Busy Times

Sorry for the lack of posts this past month...I have been busy with Sirf Web Marketing clients. Additionally, I am a co-founder of an organization called Giving Others A Boost. It is a premier networking/fundraising event that supports local entrepreneurs and charities. Last week we raised over $400 dollars for a local not-for-profit cafe that gives back to the community. We also featured four local entrepreneurs that are from the community.

Giving Others a Boost Founders (from left to right): David MacCoubrey, Dianne McEvoy and Gregory Fuchs

As for Sirf Web Marketing Strategies...we have been busy with clients like CMS Consulting Inc. and Gregor's Gourmet. CMS Consulting just released a 3 language website that rounds out their web marketing arsenal. Get ready for a new website for Gregor's Gourmet - coming later in November!

Sirf has been busy marketing for clients such as: Falcon Business Services, Gregor's Gourmet, Sandra Simpson and Teas and Weaves. We have just added a new client to our roster that we will announce in due time. As well, Sirf Web Marketing Strategies has been making important connections in the community that will function to expand its client base. Great things are on the horizon for this new start up.

Keep an eye out soon for more posts that have great SMM tips and Sirf Web Marketing news!

For more information go to Sirf Web Marketing Strategies' website!

Some links for more LinkedIn Tips

Here are some links of interest to help you use LinkedIn to its full potential:

http://www.ianbrodie.com/marketing/linkedin-tips-professionals/

http://blog.linkedin.com/2009/04/07/5-linkedin-tips-on-effective-personal-branding/

http://www.jeffkorhan.com/2011/10/3-invaluable-linkedin-tips.html

http://linkedintobusiness.com/linkedin-tips-tricks/



This is a great little video with tips to effectively use LinkedIn!

LinkedIn - The Professional Solution

LinkedIn is on the business or professional end of the spectrum of social networking sites. The site can be used to market your business, to find a new job or career or to expand you client or professional connections list. An individual can promote their business or post their online resume to contact potential employers. To reach this end, it is designed with the professional user in mind.

The site is unique, in the fact, that it is based on your resume or professional life. The user can give or receive recommendations from other users, much like a resume. As well, a user can utilize various applications to enhance their online curriculum vitae. It is touted as the definitive professional social media website.

An Overview of LinkedIn

Unlike social networking giant Facebook, LinkedIn has no poking, games or frivolous applications. However there are quite a few similarities between the two networking sites. A user can build a unique profile, meet people, join groups, send emails, create ads, and utilize applications.

You can add various applications to your LinkedIn profile, according to your needs. They range from linking to Twitter to displaying your portfolio (or work projects) to ranking lawyers or searching for homes. The apps are available for the professional to tweak their LinkedIn profile to their specific business goals.

There is an email messaging service and you can read other user's updates. You can join and participate in groups, but these groups are specific to your profession or interest.

One of the most important aspects of LinkedIn is the ability to make connections. You need to have permission to become someone's contact on LinkedIn. Actually you might even have to be introduced by another user to become a contact. This is a good thing as it cuts down on spamming and creates a professional venue to network.

Another important component to the LinkedIn site is the ability to recommend other users. Whether they were previous employees or coworkers or a business that you have did work with - you can write a recommendation that is displayed on their profile. This is an excellent way to show off a user's talents or ability to complete a job.

Other business related activities on LinkedIn are the ability to seek work using the site or to write tests to showcase your skills for clients or potential clients. All of these components come together to keep business practices flowing online.

Some Tips for Using LinkedIn Effectively

To market yourself effectively on LinkedIn there are some definite things you should pay attention to. LinkedIn is the professional network and it is less forgiving than other social media sites.

Some definite do's:

1. Do try to expand your network by using the various Connection finding apps.

2. Do link to other social sites (such as your blog or Twitter) to grow your profile. It gives your connections a better glimpse into your personal life.

3. Do utilize the applications that enhance your professional image.

4. Do ask to be introduced to the people that you feel that you should meet. It is a professional networking site - make it work for you.

5. Do join groups and participate in these groups. You never know who reads your posts and realizes your potential.

6. Do recommend people. You want to be recommended too. Hand the favour around.

And of course the don'ts:

1. Do not have an unprofessional or tacky profile picture. Do not use joke pictures or personal pictures to project your professional image.

2. Please...please do not make grammatical and spelling errors. They reflect negatively on your work and overall image.

3. Do not use lower case or initials for your name. I have noticed people naming themselves 'Johnny B' or 'suzie smith' on LinkedIn. This is not professional and creates the image of lazy and unprofessional.

4. Do not post annoying or personal posts on LinkedIn. No one cares that you are tired after a long day at work.

5. Do not spam users using the LinkedIn email!

6. Do not worry about the number of connections on LinkedIn. Instead focus on making the connections you have work for you or your business.

LinkedIn is the business solution for professionals to network online. It is an excellent way to round out your company`s social media marketing or to promote your business to other businesses. Whatever your goals - a properly laid LinkedIn strategy should benefit your company greatly.

The Passing of an Innovator

I couldn't have a blog about social media and design without discussing the life of Apple founder Steve Jobs. His passing this week, from complications due to Pancreatic Cancer, will be considered one of the big stories of the year.

A Very Quick History

On top of being the renowned founder of Apple Computers, he also started NeXT Computers, when 'let go' by Apple Computers in 1985. This computer would be utilized as the first server, used to develop the world wide web by CERN, in 1991.

