Social Media Marketing

PayPal Wallet's Take on Payments- Click here http://bit.ly/rXt6xm for full article

2011-11-08T10:15:00.001-08:00

PayPal Wallet's Take on Payments- Click here http://bit.ly/rXt6xm for full article

The idea of a world where consumers are free from carrying multiple debit and credit cards with them has picked up a head of steam over the last year. The biggest push for this concept may have come from Google Wallet, the company’s NFC-based payment solution. Google’s dream of a future where everyone uses Google Wallet won’t come to fruition if PayPal has any say, though.

PayPal recently unveiled its new PayPal Wallet interface. Like Google Wallet, the service lets consumers spend anywhere that PayPal Wallet is accepted using a unified account. All a person needs to do is select what account they want to spend from, and either key in a PIN or use a PayPal credit card. The rest is handled by PayPal, without the buyer needing to carry around a card for each of their spending accounts.

The biggest differentiator for PayPal Wallet from Google Wallet is that PayPal’s new service isn’t based on NFC. While Google Wallet requires its users to have an NFC-enabled phone – something that is still a rarity in the world of smartphones – PayPal doesn’t require NFC. It will have support for NFC in the future, it won’t be required. Instead, users can use the aforementioned PayPal credit card or PIN method to verify purchases.

It’s a great idea, and one that PayPal is hoping will allow it to be a leader not just in online payments, but also in offline. When compared to Google Wallet, its largest competitor, the only major advantage that Google Wallet has is that it lets the user choose what payment method they want to use prior to the purchase. PayPal Wallet, meanwhile, uses a default payment method that can’t be conveniently changed prior to each purchase.

To make up for this shortcoming, PayPal Wallet lets its users change their payment method after the purchase has been made. For example, if a person sets their debit card to be their default payment method, then that’s what will be used in all PayPal Wallet purchases. Once that person gets home, though, they can log on to their PayPal account, single out the transaction and switch the funding source for it.

PayPal Wallet promises to be an innovative new service that will allow consumers to spend more while fumbling through different cards less. Because of this, business owners can benefit from implementing PayPal Wallet functionality. It takes away the roadblocks associated with traditional spending, and that means more sales for businesses. And, of course, more business for PayPal.

The Release of Siri: What You Need To Know-Click here http://bit.ly/nF4i6q for full article

2011-10-11T09:35:00.001-07:00

The Release of Siri: What You Need To Know-Click here http://bit.ly/nF4i6q for full article

Of all the many upgrades and new features included in the latest iPhone 4S, the most highly anticipated has got to be Siri. In a nutshell, Siri is a digital personal assistant program that's included in iOS 5, the latest and greatest version of Apple's much-lauded mobile operating system. Relying on natural language recognition and artificial intelligence to respond to queries from the user, Siri can do everything you would do yourself automatically without having to push a single button. While there are many similar programs on the market, few attain the level of polish and sophistication that Siri achieves.

Main Features and Benefits
Siri is like having a digital personal assistant within your phone. Using natural language recognition melded with cloud database storage, Siri responds to a user's commands and questions and learns as it goes. In order to launch Siri on a new iPhone 4S, simply hold down the home button. Once activated, you can ask Siri nearly anything you can think of and it'll answer you to the best of your ability. Simply ask Siri “What can you do?" if you're unsure where to start. It'll give you a rundown of the available options and capabilities built in to the service.

Siri's voice-activated web search is impressive enough by itself. But the truly astounding thing is the way in which it organizes and streamlines communication online or on the phone. Due to its tight integration with your contacts, E-mail, and messaging accounts, you can easily fire off calls and SMS messages by voice command alone. If you want to update your Twitter stream or see what other people are saying, Siri's got you covered. It can tell you if you need to grab an umbrella before you leave the office, and even book a hotel room for you if you so desire.

How Siri Will Change The Digital Landscape
It's not an understatement to say that Siri will be a major boon to small and medium-sized businesses that rely heavily on the iPhone to make their work force more productive. Siri's personal assistant technology makes having a secretary for lower-level executives almost redundant. For the rank and file, Siri makes keeping track of appointments and staying on top of deadlines less of a headache. Overall, Siri makes everyone a more effective worker. As Apple's flagship voice recognition software catches on with more and more users, expect to see competition in this sector heat up as Android jumps on the bandwagon and releases a digital assistant application of its own.

Wall Street Protests- Click here http://bit.ly/ptkPFs for full article

2011-10-10T09:36:00.001-07:00

Wall Street Protests- Click here http://bit.ly/ptkPFs for full article

Back in August, the self-proclaimed ‘culture jamming’ Canadian magazine Adbusters launched a call to action to all disenfranchised Americans. It was time for the USA to have its ‘Tahrir moment’ they said, and they began a movement to ‘Occupy Wall Street’ with at least 20,000 people.

On September 17, the date finally arrived, and fewer than 1,000 people showed. Only a small shadow of what the original call was. Come next morning hundreds had left, and by Monday the 19th, only two days into the Wall Street protest, a mere 150 committed people remained.

Those who followed the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement expected it to fade out into the background and disappear, obscured by a mainstream media blackout. Now, 20 days in and contrary to early forecasts, the movement has not only grown, but snowballed nationwide beyond the already high expectations of the original organizers.

‘Occupation’ actions are being held and organized in over 200 US cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco and the District of Columbia. It has also grown internationally, with ‘Occupations’ taking place in Spain, Canada, France, Brazil and Greece to name a few.

The occupation movement was originally met with derision and condescension by the media, due in great part by the lack of a cohesive and unifying message. But it may perhaps be this lack of a clear demand what is the most telling about the Wall Street Protests.

On Thursday, President Barack Obama addressed the protests, stating he believes “it expresses the frustrations that the American people feel” and that “the protestors are giving voice to a more broad-based frustration about how our financial system works.” It may very well be this generalized message of frustration towards inequality that has made the movement resonate with so many Americans – and draw support from so many varied and eclectic sources.

Increasingly, these grassroots demonstrations against perceived injustice and corporate greed are drawing the attention and support of heavy hitters across the sociopolitical spectrum, like labor unions, Nobel laureates, anarchistic organizations like Anonymous, celebrities, active-duty and veteran US military, politicians and even groups of Tea Party members.

Ironically enough, the NYPD presence which was deployed to contain and disperse the Wall Street protests has only succeeded in helping galvanize public support for ‘Occupy Wall Street’. In fact, on September 23rd the occupation movement was still only a couple hundred strong, but the now infamous video of Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna pepper-spraying female protestors on September 24th played a key role in creating public support for the Occupation movement; catapulting it to the nation-wide pressure group it has become.

With such a broad range of issues ‘Occupy Wall Street’ wants to tackle, as well as the growing number of groups, parties and unions attempting to co-opt the movement into their own agenda, it is extremely hard to tell what the future of this grassroots campaign holds. However, one thing is certain: It has been 20 days and everything indicates it will only get bigger.

The Loss of a Visionary, the Death of Steve Jobs- Click here http://bit.ly/r3QA8F for full article

2011-10-07T10:53:00.001-07:00

The Loss of a Visionary, the Death of Steve Jobs- Click here http://bit.ly/r3QA8F for full article

Hailed as both a visionary and creative genius, Steve Jobs passed away Wednesday night after a long and mostly secret battle with cancer. In addition to his friends and family, Steve Jobs leaves one the most successful technology companies and a host of innovations that will forever change the world. His family issued a short statement Wednesday, informing the public that he had left peacefully. Although many knew him as a creative genius, the release noted that he cherished his family. They requested privacy as they mourn his loss and committed to setting up a website dedicated to honoring his memory.

In response to the tragedy, many have begun to take a second look at Jobs fantastic life. Some have begun to assemble at Apple retail stores as they remember Jobs and his profound effect on the world. This effect was most recently realizied in the development of some of the most celebrated technological devices, the iPod, iPad and iPhone. The personal device revolution they have inspired is not dissimilar from the success Apple first experienced in the realm of personal computers.

Without Steve Jobs, in cooperation with Steve Wozniak, the computer revolution may have never happened, or at least been significantly delayed. Apple led the industry in personal computing until the 1990’s when the company lost a great deal of its popularity and market share. This coincided with Job’s absence from the company, beginning in 1986 when the creative genius and ended after Jobs returned in 1996 and led the company to release the first iPod in 2001.

