A long time ago, aka a couple years, Social Media had no relevance to your page rank or SEO campaign. Social Media was simply another tool, or middleman to connect your business with your clients. Usually links to social media were rel= nofollowed (tell search robots to not click on link). Up until a few years ago, social websites media sites were not considered as high quality links and did not carry much authority. As of today, the number of Facebook and Twitter users exceed 500 Million! If this isn’t a reason to give a website authority, then I quit this industry. Google and Bing realized that there is quality in Facebook and Twitter and have said they can directly impact you page rank. Fret not friends, your quest for more followers and to get Gaga to retweet you can actually pay off. Twitter: Twitter, while some still call it a ‘new’ phenomenon, it is crucial for successful business today. It has been one – Read the full article
Looking to get ahead of the social media marketing game? Sure, Facebook and Twitter are still the king and queen of this kingdom – just as reported in a recent StrongMail survey of online marketing budgets in 2011 – but the New Year also heralds a number of new social media darlings that are certainly worth keeping an eye on. Last year, it was Foursquare and Posterous leading the pack. This year is just as promising – if not more promising, thanks in large part to the continued expansion of social media and to the crazy range of new sites, apps, and startups out there. Here are our picks for social media websites to watch in 2011. Quora Last March 2010, Quora reportedly received $86 million in funding from Benchmark Capital (also a Twitter investor). It didn’t make any million-dollar noise the rest of the year, but this 2011 just might be the year Quora really makes waves. As a – Read the full article
In a new social media marketing ploy – call it the “Twitter Boycott” strategy – the Los Angeles Times reports that social media superstars Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Seacrest, among many others, are boycotting all social media sites until $1 million is raised for the charitable foundation, “Keep a Child Alive.” The “Keep a Child Alive” charity, which is dedicated to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care, and support services to children and families affected by HIV/AIDS, is fronted by talented singer and new mother Alicia Keys. The concerted sign-off of leading celebrity Tweeters and Facebook “friends” – what is described in the campaign as “digital death” – is slated to remain in effect until the $1 million target is met. In addition to swearing off all social media activity, the altruistic celebrity superstars will post “final tweet and testament” videos to the “Keep a Child Alive” website. Lady Gaga’s final tweet is already live on their website. The often – Read the full article
A number of the world’s biggest businesses and brands are using Twitter. Chances are, they’re also using Facebook. And their employees are using LinkedIn, to connect with other professionals. How do you, as a small business owner, set yourself apart from the competition? Obviously you’ll have to be more creative with leveraging social media, and with finding alternative platforms where you can engage with customers. You’ll have to seize overlooked opportunities for marketing, or create these opportunities where none exist. Start by knowing there are other social networking tools in town. Like Flickr, for example. Okay, so we can almost hear you say it. Flickr? Really? How do you use that for marketing? Um, isn’t Flickr a picture community for hobbyists and photographers and artists? Just like Vimeo is a video community? And doesn’t Flickr explicitly say that you can’t use the site for commercial purposes? All of the questions above have a point, but that doesn’t mean you can’t – Read the full article
Forgive us? We’re feeling kind of guilty that we’ve written a number of Twitter articles that provide a lot of tips on how to use the popular social media site – without providing an equal number of examples. So let us make it up to you with these great examples of how today’s biggest brands and businesses are using Twitter. Starbucks (@Starbucks): The Seattle-based coffee giant offers “freshly brewed tweets” to a loyal following of over 1 million Twitter users. Check the brand’s profile out, and you’ll be surprised by the number of @replies/mentions they tweet in a day. That’s what engagement is all about. All too often, companies misuse Twitter by spamming their followers with relentless sales talk and ads – without caring to respond to mentions or direct messages. Sure, while Starbucks does post the occasional promo or new offer, the brand’s use of Twitter is mainly to connect intimately with fans and customers. It listens, and as – Read the full article
Lakeshore Branding was recently featured on independent news site RINF.com, with a couple of articles on social media for businesses, entrepreneurs, Internet marketers, and startups. RINF.com is a news website with an Internet marketing edge. It’s owned by Mick Meaney, who’s been working on and writing about all things technology since 1998. The first article is “What to Expect from Your Social Media Consultant”, with tips and key insights on what exactly that newly hired employee at the social media department in your office should be doing. Does the job entail tweeting and blogging 24/7? Does the consultant have to double your number of followers or quadruple your number of fans? Or should you be expecting more? Find out more by visiting the social media section of RINF. The second is “7 Twitter Mistakes Businesses Should Avoid”. Well, we all have heard great stories and testimonials from top brands on how Twitter’s so cool – and how amazing it is – Read the full article
We don’t know about you, but Mad Men is a show we can’t get enough of. Sure, it has won a bunch of Emmy Awards, and it provides a gripping depiction of the lives of advertising executives on Madison Avenue in the 1960s, but these aren’t the only reasons why we’re watching. The truth is, Don Draper – played by actor Jon Hamm – is actually wise beyond his years. A classic American figure, sure. But old-fashioned? We don’t think so. Every episode, Don Draper unleashes a brilliant, memorable line, a gem of an advice that we can take and use in the age of Internet marketing and social media. Take for example the following Don Draper quotes. Don Draper: “Our worst fears lie in anticipation.” Sure, trying to learn things like Twitter, SEO, web analytics, PPC advertising, etc. can be downright intimidating. It’s almost like trying to learn a whole new language – something you may be afraid you’re – Read the full article
Social media offers endless possibilities for marketing and selling your product online. But you know that already. (And we must have been going on and on about it.) You know that Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and similar social media sites are great for E-commerce and online retailers – that, if leveraged properly, they can help you engage targeted communities, increase your online visibility, enhance your brand, drive traffic to your site, and maximize your sales opportunities. Now – hold on right there. Before you even think of getting started and unleashing your campaign unto the wonderful world of social media, you may want to be aware of the common mistakes that businesses – regardless of size – make. Mistakes that can make social media marketing a burden instead of an opportunity. Mistakes which you should at all costs avoid. Don’t throw yourself into social media without a plan or strategy. Some businesses think all it takes is to sign up on – Read the full article