NeXt would be acquired by Apple Inc. in 1997, and many of the high-end computers components and systems would be integrated into the new Mac computers and OS X operating systems. These additions would be considered the great leap forward for the MacIntosh Computer. Additionally, this acquisition would also bring Jobs back to Apple Inc., where he would pioneer the iMac, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad, once again as CEO.

One other business venture, with Steve Jobs at its head was Pixar (formerly The Graphics Group owned by Lucasfilm). Pixar partnered with the Disney Company and thus landed up making Jobs the leading share-holder at 7%, in the deal. Pixar released such popular animated feature films as: the Toy Story franchise, Finding Nemo, A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc., WALL-E, as well as others.

In short, Steve Jobs had his fingers in a lot of different pots over the years. Innovation and diversification might be a definite recipe for success. Some of his his innovative products over the years ranged from releasing the first successful personal computer with the Apple II in the seventies to the colourful iMac of the early 2000`s to the highly popular iPhone! Pretty good for an adoptee, who dropped out of school after one semester and lived on people's floors.



The Infamous '1984' Superbowl Ad in 1984

Innovations that Shook the World

Many of Steve Jobs' innovations changed the world we live in today. He constantly pushed the borders of computing, design and the way modern man communicates. From personal computing, to the World Wide Web to hand-held devices, Steve Jobs had innovative solutions for every situation.

Most design firms, audio studios and movie production companies exclusively use Mac Computers, for the development of their products. MacIntosh Computers are considered very reliable, user friendly and render top-notch products. Apple monitors are considered to produce the truest colour and the operating systems are highly compatible with design and audio/visual applications. These innovations helped guide the media world into the 21st Century.

Criticisms and Conclusions

Avid Microsoft fans would scoff at Mac products over the years, with such criticisms as; the Mac systems are not easily upgradeable, the high price tag, the interface is different from Microsoft, the design is too weird, there is not enough applications...and the list goes on. Apple positioned itself, in the market, in defiance of the monopoly of Microsoft...not as an imitator, but as an innovator.

There's an old Wayne Gretzky quote that I love. 'I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.' And we've always tried to do that at Apple. Since the very very beginning. And we always will. Steve Jobs 2007

The sheer lifespan of the products and the quality of computing, stand as a beacon for the quality of Apple products. The lack of viruses, superior operating systems and innovative designs drove Apple products to the top of the computing game. Steve Jobs had a vision that was different from the rest of the world and it showed.

Steve Jobs was considered a visionary and innovator. He was also considered an egomaniac, a perfectionist and a micro manager to work with. In contrast, he was considered an excellent person to work with, when the project was favourable in his eyes. He knew what he wanted and did everything to make sure his dreams came to fruition.

Jobs' out-of-the-box thinking, resourcefulness and tenacity could be credited with single-handedly pushing Apple, NeXT and Pixar products to the top of their respective industries. The resulting domino effect having everlasting effects on the computing world. Whatever your thoughts on Steve Jobs' products and life, it is impossible to deny that the world lost one of its innovative thinkers.

"If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" Steve Jobs

If Content is King, then Image is its Strict Mother

I was prompted to write this post today, as I have had to deal with a few different business image issues, this past week. Some businesses don't realize that their image is the most important factor in gaining and retaining clients.

First off, let's define business image. Business image is the overall impression that a business produces for the world to see. This includes: logo, colour themes, graphic and web design, social media presence , customer service, business cards, uniforms, TV commercials, product packaging, company motto and ideals. Image is even portrayed in the choice of font chosen to represent an organization. It even goes so far as to be produced by the behavior of employees, owners and affiliates of the business outside of the workplace.

So as a social media marketer , I thought I would stray a little and talk a bit about more traditional marketing concepts.

One business, that I have been working with in a self-directed, social media marketing campaign, decided to start posting Facebook images and slogans dealing with poverty in third world nations! This sounds harmless enough...right? She was posting very graphic images of sick and hungry children in Africa. These images were accompanied by slogans like "See what capitalism gets you!" or "Where does your money go!".

The heart was demonstrated by the content and no one disagrees that we need to help the less fortunate, but the wrong message was being sent. It sent the opposite message that her feel-good products produced in her customers.

I advised her to start sponsoring a child through a reputable charitable organization and write about the good her charitable dollars were doing. She still got to educate her clients on third world issues, but still produce a positive image for her business!

The other issue I had concerning business image occurred at a networking event, where I was a featured business. The business in question was associated with the event, as well.

They approached me and started telling me that they hate Twitter and social media in general. She told me this, so I would "know right off the bat". She also explained that she was in charge of their company's social media campaign and hated doing it.

I tried to give her some tips and reassurances and she basically brushed me off rudely! I watched her for the rest of the night and found that she was being very abrasive with various people at the event. Someone described her as having a strong personality, but she probably shouldn't be marketing her own business.

This is a very true statement for many small businesses today. The owner has to wear a lot of hats to keep the business going. From boss to janitor to bookkeeper to marketing...it is a hard job especially when just starting out!

My concern is that this person's attitude was reflecting negatively on a great product. Maybe they were tired or had a bad week. When it comes to image, there is little room for excuses.

Another concern was with her social media campaign. If she does not know what she is doing or doesn't like doing social media, it may be reflected in her marketing. People are looking for a genuine and friendly attitude when dealing with a business. Any negative attitudes may shine through in any form of marketing.

As for my business and her...I think I will wait a week or so and offer her a couple of hours of free consultation to see if I can make her marketing shine.

In short, everything a business 'puts out there' reflects on its image. Be careful to make sure your business does everything in it's power to maintain the proper image from having great content to the right colour scheme to good public relations. It is easy to ruin a business image and very hard to rebuild it!

