Archive for the ‘Social Networking’ Category

Promoted Tweets – Twitter Advertising

twitter advertising platform

Source: Twitter Help Center

What are Promoted Tweets?

Promoted Tweets are ordinary Tweets that advertisers pay to highlight to a wider group of users.

Where do users see them?

Promoted Tweets from our advertising partners are called out at the top of some Twitter.com search results pages.

Promoted Tweets are clearly labeled as “Promoted” when an advertiser is paying, but in every other respect they exist initially as regular Tweets and are organically sent to the timelines of their followers. They also retain all the functionality of a regular Tweet including replying, Retweeting, and favoriting. Promoted Tweets are displayed in search in Twitter.com and some of our ecosystem partners, and in user timelines for some users in Hootsuite.com.

If users click on a Tweet that includes a hashtag that is being promoted by an advertiser, they may see a Promoted Tweet among the related Tweets in the details pane.

Are Promoted Tweets only shown on Twitter.com?

We have begun to make Promoted Tweets and Promoted Trends available beyond Twitter.com – something we have discussed doing since launching Promoted Tweets in April. We are currently testing syndication of Promoted Products with a select number of partners, including HootSuite and TweetDeck. These partners will run Promoted Tweets in searches and also highlight Promoted Trends, sharing in Twitter’s revenue for these products. We are also beginning to test syndication of Promoted Tweets in user timelines. Initially, we are testing these with our partner, HootSuite. As with all Twitter launches, we’ll review the initial feedback and determine where we take it from here.

Are Promoted Tweets like other online ads?

Since all Promoted Tweets start out as regular Tweets, there is not a single “ad” in our Promoted Tweets platform that isn’t already an organic part of Twitter. This is distinct from both traditional search advertising and more recent social advertising.

Anything else to say, interested?

This is a new thing for Twitter and we expect to iterate and experiment to make the platform better. We’re really excited about it and appreciate getting your feedback. Interested advertisers should visit our Business site to sign up!

Social Media Fail

facebook fail - social media fial

social media fail

Another Social Media Fail for Sony

social media fail

by: Mohammad Jubran

Social media can be a company’s best friend or worst enemy. One moment the public is tweeting up a storm and in the time it takes to snap one’s fingers, a stalker infiltrates a CEO’s Facebook page. Sony’s use of social media can be described as inconsistent at best, resulting in a massive fail.

Those who keep tabs on a gaming or technology blog have caught wind of the Sony versus George Hultz, or Geohot, lawsuit. Sony is in hot legal pursuit of shooting down Geohot’s PS3 public release of Jailbreak. Although the actual idea of suing Geohot for creating and releasing Jailbreak seems ludicrous, Sony’s presence in social media venues makes the company appear irrational at best.

Perhaps Kevin Butler, or Jerry Lambert, is responsible for one of Sony’s biggest mistakes. This marketing character retweeted the code necessary for Jailbreaking a PS3. In response, Butler includes the original reply that contains the Jailbreak code. Even though this blunder was laughed off by most, it only goes to show just how scatterbrained Sony is in their social media endeavors.

To further exacerbate this PR nightmare, Sony requested that YouTube provide Sony with all personal information pertaining to not only Geohot but also any person who watched or made a comment regarding the PS3 Jailbreaking video. Included in the information requested, Sony wanted to know how many people clicked the link to the video as well as their usernames. The IP addresses and usernames of those who posted a comment were also sought.

In regards to social media strategies, consistency is key. And Sony has been nothing but inconsistent. Compounding this fact with their lawsuit over an issue Apple does not even find worthy enough to legally pursue, Sony comes off as looking downright foolish.

How to Use Twitter to Grow Your Business

twitter for business

How to build a Twitter strategy for your business

By Mohammad Jubran
Twitter is an extremely important platform for your business, but it is a huge mistake to try to promote your business on Twitter without first thinking through what your strategy will be. You have undoubtedly heard many times that you should listen and engage with your customers, but you probably want a strategy that is a bit more concrete. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to do to launch a successful Twitter campaign.

1. Find an Audience

Although there are millions of people who use Twitter every day, it is impossible to interact with them all. Instead, you need to be a bit more selective. But who should you choose to interact with? If you already have a few customers, then it may be a good idea to try to locate them on Twitter. See who they are already following and talking to. These people are probably good prospects for your business. Find out who has influence within their social group, and begin entering the conversation.

2. Learn the Language

If you are going to successfully reach out to your customers on Twitter, then it is important that they can relate to you. Listen in to their conversations. Figure out whether they talk formally or informally. Understand how to use hashtags. There is an entire language associated with Twitter, and you need to learn it.

3. How Much is a Lead Worth?

The entire reason that you are on Twitter is to improve the bottom line of your business, so you should treat your Twitter presence just as you would any other aspect of your business. Make sure you track your results so that you know exactly how much a follower is worth to your business. How often do they convert into a paying customer? This will let you know how effective your Twitter campaign is.

