2015 | 5:47 pmYou guys, the #FearlessIn15 challenge is absolutely rocking my world. One of my favorite parts about it is that there are prompts every day, but the leaders are adamant about reminding us that this challenge is for us to get in touch with our badass selves, and therefore, comments of "I'm so behind!" are totally […] The post Being the Boss – Day 27: Unapologetic. appeared first on Sydney: Unfiltered.. -
Being the Boss – Day 23: #Fearlessin15 Challenge
23 Jan 2015 | 3:21 pmHere's the deal, team. Back in August, when Hello Fearless (founded by one of the coolest chicks I know, Sara Davidson) launched their Boss School, I was wanting to join. When I actually started weighing pros and cons in October when the course was getting ready to start, I had just barely scratched the surface […] The post Being the Boss – Day 23: #Fearlessin15 Challenge appeared first on Sydney: Unfiltered.. -
Being the Boss – Day 22: I don't know where I live.
22 Jan 2015 | 4:55 pmReal talk: this week, it's been hard to keep up with writing every day. Partially because the internet at the house was 10 kinds of wonky, partially because I was feeling a bit lazy as a result of the shitty internet connection, but mostly because I'm getting the point where I'm coming back into my own, and […] The post Being the Boss – Day 22: I don't know where I live. appeared first on Sydney: Unfiltered.. -
Being the Boss – Day 21: Catching Up.
21 Jan 2015 | 3:45 pmOH MY GOD YOU GUYS I AM SO SORE. It's almost comical, really. But enough about that. I want to talk about connecting with people, and reconnecting for that matter. How many times have you said "oh, we should catch up!" as a formality, and not really meant it? Or maybe you meant it but […] The post Being the Boss – Day 21: Catching Up. appeared first on Sydney: Unfiltered.. -
Being the Boss – Day 20: I'm joining the circus.
20 Jan 2015 | 1:11 pmIt's been a long time since I've learned how to do something for the first time. Today, Barry and I went to the Santa Monica Pier to learn how to fly on the trapeze. Yes, trapeze. There's a lot of cool stuff that happens as a result of being a part of the skydiving community. […] The post Being the Boss – Day 20: I'm joining the circus. appeared first on Sydney: Unfiltered..
Jeff Korhan - New Media and Small Business Marketing
Modern Media: How to Build Your Business Reputation
19 Jan 2015 | 12:05 pmListen to the Episode Below Download iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Get Weekly Marketing Updates Discover What is New for Business Powered by the Simple Podcast Press Player This is Episode 26 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. Gini Dietrich and I had a great conversation about the evolution of modern media in this episode, from the days when it was predominantly self-serving to where we are today. Being truthful, most of us will admit we're still getting comfortable with learning to tell better stories and how to help our target audience, while of course… -
Business Communication: How to Build Relationships with Technology
13 Jan 2015 | 3:03 pmListen to the Episode Below Download iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Get Weekly Marketing Updates Discover What is New for Business Powered by the Simple Podcast Press Player This is Episode 25 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. You'll find this episode to be an easy listen because Terry Brock is a natural storyteller. In addition to being a Hall of Fame speaker, Terry is known for discovering useful technologies, but more important, he has a knack for finding creative ways for using them well. You should also be ready to take notes too because Terry shares… -
Business Podcasting: How To Start a Podcast
3 Jan 2015 | 11:36 amListen to the Episode Below Download iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Get Weekly Marketing Updates Discover What is New for Business Powered by the Simple Podcast Press Player This is Episode 24 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. This is the 2nd of a two-part series on business podcasting. Last week we discussed How Every Business Can Benefit from Podcasting. In this episode we go into detail on how to get started. Note: There are some affiliate links associated with a few of the recommended resources within these notes, but only for products and services that I… -
Business Podcast: How Every Business Can Benefit from Podcasting
27 Dec 2014 | 12:52 amListen to the Episode Below Download iTunes Stitcher SoundCloud Get Weekly Marketing Updates Discover What is New for Business Powered by the Simple Podcast Press Player This is Episode 23 of This Old New Business weekly business podcast with Jeff Korhan. In this episode we dive into why every business should be podcasting – and how to get started. My journey with podcasting started long before our launch on July 26th, 2014. Many of my friends said: You have to start podcasting! After 23 episodes I now understand their enthusiasm. If anything, I would say they undersold the… -
Buyers Seek Solutions to Meaningful Problems
22 Dec 2014 | 2:58 amIf your business is not enjoying the growth it deserves, then your buyers may not fully understand the meaning of the problems for which your products and services are the solution. I know, because my business recently made breakthroughs in this area. Action is the Result of Understanding Relationships between buyers and sellers develop when there is a mutual understanding. Many sellers assume the buyer understands his or her problem, and they therefore focus on the solution. It is vital to help people understand their current condition, and what happens if they do nothing. This can be…
Social Media University, Global
Tweets have more Capitol Clout than Email
6 Jan 2015 | 6:12 pmBefore I began my career in health care, I worked for 14 years in political and government jobs at the local, state and national level. The last of those was as press secretary for former U.S. Rep. Gil Gutknecht. I had helped Gil set up his first Web site, but when I left in 2000 the Internet hadn't yet gotten to be a big thing in politics. And social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter were nonexistent. In the post-9/11 era and in the aftermath of the anthrax scare, email took over as the highest impact means for citizens to communicate with their members of Congress. This… -
Unbroken: Paying it Forward
25 Dec 2014 | 7:22 pmI vividly remember reading this post by Scott Johnson on Power Line in Nov. 2010 about Unbroken, Lauren Hillenbrand's book on the life of Olympic athlete/WW II bombadier/shark fighter/Japanese POW camp survivor Louis Zamperini. As Johnson wrote: Reading Janet Maslin's review of the book last week, I felt bad not even to have heard of Zamperini previously. But, as Oney and Journal reviewer James Hornfischer point out, Hillenbrand hadn't heard of him either before she undertook the research for Seabiscuit…Zamperini's story should be common knowledge, especially while… -
A PDA for My BFF and Holiday Greetings for You
22 Dec 2014 | 6:09 amOn December 22, 1984 at 11 a.m. I stood at the front of St. Peter's Lutheran Church in New Richland, Minnesota with a lump in my throat as the most beautiful vision I can imagine walked down the aisle on the arm of my soon-to-be Father-in-Law. On that day, I married my best friend, and for three decades the Lord has blessed us with a wonderful life together. As we heard on our Wedding Day, He told our first parents, Adam and Eve, to be fruitful and multiply, to fill the earth and subdue it. Since then, Lisa and I have done our part to fulfill that cultural mandate. Here's what we… -
Day One in Dubai
9 Nov 2014 | 6:02 pmNote: As described in this post, I'm in Dubai as a member of the Global Agenda Council on Social Media for the World Economic Forum. I'll be sharing some of experiences here on SMUG. I arrived in Dubai about 7:30 p.m. Saturday night, feeling reasonably well-rested after the 14-hour flight from Seattle by way of the North Pole. The service on Emirates Air Boeing 777 was outstanding, as was the seating (or bedding) in Business Class. So the result was that I was energized for a big day yesterday. The coordinator for our Global Agenda Council on Social Media advised… -
Off to Dubai!
7 Nov 2014 | 4:09 pmI'm writing this from the International Lounge at the airport in Seattle, as I am waiting for the boarding call for my flight to Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. In September, I was invited and accepted an appointment to a two-year term on the Global Agenda Council on Social Media, which is sponsored by the World Economic Forum. Most of our meetings are by videoconference, but we meet face-to-face once per year in Dubai. The first of these meetings starts Sunday afternoon. I have a lot of reading to do to prepare, and thankfully have a 14-hour flight on Emirates Air in which to do…
What to do with your old phone
20 Jan 2015 | 12:21 pmWhen that old computer dies you take it to a certified e-waste recycler for disposal. What do you do with your old phone? Here's a few important thoughts Continue reading → The post What to do with your old phone appeared first on AreWeConnected.com. AreWeConnected is AreWeConnected.com - Custom WordPress Websites that Rock! -
UPDATE: Spammy emails in MailChimp
13 Jan 2015 | 5:00 amI just wanted to follow up with my recent post where I noticed I was getting a bunch of spammy emails subscribing to my newsletter. I reached out for professional help but here's how I ended up fixing it myself. Continue reading → The post UPDATE: Spammy emails in MailChimp appeared first on AreWeConnected.com. AreWeConnected is AreWeConnected.com - Custom WordPress Websites that Rock!
The Tyler Hayes
27 Jan 2015 | 3:19 pm#skittle -
🌊 (at Kilauea Lighthouse)
26 Jan 2015 | 3:47 pm🌊 (at Kilauea Lighthouse) -
thekidshouldseethis: This is Gallium, a silvery metal that...
26 Jan 2015 | 10:08 amthekidshouldseethis: This is Gallium, a silvery metal that looks like Mercury, but is notably different because it's non-toxic. With a melting point of 29.7646 °C or 85.5763 °F, it will melt (slowly) in your hand. Watch the video. -
fuck-me-till-the-end: ¤
26 Jan 2015 | 10:07 amfuck-me-till-the-end: -
"You are 12. You're at the library looking for some generic young adult fiction novel about a girl..."
26 Jan 2015 | 10:05 am"You are 12. You're at the library looking for some generic young adult fiction novel about a girl who falls for her best friend. Your dad makes a disgusted face. "This is about lesbians," he says. The word falls out of his mouth as though it pains him. You check out a different book and cry when you get home, but you aren't sure why. You learn that this is not a story about you, and if it is, you are disgusting. You are 15. Your relatives are fawning over your cousin's new boyfriend. "When will you have a boyfriend?" they ask. You shrug. "Maybe she's one of those…
"Whatchu Talkin' Bout Willis?" – The Importance of Social Media for Small Business
28 Jan 2015 | 10:45 amPrior to social media, businesses used public relations, advertising, and direct mail to create visibility, generate brand loyalty, and build sales. However, many small businesses found these tools included a high price tag. The launch of social media effectively leveled the marketing playing field between small and large businesses because social media is free. According to the State of Small Business Report, 56% of SMBs invest only 3% of their revenue in marketing. That percentage is evidence of the significant gap between what large and small businesses spend. A recent Gartner survey has… -
Which Apps Are Spying On You?
28 Jan 2015 | 9:15 amIs it possible that Smartphone and Tablet apps are spying on you? If so, when would they do it and why? There has been $500 billion dollars in global banking fraud – half of which occurred online – using PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. In the USA alone there has been 930 million identity thefts, according to PrivacyRights.org. Do you spend time on your smartphone or tablet reading through your most recent text messages, sending emails and playing some fun games like angry birds, flappy birds, candy crush or others? Ever fumble for your car keys and use that sleek flashlight app… -
6 Ways Teachers Can Harness The Power Of Pinterest
26 Jan 2015 | 12:26 pmWhen you think of social media sites, you think about sharing pictures and videos and connecting with friends. But, there is one website that is truly ideal for teachers… and it is called Pinterest. Pinterest allows teachers to do many great things in terms of teaching and learning in a very convenient and fun manner. If you are a teacher, then get ready to explore a new and exciting world of opportunities that Pinterest brings to you. They will enhance your productivity in no time. 1. Pinterest can be Used to Share Assignment Details It's easy for teachers to create pages with detailed… -
Using Social Networks as Powerful Advertising Tools
14 Jan 2015 | 7:19 amEveryone has an account on any given social network, or two, or three, or all of them, and this is just a way of showing how addicted we are to them. No matter whether we are using them for posting pictures of cute kittens and babies, or if we are using them for some alternative business purposes, social networks are here – and they are going to stay. They present a perfect online gathering place, each of them catering to a different group of people; some are more inclined toward business users, while others are better for the visually inclined. They cater to both genders, all nationalities… -
5 Social Media Mistakes You Probably Don't Know You're Making
13 Jan 2015 | 11:15 amUsing social media as an individual is easy – you just say whatever you feel like saying. A corporate social media account requires a bit more tact than that. A number of people just starting out in the corporate social media world fail to realize this and make a number of mistakes without knowing it. Here are 5 common mistakes that brands make on their new social media profiles without even realizing it! 1) TMI: The Too much Information syndrome A personable social media account for your brand is always great. An account that goes too far, and gets a little too personal, is a terrible…
Animated Loading Indicator Icons (SVG)
7 Jan 2015 | 4:36 pmHere is a collection of cool loading indicator icons in SVG format. It's free and open source. Download them directly in zipped format here. URL: http://samherbert.net/svg-loaders/ -
Zapier – Automate the Obvious
6 Jan 2015 | 4:00 pmIf you are a fan of IFTTT, then you will love Zapier too. Zapier is like an advanced version of IFTTT that is primarily targeted on power users and web developers. Below is a recipe of mine that I created, it does the following; when I forward particular email to Zapier email, it creates a new card in my Trello account, in the predefined Dashboard, under the "To-Do" column. Attachments of the email is also passed on to Trello card as attachments. You can also tag particular default users to the newly created card. It just saves tons of time.. Zapier supports tons of platforms… -
Knowledge vs Experience
5 Jan 2015 | 7:23 pmSelf-explanatory.. source: unknown This is what Steve Jobs said in his popular Commencement Address in 2005 at Stanford University regarding "connecting dots": ..you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. -
Web Design Trends for 2015
4 Jan 2015 | 7:49 pmFull screen web design has been around for some time now, it used to be particularly popular in design agency websites, photography sites, web designer portfolios etc. However, it looks like 2015 will be the year for full-screen web design. Here are some of the websites which have implemented full screen design: Storj.io PayPal Google Maps Evernote Pair.com Ted Delicious What other cool full-screen websites you have noticed? Mention them in the comments section. -
How to Build an MVP Correctly
29 Dec 2014 | 2:41 amThis sums up nicely on how to build a minimum viable product (MVP) correctly. source: author unknown.
Social Networking Watch: News on the Social Networking and Social Media Industry
Facebook Beats Estimates In Q4 With $3.85B Revenue
29 Jan 2015 | 9:29 amTECH CRUNCH - Jan 28 - Facebook now has 1.393B users (890M daily users, 1.19B mobile monthly users), up 3.18% quarter over quarter. The company brought in $0.54 EPS on $3.85B in revenue. Mobile made up 69% of ad revenue compared to 66% last quarter, showing its business is now firmly mobile. by Josh ConstineSee full article at Tech Crunch See all posts on Facebook -
Chat App Kik Hits 200M Registered Users
28 Jan 2015 | 12:33 pmTECH CRUNCH - Jan 27 - Kik just passed 200M registered users, but CEO and co-founder Ted Livingston played down that milestone, saying that it "doesn't really matter all that much." The chat app has raised $70M to date. According to ComScore, Kik ranks second behind Snapchat on active U.S. users. Kik is focusing on America's young, mobile-first generation. Kik's users aged under 20 are most engaged with its service. by Jon RussellSee full article at Tech Crunch See all posts on Kik -
Facebook Q4 Earnings Preview: $10B Annual Revenue
28 Jan 2015 | 12:30 pmMASHABLE - Jan 27 - Facebook is expected to post earnings of $0.48 per share on revenue of $3.77B. If Facebook comes anywhere near that estimate, it will top $10B in annual revenue for the first time in its history. by Seth FiegermanSee full article at Mashable See all posts on Facebook -
Facebook Takes Blame For Service Outages
28 Jan 2015 | 10:54 amREUTERS - Jan 27 - Access to Facebook and its Instagram was blocked around the world for up to an hour on Tuesday, which the company said later was due to an internal fault and not an outside attack. Tinder was also down around the same period, but recovered. A hacker group associated with other recent high-profile attacks on other online services sought to claim responsibility for the outages, but Facebook said the fault was its own. See full article at Recode.net See all posts on FacebookSee all posts on Instagram -
Facebook Releases Facebook Lite
26 Jan 2015 | 11:49 pmLIFEHACKER - Jan 26 - A super lightweight version of its app directed at developing markets, currently only available officially in Bangladesh, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The APK is about 252KB, as opposed to the 27MB. by Eric Ravenscraft See full article at LifeHacker See all posts on Facebook
Triple Shot: Visual Storytelling Tools
16 Jan 2015 | 7:07 amThis year, I'm re-launching the prTini Double Shot with a focus on tools. Each month, I'll share two that I recommend using to boost different areas of PR, starting with visual storytelling. And, since this is the first edition of 2015, I'm throwing in one extra tool for good measure. Ready? Here we go! Flipboard – Flipboard's magazines have always been helpful for trend/news monitoring and content discovery. As more brands focus on showing their stories instead of just telling them, the platform is also emerging as a go-to visual storytelling tool (some are even calling it "the… -
Think Smarter in 2015 + Other Links You Might Have Missed (The Weekly Cocktail)
19 Dec 2014 | 6:20 amLike a good cocktail, this mix of news — hand-crafted by Team Geben — will enlighten, inspire and educate. Cheers and happy reading! The 11 Personalities You'll Face When Pitching History of the Hashtag (Octothorpe) This Is What a Reporter's Inbox Looks Like The 10 Commandments of Good PR 6 Ways to Think Smarter in 2015 10 Productivity Strategies Backed by Science Facebook Creates 'Empathy' Team to Relate to Users What Athletes Can Teach You About Embracing Diversity (client) Hacking The Tweet Stream 10 Productivity Strategies Backed by Science 7 Holiday Season Survival Tips… -
When a PR Problem isn't a PR Problem
18 Dec 2014 | 8:20 amI finally snagged a friend's HBO Go log-in credentials so I could watch the rest of Aaron Sorkin's The Newsroom. In the series finale, former network head Leona Lewis (Jane Fonda) has one of my new favorite one-liners: You have a PR problem because you have an actual problem. How often does PR get blamed for something, when in reality the problem is actually a business problem that causes PR issues? All the drama surrounding Uber is a timely example. Just look at some of the recent headlines: Boston Uber Driver Accused of Raping Passenger in Backseat Uber Alles: The… -
Best and Worst of 2014 + Other Links You Might Have Missed (The Weekly Cocktail)
12 Dec 2014 | 6:17 amLike a good cocktail, this mix of news — hand-crafted by Team Geben — will enlighten, inspire and educate. Cheers and happy reading! 10 PR Stunts That Won 2014 Inside Square's Winning PR Strategy Instagram at 300 Million: Bigger Than Twitter, Growing Faster Than Snapchat Land Your Dream Job Through Social Media Savvy (client) Inspiration for Non-Creatives: Where to Look When You're Out of Ideas Oh, Snap! Instagram Has More Users Than Twitter Three Tips for Improving Twitter Ad Campaigns 10 Pinterest Tips for Smart Brands 14 Recent Changes to Twitter, Facebook and More That Social… -
Embarrassing, but … a Quick Gender Bias Lesson
8 Dec 2014 | 6:55 amA FATHER and his son are in a car accident. The father is killed and the son is seriously injured. The son is taken to the hospital where the surgeon says, "I cannot operate, because this boy is my son." This little brain-teaser is the opening line in a New York Times article on gender stereotypes. They report that 40-75% of people can't figure it out. I read it and easily came to a conclusion: The boy had two fathers. Gay men are becoming parents more quickly, so that's not really all that far-fetched at all. Then, I read the next paragraph before my own gender bias hit…
Tech in Asia
Alibaba reaches 334 million shoppers who spent $126 billion in Q4
29 Jan 2015 | 5:13 amAlibaba's Q4 2014 earnings report – its second financial release since its huge IPO – just came out. Firstly, here are the ecommerce-related bits: Taobao marketplace reached RMB 494 billion (US$79.3 billion) in gross merchandise volume (GMV), which basically shows how much people spent on the ecommerce site. That's up 43 percent from the same period in 2013. Sister site Tmall hit RMB 293 billion (US$47 billion) in GMV, up 60 percent from 12 months ago. In total, Alibaba's China estores saw RMB 787 billion (US$126.4 billion) in spending (GMV) in Q4, which is up 49… -
The launch of ZTE's newest phone shows why it's lost so much ground to Xiaomi
29 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amChinese phone maker and telecommunication equipment provider ZTE held a launch event yesterday in Hong Kong for its new Blade S6 smartphone. Besides the phone, the small press- and VIP-only event also showcased why Chinese brands like ZTE have lost so much ground to Xiaomi in the past two years. In 2014, Xiaomi sold 61 million smartphones in a handful of Asian countries, surpassing ZTE's 48 million in global sales by a wide margin. Nearly 70 percent of ZTE's revenue comes from its three tiers of smartphones: Blade, Grand, and Star. But the phones and how they're marketed to… -
Facebook to open branch office in Taiwan
29 Jan 2015 | 3:30 amFacebook announced today that it will open an office in Taipei, marking the social network's thirteenth disclosed branch location in Asia Pacific. The office will be used to help local businesses reach target consumers. "The set-up of the Facebook Taiwan office will increase the level of support Taiwan clients and agencies will get," says Jayne Leung, head of Greater China at Facebook, in a prepared statement. "We recognize the potential and opportunities that Taiwan presents and are looking forward to working closly with Taiwan businesses, partners and the government to… -
Alibaba's very public punch-up with Chinese regulators shows that knock-offs are still a problem
29 Jan 2015 | 2:52 amJust over 40 percent of the stuff that Chinese people buy online is fake, said a recent government-backed report. It accused Alibaba's Taobao, a huge marketplace made up of online merchants, of being the worst offender, with the majority of its goods – about 63 percent – being counterfeit. That has sparked a very public and rather surprising punch-up between Alibaba and China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC). The regulator published the report over the weekend (see here), but it was compiled in July 2014. Shortly after SAIC's report was… -
Japanese Bitcoin marketplace lands $1.1M from domestic and US investors
29 Jan 2015 | 2:19 amLast night, Japanese Bitcoin exchange BitFlyer announced JPY 130 million (US$1.1 million) in new funding. The latest round included domestic and American investors: Recruit Strategic Partners, GMO Venture Partners, and Barry Silbert's New York City-based Bitcoin Opportunity Corp. BitFlyer CEO Yuzo Kano, a former trader at Goldman Sachs, tells Tech in Asia that the investment will be used primarily for marketing and talent acquisition, but some will also be put toward opening new offices in unspecified foreign markets. With Silbert on the startup's side, an upcoming US operation seems…
Room 214
Videos + Super Bowl = Likes, Shares & NFL Brand Attention
29 Jan 2015 | 1:00 amYes, we cheered on the Denver Broncos last year (a lot of good it did us eh?). And this year, our team almost made it to the big game so we could root for them again. But alas, looks like Room 214 will be rooting for social media during Super Bowl XLIX. Specifically, we'll be rooting for Facebook video advertisements. This year, Facebook and the NFL have entered a video-sharing partnership that will be sponsored by Verizon Wireless. Facebook features football game highlights, NFL news and even fantasy football statistics in users' news feeds during games. The clips reach Facebook… -
Seeking Intern of the Creative Type
28 Jan 2015 | 8:51 amDo you love digital? If you answered yes, please continue reading… We are looking for a fun and creative guy or gal to intern with Room 214's creative team. You'd support Room 214's creative content needs by assisting in the production of social media graphics, presentation design assets, simple video editing, and other creative team activities. Below are some more specifics. You must: Understand basic design fundamentals (color, type, layout) Have a passion for creating visually engaging work and visual storytelling Know how to Google Key Responsibilities: Collaborate… -
Social Media Case Study: Elevations Funding the Extraordinary
28 Jan 2015 | 6:53 amWorking with a great organization like Elevations Credit Union provides the opportunity to develop campaigns with both online and offline components. With Funding the Extraordinary, Room 214 collaborated with Elevations to develop an integrated digital marketing campaign that included a customized Facebook application, video content and both paid and owned promotion, all culminating in a live event to celebrate the nominees and announce the winners. Funding the Extraordinary was a campaign sparked by the belief that Elevations customers and local community members are 'way beyond… -
SEO in 2015: The Importance of Engagement & Chasing the Unknowns
23 Jan 2015 | 3:29 pmWhat do we know about SEO, about how to improve our rankings and traffic from organic search? We know that links matter, specifically high quality links from authoritative sources. This has been true for as long as SEO has existed as a practice. We know that content is king. Unique, informative and helpful content creates engagement and drives links. We know that certain technical website attributes affect our search results. Site architecture, site speed, meta data, URLs, image optimization – these are all things proven and even acknowledged by Google to have an effect on rankings. -
Facebook Image Sizes Quick Reference Infographic (2015)
23 Jan 2015 | 2:25 amKnowing what size to create and upload photos to the ever-changing landscape that is Facebook can push even the calmest people to the brink, so we collected all the information you could need into an easy-to-read and visual infographic detailing every image you'll ever upload. We outline the recommended upload size, and display sizes of profile & cover photos, shared images, shared links, and highlighted images. You can also download our handy cover photo templates as Adobe Illustrator Template(.ait), and Photoshop(.psd) files.
5 Reasons Taylor Swift Is The Future Of Marketing
28 Jan 2015 | 9:30 amBy now, nearly everyone has heard about "Swiftmas", Taylor Swift's gift-giving extravaganza in which she and her team spent hours getting to know 32 of her fans, and then even more time buying gifts and surprising them with personal Christmas presents on their doorsteps. On the other hand, the brands we work and interact with every day, the ones that spend millions and millions of dollars on TV spots, sweepstakes, radio spots, full-page magazine ads, email marketing — they're absolutely lost. If these brands ditched that impersonal, mass advertising in favor of… -
5 Ways to Invest In Your Brand
23 Jan 2015 | 8:47 amSuccessful companies have to juggle lots of moving parts: product, sales, logistics, operations, financial metrics. However, the most important driver of success is something that many organizations fail to focus on: their own brand. Originally, a brand was a symbol that differentiated one rancher's livestock from another. Today, a brand is the sum of the characteristics that make its service or products recognizable. It's so much more than a logo, and includes everything from the layout of your store to what you talk about (and how you talk about it) on social media. Peter Thiel, in his… -
25 Must-Attend Digital Conferences in 2015
15 Jan 2015 | 1:42 pmEvery year, the BuzzShift team reviews all the best digital conferences across the globe. All BuzzShift employees receive a yearly $1,500 conference budget to help them grow in their roles. The reality is, you can learn a lot from these conferences. Not only are you learning from the experts, but these conferences are also a great place to collaborate and build your network. For 2015 we hand-selected a list of the "Must Attend" digital conferences based on overall quality, content, network opportunities, and potential key learnings. Below is our list of the top 25 conferences… -
The Big Guide to Social Media Dimensions
22 Jan 2014 | 4:00 amThe appearance of your company's social media profiles can be just as important as the way your own website looks. Unfortunately, you have much less creative control on the social networks. You can only work within their standard templates and drop in your own images and text. And each network has its own standard sizes, which often adjust depending on the type of screen you view it on; use the wrong image dimensions in your design, and the results can look amateurish at best. To help you design a professional social media presence that will look great on all networks and all devices,… -
How Microblogging Can Solve Content Creation Gridlock
18 Dec 2013 | 4:12 amIn the triathlon world, there's a saying that goes, "You can't win a race during the swim, but you can certainly lose it." So it goes with a content strategy, and especially a company blog. It's my opinion that even with all the fanfare around content strategy, creation alone won't cut it. Innovative marketing, analysis, and design along with informed marketing decisions are the vital organs of a vibrant content marketing strategy. But with that said, if you don't create content, you'll flounder quickly among the competition (and you also…
The Super Bowl 2015 – Digital Marketers Can't Get Enough!
29 Jan 2015 | 1:52 amA record 111 million viewers in 2014 alone, out of which over 50% tune in just to watch the commercials! Now that is manna from heaven for any advertiser worth his salt. A 30-second TV spot is worth a staggering 4 million dollars! Now that we have your undivided attention, let's get to the issue of how lucrative this Super bowl can be and also let you in on the secret of immensely benefiting from it if you are a digital marketer! The television is the centre of the Super Bowl action. It has been so since a long time and will remain so at least in the very near future. But digital… -
Digital Marketing & Behavioral Targeting
28 Jan 2015 | 4:48 amYou can't be limiting your marketing strategies to one or two channels today, not with digital media on board. If the difficulty of marketing to potential customers on this labyrinthine playing field tweaks your pain threshold, then you need to focus on behavioral targeting. It is nothing new. Marketers have used behavioral targeting since analog times to get better ROI. But not necessarily in the digital age. Only 24% of digital marketers actively utilize behavioral targeting techniques, no matter how straight forward those techniques might be. So let's look at some ways to implement… -
Responsive Web Design (RWD) – What you should know and much more…| Best of the Week
23 Jan 2015 | 4:27 amThis week's hot news, events and videos from the online marketing and social media world. From the Position² Blog This Week: Responsive Web Design (RWD) – What you should know? Mobile web users are a new class of consumers, albeit a lucrative one. Digital marketers can ill afford to give them a pass. This makes responsive web design highly desirable. Read this blog to find out more. Content Marketing: What to Consider Before You Outsource Seven Conversion Rate Tactics That Increased Sales by $21 Million How to Define, Track, and Optimize PPC AdWords ROI Are Keywords Relevant to SEO in… -
Yahoo Market Share Rises after Mozilla Deal!
