The Behind the Social Media Campaign Series is supported by Oneupweb, an award-winning agency specializing in search marketing, social media and design for mid-to-enterprise level brands. Download Oneupweb’s free whitepaper, “Measuring Social Media’s Contribution to the Bottom Line: 5 Tactics.”

Those who came of age during the social media revolution may take it for granted that you, the consumer, are often called upon to be an active participant in your favorite brand’s marketing.

But it wasn’t always this way. Until very recently, marketing was a one-way conversation. That’s how advertising always worked. Can you picture Don Draper saying, “Let’s just have consumers come up with the next campaign”?

Of course, a lot has changed since 1965. Technology now lets you do your job from home or wherever you happen to be. Clients, aware that ad agencies can now cut their overhead, are pushing the shops to do more with less. “The old full-time, employee-based model is going away,” says John Winsor, the CEO of Victors & Spoils, a crowdsourcing agency. “The incentive when you’re full-time is to take longer and put more people on the work.”

Victors & Spoils employs 17 people full time, but has relationships with 6,500 people who are on call for advertising work of one kind or another. It’s a unique model for the ad industry, but one that shows how far you can take the idea of crowdsourcing. The term itself refers to an umbrella of activity. There’s crowdsourcing that consumers don’t see, like the work Victors & Spoils does on behalf of clients like Harley-Davidson, and then there are campaigns that are partially crowdsourced, like PepsiCo’s “Crash the Super Bowl” contest in which consumers see the participation.

Those who carry out crowdsourcing campaigns, though, don’t draw a great distinction. Guidelines remain constant. Here are a few basic rules they offer to those considering crowdsourcing campaigns:

1. Be Very Clear in Your Brief

Whether you’re doing behind-the-scenes crowdsourcing or asking consumers to pick the next flavor of your soft drink, you need to be very specific about what you’re asking them to do. “Write a super-tight brief,” says Winsor. “Be super-clear about what you want.” Wil Merritt, the CEO of Zooppa, a crowdsourcing agency in Seattle, agrees. “You’ve got to get it right,” he says. “Once it’s out in the community, it’s all systems go.” That doesn’t just mean clear writing, though. It’s also important to keep things pretty simple.

Merritt says that a brief that asks consumers to mention too many features will often result in work that can look like a PowerPoint presentation. “Keep it high-level and aspirational,” he says. “And it doesn’t have to be funny.”

Setting clear guidelines in a brief will also help you avoid a disastrous situation in which consumers are trashing your brand. That’s what happened when Chevy ran a crowdsourced program in 2006 asking consumers to make videos for its Tahoe SUV. Consumers seized the chance to criticize the vehicle for its environmental unfriendliness with lines like “It’s Global Warming Time.” (See above.)

2. Offer Good Incentives

When it comes to crowdsourcing, cash is king, says Mike Burlin, marketing manager for Zooppa. If you want high production values, you have to open up your wallet a bit. Don’t dangle a trip as a prize since consumers may not be able to take it for one reason or another. The magic number for prize money seems to be $5,000. Any less than that and you won’t get serious submissions.

The other thing to consider are second prizes. “Is there just one?” Burlin asks. “People look at the odds.” A decent second- and third- place prize may be worth the money just because it convinces serious candidates to give it their best shot.

3. Don’t Overwhelm the Consumer

Ad agency JWT tapped the online community of its client Smirnoff as a source of ideas, but it didn’t go so far as to ask them to create ads. “People are busy enough as it is,” says Matt MacDonald, executive creative director, JWT New York. “The last thing they want to do is to work out your marketing campaign for you.”

The Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project, detailed in the video below, is less about getting consumers to do the vodka brand’s marketing and more about participating in it. That’s a fine distinction.

4. Prepare to be Overwhelmed by Ideas

The difficulty in crowdsourcing a campaign often is not getting the ideas, but keeping track of them all. Ignacio Oreamuno, president of Giant Hydra, a “mass collaboration” agency (he abhors the word “crowdsourcing”) says that on any given campaign, he gets 10 times more ideas than a standard ad agency would.

Victors & Spoils is taking its own approach to wading through the ideas — the agency plans to introduce a software product in August that simplifies the process, though it currently uses software programs including Crowdspring and PopTent to execute campaigns.

5. Remember: Crowdsourcing Doesn’t Equal “Unprofessional”

Winsor rates his 6,500 freelance employees using a “reputation algorithm,” which he calls a “new kind of meritocracy” for the industry. Oreamuno stresses that his employees may not be full-time, but they are held up to a high standard.”The creatives that work in Giant Hydra have all been pre-selected and they are all being paid for their time,” he says. “Most of the Hydra Heads that work in Giant Hydra projects do it on a constant basis. One day, we’ll have the world’s largest creative department working at all hours of the day across the world.”

Of course, “professional” is a term that has been sorely tested in recent years, thanks to crowdsourcing. There are industries, like medicine and engineering, where it would be unthinkable to have a stranger come in off the street and do the job you’ve been working at for 20 years better than you, but advertising isn’t one of them.

As Winsor notes, those Pepsi Super Bowl ads routinely show up in USA Today’s AdTrack as consumers’ favorites. “The professionals say they’re not as good,” says Winsor, “but consumers like them better, so who’s right?”

The Behind the Social Media Campaign Series is supported by Oneupweb, an award-winning agency specializing in search marketing, social media and design for mid-to-enterprise level brands. Download the Oneupweb sponsored Marketing Sherpa free study, “Measuring Social Media’s Contribution to the Bottom Line: 5 Tactics” to learn how to cut through the clutter and be sure to catch up with them on Facebook and Twitter.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, AndreasKermann

Image courtesy of Flickr, Tony Peters

More About: Behind the Social Media Campaign Series, crowdsourcing, MARKETING

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Social Media Marketing is the act of using social media (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) in order to promote a business.

Many companies will want to start their own social media marketing campaign and create a Facebook page or Twitter account. The problem with is they don’t have a clue on how to run a successful social media marketing campaign. Here, I have listed 10 of the most basic rules when it comes to social media marketing. Follow these rules in order to have successful accounts with Facebook, Twitter, etc.

The 10 [basic] Rules of Social Media Marketing

1. Update! I shouldn’t even have to list this as a rule, but many forget how important it is. You should try and update daily because when consumers visit your page and it has not been updated in over a month, they will assume it is inactive and decide not to follow your business. Also, they could easily go with your competitor because their page is so active they feel that business will give them better service. You do not want that to happen, so update your social media accounts regularly!

2. No pitching! You are not Billy Mays. Therefore, you do not need to yell at consumers telling them to buy your product or use your business. Social media is meant to connect, not pitch. If your consumers feel they have a connection with your company through your Facebook page or Twitter feed, they are more likely to use you over another business that does not make an earnest effort to connect.

3. Communicate with your audience. If you do not feel it is necessary to reply to comments, answer questions, or join in on conversations on your page, then social media is not for you. You need to be a part of the conversations on your page. If not, you will lose touch with your customers and what they want.

4. Choose Wisely. What you say will forevermore remain public record on the internet. Choose what you post on your page wisely. I cannot stress that enough. If you hire a company to post for you, be sure to hire someone you can trust. And, remember, if you manage your social media outlets yourself only post what you would want to see on the front page of the New York Times (or the Huffington Post).

5. Handle angry customers with class. Some customers will just have a bad day and want to take it out on your page and blame you for everything. Do not delete any negative comments. Instead, ignore it if it’s only one comment (unless the comment has foul language and is completely inappropriate). If you are in a predicament like Nestle was about a year ago where everyone protested on their Facebook page, post an update saying your business is making moves to fix the problem. Never directly respond to one individual, you will never win. Also, never make promises you cannot keep.

6. Link to others. If you find something interesting (and relevant) on the web, link it on your Facebook or Twitter page. Explain why you find it interesting (and relevant) and ask for their input. Link to other companies, articles, cool websites, whatever. Just be sure to ask yourself before posting, is this relevant to my business?

7. Share! Don’t be afraid to show your consumers what your company’s employees are doing when they are not in the office. Take photos of your office picnic, philanthropic event, or even a run/walk for a good cause. These photos create a positive image about your company for your consumers. They want to know you’re human and don’t wear ties all the time. If it’s casual Friday in the office, take a group photo of everyone wearing the company polo and post it immediately so others know what is going on in your office in real time.

8. Start a weekly trend. If you do something once a week, on the same day each week, your followers are bound to come back that day every week. For example, if you own a shoe store, every Monday you could post the shoe of the week. Include an image and a promotion for the shoe, such as a percentage off that week only. If you posted every Monday, consumers are bound to check every Monday to see what pair is being promoted that week and come into your store to buy. It’s a great way to get customers onto your social media pages as well as into your store.

9. Link to your blog. You put so much effort into writing that awesome post about trendy heels for the spring, but no one ever reads your blog. Link it on your Facebook, Twitter, etc. Don’t do it all the time, because if that is the only thing you do to update your social media outlets, people will get bored with you very quickly. But at the same time, don’t be afraid to link back to your blog. You put a lot of hard work and effort into it, and you want people to read it!

10. Spread the word! If you have a Facebook, Twitter, blog, YouTube channel, etc. you really need to tell people. They are not just going to assume you have them. Put them on your company website, on your business cards, put a sign up in your store saying “Add us!” with all the little logos for each site next to the copy. Don’t be afraid to tell your customers you’re on Facebook. If they like you and your product, they will share it on their Facebook account and say, “Hey, I’m a fan of Sally’s Shoes and I want everyone to know!”

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

The 10 Basic Rules of Social Media Marketing

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Everyone knows that in the world of SEO, content is king. Content can be anything published online that is public and shareable. This includes web page content, blogs, articles and whitepapers, videos, podcasts, infographics and diagrams, studies, interviews, presentations and more. A strong content marketing campaign is a critical component to any SEO and web marketing plan. Over time, great content will attract quality, natural links. But even the best content could stand to have a little promotion pushing it through the Internet pipelines.

One way to help promote your content is through cross-pollination. This involves taking the same piece of content and distributing it across a variety of networks. Each platform has its own unique audience, so while the messaging remains the same, the structure and format of the content has to be adjusted to meet the needs and expectation of each audience.

Step 1

Let’s say your company recently launched a new product. The first step is to develop a new page of web content that describes that product and publish it to your site. Now, having a new product doesn’t really help your company if nobody knows about it. So next you write and release an online press release (in addition to your offline PR campaign). Where do you get the information to write that online press release? The product page, of course. In the press release you link back to your main site and product page with the appropriate anchor text.

Step 2

On the same day the press release is scheduled to be distributed, you also have a promotional blog post go live on the company blog. While most blog posts should be educational (especially true for a B2B company), a post about the company itself every once and awhile is perfectly acceptable. Your blog post outlines the benefits of your new product, which audiences would benefit from it, what problems it solves and so forth. You can also link from the blog post back to the product page, helping drive traffic. If you sell software, for instance, you can encourage readers to download a free demo trial and push readers through to that landing page.

Step 3

To make your current customer base aware of your new product, it’s a good idea to send out a promotional email blast to all your newsletter subscribers. One way to encourage sales is to offer your current customers a discounted price for your new product. Having a special incentive only available to your repeat customers rewards them for purchasing from your company. It helps foster goodwill with your audience and encourages new customers to sign up for your newsletters.

Make it easy for others to help promote your content by making your newsletters “shareable.” By including links to social networking sites in the content itself, you are encouraging your audiences to help spread the message and push your content in front of an even wider audience.

Step 4

Don’t forget about your own social networking capabilities! You can post a preview of the blog post to your Facebook page or Tweet a link back to the product page itself. LinkedIn Groups are a great place to submit content. People have already self-identified themselves into sub-segments, so you can get very specific with what kind of people you present your content to. There are hundreds of niche social networking sites for you to get involved in as well. Make sure you abide by the unique rules and etiquette of each social network. What works for Facebook may not fly with your Twitter audience.

Step 5

Part of SEO and social media marketing is developing a blogger outreach program. This involves building relationships with influential bloggers in your industry. In the long run, a strong relationship with a blogger has much more value than just getting a link in their blog roll; promoting your content is one of those times relationships come in handy. If you have a good enough relationship with an industry blogger, you can ask them to review your product and publish their opinion on their blog.

First off, this introduces your product to their loyal readership base, which could be thousands of people every day. Secondly, a good review from an influential blogger is much more powerful than all the promotional messages you could send out. That kind of 3rd party endorsement goes a long way in convincing potential customers to buy (or at least look at) your product or services.

Step 6

If you have the budget for it, invest in a little online advertising to promote your new product. You can buy small ads on popular industry blogs or wide-reaching newsletters. You can also develop a PPC campaign, encouraging targeted traffic through to your site or designated landing page.