No matter how you approach Twitter, it is important to be flexible. You never know what will work and what won’t work. As long as you track your results, you can always tweak your strategy. As time goes on, you will grow more confident in your ability to utilize Twitter as an effective platform for growing your business.

Creating Effective Facebook Pages, Tips & Features

Vin Diesel Facebook Page

I have spoken earlier about Facebook Pages Tips & Features. Here I am talking about the importance of using best practices in creating an effective branded page on Facebook, as there are tips you need to understand to maximize the benefits of creating your brand page as engaging with your fans & integrate your page with multiple applications & social plugins.

Tips for Creating Effective Facebook Pages

  • Name Your Page With Your Brand Name

Consider your page name to be as your brand name for ease access & search by your fans & non-followers to find you through internal Facebook Search.

  • Custom Your Facebook Page URL With Your Brand Name

You can custom Facebook page URL to double the chances for your page to be found easily & can direct your fans with easy & remarkable name (URL).

Customized page URL can help you getting ranked & found in most of search engines, like if you Google “Vin Diesel” you will find the third result is for Vin Diesel | Facebook that will direct you to his page. As an example of search on personal profiles & customizing the URL, Google “Hatem Jarad” you will find the result Hatem Jarad | Facebook that will direct to a personal profile.

In internal Facebook search the name comes first in order of results then the number of fans, so if there are duplicate names as your page name, make your best to increase fans to come first in search.

  • Fill All The Information About Your Brand

Fill in all the boxes & fields in the page describing your page, such information will be helpful for your fans to understand better your page. Try to be correct as possible to let search engines index your page’s information & be found in Search Engines Results Pages (SERPs).

  • Don’t Make Your Page Default Tab The “Wall”

When you direct non-fans to your page, make the default tab “Info” tab or any other engaging tab, like creating a tab called “Welcome” which welcomes your new fans to the page & gives a brief about the page or add “Offers” tab or detailed information, like Opera Winfrey default landing tab is “This week on Oprah”.

The reason for that is you can get more likes & fans through your engaging tabs which motivate the user to click like as well have a better idea about your page if the landing tab is the info or any engaging tabs, which are controlled by you & you can direct & show non-fans what you want, not like the wall where there are many comments & posts unfiltered by users which might sometimes gives a bad impression to non-followers of your page.

  • Integrate Applications & Social Plugins Into Your Page

It’s easy to install applications & social plugins to your page through tabs, which can integrate other accounts of your brand into your page, like YouTube channel or Twitter account, e.g. Mazzek Arabic Facebook Page; this page is for a musical website they integrated their YouTube Channel into their Page to keep the fans updated & even watch their videos on the page without leaving it.

I found Involver is a good example where you can install engaging Facebook applications  to download into your Page.

    • Always keep your page content fresh
    • Post teased questions & posts
    • Post events to get your fans RSVP
    • Add links to videos or photos & Tag your fans
    • Always reply to your fans quires & engage with their comments; that would leave a good manner in them to come back to you & ask you or engage with more as well invite their friends to your page.
  • Keep your Page Updated & Be In A Direct Touch With Your Fans

Download Facebook Pages Manual to get some instructions about creating your Page.

Facebook Pages Tips and Features

Ashtun Kutcher Facebook Page

Facebook Pages

are a free product for organizations & public figures to build their presence online & to connect with people & audience on Facebook, share stories & updates in real time conversations.

Facebook Pages are considered as profiles for brands; Facebook pages were created to replace the use of personal profiles for companies & use more professional page to interact with users & engage with them by keeping them updated with the company services & news.

Pages have access to users’ feeds; as any page can update a status, attach a link or any activity from the turnkey publisher tool which they will appear to users’ feeds like their friends activities appear to them. Pages are considered as Twitter for Facebook by many in the press as any activity you do in your page it will appear to your fans on their news feeds.

Facebook has been increasingly developing pages experience as it could now integrate with multiple applications. Check Ashton Kutcher fan page & how he interacts with his fans in his “Ashton Live” tab.

Tips to use Facebook features and applications on your Brand Page and your Website

Facebook on your Site:

  • Facebook Connect”  is a smooth plugin you add it on your site to let users to connect with their Facebook IDs & start engaging on your site; it’s a seamless app allow users to easily share &distribute their activities on your site & see their mutual friends who is active on your site.
  • Facebook Share” is a fantastic plugin as you can add a button or a box to your site to easily allow users share your content on with their friends.
  • Facebook has many useful “Social Plugins” to install on your website.

Facebook on your Brand Page:

  • Keep your users updated with new content.
  • Write Notes & share them with your fans & Discussion Boards to enable fans to get their ideas out & let you know exactly what your customers think & want from you.
  • Post Videos, Photos & Status for your events
  • You can set up events & have your fans RSVP
  • If you have a blog you can import it on your page.