23 Jan 2015 | 4:27 amYahoo had got into an exclusive agreement with Mozilla in November 2014. As per this deal, Yahoo became the default search engine for Mozilla PC and mobile browsers. This was a "strategic five-year partnership" and as part of the deal, Yahoo started offering enhanced search experiences. Yahoo featured a clear, modern and immersive design with inputs from the Mozilla team. Source This deal seems to have paid Yahoo rich dividends. This is clearly evident in the latest comScore released for US desktop search engine rankings. As per this data, Yahoo has seen an increase of 1.6% in US… -
WhatsApp Gets a Desktop Avatar
22 Jan 2015 | 3:28 amIt is the sign of the changing times. Convergence is the way to go in the digital world. Less than a year ago, the social media giant Facebook had bought the mobile messaging service WhatsApp for around $19 billion! Now Facebook is going for a major makeover for the app. Going forward you can access WhatsApp on your desktop or laptop PCs. This would basically be a mirror of the app on your phone and you would still need an Internet-connected phone. All your message though will reside on your phone and the desktop would just be an interface for you to send and receive messages. This is…
The Next Web
RunKeeper for iOS gets Spotify integration
29 Jan 2015 | 8:27 amRunning and music go together like peanut butter and jelly. RunKeeper knows that, so now it's adding Spotify integration into its app. The fitness app is today announcing the iOS app will allow Spotify premium users to open up music directly from the app's start screen. You have quick access to your playlists, and Spotify will even suggest some of its top workout collections if you want to mix things up with music outside your own library. There's no word on the functionality coming to Android yet, but it's probably just a matter of time. To get started, you just need to connect… -
We're bringing back the best of TNW for Europe 2015
29 Jan 2015 | 6:56 amSince 2006, our events have proudly played host to some of technology's most exciting and influential minds. This year, in honour of our 10th birthday, we're bringing back the best. TNW Conference 2015 will see a dream team of the decade's most inspiring individuals grace our stages once again, armed with new ideas and insights to transform the way you work. Heading up the TNW Alumni is Mark Randall, Gary Shapiro and Brewster Kahle. You may know Mark as the VP of Creativity at Adobe, but I know him as the man who brought half of our 2011 audience to… This story continues at The… -
Imgur lets you GIF all the things with new Video to GIF converter
29 Jan 2015 | 6:48 amThe GIF is one of the internet's native art forms and few websites have as big a repertory of the medium as Imgur. Still, finding the right GIF can be hard, and making your own is even harder, so the website is now introducing its own GIF creator. Simply called Video to GIF, the tool lets you use many popular video sites as sources for your animations; simply copy the URL into the input field to get going. It's a pretty rudimentary tool so far – you can only trim videos and add some text – but nevertheless appreciated. It's worth noting,… This story continues at The Next Web -
Perfectly Clear photo editor upgrade for Android boosts beautify and camera features
29 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amWith interest in selfies seemingly intensifying — especially given the selfie stick fad — Athentech has found a way to boost its profile in the portrait arena with a new upgrade to its Perfectly Clear photo correction app for Android. The newly released version 4 prominently features updated Beautify tool algorithms that automatically detect gender, age and facial features to apply a more measured amount of correction — packed into a friendlier, updated user interface. While Perfectly Clear has always provided many of the same image editing tools as its slew of competitors, the… -
Get 96% off lifetime access to OSTraining's Web development video tutorials
29 Jan 2015 | 4:40 amWhether you want to get up to speed with basic web development languages like HTML, CSS and PHP, learn to work with and build projects on WordPress, Drupal and Joomla CMSes or improve search rankings with SEO, There's never been a better opportunity to learn. TNW Deals has an incredible offer on lifetime membership and access to over 1,800 in-depth web development course videos & monthly 400 page web design ebooks (each worth $40), and a new class releasing each week from the experts at OSTraining. With tutorials for beginners, experienced coders and everyone in between, OSTraining's…
Jennings Social Media Marketing
Social Media Marketing 101: CMO & CEO 2015 Tips & Tactics
26 Jan 2015 | 6:09 amBy Valerie Jennings, CEO of JSMM Hi there…are you thinking about giving your social media marketing an overhaul? Think again before you dust off the old playbook from 2014. There are a few things you need to know before you set up your next planning meeting with the marketing department or vendor. For instance, did you know that we really haven't seen any new products, campaign programs or super cool incentivized sales or promo platforms for social media in a while? Do you know why? Social media has plateaued. Photo by: Jason A Howie / Foter / CC By Let me give you a little historical… -
JSMM & VBM To Attend Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2015
19 Jan 2015 | 7:51 amIf you like cold weather and extreme outdoor sports, then the 2015 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market is for you. Jennings Social Media Marketing and Viral Bolt Media will be there! We represent many badass extreme sports brands. Bryan Richard, director of digital strategy for VBM, will be heading there this week to meet with companies that want to sell more gear. Photo Credit: Outdoor Retailer This year the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market runs from January 21-24 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. The event showcases retailers, manufacturers and professionals in the winter… -
Jennings Social Media Marketing & Viral Bolt Media Attends Consumer Electronics Show 2015
9 Jan 2015 | 11:45 amThe International Consumer Electronics Show takes place in Las Vegas every January and features thousands of electronics and technology creations from companies all over the world. Those companies range from startups to multi-billion dollar companies all competing for eyes and attention to get their products on the market and in the public eye. Jennings Social Media Marketing has documented success in the retail e-commerce and technological marketplace, so it seemed like the perfect place to network, make some new friends and introduce ourselves to potential new clients. Bryan Richard, who… -
Jennings Social Media Marketing Makes Predictions For ROI And Gaining Traction In 2015
2 Jan 2015 | 12:24 pmJennings Social Media Marketing has released its predictions for 2015. For the past several years, JSMM has been at the forefront of social media and its CEO, Valerie Jennings, is viewed as an early adopter due to the face she introduced social media tactics to companies well before social media was even spoken about inside corporate boardrooms. JSMM reviewed large volumes of data from a wide range of clients including travel, tourism, technology, automotive, manufacturing and more to reach conclusions about 2015 predictions. Many research and analysis reports were conducted in several key… -
APT Motovox, Inc. Revs Up A Roaring Testimonial For Jennings Social Media Marketing
19 Dec 2014 | 11:14 amJennings Social Media Marketing has received a top-tier review from Mike Malina, director of marketing at APT Motovox, Inc. Motovox is a publicly traded company based in Kansas City, Missouri that builds mini bikes, pit bikes, go-karts and scooters from the ground up. In mid-2014, Motovox acquired Motoped, which is a customizable line of bikes, think a mix of a motorcycle, moped and bicycle, that is designed to go where standard motorcycles can't. When the acquisition occurred, Motovox retained JSMM for social media marketing to help build the company's brand and online footprint. Malina…
Jason Yormark
Why "What Women Want In A Man" Lists Are Bullshit
14 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amYou see them all the time. Link bait lists claiming what women want in men. It's understandable of course…lists are a great way to attract readership. Hell, I use them all the time. But these particular lists are always frustrating to see because they are always full of shit. Rich, funny, works out, trustworthy, romantic, cooks, cleans…it goes on and on. Like somehow if you possess all these boilerplate traits, you're going to magically become more appealing to women. These lists never have any real thought or actionable direction. Sometimes these lists have claims… -
5 Sure Fire Tips That Will Have You Cutting The Cable Cord
7 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amAfter realizing I was spending over $200/month on my cable bill, I finally reached a point where I had enough and cutting the cable cord was in play. Even though I loved being able to watch what I wanted, when I wanted it, I just didn't find myself doing so often enough to justify the expense. So despite my anxiety, I cut the cord. Cut it without even thinking about what my backup plan was going to be. I figured I would just figure it out over time. Here are 5 things I've learned that make it a hell of a lot easier to do. 1. Get a Mohu HD Antenna For only about $40, you can get… -
Use Whatever Friggin Words You Want!
18 Dec 2014 | 2:46 pmI've been meaning to write a blog post about this infuriating article from Mashable a few months ago basically condemning the use of certain "buzz words". The article is chock full of "experts" I'm sure Mashable selected from a survey about what words they felt were overused. It's practically impossible to read through the list of comments without hearing them in your head as a pompous "I'm better than you" tone. Here's the thing…who friggin cares? You want to use the word visionary or innovate? Then use it. Just use it… -
Are You These 5 Things? Then You're Hired.
11 Dec 2014 | 9:00 amOver the past 10 years or so, my career has shifted to focus more on managing teams and operations, and a good chunk of my time has been spent on interviewing and hiring. I've probably interviewed thousands of people in that time, and I definitely have a good feel for folks fairly quickly in the process. While roles vary and the qualifications for them can be very different, for me it really comes down to a handful of things that I look for and after thinking about it for some time, these 5 things are definitely at the top of my list. 1. You can work with anybody. I learned this the… -
5 Tips To Book A Baller Vegas Trip Affordably That You Haven't Heard
1 Oct 2014 | 8:00 amOkay, maybe not celebrity baller, but there are ways to experience an upgraded Vegas experience. I love Vegas. I do. It's not for everyone. But for me, 2 times a year is standard. There's just something about a city that's always on. It's a place I can go and really do whatever the hell I want and not have to worry about it. The ultimate adult playground. There was actually a time where you could practically get everything super cheap and free, Unfortunately those times have changed quite a bit. Vegas is much more touristy. In fact, over the years I've seen more…
Elaine Gantz Wright
It's All INREACH: Marketing Revisited
25 Jan 2015 | 11:20 am"How odd I can have all this inside me and to you it's just words." ― David Foster Wallace, The Pale King I hear nonprofits use the word "outreach" frequently. We are doing an "outreach." This can refer to everything from mission-driven programming — to marketing to fundraising. They may even have an "outreach" department." And many have even made it a verb. "We are outreaching across the globe." But this brings to mind a sort of broad, cast-the-net-style effort, as opposed to a more targeted, precise, systematic approach — focused on engagement, conversions… -
25 Dec 2014 | 9:44 amIt's Christmas, again. So, what have we done? Seems the years are barreling by more rapidly than ever. Hyperspeed. With the death of my father this year, the passing of my mother two years ago, my youngest turning 18, and other major personal epiphanies this year, the reality of time has been a central theme. That's why I bought myself a special gift this year — Mary Oliver's new book of poems — "Blue Horses." It's exquisite. I find the purity and simplicity of Oliver's intimate observations of nature and everyday wonder so… -
Taking the Last Mile to Heart
7 Sep 2014 | 5:23 pm"The Last Mile" is a phrase used in the telecommunications and technology industries to describe the final piece of the communication journey that connects the network to the end-user or customer. In more jargon-y tech circles, it's often referred to as the "last-mile problem," because the end link to consumer is too often disproportionately expensive or difficult to achieve. Even compared to the costs associated with rolling out broadband wire and hardware across the globe, last-mile connections have been plagued with technological issues, infrastructure barriers, and high… -
Creating Compelling Content 101
23 Jul 2014 | 12:55 pmYes, it's a common lament. I hear this wistful question almost daily. What should I blog about? What do I have to say? Well, the answer to that question is "plenty." The biggest challenge is editing — prioritizing and redefining what makes sense within the context of your brand and your audience engagement strategy. I recently stumbled across this infographic on the Copyblogger by Danny Iny. It's called "22 Ways to Create Compelling Content When You Don't Have a Clue." Love the whimsy of the infographic format as a idea generator. -
Believe Them.
30 May 2014 | 10:50 am"When people show you who they are, believe them." ~Maya Angelou This is one of my favorite quotes from the remarkable Maya Angelou. She expressed so many ideas and notions of the heart with such raw eloquence and clarity. As one who has struggled with clouded filters in my life, this resonates deeply. Live in authenticity—not to satisfy the expectations of others, nor the perceived expectations of anyone else. It also means resisting the impulse to change, cajole, alter—or otherwise attempt to "fix" another. Peacefully release and allow . . . others to walk their own…
3net Search Engine Marketing Blog by Social Media Systems
Phoenix Valentines Day Flowers
19 Jan 2015 | 1:52 pmPhoenix Valentines Day Flowers Order flowers online with Same Day Delivery from Your Local Phoenix Florist. Fresh flowers hand delivered right to your door 800-411-3588 Cupids Creation $124.95 $84.95 Click Here To View All Flowers Available For Delivery Just type in the delivery zip code – No Need To Call Your Local Florist – […] -
Arizona Valentines Day Flowers By Your Local Florist
19 Jan 2015 | 11:53 amArizona Valentines Day Flowers By Your Local Florist Order flowers online with Same Day Delivery from Your Local Florist. Fresh flowers hand delivered right to your door 800-411-3588 Cupids Creation $124.95 $84.95 Click Here To View All Flowers Available For Delivery Just type in the delivery zip code – No Need To Call Your […] -
2015 Trust Marketing – Transcending Risk In International Business Arbitrage
15 Jan 2015 | 8:35 amCertain opportunities exist because of rapid change. Changes in technology which become adapted in daily life, transcending geographical boundaries, language boundaries, and, eventually, cultural differences, can change the world. When everyone talking to everyone all over the world for free becomes more and more commonplace, the gigantic arbitrages between prices and availability of commodities and […] -
1 Largest Australia Social Network and Facebook Group
14 Jan 2015 | 3:25 amAnnouncing 1 Largest Australia Social Network and Facebook Group From Australia.com: Multicultural Australia Australian society is made up of people from a rich variety of cultural, ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds, and this is a defining feature of modern Australian society. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have inhabited Australia for tens of thousands of […] -
2015 | Global Arbitrage | Work from Home
8 Jan 2015 | 1:20 pmChange takes place gradually. As it evolves, there are always a few who see things coming ahead of time. These people are not any better or worse than any of you, they simply have a gift from God to see things coming like a freight train ahead of everyone else. Change creates opportunity. The more […]
SocialTimes Feed
More People Share Personal Videos on Facebook Than YouTube, Says Study
29 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amThree-quarters of internet users in the United States have recorded and shared a personal video on Facebook in the last six months, compared to less than half who have done the same on YouTube, reveals a new study. Animoto found that 75.6 percent of U.S. internet users had shared personal video content on Facebook, compared to 49.7 percent for YouTube. YouTube didn't even finish second in the poll – 51.9 percent of respondents had shared video content via email. Text message/SMS (34.1 percent) and Instagram (29.8 percent) rounded out the top five, with Twitter's share (19.7… -
The Mindset, Skillset, Dataset Approach to Social Media
29 Jan 2015 | 8:03 amSocial media is known to be an addictive medium and can be a performance deflator at work. But it also represents a big area of opportunity for marketers who want to target market based on social media data. The problem? Social media is comprised primarily of unstructured data, which is difficult to analyze. A new approach called Mindset, Skillset, Dataset can help marketers make sense of complex social media data. Mindset refers to the ability to think beyond a certain frame of reference and look at the bigger 'Why' of solving a particular problem. Skillset refers to analytical… -
Facebook Adds Emoji to Messenger Thread Titles
29 Jan 2015 | 7:05 amOne of the fruits of Facebook's recent hackathon in Seattle's Space Needle was introduced Wednesday by software engineer Bob Baldwin, who announced in a Facebook post that thread titles in the social network's Messenger application can now include emoji. Baldwin wrote: You can now put emoji in Facebook Messenger thread titles! I built this at a Facebook Seattle hackathon in the Space Needle a couple of weeks ago. Enjoy! Readers: What do you think of this new feature? -
Starship Launches Playworld Superheroes on iOS
29 Jan 2015 | 6:05 amStarship, a Liverpool-based digital media, technology and entertainment company, has announced the release of Playworld Superheroes on mobile devices. The game is aimed at players five and up, and engages a child's imagination by allowing them to create and become a superhero of their own design, taking them into adventures to save the world from an alien invasion. Gameplay in Playworld Superheroes is split into two distinct sections: hero creation and hero adventures. In the creation portion of the game, players hang out in and around their treehouse, creating pieces for their superhero… -
People Still Share Most of Their Content on Facebook (Twitter? Not so Much)
29 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amFacebook is dead, right? Wrong, at least when it comes to sharing content, where Facebook continues to reign supreme. Indeed, according to a new study from ShareThis, Facebook's \"share of shares\" grew 8.2 percent in Q4 2014, and was the only platform apart from email to record positive growth. And for the record, sharing via email grew by 0.3 percent. Every other social platform was used less to share content last year. Twitter fared worst of all, falling 3 percent, and now has a smaller overall slice of the pie than Pinterest. Facebook now owns 85 percent of the mobile and 74 percent of…
Main Feed
Facebook Launches A Dedicated Super Bowl 2015 Page
29 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amIf you want to stay up to date with the latest news on the Super Bowl 2015, Facebook has a new page for you. More than 50 million people joined the conversation on Facebook during the Super Bowl in 2014. This year, Facebook introduces a new Super Bowl experience to give fans one place to connect in real time as they watch the Seattle Seahawks defend their title against the New England Patriots. With the new Super Bowl experience, you can: See posts from your friends and people in your network with Friends and Groups See real-time reactions from people around the world with Live Feed View… -
Top 5 Videos In Viral Friday: DashCam Confessional
23 Jan 2015 | 11:56 amViral video marketing used to be an art, now it's a science. We curate the millions of videos that are uploaded every week. In our flagship format Viral Friday we show you the top 5 viral videos. Click here to view the embedded video. This week, we selected the following top 5 videos for you… Enjoy and share. 1. Dover Police: "DashCam Confessional (Shake it Off)" Click here to view the embedded video. This week's viral number one is for internet sensation Master Corporal Jeff Davis of the Dover Police Department with his clip "DashCam Confessional… -
What Is Facebook's Impact On Global Economy And Jobs?
22 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amA new report by Deloitte analyzes how Facebook's marketing, platform, and connectivity effects have facilitated growth and jobs around the world. Commissioned by Facebook, the study estimates that the company, with an approximately $8 billion cost base, enabled global economic impact of $227 billion and 4.5 million jobs around the world in 2014. More specifically, Deloitte's report looks at how Facebook stimulates economic impact by providing: tools for marketers a platform for app developers; and demand for connectivity, meaning data usage and mobile devices. The study is an update to… -
WhatsApp launches Web Client: Here's What You Need To Know
22 Jan 2015 | 2:33 amWhatsApp in now available for desktop, thanks to a web client that launched for Chrome and Android. With over 700 million users, WhatsApp is one of the largest chat clients in the world, and the app's growth has fueled rumors concerning the company's next move. As you may have imagined, this allows you to use your computer to send and receive WhatsApp messages. Last summer we already mentioned why WhatsApp is the new kid on the social block and why you marketers need to imbed the network within your content marketing strategy. The launch of the web client makes our (professional)… -
Nike Turns Runner's Data Into 100.000 Personalized Videos
19 Jan 2015 | 8:21 amNike turns running data into 100.000 personalized videos in their new campaign dubbed Our Year. See how Nike takes community marketing to the next level. This story was originally published on igorbeuker.com Nike and creative digital agency AKQA visualized data that is coming in from apps and wearables (Nike+ and Nike Fuelband) in personalized animated videos. The data is also connected to the weather and location of the runners. Nike+ Our Year: Smart Community Marketing In 2014 we ran, trained and moved together. Watch our year, directed by our Nike+ data and get ready to outdo you in 2015.
Pamorama | Social Media Marketing Blog
3 Proven Ways to Dramatically Improve Website Traffic
10 Jan 2015 | 8:21 pmEvery brand wants more website traffic. After all, more traffic can improve sales and generate company growth. The key is to attract the "right" traffic. If you interact better with your audience, provide content that your visitors want to share, and help online shoppers make informed and satisfying purchase decisions, your website traffic will improve. If you have recently lost search traffic and are looking for new ways to attract relevant visitors, read on. 1. Enhance your content to make it shareable High-quality shareable website content should be the foundation of of your… -
10 Ways to Get More People to Read Your Content
20 Dec 2014 | 4:55 pmYou work hard to create great content — people should see it. Content marketing creates brand loyalty by engaging current customers and attracting new ones. It gives your company a voice and positions your brand as the expert in your field. Producing great content increases sales and customer referrals and offers a strong ROI (return on investment). It's a time-tested marketing method that consistently increases the value of your brand. Getting eyes on your content entails using a combination of SEO (search engine optimization), content curation, social media outreach, optimizing… -
How to Use Twitter Cards in Social Media Marketing
14 Dec 2014 | 5:54 pmTwitter Cards enable publishers to attach media experiences to tweets — beyond the 140-character limit. They add a few lines of HTML metadata to blog posts and other thought leadership content that enable brands to stand out from the pack in Twitter feeds that are full of text. They can help you drive website traffic, introduce new products and services, share rich content such as videos, and improve engagement. Bypassing the character limit also helps increase conversion rates. Tweets with images and other media attract: 89% more "favorites" 18% more clicks 150% more… -
Don't Make These 9 Social Media Marketing Mistakes
8 Nov 2014 | 4:42 pmSocial media marketing should be part of your strategy. Social networking is the most popular online activity, so it makes sense for businesses to try to engage that audience in an attempt to increase sales. Marketers place a very high value on social media: according to a study by Social Media Examiner, 92% of them report that social media is important for their business, up from 86% in 2013. But even large corporations with top-notch marketing departments make mistakes when it comes to leveraging social media. Simply setting up an account or sending out some tweets is not enough to… -
12 Essential Elements of a Social Media Marketing Strategy
18 Oct 2014 | 2:58 pmDo you need some help to get started with your social media marketing plan? If you want to attract and engage social-media fans and followers — and convert them into paying customers — you need to map out a clear, goal-oriented social media plan. If you don't, it will be obvious to your fans and target market that you are disorganized. In addition to damaging your brand, you'll risk losing sales by sending your audience to your competitors. If you're starting from scratch, it can feel overwhelming. You know that others have been successful at social media…
Exploring Conversational Media
Got goals for content marketing, SEO?
20 Jan 2015 | 12:43 pm -
Listening and acting on social signals
8 Jul 2014 | 3:33 amA few weeks back, I took the stage at Internet Retailer's annual conference for the ecommerce industry to discuss social media and how marketers can do it right, but also how they can do it very wrong. Much of the value of social media lies within the data that is readily shared by its users. The problem with the industry though is that many advertisers ignore the data and miss simple opportunities to market more effectively or to hold open conversations with their customers. In the presentation below, I offer some examples of companies doing a good job, companies who have failed in… -
Miami University wins the Trolling game
18 Jun 2014 | 6:12 pmGame. Set. Match. Miami University of Ohio wins the award for best use of trolling in 2014. Well done. Original Tweet -
Get your ass outside
16 May 2014 | 8:27 amPut your phone down and get outside… -
How Marketers are Monetizing Social Media
3 Mar 2014 | 7:36 amA few weeks ago, I sat on a panel for MITX that focused on monetization of social media. Three of the biggest takeaways/talking points were as followed: Two sides of social Social media is a lot like search marketing and is something that should be looked at with lens similar to both paid and organic social media. The paid side is the one that focuses on advertising ventures across the social platforms. When it comes to organic, this comes down to a brand's presence and what they publish on social sites as well as the way they engage with users. Looking at social in this manner allows for…
Social Media B2B
5 B2B Social Media Lessons Cisco Learned in 2014
20 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amWith 2014 officially behind us, it's a perfect opportunity to reflect on the past and speculate on the future. At Cisco, we continue to explore how social media is used not only to generate awareness and buzz, but also to drive thought leadership, influence the customer journey and make a greater impact to the overall marketing strategy. During the last year, I've seen first hand how the growth and pervasiveness of social media trends are shaping new digital experiences. Here's a closer look at our top 5 social media lessons from 2014 and what we can learn from them as we head into… -
Interview: How IBM Leads B2Bs in Instagram Engagement
13 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amAs a follow-up to our list of top B2B Instagram accounts, I reached out to Katie Keating, Social Content & Engagement Strategist at IBM, to learn more about how this globally integrated technology and consulting company approaches a visual platform like Instagram. IBM ranked at the top of the list of B2B Instagram accounts because we prioritized engagement over number of followers. This put the IBM account way ahead of larger B2B companies who are well-known for their social media prowess, like GE, Cisco and Adobe. What is your approach to Instagram, and does it focus on engagement… -
The 10 Best B2B Instagram Profiles
15 Dec 2014 | 4:00 amLast week was a big week for Instagram as they announced that they have 300 million monthly active users. This makes the visual platform owned by Facebook, larger than Twitter. It is also growing at a faster rate than Twitter. B2B companies need to learn how to tell their stories in a visual manner. There are many blog posts that merely list the largest B2B companies on Instagram, or a seemingly random selection of B2B companies on Instagram. But this post is different. These are the ten B2B companies with the highest engagement rate on Instagram. This means their followers (who could be a… -
Your 2015 B2B Social Media Predictions Are Totally Wrong. Or Maybe They Are Totally Right!
4 Dec 2014 | 4:00 amIt is the time of year when bloggers dust off their crystal balls and try to predict what will happen in B2B social media in the coming year. I have done this for many years myself. Whether these predictions are based on recent data, anecdotal experience or pure conjecture, they are frequently wrong. Or maybe they are right. But the best part of writing these blog posts is that nobody ever goes back and looks at last year's post to see what bloggers got right and what they got wrong. It is a content creators dream come true: attractive headline, shareable content, no repercussions. -
10 Keys for Starting a B2B LinkedIn Group to Generate Leads
20 Nov 2014 | 4:00 amMy friend Tom Skotidas and I recently talked about the keys to starting a LinkedIn Group as a means to generate leads for B2B companies. He is the founder of Skotidas, Asia Pacific's leader in B2B Social Media Lead Generation. This is part of an ongoing series of conversations about the intersection of sales and marketing, well as social selling. 1. Start with your Product or Service in Mind The first thing you need to do is create a group that is connected to your product or service. This may be related to the product category or your specific industry, but general enough that the…
3 Lessons Spammers Taught Me About Marketing to Strangers
29 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amBy Mars Dorian, {grow} Contributing Columnist I get lots of spam mail. So much, I could open a spam factory, sell it back online, and make a profit. But what do those spam trolls want? They're usually trying to sell something. They want me to review/share/buy whatever they cram into my inbox without building a relationship with me first. I condemned that behavior until I started doing it myself. Um, say what? I've recently launched a sci-fi book. And in order to make sales, you need good reviews. And to get reviews, people have to read your book. Sounds simple, unless you're a… -
Under-used social media platforms (and more)
28 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amIn the latest edition of The Marketing Companion podcast, Tom Webster and I climb all over today's hottest marketing topics. Here's a sampling of our latest audio adventure: Tom amazes Mark with his knowledge of the Seven Dwarves. Cancelling Google Glass — Is this a blip on the wearable tech radar or has Google set the industry back a step? Under-used social media platforms — Mark tried an experiment that increased his page views by more than 10X. Would it work for you? What platform seems to be attracting more thought leaders than any other? Clever ways to use a new… -
Four ways augmented reality will be coming to your workplace soon
27 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amPulling the plug on Google Glass had to be a disappointment to many people, especially those who put their heart into the Glass Explorer advocacy program. But I wanted to provide some good news — a report from the field that augmented reality and wearable technology is still moving ahead at a breakneck pace, although in places far away from retail stores and the Consumer Electronics show. For the past year, I have been working on a research project for the US Air Force examining best practices on technology applications to labor-intensive manufacturing processes. This is a… -
Why you don't want to be Chris Brogan
26 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amI have been mentoring a bright young guy trying to start a marketing business. I just received this note from him: I'm still full of questions about this whole marketing business thing. I think I am setting the bar too high for myself and failing. I'm comparing myself to friends like you and Jay Baer and not seeing the same results. I am trying to lower the goal, but when I am surrounded by what you guys do I don't really know what that goal is. Here is my response (I told him I was going to make a blog post out of this!) … When I started my own business… -
What's Your Content Cadence?
22 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amBy Brooke Ballard, {grow} Contributing Columnist I'm going to be 100% honest here. I'm excited as hell. When Mark asked me to be a contributor to the {grow} blog, I excitedly ran around my house yelling (true story, ask my dog). But as my first due date loomed, I started to turn from over-the-moon thrilled to biting-my-nails nervous. Mark has a reputation of publishing only the BEST and most ORIGINAL content — it's one of the biggest reasons, in my opinion, he has such clout (and Klout) in the social sphere. So as I sharpened my storytelling skills, I started to think…
360i Digital Agency Blog
360i is Top 3 on Ad Age A-List for 3rd Straight Year
26 Jan 2015 | 5:08 am360i has been named among the top three agencies on Advertising Age's Agency A-Listfor the third year in a row, as the No. 3 agency in the industry. Ad Age's A-List ranks the top 10 agencies among all specialties (traditional, digital and everything in between), and this year Ad Age cited 360i as "demonstrating how nimble, digitally-led marketing and digital-centric agencies are becoming the modern state of the art." The coverage also recognizes how 360i has diversified our work and clients, including "work as far-reaching as in-store branding, cross-platform media buying and… -
[REPORT] Beat the Bots: Cut Off Digital Fraud in the Planning Cycle
23 Jan 2015 | 11:24 amAutomation and proliferation of advanced targeting options have made advertising more informed, more affordable and more efficient, leading marketers to invest significantly in digital and programmatic media this year. However, with the power of data and machine-driven advertising comes the responsibility of protecting the industry from the rise of digital fraud. Marketers' excitement about the potential to buy inventory at attractive prices is fueling a growing problem that is predicted to cost the industry more than $6.3 billion globally next year, according to a new study from the… -
Rethink Retail Marketing: Connecting Through Mobile
22 Jan 2015 | 1:36 pmThis post is Part IV of a five-part series on ways retailers can use digital to make the most out of their marketing efforts, and effectively prepare for the year ahead. Digital has fundamentally changed the way consumers shop. While many consumers are still making the majority of their purchases in-store, their decisions are often being influenced online – both while they are in-store shopping or prior to their shopping trips. To help retailers take advantage of the omnichannel retail environment and focus their marketing efforts, we are sharing five ways for retailers to expand their… -
Influencer Spotlight: Catching Up with Jessica Northey
21 Jan 2015 | 12:14 pm"Social Media Pioneer," "Power Influencer," and "Twitter Powerhouse" Jessica Northey is a multi-media personality who consistently ranks as one of the Most Influential Women in Social Media. She hosts interviews with Country Music stars that are often live streamed from the red carpet or backstage at award shows, and more recently reported live from the red carpet at the CMA Awards. Between running her website and hosting both #CMChat on Twitter and Twangout on Google+, Jessica found time to catch up with us and chat about how she got her start in the Country Music industry, why… -
The CES 2015 Report: Position Your Brand For The Future
20 Jan 2015 | 11:05 amJust released, we're bringing you 360i's CES 2015 Report highlighting the most important takeaways and technological innovations for marketers from the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). Our team canvased the CES showroom floor to compile the top trends and "Best in Show" technologies from this year's event, where we saw the Connected Age come to life with more affordable and accessible consumer technology innovations. This year we are seeing low-cost, data-rich sensor technologies drive the most relevant spaces for innovative brands, which could have broad…
Content Creation – From Quantity to Quality
21 Jan 2015 | 6:51 amNowadays, almost everyone agrees that on most Social Media networks content is king. However, content without context is just messages without any bond to your long-term brand strategy and audience. To have an always on-strategy is to think long-term on a short-term basis and prioritize quality over quantity. In practical terms it means that your overall brand strategy should be implemented on a daily basis. However, the most crucial thing when creating content is to make the right amount of content relevant to your users. It's all about being relevant and relatable As we now write… -
Marketing Predictions for 2015
14 Jan 2015 | 6:16 amThe Content Marketing Institute has for the seventh consecutive year compiled 60 content marketing predictions from thought leaders around the world. Here are some of our favorites: • Brands will recognize the role of editor as the missing link to true content marketing effectiveness. We've figured out how to create content and how to publish, but can't move firmly into brand journalism until we adopt and editorial discipline. Sarah Mitchell Head of Content Stategy at Lush Digital Media • We will see a shift from discoverability-oriented content… -
Trends in 2015: Ready for The Next Big Thing?
