To avoid the uncomfortable conversation that usually follows this expectation, I try to discuss the ROI (return on investment) of blogging with clients before we even sign a contract.  If you’re depending on blogging as your entire marketing, advertising and money-generating plan, you’re going to be disappointed. Ron Ploof, a very wise man, wrote a blog called Audience as an Asset, and although you can read the whole article, I’ll use an example here to illustrate.

Some of you may remember the recent fight between tech blog PhoneDog and a previous employee, Noah Kravitz. When Kravitz left PhoneDog’s employ, the company sued him. Why? Espionage? Embezzlement? A missing stapler?

No, the reason was Kravitz’s Twitter account. While employed at the company, Kravitz started a Twitter feed with the name @PhoneDog_Noah and, as Editor-In-Chief, managed to build an audience of 17,000 followers. He built that following and fed the account on his own, not under any requirement, urging or other missive from his employer.

But, when Kravitz left PhoneDog, he naturally changed his Twitter handle. Unlike Facebook, you can change your handle on Twitter without starting over, and so he did. PhoneDog sued for $340,000 in damages. In a statement to the Times, PhoneDog.com explained:

“The costs and resources invested by PhoneDog Media into growing its followers, fans and general brand awareness through social media are substantial and are considered property of PhoneDog Media L.L.C. We intend to aggressively protect our customer lists and confidential information, intellectual property, trademark and brands.”

PhoneDog realized the value of its ex-employee’s efforts, and realized that they were as much of an asset as the company’s trademarks and intellectual property. As of February, PhoneDog has been fairly successful in their attempts to sue Kravitz. (This is why I avoid this issue by stating in my contract that all content I provide becomes the clients’ property.)

Here’s another example, and one much closer to home for me. Just last month, one of the few Jewish delis in Orange County shut its doors—right before Passover. Guess who benefited? My client, Benjies New York Deli.

Why? Because all of the loyal patrons of the closed deli started combing the Internet for another place to have their latkes and matzoh ball soup. Suddenly the investment that Benjies had made in blogging showed a “return”, because those blogs we wrote on Reuben sandwiches, deli platters, brisket, traditional Jewish food and Passover seder plates were easily found online and drove new customers in the door. And, even though they pride themselves on being around since 1967, they sure are modern when it comes to online marketing.

So, the moral of this story is to look at blogging and social media as part of who and what your company is. They don’t call it an online “presence” for nothing. Don’t think of it as “If I blog it, they will come”, but more of promoting yourself in the best light often to your fans, your future fans and those interested in your product or service.

If you still are confused about the benefits of blogging, please feel free to email me directly!

The fact is, women who have succeeded in technology deserve recognition; they are an inspiration for everyone, male or female, demonstrating what can be achieved through creativity and hard work. And so we present this expanded list: “The Most Influential Women in Tech.” We candidly acknowledge it is subjective and incomplete. Among other shortcuts, we focused on only a few sectors (we left off medical researchers and pure academics, for instance). We also favored established firms over early-phase startups.

Now let’s have a little fun with it and see how we can relate women to technology.

~ HARD-DISK Woman:

She remembers everything you say and do, FOREVER.!!!

~ WINDOWS Woman:

Everyone knows that she can’t do anything right, but you can’t live without her.

~ EXCEL Woman:

They say she can do a lot of things but you mostly use her for only four of your basic needs.

~ SCREENSAVER Woman:

She is good for nothing functional, but at least she is exciting, colourful, and lots of fun!

~ INTERNET Woman:

Difficult to access and hard to keep running.!!!

~ SERVER Woman:

Claims to be available to you, but Always busy when you need her.

~ MULTIMEDIA Woman:

She has a way of making horrible things look very beautiful.

~ CD-ROM Woman:

She always has you on the move, going faster and faster.!!!

~ E-MAIL Woman:

Out of Every ten things she says, eight are plain nonsense.

~ VIRUS Woman:

Also known as “WIFE”; when you are least expecting her, she shows up, installs herself, and starts gobbling up all your resources. If you try to uninstall her, you will lose almost every thing. If you don’t try to uninstall her, you will still have nothing.

If you like this please click the “LIKE ” button below.

If you want a specific preview image for your YouTube video, you’re pretty much out of luck. When you upload a video, YouTube chooses 3 frames from your video based on an algorithm that might or might not be random. There are tips around for trying to game their algorithm, but that might be a little unethical and it’s unreliable since they’ve changed the algorithm over time. I think at youtube.com they’re welcome to do whatever they want, but when I’m displaying an embedded video on my own site I should be able to present the video with my choice of preview image – they’re my users and if I want to then I should be able to! I thought I would never find a way until now. Check it out below!

