• Rosemary Smith

    Social Media Consultant - I assist businesses with their online presence and marketing efforts through the use of social media and other web based avenues.

  • Free E-book Giveaway

    Claim your 4 free e-books today and start taking your business to the next level online.

  • Learn The Easy Way

    Learn how to master social media, ppc campaigns, paid traffic methods and so much more!

Sunday, November 30, 2014

13 Effective Facebook Advertising Tips You Can Start Implementing In Your Business

With over a billion active users monthly, Facebook is an avenue for social media marketing that is simply too huge to ignore! However, with the increasing diversity of this social networking website, leaving an impact becomes all the more difficult. Nonetheless, do not fret! With the right set of skills and just enough creativity, devising a strategy in order to get the maximum benefit out of Facebook becomes easy!

Listed here are some Facebook advertising and marketing tips that you can use to boost your performance for your business in a scalable way. Through my Facebook Advertising Tips, you will learn how to choose your campaign objectives, understand the benefits of using of a variety of Facebook advertising formats and begin devising a better way to market what you have!

#1 Take advantage of Facebook ads while keeping your own page appealing and up-to-date!
While it is important to advertise your business, it is just as important to maintain, if not increase, your credibility. Many businesses focus so much on Facebook ads that they actually begin to overlook their own page. Bear in mind that the page updates are just as fundamental to your marketing efforts as those clicks that you generate via ads!

Ads work best when coupled with an excellent timeline. After all, social media is not a simple matter of attracting attention. Social media is all about engaging people! And what better way to do that than having the perfect ad to the perfect page!

#2 Bring creative rotation into play.
Creative rotation allows you to generate better performances through continuous A/B testing. For those who are not familiar with A/B test, this where you simply test multiple ad copies, pictures and landing pages against each other. By making use of this technique inside the newsfeed, you can refresh messages, increase the click-through rate (CTR) and keep up with the impression amounts! Therefore, if you intend to rapidly boost your campaigns and make the most of your Facebook efforts, I'd suggest you set up a system based on a steady refresh of advertising messages.

#3 Utilize the proper page post format.
Each page post format has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. When choosing the most appropriate format to utilize, bear in mind the objective you wish to achieve. If you aim to generate site conversions or sales, choosing a "page post link" ad would do the job excellently. If you intend to compel brand connection as your campaign goal, a "page post photo" ad just might do the trick.
Page post link ads enjoy a higher percent in terms of conversion rate as opposed to page post photo ads. This is because you do not waste money on clicks by people clicking on the picture. Instead, a page post link drives your visitor straight to your landing page. On the contrary, I have found page post photo ads generate a higher CTR as opposed to page post link ads. By understanding the difference between the two formats, you can even combine them to get the best out of both worlds!

#4 Set your goals and appropriately choose your line of attack.
The multitude of ad opportunities provided by Facebook can help you accomplish your goals once you have clearly set out the things you wish to achieve. All that's left to do after determining what you want to reach is to get working. If your main objective is to manufacture brand awareness so as to cultivate a fan base, you may want to begin with standard marketplace ads. Standard marketplace ads are linked directly to your Facebook page and allow Facebook users to like your page straight inside the ad unit. If you have a considerable fan base, you might also want to attempt the use of a sponsored story, in which case an ad comes up to friends who have liked your page.
No matter what goal you have set your mind upon, or what method you have chosen to use, just make sure that you are positioned to calculate success!



#5 Set a target population.
Targeting a particular population or group with Facebook ads allows your promotion to proceed much more smoothly. By setting a target population, you can promote to the correct users based on their actual interests, thereby increasing your success rate. A target population need not be limited however to only those individuals whose interests are in line with your business. You can also target the friends of Facebook users who have previously liked your page. If you would like to advertise a specific post from your page, such as a unique offer or a significant news story, you can even make use of page post Sponsored Stories to switch your post into a newsfeed piece.

#6 Select photos that are simply superb.
Catchy images will always attract attention! The photos you select for your ad are perhaps among the most significant aspects of grabbing the viewer's interest. When choosing an image to use, do not limit yourself to your company logo. Consider looking outside the norm but within the scope of what you are offering.