9 Jan 2015 | 3:12 amWhen reviewing 2014 it seems clear that localization has been a bigger challenge than first anticipated by many. Some global brands can now proudly state that they are able to have a global strategic direction alongside with a flexible structure to adapt to a local context – the majority however are still lacking behind. Social is Local An increasing number of agencies are now offering global Social Media services to their clients to help them succeed, e.g. managing multiple Facebook communities across several markets for global brands. But having multilingual employees in… -
Case Study: The Local Stories Project
17 Dec 2014 | 7:08 amLast week we discussed the importance of Local Social Management. Today we are going to dig deeper into the topic, by taking a look at a successful case from the National Public Radio in Boston that elaborates on what kind of local stories drive the highest engagement. The Case In 2011 NPR commenced a project called "The Local Stories Project" , an experiment aiming to localize content on their Facebook page. To briefly outline it, a certain Facebook feature enabes NPR (and everyone else with a Facebook page) to customize its posts by location. This allows for the… -
The Importance of Localized Branded Content on Social Media
12 Dec 2014 | 6:04 amThe best performing and most valuable content provides relevance for the user as well as the brand with a great respect for the context. What is happening right now in your local community? And do you take local context into consideration when creating Social Media content for your global brand? We believe that it takes a local to tab into a certain location's tone of voice and cultural understanding. It takes a Community Manager who grew up in the given location and is based there. Only then it will be possible to create authentic branded content that works for a local market,…
The Next Web » Social Media
This is how easy it can be to get people's medical information and credit card number
29 Jan 2015 | 1:39 amPedestrians entering the Nassau Street entrance at Trinity College, Dublin on Tuesday evening were greeted with a giant projection of a QR code, like a terribly geeky Bat signal. It was also displayed elsewhere around the university campus. There was no explanation of what the QR code did but over 100 people scanned it out of curiosity and were led through a series of pages requesting different types of personal data. 90 percent offered up their name and gender but the most worrying part is that 27 percent entered details of medical conditions and their credit card number. Luckily, the…… -
Twitter's Group DMs are the Internet's best new secret meeting place
28 Jan 2015 | 3:05 pmYesterday Twitter unleashed its long-awaited group DM feature. You can finally have private multi-person conversations on Twitter. While many of those discussions will be quick one-off chats about various subjects, like where to meet for lunch or which sports team will win Super Bowl (go sports team!), the new feature opens up a new way for Twitter users to interact without having to sign up for another social network or actually be friends on Facebook. I'd like to start a group DM. Ladies only. Inquire within. — Selena Larson (@selenalarson) January 28, 2015 Groups like the one started… -
Secret messaging app, Wickr launches secure photo sharing that works with Facebook
27 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amIt's fun to share secret photos with friends. It's funner to do it in plain sight. Super-secret messaging service Wickr just launched a new way to share secure photos within its app and with friends via Facebook right in your timeline. The Wickr Timed Feed (WTF) feature is available for iOS devices and shares photos for 24 hours before they self-destruct. While sharing within an app that's already secure doesn't seem that exciting, sharing those photos on your public Facebook timeline is an entirely different beast. Wickr uses steganography (the act of hiding a message in plain… -
7 reasons to use emoticons in your writing and social media, according to science
25 Jan 2015 | 10:30 amThis post originally appeared on the Buffer blog. Do you remember seeing your first emoticon? The first documented use of ":-)" dates back to 1982, when Scott Fahlman proposed that it be used as a "joke marker" on a message board for Carnegie Mellon University computer scientists. Here's his Internet-changing message: "I propose that the following character sequence for joke markers: ":-)" Read it sideways." Today, emoticons need a bit less explanation. As social media has grown (and character counts have shrunk), these pictorial representations of feelings are playing a… -
How to leverage Google+ and Pinterest search for long-term impact
24 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amBrian Honigman is a marketing consultant, speaker and freelance writer. For more insights on how to be a better marketer, sign up for Brian Honigman's weekly newsletter. This post originally appeared on the his blog. Social media has been called many things over its short but storied history, but one thing it has almost never been called is "slow." There's a common, implicit understanding that the results social media marketing delivers are primarily immediate. The social success stories we constantly hear about are the ones that happen overnight. This conception of social…
Courtney Engle Robertson
No Longer an Accidental Lurker
6 Jan 2015 | 8:54 am2015 is off to a burst of activity already. The primary lesson I've experienced personally is to remember to connect online. I don't know if you fall into the same trap that I do at times. I listen, perhaps too much. It has led me to being a lurker. I observe well, but often don't engage in the ways that I should. I have become an accidental lurker. Daily Routines I want to be in-the-know on what's happening online. I wake up and scan the blogs that I subscribe to over my morning coffee. I share what's important of that content for those that should know. -
How to Get Found in Mobile Google Search Results
5 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amIf someone searches for what your website offers, does it even display in mobile Google search results? It might startle you to know that since November, Google favors and primarily displays websites that are mobile-friendly if the user is searching on their mobile device. If your site isn't ready, you won't turn up in search results near the top, even if you stand out well when searching Google on a computer. Notice when you search Google from a mobile device that it now lists if the site is "mobile friendly" and favors sites that are mobile ready first. Getting Found… -
WordPress WordCamp Baltimore Liveblog
18 Oct 2014 | 7:10 amFollow my blog with Bloglovin WordCamp Baltimore is a great opportunity for WordPress web development consultants to stay on the bleeding edge of their skills. I'm live-blogging my notes today here. As an odd issue, the firewall on the wifi during WordCamp blocked access to my site. I took notes using twitter, as shown below. WordCamp Baltimore The post WordPress WordCamp Baltimore Liveblog appeared first on Courtney Engle Robertson. -
Preview WordPress 4.0
3 Sep 2014 | 3:10 amWordPress 4.0 will be released this week. While there are no drastic changes to come, lots of great tweaks have been made. WordPress 2.9 -> 3.0 was a big change, but 3.9.2 -> 4.0 is "business as usual", in that good changes have been made without overhauling nearly everything. Take a look at what new features you can expect: Insert Media from URL Preview While we have had "insert media from URL" since 3.9, the ability to preview media inserted this way was lacking. We now can see the preview in the media uploader, as well as in the post editor: Media… -
WordCamp NYC Liveblog
2 Aug 2014 | 6:17 amWhile attending WordCamp NYC, I'll keep my notes here. The post WordCamp NYC Liveblog appeared first on Courtney Engle Robertson.
The Social Workplace
Is Your Social Brand the Authentic You?
27 Jan 2015 | 11:43 amBranding is no longer just for companies. People are increasingly 'packaging and marketing' themselves to find employment, whether that's as a freelancer or for a company contract. The social branding trend is booming; there are how-to guides, blogs, articles and advice columns popping up everywhere with tips on how to perfect that brand and how to use it to connect with others. Social branding: Building a brand on social media. Social media offers an affordable way to build your brand online, engage more people and easily interact with potential and existing customers and/or employers. -
"Learn, Plan and Do" your way to a Social Intranet
20 Nov 2014 | 3:36 pmThe corporate intranet is (or should be) the hub of all employee activity and transactions; where employees go to manage money, career, life events, and health. Taking your intranet to the next level means to not only stop pushing static content, but to also use social technologies to enhance the every day activities and transactions necessary for employees to learn, plan and do their jobs; thereby making them more efficient, engaged and productive: a social intranet. Social Intranet (sō'shəl) • (ĭn'trə-nĕt')An intranet that utilizes social technologies to enhance the every day… -
Is Email Dead for Employees?
14 Nov 2014 | 8:03 amWith such a strong focus these days on digital communication channels, my company recently conducted a communications channel audit of our 40,000 employees. The results of the survey show that email remains, today, the NUMBER ONE preferred method of communication with the Intranet coming in second. I know that many organizations are seeking new ways to engage with employees but when you have an organization where more than 50% of the workforce is disconnected — either intentionally or because of the nature of their work — slick, new digital solutions don't always resonate with the… -
The Future of Internal Communications [#infographic]
11 Nov 2014 | 8:38 amGuest post by: Newsweaver Internal Communications, Danielle Gibbons "In a world where digital technology can both help and hinder employee interactions, there's an intrinsic need to address how to ensure excellence from our managers. When companies get manager communication right, it can be a source of competitive advantage." — Luke Dodd, Melcrum Internal communications (IC) radically improves, controls and measures the way employers communicate with employees and stakeholders, helping to drive positive employee behaviour and increase engagement with influencers. The…
CompuKol Connection » Blog
How to Pitch Your Unusual Product or Service
29 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amWhen it comes to promoting (and eventually selling) your product or service, you must understand that you need a story in order to establish a human connection. If the product and/or service that you are trying to sell is unusual or complex, you will really need to have an approach that is buttoned down. Taking the right approach Unfortunately, when it comes to selling your products and/or services, if what you are selling is unusual, you will need to establish a connection with your potential or existing client that compels that person to buy from you. In short, you need to make the… -
Make Your Blogging a Raging Success
26 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amYou may not be aware of an exact number but you probably have a sense that there are millions of people who are blogging every week and an even greater number of blogs that are being written, posted, and syndicated. What are the implications of so many blogs? How does such a number of blogs online affect you and how does it affect everyone else? There are two sides to that issue. First of all, a huge number of blogs means that a large amount of information is available to you (literally at your fingertips). However, you should be aware of the fact that you are not safe in assuming that all of… -
Optimizing YouTube for Your Business
22 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amThere are many different ways that you can reach your target audience online. You may choose to interact on several social media channels. Only you can decide which ones work the most effectively for you. You can also choose to use YouTube to post compelling videos. Videos will satisfy those target audience members who are visual. Why YouTube? You may not be aware that YouTube is an extraordinarily popular social media channel and billions of people go to the YouTube website regularly (around the world). Of course, it is understood that making a video comes with its own set of challenges. -
Combining Forces: How Marketing and PR Can Work Together
19 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amIn a time where 50 hour work weeks, working from home, and working with multiple screens have become commonplace, needless to say, many job positions and careers are transforming. With societal trends and changes in the economy, expectations and responsibilities in the workplace change as well, and the fields of marketing and public relations are shifting too. Due to advances in the fields of technology and communication, it's not surprising that roles in areas that rely heavily on B2B and B2C communication have shifted and grown as a result. Marketing and public relations are two… -
Making People Like You
15 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amWhen it comes to your business dealings and the relationships that you have been able to build with other people, both online and in person, there are qualities that stand out. Those are qualities that make the other person like you (and eventually trust you) and that make you like the other person. Your "likeability" factor In life and in business, people will not be willing to interact with you if they don't find you pleasant to deal with. That is not to say that you need to be best friends; however, you do need to establish a compatibility with each other that will allow…
all the news that's fit to blog, tweet & post
Change is Good, Especially When It Comes to Social Media
27 Jan 2015 | 4:42 amRegular readers get used to the ways businesses and news media deliver content. They know what to expect. Where to look. And how they'll find what they're searching for. That's all fine and good. But so is change, trying new ways to tell a story, new ways to format information. Recently the Boston Globe, changed the format of my favorite section–the G section. I've seen this section go through several iterations during the time I've lived in Boston. The first few days I might feel like, "whoa, what happened here?" But within a short time I… -
Lessons Learned from Brands on Social Media
24 Dec 2014 | 4:48 am26 Ways Brands Succeed with Social Media Marketing was published today on Social Media Examiner. As I was working on the concept of the piece, and with a gazillion number of brands on social media, I wondered where to begin. I needed to narrow my approach and find a way to identify brands who were indeed, successful. I reached out to Ryan Hatoum (@ryanhatoum), US PR Manager at Socialbakers, who graciously agreed to provide me with data (e.g. # of updates, # responses, # of new followers, etc.) about the 30 top brands on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. And since the information… -
Social Media Work-Out
25 Nov 2014 | 3:52 amToday I have a new article, 26 Ways to Strengthen Your Social Media Marketing, published on Social Media Examiner. Whether you're new to social media or were an early adopter, the piece focuses on ways you can strengthen your overall presence and add more vitality. If you found your way to my blog as a result of the SME article, welcome and thanks for stopping by! While you're here you may also want to check out my portfolio and the types of services I provide. Feel free to drop me a line in the comments below, or via the contact form. -
The Power of Infographics
24 Nov 2014 | 11:04 amThere are infographics and then there are infographics; so rich with data, and visual interest that they quickly cross over an invisible line and become beautiful works of art. Infographic fans will surely delight in The Best American Infographics 2014 edited by Gareth Cook. The book is divided into three sections, You, Us and the Material World. And, technically a forth section entitled Interactive, where you can see screenshots of ten infographics and then navigate to the URLs provided in the text e.g. Transit Map, NYC, Block by Block, Brooklyn's Past and Present. Why the growing interest… -
Content That Delights, Teaches & Reminds
21 Nov 2014 | 9:12 amIn a recent article on Facebook's business blog, Mari Smith offers a suggestion that I've thought about a lot since reading. As Mari suggests, regardless of the business you're in you need to remember that people are on Facebook for personal reasons—"nobody wakes up in the morning, looks at their phone and says, 'Gee, I wonder what some big brand is doing today on Facebook.''' As an exercise I've been trying to stop and notice when content truly delights me in some way, teaches me something I didn't know, reminds me of something maybe I needed to be reminded of.
» Blog
How your brand can win the 2015 Super Bowl
27 Jan 2015 | 10:46 amIn this blog we discuss the ways that your brand can come out victorious during the big game in 2015. From organization and preparation tips, pre-game content recommendations, Social Media Campaign ideas, and rules of real-time engagement, SayItSocial has tons of great ideas to help you win the Super Bowl advertising and marketing game! The post How your brand can win the 2015 Super Bowl appeared first on . -
Influencer Marketing – Part 2
22 Jan 2015 | 9:27 amThis week, I would like to explore some influencer marketing mediums and platforms. If you have the room and budget to experiment with your marketing communications strategy, why not give your brand some authenticity and exposure to loyal audiences through influencer marketing? The post Influencer Marketing – Part 2 appeared first on . -
Influencer Marketing – Part 1
20 Jan 2015 | 6:23 amInfluencer Marketing is an emerging method of advertising that is proving itself an effective and, for some brands, integral component of digital marketing strategy. Here is some background on why influencer marketing is now considered a highly effective form of advertising. The post Influencer Marketing – Part 1 appeared first on . -
Snapchat Marketing & Advertising Demystified
13 Jan 2015 | 7:15 amWhat you need to know about making the plunge as a business into the waters of Snapchat and the advertising and marketing options that the mobile app features to propel your company to success. The post Snapchat Marketing & Advertising Demystified appeared first on . -
Revamp Your Email Marketing
9 Jan 2015 | 7:22 amDespite all the flashy technological innovations and apps that emerge on a seemingly daily basis, email marketing remains one of the most effective methods of delivering brand messaging to ultimately drive prospects down the sales funnel. In this post, I would like to explore some recent email marketing research that supports several effective email components and strategies.The post Revamp Your Email Marketing appeared first on .
Pushing Social
Why Blogging Isn't Good Enough
28 Jan 2015 | 8:41 amBlog posts aren't getting it done. Anyone can blog and almost everybody does. Your blog post is locked in a cage match with millions of other posts shouting at a limited pool of readers. Success in 2015 means retiring your blogger title and taking your game to a whole new level. You'll need to become a full-stack content creator. -
How To Help Your Struggling Content Marketing Leader
22 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amSomething isn't working. Your marketing strategy is built on producing, repurposing, and promoting high-quality content. This content is responsible for generating sales-qualified leads and your sales team is getting antsy. The end of the month is approaching and your carefully constructed editorial calendar still lacks finished content. What's happening? -
What The Dover Police and Maroon V Can Teach You About Viral Content
21 Jan 2015 | 11:28 amHave you ever wondered what it would be like to produce blog post or video that went viral? Today, I'm looking at two viral videos that got me thinking about the formula for viral content. We'll review 4 principles to get us started... -
How to Get Better Results From Your Content
15 Jan 2015 | 8:30 amThe phrase "great content" frustrates the spit out of day-to-day business owners. I tell my clients that my definition of great content is similar to the Supreme Court's definition of pornography - "I know it when I see it." But we both know that this definition isn't good enough. -
Episode #29: Erik Qualman Discusses How Social Media is Changing (And The One Thing That Hasn't)
14 Jan 2015 | 5:00 amAt that time, anecdotal evidence was plentiful but solid quantitative metrics were hard to uncover - until Socialnomics. That video and presentation saved my butt that day. Ever since then, I've wanted to have the chance to talk with Erik Qualman. So you can imagine how excited I am to have him on the PS Podcast.
solar news HubSpot
How To Install Marine Solar Panels
26 Jan 2015 | 12:35 amSolar panels can be a great help to sailors, keeping vital lights and appliances functioning, even when batteries run low or a generator malfunctions. They are also a much quieter way of recharging batteries! Learning how to install marine solar panels will be vital for the sailor who wants their advantages, but first he or she must learn which solar panels are best. Three types of solar cells are commonly used in solar panels, each with its own advantages. The sailor needs to learn these advantages and select the solar panels that are best for the need. Types of Solar Panels Solar panels… -
Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels
25 Jan 2015 | 4:47 amWith rising energy costs and massive stress on our electrical grids, solar is gaining in popularity. Not everyone realizes you can heat your home without buying big panel systems. Heating Your Home With Solar, But Without Panels – Gain You can use solar energy to heat your home through a concept known as gain. While you may associate panel systems with any mention of solar power, they are not a component of this approach. Of course, this makes the installation a heck of a lot cheap than going with traditional panel systems. Solar gain is a concept that has been with us for much of the… -
Get Great Tips About Solar Energy From Experts Who Know!
24 Jan 2015 | 1:09 pmSolar panel installation is a green solution. This is an investment that is important. You have to understand if it will fit into your budget. Continue reading to educate yourself about solar energy so that you can decide whether or not it's the right choice for you. If you're prepared to stick with the investment in the long run, solar energy systems are an outstanding means for saving money. Installing solar panels requires a substantial investment, so years may pass before the panels generate sufficient savings to cover your cost. Invest in solar conversion only when you are… -
Concentrating Solar Power Systems
15 Jan 2015 | 8:43 pmIf you have ever seen a field with several mirrors pointing toward the sun you may be looking at a solar power system. These systems work to concentrate the sunlight to one area and use the heat to heat up the liquid that flows along the pipes. This system is called Parabolic-trough system. This type of system heats oil that is flowing through the pipe. The oil is hot and that is why it is used to boil water to power a steam generator which in turns powers electricity. The reason that this system works so well is because the U-shaped mirrors attracts and collects the suns heat which is then… -
Solar Energy – The Future of Generating Energy for the Home
5 Jan 2015 | 2:46 amSolar energy for residential houses is nothing new. It has just been relegated to the background in lieu of rising cost of real estate; newer more advanced building materials, design and the limitation of resources. Since man started building homes, sunlight played a major influence in the design. In fact, even in the more advanced urban planning method of the Ancient Chinese and Greeks, the orientation of the buildings is as much as possible directed towards where it could capture the most sunlight. The ancients might not be as intellectually sophisticated then to use catch phrases as…
33 Charts
Doximity Unveils Physician Salaries
28 Jan 2015 | 4:17 pmYesterday Doximity announced the launch of Career Navigator – the first doctor-driven, grassroots look at physician compensation trends. Some 18,000 verified practicing physicians began sharing anonymous compensation data over the past four months. The resulting interactive map is available free to any US physician through Doximity and includes compensation trends for 48 specialties down to the county level updated in real-time. It's crazy fascinating. I could spend hours gliding the cursor over the US map to see who's got what where. In fact, I've given up staring at… -
Social Media Has Been Introduced to Physicians
24 Jan 2015 | 6:50 amThere's a national organization that I've done some work with. And for the past few years I have run social media sessions at their annual meeting. Social Media 101 and other programs with non-threatening names intended to draw in frightened doctors. This year I suggested that the days of the new thing have passed. At some point we must go beyond the introduction and into application. The leadership of physician organizations need to begin to pay attention to the adopters and what they can do to move the needle. Repeatedly pitching the terminally skeptical doesn't work. -
Weekend Medicine
20 Jan 2015 | 8:50 amIt's remarkable that hospitals still keep weekend schedules. On the weekend, things stop. They don't stop, but they really do. ORs operate with emergency staffing. Routine diagnostic imaging is held until Monday morning. Weekend schedules are a throwback to a time when the tempo of health care was set by the doctor's rounds and the hands of a clock. The doctor was out, then he came in. He's off for the weekend; she's covering. It's after 5. Weekend medicine is as much a mindset as it is a model of care at an analog pace. As medicine is consumed by technology and… -
33 Shorts | January 16, 2014
16 Jan 2015 | 3:27 pmA few interesting things from the stream this week: Ignorant teens Most of us were smug enough to believe that we understood teens and their social media after reading this Medium post-gone-viral. danah boyd's brilliant take shows that teens know themselves no better than we do. As the father of a 16-year-old, I concur. Pharmacy medicine The short-term solution of a quick visit hasn't caught up to the reality of providing for the sick. While mainstream medical offices can learn from retail, I suspect we'll find that fast-food medicine always tastes best on the way down. Why… -
33 Shorts | January 12, 2015
12 Jan 2015 | 11:45 amA few noteworthy things: Board stiff Doctors are sick and tired of jumping hoops. Organized medicine's latest mandate is maintenance of certification, or MOC. Consisting of an assortment of oddly creative quality and patient-safety exercises, it seems MOC's biggest win has been the initiation of a conversation about what makes a doctor qualified. In a bold move of medical disobedience, The National Board of Physicians and Surgeons has been born. Angry public physicians Counted among the angry internists is Wes Fisher, long-time blogger and public physician, who recently published a…
Wave: "tracking how people and brands use social media"
With Super Bowl 2015 approaching, we investigate which advertising strategies worked best for movie studios last year
22 Jan 2015 | 4:35 amWith a U.S audience of up to 110 million, the Super Bowl is the key date in every movie marketing calendar. However a prime spot can cost up to $4 million, is paying big worth it? What strategies can studios employ to promote their films? We take a look at last year to find out. Super Bowl week marketing The weekly lead-up to game day is filled with teasers and official releases Tie-in commercials Muppets Most Wanted sucessfully debuted a tie-in commercial for the Toyota Highlander. This was the most engaging pre-game movie content, gaining nearly 7M views Super Bowl Spot Teasers Captain… -
How brands allow e-retailers to lose them sales
20 Jan 2015 | 8:58 amSelling on third party sites is now commonplace, however, actively improving how a brand is presented to consumers has only recently become an important focus for many. By understanding the steps that brands must take to maximise sales on e-retailers, you can plan exactly what you need to do to boost sales and differentiate yourselves. Brands vary in how they currently approach third party eCommerce. Some businesses are already pro-actively rolling out strategies to ensure their brands and products look their best on e-retailers. However, others do not even know where or how their products… -
What automotive content generates the most views on YouTube?
6 Nov 2014 | 2:09 amAutomotive brands should ensure they upload their TV adverts on YouTube, as these attract the most of views of all automotive content. Adverts drive six times more views than the next most viewed video type – lifestyle videos. Adverts also tend to have a long lifespan, meaning they can give brands continued exposure. In contrast, event-based content amasses views more quickly, indicating that these videos should be uploaded immediately to capture consumer interest in the moment. WaveMetrix has analysed over 600 videos from a variety of automotive channels to understand what content… -
Mining online consumer purchase narratives can uncover and demystify the consumer purchase journey
22 Oct 2014 | 5:00 pmThere are millions of comprehensive accounts online written by consumers detailing their purchase journeys, from why they started looking for a new product/service, up to what led them to their final purchase decision. By mining these accounts, brands can gain a detailed picture of the different steps in the consumer purchase journey. This is vital information: by understanding the purchase journey, brands can align their marketing with the process to maximise their chances of selling. The importance of understanding the consumer purchase journey is well understood. However, building up a… -
Going granular: human analysis gives detail automated tools can't
16 Oct 2014 | 8:38 amOne of the biggest complaints we hear about automated tools is their lack of detail. They simply aren't able to give the insight researchers need to answer burning business questions. However, consumer posts online are filled with opinions that provide the detail needed to help businesses. By using human analysts to extract granular detail at the individual opinion level, WaveMetrix's pioneering approach overcomes this problem and gives researchers insight that makes a difference. We frequently hear of the shortfalls of automated tools in giving granular details. Because their…
My New Hire Checklist For Busy Entrepreneurs
28 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amToday I want to talk about a crazy-exciting, but sometimes really challenging, time for your business… It's that moment when you decide to hire a new team member. (Yay!) (And if you think you're not there yet, I'd encourage you to reconsider. To grow your business, you need at least one person while you work on bigger-picture ideas.) Whether it's the 1st or 15th person you've hired, though, it can be tough to bring a fresh face on board if you don't have a new hire checklist or system in place for doing this. Honestly, I've heard from a… -
How To Tame Guilt And Embrace Your Growth
21 Jan 2015 | 7:53 amToday I want to shift gears a little bit, and talk about something I really, really dislike, something that's been making me feel a little bit uncomfortable lately… This guilt comes in sooo many forms: not being able to go for coffee and lunches with everyone who asks, not being able to reply personally to every "Hello!" and "Can I get some advice?" note that lands in my inbox. It might sound silly – but it's something I genuinely struggle with as She Takes On the World, my workload, and my team continues to grow. At this point it would be… -
How To Create Your Launch Calendar
19 Jan 2015 | 8:19 amIn of my 2-part series on successful launch planning, we discussed . In this installment, I am going to take you through the different types of launch frameworks, when to use them, and how to create your launch calendar. So what are your main options when it comes to planning your launch calendar? Typical launch frameworks: Once a year (annual) — One very big pre-launch and launch process with enrollment once-a-year only. The benefits of this framework are high urgency and exclusivity. However, this approach is not so great when you are starting out and your reach is limited. This… -
TDA Group Content Happy Hour: Standing out from the crowd
16 Jan 2015 | 11:18 amDifferentiation makes all the difference in tech marketing. See how you can shine a light on your offerings in this week's content marketing digest. We've illuminated the way to stories covering effective social media outreach and best practices for improving the impact of visual content. Plus, you'll discover how to draw attention to the benefits of your solutions, and get a primer on Google Analytics to dim the allure of your competition and brighten your prospects. The 5 Pillars of Successful Content Marketing By Steven Macdonald at Content Marketing Institute Getting content noticed… -
Marianne Williamson's Key To Confidence
13 Jan 2015 | 10:37 amAs an entrepreneur there's been a big obstacle I've had to grapple with – as a brand, as a business owner, and as a woman, and I bet it's one you've had to deal with, as well. Confidence. I think confidence is so crucial to your success as an entrepreneur that you will continue to hear me talk about it quite a bit and I love getting other people's perspectives on confidence. That's why I was thrilled when at a recent Marianne Williamson lecture I was at, someone in the audience asked this question: "Where do I find the confidence to pursue big…
David Meerman Scott - Web Ink Now
Big Birge Plumbing Co. Grows Business in a Competitive Market
27 Jan 2015 | 7:39 amDon't let your money go down the drain! Call Big Birge Plumbing Company. For all your plumbing needs! Last week I delivered a talk at the Entrepreneurs Organization in Omaha, Nebraska. I always love working EO events, because members are so enthusiastic about learning new ideas. Since they run their own businesses, they are eager to identify ways to grow. While at the event, I met Lallenia Birge, who with her husband Brad Birge started Big Birge Plumbing Co. in August 2012. Lallenia uses a wonderful title: "A Plumbers Wife to Big Birge Plumbing Co." -
How Content Influences the Buying Process and Grows Business
20 Jan 2015 | 7:29 amToday when people want to buy something, the web is almost always the first stop on their shopping trip. In any market category, potential customers head online to conduct research. The moment of truth is when they reach your site: Will you draw them into your sales process or let them click away? -
#DawnWall and the Fear of Real Time Media
15 Jan 2015 | 6:21 amOver the past several days I've been mesmerized in real-time by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson as they've negotiated the final parts of their 19-day free climb of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California. While El Capitan has been climbed many times, this was the first free climb (ropes only used for safety, not for climbing) of the Dawn Wall - widely considered the most difficult climb in the world. During the entire climb, they communicated to the world and we shared via #DawnWall. -
8 Ways to Ruin Your Chance of Making a Sale [Infographic]
14 Jan 2015 | 11:52 amBuyers have more information at their fingertips than ever before, yet the same sales techniques which were appropriate for the 1980s are still being used today. The world has changed, and organizations must avoid making the sales mistakes if they are to thrive. -
New Rules of Sales on MSNBC Your Business
7 Jan 2015 | 1:01 pmHere's the video of my appearance on MSNBC Your Business with JJ Ramberg. MSNBC Your Business is the only television show dedicated to issues affecting small business owners. Now in its seventh season and sponsored by American Express OPEN forum, the program has profiled hundreds of small business owners and offered advice from countless business experts and investors. I always love to appear on this show!
We Are Social
Smaller Networks Boom as Facebook Dips
29 Jan 2015 | 8:04 amGlobalWebIndex's latest figures show the major social networking winners and losers from 2014 – with Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram growing the fastest as Facebook saw declines in all age groups and regions. Jason Mander, Head of Trends at GWI, exclusively talks us through some of the key trends and findings from the new GWI Social report. 2014 was the year of the smaller networks; while Facebook saw a small drop in active usage and the other big players (Twitter, YouTube and Google+) all recorded relatively gentle increases, it was the younger, tier-two networks like Pinterest (+97%),… -
Video Killed the Video Star
28 Jan 2015 | 8:11 amUntil a few years ago, the way marketing thought about video revolved around a very basic concept: the TV advert. This approach meant that a disproportionate amount of strategic, creative and production effort went into the creation of a single piece of content. Although it was adaptable to several formats, could be watched on several channels and inspire related content, the TV spot was a single, isolated element. Today's reality is very different. In the past brands' stories could be told through one, or perhaps a few, TV ads. Today, they need to be part of a conversation,… -
The 'New Social': How Brands Must Change
27 Jan 2015 | 8:22 amI joined Rishaad Salamat on Bloomberg TV last week to discuss how brands need to change the way they approach social media in light of the changes we highlighted in our new Digital, Social & Mobile Worldwide in 2015 report. As you'll see from the video of our chat above, the most valuable findings to come out of this report are not the staggering numbers, nor the impressive, growth of all things digital; much as these things are important, it's the change in the ways that people are using digital connectivity, and why they're using it, that has the greatest significance… -
We Are Social's Monday Mashup #246
26 Jan 2015 | 9:32 amWeChat is testing ads WeChat has started testing ads in 'Moments', its (rough) equivalent to Facebook's News Feed. So far, the network has been reluctant to include advertising; with 468.1 million monthly active users, this could be big business. Sponsored posts will be marked 'promoted'. WhatsApp for web browsers Want to chat to your mates at work, but can't get away with using your phone? No, no, me neither. Anyway, say that you did, you can now access WhatsApp through a web client. Just scan a QR code using your phone and you use the messaging app on… -
Interviewing Unilever's Rahul Welde
22 Jan 2015 | 8:01 amRahul Welde, VP Media for Unilever Asia, Africa, Middle East, Turkey and Russia, says the number of media and technology options for consumers to engage has evolved "way beyond what people had imagined" and if brands are to remain relevant they need to make listening a priority. In our continuing series of interviews with top industry thought leaders and innovators, we speak with Welde about Unilever's plans for digital and social media in 2015, its focus on building brand love, the importance of responding quickly and creatively in digital, and Millennials' thirst for 'snackable'…
7 Ways to Scale Your Content Marketing
28 Jan 2015 | 12:15 pmvia: www.valuablecontent.co.uk So you've decided that content marketing is a serious to do list item for 2015, but it's a bit daunting to get started. Well you're in luck. Here's everything you need to know on how content marketing is maturing and the ways that marketers can embrace it. Not that long ago, clients were wary of "content marketing." Could we really attract audiences and build relationships by sharing information (copy, photos, videos) that was relevant and interesting but not directly selling products and services? Brands large and small have proven that a… -
Hell, now everyone can take a bathroom break.