Each of these 6 steps took the same basic piece of content, the new product page on your website, tweaked it and spread it across a variety of platforms. This kind of cross-pollination helps drive targeted traffic through to your site, keeps them engaged for longer and increases your chance of conversion. For instance, someone who has Liked you on Facebook sees your blog post pop up in their newsfeed, so they click over to your company’s page. In order to read the full post, they have to go to your company blog. Since you have linked from the blog post to the product page, it isn’t difficult for them to delve deeper into your site. In just three clicks you took them from off-site to an internal page, thanks to cross-pollination.

Cross-pollinating your content promotion also helps reinforce your message. Someone might not bother to click from your newsletter to your site, but after seeing the newsletter, reading the review posted by another blogger and seeing your PPC ad, they are convinced to check it out. Each of those touch points worked together to get that visitor to convert.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

SEO Content Marketing and Cross-Pollination – A SEO-News Exclusive Article

Go to Source

Everyone knows that in the world of SEO, content is king. Content can be anything published online that is public and shareable. This includes web page content, blogs, articles and whitepapers, videos, podcasts, infographics and diagrams, studies, interviews, presentations and more. A strong content marketing campaign is a critical component to any SEO and web marketing plan. Over time, great content will attract quality, natural links. But even the best content could stand to have a little promotion pushing it through the Internet pipelines.

One way to help promote your content is through cross-pollination. This involves taking the same piece of content and distributing it across a variety of networks. Each platform has its own unique audience, so while the messaging remains the same, the structure and format of the content has to be adjusted to meet the needs and expectation of each audience.

Step 1

Let’s say your company recently launched a new product. The first step is to develop a new page of web content that describes that product and publish it to your site. Now, having a new product doesn’t really help your company if nobody knows about it. So next you write and release an online press release (in addition to your offline PR campaign). Where do you get the information to write that online press release? The product page, of course. In the press release you link back to your main site and product page with the appropriate anchor text.

Step 2

On the same day the press release is scheduled to be distributed, you also have a promotional blog post go live on the company blog. While most blog posts should be educational (especially true for a B2B company), a post about the company itself every once and awhile is perfectly acceptable. Your blog post outlines the benefits of your new product, which audiences would benefit from it, what problems it solves and so forth. You can also link from the blog post back to the product page, helping drive traffic. If you sell software, for instance, you can encourage readers to download a free demo trial and push readers through to that landing page.

Step 3

To make your current customer base aware of your new product, it’s a good idea to send out a promotional email blast to all your newsletter subscribers. One way to encourage sales is to offer your current customers a discounted price for your new product. Having a special incentive only available to your repeat customers rewards them for purchasing from your company. It helps foster goodwill with your audience and encourages new customers to sign up for your newsletters.

Make it easy for others to help promote your content by making your newsletters “shareable.” By including links to social networking sites in the content itself, you are encouraging your audiences to help spread the message and push your content in front of an even wider audience.

Step 4

Don’t forget about your own social networking capabilities! You can post a preview of the blog post to your Facebook page or Tweet a link back to the product page itself. LinkedIn Groups are a great place to submit content. People have already self-identified themselves into sub-segments, so you can get very specific with what kind of people you present your content to. There are hundreds of niche social networking sites for you to get involved in as well. Make sure you abide by the unique rules and etiquette of each social network. What works for Facebook may not fly with your Twitter audience.

Step 5

Part of SEO and social media marketing is developing a blogger outreach program. This involves building relationships with influential bloggers in your industry. In the long run, a strong relationship with a blogger has much more value than just getting a link in their blog roll; promoting your content is one of those times relationships come in handy. If you have a good enough relationship with an industry blogger, you can ask them to review your product and publish their opinion on their blog.

First off, this introduces your product to their loyal readership base, which could be thousands of people every day. Secondly, a good review from an influential blogger is much more powerful than all the promotional messages you could send out. That kind of 3rd party endorsement goes a long way in convincing potential customers to buy (or at least look at) your product or services.

Step 6

If you have the budget for it, invest in a little online advertising to promote your new product. You can buy small ads on popular industry blogs or wide-reaching newsletters. You can also develop a PPC campaign, encouraging targeted traffic through to your site or designated landing page.

Each of these 6 steps took the same basic piece of content, the new product page on your website, tweaked it and spread it across a variety of platforms. This kind of cross-pollination helps drive targeted traffic through to your site, keeps them engaged for longer and increases your chance of conversion. For instance, someone who has Liked you on Facebook sees your blog post pop up in their newsfeed, so they click over to your company’s page. In order to read the full post, they have to go to your company blog. Since you have linked from the blog post to the product page, it isn’t difficult for them to delve deeper into your site. In just three clicks you took them from off-site to an internal page, thanks to cross-pollination.

Cross-pollinating your content promotion also helps reinforce your message. Someone might not bother to click from your newsletter to your site, but after seeing the newsletter, reading the review posted by another blogger and seeing your PPC ad, they are convinced to check it out. Each of those touch points worked together to get that visitor to convert.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

SEO Content Marketing and Cross-Pollination – A SEO-News Exclusive Article

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How long until it reaches a billion? Leave your guess in the comments.

Facebook is seeing a great deal of growth in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico, Argentina, India, Columbia, Egypt, Turkey, and the UK. Facebook has become the top place for communication, photos, games, charity, and news for a lot of people already, and we’ve not even come closer to seeing the limit of what will be done using the social network. One of the interesting things about Facebook’s growth is that the more things people are able to do with Facebook, the more it is likely to grow still. And the company hasn’t even had an IPO yet.

We’ve seen plenty of glimpses into the future of Facebook – things that are being done on a modest scale, which will likely blow up in time (e-commerce, payments, videos, travel, etc.) As Facebook’s growth continues, more businesses are going to feel comfortable using it as a platform of operation, or at least as a major component of it.

E-Commerce

We’ve already seen e-commerce on Facebook increase over the last year or so, with more businesses setting up storefronts on Facebook itself, but I expect this to grow much more significantly over the coming years. It will be like selling merchandise through websites used to be. At first, many businesses didn’t offer their actual products through their sites, but now, most do. This will likely be the case on Facebook too, and it might not even take as long.

Most businesses have already recognized the benefits of at least having a Facebook Page, and given the ease of setting one up, compared to creating (and maintaining) a website, it’s not hard to see why wider adoption came so quickly.

We recently ran an article by Krishna De, who discussed nine tips to increase your social commerce success:

1. Have an attractive image for your store
2. Make use of your profile photo
3. Add a customized tab on your Facebook page
4. Incentivize your Facebook fans
5. Mention your Facebook Store in a status update
6. Test the Facebook Store out yourself
7. Consider using Facebook Ads to build awareness
8. Mention the launch on your site
9. Encourage people who purchase to leave a recommendation

Identity

Identity is the key to everything Facebook does, and is a major component in every business, app, and website that associates itself with Facebook. It’s all about personalization, and last year when Facebook launched its Instant Personalization features and social plugins for websites, it truly took over the web. Today, you’d be hard pressed to find a credible website that doesn’t have some kind of Facebook integration, even if it’s as small as simply the use of a “like” button.

Despite privacy concerns from many users, they still continue to use Facebook, and using Facebook they can log into and interact with other sites and apps, without having to create a separate account. It ups the convenience factor significantly, and reduces friction. This will continue to be key for future endeavors, and every facet of Facebook usage, whether that be paying for goods online or off, playing games and keeping your records, getting personalized news, keeping personalized music playlists, or whatever else.

Facebook faces competition from companies like Google and Twitter (more so now with Twitter’s integration into Apple’s iOS 5) in the area of identity, but Facebook has a huge lead here, particularly in how it relates to personalization and actual friend-related data.

Of course, you still need an email address to have a Facebook account.

Payments

It is the identity aspect of Facebook that lends it to payments. With Facebook Credits, the social network has its own currency, which one can easily envision becoming a widely adopted and acceptable form of payment given the rise of innovation in the mobile payments space for the physical world, the fact that so many sites are integrated with Facebook in the online world, and the fact that every business already wants you to “like us on Facebook”.

Imagine going to McDonald’s or Sears, and tapping your phone on a device at the register to pay with your Facebook Credits.

By the way, Facebook Credits will reportedly work with iTunes apps too.

Travel

There are 107 apps currently on Facebook listed under “Travel,” and that’s just internal Facebook apps – apps you access while on Facebook itself. That doesn’t include the Facebook integration Travel sites all over the web are employing. Look at what Delta Airlines is doing, for example. Its Ticket Counter app lets users check in online and access their boarding pass on Facebook within 24 hours of their departure. It also lets you check flight status, view trip details, and view skymiles.

Travel is just one aspect of life where the ubiquitousness of Facebook comes in handy, as those catering to that aspect (like Delta) are able to take advantage of your Facebook ID to provide you with a helpful service.

Given Microsoft and Facebook’s relationship, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Facebook and Bing Travel integrations over time either.

Search

Speaking of Bing, and its partnership with Facebook, don’t be surprised to see Facebook become a much bigger part of the search market picture. Facebook has data that search engines crave already. Personalization is the name of the game, and nothing on the web can come close to delivering the kind of personalized experience Facebook can to those that use it.

We’ve talked at length about Facebook’s potential in search in the past, so I’m not going to go on and on about it here. I’ll simply give you a link or two. But suffice it to say, Facebook is very relevant to search, and search is very relevant to Facebook. It will be even more so, as more businesses and people flock to the social network.

Advertising

Businesses are already recognizing how powerful Facebook ads can be. I expect Facebook Ads to continue to grow as a more popular place for companies to advertise. The targeting based on all of the data Facebook has about users is simply too great.

Just this week, MerchantCircle put out results of a survey finding that 22% of local merchants have used Facebook ads, and two-thirds of them intend to do so again. That’s as they stand now. You have to consider that Facebook is going to continue to make new features available over time, and find ways to make ads even more attractive to advertisers. It’s highly unlikely that they think their work is done, and that they’re not going to improve.

That goes for Facebook as a whole, by the way. There’s no telling what Facebook and its pool of top engineering talent will come up with in time, that nobody’s even considered yet. Look at everything Google’s done in the last decade. Who knows what Facebook will have its hands in another ten years. By the way, much of that top talent has come from Google.

Entertainment

Obviously games are already an enormous part of Facebook use for a lot of people. One can’t help but wonder if it has even played a part in the cancellation of certain soap operas. Movies and music may be poised to make up an even greater part of the puzzle as well.

As you may know, Warner Bros. has already been testing Facebook movie rentals. You go to a fan page for a movie, and then, you can rent the movie from right there. It’s not at all hard to imagine this becoming commonplace in the industry.

Facebook has also been talking with various music services, according to reports. The product of these talks is rumored to be a tab/widget that would display a user’s most-played songs and provide an easy way for friends to hear them. People are already sharing music on Facebook all the time, whether that be through a YouTube video, a SoundCloud file, or other formats, and bands are already connecting with fans through their Pages.

Musicians are even charging Facebook credits for on-demand concert streams.

News

People are already getting a lot of their news from Facebook, and Facebook has been placing more emphasis on this side of things itself. If you’re doing all of these other things with your Facebook account, it only makes sense that you would get at least some of your news through this venue as well, by “liking” publications’ Pages, which share links and notes about stories, and through posts that Friends find worth passing on (including through Facebook’s social plugins – like the “like” button or the newer “send” button).

A couple months ago, Facebook announced the launch of new journalist resources and a series of events for journalists to come together and find new ways to better harness the social network for their craft. Of course Facebook has played a significant role in creating the news as well (see recent revolutions).

Acquisitions

Looking at Facebook’s list of recent acquisitions can give us hints as to what the company might be up to, though as they are often geared toward talent rather than product, we can only speculate until we see results. Recent acquisitions from Facebook include:

- Drop.io (file hosting and sharing)
- Rel8tion (mobile advertising)
- Beluga (group messaging)
- Snaptu (mobile app development)
- DayTurn (infographics)
- Sofa (mac apps)

What Will We be Using Facebook For in Five Years?

This is where I’d like to call upon feedback from our readers. I’m sure I’ve barely scraped the surface of what the future truly holds for this increasingly powerful company. I want to hear some ideas from you about what you think we’re in for. So, I ask you: what will people be using Facebook for five years from now, that they aren’t already using it for? What would you like to see Facebook do in the future that it doesn’t already do? What would you like to see it stop doing? Comment here.

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How long until it reaches a billion? Leave your guess in the comments.