Jobs brought more than just technology to the world. The visionary was responsible for number of contributions to society and worked with other corporate leaders like Bill Gates to encourage positive growth in society. He also gave joy and laughter to millions through a number of films produced by his animation company, Pixar. Steve Jobs bought the company in 1986 and after leading it for a number of years, accepted a buy-out agreement in 2006 and became the largest share holder in Disney. He continued to serve as a director until his death.

Apple issued a statement declaring the visionary a mentor to those he knew and an amazing human being to all. Until a website is released, they officially designated rememberingsteve@apple.com as the place to send condolences and appreciate for the man who changed so many lives.

Take Your Best Shot!- Click here http://bit.ly/nEgedy for full article

2011-10-03T09:53:00.001-07:00

Take Your Best Shot!- Click here http://bit.ly/nEgedy for full article

It used to be that anyone who wanted to take good display-quality photos would need to invest a lot of money in serious photo equipment. Most people who took photos did so with instamatic-type cameras and were happy to just have personal records to keep for memories’ sake and not to necessarily display.

With the advancement in today’s technology, though, it is now easy and relatively inexpensive for anyone to explore their creative talents with photography. Today, a digital camera comes with almost every cellphone made. For example, the latest iPhone comes with a 5 megapixel camera and an L.E.D. flash. You will find cellphone cameras in use by many teenagers today. They love to send pictures to each other via the Internet and to post them to social networking sites. You will even find many of them sporting iPhones. Whether it be an iPhone or another type of cellphone camera, no child today feels complete without their digital camera.

For a minor investment, a budding photographer can more deeply enter into the world of photography by buying what used to be thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment in one affordable digital camera (typically known as a prosumer camera); a camera that allows the user to go from total novice settings to fully manual. Prosumer cameras typically come with zoom lenses of various focal lengths, some have a very impressive range of zoom—from wide-angle to super-telephoto.

For those who want even more, a modern DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera is the way to go. The DSLR is the camera of choice for those serious about photography, especially for those who make their living taking photographs, such as photojournalists. The DSLR allows the photographer to add myriad accessories such as different lenses to multiple flash units in order to get the shot

In a fast-paced working environment such as photojournalism, DSLRs are the cameras of choice. Photojournalism has become simpler with their use. The photographer no longer needs to wait to get back to the lab to get the film developed. She can now transfer the images directly from the location over the Internet to her editor for review. In some ways, digital cameras could be said to have revolutionized the world of photojournalism.

Digital cameras truly have opened up a new world for many today. There’s never been a better time to enjoy the fun of picture taking.

Why Facebook Needs a Hit- Click here http://bit.ly/pOVBwc for full article

2011-09-30T09:48:00.001-07:00

Why Facebook Needs a Hit- Click here http://bit.ly/pOVBwc for full article

While Facebook still reigns over the social media kingdom, boasting over 750 million subscribers and $4 billion in sales so far in 2011, the site seems to have hit a snag. Essentially, Facebook hasn't come up with anything innovative in recent years, and is unfortunately falling victim to the curse that so many businesses have fallen victim to; getting too big for your own good. Facebook, it seems, has begun to stray away from their core audience; people that want to interact with their friends. Instead, the site has tried to incorporate a litany of options to do so, leaving many people to wonder just what Facebook is anymore.

In the beginning, the concept was simple. You signed up, filled out some info about yourself, uploaded a picture, started adding people, and before you knew it, you were stalking your friends. Most people enjoyed the fact that it was simple, as the "less is more" approach is a key element to survival on the web. Google has proven this time and time again by remaining minimalist in almost all of its offerings. However, as Facebook has grown in popularity, the site's developers seem to want to cram anything and everything into the site and it seems that no one has told them that the vast majority of users really don't care about this stuff.

For instance, Facebook began offering facebook.com email addresses. What no one stopped to think about was the fact that people already have so many personal email accounts, social network accounts, work email accounts, school email accounts...no one wants another email account! It doesn't matter what the domain name is, it's just that people are overloaded as it is. Facebook has also toyed with pushing its Places feature, but users already had other sites for that. As well, they tested a daily deals type of offering, similar to Groupon. Once again, however, there are already sites for that! Facebook has failed to realize that people want to use Facebook to Facebook, not to do other things.

With all of that said, Facebook has come up with innovative features in the past, and the site in and of itself is innovative, but in order to keep that momentum going, they are going to need to find a simple, useful offering that people will actually care about. Every company is going to have duds from time to time, but the way Facebook's current track record is looking, they may need to wait until next season to have another crack at this year's championship.

Google Plus Open To Everyone!- Click here http://bit.ly/rgxKVq for full article

2011-09-29T09:34:00.001-07:00

Google Plus Open To Everyone!- Click here http://bit.ly/rgxKVq for full article

Google has opened the doors on its new Google+ platform allowing anyone join. Over the summer, they had been beta testing this platform to compete with Facebook, and users could only get in by invitation only.

This shift to being open to everyone coincides with recent changes that have frustrated Facebook users. Some of those unhappy Facebook users are seeking an alternative, and Google has opted to be available to those seekers.

Google+

Google+ is a social media platform designed to compete with Facebook. Google's version offers many features that Facebook does not yet offer, or did not offer until very recently. Google+ distinguishes itself with circles, hang-outs, and search capabilities far beyond other social networks.

Circles

On Facebook, you either "friend" a person or "like" a fan page. On Twitter, you follow a user. Both of these platforms offer list functions you can use to sort your connections, but adding people to lists after connections have become unmanageable challenges many social network users.

On Google+, you add people to your "circles." You name each circle, they can overlap (a writer who is also a cousin might appear in both a "writers" and a "family" circle), and no one can see in which circle you have placed him. By forcing users to assign connections to circles at the beginning of the relationship, Google+ helps users manage their lists right from the beginning.

With each post you make on Google+, you are asked which circles you want to share the post with or whether you would prefer it be open to everyone. This helps users consider the level of sharing they will choose for each item.

Hang-outs

Hang-outs are video chats that allow you to have a video conference with up to nine other people. Others can watch your hang-outs, and you can record them for later review.

Facebook does not yet have a video chat option, so Google+ has the competitive edge here.

Of course, Google owns online search at this time, so it is no surprise that they would have search capabilities that others will rush to imitate. The Google+ search function includes posts you are permitted to see via circle connections along with public news and views.

Facebook Stumbles as Google+ Grows

Facebook's recent changes demonstrate they are feeling the pressure to catch up with Google+'s improvements to social networking. Now that Google+ is open to everyone, we can all take a peek and see whether we think Google can compete with Facebook.

California New Cell Phone Laws-Click here http://bit.ly/p8WyjM for full article

2011-09-28T12:07:00.001-07:00

California New Cell Phone Laws-Click here http://bit.ly/p8WyjM for full article

In California, as well as in many areas of the Western world, law enforcement agencies are having to adjust to changes as a result of new media sources like cell phones, mobile media devices, and laptops. In the past, California authorities were able to obtain evidence without a warrant from mobile media devices taken from anyone arrested for a crime that carried such a device, but as a result of recent legal developments, that approach may soon change.

California Sen. Mark Leno has sponsored a bill in the California legislature that would make it illegal to obtain data off of mobile devices such as cellphones without a warrant in the event of an arrest. Previously, due to a January ruling by the California Supreme Court, authorities could conduct warrantless searches of these devices in the event of an arrest, even if the device and the data it contained had nothing to do with the case, and even if no criminal charges were ever filed. The bill has already been unanimously passed and is awaiting the signature of Governor Brown.

The ramifications this change would make are massive. If signed into law, essentially, law enforcement would need to have probable cause to even seek a search warrant to obtain data from mobile devices, even if the information on the device pertained directly to an arrest. Opponents of the bill claim that it would hinder the ability of law enforcement to do its job, leaving police officers and other authorities to waste precious time seeking a warrant, which could be denied.

However, proponents of the bill state that mobile devices do not pose an imminent threat to police, and the current practice of confiscating such devices while in custody eliminates the ability for the suspect to destroy evidence. The real issue, they claim, is that the ability of the police to search a suspect's mobile device without a warrant is a violation of the 4th Amendment, and that if authorities believe they have probable cause, then there should be no issue in getting a legal warrant.