<div onclick="thevid=document.getElementById('thevideo'); thevid.style.display='block'; this.style.display='none'"><img src="IMAGE_PATH_URL" style="cursor:pointer" /></div><div id="thevideo" style="display:none">

(put the YouTube embed stuff here)

</div>

CHECK OUT OTHER YOUTUBE EMBED TRICKS

That’s it!

What is Mobile Marketing?

Okay, from Parts I and II of Local Motion you now have an understanding of the Buy Local concept, how important it is to your community and how to integrate Social Media but what about Mobile Marketing? Mobile marketing is a way to reach customers using the internet while not near traditional connections such as pc or laptop in a home environment.  I know what you’re thinking….here’s something else to figure out-but you want to put your business in front of your local customers who want to buy NOW, right?

With the explosion of smart phones-iPhone, Android, Blackberry as well as iPads and tablets, a whole new way of communicating has developed bringing our business up close and personal with the rest of the world and doing it fast.  These devices can all access the internet and there are 5 times as many smart phones as there are PCs and laptops in the world today. Mobile Marketing is a method of marketing through these devices.

Benefits of Mobile Marketing with Buy Local 

You want to connect with your local consumer right? With the trend of mobile marketing it’s up to you whether local consumers find you first or go outside of your communities for their shopping and buying needs.  Whether you live in a small town or a large city, one thing is for sure-everyone is headed towards mobile marketing in some form in the next year. Consumers who are actively searching are motivated buyers!

1. Additional Brand Exposure. A mobile website and mobile offerings are additional sources for customers to find you and get familiar with your products and services. Having multiple brand sources helps you to increase your traffic, referrals and sales-your local growth.
2. Mobile Use Increase.  Almost one fifth of Americans are accessing the web on a daily basis which means increased opportunities for retailers. Currently one in two mobile subscribers owns a smartphone. In order to reach out and “grab” that business, you need to be involved in the ever increasing mobile web.
3. Local Service.  More and more consumers are finding their local businesses through mobile services such as GPS and mobile search apps. This gives you great opportunity to create promotions, coupons and offers that will drive sales and traffic to your local business.
4. Cost Effective.  Mobile web sites are very cost effective in comparison with traditional website pricing. There are many free and low cost app services that provide businesses with tremendous marketing offerings.
5. Convenient.  With so many people on their smartphones during the busiest parts of the day, what better way to reach them? Mobile websites and services provide on-the-spot response to action. Consumers look for ways to save time and money. They will look to your business for these opportunities.

Interesting Facts and Trends-Did You Know?

• ½ of ALL local searches are performed on mobile devices
• 1/5 of Americans access the mobile web each day spending an average of 2.7 hours per day
• Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons
• Mobile searches result in action within 1 hour in 70% of connections
• The average response to an email is 90 minutes-the average response to a text is 90 seconds
• 88% of smartphone consumers take actions within the same day
• There are more mobile phones on the planet then there are TVs
• 64% of mobile phone time is spent on apps
• Mobile web will overtake the desktop within two years
• Consumers will spend $10 Billion on mobile transactions in 2012

Plan Your Local Mobile Marketing Campaign

Mobile marketing has a purpose and a call to action. Instead of using traditional push marketing tactics, choose instead to pull your customer in with appealing offers that suit your local consumer. Be the action they choose when buying online.

1. Mobile Ready. Check to see if your website has a mobile marketing presence and initiate actions to make it “mobile ready”.  If you are not website savvy or have someone else administrating your website, speak to them about how to make changes.
2. Target Market. Make a strategic plan to target your core customer and appeal to those directly around you. Here’s an opportunity to make it seasonal even if it is the “off season”. One suggestion would be choose to appeal to your year round clients instead of tourists….like a “thanks for your annual business” campaign or “special offers for our locals”.
3. Value. Make your offers have value. Offer something free or something greatly reduced if they respond to the mobile offer only. It’s a great idea to offer monetary incentive, something entertaining and unusual and something to encourage repeat business.
4. Integrated Marketing. Market your efforts with traditional and social marketing.  Make sure you send newsletters, emails and announce on social media venues.  Be location specific….let them know where you are and how to find you.
5. Time Sensitive. Make your offers timely. Give them specific dates when your special offers will expire. Nothing stimulates a call to action like “ending-on-this-date”.
6. Track and List. Keep track of your efforts. Every campaign needs to have results. You need to know what works and doesn’t work with your local audience. Make sure you have a plan to record your efforts and formulate a list of those that participate.

