TwitterToolsReviews

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• Which Social Media Service Should You Promote On Your Business Card?
• Social Media Reality Check: Four Mental Shifts Leaders Need to Make
• LinkedIn Endorsements Updated – FINALLY!
• 12 Ways to Improve Your Company Branding Strategy Using LinkedIn
• Man Finding Out He’s Going to Be A Grandpa Goes Viral (Video)
• How To Properly Use Hashtags In Your Social Media Marketing
• Legendary Atari Treasure Trove Unearthed In Alamagordo Landfill (Twitter Reacts)
• George Clooney’s Engagement Announcement Causes Twitter Outpouring
• For Young Guys on Mobile, Twitter & Reddit Erupt As Leaders (Q1 2014)
• Measuring LinkedIn with Google Analytics

Which Social Media Service Should You Promote On Your Business Card? Posted: 27 Apr 2014 08:49 PM PDT Brian Morris Your business card is your tangible, physical connectivity portal. It tells customers and other contacts how to get in touch with you, but it can also be a powerful marketing tool that fuels digital traffic. In today’s social society, it’s a good idea to promote your social media profiles on your business card; however, the plethora of social media possibilities combined with limited space can leave you wondering which social media service you should promote on your business card. The following will help you answer that question so you can use your business card as a tool to tap into the power of social media for customer relationships. Why promote only one social media profile? First, it’s important to understand my position for the reason why you should only promote one social media profile on  your business card. Consider the following: Overloading your business cards with multiple social media profiles leaves space only for logos, not URLs or even QR codes. Do you really expect potential customers to search for you? Promoting multiple social media profiles on your business card dilutes your overall efforts; it’s far better to promote just one and then use that as a springboard to your other social media profiles, if needed You should heavily promote the social media profile that’s most relevant to your company and customer base, and the relationship you share Finally, business cards have limited space; the more clutter, the less effective they are Here’s an overview of some of the most popular social media networks, including guidelines for when each is most appropriate for inclusion on your business cards. Facebook Facebook is the most well-known social media platform, and nearly every marketing-savvy business today has a Facebook profile. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best social media profile to promote on your business card. Promote Facebook on your business card if: you don’t have any other social media profiles you sell products or services primarily to consumers you have the time and ability to continually promote your Facebook page with interesting content, images, promotions, contests, giveaways, sweepstakes, and more you can offer customers an incentive for liking your Facebook page your brand is more important than your persona The key to success on Facebook is fan engagement, and if you can’t devote the time and resources to that end you’re better off promoting a different social profile. Facebook is also excellent for brands, but not necessarily the best tool for individuals who want to promote their personas and individual relationships. Twitter Twitter is another extremely popular social media platform, though it’s rather different from Facebook in the way tweets are promoted. Twitter can be an excellent social media service to promote on your business card, but only if: your customers are Twitter-bound already you can offer meaningful tweets on a daily basis you don’t have time to write more than 140 characters a day it’s critical to connect with customers on a personal level, and branding is secondary Twitter is perfect for publishing your own individual thoughts, insights, and ideas; if you’re in an industry in which customers follow you rather than the company you work for, Twitter might be the best social media profile to promote on your business cards. LinkedIn LinkedIn is the most popular social media network for businesses, and it’s highly recommended you promote your LinkedIn profile on your business cards if: your company almost exclusively services other businesses (B2B) you’re a sole entrepreneur or freelancer consistently seeking new clients and connections you have the time to be active on a social network; not only by updating your own status and achievements, but also by endorsing others LinkedIn can be a great way to find new B2B customers, but it won’t help you reach a large consumer base. It’s best promoted only if you can devote the time necessary to make a prominent name for yourself on the LinkedIn network (though, in reality, it doesn’t take too much work to achieve). If this sounds like you, consider promoting your LinkedIn profile on your business cards. Google+ Google+ still pales in comparison to Facebook, but it’s definitely gaining traction – especially among the business community. In fact, if local customers are important to you then it’s absolutely critical to have a Google+ Local Business listing so you can be found in local searches. But does that mean you should promote your Google+ profile on your business cards? Only if: you have a dedicated customer base that’s highly active on Google+ you can generate a steady stream of valuable content your customers want to read you’ve already established yourself on Facebook and/or Twitter; OR you want to avoid the heavy