Erik Qualman's Blog, page 558

Engaging Your Audience With Video Webinars… Easy Web Content!

We all think video is cool and that it would be cool to have it for our brand. Am I right? Ok, there may be some of you who are into white papers and that is fine too. But, let’s take a look at some expert predictions for video in 2015, shall we?

Cindy King (Social Media Examiner Director of Editorial Content) published an article called, “28 Social Media Marketing Predictions for 2015 From the Pros.” Three of the 28 predictions involved video, directly. Many of the other predictions involved video indirectly, as a part of the overall content strategy. See below for more details on the specific recommendations. Also, be sure to visit and read the article on Social Media Examiner.

What If I Hate Making Videos?

That isn’t a problem! On one of my interviews (this one for Web Tools TV), Ted Coine mentioned that we are living in the “Creative Age.” Video is a part of that. But, you do not have to be a rocket scientist to make a video. Already, YouTube has many ways to make videos. But, YouTube is not the only game in town. One that I would like to highlight here, is ClickWebinar Video.

Don’t let the “webinar” part throw you off, ok? It is true, it is a webinar platform. So, it is a great tool for providing valuable live training to your team and/or community. Now, let’s dig deeper into its value for providing you with video content for your site. You will see, later in the article, how unique this content is and how it can help you even with any video fears you may have.

As you know, Facebook has its own thing with video uploads instead of relying solely on YouTube. This is all the more reason that you need to start creating your own video content and getting people to share it on Facebook, then on Tsu (revenue sharing), and other places on the ‘net. By creating your own video content, you are the king of that content and all links point back to you, instead of just random youtube videos.

Why Was It That I Should Care About Video?

Let’s go back to the Social Media Examiner article. It isn’t the only article out there that predicts video as a major player in 2015 (See also Top 10 Business Predictions for 2015 on Forbes). However, there are three key references to video in just the Social Media Examiner article alone.

Social Media Examiner: Heidi Cohen

Video Becomes the Content of Choice (Tip #1)

This prediction comes from Heidi Cohen, of HeidiCohen.com.  Even Facebook has realized this, with upping the game with their hosted video.  And, Facebook is not the only authority out there.  There will always be a place for written content, but video is becoming easier and easier (one of the points of this article!) and as it becomes easier, more and more people are doing it.  You definitely don’t want to be left behind on this trend!  There are so many tools and strategies that, “not knowing how to do it,” is no longer an excuse.

Social Media Examiner: Michael Stelzner

YouTube Declines as Social Networks Embrace Hosted Video (Tip #4)

This prediction comes from Michael Stelzner, CEO of Social Media Examiner.  It would seem obvious that YouTube cannot hold the 100% share of video anymore.  Obviously, they do not have the 100% piece of the pie because there are already other players out there, like Vimeo.  Add to that the 6 second videos of Vine and the 15 second videos of Instagram and YouTube’s piece of the pie is not the whole pie.  However, with Facebook setting the lead, the concept of “hosted video” becomes easier for marketers to wrap their heads around and actually move forward with the next steps.  Facebook is actually helping out all other networks by giving the consumers and marketers the option to upload a video to the platform directly.  This will break any habits of only having the option to paste in a YouTube url.

Social Media Examiner: Bryan Kramer

Video Creates Engaging Experiences (Tip #27)

This prediction comes from Bryan Kramer, of BryanKramer.com.  Bryan nailed it.  That word, “engaging.”  While we appreciate logos and static images (hey, I use the SocialWebCafe logo in a lot of places!), we really want to see the human being.  We love to watch people.  We love to see their expressions, hear their thoughts, observe their body language, and really get to know who they are.  Or, at least, we like watching people (hopefully not to a level of stalking people!).

There is something about the engagement of human beings (I should know!  I’m a trained I/O Psychology Coach!)  -Deborah E. Anderson

The best way to engage is in person.  That is why you get that “on fire” feeling when you attend conferences and you feel you are invincible and ready to conquer the world in your business.  But, when “in person” isn’t possible, it is the video that is the next best thing. And, it is here for you in 2015!