Mobile Marketing and Your Buy Local Campaign

Hopefully this article has given you some good insight into mobile marketing and how it can help your Buy Local campaign.  In order to keep it local you have to reach out to where your consumers are buying, shopping, eating and playing!

Keep in mind your traditional website may not be accommodating those who look for you on mobile devices. Sometimes regular websites may not facilitate a mobile version.  There are solutions such as having mobile plugins added to your website or having a mobile site created.  In any case, I hope you shop local first.

Statistics/research from: http://forrester.com, http://nielson.com, http://smsmarketing.com, http://mmaglobal.com, http://pewresearch.com

Stay Tuned for the last part (Part IV) of the Buy Local Series

Well, we covered What the Buy Local concept is, how to use social media with Buy Local campaigns and why Mobile Marketing should be used.  The last part in the series will be some highlights of your responses and comments to the series and focus on a few of your Buy Local campaigns.

Let’s Hear From You!

Now it’s time to hear about your Buy Local Campaign and your thoughts on Mobile Marketing.

• Are you currently using mobile marketing with your Buy Local campaign?
• What are you doing in the way of coupons, apps and special offers?
• What plans do you have for mobile marketing in the near future?
• Are you an Internet/Mobile Marketing Business? How are you encouraging Buy Local campaigns in your own community? What can you add to the above facts and trends that people should know about?

Brenda Ellison

blog: MyInfoBlog

website: MyInfoSnap.com “Your Florida Gulf Coast Online Guide”

Here’s one of those times: I was asked about blog etiquette by a few of my students, so I decided to write a blog on it—naturally. I decided to post it because I couldn’t find a straight answer on the Internet about business blogging etiquette—for regular blogs, yes. Business blogs? Not one thing. I can’t say this is a definitive list, but it should outline the main guidelines for bloggers new and experienced.

So, here’s the list:

• It’s never okay to plagiarize.
• BUT you can rewrite, revise and make it your own.
• If you do use something from another source, say where it came from and include a link to the source. Basically, a blog will use the same rules as a research paper or that history paper you did in college.
• Don’t sell all the time. Yes, you can post about new products, improvements, etc., but if you do it all the time, it will be a huge turn-off to your readers. Raise your hand if you love being sold to all the time on the Internet… No one? Enough said.
• Taking photos from another website and using them in your blog is not okay and could get you sued. They could have purchased the rights to use that photo from a stock photography site like Corbis, and just because you could copy it off that website and use it on yours does not fly with these people. They have people searching for this illegal usage, and they will find you. I doubt your client will volunteer to pay for the legal costs. Play it safe and use one of the many free stock photography sites out there. OR, better yet, take original photos for your company or client! That’s always the ideal option.
• Always make sure everything is spelled correctly and grammatically correct, especially if you are blogging for a client. Not only is it the professional thing to do, using the wrong word (complement vs. compliment, their vs. they’re) and missing a comma can change the meaning of the text:
  • Let’s eat, Grandma!
  • Let’s eat Grandma!
• Don’t ignore your customers! Were you asked a question? Then answer it, and make sure you say “That’s a great question!” even if it’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard. Ignoring comments on social media and blogs is a serious mistake. How offended would you be if you asked someone a direct question and they ignored you? It can be the same feeling for people on social media. They’re looking for a fairly immediate response when contacting a company through the social media channels.
• Try to break up your copy and start new paragraphs where appropriate. Most people are turned off by large blocks of text.
• Try to avoid religion or politics, unless of course you are writing for a church or a politician.
• Try not to be offensive. This is why I recommend a final editor before posting, as sometimes written material can be interpreted by the reader in a completely different way than the writer meant. Many people have had this happen with a hastily sent email, and dealt with the consequences. Don’t let that happen in your blog.

Do you have any additions to this list? If so, I hope you will add them in the comments section below and share them with other readers. In this ever-changing industry, I welcome the opportunity to learn from others.

If you have any other questions about blogging for business, visit my Either/Or Media website or please click here to email me.

WordPress is such an awesome software for building your website or blog but we all know there can be many plugins and core updates that happen every month.

We always see the message,

“PLEASE BACKUP BEFORE YOU UPGRADE”.