competition associated with those sites altogether Google+ is a nice service, but promoting your Google+ page on your business cards should be reserved for companies and individuals who have a unique niche audience to reach, and only if that audience is already engaged on Google+. Though Google+ doesn’t currently get the customer love necessary to rival Facebook and Twitter, it can be less competition-heavy and allow you to find a profitable crease in your niche. YouTube The best-known video sharing social platform is YouTube, and despite potentially-heavy competition you can promote your YouTube channel on your business card if: you regularly make videos your customer base will find exciting, informative, or otherwise valuable you’d rather create video content than written content you have time to produce video content regularly you rely on video to sell your products and services you want to drive traffic to a social platform your competitors aren’t Obviously, the key to YouTube success is quality video production – and by quality we mean of value to your customers, not the actual technical quality of your videos (though it can help). See if you can get a hold of some of your competitors’ business cards – it shouldn’t be too difficult – and if they’re not promoting YouTube on their cards, you have an exciting opportunity to steal customers who prefer video over text (which is a lot). Instagram Instagram is all about photos, and you can promote Instagram on your business cards if: you can tell the story of your business through photography your customers use Instagram already you take enough photographs to update your account daily you’re in an photo-related industry – a photographer, for example – or otherwise visually-creative field (bathroom remodeling or contemporary artwork, for example At this time, I’m not ready to sign off on Instagram as the best social media network for business card promotion, especially since it’s already so easy to upload photos on Facebook and other more popular social networks. Still, if photography is the name of the game Instagram could prove a valuable resource worth promoting on your business cards. Pinterest Like Instagram, Pinterest is a platform for sharing images. Unlike Instagram, the images don’t necessarily have to be your own. If you enjoy curating relevant collections for your customer base, Pinterest might work for you. However, it doesn’t offer as many self-promotion opportunities as many other social media profiles. You can promote Pinterest on your business cards if: you’ve curated a collection on Pinterest that could have real value for your customers you can devote the time to continue curating as well as respond to comments you can spend time engaging with other user, especially those who are likely customers for you Again, unless you’re promoting your own photography, studio, artwork, or other creative work, Pinterest might not be the best social media profile for business card promotion. FourSquare FourSquare is a social network designed exclusively for local businesses. FourSquare might be good for business card promotion if: your company caters almost exclusively to customers within a certain geographic area your company is suitable for "check-ins": restaurants, bars, health clubs, night clubs, and other businesses that encourage social interaction are best you can offer customers incentives for checking in at your location to encourage traffic and check-ins, which will bring more customers (the peers of your current customers) If your company is local-centric, then it might be a great idea to promote your FourSquare profile on your business cards. If not, pick a social media network that doesn’t depend on your location. Cater to your customer base Finally, it’s worth noting that you must cater to your customer base in order to fully take advantage of social media profile promotion on your business cards. You’re not going to motivate customers to sign up for your preferred social network just so they can interact with you; rather, you have to sign up for the social networks your customers prefer so you can interact with them. The social media networks listed here are suggestions based on specific business characteristics; however, if your customers aren’t already heavily invested in a particular social network you’ll waste time and financial resources if you try to promote such a profile. Get to know your customers the best you can, and find out where most of your customers – especially where your well-defined niche customers hang their social media hats. Then, create a social media profile on the same service that will be attractive to your customers and continually work it to increase your level of customer engagement. If you can go where your customers go and provide valuable content they want to digest, promote that single social media profile on your business cards to generate the greatest possible online reach. Now, it’s your turn: which do you think is the best social media network for small businesses, and why? The post Which Social Media Service Should You Promote On Your Business Card? appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Social Media Reality Check: Four Mental Shifts Leaders Need to Make Posted: 27 Apr 2014 08:46 PM PDT Courtney Hunt I have previously written about the 5 Main Barriers to Digital Engagement by organizations, their leaders, and other senior professionals. These barriers include lack of knowledge and understanding of social and digital technologies, framing that leads to risk aversion, poor/no roadmaps, and inadequate resource allocation. A related issue