LinkedIn Tips

Here is a great link, with some LinkedIn tips that you must know!

http://www.ianbrodie.com/marketing/linkedin-tips-professionals/

50 Twitter Power Tips

This a great video to learn how to effectively Twitter!

New Facebook - Like It or Lump It!

Facebook unveiled its new layout this past week...much to the dismay of many users. This backlash was demonstrated by the angry comments and protests, posted all over the social network giant's news feeds. Other creative users designed poignant, profile pics that raged against the Facebook machine. Shown below is one such witty design:

 

Not that all comments were negative though. Some users even defended the right of Facebook to change its layout, as it is a free site. Other users simply stated that they like the new layout and didn't understand the fuss. At the very least, the new layout seems to be quite controversial.

Some Notable Changes

Some changes of note are:

1. The addition of the News Feed 'Ticker' in the upper right-hand corner. It seems Facebook has tried to mimic social media rival, Twitter, by adding a real-time news feed stream, that displays the user's friend's activities.

2. Facebook have broken the News Feed into two categories: The Top Stories section and the Recent Stories section. There are also sub-categories listed on the left-hand side, that allow the user to break these streams down into even more categories, such as: Family, Close Friends, Schools and Regions. I believe this was done to combat the rising social site Google+, which allows users to break down "connections" into categories, such as: Friends, Acquaintances, etc.

3. Facebook has also displayed Pages and Groups down the side to make the site more easily navigable.

4. There was also an overhaul of the IM portion. It displays the user's Friends exclusively down the bottom right-hand corner. This was compared to the little bar that used to be there that was accompanied by a 'Face box' displayed on the left.

5. The email has been turned into threads. That means that every correspondence between users is displayed, in a never ending list.

6. Facebook Pages has changed, as well. They have added a Friend Activity tab that displays recent interactions between a page and its Fans.

7. Another addition is the Recommendations tab on the right, that allows Fans to write recommendations for the page. As well, there is a Recommended Pages tab that suggest pages for the admin, based on the liked pages of that page's fans.

Like It or Lump It!

Whether you a fan of the new Facebook layout or not, there is no denying that there is not much that can be done about it. User's just have to get used to the new layout. People do not like change and complain every time Facebook changes. 

In my opinion there are some great changes and other changes were not needed. The blatant attempts to mimic other popular sites was very transparent. However, I do like the changes to Facebook pages section. The ability to Recommend someones business page is a very powerful social media tool. Yet I do not understand the need to change the email into threads - I still prefer the ability to search through individual emails, like the classic email allowed.

On a social media note, it was very interesting to see Facebook users try to leverage the power of social media, to change the layout back to what it was. Even if their campaign was in vain, people are starting to understand the power of social media!

5 Easy Tricks to Get Facebook Fans Fast

Here is another great video!

4 Facebook Marketing Tips

This is a good beginner video!

Tips for Marketing Via Facebook

People want to get out and market their small business, utilizing the power of social media networks. They are instantly drawn to social media giant Facebook. With its sheer size (with over 750 million users) and a very user-friendly interface, it is an easy pick for adding a knock-out punch to any small business' social media marketing campaign. The main problem is that many businesses do not properly leverage their Facebook presence, by running their social media campaigns on Facebook poorly.

Many of these mistakes are easily avoidable or fixable! This post will briefly discuss some basic do's and don'ts of marketing using Facebook.

Facebook Marketing Don'ts

1. One major don't that is a common mistake amoung novice marketers, is to use a personal Facebook profile to market their business! This is in contrast to using the Facebook business page to market your business. This is wrong on a few levels.

First off ,(to be blunt) it is considered a bit tacky to use the personal profile to push a business. Facebook created specific business sites, so users can choose to like a page on their own. If you are running a properly planned campaign your numbers should grow anyways.

Secondly, your business loses the ability to track your campaign`s progress by utilizing Facebook Insights. It tracks your page's user's comments, likes or posts. This is a valuable tool when gauging how successful your social media campaign is.

And at last, you lose some of the features of having a business page, that are important to any business campaign, such as having multiple administrators, the ability to produce business badges (widgets used to market your site elsewhere), an embedded map to your business, greater control over what information target markets receive, the use of Facebook ads and quite a bit of other great features.

In short-please use a Facebook business page!

2. Even if using a proper business page, some small businesses make the mistake of pushing their business too hard on Facebook or having bad content. It makes the business come off as spam or impersonal and (more importantly) may be alienating clients or at the very (but not) least engaging them improperly.

3. Having a bad personal profile may negatively influence your business. Just because you have a separate business page-does not mean that the two are inseparable. Whatever you post on your personal page can influence what people think of you and your business.

So please don`t post pictures of yourself on vacation drunk on the beach or watch what games you play on Facebook. These create an image of you and ultimately your business. Image is everything.

4. Facebook users are more forgiving than the other social media site`s users in terms of grammar and spelling errors. However, it is important to try to keep the mistakes to a minimum. Bad spelling and glaring errors can reflect on the professionalism of your business.

5, Do not alienate anyone on Facebook. You never know who your potential client is going to be. If they do not fit your mould of what you think your client should be...you might be wrong!

There are some of the don`ts for marketing via the Facebook business page. We will move on to some do`s to make your campaign sizzle.

The Do`s of Facebook Marketing

1. Be very personable and engaging. This is what promotes your business personality. Facebook is first and foremost a social site. Use the social aspect to make your business shine in the social sphere.