In selecting photos, I have found the most excellent images for conversion are well-cropped headshots. Just a tip. Do your best to stay away from archetypal stock photos. Rather, try to make use of more natural images. Also, ensure that the photos you choose present themselves with colors that are distinguishable from the blue color format of Facebook.

#7 Use Call to Action (CTA).
Just because your ad can consist of up to 135 characters, doesn't mean you are required to use them all! Believe me, a lengthy ad does not necessarily entail a lengthy list of customers. From time to time, a shorter line can work much better! So, at appropriate situations, use a call to action (CTA) that persuades fans and users to click your ad. This way, not only does the ad deliver a short and convincing message, but it also enlightens the users as to what action you expect them to perform when they get to your landing page.

#8 Produce and experiment with several ads.
Do not simply run a single ad within each campaign! Diversity can do you wonders! In fact, even the smallest alteration in the words you select or the graphics you utilize can have an outsized effect on the CTR for your ad, so it's best to make numerous adaptations of your ad and experiment with them to find out which ad gets the best response.



#9 Quotes rock! Make use of them as you deem necessary.
What could be warmer than a post to lighten up the day? Posts involving inspiring or life-affirming quotes often perform very well, so don't be afraid to use those heart-warming words of wisdom. To spice things up, you can even attach a photo to your quote - even better, do Pinterest-style image/quote overlay. A great free tool I recommend for creating eye catching picture quotes is a website named Canva.com. People eat that stuff up!

# 10 Allow users to insert their own photo captions.

Asking for users to provide a caption to an exciting or laugh-worthy photo is a smart way to drive interaction and engagement. And it hits two birds with one stone! It catches the user's attention and allows you to assess the effectiveness of your marketing strategy.

# 11 Give incentives! Share some exclusive content to your Facebook fans. 

Posting special, top secret content visible only to your fans on Facebook adds a sense of exclusivity and belonging. Posting information or tidbits that could not be found elsewhere gives a certain incentive to the fans and it can even make them feel special.

#12 Ask questions! 

Let's admit it. If there's one thing common among Facebook users, it's the fact that they love to let their voices be heard. When making posts, try incorporating questions or surveys. Just a piece of advice though. Keep the questions simple - no one wants to fill out the SATs on Facebook.



# 13 Lights, camera, YouTube! In other words, don't restrict yourself to pictures.
Videos have crazy high engagement rates so use them in your posts to get some serious attention. Make sure to get the right ones though - those with just the right amount of funny and the right amount of "I'm trying to make a point" in them.

Gerard Hall is an avid blogger, marketer, and online entrepreneur. As co-founder of http://gerardandchrisonline.com, he is committed to helping others achieve success in Life and Business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerard_W_Hall

Swipe these 12 untapped profitable niches to build an online business
http://tiny.cc/12niches

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Put the Old Dog Down

Put The Old Dog Down?
Inbound Marketing for Small Business
Old Dog Vs New Dog

When do you determine its time for a trusted old friend to go? Here's the dilemma. Marketing for small business and professionals has undergone significantly change during the last decade. In general, business has begun to move away from 'old dog' traditional marketing to a 'new dog' inbound marketing. In this two part blog post we'll cover what this new style of marketing is and why it works.



Traditional Marketing The Old Dog
Lets begin by defining "traditional" marketing. Old dog traditional marketing relied primarily on sending one-way signals to get the attention of consumers. When the consumers attention was peaked it then pushed a message onto the consumer without knowing whether the consumer had interest in receiving the message. And for many years (we're talking a century) this type of marketing seemed to work.

The delivery of the message is still important to the process of marketing, but with the adoption of the internet as the main communication channel (between sellers and customers) how the message is delivered and how it is received has changed the foundation of modern marketing.

Inbound Marketing The New Dog
Inbound marketing is a form of digital marketing designed to get customers to find the message. With inbound marketing a message is crafted to elicit the interest of a customer. When the customer 'wants' to hear a message they search to find the message. When the customer is returned your message you've been found digitally. The customers desire to hear the message increases the odds the message will resonate with the customer. Through this process of finding, receiving, and resonating messages a customer may start to develop a bond of trust with the sender of the message and begin to view the sender as an authority figure on the subject.