Whether the bill passes or not, what remains to be seen is if there will be further legal challenges to the issue. Just as this bill would over rule the original January Supreme Court decision, it is almost certain that the issue won't end there. Because of the language of the bill, the argument may then become what types of mobile media devices are covered, and what information can be obtained from them. More than likely, the issue will end up back in the Supreme Court in one way or another, but until then, California's legal system is holding its breath.

Facebook Changes- Click here http://bit.ly/pz0iNU for full article

2011-09-27T10:15:00.001-07:00

Facebook Changes- Click here http://bit.ly/pz0iNU for full article

Along with the September 2011 changes made to Facebook came many angry users. While Facebook has had complaints about changes it has made in the past, the latest round of changes has drawn criticism from even the most supportive Facebook fans, and many users have even vowed to leave the social networking giant for good as a result. The reason for this is because Facebook essentially changed the way the site operates, leaving many users in the dark as to how to even navigate the new system, let alone enjoy its new features.

For many regular Facebook users, the draw to the site was its simplicity. Users posted status updates and could read their friends' status updates in a real time, chronological order via a news feed. This meant that site members could keep up with their friends, family, and coworkers in an easy to read list, all without having to search for information. If someone did not want to have a post or a particular person's posts in their news feed, they could simply choose to hide the post or hide all posts by a particular person. As well, Facebook tailored each ad to the specific post being read at the moment, allowing for more targeted ads relating to what the user found relevant.

Unfortunately, Facebook's ideas for the future of the site have left most users quite unhappy. Most users have a "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" mentality when it comes to internet sites, and unfortunately for Facebook, the site's developers did not share the same view. The new version of Facebook now sorts status updates and posts based on what they think you will want to see. As well, the site now forces users to classify their friends into different categories, such as close friends, schoolmates, etc., meaning users no longer see a list of all updates, and instead only see updates from the people Facebook thinks they should see. Facebook claims that this was done based on user feedback, and that the new layout allows people to see top news stories instead of just updates. While users are still able to see updates from everyone on their friend's list, they now have to sift through updates and fiddle with settings in order to make it a reality, and even then, the system still inundates a user with updates.

The ultimate problem that this will cause is for advertising on the site. Facebook has long been an advertiser's dream, as they could target specific ads to specific users based on specific posts. Now, because users are left sifting through various updates in various places, the targeted advertising methods that made the site so popular among the marketing community may be a thing of the past, leaving advertisers to seek the next big thing in social media. As to whether Facebook will hear the message or not is anyone's guess at this point, but unless they want to become the next MySpace, they may want to turning up their hearing aid.

Is Facebook the Next Big Thing in Music?- Click here http://bit.ly/qPJDnK for full article

2011-09-26T12:41:00.001-07:00

Is Facebook the Next Big Thing in Music?- Click here http://bit.ly/qPJDnK for full article

Facebook saw a bevy a new features and changes recently, and while they have been met with mixed reactions, it looks as though they may be just the start of something even bigger. As Facebook gets even closer to a billion users, more changes are coming and this time they have to do with how users share their music. Will these changes make Facebook the go-to site for music?

While illegal file-sharing is certainly not a part of their plans, reports state that Facebook is reaching out with many legal music services to deliver a new sharing experience for its users. For instance, they are partnering with Spotify, which allows users to listen to streaming music for free. In addition to the ad-supported free version, Spotify also offers a paid-for subscription that is completely ad-free. Spotify CEO Daniel Ek spoke at the 2011 Facebook F8 conference to announce that Facebook would be partnering with Spotify. He detailed a plan to have users connect with not only words, but by sharing music as well. Facebook's nearly one billion users will be able to play music shared by their friends over Spotify right from their browser without leaving Facebook at all. He also stated that Facebook's Spotify users are also more likely to purchase music.

These changes to Facebook are sure to please music lovers, but many of the other recent changes didn't sit so well with all of their users. Recent changes to the site include larger photos, a newly designed News Feed complete with live ticker, and a subscription service for users to stay on top of what certain friends are doing. Some are happy with the changes, but others have complained that the changes are simply trying to compete with other sites like Twitter and Google Plus.

Since Facebook is close to a billion users, it is more important than ever for businesses to develop some social networking integration into their business plans. When Facebook users have the option to immediately purchase songs they've just heard thanks to Facebook's partnering with Spotify, the music industry may see untold benefits. These same benefits could come to businesses of all types, but the first step is to integrate aspects of these businesses with social networking sites like Facebook. Facebook holds close to a billion potential customers, and that is something that every business would be remiss to pass up.

5 Ways To Manage Online Feedback- Click for http://bit.ly/qXKT6v full article

2011-09-21T12:10:00.001-07:00

5 Ways To Manage Online Feedback- Click for http://bit.ly/qXKT6v full article

Business owners spend much of their time focusing on their marketing campaign and production costs. However, there is one aspect about their business that is really important: Feedback.

If you have been in business for a while, there will eventually come a time when you will receive a negative feedback comment. There is no possible way to satisfy every customer. However, there are some great ways you can manage your online feedback and turn those negative comments into something positive. Here are five ways to manage your online feedback.

1. Embrace the negative feedback

According to some research studies, most negative feedback comments are constructive, approximately 80 percent of them. Instead of allowing negative comments to discourage you, embrace them. Allow your customer's comment to help you develop ways to solve new problems.

2. Discover the real reason behind the negative feedback

No business is perfect, so there will always be dissatisfied customers. However, most negativity stems from the customer's true disappointment, not necessarily at your business, products or establishment. There are typically four different types of negative comments:

.Construtive criticism
.Clear and concise problems
.Justified attacks
.Trolls and spam

Constructive criticism is typically easy to address. The customer has a suggestion, and you should listen to what he or she has to say to decide if it is something that may benefit your business.

Clear and concise problems are negative comments with direct issues. The customer knows why he is dissatisfied and wants you to fix it.

Justified attacks may be customers who are angry, but can not really express their issue to you. You need to do your best to listen to these customers and handle the situation with care.

Trolls and spammers should never be addressed. Do not feed their desire to stir controversy around your company; it may reflect badly on your reputation.

Moreover, never let a disgruntled customer upset you. Always keep a clear head.

3. Respond at the right time

You don't have to respond to every negative comment; however, you should know what types of comments you should address. There are some negative comments that can benefit your business if you address them appropriately.

4. Learn different response techniques

Because every customer is different, you need to address each customer according to his or her personality. With enough experience, you will learn how to address your customers. Moreover, always stay genuine with your responses to negative feedback.

5. Encourage positive reviews

With enough positive reviews, any negative review will have little effect on your company's reputation. You should always encourage happy customers to leave positive responses.

Keep these tips in mind when handling your own online feedback.

6 Ways To Increase Blog Traffic - Ckick for http://bit.ly/qcZ2g8 full article

2011-09-20T09:38:00.003-07:00

6 Ways To Increase Blog Traffic - Ckick for http://bit.ly/qcZ2g8 full article

With several million blogs out there on just about every topic imaginable, it can seem impossible to drive plenty of high-quality traffic to your own. A bit of ingenuity and a thorough understanding of how the web works, however, can go a long way towards increasing blog traffic. Here are six tips to make yours stand out:

1. Utilize social media.
Social media sites can help increase your blog's traffic exponentially, if they are used correctly. It can be a simple matter of adding share buttons to each post for the major sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, but you should also consider using these sites more extensively. Social bookmarking sites such as Digg should be used sparingly, as posting links from the same site over and over will be considered spam and can get you blacklisted.

2. Publish fresh content regularly.
The key to quality traffic is to publish quality content on a regular basis. Your posts should be relevant to the blog's purpose, informative, and well-written. New content keeps visitors coming back regularly and keeps search engine spiders crawling your blog.

3. Put effort into getting quality backlinks.
Well-placed backlinks are like votes that tell search engines your site is reputable. Getting quality backlinks is an essential component of any SEO strategy. Social media sites can be used to garner backlinks, in addition to article directories and forums.

4. Comment!
Become an active member of the community by commenting on others' blogs and replying to comments posted on your own. This will encourage others to check out your site and will show visitors that you are a human with genuine interest.

5. Use guest blogs.
Using guest bloggers or guest blogging yourself can be an excellent way to drive traffic to your site. Submitting guest blogs helps create backlinks, and guest bloggers bring their own followers to your site.