involves concerns over the ROI of social media initiatives. To help break down these barriers, particularly when it comes to social media, organizational leaders need to make four key mental shifts to accept new realities and move forward. These shifts include recognizing changes in the balance of power, accepting loss of control, developing new perspectives on productivity, and viewing social technology integration as mandatory rather than optional. Recognizing Changes in the Balance of Power Social Media Reality Check: There is plenty of evidence that the balance of power between organizations and their external stakeholders has shifted in significant ways due to social media. Many tech-savvy consumers have learned that social media is often the fastest and most effective way to get an organization’s attention to address and resolve a product or service issue (consider, for example, the role of social media in the communications related to GM’s recent recall). In response, many consumer-oriented organizations, like Comcast and the Discover, have embraced this shift in power and have learned to leverage social media to enhance the service experience for their customers. There are now dozens of tools and platforms for monitoring social media activity to determine how an organization’s brand(s) are being discussed in cyberspace, and many larger enterprises have “social media command centers” with dedicated staff to assess and respond to issues and concerns raised via digital channels. Since most consumers are also employees, it doesn’€™t take a huge leap of logic to recognize that increased personal empowerment is likely to lead to expectations of increased professional empowerment. As people experience more equal relationships with the organizations they support financially, they will come to expect similar equality with the organizations they support through their labor. From an employment perspective, this could become a competitive differentiator. Employers who abide by Oz-ian principles that tip the scales strongly in favor of their own omniscience and omnipotence will be increasingly less attractive to talented employees who want to be treated as valued partners. Though plenty of organizations and their leaders may lament the loss of power brought about by social media, the economic and social benefits resulting from the shift will be significant. For example: Greater accountability, communication, and collaboration will lead to improved products and services. Increased transparency and access to information will enhance competition, providing better goods/services at better prices. Open dialogue and transparency, combined with more public accountability, should promote ethical behavior. Those organizations that adapt best to the new operational requirements social media creates should reap the greatest rewards. Recommendation: Organizational leaders should recognize that it’€™s in their own best interests to embrace the egalitarian ideals that underlie social technologies and leverage them to form stronger partnerships with their customers and employees, open up the lines of communication, develop and promote their business and employment brands, improve their human capital practices, and attract and retain the most talented individuals. Accepting (and Embracing) Loss of Control Social Media Reality Check: Although many consumer-oriented businesses and other organizations have adapted to – and even embraced – social media’s realities, some organizational leaders are still hesitant to leverage social media due to concerns that they will lose control of their brand and/or their message. What these leaders don’€™t realize, it seems, is that they don’€™t really get a vote about that – their brand and messages will be addressed on social media channels with or without their permission, in both ad hoc and organized ways.Turkey’s recent experiences with the government’s failed attempts to ban Twitter are a great case in point. Leaders in organizations of all types – even those that have adopted social media for external purposes – are still generally hesitant to apply social media principles to internal communication and collaboration, particularly when it comes to sensitive subjects like employment policies. Even advocates of open communication sometimes find it hard to let go of the desire for control. But limiting conversations through official forums doesn’€™t stop the conversations – it just causes people to take them somewhere else. And when the conversations happen through unofficial channels, they’re much more likely to create and perpetuate inaccuracies, misperceptions, and misunderstandings. Recommendation: Though organizational leaders cannot control the conversations taking place on social platforms (both external and internal), the wise move is to not only allow those conversations, but to encourage them – and to respond in appropriate ways. The loss of control is a bit of a paradox, because it actually creates the opportunity for more control -€" maybe not of the conversation, but of the subject of the conversation itself, which is far more important. Especially when the conversation is negative, the experience may not be pleasant, but the opportunity to learn important lessons, share key information, and create needed changes is invaluable. Developing New Perspectives on Productivity Social Media Reality Check: Many organizations are still grappling with the question of whether it’€™s necessary and/or appropriate to block employee access to public social media sites via internal networks. The main arguments for doing so are often that social