The message is not the only incentive for choosing the new dog over the old dog traditional marketing.
The digital delivery channels open up possibilities for two-way communication with potential customers. This two-way communication dramatically alters the formatting possibilities for delivery of the message. Instead of relying on the onetime one-way message of traditional marketing it encourages two-way communication between the sender and customer.

The inbound message is crafted to inform, support, and enhance the customers knowledge on a subject. And because the digital delivery channels allow two-way communication the message may help the customer engage with the sender of the message.

There is another important element that doesn't get much attention. And that is proactive outbound marketing. This outbound marketing is the response actions taken to 'further' qualify and engage with potential leads obtained from inbound marketing.

Marketing Definitions
Traditional marketing is signaling for a customers attention and then pushing unwanted messages onto unsuspecting customers. We define inbound marketing as the origination of a digital action to elicit interest or engage with potential customers e.g. on page seo, blog articles, reports, white papers, and social media messaging. Outbound marketing is defined by any proactive action to 'further' the engagement with the potential customer. This would include proactive marketing initiatives such as off page seo, email marketing, local search management, online meetings, and social media interaction.

Networking Similarities
Inbound marketing in its most rudimentary form, existed long before the modern term arrived. When I first began in business a form of inbound marketing was known as networking. In networking (we're not referring to MLM) people earned respect and trust by engaging with others and this trust advanced mutual benefit. Because there was an element of trust involved these relationships could, did, and do drive considerable business.

To be clear, the two are not exactly the same. On the contrary, one begins on a personal level while the other begins through digital interaction. The point here is there are similarities between the two. These similarities provide a better point of reference as to why inbound marketing is thought of so highly today, and why it works. Networking is still around and going strong, but is slowly being supplanted by inbound marketing. The the way parties meet and the style of earning trust changes with inbound marketing. But the core principals of networking, relevant two-way communication, trust building, and authority status development exists in inbound marketing.

How Companies, Brands, And Non Profits Communicate
The internet has changed the way companies, brands, and non profits engage with others and conduct business. I'd be willing to place a bet that at some point in time you've run across a blog post or article that interested or repelled you so much you left a comment, or if you didn't you wanted to leave one. This engagement with the senders message ( with or without response) is the way companies, brands, and non profits develop relationships with customers.

There is power in being able to move people into action whether this is a positive or negative reaction. The relationships (where there exists a positive connotation) that develop have a greater chance of turning into trusted relationships once the customer has granted authority status to the sender of the message for the subject matter.

Like in networking, when trust is established the customer is more open to hearing the message and the call to action. Likewise, if the customer and sender enjoy a reciprocal relationship there exists some probability the call to action will be heard and possibly acted upon. Taking it one step further, with a relationship based on trust the receiver of the message (customer) may now also influence the original sender of the message with their own mutual benefit call to action.

Relevance Core To Inbound Marketing
Relevance is the core competency in inbound marketing. If a company, brand, or non profit can deliver a relevant message to a prospective customer then an opportunity exists for both to receive mutual benefit. There's not much more to say about relevancy except to say without it you will not reach the parties you wish to reach. This places limitations on marketing actions that could be detrimental to inbound marketing efforts. Keep your message relevant and you'll likely find success.


Quality Over Quantity
A relevant well crafted message will help you get good traction in inbound marketing. An excellent crafted relevant message will rock! When considering content always remember that the quality of the content should remain steadfast over the quantity of the content. If given a choice between 100 good articles Vs 10 excellent articles don't hesitate to choose the 10 excellent articles.


Inbound marketing differs from the 'old dog' outbound marketing because of the way the message is sent, received, and in the manner parties can communicate. There are many additional benefits inbound marketing offers over traditional outbound marketing. Some are process related, others financial. So now that we've had a chance to diagnose the dilemma are you ready to put the old dog down? In part two we'll discover how small business can equal the playing field with their larger competitors and develop new customer relationships with inbound marketing.


