As social networks and their potential value to business are becoming apparent, marketing professionals should have a solid knowledge of social media and more importantly social media marketing. Simply having a grasp on how to post on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or another platform is not sufficient. Marketing professionals need to understand how to integrate social into marketing strategies. The term “Social Media” should not be confused with “Social Media Marketing”, there is a distinction to be made between the two. Social media is an evolving and changing assortment of platforms and tools that enable businesses and consumers to share dialogue, …
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Social Media for Startups. It sounds like a no-brainer, doesn’t it? After all, 74% of startup founders are under the age of 39, based on a LinkedIn study published on TechCrunch. (Of course, the way TechCrunch chose to report that same data was to say that 65% of startup founders are 30 and older. Because…TechCrunch.) We can slice and dice data lots of ways, but the fact is that tech startups are nearly all founded by Gen Y, and primarily by guys of that age group. Estimates range, but it’s generally stated that 94-98% of all VC funding goes to …
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past several months, you’re undoubtedly familiar with Google+ and have hopefully opened an account on the newest social media platform. Even after trying out its interface, do you still find yourself asking what exactly it is or what you should be doing with it? Do you think that Google+ is one too many platforms to spend time on? Without a doubt it is the best social platform to launch in 2011, and it could just be what your business needs in 2012. This week’s announcement from Google unveiling their new Search …
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Social media is an important medium that every small business should be embracing to help develop new business, understand what others are saying about them and/or their competitors, engage with and increase the loyalty of their customers and fans, and potentially even provide another avenue for customer support over social channels. There are many choices of sites in which companies can invest money and time in building a presence on, with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube being the most popular. At the end of the day, however, one of your primary objectives for your small business in engaging in social …
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Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) across the country support just about any and every cause imaginable. While their missions may differ, the need to raise money is a constant. As more and more entities join the chase for the mighty dollar, many are turning to social media to fundraise. What most NPOs don’t realize is they’re headed down a dead end street. Social media is the latest and greatest buzz word in the non-profit industry. Organizations of all sizes seem to be racing to the Web to create profiles, post blogs, tweet messages and ask the public to like them – all …
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LinkedIn just announced their earnings last week for the first time since going public, and it was good to see that their membership (now at 115 million members) and website traffic (#11 in the U.S., #13 in the world) continue to grow. When I wrote my first LinkedIn book back in early 2009, LI was at 40 million users and had not yet established itself as the default social networking platform for professionals that it has become. Beyond mere networking, however, in 2011 there is now a compelling case to be made for us to rethink how we view LinkedIn …
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I’ve worked with a great number of small businesses that I admire, both as social media consulting clients as well as potential customers. I am happy that I have helped several companies get to their next level with regards to their social media marketing, but I also find that many companies that seek my services are looking for social business expertise with a budget that does not place sufficient value on the experience they need. Social marketers have a complex yet unique combination of traits that make them true artists in their field. Are small businesses ready to appreciate the …
read more![[Analysis] After the Google+ Disruption, What’s Next for Social Media?](http://windmillnetworking.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Google+-Social-Media-Disruption-Woman-Screaming-150x150.jpg)
I’ve been getting asked a lot about Google+, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to give my spin on the disruption I see it has caused. To be honest with you, when it first appeared a month ago, I got on, checked it out, and then realized that all of the same people I know from Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are the ones having the same conversations on Google+. If that’s the case, it’s a platform that I don’t need to be on. On the other hand, there is still pent-up demand for G+ invitations, with 3 of my …
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I get a laugh when I read online conversations about people spending hours tweeting and chatting about how to measure “social media influence” as well as the “return on investment” (ROI) from social media. It’s almost as if these people are either 1) having a hard time convincing their clients of why they need to pay for their social marketing services and/or 2) they themselves are trying to figure out a way to “dupe” the system and be seen as more “influential” in the social arena, thinking that there are potential benefits in doing so. I’ve already covered my views …
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Social media marketing (SMM), also sometimes called social network marketing (SNM), is a strategy that helps you build a network of customers and potential customers, stay in touch with those who are interested in your products and services, and ultimately build your bottom line in the form of additional sales. However, many businesses do not know how to build a sound SMM strategy, or they make many mistakes along the way that actually do more harm than good. Here is a look at 6 mistakes you should avoid:
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