Facebook is seeing a great deal of growth in countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines, Mexico, Argentina, India, Columbia, Egypt, Turkey, and the UK. Facebook has become the top place for communication, photos, games, charity, and news for a lot of people already, and we’ve not even come closer to seeing the limit of what will be done using the social network. One of the interesting things about Facebook’s growth is that the more things people are able to do with Facebook, the more it is likely to grow still. And the company hasn’t even had an IPO yet.

We’ve seen plenty of glimpses into the future of Facebook – things that are being done on a modest scale, which will likely blow up in time (e-commerce, payments, videos, travel, etc.) As Facebook’s growth continues, more businesses are going to feel comfortable using it as a platform of operation, or at least as a major component of it.

E-Commerce

We’ve already seen e-commerce on Facebook increase over the last year or so, with more businesses setting up storefronts on Facebook itself, but I expect this to grow much more significantly over the coming years. It will be like selling merchandise through websites used to be. At first, many businesses didn’t offer their actual products through their sites, but now, most do. This will likely be the case on Facebook too, and it might not even take as long.

Most businesses have already recognized the benefits of at least having a Facebook Page, and given the ease of setting one up, compared to creating (and maintaining) a website, it’s not hard to see why wider adoption came so quickly.

We recently ran an article by Krishna De, who discussed nine tips to increase your social commerce success:

1. Have an attractive image for your store
2. Make use of your profile photo
3. Add a customized tab on your Facebook page
4. Incentivize your Facebook fans
5. Mention your Facebook Store in a status update
6. Test the Facebook Store out yourself
7. Consider using Facebook Ads to build awareness
8. Mention the launch on your site
9. Encourage people who purchase to leave a recommendation

Identity

Identity is the key to everything Facebook does, and is a major component in every business, app, and website that associates itself with Facebook. It’s all about personalization, and last year when Facebook launched its Instant Personalization features and social plugins for websites, it truly took over the web. Today, you’d be hard pressed to find a credible website that doesn’t have some kind of Facebook integration, even if it’s as small as simply the use of a “like” button.

Despite privacy concerns from many users, they still continue to use Facebook, and using Facebook they can log into and interact with other sites and apps, without having to create a separate account. It ups the convenience factor significantly, and reduces friction. This will continue to be key for future endeavors, and every facet of Facebook usage, whether that be paying for goods online or off, playing games and keeping your records, getting personalized news, keeping personalized music playlists, or whatever else.

Facebook faces competition from companies like Google and Twitter (more so now with Twitter’s integration into Apple’s iOS 5) in the area of identity, but Facebook has a huge lead here, particularly in how it relates to personalization and actual friend-related data.

Of course, you still need an email address to have a Facebook account.

Payments

It is the identity aspect of Facebook that lends it to payments. With Facebook Credits, the social network has its own currency, which one can easily envision becoming a widely adopted and acceptable form of payment given the rise of innovation in the mobile payments space for the physical world, the fact that so many sites are integrated with Facebook in the online world, and the fact that every business already wants you to “like us on Facebook”.

Imagine going to McDonald’s or Sears, and tapping your phone on a device at the register to pay with your Facebook Credits.

By the way, Facebook Credits will reportedly work with iTunes apps too.

Travel

There are 107 apps currently on Facebook listed under “Travel,” and that’s just internal Facebook apps – apps you access while on Facebook itself. That doesn’t include the Facebook integration Travel sites all over the web are employing. Look at what Delta Airlines is doing, for example. Its Ticket Counter app lets users check in online and access their boarding pass on Facebook within 24 hours of their departure. It also lets you check flight status, view trip details, and view skymiles.

Travel is just one aspect of life where the ubiquitousness of Facebook comes in handy, as those catering to that aspect (like Delta) are able to take advantage of your Facebook ID to provide you with a helpful service.

Given Microsoft and Facebook’s relationship, I wouldn’t be surprised to see more Facebook and Bing Travel integrations over time either.

Search

Speaking of Bing, and its partnership with Facebook, don’t be surprised to see Facebook become a much bigger part of the search market picture. Facebook has data that search engines crave already. Personalization is the name of the game, and nothing on the web can come close to delivering the kind of personalized experience Facebook can to those that use it.

We’ve talked at length about Facebook’s potential in search in the past, so I’m not going to go on and on about it here. I’ll simply give you a link or two. But suffice it to say, Facebook is very relevant to search, and search is very relevant to Facebook. It will be even more so, as more businesses and people flock to the social network.

Advertising

Businesses are already recognizing how powerful Facebook ads can be. I expect Facebook Ads to continue to grow as a more popular place for companies to advertise. The targeting based on all of the data Facebook has about users is simply too great.

Just this week, MerchantCircle put out results of a survey finding that 22% of local merchants have used Facebook ads, and two-thirds of them intend to do so again. That’s as they stand now. You have to consider that Facebook is going to continue to make new features available over time, and find ways to make ads even more attractive to advertisers. It’s highly unlikely that they think their work is done, and that they’re not going to improve.

That goes for Facebook as a whole, by the way. There’s no telling what Facebook and its pool of top engineering talent will come up with in time, that nobody’s even considered yet. Look at everything Google’s done in the last decade. Who knows what Facebook will have its hands in another ten years. By the way, much of that top talent has come from Google.

Entertainment

Obviously games are already an enormous part of Facebook use for a lot of people. One can’t help but wonder if it has even played a part in the cancellation of certain soap operas. Movies and music may be poised to make up an even greater part of the puzzle as well.

As you may know, Warner Bros. has already been testing Facebook movie rentals. You go to a fan page for a movie, and then, you can rent the movie from right there. It’s not at all hard to imagine this becoming commonplace in the industry.

Facebook has also been talking with various music services, according to reports. The product of these talks is rumored to be a tab/widget that would display a user’s most-played songs and provide an easy way for friends to hear them. People are already sharing music on Facebook all the time, whether that be through a YouTube video, a SoundCloud file, or other formats, and bands are already connecting with fans through their Pages.

Musicians are even charging Facebook credits for on-demand concert streams.

News

People are already getting a lot of their news from Facebook, and Facebook has been placing more emphasis on this side of things itself. If you’re doing all of these other things with your Facebook account, it only makes sense that you would get at least some of your news through this venue as well, by “liking” publications’ Pages, which share links and notes about stories, and through posts that Friends find worth passing on (including through Facebook’s social plugins – like the “like” button or the newer “send” button).

A couple months ago, Facebook announced the launch of new journalist resources and a series of events for journalists to come together and find new ways to better harness the social network for their craft. Of course Facebook has played a significant role in creating the news as well (see recent revolutions).

Acquisitions

Looking at Facebook’s list of recent acquisitions can give us hints as to what the company might be up to, though as they are often geared toward talent rather than product, we can only speculate until we see results. Recent acquisitions from Facebook include:

- Drop.io (file hosting and sharing)
- Rel8tion (mobile advertising)
- Beluga (group messaging)
- Snaptu (mobile app development)
- DayTurn (infographics)
- Sofa (mac apps)

What Will We be Using Facebook For in Five Years?

This is where I’d like to call upon feedback from our readers. I’m sure I’ve barely scraped the surface of what the future truly holds for this increasingly powerful company. I want to hear some ideas from you about what you think we’re in for. So, I ask you: what will people be using Facebook for five years from now, that they aren’t already using it for? What would you like to see Facebook do in the future that it doesn’t already do? What would you like to see it stop doing? Comment here.

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What can you use the application for?


Scut.ly gives website owners and others an easy way to shorten a long URL into a smaller, more manageable one. The application offers a few extras to go along with its simple service. Users can access full time reports as well as graphic tracking. Users can find out which URLs are clicked the most often and where their visitors are originating from. The application also tracks the time of day the visitor arrived on the page and how long they spent exploring the site. Scut.ly offers many ways to track marketing efforts and watch how internet users react to new advertising campaigns through website activity.

What is the history and popularity of the application?


Scut.ly was designed to give users an effective way to make their websites more accessible while monitoring how well they do with visitors. Many other websites offer a similar service, however Scut.ly focused on providing services that website owners and small businesses might find the most appealing.

What are the differences to other apps?


The concept behind Scut.ly is not a new one. Many other sources are available on the web that offers free URL shortening services. What makes Scut.ly stand out is the many features that are included with it. The user can review their website visitor’s activity on their site and see where they are coming from and when they usually arrive. This could also provide signs that the site’s marketing campaign is (or isn’t) working.

How does the application look and feel to use?


The Scut.ly website uses a simple, but effective design. The homepage is neatly laid out with the log in area on the right in a bold box and page content beside it to the left. The color scheme features an all white background with gold buttons that match the large Scut.ly logo featured at the top of the page. Overall the website is very neat and clean and offers users an easy to navigate environment to shorten URLs and track their website’s visitor activity.

How does the registration process work?


New users can begin by clicking the grey “Create Your Account Here!” link near the bottom of the Scut.ly login box (along the right side of the homepage). Doing so causes the box to shift into the registration form. The form asks for a first and last name, display name, valid email address and password. The user should note that the application will send an activation code via email, so a correct email address is required. After entering the requested information, the user can click the gold “Send” button at the bottom to get their activation code and complete registration.

What does it cost to use the application?


Scut.ly offers its service for free. The user is automatically given a free account when they sign up on the homepage. There are no subscription fees or other charges for using Scut.ly. Despite its many extras, this is definitely a good thing because the site is still rather basic in the service that it offers. Many website owners will be far more enticed to give Scut.ly a try with the free access.

Who would you recommend the application to?


Scut.ly could be helpful for anyone who owns or manages a website. The application gives users a way to shorten URLs for advertising purposes. The user can also monitor reports to see how their URLs are doing with their audiences.

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LetUsFollow is a community based website which lets you get more Twitter followers and Facebook page Likes. To encourage users to follow you, credits are offered as incentive when they follow you and vice versa. You are given some credits when you create an account and can earn more credits by following others or by refering your friends.

These days Twitter and Facebook have become primary tools for online marketing and having a large follower-base is very important for success of your online marketing campaign. LetUsFollow caters to this very need of companies and individuals by providing a common platform for users to list themselves and search for like-minded people to follow and get followed.

LetUsFollow allows you to target your audience on the basis of age-group, gender, country and interest thereby maximizing the output of your efforts. And most importantly, the services offered by LetUsFollow are completely free. LetUsFollow aims to become the leading platform for social media marketing and help companies and individuals grow their network.

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This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

There are 500 million active users on Facebook — it’s about time you get in on the action and start a Facebook Page for your business. After all, the best marketing reaches out to consumers where they already are, and people spend more than 700 billion hours a month on the site. Exposure to that many eyeballs could translate to a lot of business for your company.

Not tech savvy? That’s not a problem — the process isn’t too technical. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you initiate your Facebook marketing campaign.

1. Create Your Page

Go to facebook.com/pages and click “Create Page” in the upper right hand corner.

The next screen asks you to select a category from the following list:

• Local Business or Place
• Company, Organization or Institution
• Brand or Product
• Artist, Band or Public Figure
• Entertainment
• Cause or Community

2. Fill In Information

Once you select the category for your business, you can fill in the name, address and phone number. Check the box next to “I agree to Facebook Pages Terms” and click “Get Started.” You’ll see a Page that looks like this:

3. Add a Photo

Upload a picture for your page. It can be a logo, a photo of a store or a photo of a person — whatever makes the most sense for building your brand. The file needs to be smaller than 4MB, and it can be square or a vertical rectangle. However, note that the avatar that shows up next to status updates and wall posts is square, so if you don’t want anything chopped off, square might be the way to go.

4. Suggest Your Page to Friends

Get your Page started off with some “likes” by recruiting your own friends. Start typing in names and when you drag the cursor over someone’s name, it will highlight in blue. Click once to check the person and add them to your invite. Click “Selected” to see who’s on your invite list. When you’re ready to invite, click “Send Recommendations.”

5. Import Contacts

Click on “Import Contacts” to reach out to your email contacts about your new Page. You can upload a file (Outlook, Constant Contact, .csv) or you can enter your email login info so Facebook can access people in your email contact list. Again, you can check the box next to the names you’d like to invite, and you can preview the invitation to see what it’ll look like. For people who are already on Facebook, they’ll get a “Recommended Pages” widget on their Facebook, while everyone else will get an email that looks like this:

6. Start Writing Content

Once you have a photo uploaded and have a few fans on board, you can start engaging.

For status updates, you can either share with everyone or you can target by location or by language. Targeting comes in handy if the Page is for a business with several locations in various states, especially if there is a contest, event or update that is only for a particular city.

If you want to post a link to a blog post or news story, don’t just type or paste the URL into a status update. If you do, it will look like this:

To post a link the proper way, click “Link” and paste the URL. Click “Attach.” Once you “attach” the URL, you’ll see that the text and photo from the page you’re linking to will populate automatically. You can change the title, paste different text into the snippet, and change the pictures (if there are several options, indicated by the “Choose a Thumbnail” prompt):

This is the best and cleanest way to link to another page. The post looks better and it will perform better if the link is attached instead of typed in to the status. Note that you can click on either the link or the snippet to change the text before you click “Share.”

