How to use Twitter to Effectively Market Your Blog
Guest Post by Sam Mauzy.
Today, just about everybody you talk to has a blog. The best bloggers will keep their site updated by posting regularly, from several times a week to even several times a day. Bloggers use several different tactics to get people to find their little corner of the Internet. SEO keywords and tags are a common way to make sure that web surfers find a blog post. However, so many bloggers put up the posts, add the keywords and leave it at that. They’re missing a huge part of marketing tactics for their blog, particularly Twitter.
Twitter is a fantastic way to get your blog’s name and recent posts out and about. However, every single Tweet will only capture some people’s attention, and only for a split second. The key ingredient to marketing successfully is repetition. This is the only way to ensure that your message will stick and that a large number of people will hear it.
Unless you’re glued to your cell phone even when you sleep, you can’t exactly update your Twitter every few hours of every single day. However, you do want to be bringing readers to your blog around-the-clock. The best way to deal with this is to sign up for a program that you can use to schedule your Tweets. TweetDeck and HootSuite are two programs that people can use to schedule Tweets for any hour of the day, up to several weeks in advance. You want to be reaching your Twitter audience as new people are signing on and as others are signing off. Schedule posts for every few hours during the day for several days in advance.
Make sure to rotate the times of your Tweets, too. For example, you may want to schedule links to your newest blog post for the next three days, but don’t schedule each one for 4 p.m. every day. Your fans who are browsing the Internet as they’re waiting for their work day to end will see your same post three days in a row. Next time you have something on Twitter, they’re going to ignore it because they’ll figure they’ve seen it before. If you post on even hours one day, post on odd hours the next. Also, HootSuite lets you choose five-minute intervals, allowing for even more flexibility.
Don’t overlook the importance of promoting older blog posts. As you gain new followers, they may want to read what you had to say this time last year. Obviously, this tactic will only work if you have several blog posts to choose from. Even if you’re a new blogger, however, you can start recycling old posts once you get on a regular, frequent blogging schedule.
Avoid posting the same exact thing over and over. Choose different excerpts from your blog to catch the interest of varying audiences. Repeating the exact same message multiple times is boring and akin to traditional marketing and sales methods, which people really don’t respond to anymore. Think about what your audience will find interesting and then present that information in multiple ways, even if you’re always linking back to the same blog post.
One thing that even the most frequent Twitter users forget to do is to add pictures to their posts. Pictures are worth even more than a thousand words when it comes to social media marketing. Photos get just about everybody’s attention and are one of the main things to keep in mind when composing Tweets or scheduling future posts.
Last, but not least, use hashtags wisely. Don’t overload your Tweets with them and always use hashtags that actually have to do with your Tweet. Otherwise, Twitter could prevent you from posting altogether.
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Sam is a blogger who specializes in website conversion rate optimization and other online sales conversion services.
Read MoreGetting a Job is As Easy As 1, 2, 3
Guest Post by Emmy Wilford
I am looking for a recent college graduate with a degree in Marketing. I have a good job. Of course, any job is a good job in this economy. I have some advice and, since I am the one hiring, it is probably a good idea to pay attention.
Lesson 1
It is easier to get a job when you have a job. Just ask someone who has been unemployed for more than one year. Chances are, your employer knew you would be leaving when you graduated and was glad to have you as a part-time employee while you were in college. If you stay on the job and, especially, if your supervisors will provide a reference, that is a real plus. If you are returning to your home and cannot keep that job, see if you can get a transfer. They will not pay relocation expenses, but that probably does not matter. If the company allows you to transfer, that says a lot about your value as an employee.
If you decide to keep your part-time job, that will give you a little income. That takes a bit of the pressure off. The next thing you have to do is accept your first marketing assignment – yourself.
Lesson 2
You are the first product you must market. If you envision job hunting this way, you should slip comfortably into the marketing techniques you have spent the last four years learning. What better way to demonstrate your competency? Identify your strengths. Create a resume that concentrates on them and presents them in the best light. Your resume is the place to shine. It will be speaking for you, so make sure it has nice things to say. Your cover letter is important, too. Do not be too friendly. We do not know each other, but do not be aloof, either. Instead, focus on convincing me I want to get to know you. That gets you to the interview, and that is critical. Once there, you will have the opportunity to speak for yourself.
Apply for every job that seems reasonable which brings us to the third lesson. In this economy, the value of this approach cannot be underestimated.
Lesson 3
If you cannot get in the front door, try the back. For instance, while I am looking for a new member of my marketing team, I am also looking for a mailroom clerk, secretary, and janitor. Those might all seem beneath you, but they are not. First of all, the people who do those jobs are important. With your background, it is not difficult to imagine that any one of these jobs could lead to a future marketing job with my company. Remember to do your homework before trying the back door. Make sure it is a company that encourages internal upward mobility. Otherwise, it is a waste of your time.
