by winstonbromley | Jul 20, 2012 | Facebook, Pinterest, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Tools, Twitter
Ever since we were young, images have always taken our interest. We loved stopping and seeing all of the beautiful artwork, the intricate designs, and every colorful piece we could find. We may be a bit older, but it does not mean we adore seeing images any less.
There is a huge culture on the internet of people who just enjoy browsing picture after picture, sometimes even spending hours of their time looking. One of the biggest sites for that right now is Pinterest. This massive website attracts many from across the globe, all to see new images people have to share. Others, like Reddit and Imgur, work in similar ways and have people viewing a large list of pictures. I am focused on the one that is King right now: Pinterest.
While it may seem you are looking at images only, these are really social media platforms. This means you have the opportunity to share your thoughts and make friends, as you would with regular social websites. The desire to use these sites is huge and growing constantly, making it the next step in the evolution of social media.
There are many similarities between social sites like Facebook and Pinterest. You have many users online to share their thoughts, lives and loves, people with whom you can speak and forge connections. What sets Pinterest apart, though, is what makes it so grand. People are using it to see the magnificent and astounding things the world has to offer, both natural and man made. It has more to offer than communication, it has wonder on every page.
This type of social media idea organization has allowed people seeking to get their name or word out a way to do it much easier. On several other social media websites, you have to hope yours shines through enough to make it to the top. With sites like Pinterest, you can target the people who would like it by interest. This is a lot like how big named stores target us, except it is free and is already becoming a huge hit on the internet.
Essentially, learning how to use Pinterest is vital to tapping into this new market of customers in a clever, yet imaginative way so that you can generate even more traffic to your online business.
With Pinterest, the most common function is to “Pin It”, which is to post your new photo or something you like on the internet up so that others who have an interest in your image, products or services can see it and then they “Re-pin It” on their “Boards” as well.
Pinterest can be incorporated with your other social media sites. Twitter, for example, is a very good one since it is short, to the point and the content can showcase easily what you “Pin” up on Pinterest. Facebook has a great App that ties into your Timeline that showcases your latest Pins.
The thing that got my Attention as a web guy is that Pinterest can provide you with effective backlinks back to your main site. This really mean that you get better placement in Google and more “organic” or not-paid-for traffic leads. These backlinks and the content driven material you are posting (or should be posting) are designed to bring in the customers. Try to avoid the “hard sell” as much as possible which will turn off some Pinterest users. I am all for every 5 pins, post a Hard Sell.
One good bit of news for those considering SEO generation back to your website, is that unlike some other social network sites, your content may go much further than what you could do on other websites, with re-pinning, sharing and liking. Each one counts as a backlink… So take advantage of this for your SEO generation that Pinterest allows us to have.
Lastly, one very important aspect of Pinterest is popularity which means being very interactive with other members on the site. This can be commenting on their photos, or posting great content yourself to get comments and re-pins..You should include content from others as well as yourself to get the most exposure. This will build trust with others on the site from what you are doing. Popularity worked in high school as it does so on Pinterest.
Finally, be creative when you use Pinterest. It’s perhaps even more important than with your other social network sites as the visual oriented format can pay dividends even faster when you can promote yourself in a positive, creative way.
Enjoyed this post? If so, please share on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to let your friends know about it. Your help spreading the word would be really appreciated.
by winstonbromley | Jul 16, 2012 | Pinterest, Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Tools
Today as I am finalizing my latest Social Media Training Video for my new Online course, I wanted to put it out to you and my other blog readers that I will post at a few tips on Pinterest every week. Just sign up for my Newsletter on the right side of the website and you will get those tips sent to you in your Email box.
My first tip is located on Pinterest (Of course) at: http://pinterest.com/pin/22940279322548259/ Just click on the link to see today’s Tip.
I will be posting more free Pinterest Training for your Business to help you get started with Pinterest.. HOWEVER even better than these great tips, , I will have a Free Training on Pinterest for your Business Webinar on August 15th. So make sure you sign up for my newsletter so you will be the first to know and get a spot reserved for it.
What I would like your help on answer the following question:
What one thing would you like to know about using Pinterest in your Business?