7. Get a Vanity URL

Once you have 25 fans on your Facebook Page, any of a Page’s admins can reserve a vanity URL so that your Facebook URL is www.facebook.com/yourbusinessnamehere. Go to the Username page, select the Page name from the dropdown menu and then write in the name you’d like to use. Click “Check Availability.” If it’s available, a prompt will ask, “Are you sure you want to set [URL] as [Facebook Page]‘s username?” Click confirm to lock in that URL — and keep in mind that you can’t change the URL for a Page once you confirm.

8. Use the Tools That Are Available

Facebook Insights is a great tool that can help you figure out when to post and what kind of content does well. Measuring social media success is complicated, but many brands focus on engagement. Activity on your Page is a good sign, and you can keep tabs on activity by clicking “Facebook Insights” on the right sidebar, just below the admins.

8. Assign Other Admins

Speaking of admins, you can invite several people to run the Page and post content — links and statuses will come through as written by the Page and not the individual. (Note, the statuses above were generated when I was on my personal account — but the posts came through from “My Sweet New Candy Shoppe” because I am an admin.)

In the “Admins” section of the sidebar on the right, click “See All.” A new page will populate with the names of the admins. To make someone else an admin, just type in his name (it’ll populate in real time) — there is no limit to the number of admins a Page can have. Admins are kept abreast of happenings on the Page — including comments and posts so that your company can interact with its fans — via email.

Now that your Facebook Page is all set, you can learn more about what to do, what not to do and when to post to get the best engagement.

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The BlackBerry was always a business person’s phone, so is RIM’s foray into tablet territory with the PlayBook a business person’s tablet?

RIM likes to think so. It’s kicked off a major PlayBook marketing campaign with the slogan “Amateur hour is over.”

The ads, which can occasionally be seen on The New York Times website, simply display the PlayBook together with the slogan, proclaiming that “The BlackBerry PlayBook is here.”

In our review of the PlayBook, we praised some interesting innovations, some of which do cater to the professional — such as the ability to seamlessly open Microsoft Office documents. On the whole though, we haven’t found that it offers any major benefits over the iPad or the best Android tablets on the market.

What do you think of RIM’s PlayBook marketing campaign? Does PlayBook make all other tablets on the market look amateur? Share your opinion in the comments.

More About: amateur hour, blackberry, MARKETING, playbook, RIM

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The tools allow organizations to improve their Facebook presence, engage with their existing fans and attract new fans. By designing custom tabs to highlight specific campaigns and products, organizations can share targeted, fan-only multimedia content, conduct promotions and polling in one dashboard.

“The level of engagement that can be cultivated through social media channels is undeniable and organizations today must consider their Facebook presence a significant part of their PR or Marketing campaign,” said Ken Dowell, executive vice president, Audience Development, PR Newswire.

“As part of PR Newswire’s continued effort to provide our customers with effective audience engagement solutions, this new tool will help them leverage dynamic, interactive content to drive demand, awareness and opportunity.”

Additional features include automatic posting of news releases, Twitter feeds and other multimedia as well as the ability for organizations to monitor and measure conversation and feedback on their Facebook page.

PR Newswire will manage the initial set up and integration of the Facebook page and provide tools so maintaining and updating content does not require IT support.

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Ashley Boo’s Facebook profile may look like any other page, but it isn’t long until Ashley jumps off the page and starts dancing, screaming or headbanging. That’s because Boo is actually an interactive Facebook app inspired by last year’s successful “Hunter Shoots a Bear” YouTube campaign.

Ashley Boo is a video profile designed to promote Rounds, a video chat client for Facebook. The page, built in Flash, allows for a range of different user interactions, based on what you click or type.

The key to the Ashley Boo campaign is the Facebook status update bar, which asks, “What would you like to do together?” Typing in something will trigger Ashley to participate in one of 35 different activities, from shooting her friends to going on a date.

“We thought about what the best way to show the world what Rounds is all about, and although demos and screenshots are nice, with our product, they usually don’t fully transfer the full-blown experience,” Rounds CEO Dany Fishel told Mashable. “We believe the Ashley Boo campaign does it — it’s unique, it’s fun, it’s entertaining and it shows that you can do almost anything together with your friends on Rounds.”

The interactive Facebook campaign is directly inspired by Hunter Shoots a Bear, a viral YouTube campaign by Tipp-Ex that gave users the option to wrestle, hug or chest bump a bear (among other things). So while the concept itself may not be original, Rounds has made sure to stock Ashley Boo’s page with plenty of Easter eggs. The company has published a partial list of Ashley’s different moves if you don’t want to discover them all on your own, but the it promises to give Ashley more to do over time.

While we hope Rounds tones down the narrator constantly asking you to type in something (you can’t keep the tab open elsewhere because of it), Ashley (played by Maya Volberg) is definitely likable, and the campaign caters to most imaginations (just type in “sex” or “undress” to see what I mean).

Rounds has amassed 700,000 users since its relaunch in August (it originally launched as a web app called 6rounds in July 2009). However, if the success of “Hunter Shoots a Bear” is any indication, we bet Ashley Boo helps Rounds snag a bunch of new users in quick order.

More About: Ashley Boo, facebook, facebook profile, MARKETING, Rounds

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Does the concept of starting a social media marketing campaign scare you? Don’t let it. While social media sites are quickly growing, they’re also becoming easier to use and are welcoming not only social butterflies but businesses as well. Social media marketing is slowly but surely finding its way into the standard marketing campaign – and for good reason. Here are some of the trends we’ve noticed over the past year.

A Lack of Control

When venturing into the world of social media, it is important to remember that you will have very little control over the actions and mindsets of your followers or fans. Take Facebook, for example. You may decide to build a business page for your organization but you may also find that your fans have created fan pages of their own – unofficial pages where they have chosen to network and talk about your products or services. While that shouldn’t discourage you from building your own page, it should encourage you to check out what others are doing or saying in an effort to monitor and protect your brand.

Exploring Collective Sales

The past year has introduced the concept of collective sales, or collective buying, to the social media marketing platform as well. Sites like Groupon offer businesses a set amount of guaranteed sales. You, as a business, will offer a steep discount but an individual can only take advantage of it if a guaranteed number of people make the purchase. Those clients may not turn into regular customers, but the collective sale will give you the opportunity to gain hundreds of new customers literally overnight.

Location Based Marketing

Technology is an incredible thing and advances in the way people can connect to the internet and, in turn, their social networks has had a huge influence on social media marketing. Anyone with a smartphone or an iPad can access the internet and many love checking in on social applications like Loopt and Foursquare. Even Facebook and Twitter have added applications that allow people to report where they are. Many business with storefronts are now offering incentives, ranging from discounts to free products, to customers who post that they are in the shop.

Social Networks and Gaming

Many social networks, including Facebook, feature incredibly popular games. Despite your hesitance, it’s important to recognize that millions of people are playing the games offered by social networking groups each day. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to advertise within these games. At the very least, you may be able to include your product in virtual form so that those “playing” can “buy” your “services.” They may just decide to do so in real life, too.

Social Media Experts

While social media was at one time completely free, trends now point towards the incorporation of social media experts into the overall marketing plan. These experts have experience setting up Twitter profiles or Facebook pages, making customizations and changes that will give you the most professional and appealing face possible. It’s all about building your brand, and an expert can help you set things up right from the start.

Social media marketing is growing by leaps and bounds and many businesses, from Toyota to Nike, are marketing their social networking pages (especially their Facebook fan pages) even more heavily than their own websites. It’s a trend in itself and will continue to grow over the next few years. Don’t launch an online business (or an offline business with a web presence) without adding social media to your marketing campaign. It’s guaranteed to make a huge difference.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

Social Media: 5 Trends to Consider

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From invasive AdWords pitches to aggressively marketed websites, online competition in the web design world is rapidly approaching its breaking point.

Small freelance businesses are unable to market themselves without an ample budget and plenty of time.

Increasingly, freelancers are forced to turn to bidding websites in search of work. They compete for projects that offer little in the way of income and that entail a great deal of stress.

Thankfully, there are other ways to generate business. Many go against the “online only” marketing slogans that designers have been fed for years.

While the Internet has generated many marketing opportunities for freelancers, it’s also home to extraordinary competition. This environment can be unwelcoming to newcomers and part-time freelancers.

The strategies outlined in this article aren’t modern or advanced, but they can generate new business when other methods fail. Search engines aren’t necessarily the best place to find business. Apply these “old-fashioned” marketing tactics and you might experience a rapid influx of new clients, projects and income.

Generate Leads and Marketing Data

A designer’s marketing campaign should aim to reach prospective clients through the least saturated medium. Email and search are host to thousands of other advertisers, many of whom use unsavory tactics to get attention. Do you want to compete with them, or would you rather operate on a less competitive playing field?

Generate your marketing data online, but take it offline to approach prospective clients directly. The Yellow Pages is an invaluable pool of online data that can be used for offline marketing. Scan the online phone book in search of businesses that lack a web presence. Record their contact information and add it to your database of marketing leads in preparation for cold calling and email pitching.

Services like Yelp, Google Local and the Yellow Pages can help you understand how in touch a market is with online promotion. Search for industries in your city that lack a web presence, particularly business-to-consumer companies that would benefit from increased online exposure.

Market your services to these businesses. Not only do they have a budget for design and marketing, but they likely understand how valuable the Internet is as a marketing tool. Find out how competitive the Google Local results are for their market segment. A result on the first page of a local search query can often bring thousands of dollars in monthly revenue.

Find the Decision-Makers

You’ve now got a list of several hundred businesses to market to. Small businesses are pitched by marketing services every week, making it fairly difficult to reach them with a single phone call or email, especially if it’s a public phone number or email address for customers.

If you get past the receptionist, making the pitch is remarkably easy. Gatekeepers turn down opportunities out of sheer convenience, because companies are constantly being pitched. Solicitors are refused even before reaching a decision-maker.

Using LinkedIn or a similar network, narrow your list of companies down to owners and key personnel. This will be fairly simple for online-based companies, because most have a personnel page on their website. To engage with offline businesses and gather data on their owners and managers, it might be worth attending a local Chamber of Commerce meeting.

Cold Calling and Other “Old-Fashioned” Marketing Techniques

Most designers are afraid to cold call. The typical inexperienced cold caller generates little interest and practically expects rejection. Have you been told “No” hundreds of times in a row? Not a nice feeling.

However, getting past this knee-jerk “no” and breaking down the defenses of small-business owners are possible. First, stress how valuable your services are. Drawing on search figures from your local area, explain how sizable their marketing exposure could be.

Remember that you have approached the business owner, not the other way around. You need to explain exactly how creating a website could increase their bottom line. Point out that expanding their online presence exposes them to new customers, increases their brand’s value and makes them a bigger player in local search. In short, you need to sell how a website improves business.

Finally, close the deal as quickly as possible. Small-business owners are infamous for taking months or years to retain a service. Use something like EchoSign to prevent your “closed” deal from sitting idly. “Productize” your design and marketing process as much as possible.

Look for Uncompetitive Prospects

The Yellow Pages is both feared and despised by small-business owners. Placement in the phone book can cost thousands of dollars a month and yield little more than a couple of calls per week and an overall negative return on investment. Capitalize on this poor service by collecting the information of local businesses from the Yellow Pages website and then marketing your services to them.

Similarly, Yelp and Google Local contain extensive information on local companies. Browsing Google Local’s map-based business section is a great way to find new clients. Sort the results into “website” and “no website” categories. Call companies in the latter category and explain that they’re missing out on leads from Google Local because of their lack of a dedicated web presence.

Finally, there is a gold mine of opportunities in approaching businesses directly. Armed with data from Google Local and the Yellow Pages, walk right into stores and speak to the owners about their online visibility face to face. You will be rejected at first, but once you perfect your sales pitch, it can become a profitable way to gain clients and long-term business.

Recommended Resources

Inc.com’s “Guide to Cold Calling” is packed with useful information for designers who are struggling to adapt to an offline marketing mindset. From strategy tips to template scripts, it’s all there.

Yahoo’s Local Directory is a great alternative to Google Local. Find cold-calling prospects quickly, and search for thousands of potential small-business clients in your city, region or neighborhood.

Written exclusively for WDD by Mathew Carpenter. He is an 18-year-old business owner and entrepreneur from Sydney, Australia. Mathew is currently working on Sofa Moolah, a website that teaches you how to make money online. Follow Mathew on Twitter: @matcarpenter. Follow Sofa Moolah on Twitter: @sofamoolah.