media is a big time waster, and that people will spend too much time on these sites and not get their work done. I don’€™t necessarily advocate open access to public social media sites through employer IT networks, but I do think these are specious arguments for a several reasons: Given how many people have access to these sites via their mobile devices, blocking access using the organization’€™s IT infrastructure seems rather pointless from a productivity perspective. The people who want to waste time don’€™t need public social media sites to do so. They can just as easily waste time talking on the phone, talking to coworkers, playing computer games, etc. There is some empirical evidence to indicate that taking short breaks during the work day to check in on one’€™s social networks can actually enhance productivity (see this and this, for example). It’€™s also important to remember that the lines between work and non-work have become increasingly blurred as technology continues to advance. We are wired (albeit wirelessly) 24/7/365, virtually no matter where we are in the world. Many organizations have capitalized on this by enabling and expecting employees to work beyond the confines of traditional work spaces and work hours. And though employees are generally willing to accommodate those expectations, they expect some reciprocity in terms of being able to meet some of their personal, non-work needs during the traditional work day. They rightfully fail to see the logic or the fairness in limiting access to digital channels and networks while they’€™re at work – and as they increasingly feel empowered, they’€™re increasingly likely to assert their rights, either directly or indirectly. Recommendation: Rather than focusing on what employees should not or cannot do, organizational leaders would be better off focusing on what employees should do. The social aspects of both external and internal social networks can certainly distract people from their jobs, but those distractions can be minimized by good management, strong accountability and robust performance management standards and systems. Viewing Social Technology Integration as Mandatory rather than Optional Social Media Reality Check: Though we are slowly emerging from the Great Recession, organizations of all types are still dealing with its ramifications and trying to adapt to new economic realities. Spending and hiring are still down, and organizations are continuing to try to accomplish more things with fewer resources. The “€œI/We don’€™t have time”€ argument is raised by many individuals and organizations as a reason they have not become more involved with social media. In our “€œalways on”€ society, it’€™s hard to imagine how we’€™re going to add more priorities and activities to our personal and professional lives. But social technology is increasingly becoming an integral aspect of how business is conducted, and the sooner organizations recognize and respond to this inevitability, the sooner they will be able to reap the benefits. It is no longer a question of €œif but €œwhen. I am regularly reminded that people view social media engagement as an independent initiative, something €œelse that needs to be addressed. With their Tœo Do€ lists already full, they are delaying action on social media because they haven’€™t figured out how to allocate the time and attention they think it needs. But for both individuals and organizations, social technologies can and should be integrated into virtually all aspects of work life and organizational functioning as soon as possible. Viewing digital engagement as a separate initiative not only fails to recognize its true value, it’s also costly in the long run. For example, if social technologies are not adequately considered in the early stages of an initiative (e.g., the introduction of a new brand, the creation of a new website, a complex client engagement or other project), performance is likely to be sub-optimal, and people are likely to have to undo and redo some of their work to incorporate those elements later on. Though it may seem like more effort in the short term, addressing the social technology aspects of various initiatives is in the long-term best interests of organizations. Recommendation: Organizational leaders and other professionals need to identify how social technologies will help them achieve their strategic goals and objectives and should incorporate social media elements into all initiatives that can benefit from them as soon as possible. Laying the foundation for and leveraging social technologies sooner than later can increase revenues and reduce expenses by maximizing efficiency and effectiveness and increasing productivity. Your Thoughts? As always, let me know if I’€™ve missed something or something seems unclear. And please feel free to share your thoughts on other social media reality checks and mental shifts you think organizational leaders need to make to better enable them to move ahead. Thanks! Original post on the Denovati SMART Blog. The post Social Media Reality Check: Four Mental Shifts Leaders Need to Make appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

