We told you about Zite one year ago when digital magazine apps seemed to be surging in popularity by gathering top stories of interest to readers based on their interests and delivering them in one attractive dashboard. The demise of one major player has not stopped Zite from revamping their iPad app in their new 2.0 version and offering thousands more topics, a new look and an “intelligent discovery machine” that learns your likes and dislikes as you use it so that it retrieves more relevant content results as time goes on. Also helpful: Zite 2.0 is now integrated with Facebook so the app can provide content suggestions based on your history in the social network.
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Web.com Small Business Toolkit: Zite 2.0 (Digital Magazine App)
March 26th, 2013 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichYour Advanced Facebook Page Checklist: 14 Things You Might Not Be Doing
March 26th, 2013 :: Monika Jansen
Just when I think I know all there is to know about Facebook, guess what? I learn something new – a new tip, trick, idea – that I then turn around and share with you.
Here are 14 new tidbits for you, only a few of which I already knew about, but all of which will improve your Facebook page:
General
- Pick a vanity URL: If your Facebook page does not yet contain your company name in the URL, it’s easy to change that. Just go to your admin panel, click on edit page, click on update info, and change your username.
- Use the tabs: Under your cover photo are tabs – photos, likes, about, etc. Create new ones (you can use Shortstack).
- Create milestones: Use milestones to tell your company’s story – when you were founded, got your first customer, hired your first employee, etc. (you can add milestones from the top menu bar).
About
- Link to website – In your About writeup, provide a link to your website right at the beginning.
- Link to other social media accounts – Just because you’re on Facebook doesn’t mean you can’t add links to other social media channels you use.
- Add a call-to-action – Include a call-to-action – give them a reason to interact on your page or visit your website.
- Use keywords – Google and other search engines crawl Facebook during searches, so be sure you are using all relevant keywords in your description.
Photos
- Focus on sharing photos – In case you missed it, Facebook is updating timelines to showcase visual content over text. Get in the habit of sharing photos and videos over words.
- Relate your cover photo to your brand – Your cover photo can be anything, but for the biggest impact, make sure it’s somehow related to your brand.
- Describe your cover photo – Because people can click on your cover photo, be sure to include a description, call to action, and link to your website.
- Use your logo as profile photo – Use your logo as your profile photo, or get creative an use your logo on something – a bag, hat, etc. – instead.
Content
- Share unique content – Be sure some of the content you share on Facebook is only available there, and not on your blog, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, or Pinterest.
- Allow fans to message you – Yes, fans can comment on your updates, but let them also send you direct messages. Just go to your admin panel, click on edit page, and click on manage permissions. Scroll down to “Messages” and check the box.
Did I miss anything that’s a little more advanced but also very important to do with your Facebook page?
Image courtesy of kgi.org
Google+Healthy Technology Is More Important than Healthy Employees for Today’s Small Businesses
March 26th, 2013 :: Maria Valdez Haubrich
By Maria Valdez Haubrich
How important is technology to today’s small business? So important, according to the recently released Brother Small Business Survey from Brother International Corp., that 75 percent of small business owners say a crashed computer disrupts their business more than a sick employee.
Although small business owners rely on technology to keep their businesses productive, they also find it difficult to manage their technology. Some 86 percent say that in the past year, they had a situation where malfunctioning office equipment hindered their business’s productivity. And two-thirds (66 percent) of small business owners admit they’re “frequently” overwhelmed by the amount of technology options available to help them run their businesses.
Technology is so crucial to smooth functioning of a business that nearly one-third (31 percent) of small business owners say they’d gladly give up a week’s worth of vacation if it could ensure they’d never suffer a tech malfunction in their business again.
While small business owners are still cautious about spending, they recognize the value of technology. Slightly more than half (52 percent) say it’s important to invest in their business to gain an edge over competitors. When they do invest, the most common area to spend on is technology-related capital investments such as software, mobile apps and cloud computing services. The next most popular investments, machinery and facilities, were far behind at 21 and 20 percent respectively.
Speaking of cloud computing, small business owners are still not widely embracing this technology, perhaps due to confusion about how it can help their businesses. Only 28 percent of small business owners say they fully understand what cloud computing is, while 42 percent do not use it at all. (That means a lot of entrepreneurs are using it without fully understanding it).
What are entrepreneurs using cloud computing for? About one-third (35 percent) use it only for data storage; 21 percent use it for document management, and 17 percent use it for business applications such as customer relations management, accounting and human resources.
Image by Flickr user Ell Brown (Creative Commons)
Google+6 Tips for Building Your Personal Brand
March 25th, 2013 :: Monika Jansen
Whether you’re a small business owner, blogger, or employee at a large company, your personal brand is the most important thing you have. It’s a combination of your personality, skills, experience, knowledge, and network – and most importantly, how you are perceived by others.
Here are 6 ways to cultivate your brand:
1 – Have an online “home”
Why: Showcase who you are and what you do without the constraints of a structured box (like your LinkedIn profile).