For a well organized overview of inbound marketing Vs outbound marketing you can view this infographic originally posted in Mashable http://mashable.com/2011/10/30/inbound-outbound-marketing/

By Christopher Telles

Article source: http://goarticles.com/article/Put-The-Old-Dog-Down/5806123/

Christopher Telles is founder and CEO of inboundOut Small Business Marketing Platform. Chris has 20+ years experience as a marketer and sales professional building entrepreneurial companies in B2B markets. InboundOut http://www.inboundout.com is an All-In-One full service marketing platform for small business and professional service providers in B2B and B2C markets.

If you would like to master marketing with social media for your busines, please collect 4 ebooks for free at www.methodsocialmedia.com

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Social Media Fails Whilst Drunk? Fear No More

Go Home, You're Drunk

At some point in your life, you will be in a situation where you have had one too many sherbets, whilst also holding a technological device. This is called a disaster in waiting, and many social lives have fallen foul to social media blunders whilst under the influence. But worry no more.

Source: hookmedia.com


In fact, a range of apps are becoming available to protect you from yourself, and they can keep you from making any unwise phone calls, texts, Facebook posts, and tweets.

Android users can now download an app called Drunk Locker, which is specifically designed to prevent you from creating destruction on social media when you are on a night out. For many, the temptation to hit social media whilst drunk is too much, so this app will prove invaluable. The app allows the user to block Facebook, Messenger, SnapChat, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter for a time period of their choosing.

When planning a night out, you can lock yourself out of these dangerous platforms for up to 10 hours. How on earth are you expected to cope? Even worse, if you set the lock, you will be unable to have a sudden change of heart. You will be locked out of society for an unbearable amount of time. You will be disconnected with the rest of the world, and will eventually feel alone and scared.

“We want to protect you so that you don’t make a mistake that will affect you for the rest of your life,” the site’s website dramatically declares.

“We know that social media runs the world and we want to protect your reputation.”

Source: theantisocialmedia.com

The app has been subject to critical acclaim, generating an average score on Google Play of 4.8 stars out of 5. Again, fear not Apple enthusiasts, as you can use Social Lock, which asks you to perform a test of your motor skills before giving you full access to your social media accounts. If you stumble or your fingers fail to move in the required way, you will be effectively refused entry to your own information.

On the way, there is a host of “drunk dial” apps, that will prevent you from calling or texting your contacts when on the verge of paralysis through alcohol.

So this is it. The end game. All this technological progression, and we as a species have finally reached the summit of our potential. We can now rest easy knowing that even in our most embarrassing states, out phones still have us covered. I suppose it is a contemporary first world problem that needs eradicating, just like world food shortages, economic inequality, and racial division.

If you would like to master using social media for your business, please collect my 4 free ebooks on marketing at: www.methodsocialmedia.com 

Monday, November 17, 2014

Internet and Social Media Marketing Companies: A Perfect Mix for Success

Every now and then we feel that need to give ourselves some time off to unwind and socialize, yet we unconsciously brush that part of our lives off due to our priorities and busy schedules. Daily interactions are important especially when you are doing business, and one of the best gifts technology has bestowed us is the internet. With the convenience of internet, people have managed to develop platforms as avenues for interaction, sustaining communication with loved ones located halfway around the world, and building communities. One of the advantages the internet has brought is the way it paved a road for aspiring entrepreneurs and established businesses to expand their marketing methods.

Since social media is one of the tools in creating and maintaining effective communication with people around the world, social media marketing companies have mastered how to use it to establish their brand as well as their clients. Seeing that online presence is one of the factors that we need in order to be recognized all over the globe, this has proven to eliminate the hassle and hindrances that may put a damper on people's desire to interact virtually.

But how is this efficient for people who aspire to build and grow their business?

With the help of social media marketing companies, they will help you set up the building blocks to your success. These experts are able to provide you with good marketing tools and strategies to prepare your brand and business for success. They will assist you in constructing the best technique to come up with a useful and effective advertisement. These marketing companies will help you make the best sales offer that is unquestionably appealing and it is confidently tailored to your target market or niche. The best thing about getting the services of social media marketing companies is that they know the correct formula to make your products and services go viral. They know what strategies are effective and they are knowledgeable on how to establish your online presence and make the most out of it. it has the possibilities to be shared and become viral, if your content is fresh or interesting enough.