LinkedIn Endorsements Updated – FINALLY! Posted: 27 Apr 2014 08:34 PM PDT Personal Branding Blog Many of you have grown tired of being prompted to endorse your connections. Many of you have also grown tired of getting LinkedIn endorsements from people you have never worked with or getting LinkedIn endorsements for skills that you do not have like underwater basket weaving. (I do know of someone who received this endorsement). That is changing! LinkedIn Endorsements Changes If you edit your profile and scroll down to the "Skills & Endorsements" section and select edit, you will be given four options. I want to be endorsed Yes or No For most of us we want to be endorsed. Hey why wouldn't I want to be endorsed? If you are a financial adviser or any other position that is heavily regulated, they cannot be endorsed. This has been a real problem for financial advisers. Do not endorse your stock broker, insurance agent, fee based financial adviser… you create problems for them! Include me in endorsement suggestions to my connections Do you want your connections to be prompted to endorse you? WOW that is a tough one. I have so many endorsements that the answer is probably no but… I am not sure on this one. I will leave the box checked for the time being. Show me suggestions to endorse my connections This is one box that I will uncheck. I no longer want to be harassed to endorse my connections. If I want to endorse someone I will explicitly go into their profile and endorse them. I have to do the same to make a recommendation. Send me notifications via email when my connections endorse me If someone endorses me I still want to know. Specifically, if they endorse me for a skill I do not possess I really want to know about it. Reorder Your Skills It is a subtle change but you can now re-order your skills. Bring the skills that you want to LinkedIn endorsements to the top.This has two effects: Your connections will be prompted for the skills at the top of your list You will come up higher in search rankings for the skills that you want to be found Other LinkedIn Changes There are a lot of other changes other than LinkedIn Endorsements that are coming. New LinkedIn Inbox The inbox has been enhanced to be easier to use. For more information check out LinkedInExpert's post. New LinkedIn Groups Page If you used the LinkedIn groups page in the past it has been fairly clumsy going in between groups. Now it has been greatly streamlined. New LinkedIn Group Digest E-Mail Formats If you belong to LinkedIn groups you may have noticed the changes to the digest e-mail formats. LinkedIn is currently beta-testing several formats and we will see which one wins. LinkedIn Publisher LinkedIn is opening up their publishing platform to everyone. Today, it is only for key influencers. They are slowly opening this up to everyone. Currently, you have to apply for early access. I applied several weeks ago and am still waiting for access. LinkedInChat Tweetchat If you want to stay up to date on changes to LinkedIn, participate in the weekly Tweetchat called LinkedInChat. This tweetchat is run by my friend Viveka von Rosen, aka @LinkedInExpert. Her trusty sidekick, Steve Cassady, @SteveCassady is always there to assist. I know the changes are happening fast and furious on LinkedIn right now. Hopefully, this update helps you keep up with how to create, manage and promote your personal brand. The post LinkedIn Endorsements Updated – FINALLY! appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

12 Ways to Improve Your Company Branding Strategy Using LinkedIn Posted: 27 Apr 2014 11:00 AM PDT Paul Keijzer Developing a strong company brand is one of the keys which determines how well you're able to recruit and retain key talent in any market. Asian employees often view LinkedIn as the most professional social media outlet which makes it one of the best avenues to establish your corporate presence. There are 4 companies which seem to be doing company branding just right and I've compiled a list of 12 lessons to learn and implement from them. Tata Steel A steel making company is not the first company that comes to mind when you think about interesting social platform branding but Tata Steel sure does it right. Key takeaways from their page include: Upload a catchy cover image: The one they use simply makes their page interesting. Encourage Employees to Join Social Platforms: Tata Steel has nearly 12,500 on LinkedIn alone. Update your Company Page Regularly: They update theirs nearly every day and it's all pretty interesting stuff! LinkedIn: Tata Steel Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts Shagri-La Hotels and Resorts has a leg up on the others since they have beautiful locations which naturally serve as a content muse. That said, they do so much on LinkedIn that make them an awesome company doing branding right. Announce Important Events Through the Cover Image: Shangri-La is currently announcing the opening of their London Hotel which also happens to be the tallest hotel in Europe. Use Pictures to Tell Your Stories: They use an image in nearly all their updates. It definitely keeps the page more interesting. Don't Forget the Career's Tab: It may seem like the most logical thing for company branding but many forget the power that LinkedIn now has, including the career's tab. It requires a paid subscription to LinkedIn but is worth the investment to attract both passive and active job seekers. LinkedIn: Shangri-La Nikkei Asian Review Nikkei Asian Review is one of Asia's largest independent business media groups. With their key business being media it's only logical that they lead the way for company branding on LinkedIn. Their page is not only informative but interesting and entertaining as well. Spike Curiosity by Using a Teaser in your Cover Image: Nikkei Asian Review's says "See What Others Don't" which makes one wonder, what they have to offer. Don't Skimp on your "About" Section: By filling in all the information Nikkei Asian Review not only gives an introduction about the company but they also provide quick information about their