InstaBG Delivers Instagram Backgrounds To Your Twitter Account Automagically
While I take great pride in managing my Twitter account through user interaction, quick responses to questions and sparse sharing of my own personal posts I don’t care much for updating my background so it remains fresh upon user visits. It’s for that reason that I began using and highly recommend the program InstaBG.
The InstaBG platform connects users to their Twitter account and the Instagram photo sharing platform in order to create backgrounds based on user preference.
The program couldn’t be easier to use, simply click on the “Sign in with Twitter Account” as shown in the screenshot above, after you give the program permission to access Twitter you will be taken to the following setup screen: [Read more]
Newest Free Mac Apps for Better Productivity
We all have trouble focusing from time to time. With the massive time waster that is the Internet tempting us with endless pages of Lolcats, YouTube videos, social-networking sites and Netflix, it is practically turning us all into creatures with the attention span of a goldfish. When was the last time you actually got through a task without checking Facebook? Or sending a text? I bet you can’t even remember.
It is no surprise that an avalanche of free applications has been released by developers for the Mac that helps to combat the lack of productivity that sometimes occurs in our everyday lives. Whether the issue is that there isn’t enough time in a day to get it all done or you just don’t seem to know where the time is going, these apps can help. [Read more]
How to Expand Your Online Network Successfully
Expanding your online network has never been more important than it is today and luckily for you and I, it has never been easier. Take a look below and keep in mind the rewards that come with successfully marketing yourself and your business online.
Take advantage of social networking sites:
Do the obvious first and set yourself up with profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google +. Import the contacts you have already made by syncing with your email contacts list. Create a list of specific keywords you need for your company. Use this list to find people that match the audience you want your brand or business to attract.
Make a networking plan:
Anything worth doing is worth doing well as the saying goes, really this couldn’t be more important than with online marketing. There are many free online tools you can use to create a networking project plan or contact list. Put this on top of your to-do list and make it a priority.
The likelyhood is, you have probably underestimated just how many contacts you already have. Start with these, and section them into different categories; friends, family, business contacts, clubs and groups you belong too. Once this step is completed you will be ready to put your plan in action. [Read more]
5 Reasons Why Recruiting Through Social Networks Is Good?
The social media is one of the most powerful tools to get in contact with the people of the world and for that, you just need to the right way. One of the examples is Barack Obama who used the media to get himself in the White house, it is known by everyone that he use it for the good and how he become the president of America. Today normally we need the media to put forward are views so that they can be used for the good ways, there are many ways by which you can easily use the media. It only depends upon the people how they use the media some may choose the social media some may choose electronic media, but thing which matters the most is that way of expressing your views. Today the social networking sites have become the most important things by which people are able to express their views easily.
How and Why a Social Media Manager is Essential for Your Business
In today’s cutthroat business world, it is not easy to stand yourself. Getting success in business is highly competitive today but the new social media applications are making it simpler to get in touch with the potential clientele and to expand the local business globally. In this editorial we will discuss about the ways to maximize the business opportunities using the social media.
Social media is growing exponentially and has almost revolutionized the mode or promotion and advertising. It has now become the most wonderful mode of expression between business to costumers as well as business to business. The very popular social media sites such as twitter, facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Digg have engaged more than 300 million business people. However, not all of these know how to exactly use the social media to promote the business worldwide through these amazing social networking websites. On the other hand some are doing really a fantastic job at using social media and have taken their business to a new horizon. [Read more]
Get Social Data Through Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free service from Google that provides complete statistics about all website visitors. It is useful in monitoring the impact of new initiatives undertaken for website promotion in terms of returns on investments. Google Analytics has now added social data to its reports and provides all the social media related data people could want. For those wanting figures of the number of Facebook ‘like’ clicks and Twitter tweets, can get them by changing some of the settings and using an additional tracking code available. All buttons like Facebook ‘like’, Twitter ‘tweet’ and Google +1 are called social sharing buttons which can be used by simply clicking on the specific social sharing buttons.
Google uses terms like “social engagement”, ‘social pages” and “social actions”, and it is all these social statistics that are made available in the report through Google Analytics.
Google Analytics Social Engagement Report
This social engagement report provides a comparison of visitors’ behavior by analyzing the behavior of those who click on the social sharing buttons with those who do not. The comparison is highly beneficial for site owners since they are able to check whether the click actually helps or hastens the conversion and they also visit other similar pages, or does it actually hamper the conversion process. In the case of the latter, site owners have reason to worry and find ways to circumvent this eventuality.
The new version of Google Analytics includes figures for the Google +1 clicks, but other social network buttons would need some modifications of settings before they can be assessed.