6. Understand the ins and out of paid advertising.
If you use forms of paid advertising, such as Google Adwords or other pay per click services, make sure you understand what you are and aren't getting from the service, as well as whether or not it is costing you more money than it brings in. Small business owners with limited advertising budgets may want to focus on free methods of increasing blog traffic before utilizing these programs.

6 Ways To Increase Blog Traffic - Ckick for http://bit.ly/qcZ2g8 full article

2011-09-20T09:38:00.001-07:00

6 Ways To Increase Blog Traffic - Ckick for http://bit.ly/qcZ2g8 full article

Flickr Tightens Photo Sharing Privacy Controls- Click here http://bit.ly/rtpm1p for full article

2011-09-19T09:33:00.001-07:00

Flickr Tightens Photo Sharing Privacy Controls- Click here http://bit.ly/rtpm1p for full article

Photo sharing and social networking site Flickr has recently rolled out a series of privacy setting options that might redefine the way pictures are shared online. With the release of "geofences", Flickr is aiming to contain the backlash over privacy concerns unleashed by certain geolocation features found in social media platforms.

With geofences, Flickr users can specify a geographic area on a map for which photo privacy controls can be specified. A geofence can be thought of as a radius that circles the geographical location of photos and albums. Once a geofence has been drawn, a Flickr member can choose who gets to see geotagged photos and videos located inside the geofence. For example, a Flickr member may only want to share pictures taken around their children's school with family members. A geofence drawn around the school can effectively limit the number of people who can look at photos taken near the school.

Each Flickr member can set up to 10 geofences which can protect the privacy of photos already uploaded to the site. Future uploads will be automatically protected by the geofences. Creating a geofence is a simple and straightforward process: a Flickr member can search for a location on a map, pick a name for the geofence, specify the radius of the area to protect, and finally choose who gets to see the location info. Before geofences, Flickr members worried about privacy had to pick individual photos and manually remove the latitude and longitude data.

The privacy of information shared on social media has become a hot button issue. The proliferation of location-aware features on new mobile devices such as smartphones has led to vexation over the metadata captured by a device's camera. The advent of mobile photo sharing makes it easy for someone to accidentally reveal their location and street address.

The powerful social networking features of Flickr often encourages members to tag their photos geographically for a variety of reasons. Wondering about where a Flickr photo was taken can be seen as a natural cognitive function, though geotagging may also lead to malicious intent. In the five years that Flickr has supported geotagging, a number of unconfirmed reports and urban legends about privacy breaches have floated around the blogosphere. Geofences may be the strongest response to photo sharing concerns by Flickr thus far; a positive change for a company that has previously been criticized for its slow reaction to such issues.

Music On Facebook!- Click here http://bit.ly/olEowa for full article

2011-09-16T10:10:00.001-07:00

Music On Facebook!- Click here http://bit.ly/olEowa for full article

Adding a music feature to a social networking platform can generally be conceived as a great idea. Music has always been considered to be one of the most powerful social lubricants. For Facebook, the world's largest online social network, what could the unveiling of a powerful music feature mean?

According to recent news reports, Facebook could soon release a new feature that would enable its members to enjoy unlimited free music. Facebook Music, the rumored name for the feature, is expected to be powered by three already-established Internet music giants: MOG, Rdio and Spotify. The formal announcement of the venture is expected to be made on September 22, at the upcoming Facebook conference for developers. Prior to the latest rumors, Facebook may have accidentally leaked information about its musical intentions with the launch of its video chat service. Programmers who read between the lines of code of the video chat application found possible references to a future music service.

To many social media observers, music is the "missing ingredient" in Facebook's quest for absolute domination of the online social networking landscape. The alluring power of free music on the Internet has already been historically proven. Napster and iTunes are just two of the names that have had a profound impact on the way we listen to music. Should Facebook opt to offer free music to be shared and "liked" by its more than 750 members, it may become the most significant source for online music.

Other social media observers, however, are skeptical that music would be an instant rainmaker for Facebook. The doubtful point to the demise of MySpace, one the earliest online social networks to attempt musical integration. Others claim that unless music explicitly becomes a core focus of Facebook, it may not work out as planned. Status updates are at the heart of Facebook. Should the social networking giant be able to effectively integrate music with status updates; it may just become the go-to platform for online music.

What could possibly prevent music from becoming the most significant feature added to Facebook? According to some experts, record companies and music labels may play hardball when it comes to sharing music they could instead be selling to millions of listeners. It is important to note how music has affected other online social networks other than MySpace. For social video-sharing site YouTube, music videos and user-created playlists have attracted scores of music fans and the ire of many record companies.

LinkedIn Makes It Easy To Showcase Volunteering Efforts-click here http://bit.ly/mRSoQo for full article

2011-09-12T10:16:00.001-07:00

LinkedIn Makes It Easy To Showcase Volunteering Efforts-click here http://bit.ly/mRSoQo for full article

Business and academic professionals who volunteer their time and skills to their community or for charity are more likely to land a job, according to research conducted by LinkedIn. Based on information gathered from a survey of two thousand professionals, the social networking giant determined that unpaid work experience can have a positive connotation when it comes to hiring.

Many of the professionals surveyed by LinkedIn were hiring managers. Twenty percent of them indicated that volunteer work could be a deciding factor in hiring a job applicant.

Not surprisingly, a majority of the polled professionals reported having volunteered in the past. Community service requirements are growing in colleges and universities. Many professionals also find great freedom in honing their skills by volunteering their expertise or performing unpaid work. And in this current period of extended unemployment, unpaid internships are an alternative for professionals who prefer not to stagnate until a suitable job offer becomes available.

What is surprisingly revealed by the LinkedIn survey is the low number of professionals who actually list their volunteer and charitable experience on their resumes. More than half of the LinkedIn members pointed out that they do not regularly include such information on their resumes.

Ever the proactive social network, LinkedIn has reacted to the survey results by adding a new field to member profiles. LinkedIn members will now see a "Volunteer Experience & Causes" section which they can use to demonstrate their charitable attributes. The social network believes that showcasing volunteer experience is a powerful way for professionals to nurture meaningful connections; not to mention the fact that it can help someone's resume stand out among a sea of others.

When it comes to disclosing volunteer experience during a job search, there are a couple of common misconceptions professionals may fall into. For some people, charitable endeavors are very personal. They may feel that informing their potential employers of their past benevolent efforts may be tantamount to plain braggadocio. Yet other professionals fear that some employers may see them as "easy prey" who will accept low-paying or even unpaid assignments.

LinkedIn members can now search for other individuals who share similar volunteering interests. For charitable organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Make A Wish Foundation, LinkedIn's latest move can help to bolster their volunteer ranks by boosting awareness among LinkedIn members.

4 Tools For Improving Your Twitter Experience- Click here http://bit.ly/numcTv for full article

2011-09-08T10:02:00.001-07:00

4 Tools For Improving Your Twitter Experience- Click here http://bit.ly/numcTv for full article

Twitter is a great way to promote your business, build your brand, and increase consumer awareness of your product or service. Most business accounts offer some form of minor customer support or feature deals in an effort to garner more followers. Building your businesses' awareness by using Twitter to spread information about updates and services is extremely effective, but maximizing the time you spend using your business Twitter account can be difficult. Here are five tools to help you get the most from your Twitter experience.

1. TweetWhen

TweetWhen is an invaluable tool that will analyze your past 1,000 tweets and give you a breakdown of the best times per day to tweet and the best day of the week to tweet for your specific term in order to get the maximum amount of consumer response and organic retweets. TweetWhen gives you an idea of when your consumer base is most active, so you can schedule tweets to them based on past performance.

2. Buffer

With the statistics you've gathered from TweetWhen, you probably want to take advantage of your window of opportunity to get tweets to your fanbase. However, you can't be around at the same time every day, especially if you've discovered that your consumers are most active during a time period when you're at work, or you're asleep. This is where Buffer comes in. Buffer allows you to schedule tweets to be spread out through the day, at any time in the day. That way you're tweeting what you what, when you want for maximum effectiveness. The best part is Buffer is available for multiple browsers and even your mobile device, so you never have to go without the service.

3. InboxQ

Becoming an authority in your niche is a great way to gain organic followers who are interested in your updates. InboxQ is a great app that lets you search for user defined filters on Twitter so you can begin assisting people with their questions. By helping people with their problems, your account gains more credibility and you are more likely to be followed and retweeted.