You Convinced Me. Now What Am I Supposed To Do?

Let’s go back to the webinar idea. Not only are webinars a great way to motivate your team, but also a great way to motivate your community! Add to that, that it is also a great way to capture human engagement and the human expressions that are key to video content. Yes, it is true that you could do it with Skype, but Skype (as cool as it is!) does require a bit of know-how to edit the final product. (Depending on the recording software you use for Skype, it is not necessarily ready for prime time right after the webinar presentation call.) You could also do it in Google Hangouts, but why not consider an all-in-one package that has all the buttons and doodads that you need, to get the job done (i.e. like ClickWebinar). I would love to recommend, er, a certain competitor, but they tend to be more complicated. My mother taught me to only say things nice, so I will leave them unnamed, for their sake.

A Couple of Benefits That You May Have Missed

Ok, I love the ad lib approach. In fact, we got quite a few kudos on the interview (below) of Matthew Holden and MavSocial. Both Matthew and I have a love for that ad lib approach to interviews (and conversation!).

However, I also realize that that is not everybody’s style, to just go “off the cuff” like Matthew Holden did, and as I did. Some of us need some “time to think” before the next sentence we speak (especially with the fear of an audience, camera, and all that accompanies it). So, the advantage to using a webinar type setting is that you can be thinking of the next thing that you are going to say WHILE the another person is talking or sharing a question! Hey, even the time it takes for two or three people to talk. That way, by the time it comes to you, for your turn, you will really sound brilliant because you have had all of the time to think about what you were going to say and how you were going to present it! When people walk away from a video where you maybe said less words, but had that time to prepare, they are going to think you are wise and authoritative! Isn’t that what you want? With a webinar, all you need to do is find one or two co-presenters and a couple of engaged students and you have content!

Hopefully, I have got your juices flowing on ideas of how to start creating videos for your brand, even the brand of YOU. Hopefully you have seen how you can maximize other people’s “gift of gab” while you look professional and enhance your brand through video. Also, you are not limited to these types of videos, but this is a great place to start. You can always add to this as you become more and more experienced at the craft. And, don’t worry, you don’t have to become an expert like me. You can probably excel beyond that, just with some creativity and maximizing the use of even other people’s thoughts and sharing on YOUR video webinar content.

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Go Social and Market More to Lobby for Customers

Social media marketing isn’t just for online businesses or large corporations like Target and Walmart. It’s also used in the travel industry by airlines, car rental companies and hotels.

Hotels have been using social media marketing to gain new customers, promote deals and promotions and grow their businesses.

An example of a hotel chain that has successfully incorporated social media into their marketing strategy is Hampton Hotels, a part of Hilton Worldwide.

Hampton created a video series featuring real, emotional stories from guests. A simple campaign, yet it received millions of views in just two months. As a result, the hotel’s Facebook following grew by more than 60 percent.

4 Ways Hotels Can Market with Social Media

Hotels should look to social media marketing via:

Respond to customer questions quickly – Customers (and potential customers) love using social media to ask questions, share stories and even make complaints. Whatever the question (or complaint) is, respond as soon as possible and try to find a way to solve the customer’s problem. Other followers will see your promptness and value your ability to go above and beyond for your customers.


Start a blog – Smaller hotels should consider starting a travel blog or a blog featuring fun things to do in the area the hotel is located in. Blog articles can then be promoted on Pinterest and Twitter, shared with others and ultimately bring in more business to the hotel.


Have contests and giveaways – Gain new followers by hosting contests and giveaways, with the winner receiving a free one-night stay at your hotel (or a prize of your choice). Giveaways can be simple, with people being able to enter by simply Tweeting about the giveaway or sharing the post on Facebook. Contests can be anything from funniest travel photo to worst hotel experience.


Engage with your followers – This goes above and beyond responding to questions and complaints. Share stories you think your followers might be interested in, get their opinion on what’s going on with your business, ask what they would like to see more of, take a poll on what improvements they would like to see made and more. The more you connect and engage with your followers, the more success you will see on social media.