Google Analytics Social Actions
Social actions are taken to include the number of clicks for sharing site information through social sharing buttons. The social Actions report provides details about the number of visitors who clicked on social sharing buttons within a specified date range. By default Google Analytics takes into account only the Google+1 clicks, but it offers valuable insights into site visitor behavior and the potential for conversions through the data received. This definitive measure helps site owners find ways to enhance these numbers and also look for ways to increase conversions.
Social actions reports can also be checked with other dimensions of Google Analytics to get an idea about the other factors responsible for visitor behavior. The dimensions that can be analyzed include the source of traffic, bounces, conversions and pay-per-click advertisements.
Google Analytics Social Pages
Social Pages is the last Google Analytics report that gives details about which pages of the site got the actual social sharing clicks for a specific duration of time. This is extremely helpful to site owners since they are then able to gauge which parts of the site is appealing to visitors, and which parts actually trigger the maximum social activity. Finding the most appealing aspects of those parts and modifying the rest of the site accordingly will help to improve social sharing from other site pages as well.
Changing Defaults to Include Facebook, Twitter and Others
By default it is only Google +1 that is included for Google Analytics reports. However, some site development will enable the integration of Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, and then reports will include figures which are a sum total of all the social sharing buttons. Detailed instructions for developing this site are provided by Google but it helps to have technical expertise and familiarity with JavaScript to be able to accomplish this flawlessly. The Google Analytics Software Development Kit (SDK) is needed along with the SDK of the networking sites in question.
Thus Google Analytics provides vital clues which can be used for the betterment of the business by ensuring higher visitor clicks and conversions as well.
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The Pros and Cons of Article Marketing
Article marketing is a lot like writing a press release. You write an article about the field in which you specialize, make it available for publishing by other Web sites and publications and, hopefully, garner attention and business when others publish it. How will people know where the article came from? Just like in a press release, there’s a “resource box” (essentially a biography with a link back to your site) which should be attached to each article no matter where it’s published. If readers find your article useful, they can click back to your site and learn more about you and your business. [Read more]
The Right and Wrong Way to Use Social Media Marketing for Blog Growth
Earlier this week, I wrote a post that explained the differences between social media marketing and content marketing. Bloggers can use both methods of marketing their blogs in order to drive traffic to them. In fact, you’re probably already doing social media marketing and content marketing activities.
But what are the right and wrong ways to market your blog on the social web?
My new book, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, will be released any day now (you can check out a free bonus chapter here), and one of the things I talk about in the book is the difference between social media marketing success and failure. There are three primary “rights and wrongs” that you need to be aware of as you venture into the world of the social web to promote your blog, grow your audience, and reach your goals.
I call these “rights and wrongs” the 3 Cs of Social Media Marketing Success or Failure, and the chart below can help you understand what these 3 Cs are all about.
Bloggers, just like businesses, who allow the online conversation to flow and let their audience take control of that conversation and experience that content in their own ways will achieve social media marketing and content marketing success. However, those bloggers, just like businesses, who try to control the conversation and limit the flow of content across the social web will fail. I clarify this concept in my book by explaining,
“There’s a fine line between behaving on the social web in ways that help you build bridges and acting in ways that cause those bridges to collapse (taking your messages along with them).”
Only you can decide whether you want to fully leverage the power, reach, and influence of the social web by giving up control and releasing your content into the virtual world. You’ve already started by publishing a blog. The rest is the easy part.
If you remember nothing else from my posts here on Performancing.com, remember this:
There is no bigger opportunity for businesses of any size (including bloggers and online publishers) to level the playing field, build their brands, and reach their goals than the social web. You’re already there. Let it work for you.
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and publish amazing, shareworthy content and let the compounding effect of blogging deliver long-term, organic and sustainable growth for your blog!
Social Media Marketing and Content Marketing Through Blogging
In the worlds of business and marketing, blogs can be an extremely valuable tool for both direct and indirect promotion. However, it’s not as simple as saying blogs are a form of online marketing, because they can be part of a traditional online marketing plan (including banner ads, video ads, and so on) or part of a social media marketing strategy or content marketing strategy.
But what is the difference between social media marketing and content marketing? The truth is they overlap a lot, so the concepts can become even more confusing and overwhelming. In order to understand how these two forms of online marketing compare and contrast, check out the explanations below.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is defined as any form of direct or indirect marketing that promotes a business through the conversations and sharing which occur on the social web. For example, Twitter updates, Facebook posts, forum posts, and comments published on blogs, videos, images, and so on are all social media marketing tactics. Even the one-click sharing of links that happens across the social web is a form of social media marketing.