2. Do use a custom banner on your business page. You can design a custom banner that is 180 by 540 pixels wide.  Make your business stand above the rest of the business` sporting the cookie-cutter, Facebook business page profile pictures.

You can put your logo, a picture, address, phone number, website and email on this banner. With proper layout, you can make it look nice and have all of your vital information on your home page...and it is different

3. Do post interesting links, videos and pictures. It gives the audience something to enjoy and creates a dialogue with them. Interesting and dynamic content engages the target market and allows them to experience your awesome business, as well as, allows for them to give valuable feedback.

4. Try to post interesting content regularly. People may be really engaging your content. Just keep it coming.

5. Engage and support other businesses on Facebook. They are customers too.

I hope this post helps out with your Facebook marketing. There will be more posts soon.

Content is KING says Social Media Director Jon Davey

Make your content 'smile'

If Content is King...then Planning is its Top Advisor

If content is considered the social media king...then 'planned strategies' must be its top advisor. Many businesses start marketing via social media without a planned strategy. This might work for a little while, but may cause undesirable effects in the long run.

A social media campaign must be perfectly planned from the onset to be effective. Considerations must be made for: what social media outlets will be utilized; to who will implement the campaign; to how the business with interact with target markets. This is where planned content comes into play.

Although social media marketing is not overt, like traditional marketing, it is still marketing. By strategically planning your SMM campaign and ultimately your content, your business can maximize the effectiveness of its social media campaign.

Reasons for Planning Content

1. You can target certain demographics. You can plan to use content that appeals to specific target demographics to draw them to your social media campaign.

2. You avoid sending out the wrong message. Recently, I was informed of a new business owner using their personal Facebook page to push their business. That doesn't seem so bad...right?

At the same time as pushing their business, their profile page was filled with notifications of the business owner playing of Texas Hold Em' Poker, all day long. They came off looking like a gambling addict and maybe lazy. These are very negative images for a business, especially a startup. This image was a result of neglecting to plan what their social media content would be and who was seeing it.

3. Planning content allows the business to have greater control over what products/services are being marketed. If a business feels a product or a service is not selling, they can utilize a SMM campaign to bolster sales.

A client of mine has business with multiple revenue streams. We sit down and plan strategic ways to covertly market these very different products. Properly laid content is the best way to push specific products that need to move.

4. Additionally, if a product or a service is not selling well, planning more content around that product may lead the business owner to find out the reason why. Client interactions are important to the developing (or changing) products to suit client's needs. By generating meaningful content, businesses can gain valuable feedback from clients that can directly affect their businesses.

Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Google and Motorola Concerns

Google has been making a lot of headlines lately: from launching the newest social media network Google+; to where Google purchases Motorola for 12.5 billion dollars; and currently where antitrust concerns are being raised about the purchase.

According to both companies, do not let that worry you, that the sale will go through and that concerns are always raised in sales this large.

As for Android and what is going on with it-Google states.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Other hardware makers, such as: Samsung, HTC, LG, Kyocera and Sony Ericsson (other producers of smartphones that utilize Google's Android) may have reasons to worry,..the merger may result in a strong competitor with an insider edge, and they publically support the deal. However, Google getting into the hardware business will put the search engine company in direct competition with them.

There are other consequences of Google entering the mobile ring. What changes will it bring to the mobile industry? Can beleaguered Blackberry be able to withstand another blow in the mobile world?

Additionally, is Google going to allow Facebook on its mobile devices, in favor of Google +? If they pull Facebook off of their devices, (much like Apple did by leaving Adobe Flash off of their iPads and iPhones) it could have far ringing consequences to Facebook and the mobile industry.

These are important questions as the already powerful Google expands its company. It is definitely something for Social Media Marketers to keep an eye on!

Introduction to Sirf Web Marketing Strategies

This is the introduction video for Sirf Web Marketing Strategies!

Why Social Marketing is Better than Traditional Marketing

This is a great little video. People are getting tired of one-way, in your face traditional marketing. You can really connect with customers using social media!

Facebook Marketing Statistics, Demographics, Reports, and News

Here are a myriad of websites that have statistics on social media sites!

http://www.checkfacebook.com/

http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/canada

http://socialmediastatistics.wikidot.com/facebook

http://greenhatdigital.com/social-media-marketing/statcounter-global-stats/

http://edlee.ca/2008/06/03/canadian-internet-usage-statistics/

http://greenhatdigital.com/social-media-marketing/statcounter-global-stats/

Next is Now

Good to have a Canadian Perspective

Some Twitter Tips

Everyone wants to push their company or products on Twitter. Social media is not about being pushy, but rather it is about engaging people and building relationships with them. Having only a few characters to engage your audience makes it a complicated task. Here are some tips to properly market your business on Twitter:

Do:

1. Thank people for following you on Twitter. Try to mention something unique about them to let them know that you are paying attention or give a polite and friendly salutation.

2. Use the @ sign when addressing someone (such as @sirfmarketing) to allow them to have some exposure in the @mentions sections and so they will know that you mentioned them. They may respond back!

3. Use the # sign to differentiate identifiers for people (such as 'Have a good day in #Penticton @sirfmarketing. I hope you enjoy #Peachfest this year!) This allows for keywords to be created to identify trends and locate people.

4. Please be genuine. People are tired of false, pushy advertising.

5. Talk like you normally would. Don't use slang or colloquialisms or be over wordy. Just be natural. It is a great way to interface with your audience.