Back in the day, if you wanted an online presence, your option was a website. Now, you have many other options: You can set up a free account with About.me or Flavors.me, or you can set up a free blog through Blogger, WordPress, or Tumblr. Your choice – just choose one and use it!
2 – Make your CV interactive
Why: Engage people by using the power of visual content to your advantage.
If you want to really stand out and get people to sit up and take notice, create a video, infographic or SlideShare presentation to showcase you and your work – and embed it into your website or blog.
3 – Create your own content
Why: Content – visual and text-based – will keep your site fresh and demonstrate your knowledge.
Creating content on a regular basis is the best way to demonstrate your knowledge. If you choose to blog, one short blog post a week is fine – share success stories and your deep subject knowledge. If you choose to go visual, consider video blogs on your own YouTube channel – that you also embed in a blog post. If you are a designer (web, landscape, interior, clothes), upload your work on your blog.
4 – Clearly demonstrate your value
Why: You need to differentiate yourself from everyone else out there.
Your approach to your work is different from everyone else’s, so be absolutely sure to explain what you bring to the table. What are the benefits of working with you, and what kind of results do you deliver?
5 – Be “you” on social media
Why: You and your company are two separate entities.
When I set up my Twitter account a couple of years ago, I purposefully chose to be me, not my company. Same on Instagram and Pinterest. That’s because, from my perspective, these are more personal social networks and a way to let people get to know me better. If my company should suddenly collapse, well, no biggie – I’ll just shut down a Facebook page and continue to maintain my other social networks.
6 – Build a portfolio of success stories
Why: It’s an ideal way to show why you’re so great.
Customer or project success stories demonstrate how awesome you are in a very tangible way. These stories need not be long – just state the problem, how you addressed it, and what the result was. If your customer can tell it in his or her own words, even better.
Are you cultivating your own brand? What other tips can you add?
Image courtesy of success.com
Google+Hot Market: Indie Women
March 25th, 2013 :: Rieva LesonskyBy Rieva Lesonsky
When you think of marketing to women, do you think of moms? Then you’re missing out on a huge and profitable target market of “indie women.” Age 27 and up, these single women are living without partners or kids, and pack a disproportionate amount of spending wallop, as MediaPost reports.
Currently, indie women account for 31 million or about one-third of all U.S. women over 18, and their numbers are increasing: There will be a projected 50 million indie women by 2035. What do you need to know about this powerful market?
Indie women have higher incomes than the average woman and spend $1 trillion each year, including:
- $22 billion on vehicles (that’s five times more than “indie men” spend)
- $20 billion on entertainment
- $50 billion on food
Indie women watch more television than average women and are multi-screen users, meaning they frequently accompany TV-watching with a “second screen” such as the tablet, laptop or smartphone.
Indie woman are highly socially engaged online. They are 6 percent more likely than average women to rely on online ratings and reviews, 12 percent more likely to report that friends and family routinely ask them for advice on health and nutrition advice, and 10 percent more likely to say they are frequently the first among their friends to purchase from a new brand or store.
Indie women are professional: They hold 59 percent of masters’ degrees and 52 percent of managerial positions.
What should you do to reach indie women?
- Use social media. These women are key influencers and brand advocates, so engaging with them on social media can drive your success.
- Treat them with respect. Indie women are successful on their own terms, so make sure your marketing reflects the fact that they’re happy with their lives and making their own decisions.
- Know where they’re spending. Indie women are more likely to dine out, entertain at home and spend money on home décor and apparel than the average woman, making these potentially lucrative areas for your business to focus on.
NBCUniversal Integrated Media began studying the indie woman because this group does a lot of discretionary spending, but is not yet widely researched in demographic studies, making it an undiscovered marketing opportunity. You can learn more about this demographic by watching NBCUniversal’s Integrated Media group’s film about indie women here.
Image by Flickr user EpSos.de (Creative Commons)
Google+Web.com Small Business Toolkit: Ninja Standing Desk (Ergonomic Desk)
March 22nd, 2013 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichStanding desks are a growing trend in many workplaces because they help you avoid the health risks involved with sitting all day while building strength and fitness. If you want to try the trend, but aren’t sure about standing for eight hours at a stretch, check out the Ninja Standing Desk. The Ninja Standing Desk is the first portable sit-and-stand desk. It weighs just under 5 pounds and can be stored away in a bag the size of a laptop. The desk can be hung on a door, wall or cubicle, and by adding a third shelf, you can make the desk accessible for sitting, too.
Google+What Do Female Breadwinners Mean for Your Business?
March 22nd, 2013 :: Rieva LesonskyBy Rieva Lesonsky
Are you trying to target women with your marketing message? Then you’d better be aware of a demographic that’s grown in power since the Great Recession took hold: breadwinning wives.
The Great Recession was dubbed a “mancession” by some due to the large numbers of men who lost their jobs. As a result, more women found themselves the main breadwinners of the family. But an end to the recession hasn’t meant an end to the trend, reports Marketing Daily. In fact, research by Kristin Smith, a research assistant professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire, shows that the rise of the female breadwinner could be a permanent change.
