Social Status

Instagram Training for beginners

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 00:20:00 +0000

As well as providing social media training and advice for businesses and individuals, I do voluntary tech talks at the library and train seniors/beginners on using this amazing platform.

Instagram is a fantastic visual social sharing photo site for businesses and for pleasure.

Here is what we did last night:

It’s a step - by step process:

1. Took the picture

2. Cropped it - I used a paid app called Photogene (2) (You do not have to pay for any apps if you do not want to) - search the App store I think Photogene 4 is available for purchase. (It's a brilliant tool for cropping, blurring, rotating, and editing)

3. I decided to display the full size of the photo so used InstaSize to do so (it is a free app so please be mindful of advertising) - https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/instasize-post-entire-photos/id576649830?mt=8
4. We chose the Lo-Fi filter in the tools section to bring bring some saturated colours and shadows to the photo

5.We added a description - Loving these (but I could have said Training at the library, or reading these as well)

6. We added several hashtags #childrensboo usingks #instabook #booksofinstagram #catbook #librarybook (I advise using ONLY 1-5 hashtags per picture and to check hashtags first (on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google and by using tagboard.com)

7. Then we posted it!

Instagram for beginners example: https://instagram.com/p/3_Fil4xLWo/?taken-by=ebbye

It sounds like a long process, but this was part of my training last night :)

It is fantastic to learn a new skill so if you have any questions please ask away.

Or visit my Pinterest board for tips, tools, and resources: https://www.pinterest.com/ebbye/social-media-love-instagram/

I post up tips, tools, resources and advice on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocialNetworkingandMarketing

And feel free to flip through my magazine on Flipboard which has plenty of tools, tips, and resources as well! - https://flipboard.com/@ebbye/sm-training-i5hv3jv5z

I offer customised one-on-one or group training for people or businesses so please feel free to contact me. I also offer social media advice and community management.

Oh and I love Instagram - it's an amazing platform for learning about the world and sharing photos.

It all starts with Content

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 06:49:00 +0000

Image from: http://seo-resource-guide.com/

Finding Content:
• Search similar brands, blog posts, and events – perhaps even affiliate marketing, guest posts, or advertising – you can also access anyone's social media content on their websites
• Set up RSS feeds –on Feedly or bloglovin to find plenty of content
• Pocket - via Twitter Tweets, to save articles/content to read later
• Pulse via LinkedIn
• Flipboard - search for anything - feel free to read my magazine full of social media tips, tools, and resources: https://flipboard.com/@ebbye/sm-training-i5hv3jv5y
• Pinterest - to search for anything
• Instagram - to search for images and hashtags
• Twitter and Twitter lists - to keep up to date with anything happening in your industry
• Facebook interests list - to share (or gather) content to/for your business page
• Connect with other business owners, brands, people etc. online and offline - you can attend business seminars or access their social media content
• Google trends, content, and alerts
• Get listed in directories online in your industry
• Check out some of your competitors and get ideas for your own content - read/research articles, case studies, latest findings, Tweets, surveys, queries, posts, magazines, blogs, even adverts, launches, and campaigns to get ideas for your content – a lot of research is needed!
• Find out about all the latest brands, products news online, in articles, newsletters, etc. to use or address later

Content for future use:
• Search! Everything (anywhere) - articles, links, studies, news, government websites, industry sites, blogs, images – please make use of search!
• Read emails – if someone is asking you about something pertinent, if someone needs something, or needs to find something, or is having difficulties with something, – that is a potential blog post topic
• Subscribe to emails in your industry or within your field of expertise – organisations, support bodies, government organisations, etc.
• Plan a month ahead according to calendar of expos and events – what is happening in your area/industry this year?
• What is important for your clients to know and why?
• What would benefit your clients and why? (Tips, tools, advice, resources, etc.?)
• SEARCH EVERYWHERE for content, subscribe to newsletters, and ASK for information.
• Make use of your website, Facebook searches are quite limited so make sure that your website is accessible, is mobile friendly, and has ALL the latest information people need (Do not limit your social media marketing to Facebook you will miss out on content from everywhere else)

Ideas for Content:
- Links to articles, websites, services, support, articles, reviews, recommendations, surveys, case studies and other resources
- Suggestions – tips, tools, and advice directly from your business
- Daily wisdom, proverbs, or quotes (use as fillers)
• Help people – provide your own content or OTHER resources, great studies, articles, posts, or links etc. To help people solve problems/find answers is the best thing you can do to promote your brand.
• Participate in the relevant hashtags of events/expos/conferences in your industry such as the beauty expos and USE those hashtags e.g.#beautyexpo2015. (Make sure you are using the correct hashtags by searching on Google or tagboard.com for them first!)
• Post the latest updates from your blog along with the link.
• Direct people to other social media channels you have by Tweeting about them.
• Give tips about your services on the basis of your industry expertise. Tips (image tips which can be shared or even pinned!) work well everywhere.

So ...
• Use content from your site or blog posts
• Use a mix of your own images or share/use other people’s images – these all have to be on brand
• Use Call To Action buttons and posts - http://www.magentosite.com/blog/creative-solutions-call-to-action-buttons-magento-store-designs/
• Use hashtags only when relevant such as #crueltyfreebeauty - CHECK every hashtag carefully before using
• Choose quality content which is relevant and valuable to the people who have liked your page – share other people’s/pages content – especially things you feel will help your audience connect with your brand
• Be consistent and on brand to build an audience – then you can ask people questions and build a community
• Post relevant videos – make sure they are short (and on brand)
• Thank people who like your page and offer rewards, specials, discounts, or incentives (later on)

Need content?
Try my Facebook list: https://www.facebook.com/lists/10153036927300304
or Flipboard magazine: https://flipboard.com/@ebbye/sm-training-i5hv3jv5y
for social media training tips, tools, resources, and advice.
Try, Instagram, search Twitter, and Pinterest for valuable content for your own business and brand.

Feel free to connect with me if you have any questions: http://ebbyeryan.wix.com/socialstatus#!__contact and I will customise training for your business.

10 Perfect Social Media Gifts for this holiday season

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 06:11:00 +0000

If you are an addict, or you work in social media, or you just love digital technology - here are 10 perfect social media gifts for the holiday season.

1. Twitter and Facebook like cookie cutters

Have a bake -off at your office this holiday season. I adore these Twitter bird and Facebook like cookie cutters. They’re from CavidDesigns on Etsy.

2. Project your Instagrams

Get your own holiday slideshow done with this fantastic Magical Mini Projector: the slides are made from your Instagrams so you can display your brand's pics at your end of the year function!

3. App coasters

These colourful app coasters from Etsy are a welcome addition. They're perfect for your end of the year workspace drinks.

4. Pillows for Geeks

These pillows are a great addition for an office space. and they'd be even more perfect for the person who handles all of your social media and will need to rest! They're from Craftsquatch on etsy

5. Cameras

People seem to love cameras and taking pics so it's the perfect gift for the person who looks after the Instagram profile in your office, or for the foodie, the designer, the photographer, or the blogger - here are 10 instant cameras for you to choose from http://www.brit.co/instant-cameras/

I love the Fujifilm Instamax Mini it's tiny and compact and will be a great conversation starter when taking instant pictures at your next function, launch, or event.

6. Facebook like stamp

Stamp your way through the end of the year party, or on all your completed paperwork. This like button will also make a great conversation starter. It's from Wacodis on etsy

I'm really partial to this OMG stamp when you just don't have the words - perfect for that end of the year party and another great conversation starter - OMG Stamp

7. Eat. Sleep. Tweet.

It feels that way sometimes. It's the perfect tee for your team - ladies size - from DesignDepot123 on etsy

and I found a great star wars inspired Twitter tee for men - May the Tweets be with you by JazzyDesignz

8. Give Back

There are plenty of ways that you can give back to your community.

Why not host a #socialgood project at your workspace this holiday season?

You can pack birthing kits - http://www.bkfa.org.au/ - please contact the company to discuss how you can help or you can raise funds and donate as a team, or host an event by choosing an organisation or charity and pack kits, make toys, wrap presents, or hold a charity workshop lunch or afternoon tea for your end-of-the-year office party.

You can drop off dog treats, dogs and cats toys for Give a Dog a Bone, Keep Kitty Happy

There are also plenty of retail outlets with gift-giving trees, where you can drop off gifts and cards for kids. Just Google what you can do/join/participate in to give back this holiday season.

If you need ideas of who you can help why not take part in #GivingTuesday on the 2nd December - http://givingtuesday.org.au/

9. Do a Bill Gates

In 2013 Bill Gates participated in the Reddit Secret Santa gift matching. He gifted his elf with
a donation on her behalf to Heifer International (as well as some other gifts) - http://redditgifts.com/gallery/gift/spoiler-alert-bill-gates-did-not-get-you/#pres440073

A donation to any organisation is a great gift for a coworker who you don't know too well or for someone in the office who you know would appreciate this.
You can give cows, honeybees, goats, or a wide range of animals to a community through Heifer and the entire community benefits. There are plenty of other organisations you can donate to on behalf of someone else.

http://instagram.com/p/tl4BaClw79/

And 10. Attend a Party

Get your co-workers together and join a party who are raising funds for charity over the holiday season.