specialties, website, industry, type, headquarter address, company size and when it was founded. Include Video Updates: At least once a week. Use YouTube like Nikkei Asian Review does and you'll be able to cross promote social media platforms. LinkedIn: Nikkei Asian Review Berger Paints India Private Limited There are golden rules to company branding that span across social media platforms and Berger Paints remembers them well. Even though LinkedIn is a professional network, we all like to have fun every now and then. Things they do intelligently on LinkedIn include: Ask Questions: One of the golden rules of Facebook is often forgotten by companies on LinkedIn. Encouraging people to participate is a good way to become top of mind when it comes to people hunting for jobs. Support Local Causes – Berger Paints encouraged their followers to participate in the Easy Clean India campaign. Supporting local causes through your company page shows people that you are aware of your social responsibility as a contributor to society. Use Entertaining Posts – This is another golden rule in Facebook which can set the tone in LinkedIn. Berger ties in entertaining posts along with their business very well, such as providing links to the meanings of different colors. LinkedIn: Berger Paints So, these are the 12 things you want to do on LinkedIn to have an awesome company brand. Remember the bottom line is to become the kind of organization people really want to work for. Have you seen any interesting things that other Asian companies are doing on LinkedIn? The post 12 Ways to Improve Your Company Branding Strategy Using LinkedIn appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Man Finding Out He’s Going to Be A Grandpa Goes Viral (Video) Posted: 27 Apr 2014 09:26 AM PDT Erica Abbott This new video of a man finding out that he’s going to be a grandpa will instantaneously brighten your day. The man opens up a little gift, finds a pacifier inside and it brings back memories of when his own daughter was younger . His daughter proceeds to tell him to look at the attached note saying, “You should probably read it”. That’s when he discovers that he’s going to be a grandfather. His reaction is priceless and heartwarming. His disbelief turns into complete awe over his daughter’s announcement. The video concludes with him beginning to cry tears of joy. This gone-viral feel-good video has accumulated over six million views and was posted a week ago. The person who posted it, whose only video is the reveal to her father, now has over 1,300 subscribers. The sweet video will be sure to make you feel better and warm your heart. Maybe a follow-up video could be when grandpa finally gets to hold his new granddaughter or grandson. The post Man Finding Out He's Going to Be A Grandpa Goes Viral (Video) appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

How To Properly Use Hashtags In Your Social Media Marketing Posted: 27 Apr 2014 09:21 AM PDT Pam Dyer Hashtags are increasingly important in social media marketing campaigns. They enable content marketers get in front of their target audience and identify social media conversations that are relevant to their business. Only 24% of tweets include hashtags, but those that do receive twice the engagement of those without them. When used well, hashtags can be powerful tools that drive brand recognition, increase reach, build community, create buzz, and positively impact customer loyalty. What are hashtags? Hashtags are labels for content. They are a way to track topics on Twitter and other social media platforms. Anyone sharing content can add one to their messages and posts, and they help people quickly find information on that same topic. The syntax is a word or phrase preceded by the hash sign (#), such as #contest and #sweepstakes. Each hashtag is clickable and redirects users to a page that displays all messages and images that use the same hashtag. The use of hashtags enables people to wade through the fire hose of social media posts and interact only with the content they find relevant. Platforms that support hashtags Twitter If you use Twitter, you know that the use of hashtags there is prevalent. They can help you organize your tweets and use your voice to deliver targeted brand messages. You can view trending hashtags on the sidebar of your Twitter page and at Hashtags.org. It's easy to join in a hashtag conversation by clicking on one in your own tweets or those of others. You can track hashtags to see which ones resonate most with your audience. Facebook Facebook added hashtag support in June 2013, and their use hasn't really caught on. Every hashtag on Facebook has a unique URL, and clicking on one will redirect you to its feed. You can also click on hashtags that originate on other services. You can search for hashtags from your search bar using the syntax #Yourhashtag or by typing facebook.com/hashtag/Yourhashtag into your browser. In each case, replace Yourhashtag with the tag you're trying to find. You can also create posts directly from the hashtag feed or search results. Pinterest Pinterest uses the same hashtag approach as other platforms. You apply a tag that represents the topic of the post so that people can find your content in related searches. The hashtag is bolded slightly in your post, and it becomes a search link that forwards users to pinterest.com/search/?q=Yourhashtag. When people now run that same search by clicking the hashtag on someone else's profile, they'll discover your content in the mix. Instagram Using hashtags on Instagram can help maximize your reach and create a network of influential brand