How do you market your services offline? What’s your experience been like so far? Please share some tips with us!

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Link building is an extremely important part of SEO. The more websites you have linking into your site, the more credible your site appears to the search engines. Credible websites get awarded with higher search engine page result rankings which will allow more potential customers to see your Website, therefore increasing sales.

There are many ways to increase your link popularity. Here are some tips and trends from Search Engine Land to help you with link building this year.

• In 2011, Bing and Blekko will become great places to build links. Last year, many link builders relied heavily on Google and Google’s search listings. However, although Google is never going away, other search engines will step out of the shadows and bring great link building opportunities to marketers.

• Start to concentrate on creating well-rounded link popularity. Make sure your links are coming from a variety of places such as social media networks, link directories, blogs, older sites, newer sites, articles, social bookmarking sites and more. Generating links from many different platforms will allow you to create a larger list. It also makes your site look more credible to search engines than if all your links were coming from just link directories or just social media networks alone.

• Link builders should begin to focus more on how to secure links rather than just ways to generate lists of link building sites and opportunities. Without the right link building technique, a list isn’t worth much in the long run anyway.

• The rise of apps is beginning to take people away from actual Websites. In order to combat this, it’s important to develop a loyal following to use for link building as well as product announcements. Try to gain opt-in email addresses and split your Internet marketing campaign into two parts, one to focus on link building and one to focus on driving traffic to your site, email marketing and social media. Building your following leaves you with a back-up plan if apps do end up totally driving people away from Websites, because you’ll be able to get links from your fans/followers.

• In 2011, expect to see smaller brands ranking better based on customer service reviews and social media interaction. In previous years, big brands have had the most power when it comes to online marketing. However, smaller brands tend to provide better customer service and now social media and customer review sites have allowed that quality to shine.

• Start using social media networks Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter for link building. Here’s how:

o Facebook: Post links to your Website on your wall, in discussion and on other people’s walls (when appropriate, don’t spam). Also search for Groups that are associated with your keywords. Join these groups and start to respond to discussions. Make sure to leave a link to your site at the end of each response. You can also use Facebook ads to buy links and target them by region, gender, keywords and more.

o LinkedIn: Not only can you post links to your “wall” but also participate in LinkedIn Answers using keywords. By answering multiple questions posted by other members each week, you’ll establish credibility and attract links and sales leads. You can also leave the link to your Website as a reference which will help with your link building efforts. When you’re done answering a question you can also ask the person who asked it for a link back to your site.

o Twitter: Make sure to use keywords in every tweet and include a short link back to a relevant page on your Website. Since tweets are now being indexed in Google this will greatly help your link building efforts and drive more traffic to your website.

• Look for fresh sources and sites when it comes to traditional link directories. Ask your social media followers if they would like to host articles or blogs you’ve written on their sites. You’ll be surprised how many respond which will get you a few valuable links.

• Participate on forums and review sites. Leave your link with your signature.

• Try to gain .gov and .edu links. These credible sources will have a positive impact on your search engine rankings and are also relatively easy to gain if your site is relevant to the subject of the organization.

• Remember that quality over quantity is important when it comes to link building. Do not conduct any link exchanges with websites that are irrelevant to your industry or topic. Google and other search engines frown upon this. This year, concentrate on building quality links that will last and on gaining loyal followers/fans/customers who will help drive traffic to your website.

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10 Expert Link Building Tips and Trends for 2011

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Most times when people are searching the Internet, they are looking for an answer to a question or problem that they face. Perhaps they are trying to quit smoking or are looking for tourist attractions for a family vacation.

Regardless of their need, they want to find information that is of value to them. As more competition and successful online businesses are on the web, launching an effective online marketing campaign has become increasingly important.

One of the keys to building a successful online business is to create a business that truly values and appreciates current customers and prospects. Building a strong relationship of trust is important, and starts with your first encounter with your customer and continues through each interaction or “point of contact” you have with this person. All it takes is one negative experience with a customer to lose that person’s trust, and potentially their business.

When visitors are on your website they can read your headline and decide if they are interested in reading more of the information you have on your site. They will continue reading if they are engaged and intrigued and if they are interested in learning more about what you have to say. This is a great place to start building a relationship with a customer. Understand the wants and desires of your customers so that your content resonates with readers and encourages them to read your email or come back to your site.

Creating a connection with customers and visitors to your website is an important way to gain someone’s commitment and loyalty. A loyal customer will not only be more inclined to buy from you, but will also encourage others to buy from you as well. There is nothing more powerful than “word of mouth” marketing, where customers recommend your business to family and friends. Not only is it a credible way to promote your business, with no work on your part, but it’s free!

Relationship marketing has always been an effective way to market in the offline world and now has become an integral part of the marketing mix for online marketers as well. It can be more difficult online to build a relationship without face time, but it can be achieved by implementing effective marketing methods and techniques. Effective methods and tips to help build a positive customer relationship include:

1. Ensuring that each and every interaction with your customer is a positive one.

2. Following-through on commitments and claims about products or services.

3. Offering product benefits and values that respond to the customer’s desires.

4. Treating customers as individuals who are respected and valued.

5. Listening to customers, it’s true that even complaints can help your business as you learn from mistakes and take the necessary actions to improve your business.

6. Availability and accessibility when customers have questions, concerns, or comments.

7. Providing your customers with valuable information is essential, however you don’t want to spam them and come off as invasive.

8. Making your website user-friendly and easy to navigate for new and existing customers.

9. Creating a blog about your business where discussion is more casual and inviting.

Relationship marketing is not just a fad. It’s here to stay and people want to know that they are valued and appreciated as an individual. Creating long term relationships with customers helps you business grow through word of mouth and repeat sales. It also encourages existing customers to refer their colleagues, friends, and others to your website. Never take any customer for granted. Each and every interaction with a customer is a gift and should be valued.

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Every day we see millions of messages and catchphrase everywhere from print media to online advertisements. True, there are some slogans that we know by heart but a millions of them have come and gone that we hardly ever noticed. What is it about an advertising slogan that catapults it into fame? Aside from having outstanding brand recall, they have a positive “x” factor that makes us look twice, think thrice and delight the imagination of their target markets and characterize their products in original ways. According to the book "Creative Advertising" by Charles Whittier: "A slogan should be a statement of such merit about a product or service that is worthy of continuous repetitive advertising; is worthwhile for the public to remember; and is phrased in such a way that the public is likely to remember it."

Guidelines To Create Great Slogan

1. Identification. A good slogan must stay consistent with the brand name either obviously stated or strongly implied. It’s better to include the name of your business to it.
2. Memorable. Some of the best taglines or slogans are still being used today, even though they were launched several years ago.
3. Beneficial. Reveal your purpose and benefits of the product by conveying the message in consumer language. Turn bad into good. Suggest the risk of not using the product. Create a positive feeling for the consumers.
4. Differentiation. In an overcrowded market, companies on the same industry need to set themselves apart thru their creative and original tagline or slogan.
5. Keep it simple. Use proven words and short keywords. One word is usually not enough.

65 Slogans of Notable Companies

Imax

Volkswagon

Blogger

Mac Pro

Harley Davidson

Calvin Klein

Google

Survivor TV Series

Canon

Walmart

Johnnie Walker

Matchbox

Reebok

3M

United Negro College Fund

Marks & Spencer

Federal Express

Nikon

Red Cross

Playstation

Porsche

Disneyland

Fortune Magazine

Holiday Inn

Ajax

Adidas

Haagen-Dazs

Yellow Pages

IBM

Abbey National

Kodak

McDonalds

Hallmark

De Beers

Levi’s

Nike

Nokia

Tag Heuer

Sony

News Statesman

Subway

Electronic Arts

Olympus

Vodafone

Maxwell House

Clairol

Aston Martin

Burger King

Visa

Coca-Cola

M&M

Jaguar

AT&T

Kentucky Fried Chicken

L’Oreal

United Airlines

Diesel Jeans

Metropolitan Life

Nintendo 64

Dixon

Ebay

General Electric

Du Pont

The National Lottery

Energizer

Slogans of Top Advertising Agencies

J Walter Thompson (JWT)

"Time is the new currency"

JWT is one of the largest advertising agencies in the United States and the fourth-biggest in the world. It is one of the key companies of Sir Martin Sorrell’s WPP Group and is headquartered in New York. (wiki) Top clients: Ford, HSBC, Unilever, Nestlè, Vodafone. (visit website)

DDB

"Co-creation"

DDB is a part of Omnicom Group Inc the advertising holding company with the highest revenue in the world, at US$12.69 billion, according to Advertising Age’s agency rankings of April 2008 founded in Manhattan. (wiki) Top clients: Volkswagen, Capital One, Epson, Exxon Mobil, Harvey Nichols. (visit website)

Leo Burnett

"Creating ideas and building brands that truly matter to people"

A part of the French group Publicis. Its clients include McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Walt Disney, Marlboro, Maytag, Kellogg’s, Tampax, Nintendo, Philips, Samsung, Visa, Wrigley’s, Hallmark, Allstate Insurance, Procter & Gamble and others. It has 97 offices in 84 countries. (wiki) (visit website)

M&CSAATCHI

"Brutal simplicity of thought"

An international advertising agency network formed in January 1995 by the brothers Maurice Saatchi and Charles Saatchi after they were ousted from the advertising agency group Saatchi & Saatchi which they had founded in 1970. (wiki) Top clients: Heinz, Porsche, GlaxoSmithKline, Halfords, RBS Group. (visit website)

Saatchi & Saatchi

"Nothing is impossible"

Global advertising agency network with 140 offices in 80 countries and over 6,500 staff. It was founded in London in 1970 but now headquartered in New York. (wiki) Top clients: The Labour party, T-Mobile, Sony Ericsson, Carlsberg, Visa. (visit website)

Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH)

"When the world zigs, zag"

British advertising agency, responsible for some notable advertising campaigns of the last 30 years. The company was founded by John Bartle, Nigel Bogle & Sir John Hegarty in 1982. (wiki) Top clients: Audi, Levi’s, British Airways, Lynx, Vodafone. (visit website)

TBWA

"The disruption agency"

International advertising agency whose headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, United States. The company’s name is formed by the initial of each of it’s four founders. (wiki) Top clients: PlayStation, Apple, Nissan, Galaxy, Müller. (visit website)

Ogilvy Group

"To be most valued by those who most value brands"

International advertising, marketing and public relations agency based in Manhattan and owned by the WPP Group. The company operates 497 offices in 125 countries with approximately 16,000 employees. (wiki) Top clients: Ford, American Express, IBM, Barclays, BT. (visit website)

RKCR/Y&R

"Brand energy"

Top clients: Marks and Spencer, Lloyds TSB, Bacardi, Land Rover, Oxfam. (visit website)

Wieden + Kennedy

"Creating strong, provocative relationships between good companies and their customers"

Independently owned American advertising agency best known for its work for Nike, Honda, Coca-cola and Starbucks. Founded by Dan Wieden and David Kennedy on April 1, 1982, in Portland, Oregon, it is one of the largest independently-owned advertising agencies in the world. (wiki) (visit website)

Euro RSCG London

"Contagious ideas"

London-based integrated advertising agency. It is part of the Euro RSCG Worldwide network which has 233 offices located in 75 countries throughout Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. (wiki) Top clients: The Conservative Party, Citroë*, Evian, Yakult, Peugeot. (visit website)

WCRS (Aegis Group)

"A brand’s best friend"

Aegis’s services include market insight and communications strategy, through digital creative execution and website design and build, to media planning and buying, brand tracking and marketing analytics. Top clients: BMW, Sky, Abbey, Weetabix, 118 118. (visit website)

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Split testing has always been an important part of any successful online marketing campaign, but is it really necessary? It has been said that if you can improve a part of your sales funnel to increase your sales then it is worth doing. Is it really that important that you should utilize the amount of resources it requires to split test?

If this is the case when do you decide that you have done enough testing?

Let’s take a closer look at the need to split test on your squeeze page, website or any other aspect of your online business.

First, you must understand that the purpose here is not to say that here is no value at all in split testing; but rather that it is only useful up to a certain point, and then continued testing begins to give diminishing returns and becomes more of a waste of time. What is important here is deciding when that point has been reached.

With that foundation now established, let’s take a look at the issue and work out the cost of testing in general. If, for example, you are testing your title or attention grabber, and you have one in red and another in green, you will need to drive traffic to your page where half of your visitors will see the red and the other half will see green. After a few thousand or however many you decide on, you will then need to gather your information and analyze it.