There are plenty of events, and fundraisers you can join - I love the sound of this one - Ugly Christmas Jumper Party

or 11. Just Make Stuff - the perfect gift really could just be a card thanking a coworker, a bunch of flowers, a box of chocolates, something homemade, or a batch of homemade cookies or biscuits.

The holiday season is about giving - give your time - make a card with kids, host an event at your office, wrap presents (so many organisations are wrapping presents and hosting gift events) or give your time by participating/volunteering in an event.

Remember that social media never sleeps! - your social media will still be active and you will probably still be working but you can use these ideas to spread cheer, to be responsive, and to be interactive on all your social media profiles - http://www.verticalresponse.com/blog/5-terrific-tips-for-stellar-holiday-service-on-social-media/

Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 26 Apr 2014 01:35:00 +0000

I am a huge fan of resources. I love finding content, reading about the latest social media news, and finding out everything I can because it really helps me with my social media training.

I have spent the past few months writing courses - if you are interested in Pinterest for Beginners, Instagram for Beginners, or Twitter for Business - please let me know - there is a Twitter course available later this year and I am holding an Instagram talk in May (2014).
I have plenty of resources on offer and I am happy to train one-on-one, in groups/workshops/talks and even via Skype. Please feel free to contact me ebbyeryan@gmail.com

Although I am not very active on this blog - I post most of my updates on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. This really helps when I am training because I tend to save content and share during my talks and classes/courses - to help provide the best social media training services I can.

When I write courses, I spent hundreds of hours online (well it certainly feels like it!) searching for content, reading thousands of topics - here are some for you - http://www.marketingprofs.com/topic/all/ and then writing my own talks and courses.

So I am in the middle of writing a tech talk on Instagram for Beginners which I am presenting in May - a step-by-step guide to using Instagram for beginners. It has been a lot of fun (and took a lot of research time!) to put this together. Once the talk is over, I will share an edited version on here - http://www.slideshare.net/elanabowman1

What resources do you like? What content are you always looking for to use?

I have plenty for you on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest to keep you up to date.

Content, content, content (again!)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 05:50:00 +0000

As a social media trainer; one of the most challenging things is finding content, and images, and posts, and updates, and Tweets, and videos, and stories (you get the picture) which is or will be valuable for your audience (or fans or followers)

I have been teaching my clients how to find content by focusing on keywords and stories or images or videos which their fans - the people, the humans who come to their accounts ACTUALLY want to read, or like, or share to their friends. (use Google Analytics or various insight/analytics tools to assess this)

So I was very very happy to put together all the things I like to read and share on LinkedIn Pulse app - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pulse-news-for-iphone/id377594176 - which is a really good way to share content that will be relevant for your brand and business.

So after saving about a million things to my http://getpocket.com - which is very handy if you use Twitter and want to save articles (to check and read later) - I have set up various Pinterest boards with articles or content which will hopefully help, motivate, or inspire me when I train or at least give me stuff to talk about (or share or post or Tweet).

Social Media is social!

It is about sharing information which is relevant to you BUT it has to be valuable to actual people. When people like, or click, or ReTweet, or comment on, or share (across various accounts) it is then your role( as a social media person, or community manager) to actually engage with the people. (As you would if they were standing in front of you discussing a certain topic)

Back in 2005 I was blogging a lot! I had my own second hand bookshop and social media was not what it is now. It has now become a place where you can Tweet, post, save, like, share etc.I love it, I love how people are connecting, sharing stories and I also love seeing the impact social media is having on our lives (think social good - it is really helpful during natural disasters, world events, or for people who want to spread kindness and help other people)

While blogging was an interactive and very handy tool for me - I have now moved towards Twitter (where I stay updated on EVERYTHING) and save content to read, or post, or share later and Pinterest - which I have found highly beneficial.

I set up a Computer and Internet Basics for Seniors (older people) board and a Social Media Love board and I use these boards to not only train but to provide relevant and hopefully handy resources for my clients. I use articles from Pulse app. from the Flipboard app and from all over the Internet so I can share and save information - it is truly limitless.

So in order to find content for your own business or brand, please download some of these apps. Or join some of these accounts.

And don't forget to blog, to write your own original Tweets and Facebook updates (on your Facebook business page)! To start - then perhaps and if it is needed set up an Instagram account and perhaps join Pinterest - which has a great search feature and you will find information about everything and anything.

This is what was recorded in 2013:

http://www.mycleveragency.com/2013/07/qmee-find-out-what-happens-online-in-60-seconds/

So what does this mean as a brand or business?

Stop thinking that you are online and you HAVE to only sell or market your business and products.

Please start listening to what your clients, and fans, and followers have to say. What is relevant to them? Why did they like or follow your brand or business? What do they want? What is important to them?

What are they sharing, and commenting on? Are you actually answering them, talking to them or are you just not engaging? Engaging really means - someone has seen an article you put online, then responded to the article, "Wow I never knew that!" or "What an amazing idea." or whatever and you genuinely responding - we love that idea, or we (...), or I (...)

Imagine a person is face-to-face with you and have conversations. They don't have to be witty, or trying too hard, or insincere, or not like yourself at all - you can have genuine conversations with people offline (think of when a customer comes to buy your products, or how you talk to people on the phone, or how you meet people in a professional way) and START doing that same thing online.

Remember any content you create, write, post, and share is aimed at people JUST LIKE YOU.

Why do you follow a certain person or brand on Twitter? Why have you clicked like on something? What are you commenting on and responding to? What inspires YOU, motivates YOU, propels YOU to act - the people you are trying to reach are also doing the exact same thing.

Stop thinking of social media as only selling to or marketing towards current or potential clients and start being a person - and talk (both online and offline) to real people just like you!

If you would like to know more or would like social media training or advice - feel free to contact me. ~ Elana ebbyeryan@gmail.com

Pinterest for resources and content

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 04:27:00 +0000

Have you tried out Pinterest for your business or brand?

Do you struggle to find content?

First I would suggest setting up a blog for your business. A blog (try http://www.blogger.com/home) will help you drive content from your website to and from all your other social media sites. Blogging you will help drive traffic and it will help raise awareness of your business products or services.

My suggestion is to blog at least once a fortnight; but a lot of people choose to blog weekly or daily.

So now that you have set up a blog; you will need to find content which is aimed at raising knowledge and awareness of your business/brand's products and services.

So this is where Pinterest comes in handy. Search Pinterest for content ideas (by using keywords) If you don't know what keywords are applicable for your business; think of your products and services and then use keywords which will help individuals find your products and services.

Here is some information about keywords if you have never used keywords before - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2277087/How-to-Make-Your-Keywords-Fit-Your-Marketing-Messaging

Now most businesses should be creating their own unique content to drive their business. In other words; you want people to find YOUR business so here is a way to start creating your OWN content - http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/developing-a-strategy/

Social Media has become very visual so you can design your own content to share on your social media sites.

Some great content tools or ideas are:

- tips
- infographics
- images with quotes
- information about your products or services
- facts
- tools
- slideshares
- images of your products or services

and 88 other ideas for content - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2195076/88-Content-Creation-Ideas-for-Better-Business-Blog-Posts-Images-or-Videos

But the best social media practice is to SHARE tools, resources, tips, infographics from other trusted resources and that is why you need to make use of Pinterest for business purposes.

Set up your own board (so a board about your OWN business/brand) and then set up other boards and start pinning and sharing.

Pinterest is a great site to find content an to help you find ideas for your OWN content.

Here are some ideas of how to use Pinterest for small business - http://www.forbes.com/sites/thesba/2013/06/07/how-to-use-pinterest-for-small-business/

Make use of the search tool in Pinterest and look at the popular pins to see what content people like and why.

Start using Pinterest for YOUR business and make sure that you pin your OWN content and SHARE content as well. The content ideas you use (or find or create) on Pinterest can be used on your Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Google + as well - just make sure that ALL the content you use (and share) links back to the original source.

