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Tumblr must be feeling quite proud this week.
comScore recently published some data that helps to demonstrate some very impressive growth for the blogging platform. It’s audience grew from 4.2 million visitors in July 2010 to 13.4 million visitors in July 2011. Yes, that is some serious growth!
While I have not personally spent too much time with Tumblr, I have had the chance to work with a few B-to-C companies that have experienced decent success thanks to the service. I expect that as more people start to see these numbers and the upward trends, many may investigate if they can incorporate Tumblr into their social networking efforts.
Of course, as in the case of all marketing channels, companies will want to analyze if a channel makes sense to them. Is their audience there? If not, will they be there soon?
Either way, statistics like these from comScore may certainly encourage companies that may have ignored Tumblr until now to find the answer to those questions.
According to an August 2011 report [PDF] from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 65% of online adults use social networking sites.
Initially, I almost thought that percentage would have been higher than that. But it helps to look back at where that number was just a few years ago. In 2008, 29% reported social networking usage. Thus, adoption of social networking sites has more than doubled in the past 3 years from that group.
What does that growth mean to your business?
When it comes to your business, studies like this may motivate you to analyze the growth of your own social networking usage over the past couple of years. Here are a few questions that you may want to find answers to:
- Have you increased the amount of time that you spend participating in social networks?
- Have you attended more webinars, downloaded more white papers, or read more articles on social networking best practices?
- Have you spent time training other employees on how they can use social networks to help your business?
- Are you looking for ways to incorporate social networks into other areas of your business, such as marketing, customer service, and HR?
- Do you feel more comfortable on how to measure your social networking activities than you did a year ago?
- Are the majority of your marketing and sales employees supportive of your company using social networks? Or do they not believe it can work?
The Pitch
If you are looking for help in either finding answers to those questions or in finding ways to change how your company is using social networks, we can help.
Contact our sales team today to learn more >>
Are you looking for ways to gather testimonials, reviews, or other feedback from your customers?
If so, some people might tell you to “Close down Facebook and get back to work!“.
However, I’m here to tell you that you can use Facebook to accomplish those goals.
How so? Target Marketing magazine actually recently published an article that I wrote on that subject. It provides strategies and tactics that your company could possibly incorporate to use that social networking tool to grow your business.
Click here to read the full article >>
So I’m sitting here on this rainy Monday morning in the office and I started thinking about ways that I can optimize my time while working at my computer. Some times I will go onto my iTunes and listen to a podcast that discusses social media and mobile marketing but this weather is just making me feel lazy and tired and the droning voices of my podcast’s are putting me to sleep. Then it dawned on me, why couldn’t I go on YouTube and watch videos that provide me with the same content quickly and with a much more appealing presentation. As I scan through the vast collection of videos and slide shows I thought it might be helpful to share with you my thoughts on helping yourself gain the most out of your YouTube channel.
Depending on the content I explore I like to share and collect content that I find interesting. I currently help promote a couple of different social media accounts and depending on where I feel necessary I share content that is relevant and interesting to that account. So if I stumble across a video that provides good content I will usually “like” the video from a related account and then work on connecting with not only my audience but the audience of that video. I will either comment directly on the video or I will leave a comment on my Facebook wall or the wall of a page that I find the content relevant to. For example, I help manage the social networking sites for the Charlton College of Business at UMass Dartmouth and if I came across a video that teaches me how to maximize my presence on LinkedIn and it is relevant to college graduates I will “like” it through the Charlton College of Business’ YouTube channel and then shorten the link and post it to my Facebook page and Twitter handle. I can follow how effective these videos are to my audience by tracking my links and posting links that are relevant and interesting. Most people don’t realize the effectiveness of using YouTube as a social network but it is personalized TV where you can gather a collection of videos that you want to view and share them with people you think will benefit from them. Here’s a video to get yourself started;
Now create a channel, produce content of your own and connect with other channels that are producing similar content to maximize your YouTube experience. There is so much you can learn on YouTube so start creating your collection of videos that are there to help you for completely free.
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I’m happy to announce that interlinkONE and Grow Socially CEO John Foley, Jr. will be speaking at the 2011 NAPL Owners Conference.
The Owners Conference takes place September 8th through 10th, 2011 in Chicago, IL.