There are many online websites helps you to install applications or social plugins on your site or your page’s tabs to increase fans engagement with you.

Latest Social Media Tips for Business – 2011

Social Media

2011 Social Media Tips

By Mohammad Jubran

The promise of a new year brings anticipation for social media marketers. The field of social media is expanding rapidly, and it is crucial for social marketers stay abreast of upcoming trends in 2011. Here are three of the latest social media tips for business:

Mobile Is the Top Trend

Most social media experts peg mobile as the most important social media trend today. Social marketers are building mobile apps at a breakneck pace to keep up with competitors in the field and there are hundreds of new styles of ad units designed just for mobile devices. Businesses that do not consider social media within the burgeoning mobile market will lag behind those that do.

Leverage All Employees for Real Social Impact

Consumers like to feel that they have a relationship with the companies they patronize, and social media provides the perfect platform for personal interaction. An innovative development in social media for business has all employees blogging from their own points of view and interacting with customers as ambassadors for the company.

Businesses interested in leveraging social media as a marketing tool are allowing, and even encouraging, every employee to participate in branded social media activities. And not just the marketing team; this trend extends from the CEO all the way down to the lowliest shipping clerk. It can benefit SEO with more backlinks and keyword-rich content, and it is also helpful for CRM.

Admit That You’re Human

Another way to foster consumer confidence and intimacy is to show the human side of your company in social media. Everyone knows good social marketing is a two-way street. The content of business blogs should never be exclusively about business matters.

A futuristic trend for 2011 takes social media marketing to a new level with bloggers writing about activities far outside the office setting. Companies can find opportunities to blog about certain employees or customers who are involved in sporting contests, artistic pursuits, or altruistic activities, for example. Consumers may become enamored of the brand’s projected lifestyle, especially when the activity is well-related to the product being marketed.

Latest Facebook Marketing Methods

Facebook Page

Best Facebook Marketing Practices

by Mohammad Jubran

With over 500 million active users, Facebook’s virtual population is greater than the actual population of the United States.

So what marketing methods work well with Facebook?

Facebook ads have improved since the early days of the site. Because Facebook users tend to share copious amounts of personal data, Facebook’s targeted ads are usually seen by the right individuals that will be more likely to actually click on the link. No longer are ads a shot in the dark, Facebook has the market cornered on targeted advertising.

The most basic marketing method is a good, solid business page. But more and more businesses are now recognizing that Facebook users like to be engaged and enjoy interacting with companies, so a mere page is no longer enough.

Contests and promotions are a great way to make customers more interested in brands they like and an excellent method to make brands known to new customers.

Facebook users tend to follow favorite brands, but with contests and promotions, it’s easy to get strangers to your brand to fan your page. Just make sure it’s a requirement for the contest. As long as the prize is something worthwhile, the Facebook users will most likely be willing to jump through that hoop to enter. In addition to basically subscribing to receive future messages from that company, the Facebook user also serves as free advertising towards their friends. Even if their friends never click on your company to find out what exactly all the fuss is about, it is still a point of contact. Next time those individuals see your brand name, there will be something familiar about it. Familiarity equals comfort. Making your potential customers comfortable is good.

Striking a balance with pages is crucial to getting and maintaining a good fan base. If posts are too often or irrelevant, Facebook users are likely to simply hide the page, which is of course bad. But on the other side of the spectrum, failure to post often yields zero results. Balance is key.
With over 500 million active users, Facebook’s virtual population is greater than the actual population of the United States.
So what marketing methods work well with Facebook?
Facebook ads have improved since the early days of the site. Because Facebook users tend to share copious amounts of personal data, Facebook’s targeted ads are usually seen by the right individuals that will be more likely to actually click on the link. No longer are ads a shot in the dark, Facebook has the market cornered on targeted advertising.
The most basic marketing method is a good, solid business page. But more and more businesses are now recognizing that Facebook users like to be engaged and enjoy interacting with companies, so a mere page is no longer enough. Contests and promotions are a great way to make customers more interested in brands they like and an excellent method to make brands known to new customers.

Facebook users tend to follow favorite brands, but with contests and promotions, it’s easy to get strangers to your brand to fan your page. Just make sure it’s a requirement for the contest. As long as the prize is something worthwhile, the Facebook users will most likely be willing to jump through that hoop to enter. In addition to basically subscribing to receive future messages from that company, the Facebook user also serves as free advertising towards their friends. Even if their friends never click on your company to find out what exactly all the fuss is about, it is still a point of contact. Next time those individuals see your brand name, there will be something familiar about it.