Here is a Pinterest tutorial - http://www.theyummylife.com/Pinterest_tips and now start searching, sharing and Pinning!

source: http://www.theyummylife.com/Pinterest_tips

Social Media, tips, tools and resources

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 25 Sep 2013 06:23:00 +0000

Check out my Facebook page for tips, tools, guides, information and resources to help YOU with your social media marketing - https://www.facebook.com/SocialNetworkingandMarketing

If you have any queries or would like to set up a training session please feel free to contact me: ebbyeryan@gmail.com

Internet and Computer Basics for Beginners/Seniors: Resources (Computer and Internet safety and privacy)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 21 Aug 2013 01:35:00 +0000

An overview of computers:

Computer glossary toolkit - http://nihseniorhealth.gov/toolkit/toolkitfiles/pdf/Glossary.pdf

1) Practice using the mouse – http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/courses/computer-basics/lessons/the-mouse

2) Practice using the keyboard - http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/courses/computer-basics/lessons/the-keyboard

3) Play a mouse game - http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/courses/computer-basics/lessons/clicky-mouse-game

4) Try a computer quiz (just for fun and might challenge you to ask even more questions - http://cuip.uchicago.edu/wit/2000/curriculum/homeroommodules/compBasics/CBGenQuiz3.htm

5) The computer keyboard is commonly known as the Qwerty Keyboard – here is why h ttp://www.howstuffworks.com/question458.htm

6) List of all your computer keys: http://www.computerhope.com/shortcut.htm

7) All the Keyboard keys you will need to use: http://www.computerhope.com/shortcut.htm

8) List of all the Function Keys: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000306.htm

9) Please note that Apple’s computer keyboards, operating system, programme functions etc. have different functions, tools and features- http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1343

Internet safety and privacy:

How the internet works -

http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/download-how-the-internet-works

1) Internet and computer privacy tips - http://www.truste.com/products-and-services/consumer_privacy/privacy_tips#practices

2) Cyber smart games - http://www.digitalliteracy.gov/resources-by-term/79

3) A Guide to Getting Started on the Internet - intended for internet novices, this site offers help with email, jargon and searching for information - http://www.imaginarylandscape.com/helpweb/welcome.html

4) Internet Basics - http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/courses/internet-basics/
5) Cybersafety - http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/

6) Computer Security - http://www.netsafe.org.nz/keeping_safe.php?sectionID=computers&pageID=253&menuID=253

7) Internet Tips and list of Answers - http://www.computerhope.com/tips/internet.htm

8) Security for Senior computer users
http://www.afp.gov.au/policing/cybercrime/~/media/afp/pdf/s/security-on-the-internet.ashx

9) Social Media Rules for Seniors - http://seniorcarecorner.com/social-media-rules-for-senior-loved-ones

Photo from Clipart.com

Content, content, content!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 29 Jul 2013 22:56:00 +0000

Social Media is all about creating, writing, sharing or sourcing content which is relevant to your business or brand.

The key is to find or write content and share the content across your social media profiles.

But how do you find relevant content?

Here are 10 ways to find content online:

1) http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/ - The Content Marketing institute has posts about content, how to use content and specific information about different types of content. Read the posts to inspire you to write content of your own.

2) Try find progressive ideas and optimism to share - http://gimundo.com/ has some fantastic videos and resources you can share with your audience (fans/followers ) and the http://www.good.is/ is a community with ideals and tools for progress. http://optimistworld.com/ has daily good news headlines, stories, charities and companies which promote/highlight optimism and you will find plenty of info here!

3) Make use of the Consumer Barometer – Google’s Consumer Barometer provides insights into how consumers search and research product purchases – which is useful when it comes to creating content which targets those consumers.

4) Use a Google Keyword Tool – Keyword research can really help with content planning and creation so your content can be optimised for the right keywords (SMO or SEO). Use Google’s AdWords Keyword Tool for determining which keywords to use, and also use for analysing your competitor's keywords.

5) Quora – Quora is a great place to find what people have questions about and people share information which might come in handy for your own business or brand.

6) Flipboard - is a magazine type App for your smart phone. You can select information, feeds, magazines and info to follow and flip through and read on your phone. It's also great for sharing content across your social media profiles.

7) Facebook Interests list - you can set up private or public lists of people you follow on Facebook or pages you like. It is great to use lists on Facebook because you get access to all the news feeds from a particular page and it is great for sharing content across Facebook (preferably to your own business page).
Have a look at some wonderful public Facebook lists you can follow - http://www.postplanner.com/100-facebook-lists-to-follow-bypass-edgerank/

8) Set up an RSS Feed - This is a great alternative to subscribing to every single email; set up an RSS feed of websites, blogs or content you'd like to receive. This is a great way to find content and to receive daily information without having to get 100s of emails! I use Bloglovin but there are plenty of others to choose from. If you install the App - you can share content across your social media accounts.

9) Set up a read later account. If you find content on the Internet which you want to save, check, use, or share later - try http://getpocket.com/. You can download the App and link it to your Twitter account as well. I use Pocket to check content on a site; prior to sharing across profiles and I also use it to inspire my own content or to send things across to Pinterest. It comes in very handy!

10) Pinterest is rapidly becoming my go to tool to source content or inspiration for my own social media training. Pinterest is a visual tool full of infographics, images and colour with information about every industry you can think of. You can also download the App and share across social media profiles. (Just remember to find the original site, source and creator of the images prior to sharing - check the links because there is often a lot of spam or people just add pictures without finding the original source.)

Things which may help you even more:

Don't forget to search Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and even Instagram for valuable content or images which are relevant for your brand. (Check Instagram profiles and images carefully before sharing or affiliating images with your business/brand)

If you need to find a hashtag prior to creating your own have a look at Tagboard so you can check to see what conversation is happening and where.

If you cannot find the original image; try using Google's Inside Image Search or try using a Reverse Image Search - so you can credit the original creator (designer, photographer, artist, writer, etc.) prior to sharing any kind of image (or content).

I have set up a public Facebook list for social media content which I use on a regular basis - https://www.facebook.com/lists/10153036927300304

Here are 26 Marketing Tools which you can use for content - http://www.onlinemarketinginstitute.org/blog/2013/01/26-content-marketing-tools-to-use-in-2013/

If you are still struggling to find content and need to update your pages and accounts every day - please ask me. I have plenty of resources, tips and tools for you. Don't forget to check everything preferably on a laptop so you can view the entire site before sharing!

I'd also recommend setting up a social media editorial/content calendar so you can plan your content on a daily, weekly or monthly basis - http://jcsocialmarketing.com/2013/07/control-the-chaos-with-a-social-media-calendar-template/

source: http://alleecreative.com/blog/2013/07/09/how-to-manage-all-those-content-channels/

Be Creative this Year with Your Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 03:41:00 +0000

This is the year to be creative!

Mari Smith believes that 2013 is the Year of the Video and uses her site to teach you how to produce high-value, quality video content. She also teaches how to distribute it effectively online and on mobile, and how to create measurable results http://www.marismith.com/yearofthevideo/

Use Video and Photography to highlight your business and brand online.

Make use of Instagram and Pinterest to interact with people and create a connection with people.

Here's info on how to use Instagram for Business - http://instagram-business.tumblr.com/ and a free Ebook from Hubspot on how to use Pinterest for Business - http://offers.hubspot.com/how-to-use-pinterest-for-business

I've put together a board on Pinterest with examples of how businesses are using social media creatively by creating fantastic campaigns - https://pinterest.com/ebbye/great-use-of-social-media-for-marketing/

Don't forget to mix and match your content and to use different types of content to keep your audience engaged and interested.

If you need ideas on which content you can use and why - download Hubspot's free eBook on how to Engage Fans on Facebook and use these ideas for Twitter and your blog as well.

Be creative with your marketing and sites this year!

Don't forget to keep your fans and followers happy on Pinterest, a blog, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by creating and finding content which is fun, informative, entertaining, enlightening, educational, inspirational or motivational and which most importantly adds value.

Image from Hubspot on Facebook

Back Up Your 2012 Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 22:40:00 +0000

As the year comes to an end; it's time to back up all of your 2012 social media. Why should you backup all of your social media - Valerie Khoo answers this question.

It takes time to find content, images, links and data for daily social media on a variety of accounts and platforms. Social media as a whole is very labour intensive and time spent online, building a community, building engagement, creating content and uploading information often means that people who are managing social media are at the job 24/7.

If you ever need to find something from a few months ago such as reuse an image or rewrite a blog post based on changes in the industry - all you have to do is access your backups rather than searching for (and possibly not finding) the information you created or used online.

You are creating an easy paper trail.

And while you're at it, back up all your documents, folders, files, photos, passwords, emails, contacts and accounts - so you can keep and have records of all the work you have done over the past year.

1) Purchase an external hard drive - this will expand your computer's storage capacity and back up your data. it's great for making sure you don't lose anything important and is useful as a great storage system in case you buy a new laptop or need to restore your computer.

2) Use https://www.backupify.com to backup Your Personal Online Data. there are a range of options to choose from and provides backups of your personal Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Sites, Google Contacts, Flickr, Picasa and Blogger accounts.

3) Use SocialSafe to archive your Facebook timeline, Facebook Pages, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and Viadeo profiles. Everything is stored locally on the your PC or Mac.

3) An alternative for Twitter - go to http://www.allmytweets.net/ - copy and paste a year's worth of your Twitter Tweets into a Word document for easy access and a later search if necessary. AllMyTweets is also a fantastic resource if you are searching for a specific Tweet on Twitter.

4) For a Facebook Business/Fan Page - you can either use Backupify or SocialSafe or you can simply copy and paste ALL of your Facebook posts into a Word document - to save for a later search or analysis.
It is best to backup all your Facebook links, updates and images to have a record of your work done over the year.