There are other, less-known, ways to advertise with social media, too.

The article “3 Ways your hotel can use SMS marketing to increase loyalty” discusses how hotels can take their marketing plans one step further and advertise via text message marketing, or SMS marketing.

Three ways hotels can go about this include offering exclusive rewards to repeat customers, making things more convenient (allowing guests to opt-in and receive updates on check-in time, for example) and sharing last-minute deals with potential customers.

All in all, hotels need to actively be engaged on social media.

With one-in-four people using social media worldwide, it’s just too important to skip out on.

Social media marketing is no longer just one way to advertise, it’s the way to advertise for almost every industry, including hotels.

Photo credit: Image courtesy of Shutterstock.com

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Google Calendar for iPhone

Mashable – Google Calendar officially landed on the iPhone on Tuesday.

As Google’s own blog post put it: “It’s about time.”  Google launched the revamped calendar app for Android back in November. It’s all about spending less time when managing your time.

iPhone users were always able to import Google calendars into the standard iPhone Calendar app, or other third-party apps, but now Google Calendar finally has an iOS app to call its own.

It comes with new features, like Events from Gmail, which automatically transforms events from emails into Calendar events. There are also Assists, which is a kind of autocomplete, suggesting text from different sources to make filling out Calendar event forms much quicker.

Lastly, it has a new scrollable format called Schedule View. This view is more intuitively designed for mobile. You can get a better look at how it works in the video above.

The app is available on iTunes and the App Store now. There doesn’t appear to be an iPad version.

Image from Google

Article by Rex Santas from Mashable.com

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How to Manage Your Reputation Online

I remember when the internet was first taking form, into something resembling what we have today. I was a kid. My dad was explaining to me the concept, how we were starting to have “digital” lives, and how our behaviors could be tracked according to how we spent them. I remember thinking “Wow. You won’t be able to pretend you’re something you’re not.” That’s a heavy statement, but it’s pretty much true, as countless e-scandals have broken out on the internet, revealing people to be slightly (or drastically) different than they say. You can pretty much tell who a person is by who they appear to be online. But not totally.

This is a big issue for individuals. But it’s an even bigger issue for brands. Sometimes individuals are brands. And at some level, we all want privacy, a part of our lives that doesn’t become available on the internet. There are those of us from whom privacy is a matter of convenience and preference. There are others for whom privacy and online reputation are very, very important. Here are some strategies for managing your reputation, if that’s something you’re struggling with.

1)    Be a Luddite. Luddites are people who spurn technology. It’s weird when one of your friends cancels his or her Facebook account, right? They’re there for months, making status updates, dishing out likes. And then suddenly they’re gone. You wonder if they’re OK in real life. If you have ever gone so far as to do this yourself, you know the weird dose of reality that is canceling your social media self. But that’s what a lot of brand-conscious people are doing. Think about it. For every Twitter-active celebrity, there are five who never make so much as a peer (or ‘tweet’ I guess). Maybe you don’t like social media. It’s not a crime. It doesn’t mean you don’t like people. Take some time away and think about whether or not you could spend all of your time away. There’s much less chance of ruining your brand or reputation online if you just don’t contribute to internet culture.

2)    Be Super Active. Some people take this strategy. Rather than sign off, they’re on all the time. They’re constantly talking, arguing, putting out fires. Some people do this really well, and there is a benefit. When you put it all out there online, people really get to know you. You come across as a 3 dimensional person, and this can ingratiate people to you. They grow to like you, or at least accept you. By being very vulnerable and accessible (not necessarily nice, even), you stand a chance of lengthening your career or earning hardcore fans/colleagues/friends/whatever you want.

3)    Get Someone to Manage Your Reputation. Online reputation management services from Profile Defenders are a way you can kind of blend these two strategies. Rather than end your social media life, you can interact online, but you’ll also have a team to scrub up any mistakes you may make. You see this in action on Twitter all the time. It’s something people know about and accept, and it can save you from putting your foot in your mouth. It can also help manage your reputation in internet spaces that have nothing to do with you.