23 Jan 2015 | 1:54 pmThis week, Twitter introduced its new Recap feature "While You Were Away…" In a nutshell, the new function provides users with a snapshot of some of the Tweets they may have missed. We've only had 2 days to experience the new feature, so the jury is still out, but here are some of our initial reactions to the Tweet Recap. via https://blog.twitter.com/2015/while-you-were-away-0 We can take bathroom breaks again! The recap function is pretty comforting. While we might love the idea of sitting on Twitter watching the flood of Tweets go by, it's just impossible to catch… -
Following Facebook's 20% Rule
16 Jan 2015 | 6:30 amAs we now know, Facebook advertising is essential for maximum impressions and engagement. We have spent the last year tweaking our strategies and ad budgets to accommodate paid posts. But, one of the biggest challenges we have faced in Facebook advertising has to be the 20% text rule. Facebook has a rule that no image with 20% or more text can be promoted. The idea behind this is to deter brands from making obvious advertisements and paying to post them in people's news feeds. I gotta say, in theory I think this is a great rule. As a consumer, I don't want to be bombarded with obvious… -
2015 Social Media Resolutions
30 Dec 2014 | 7:27 amVIA:http://bit.ly/1uZvGTe Well, it is that time of year again. Everyone makes resolutions (and then quits them on January 17th – National Ditch Your Resolutions Day). This year, I have decided to make some digital and social media resolutions that I can actually follow through on! Disconnect: This might seem counterintuitive but I truly believe the more connected we are, the less we appreciate things both on and offline. I resolve to disconnect from my phone and the internet at least once a day so that I can fully appreciate everything that is happening around me. Post Meaningful Images:… -
Is storytelling bringing Podcasts Back?
19 Dec 2014 | 6:30 amFor those of you who live under a rock – yesterday was the final episode of Serial (an extremely popular This American Life spinoff). In honor of this glorious and sad day (don't worry, no spoilers here) I wanted to look into what the heck is going on with Podcasts. If you're like me (and 5 million other people), you're probably obsessed with Serial. Podcasts are nothing new; in fact they're about 10 years old (or as old as the original iPod). Ten years doesn't seem like a terribly long time but consider the leaps and bounds technology and digital media have made in that time.
Social Media Network - Marketing
Will TSU Come Close To Facebook? - Social Media
17 Jan 2015 | 12:59 amTSU , pronounced Sue, has had a solid backing from venture capital company Sancus Capital Prive who invested $7 million. 50 Cent and NBA star Carmelo Anthony even jumped onto the social networking platform and so has the public. https://www.tsu.co/PervaraKapadiaNo doubt it is a fact that Facebook is a more established Social Networking Platform but Tsu is different in that it wants to reward You the user for sharing their platform. They aim to do this by giving you a revenue share from the advertisements they display.You can join the social media network… -
You Can Join The Social Media Site That Pays, It Is Called TSU
16 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amA New Social Media Site has come into existence. You Can Join The Social Media Site That Pays It Is Called TSU. You need an Invite Link though. Well we know that practically every month various Social Media Sites come up and an equal number seem to close down. However this site is still going well due to its claim that it pays people who Post Content. It looks very much like Facebook. However unlike Facebook this site pays. New York-based Tsu, which looks a lot like Facebook at first glance, only takes 10 percent of the ad revenue it generates, passing the other 90… -
New Call To Action Buttons For Your Facebook Pages - Social Media
29 Dec 2014 | 6:53 amLatest at Facebook is the Introduction of their Call To Action button for your Facebook Pages. As Facebook puts it 'Designed to bring a business's most important objective to the forefront of its Facebook presence, call-to-action buttons link to any destination on or off Facebook that aligns with a business's goals.'Page Admins can select from a group of Call-To-Action Buttons — like 'Shop Now' or 'Sign Up' — to add to the top of their Page. The seven calls to action available are: Book NowContact UsUse AppPlay GameShop NowSign UpWatch VideoI work as Freelance Social Media… -
It Need Not Always Be 'Like' And 'DisLike' on Facebook - Social Media
13 Dec 2014 | 6:18 amHere is a scenario:On your Facebook Home Page Feed - You read about a very Disturbing Case for instance Abuse or a Missing Person. There is nothing to 'Like' or 'DisLike'. But you need to say that you have 'Read' the Article. You want to show that you are concerned. Moreover an Interaction will enable it to go higher on Network Feed. How about a Different Sign apart from the 'Like' and the DisLikes' ?. How about another Sign That shows – 'I Have Read This, I Am Concerned'. I work as Freelance Social Media Network Online… -
The New Facebook Policy Can Get Your Existing Facebook Page 'UnPublished ' - Social Media
4 Dec 2014 | 1:19 amThe New Facebook Policy Can Get Your Existing Facebook Page 'UnPublished 'Facebook has recently updated its Policy, Terms and Conditions. If your Facebook Page does not adhere to the New Facebook Policy then you will be receiving this message:Once you go on your 'UnPublished Page' you get to see the below:You have a good chance to 'Appeal' to Facebook and get your Page 'Publish' again....All the best though...I work as Freelance Social Media Network Online Professional. My Business Page is on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pervarakapadia Do join me.
Paul Sutton
How to Completely Miss an Opportunity
26 Jan 2015 | 4:46 amA man walks into a bar. "Why don't you try this ale?", suggests the barman. "It's new." "Sure", says the man, and the barman pours him a pint of what turns out to be a delicious, creamy brew, full of malty flavour. "Wow, " says the man to the barman, "this is lovely." The barman hands the man a glossy, colourful leaflet from the brewer inviting him to 'join us' on Twitter and Facebook. The man pulls out his mobile and fires off a tweet to the named handle waxing lyrical about the pint he's enjoying. A couple of days later, the man finds the leaflet in his coat… -
The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Comms Bloggers
22 Jan 2015 | 2:00 amThere was a time not so long ago when you could hardly move on the internet without running into someone writing about the marketing communications industry. Social media, PR and digital marketing were all the rage. Everyone had an opinion and communications blogs were abundant. Now? Not so much. At least, not where the UK is concerned. I was recently performing a new year clean up and refresh of my RSS feed. And what struck me was the lack of decent quality blogs emanating from British shores. Less than one in five of the blogs I'm now subscribed to are UK-based. And of those, only a small… -
The Chromebook Experiment
19 Jan 2015 | 6:11 amIf Microsoft and Apple both fell into a black hole tomorrow, could you survive? And more to the point, could your business? With Windows and iOS dominating the operating systems of desktop PCs and laptop computers, my guess is that the answer to that question is a very solid 'no'. And yet there is another alternative; one that is slowly making inroads into personal computer use, if not quite yet into the business world. Chromebooks have been around for a few years now. For anyone unfamiliar with them, they run on Google's Chrome operating system, bypassing Microsoft and Apple… -
Is it Time You Binned Your Content Calendar?
16 Jan 2015 | 12:49 amIf you work in social media marketing, you'll probably have a content calendar. Whether produced with Excel or with professional planning tools like Hubspot or Scribble, content plans have formed the backbone of social communications for a long while. But the world has moved on. And for me, content calendars are now largely redundant. It doesn't matter whether you use a content plan to look months or just weeks ahead, there's a strong argument to say that it is no longer possible to plan much beyond a few days into the future. The Price of Progress We live in a world where… -
Progression Paralysis & How to Overcome It
13 Jan 2015 | 12:35 amOne of the questions I'm most commonly asked by communications professionals in social media training sessions is 'how do you manage to keep up with all of the changes?' Social media technology moves extremely fast, and there's a real fear out there that if you're not all over the latest network announcement, trend or thinking, you're behind the curve. In many cases, it leads to what I call 'Progression Paralysis', where the task of keeping up seems so overwhelming that an individual doesn't even know where to start and so does nothing. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy,…
Social Nerdia
Q&A with Near Me Founder and CEO Michelle Regner
15 Jan 2015 | 12:47 pmMichelle Regner is the co-founder and CEO of Near Me, a solution for creating branded peer-to-peer marketplaces. Near Me enables entrepreneurs and brands to create websites that allow people to share, trade, swap, resell or rent things.Esteban Contreras: What is Near Me and what is your mission? Michelle Regner: Near Me is a platform that powers peer to peer marketplaces and private communities. Our mission is to empower people and increase choices ― all by facilitating connections.EC: There is a debate about whether the 'sharing economy' is an… -
Social Nerdia Podcast: ZIRX is On-Demand Parking
7 Oct 2014 | 7:13 pmShmulik Fishman is the co-founder of ZIRX, a startup that wants to solve the problem of parking. Shmulik and his 3 co-founders met at Adap.tv, an adtech company that sold to AOL. After being immersed in a world of digital inventory, the four friends and colleagues decided to address a problem in the physical world - and ZIRX is the result. Despite being in a completely different side of the transportation equation, some have already compared ZIRX to Uber. If you search for ZIRX online you will find messages like 'Parking Sucks' and 'Never Park Again.' Word is starting to get out about… -
My Favorite Quotes from Peter Thiel's Zero To One
16 Sep 2014 | 5:24 pmI had already read Blake Masters' notes for Peter Thiel's now famous CS183 class when I pre-ordered Zero to One. In fact, these were the very reason why I wanted to read the book.I would highly recommend that anyone interested in business, tech and startups, to read both Masters' notes (available for free online) and this gem of a book. Both reads contain powerful business principles and interesting stories.In the spirit of Masters' note-taking efforts and Thiel's openness to such notes, I have compiled a few notes of my own from Zero to One: Here are some of my favorite quotes from the… -
Want To Sell Your Startup to Facebook? Infographic: Facebook Acquisition Analysis
27 Apr 2014 | 3:05 amFacebook acquired Protogeo Oy, the company behind fitness app Moves, last week. Following the purchase of WhatsApp and Oculus VR, this was Facebook's fifth acquisition this year.Since 2007, Facebook has acquired nearly 50 companies. While many of the early acquisitions were deemed "acquihires," some of Facebook's more recent purchases point towards a new strategy focused on both immediate value and long-term bets on the future. I've speculated about Facebook's moves since I started "watching" the company back in 2006. Their acquisition strategy has evolved over the years and it is… -
Facebook is a Pay-to-Play Marketing Channel, So Play Wisely
17 Apr 2014 | 1:59 amFACEBOOK CHANGED ITS ALGORITHM... WHAT ELSE IS NEW?I've been placing ads on Facebook - with all kinds of budgets and diverse objectives - since 2006.Over the years, I've seen Facebook's UI, sales organization and ad units evolve. Some changes have been good; others, not so much. The only thing consistent about Facebook is that it is always changing.With approximately 1.2 billion monthly active users and a plethora of activity happening on News Feeds all over the world, Facebook is a powerful marketing channel that has become a key strategic element for most mass brands.Unlike other…
Pam Marketing Nut
Why I don't Live on Google Plus 24/7 or Care About Blog Comments as Top Metric
27 Jan 2015 | 11:51 amThere is only one way to do social media, create content, setup a blog, measure results and build your business. The only way is what works for you, your customers, your audience, your community and your business! One of the worst traps many business leaders and marketers fall in when diving into digital and online marketing is following the advice of others when they shouldn't be. It's easy to find a blog post with a step by step guide for how to blog, build community, establish thought leadership and close more business. The harder part is figuring out what are the RIGHT steps… -
Power of Visual Content Marketing and Brand Storytelling in a Nutshell
26 Jan 2015 | 12:15 pmAre you tapping into the power of visual content marketing to tell your brand story? Visual marketing empowers brands and the people within them to share their business and personal stories and lives real-time. No longer is it required to have a full time, dedicated design team on staff to serve up a good healthy dose of visual content marketing for your audiences and clients to devour! Now even small marketing teams can easily take photos with an iPhone or other smart phone, mobile device and use them to engage their audiences via the social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter,… -
10 Social Media Tips for Franchisors to Empower Franchisees & Zoom Results!
21 Jan 2015 | 11:33 pmMany franchise organizations shy away from implementing social media, new media and the latest digital and web technologies due to fear and lack of ability to roll out such big marketing and media changes to their franchisees from the corporate organization. Often time the franchisor fears that adopting social media and new technologies will put the brand at risk. They are afraid of brand inconsistency, negative interaction with audiences and the list goes on. The truth is that regardless if a franchisor, franchisee or brand of any type or size decides to engage on the social web, there is… -
15 Tips to Build an Integrated Online Social Platform that Works When You're Not Working
15 Jan 2015 | 10:34 amWhen it comes to digital marketing and social media too many people throw spaghetti technology at the internet walls and then wonder why nothing sticks, why they have zero revenue and are working 24 hours a day. We all have the same 24 hours in the day. Wishing you had more time to do what you need to do is not a strategy for success in life or business. Finding a path that enables you to live the life you dream and get your business on the path to massive success doesn't happen over night. You are going to need to roll up your sleeves and get to work. The truth is you need to… -
Is Ignoring Customers on Social Media an Option? CBS UnderCover Boss Case Study
13 Jan 2015 | 8:51 amSocial media has given consumers, viewers, partners and stakeholders a new platform to speak their mind. Brands can no longer hide behind the brick walls of buildings, public relationship companies or administrative assistants screening calls. There is likely a conversation happening in the honor of you and your brand right now, regardless if you have chosen to be part of the conversation. What should a brand do when crisis hits? What should they do when the Twitter and Facebook storm gets out of control and tweets are flying left and right with angry TV viewers, customers, partners and…
Jessica Malnik
The Biggest Mistake You May Be Making With Your Community Moderation Strategy (And Why Facebook Will Never Have A Dislike Button)
26 Jan 2015 | 11:35 pmModeration is a big topic in the community management space. For many, it automatically conjures up images of trolls and ban buttons. However in reality, high quality moderation goes way beyond that, and is equal parts an art form, psychology and science. In a Google Hangout on Air yesterday as part of CMAD, modern community moderation was the hot topic discussed by Justin Isaf, Darren Gough, Caty Kobe, Sarah Hawk, Jenn Chen, Randy Farmer and Aurelia Butler-Ball. While I could easily write several long form posts around this topic, one specific debate caught my attention. That's to downvote… -
11 Tips For Recruiting Your First 100 Members To Your Online Community
22 Jan 2015 | 5:34 amBuilding a community from the ground-up is hard, often lonely work. You are starting out as the only evangelist for this fledgling idea, and you have to hustle day in and day out to get those key first members. Why 100? That's when you typically should see some more user-generated topics and comments that isn't necessarily all seeded by you. What better way to illustrate this than through an example. Let's say, I want to create the ultimate online community and fan club around the most amazing 90s TV show, Saved by the Bell. From Buddy Bands to caffeine pill addiction, I… -
#ProductBuild: It's BETA time!
14 Jan 2015 | 9:37 pmThis course is proving to be an exercise in endurance and perseverance. I still find myself paralyzed by both the imposter syndrome and comparison trap far more often than I want to admit. It's making writing the last few lessons and editing process much more difficult than I originally anticipated. All the thoughts are raising around my brain. Am I really experienced enough to write this course? Is the content good enough? Too basic? Too advanced? Will anyone buy it? Let alone will anyone find it useful? Despite all this, I was able to start launching this course in a rough, closed beta. -
My Theme For 2015: Vulnerability
6 Jan 2015 | 1:16 amIt's becoming an annual tradition for me to write a post in the beginning of January reflecting on the past year, and choosing a theme to live by for the year ahead. Last year's theme was about change and resiliency. As I look back at 2014, I look back at a year that has honestly been the most rollercoaster of a year that I've ever had. Filled with some serious high points, major challenges and some serious lows, including watching some people that I love overcome major challenges and hurdles. Even with all the challenges, curveballs and forks in the road, I feel a sense of optimism… -
#ProductBuild: Halfway Done And Writing, Writing And More Writing
31 Dec 2014 | 11:35 amI'm writing this mere hours before the big, crystal ball drops in Times Square, and we (well to my U.S. based readers) ring in a brand, new year. So many will set out to tackle their New Year's Resolutions bright and early tomorrow morning. While I don't set New Year's Resolutions (more on that in an upcoming post, I promise), I am more gung-ho than ever to get 2015 rolling. I have some big, (admittedly scary) goals set this year. Many of which I've been planning and working towards for the last few months. One of which is to launch this product to all of you guys. So, where am I at…
New Kids on the Block for Video Marketing
29 Jan 2015 | 2:43 amA picture is worth a thousand words. True, but a video is worth a thousand more. With 70% of marketers reporting that video leads to more conversion than any other medium, video marketing is definitely here to stay! Time crunch and short attention span of web users are key reasons why videos engage at least half of the mobile traffic, and have a definite advantage over text in the digital space. When it comes to digital marketing, YouTube still rules, with more than 4 billion views every day. With more than 60% of the top brands embedding YouTube videos on their websites, this comes as little… -
Old Wine in New Bottle: Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Repurpose Content!
29 Jan 2015 | 2:06 amOld is gold. Well, repurposing old content might actually help you strike gold in generating more leads for your business. Mind you, the word is repurposing and not rehashing. Unlike rehashing, repurposing is not just about sprucing up the presentation. It's about maintaining the essence of a particular piece of content while you change either its structure or its intended audience. This might involve putting together a webinar with content from old blog posts, or using content from an e-book to create a series of newsletters. However, before you do all that, it is time to determine why you… -
Social Media Tool Review: Iconosquare
29 Jan 2015 | 1:43 amIconosquare, previously known as Statigram, is a social media tool which provides Instagram users with insights into their accounts. It helps you view the average number of comments/likes per photo, your most liked photos, and other key metrics about your Instagram account through a single user-friendly interface. There are more than 8.5 million Iconosquare users, and around 200K brands use this tool for their businesses. If you're looking for an effective Instagram analytics tool for your brand, here is why you might want to take a look at Iconosquare. View Instagram news feed better… -
SEO New Year Resolutions for 2015: Get Rid of the Bad Habits of 2014
28 Jan 2015 | 4:15 amSEO best practices are constantly evolving! So, it's difficult to keep a tab of what's true and what's a myth. Let us take a peek at the common SEO myths of 2014, so that you don't waste time on SEO strategies which don't matter, in 2015. Here are some of the myths you should particularly watch out for. Google Authorship can increase clickthrough rates and search visibility For the last several years, we've been touting the significance of getting Google Authorship on blogs. But, you can totally forget about the program, as it doesn't exist any… -
Social & Search in 2015
5 Jan 2015 | 4:33 am1. How will search, social and content marketing interact in 2015? 2. Which mobile friendly social channels should you leverage in 2015? 3. Are brands really wasting time and money on Facebook as Forrester's new report claims? 4. Which emerging platform offers maximum revenue per social commerce conversion? 5. Which social network has the highest engagement rate at present? (Hint: It's neither Facebook or Twitter!) All your big digital marketing questions for 2015 answered! Brand managers, marketers and digital media strategists – wondering what changed, what faded and…
Smedio - Business Ideas Worth Sharing
5 Companies Doing Blogging Right
26 Jan 2015 | 12:20 amHaving a company blog and blogging strategically have become nearly as standard as having a logo. Obviously the latter comes first, but the former is something regularly launched alongside a business' website. From offering prospects and customers a chance to consume informative content, to giving a glimpse of your company's culture, to improving your SEO strategy, blogs can pack a powerful marketing punch. While straight emulation is never a good idea, it can be beneficial to learn from others who have realized blogging success. Here are some valuable tips from five companies that are on… -
Metrics That Will Matter to Your Business This Year
19 Jan 2015 | 11:14 pmWhat metrics should your business focus on this year? With the holiday season fully behind us, we're looking towards 2015 and embracing the challenges we'll be facing in the New Year. Prosperity is always high on our wishlist for success in our upcoming fiscal year, and metrics can play a key role in measuring our shortcomings and analyzing our triumphs. With hundreds of different options available for analysis and the many different trends to follow, one can easily become lost in the online jungle of items at our disposal. Social media is still on the rise and businesses both large and… -
Is Print Media Marketing Dead, or Just Different in 2015
29 Dec 2014 | 10:56 amIn the beginning, there was print media. It was an almost magical way to send out a message and get people to buy things they needed (and sometimes things they didn't need). Then, along came the Internet. It created 2-second attention spans, and destroyed traditional direct marketing – or did it? Many marketers these days say that snail mail is dead. The reality is that it's evolved. Print Media Marketing Still Alive According to research from BIA Kelsey, direct mail still has 43 per cent of the total share in local retail advertising. Pitney Bowes also found that 76 per cent of… -
The Top Ad Networks of 2014
22 Dec 2014 | 9:42 amAd networks are an important tool for advertisers because of the increased efficiency and lowered cost of doing business. Simply put, ad networks aggregate spots to put advertisements from print to online to mobile. So, instead of filtering through millions of websites and contacting the publishers about advertising spaces manually, the ad network automates this process for you. Although there are ad networks for all types of media including print, with the increased use of smartphones, digital ad networks are more important than ever. So, how do you know what network to choose out of so many… -
How to Build Customers' Trust and Boost Online Sales
18 Dec 2014 | 9:57 amWithout customers' trust online, consider your online sales a failed proposition. The lack of customers' trust has been sited as one of the main reasons for shopping cart abandonment. At 70% of all online shopping incidence, Shopping cart abandonment is the primary revenue killer for online sellers. That's an astounding $3 Trillion lost in sales lost in sales, worldwide. According to Paypal, 86% of American did their Christmas shopping online last year. The trend might not be different this year, if not better. How many of these shoppers will abandoned shopping carts this…
ReelSEO Video Marketing
How to Hack YouTube Video Titles to Get More Views [#TubeTalk #57]
29 Jan 2015 | 4:37 amA compelling and engaging video title is not only essential for SEO, but it is also one of the best tactics for enticing viewers into watching your video. On this week's ReelSEO TubeTalk, we discuss the best ways of optimizing your video title tag. -
Facebook Vs. YouTube: Why It's Like Comparing Apples to Oranges
28 Jan 2015 | 8:30 amFacebook is being touted as the new destination site to upload a branded video if you want the views, and the engagement. But, is it fair to compare Facebook to YouTube when they are clearly very different models? -
How-to Be a Superstar YouTube Community Manager
27 Jan 2015 | 8:15 amLike teaching Zumba, or designing Android Apps, the role of a YouTube Community or Channel Manager has only really existed for the past few years. But nowadays, a skilled and experienced Community Manager is worth their weight in gold to an MCN, a brand or a digital agency. We take a look at this exciting role and what it takes to succeed in the industry. -
The Video Marketer's Playbook for Winning the Super Bowl on YouTube
26 Jan 2015 | 11:42 amSuper Bowl has become a month-long event on YouTube, with viewers tuning in to watch the latest video ads made for the event as soon as they are released. With that in mind, brands and video marketers should be looking at getting their content lined up now for Super Bowl 2016 -
Working the Vertical: The Role of Logic and Emotion in Video Marketing
23 Jan 2015 | 8:05 amVideo marketing is as much of an art as it is a science. Understanding the crucial role that logic and emotion play in engaging the viewer is the first step to unlocking the full potential of your video marketing strategy.
Contrastar la informacion o fe ciega: Los problemas de imagenes e informacion en Social Media.
29 Jan 2015 | 7:13 amEn @socialphilia estamos buscando gente con talento, buscadores de la verdad. Como siempre. Es lo unico que nos interesa. Y se nos ocurrio una idea con una imagen fake que esta rulando por todas las redes sociales sobre Mariano Rajoy y el Forum Global de Turismo. Esta es la imagen: Y esta la real: Un buen […] -
Como ser Influencer o tener Influencia y no morir en el intento (de convocar al menos 10 personas)
7 Jan 2015 | 11:50 amEl otro dia leia este articulo publicado en El Mundo sobre un conocido "Influencer/Personality" español del mundo de la moda con mas de 200K followers en sus redes sociales y que no fue capaz de convocar a 15 personas para una "Master Class" de personal branding en social media. Y por ello, decidi escribir este post. […] -
¿Que aprendi en el 2014?
31 Dec 2014 | 11:54 amDesde hace 5 años, ya casi 6, me he dedicado a escribir un post para finalizar el año. Este post en vez de ser una prediccion de lo que va a pasar en el siguiente (como hace la mayoria de la gente, yo es que no soy adivina), es una vista atras y una revision […] -
Llega la Publicidad a Instagram o como no hacer videos en Instagram
24 Nov 2014 | 2:08 pmAntes de contaros mas a detalle el tema, miremos las 1ras publicidades: Definitivamente unos son simplemente videos/ads de 8-15 sgs, y los otros son pensados para el medio. Conozco videos de usuarios/marcas mucho mas creativos y mas aplicados a la forma de visualizacion del usuario que estas […] -
Como organizar mi newsfeed en Facebook, o como ver lo que a mi me da la gana en FB
21 Nov 2014 | 6:46 amA pesar de que creemos que lo sabemos todo, a veces la mayoria de las palabras referidas a Facebook son erroreas. Es decir, no sabemos bien como utilizarlo. Tiene tanto para custumizar que a se nos escapa de las manos. Ayer despues de escribir el post sobre : "Por que la gente no ve mi […]
Change Your Passwords On A Regular Basis
17 Jan 2015 | 12:00 amI worked in banking for years… passwords were the key to many things including the safe and the banking machines (all by double access of teams of two people of course)… for that reason I take password security pretty seriously. Recently there have been many breaches of data all over… Amazon, Sony, Microsoft were the […] The post Change Your Passwords On A Regular Basis appeared first on Social4Business. Related posts: Twitter and Passwords Simple Steps to Stay Safe Online Tribe Building – Why you need to do this on a Regular Basis -
How to Get New Subscribers With Joint Ventures
11 Dec 2014 | 12:00 amList Building Ideas When you think of JV (joint venture) partners, you usually think of partners endorsing each other's products for a commission. This is definitely the case, but in the world of internet and online marketing many people also look to Joint Ventures as a way to build your email list. You have to […] The post How to Get New Subscribers With Joint Ventures appeared first on Social4Business. Related posts: How do You Build Your Email List of Subscribers? 5 Benefits of using Twitter for Business Top 3 Elements to Build a Profitable Email List -
5 New Ideas for Image Content in your Online Marketing
4 Dec 2014 | 12:00 amImages are the #1 social media content shared across all platforms. You cannot sign on to Facebook or Twitter without seeing images. Even LinkedIn has transitioned to allow more visual options within their platform. Why is this such a trend? The best answer I can give you is that it is fast and easy to […] The post 5 New Ideas for Image Content in your Online Marketing appeared first on Social4Business. Related posts: How to find ideas of what to Write in your Blog What's Trending Online? Planning your Social Media Content -
Would your Business Pay to use Facebook without Limitations?
25 Nov 2014 | 12:00 amFacebook has made a few little changes again and one big one coming soon will once again affect the reach of your content on your Facebook Business Page. As of January 2015, Facebook will restrict the promotional content from business pages in the newsfeed of users. They will be bringing in "volume and content controls […] The post Would your Business Pay to use Facebook without Limitations? appeared first on Social4Business. Related posts: Why has Facebook Business Pages Reach Dropped Drastically? Facebook Business Profile Setup – the Big Question answered Use your Business… -
Where to Find Images for Your Blog
13 Nov 2014 | 12:00 amNow that you understand that images are an important part of each and every blog post, you might be wondering where you get photos and graphics for your posts. There are several places, paid and unpaid, where you can find just about any image you might need: Your own photos. The easiest place to find […] The post Where to Find Images for Your Blog appeared first on Social4Business. Related posts: Why Add Images to Your Blog? How to Add Images to your Blog Posts Share those Images on Twitter too!
Prepare 1
How the NFL, Super Bowl & Brands Plan to Use Social Media
29 Jan 2015 | 4:05 amDo you like to watch the latest Super Bowl Ads? What type of Super Bowl Ad moves you? Name the two teams that are playing in Super Bowl XLIX? Last year the Super Bowl was the most watched event in America with more than 108 million viewers, but the really fascinating thing is why people watched. Several studies have proven that 50% of the Super Bowl audience tunes in just to watch the ads. This year advertisers are hoping for 120 million viewers. The game itself is usually more entertaining now. Furthermore, many advertisers release their Super Bowl ads to the web and through social media… -
The 7 Keys to Living Life Aligned with Passion
23 Jan 2015 | 3:55 amAre you living your life with passion? How about Clarity and Purpose? The ability to live life in accord with your purpose, values and passion is key. There are certain key principles that are critical to living a life with passion. Most of us go to the grave with the music still in us. Why? Give you attention to what you do right, to your wins, to the things you do well. You will find your improvement is faster and much great than when you try to fix your mistakes. "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how." - Frederick Nietzsche Your life is created first in your… -
How Visual Content Amplifies Social Media
16 Jan 2015 | 4:05 amDid you know that 65% of people are visual learners? Do you know that our brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text? From a social media marketing standpoint, the old saying that "a picture's worth a thousand words" holds so much value today. As marketers, we all need to be or become storytellers. A great photo or graphic tells a story in one hot second. A good image can connect an idea or message much quicker and stronger than text-only content. Photos are the main type of content posted by Facebook pages, Pinterest, Instagram and others. As a marketer, it makes sense to… -
4 Laws of Emotion That Influence You
9 Jan 2015 | 3:55 amDo you desire winning more than you fear failure? Do you engage in busy-work when you could be tackling important priorities? Do you put off learning a new skill or social media tool to market you and your business? Do your to-do lists stay filled with many things that have yet to be done? The Law of Emotion states that 100 percent of your decisions and subsequent actions are based on emotion. You are not largely emotional, or 90 percent emotional and 10 percent logical, as has been assumed. You are completely emotional. Everything you do is based on an emotion of some kind. "What you… -
12 Social Media Trends that will Dominate in 2015
30 Dec 2014 | 4:05 amIt being the end of the year, I found myself wondering what was to come for 2015 and if anything had changed in the past year as to social media usage and platform popularity. As 2014 comes to a close the world of social media had some ups and downs. Some for better, others for worse. We've seen mobile use skyrocket; activity on social media during TV shows rise (according to research by Virgin Media) and the arrival of shopping via Twitter. The only constant is change. From technology trends to changing business models to evolving consumer behaviors, there's a lot to consider in order…
Leader Networks blog
Community Manager Appreciation Day 2015: Looking Ahead and Back
24 Jan 2015 | 8:30 amIt's that #CMAD time of year again: Hooray for community managers! Let's celebrate those digital leaders for their tireless, selfless, thoughtful work which creates, sustains and expands online communities around the world. As anyone who has ever taken on the role can tell you, the online community manager's job is one of the most demanding and most misunderstood in the knowledge work world. You can see for yourself by doing a job search on "online community manager." The variety of tasks, responsibilities, requirements, skill sets and educational attainments… -
How to Build the Online Community that Builds Trust
15 Jan 2015 | 6:52 amRecently, I had the honor of being interviewed by Barry Feldman about online communities and how they can be a powerful trust-building vehicle when they are done well – which ain't always easy to do. An expert interviewer, Barry is able to pull great ideas out of his victims interviewees to make for an informative and (entertaining) content. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed being interviewed! This article originally appeared on KISSMetrics blog. ___________________________________________________________________ Want to build an online community? When you… -
Building the Business Case for Community
17 Nov 2014 | 7:30 pmIn every corner of an organization, the idea of having an online community is brought up. But often, the idea remains just that – an idea – because starting the journey seems daunting. How should we begin to build the business case for it? How can we translate the hard-to-explain-and-grasp benefits of community into a comprehensive and convincing plan? What lessons can be learned from others who have succeeded? How can we report the value in business terms? Your business case process is not simply a way to get approval for your community project. When well done, it is the outline for an… -
The Social Consumer Study and What It Means To Customer Service Professionals
30 Oct 2014 | 5:11 am"The pen is mightier than the sword" wrote Edward George Bulwer-Lytton in 1839. Little did he know what was to come with the advent of social media? Around the globe, customers – friend and foe alike – share their experiences using indelible digital characters all across the social channel. We are experiencing a customer-driven revolution where companies are no longer defined only by what they say about themselves. Rather, customer experiences are a major force defining the strongest brands, and the Achilles heel of firms which fail to deliver on customer expectations. In the summer… -
Why Listening Communities Belong in Your Marketing Strategy
20 Oct 2014 | 2:29 pmYour content is well-written and well-produced, engaging, even useful. But is your audience really paying attention? We all know what it's like when someone won't stop talking — it's very hard to stay engaged. Have you tried listening to your audience instead? Online communities are primordial (pre-web, even) discussion, content-sharing, and collaboration applications. While many brands use online communities for bottom-line-focused activities such as lead generation, others focus on listening, which helps them uncover powerful sources of customer insights, content, and industry…
Wakeman Agency
What is Your State of the Union?