5) I'd also use copying and pasting as an option for all your Blog posts and use an Excel spreadsheet to insert all your links for a later stage - especially if you have a social media team (or person) who should be making use of a weekly/monthly social media editorial/content calendar.
This Excel document or calendar will help you track your social media on all accounts - month by month.

6) Save all your images into a social media folder for 2012 and backup those images into an external drive. If you have purchased images or created your own images; these can always be reused at a later stage.

7) I haven't found any backup options for Pinterest as of yet. Go through your Pinterest boards and copy and paste the data you want to keep into a simple Word document; so you can access content at a later stage - *UPDATE - I have found a few options to backup your Pinterest pins using one of the following tools - http://socialwebnerd.com/blog/20-tools-to-backup-your-social-media-content/

There are two good reasons why you should back up all of your social media content and data for the past year:

1) It is good to have and keep the data for your own records and to assist you if you need to search for anything at a later stage. I'd advise that you look at this data in 3 months time and it will help inspire you to write blog posts about changes in social media, business growth and it will help you keep track of your social media as a whole.

2) This will help with social media training. By having accessible data from the past year; this could help a new employee view all of your content on each account and review your brand image online. By having access to a wide variety of information; your new staff member will be able to see exactly how your brand comes across online and what is expected of him/her.

Keep records of your social media each year and this way you can easily analyse your data and track changes from year to year.

Mine are all in simple Word documents saved in an external hard drive for easy access!

*UPDATE

Here are 20 Tools to help you BackUp all your social media accounts including several options to back up your Pinterest pins and links - http://socialwebnerd.com/blog/20-tools-to-backup-your-social-media-content/

My advice is to backup all your data on a monthly basis; especially if you work in social media or/and digital marketing as this will help you generate reports.

Image: http://www.handybackup.net

Social Media Gifts for the Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:49:00 +0000

Image created on http://www.pizap.com/ from TweetBookz and Firebox

Stuck on gift ideas for the workplace and office?

Impress your clients with social media these fun gifts make great reminders and they are fun for clients and customers.

These are also perfect gifts for anyone who is addicted to social media!

Instagram Prints - can look wonderful on your work wall or at home - purchase and select your best Instagram pictures for Canvas Prints for your office or opt for the retro Polaroids - these Polaroids are great for end of the year parties!

I'm loving the idea of putting together an Instagram Poster which is a fantastic way to showcase all your brand images.

TweetBookz will make an adorable gift. This is a great gift for clients. Choose their Tweets throughout the year and present them with a keepsake of their best Tweets!

For more social media gift ideas for your clients have a look at Social Stand Media's Top 12 Client Social Media Gifts for 2012 - http://socialstrand.com/2012/12/05/top-12-client-social-media-gifts-for-2012/

Here are 276 gift ideas for anyone who loves digital, technology and gadgets - http://www.techinvestornews.com/Gadgets/Latest-Gadget-News/276-gifts-for-the-geek-in-your-life

I love the Crust Be Dreaming USB Hub! http://www.modcloth.com/shop/computer-accessories/crust-be-dreaming-usb-hub

Need ideas for Secret Santa or office gifts for your work colleagues? How about quirky stocking filler type gifts at affordable prices - http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/gift-guides/secret-santa-gift-ideas

13 Social Media Tips for Business

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 04:33:00 +0000

Here are 13 tips from Social Status on Facebook to help you grow your social media activities online and to raise your profiles!

1. Go Green! 15 Ways to Use Social Media for Green Good - http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/social-media-green-good.htm

2. 19 Twitter Tips for Newbies (or Helpful Reminders for Not-So-Newbies) - http://www.momeomagazine.com/19-twitter-tips-for-newbies-or-helpful-reminders-for-not-so-newbies/

3. Social Media Quick Tips Straight from the SMILE (Social Media, the Internet and Law Enforcement) Conference - http://www.lawofficer.com/article/news/social-media-quick-tips-straig

4. Learn from The NSW Police - who have made excellent use of social media and formed a vast online connection with their community all over NSW.
With over 100 Facebook pages for each local area, a Twitter account, a YouTube account , 195 Eyewatch Facebook groups - NSWPOL has just won “ConnectedCOPS Award of Excellence at a Large Agency” for overall excellence in the use of social media.

5. Social Media Tips for Accountants - http://www.brw.com.au/p/sections/professions/social_media_tips_for_accountants_WcCPulm2kHz9L9vPJ2ALqN

6. 5 Tips for Smart Email Marketing - http://www.grassrootsinternetstrategy.com.au/5-tips-for-smart-email-marketing/

7. Facebook Tip: Make sure all your privacy settings are correct. You can also choose what information you share on Facebook and with whom - http://thatsnonsense.com/blog/facebook-privacy-settings-get-your-privacy-settings-right/

8. Monitor all your social media accounts - respond to queries, respond to mentions, check your insights and analytics tools - http://www.ereleases.com/prfuel/7-tips-for-effective-social-media-monitoring/

9. Clean out any spam accounts on Twitter, check your Facebook likes, check your sources on Pinterest, use a spam filter on your emails and check all the comments and responses on each account.

10. If you have a bricks and mortar business where people can walk in to access your products or services - Use Foursquare - http://fastblink.com/blog/2012/05/30/how-foursquare-literally-changed-the-game/

11. Use social media management tools to listen to and monitor/manage your social media platforms online. Here is a breakdown of some of the best social media management tools for small businesses http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-tools/favorite-social-media-management-tools-for-small-business/

12. Seek Inspiration. Search quotes, tips, tools, resources, images or ideas for a potential blog post. Like and comment on other people's blogs, pages, accounts and profiles. Spend 5 minutes everyday on getting inspiration - here is a place to start - http://www.good.is/

13. Read as much as you can! Set up Google Alerts, Google Reader and a Flipboard account - so you can keep track of news, blogs, Tweets, Facebook updates, comments, eBooks, guides, resources - the more you know the more in tune your social media will be!

For more tips, tools, resources and guides on how to use social media for business - find Social Status on:
Facebook| Twitter | Pinterest

Or contact Social Status

source: http://www.mirnabard.com/2010/03/7-simple-social-networking-tips-for-business/

Spotlight ... Bay Medical Australia

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:01:00 +0000

I’d like to draw attention to Bay Medical Australia and their use of social media to build their awareness and profile online.

Their Facebook page focuses on fun content as well as marketing their products.
They have made great use of unusual images and medical facts which they have found on the net, making their Facebook page an enjoyable page to visit.

They have made great use of National Days and used Lemonade Day to feature a lemon scrub driving attention towards the scrubs they sell and the people who will purchase their products.

They engage with their fans by encouraging making up captions for images and make great use of humour.

They also spend a lot of time featuring links to trending news items and use information well for their content and focus on light hearted and informative content to drive their brand.

On Twitter @BayMedAustralia connects with people in their industry, makes great use of links to images and unusual quirky content such as medical facts and images and they actively respond to ReTweets or mentions and use hashtags to drive their products.

My favourite is their Pinterest account where they actively link (or pin) a broad mix of content highlighting medical and fun facts, information, humour and share fun things that they have found.

They have made amazing use of boards like Hot in Scrubs http://pinterest.com/baymedaustralia/hot-in-scrubs/ which appeals to TV and movie lovers - I mean anyone loves a hot doctor in scrubs – right?

So why am I highlighting this brand? It is clear that Bay Medical Australia has a target market of nurses, vets, doctors and other medical personnel who purchase their products yet also need some light-hearted humour relating to their industry.

Instead of focusing on their products alone on each platform, Bay Medical Australia has broadened their content to include, facts, tips, images and humour to build a relationship with their fans, followers and other pinners.

By making their platforms interesting and focusing on the medical industry; they have proven that social media can be very beneficial when used as part of their advertising and marketing. The important thing is that they enjoy using social media and connecting with people and this shows!

Bay Medical Australia supplies scrubs to Offspring and Bondi Vet and throughout the month of September for every Teal scrub sold a donation will be given to Ovarian Cancer Australia. have a look at their range of scrubs and Workwear - http://www.baymedical.com.au/scrubs-and-workwear

Social Media can be part of your marketing package. It can be used to highlight your business, promote your products and reach a wider range of people. I happily follow Bay Medical Australia on each platform and they have inspired some of my own social media content.

Don’t worry about whether you can do social media *well; just start interacting and have fun. It really shows and it makes for a very pleasant and interactive relationship with a business.

*However, be aware of social media etiquette and practices as well as using each platform wisely. Make use of linking to others, cite original sources and adhere to each platform (or network’s) terms and conditions.

source: http://www.business2community.com

25 Ways To Increase Fans and Followers on Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:01:00 +0000

There are a number of options you can take to increase fans/followers.

A lot of people place emphasis on having a large amount of fans and followers on each account. While having a huge amount of followers and fans does indeed attract other fans and followers - there has been talk about how many people you actually reach and whether you are actually engaging with all your fans and followers.