(Answer below in the Facebook Comments and I will aim to get them answered via the training)
by winstonbromley | Jul 10, 2012 | Facebook, Google+, Klout, LinkedIn, Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Tools, Twitter
Social media is something just about everyone uses in today’s world. Many people enjoy it because we are given an easier way to talk to friends, and it is also a great tool to talk to a lot of people. When you are out there all day, every day, sites like Facebook and Twitter become part of your life, as do your followers and friends on those sites. How much they like what you write and do, how many share it all, and the amount of people wanting to speak to you all determine your influence on the world around you. Those unsure of how much influence that they actually have can look to Klout.com to figure it out. There, you are given the ability to learn your influence score from the major Social Media sites.
See Klout.com combines all of your Social Media activity and turns in into a number from 1 to 100 (being the best) based on 54 factors. The more influence you have (meaning people who share you stuff, click on your links, talk about your stuff) the better your Score. And there are great perks to a higher score.
As the internet grows, so do the jobs that can be had on it. When a person works in marketing, for example, they spend a lot of time on the internet. That is part of their job and the more people they can get to see what they say, the better they can do their job. Using your Klout score, employers are able to see just how big of an influence you have in the world, which can help them determine whether or not you are worth hiring (and this now becoming a trend to put Klout on application forms). Your relationships with the people around you, the connections you have made during your career, and the impact you make around the world help an employer or client know if you will pay off. They want a person who can reach many people because it matters to stay connected to the world around you, being seen and heard.
Although Klout is not the only Influence Score to be had (and it’s still growing), it is currently the best online indicator for people to see how much real influence they can control. And it Matters.
Our Klout scores are already playing a larger role in the decision making processes in other real world applications. One example that is happening all the time now, is hotels in Las Vegas are looking up your Klout Score to see if you are worthy of an upgrade, because if your Klout Score is high enough, they know you will talk about it on your social media accounts thereby giving them free advertising from you. See when you talk on your Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Google+ accounts about a great place and you have a high Klout score, there is a great chance that your followers will listen and be interested about that Topic and remember that location/hotel/product.
Another example is one that I and others with a higher score get often, is what is called Klout Perks. Companies are hooking up with Klout to send new products to people with Klout scores over certain numbers. I recently got a full kit of AVENA NATURALS products (no cost to me) sent in the mail to me. You bet I talked about it on my Social Media Feeds.
A guy in San Francisco had a Klout score of 74 (and he was just a well connected 25 year old) and he got the new VOLT car for a weekend to test drive. No cost to him at all. You can bet he posted it everywhere thus giving the VOLT a lot of advertising from an influencer.
Take a moment to see what your Klout Score it by clicking here. Let me know how you fair… You may be getting Klout perks soon enough.
by winstonbromley | Jul 5, 2012 | Google+, Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Tools
Google Plus (Google+) is a great option for a business looking to get noticed and wanting to standout from other pages. Easy to create and easy to use, it is a growing platform for business sharing. The following explains just some of the great aspects why Google Plus is becoming a must for business leaders and webpage designers and just how it might benefit your business.
Easy Distribution of Ideas
Sharing is important and your business needs to take an active role in doing this with their webpage or website. This act is not simply about promoting a product or idea but actually creates an interactivity between the consumer and the business itself. With Google Plus for business this can be completed quite easily. One of the greatest tricks to get a response from clients and potential customers is to share photos and other images and messages that help to promote the brand without overtly doing so. It leaves the client interested, gets them talking, and thus builds the brand from the backend of the business rather than overt advertisements all the time.
Clarity
Google plus is a great way to tailor your business to the individual or client themselves. With Google plus in business, the beauty is that there can be clearly delineated separations between different aspects of your business. This means that if an individual is interested in one area, they can focus on that while others can find exactly what they are looking for in another section. This is a highly touted point as described by business webpage owners who say that clients respond better to the ability to find what they are looking for easily without getting lost in a web of other information that is unneeded. In this way, then, Google plus for businesses provides a clarity and ease of specificity that business webpage designers thrive upon.