Details of the Presentation
John is speaking on Friday, September 9th from 9:45am to 10:45am. The theme of his presentation is ”Print + Mobile – Understanding QR Codes”.
Here is a brief overview of what John will be covering:
This presentation is focused on providing best practices for companies that want to use QR Codes to reach the mobile audience. You will learn about QR code case studies across various industries, creation and design options, and also techniques for ensuring that your web content is optimized for mobile phone.
Your company has probably had a website for a while now, but is it time for you to redesign? In the jungle that is the world wide web, only a very few websites rise above the tangled masses. Keeping viewers on a site for just a few seconds more can make all the difference.
The nature of corporate websites have changed, and it starts with a blog. Having a blog on your new site is necessary when looking to increase SEO, or search engine optimization. You can write about relevant topics, upcoming company events, and really anything that you want your potential clientele to see. A blog is a seamless, easy way to integrate all of your news in one place.
Second, people are now looking for website on their mobile devices on a regular basis. And your website could be the determining factor when the mobile user is deciding where to take his or her business. Ideally, your company will also have a mobile-friendly site that lends itself well to the mobile consumer. Websites have become a part of the decision-making process, and having a site that has all of your important information right in the customer’s hands is essential to driving business into your store.
Aside from a mobile site, your traditional site should also be aesthetically pleasing and be consistent with the branding of your company. It should be a digital ambassador to your company. A warm and inviting interface can reinforce positive feelings towards your company. Also, integrate the capabilities of interaction on your site. Let your audience submit their email, or comment, or provide a way for you to aggregate a data base for eNewsletters.
Having a social media platform is designed to drive traffic to your site. You don’t want a nicely laid out Facebook page that links to a cluttered, poorly-designed website. That is detrimental to your business, and will ultimately drive traffic away from your site.
So consider an overhaul of your website. It may be a venture worth investing in.
Here is another entry in the Grow Socially blog, this one about increasing your SEO.
Yes, there is a lot of buzz in the marketing world about Google+. While much of it may be justified, there are still many opportunities for individuals to take advantage of existing features in social networks that have been around for a bit longer.
Below are 6 questions (and answers!) that may help you get more out of LinkedIn, especially if you are looking for work.
1. What are some of the most important features on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn allows you to upload your resume right to your profile, which is a fantastic feature. Potential employers have the most important document that you can produce. The time you spend crafting a solid resume is validated when you open it up to the LinkedIn audience. You can also integrate your Twitter feed into your LinkedIn profile. If you are Tweeting about topics relevant to your industry or field of study, this feature becomes very helpful. Finally, utilize the Groups and Discussions that LinkedIn offers. This is the best way to connect with other professionals in specific fields and interests. You can add your two cents to an ongoing discussion, or you can simply connect with people you would have not met otherwise.
2. Can LinkedIn actually get me a job?
It absolutely can. If you are connecting with the right people, and you provide the right information, anything can happen. There is even a job listing section right on LinkedIn, which makes it very easy to apply for the jobs you want in your area. Also, some company pages have an “Apply Here” section.
3. How do I get my profile out to the public?
When you sign up for LinkedIn, your profile will have its own URL, much like Facebook or Twitter. You can customize this URL, which is in your best interest. Now, you can use this URL anywhere. Place it on your resume or Tweet about it, so that all of your Twitter followers can easily find you on LinkedIn. Also, make sure you join the groups that your former employers are involved with. Be as connected as possible.
4. How do I make my profile stand out to potential employers?
Unlike your resume, your profile can house as much information as you could possibly want. Elaborate and add past jobs and responsibilities. Your profile is like your personal billboard. Advertise yourself. Have past colleagues write recommendations for you.
5. What kind of people should I connect with on LinkedIn?
Everyone! Every connection you make is an opportunity to make a meaningful contact for the future. LinkedIn is inherently different from Facebook. On Facebook, there is a certain level of apprehension when considering to friend request someone you don’t really know. On LinkedIn, you should adopt the opposite mentality. Connect with people in your field, people that interest you, or someone you just think might be helpful down the road.