Smith analyzed earnings data from the U.S. Census Bureau and found that in 2007 (pre-recession), wives with jobs outside the home accounted for 44 percent of total family earnings. Between 2008 to 2009, that percentage climbed to 46–the biggest single-year gain in 23 years. In 2010 and 2011, it was at 47. Overall, from 1988 to 2011, wives’ share of earnings rose by 9 percent while husbands’ share dropped by 9 percent.
Women were more likely to contribute a higher percentage of the paycheck if they were married to men with a lower level of education. For instance, women whose husbands had a high school degree or below contributed 51 percent of total family earnings in 2011. Women whose husbands had a college degree contributed 42 percent.
During the recession (December 2007 – January 2010 in this study), America lost 8.7 million jobs, with most of them in construction, manufacturing and other male-dominated industries. At its peak in October 2009, men’s unemployment reached 11.2 percent while women’s was 8.7 percent.
Smith believes that the trend toward female breadwinners will not only continue, but strengthen even as the economy improves. Why? She believes families will still need to make up for lost time and restore diminished retirement accounts and savings. As a result, more women will stay in the work force. Smith’s report did not take into account emotional factors like fears and worry sparked by the recession; if you consider those factors, the staying power of the female breadwinner seems even more ensured.
What does this trend mean to you?
- If your product or service has traditionally been marketed to the “head of the household” or breadwinner, keep in mind that role may have changed. You may need to tailor your message to suit women or both men and women.
- Since women typically earn less than men even in the same jobs, female-breadwinner households will have tighter budgets. Reach out to them with marketing messages about value, savings and smart shopping.
- If both spouses are working, time will be at a premium, so one way you can justify higher prices is by focusing on how your product or service saves precious time that can be better spent on more important things, like relaxation or family.
Image by Flickr user DonkeyHotey (Creative Commons)
Google+Web.com Small Business Toolkit: Brother Digital Color HL-3000 Printers (Color Printers)
March 21st, 2013 :: Maria Valdez HaubrichBrother Digital Color HL-3000 Printers
Sometimes color just says it better. But if ever you take your documents to be printed in color you know how high the price per copy can be. Printing your documents in-house can save you as much as 60 percent, but is it worth the cost of investing in a big, professional color printer? If your small business wants to look like a big business, check out the new digital color printers from Brother. For under $300, Brother’s new series of digital color printers give you professional-grade color documents fast, with resolution up to 600 x 2400 dpi.
Google+Event Marketing for Small Businesses Part 3: During and After Your Event
March 21st, 2013 :: Monika Jansen
If you’ve been following this series on event marketing for small businesses, you’ve seen in the first two posts that planning a small event like a seminar, roundtable, or breakfast, lunch, or dinner isn’t really that hard – but it is a great way to grow your business and build relationships.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of why and how to do event marketing and how to plan and promote your event, let’s take a look at what to do during and after your event.
During your event:
During your event, tweeting or blogging live or posting photos is a great way to engage your social media audience, show how great the event is, and build interest for a future event. (Granted, you’ll probably be pretty busy during the event, so the following jobs will probably fall to an employee or intern.)
Live tweet
Tweets from events are most helpful when they are useful, so focus on sharing quotes and tips. Use hashtags that are event- and topic-specific and tag people in tweets with their Twitter handle – they’ll most likely retweet your mention.
Live blog
For a seminar or roundtable, it’s especially fun to blog. As with tweeting, keep your blog posts actionable and interesting – you can share insights, tips, advice, etc. – whatever you think is most useful for your audience.
Post photos
A picture is worth a thousand words, especially in social media. Take photos of the action – a small group huddled together brainstorming, people shaking hands as they’re introduced, someone addressing the group, the food and décor, etc. Again, use whatever you think your audience will respond to.
After your event:
Categorize leads
If you host seminars and roundtables to generate leads, go through your attendee list and categorize everyone. For current customers, identify upsell opportunities. For potential customers, are they ready to convert or are they window-shopping? Doing this will keep you organized and help you craft messages for the next step.
Follow up with personalized emails
Write template messages for your leads based on category, then personalize an email for each attendee. Remind them of something they said during your conversation, or send them the follow up information you said you would.
Include an offer
For each lead category, what can you offer to get them to “yes”? A special promotion for an upsell? An ebook for a prospect? Your portfolio of work or success stories? Based on what you know about them, send them the information you think will have the biggest impact.
Calculate ROI
Last but not least, calculate your ROI so you know if the event was worthwhile – and worth repeating. The best way to do this is by looking at how many potential sales you gained and how much each project or customer is worth. Keep track of when you close on each sale and calculate how much that customer cost to acquire. That’s your ROI.
Have you ever live-tweeted or blogged from an event? What tactics have you used to close a sale after an event? Share your tips in the comments section below!
Image courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org
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