I have worked with WordPress for several years and I have seen many issues that can be caused by updates.  The best and only way I feel secure now before an update is to back everything up just in case things on the site go haywire.  I can just restore the site and my sanity.  There are plugins available that do this process easier than what I am going to show you below, but these plugin are not compatible with every theme and the process below is full proof 100% with any WordPress installation.

Below is a Step by Step guide on how to backup your WordPress site or blog with no mistakes.

STEP #1

Install and activate WordPress plugin WP Backup.  For info on installing and activating WordPress plugins, CLICK HERE

STEP #2

Once WP Backup is installed and activated, run Backup (found in the tools area of admin area).  Select all tables to be saved and choose to save the backup on the server.  If will create a folder and backup file on your host server.

STEP #3

You will need some form of FTP program to transfer the installed files  on your site to your local hard drive or storage device.  If you do not have an FTP client visit FileZilla.com and download one for FREE.  Works on PC and Mac.

STEP #4

Obtain your FTPlogin from your website Host and follow the instructions below for setting this connection up on FileZilla .

1. Launch FileZilla from your computer.
2. Complete the following fields, and then click Quickconnect:
   • Host — Enter your hosting account’s primary domain name. For example, coolexample.com.You do not necessarily need any prefix to the host you enter. However, if you experience any issues connecting, you can try using ftp.coolexample.com where coolexample.com is your hosting account’s primary domain name.
   • Username — Enter your hosting account user name.
   • Password— Enter your hosting account password.If you have problems connecting to your hosting account, it is most likely caused by an incorrect password.
   • Port — Leave this field empty, or type 21.

STEP #5

Once your are connected to your site via FTP you should see a list of files in the FTP program.  Look for a folder named public_html.  Click on this folder and drag it to your desired location of backup.  This folder contains all of the files related to your WordPress installation including the backup file you made in step #2.  If you do not see this folder when you first lo into your FTP client, then simply select all the files you see initially and drag and drop those into your backup location.

Check out this great post on how to Backup your website using your C-Panel

READ POST

That is it.  Let me know if you want to know how to restore as well.

So often people buy a Theme only to find out that it will not function properly and have to go on the hunt again for another one.  I have listed below my TOP 4 things to consider when choosing a WordPress Theme for your website or blog.

Is it current?

It is really important that select a WordPress Theme that is up to date and compatible with what’s being used on the web.  Below are a few items to look for to make sure you are getting a theme that meets this.

1. Check to make sure that the Theme is compatible with the most current version of WordPress.
2. Very important to make sure the Theme is compatible  with all  major browsers.  If there is a Theme demo you can test the browser compatibility at http://browsershots.org/

Does it have design flexibility?

This I think is what people tend to consider the most when selecting a Theme but rarely make sure that the Theme they purchase has allot of design and layout flexibility.  Check out the things below to look for before you buy it.

1. Different skins options built in to change the color scheme of the entire theme.
2. Make sure it comes with the Photoshop files so you can customize the design.
3. Look for easy to edit font options.  Yes this can be changed in the hard code if you know a little CSS but always better to make it easy.  Font is a big part of a well designed look.
4. Unlimited sidebar options.  This POWER option allows your website or blog to have a different sidebar for each and every page.

Does it have great content support?

Content is king and you want to make sure it is displayed properly on your site with ease and simplicity.  There are many forms of content like text, photos, audio, video and many more.  You want to look for the things below to make sure you can display your content for your visitors.

1. Look for shortcode options for displaying text and other content.  For example if you want to make a 3 column display of text there is a shortcode to accomplish this without having to make it with HTML.
2. It’s a must to make sure your theme supports video display.

Is it well documented?

This is the most important of the 4.  There are so many WordPress Themes on the web that are sold by a developer and there is no documentation on how to install and use it.  Then when you reach out to ask a question, you never get a response.  I have listed some things below to look for based on personal experience.  These things will help you stay clear from these dodgy Themes and developers.

1. If available, check to see how many sales have been made of the Theme and see if there is a feedback or rating score from the buyers.
2. If there is a comment or support area, take a look at what people that have used or bought the Theme have to say and how they feel about it.
3. MAKE SURE THE THEME COMES WITH DOCUMENTATION.

Below is a site for trusted WordPress Themes at a very affordable price.

But remember to follow the points above before you buy.

1. Your Website Must be Engaging

   You have a compelling headline that grabs your visitors’ attention within the first few seconds. Your information must be clearly stated with compelling copy to truly connect with your ideal clients so potential customers can find what they are looking for easily.