followers. If you don't employ hashtags on Instagram, your photos effectively remain private, making it difficult for your target audience to discover you. Instagram photo challenges contain a unique set of hashtags. For example, #ThrowbackThursday encourages users to post retro photos. Try to use at least one hashtag per photo to maximize shares. Google+ Using hashtags is a good way to get your Google+ posts noticed in search engine results. When users click on a hashtag in Google+, the search results page (SERP) includes the original hashtag as well as posts with similar tags and keywords. Users can choose to arrange hashtagged posts chronologically or see the "Best of" posts at the top of their streams. Google+ will also intuitively add hashtags to posts if it thinks that they are relevant. Don't overuse hashtags Make sure to use a maximum of two hashtags per post. Including too many will leave the impression that you are spamming your followers. This video with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake does a hilarious job of illustration the pitfalls of overdoing it. The post How To Properly Use Hashtags In Your Social Media Marketing appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Legendary Atari Treasure Trove Unearthed In Alamagordo Landfill (Twitter Reacts) Posted: 27 Apr 2014 09:16 AM PDT Kim LaCapria According to legend, a massive Atari stash of cartridges — for the ill-fated E.T. game considered by many to be the "worst" title in gaming history — languished for three decades in a desert landfill, gaining cachet under the sand all these years in Alamagordo. The Alamagordo Atari landfill legend was the stuff of internet intrigue and gamer speculation, but no one was really sure if there were truly a ton of E.T. cartridges from the original console in a far flung trash heap. Today, April 26, 2014, it was announced that the Atari white whale had indeed been located, and the geek social web flipped its shit — everyone was tweeting about the news that the tale was indeed not a legend at all, but true gamer history: There is so much stuff they've pulled up. This is all just atari 2600 games. pic.twitter.com/w9NpXVBDhf — Chris Kohler (@kobunheat) April 26, 2014 E.T. cartridges found in infamous Atari landfill http://t.co/qYyFWyfTG4 (cmts http://t.co/6BjB79ZNLj) — HN from Y Combinator (@hnycombinator) April 26, 2014 Microsoft has found the legendary 'buried in the desert' Atari ET games http://t.co/ZbsDgVtbgY by @ow — The Next Web (@TheNextWeb) April 26, 2014 The development is so new that just hours ago, Mashable reported that no Atari treasures had yet been unearthed on the ground in Alamagordo: Still no signs of Atari E.T. game cartridges at the New Mexico dig, but this little guy showed up (photo @kat_egli) pic.twitter.com/h5Nh4AYGbZ — Mashable (@mashable) April 26, 2014 Me and @mikejmika are trying to bring these ET carts from the Atari graveyard back to life! Wish us luck! #diggingEt pic.twitter.com/BZJ9YZA3AE — Ernie Cline (@erniecline) April 27, 2014 Did your gamer friends go nuts on Twitter or Facebook as the Atari cartridges discovered in Alamagordo began circulating the social web? The post Legendary Atari Treasure Trove Unearthed In Alamagordo Landfill (Twitter Reacts) appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

George Clooney’s Engagement Announcement Causes Twitter Outpouring Posted: 27 Apr 2014 09:11 AM PDT Erica Abbott www.albawaba.com “Dream guy” George Clooney has now shattered the long-time celebrity crushes of thousands (or so many women on Twitter are saying). Well, time for Plan B, ladies–George Clooney instantly began trending on Twitter after news broke out that the eternal bachelor is off the market–now engaged. Clooney, 52, is now engaged to lawyer Amal Alamuddin, 36. The silver fox’s history of girlfriends include Stacy Keibler, Elisabetta Canalis, Kelly Preston, and many more.  www.dailymail.co.uk www.usmagazine.com The only time Clooney has been married was to Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993. Previously, he had said to CNN in an interview that he “gave marriage a shot.”  www.dailymail.co.uk Twitter users are expressing their disbelief over Clooney getting engaged. George Clooney is engaged?! Is the world ending?! — DANRELL (@DanielleDTodd) April 27, 2014 George Clooney is engaged? (again?) Oh c'mon we know he ain't gettin married. lol — lolwut (@_CaRRiEMaRiE) April 27, 2014 If it's true that George Clooney is getting married, then I really do believe it is the apocalypse. — ~allie. (@_MissAlyMarie) April 27, 2014 Wow..George Clooney is engaged! …I thought he was gonna stay a bachelor — Dhancoashley (@dhancoashley) April 27, 2014 wait, george clooney is engaged? has hell frozen over? — jess lisette (@omgfabulous) April 27, 2014 George Clooney is engaged? Isn't that one of the sign of the apocalypse? #georgeclooney #engaged — The Diva (@HessThe) April 27, 2014 I'm sorry, George Clooney is engaged?!?! Hell just froze over. — Alicia Garside (@AliciaGarside) April 27, 2014 George Clooney is engaged. Every woman will have a moment of silence followed by a pint of ice cream. — Lisa McAlister (@LisaMcAlister1) April 27, 2014 George Clooney engaged. Ha. Believe it when I see it. — Jennifer Hartley (@jenniemhart) April 27, 2014 George Clooney got engaged?! Need to prepare for the apocalypse. Doomsday prep starts now. #georgeclooney #hellfrozeover #clooneyengaged — Carolyn M (@Caremassey) April 27, 2014 What do you think of Clooney’s engagement–will a marriage happen or not? The post George Clooney's Engagement Announcement Causes Twitter Outpouring appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