There may be other strategies, but these are the three broadest categories for how people earn a good reputation online. Online, not everybody’s going to like you. But it’s important to build the reputation you can and protect the reputation you’ve got.

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Apple’s Spring Forward Event Summarized

At their ‘Spring Forward’ event on Monday, Apple announced details about the much anticipated Apple Watch, HBO Now for Apple TV and introduced new MacBooks.

Apple Watch will be available to preorder on April 10th and will ship April 24th. Apple CEO Time Cook called the watch “the most personal device we have ever created” and “the most advanced timepiece ever created” according to CBS News.  Pricing starts at $349 for the 38mm Sport version and $399 for the 42mm Sport version, between $549 and $1,049 for the midrange stainless steel version and can go up to $10,000 for the limited quantity high-end Apple Watch edition.

Image from Apple

The next thing Apple announced was HBO Now for Apple TV. HBO Now allows Apple TV users to stream the channel for $14.99 a month. The Verge also reported that Apple will be lowering the cost of Apple TV from $99 to $69. Apple TV users will be the first and only ones to have access to HBO Now where they will be able to watch original shows and many feature films.

The last big news Apple announced was the release of the new MacBook. At 12 inches with Retina display the new model only weighs 2 pounds making it the lightest and thinnest MacBook. The complete redesign has a “Force Touch” trackpad. Force Touch “means you can either tap the touchpad or give it a harder press in order to bring up the functions that were usually associated with the right-click” said John Briggs from TechCrunch. The MacBook has a full size keyboard but is much thinner than previous models.  ”The keys themselves are 17% wider than older MacBook keys, but 40% thinner” according to Forbes. Apple also announced that this MacBook will be available in gold, which has previously never been an option. A new feature on the MacBook is the single USB-C port. Mashable said that this port is, “one-third smaller than a standard USB and just a little larger than a micro USB and Lightning port, but it pulls triple duty: It can charge the new MacBook, output video and transfer data.”  An adapter will be needed in order to use the multi-functions of this port. “Apple’s online store lists a variety of adapters from a USB-C to USB adapter ($19) to a USB-C VGA Multiport adapter ($79) and a few others” according to Mashable.

The new MacBook will start shipping April 10th with prices between $1299 for 8GB of RAM and 256GB of flash storage and $1599 for 512GB of flash storage. Costs may vary based on other configure to order options.

Images from Apple

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Social Media Do’s and Don’ts While Traveling

Social media is such a powerful tool that it can either be used for good or harm. This is particularly true when it comes to travel. As a tourist, there are dozens of ways to harness the power of social media to enhance your trip and improve your experience. However, there are also some major mistakes you can make if you’re not careful.

You want your trip to be the best possible, whether it’s for business or pleasure, and the key to the success of your trip may hinge on your social media use. Using social media responsibly during travel will increase your chances for an excellent trip.

Do: Use Pinterest for trip planning ideas.

Pinterest is the classic dreamer’s website. It’s full of ideas people dream about doing someday. When you’re planning your trip, turn some of those dreams into reality by using the many pinned ideas regarding travel. Pin ideas for photography poses, places to visit, ways to improve packing, travel tips, and much more. The many pins on your Pinterest travel board will help you to stay organized in both thought and action before, during, and after your trip.

Don ’ t: Talk about being away from home for an extended period.

Unfortunately, posting about being away from home for an extended period is a burglar’s dream. Many burglars peruse social media sites to see whose home will be empty for several days while the owners are on vacation, making it the perfect target for thievery. The Internet makes it extremely easy to find all the personal information any burglar might need, including your home address. It’s best to tell people the dates of your trip in person rather than through post or comment, and it’s always a good idea to ask a neighbor to keep an eye on the house while you’re away.

Do: Use Twitter to connect with airlines and hotels.