4. TwentyFeet

The final measure of success after you have employed all of these apps in order to boost your Twitter presence is whether or not you're gaining followers, having your tweets retweeted, and whether or not people are talking about your brand or service. TweentyFeet will tell you all of this and more. Consider the service like Google Analytics for tweets, as you can gather information about your retweets, your followers, and your impact overall on the Twitter community.

Business Tips From Facebook

2011-08-29T14:48:00.001-07:00

Social media websites have made it easier for small businesses to market themselves online. Today, it is easy to get the word out about your products and services for free or at a low cost. The major cost you are likely to incur is time. Facebook is the largest social media website and is a great avenue for small businesses to reach their prospects.

The following tips will help you get the most out of your marketing efforts on Facebook.

1) Get found on the web
Ensure customers can easily find your business location online. Use tools such as Google Places and Facebook Places to claim the location of your business. Take advantage of free business listings at Angies List, SuperPages, Google Local Business Center, MerchantCircle, YellowPages.com and Yahoo! Local. Some of these sites allow users to leave reviews about your company or products and this can help you gain trust among new prospects.

At the listings, indicate your business name, URL, hours of business, location and other vital information that your prospects are likely to be looking for.

2) Become an expert
Marketing is not always about advertising your products. Prospects are in need of valuable content and will reward you by buying and being loyal to your brand if you offer them valuable content. You can create instructional videos, write how-to articles, post pictures and tweet about your business or service. Know your product well and help your prospects and customers know how to use it.

3) Create fan pages
Create a Facebook fan page for your business and interact with your customers or prospects on a regular basis. Use the page to make important announcements about your company, post tips on using your products, answer questions or queries from customers, initiate competitions to build your brand loyalty, among others. Do not talk to yourself; listen to what your customers are saying.

4) Use social media ads
If you want to steadily increase your fan page followers, go for ad funded options. Facebook allows users to initiate paid marketing campaigns. These can be effective when a business has a clearance sale, is looking for new leads, has introduced a new product or has a promotion. Facebook ads can be targeted to be displayed to prospects that meet a set criterion.

The above are some tips that can help any small business that is looking to get into social media marketing on Facebook.

Protect Your Business’s Trademark On Twitter- Click here http://bit.ly/rgRWts for full article

2011-08-24T12:24:00.001-07:00

Protect Your Business’s Trademark On Twitter- Click here http://bit.ly/rgRWts for full article

Whether you are just starting your business or you are an established company, becoming a presence in social media can be an important step in the promotion of your endeavors. Understanding your options is important, as is interacting with your customers and protecting your trademark. Making the most of your Twitter account is essential in reaping the benefits of social media.

Twitter does not yet have any options for business owners to verify their accounts. This means that there is no official way for customers to know your Twitter is authentic for your business. However, by making your account has high visibility, you can ensure that customers know the account is linked to your company. Placing links from your website to your Twitter account assures that your customers will be directed to the correct account. These links can also be made from your associated Facebook, Foursquare, Google+, or your blog.

When building your Twitter profile, it is vital that you place your brand throughout. Within the profile, note that the account is the official account of your business. Use your company logo, colors, and slogan to help your customers identify the account easier. Customizing your Twitter profile can help to protect your trademark.

While Twitter does not allow you to reserve a Twitter name, there are some options if you have a more common business name. If a Twitter account has a similar name to your trademarked business and they are seemly trying to confuse your customers into following their account, a request can be made directly to Twitter.

If the account is found to be intentionally misleading your customers, Twitter may suspend the account and in turn give you access to the name. Understand that if the Twitter powers-that-be find the account is simply confusing but not misleading, they may give the account user time to rectify the situation and maintain the account. If someone has an account under the trademarked name of your business, Twitter has no commitment to transfer the ownership to you.

Using your Twitter account can benefit your business greatly. Being able to interact with your customers, promote your products and ideas, and provide assistance. Maintaining the trademark of your business is important, allowing your customers to find you easily and network you to their friends and family. By using the appropriate means of trademark security, your business Twitter account can achieve its maximum benefit.

5 Apps To Manage Business Finance- Click here http://bit.ly/o3Er5w for full article

2011-08-23T11:22:00.001-07:00

5 Apps To Manage Business Finance- Click here http://bit.ly/o3Er5w for full article

Managing business finances can often be a difficult and time-consuming task. This is true for both small and large businesses. Luckily, there are a growing number of apps that are available that will help business owners save time and be more productive.

Pageonce

A lot of banks offer online banking and mobile apps as well. Depending on the specific bank, these will vary as to their usability and access. Pageonce is an app where the user can review many different accounts all at once. There are also options to set up various alerts and a handy report section where one can see how various accounts are broken down.

Financial Calculator

The able to calculate things such as bond valuation and rate of return can easily be done on the fly with the Financial Calculator. This app is powerful but very simple to use. Calculations are done quite quickly with this program.

TripLog/ 1040

When traveling, it is important to keep track of mileage. TripLog is able to manage several different vehicles and to keep all of this information well-organized. Once the trip is completed, all the information can be easily e-mailed to the office for reimbursement.

Receipts

In addition to vehicle mileage, expenses for purchases and meals need to be appropriately organized for accounting and reimbursement purposes. On the road, it is all too easy to end up with a pocket full of crumpled receipts. With this app, one can easily scan in receipts and organize all expenses.

Bloomberg

While on the go, keeping track of financial portfolios is necessary. With Bloomberg, one can check these as well as other investment news and keep on top of the latest news.

Business does not always take place in an office building. Keeping track of finances must be done while on the road and away from the office. With these five apps, any business owner or executive can keep track of expenses, log receipts and mileage and stay abreast of the latest stock trends and business news. For the savvy business person who must stay connected and connected, he needs these apps.

Social Media At Work- Click here http://bit.ly/o8UaEF for full article

2011-08-22T10:06:00.001-07:00

Social Media At Work- Click here http://bit.ly/o8UaEF for full article

Hours in a work day: 8. Time spent social networking: 7. The other hour was lunch.

Other than being the butt end of a lot of productivity jokes, social networking has changed the playing field. Like it or not, many people are tuning into sites like linkedin, facebook and twitter for their daily dose of what's going on. Why fight it when you can use that power? You can make social networking a part of every employees daily responsibilities, just enough to satisfy their need to log on.

Facebook became a huge networking tool because it's easy to share information with hundreds of people. You can keep people apprised of new happenings at the company with a simple post to the wall. Have one of your workers in charge of that. How exciting would it be to be the person announcing the new big thing for the company?

Twitter is a great example of where someone's social networking skills can come into play. People love to read tweets. Why? Because they want some juicy gossip about this and that without having to read a huge post. Twitter does that in just a few short words and phrases. Get one of the workers to add a twitter post about something new and exciting happening at your company. You are missing a huge opportunity for your company by telling your workers not to use twitter.

Linkedin does exactly as it's name suggest: it keeps people "linked in". Business contacts are created every day using this tool. Why deprive yourself of that help?

Social networking provides a platform for someone to easily gather information. You know those people that post their homework problems they can't solve on facebook? Why can't your company use that same idea? You can also have a common platform for all of the employees by creating a page and having everyone follow on facebook or twitter to stay informed.

There are of course, things to be noted. It can be very easy to transition from using social networking for work, to just surfing your friends posts. If you assign workers to be in charge of your social networking page, make sure you choose responsible workers. What about everyone else? Vacations allow people an opportunity to recharge their batteries. Think of letting your workers check that celebrities tweet as a mini-vacation. They'll come back recharged. By harnessing the power of social networking, you can keep the workers happy and benefit yourself as well.

Buddy Media Soared $54 Million- Click here http://bit.ly/nwQodP for full article

2011-08-19T09:38:00.001-07:00

Buddy Media Soared $54 Million- Click here http://bit.ly/nwQodP for full article

Buddy Media has recently folded dozens of new high-end companies into its customer base in the first half of 2011, ending up with $54 million Series D funding led by GGV Capital. Buddy Media has situated itself to be the single most important company in the world that is connecting companies to their customers through social media. Many business owners have begun realizing that a marketing campaign with at least one foot firmly in Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other social media sites will have immediate access to over a quarter of a billion potential customers.