The back door can lead to a dead end, as well. Think carefully before pursuing any of these kinds of jobs. For instance, if it is a nighttime janitor, there is little chance you will ever see anyone on the dayshift. A mailroom clerk stuck in the mailroom all day will probably never get out, but one who makes the rounds might get to know the right people. Think, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. As a secretary for the right person, you might meet me, the one who can be so impressed with your skills and attitude that a marketing job might be in your future.
Creativity is the key to standing out. These three lessons should help. There are jobs out there. You want to position yourself to be the best candidate. That is the secret to good marketing.
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Emmy Wilford works with The College City as an online instructor. Marketing is her passion, and it shows.
Read MoreHow to Determine if Your Business Needs a Social Media Manager
Guest Post by Melanie Slaugh.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, your business has probably made the wise decision to incorporate social media into its marketing scheme. Social media and the Internet give you a chance to reach thousands of new customers on a regular basis and who wouldn’t want to leverage that to their benefit? Of course, it only works if you’re doing it right. If you’ve been on the fence about hiring a social media manager or not, here are five signs that it’s time to do so.
You don’t know the first thing about social media and you have no desire to learn
Easy. Hire someone to do it for you. It’s not worth the back and forth or the stress over if you should learn how everything works or not, nor the worry about if you have the time to learn the tricks of the trade or not. You would be better off hiring someone with the technical know-how so that you can focus on what it is you do best for the business.
You’re spending more time trying to figure out how to tweet than is monetarily feasible
If you’ve made the leap into social media marketing but you’re going into it blind then it can go one of two ways: either you’ll pick it up quickly or you will spend countless hours trying to learn to the point that it’s not worth it. When attempting to learn social media starts cutting into your productivity (and subsequently, company money) then it’s probably time to put that money to better use and to hire someone that knows what they’re doing.
Your automated messages aren’t generating the buzz you wanted
Successful social media is so much more than just scheduling automated tweets or Facebook posts, and if you go into it thinking that all you need to do is send out automated posts you’re going into it destined to fail. The reason social media is so successful is because of the personal interaction that it allows members to feel. Having a social media manager means you have someone who is capable of developing these relationships and building your brand.
You don’t have time to maintain the accounts
Social media success is a direct result of the time that is spent being active online and maintaining the accounts. If you don’t have the time to dedicate to the different social media then you’re better off hiring someone whose sole job is to promote and engage with customers via those accounts.
Not everyone needs to hire a social media manager, and many businesses do just fine passing off those responsibilities to employees who can pick up the slack. However successful social media does require being savvy enough with it to not only keep the accounts alive, but also to grow them. If you’re finding your businesses’ social media is lacking, it might be time to hire a professional to take it over.
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Melanie Slaugh is enthusiastic about the growing prospects and opportunities of various industries and writing articles on various consumer goods and services as a freelance writer. She writes extensively for internet service providers and also topics related to internet providers in my area for presenting the consumers, the information they need to choose the right Internet package for them. She can be emailed for follow up.
Read MoreThe Inaugural Affiliate Summit Central
[singlepic id=122 w= h= float=left]Another conference down, another Affiliate Summit for the record books. The first ever Affiliate Summit Central has drawn to a close. This time around, I attended as a humble affiliate instead of a vendor. Sessions galore were on my agenda for this show, with my only real goal being to get some tips for my sites and Dominic’s, so mission accomplished! I even got some work done for the good ‘ol day job while I was at it!
The mini conference, just a day and a half long, kicked off Monday night with an official welcome party at Maggie Mae’s. It was a terribly crowded joint with a muggy heat and amped up band, so I didn’t end up staying long. Instead, we wound up in the hotel bar chatting for quite some time and enjoying a glass of one of my favorite wines.
I started out Tuesday morning for a day full of sessions. I hit the second half of a session on optimizing WordPress for speed and sat in on a session for merchants on deals and coupons before a Texas style BBQ brisket lunch. After some grub, I learned more about compliance from Kellie Stevens than I knew existed and got some awesome tips from Jeremy Palmer. The day was rounded out by some great brainstorming with Karen Garcia and others on Pinterest marketing and a surprise balloon artist!
[singlepic id=131 w= h= float=right] The Austin Hilton was a terrific venue for this smaller show. It had the perfect sized conference facilities, while being just a block away from historic 6th St., with many live music venues. If you were so inclined to explore further, the metro station was right outside as well. I stayed after many folks left for ShareASale’s Think Tank at Lake Travis, so I had the pleasure of dining in the Liberty Tavern for lunch and Finn & Porter for dinner. Both great places.