2. Your Website Must be Informative

   You focus on the end benefit to your client and you’re not caught up in explaining the details and the process. You provide information that is useful to visitors. You tell your potential clients how they will benefit from your products & services or how you will help them.

3. Your Website Must Establish a Relationship

   The moment someone visit your website they make an instant decision about your company based on what they see. Make your website work for you.People begin to get a sense of what you can offer them. Often you begin to develop relationships with your ideal clients from your website.

4. Your Website Must Flow Well

   You must have a clear strategy on the steps you want your visitors to take on each page. This means there is a logical, proven flow and strategy for your content that leads to the next step. That step should be to move your visitor closer to a lead or a sale.

5. Your Website Must Promote Action

   People need help in making decisions; it’s your job to let them know what the next step is. This means you invite visitors to do something that engages, informs, establish your relationship and ultimately results in sales. This could be a video, a free offer, like a consultation or free estimate, or an interactive quiz.

There you have it the Five “Must Have” Elements of a Result Driven Website.

Did I miss any?

In fact, blogging is much more than that– it’s a carefully crafted art that, when executed correctly, can yield extraordinary results for a business. When done wrong, at the very least, won’t do much for your business, and at the very worst, might even cripple your business’s image. Here are a couple basic pointers to get a beginner blogger started:

Keep It Short!

Being concise is key! Long articles are visually intimidating, and can really deter readers from wanting to further read your blog’s content. We know you have a lot to say, so if you find that you are going over the word quota (650 words max is our rule of thumb), then consider splitting up your blog into multiple entries. This will not only keep each entry concise, but will also provide you with more material that you can use to populate your blog for the next several weeks.

Be Creative-

What happens when you feel you have exhausted all that you can write about for your business? Impossible, we say! Think outside of the box—your business is a lot more than what you advertise on your website! It is a common pitfall for business owners to blog about the standard and ordinary topics, but the topics that are really interesting are informative or personal or both! Take the time to brainstorm good blog topics that pertain to your business– Research the market, follow the trends and keep a lookout for what is new in your industry. It is good to always be learning, and even better to share this newly acquired knowledge with your audience. Engaging and compelling content will impress your readers.

Edit, Edit, Edit-

Like we said, when done wrong, blogging might even harm your business’s image. We don’t know about you, but bad grammar to us just looks awful. We judge people who do not use there, they’re and their correctly. We cringe when someone says your instead of you’re. We ruthlessly wield the red marker when we see that it’s has been used as a possessive case. Alright, so we may be tough critics because grammar is sort of our niche, but you don’t need to be a Shakespeare in order to write. We urge you to always double check your work and edit for grammar errors. Your writing is a reflection of who you are, and you never know who might be secretly judging your grammar!

Those of you that know me, know that I would rather watch a video than read a book.  But every once in awhile I do enjoy a good book that will teach me something that is of interest.

So I thought I would put together a good list of my Top 15 Books Every Blogger Should Read.  These books below are jammed packed with great tips and tricks to make your Blogs more successful online.

Be sure to comment at the end of this post on any books you think I might have missed in this list.

Blogging for Business: Everything You Need to Know and Why You Should Care by Shel Holtz and Ted Demopoulos

A lighthearted look at business blogs, both internal and external, with plenty of advice for the technologically-challenged.

Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs that Engage Customers and Ignite your Business by Ann Handley & C.C. Chapman

Most of these books are for more than just blogs, but this one in particular: if you’re creating any kind of online content, you need to make it right.

The Corporate Blogging Book: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know to Get It Right by Debbie Weil

If your company is ready to start a corporate blog, try out this book as a first primer to truly connect with customers.

Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk

Take charge of your passion, turn it into a business, and grow it with social media.  The social media revolution has changed the way we live our lives and conduct our business. Learn how Crush It will give you the tools to take advantage and WIN.

Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug

Start thinking about your website the way that your users think about your website.

The Economics of Attention: Style and Substance in the Age of Information by Richard A. Lanham

What do people pay attention to? How can you get more attention from people by making your work easier to consume and understand?

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen

Seldom has one simple, practical book met such acclaim, but millions now swear by the productivity practices in Getting Things Done.

Hot Text: Web Writing That Works! by Jonathan and Lisa Price

If you just want to get down to writing without worrying how it will turn out, learn how to write for the web.

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz

Your blog, your business, and your success is built on relationships, so keep getting to know people and leveraging the power of networking.

Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy

The basics of advertising from the best in the business. Old, but still valuable.  Although Confessions of an Advertising Man is now out of print, it’s possible to find a copy — and well worth the effort. This book defined advertising in the 1960s and continues to hold up today.

On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

This basic book on writing is a classic that has stood the test of time.

Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable by Seth Godin

Get ready to stand out and be noticed.

ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett

This book isn’t just about creating a blog or monetizing it – it walks you all the way through the process.

The Rise of the Creative Class: And How It’s Transforming Work, Leisure, Community, and Everyday Life by Richard Florida

Bloggers are changing the world – and so are people in a wide range of creative endeavors.

Serious Creativity: Using the Power of Lateral Thinking to Create New Ideas by Edward De Bono

Brainstorm your best ideas yet by learning the best way to think creatively.

Did I miss any? Add them in the comments below.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUR BUY LOCAL CAMPAIGN

Of course you don’t have the advertising and marketing capital that big box companies enjoy to start your Buy Local campaign. What better way to overcome the odds than by using some of the best and most cost effective tools available to you right online? Social media is your first opportunity.

Yes, social media…something you probably already use every day in some form. Using online marketing such as social media and mobile marketing is more important than ever before. Yes, it can be an undertaking at first but you don’t need to be involved in every form of social media to be effective. You need to decide which social media is most important to your business and develop a campaign to put your Buy Local campaign in front of your customers. That’s why I have provided some interesting information on 6 of the top social media to help you decide what will work best for you.

SOME STATISTICS ABOUT THE TOP SOCIAL MEDIA

Visual engagement and mobile marketing are really emerging in online marketing. There is so much information being produced, people skim to the things that attract their interest and look for ways to quickly communicate. Here are some statistics on the top social media to help you decide which ones are right for you.  Even if you only choose one, be sure to be involved with some social media. Your Buy Local campaign with thank you for it….with business!

FACEBOOK

Facebook is still on top and innovating at a very high speed. They recently purchased Instagram, a mobile app platform to enrich their visual engagement. People can use Facebook for both personal activity as well as business. Their fan pages seem to do well for small business right up to big brands.

• Monthly active users now total nearly 850 million
• 250 million photos are uploaded every day
• 20% of all page views on the web are on Facebook
• 425 million mobile users
• 100 billion connections
• Zynga’s games revenue is currently 12% of Facebook’s total income
• 2.7 billion “likes” per day
• 57% of users are female

 TWITTER

Twitter is quite different than other social media. It does not enjoy the same kind of visual impact that other social media does but Twitter users are large in numbers and very loyal. This is more of a “get down to business” social media with a limited amount of characters and frequent use of “shortened” links. For that reason it is all about the content….but getting the message across and getting people engaged is very important to business.

• There are over 465 million accounts
• 175 million tweets a day
• 1 million accounts are added to Twitter every day
• Top 3 countries on Twitter are USA at 107 million, Brazil 33 million and Japan at nearly 30 million
• Busiest event in Twitter’s history is now “Castle in the Sky” TV screening 25,088 tweets per second (previous record was the last minutes of the 2012 Superbowl with 10,245 tweets per second).
• Projected revenues for Twitter in 2012 are $260 million

 LINKEDIN

LinkedIn started out in 2003 as a business type connection for professionals. They focused on engaging groups of like-minded business people. They currently have over 150 million members and have created quite a niche for job seekers as well as employers looking to hire.

• 2 new members join every second
• USA leads membership at more than 57 million, Europe has more than 34 million members
• 60% of its members live outside the USA
• In 2011 there were 4.2 billion professionally oriented searches on the LinkedIn platform
• LinkedIn now has over 2,116 employees (at the beginning of 2010 it had only 500)
• The fastest growing demographics are students and recent college graduates
• Revenues for 2011 reached $522 million
• LinkedIn is the 36th most visited website in the world

 YOUTUBE

YouTube is all about engagement and communicating. How many of you have ever watched or downloaded a YouTube video? From music to instructions and everything in between, this website is always available. It is the second largest search engine right behind Google….and it is very cost effective. Videos for your business are extremely important and most websites now incorporated them on their homepage/landing page, blogs, sales pages and emails. Every business should at least have a simple introduction video.