Buddy Media set out with a simple goal, to provide companies an easy-to-use platform from which to launch a Facebook campaign. This company has recently evolved into something so much more in recent years. Their software was originally used to make eye-catching Facebook pages with some basic information to offer to business owners and advertising specialists. Buddy Media would instruct companies on which days to make posts, how to optimize every word being read, and how to relate social media directly into more revenue. After their purchase of a handful of smaller companies, Buddy Media is now offering almost every facet of online marketing that any company would need no matter its size.

This social media company has recently taken on some rather large clients including Ford Motor Company, ESPN, and Virgin Mobile USA. They now offer their customers everything from customized Facebook pages, to real-time analytics of their Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. Another key feature that has made this company invaluable to so many is their experience. No other company can compete with the experience of Buddy Media as they have turned the power of social media sites into a blend of art, business, efficiency.

This company lands somewhere between market analyses, graphic design, customer relations, and brand recognition. It was not just ten years ago that this style of market was practically non-existent, and it is now a multi-billion dollar industry that has been streamlined from the bottom up. For the business owner or management, this can revolutionize the way that their company finds and maintains a loyal customer base. There is no easier program to use that will direct countless customers towards a company and drive revenue up than what Buddy Media has established.

5 Ways To Use Facebook For Your Business- Click here http://bit.ly/obcDAo for full article

2011-08-18T09:58:00.001-07:00

5 Ways To Use Facebook For Your Business- Click here http://bit.ly/obcDAo for full article

Social networking has become one of the biggest trends for helping consumers and businesses connect. It’s become so important that Facebook recently launched a “Facebook for Business” manual that helps businesses to fully utilize the site’s social networking features. Here are five ways to make the most out of your business’s Facebook page.

Network with Your Customers

TWhile the average person uses Facebook to catch up with friends, businesses network with customers in a different way. A Facebook page allows a business to engage customers by asking them for tips on how to improve, and compliments on what they’re doing right. Businesses can even take this a step further by allowing customer service representatives to handle problems right from the page, with no long-winded e-mails or phone calls required.

Advertising

Facebook’s business pages are convenient in that they allow users to “like” a business. This allows you to have an almost captive audience for your advertising. Customers that “like” your page will see advertisements from your business in their news feed. Not only does this give you more exposure, it allows you to advertise to customers you know are already familiar with and fond of your business.

Website Integration

One of the best features of Facebook for businesses is that it allows you to integrate Facebook’s networking features directly on your business’s web site. This could mean anything from allowing Facebook users to comment on site news, or even allow customers to “like” and share products on your site with others on Facebook. This allows buzz to instantly be generated and transferred from your site to other potential customers.

Using Facebook as a Shopfront

Similarly to integrating Facebook features on your own website, certain parts of your website can be integrated into your business’s Facebook page. Since Facebook allows businesses to customize the tabs on their own page, the possibilities for shopping directly from your Facebook page are endless. Users can add items to a virtual shopping cart without ever leaving Facebook itself.

Special Offers

Lastly, Facebook is a great opportunity for allowing businesses to offer exclusive discounts to users. For instance, a user that “likes” your business’s page could be offered a special coupon. This incentivizes users for helping to promote your business through social networking, all while nurturing a relationship with current customers.

Having a social networking presence is becoming increasingly more important to businesses. Following these tips is a great start to building such a presence for your business.

Facebook Apps Allow Businesses To Use Social Media To Sell- Click here http://bit.ly/nZAkRA for full article

2011-08-17T12:09:00.003-07:00

Facebook Apps Allow Businesses To Use Social Media To Sell- Click here http://bit.ly/nZAkRA for full article

The prevalence and ubiquity of Facebook has already made it one of the most attractive platforms for advertising and marketing. The potential for e-commerce on Facebook seems enormous, but thus far the social media giant has not exploded with online shops like eBay and Amazon. Some social networking purists argue that there is no place for online stores on Facebook or Twitter, but economic activity is a significant aspect of the social experience.

One of the reasons why Facebook isn't being overrun with online shops has to do with the site's aesthetics. History has shown that allowing anyone to arbitrarily set up shop on a site is not guaranteed to work. Anyone who is old enough to remember MySpace can remember the uninviting and visually chaotic stores that materialized once e-commerce arrived. Facebook's commitment to maintaining a clean and tasteful interface will never allow garish shops to invade their beloved social network.

Keep in mind that, according to the company, there are more than 750 million active members on Facebook. Half of them log in to the network at least once a day. Facebook's global reach is not only massive, it is also waiting for the right shops to come along.

Leveraging the shopping potential of Facebook is as easy as choosing the right apps. When the company introduced iFrame to developers, it practically left its doors wide open for online stores. Several outfits now offer e-commerce solutions for Facebook, complete with product catalogs, shopping carts, and instant checkout solutions such as PayPal Pro (also known as Website Payments Pro).

TabJuice is one of the leading solutions for online shops on Facebook. The focus of TabJuice is to empower retailers by allowing them to create great-looking and highly functional online storefronts from scratch. Although a high degree of customization in terms of display and layout is possible with TabJuice, the app's built in checks and balances ensure that no retailer ends up with a MySpace-looking storefront.

The integration of PayPal Pro is a major component of the TabJuice experience. PayPal Pro is a payment processing solution that empowers retailers by allowing them to easily conduct credit and debit card transactions. An important feature behind PayPal Pro is that its unique integration allows shoppers to stay in their chosen Facebook store while completing a purchase. As far as pricing goes, PayPal Pro is 14% lower on average when compared to rival merchant processors.

Facebook Apps Allow Businesses To Use Social Media To Sell- Click here http://bit.ly/nZAkRA for full article

2011-08-17T12:09:00.001-07:00

Facebook Apps Allow Businesses To Use Social Media To Sell- Click here http://bit.ly/nZAkRA for full article

8 Tips For Business Homepage Design- Click here http://bit.ly/rux53f for full article

2011-08-16T10:01:00.001-07:00

8 Tips For Business Homepage Design- Click here http://bit.ly/rux53f for full article

Just like walking into a restaurant or store, your website’s homepage design gives visitors an impression of your business, and helps them decide whether to become customers. Here are 8 tips for business homepage design that will help show your business at its best.

1.) Maintain Your Brand’s Image
Your business’s homepage look and feel should tie in with your other marketing. Use your logo, color scheme and style to reinforce what your business is about. You want your customers to instantly associate the website to your business.

2.) Focus on Your Message
Let your design focus on the message you’d like to deliver to your customers. Too much information can distract viewers, and they may leave without the message you hoped they would take away.

3.) Ensure Your Homepage is Readable
Use fonts and colors that are readable, even for people with less-than-perfect vision. Keep in mind that more people are visiting websites using smart phones and tablets, which makes it even more important to keep things easy to read.

4.) Reduce Scrolling
Keep the most important information within the display size of the typical browser window. Your viewers will appreciate not having to scroll for essential information. Viewers tend to expect scrolling on other pages, so of the 8 tips for business homepage design, use this just for the homepage.

5.) Show Your Business’s Personality
Use your website to stand out from similar businesses by featuring what makes your business unique and fun. Most people prefer to do business with a company that makes it enjoyable.

6.) Keep Customers Up-to-date
When your business is active on social media such as Facebook and Twitter, embed feeds from these status updates to keep your homepage content fresh. One caveat, if you can’t commit to keeping up with social media, don’t use this tip. It will leave a poor impression if your status updates are weeks old.

7.) Use a Featured Image
When your homepage has a featured image, it will show next to the link code when someone shares your homepage on Facebook or Google+. A good featured image entices viewers to click the link to your site.

8.) Remember SEO
If you hope to rank well with the search engines, you’ll have to consider search engine optimization. Your homepage might be light on text, but check your keywords and use them judiciously. Of course, you’ll use behind-the-scenes code to add a page title, description and alternate text on your images. This one of the 8 tips for business homepage design applies to all your pages.

Yes AOL Is Still Around, AOL Advertising- Click here http://bit.ly/mRzrVF for full article

2011-08-15T09:46:00.001-07:00

Yes AOL Is Still Around, AOL Advertising- Click here http://bit.ly/mRzrVF for full article

American Online has been a cornerstone of the internet since it went online in the very first home. This company has enjoyed high peaks of service as well as multi-year slumps. After Google and other advertisement gurus begun to pick up speed in 2007, it looked like America Online was nearing the end of its lifespan. This was all until AOL took an aggressive turn for the better and began showing impressive profits in the first quarter of 2011. This had made AOL advertising the perfect option for businesses and business owners that are looking for an effective online component to their overall marketing strategy.