Ask yourself; how are brands/businesses reaching their fans and followers? Are they good at their business? Are they making sales? Do their fans/followers like their products and services? What other marketing/advertising do they do? What are people saying about a business/brand online? Is it really just about numbers?

You have to consider reach, loyalty, ROI, customer service, sales, advertising and whether posts/links are read and how each brand/business is viewed publicly.

Facts about businesses are very hard to determine by judging the amount of fans and followers that an account has on the basis of numbers alone.

A lot of people will tell you to buy fans and followers and I would advise you not to. If you do buy fans and followers, it is highly unlikely that these bought fans/followers will share your content, comment on your content or really communicate with your brand.

Try these tips to increase your fan base on each account organically:

1. Content is the most important tool to naturally increase your fans or followers. Consider your target market, know your brand or at least the personality of your brand. Share your own business content yet be social on social media! Read, comment on, share, respond to, like, link to and recommend other content from elsewhere (after you have carefully checked the sources) Having great, valuable content is the best way to gain fans and followers!

2. http://www.masteringsocialbusiness.com/2012/05/07/how-to-get-more-followers-today/ - this podcast discusses ways to naturally increase followers/fans on a number of social media platforms

3. List your business/brand in free business directories

4. List your Twitter account in Twitter directories

5. Join groups on LinkedIn

6. Participate in hangouts on Google+

7. 7 more steps/ways to gain more fans organically - http://socialmediatoday.com/lauren-parajon/473583/7-steps-gain-more-fans-and-followers-organically

8. Be more interactive on Twitter – have conversations with others and pretend you are at a networking function. Talk about other subject matters, join in conversations, answer questions, share resources and if you like you can even host Twitter chats or pose questions to followers (if you do decide to ReTweet content or people – please check their bio/profile and the link before you share anything!)

9 . Join Twitter chats

10. On Pinterest, you can like, comment on and repin (after checking the source!) other people’s content

11. On Instagram you can like and comment on other people's images (this applies to other photo sharing sites as well)

12. On Facebook you can share other business page content on your page; if it is appropriate and in line with your brand

13. Some advice for Twitter - http://iccmarketing.com/blog/how-to-get-more-twitter-followers-the-right-way/#.UCCtU6OpaVo

14. Decide if you want to have a competition or giveaway to organically attract more Facebook fans – you have to use a third party app for this - https://www.facebook.com/notes/social-media-nz/no-likes-allowed-facebooks-competition-rules-that-no-one-seems-to-know-about/200378816641665

15. Email marketing – perhaps consider a monthly or quarterly email; make use of social share buttons and inform readers of each account they can find you on and connect with you on.

16. If you have a business blog; you can connect with other Bloggers in your industry by commenting on and even linking to other peoples' blog post/s. Set up a link list of blogs and build a community of like minded or like industry Bloggers.

17. Bloggers have blogging communities, events, meetups, blog meetings and even seminars/conferences throughout the year. Consider connecting with other bloggers and attending events.

18. Consider Facebook adverts https://www.facebook.com/advertising to either advertise a product or your business

19. Consider Google adverts https://accounts.google.com/

20. Consider print advertising as well

21. Participate in industry events. Consider speaking at industry events. Consider holding an event of your own. If you are able to; you might even consider hosting/sponsoring an event - this will certainly drive traffic to your website and awareness of your brand

22. Attend networking events and meet people! Hand out your business card and chat about your business/brand. As you are well aware; at industry networking events you will meet with at least 1-5 other people, swap cards and talk about other things! Events are a great way to meet people - after all social media is really about PEOPLE.

23. In order to gain fans and followers; it really is about using your accounts every day, finding, sharing and providing great content, updating daily, blogging regularly and reading about/ researching your industry.

24. It takes time to build up fans and followers. Try spending at least 5-10 minutes a day on each social media platform you use, reading, liking, sharing, commenting on other people's content. This will probably increase your knowledge of happenings in your industry and will inspire your own content.

25. Remember also to monitor all your accounts (daily!) and read everything you can to stay on top of trends, changes and happenings in your own industry.

I believe that social media is really about 3 things:

1) content (your own as well as other content)

2) connecting and engaging with people
3) people

source: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/23621/4-Ways-to-Use-Email-to-Increase-Followers-and-Expand-Social-Media-Reach.aspx

15 Ways to Use Pinterest for Business

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 06:39:00 +0000

As a social media trainer; I am using Pinterest to find and share valuable tips, tools and resources so I’ll probably be a bit more formal than most people.

I think the whole point of Pinterest is visual, whether it’s ideas, products, images, resources or blog posts. I use Pinterest for ideas for my own blog posts and updates so I use Pinterest to share content (repin, comment on and like)

Pinterest can work really well for small businesses, bloggers, designers, retail outlets, cafes, shops as well as for people who want resources, images, decor ideas, food tips, health tips, inspirational quotes/content and as a platform to share anything you love whether it is for business purposes or for your own personal inspiration.

So Here are 15 Ways to Use Pinterest for Business:

1) Set up a few boards - click on the add button then Create a Board

2) Give each board a name which relates to each board and easy to find in search; so if it’s Social Media Humour or Social Media Tips or Places I Love or whatever. Then describe each board and place a relevant link in the description (remember it cannot hyperlink and you cannot view this content on mobiles but it helps to have a clear description especially if it is a board promoting your business/brand)

3) Choose a board (or however many make sense for your business/brand) where you can pop content to link back to your site, articles, portfolio, blog, Facebook,Twitter etc – using images and direct links to the content itself. This is how you can drive traffic to and from each platform. Use each pin to describe whatever the content is.
On the board itself use different pictures and keep uploading content – e.g. you can also add a Facebook image to direct people to your page by using a direct link with image like this one http://pinterest.com/pin/76631631129967721/

4) Use other boards which are not business/brand related because Pinterest is essentially about sharing pins/repinning other users content/inspiring interest.
If it’s only/all about you it doesn’t make sense from a social media marketing point of view ( this also applies to Tweets on Twitter, Facebook updates, Instagram photos but your blog can be essentially only about you/your brand)

5) Pin whatever you like in the boards, either by clicking on other pins and repining or finding your own pins to pin. (Use the add feature to add a pin (a link) or to upload a picture) Ensure that each board makes sense to other people and can be easily found in the search bar. I think that’s why so many of the boards have got such basic names.

6) Check the images and links - that the content in question does in fact link to the relevant source as described; before you repin. This will help when others repin your content; by clicking on the image, users find a direct link to the picture and the original source (there are plenty of spammers online setting up fake/malware links)
Avoid repining anything until you have checked the content.

7) If I like the image and the link is wrong (or does not go to an external page with a direct image/link); I repin the image, then I find the original source, edit the link (add the correct link) to help drive users to the correct source. This means you are directing other users to the right links.

8) If you upload a picture (by clicking add), pin it and then click edit to insert the link; don’t leave the image without an external link directly to the image and content itself. People are learning to only pin/repin after checking and finding the proper links and sources. It also means that if you use links for blog posts, updates or Tweets - it will be easier to cite the original source.

9) Comment and like on other pins as well as repin pins (after checking sources) onto your boards - this is the way to build trust and build a community of followers who will repin your pins.

10) Describe content and links you upload or pin in the description section. Keep the information short and concise (about a sentence or two)

11) I use my business logo when sharing content without relevant images; to promote my Twitter account and when I want to promote some blog posts without images – perhaps you can choose some images to do the same

12) Check how everything looks on a mobile (it helps because I think Australians are avid mobile users)

13) If a board gets too full; start other boards (and make them sub - boards as I have done with Social Media Love) and then divided boards up into sub-boards such as Facebook, Twitter etc. I didn't want to have a single board with great content/info so chose to divide up my boards to assist other users with repinning relevant content.

14) And pin whenever you like! Make it fun, interesting, inspiring, unusual, personal, educational, funny … it’s really addictive.

15) Have a look at http://pinterest.com/fatmumslim/ or George Takei http://pinterest.com/georgetakei/ to see how Pinterest can be used to create a community.

I use Pinterest for training purposes and to drive links to my Facebook, blog and Twitter accounts.

If you want to use Pinterest for business; download this free eBook from Hubspot called How to Use Pinterest for Business - http://www.hubspot.com/how-to-use-pinterest-for-business/

If you are curious about Pinterest; here are some links that will help you with using this platform for pleasure or business:

1) 8 Rules of Pinterest Etiquette - http://www.flowtown.com/blog/8-rules-of-pinterest-etiquette

2) The Copyright Question: How to Protect Yourself on Pinterest - http://mashable.com/2012/03/21/pinterest-copyright-legal-issues/

3) How to Use Pinterest for Marketing - Infographic http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33272/A-Simple-Cheat-Sheet-for-Using-Pinterest-for-Marketing-Infographic.aspx

4) And a Pinterest 101 Tutorial from GFC LernFree.org - http://www.gcflearnfree.org/pinterest101

If you have any questions about Pinterest and how to use Pinterest for marketing purposes; please contact me ebbyeryan@gmail.com

source: http://www.j6design.com.au/ClientArea/MakePinterestworkforyourbusiness.aspx

Social Media Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 00:49:00 +0000

Lisa Galarneau who is a social media anthropologist and did research for Microsoft; explains what she has discovered about social media, this may be helpful for you - http://www.jeffbullas.com/2012/06/05/10-social-media-secrets-from-the-social-scientist/

She is fascinating - have a look at her site - you never know what you may learn from her! http://lgalarneau.webs.com/

Although she discusses sharing and engaging; she uses her Twitter accounts to ReTweet information while I still emphasise that you try build a community on every platform you use.