28 Jan 2015 | 12:11 pmNow is the time to share your nonprofit's key 2015 priorities On Jan. 20, President Barack Obama delivered the 2015 State of the Union address outlining his key legislative and national priorities for the year ahead keep reading -
Our Top 5 Films at Sundance
28 Jan 2015 | 10:56 amThe list below features documentary films that depict intimate struggles in some of the most unsettling issues our society faces today, from racial inequality, the exploitation of women, rape culture, to environmental issues. We will keep reading -
Press Release – Films for Change Initiative at The Wakeman Agency
14 Jan 2015 | 11:09 amThe Wakeman Agency Enters Film World with Films for Change Initiative New offering includes a spectrum of services to help filmmakers and activists raise social awareness NEW YORK CITY—As part of a larger effort to keep reading -
Happy Holidays at the Centre for Social Innovation
17 Dec 2014 | 9:06 amAs a founding member of the Centre for Social Innovation (CSI) in NYC, The Wakeman Agency was delighted to attend CSI's annual holiday party on December 11, 2014. It's a joy to share space with keep reading -
2014 Public Relations Society of America Gold Medal Winner
16 Nov 2014 | 2:00 pmThe Wakeman Agency is pleased to announce the receipt of the Public Relations Society of America's Gold Medal – for a Media Relations Campaign 2014. White Plains, NY, June 10, 2014 – The Wakeman Agency, keep reading
The Myrland Marketing Minute Blog by @NancyMyrland | RSS Feed
What Is Inbound Marketing For Lawyers?
6 Jan 2015 | 7:50 amSend to KindleI was reading an article on Inbound Marketing Myths by Michael Reynolds on Hubspot this morning that made me realize that some terms marketers use these days might be a little confusing. One of these terms is Inbound Marketing. We're going to spend a few minutes on it today because I think it is important. Michael simply defines Inbound Marketing like this: "Inbound marketing is the holistic practice of earning traffic, turning that traffic into leads, and turning leads into sales." Don't let all this talk of traffic, leads and sales turn you off. I… -
I Might Have To Smack You If You Do This On LinkedIn
3 Sep 2014 | 12:36 pmSend to KindleI'm not naive. I've seen my share of rotten business practices, along with many good ones, some even great. I've witnessed people who try to do good, and plenty who seem to specialize in doing the opposite. Teaching marketing, and social and digital media for the past umpteen years, I've seen plenty of people try to find the easiest and quickest shortcuts around doing actual work to grow their business. In rare cases, this type of efficiency can be good. Others, not so good. I was reminded of one of the not so good practices the other day while catching… -
Lawyers: One Of The Most Important Questions You Can Ask Your Clients
28 Aug 2014 | 7:57 amSend to KindleI was just reading an email from WordPress expert Chris Lema about his recent search for a new job. He was discussing what made him choose one employer over another. Something he said stuck with me because it could help you as you begin working with your clients, and as you continue working with current clients. Chris shared: "Karim's [Chris's new employer] focus, however, wasn't on title or salary. His question was very similar to the question my current CEO regularly asks – and the reason I stayed at Emphasys for over 8 years." "How do we keep you… -
Competition Watching? Who Cares!?
21 Aug 2014 | 10:45 amSend to KindleDuring a MarketingProfs PRO webinar with Mack Collier just now, an attendee expressed concern in the chat room about not blogging because it will show competition what she is up to. She asked: "What about any concerns about blogging about topics/issues that may give competitors info about your services that you may not want them to know? My client may not want her competitors to know what she's up to…" This is a concern I've seen clients express, so I offered my thoughts, which are: "You can't spend your valuable time worrying about… -
Lawyers, People Don't Want A Drill. They Want A Hole.
6 Aug 2014 | 10:14 amSend to KindleI'm over on Inbound.org, watching a digital conversation called Ask Me Anything! with guest Amber Naslund. She is a Marketing, Community and Social Exec, and author of The NOW Revolution. Something she just said applies to every industry or profession, and bears a bit of discussion here on the Myrland Marketing Minutes blog. If you are trying to figure out how to position your practice with your clients and potential clients, they don't care that you're a lawyer. They care about what you can do for them. Think about what she said: "I'm always…
AsapSCIENCE Explores What Would Happen To Earth If Humans Became Extinct (VIDEO)
29 Jan 2015 | 9:12 amHave you ever stopped to take a moment and think about the dramatic impact humans have had on Earth? We've effected nearly every single inch of this planet in more ways than many of us realize, so what would happen if our entire species just disappeared? AsapSCIENCE begs this question in a new video that examines what exactly would happen if humans disappeared from Earth. (Source: YouTube / AsapSCIENCE) For starters, domestic animals are totally out of luck. Farm animals who no longer have humans to feed them will die and become food for house pets.House pets will be killed off and… -
This IKEA Video Game Is Way More Frustrating Than Assembling Furniture (VIDEO)
29 Jan 2015 | 8:38 amIKEA is stressful. You cannot argue that. There's so much going on in the store that it's nearly impossible just to leave with one item. And if you do manage to bring home just one piece of furniture, assembling it is nothing short of a nightmare. At this year's Global Game Jam, a 48 hour event where developers make their own video games, two game developers created a video game based around everyone's least favorite activity: assembling IKEA furniture. Their game, Höme Improvisåtion, starts out slow by giving users a table to put together, but the only catch is… -
'Composition With Red, Yellow, And Blue' Recreated In Seamless LEGO Stop Motion Animation
29 Jan 2015 | 7:32 amWhat would Piet Mondrian have to say about this modern rendition of his "Composition With Red, Yellow, Blue"? While Mondrian used oil paint on canvas for his painting, YouTuber "CheesyBricks" used his own special "paint" to recreate the famous artwork. CheesyBricks used LEGOs on two 8×16 LEGO plates and stop motion for his own mini version of Mondrian's work. There's no spills or mistakes in this seamless stop motion video, but even if there were, the paint wouldn't be too hard to clean up. Colors definitely won't mix with this… -
Jawbone Fossil 'Penghu 1′: Fishermen In Taiwan May Have Just Discovered A New Species Of Human
29 Jan 2015 | 6:59 amLong ago, a creature died and his remains sunk to the bottom of Taiwan's Penghu Channel. Between 10,000 and 190,000 years of evolution later, modern man hauled in a fishing net and discovered those remains: a jawbone that might prove the past existence of an undiscovered species. If so, the new species will accompany Neanderthals, Denisovans, Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis on the list of extinct hominins. (Source: CNN) The fishermen who pulled in the highly unusual catch appropriately sold the jawbone to an antique shop where a collector bought it and passed it on to… -
Kansas Farmer Herds Cattle To Form A Smiley Face, Creates Amazing Cow Art (VIDEO)
29 Jan 2015 | 6:48 amDerek Klingenberg is not your average farmer. Not only does he serenade his cattle with popular tunes on his trombone, but now, Klingenberg is creating art by creatively herding his cows. The result? A smiley face masterpiece captured by an aerial drone. The Kansas farmer positions his cattle using feed (Source: YouTube/ Farmer Derek Klingenberg) …forming a perfect smiley face (Source: YouTube/ Farmer Derek Klingenberg) This cow art is pretty impressive eh? But have you herd of sheep making art? Hint: it involves LEDs The post Kansas Farmer Herds Cattle To Form A Smiley Face, Creates…
Make Your Website's Permalink Google News Compliant on Day One
5 Jan 2015 | 9:27 amIf you are starting a news website, you'll want as much organic traffic as you can get your hands on. More traffic means more page views for the news stories you are reporting on, the articles that you have written, and more clicks for the ads your site is displaying. The king of organic website traffic is new and returning visitors. The queen is Google's SERPs. The third biggest resource is Google News. Google News usually appears at the top of regular Google SERPs. Because of this fact, getting into Google News is extremely beneficial to your site, its traffic, and its… -
8 WordPress Plugins: Podcast, Images, Meta, Optimization, Nagivation
24 Jul 2014 | 2:03 pmThere are eight WordPress plugins that I have either begun using recently or that I have been using for some time now to aid my efforts in podcasting, managing image sizes, meta data, website optimization, website navigation, and a few other quandaries. These are in addition to the plugins listed here: Starting a Movie Website: WordPress Plugins and the ones listed here: 4 WordPress Plugins: SEO, Google Analytics, Image Resize, Contact Form. Below you find a description of each, why you should consider using them, and where to obtain them. Lets begin, shall we. P3 (Plugin Performance… -
How to Automate Publishing Articles to a Google+ Profile or Page
26 May 2014 | 12:49 pmAutomating Website Article Publishing on a Google+ Profile or Google+ Page can be accomplished through three methods. The first of these methods is Jetpack. Jetpack enables the user to automatically and simultaneously publish website articles to a Google+ Profile when that article is published on a website. The second option is Hootsuite. Hootsuite enables the user to automatically and simultaneously publish website articles to a Google+ Page when that article is published on a website. The third option is Dlvr.it. Dlvr.it enables the user to automatically and simultaneously publish website… -
How to Add Open Graph & Schema Meta Data to your Website's HTML Pages
7 May 2014 | 8:03 amLearning how to add Open Graph and Schema meta data to your website's HTML pages can be done easily or over the course of a business day. We will explore both methods in this article. First things first though. You have to be made aware of what Open Graph and Schema meta data are so that you know of their importance to your website and its HTML pages. What is Open Graph? The Open Graph protocol enables developers to integrate their pages into the social graph. These pages gain the functionality of other graph objects including profile links and stream updates for connected users. As an… -
Email Newsletter Design Best Practices Infographic
23 Jan 2014 | 7:13 amEmail Newsletter Design Best Practices Infographic. If you have a website and use Feedburner to manage your RSS feed and email subscribers (if you have activated these services), you have a newsletter. If you use Aweber, Mail Chimp, Constant Contact, etc., you definitely have a email newsletter. "A newsletter is a regularly distributed publication that is generally about one main topic of interest to its subscribers." Having a email newsletter does not mean that you have set it up properly or are managing it efficiently and to its maximum potential. It simply means you have an…
Digital Pivot RSS News Feed
ClosetSpace Digitizes Your Wardrobe
29 Jan 9091 | 6:22 amSummary: Every budding fashionista — or actually anyone trying to pick an outfit — knows the struggle is real. Many have spent hours standing in front of their closets agonizing over the tough decision of what to wear. Do these pants go with that top? Do I have a pair of shoes that matches that suit? What will I wear next week to that business meeting? These difficult questions now have an easier manner in which to be answered. -
Twitter Details New Features in Blog Post
29 Jan 5915 | 6:22 amSummary: Twitter is rolling out a flurry of new services. The latest features to be added to the social media site are video and group messages. The group messages can include up to 20 people, and the videos can be shot and edited. Twitter announced the new features in a blog post: "Private conversations on Twitter are a great complement to the largely public experience on the platform. You might prefer to read (or watch) Tweets but converse about them privately. You might want to continue a public conversation privately..." -
Twitter Launches New Features
29 Jan 5783 | 6:22 amSummary: Twitter's first year as a publicly traded company was somewhat of a roller coaster ride. This, understandably, caused some concern amongst investors. The company's unsteady year spurred it into action. The social media site developed and released new features as a way to soothe the business minds of the investors. Or, perhaps it was done to appease the fickle nature of the social media world and to keep up with the Joneses — at least that is likely to be image presented to the public. The two features that Twitter rolled out this week were group… -
Stop Posting About Copyright Ownership on Facebook
29 Jan 5437 | 6:20 amSummary: It is a brand-new year, and time for a brand-new reminder of an old fact — posting some legalese statement on Facebook about copyright ownership doesn't do anything. Seriously, nothing. Most likely, you have seen some variation of the following statement posted in your friends' Facebook statuses: "Due to the fact that Facebook has chosen to involve software that will allow the theft of my personal information, I state: at this date of January 4, 2015, in response to the new guidelines of Facebook..." -
Video Ads Coming to Snapchat
29 Jan 5393 | 6:22 amSummary: The social photo-sharing application is teaming up with some big companies to bring ads to the app. Big brands like CNN, National Geographic, and the Food Network will all feature ads on the site. Snapchat has more than 100 million users worldwide, most of whom are teens and young adults. These demographics make it particularly appealing to advertisers.
Sean Clark
5 Quick Content Ideas for a Blog Post [PODCAST]
23 Jan 2015 | 10:55 amEpisode 53 of The Small Business Marketing Report Podcast You are probably well aware of the value of content and producing regular posts for your site can see your online marketing efforts rewarded in many ways. It can be frustrating though when you're stuck for an idea and you need to get a blog post written. In this episode we giveaway 5 quick ideas for blog posts that can help get you out of a spot: Top 10 sellers in Amazon Adapt a customer question Comment on another article Curated list of other content Leveraging YouTube …plus a bonus idea that's worth a try. Mentioned in… -
SEO is Dead, Long Live SEO! [PODCAST]
10 Jan 2015 | 2:41 amEpisode 52 of The Small Business Marketing Report Podcast Robert and I have differing opinions when it comes to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and in this episode we look at the reasoning behind our thoughts on the subject. There is no denying SEO has become more difficult and much of it far from under a businesses direct control. Is it still pertinent to concern yourself with it? Or is your time better spent on other, more tangible, marketing opportunities? Listen to the discussion, hear the arguments and see whether you think SEO still has some life in it yet. Listen in to the show, and… -
How To Choose A Domain Name [PODCAST]
28 Dec 2014 | 3:38 amEpisode 51 of The Small Business Marketing Report Podcast When it comes to choosing a domain name for your business or next online venture there are many options to consider. But which are important and which are just pure marketing aimed are parting you from your money? In the final episode of 2014 Sean & Robert look at the following points when it comes to choosing a domain name: How important are domains? What is the value of a domain in SEO? Are some suffixes better than others and if so why? What is the value of the new domain extensions e.g. .london? Is it ever worth paying a… -
10 Business Books To Add To Your Christmas Reading List [PODCAST]
13 Dec 2014 | 3:16 amEpisode 50 of The Small Business Marketing Report Podcast Robert & Sean review books from their latest latest reading list. With something for everyone, everything from productivity to creative writing, some old and some very new releases. There's sure to be something in here that will inspire you to improve your business or widen your knowledge. And there's even a bonus pick at the end of the show from Sean! Sean's Reading List 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey Getting Things Done – David Allen Virtual Freedom – Chris Ducker The… -
Optimising your Website for the Search Engines: A Practical Guide
11 Dec 2014 | 8:27 amIt's a long established fact that any business or budding entrepreneur should have a website in the 21st Century. But just having a website isn't enough these days. You need to make sure it's as good as it can possibly be and not just in the way it looks. With competition fierce across so many sectors it's important that your website is optimised for the search engines as well as your site visitors. There are many SEO ranking factors and optimising your website is the first step in any SEO campaign. To help you, we've put together a checklist for website owners at all levels.
L2: Business Intelligence for Digital
Winners & Losers: Miller Lite, Bud Light, Box, Facebook
28 Jan 2015 | 4:26 pmIn this episode of Winners & Losers in a Digital Age, Founder and CEO of LUMA Partners Terry Kawaja fills in for Scott Galloway. Couch potatoes are this week's winners, as home delivery options expand to alcoholic beverages. In November, Miller Lite partnered with Drizly to create a Seamless-type service for alcohol. And last week, competitor Bud Light partnered with Klink to release a dedicated Bud Light button app that enables consumers to order up to 100 cases of beer with a click. Which service will emerge as a winner? The one that can secure the most partners and fastest delivery… -
Q&A With David Yurman CCO Carol Pennelli
28 Jan 2015 | 2:25 pmDavid Yurman topped L2's 2014 Digital IQ Index®: Watches & Jewelry, ending Tiffany & Co.'s five-year reign as No. 1 brand in the study. We interviewed Chief Commercial Officer Carol Pennelli about David Yurman's rise from Gifted (in L2's 2013 Index) to Genius. New and improved experience on all devices. Lauded in the L2 study, David Yurman's new site pairs high-quality imagery with customer service features such as live chat and handoff for higher-priced unavailable via e-commerce. Pennelli says the new site focuses on "larger images, alternate angles, and on-body shots… -
Korea's E-Tailers Push for E-Commerce Authenticity
28 Jan 2015 | 6:43 amKorea is home to a robust gray market, evident by the number of items listed on eBay of Korea Gmarket. On average, 8,000 items are listed per brand on Gmarket vs. just 500 items per brand on direct e-tailers Lotte, Galleria Mall, Shinsegae Mall and Hyundai Mall. The abundance of counterfeit goods has been prohibitive for e-commerce growth, as most shoppers prefer to buy goods at retail locations of reputable department stores to ensure authenticity. E-tailers are trying to change that. In October, Gmarket created a special page for curated luxury products where customer service reps verify… -
Brands on Snapchat Likely to Increase With Discover
27 Jan 2015 | 1:04 pmSnapchat is a platform with attractive demographics and little brand presence. Despite more than 100 million monthly active users, 71% of which are under the age of 25, just 6% of brands in L2's Intelligence Report: Social Platforms are experimenting with on Snapchat. Snapchat users share more than 700 million snaps daily, 12x the number of photos share on Instagram. Yet, brand presence trails Vine and Tumblr. In an attempt to attract brands, Snapchat introduced "Stories" which allows brands to send messages that don't disappear. Heineken and Audi used the feature creatively;… -
Kendall Jenner and Estée Lauder: 7K Likes vs. 429K
27 Jan 2015 | 10:19 amIn November, Estée Lauder made headlines for recruiting Kendall Jenner as a spokesperson, a decision that won praise, criticism and 65,224 likes on Instagram. Kendall continues to be featured in Estée Lauder's content hub (The Estée Edit) and social media pages. An interesting observation from comparing Kendall Jenner and Estée Lauder's Instagram feeds: Both post the same images or videos from the collaboration, but Jenner's receive more likes by a magnitude. For example, their most recent video promoting Estée Lauder's lash primer received more than 429,500 likes on…
Digital Diva
Frock Swap: Saying goodbye to my Joy skirt
18 Jan 2015 | 11:00 pmAs most of you know, I'm doing the 100 day spending ban (clothes, makeup and skincare) with a few other fashion and personal style bloggers and they very kindly invited me to take part in their annual frock swap too, to ease the pain of the spending ban! The idea is that we send each other an item of clothing from our wardrobe that we're ready to part with, or something that we're finding tricky to style. The item gets a new lease of life in another blogger's wardrobe. Erica, Donna and Charlotte are my Frock Swap buddies. Erica looks fab in skater dresses and… -
Man Behind The Curtain & Saying Goodbye to my Hair Extensions
18 Jan 2015 | 1:02 pmHello hello…happy Sunday everyone. We went to The Man Behind The Curtain with friends this week for some gastronomic loveliness. Michael, as usual, didn't disappoint! (click that link to see my post with more detail from last time we went) It was also good to see the lovely Anthony Fellows to get my hair extensions taken out before I go on holiday… I do miss them, but it's a lot easier on holiday without them, lots of getting in and out of a pool doesn't work well with drying extension bonds carefully. He packed me off with some Philip Kingsley products to keep… -
Zucco: Delicious Italian Food in Meanwood (Leeds)
18 Jan 2015 | 12:30 amIf you haven't already been to Zucco in Meanwood (Leeds) for their Italian food, you need to rectify that. I'll try and help you see the error of your ways with this blog post. It's one of my favourite restaurants in Leeds you see at the moment. Zucco specialise in freshly prepared Italian small plates and they do it very well. For starters, the prosecco is £3.15 a glass…whaaaaaaat?! That's far cheaper than anywhere else. I must say though it can give a bit of a nasty headache …even on only two glasses (I'm a bit sensitive to some wines and… -
Blow Dry Bar / Up Do Service at Architect Hair, Headingley
17 Jan 2015 | 8:46 amArchitect Hair in Headingley (Leeds) have introduced a new blow dry bar and up-do service which is fantastic for girls like me who aren't so great at either! They very kindly invited me to along to review the service, which was perfectly timed because I had a Christmas Party to go to with work which had a 50's theme. I had my outfit sorted, but my hair was definitely NOT sorted. You might remember Claire at Architect Hair hair chalked my hair earlier last year… I also see Abi at Architect regularly for fringe cuts when I'm in between appointments with Anthony Fellows… -
Refreshing The Home (& Spending Ban Update)
11 Jan 2015 | 9:50 amHi all! How's your week been? Have you been doing Dry January? Have you been depriving yourself in any other way? No crap food and lots of worthy visits to the gym…that's what January is all about, isn't it? I haven't been going to the gym…that's not really me, but I have been going for some 30-40 min walks on a lunchtime at work whilst listening to the Serial podcast. I haven't been doing Dry January either, I've actually been drinking red wine again because I've finally figured out my allergy issues – woop! So long as I take…
ansarada » M&A News
China drives BRIC M&A
27 Jan 2015 | 6:59 pmBRIC, the acronym that designates Brazil, Russia, India and China, feels like an anachronism. It was coined in 2001, the year Lifehouse's "Hanging by a Moment" was Billboard's hot single of the year and George W. Bush occupied the White House. But in M&A BRIC matters. Last year, $448 billion worth of M&A or 7,456 […] The post China drives BRIC M&A appeared first on ansarada. -
Moelis, Lazard demand the most hours: Wall Street Oasis
26 Jan 2015 | 5:08 pmWall Street Oasis, the widely followed finance website that mixes the serious with the profane, has ranked the top 10 firms that demand the most hours from their employees. "If you are an investment banking analyst or associate, you can expect to be well paid, but also married to your job 24/7," says Wall Street […] The post Moelis, Lazard demand the most hours: Wall Street Oasis appeared first on ansarada. -
Buy oil: Steve Schwarzman
22 Jan 2015 | 8:12 pmTime to do an oil deal? Just listen to one of Wall Street's premier dealmakers, Steve Schwarzman. "Oil is the biggest investment opportunity in the world," the Blackstone chief executive told the Wall Street Journal. Oil is down more than 50 percent since June. Houston, epicenter of oil and gas transactions, is eerily quiet. Total […] The post Buy oil: Steve Schwarzman appeared first on ansarada. -
"Alternatives" M&A war chest
21 Jan 2015 | 4:37 pmThe numbers are simply astounding. So-called alternative asset managers have $6.91 trillion under management, says Preqin. The breakdown in assets managed by these alternative asset managers is as follows: $3.02 trillion in hedge fund assets $3.79 trillion in private equity assets including $742 billion in real estate assets, $296 billion in infrastructure assets and $387 billion […] The post "Alternatives" M&A war chest appeared first on ansarada. -
Davos & Deals
20 Jan 2015 | 8:37 pmIf there was ever a time and place where the old adage, it is not what but who you know, is true, it is Davos. Felix Salmon, finance's famed blogger, once called an event at Davos "a drunken mess." But Davos is the El Capitan for the M&A banker. Conquer it and you can conquer […] The post Davos & Deals appeared first on ansarada.
Being Cheryl: Cheryl Harrison
Things I'm loving lately
29 Jan 2015 | 5:16 amClassPass If you like to workout in group classes, OR if you're not sure IF you like to workout in group classes and need some guidance on WHICH group classes, if any, are right for you, then you'll love ClassPass. I fall into the latter category – I work out twice a week one-on-one with a trainer, but the idea of sweating on strangers doesn't appeal to me. For a monthly fee, ClassPass let's you take unlimited classes at any number of gyms across your city — it launched here in Columbus this month. During the trial ClassPass gave me, I tried seven classes… -
I'm going to show you my super sexy breathing machine
28 Jan 2015 | 8:07 amFor roughly the past three years, I've been constantly exhausted, despite sleeping 8-9 hours every night and taking (necessary, see: exhausted) mid-day naps. Exercising or not, eating healthy or shit, drinking or not drinking… no matter what I did, I felt like shit every single day when I had to get out of bed. If you saw me over that time period and I was smiling and alert, I'd probably just had six cups of coffee… and I was probably still faking it. It turns out I was constantly exhausted because I stop breathing twelve times an hour in my sleep which is a fucking… -
Shit I did in November… and most of December
18 Dec 2014 | 1:17 pmWell shit, I was one month away from going an entire year without forgetting to post a monthly recap, which is probably the longest I've ever not forgotten to do something, and then November happened and was all "here's a bunch of new clients and meetings and lol to your free time" and in between all those I managed to sprain my ankle by jumping off a couch in order to avoid walking in front of my boyfriend's video game because I am a great girlfriend AND a dumbass. So yeah, now it's December 18 and I never recapped November and I KNOW you're, like,… -
In which I interview a Power Ranger
4 Nov 2014 | 9:37 amI went to a press party the night before Wizard World's Ohio Comic Con kicked off to pick up my press pass and as I was checking in the PR person was like "Do you want to interview Jason David Frank?" and I'm thinking umm I did not plan to interview Jason David Frank fka the Green Ranger lka the White Ranger and thus I have no idea what I would ask him but instead I said "Sure?" and she said "Cool cause he's sitting behind you," and she pulled out a chair for me and I sat down and awkwardly turned on my recorder and here's the next… -
Shit I Did in October
31 Oct 2014 | 7:52 amThe number of Reese's peanut butter pumpkins that I've eaten this month is a secret I'll keep till death. …which will be caused by early onset diabetes from the roughly thirty six Reese's peanut butter pumkins I've eaten this month. Shit I wrote here: Settlers of Catan Costume Playing Model Shit I wrote other places: 614 Magazine: Booze News Drink Up Columbus: Spirits savant changing Ohio's liquor landscape Drink Up Columbus: Park Street Cantina boasts state's largest whiskey selection Drink Up Columbus: Buckeye Lake bringing canned growlers to Central…
For Free Blog
Does Facebook's anti-fake news approach create a new problem?
25 Jan 2015 | 9:59 amSocial media still has a bit of a reputation as the Wild West of the communications world.So Facebook's recent announcement that it would empower users to flag hoax news seemed like a step in the right direction.In a post on its blog Facebook said the new feature would help it police the proliferation of fake news making its way onto the platform.But like most things on Facebook, how you mark a post as fake is complicated:First you go to the top-right corner of a post and select "I don't like this post."That brings up a window titled "Help Us Understand What's Happening."Then you select… -
Social Media 2015: 10 Perspectives
1 Jan 2015 | 10:02 amSocial media saw some big shifts in 2014, but what will 2015 bring? The only thing that is certain is that change will continue and at least one new network will come along and surprise everyone with how quickly it gets broadly adopted. In the meantime here are … 10 Views of What 2015 Will Bring in Social MediaHeidi Cohen (@heidicohen on Twitter) of Heidi Cohen's Actionable Marketing Guide says in 2015 Facebook will retain its social media marketing dominance, but continue to lose its key demographic, namely teens and twentysomethings. Among her other predictions: Amazon will… -
Finding a fake on Facebook
26 Oct 2014 | 5:44 pmThere are all kinds of posts on Facebook, Twitter and other social media that seem too good to be true. Sadly some of them are just that … too good to be true. But how can you tell which are true before you reshare that content on your social networks? Tools to detect an Internet fake: Google: In a Google Search window put the title of the internet post or image or video or the key subject of the piece. If the only results that come back are for that one piece of content, chances are it is fake or at the very least not credible, because if it were credible it would be found in a… -
HOW TO: 7 Ways to Get More From Twitter
20 Oct 2014 | 2:13 amWish you could get more from your time on social media? Is that especially true on Twitter? Well, have I got a post for you.7 Ways to Get More from TwitterLists as a way to get a lot more from Twitter: Lists are probably the most under-appreciated, most-useful feature of Twitter. They are a way to manage the "firehose" of tweets come from large numbers of people you follow. Lists are best organized around your interests (this could mean the industry you work in, family and friends or even competitors). When you open a list you only see tweets from those people. It is important to remember… -
13 Very Useful Twitter Infographics
18 Oct 2014 | 10:13 amTwitter can be confusing to some and even baffling to those who have not fully embraced it.With so many great resources out there it can be hard to know where to start. But, wait … let me present for your Twitter enlightenment…. A Baker's Dozen of Great Twitter ResourcesShould You Use Twitter? This old-but-still-useful flowchart can help you decide whether Twitter is even the right place on social media for you.The infographic 7 Effective Ways to Engage on Twitter will help you maximize the time you do spend on Twitter.As will this the useful Maximize Your Tweets…
Online Advertising Data Offers Valuable Audience Insights
28 Jan 2015 | 3:28 pmOnline advertising reveals easy-to-use audience insights that may curtail your fear of Big Data and help with content creation Online advertising is an opportunity often overlooked by my clients because it is not very sexy or sociable, not to mention it involves a lot of data that can come across as far too complex. According to a Cisco Systems forecast, the world will see about 1.5 trillion gigabytes of Internet traffic in 2018, which translates into an insane amount of data. So the challenge with today's, as well as tomorrow's, super-connected world is how to make the best use… -
Big Data, Social Media Take Aim At the Flu Virus
26 Jan 2015 | 12:41 pmThough vaccination is currently considered the most effective prevention method against the flu virus, big data and social media are getting us closer to a day when we can bury the needle. Flu season is here, and this year, it's back with vengeance. Thankfully, so is technology. Every week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases a detailed report pinpointing which states are currently experiencing heavy flu activity. It provides statewide coverage, but suffers from setbacks because of the delay from when data is gathered to when it's actually released. Researchers… -
Crossy Road Creators Say App Development is Kids' Play
23 Jan 2015 | 12:40 pmCrossy Road developers Andrew Sum and Matthew Hall share their secrets on how to be successful in the mobile app industry It's no secret that we are all addicted to our phones. Let's face it, not a day goes by when we don't rely on our little mobile companion to help us through a situation — whether it's finding an address, checking the weather or just performing some good, old-fashioned Facebook stalking. Developers have jumped on this opportunity to supply the demand for apps, even going as far developing a range of solutions to help us avoid our apps. With Apple's latest… -
Minimum Viable Product: Would It Work For Marketing?