Whether you’re looking for excellent deals on flights and accommodations or you need to check flight statuses and room availability, Twitter is a great way to connect. Tweeting about the great experience you had with a certain company can get you freebies or discount coupons, and hotels and airlines are no exception. You can also use apps and your hotel or airline tweets to check statuses and average response times if you need to contact them.

Don ’ t: Obsess over photo sharing.

You definitely want to take pictures on your trip. Failing to document your travel would be something you’ll likely regret for the rest of your life. But you don’t need pictures of every little thing, and you certainly don’t need to post them all on social media just moments after taking them. If you’re traveling, you’re likely there to do some sightseeing and exploring, and if you’re glued to your phone or tablet the entire time to keep up with your posting, you’ll miss a lot of amazing things. So, to ensure you enjoy your trip as much as possible, save the photo posting until you get home, or at least until you retire to your hotel room for the night.

Do: Ask for advice from friends.

Reviews from people you love and trust are priceless when planning a trip, and there really is no better way to get advice from these people than through social media. One Facebook post or Tweet can easily yield enough valuable results to apply to your trip, making it the best experience possible. It’s worth taking advantage of the wide spread nature of social media in order to get productive advice on trip planning.

Don ’ t: Disrespect cultural expectations.

And finally, be sure you use social media responsibly, and avoid posting material that would be offensive to the country you’re visiting. For example, in some Islamic countries, taking photos of women and sharing them with others is not only highly offensive to the families, but also can be illegal.

Furthermore, according to Thomas Hollowell of Journey Beyond Travel, people in developing countries, such as Morocco, aren’t as familiar with modern technology. Taking a photo with the people of that country and posting it to social media may be offensive and even frightening for them.

Overall, you don’t want your trip to turn sour just because you couldn’t log out of Facebook or Twitter long enough to enjoy it. You want to look back on this trip with fond memories, and you don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.

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5 Industries Doing Epic Things with Instagram

Launched in 2010, Instagram is taking the social media world by storm by providing a platform on which users express their life, environment or industry in robust images. According to a study by Pew Research in 2014, social media use among American adults is becoming increasingly diversified. While use of Facebook has stagnated in the past two years, Instagram’s popularity doubled since 2012 and continues to grow.

Aside from brands, entire industries are making an impact on their audience by using Instagram’s photo-rich platform to communicate ideas, sentiments and goals. So which industries are rocking the socks off of Instagram?

1. Fast Food

Exploring food in its many presentations might make your mouth water, but it won’t entice you to further engage with a brand unless something makes the experience stick. A handful of players in the fast food industry, both large and small, are using Instagram to make viewers smile, laugh and share their images.

Wendy’s. By creating new ways to get customers in the door, Wendy’s uses Instagram to highlight current menu items and commemorate old faves.

Jason’s Deli. Fresh, natural ingredients is the name of the game for Jason’s Deli, which is a smaller fast food chain offering quality menu items for hungry people on-the-go. A particularly epic Instagram post featured an excited young boy hugging a Jason’s Deli bag full of goodies.

In-N-Out Burger. With more than 47,000 followers on Instagram, In-N-Out Burger publishes posts aligned with the company’s history. For example, check out this retro photo of the company’s founders.

2. Retail

The fast food industry hasn’t yet dominated Instagram. Retail stores are finding new and interesting ways to promote their brand using the image-rich social network. Check out what these major retailers have been up to on Instagram:

Macy’s. One of America’s oldest retailers, Macy’s continues to keep up with changing trends by inspiring customers to quench their thirst for shopping. A recent Instagram post from the brand confronts the gnawing desire to hunt for deals on a Sunday.

Saks Fifth Avenue. Perceived as a hub for classic fashion, Saks Fifth Avenue perpetuates its brand image on Instagram by providing viewers with a mixture of ensemble suggestions and fashionable photo ops.

JCPenney. Vying for the title of America’s household name in retail, JCPenney’s marketing tactics encompass everything the brand values. In honor of love, JCPenney gave its own shout out to Valentine’s Day this year on Instagram.

