Social media networks are ever-changing. Not only in features, but also in the audiences that use them. The top trend over the last year has been the growth of image-focused social networks — particularly Pinterest, Instagram and Snapchat — among specific demographics. Facebook was once a top-choice for college-aged users, but now they're flocking to more visual networks like … [Read more...]
Should Businesses Ditch Traditional CRM?
Every business needs to focus on maintaining a healthy balance of attracting new customers and pleasing existing ones. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is the key to growth and overall success. Yet, so many small- and micro-businesses are doing it wrong. This infographic from Visualistan points out the six main components of CRM, and how traditional and modern (social) … [Read more...]
How to Trickle Instagram Posts to Twitter
Automation tools are great, but using them properly is key. If you post several images to Instagram at the same time, using a buffering tool is a way to trickle out the tweets over time. In this example, I use IFTTT (a great tool for conditionally posting content or sending data to and from a plethora of apps and services) and Buffer to spread Instagram announcements to … [Read more...]
Research Shows Small Business Owners are Missing the Boat on Finding New Customers
According to the US Small Business Administration, small biz makes up for 99.7 percent of employer firms, and the practice of non-employer companies (those run by a single person) accounts for nearly 23 million US businesses. The majority of these are micro businesses that generate less than $100,000 annually. Why do people start their own business? Constant Contact studies … [Read more...]
Can You Find Good Talent on PeoplePerHour?
Years ago, I used Guru.com to find someone to fully index one of my books. The gal did a terrific job, and I reached out to her several times after. I'd also found a good image "slicer" for converting Photoshop templates into HTML. The rest of the folks I hired? Meh. But that was expected on a site that doesn't actually verify the talent of its members. Last year I created … [Read more...]
Twitter’s New Direct Message Update – Train Customers the Right Way
It's always been a little tricky. After publicly reaching out to a company on Twitter, I'd often receive a request to follow the user so a rep could continue the conversation behind-the-scenes. Now, Twitter is allowing users to receive direct messages from people they don't follow. The company announced the update on Monday. Businesses and websites that rely on Twitter for … [Read more...]
Look How Easy it is to Crush Your Competition when Supporting Customers via Social Media [infographic]
Wondering how your company's customer support via social media networks weighs up against competitors? Sprout Social's "The Social Business" infographic shows you. And the results leave lots of room for improvement. According to Sprout Social, the number of tweets and posts sent to brands over the past year rose by 77%, and customers are sending twice the number of messages … [Read more...]
Shoppers Rely Heavily on Facebook for Research
Here's an interesting report. According to G/O Digital, 62% of consumers who use social media to research a local and/or small business head to Facebook first. This falls right in line with what successful social media marketers know - while business users tend to flock to Twitter and Google+, the average shopper hangs out on Facebook. What do consumers look at … [Read more...]
Say Goodbye to Coupons & Contests Requiring Facebook Likes
On November 5th, Facebook's new Platform Policies will affect thousands of micro and small businesses that generate page likes by offering coupons and contest entries, including the ones hosted by Mommy blogging and related websites. That's when it will be against the rules to require a "like" for any kind of exchange (discounts, giveaways, etc.). I actually use like-gating on … [Read more...]
Here’s Why I Posted all those Shareaholic Issues
Last month I reported on various issues regarding the Shareaholic WordPress plugin and suite of apps. While the bulk of responses I received from users was supportive, I did get quite a few questions, some not so positive. And that's okay. I don't expect everyone to agree with my methods to push my findings out into the open. I continue to receive questions daily. Some are … [Read more...]
Should You Use CoPromote to Gain Traction Online?
For the past several months I've been using CoPromote to see if it can really help individuals and the smallest of business gain exposure. Available on both free and pay-for levels, CoPromote's system allows you to share other's tweets or posts, while other users share yours. It's a "pay it forward" type system that works with Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr. Formerly … [Read more...]
Using Buffer to Engage Social Followers After Hours
There are hundreds of tools available for scheduling tweets and posts. Among my favorites is Buffer. This free service (which can also be upgraded for minimal cost) allows you to schedule posts to Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ (pages, not profiles) and app.net. Its interface is simple and easy to understand, and automated schedules help you fill the void when you're less … [Read more...]