22 Jan 2015 | 1:47 pmIs it possible that the concept of Minimum Viable Product can increase your likelihood of bringing marketing ideas to fruition? As I was counting down toward the end of the year, I decided to take a look back at some of the proposals I'd submitted to clients in 2014 and calculate how many actually came to fruition. Disappointingly, the completion ratio was around 30 percent, which means that seven out of every 10 proposals (think of the hours, brainpower and effort here) fell by the wayside because clients took too long to examine the proposal until it was no longer viable. That, and… -
How Chris Nolan's Interstellar Can Help Content Marketing
21 Jan 2015 | 2:51 pmLook no further than Chris Nolan's blockbuster Interstellar to help craft content marketing narratives that appeal to your target audiences In today's information-saturated world, content marketers can only succeed if they think bigger than the metrics governed by key performance indicators such as click-throughs and leads. They need to seek out loftier role models and ambitions, sort of like what today's leading filmmakers, writers and artists do as they hone their craft. Only by aiming for the stars can content marketers hope to stand out from the growing morass of really bad stuff…
Sprout Social
What Ariana Grande Is Doing That Your Brand Isn't
28 Jan 2015 | 11:08 amSometimes it just doesn't seem fair. Celebrities seem to have it all – fame, money, talent, and enviable social media power. Many celebrities have amassed a gigantic and engaged social media following that builds their voice, excites their fans and strengthens their overall brand. Fortunately, you don't have to include being a platinum recording artist or award-winning actor to learn from their actions. In fact, many of the elements that have helped today's coolest celebrities to secure strong social followings are ideas that any brand can tap into as well. These three women… -
Edgerank: A Guide to the Facebook News Feed Algorithm
26 Jan 2015 | 10:55 amDo you ever get the distinct feeling that not all of your brand's Facebook followers are seeing your Page posts? Sometimes it can even feel like your business is only seeing engagement from the same core group of people. Those feelings might be validated by actual data. Implemented in 2010, the Facebook news feed algorithm Edgerank was created to pick and choose what Facebook users see in their News Feed. This means that Facebook is choosing which of your followers see all of the updates that you create. The Edgerank algorithm has a rather complicated, controversial history,… -
How to Build Positive Social Communities
23 Jan 2015 | 7:41 amThe Internet is an ideal place to build social communities around your brand, but it's easy for any online community to become mired in negativity. While you may think dealing with negative content and the occasional troll is simply the cost of doing business online, bad attitudes can have a detrimental effect on your community if left unchecked. Not only does negative content discourage users from being active and engaged with their social feeds, but it can actually cause community members to be more negative themselves. A study shows that when content is evaluated negatively by… -
5 Insightful Instagram Statistics That You Should Know
22 Jan 2015 | 11:02 amWhat began as a simple photo-sharing app among friends has grown into a global community of consumers and brands. Instagram now has over 300 million members who share more than 70 million photos and videos each day. Home to creativity in all its forms, Instagram is a place where you can find everything from images of faraway places to the newest looks from today's hottest fashion brands. The community continues to grow and thrive, and as Instagram's user base increases, so do the benefits for celebrities, athletes, and brands. Here are a few Instagram statistics that will help… -
How Social Media Behaviors Differ Across Asia Pacific
21 Jan 2015 | 10:40 amThe vast memberships and fast growth show that social media is a truly global phenomenon. Most of the major social networks have global audiences numbering in the high millions, if not billions, with growth in nearly every country of the world. Social's ability to instantly connect people in thousands of different countries can make the miles between nations disappear. For businesses with customers around the world, it provides the unprecedented opportunity to reach their audiences in every corner of the world with a few key strokes. Despite all the closeness an Internet connection…
How to Segment Your Email List for ROI [Infographic]
27 Jan 2015 | 9:17 amDo you segment your email list? If you don't, you are probably leaving money on the table. Segmentation is the art of grouping your email subscribers with the purpose of sending the right message to each segment to increase open and click rates, and of course, revenue. As we always say around here, the name of the game is "Relevancy." Not segmenting your email list is like shooting in the dark. While email segmentation sounds a bit technical, and perhaps something that big brands do, your ESP (Email Services Provider) most likely offers a very simple way to do this. In this… -
3 Marketing Ideas You Can Steal From Bruce Lee
13 Jan 2015 | 8:30 amCould you believe that Hollywood can make your business better? You've seen a lot of movies and you've probably heard enough about Will Smith, George Lucas or Jackie Chan, but how those crazy guys can improve your marketing? I'll get into that later… But first, let me introduce you to one of the most effective branches of marketing – attraction marketing – in which people are automatically joining your business opportunity, contracting your services, or buying your products because of who you are. And I'm not talking about branding, I mean something deeper… -
How to Use Pinterest to Dramatically Boost Blog Referral Traffic
6 Jan 2015 | 7:58 amThe power of Pinterest for bloggers is undeniable for your social media marketing promotions. Tweets on Twitter and posts on Facebook and Google+ have relatively short periods of time that they are viable and found by your followers. By contrast, a Pinterest pin will be repinned the same day, next week, next month, and even years later! The viral nature of a successful pin is like a pinball bouncing around adding repins, likes, and blog traffic along the way. The viral nature of a successful pin is like a pinball bouncing around repins, likes and traffic.Click To Tweet An article on the… -
How to Make Your Blog Images Perform Better on Social Media
9 Dec 2014 | 9:03 amWe all know the importance of visuals in content marketing. In the last couple of years, marketers have taken the use of images to the next level in creativity, quality and the use of different formats and publishing platforms. The days of throwing a one dollar stock photo at the top of your content are over. Really. Stop it. Today we'll talk about the imagery supporting the most popular piece of content on the Internet: The blog post. Most importantly: The featured image of your post. Why this image is so important, how to create awesome visuals for your content and some great… -
Top 10 Social Media Posts of 2014
3 Dec 2014 | 8:46 amI guess summarizing the best content of the year is, among other things, a way of attempting to wrap it all up. 2014 was a great year for SocialMouths, and even thought I'm the one on the "producing" end of the screen, it's all thanks to you that allow me to deliver what I have to say in form of blog posts, courses and services. I just hope to make a little difference in your marketing, no matter how big or small your business is. Jeez, I promised myself I wouldn't cry… Alright, so these are the 10 most popular posts published by SocialMouths in 2014.
A David Creation » Marketing, Websites, Apps, Mobile & Business Solutions
Your Evolving Role as a Sales Rep in the Digital Age
13 Jan 2015 | 4:02 pmRemember When… Remember the golden years of the sales rep? From late 1999 up until around 2007, being a salesperson in the home improvement world was, for lack of a better phrase, pretty darn good and rewarding. Sure, you had to have some sales skills and be pleasant with people, but overall it was fairly smooth sailing. Most of my own formal sales training took place in the early 2000s. There was a lot of competition, but marketing during those years was not really that hard. The phone just seemed to ring and leads knocked at the door with what, at times, seemed like very little… -
Base CRM Final 2014 Review of Updates
31 Dec 2014 | 2:07 pmNarrowing Down My CRM Recommendations As I write my final 2014 blog post, I wanted to bring my readers up to date on one of my favorite Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs of 2014, Base CRM and why it is a strong choice if you are considering a switch in 2015. I get a bit of emails and comments from others around the world telling me that THIS CRM is better than THAT CRM or that I should try THIS CRM too. I have been using CRM software for 15 years now and have tried and tested several dozen of them to see how they work for a contracting business. The big players in the market:… -
Using SmartSheet In Our Remodeling Business
29 Dec 2014 | 7:38 amI have a growing number of clients using a project management program called SmartSheet the past couple of years. I stumbled upon SmartSheet awhile back myself when researching other cloud-based project management programs. I had been hooked on Basecamp for almost a decade, but it lacked some key features for my audience. For this next blog, I've asked my good friend and client, Barry Stohlman, to write about his experience using SmartSheet in his Design-Build firm in the DC Metro area. Guest Post By Barry Stohlman of Stohlman & Kilner Remodeling Contractors Our residential… -
Is Blogging Still Important for My Contracting Business
18 Dec 2014 | 12:31 pmI am going to be a bit different on this blog post this week. I have created a short 9 minute podcast answering the question, "Is Blogging Still Important" as we move into 2015. I found it much easier to communicate using audio this time around. I hope you find this post helpful as you wrap up 2014 and plan for the next year. Download: Is Blogging Still Important Podcast -
How Do You Motivate Your Team? An Interview with Kevin Nolan
9 Dec 2014 | 6:01 pmExploring the Ideas of Accountability, Reward, and Response We as human beings respond to things. I know. That sounds like an incredibly simplistic statement, but when you slow down and think about it, it's also incredibly powerful. As business owners and managers, you have an opportunity to draw specific responses from your team by the way you lead, manage, delegate, and encourage. As marketers (and we are all marketers in a way!), we strive to elicit a certain response from those who read our materials, find our websites, or explore our reputations. The trick is to find just the right key…
Social Media NZ
Win tickets to the B2B/Content Marketing conference
27 Jan 2015 | 5:44 pmWe've teamed up with Conferenz once again to give you the chance to win tickets to one of two very exciting conferences happening in Auckland... -
Social Media Spotlight: Stolen Rum
14 Dec 2014 | 7:34 pmAuthenticity is a term often thrown around too lightly by marketers. While it's easy to see why creating an authentic brand should be our goal,... -
Instagram hits 300 million active users
10 Dec 2014 | 3:06 pmInstagram has today (yesterday in the US) announced that they've hit 300 million (and counting) active users! Over the past 4 years, what began as... -
Taranaki Regional Council – Digital Media Co-ordinator
17 Nov 2014 | 2:31 pmDo you have a driving passion for all things digital? If you thrive in a role that demands innovation, initiative and advocating for a cutting... -
Spreading the cheer of Christmas one tweet at a time
13 Nov 2014 | 6:42 pmIn 2010 @websam created Secret Santa for the Twitter folk in New Zealand. By 2012 it grew larger than his giant pumpkins and he needed...
Eli Rose Social Media
Should You Download Facebook Messenger?
28 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amThere's been much hubbub about Facebook messenger. Facebook launched this stand alone app several months ago and when their terms and conditions came out, privacy was a huge concern for many. Facebook pushed people to download the separate app through various methods. You can no longer access your Facebook messages via the normal Facebook app. However, you can still see when you have a message. If you try to view it, for months, you were encouraged to download the app – and even shown all of your friends who have downloaded the app. I have not downloaded the app. I didn't… -
Google+: A Perfect Facebook – Twitter Combination
26 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amGoogle+ gets a bad rap. "It's a ghost town!" "It's a Facebook Wannabe!" "None of my friends/customers are there!" To which I respond, "When's the last time you took a look at Google+? Have you done any searches to find other users or Google+ Communities that fit your niche?" Yes, Google+ doesn't have near the number of users as Facebook. It also doesn't have the impossible algorithm, the clutter, the game requests, or the ads that Facebook does. A Google+ Business page doesn't have the limitations that a… -
Your Curated Awesome for 1.23.15
23 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amHappy Friday! Let's all grab a slice of pizza and take a look at some truly awesome articles. Facebook's Got Us on Lockdown Scary news: looks like most of us are not deleting our Facebook profiles anytime soon even though we often feel worse after scrolling through our feeds. I'll admit, I'll check in more than I like to admit even though much of the "news" frustrates me. You are What You Like According to New Personality Test In even scarier news, it seems that an algorithm can determine your personality – including whether you're depressed – better than your friends and… -
The Difference Between Customer Preference and Importance
21 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amIt was only four in the afternoon and it had already been a long day. I'd been conducting interviews all day with small groups of people about their preferences for color schemes for the local public transit provider. I still had another five hours to go. And then a ray of sunshine entered the room. In disguise. She was in her mid-20s. Bleach blond hair with colorful streaks of blue, pink, and green. Eyes black with makeup, glaring at the floor. Zipped up puffy jacket despite the warm room. She was the quiet one in a group of four participants. As we talked through different color palettes… -
Why Customer Service Matters
19 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amRecently, my brother-in-law told me about a mechanic he'd never use again. His distrust of the mechanic started when the mechanic answered his business phone "hello" without identifying himself or his business. From there, the distrust only grew as the mechanic failed to call when he said he would, give my brother-in-law a quote before fixing issues, or update him on the expected timeline. So, while he did good work for a reasonable price this time, they weren't sure it would work out with him again in the future. Fast forward a few weeks. I called customer service of…
Ari Herzog's Blog
What Comes Easy and Natural to You That Others Struggle With?
28 Jan 2015 | 8:47 pmKathy Caprino believes answering this question helps you understand your greatness and your next life decision. A career coach, Kathy elaborates: If you don't know what you're great at, you can't advocate for yourself strongly enough. Your communication style and the way you present your requests, projects, and ideas will be limp and unconvincing. Not knowing what you're great at also means you're more likely to be taken advantage of in the workforce – undervalued, underutilized, and under-compensated. If you don't know your own worth and value in the world, you'll… -
Your Socks Should Match Your Trousers
25 Jan 2015 | 9:55 amIt's apparently a fashion faux pas to match the color of your socks to the color of your shoes. Yet, this is what I've been doing for the longest time. It's only when I recently bought a pair of dress boots and wore them with blue jeans and white socks, sat cross-legged on a Starbucks chair, and looked down at my sock showing itself, that I turned to the internet. GQ, Men's Fitness, and similar websites told me I was wrong. The Art of Manliness shares best practices when wearing socks and the second rule explains there should be "a streamlined look with no… -
Social Networking In Your Face
23 Jan 2015 | 8:11 amJena Kingsley is the latest in a series of comedians to poke fun at social networking systems by forcefully interacting with people in public places and proving that our online lives are silly when taken literally. Facebook has a little-used function called a poke. Nobody truly knows how to define a poke, some thinking it is sexual and others thinking it is playful fun; but I can press a poke button and you, whether or not we're friends, will get a notification you were poked. You can then ignore it or poke me back. Or poke anyone else. But if I walk up to you on a sidewalk and poke… -
3 Decembers of Twitter Data
19 Jan 2015 | 2:45 pmI invite you to rewind to December 2012, December 2013, and December 2014 and observe how my tweeting evolved… These tweets are from December 2012. These tweets are from December 2013. These tweets are from December 2014. Of note, the number of replies increased every year — to the extent that last month saw more replies than the other two months combined. While my mood changes whenever I decide to send a tweet, I usually choose to reply to someone (or mention someone) than merely broadcast. It's a personal preference. Here is an example broadcast tweet: It is 20 degrees… -
Thoughts on Simple Living
9 Jan 2015 | 9:51 amHere are some thoughts on simple living: Buy less and give more. Malcolm Forbes said, "He who dies with the most toys wins," but he was wrong. Consumption and accumulation create clutter but not happiness. Decide what you don't use anymore and give it away. That other phrase, "One person's junk is another's treasure" is more apropos. I frequently give things away via freecycling. Eat healthy. The next time you reach for a soda or a bag of chips, ask yourself if you can be equally satisfied with a bottle of water or a bag of nuts. I joined the paleo…
Oman Collective Intelligence - MPiRe
How to sell your products directly on Instagram
25 Jan 2015 | 8:33 pmIf you don't live under a rock you must have realised that Instagram in Oman is very popular. It is not as popular as Facebook (and will never be) but it is way bigger than Twitter.By now any company should already have a strong presence on Facebook so the time has come to focus on Instagram and maximize on the fans. So when you post a photo of a product why not give your fans the ability to purchase right then and there...on Instagram itself?That's what my favourite shop in Muscat just did. TOTEM, being one of the few shops in Oman where you can buy stuff online, and being the first shop… -
The newest & coolest app in Muscat
20 Jan 2015 | 9:45 pmI'm glad to finally write about this as I'm part of this project that kept me busy in the past months.Muscat Guide is a new and personalized way of experiencing Muscat and its happenings. It is a free mobile app developed in between Italy and Oman, relying on the latest technology, hosting plenty of valuable info available for both residents and tourists. Muscat Guide has all the usual stuff such as restaurants, shops, major places of interests, cinemas, etc. as well as a news section, in cooperation with Muscat Daily newspaper. Additionally you'll find a social media section where… -
Social Media: The Growing Potential in Oman
11 Jan 2015 | 6:46 amGuest post by Swati Srivastava - several sources have mentioned the growing potential of social media in Oman. The number of people making use of social media in Oman is increasing exponentially. The Oman Daily Observer reports that social media is being used by local businesses and residents on a daily basis.Social Media Growth in OmanThe penetration of several Internet-enabled devices such as tablets, laptop, and Smartphones has increased the number of Internet and social media users in Oman. During the last decade, the Internet users have increased from 4 percent to approximately 70… -
Ikea's horror
24 Oct 2014 | 3:07 amRemember The Shining?Halloween is approaching and Ikea Singapore created a themed advert to promote late-night shopping by using one of the most famous scenes of the 1980 horror movie starred by Jack Nicholson. Watch the video and your late-night shopping will never be the same again... -
Social media unhappiness
20 Oct 2014 | 12:18 amSocial media in Oman is used by hundreds of thousands people and therefore, if monitored, it can be a very useful tool for the government. With so many people on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, forums, etc. there's a good chance to find out what the population, or at least a part of it, is happy or unhappy with.I'm taking two examples but there's lots more out there; both examples are related to civic education which seems to be an unknown matter to many here in Oman.Like what you saw? These are very common sights unfortunately. People Animals go for picnics or camping and leave…
Laurence Borel
From 20K words to 100K words… a few tips on preparing your PhD #PhDChat
12 Jan 2015 | 11:15 amYet again, I haven't blogged in a while, partly due of lack of time but also partly due to lack of inspiration. I have been busy to say the least, juggling my senior management role, the completion of my MRes (which I passed with Distinction; the hashtag whitepaper is due to be uploaded on SlideShare in the coming weeks) and my PhD application. It's finally official, I am joining the PhD ranks and I am both excited and scared at the same time. Excited as I found a real passion for academic research, which allows me to combine my interest in research and digital. I mean, who… -
An analysis of M&S's and John Lewis' hashtag strategies
9 Nov 2014 | 3:23 amChristmas just wouldn't be Christmas without mince pies, roast turkey, crackers … and a tear-jerking advert of some sort. Once again, brands are competing for the Christmas ad that will generate the highest number of views, but also conversations through hashtags. John Lewis has once again gone down the emotional engagement route through story-telling, achieving 8 million views to date, and 148,179 references to #MontythePenguin hashtag (Source: BrandWatch). More interesting stats are available on Hotwire PR. M&S, on the other hand, went for a much more integrated approach with… -
Paris vs. New York: a visual tale of the two cities
30 Oct 2014 | 1:33 pmIn this stunning film, filmmaker Frank Matellini explores the similarities and differences of Paris and New York City in the wonderful split-screen time-lapse video, "Paris / New York". As I was perusing the Internet for a suitable photo for this blog post, I also found this 2012 article showcasing some of the artwork created by Vahram Muratayan author of the book without word Paris vs. New York. -
Introducing London Midtown
12 Oct 2014 | 1:27 pmI was surprised the other day to find out that the triangle of Bloomsbury, Holborn and St Giles area has been dubbed London Midtown. I happen to work Midtown and my university is also based in this eclectic and exciting area. The Evening Standard and Inmidtown.org recently highlighted a number of exciting talks taking place Midtown in the coming months. Enjoy! The Virtues of Modern Business, The Bloomsbury Ballroom, 29 October 6-9pm The School of Life's Alain de Botton discusses the joys and challenges of contemporary modern working life. _______________________ 10 things you… -
From 140 characters to 20K words
4 Oct 2014 | 3:04 amThis is it! I handed in my hashtag research thesis a couple of weeks ago after working on it from 6 months full time. Going back university to study towards a Masters by Research was something which I wanted to do for many years and it's been a hell of a journey. I have now discovered myself a brand new passion for academic research and I really hope to be able to continue studying towards my PhD. Onwards and upwards! [<a href="//storify.com/laurenceborel/the-hastag-project-as-it-happened-hashtagldn" target="_blank">View the story…
Going Global
27 Jan 2015 | 4:00 pmPrécis: Social media marketing needs to move onto a global stage and take into consideration the cultural differences that exist to ensure each message reaches its full potential. The latest global survey of social media usage has recently been published by We Are social. The study covers over 240 countries profiling all of the major economies to give a snapshot of how social and mobile are being used today. This massive report has several highlights including: Worldwide social media users exceeded two billion back in August. Worldwide penetration of mobile phones passed… -
Retargeting Matters
20 Jan 2015 | 4:00 pmPrécis: Retargeting in 2015 will become more understood and play an increasingly central role in a holistic approach to social media marketing. 2015 looks set to be the year where social media ads become even more important to corporate marketing campaigns. With all of the leading social media networks actively developing their own take on how social ads should be managed, now is the time for all corporate marketers to fully leverage their use of retargeting in particular. Related Content: Social Targeting: The new frontier for corporate marketers Delivering targeted… -
The USM News Roundup: Latest Social Media News
20 Jan 2015 | 4:00 pmPrécis: What's your marketing roadmap for this year? Losing interest in social media. And who is catching YouTube to dominate social media video? Catching up with YouTube All corporate marketers know that video content has taken centre stage as the most popular shared online content over the last year or so. Of course all eyes look to YouTube in this sector, but a new report from eMarketer suggests that other social media networks are nipping at the heels of YouTube, as other channels leverage their support of video content. Related Content: Who is using Facebook? The… -
The State of Marketing Leadership
14 Jan 2015 | 4:00 pmPrécis: As corporations enter a new year, CMOs will be tasked with developing their business' marketing strategies. Increasingly this will mean evolving their customer touchpoints especially across social media networks. One key question that all corporations will be asking themselves across 2015 is if they now fully understand social media, and can their core marketing staff lead their business into a future that is increasingly dominated by social media. Related Content: Speaker Interview: Jennifer Dominiquini, CMO, Evite & BuySeasons Content Management: A new… -
The Incite Summit West
7 Jan 2015 | 6:45 amEvent Duration Event Date: Mon, 2015-05-18Tue, 2015-05-19 Event URL: http://incitemc.com/west/ Event Location: San Francisco Number of attendees: 200 Programme URL: http://incitemc.com/west/conference-agenda.php Brochure URL: http://1.incitemc.com/LP=521 Speakers URL: http://incitemc.com/west/conference-speakers.php Purchase Recording URL: http://incitemc.com/west/register.php Event Organiser: Kate Frasca Event Organiser E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Précis: The event will feature 40+ Senior Brand Vice Presidents and C-Suite…
i-SCOOP » Email marketing
The state of digital marketing optimization 2015 – challenges and solutions
26 Jan 2015 | 12:03 amThe opportunity to continually test and refine digital marketing is often cited as one of the main advantages of "new media" over "traditional media". The conversation amongst digital marketing thought-leaders is generally sophisticated on this subject, advocating advanced tactics. Terms such as... -
Email marketing versus social media – once more
30 Dec 2014 | 3:30 pmAccording to a blog post of Email Delivered there is a "heated debate inside marketing circles" about what's the best option when it comes to focusing your marketing efforts: social media or email marketing. Although I had promised myself not to rant (well) anymore I can't... -
The role and use of content in email and marketing automation
13 Mar 2014 | 3:24 amPeople today are becoming channel-agnostic. They use different platforms, channels and devices when and where it suits them best. Do you think about whether you're using email or a social platform, for instance, when using your mobile device? Despite the fact that content marketing is also... -
Good eCRM puts the customer at the centre of the universe
1 Jan 2014 | 6:49 amGianfranco Cuzziol's fascination is the cross-channel journey of today's consumer. He works with clients to help them leverage the points of impact along that consumer journey. He's been described as a "conversation manager". Gianfranco, who spoke several times at i-SCOOP's Fusion... -
Industry news: StrongMail becomes StrongView
10 Jul 2013 | 6:03 amUS-based StrongMail, as the name says originally an ESP (Email Service Provider) and quick to adopt a more integrated and connected email marketing solution approach that made it go beyond email, announced it changes its' name into StrongView. The company says it does so to better align its' brand...
Russell Roering: Geek, Marketer, Digital Croody-Head
The Difference Between a Pause and a Stop
5 Jan 2015 | 10:04 amI never thought I'd be one of those writers who would have to explain a hiatus. I told myself when I started blogging that I would consistently write and, should a break occur, I would pick up right where I left off. But when you go two years without a new post, people deserve an explanation. First of all, I am sorry for the pause. If you are one of the ten people who read my posts, odds are you are beyond thinking "where are the new posts?" and have long since moved on to something else. Maybe its time to work on winning you back. Second, I have not stopped writing! You may… -
Why are Light Bulbs so Hard to Find at Target? UX IRL
30 Dec 2012 | 6:26 amOn a recent trip to my local-area Target to buy a couple of new light bulbs for my apartment, I was taught a valuable lesson in User Experience. I needed a few other items and, since I knew their location, picked them up first. I then began to peruse the store in a slowly increasing panic I hadn't experienced in Target since I had to shop alone for my 4-year-old niece. I began by searching the obvious places—lamps, home improvement, home décor…nothing. I could've asked an employee, but everyone knows it's illegal for a man to ask for help. I finally found the light bulbs… -
Diving into Social Media When your Small Business Isn't Social
10 Nov 2012 | 1:02 pmThere is no chance that small business will become less competitive. Especially now, we see an upward trend of start-ups gaining capital and taking their shot at success, so small businesses need to stretch further than ever to stand out. As a free tool, social media is naturally an attractive choice. The tendency for a restaurant, bar, or sports venue to rapid-fire across social networks with feel-good messages and upcoming promotions is a natural fit. But what about a Laundromat? What should they say on Twitter? Do they even need Twitter? In the gilded age of shiny social toys, we forget… -
Going on a Content Diet
7 Sep 2012 | 3:46 amThis is a Harley-Davidson© Fat Boy™, which is far more awesome than anything else that's fat, hence why its here. Since the first time a caveman drew a picture on the wall and another caveman stopped to take a look at it, mankind has been a consumer of content. Today we call ourselves "consumers" of pretty much everything and anything we can get ahold of in terms of online content. As someone who makes their living from creating content, this is good for me (thanks, by the way). Which may make what I'm about to tell you seem like blasphemy. You and I are content-fat. We… -
It's Time to Shut Up About Customer Service
10 Jun 2012 | 6:57 amBefore the rise of ratings boards, social media channels, and the awesome instant gratification that comes with the Internet, when you received stellar customer service, you told your friends. When you received terrible customer service, you really told your friends. Social media now allows us this same freedom, which is a mixed blessing. Think about all of the times you've received bad service from several employees with the same company over the course of several visits. Is it the whole organization that sucks, or just one bad apple? The next time you receive bad customer service and take…
EduTek n Social Media Advisor
Explore Social Platforms Counter, Flapit
8 Jan 2015 | 11:45 pmInterested in impressing your offline community by showing your strength in online community? Then try Flapit, as it is the first physical counter that connects to many social platforms suchas FB, Twitter, YouTube, Google Plus and others. The following video shows how you can impress your off-line community by using Flapit. According to their website, 'Flapit can be placed anywhere: in your store window, or on display at your agency or on the wall of your restaurant / hotel, you name it'. It can be tried by small businesses as well as corporations as it is an interactive marketing tool… -
Happy NewYear 2015
31 Dec 2014 | 10:31 am -
Have You Explored Ello an Ad Free Social Network Environment?
18 Dec 2014 | 11:32 pmEllo is a social network that is just simple, ad free and hence cultureless. It is created by small group of designers and artists who promise not to sell your data to third parties. To remain ad free Ello converted to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). It works on mobile devices through web browser. The clutter offered in the updates of various social networks can be easily got rid of by choosing your connections between the options 'friends' and 'noise'. This will enable you to view your friends' updates easily and not having to search among… -
Apricot Connecting Teachers, Students and Parents
7 Dec 2014 | 10:47 pmToday I came across new EdTech resource, Apricot, that connects teachers, students and parents to make everyone talking about your school. How Apricot Works Image Source: http://email@example.com According to Apricot, 'Teachers discover what students find interesting and challenging. Students feel empowered by giving feedback, and parents gain insight into what their kids are learning'. At present it is free, and offers an easy way to help students engage with their teachers and parents. As of now, they are doing a pilot study and those interested in participating,… -
Broadcast Your Presentations on Any Device
30 Nov 2014 | 8:01 pmToday I came across Preso.tv that enables you to present on any device, be it desktop, mobile and projector screens at the same time. You can upload your Powerpoint, PDF or word files and broadcast it to room or anyone online with mobile devices. Image Source: http://www.preso.tv/Content/images/tourimages/tour1.png At present it is free and no registration required. Hence those interested can explore the tool.
Madras Geek
How Phone Systems and Customer Service Will Save your Business
21 Jan 2015 | 10:29 amThe future is now. In the 80?s classic film Back to the Future II, when beloved movie character Marty McFly travels in time to the oh-so-distant future, he travels to 2015. In other words… This is the future! We might not have hoverboards yet, but we do have to start understanding that things are not what they used to be. We need to adapt to survive. Our businesses need to adapt to survive. And, believe it or not, the key to modern business survival is customer service. In 2015 customer service is becoming more and more about how to deal with issues early on. In fact, many companies are… -
Top 3 Apps to Enhance Business in 2015
14 Jan 2015 | 10:40 amDo you feel like you have fallen behind with work? Are you being crushed with meetings, tasks, urgent calls and emails? If you want to remain productive, it is absolutely critical for you to download the right apps for your business. There is a wide array of apps that enable business owners to conveniently connect with their external audiences and internal staffs. You just need to find them! After careful research, we?ve come up with a shortlist of clever apps that can help you and your team successfully manages business strategies and organize information. Check out the top three apps to… -
Shopping on Your Mobile Device? Here's How to Stay Safe
29 Oct 2014 | 4:01 pmIt might be hard to believe, but retailers are already gearing up for the holiday shopping season — and many of them are encouraging consumers to use their mobile devices to make purchases. After all, what's easier on Black Friday: Standing in line in the cold pre-dawn hours to snag a deal on a brand new television, or simply making a few taps on your phone to purchase the same TV, and then heading back to bed? Although concerns about security, not to mention the difficulty of making purchase decisions using the typically small smartphone screen, have left some consumers wary of making… -
4 Technological Tools that Will Transform your Business
18 Sep 2014 | 12:59 pmHave you ever wondered how apps are empowering businesses? According to a Zogby Survey, 66 percent of small business owners said they access business apps from a mobile device, and 43 percent do so at least once a day. Of those same small business owners, 58 percent said their mobile devices made business more efficient. Technology has improved the way we tackle our daily business responsibilities. Most applications can reduce the time we spend performing certain tasks. Apps designed for businesses play a crucial role in helping business owners boost their productivity. Take a look at the… -
10 Best Price Comparison Websites in India
12 Aug 2014 | 5:03 pmPrice comparison websites are lifesavers in these days where discounts are hard to come by, and prices travel in only one direction: up. Since the explosion of e-commerce websites in India, the number of options people have for shopping online have increased drastically. Most of these shopping portals offer exciting discounts and deals in numerous categories. Unfortunately, it is very time-consuming to keep track of all such discounts and deals. Also, if you wish to shop in only one category, your favourite shopping portal might not have a deal, while another one might. You miss out on such…
HarveyLeach Media Training
Doctor, Doctor…I can't stop spouting gobbledygook!