I understand that most of you use social media to promote your own business, have a look at your content, mix up content a bit more and start engaging with other people ( Use the search feature on each site to find relevant content, valuable information and even people/businesses to follow)

Twitter can be the most useful tool/platform for sharing and exchanging information; I highly encourage you to mix up your content (quotes, resources, your own info, other info, info which relates to your brand/content, images, videos, interesting posts, responding to other people, answering people etc)

I recommend Tweeting at least 1-5 times a day (although you can Tweet up to 250 times a day!) and when there is an event, festival or function which is related to your business/brand - you might find you are Tweeting more on some days and less on others.

Mix up your Facebook content (resources, news, images, videos, your own content, your own services/products, images, quotes and even ask your fans questions/respond to them) - communicate with your fans.

I recommend a Facebook update once a day in the mornings between 9am - 11:30am EST

Try to mix up content on a ratio of 10:1 (for both Twitter and Facebook)

- 10 interesting, informative, fun, entertaining, educational, inspiring, motivational, links, images, videos, tips, tools, guides, how tos, other resources updates

to 1 brand/business, product, blog post, service, launch, announcement, event or any other information about your business/brand update

If you need help with Pinterest - let me know. Certainly have a board or a few business boards with your content/products/blog posts but set up a few other boards as well. Connect with others (in other words find, like and comment on other people's content/pins)

Instagram is fast becoming a great photo sharing opportunity for brands to reach their audience. If you are interested in Instagram - set up a business Instagram account with your own images but branch out a little and connect/like/comment on other people's content too. (You can find other content or hashtags via the search feature)

Your business blog is essentially for your business. However think about your audience too and ask if they will be interested in the post. Is it valuable, is there a link to purchase something, to attend something, have they all the information they need?

Is the information timely and relevant? How are people finding you, what tags and keywords are you using? What do they want and what are they searching for? Is the post title relevant? Are the images attractive and does the entire post grab their attention?

I recommend a blog post at least once a week on a Wednesday or Thursday morning between 9-12pm EST - and then pop the link with an introduction (An interesting, valuable introduction to give people a reason why they should be clicking to read) onto Facebook and Twitter.

Search Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook ,sites and blogs for inspiration for your own blog posts (or newsletters, marketing ideas, launches, announcements etc) Find relevant images and content and don't forget to cite the original source and link back to the original content!

Social Media is about building a community and being social and offering engagement/ a different relationship with your customers and clients. Have fun using social media as a PR and communications tool while having fun answering your fans/followers and engaging with people.

If you have any questions about content and how to use different platforms please ask! You can connect with me on Twitter | Facebook | email me on ebbyeryan@gmail.com or even just call 0408 478 224.

source: http://www.toprankblog.com/2012/05/5-business-blogging-tips/

Let's Talk about *Rules on Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 02 May 2012 04:59:00 +0000

* Rules or Guidelines really

As you are probably aware; social media has taken over!

In the past 10 years; most businesses have a Facebook page, a blog, a Twitter account as well as presences on Instgram, Pinterest, photo sharing sites, have listed their companies on LinkedIn, have designed tabs, have mobile Apps, are in social networks and have inserted social share buttons on all their marketing collateral.

While I don't really like using the word Rules; I have noticed that some corporations have just jumped into social media without preparing a policy, or a content strategy or have not trained their employees on how to respond to people on social media or how to handle customer service enquiries (or fails).

I also believe that we all have to tick the box to agree to each site's terms and conditions; but some of the terms and conditions are often ignored and leave a company/business without access to their account or having to deal with issues on various social networks.

So here's a list of Guidelines I use to train my clients on how to use social media wisely:

1. Set up a social media policy - here are many examples - http://socialmediatoday.com/davefleet/151761/57-social-media-policy-examples-and-resources - use these to adjust a policy for your specific workplace

2. Discuss and set up social media guidelines for your employees - http://www.bluewiremedia.com.au/free-social-media-guidelines-template

3. Use a social media crisis plan and train your staff on how to handle a mishap - http://socialmediatoday.com/chrissyme/298509/five-social-media-must-haves-crisis

4. Decide why you are using social media in the first place - this will help with your strategy and your content - then set up a marketing/content strategy which suits your employees and workplace

5. Read each site's terms and conditions and adhere to their rules.

6. Choose your accounts - use the ones that your clients/customers/ industries are using such as Twitter, Facebook, a blog platform, Pinterest, Google+, YouTube but also look at using other sites such as photo sharing sites such as Pinterest, Flickr, Instgram (Google for information about thousands of other sites you can use for your business)

7. Remember to start small! Each account has to be active and attended to (on a daily basis)

8. Who is going to be attending to each account? What is his/her responsibility?

9. The community manager (or person responsible) HAS to check each account at least twice a day (early mornings and evenings) to ensure that questions are answered, customer service enquiries have been attended to, inappropriate content (such as people posting pictures or spam comments) is removed AND ensure that you are engaging - i.e. thanking people for shares/ReTweets, liking a comment (on Facebook), sharing your pins, commenting or liking on Instagram or simply showing that you are present and listening to people.

10. Who makes executive decisions? If a manager/supervisor needs to confirm an action - a discussion has to take place around what to do if they are unavailable. You CANNOT leave something inappropriate on your social media account/s which could harm your brand.

11. Monitoring the account/s also has to take place over the weekends - who is responsible for weekend and after hours monitoring?

Now let's talk content:

1. Use your company site/blog to promote, share and spread user generated content directly from your brand.

2. Are you going to hire a copywriter or is there someone in-house who is prepared to write blog posts, updates, Tweets and source images, videos etc.?

3. Are you finding content from elsewhere and using it as inspiration? If yes, you HAVE to source links back to the original content.

4. Are you using images with your content (which is highly recommended)? Ensure that you link back to the original source or name the source (e.g source:CarrotCreative)

5. Prior to sharing any information online, check the link (on a laptop preferably to ensure that all the other content on the site itself is trustworthy)

6. Only share, link to and use links which are from trusted sources. Ensure that there is no inappropriate subject matter or adverts on the links you are sharing - generally when people click to open a link, they may view other content on the site - so check, check, check!

7. When ReTweeting information on Twitter - check the bio/profile, the Tweets, the name of the person whose links, quotes or information you're sharing with your followers BEFORE driving content. I cannot stress how vital it is to check, check, check! (The same goes for Pinterest AND Instagram)

8. Check that the sites/videos/images are secure and safe - I use Wot - http://www.mywot.com/ to check user ratings as well as Norton 360 and McAfee secure search for this purpose.

9. Build trust with your followers/fans/peers when using, finding, promoting, sharing or driving content - the content you use is affiliated with your brand (So I repeat check, check, check!) The only way to build trust is by being active on social media accounts and building relationships with people.

10. Seek advice. Ask for help.
Enquire about training - this will benefit yourself, your brand and your employees. (We are all learning here, even me!)

And finally social media etiquette:

1. Google before you Tweet, post, blog or share. Check your resources and try to find the original source of any content you use - this will help you build trust with your peers.

2. Be nice - and if you can't than go for a walk, grab a cup of coffee, drink a glass of water - rather than responding inappropriately.

3. If you do not agree with something and you really want to Tweet, post or blog your viewpoint - think very carefully - is it necessary? Will it change anything? If you believe it will than disagree respectfully without launching a personal attack.

4. Be diplomatic. You don't have to agree with everything, like everything, choose to share everything - but build diplomatic relationships with others anyway.

5. Try not to constantly ask others to follow you, like you, ReTweet you, share your content - build a relationship and trust with your peers/fans/followers to build an organic sharing relationship instead (which takes time and effort)

6. Shout out, compliment, acknowledge good practices you see online and share people's pages, accounts and boards with others (if they provide value to you; they will provide value to your fans and followers as well!) - I am a huge fan of social good and this type of behaviour will make your day so much nicer!

7. Try not to constantly talk about your brand/business on your Facebook business page or Twitter account - use those sites to engage with others and exchange information. People love resources, tools, tips, case studies, guides etc. - share yours with them!

8. Use your business blog to inform, educate and talk about your business. Try to respond to comments and find other blogs in your industry to build relationship with other Bloggers. And attend a Blogging event (or any type of networking event) - they're fun and you will learn a lot!

9. Be kind. Answer queries, respond to comments, find answers and share information. When you see an opportunity to help someone else - take the chance!