6. Do follow people back.

Here are some don'ts:

1. Don't push yourself too much. Try to talk about your industry or business by providing quotes, telling jokes or posting relevant links. It is a covert marketing scheme.

2. Please do not use an auto-responder. Just because you can use an auto-responder email on Twitter-don't. It comes off as tacky and annoying and very impersonal.

3. Do not alienate people on Twitter. You never know who is going to be a potential client or who is a friend of a potential client.

4. Never talk bad about a competitors business - it just makes your business look bad.

5. Do not ask people to follow you on Facebook. It is assumed that you are already on Facebook...or place the link in the little profile section on top. It is very unprofessional and tacky to push yourself so hard on people.

I hope these tips help you out when using Twitter to market your business.

Happy tweeting and good luck.

Sirf Web Marketing Strategies

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I have been starting a new web marketing business and have been very busy. It is called Sirf Web Marketing Strategies, located in Penticton, British Columbia in the sunny Okanagan. It will be offering social media marketing, web development, graphic design and much more!

Go to http://www.sirfmarketing.com/ if you want learn more about my company.

Keep an eye out here for more posts soon.

Social Mediopolis Website

http://changetheworld.tradepub.com/category/marketing/1211/

This site has a lot of good stuff on it!

LinkedIn Tips

http://socialmediatoday.com/jenniferlb/304669/four-good-reasons-not-be-linkedin-smartypants

This is a great article with some tips on making your LinkedIn profile awesome!

Employee Bloggers Increase Blog Visitors

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/16016/How-to-Turn-Employees-Into-an-Epic-Blogging-Team.aspx?source=Blog_Email_%5bHow+to+Turn+Employee%5d

Some great tips to increase traffic to your business by encouraging your employees to blog.

Some points of interest are:

1. Even if your employees haven't blogged before-a little education goes a long way.

2. Cure the Curse of Knowledge- The Curse of Knowledge is when employees have extensive knowledge that they take it for granted that everyday people know this knowledge. Once employees conquer this 'curse' they will really start having great interactions with their readers.

3. One way to educate these employees is to brainstorm and identify target markets, blog content, personas, etc.

4. Create an editorial safety net-by having a second person checking employees posts- it creates confidence in writings and may help overcome any weaknesses that the writer may have.

5. If it is working...don't be afraid to celebrate the winning-the company in this article awarded decent prizes to the top 3 writers each quarter.

I have a few points to add since I am on the subject. I believe that by allowing employees to blog-it adds a more human feel to your busy. Sometimes in the day-to-day operation of a business, employees can become automatic in behavior and actions. By allowing employees to blog, you add a humanity component to your business and personalize your marketing.

Additionally by having your employees blog you strengthen the image of expertise about your business. If everyone is putting in their 'two-cents worth' , the pool of talent can be showcased for your business.

The more detailed the information about your business, it's practices and procedures, the more educated your client will be when dealing with your business.

And last but not least, it may be fun for your employees. Not all employees may be comfortable with having to write a publicly visible piece of work. Those who do enjoy writing will have fun. Some people might find that they enjoy it and may be a way to break up their week with something different.

So having employees blog is great to helping your business achieve greater success.

Book: The Zen of Social Marketing Media

http://www.marketingzen.com/the-zen-of-social-media-marketing-an-ebook-for-the-lost/

This is a recent read of mine-very informative about what is going on in the social media marketing sphere. It is a must read for any social marketer!



An Introduction by Shama!

LinkedIn Goes Public

http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/05/19/linkedins-road-to-ipo-infographic/

All about LinkedIn and its history up to going public. An interesting view of the professional social network!

Social Media Statistics & Facts 2010

Did You Know: Social Media Video

Meta Tags for Blogger

http://www.bloggertricks.com/2007/12/adding-meta-tags-to-bloggerblogspot.html

This is a good site to show you how to add meta tags to your blogger site to increase visibility on search sites.

Social Media Statistics - 2010 Stats Canada

http://www.parl.gc.ca/Content/LOP/ResearchPublications/2010-05-e.htm

Note: This was taken from the website link listed above. I believe the facts are relevant to Canadian social media strategists!

Although the adoption of social media1 has been rapid and widespread in Canada, rates of use vary considerably between demographic groups. This paper reviews recent statistics that demonstrate differences between older and younger Canadians, men and women, Anglophones and Francophones, immigrants and native-born Canadians, and urban and rural dwellers in their rates of Internet and social media use.

1 Age

According to Statistics Canada, age is a significant predictor of Internet use, even when factors such as level of education and household income are taken into account. In 2007, 94% of those aged 15 to 24 used the Internet. In addition, the vast majority of baby boomers (those aged 45 to 64) used the Internet. Among those aged 45 to 54, 85% were users, as were 70% of those aged 55 to 64. On the other hand, those over 65 were significantly less likely to use the Internet: rates of use were 45% for those aged 65 to 74 and only 21% for those 75 and over.2

Internet use has increased in all age categories since 2000, seniors being the fastest growing group of users (Figure 1). Furthermore, since younger and middle-aged people are likely to continue using the Internet as they get older, age-related differences in usage are expected to decline over time.3

Figure 1 – Rates of Internet Use, by Age Group, Selected Years

Source: Ben Veenhof and Peter Timusk, “Online activities of Canadian boomers and seniors,” Canadian Social Trends, Statistics Canada, Cat. no. 11-008, Winter 2009, No. 88, p. 26.