6. How much personal information should be put up on LinkedIn?
Well, as in all things, we need to have balance. But do not be afraid to share personal details to your LinkedIn connections. Share information that showcases skills you have acquired in your work experience. Potential employers will search for you on Google or other social networks. Thus, they’ll most likely find what’s out there! Take as much control over what they’ll see as possible on LinkedIn.
It is now easier than ever to share pictures on your Twitter account.
Twitter has started rolling out an enhancement that allows people to easily upload an image while they are updating their status via Twitter.com. While people have been able to share pictures on Twitter via services such as TwitPic or Twitter’s mobile application, this feature should increase the number of links pointing to pictures that you see when scrolling through your Twitter stream.
As you can see in the screenshot below, there is a new camera icon below the input box for entering a tweet. Simply click that icon to find the image that you would like to upload and include in your tweet.
After you select the image, a small preview of it will appear. That gives you he chance to review the image and enter supporting text in the status box before it’s uploaded.
Once you click the “Tweet” button, Twitter will automatically include a link to your image in the tweet and share it with the world.
This feature seems extremely easy to use. I do think it will lead to an increase in the number of pictures that are shared on Twitter.
However, I do think that one potential problem could be the lack of reporting and tracking. If you had uploaded the image elsewhere, created a short URL to point to it, and then tweeted a link, you should be able to get a decent measurement as to how many people clicked and viewed the image.
Of course, if you’re posting pictures of you dancing at a wedding, you may not care about the tracking. But if you’re using Twitter for business, that may be one reason why you might not rely on Twitter’s built-in image uploader too often.
Are you looking for marketing inspiration?
If so (wait, aren’t we all!), we have something that you might enjoy. We are happy to offer a free download of our latest white paper.
“10 Ways to Interact with your Audience Online” contains practical advice and guidelines for companies that are looking reach more customers and prospects through online marketing efforts.
Please click here to download your copy today >>
Literally you can find coupons for almost anything you need these days and as the growth of mobile commerce continues to rise we will only see more and more of this. Today Groupon and Foursquare established a partnership where you can get daily Groupon Deals by checking into places. It was only a matter of time before Foursquare and one of the webs most popular coupon and deals site joined forces. Last week I used my daily deal at Chili’s where all I had to do was check in at the restaurant and then show the waitress that I was “checked-in” and I got free chips and salsa. I don’t know if you’ve ever had their chips and salsa but they’re awesome.
What I’m getting at is the fact that coupons are much more easily accessible now that mobile devices and businesses are interacting and offering their customers what they want, where they want it (on their phone), whenever they want it. Mobile is the best venue for offering deals and coupons because of a number of reasons. For one it is a much greener approach to buying and selling. There is no need to print out deals and present them at stores and businesses anymore because you can simply put them up on your phone and do the same. I know my mother has sat at the breakfast table drinking her coffee on a Sunday morning and tediously cut a number of coupons out of the local paper in order to save a few dollars on her next grocery visit. Eliminate that process by uploading them onto your phone. It’s becoming even easier when you allow google to access your location because they can offer you search results that are targeted in your area.
WAKE UP CALL: Local businesses should be looking at this as a tremendous opportunity to create a mobile campaign for their companies. It only makes sense for a local business to drive more traffic to their store by creating a mobile website that links to a coupon that is only accessible by using the mobile phone. I sat in on a webinar the other day by a few big business owners and was presented by Mobile Commerce Daily and the hot topic of mobile was debated and discussed mostly regarding the use of mobile strategy and Bricks and Mobile Strategy. I asked a question to see how small businesses could integrate mobile commerce even if they weren’t familiar with eCommerce (buying and selling online). They told me that most small businesses they know are using mobile websites and mobile commerce are using them more along the lines of coupon clubs. Say you’re a local Daddy Joe’s Liquor Store and you want to develop a mobile website to drive more traffic to your store. Create a Mobile Website that has your landing page state a call to action such as “find great deals and join our coupon club below!” and you have one of your pages be a list of coupons that can be presented at the time of purchase 1 per customer per visit. This enables you to develop a relationship with your customers that encourages them to come back and use that coupon again at your store another day. You give people a reason to use your mobile website and create that “coupon club” experience.
Learn more about Mobile Websites
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FROM THE BLOG
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May 21, 2013
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May 17, 2013
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May 15, 2013