Social Media
Social media is an ever growing platform for recommendations and discussions in customers’ lives. For this reason, Google plus has made it easy to share and promote your business through easily navigable and usable social media sharing options. Just one share can lead to a trickle out affect which holds the potential to get your business noticed even more. There is also a button on Google plus that allows customers to actually make a recommendation, all with a simple click of the mouse. Be sure that your webpage has this as this is one of the best tips you can know to really getting a mass discussion and recommendation for your business page.
What is your take on Google+?
by winstonbromley | Jul 3, 2012 | LinkedIn, Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Tools
LinkedIn is a professional networking service that allows people to create professional contacts. Currently, LinkedIn has more than 120 million members and allows people and businesses to exchange ideas, contacts, and more to help grow their businesses. LinkedIn is a tool that needs to be utilized by business owners. This is a free social media service that can be used by anyone.
- The first reason business owners need to utilize LinkedIn is that there are a multitude of small business owners and entrepreneurs searching LinkedIn for connections with others. These businesses owners are actively seeking to network with others who are in small business. These connections can allow business owners and entrepreneurs to meet others who can provide ideas and feedback on creating a better business.
- A second reason for joining LinkedIn is that customers are already on LinkedIn. With a business looking to sell a product or service, the more visibility to customers provides more sales. Customers are leaning on social media more than ever before and being visible on LinkedIn allows customers to come to you rather than you seeking out customers. There are many customers out there that you may never reach without utilizing social media.
- Third, you are able to control the voice of your business. It allows people to find your business on Google searches and other social media searches, but it allows you to control what is said about your business. You are able to promote your business the way you want to and not have all opinion based on reviews of others.
- A fourth reason is that you will be able to say that you are an expert in a certain area. By networking with other people, you are going to learn more about your business and in the end, be able to say that you or your business provides expert service.
- The fifth reason to get LinkedIn profile is that it is the future of business. Social media connects entrepreneurs with each other and with customers. It is the new way of doing business and by not moving into the technological future, companies get left behind and stagnate. To keep current, it is important to join LinkedIn.
There are many reasons to join LinkedIn, but there benefits are endless for promoting a company and finding customers. Business success depends on social media and it is the new norm.
What do you think?
by winstonbromley | Jun 26, 2012 | Pinterest, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media, Social Media Management, Social Media Tools
As I mentioned in my article last December “Pinterest: An up-and-coming Social Media Network worth looking into” Pinterest is Growing in Massive Numbers, and Your Business Can Too! This is a Must Read For Large and Small Business Owners Alike.
Pinterest is even more incredible than ever. It has acquired over 10 million users in a record amount of time. It is the single fastest growth of any website in history even though it is still an invite-only site. The explosive growth of Pinterest.com only goes to show that any one looking to enhance their brand, their business, their services or their products should consider having a strong presence on it.
Pinterest is the best choice for internet marketing. It has grown at such rapid rates that it even blew Facebook’s notorious beginning out of the water. It is a really clean cut site that allows all businesses small and large to increase their exposure and generate more customers. We all know that all adds up to more money.
Social media is a very essential marketing tool. It is a guaranteed way to get the exposure that you need to keep up in these competitive times. All businesses will benefit in abundance through maintaining a strong presence on Pinterest.com.
Most of the users on Pinterest are females, and women are known to be the bargain hunters and shoppers in the family. You will be able to target an audience much easier than on any other social media site. People come there looking for specific services or products. Your time is much more fruitful when you use Pinterest.
It is based theme is on a post it method. You can generate deals or specials and even have contests to lure potential buyers in. You are going to get results on Pinterest without as much time, money or effort you will have to invest on other sites.
This is a fantastic opportunity to get your business on the map. Whether you have 100+ employees or you are working alone to build your company this is a great place to advertise. Your company’s name is more likely to show up in Google results with every post, and you will find that it all really makes a difference.
Marketing strategies can get expensive, however with Pinterest you can dramatically decrease overall costs. It can be a fun and effective way to interact with your customers while offering them the best deals. Nothing beats Pinterest, and if you have not seen what it can do to boost your sales and reputation, you are really missing out.
If you want to be invited (as Pinterest is set to INVITE ONLY right now), email me at winston@artbox.ca with the Subject “Pinterest”.
**** I will post at a few tips on Pinterest every week. Just sign up for my Newsletter on the right side of the website and you will get those tips sent to you in your Email box. ****