After analyzing the information and lets say the green worked better than the red, does this mean that green is the best. Absolutely not! All it means is that it is better than red, and now you will need to test it against blue – and then pink – and then black and on and on.

Once you have settled on the right color for this exercise lets say green you will then need to test the text of your title and you will test A against B, but as with the colors you will need to test multiple times with various titles.

The point is that at some stage along the way you will find that all this testing is costing you more than it is benefiting you or your online business. Of course you have the choice of testing everything you desire both on and off your website, squeeze page or anything else you plan on testing, but when do you draw the line and decide that it is time to stop.

There are many online marketers who will tell you that you should always be testing, but if that is so, when do you actually begin to benefit from all this information that you have been gathering so diligently?

Now lets look at the costs that all of this has incurred up to this point. The number of hours, days or even weeks that you have put into this task will have cost you a lot of time, and time is money. Even if you have done all the labor yourself how much have you lost in income opportunities because you have been too busy crunching numbers and doing nothing else.

All the time you have spent on making changes to your website and the decisions on what you are going to test and how you are going to test it, might well be an acceptable expense, but the thing that many online markers seem to overlook, is that while all of this is going on you are losing customers, simply because people are not converting as well while you are busy testing.

This is not to say that split testing has no purpose at all in the greater scheme of things. The important point here is not to get carried away by it all. Just because you can test everything does not mean that you should, all you need to do for the good of your online business is to set a conversion goal before you begin testing and as soon as you achieve your goal, get on with your next project.

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This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

At this point, many companies recognize that developing a branded mobile app can be an asset. Unfortunately, fewer of them understand how to best leverage this new channel in order to benefit their brand.

“We were inundated with requests that were like, ‘We need an app because somebody within an organization says we need an iPhone app or we need an Android app,’ ” says Anthony Franco, the president and co-founder of app development agency EffectiveUI. “The conversations are sometimes a little awkward because we asked the very simple question, ‘Why?’ And there was this struggle, and there’s still a little bit of struggle with articulating the reason behind the mobile app.”

In order to better articulate the factors that should drive mobile app development, EffectiveUI recently commissioned a Harris Interactive survey of 781 online adults who downloaded mobile apps. As the company suspected, the study found that 38% of mobile app users weren’t satisfied with the apps available from their favorite brands.

Franco recently chatted with us about how brands can avoid contributing to this group of unsatisfied mobile app users.

1. A Mobile App Is Not a Marketing Campaign

If your goal is merely to make your brand visible, advertising networks are a better outlet for your marketing campaign than a mobile app. Only 18% of respondents in the study said that they even considered whether an app was from a brand name company when deciding to download it. Even your most loyal customers won’t download an app unless it does something useful for them.

When a major credit card company recently tried to build a social network around its brand on a mobile app, for instance, it crossed the line between what is appropriate for a mobile app and what is appropriate for a marketing campaign, said Franco.

“[The mobile app] had nothing to do with their business really, other than to attract eyeballs,” he says. “And if you look at the reviews on that app, it’s: ‘This is an obvious attempt at trying to market to me. It’s a well-designed app, it’s pretty, but all it is is about deals in my area trying to sell me something.’ Try to stick really closely to what your business does, and provide value.”

2. A Branded App Is Not a Mobile Website

Some companies that Franco has worked with have initially wanted to put all of their website features into their mobile apps. But that’s not what apps are intended for, Franco says. Seventy-three percent of mobile app users in the study agreed that they expect a company’s mobile app to be easier to use than its website.

Taking the top 10 features of a company’s website and moving them directly over to its mobile app, for example, just doesn’t work. The problem is that those 10 features may be useful on the web, but that usefulness may not translate when put on a mobile device.

“[Customers] don’t want the entire website on a mobile application. They want utility and a very defined set of features that are specifically designed for mobile use cases. Make it easier to use — make it less complex than your website.”

3. A Branded App Should Provide Utility

Seventy-five percent of survey respondents said that a mobile app should do exactly what they want or need it to do. “In other words, provide me utility,” Franco says. “Don’t market to me. Provide me something to get something done.”

There are quite a few utility-based branded apps out there. Chipotle, for example, has an app that allows you to order without waiting in line. One feature in the Starbucks app allows users to buy coffee with their phones. And Target recently introduced an iPad app that will make it easier for customers to shop during the holidays.

4. Focus on the User

In order to understand what will appeal to your target users, it’s helpful to understand your target users. And a little research never hurt in contributing to this objective.

Franco says that after the brand decides what kind of consumer it is targeting with its mobile app, the app developers should figure out a way to deepen their understanding of what that consumer wants. Sometimes it’s a matter of interviewing people on the street. Sometimes it’s going into people’s offices and watching how they use a website or software.

“[A mobile app] has to be user-centered,” Franco says. “It has to come from a place of empathy for what the user wants to get done on their device. It can’t be from a place of big creative, big think, big campaign, and hoping it’s going to go viral. That’s not what people want on their mobile devices.”

5. Build Around Mobile Use Cases

People accomplish some tasks on their phones. They prefer to do other tasks on a website or in some other way. It’s important to focus on the former category so that you don’t clutter your app with features that users won’t appreciate in a mobile setting.

EffectiveUI cited the FedEx app, for instance, allows users to do four tasks: make a shipping label, track a package, find a FedEx location and get a quote. While the app leaves out a lot of features that are available on the company’s website, it focuses on tasks that people are likely to complete on their phones, while standing in line, on a train or during a break.

6. Think Twice Before Becoming a Game Developer

While some brands like Barclaycard and Audi have had some success with branded mobile apps that are games, this strategy is a risky one. First, you’re entering the gaming business. There are a lot of companies that exclusively build games in the app store, and they’re pretty good at it. Competing can be tough. Second, it’s hard to determine the ROI for a game. Are they really engaging with your brand by, let’s say, navigating a character down a crazy waterslide?

“If you want to [get] eyeballs, there are ad networks for that,” Franco says. “You’re specifically going in and picking out a game that is relevant to your brand and saying, we want to sponsor that game. So instead of getting into the gaming business, stay in the marketing business if that’s your goal. And sponsor other things. Or use the mobile ad platform.”

7. It’s Better to Have No Branded App Than a Mediocre One

The EffectiveUI study found that 13% of people who had a bad experience with a branded app avoided downloading other apps from that brand because of it. That means that if you create an ineffective branded app, it will affect your future attempts at mobile applications as well.

“The study basically says take this channel seriously,” Franco says. “And don’t just treat it like a $60,000 microsite campaign. A bad microsite falls flat, and it’s designed to go away in three months. A bad mobile application does lasting damage — it’s there forever. So take it very seriously.”

More Marketing Resources from Mashable:

– 13 Branded Mobile Apps That Got It Right
– HOW TO: Develop a Branded iPhone App on a Budget
– 5 Musts for Mobile App Marketing
– HOW TO: Build an App for Your Small Business
– Social Media Marketing 101: In-House Team, Agency or Consultant?

Image courtesy of Flickr, drinksmachine, ☃’, kevinthoule

More About: Anthony Franco, app development, apps, branded app, business, EffectiveUI, List, Lists, MARKETING, mobile app, mobile apps, mobile marketing, small business

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Artists have been labeled as lousy marketers; brimming with creativity yet low on sales aptitude. Whether this is true or not, all creatives need to learn how to promote themselves- that is to say, they want to earn from their talent and/or be recognized. Extensive marketing can be a very expensive process but you can always start small.

One inexpensive way to promote your art is through the use of custom business cards. Custom cards are perfect for starting a small marketing campaign because they’re not only handy, they’re also informative.

Business card designs can vary greatly- from minimalist to grungy, from serious to playful. Treat a card like a canvas and incorporate your own style. By using your own designs, you can instantly show prospective clients your skills as an artist and wooing them would probably be less of a hard work.

To get you inspired, check out our collection of 20 business cards with artistic and inspiring illustrations. Now, prepare to be impressed!

Nothing beats a rush of inspiration to get those creative juices flowing! If we missed to include other artistic designs, let us know; leave a comment below!

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Before you launch your next marketing campaign, whether online or offline, make sure to avoid some of the most common marketing mistakes.

1. Failure to Write a Powerful Headline.

Whether you are writing a newspaper ad, email message or press release, you must create a powerful headline. Research suggests that your headline is the most important part of your ad. It is absolutely essential that you draw your prospective customer or client into your ad and keep them interested in what you have to offer. Spend quality time creating your headline and you will notice much better results.

2. Absence Of An Irresistible Offer.

In marketing, 40% of the response that you receive from your prospects is directly related to your offer. In today’s competitive marketplace, you need to present your client or customer with an offer that they can’t resist.

Offers can range from discounts to offering a free report, but the fact remains that your marketing should always contain some sort of offer your prospects can’t refuse. If you have an irresistible offer, people will respond.

3. A Weak Or Non-Existent Call To Action.

Every single time you create an ad, you want to direct your prospective client or customer to take a specific action. This action can be to call a toll-free number, visit a website or place an order. If you fail to tell your prospect exactly what you want them to do, they will not do anything. Take your prospect by the hand and show them what they need to do next in order to move them smoothly through all parts of the sales process.

4. An Inadequate List.

Even if you have the best product since sliced bread, you need highly targeted and responsive prospects. This can be accomplished by building a list. There are dozens of tools that allow you to build a list quickly and efficiently. The best way to accomplish this is by asking prospects to supply you with their name and email in exchange for your “irresistible free offer.” Most marketers agree that growing a list is perhaps one of the most important jobs for any small business.

5. Relying On One Marketing Message.

On average, consumers are exposed to over 4,000 marketing messages every day. Recent research suggests that your clients and customers will need to see your marketing message between seven and twelve times before they even take notice! That means you can never rely on sending one message to your prospects; instead, you will need to send repeated messages to them over and over again. Decide how you will deliver your message and then make sure to develop and continue a relationship with your prospect in an ongoing process.

6. Failure To Measure Campaign Effectiveness.

There are literally hundreds of ways to market your small business. Over time, you will most likely tap into dozens of these marketing platforms. However, it is absolutely vital that you take time to measure the effectiveness of your various marketing campaigns. This can be done with simple spreadsheets or fancier CRM systems. No matter how you measure your marketing, you must understand what is working and what is not working so that you can be extremely effective.

7. Not Communicating With Your Current Customers.

It is vital to provide ongoing communication with your current customer base. Most likely you have spent time and money acquiring new customers. Moreover, 20% of your current customers will purchase from you again. Make sure that you communicate with your customers on a regular basis, solicit their feedback and provide value to them over the long-term. This will help build your business over time.

Whether you are a brand new marketer or established veteran, it is essential to avoid some of these most common marketing mistakes. To be successful over time, you must continually work to improve your marketing effectiveness. If you do, you will soon find your business growing quicker and easier than you ever imagined.

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Continue reading: T-Mobile 4G Not Real, We Have That Too, Says AT&T [One Day After T-Mobile Starts 4G Marketing Blitz, AT&T Comes Out With Corrections Glore]

1 Comment | View latest news in Mobile/Cell Phones | TFTS Home.

Related Reading on TFTS – In Order of Freshness:

1. T-Mobile 4G: Tmo Starts Calling Their HSPA+ 4G [After Much Speculation, T-Mobile Decides To Start Marketing Their HSPA+ Network as "4G", Starting With MyTouch] by Kevin Schram
2. T-Mobile G2 Pre-Orders Coming Soon From Tmo [Although It's Been Up For Order From Best Buy, The Magenta Carrier Starts Selling Themselves - Soon] by Kevin Schram
3. T-Mobile G2 Pricing Details & Release Dates Revealed; Best Buy Pre-order Starts Today [Best Buy to Start T-Mobile G2 Pre-Sales on September 10; G2 to Cost $199 on Contract & Ship on October 6] by Chris Smith
4. Google Looking To Improve Marketing For Nexus One [Google Job Posting Reveals Possible New Nexus One Marketing Campaign, Will Get Best Android Phone Get A Wider Audience?] by Kevin Schram

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When you begin your SEO campaign, it can be difficult to separate myth from truth. It seems everyone has different ideas of what works and what doesn’t, and even someone who’s been in the business awhile can get confused as SEO trends, tactics, and techniques change over the years.

While there may be much discrepancy, these 17 tips for SEO are something most experts seem to agree on. Following these rules, you can avoid some common mistakes and launch a successful campaign.

1. Perform keyword research. This is a very important step in your SEO campaign, before you even begin. Thoroughly research all keywords you may want to use – this can make a huge difference in your strategy.

2. Don’t use the same Metas for every page. All your Meta and Title Tags should be unique for each page. Also, make sure to use keywords and write an engaging title.