These differences in Internet usage are reflected in the statistics on social media, which show that younger groups use these modes of communication to a far greater extent than older groups. In 2007, 34% of Canadians aged 16 to 34 contributed content on the Internet by blogging, participating in discussion groups, or uploading photos. In comparison, only 13% of users aged 35 to 54 contributed content, while 9% of those aged 55 to 64 and a mere 4% of those aged 65 and over did so.4 In June 2009, Ipsos Reid reported that 86% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 who used the Internet had a social network profile, as compared with only 44% of those aged 55 and over.5

Figure 2 – Home Internet Users Who Contributed Content, by Age Group, 2007

Source: B. Veenhof et al., “How Canadians’ Use of the Internet Affects Social Life and Civic Participation,”Connectedness Series, Statistics Canada, Cat. no. 56F0004M, No. 16, December 2008, p. 21.

Data from the United States show similar trends. A survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project found that, in December 2008, 75% of adults aged 18 to 24 who used the Internet had a profile on a social network site. This rate was less than 20% among those 45 years of age and older and just 7% among those 65 and older.6

It would appear that some social network sites are more popular with certain age groups than with others. Another survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, conducted in the fall of 2009 in the United States, found that Facebook users tended to be older than MySpace users: the median age for Facebook users was 33, while the median age for MySpace was 26. The median age of users of the business-oriented LinkedIn social network site was 39. The survey also found that younger Internet users (those aged between 18 and 44) were more likely than older users to use Twitter or similar status-update services.7

2 Gender

According to Statistics Canada survey results for 2007, an equal proportion of Canadian men and women – just under 75% – had used the Internet in the previous year.8 However, their patterns of use were different: men used the Internet at home more often and for longer periods than women,9 and earlier data showed that women were more likely than men to use the Internet to communicate with family and friends.10 Data from the United States indicate similar patterns: survey findings reported in 2005 showed that men were more likely to go online than women, and that women were more likely than men to use the Internet for personal communication.11

Gender differences are also apparent in the use of social media specifically. A 2009 Ipsos Reid survey of Canadians aged 18 and over who go online showed that women (59%) were slightly more likely to have a social network profile than men (52%) and that Facebook was the dominant social networking site among Canadian adults. Of the women with online personal social network profiles, almost all (92%) had a Facebook profile. The next most popular social networking sites for the women surveyed were Windows Live Spaces (20%) and MySpace (17%). Men with an online social network personal profile were less likely than women to use Facebook (75%) but, similarly to women, 18% of men used Windows Live Spaces and 17% used MySpace (see Figure 3).12

Another 2009 survey by Ipsos Reid revealed that women (36%) were more likely than men (23%) to access a social networking site through their mobile device.13 A 2009 study by the communications firm People From Cossette showed that the topic most discussed by men online (20%) was leisure activities, while expressing feelings was the most frequent subject for women (19%).14 The study also indicated that, although men (25.9%) spent more time online than women (22.5%), women spent a greater proportion of this time on social networking sites.

Figure 3 – Percentage of Canadian Adults with an Online Social Media Personal Profile, by Site and Gender, 2009

Source: Ipsos Reid, What? You Don’t Have a Social Network Profile? You Are Now in the Minority, 19 June 2009.

3 Linguistic Groups

On the whole, Internet use in Canada is higher among Anglophones than Francophones, but this difference is less pronounced among younger people. Among 12,000 Canadians surveyed in 2008, 83% of Anglophones and 75% of Francophones reported that they had used the Internet during the past month (Table 1). Differences in the rate of use were most pronounced in older populations. Use among Anglophones aged 35 to 49 years was 91%, as compared with 86% for Francophones, while the corresponding rates among those over 50 years of age were 70% and 56%. On the other hand, among younger people, there was very little difference between Anglophones and Francophones in their rates of Internet use. In 2008, Internet use among those aged 18 to 34 years stood at 95% for Anglophones and 93% for Francophones.15 Survey results for earlier years show that usage has increased in all age groups, but has been consistently higher among Anglophones compared with their Francophone counterparts.

In 2008, about 46% of Anglophone Internet users used social networking sites, as compared with just over 30% of Francophone users.16

Table 1 – Percentage of Canadians Who Used the Internet, by Age and Linguistic Group

	2003		2005		2007		2008
	Anglo- phone	Franco- phone	Anglo- phone	Franco- phone	Anglo- phone	Franco- phone	Anglo- phone	Franco- phone
Overall	68	58	77	65	81	71	83	75
18–34	84	79	91	86	95	91	95	93
35–49	78	66	84	76	89	84	91	86
50 +	48	34	60	43	66	51	70	56

Data source: Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, “CRTC Communications Monitoring Report,” August 2009, p. 173.

4 New Canadians

New Canadians tend to use the Internet differently from those who are Canadian-born. They are more likely to use it to communicate with friends and family, particularly those back home. Indeed, in 2007 new Canadians were much more likely to make telephone calls over the Internet or to use instant messaging than were the Canadian-born. As far as contributing content on the Internet was concerned, however, new Canadians were slightly less likely than the Canadian born to do so – 17%, as compared with 21%.17

5 Urban and Rural Dwellers

Canadians living in rural areas are generally less likely to use the Internet than their urban counterparts. In 2007, 76% of urban Canadians used the Internet for personal reasons, while only 65% of rural Canadians did so. Canadians living in urban areas also participate in a greater variety of online activities than do those living in rural areas. This is partly due to the lack of high-speed service in many rural areas. As for contributing content on the Internet, in 2007, 21% of urban Canadians but only 16% of rural Canadians did so.18

---

Social Media Marketing Tutorial Part 1 - Facebook for Business

This is a series of 3 videos, focusing mainly on Facebook. They are pretty good, because they outline the reasons why Facebook is good; the ways to effectively market using Facebook and some ideas for general social marketing.