9 Jan 2015 | 6:06 amThere's a major blockage in the NHS, but not in A&E departments. No, it's in its communications. This morning I stumbled on a web page from the NHS that arguably exemplifies all that's wrong with our much-valued health service. The page details its "Quality, Service Improvement and Redesign 'Train the Trainer' programme". The first symptom is right there in the title. What?! There's more. It says it's "a fantastic opportunity to develop people within your own organisation or system to spread the required skills and knowledge through a tried and tested learning and… -
How to court success and ace a radio interview
4 Dec 2014 | 7:16 amHow would you like to play tennis at the Albert Hall this week? I'll make it even more exciting – let's throw in John McEnroe, Pat Cash and Henri Leconte. They're always game for a laugh aren't they, now the competitive pressures are largely off? And just to really spice things up, Billie Jean King and Elton John (yes, really) can be team captains. Even if you only show an interest in tennis when it comes to SW19 each summer, that sounds like a fun way to wile away a few hours doesn't it? At least you'd think so. But when Rob Bonnet interviewed tennis star and British… -
Don't let your clothes eclipse your star turn
14 Nov 2014 | 1:12 amA picture may be worth a 1000 words, but when you're wearing that picture on TV, while being viewed by millions, it can speak volumes in a way you might not have anticipated. So it was yesterday for Dr Matt Taylor, who works on the Rosetta mission at the European Space Agency. He was at the heart of the amazing comet story, heralded as perhaps the biggest space moment since Neil Armstrong did a moonwalk long before Michael Jackson. But, Dr Taylor, arguably displaying more of an affinity to theatrical Jacko, than modest Armstrong, decided this was the moment to don a garish jacket covered in… -
How to avoid the most over-used phrases in media interviews
24 Oct 2014 | 4:20 amI'm beginning to think that somewhere on a Whitehall building there's a shiny brass plaque with the words, "Ministry of Hollow Phrases" on it. (It's probably next door to the Ministry of Silly Walks.) Sadly, the former is nowhere near as amusing as its neighbour. Instead it's a byword for incomprehensible nonsense, or, to be more succinct, clap-trap. It's surely the place where politicians and civil servants etc are taught to spout an increasing number of vacuous phrases in media interviews, phrases they believe allow them to sound positive and fill some airtime, but are… -
Why Nick Clegg should stop rabbiting on
6 Oct 2014 | 8:14 amThe Party Conference season so far has been memorable for politicians' performances, rather than their policies. Ed Miliband's speech will ironically be remembered for what he forgot (that small matter of the deficit), whereas the Prime Minister's will be recalled for what he remembered with painful passion: taking his very sick child to be treated by the NHS. Now it's Nick Clegg's turn. But if the Lib Dem leader's performance at his conference this week is anything like his efforts on BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning, when he was interviewed by Mishal Husain, it too…
Freelancing Doesn't Look Like This:
26 Jan 2015 | 11:08 amWhile checking my Facebook feed a little while ago, I came upon this ad for Freelance Writing Riches: Obviously the ad is from someone who wants to sell a lifestyle. However, it just adds to the misconception that freelancing is this easy, carefree, barefoot, lifestyle. It couldn't be farther from the truth. Let's put aside the fact that the woman in the photo is sitting on an extremely rocky beach. I mean, comfort isn't essential for anyone working full time at anything, right? I know that when I need to dig in and get work done the first thing I do is look… -
Using Facebook Filters – For Sharing and For Viewing
23 Jan 2015 | 11:26 amI'm a prolific Facebook user. I'm on Facebook pretty much all day because of my my clients and so I tend to share with my personal friends as well. As my Facebook friends fall into several different categories, I don't necessarily feel comfortable sharing certain things with certain groups of people. For example, I don't want to share personal family stories with business associates. Also, there are people who I would like to remain Facebook friends with, but I don't necessarily want to see all of their Facebook updates. With all that in mind, I make heavy use of… -
There's No Such Thing As "Unemployable"
19 Jan 2015 | 7:44 amI'm confused by a term I'm seeing more and more among the freelancers and independent contractors I interact with on a regular basis. "Unemployable." Yet, each of the people using "unemployable" to describe themselves, has a steady pool of clients. So I ask you, if they are so unemployable, how are they able to find work on a regular basis? You keep saying that word… "Unemployable" is a dangerous concept In case you missed the memo, I'm not fond of using negative terms to describe a positive situation. So if… -
Why I Won't Teach Anyone to Dominate, Disrupt, Disturb, or Make Noise
16 Jan 2015 | 5:44 amInternet marketers can be a little silly sometimes. They use negative terms such as "dominate," "instigate," "disrupt," "disturb" and "break the rules," to sell strategies for being profitable and successful. I can tell you, in all the years I've been in business, the people who make me most uncomfortable are the people who are over aggressive and take to steamrolling anyone who gets in their way. I don't do business with this type of person, nor do I recommend clients to this type of person. I… -
Before You Invite Me to Like Your Facebook Page…
11 Jan 2015 | 7:43 amSo you have a new Facebook page to announce your latest whatever it is you're doing this week. Hey, I'm cool with that. I know that it sucks to create a social profile and have no one like it and I'm always happy to help my friends. Social media is a numbers game and no one wants to hang out on a page with only 10 Likes. I get it, really I do. I just wish I heard from you other times and not only when you want me to Like or share your stuff. Before you send anyone an invitation to Like your Facebook page, ask yourself the following: Do I interact with this person on a…
Ricardo Bueno
Using the Lock In Effect To Convert More Real Estate Leads
15 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amThere are plenty of search engines that produce search results just as good as Google but with more results per page and better privacy and yet everyone hasn't switched. Why? Because the lock in effect is very powerful. The lock in effect is a term used to describe the process whereby a company makes it difficult for customers to leave them and change providers even if the customer really wants to. For example, I have a friend who banks with BofA. She always complains about the miscellaneous fees that they charge but BofA is making it difficult for her to cancel and move to another… -
Why Your Online Strategy Is Failing (and What You Should Do About It)
13 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amDirect-response copywriter and author Dan Kennedy teaches that in order for your marketing campaign to be a smash-hit success you need to hit on three critical components (otherwise known as the "Results Triangle"). Those three components are: a Marketing Message, a Media to deliver it, and a Market to receive it and respond to it. In real estate, in order to effectively generate and close online leads you need three critical components as well: An IDX-powered website Site traffic (paid or earned) An effective follow up sales process That's it. Get these 3 key elements… -
What Real Estate Agents Can Learn From TIME's 40% Newsletter Open Rate
8 Jan 2015 | 10:12 amThe editorial team at NewsCred wrote an excellent article on the success of TIME's newsletter open rate. It's a good read. According to the article, TIME boasts a 40% open rate and a click-through rate of about 16%. That's 2x's the industry average. Most industries, according to MailChimp, average around a 20 – 25% open rate. Real Estate shows an average 21.12% open rate with a click-through rate of 2.68%. The format of their email is simple. It's called The Brief. Each email contains 12 hyperlinked headlines with a short paragraph teaser. Simple, right? It… -
5 Business Resolutions You Can't Afford To Break In 2015
6 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amIt's that time of year when everyone is making new years resolutions. I'm going to go to the gym this year and get fit. I'm going to eat more healthy. I'm going to resolve to be more disciplined in my business. New Year's resolutions are a promise we make to ourselves to do better at something. As you sit and review last year's results in your business, and as you start planning for the 2015 business year, here are 5 business resolutions you absolutely cannot afford to break! Resolution #1: "I will write more regularly on my real estate… -
3 Types of Revenue Worth Pursuing in 2015
5 Jan 2015 | 9:34 amOver the New Year "break" I listened to Seth Godin's Startup School Podcast. If you're creating anything in 2015, it's definitely worth a listen. In one of the first episodes Seth Godin talks about 3 types of revenue worth pursuing. The revenue of business, revenue of trust and attention, and the revenue of referral. I thought I'd take a little more time to talk about the latter two today. Revenue of Business The revenue of business is the revenue that you generate when you close escrow on a property. You have a buyer who submits an offer on a…
Jeffbullas's Blog
5 Reasons Why You Should Have a Digital Marketing Strategy
28 Jan 2015 | 8:03 amA digital marketing strategy is an absolute given for any company trying to market itself online – right? That's certainly the impression you'd get from reading most digital marketing blogs, where the question of whether you should have a digital marketing strategy has long ago been eclipsed by how to develop one. And yet, on the ground, most companies remain unconvinced. A new report by Smartinsights.com, Managing Digital Marketing 2015 , shows that a full 50% of marketers have active digital marketing programmes, but no defined strategy at all. This is actually a slight increase… -
The Most Powerful Connection Tool On LinkedIn You Should Start Using Today
27 Jan 2015 | 8:01 amThe phrase "It's not what you know it's who you know", is not just a cliche. It's an insight into the power of human networks. Almost all successful entrepreneurs understand how to build relationships that lead to lucrative joint ventures and collaboration. Social media provides tools and technology that let you grow and build connections at scale globally. On the social web it starts with tweeting someone's content, sharing their post on Facebook or adding value to people's lives on LinkedIn by publishing great content. This is the "weak… -
10 Things All Bloggers Need to Know About the Latest Version of WordPress
26 Jan 2015 | 8:01 amIf you are a blogger then you will have heard about WordPress. In fact it is the most popular blogging platform globally and is used by more than 23.3% of the top 10 million websites as of January, 2015. It powers more than 60 million websites! But there is a new version that you need to checkout. The very latest version of WordPress, 4.1 "Dinah", is now available for download or update. Named "Dinah" for jazz singer Dinah Washington, version 4.1 proves to be the apparent milestone for WordPress due to a plethora of improvements, general updates, fixes and new amazing features. -
8 Compelling Ways To Tell 140 Character Stories On Twitter
23 Jan 2015 | 8:01 amWith nearly 300 million users, Twitter is one of the most effective means of getting your message to your target audience. With a mind-boggling amount of tweets circulating on a daily basis, your challenge is to make your message stand out and get noticed. You also have to maximize the 140-character limit allotted per tweet. Unfortunately, not all people have a natural talent for storytelling and writing good tweets. If you're using your Twitter for social media marketing purposes, you have to learn how to write effective and concise content or else you're in for costly mistakes that will… -
10 Top Social Media Posts of 2014 From The World's Best Blogs
22 Jan 2015 | 8:01 amSocial media is in constant evolution and 2015 looks like another exciting year. We will see paid social media advertising becoming a must, social mobile continue to transform the web and the content creation challenge pushing the old boundaries. It's not time to put the feet up but keep re-inventing, testing and experimenting. If you want to check out some of the social media facts and statistics from last year then you may enjoy this article! This is a super list of the 10 top social media posts from some very savvy social media bloggers that showed us the way in 2014. Here a huge…
SMP Updates
Digital Currency Payment Platform GoCoin Crosses 5,500 Merchant Milestone
29 Jan 2015 | 12:03 amNow Offering Liability Accounts in Singapore Dollars, GDP and EurosSINGAPORE--(Marketwired) - Today at Inside Bitcoins GoCoin announced it has achieved 5,500 new merchant sign-ups and is now offering liability accounts in Singapore Dollars, GDP, a... -
45 Percent Of British Consumers Think Online Privacy Is More Important Than National Security
28 Jan 2015 | 12:20 am-- As online trust falls to lowest point in four years, British Internet users say more transparency from companies is key to reducing concernLONDON/PRNewswire/ -- The latest edition of the annual TRUSTe Consumer Confidence Index shows that online... -
Finance and Investment Forum builds on success in London and announces return to Hong Kong
27 Jan 2015 | 12:08 amThe 8th annual Finance and Investment Forum held in London last week was attended by more than 200 executives from investment companies, financiers, banks, professional services firms, together with the leadership of datacentre and cloud owning co... -
Agile Alliance Seats 2015 Board of Directors
26 Jan 2015 | 10:01 pmFirst meeting of the year held in Bellevue, WashingtonPORTLAND, Ore/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Agile Alliance, a global nonprofit organization committed to advancing Agile development principles and practices, today announced that it has seated its... -
Apps Alliance Launches IoT Developer Competition
26 Jan 2015 | 12:07 amLONDON/PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Application Developers Alliance announced the launch of IoT{Accelerate}Berlin, an Internet of Things competition for developers and pre-launch startups. Organised in partnership with Ericsson and Google, the projec...
Data Science – What's Hot and What's NOT
21 Jan 2015 | 6:37 amWith data collection happening at every possible step of the consumer funnel and now beyond it, we have access to unprecedented data of consumer that we never had. The challenge emerges when the data is there but we don't have intention or resource(s) or science to decipher what secret(s) it unveiling . CrowdFlower believe 2015 will be a big year in data science. In simple words - Its not about what company's have, its now about what they can do with it. The further argue that the role of the data scientist is also going to go through an evolution where we a Chief Data Scientists will… -
This is how your Marketing Technology Lanscape looks like in 2015…And YES, its confusing….
15 Jan 2015 | 6:18 amTechnology has and will keep on playing a critical role in your marketing strategy....and its criticality will go two notches up in near future with the emergence of connected homes and "Connected Beings". The below Marketing Technology Landscape, a long-running graphical view of the Martech space by Scott Brinker of ChiefMartec. This does highlight the complexity that Martech space has in offering but provides a view for a marketer to chart an optimize path/elements to consider for an effective marketing success. If you finding it confusing, don't worry...its is… -
Meet Mike – Your Customer in 2015
5 Jan 2015 | 11:12 amMeet Mike. Mike is your customer in 2015 He is connected and one who checks his smartphone throughout the day, every day, Religiously . Mike doesn't pay much attention to your ads but he always has a an opinion on your company, and will happily post his thoughts on social media. He likes to consult reviews and pay close attention to what his friends think when making a purchase. And most importantly, Mike is loyal….even in the products he use for his daily rituals. He's a big fan of your brand, and wants to keep buying your stuff. But if you make a major mistake or lose his trust,… -
Ten Ways Big Data Is Revolutionizing Manufacturing
17 Dec 2014 | 6:22 amMcKinsey & Company recently published How Big Data Can Improve Manufacturing which provides insightful analysis of how big data and advanced analytics can streamline biopharmaceutical, chemical and discrete manufacturing. The article highlights how manufacturers in process-based industries are using advanced analytics to increase yields and reduce costs. Manufacturers have an abundance of operational and shop floor data that is being used for tracking today. The McKinsey article shows through several examples how big data and advanced analytics applications and platforms can deliver… -
84% Of Enterprises See Big Data Analytics Changing Their Industries' Competitive Landscapes In The Next Year
9 Dec 2014 | 6:06 am87% of enterprises believe Big Data analytics will redefine the competitive landscape of their industries within the next three years. 89% believe that companies that do not adopt a Big Data analytics strategy in the next year risk losing market share and momentum. These and other key findings are from a Accenture and General Electric study published this month on how the combination of Big Data analytics and the Internet of Things (IoT) are redefining the competitive landscape of entire industries. Accenture and GE define the Industrial Internet as the use of sensor, software,…
Windmill Networking Blog on Social Media Strategy [Full]
When A Friend Of A Friend Becomes My Employee
29 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amMore and more companies are opening their social referral program to out of the company sources and are increasing the number of people looking for talented new recruits. Your clients, friends, families, and all those who appreciate your values and understand your needs are assisting in your search for candidates. The Wall Street Journal calls it Friend […] Author information Laurianne Laval This monthly Social Recruiting column is contributed by Laurianne Laval. Laurianne is Public Relations Manager at myjobcompany.com. She blogs to show brands how to use social media in their… -
5 Awesome Podcasts from Social Media Experts You Should Listen to Now…Or Later
28 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amPodcasts aren't new, but in 2014 they came back in a really big way. 2014 saw the first podcasts "celebrity" emerge in Sarah Koenig, the host and producer of Serial, a spin-off of NPR show/podcast This American Life. Serial drew millions and millions of listeners and begot fan podcasts, hundreds of blog posts, and one […] Author information Jonah Geil-Neufeld Jonah Geil-Neufeld contributes a monthly column on Podcasting. Jonah is a podcast producer and musician based in Portland, OR. His company, Freedom Podcasting, produces and distributes audio shows to global audiences. |… -
How to Network Successfully on Google Plus. Are You Networking or is it not Working?
27 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amNetworking on social media is a crucial element of success. Once you get the basics of learning how to use Google+ and other social media platforms, you realize that you need to connect with people in a meaningful way. Enter networking! Learning to network like a pro starts with using the good old social skills […] Author information Peg Fitzpatrick Peg Fitzpatrick contributes a monthly column on Google+. Peg is a social media strategist, writer, and speaker. She's co-author of The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users with Guy Kawasaki. Social media is her passion. And her… -
The Psychological Impact of Google Hangouts
26 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amFor those of you that is on the Google Plus platform, you have heard of the craze that is taking this social area by storm. It's the Google Hangout feature. The option to build one's audience by allowing us to become show hosts and reach different people with a more emotional message. In my last […] Author information Wade Harman This monthly Social Media Psychology column is contributed by Wade Harman. Wade is a full time blogger and social media psychology expert. He earned a Cognitive Psychotherapy graduate degree in 2000, and he now uses that knowledge to research and… -
8 Eye-Opening Facebook Tips and Tricks to Try with Your Page Today
23 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amWhether you're a Facebook pro or just getting a Page up and running for your business or personal brand, Facebook offers marketing opportunities for users of all levels. In this post, I'm taking a look at eight tips and tricks that will help you harness (some) of the power of Facebook. The tips go in […] Author information Jim Belosic This monthly Facebook column is contributed by Jim Belosic. Jim is co-founder of ShortStack, a software company that powers apps for Facebook, mobile and websites. He also contributes a monthly column to Social Media Examiner and has written for…
Dave Delaney | Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategy
NBN46 Zig While Everyone Else is Zagging with Jim Hopkinson
28 Jan 2015 | 7:09 amJim Hopkinson is a writer, teacher, speaker, runner, techie, sports fan fueled by NYC's energy. He helps people rethink their job search. Jim is the author of Salary Tutor: Learn the Salary… -
NBN45 Be Givers to Build Trust and Relationships with Shane Snow
21 Jan 2015 | 6:58 amShane Snow is a technology journalist who writes for Wired, Mashable, Fast Company and Advertising Age. Shane is the author of Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, and Icons Accelerate Success. He is also… -
NBN44 Get Out in that Hallway and Meet People with Tim Knox
14 Jan 2015 | 4:20 amTim Knox is the author of Angel of Mercy: a Matthew Cruze Investigation (Volume 1) and Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama: A Down-Home Approach to… -
5 Tips for Better Business Networking
12 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amLong before Dale Carnegie wrote and released How to Win Friends & Influence People in 1936, networking has always been an integral component of successful business practices. My favorite Carnegie quote… -
What I've Learned in Eight Years on LinkedIn
9 Jan 2015 | 1:52 amToday is my eighth anniversary using LinkedIn. Should I buy myself a cake? I wrote an entire chapter of my book, New Business Networking, about using LinkedIn to grow and nurture your…
Social Media DDS
Dentists Using Social Media
26 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amFinally, it's beginning to happen with more regularity. Dentist are using social media more often and more consistently. And I couldn't be happier! You know how I know that more and more dentists are using social media? From the questions that I get asked when I speak at dental groups on "Let's Get Social". […] -
Smelling Like a Rose – Using an Email Scheduler
19 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amI see rants every day on Facebook or Twitter. I'm sure you do too. Most often, I ignore them. I chalk them up to the rant-er having a bad day and needs to let off some steam. But occasionally, the rant hits home. This rant made me think. Emails are such an important way to […] -
How to Make 2015 a Truly Rewarding Year
5 Jan 2015 | 4:00 amIt would be easy for me to write a "first post of the New Year" about what I am going to do to help each of you on your social media journey for your brands and businesses. But facing the clean and compelling slate of a New Year shouldn't be about platitudes and promises. […] -
Waxing Philosophical for the Holidays
22 Dec 2014 | 4:00 amEach week I try to come up with articles that I think will be relevant and helpful to anyone who is considering using or just starting out with social media as part of their marketing strategy. Sometimes my muse is working right there with me and sometimes I have to coax her out of […] -
Visions of Social Media Dancing Through My Head
15 Dec 2014 | 4:00 amRemember when you were a child and right about now, visions of sugar plums would be dancing through your sweet little heads? And then we became grown ups! I don't know about you, but the visions that are dancing through my head at any given moment of the day usually have something […]
Joshua Swodeck
Taking a Look Back
5 Jan 2015 | 10:48 amAs 2015 begins, I look back at some of the projects I've worked on and think ahead of what the new year brings. Here's a handful of mini case studies from a few of the clients I've been blessed to work with. Tim Storey Rebranding and brand implementation for Author, Speaker, LifeAdvisor. Consulting, content creation, online perception and engagement. Tim often meets privately and speaks with high-profile leaders, such as world shakers like Robert Downey Jr., Kanye West, Smokey Robinson, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Duane "Dog" Champan, Quincy Jones, Lee Iacocca and so many… -
Ask Two Irrational Questions to Persuade People to Do What You Want
17 Dec 2014 | 12:08 pmThere are times when the audience you are targeting is not as excited in your product, theory or personality as you wish them to be. Daniel Pink (one of my favorite authors) uses the parable of the child and the messy room to point out a simple but effective method for persuading people one step closer to the reaction you are desiring. It obviously doesn't work 100% of time, however, it may be worth a shot for those who are the edge of your target audience. Part of its brilliance is getting someone to find their own motivation to move forward, not pushing your reasoning on them. Watch… -
Be Irreplaceable
29 Oct 2014 | 11:42 amAs a branding/marketing specialist, I'm regularly asked to find creative ways to annihilate the competition, or least give them a run for their money. The easiest way to do this is to highlight what is uniquely yours, what makes you irreplaceable. Once you show up as a unique option in the sea of mundane mediocrity, you will be noticed. Not everyone will love that unique part of you, but the goal is not to get everyone to like you and follow you. The goal is the hunt down the consumers, the followers, the fans who will fall in love with your uniqueness and follow you to the ends of the… -
A Brand's Narrative
30 Jul 2014 | 9:46 amConsumers are actively seeking out brands who tell stories. They want to believe in and be a part of something bigger than the brand. Here are some stats that illustrate the difference in traditional advertising vs. storytelling – from a consumer's point of view. Infographic from PlayNetwork -
Common Sense
30 Jun 2014 | 8:04 amSometimes common sense is required.
Data Privacy & Protection Will Be Achieved Through Data Literacy
28 Jan 2015 | 2:09 pmToday marks the eighth annual Data Privacy Day in the United States (Data Protection Day in Europe), an event led by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA). Promoted as an international movement to highlight consumer privacy and data protection efforts, Data Privacy Day centers on "Respecting Privacy, Safeguarding Data and Enabling Trust." The effort to promote a safer, more secure and trusted Internet is something we can all stand behind. And to that end, businesses and consumers must be equally dedicated to the cause not just of data privacy and protection, but also of data… -
Creating community with user-generated content: An interview with Sony
27 Jan 2015 | 6:20 amSony Electronics is responsible for some of the most popular consumer electronics in history. Recently, they have started a new program to showcase user-generated content in stores and on their website store.sony.com. We had the chance to sit down with Katie Babineau, Sr. Communications Strategist at Sony, to learn how Sony is using social content to highlight the Sony community and the meaningful role their products play in their customer's everyday lives. How do you think user-generated content (UGC) has changed the consumer journey over the past few years? Brands are now really starting to… -
Today's marketplace is a networked dialogue between brands and consumers
23 Jan 2015 | 7:24 amIn our follow-up to last week's post on the growth of user-generated content (UGC), we're continuing to highlight how UGC is changing the Internet and consumer marketplace. This post provides a condensed version of subjects covered our eighth edition of The Conversation Index, which details how sharing UGC across networks (such as Bazaarvoice) and channels improves sales, insights and search results traffic. Content must be authentic On the web, content has always been king. But in 2015, it's UGC's authenticity that helps drive a businesses' online success—particularly when it… -
Six intriguing marketing predictions for 2015
16 Jan 2015 | 8:23 amAh, new year prediction posts. We've dabbled, to be sure. The format can be yawn-inducing, but within some of these lists, one finds truly thought-provoking glimpses into an imagined future. That's why we're going to alter the criteria a bit here to favor the fascinating over the likely. What follows are five of the most interesting 2015 marketing predictions I've encountered, my corresponding commentary, and one of my own predictions. Sensory mind games Expert: Chloe Allan, Brand Planner, The Good Agency Source: The Guardian "This year, we have seen more brands lean towards the use… -
Learn why there's no such thing as "enough" user-generated content
13 Jan 2015 | 8:06 amThe internet is evolving even faster than we imagined—and in ways many of its earliest pioneers never predicted. This is especially true for businesses and consumers in the online marketplace. The driving force of this evolution is user-generated content (UGC), such as product reviews, photos and videos. In the eighth edition of The Conversation Index, we explore how sharing UGC across networks (such as Bazaarvoice) and channels improves sales, insights, and search results traffic—and why there's no such thing as too much UGC. For our time-stretched blog readers (we know you're…
I need to start eating more carrots, I think
9 Jan 2015 | 4:32 amI've developed a technique, that I haven't exactly patented yet, which involves using my fingers in a coordinated effort to dip both ends of a french fry into a small vat of buffalo sauce. I have mastered the art of unfolding the burrito at Chipotle to pour in more hot sauce and put it back together again correctly so it doesn't collapse into a total mess. I can eat hot wings without leaving a trace of meat and I enjoy cheese steaks with mayo and hots. I can toss a cheese ball in my mouth without paying attention. Girl Scout cookies don't come in enough rows. I love… -
Why Multifamily apartment pricing is broken
21 Nov 2014 | 4:22 amPersonally, if I'm ready to buy something, I need to know two basic things. First, what's my excitement level for it and secondly, how much is it? That makes sense right? Overextending oneself is something one does right out of college when you think you have the world at your feet and assume that money grows on trees and so you run up your credit cards because you're young and dumb. Not that I would know anything about that. Most people, though, are much smarter, whose thoughts are driven by the need to have what they want, balanced by how much they can afford. -
Executing Quick Marketing Wins
17 Oct 2014 | 4:30 amThis is from a post on Apartminty in their ongoing "Quick Marketing Wins" series. The opinions expressed in here are mine. At first they called it the Now Generation, but I guess that had too many letters in it, so they officially named it the Y Generation but Google prefers you to call them the C Generation. Whew. Either way you look at it, these Millennial's want things NOW and are used to getting it that way. I speak as if this Generation is outside of my own. Err, let's change the subject. If you're under 35, you're used to YouTube, getting things… -
In search of that shiny new penny
10 Oct 2014 | 4:29 amOver the years, I've always felt that industry marketers have always been on the lookout for the shiny new penny. They lift rocks, scrape off the moss, roll it around in their hand, stare at it and hope it's the next thing that will bring the new residents in. If you think I'm just being curmudgeonly by saying these things, think about the new concepts that have been discussed over the years: Should you go all in on the ILS's? What about SEO? Are there any more acronyms we can make up? How do you utilize email drip campaigns? Is posting to Social Media the answer? Will…
Using Pinterest for Business
26 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amIts users are more active, its content stays visible longer, and it's the most used social media network you're not taking advantage of. Pinterest doesn't get talked about like Facebook or Twitter but that's just fine by its users. They're a passionate group, one that actively share and engage with content. And it's content that is shared and re-shared; as high as 80% of all Pinterest content is curated. Signing up your business for Pinterest is not unlike most social media sites. Businesses will want a strong profile picture, a clear bio that defines who… -
How Brands Use Social Media to Enhance the Customer Experience
22 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amSocial media is no longer optional for businesses wishing to grow and compete in their industry. A survey published by eMarketer last October found that 88 percent of companies with 100-plus employees currently utilize social media for marketing purposes. Despite 52 percent of companies saying it's nearly impossible to measure ROI on social media marketing, a majority will increase spending on mediums in 2015, according to a study by Gigaom. Instead of measuring returns by profits, companies are utilizing social media to enhance the overall customer experience. A good customer… -
Measurement Basics for Facebook Pages
19 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amFor all the work you put into running your Facebook page—updating statuses, responding to comments, updating information, creating events, answering messages, posting pictures, interacting with others' posts—sometimes you might wonder just what it is you're doing on your computer when there are so many other aspects of your business to worry about. Hey, we get it. But the power of Facebook and its humungous audience is not to be ignored. Fortunately, there are ways you can track how effective your Facebook campaign actually is. There's the immediate, of course. Just… -
Rules for Creating an Engaging Corporate Video
13 Jan 2015 | 10:51 amWe no longer live in a day where video advertising is cost prohibitive, being played solely before big screen movies or prime time TV shows. Websites, YouTube and Vimeo have made it economical and easy to have quality videos that carry important corporate messages. From HD professional video to stock footage to animation, there is a world of digital messaging available to your business. Just make sure that you follow some fundamental rules in creating your marketing media. Speak to Your Customer There is a rule in psychology that you need to meet your clients where they are. This is true for… -
How to Know if Social Media Efforts are Paying Off
12 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amMaybe because it's still relatively new or maybe it's because it's intangible, but for whatever the reason, many businesses are still skeptical of the positive affects of running a strong social media campaign. The fact is that many people just don't understand how to figure out how their social media efforts are paying off. For the biggest of social media skeptics, throwing around phrases like 'community engagement' is just not that impressive. While plenty of people understand the benefits of establishing a community online to where you can directly share…
"Whatchu Talkin' Bout Willis?" – The Importance of Social Media for Small Business
28 Jan 2015 | 10:45 amPrior to social media, businesses used public relations, advertising, and direct mail to create visibility, generate brand loyalty, and build sales. However, many small businesses found these tools included a high price tag. The launch of social media effectively leveled the marketing playing field between small and large businesses because social media is free. According to the State of Small Business Report, 56% of SMBs invest only 3% of their revenue in marketing. That percentage is evidence of the significant gap between what large and small businesses spend. A recent Gartner survey has… -
Which Apps Are Spying On You?