3. Don’t try to deceive the search engines. Don’t overuse keywords, hide text, or create doorway pages. These are unethical forms of SEO. With the current trend of search engines favoring ethical SEO, your best practice is to create a well-thought out web page, that has unique content, and is easy to navigate.

4. Avoid low quality links. Not all links are created equal. Instead of getting links from link farms, research the popularity of websites before getting links from them. Alexa ranks are a good way to check popularity, as well as page rank. However, if your own page rank is rather low, fret not, for this will be explained below.

5. Avoid using links with the same anchor text. Search engines do not like links that use the same anchor text and description that are repeated in short bursts.

6. Don’t overdo reciprocal links. Reciprocal linking can be valuable, but only when done in small doses, and if the links are relevant to your business. Also, make sure to have a diverse set of links, including links to blogs, forums, articles, social media bookmarking, and more.

7. Don’t become obsessed with page rank. Page rank is only a small part of your entire SEO campaign. The way pages are ranked is actually rather complicated, and is based on many factors. It is possible for a lower ranked page to actually be quite successful and get lots of visitors. So if your page rank is low, don’t freak out.

8. Do network with other Website owners. This is a great way to learn, get advice, and exchange links. These relationships can be mutually beneficial.

9. Make site updates regularly. Sometimes, an out-of-date website can be worse than no website at all. Make sure you update regularly with current information, news and events, and fresh content. If you want to catch the eye of the search engine robots, regular updates are a great way.

10. Don’t compete for single keywords. Instead, compete for keyword phrases. This will make it more likely that your site will show up as a relevant search result. For instance, if your company sells jewelry boxes, and you attempt to compete for the term “boxes,” many people who find your site will be looking for cardboard boxes, hat boxes, and other types of boxes, and will likely not stay on your page once they realize you don’t sell what they’re looking for. If you compete for the phrase “jewelry boxes,” it’s more likely that potential customers who are looking strictly for jewelry boxes will find you.

11. Research your competition. It’s always good to know what the competition is up to, including what they are doing on their website, where they are getting links, etc.

12. Design your Website to be SEO friendly. There is definitely an SEO strategy when it comes to website design. Avoid heavy Flash and lots of graphics, since search engine robots crawl the text, not images. Good Meta and Title Tags are a must, as well as fresh and engaging content. If you’re hiring someone to design your website, look for someone who is an expert in organic SEO.

13. Use text links instead of images. If using JavaScript, text links are important since spiders won’t follow JavaScript.

14. Keep localization in mind. There are several benefits to reaching out to the local audience. Aside from gaining local customers, including location-based keyword phrases, like “detroit auto body shop,” will help you because you will have less competition for that keyword.

15. Don’t ignore the power of content. Nothing drives a Website like good content. Make sure your content is engaging, original, and well researched. Use keywords strategically (so they fit in with the natural flow of text).

16. Always proofread. This step should be a given, yet it’s not uncommon to see typos and content mistakes on web pages. Aside from providing incorrect information, mistakes, as well as typos, make a web page and its company look unprofessional.

And most importantly…

17. Don’t Give Up! SEO is not accomplished overnight. It can be a long process and takes lots of work and sometimes trial and error. Keep up your effort and don’t give up!

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

17 SEO Tips for Your Marketing Campaign

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When you are writing an article the reader should find it informative. If you are writing about the pros and cons of something then the reader should be able to identify with what you are saying. You need to come up with a solution to a given problem in the article. With this in mind, article writing can be easier than many of us think.

Here Are 5 Simple Tips On Writing Great Articles:

1. If the title of the article is ambiguous it should be simplified to make it more effective. The readers should find your writings both interesting and informative. You should know your target audience, before you start writing articles. This will help you write better. Make sure that your title is catchy. You will be up against thousands of articles so you want to be able to stand out from the crowd.

2. The success or failure of an article marketing campaign may rest on its use of keywords. They must be strategically placed. They should appear at least once in the title, opening and closing paragraphs. They should also appear in the middle. The rest should be sprinkled throughout the remainder of the piece. Keyword density should be about one to three percent.

3. Use conversational tone. Don’t even think about making your articles sound like novels or encyclopedia. To avoid alienating your readers, write as if you’re personally talking to them. Use first person pronouns when addressing them. Ask questions from time to time and find effective ways to engage them all the way.

4. Keep it short and scannable. As you might already know, online users are usually pressed for time. You can make your articles more attractive for these people if you make them relatively short and easy to skim through. Make sure that you will not use more than 500 words especially if you’re discussing very specific topics. Then, use subheadings, short paragraphs, and bullets lists as much as possible.

5. Use good grammar and proper spelling. This should go without saying. Yet some article writers/publishers seem to have a poor grasp on grammar and spelling. Even if your grammar and spelling are stellar, you should always run your articles through a spell/grammar check. This can help catch mistakes you might miss.

Writing a POWERFUL Resource Box

Never underestimate the power of the resource box. It may be small in size but they will provide a significant aid in driving traffic to your site. A boring resource box will never get the job done. Be fun and creative but at the same time show that you have a great deal to offer.

While the resource box encompasses only a small space, providing the right keywords and content will provide more prodding for the reader to go to your site. You do not need to give away everything in your article, but instead make your readers crave for more information. This will guide them to visit your website to get more details. You only get one chance to wow them and many other chances to repulse them.

Remembering these tips when you embark on creating an article marketing campaign will greatly increase your chances of success. Not only will it be great for business, you’ll undoubtedly come away with a tremendous sense of personal satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

What Article Marketing Lab taught me was how to write articles for certain products and how to use those articles to drive traffic to a simple landing page. The key to writing articles is target specific people looking for more information on my chosen topic and the landing page is there to deliver what my article readers are looking for. Pretty simple really once you know how.

I have been part of the buy everything going crowd and I have learned through this course that there is a way to succeed, there is a way forward and that is to stick to something that works. I have a lot to thank Team AML for opening my eyes to something that I know I can succeed in.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

Article Marketing Lab – Learn My Secrets for Getting More Views and Clicks

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Read the rest of The LG Ally Will Receive Android 2.2 [LG Confirms That Froyo Is Coming To The Red-Headed Android Stepchild]

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The interactive trailer for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has made its debut, and we have to say: This is one of the coolest trailers we’ve ever seen.

The interactive trailer utilizes the second full-length trailer for the film, but transforms it into a game chock-full of extra information about the film and how it was made. Much of the information is narrated by director Edgar Wright.

The object of the trailer is simple: Click on the trailer to find as many pieces of information on the movie as possible. When you find a secret, you can check out the links in the interactive trailer’s information stream for more details about the film. The more secrets you find, the more points you gain and achievements you unlock.

We love the creativity that Universal Pictures and the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World team are putting behind the marketing campaign. We could play with the interactive trailer for hours. And that’s exactly the point.

The film hits theaters next Friday, August 13.

More About: entertainment, movie, scott pilgrim vs the world, trailer

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Read the rest of Rumor: Verizon Launching LTE Network On November 15, 4G Handset On Black Friday [New Rumor Pins Big Red As Turning On 4G Network Later This Year, To Launch With New Marketing Campaign, 4G Phone]

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You’ve done your keyword research and are trying to figure out how to use your keywords in your articles.

What are you supposed to do with the words in your list in respect to your articles?

Do you just use all of your keywords in the same way, or are there different types of keywords that have different functions in your article marketing campaign?

These are great questions, and when you understand the two different types of keywords and how they work, your article marketing strategy will be transformed.

The first type of keyword phrase is one you’re probably familiar with: the two word phrase that is very popular in your niche. This type of phrase is very competitive, meaning that many people are searching for it and many website owners are also targeting it as well. So, you have high demand and high supply.

It is more difficult to rank highly for these terms since there is so much competition. These shorter competitive terms will be part of your long term strategy for increasing your website’s ranking for those particular phrases.

You would use these special two word phrases in your resource boxes. With each article that you submit, create an HTML resource box that uses one of your main keyword phrases as anchor text. Do not use the same keyword for each article–switch it up. This is very important as hyperlinking the same phrase every time can look manipulative in Google’s eyes. Vary the key phrases that you use as anchor text in your resource box.

What about using keywords in the article title and the article body?

This is where the other type of keyword phrase comes in: the long tail phrase.

The long tail keyword phrase is three to five words long. It is usually very specific and has much less competition than the shorter phrases. Because it has less competition, it is easier to rank highly for this longer phrase.

You will use your long tail keyword phrases as a jumping off point for your articles and article titles. The idea with the long tail phrase is to get your article ranking highly for that phrase. If you consistently write articles based off of your long tail keywords, then you will eventually create enough content to completely cover your niche. So, whenever someone types in a longer search term related to your topic, one of your articles will pop up high in Google.

Each one of these key phrases has a job to do:

The shorter more competitive phrases play a long term role in getting a higher ranking for your website for those particular search terms. When you use that shorter phrase as anchor text in your resource box, you are sending a message to Google about what your website is about (rather than what the article is about). You increase your website traffic by getting a higher ranking for this popular term.

The importance of that link is highlighted by the context in which it is found. For example, if you’re writing about ballroom dancing, and then linking to a website on that same topic, this sends a powerful message to Google. That link is more significant than if you wrote about fishing and then linked to a site about ballroom dancing. A link from a web page on an unrelated topic would be out of context and wouldn’t make much sense to Google.

The longer phrases are more about the article itself and driving traffic to your site through the article. When the article ranks highly for that longer, less competitive key phrase, then people click through to read the article, and then click the link in your resource box.

Now you know that not all keywords are created equal! Some are meant to serve a long term purpose, while others work more in the short term. If you know the difference between the two types of keywords and how to use them in your articles, then you are much more likely to see the results that you’re hoping for.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

SEO Article Writing: Using Different Types of Keywords in Articles and Resource Boxes

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Some first-hand rumors came from Google I/O, where some industry insiders had heard that the myTouch 3G would be getting “Froyo”, but now word is official from T-Mobile. Nothing yet on a release date, but the guys at AndroidandMe are speculating that we could see the update on June 19th.

June 19th was also the rumored date that the myTouch 3G Slide was coming out – so it could be a special myTouch day at T-Mobile. myTouch 3G users will also be getting “Faves Gallery” and “Genius Button” applications for free on their Android phones.

What does Android 2.2 offer myTouch 3G users?

• Improved general performance
• More Microsoft Exchange support (doubt somebody who cares about Exchange support would have a myTouch 3G, but, who knows).
• USB and WiFi tethering
• Flash 10.1 support

Related Reading on TFTS:

1. HTC Android 2.2 Froyo Update Coming to HTC EVO 4G, HTC Droid Incredible, HTC Desire, myTouch Slide & Others in 2010 [Most 2010 HTC Android Smartphones Will Get Android Froyo This Year]
2. T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide With Android Officially Available Beginning June 2nd [T-Mobile Confirms myTouch 3G Slide Availability & Pricing; June 2nd For $179.99 On-Contract]
3. T-Mobile myTouch 3G Fender Edition Android Phone [myTouch 3G Fender Boasts Official Fender Sanctioning, Woodgrain Finish, Set For Holiday Season Release]
4. myTouch 3G Fender Limited Edition Launched by T-Mobile & Eric Clapton [myTouch 3G Fender Android Phone Arrives on January 20]
5. T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide With Android 2.1 Now Available [T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide Available For Purchase, Selling For $179.99 On-Contract]

Not reading this in a feedreader? If so this has been taken from the original post as seen here: T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide With Android 2.1 Now Available [T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide Available For Purchase, Selling For $179.99 On-Contract].

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As you’re writing articles for article marketing, you may wonder what sorts of topics are appropriate for you to write about.

Can you write an article about one topic but then have a link in the resource box going to a website on a completely unrelated topic?

This is an excellent question on a topic that can dramatically impact the success of your article marketing campaign:

What topics should you cover in your articles?

You should always write articles on the general topic of your website.

For example, if your website is about dog training, then all of your articles should be on topics related to dog training.

Why in the world does it matter what your article topic is so long as you have a link going back to your website in the resource box?

Put yourself in your reader’s shoes for a minute:

If a reader is getting value from your educational article on dog training, he will likely be interested in additional information this topic. He will read your article and then think:

“This author knows his stuff about dog training. He is surely an expert in his niche. I’d like to take a look at his website to find more information on this topic.”

When you’re writing articles on your topic, that is the way that things should go.

But what would be the result if your website was about dog training, but you decided to write an article that was about how to grow heirloom tomatoes?

A reader interested in growing heirloom tomatoes would enjoy your article and then be hungry for more information on this topic. He would look to your resource box to find out more about you and your specialty. He’d also like to see your website to see if you have any additional information about growing tomatoes.

And what does he see when he looks at your resource box?

Information about dog training! What is up with that?