Some general ideas presented are-Content is King; Influence Customers with Facebook; Listen to Customers; Effective use of Facebook Groups and the Proper Use of Social Networks. Watch them all for some great tips to properly market your business!

Social Media Marketing Facebook Tutorial Part 2

Social Media Marketing Part 3 - Facebook Groups Tutorial

Why companies should invest in a Social Media Professional

I am going to use a quote from a previous video:

"Social media marketing is like teenage sex, everyone wants to do it, no one knows how to do it and everyone is disappointed once it has been done."

Maybe it is good to leave it to the hands of the professional-it is implemented properly, it saves you time and energy and just because you can do it does not mean that you are doing it properly!

A link for a good general overview of social media!

http://www.asaecenter.org/wiki/?Page=Social%20Media

Did You Know; Shift Happens - Globalization; Information Age

This video was shown to me by a friend-who thought that it would be informative and of interest to my blog.

This video goes to show that the power of the Computer and the Internet are growing exponentially. It also highlights the point that the population is growing, as well, especially in India and China. This is an interesting point for business and marketing.

It is interesting because a consequence of globalization, better travel/shipping and the internet, that a world market is more easily accessible, when and where it wasn't before. This means untapped market potential for a business that takes times to socially integrate and market their business properly, and it is only growing.

Are you using the power of the internet and social media to their full potential to benefit your business?

Social Media Strategy 2010

Social media checklist | What to do before engaging | Social media agenc...

North Social Branding Email

http://email.northcontact.com/t/ViewEmail/r/532D41DDFBF2404F/3300B65806F3A3BDF99AA49ED5AF8B9E

Without A Brand, Your Social Will Suffer

It’s pretty simple, if you don’t already have a strong brand strategy, then you’re not properly equipped to build long-lasting relationships on Facebook or any other social network for that matter. Take care of your brand first and you’ll live long and prosper on Facebook. So before you encourage your staff to quickly try to concept and launch a meaningful social marketing experience, make sure everyone is up to speed on your brand taxonomies (brand personality, brand values, brand equities, brand promise, your targets’ emotional and rational needs). Yes, Facebook is a tremendous marketing tool for developing deeper connections with your consumer and inspiring them to take action. We're huge fans of jumping right in, but you should consider yourself warned... If you don't have a brand personality, this lack of charisma will be magnified by social media. But to be sure your page doesn’t end up in the Sickbay, don’t forget to first figure out if your brand is funny, helpful, nerdy, or nice. The last thing you need is a split personality that makes your fans think you're from another planet. Cheers, The North Social Team

Pagemodo Review

http://pagemodo.com/

One of my complaints about Facebook is that you cannot really modify your page. That is where 3rd party application Pagemodo comes in. It is a design/template application that let's you add a custom look to your otherwise cookie-cutter looking Facebook page!

You can get one page (with small footer) for free, or you can pay for extra pages starting at $6.25 per month for 3 pages up to $33.25 per month for 15 pages. The pricing really is not that bad! However it adds to your Facebook page budget. This cost is coupled with advertising your Facebook page with their ad service, your regular website costs with set-up fee and monthly fees and any other social media marketing, such as Twitter or Myspace... and your online marketing costs are now compounding. Yet if you don't mind spending the money-it is a great way to make you Facebook page standout.

The setup of your page was fairly straight forward and easy. You just plug and play images and text into a template. The templates aren't too numerous, but considering you can customize the look, colour, images and text...you can still make a really nice little addition to your Facebook page. It is alright as far as a free online WYSIWYG application goes.

One problem I had was that there were not spots for links on your Pagemodo page. Additionally-I wanted mine to be a welcome page and Facebook did not seem to link to the Pagemodo page very well, when I wanted it to become the default landing spot on my page. Overall, I did like the look and feel and the price for free was just right!

David MacCoubrey on the Behance Network

David MacCoubrey on the Behance Network

This is a post of my portfolio if you want to check out what I do.

New Facebook Deals

http://mashable.com/2011/04/25/facebook-deals-screenshots/

http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-deals-launch-2011-4

Some more changes coming to Facebook-added firepower to the Social Media Integration experts and for your business. It is starting out in 5 cities-then it will spread if it works. One point of difference from other coupon sites, such as Groupon, is the ability to use Facebook credits to buy in. Social Media experts are going to be watching this one to see how it all pans out.

Various Profile Picture Sizes

http://www.personalbrandingblog.com/the-2009-personal-avatar-size-reference-guide/

This is a good link to let you know the profile sizes for various social media sites-from Facebook and Twitter to a myriad of blogs and other sites! Having these dimensions allows for you to have clearer, well placed images, as well as allow for you to maximize space to add extra information if possible.

He recommends http://mypictr.com/ for the less graphically knowledgeable social media butterflies! I haven't tried it, but am handing on the information.

Colour Scheme Generator

This is a good tool if you you are having problems with colour for your designs...check it out! Great if you have a mental block or just want to try something new!

The Colour Scheme Generator

http://www.youthedesigner.com/2011/04/05/20-color-scheme-generators-for-web-and-graphic-designers/

The Future of Social Media

This is an in depth look at the future of Social Media and the decline of traditional advertising. It is very informative and direct... an excellent video to watch!

I will paraphrase Gerd Leonhard's timeline/terminology for to make it easier to understand:

12-18 Months-Privacy will become the issue as people learn to integrate with the changing social media role in advertising.