10. Read everything you can; blog posts, news, updates, Tweets, case studies, surveys, white papers, eBooks, newsletters, manuals - the more you read - the more inspiration you will have to generate your own content.Here are some tips to finding content for your business - http://socialnetworkingandmarketing.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/content-content-content.html
11. Make use of visual content. Pinterest boards are a great way to access infographics, blog posts, tools and tips you can share across your social media profiles (just remember to check the links) and Instagram is also a great way to build a more personal connection with your clients (customers) - check EVERYTHING very carefully on Instagram.
12. Before you select a hashtag - check the hashtag carefully (by clicking on it and see where it leads) - make use of www.tagboard.com for hashtag search.

And lastly - Make your Own Path!

Because social media is global and embraces each unique individual; you can decide how you are going to use social media to represent yourself/your brand. You can be formal, chatty, a curator of information, a helpful sharer, a promoter of social media good, a brilliant sales person, a quiet observer, an industrious entrepreneur - there is no better set of tools to finding your own path as long as you are learning and having a bit of fun along the way.

“Be authentic and organic. It can’t be forced or it won’t work. And most importantly, have fun.” - Richard Branson on social media

It is called social media - because it is encouraging people to embrace integrating business practices socially.

Where else really can you chat with your fans/followers, share ideas, information and resources while 'meeting' hundreds of people? (If someone knows the answer to this - feel free to tell me!)

However I am going to go back to the Rules and Guidelines - by adhering to each site/platform's rules and conditions you will build an online presence but more importantly you will build trust among your peers.

Each site should have a list of guidelines, terms and conditions or policies on a page - have a read through all of them!

source: http://thetechnologycoach.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/do-you-have-social-media-policy.html

The Five Hats of Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 02:15:00 +0000

Edward de Bono’s six thinking hats are used to help people be more productive, focused, and mindfully involved http://www.debonogroup.com/six_thinking_hats.php

So here are the Five Hats of Social Media:

1. Public Relations Hat (PR Hat) – This hat will help you deal with any mishaps, issues or crises – so be prepared by setting up a crisis management strategy - http://www.socialmediamarketing.org/social-media-crisis-management.html.

(Red is for energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as for feelings, hunches and intuition)

2. Content Hat – for creating, finding, editing, sourcing, researching and generating content – this is very similar to the thinking cap – so this hat will help you when you need to write, strategise, think, and plan – Set up a content/editorial calendar to help with this - http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2136988/How-to-Create-a-Social-Media-Editorial-Calendar

(Orange is for enthusiasm, fascination, happiness, creativity, determination, attraction, success, encouragement, and stimulation).

3. Customer service hat – This hat will help with all the customer service inquiries, queries and services needed - here's an eBook on social media and customer service from Brandwatch- http://www.brandwatch.com/wp-content/uploads/brandwatch/Brandwatch-eBook-Customer-Service-on-Social-Media.pdf

(Blue is for trust, loyalty, wisdom, confidence, intelligence, faith, truth, and heaven as well as aiding the thinking process.)

4. Advertising/Marketing Hat – This hat will help you promote, advertise and market your brand - Social Media/New Media still requires old/traditional media methods to reach your fans/followers/customers. (TV ads, print ads, leaflets, flyers, mail drops, radio advertising, guerilla marketing, email marketing, launches, events, videos, campaigns etc.)

Focus on which method is appropriate for your business, test out different forms of media, use email marketing and reach a wider range of people.

(Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.)

5. Communications Hat – This hat can be used for communicating, sharing information, building relationships, informing and exchanging information. This is the best hat for engaging with customers/fans and followers.

(Green is for growth, harmony, freshness, fertility as well as possibilities, alternatives, and new ideas)

You will find that most days; you are required to do all the tasks above. By putting on a different hat; you will be able to focus and concentrate on each task.

Social Media is best when it is holistic, which means combining a whole range of skills, experiences and services when you work. Use each hat; to grow and develop your skills in each area.

By using different hats and by focusing on each task when needed; you will be providing a better relationship to your customers/fans/followers and focus on what is necessary and needed to get the job done.

source: www.power-advertising.co.uk

I used this website for an explanation of colours and what they represent - http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html

Social Media Optimisation

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 04:36:00 +0000

SMO is using links, fantastic content and sharing on different accounts to drive visitors to your blog/website.

Now don't get confused between SMO and engagement. SMO is making sure that your content is seen, by using tags, labels and keywords, writing excellent headlines, sharing on other accounts, linking to other accounts and communicating online.

Engagement is sharing with your fans and followers and building an online community. The more interaction you have with a community (whether it's comments on the blogs, likes and shares on Facebook, ReTweets and chats on Twitter) the more likely that your SMO will naturally increase.

One of the keys to understanding how SMO works for you is listening to your audience. You can ascertain when people are liking/commenting/sharing/asking questions. Once you have viewed Google Analytics, Blogger stats, statcounter.com and other social media listening tools online - here are a few which will explain how and when to listen - http://janetfouts.com/listen/ - you will know your audience, which posts they are clicking on and what kind of content they are responding to.

- Here are the Rules of SMO: http://increaserss.com/the-rules-of-social-media-optimization/

- The Strategies of SMO: http://increaserss.com/best-social-media-optimization-strategies/

- And the Techniques of SMO: http://increaserss.com/social-media-optimization-techniques/

- Engagement vs SMO: http://mashable.com/2011/11/13/smo-vs-engagement/

Now SEO - Search Engine Optimisation is sightly different from SMO. SEO works on backlinks, incoming links and ensuring that your website is found on searches. One way to do this is to find and work with relevant links, list your website in online directories and get other websites to link back to you. The more links you have the higher you will rank in searches. And if the links are trusted links (leading to sites which people trust, recommend and refer) the better this is for your website. Don't worry - the SEO superhero SEOman explains this is a really basic way - http://www.redevolution.com/seo-explained/

According to Active Warrior in an online discussion - here are the differences you should be concentrating on:

Link Building:

SEO – Inbound links are a large determining factor in rankings.
SMO – Links are a result of success, which means that SEO benefits from good SMO.

Page Elements:
SEO – Title tags, headers, image title, bold text and use of keywords are all influential on search engine rankings.
SMO – Coding and tags are not so important, while visual attention grabbers make a bigger impact.

Titles:
SEO – The title tag of a page tells the search engines what a page is about and carries a lot of weight in the rankings.
SMO – Titles and headlines are extremely important for grabbing attention and getting users to click-through.

Speak to an SEO consultant - he/she will know the best way to implement SEO.

Here are 15 steps you can take to increase your SMO:

1) Use share buttons

2) Enable YouTube videos - to be embedded or mobile so people can share them

3) Enable your blogs to be mobile; so they are easy to read and share when you're out and about

4) Tweet this, Pin This, Facebook like, Google1 - these buttons are gold, place them prominently on your site and blog

5) Use links, share links with others, put a link list on your blog

6) List your blog and website in free online directories

7) Answer questions on LinkedIn or Quora

8) Join online discussions

9) Comment on blogs - with a link back to your blog or website

10) Take part in community activities online (MeetUps, chats, discussions, blogging events etc)

11) Communicate; update, post , Tweet everyday if you can and concentrate on fresh, unique blog posts

12) Mix and Match your content - use videos, quotes, eBooks, resources, guides, images, tips, tools, questions etc - enlighten and entertain your audience and focus on your brand

13) Share sites, resources, ideas, posts, Tweets, updates, videos, etc.

14) Listen to your fans and followers; answer questions, provide social service and monitor all your accounts

15) Be genuine, don't focus on SMO as a rule; concentrate on engaging with others, building a community, enjoying social media and the clicks should come!

source: http://www.webmarketingagency.com.au/what-is-social-media-optimisation/

Guy Kawasaki talks about Social Media

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:19:00 +0000

His secret is not to plan Social Media but to jump right in and do it.

He chats to Inc. about marketing - having the right product is key- and his strategy is to Dive Right In in this article: http://www.inc.com/eric-markowitz/guy-kawasaki-dont-plan-your-social-media-just-do-it.html

Guy Kawasaki's site http://alltop.com/ keeps you informed on the latest top tech feeds.

He believes that social media is more about effort than expense.

If you'd like to learn more and read more about Guy Kawasaki; find him on American Express Open Forum , Google+, Twitter and Facebook.

His book about Google+ comes out on the 8th March.

Want to learn more SEO and social media secrets from Guy Kawasaki? Join him and other entrepreneurs from March 5 - 7 at Growco in New Orleans.

Visit www.growco.inc.com for more information.

Twitter Basics for Business

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:47:00 +0000

Think of Twitter as a newspaper. When you sign in; you can find, review and read Tweets that will grant you immediate access to everything that is happening in the world that day.

By using Twitter search - https://twitter.com/#!/search-home - you can search for information about your industry, find resources and content and find users who are purchasing your goods and services and talking about your business, products and services online.