One of the changing points for American Online within the past few months is an increased network of advertising mediums including their news operation Patch and the acquisition of Huffington Post. These two news services have recently undergone aggressive expansion into new towns and providers across the country, allowing AOL new platforms from which to launch their AOL advertising tools.

Within the realm of online advertising and publishers, American Online is boasting some impressive numbers as of the beginning of 2011. They are currently in partnership with 91 of AdAge's Top 100 advertisers and 74 of comScore's Top 100 publishers are in their network as well. For businesses looking to expand their reach, this means that AOL advertising has more websites, dynamic ads, and the ability to reach more people with clearer information.

Another key point when determining to advertise with AOL is their rights to a substantial amount of information. America Online's dominance in the internet for so many years has resulted in their vast resources and mediums. From their instant messaging system to an email with tens of millions of users, they have the ability reach countless customers over multiple platforms. They also utilize a team of 50 researchers and developers to create a dynamic system of offering the correct ad to the best customer at the right time.

Whether a business is looking to expand their advertising campaign or become worldwide ad publishers, AOL has become an outstanding tool. Their teams has streamlined the process of signing up, developing ads, and reaching the correct demographics at a great price.

Your Phone Number on Facebook- Click here http://bit.ly/mVhySd for full article

2011-08-12T10:15:00.001-07:00

Your Phone Number on Facebook- Click here http://bit.ly/mVhySd for full article

Every time Facebook updates their site with a new information-sharing setting, many people misinterpret the update and send out blasts warning all their friends of the new "privacy invasion." These rumors cause mass hysteria like that unleashed most recently when Facebook launched a new feature called "Contacts," previously known as "Phonebook." According to the rumors, Facebook collects all the phone numbers from your mobile phone and makes them available to all of your friends.

This rumor is completely false. When you download Facebook's app for your mobile phone, your contact list is synced with your friends list, allowing you to get to all the phone numbers in your phone from the Facebook mobile app. The misunderstanding most likely occured because users could see the phone numbers of friends who did not make their phone numbers visible. This made it look like Facebook shared his or her number when in actuality, it was in your phone when you synced it to Facebook.

If you would like to see how the Facebook Contacts feature works, simply log into your profile, click "Accounts" and select "Edit Friends." On the left is a column. Choose "Contacts," and a list of all your Facebook friends and their contact information is displayed. Facebook also uses the numbers in your phone to find friend suggestions which is another feature that has many members of the site nervous.

Even though this feature is not the widespread privacy invasion so many users believed it was, many people are still upset. They feel that Facebook users should not be automatically included in "Contacts", but instead have to actively choose to opt into the feature.

If you are one of the users who do not want your cell phone contacts synced with Facebook, you can remove your imported contacts. It is important that you monitor your privacy settings to ensure that sensitive information you would rather keep private or viewable by only a few different people is protected. For example, posting a phone number accessible by everyone can make that number vulnerable to spamming and telemarketing tactics. Familiarity with privacy settings can keep this under control.

Create Customer Growth with 12 Marketing Strategies for Businesses- Click here http://bit.ly/rqfp0d for full article

2011-08-10T10:04:00.001-07:00

Create Customer Growth with 12 Marketing Strategies for Businesses- Click here http://bit.ly/rqfp0d for full article

Successful business relationships can be accomplished through effective marketing strategies. After all, customers are responsible for a successful business. The following are 12 marketing strategies for businesses that will create customer growth.

1. Banners are great ways to attract attention from passerbys. An employee can stand outside holding up a sign that advertises a bargain or discount on your product.

2. Flyers can be placed in the door hinges of homes. This method is effective because it is non-invasive, customers will see it, and serves as a friendly reminder of your services.

3. Door to door advertising companies can make coupon books to be sold directly to the customer at their home. This service is free to you and canvasers talk to 80-100 people per day about your business.

4. Telemarketers can set appointments and advertise your services in a curteous and polite manner.

5. Radio advertisements are effective because they use catchy tunes that resonate with each listener.

6. A business ad can be placed on online blogs that are viewed by millions of subscribers. These ads might accompany blogs that give how to advice.

7. Television commercials might be a little more expensive and time-consuming, but is the most effective of the 12 marketing strategies for business in terms of reaching a wide, diverse audience at one time.

8. Advertising on blimps that float through the sky make very powerful statements. Companies such as Goodyear thrive on this marketing technique.

9. Booths at summer fairs catch customers when they are relaxed and care free. Use drawings that award winning prizes and inform them of your business in the process.

10. Magnets are great little memorabilia to pass out to customers that they can place on their refrigerator. These are ideal for pizza chains and auto shops because of their convenience.

11. There are many t-shirt design companies and artists that offer great rates to businesses that want to print their logo on fabric. Let other people advertise for you!

12. Billboards are effective because of their large size and customers view them on their way to work, shopping, or other errands.

The afforementioned 12 marketing strategies for businesses are tips for generating more customers. In the long run, reaching a wide and diverse target market is essential to better business.

Disney And Facebook- Two Powerhouses In The Entertainment Industry- Click here http://bit.ly/ok5zok for full article

2011-08-08T10:56:00.001-07:00

Disney And Facebook- Two Powerhouses In The Entertainment Industry- Click here http://bit.ly/ok5zok for full article

Disney is one of the biggest employers in the world. The Disney Crporation owns many theme parks all over the world and the ABC TV network. Like most other businesses, Disney has joined the world of social media through one of the most popular social media networks, Facebook. The Disney Crporation has its own Facebook page as well as having Facebook pages for Disneyland and Disneyworld. There is a separate page for Disney movies, Pixar, which Disney owns, and the Walt Disney Animation Studios. With such a presence on Facebook, Disney has millions of fans following each of their pages.

The Disney Facebook page features pictures of Disney characters as well as interesting facts and statistics about the company. They get thousands of comments on each status update they put on their various pages. Their Facebook page advertises new movies that Disney is releasing as well as classic Disney movies. Disney's Facebook pages also include links to their pages on other social media sites. The various Facebook pages also give out the address and contact information for Disney's offices and theme parks, in addition to offering quizzes about Disney characters and movies.

The Disney Pixar Facebook page contains screenshots from their movies and gives their fans access to trailers for upcoming Disney Pixar movies, as well as including behind the scenes exclusives from some of their movies. Ticket give-aways also appear on the Disney Pixar Facebook page, giving fans a chance to win tickets to the newest Disney Pixar release and information about release parties for movies opening soon.

Each Disney movie gets its own Facebook page to help advertise the movie and get fans excited about upcoming releases from the company. Fans can find out when their favorite Disney movies will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Disney has had unprecedented success due to the advent of social media. Fans can interact with other fans and with the company, in ways that were unheard of in the early days of Disney. Facebook has made it easy for fans to share their favorite Disney movies and characters with people all over the world.

Facebook vs. Shagbook: The Legal Battle Of Trademarks- Click here http://bit.ly/onj3hY for full article

2011-08-08T10:02:00.001-07:00

Facebook vs. Shagbook: The Legal Battle Of Trademarks- Click here http://bit.ly/onj3hY for full article

It's pretty clear that Facebook is going to go after anyone that even slightly infringes upon the trademark of its popular social media network. But how far are they willing to go and at what cost?
Recently, Facebook filed suits against Teachbook and Facebookofsex.com run by Friendfinder Networks because the names and actual sites were believed to be too close to its brand. While these disputes are still ongoing, Facebook also attacked the United Kingdom's Shagbook, an adult dating site. The suit was first filed in May but the recent counter by Shagbook has made this trademark legal battle very interesting.
It's true that if you wander over to Shagbook that the site's logo and visual format resembles Facebook's interface. However, Shagbook attorneys argue that its site is clearly a dating site while Facebook is a more generalized social media network. How could anyone be confused, they ask?