Even though social media marketing companies are available anywhere in this time and age, you must take your time to find the right company to work with. You can't just jump on the first one you stumble on or find in the internet, that's not a very wise decision and could cost you not just your time but your hopes, money and chances on being successful as well.

Before you choose the marketing company, make sure you have done some research and read up on reviews from their previous clients. This will help you a lot in deciding which suits your needs and which company offers value for money!

By Thomas Vadec


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Vadec

If you would like to master social media for your business success, please go to www.methodsocialmedia.com
 

Sunday, November 16, 2014

The Vital Importance of Social Media for Small Wineries


Social media has been a standard part of our culture since the mid 2000s. At that time, many industries first started to recognize the possibilities of using the internet for marketing. And while some consumer product producers found great opportunities in social media, the wine industry and many wine businesses were really slow to incorporate online social networks into their marketing programs. This was likely a result of them being both skeptical of the platforms, as well as uncertain of the potential return on investment (ROI).



But over the last few years more and more wineries have found great success with social media. Such successes include better brand awareness as well as greater conversion of fans and followers into customers resulting from the type of relationship building that only social media can provide.
There are, of course, many different types of social media, including social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+; blogs and web 2.0 social sites; video platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo; review sites like Citysearch & Yelp; as well as mobile "check-in" platforms like Foursquare and Foodspotting. And that's just for starters.



Why is Social Media a Good Pairing for Wine?
Wine is often talked about as an "experience" product, meaning that consumers usually need to interact with it before knowing if they actually like it. With well over 10,000 producers represented in the US market alone, wine can be especially confusing. That's why so many consumers rely on wine-savvy friends or professionals to help them with their wine purchasing. In decades past it might have been books or magazine articles or newsletter that helped them learn and make decisions about wine, but in the age of the internet, consumers are increasingly turning to the web for education and advice on just about everything, including wine. In fact, wine is one of the most searched terms on Google when it comes to consumer products.



Wine Social Media Has Grown
Consumer consumption of social content related to wine has increased significantly over the last several years. In a study conducted back in 2010, approximately 700,000 people searched for and viewed wine related videos on a monthly basis. There are over 8,000 wine related tweets per day and nearly 500 iPhone apps related to wine. According to their own internal data, 90% of wine drinkers engage with Facebook between 6 and 8 hours every week. And, according to a Google Analytics report in 2012, wineries are the third most popular subject on Pinterest. There are between 1500 and 2000 active blogs on the subject of wine at any given time, and even more bloggers who include wine among other subjects they cover. Wine is clearly on the radar of a huge portion of the internet's population.

Tips for Launching a Wine Social Media Strategy
While many major wine industry players have now embraced social media as part of their strategy, small wineries have remained slow at fully implementing social media into their overall marketing strategy. Without a dedicated staff member, it can often seem like an overwhelming task. But the fact is that by dedicating a short amount of time on a consistent basis, any small business (including small wineries) can develop a strong social media presence. Here's how:
1) Pick one or two platforms and become an expert at connecting with fans on them. Don't get distracted by thinking you need to be everywhere online.
2) Create interesting, engaging, and valuable content that will get people to interact with you. One sided content, like a photo with a caption saying "we're out in the vineyard today dropping fruit" just won't get people involved. Instead, try caption contests or ask provocative questions.
3) Include a call to action with every few posts. The idea of social platform marketing is to relate, but also to feed your business with new purchases or new clients. Make sure you don't miss opportunities to get them to buy from you.

Putting it into Action:
Do you want to learn how you can increase leads, build trust & authority in your niche, and maybe even create passive income streams for your business? Get Free Instant Access to David Baer's Video on the 3 Marketing Essentials you must know about.