The primary objective of social media marketing is not only to start conversations and encourage sharing right now but also to keep those conversations and sharing related to your business going in order to indirectly promote your business well into the future.
Social media marketing also helps you directly market your business. For example, you can post a discount code for purchases on your Twitter profile or announce a new product on your Facebook page. Direct marketing tactics are used to motivate consumers to perform an action in the short-term as opposed to the long-term marketing objectives tied to ongoing conversations and sharing.
Social media marketing helps small business owners build brand awareness, create more entry points to their content and branded destinations across the web thanks to the power of the compounding effect of blogging and social media participation, and develop relationships with potential customers and online influencers around the world.
Content Marketing
Content marketing works both online and offline and includes any form of content created and shared for the purpose of directly or indirectly promoting a business. The popularity of content marketing has grown significantly thanks to the widespread accessibility of online social media tools that enable anyone to publish amazing, shareworthy content.
For example, blog posts, online videos, press releases, articles, ebooks, and so on are all forms of content marketing that help to establish your expertise and add value to your target audience’s lives. In fact, content published for the purpose of indirect marketing might not even be related to a business but does help people, which means it can indirectly build a brand simply because that content aids in building consumer trust. Furthermore, it might get shared and discussed! That’s where the power of content marketing comes from — adding value through the publishing and sharing of meaningful, useful content.
The best content marketing plans incorporate a variety of online and offline tactics that lead directly to social media marketing through sharing and conversations. Bottom-line, content marketing allows small businesses to establish credibility, trust and loyalty because it helps people or interests them.
Therefore, content marketing and social media marketing should not operate in separate silos. To be truly successful in promoting your blog, business, or brand via the social web, you need to integrate your content marketing and social media marketing activities. Simply publishing a great blog post and forgetting about it won’t help you. Instead, you need to publish that amazing content and let the world know about it, consume it, and hopefully, talk about it and share it with their own audiences using the tools of social media so you to reach your goals.
Image: stock.xchng
20 Easy Ways to Promote Your Blog Across the Social Web
One of the key points I explain in my book, 30-Minute Social Media Marketing, is that for a business to succeed in building a brand and growing, it needs to surround consumers with branded online experiences, so those consumers can self-select how they want to engage with the brand. The same theory holds true for bloggers who want to grow their own blog brands and audiences across the social web.
Following are 20 easy things you can do to promote your blog across the social web. You’ll notice that many of the suggestions listed below require a one-time set-up and you’re done. Some of the suggestions don’t even happen online! Others require you to do a bit more work, but the end result is worth it in terms of directly and indirectly promoting your blog to a wider audience. Take a look and try to implement as many of the suggestions listed below as possible to jump-start your blog promotion efforts.
- Feed your blog content to your Twitter profile, Facebook profile and page, LinkedIn profile, and so on. Use tools like Twitterfeed and the tools incorporated into social networking accounts to do this.
- Publish eye-catching social media icons in a visible location on your blog’s sidebar, so visitors can easily connect with you on your other social media profiles.
- Make sure your various social networking and other online profiles include current links to your full spectrum of online profiles, blogs, and so on.
- Feed your blog content to any LinkedIn groups that you belong to that allow you to do so using the News feature in LinkedIn.
- Include the URL to your blog, Twitter profile, and so on in your offline correspondence.
- Include links to your various online profiles and blog in your email signature.
- Make sure links to your key online profiles and blog are included in the signature line in any forums you participate in.
- At the very least, the URL for your blog and Twitter profile should be on your business card.
- Make sure your blog content gets in front of as many people as possible by syndicating your content through services like Demand Media Blog Distribution Network and Newstex.
- Use widgets and social tools offered by Twitter and Facebook (such as the Facebook Like button) to publish your other social web activities on your blog.
- Continually publish comments on other blogs and link back to your own using the same keyword phrase in the name box every time.
- Hold a blog contest and be sure to promote it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and so on.
- Make sure you offer sharing links on your blog and other online content using tools like the TweetMeme Retweet button.
- Write guest blog posts for other blogs in your niche and be sure to include links back to you blog, Twitter profile, and so on.
- Hold a tweet chat or tweetup with people attending the same events or conferences that you plan to attend.
- Create an email newsletter to go with your blog and be sure to include links to your Twitter profile and other social networking profiles in it.
- Be retweetworthy in an effort to get more of your tweets that include links to your content retweeted.
- Publish press releases about your blog with links to your blog and social media profiles.
- Brand your Twitter profile background and provide more URLs than the standard profile allows.
- Keep publishing amazing, shareworthy content and organically interlink your branded online destinations!