3. Construction

A sector without which other businesses would cease to exist, the construction industry is enjoying a growing presence on social media. Instead of using text to engage viewers, top construction companies are hitting up Instagram to show in pictures what could never be communicated in words.

CAT Products. One of the largest suppliers of construction equipment and an internationally recognized brand, CAT Products has adopted a creative approach to Instagram marketing, and its dealers like Ransome CAT have done a great job following suit. Take a look at one of CAT Product’s most loved images thus far.

Suffolk Construction. Capturing the essence of what it means to work in the construction industry can be difficult, but Suffolk Construction has mastered the art. The company’s Instagram profile is loaded with stunning imagery taken from real work sites.

John Deere. One of CAT Products’ biggest competitors, John Deere is known for supplying heavy equipment for construction sites, farms and oil fields. Embodying what it means to keep going well after the sun goes to bed, John Deere uses artistic imagery to fuel the creation of social conversations about the brand.

4. Science

On its own, science is pretty cool stuff. But when you allow the top scientific organizations to post images freely on Instagram, you’ll discover some out-of-this-world things you couldn’t have imagined. The following three profiles are proof education is far from boring and exploration is well worth the journey.

Smithsonian. Featuring some of the world’s most treasured historical artifacts, the Smithsonian’s presence on Instagram is both exciting and informative. Check out one of the institution’s most popular #ThrowbackThursday images.

explOratorium. Exploring how the world works for more than four decades, San Francisco’s explOratorium has one of the most interesting Instagram profiles. Known for posting some pretty cool images (like this one of water freezing as seen through a polarized filter), explOratorium is nearly as fun on Instagram as it is in person.

NASA. In addition to posting breathtaking images of space, NASA uses Instagram to pay tribute to fallen icons. A recent farewell to Leonard Nimoy received more than 160,000 likes.

5. Cosmetics

On the surface, cosmetics might seem one-sided. How many different angles can you photograph a tube of lipstick from, anyway? But these top cosmetics brands are spinning the industry in an entirely new direction on Instagram.

Urban Decay. Considered among the edgier brands of makeup, Urban Decay takes its boat-rocking attitude to Instagram. Among the most popular posts from the cosmetics brand is a simple, self-affirming meme.

Revlon. Instead of shocking, complimenting or inspiring readers, Revlon takes an educational approach to Instagram. When compared with other posts, Revlon’s “Get the Look” posts receive the most engagement.

Clinique. One of the most trusted names in cosmetics and skin care, Clinique promotes its decades of industry superiority by pairing simple imagery with branded items. One of Clinique’s most-liked posts on Instagram showcases Clinique Smart alongside heart-shaped candy.

While only a small sample of industries, the above five showcase exactly how imagery can be used to promote a brand and engage with viewers. As the social platform becomes more popular, watching industries compete for domination of the photo-saturated social network promises to be interesting.

In your opinion, which industries or brands are ruling Instagram? Please share your favorites in the comments below!

Images: CAT Products (slider), NASA (thumbnail)

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Facebook changing the way it counts Likes

Mashable - Facebook is changing the way it counts Likes, the company announced on Thursday.

Don’t panic, though; the changes only apply to celebrity and business pages. Facebook will no longer factor in Likes from users who have voluntarily deactivated their accounts or users who have passed away, according to a blog post. Facebook said the changes will offer businesses a clearer, more accurate idea of their Facebook audience, since neither of those groups are Facebook users.

“Over the coming weeks, Page admins should expect to see a small dip in their number of Page likes as a result of this update,” the blog post reads. “It’s important to remember, though, that these removed likes represent people who were already inactive on Facebook.”

Facebook also notes that if a user reactivates an account and Liked a particular Page, that action will be tallied back into the total like count.

The changes may prove beneficial for businesses with Facebook Pages. Many already pay attention to how many Likes they get as an indicator of popularity with users and a glimpse into the kind of Facebook audience they have.

