Top 5 Social Media Marketing Trends to Implement in 2014

When social media marketing first came on the scene there were concerns raised that it might not yield a return on the investment. Now, we know that those early adopters of this marketing strategy actually managed to convert friends and followers into customers. In the meantime, traditional channels of media marketing (i.e. television and newspapers) took a hit. In the ever-evolving platform of social media marketing, one thing is certain: There are always new ways to get an edge on your competition, if you act fast.…

The Pros and Cons of LinkedIn Recommendations

Many business professionals use LinkedIn to help boost their career. LinkedIn allows you to connect with other business professionals, network with other people, learn more about specific companies, attend online presentations, join industry-related groups, read industry-related news and even find a new job. Your LinkedIn profile also contains a variety of information. You can add personal and professional links to websites, current and past jobs, a small biography about yourself, and a list of awards and accomplishments. One other feature on your LinkedIn profile is the ability for other people to be able to recommend you or for you to recommend someone else.…

5 Reasons Why You Should Join Bloomberg Current

Bloomberg Current is one of the latest business social networking sites which I think deserve more buzz than it has right now. What is it and why you should join it? I am a long time user of Bloomberg BusinessWeek’s Business Exchange (BX.) It’s a news sharing site in which we can either post news pieces or blog posts and discover the latest updates on any business topics you want. I use BX for 2 reasons: Promoting my content and finding stories to blog about and/or share to my social network.…

5 Reasons Why Independent Business Owners should Join Biznik

Okay, I’ve had it! I thought I won’t get spammed on LinkedIn, but I eventually realise one thing: If you are networking using free social sites, do expect some “noise.” I think I will re-focus my networking endeavour to another social network I should use more often: Biznik – a social networking for independent business owners. Please note, I am not affiliated with Biznik. I am a Biznik user who thinks that it can offer you more than the typical benefits you receive from Facebook and LinkedIn.…

Top 10 Pinterest Infographics for Small Business Owners

Have you heard about Pinterest? Did you know that Pinterest is now the number three most popular social network in the US? With a strong growth and presence – not only in the US but also worldwide – we simply can’t ignore the fact that Pinterest is here to stay – and keep making a strong impact for small business. So, are you ready to learn more about Pinterest? Well, just read on 🙂 We all know that small business owners seem to be reluctant in adoption social media for their businesses’ benefits, but hey – we are gradually embracing social media at least for one major reason: We are realizing that social media is the whereabouts of our customers and prospects.…

Help – I am Having a Social Media Burnout!

Ah, social media… the new hangout place for individuals and businesses alike. It’s fun, engaging and often weird; but regardless of all the ‘upsides’ of social media, I just can’t stand it anymore: I’m having a social media burnout! I am not a highly sociable person; my personal Facebook account was so, so quiet. Twitter? I don’t actually have a personal account! The problem is, in my line of business, I was supposed to have many social media accounts – mostly for business purpose.…

10 LinkedIn Groups Small Biz Owners Must Join

Are you on LinkedIn? If you are not, you are losing out the opportunity to benefit from arguably the best social media site for business people! If you are interested in finding out more about LinkedIn and discovering which groups to join, read on… Many social media business users have testified that LinkedIn has given their businesses better engagement than Facebook and twitter – investors agree with the users, too. It might be less fun than Facebook, Twitter or Google+, but it’s well worth your time!…

Subway Contest: Build Your Own Virtual Store!

While browsing the web, I’ve stumbled on a Twitter update from Joel Libava about a contest. I’m not normally checking on contests, but since it’s related to the industry I have involved in the past, franchising, I check it out anyway. You know what, I stumble on something really cool (agreed, Joel!) The contest is launched by Young and Successful Media, and their partner is Subway – together, they launched The Virtual Build Your Own Subway Challenge. The idea behind the contest is brilliant: As the name implies, it’s gamification in action – it’s an “online game” launched globally to 100 countries.…

10 Easy-to-Do Social Media Tips for Small Business

Social media presence is very necessary for any business today. Even if you are a small business social media does not become any less relevant for you. The best thing about using social media for small business is that so many tools and platforms are free and that is something you can capitalize on… and there are always new tools and platforms launched – so, more options for you! Getting a Facebook page or organizing a Tweetmob on Twitter doesn’t cost anything.…