And if you want to learn what "not" to do, then you might want to grab a copy of the Free Report, "7 Mistakes Most Local Businesses Make With Their Advertising"

Brought to by David Baer - Demystifying Internet Marketing for wineries, wine retailers and other small business owners.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=D._Baer

If you would like to master social media for your business, please collect my 4 free ebooks at:  www.methodsocialmedia.com 

Friday, November 14, 2014

Saturday, November 8, 2014

How Facebook Could Be Influencing Election Day

Political Apptivism 

It was the mid-term elections in the United States this week, and America's many Facebook users logged in to discover the 'Megaphone' voting announcement. Appearing on top of user's news feeds, it pushed them to go and vote. This is not the first time that Facebook has used its influence to tempt its users into voting. Another version of the Megaphone appeared in 2008, but this year they have tweaked the algorithm so that the feature reaches out to all users old enough to vote.



The exciting feature lets you see which of your friends have voted or are planning to vote. For those unsure about where to go, especially first time voters, Facebook will point you in the direction of your nearest polling station. Once you have voted, you can post on Facebook: "I'm A Voter" or "I'm Voting."

Facebook is working under the assumption that if you see that your friends have been voting then you are more likely to vote. But what are Facebook's real intentions? Could they be influencing the end result? A Facebook spokesperson has stated that: "Our effort is neutral, while we encourage any and all candidates, groups and voters to use our platform to engage on the elections, we as a company have not used our products in a way that attempts to influence how people vote."

In this case, it seems that Facebook's intentions are pretty clear: to ensure that people do their civic duty and go vote. However, in the future, Facebook could become an important political tool. Over the summer, Facebook had, controversially, influenced what users saw on their news feed to see if a load of negative posts would make people feel sad and vice versa. Facebook could potentially influence who people want to vote for by making one political party more visible on News Feeds than others.



However, Facebook is promoting social engagement and should be applauded for their efforts. More often that not, young people won't cast their vote, meaning a large chunk of the population remains unrepresented. Facebook is a large part of young people's lives and so it makes sense that it should be used to push people into casting their vote. Social media should play a large part in promoting social engagement and political activism because it is the space where most people spend a large amount of time. 
How to get  young people to go vote? Maybe social media is the answer.


Laura is a recent graduate from University of East Anglia in Film and Television Studies, currently interning as a content writer but hoping to one day live off her writing. Follow her @LauraAtSMF.


If you wish to master social media for your business,  please collect my 4 free ebooks at  

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

LinkedIn Improves Its Job Search Engine


LinkedIn has redesigned its job search engine to make it easier for job seekers to find a career suited to their expertise, with a deeper Advanced Search option and the ability to save jobs for later inspection.

“Here at LinkedIn,” says Vaibhav Goel on the LinkedIn blog, “we want to help you find your dream job and the new LinkedIn Jobs experience has been completely redesigned to connect you with the right career opportunities and tools to help you take advantage of those opportunities.”

The advanced search at the top of the page – which has been redesigned for easier navigation – allows users to narrow down their search by country, industry, zip (post) code, job functions and salary. A “More Options” buttons gives users even more search parameters.


image

Beneath the search bar is a list of jobs that users may be suited to, taking into account experience and expertise, with sponsored jobs at the top. Hovering over a job with the cursor will reveal a star: by clicking on the star, job seekers can save the job in a tab on the right of the job search.

There is even the option to save previous job searches, so that new jobs that fit the search criteria will show up on the job search page. Job seekers can also opt in to receive email alerts if any jobs fitting their search criteria get posted on LinkedIn.

Perhaps the most interesting new feature is the “Discover jobs in your network” category at the bottom of the page, which displays career opportunities in companies that employ the user’s connections.

imageOn the blog, Goel describes the networking category as a “brand new feature that highlights opportunities at companies where you have an ‘in’ such as a first degree connection who can refer you and help you get your foot in the door”.

LinkedIn has also introduced two new features specifically for Job Seeker Premium subscribers: an advanced search feature to find salary specific jobs and “embedded tips to help you make the most of LinkedIn for your job search”.



by Will Sigsworth

Source: http://www.socialmediafrontiers.com/2013/02/linkedin-improves-its-job-search-engine.html

Swipe these 12 untapped profitable niches to build an online business
http://tiny.cc/12niches