Article by JP Mangalindan from mashable.com

Thumbnail from Shutterstock.com

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Improve Results With These 4 Social Media Marketing Tips

If you were to stop and think about where social media marketing ranks on your company’s list of marketing priorities, where would it fall? Be honest with yourself and take a genuine look at how much effort goes into it. Do you simply throw stuff out and hope it sticks, or is there a calculated approach that shows you truly understand the value of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter?

Why Social Media Marketing Matters

Few marketing channels allow for more engagement than social media. In fact, it would be safe to say that no other modern marketing channels are more interactive than social media. It allows you to speak directly to customers, gain valuable feedback, answer questions, solve disputes, and build excitement. It’s everything a marketer could ask for, yet few know how to truly unlock its value.

Specifically, social media marketing matters because it humanizes your brand and capitalizes on the most basic marketing principle in the history of business: word of mouth.  Social media gives you a voice, allows you to share your opinions and values with your target market, and then encourages them to share ideas with their followers. It’s this viral nature of social media that gives small businesses an even playing field when it comes to facing the giant corporations and billion dollar organizations.

Proven Social Media Marketing Tips

As Jakob Marketing always reminds clients, just because it’s free to set up a Facebook business profile, doesn’t mean your time is. You need a well-developed strategy with a refined focus and quantifiable goals. Otherwise you’ll end up throwing money down the drain and scraping up your competitors’ leftovers. Here are a few proven tips to jumpstart your strategic planning:

Focus on number one. A funny thing happens when you start to focus on your competition and what they’re doing on social media – you end up either mimicking their efforts or making poor decisions to try and keep up. While it may be useful to occasionally glance at your competition, your primary focus should be on your own efforts and strategy. You want to be the one your competitors are looking at, not the other way around.

Start using Twitter. Everyone uses Facebook, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, you need to expand your horizons. Twitter has an entirely different flavor and can connect you to a new group. As a side note, sharing images on Twitter is far more effective than simple text tweets. You can expect to see a significant uptick in clicks and retweets when you use an image.

Learn to curate. Regardless of the social networking platform, content curation is a key component of successful social media marketing. Nobody wants to see you continually push self-promotional content. Instead, mix up your posts by curating relevant industry information that adds value to your users and informs them about pressing issues. There is a science to content curation, though, so be sure to read up on the do’s and don’ts.

Have patience. Finally, you must have patience to be successful on social media. There will be weeks, maybe even months, before you see any return at all. In fact, you’ll feel like your talking to a wall most of the time. However, after putting in time and effort, you’ll eventually find that your target market is willing to engage; and that’s when everything will start to fall into place.

Taking Actionable Steps

In the coming months and years, social media will only become more powerful as a marketing channel. As a result, it should be moving up your priority list – not down. Are you ready to take action and make 2015 the year that you learn to integrate social media into your overall marketing strategy? Using these helpful tips, you can enhance your efforts and improve your results.

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Apple To Join Dow Jones Industrial Average

Apple’s stock will be listed on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing telecom player AT&T, on March 18th according to the Wall Street Journal.

David M. Blitzee, managing director and chairman of the Index Committtee at S&P Dow Jones Indices told the WSJ that, “As the largest corporation in the world and a leader in technology, Apple is the clear choice for the Dow Jones industrial average, the most recognized stock market measure.”

With their recent performance in quarterly earnings, Apple has “pushed its stock value and market capitalization even higher, with a lot of analysts even making the argument that compared to other companies in its sector, its stock price is still actually undervalued” according to TechCrunch.

Apple is the largest publicly traded company in the world with a market capitalization of about $736 billion. AT&T has a market value of nearly $175 billion. Apple shares rose, while AT&T dropped more than 1 percent according to CNBC.

Alan Skrainka, chief investment officer at Cornerstone Wealth Management told USA TODAY that, “The Dow has to change from time to time in order to truly reflect the changing nature of our economy, that’s why we like the change. No company is a better reflection of the innovative spirit and dynamic nature of the U.S. economy.”

Thumbnail from Shutterstock.com

 

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