• 3rd most visited website according to Alexa
• 2 billion views per day
• It handles 10% of the internet’s traffic
• Average YouTube user spends 900 seconds per day
• 44% of YouTube’s users are aged between 12 and 34
• Over 829,000 videos are uploaded every day
• Average video duration is 2 minutes 46 seconds

PINTEREST

Pinterest’s growth has been phenomenal. This very simple yet effective method of social media has spurred an incredible amount of attention and users. You can “pin” images and videos to boards you create and the response has been incredible. Marketers are now developing programs to utilize this site to great advantage for their businesses. They were named one of New York Time’s “50 Best Websites of 2011”. This website was started in 2009 and is barely two years old.

• December of 2011 Pinterest became one of the top 10 largest social networks with 11 million visits per week
• In January it was driving more referral traffic traffic to retailers than LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+
• Over 10.4 million registered users
• Nearly 12 million monthly unique vistors
• Most of the sites users are female
• 97% of the site’s Facebook “likes” are by females
• It is the fastest site in history to break through the 10 million unique visitor mark

 GOOGLE+

It is estimated that Google+ will hit 400 million users by the end of 2012. They have a very different engagement system than other social media. They are a part of Google which has been the major search engine on the internet for a long time. It is mandatory for anyone who signs up for Gmail to also join Google+.  Although engagement levels are much lower than those of Facebook, Google+ remains an intricate part of Google family including YouTube, Android and Google Search.

• It was launched on June 28, 2011
• Google+ reached 10 million users by July 14, 2011
• 67% of Google+ users are male
• Google “+1″ button is served more than 5 billion times daily
• It is gaining 625,000 users per day
• In less than one day the Google+ iPhone app became the most popular free application in the Apple App store

LET’S HEAR FROM YOU!

• Do you think Social Media is important to your campaign?
• What types of Social Media are you using in your Buy Local Campaign?
• Which one brings the most engagement?
• Which one brings the most business?
• Which one brings the most referral?

I would like to hear about your campaigns! If you are a Buy Local Organization, please let us hear from you too! The more we connect, the better the business!

statistic sources: websitemonitoring.com, speakeasymagazine.com, infographiclabs.com, Sandbox

Brenda Ellison
Blog: MyInfoBlog
Website: MyInfoSnap.com “Your Florida Gulf Coast Online Guide”

Blogs are mainstream these days, and they have quickly become a very affordable marketing tool for businesses. Aside from monetizing your blog with advertisements, there are a number of ways a blog can increase income, generate interest and create more opportunities. If you have yet to start a blog, here are some reasons you may want to consider it.

1.Blogs can increase traffic to your business site.

We all know that search engines love blogs. With some strategic blogging, you can increase traffic to your business website. And usually, if someone finds your blog through keywords, they are probably part of the audience you are trying to reach with your other marketing activities.

2.You can establish yourself as an expert.

A blog gives you a way to share your experience. You can take a step toward becoming a respected expert in your industry by freely giving tips, advice and other information that readers can learn from and then apply to their own businesses.

3.Blogs give you a way to reach out to clients.

Blogs are informal, conversational and real-time. They give you an opportunity to talk directly to your clients and colleagues, providing value beyond the information listed on your website.

4.You can provide news, events, specials and other information.

A blog is a great addition to a business website, especially when it provides information about company news, events, new services, partnerships and special discounts. This format allows you to use a blog as an extension of your website.

5.You can offer technical support/documentation through your blog.

A great use for a blog is to make it a support site for your clients. You can create a documentation category that can provide help with common problems. You can also create a support ticket or helpdesk system through your blog. This can streamline your support process, freeing up your time to focus on your work. And it gives clients a quick way to get answers they need.

6.You can build a following.

When you post good information on a regular basis on a blog, you will build a group of loyal readers. With time, they will get to know you and what you do best. Your readers can become your biggest champions, providing referrals and leads.

Of course, blogging isn’t for everyone. It takes time, a commitment and worthy material. You need to post regularly, provide information that’s valuable to your readers, and be willing to interact with and learn from your audience.

I think the biggest challenge for bloggers, myself included, is sticking to a regular schedule. We’re all busy, and a blog post is just another item on the to-do list. But I can attest to the fact that once you start writing, especially if you’re writing about something you’re passionate about, it just starts to flow. And in the end, you’ll be happy you did it…and hopefully you’ll be advancing your business prospects in the process.

Do you have a blog for your business? Share the link, and you may inspire some non-bloggers to take the leap.

Let’s start by defining the ingredients needed to complete a WordPress E-Commerce site.  Now keep in mind that some of the following items I will list are not mandatory to use in your E-Commerce development but will make it more successful and MORE MONEY!  My list below already assumes that you have a great host for your website and a SSL certificate installed to secure the connection in order to process payments directly on your site.  A secure connection means that instead of the URL address being http it would be https.