You can find bloggers, PR companies, journalists, interesting users, unusual content, tips, tools, resources and suggestions which will help you build engagement and shape your online business and brand.

Here are three guides and resources on how to use your Twitter account for business:

1. What to Tweet: http://www.maine-seo.com/social-media/what-to-tweet-part-1-of-4-the-marketers-guide-to-twitter

2. Twitter 101 Guide from Mashable - http://mashable.com/guidebook/twitter/

3. Zen and The Art Of Twitter - http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/zen-and-the-art-of-twitter_b9055

Some more tips:

Share links about your industry or profession (from your blog, websites, other blogs and interesting news items)
Comment on the current affairs or hot topics of your industry or profession
Share resources, tips, suggestions and guides from people who you trust on twitter (read the links first and check their profiles/bios!)
Attend a professional event, seminar, conference or MeetUp…and share the link!
Recommend business or services - to build trust amongst your peers
ReTweet information - you have two options:
a) You can manually type in a response then RT @awarenetconnect How to Use @StumbleUpon for Business http://www.business2community.com/social-media/how-to-use-stumbleupon-for-business-0138388 (To do this you push the Quote Tweet option on your mobile or just hit reply then type in manually (or copy and paste on your desktop/laptop)
b) Or you can just hit the ReTweet button - This Tweet goes to all your followers via the original source.
Participate in Tweet chats - http://smallbiztrends.com/2010/08/how-to-participate-in-twitter-chat.html
Communicate with and potentially develop relationships with people that you’ve never met on Twitter; build relationships with like-minded people
Find people who you can learn from or who inspire you and connect with and engage with them
Thank people
Interact with people, answer questions, respond to Tweets and share information
Participate in #FollowFriday - http://mashable.com/followfri/ This will help you find and follow relevant people in your industry, like-minded people and shared interests with others
Participate in #CharityWeds. For those of you who are interested in non profit organisations and working with, learning from and promoting non profit organisation, Charity Weds acts as a shout out or recommendation day for the awareness of non profit organisations world-wide.
Ask questions related to your industry and see what your peers following you think
Mix and Match content - use blog posts, images, links to videos, links to your website, quotes, RT, ReTweets to keep your content fresh
Be aware of social media etiquette - http://www.toastmasters.org/ToastmastersMagazine/ToastmasterArchive/2010/April/Social-Media-Etiquette.aspx

If you'd like to discuss all things social media with me and to receive social media training - group, one on one or on Skype you can find more information:

- Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/ebbye/

- Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/AwareNetConnect

- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocialNetworkingandMarketing

or email me ebbyeryan@gmail.com or give me a call on 0408 478224

CarrotCreative

5 Social Media Headlines which Grabbed My Attention

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 06:34:00 +0000

Social Media evolves and changes constantly. It's so hard to keep up to date on the latest trends and happenings world wide on social media.

So here's the latest information which grabbed my attention:

1. Twitter will be rolling out ads for small businesses -in USA http://blog.twitter.com/2012/02/coming-soon-twitter-advertising-for.html

2. Facebook is going to be releasing timeline for Facebook business pages - http://adage.com/article/digital/facebook-release-timeline-brands-month/232760/

3. Men are from Foursquare and women are from Facebook!
The research covers users in the UK, France,Germany, Spain, Portugal, Belgium and the Netherlands -http://www.slideshare.net/PNLondon/men-are-from-foursquare-women-are-from-facebook

4. Social Media Studies, mainly looking at US brands - http://mygoodbuzz.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/coca-cola-is-hosting-hangout-on-google.html

5. Australia's top Facebook pages - http://wearesocial.com.au/blog/2012/02/09/facebook-brands-australia-infographic/

For more up to date info, lessons, case studies, changes and trends read:

- Social Media Examiner - http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/

- Mashable - http://mashable.com/

source: http://chelseanewton.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/thursday-news-day-social-media.html

Pinterest.com - a rapidly growing visual content site!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:21:00 +0000

If you haven't joined Pinterest.com - here is a breakdown on everything you need to know about this rapidly growing site - http://www.blueglass.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-pinterest/.

It's a great site for visual content and for all your work/interests/ to be seen, build brand advocacy, create interesting boards and share to other social media sites.

It's also a great site to find inspiration, tips and ideas. There are quotes, clothes, home decor, locations, tutorials, infographics as well as delicious cupcakes and cakes for you to drool over. It's extremely visual and you can search for anything and everything.

Often when you click on a pin, it leads you to a site you have never seen before - this is a huge advantage for marketing your business or blog.

It's also easy to use, people can like,comment on, repin or share your pins, so it's a great site for start ups, bloggers, people who work from home and small businesses.

For creative companies like designers, architects, bloggers, cooks, chefs, moms, illustrators, artists, musicians - this is a great site to share your work.

And if you're curious top designers and musicians are starting to use the site as well - so there is a branding advantage for businesses and individuals.

Michael Kors is an early user and his boards are divided up between his work and his interests - http://pinterest.com/michaelkors/ - it will be very interesting to see how people make use of this site!

Here's a Pinterest Guide for beginners from Mashable - http://mashable.com/2011/12/26/pinterest-beginners-guide/

And for people like me who love quotes, reading books and infographics - http://pinterest.com/ebbye/ - I am using it to pin info about social media and business - I spend a great deal of time online researching and searching for content to train my clients and this site is a source of inspiration for me!

Are you on Pinterest.com yet? I'd love to know what you think of this site?

One of my pins today http://pinterest.com/pin/76631631129250424/

The Top Twenty Social Media Blogs Finalists

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:06:00 +0000

2012 is the 3rd year for Social Media Examiner to pick up 10 social media blogs among all nominations. The top 10 blogs will be announced in its newsletter and also on their blog.

Here are the 20 finalists with a brief introduction (in alphabetical order) - written by Kate - thanks to http://evanhugh.com/2012/01/22/the-top-10-social-media-blogs-in-2012/

Bundle Post: It is founded by Robert M. Caruso with passion in tech and social media. It takes the first step to automate and schedule the social media contents in one place.
Digital Brand Marketing Education: It holds continuing learning philosophy to educate empowered professionals in using digital to brand and market their businesses.
Heidi Cohen: She brings you into the world of digital and direct marketing through her established experiences so that readers can easily apply to their current social situation.
Hubze: Social media marketers and lovers share how to start the social media engine to engage with customers and manage social media accounts like an elite.
inBlurbs: It shows you how to get found on the Internet and convert the traffic into physical customers to bring up your own brand and prospects.
Inbound Marketing Spot: It belongs to Trust eMedia and provides inbound marketing strategies to build a loyal social media community to support brands and businesses.
Jeff Korhan: He is an inspiring speaker who can help and present the closer connection between social media and small businesses to grow through Internet and social media.
Jeff Bullas: The blog, which is being ranked #87 in AdAge Power 150, offers public some useful hints and advices on how to make advantage of social media tools.
Likeable Media: It purposes on leveraging social media to build up marketing castle that supports brand, value and services.
Marketing Tech blog: There are media marketing experts to analysis the current development and provide technology and marketing tips for social marketers.
Media First: A blog from a public relations agency to help clients to win new market share and grow revenues and profits with unique marketing tactics.
Media Tapper: The purpose is to discuss day-to-day developments in the social and online media world and share the piece of information globally.
My Social Agency: Provide a series of expert advices and solutions in social media management to keep in touch with the current racing world pace.
Pushing Social: It tells you to do what to publicize and market around through Stanford Smith’s words. He is an online marketing strategist who loves amplifying social tools.
Sales Lion: Read “Why Subscribe” in its site and realize that it is an experience sharing and writing to help people who are involved in sales hardcore and marketing mistakes.
Social Mouths: “I help people be successful online” brings readers to meet Francisco Rosales who determines to help every potential reader creating their brand and expertise.
Social Strand Media: Provide marketing solutions, from social media to marketing campaigns, at free consultation to accelerate your brand beyond the borders.
Spiderworking: Teaching small to medium business how to promote brand and drag online traffic using social media, Amamda Webb shares her knowledge after her first business, Feelgood Organic Hampers.
Splash Media: Contains opinion and analysis from a group of social media, marketing and video professionals. Specifically tailor solution and monitor progress for their clients.
ViralBlog: Ranked #71 in the AdAge Power 150 as well as collects the daily viral and social media cases over the global, in order to inspire people and create the best social strategies.

All these blogs provide businesses up to date information regarding social media, case studies, success stories and great marketing tips.

I love reading weekly mashups from We are Social - http://wearesocial.net/blog/2012/01/we-are-socials-monday-mashup-103/ and Jeffrey Thomas's weekly EdTech Resources Treasure Chest - http://jeffthomastech.com/blog/?p=11829

Alltop covers news from everywhere about social media - http://social-media.alltop.com/ - so this is another great resource to use, share and provide you with inspiration to write your own blog posts, Tweets and updates.

Social Media keeps growing, so it means we have to keep learning! So there has to be a lot reading, reviewing, researching and staying up to date.