12-18 months-Digital Jetlag-people will have to adapt to the new social media powers that are almost overwhelming.

18 Months- Realtime Social Feedback will take the forefront of marketing.

18 Months-Population will have to realize that they are in a Socially Augmented Reality.

18 Months-The start of the Extreme Reputation Economy-where people take control and traditional controlled media is declining.

12-24 Months-Resistance to the media marketing trend will diminish changing the view on copyright and the way the population is in the state of media control.

12-24 Months-Intelligent Automated Social Agents-automated programs that help streamline media into categories that make it easier to access information.

12-24 Months-Mindshare & Market share-a the population realizes that intellectual property has divested, and begin to share the once guarded copyrighted items, etc.... they will find their market share increasing.

2 Years-One-way communication from a non-trusted source is 99% useless.

2-3 Years-The world will begin to have the Global Social Brain.

4 Years- Social Media advertising will be 30% of digital use.

4 Years-5 Billion users will be connected on the internet and mobile devices.

5 Years-1/3 of the population will be engaged in this Social Media Reality.

Leonhard also mentioned a few phrases of interest:

Businesses are going to have to get used to the fact that they are not there to create but to divest.

Also if people cannot find your business in Social Media-then your business does not exist!!!

Soon people are going to trust strangers on their media accounts more than they are going to trust CEO's.

Pretty much to sum up the Video-businesses better be braced to get in on this technology or their businesses will sink in this new social media age!

Social Media in Plain English - 24 Translation(s) | dotSUB

I thought that this was a funny little video to explain, in simplistic terms, why social media marketing is a good strategy to market your business. It didn't make me crave pickle ice cream though!

Social Media in Plain English - 24 Translation(s) | dotSUB

Walmart is jumping into the social media ring!

You know if Walmart is entering the market that there is definitely something to the product. This article explains that the term "social commerce" is much more than a buzz word!

More Media Marketing Tips-6 Branding Strategies for Your Facebook Profile Pic

Click here for: 6 Branding Strategies for Your Facebook Profile Picture

Some good tips-it creates more visibility of your vital information, can provide more instant information to grab a new potential client's attention and it makes your page look better. A good tip!

Social Media Marketing Tips-Creating an RSS Feed for your blog!

RSS Feeds are an excellent and easy way for your users to access your blog.

Social Media Website Critique #2-Twitter

Today, I am going to discuss the pros and cons of Twitter. The third largest (and growing) social media website is definitely a marketing powerhouse to be discussed further. As stated before, these critiques are only looking at the business capabilities of the site.

First off, we need some stats to view the Twitter phenomenon properly. I am using facts reported on the Wikipedia site about Twitter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

Twitter is estimated to have over 200 million users, just after its 5^th birthday. There are 65 million messages or 'tweets' a day generated. The tweets themselves are not allowed to be any longer than 140 characters long.

Pear Analytics a market research firm investigated Twitter in 2009 and reported some numbers as to the content of the tweets. 40% are pointless babble, 38% are conversational, 9% have pass along value, 6% are self promotion, 4% are news and spam. We will discuss these numbers a bit more later in this article.

As I mentioned before in this blog, Twitter can only boast a retention rate of 40% because most users leave after a month. So the website may only reach 10% of internet users. (Neilson Online, 2009)

In the U.S., 53% of Twitter users are women. 63% of all users are under the age of 35. Also 5% of all users make up 75% of all use! (Sysomos, 2009) 60% are Caucasian, 16% are African-American and 11% are Hispanic. And at last, 58% of all users come from a household that makes an average of $60,000 a year. (Quancast)

Twitter is a powerful marketing tool, because of it's amount of users and the fact that it forces users to create short and concise messages. The short messages can contain precise information to market your business or product. It is a fast and efficient way to advertise, as well as it is free. These short messages are perfect for a world that survives on mobile devices. Additionally, users are can provide feedback quickly and easily to aid in the marketing of your company.

However after looking at the numbers, I would not consider it as powerful of a marketing tool, as Facebook. The low retention rate means that your information may be falling on deaf ears. However, do not be discouraged, the more that businesses use Twitter for marketing, the more effective of a marketing tool it becomes. Also it is still fairly new and it may take the users a while longer to stop generating 'senseless babble'.

Twitter still holds a lot of water, when it comes to marketing to a large mass market...this is good for businesses that rely on mail order or online businesses, as Twitter can push people towards their site.

When coupled with couponing sites (the newest rage-I will talk about later in this blog), Twitter can also push people to your coupons.

Twitter also connects well with other media sites, such as MySpace, LinkedIn, etc. This is good when you want to create a good flow between all of your media outlet sites. Twitter also allows for good Twitter stats pages so you can monitor your marketing campaign with Twitter.

Twitter has been developing better video and photo integration technologies. As well, Twitter is currently updating it's homepage, however, as of March 5^th, 2011, they were having problems with their new look. Generally Twitter has an uptime rate of 95%, which is fairly good.

Some drawbacks of Twitter are that your message may be lost in the wave of senseless babble, as well your message may be perceived as spam, if not implemented properly. Hard core pitches, over tweeting, bad word choice and auto-generated responses may create a spam image for your business. If you use a professional, this should not be a problem.

Other issues are that your followers are harder to pin-point, unlike Facebook. It is hard to find out who, what and where your followers are. This is not good when you want to market your business close to home.

Overall Twitter is an excellent addition to any social media arsenal. It is just good to know who want to reach and what you want from your campaign before you proceed.