Affiliate Summit would not be complete without an Under the Stars party by ShareASale, of course! Before hand, food was needed! A group of us headed to a nice place called Haddington’s, a gastropub where we were not disappointed with the upscale pub grub. Then we walked over to the party at the Hangar Lounge, a three story venue with a live band on the rooftop area. It was a grat party, complete with a photo booth. Brian Littleton does not disappoint!
All in all, I’d say I got out of Affiliate Summit Central what I wanted. A nice trip to Austin, seeing some good friends, and a lot of great nuggets of information to bring back to my personal affiliate endeavors!
Most are not from the conference itself, but see all of my photos from Austin:
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Read More3 Tips to Effectively Use Instagram in Brand Marketing
More and more major players in various retail industries have begun using this free picture-sharing platform to broaden their consumer base. Just like other major social venues, Instagram can be a seriously helpful tool for branding your business and ultimately increasing sales. However, like all newer social avenues out there, business owners often wonder how to use this application in the most effective way possible.
Seeking reputation management is one of the best and most hassle-free ways to ensure a quality online, social presence in general, and something to seriously consider. But for those more keen on the DIY approach, here are a few tips for using this free application to effectively market your brand.
1. Unique Content
It’s important to keep in mind that while people want to see interesting pictures, they should be uniquely tied to your brand or business in some way. Take nH Hoteles for example… This Hotel brands itself well by adding unique pictures of various sunrises from their many locations, in addition to other pictures dealing with various hotel-related items like menu offerings or nearby attractions. Keeping the pictures interesting but simultaneously related to their brand keeps users coming back while making them aware of nH Hoteles offerings at the same time.
2. Consistency
Consumers like to be entertained but not overwhelmed by your presence. By keeping your picture number consistent and relatively low is the best way to ensure a continued following. Something like two or three quality photos a day is probably enough to keep followers interested without overloading their picture wall and turning them off to your brand.
3. Consumer Involvement
Brands like Levi’s are using Instagram in a uniquely customer-oriented way. In their latest campaign to find the next top Levi’s models, they have simply asked that users tag photos of themselves wearing Levi’s products with the #iamlevis hashtag. This is not only a brilliant marketing strategy, but it’s also a great way for Levi’s to leverage the free medium to find untapped potential in new models for their clothing. Genius. Getting the customer involved is always a plus in this day and age.
No matter what your brand happens to be, Instagram offers a distinctly unique and incredibly easy way to market that brand. As the retailers continue jumping on the bandwagon, it’s becoming more and more apparent that the effects are indeed positive; the platform is proving effective. Best of all, there is virtually no cost associated with this method, and therefore, virtually no reason not to give it a try.
Read MoreAdvantages and Disadvantages of Having Your Own Photograph as Gravatar
Guest Post by Bashir Jutt.
Gravatar are the images that serve as your mask all over the Internet in general, and blogosphere to be more precise. However, while we see people paying a lot more attention to their Facebook profiles, they are quite careless towards Gravatar, which is equally (if not more) important than your social profiles. And while people will gladly put their own photographs at their FB page, they are often reluctant to use their own photographs in their Gravatar. Remember that the Gravatar will be accompanying everything you write on blogs including your posts, comments, or even guest posts, so you shouldn’t be taking it lightly if you are looking to make a mark in blogging community.
We can’t emphasize that using your own photograph is a must, because having your own image has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons to help you decide whether you should be using your own photograph or not.
Advantages
When you are using your own photograph in Gravatar, you will naturally be paying more attention to your writings, trying to be more grammatically and factually correct. Doing so will result in improved writing, as you will invest a little more time in researching and proofreading before you hit the publish, or submit button. Secondly, just like Social Networks, having your real photograph will make it easier for you to befriend with fellow bloggers, as people will be keener to communicate with someone with a real image instead of someone anonymous with a cartoon or blank image as their Gravatar. Coming back to the writing, while it wouldn’t make some poor writing appear good, but your comment or posts will be carrying a little more weight as compared to something coming from an anonymous user with no face. Lastly, having your own image will help you gain recognition and fame amongst your peers and you will end up making more friends at real life meet-ups and conferences.
Disadvantages
To start with, having your own photograph with everything you write will make you a little more conscious while writing and you might not be able to churn out posts like before, in short, you will be writing more quality stuff as compared to the quantity. At times, you might not be able to speak your heart out, since you will try to be more politically correct when posting with your real photograph, to make sure you are not infuriating people. Last but not the least, all the advantages of having your own photograph will turn into disadvantages if you aren’t using a good quality photograph with good background, since a fuzzy photograph will present you as someone who doesn’t take his/her cyber identity seriously, at all.
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Bashir is a full time blogger and an amateur photographer with a penchant for saving. That’s the reason he lists discount offers for Jupiter images promo code and photos.com promo codes at his website, that you can use to get some cool stock images from photos.com or Jupiter images, and perk up your Blog.
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