28 Jan 2015 | 9:15 amIs it possible that Smartphone and Tablet apps are spying on you? If so, when would they do it and why? There has been $500 billion dollars in global banking fraud – half of which occurred online – using PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. In the USA alone there has been 930 million identity thefts, according to PrivacyRights.org. Do you spend time on your smartphone or tablet reading through your most recent text messages, sending emails and playing some fun games like angry birds, flappy birds, candy crush or others? Ever fumble for your car keys and use that sleek flashlight app… -
6 Ways Teachers Can Harness The Power Of Pinterest
26 Jan 2015 | 12:26 pmWhen you think of social media sites, you think about sharing pictures and videos and connecting with friends. But, there is one website that is truly ideal for teachers… and it is called Pinterest. Pinterest allows teachers to do many great things in terms of teaching and learning in a very convenient and fun manner. If you are a teacher, then get ready to explore a new and exciting world of opportunities that Pinterest brings to you. They will enhance your productivity in no time. 1. Pinterest can be Used to Share Assignment Details It's easy for teachers to create pages with detailed… -
Using Social Networks as Powerful Advertising Tools
14 Jan 2015 | 7:19 amEveryone has an account on any given social network, or two, or three, or all of them, and this is just a way of showing how addicted we are to them. No matter whether we are using them for posting pictures of cute kittens and babies, or if we are using them for some alternative business purposes, social networks are here – and they are going to stay. They present a perfect online gathering place, each of them catering to a different group of people; some are more inclined toward business users, while others are better for the visually inclined. They cater to both genders, all nationalities… -
5 Social Media Mistakes You Probably Don't Know You're Making
13 Jan 2015 | 11:15 amUsing social media as an individual is easy – you just say whatever you feel like saying. A corporate social media account requires a bit more tact than that. A number of people just starting out in the corporate social media world fail to realize this and make a number of mistakes without knowing it. Here are 5 common mistakes that brands make on their new social media profiles without even realizing it! 1) TMI: The Too much Information syndrome A personable social media account for your brand is always great. An account that goes too far, and gets a little too personal, is a terrible…
6 Essential Split Tests for WordPress Users with Nelio A/B Testing
26 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amHave you ever found yourself trying to make a decision about your website's design or content? If so, then split testing can help you make the best decision possible based on conversions. Nelio A/B Testing is a split testing tool made for WordPress. It makes it easy to test critical elements of your WordPress website that either guide your visitors where you want them to go. In this post, we're going to look at the essential split tests WordPress users should consider for their website and how to set them up using Nelio A/B Testing. Essential Split Tests for WordPress Websites… -
Fetching Friday – 24 Posts on Marketing and Productivity
23 Jan 2015 | 7:00 amFetching Friday is back for week four of 2015! Each week, I'll share with you the top posts on online marketing and productivity. Without further ado, here are the top posts this week! Content Marketing 50 Amazing Resources That Will Make You a Better Writer by Jeff Haden 5 Reasons Your Small Business Should Start a Podcast Today by Dan Newman Think Like a Journalist to Create Compelling Content That Gets Noticed by Pratik Dholakiya 9 Ways to Recycle Your Blog Posts Into Other Content Formats by Will Blunt Use Lifestyle Content to Revamp Your Company's Marketing Strategy by Jack… -
12 Social Media Tools for Scheduling and Publishing Updates Compared
19 Jan 2015 | 9:00 amIn the never ending search for tools to make social media management simpler, I decided to research several tools that help you update multiple social media networks in one place. In this post, I wanted to share my findings for others who are also in the process of choosing a social media publishing tool for their business. Want to learn how to effectively promote your content? Sign up for the waitlist for my new premium training on content promotion! Social Media Tools Compared The following are the social media tools for scheduling and publishing updates that I chose to research. AgoraPulse… -
Fetching Friday – 32 Posts on Online Marketing and Productivity
16 Jan 2015 | 8:14 amFetching Friday is back for week three of 2015! Each week, I'll share with you the top posts on online marketing and productivity. Without further ado, here are the top posts this week! Content Marketing Book Writing Productivity Hacks by Nicholas Carlson FORCEdraft Doesn't Let You Quit Writing Until You Hit Your Goal by Tori Reid 25 Reasons Your Business Should Switch to WordPress by John Rampton 12 Proven Ways Your Copy Can Get More Conversions by Chad Rucker 7 Dead-Simple Ways to Improve Slide Decks by Erica Mcgillivray How to Provide Unique Value in Your Content by Rand… -
Easy A/B Testing with Visual Website Optimizer
12 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amI have a confession to make. For the longest time, when I read about A/B testing, I thought it would be difficult. So I didn't do it, even though I knew that A/B testing gives you the chance to optimize your website for conversions. But then I got the opportunity to review Visual Website Optimizer and found out that it wasn't difficult to do at all. In this post, I'm going to take you through the steps of setting up a simple A/B testing campaign. Click on any images throughout the post to get the full view. Running an A/B Test I decided to try Visual Website Optimizer on my…
Cendrine Marrouat Photography
St. Sernin Basilica, Toulouse
19 Jan 2015 | 8:02 pmOriginal size: 3456 × 5184 pixels Buy the print and merchandise at Redbubble. -
Palmyra, Syria
11 Jan 2015 | 8:24 pmOriginal size: 2736 × 3648 pixels Buy the print and merchandise at Redbubble. -
A walk in Seville
4 Jan 2015 | 8:33 pmOriginal size: 5180 × 3384 pixels Buy the print and merchandise at Redbubble. -
Toronto in black and white
3 Jan 2015 | 4:10 pmOriginal size: 2736 × 3648 pixels Buy the print and merchandise at Fine Print America. Buy the merchandise at Redbubble. -
Almost like a painting…
9 Nov 2014 | 6:45 pmOriginal size: 3648 × 2736 pixels Buy the print and merchandise at Redbubble.
The Conference In Detroit
5 Jan 2015 | 9:38 amDetroit. It was once the factory of America. No more. For most of us, Detroit has been a city in decline for much or all of our lives. The population has declined rapidly, and everyone has seen the images of abandoned buildings, drug violence and abject poverty. In other words, Detroit is the perfect place to begin anew. There is an energy there as people begin to rebuild. A willingness to experiment. A stubbornness to succeed. Tech startups can play a pivotal role in rebuilding, but infrastructure is needed. We are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of Detroit based startups looking… -
The Ethics Of Publishing Hacked Information
15 Dec 2014 | 12:54 pmLike many people I've been fascinated by the Sony hacks. So much interesting information (and gossip) about the inner workings of a major movie studio. I was also waiting for Sony to start balking at the re-publication of a lot of that information by the news sites. And sure enough, they're now calling it stolen information, and threatening publications that are sharing it with the public. It reminds me distinctly of the situation we found ourselves in in 2009 when a hacker delivered a truckload of internal Twitter information. See In Our Inbox: Hundreds Of Confidential Twitter… -
MTailor: The Perfectly Tailored Man's Shirt
10 Dec 2014 | 2:21 pmMTailor, one of our recent investments at CrunchFund, is a really amazing company. They make tailored shirts for men, except your mobile device is the tailor. You go through a quick scanning process that involves leaning your phone or tablet against a wall and then spinning slowly in front of it. Once that's done MTailor has your measurements, which they say are 20% better than actual tailors they used for a study. I've never owned tailored shirts but I should have. I have a longer body than average and generally buy tall shirts when I can find them. That's been harder with… -
"Time Collapse" And My Broken Brain
10 Nov 2014 | 9:52 pmI was perusing the news headlines this evening and I noticed this article about Glenn Beck's health troubles. A few sentences early on in the article floored me, because it describes how I feel exactly: "Doctors tell me that up until recently, I hadn't had a real REM sleep in maybe as long as a decade," Beck said. "I didn't have a dream that I remember, except one in a decade. And quite honestly, this isn't a symptom you look to fix if you have a ton to do. But the first sign of trouble I noticed was what I call a 'time collapse.' If we had met before, I couldn't tell… -
Abacus, The Expense Software Employees Love, Raises $3.5 Million
31 Oct 2014 | 6:46 amI hate expense reports. I do them once a year and I still hate it. Back when I had to do them monthly or have the finance department all over me I hated them twelve times as much. Abacus fixes all that. The company was founded by Omar Qari, Ted Power and Josh Halickman (Foursquare, Google, Etsy Venmo and other experience) and they launched earlier this year at Winter Y Combinator. You can read their launch post here. How does Abacus fix expense reports? When a company starts using Abacus, they link their bank account. Employees set themselves up in the app and also link their bank account.
agency 2: Social Media Agency
Social Media Networking By Age Groups
23 Jan 2015 | 2:37 am"It wasn't like that in my day…." "When I was your age…" These idioms are now applying to social media too. Channels are changing quicker than we can take a selfie. The younger generation is continuously finding new ways of communicating and moving on from previous popular sites whilst the older generation is started to get socially active more than ever before. An American report entitled "Social Media Update 2014" (see link here) concluded that whilst Facebook remains the most popular social networking site, others are growing at a higher rate. What does all of this data… -
Social networking sites. Ones to watch in 2015?
24 Dec 2014 | 2:17 amExploding onto the scene, making a quiet entrance or growing in popularity? There is always talk about which new social media platforms are replacing the existing channels. Although it is never as simple as a platform becoming obsolete in a matter of days, new tools and apps and sites are popping up all the time. Whether or not they will grow in popularity and gain cult-like status or disappear into the cloud ether never to be seen again, only time will tell. WeChat – mobile voice and text messaging service from China, WeChat has now become the largest standalone messaging app by monthly… -
Facebook's new call to action for 2015
15 Dec 2014 | 6:43 amDriving more call to actions on Facebook in 2015 Facebook Pages are giving marketers additional capabilities on their brands' pages with a set of new call-to-action buttons. Call-to-action options, including Book Now, Contact Us, Shop Now & Sign Up, will help brands actualise the value of their communities. A welcome move, especially after the challenge of reduced organic reach that Facebook Communities managers have been faced with. It is an interesting move that Facebook are placing this call-to-action button in such a prominent position (next to the Like button),… -
Creative Workplace: London Social Media Agency
28 Nov 2014 | 4:19 amA social space for London social media agency | Created by Studio 7 Design. agency:2 moves into a new, bespoke London office designed for creative inspiration & sociable interaction. A fab new office has been designed and created by the team at Studio 7 Design for agency:2, run by Joel Davis and Sharon Baker. Studio 7 Design worked quickly and efficiently in order to facilitate a smooth transition from a temporary office in London's Kings Cross to a new space in Highbury & Islington. The bespoke office space was designed with purpose and flair; all of the elements have come… -
What Does The Future Hold For A Marketing Director?
22 Sep 2014 | 8:57 amGartner analyst Laura McLellan has predicted 2017 a company's Chief Marketing Officer will "spend more than their counterpart Chief Information Officers". We are already seeing IT becoming increasingly important for marketing departments and a merging of these skills sets. With social media, big data, real-time analytics and data security now a fundamental part of any marketing campaign this increase in spend is not unexpected. As new software is becoming more refined it is increasingly important that new technologies are fully integrated. Part of this process involves…
15 B2B case studies show how content marketing drives ROI
25 Jan 2015 | 2:27 pm70% of content marketers are creating more content than they did a year ago (source: Content Marketing Institute) 35% say they have a documented content strategy (source: Content Marketing Institute) 21% say they are successful at tracking ROI (source: Ad Age) Content marketing is more important to B2B businesses. Who is succeeding and why? Below is a infographic that details B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2015. Here are 15 B2B case studies. They show how content marketing drives ROI with B2B businesses who: Know their audience Don't create content for the sake of… -
How to build a strategy for social influence in 8 steps
18 Jan 2015 | 8:26 am78% of people say companies' social media posts impact their purchase decisions 71% are more likely to make a purchase based on social media referrals 25% of social media users have purchased a product after sharing it or marking it as a Favorite on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest (source: Digital Information World; an infographic from invesp is below) These facts show social influence plays an important role in our purchase decisions. Social influence is a reason companies turn to social media. But, to get desired results, there has to be a strategy: A roadmap with… -
35 data points show how content marketing works
12 Jan 2015 | 12:12 pm90% of marketers use content marketing (source: e-Strategy Trends) 44% have a documented content marketing strategy (Source: Flip Creator) 42% of B2B marketers and 34% of B2C marketers believe they are effective at it (source: e-Strategy Trends) These statistics indicate content marketing has come of age but there is still room for improvement. What makes it work? How should your business use it? Here is some guidance. 35 data points that show how content marketing work. CONTENT IS KING 78% of CMOs believe custom content is the future of marketing (source: Social Times) 76% use… -
14 case studies show great digital creative drives ROI
3 Jan 2015 | 1:25 pmDoes great creative drive ROI? We certainly think it should. Here are 14 case studies that highlight creative on digital campaigns. They include brands from B2C, B2B, small business, large brands, profit and non-profit. Tactics range from paid, owned and earned media to user generated content. In each case, the impact of the creative idea is isolated and measured. We found great creative drives ROI. But it drives even greater ROI when it is combined with smart targeting, sound strategic thinking and has a specific business role in the overall marketing mix. Here are 14 case… -
8 studies prove digital advertising works for brands
28 Dec 2014 | 4:42 pm35% of Unilever's advertising spending in the U.S. is in digital (up 40% versus year) (source: Deloitte) 33% of Procter & Gamble's U.S advertising budget goes to digital media (source: Deloitte) Trends indicate leading brand companies are moving ad spending to digital, but the question many still ask is: Does digital advertising really work for brand advertisers? To answer this question definitively, the IAB through Peter Minnium, Head of Digital Initiatives, asked BarnRaisers to help them research this area and create the infographic featured at the bottom of…
Windmill Networking is Now Maximize Social Business
When A Friend Of A Friend Becomes My Employee
29 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amMore and more companies are opening their social referral program to out of the company sources and are increasing the number of people looking for talented new recruits. Your clients, friends, families, and all those who appreciate your values and understand your needs are assisting in your search for candidates. The Wall Street Journal calls it Friend […] Author information Laurianne Laval This monthly Social Recruiting column is contributed by Laurianne Laval. Laurianne is Public Relations Manager at myjobcompany.com. She blogs to show brands how to use social media in their… -
5 Awesome Podcasts from Social Media Experts You Should Listen to Now…Or Later
28 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amPodcasts aren't new, but in 2014 they came back in a really big way. 2014 saw the first podcasts "celebrity" emerge in Sarah Koenig, the host and producer of Serial, a spin-off of NPR show/podcast This American Life. Serial drew millions and millions of listeners and begot fan podcasts, hundreds of blog posts, and one […] Author information Jonah Geil-Neufeld Jonah Geil-Neufeld contributes a monthly column on Podcasting. Jonah is a podcast producer and musician based in Portland, OR. His company, Freedom Podcasting, produces and distributes audio shows to global audiences. |… -
How to Network Successfully on Google Plus. Are You Networking or is it not Working?
27 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amNetworking on social media is a crucial element of success. Once you get the basics of learning how to use Google+ and other social media platforms, you realize that you need to connect with people in a meaningful way. Enter networking! Learning to network like a pro starts with using the good old social skills […] Author information Peg Fitzpatrick Peg Fitzpatrick contributes a monthly column on Google+. Peg is a social media strategist, writer, and speaker. She's co-author of The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users with Guy Kawasaki. Social media is her passion. And her… -
The Psychological Impact of Google Hangouts
26 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amFor those of you that is on the Google Plus platform, you have heard of the craze that is taking this social area by storm. It's the Google Hangout feature. The option to build one's audience by allowing us to become show hosts and reach different people with a more emotional message. In my last […] Author information Wade Harman This monthly Social Media Psychology column is contributed by Wade Harman. Wade is a full time blogger and social media psychology expert. He earned a Cognitive Psychotherapy graduate degree in 2000, and he now uses that knowledge to research and… -
8 Eye-Opening Facebook Tips and Tricks to Try with Your Page Today
23 Jan 2015 | 5:45 amWhether you're a Facebook pro or just getting a Page up and running for your business or personal brand, Facebook offers marketing opportunities for users of all levels. In this post, I'm taking a look at eight tips and tricks that will help you harness (some) of the power of Facebook. The tips go in […] Author information Jim Belosic This monthly Facebook column is contributed by Jim Belosic. Jim is co-founder of ShortStack, a software company that powers apps for Facebook, mobile and websites. He also contributes a monthly column to Social Media Examiner and has written for…
Social Media Simplify
Entrepreneurship Education through Digital & Social Media: EOP - IIE
26 Jan 2015 | 7:28 amTweet At the top of Digital and Social Media usage and adoption, Indian youths (by now) gradually has acquired the synchronous pace with rest of the world. Yet, the full-grown face of digital literacy is a distant dream in India. Blame it on whatever the source one can think of, we are really short on the (truely) skilled manpower in every field.GOI's recent moves to spread the digital literacy, ranging from NDLM (National Digital Literacy Mission) to e-inclusion look really promising; but at the same time, with our second largest population in the world, we can simply assess that how big a… -
5 Things A Social Media Manager Must Be Thankful For
28 Nov 2014 | 1:04 amTweetEvery year, around this particular time, people express their gratitude for tons of things and people making their lives easier and fruitful. Without any guilt, as a social media manager, I too have a few tools and platforms I'm always thankful for. Without them none of the social media managers could be in an important team role as we are today.Expressing my feelings of gratitude on the occasion of Thanksgiving, here's the list of those 5 things:1. Social networking sites: More they grow, more thankful I'm. Without them, probably we social media managers would either be just copy… -
Snapchat vs. Facebook: The Uneven Social Media Comparison
21 Nov 2014 | 10:31 amTweetA comparison of two of the social networking players is always amazing, especially when one has already declined a huge acquisition offer from the other. Yes, this comparison is about Snapchat and Facebook.Credit: ZaggThe following infographic and the app download chart, created by the MD of DPFOC, Canada & US and DISTIMO respecticvely, shed some interesting light upon the similarities and the biggest differences these two platforms possess.I call this comparison uneven because of the difference in user demographics, nature of content concerned and the privacy factors involved. -
Career: The Balanced Social Media Manager
22 Sep 2014 | 10:23 amThis post is about a critical professional point that every social media manager must be acquainted with. It is about the intersection of earned and paid media.Source: BizzareComicsRecently, I was interviewed by an agency in UK for the post of a social media manager with their client. The board was represented by the digitally sound insiders. At some point of time, an interviewer simply asked 'what do you think about expanding an earned media base to a paid one?' – Honestly, the question gave me a second's goose bump. All these 6+ years of my social media professional life, it was… -
Analytics and Social Analytics
8 Sep 2014 | 8:37 amAnalytics, as we all know (or consider), has become an unavoidable part of our lives. And so does the social analytics.This article is directly sourced from my two of recent Linkedin Articles (though I find Linkedin articles pretty annoying just like the endorsements).Angelina Jolie or Analytics? Who Would You Date? Well, dating (even the word) catches minds, both young and growing. So does (should) the 'analytics'. Your lovely date might not always be there to help you get some solid data to make a decision to move forward; but analytics will. Recently, in my class in London School…
Heidi Cohen
Content Search VS Social Media
28 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amSearch And Social Media Maximize Content Marketing Reach Got content? Of course you do. You're a marketer! Resources remain the top content marketing challenge. This translates to the need for more people (often referred to as time) and budget. Yet, this overlooks the critical problem at the heart of content marketing. KEY ISSUE: How does your audience (including prospects, customers, influencers, users and employees) discover your content? Because the best content in the world is worthless if the right people don't see it! (It helps to have a well developed marketing persona.) ANSWER:… -
Do You Know What Your Audience Is Doing On Social Media?
26 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amSocial Media Behavior In 2015 You must incorporate social media into your 2015 marketing plan as an integral element of your content, communication, interaction and promotion. Concurrently, social networks continue to mature in their own product life cycles becoming serious businesses and media entities that must generate revenues, profits and returns for investors. Therefore, think like an old school journalist to understand the social media behavior of your audiences. This encompasses your prospects, influencers, customers, users, employees, media, and investors. Specifically, know the… -
What The Top 10 Bloggers Do Differently To Succeed
23 Jan 2015 | 3:00 am10 Tricks For Success From The Top 10 Blogs It's "Top 10 Blog" season, the Academy Awards of blogging. Before you ask: "Do I have what it takes to be a Top 10 Blogger?" Listen, I understand what you're thinking because I wondered the same thing myself. (BTW—this blog was short-listed for Social Media Examiner's Top 10 Social Media Blogs 2015 along with 19 other amazing blogs.) Like you, I've sat in front of my blank computer screen wondering if anyone would take the time to read my words on my new blog, let alone nominate my blog to be a Top 10 Blog. Let me tell you that… -
3 No-Brainer Reasons To Curate Content
22 Jan 2015 | 3:00 amContent Curation To The Rescue! As Gartner's Jake Sorofman points out: "Content is the grist for the social marketing mill. Without compelling, insightful, inspiring content, social engagement simply fails to happen." Yet, creating sufficient new, tailored content to distribute across social media and owned platforms on a regular basis is overwhelming. Content curation to the rescue! DEFINITION: Content curation assembles, selects, categorizes, comments on and presents the most relevant, highest quality information to meet your audience's needs on a specific subject. -
How To Drive Measurable Social Media Results
19 Jan 2015 | 3:00 am5 Social Media Tactics To Improve Trackability Do your social media marketing activities drive measurable results? Or does your c-suite grumble that your social media investments are NOT contributing to your business's objectives? A top marketer told me about a social media campaign his agency created for a high profile client. At the heart of the campaign was what LinkedIn's Jason Miller refers to as "big rock" content. That's a piece of content that can be re-imagined into related smaller pieces. The project's stated objective: Raise awareness for a major product rollout. In…
The Future Buzz
Ditching Your Commute Qualified: Worth ~$40K / Year In Happiness
21 Jan 2015 | 10:23 am5 years ago when I left Minneapolis to move to San Francisco, I went car-free and documented how even after a short time period I found the experience completely transformative for my life in a positive way. As positive if not more so than ditching cable TV or getting better and more consistent exercise.Since then, I've shared several pieces of research indicating how your commute is causing unhappiness in a way you will never normalize against. This post shares more details + actual data, but it's easily summarized in this graph:So as someone who has been advocating a… -
3 Tools To Ensure Your Analytics Implementation Is Setup Right
5 Jan 2015 | 9:35 amThe following is my January 2015 Analytics column, originally published on ClickZ. You can read all my previous postings on ClickZ here. In a previous column, I shared technical reports related to performance that modern marketers can't live without. It's true, technical issues are a shared responsibility of marketers and developers, with each group having a strong understanding of the other. In my years of experience as a consultant, not some, but all marketing teams with a fluency in and operational structure to implement technical fixes came out ahead because they were getting… -
Analytics Insights To Inform Your Marketing
12 Dec 2014 | 4:26 pmOne of the most frequent requests I receive while speaking at events and talking to users is for us to release more macro insights. We've been listening, and December has been a great month for us for sharing big picture thinking and unique data.What have we done? Our team has shared 2 awesome uses of Analytics data to help you better understand the digital landscape. I think they're really useful, and so wanted to share them both with you below in today's quick post:1. Updated Customer Journey to Online Purchase ToolLast year we introduced "The Customer Journey to Online… -
Deadliest Catch & How To Win As A Content Marketing Greenhorn
2 Dec 2014 | 9:13 amThe following is a guest post by Future Buzz community member Lucas Miller. Unless you've embraced the life of a hermit over the past decade or so, it's impossible that you haven't seen at least one of the 1,000 episodes of Discovery Channel's "Deadliest Catch." The show depicts the real-life, heart-pounding nature of being a king crab fisherman out on the dark, dangerous waters of Alaska's Bering Sea.Usually — serving as a point of comedic relief during an otherwise tense environment — the newest member of a ship's crew or "greenhorn," as they're most commonly… -
Why Virgin America Is (By Far) The Best US Airline
16 Nov 2014 | 4:39 pmAs a (relatively) frequent traveler, typically around ~30-40 trips a year involving flying, I've almost universally hated airline brands. Delayed flights due to broken planes, awful customer service, bad e-commerce platforms, overbooked flights, uncomfortable seats, terrible food in-flight, etc. I am not going to go on because I'm sure you have your own things that annoy you about flying.With that I love to travel personally and professionally and while the aspect of physically moving from place to place via plane is not a pleasant experience I deal with it, and mentally…
SPEAK SOCIAL BLOG | we get people talking about your brand
Speak Social Promo Video … We Get People Talking About Your Brand
16 Jan 2015 | 4:44 pmAlthough there are a variety of projects that we've worked on over the past four years, if you ask our team what we do best, the answer is always "creating conversations." This beauty of a video produced by the talented minds at Abstract Media, gives a little peek into how we set out to create a … The post Speak Social Promo Video … We Get People Talking About Your Brand appeared first on SPEAK SOCIAL BLOG | we get people talking about your brand. -
Culture: It's What 'Startup Dreams' are Made of
12 Jan 2015 | 1:26 pmThere is one word you're probably hearing way more often since the dawn of internet startups …Culture. While it has always been an important element of a company, especially since the Social Media bubble began in 2007, it seems like Culture has taken its well deserved seat in front of the conversation about business. Even if it's just … The post Culture: It's What 'Startup Dreams' are Made of appeared first on SPEAK SOCIAL BLOG | we get people talking about your brand. -
Brad Bogus' Guest Interview on The Creative Web Podcast
22 Oct 2014 | 11:50 amThe post Brad Bogus' Guest Interview on The Creative Web Podcast appeared first on SPEAK SOCIAL BLOG | we get people talking about your brand. -
The Speak Social Mission has a New Home!
16 Oct 2014 | 11:35 amWelcome to the new Speak Social office. https://t.co/Vxysr7sjYb — Andy Gonzalez (@GoGoGonzilla) September 29, 2014 The post The Speak Social Mission has a New Home! appeared first on SPEAK SOCIAL BLOG | we get people talking about your brand. -
Traditional PR Lacks Trackability, but is still Necessary for a Successful Campaign
12 Sep 2014 | 1:17 pmBack in the day, when you needed to spread the word about your business, you sent out a good ol' fashioned Press Release. It was the media that had the power to "reach" the masses, and you needed them to make sure your message was heard. Well in 2014 you still need the media, and … The post Traditional PR Lacks Trackability, but is still Necessary for a Successful Campaign appeared first on SPEAK SOCIAL BLOG | we get people talking about your brand.
My Community Manager
#CMGRHangout presents: Community Management and Privacy (Storify)
23 Jan 2015 | 1:50 pmPrivacy is a real concern in the community industry. From general safety of both community members and community managers to specific concerns with legal acts such as Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA), the EU "Right to Be Forgotten" and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), there is much to be aware of both with your platform and your language.[View the story "#CMGRHangout presents: Community Management and Privacy" on Storify]The post #CMGRHangout presents: Community Management and Privacy (Storify) appeared first on My… -
#CMGRHangout presents: Community Management and Privacy (Preview)
22 Jan 2015 | 6:01 pmPrivacy is a real concern in the community industry. From general safety of both community members and community managers to specific concerns with legal acts such as Children's Online Privacy Protection (COPPA), the EU "Right to Be Forgotten" and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), there is much to be aware of both with your platform and your language.Join us for this week's #CMGRHangout panel on Friday, January 23rd at 2pm EST to discuss privacy concerns in the community industry.Jonathan Brewer, Dom Garrett and Sherrie Rohde will… -
Now Trending: Freelance Community Management
20 Jan 2015 | 8:52 amI will admit, when I first thought of this world of community managers I thought of two different groups of people. Those that worked for one company and ran communities for that one company and those that worked for an agency and helped many different companies. Little did I know there was a completely different and separate group, the freelancers. Out on their own, working for themselves and helping many companies and clients with community management needs.This group is growing steadily every year (adding myself to the mix fairly recently) and will continue to grow. According to MBO… -
#CMGRHangout presents: Freelance Community Management (Storify)
19 Jan 2015 | 8:00 amWhether you're already involved in freelance community management or looking to get started as part of that growing demographic, there are several things you'll want to take into account including: customer acquisition, invoicing, expectations, consulting and even just learning how to focus in a remote setting vs a company office. Check out our chat with some pro's on working on their own.[View the story "#CMGRHangout presents: Freelance Community Management" on Storify]The post #CMGRHangout presents: Freelance Community Management (Storify) appeared first on My… -
#CMGRHangout presents: Freelance Community Management (Preview)
15 Jan 2015 | 5:22 amIn a recent Forbes post titled Is The Future Of Work All About Freelance And Independent Workers?, Jacob Morgan shares that a recent report from MBO Partners found that today there are approximately 30 million independent workers and that by 2019 this number will grow to 40 million. According to Intuit, by 2020 40% of American Workers will be freelancers. To bring this into our industry, when sharing the 2014 Community Manager Salary Survey, the Community Roundtable did a great job illustrating the difference in external vs internal community income.Whether you're already involved in…
Shoutlet » Blog
Shoutlet Reports Record Breaking Year
26 Jan 2015 | 7:16 amMADISON, WI – January 26, 2015 – Shoutlet®, the leading independent cloud-based social marketing platform, today announced record revenue growth... The post Shoutlet Reports Record Breaking Year appeared first on Shoutlet. Click the headline to read more. -
Build Smarter Facebook Ad Targeting from Data You Already Have
21 Jan 2015 | 9:47 amWhether you've got an in-house staff working on paid social ads, you work with an ads vendor, or you're managing your Facebook ads strategy alone, it's likely you've ramped up your efforts over the past year. The "Reachpocalypse" of 2014 meant a boost in paid social budgets. The result: the demand for Facebook ads by (more...) The post Build Smarter Facebook Ad Targeting from Data You Already Have appeared first on Shoutlet. Click the headline to read more. -
3 Ways to Keep Up with Social Video
14 Jan 2015 | 12:14 pmVideo has been on marketers' to-do lists for years, but in recent months it has been emerging from all directions. The networks are battling over which one will dominate social video, customers are gobbling up video in a variety of ways, and brands are trying to keep up with both. Add to that the challenge (more...) The post 3 Ways to Keep Up with Social Video appeared first on Shoutlet. Click the headline to read more. -
A Blueprint for 5 of Brands' Top Social Media Tactics
8 Jan 2015 | 8:27 amWhen Tervis asked customers to submit photos of themselves using their favorite insulated tumblers over the summer, pictures from diehard fans flooded in. When Lands' End's social customer care team proactively mobilized after a Facebook comment, it led to the creation of a custom pair of gloves for a customer's son who is missing a (more...) The post A Blueprint for 5 of Brands' Top Social Media Tactics appeared first on Shoutlet. Click the headline to read more. -
3 Tips to Remain Unaffected by Facebook's Crackdown on Promotional Posts
6 Jan 2015 | 6:00 amFacebook® recently announced another change to their News Feed in the form of a reduction of "overly promotional" posts. Before you run for the hills, I'm here to tell you that this, my friends, is nothing to fear. The post 3 Tips to Remain Unaffected by Facebook's Crackdown on Promotional Posts appeared first on Shoutlet. Click the headline to read more.
The Technology Cafe
VIDEO: When You Get A Text From An Unknown Number
27 Jan 2015 | 6:57 pmWho is this?? Thanks for checking us out. Please take a look at the rest of our videos and articles. To stay in the loop, bookmark our homepage. The post VIDEO: When You Get A Text From An Unknown Number appeared first on The Technology Cafe. -
VIDEO: Canadian KD Vs. American Mac 'N' Cheese
27 Jan 2015 | 11:57 amA very serious investigation. Thanks for checking us out. Please take a look at the rest of our videos and articles. To stay in the loop, bookmark our homepage. The post VIDEO: Canadian KD Vs. American Mac 'N' Cheese appeared first on The Technology Cafe. -
VIDEO: 7 Middle Child Problems
25 Jan 2015 | 5:57 pmFor anyone who has ever been stuck in the middle⦠literally Thanks for checking us out. Please take a look at the rest of our videos and articles. To stay in the loop, bookmark our homepage. The post VIDEO: 7 Middle Child Problems appeared first on The Technology Cafe. -
VIDEO: The Pogue Review: 4K Showdown
22 Jan 2015 | 12:58 pmJust in time for the Super Bowl, David Pogue puts ultra-HD 4K TVs to the test. Thanks for checking us out. Please take a look at the rest of our videos and articles. To stay in the loop, bookmark our homepage. The post VIDEO: The Pogue Review: 4K Showdown appeared first on The Technology Cafe. -
VIDEO: David Pogue Tech Mix With Hipmunk CEO Adam Goldstein
12 Jan 2015 | 9:57 pmDavid Pogue sits down with Hipmunk's CEO, Adam Goldstein to discuss writing books, travel sites, why airlines stink, and how Hipmunk got it's name at CES 2015. Thanks for checking us out. Please take a look at the rest of our videos and articles. To stay in the loop, bookmark our homepage. The post VIDEO: David Pogue Tech Mix With Hipmunk CEO Adam Goldstein appeared first on The Technology Cafe.
Social Cubix » Blog
The Whole Android Wear Vs Apple Watch Affair: A Thorough Look
22 Jan 2015 | 7:46 amApple's b