Familiarity equals comfort. Making your potential customers comfortable is good.
Striking a balance with pages is crucial to getting and maintaining a good fan base. If posts are too often or irrelevant, Facebook users are likely to simply hide the page, which is of course bad. But on the other side of the spectrum, failure to post often yields zero results. Balance is key.

Tips And Tricks For Your Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Page

SHORTEN OR CUSTOMIZE YOUR FAN PAGE URL

It is easier for your fans to locate and remember your page if the URL of your fan page is similar and relative to your business or organization. Your Facebook page can have a customized URL by logging into Facebook, clicking here and following the instructions.

MAXIMIZE YOUR DEFAULT IMAGE

Facebook now allows its users to upload an image as large as 200 x 600 pixels as their default picture. This is great for those who like to use elongated images to draw the eyes of their fans up and down the page. Simply upload a large image by clicking on the pencil that appears on the top right corner of the default image and select ‘Upload Image.’

BE CREATIVE AND RENAME TABS

Renaming tabs adds personality to a Facebook page. Add the FBML application if you have yet to do so. Click on the ‘Edit Page’ tab below the fan page’s profile image, find the FBML application and click on ‘Edit.’ There you will change the tab name and add content to the page using HTML code.

RECEIVE NOTIFICATIONS FROM YOUR EMAIL

Anyone who likes or comments on anything you post, you will receive a notification via email. NutshellMail also allows you to reply, share stories, and send wall posts without ever leaving your email inbox. It is a fantastic Facebook app for managing and interacting with all your social networks via email.

Adding NutshellMail is easy. In the Facebook search bar type in “NutshellMail” and select the one that says application. Under the default image, click on ‘Go to Application’ and follow the rest of the instructions.

CHANGE THE DEFAULT LANDING PAGE

Generally the Wall tab is the landing page on Facebook profiles, but users with a Facebook fan page have the option to choose a different tab as their landing page. Creating a landing page can provide new fans information, a warm welcoming, or an interest to explore the page.

Visit your fan page and select ‘Edit Page’ and then click on ‘Wall Settings.’ When you see ‘Default Landing Tab for Everyone Else,’ choose the tab that you want your fans to see.

ADD A BANNER, FLYER OR ANNOUNCEMENT

My Info is a Facebook application that lets you place any HTML on your Wall, Info, or Boxes tab. It is perfect for creating a Welcome Tab on your Facebook Fan page. From images and flash movies to HTML, My Info allows you to customize this tab to your liking.

In the Facebook search bar type in “My Info” and select the one that says application. Under the default image, click on ‘Go to Application’ and follow the rest of the instructions.

REMOVE FACEBOOK ADVERTISING

Facebook advertisements can be annoying. There is a program called Greasemonkey Script that allows you to remove ads and updates that distract your fans from interacting with your Facebook fan page. Click the links below to download Greasemonkey Script.
You have to download the Greasemonkey Add On before you install the Facebook Cleaner.

Source: Social Capital Management

Google Link Building Guide

Google Link Building Guide

By Sam

In this article, we will look at search engine optimization tricks and tips that can either make or break your business. If used wisely, these techniques will return great results. However, if used in a cheap or easy manner, these practices can be very damaging. The possible penalties include losing rankings and getting banned from Google and other search engines. While reading this article, keep in mind that there are SEO companies out there that use bad schemes and only benefit from you by collecting your money.

Ethical SEO: High Quality Paid Links and Building Link the Organic Way

A great way to build inbound links is by creating relevant, original content. You can gain links by sounding like an authority in certain fields. This can be done by creating text that entertains and contain informative details and resources. In addition, make sure to use inbound links because they provide votes from other websites.

Another way to create inbound links is by publishing excellent, search engine friendly articles or press releases. Scraper sites can identify many of these links, and other links may show up on news websites, blogs and social media networks.

One more tip involves making an external blog and using it to add links that point back to your website. This tip is very helpful, especially if your blog contains useful information and is popular.

Lastly, consider companies that offer links for advertising purposes or for gaining Web traffic. These companies specialize in this kind of SEO service and shouldn’t be confused with companies that build links for manipulative purposes.

Services and Link Building Methods That are Best Avoided

Constant contact with the SEO services provider is very important. As much as possible, stay away from companies that don’t have direct phone numbers and other contact details. Transparent SEO firms are those that return and answer their clients’ calls. Another thing to note is that if the company is located in another country or continent, you may make a lot of overseas calls.

Of course, it’s important to check the company’s website. A website is great for doing a background check. If the company website isn’t updated and only contains an online contact form, consider moving on to another SEO services provider.

Google’s Webmaster Guidelines contain invaluable tips that can truly help with building links. While Google’s guidelines are worth the read, the tips suggested above addresses issues that you have yet to encounter.

Link building methods that violate Google’s Webmaster Guidelines can significantly hurt a website’s search engine ranking. Remember this guide to stay on the safe side.

Source: Link Building

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