This is what you will need:  * REQUIRED

1. E-Commerce ready theme (you can use any theme but E-Commerce ready makes life easier) *
2. E-Commerce plugin that will manage the shopping cart process *
3. Payment Processor that will allow your site visitor to purchase products *
4. Affiliate plugin that will allow others to drive sales to your products for commission
5. Members Only plugin which will allow you to create premium content pages that require membership purchase to access

Now let’s say for the purpose of this post that you will be using all the elements in the list above because you want your online store to be the da bomb diggity.  It is very important that you find the right plugins and themes that will all work together an integrate into one another.  THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT.  So in order to make sure you do it right and save you the hours of research and or massive headaches, I have laid out below what you need and where to get it.  Total investment in these items is $176 – $206.

1. E-Commerce Ready Theme ($30 – $70)

Splashing Pixels

Splashing Pixels is a theme development company who specializes in e-Commerce related themes for WordPress. At the site, you will find beautifully crafted themes that are forward thinking and incredibly intuitive. All our themes show special attention to detail and user friendliness. On top of that, it is backed by our own Splashing Pixels theme framework which you will find very easy to use. Don’t be shy, stop by and take a look at our demos!

Full Details

Storefront Themes

Storefront Themes designs all their themes EXCLUSIVELY for the WP-e-Commerce platform and offer more WP-e-Commerce themes than any other theme shop. They offer first-class support, high-def video tutorials, and an optimized theme framework. They continually push the boundaries of what the WPEC platform can do by producing unique themes, some of which integrate with BUDDYPRESS, use RESPONSIVE layouts for mobile devices, and cover a wide variety of niches with features like music players, custom widgets and ajax functionality.

Full Details

2. E-Commerce WordPress Plugin  (FREE)

WP e-Commerce Plugin

WP e-Commerce is a robust WordPress plugin suitable for anyone who wants to start selling products, downloads or services online.  Whether you sell 10 or 10,000 products, we make it easy to add a WordPress e-Commerce shopping cart to your site. Best of all it is easy to manage. Quickly add products and organize your catalog using the familiar WordPress interface.  Our WordPress e-Commerce Plugin boasts more than 1.7 million downloads – that’s quite an endorsement. But don’t take our word for it. Browse our showcase to see the remarkable e-commerce websites our users have built using the WP e-Commerce Plugin developed by the GetShopped community.

Full Details

3. Payment Processor WordPress Plugin ($40)

Gold Cart Plugin

The WP e-Commerce Plugin is a shop owners dream, with such intricate WordPress integration it is possible to do anything. The Gold Cart Plugin is our Premier Plugin that opens up a mixture of new functionality and provides customers with 1 support token that they can use for requesting help setting up their shop.

Full Details

4. Affiliate WordPress Plugin ($47)

Affiliate Plugin

The Affiliate Plugin makes it simple to sign up and manage affiliates. You can easily set the payout amount (flat rate or % of sale) per affiliate, add custom banners and text links with unique tracking codes, view stats and more.

Full Details

5. Members Only WordPress Plugin ($49)

Member’s Only Plugin

The Members Only Plugin is a perfect way to create pay to view subscription sites. This Plugin is a completely new WordPress Membership Plugin and comes packed with plenty of useful features and a nice user interface to boot.

Full Details

Please take note that the above items work hand in hand with each other and has been tried, tested and proven to sell the HECK out of your products online.  I look forwards to any comments you have on this post and I am always here for your questions.

This is not a joke. Here is the FBI website link detailing the DNS Changer malware:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911

To see if you are clean or have the infection, please click on this link. It will tell you immediately if your system is infected.
http://dns-ok.us/

If your system IS infected, you will need to download the antivirus to another computer, put it on a thumbdrive (USB storage device), disconnect the infected computer from the internet (disable the internet connection), and run the antivirus from the thumbdrive after plugging it into the infected computer.

It will not remove the DNS Changer if the PC or MAC is connected to the internet or the antivirus is not able to complete the removal and reboot before the infected PC or MAC is reconnected to the internet.

Had your computer been infected with DNS changer malware you would have seen a red background. Please note, however, that if your ISP is redirecting DNS traffic for its customers you would have reached this site even though you are infected. For additional information regarding the DNS changer malware, please visit the FBI’s website at:
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911