You had a reader on the hook just ready to be reeled into your website, but you lost him because your article was not on the topic of your website.

Remember, article marketing is not just about the links. The article matters. The article will be read by human readers who may then click the link in your resource box that leads back to your website. Writing on-topic articles makes the most of your article marketing efforts and increases the number of people who click the link in your resource box.

Now, let’s consider how the topic of your article affects your ranking in Google.

Every link is not the same. Google likes to see that the link in your resource box relates to what your website is about.

One of Google’s goals when looking at the links of your website is to determine what your website is about. If your article is about dog training and your website is about the same topic, then the link in your resource box affirms to Google that your website is about dog training. This is why an article on a topic that is unrelated to your website is not very helpful to Google.

Writing on-topic articles increases the significance of each link that you build.

Additionally, when you write articles on the same topic as your website, your articles can help establish you as an expert in your niche, which goes a long way in winning customer confidence and increased sales.

Writing articles on one general topic takes more focus and effort, but the result is worthwhile.

Post from: SiteProNews: Webmaster News & Resources

Article Marketing Strategy: What Topics Should I Cover In My Articles?

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For example, US retailers such as Target are offering coupons which can be downloaded to their phones and scanned at the checkout, while in the UK, apps like Voucher Cloud allow users to search for local businesses offering coupons which can be redeemed in store. 

Here are ten reasons why retailers should consider the use of mobile coupons in their marketing strategies… 

Drive sales in store

Mobile coupons can be downloaded by customers on the move, and the lure of a discount or some other offer can be enough to tempt more customers into stores, where they may buy more than just what’s offered on the coupon. 

Saves printing

I’ve eaten at Pizza Express several times in the knowledge that I could have saved myself money if I’d printed a voucher out beforehand. Downloading and printing out vouchers requires customers to plan ahead, but mobile couponing means that restaurants and retailers can appeal to customers’ impulses more easily. 

Mobile coupons remove all the fiddly work and the advance planning involved, and thus appeal to more customers. 

Also, anything that saves people from printing more paper is to be welcomed. 

Measurability

Coupons can be an effective add-on to any multichannel marketing campaign, and can allow retailers to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. Using bar-coded coupons, marketers can capture the identity of the customer making the purchase, the promotional code and the amount of the transaction. 

Proximity marketing

Mobile coupons allow stores to appeal to customers who might be in the area, looking for something to buy. Having a coupon accessible via mobiles means that customers can find offers and act upon them immediately. 

Apps such as Voucher Cloud allow customers to search for businesses offering discounts in their local area, and this provides an opportunity for retailers to attract more custom. These apps also allow smaller retailers to have some kind of presence on mobile without the need for extra investment. 

Improve success of mobile marketing 

Mobile coupons can provide a measurable outcome for any marketing campaigns that involve mobile, and can be a persuasive tool to drive sales. 

Allows retailers to test mobile commerce

While some retailers in the UK are yet to launch a mobile commerce website or app, issuing coupons via mobile is one way to test the water, and see how their target audience responds to mobile offers, what kinds of phones they are using, and so on. 

Broad appeal

Let’s face it, just about everyone has a mobile phone, and more and more have phones with internet access. This means that the potential target market for mobile coupons is massive, and growing all the time. 

Recent Deloitte research suggests that US shoppers were actively looking to receive coupons via their mobiles, while another Compete survey found that smartphone users want to use coupons. 

Customers want coupons

Coupons and voucher codes are already very popular online, thanks in part to the recession, but also the fact that people love a bargain. For this reason alone, mobile coupons will become very popular with customers, and they will actively seek them more and more. 

It is cost-effective

Unlike the alternatives of offering coupons in newspapers or by direct mail, with mobile coupons, retailers only pay for engagement. 

Gain an advantage over competitors

If customers are using apps like Voucher Cloud to search for discounts while they are out and about, then retailers offering mobile coupons can provide a more compelling offer to customers than their high street competitors. 

Originally posted at Deep Tech

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Two new Droid commercials just uploaded to YouTube show off the futuristic capabilities of a couple brilliant applications.

Runstar is the star of “Dust,” a spot that shows how Droid owners can track their fitness routines and share their stats over social networks. And the stunning augmented reality application Layar is highlighted in “No View,” which details how AR can be used as a kind of enhanced window into the world around you.

Runstar isn’t available in Apple’s App Store, but similar iPhone-friendly applications do exist. And of course, Layar is in the iPhone’s app store, as well, making this commercial more of a “me, too” spot than touting Droid’s advantages over it’s Apple counterpart.

And of course, the spots feature the familiar, friendly robotic arms that manipulate the touchscreen interface.

Let us know what you think: Do Android apps stand up strongly enough when compared to iPhone apps, and do they withstand that comparison well enough to be a cornerstone of Verizon’s marketing campaign for the Droid?

Tags: android, apps, Commercial, droid

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Related posts on TFTS:

1. Google Looking To Improve Marketing For Nexus One [Google Job Posting Reveals Possible New Nexus One Marketing Campaign, Will Get Best Android Phone Get A Wider Audience?]
2. HTC Wildfire Android Smartphone Unveiled by the FCC [New HTC Handset to Come with Android OS & Slide-out Full QWERTY Keyboard on Board; to be Called HTC Wildfire]
3. LG Joins Android Party With GW620 [Android-powered LG Smartphone Hits UK]
4. Samsung Galaxy A SHW-M100S Android Smartphone Now Available In South Korea [Another Smartphone Release To Be Jealous Of, SK Telecom Unveils The Android Powered Galaxy A Smartphone Featuring An "AMOLED Plus" Display]
5. Acer Liquid A1 Android Begins Shipping This Month [Acer's First Android smartphone Release Date Set For Late November]
6. DSP Multimedia Android Based Home Phone [Next Gen DSP Android Powered Landline Phone Comes with Touchscreen, Widget and Android App Support, Looks Cool]

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The Real Results series is supported by Gist, an online service that helps you build stronger relationships. By connecting your inbox to the web, you get business-critical information about key people and companies. See how it works here.

Networking is the bread and butter of a freelance career. Because competition is so fierce, landing consistent gigs isn’t just about talent. It relies heavily on who you know, and how connected you are.

Social media can expand your freelance network exponentially and yield opportunities that you’d never find elsewhere. But just like pounding the physical pavement, it takes investment, hard work, and time.

We spoke to some freelancers in a variety of fields who find that channeling efforts into social media can really pay dividends. Here are some examples of their success.

Connect Your Networks to Your Work

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Perhaps the most obvious advantage of social media for freelancers is connection building. As a freelancer, you are your brand, and like any social marketing campaign, it’s not about racking up followers or flooding the space with links. It’s all about the conversation.

“First of all, I use social media for networking. Networking to me is more than just gathering followers — it’s getting to know them,” said Laura Spencer, a professional freelance writer from North Central Texas. “In each type of social media where I participate, I have a core group of friends who I talk to regularly. The primary way to get to know others through social media is to respond to their comments with questions.”

Once those social connections are made, the distance between conversation and a paying gig is much shorter. Many cite Twitter as an ideal medium for this type of networking.

“Twitter certainly provides a level of access to the types of clients freelancers routinely work with on a much closer level than cold calling or other marketing techniques,” said Thursday Bram, a freelance writer based in Maryland. “Rather than trying to sell articles to people who I’ve found in big directories, I’m selling articles to people who I chat with on a regular basis.”

Jon Phillips, founder of Sypre Studios, a small design agency in Montreal, concurred. “Twitter has helped me connect with potential clients, network with other designers — many of [whom] I ended up working with or hiring for projects — and keep people up to date with my own projects. In fact, my three biggest clients … have found me either directly or indirectly because of Twitter and my blog.”

Social Networks as a Resource

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Social networks can be useful in different ways. On one hand, they are a marketing platform where you can share and promote your work. On the other, they serve as rich community resources for freelancers. Once you’ve built and cultivated your network, a simple tweet or update can yield valuable crowdsourced wisdom.

“I’ve also used social media for researching with mixed results. Primarily, I use Twitter for this,” said Spencer. “I tweet my question several times a day. Often, I can get nearly a dozen answers from various peers and others. Of course, I thank anyone who responds.”

“I also find Twitter to be an extremely useful platform for getting recommendations for apps, software and tools to use in my design business,” said Phillips. “I much prefer personal recommendations from people I network with than any other type of recommendation.”

Share What You’re Currently Working On

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Social networks are all about sharing — they always have been. For the typical user, this may mean weekend plans, current music tastes, or the lunch du jour. The freelancer, however, should be sharing thoughts about her current projects whenever possible. This not only drums up practical topics that your followers and friends can discuss with you, but also lets interested parties know that you’re actively engaged in qualifying work.

“I routinely post tweets about what topics I’m currently writing about and, more than once, I’ve had the editors I work with (and follow on Twitter) respond with a comment that they’d love for me to pitch a similar story [to them],” said Bram.

Social media is also rich media, and there are so many dynamic ways to share and spread your content. If you work in a visual medium, one way to distinguish yourself is to integrate multimedia into your social strategy.

“I was recently turned on to Screenr, which is an awesome service for quickly capturing screencast videos and immediately tweeting or embedding them,” said Brian Casel, a freelance web designer and founder of ThemeJam. “I create short screencasts of my WordPress themes to demonstrate how the back-end theme options work.”

Because of Screenr’s tight integration with Twitter (similar functionally to TwitPic), a design demo or other visual showcase of your work can be, in essence, built right into your social presence.

“Visitors like to dig deeper into products before making a purchase, and screencasts are the perfect tool for this. I’ve noticed an increase in sales immediately following the release of Screenr videos,” Casel added.

Build Credibility in Public

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Social freelancers shouldn’t be myopic about their work. It’s difficult to build credibility by only sharing your own projects and links.

“Simply by tweeting about web design and WordPress, I’ve been able to build credibility as an expert in these areas,” said Casel. “As a result, I’ve had several leads and freelance gigs come to me via direct message and @replies on Twitter.”

By sharing valuable insights, even when they’re not your own, people are more likely to regard you as a specialist — someone who is tapped in to a particular industry, and who can deliver quality work.

This task of curation requires special attention. Make no mistake — it’s work. But budgeting time away from projects and into building credibility can be extremely valuable in the long term.

“The key is to be consistent, both in quality and quantity of tweets,” Casel added. “Don’t auto-tweet or spam. I un-follow those who do, and many others will as well.”

Blogging is also a key component in creating a public repository of your expertise. Building even a modest readership around quality content can go a long way toward credibility. It gives social sharers a reputable place to link to, and web searchers a place to land.

As a blogging professional looking to take your readership to the next level, guest blogging on a more trafficked destination is a great strategy.

“I’ve been blogging about freelancing on my personal site for quite some time, which is a great outlet to share ideas and interact. But to really gain exposure to a large audience, I regularly submit guest articles to popular blogs in my industry,” said Casel. “The key here is to put your absolute best stuff out there. That means taking the time to flesh out ideas, provide examples, and pack as much useful information and resources into each article as possible.”

This exposure reinforces your credibility and can expand your reach in a particular field.

“Bigger blogs may offer payments for guest articles, but it shouldn’t be about the money,” said Casel. “The real value of guest blogging comes in the exposure and credibility you build for yourself by offering useful and insightful content. The more you put into it, the more you get out.”

Gist helps you build stronger professional relationships by bringing together information from across the web for all your contacts and their companies giving you the right information at the right moment to get a first meeting, deliver an amazing pitch, or just find a better way to make a connection. Gist does all the work for you, assembling a dynamic collection of all your contacts and their companies from your email inbox, your social networks, or even your CRM system automatically building and updating their profiles as new content is published – by them or about them.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, alvarez

Tags: blog, blogging, BLOGS, design, freelance work, freelancers, networking, real results, screenr, social media, social networking, tips, twitter, writing

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Related posts on TFTS:

1. Google Nexus One Coming to Verizon & Vodafone Soon [CDMA Google Nexus One Clears FCC; Vodafone UK Announces Google Nexus One Plans Too]
2. Google Nexus One Gets Own Car & Desktop Docks [Nexus One Docking Station & Car Dock to be Available for $39.99 & $49.99]
3. Google Grants Nexus One New Upgrade Subsidy [Google Nexus One Available for $279 from T-Mobile]
4. Google Looking To Improve Marketing For Nexus One [Google Job Posting Reveals Possible New Nexus One Marketing Campaign, Will Get Best Android Phone Get A Wider Audience?]
5. Google Nexus One with AT&T & Rogers Support on Sale [Verizon Customers Still Have to Wait for Their CDMA Nexus One]
6. Google Gives Up On Nexus One Issues [Google Employee Says That They're No Longer Working On Nexus One's 3G Bugs]

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