For Young Guys on Mobile, Twitter & Reddit Erupt As Leaders (Q1 2014) Posted: 27 Apr 2014 08:00 AM PDT Bob Hutchins If you're a social media nerd, you might remember that Twitter wasn't doing so hot at the end of 2013 – by Twitter standards, at least. Well, new research coming out of Consumer Sharing Trends Report 2014 reveals that Twitter's back and stronger than ever. And what social channel saw the second most dynamic growth, you ask? Reddit. Reddit? Yep. Not Facebook. Not LinkedIn. Not Pinterest. And definitely not email (which is down 25% as a "sharing" platform). Why Reddit Is The 2nd Fastest Growing Platform for Social Media Sharing First things first. If you aren't familiar with Reddit, watch this five-minute video. With that out of the way, why is Reddit leading the way as a top platform for social media sharing? Well, Reddit does something that no other platform allows – and it does it on a scale that has few competitors… The magic of Reddit is that anyone can create content, and that content can be voted up or down by anyone else. Okay, maybe it doesn't sound like much, but when you take into account the incredible specificity that a subreddit can possess, there's really nothing else out there that holds a candle. (Google+ communities kind of get close to this, but they lack the sheer numbers of Reddit's engine.) Reddit is an organic, multilateral system that promotes the very best content of the web for the audience that wants it most. It's primary demographic is young males age 18-30 – and for good reason. If there was ever a demographic that has already seen everything and done everything on the web, it's this one. They grew up with the internet, using LiveJournal, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and every other significant platform on the web. Reddit's popularity with young males should be obvious. It provides constant novelty. Furthermore, the best content rises to the top, while content of lesser value naturally sinks and stays out of the way. I think we'll see more digital marketers warming up to Reddit in 2014. Of course, it's not the platform they should focus on; it's Reddit's philosophy about value. Other Q1 2014 Social Media Sharing Facts Jumping forward to the infographic, here are a few more key findings from the first quarter of 2014: Mobile sharing grew by 28%. Desktop sharing only grew by 11%. The majority of online sharing now happens on mobile devices! Hispanics are the fastest growing demographic when it comes to social media sharing. Hispanic sharing grew at double the rate of African American and Caucasian sharing. For more information on social media sharing and growth, see the infographic from ShareThis below. Any social media facts from Q1 2014 surprise you? Excite you? Inspire? Jump in with the comments section below. The post For Young Guys on Mobile, Twitter & Reddit Erupt As Leaders (Q1 2014) appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Measuring LinkedIn with Google Analytics Posted: 27 Apr 2014 07:15 AM PDT Keith Paul Does your company leverage its LinkedIn profile? Are you using LinkedIn discussion groups? Can job seekers find their next great role on your LinkedIn page? All great questions. And if you answer yes to these (I hope you do) are you also measuring the value LinkedIn can provide for your SEO and possibly your lead-gen efforts? Here are a couple ways you can geek out with LinkedIn, Google Analytics, and regular expressions to help paint your LinkedIn ROI picture. Google Analytics is already good at showing you total traffic hitting your site via LinkedIn. These examples drill in a bit to help you see WHERE on LinkedIn folks are finding you. Please let me know how you use and adapt them! I'll show you how you set-up widgets for your Company Profile and Discussion Group. You can use these same principles to measure clicks to your job postings. (NOTE: Job postings need to be on a web page you track with Google Analytics. If instead you use a 3rd party recruiting tool, you might not be able to measure job posting related SEO.) LinkedIn Company Profile So, here's what I see in Google Analytics: It's important to be aware of the URLs by which your company profile is accessed. Your profile is available via a company ID in the URL and by the more reader-friendly vanity URL. In my company's case, those URLs are http://www.linkedin.com/company/10127 & http://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-software The former can be found by hovering your mouse over your company name in your update feed: With that, here's the setup for the Google Analytics widget shown above: And here's the Regular Expression string: (\W|^)(/company/rocket-software|/company/10127)(\W|$) Please leave the trailing slash off the end of URL strings within your RegEx (using this example). You'll block referrers that don't include that slash. LinkedIn Groups and Careers Repeat the steps above to create additional widgets for your LinkedIn Groups and Careers. Edit your RegEx strings as necessary… but here are hints using my examples using "contains" rather than Regular Expression: Careers: /jobs2/view/externalApply Groups: /groups/Rocket-Software-3997577 Google Analytics Dashboards Here's a link to a dashboard template you can import into your Google Analytics account. It's a modified version from Erik Wagner. You'll need to change config settings as necessary. Happy tracking! The post Measuring LinkedIn with Google Analytics appeared first on Twitter Tools Reviews. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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