Speaking of generalizations, the real controversy started recently when Shagbook actually filed a countersuit saying the term "facebook" was too general and Facebook executives had even used the word in general terms themselves. Shagbook attorneys say that Facebook should have never been allowed to trademark the term in the first place.
According to The Inquirer, Shagbook researched the history of the word "facebook" and came up with this: "Books containing pictures of the members of an organization along with biographical information have been in existence for many decades." Therefore, they argue, Shagbook easily fits within the definition and should be allowed to use the word "book" in its name. Shagbook, much like Facebook, allows users to add photos and biographical information and connect with others within the network.
Shagbook also wants it to be known that it's been around longer than Facebook. Its owner has used the term "shagbook" since 2000 and the website was developed in 2006, which was before Facebook became popular. Shagbook executives simply ask, "Shouldn't we be suing you?" And that's exactly what they did.
Shagbook has also accused Facebook of "trademark bullying" because of the company's frequent and unrelenting lawsuits against a multitude of similar social networking sites. Many of these sites are not as popular or as large as Shagbook and simply don't have the means to fight the social media giant. But Shagbook is clearly taking a stand. A Shagbook representative told Mashable that they planned to "vigorously defend the Shagbook mark."
The question now is has Facebook gone so far that it might lose its own trademark?

Jelli Goes Live in Las Vegas!- Click here http://bit.ly/p8s1Dd for full article

2011-08-02T09:58:00.001-07:00

Jelli Goes Live in Las Vegas!- Click here http://bit.ly/p8s1Dd for full article

On June 30, 2011, Jelli arrived in Las Vegas. Attractive, vibrant and inviting, Jelli has already attracted thousands of listeners who are now devoted fans. Jelli is not a new musical performer but an innovative user-powered radio format which has taken over two terrestrial FM radio stations in Las Vegas, KXLI and KYLI, with its unique brand of real-time social radio.

This is an exciting and hopeful time for traditional radio. Jelli is revolutionizing radio, transforming it from a passive experience to an interactive world of excitement and social connection. It's like playing a massive multi-player role playing game with music!

What is Jelli? Jelli is a radically new radio format that allows listeners to decide on their favorite tracks and provide real-time feedback to the station. That's right, instantaneous listener requests actually determine the playlists on Jelli stations. Jelli stations are entirely automated, and without DJs, depend solely on listener input to decide what gets played.

How does Jelli work? It's based on a simple rating system familiar to anyone who's ever used a social network. You begin by looking through the station's database of music tracks and picking out the ones you like. For each track that a Jelli station plays, you get to vote, using your favorite mobile device or via the Web, on whether the track "rocks" or "sucks". You can discuss your choices in the forum, and decisions can be shared on Twitter and Facebook. Once you've put in enough Jelli time, you can even become a super-user and "rocket" your very favorite tracks to the top of the music chart, or "bomb" them to the bottom so you never have to hear them again.

Jelli is the brainchild of Mike Dougherty, who believes that social is the future of the internet and of American culture. As social media allow billions of people to express their needs, desires and preferences directly, Jelli uses crowd-sourcing to turn radio into another dynamic social experience. Dougherty has now partnered with Triton Media to bring Jelli into homes, cars and mobile devices. Director of product Sarah Bacon says Jelli is unlike Pandora in that you actually have the opportunity to interact with many other people rather than simply creating a personal playlist.

Some radio stations have certain time blocks devoted to Jelli, while a growing number of stations are all Jelli. With the additions of KXLI and KYLI, Las Vegas is the first city to have two full-time Jelli stations. Formerly KHIJ and KVBE, these stations will now be devoted to Jelli's rock and pop services.

Twitter Reaches Over $1 Billion In Total Funding- Click here http://bit.ly/pZyjTr for full article

2011-08-02T09:38:00.001-07:00

Twitter Reaches Over $1 Billion In Total Funding- Click here http://bit.ly/pZyjTr for full article

Twitter has recently completed a second round of venture capitalist funding. Rumored at $800 million, this puts the total estimated funding at $1.15 billion dollars. The company is looking to continue adding employees and seek out new demographics. As one of the largest players in the social media market, Twitter has yet to have a revenue source other than venture capital. The site maintains an ad-free format and does not have a tiered user structure, two of the most common ways to profit off of an interactive website.

Twitter has seen enormous growth over the last year. With an increasing number of applications that utilize Twitter, this social site is beginning to play an integral part in many applications and environments. Twitter has surpassed the one million mark in terms of applications utilizing its social network. Now that it has spawned derivative companies and spin-offs, Twitter may need to begin looking at a viable system of sustainable revenue.

Social sites such as Twitter have begun playing an increasingly large role in spontaneous demonstrations, as well as a barometer of collective voice. With trending topics a source of constantly updating social consciousness, many companies are beginning to foray into Twitter's sponsored trending topics. The ability to place an advertisement on a medium which actively engages users to visit external sites is one of the leading reasons why companies are pursuing these opportunities.

The user base of Twitter has grown exponentially over the past few years. With over one billion tweets sent every five days, the user experience has seen an increase in topics and conversations available. Features have also encouraged users to spend more time on the site. The ability to securely send tweets via the HTTPS protocol, as well as efforts to increase localization to further hone in on the customs of various communities. Events such as the government protests in Egypt as well as other locales around the world demonstrate how Twitter can be applied in real world efforts to organize and disseminate information.

Twitter has a strong user base and loyal commitment. Their increasing mobile presence, as well as the direct integration into a multitude of applications and other pieces of software, has enabled them to be a direct and viable service for millions of people on the go. This latest round of funding will further encourage their efforts and enable them to spread out into even more locales, demographics, and opportunities.

Can Smartphones Be Used As Criminal Evidence?- Click here http://bit.ly/nKKGRg for full article

2011-08-01T11:38:00.001-07:00

Can Smartphones Be Used As Criminal Evidence?- Click here http://bit.ly/nKKGRg for full article

Smartphone usage is increasingly becoming one of the most ubiquitous factor of life in the 21st century. Research data published by the International Data Corporation during the final quarter of 2010 indicated that smartphones outpaced desktop computers in sales. These figures aren't surprising to the tech-savvy crowd. It's not that PC sales are slowing down, it's just that more and more people are interested in carrying Internet-connected devices that feature many of the same functions as their home and work PCs.

The growing omnipresence of smartphones is influencing the way that law enforcement and the legal community perceive these devices. Police officers, federal agents, and prosecutors already know the potential trove of information that a suspect's smartphone may store: where the suspect has been (geolocation), what he or she likes to view and read online (browser history), information they may be interested in (search history), who the suspect's associates are, where they live, what they look like (contacts and photo galleries), and more.

Due to the portability and versatility of smartphones, we tend to store more potentially damning information on them. There's something about having a powerful multifunctional device in our hands that moves us to trust it with our deepest secrets; information that we wouldn't normally store in our desktop computers at home or at work. This is intimate information that can easily end up in the social media realm if we choose to share it right from our smartphones.

What is even more troubling is that social media often takes kindly to storing and neatly organizing all the information mentioned above in ways that can be easily accessed by smartphones. Most social media enterprises go to great lengths to ensure that users can access their sites via their smartphones with innovative apps that can be easily downloaded for free.

Many smartphone users have already developed deep personal attachments to their beloved devices and thus think of them as items subject to the principles of privacy and inviolability. But smartphones and their less intelligent ancestors (cell phones) have already been entered as evidence in criminal court, and law enforcement officers are quite fond of sleuthing around the contents of smartphones. The London Metropolitan Police Service already trains its officers to efficiently gather evidence contained in smartphones. And in the United States, the Supreme Court of California ruled on a 2011 drug trafficking case that police officers do not need to obtain search warrants to examine a suspect's cell phone.

Rumblefish Now Helping Developers Add Licensed Music- Click here http://bit.ly/qjZ6oi for full article

2011-08-01T10:29:00.003-07:00

Rumblefish Now Helping Developers Add Licensed Music- Click here http://bit.ly/qjZ6oi for full article

In an increasingly litigious world, many content producers have to be extremely careful not to violate any copyrights held on third-party media they wish to include in videos and blog posts. Nowhere is this more true than in the field of music. Torrent sites being shut down left and right show that the MPAA is somewhat clueless when it comes to addressing the issue of file sharing and copyright infringement. There are many users who would gladly pay digital rights holders a licensing fee to use their work, if only there were a relatively inexpensive and convenient way to do so.

Fortunately, a licensing company by the name of Rumblefish has stepped in to fill the void with a creative solution. Last week, they opened up their API to independent developers so that anyone with the will and know-how can create applications that allow music embedding and licensing for everyday bloggers and end-users. It's free to apply for a partnership, and developers can even get a cut of the revenue their applications generate from licensing fees. While Rumblefish already has deals with services like HighlightCam and Clipik, releasing their API will only increase the options for using music legally in Youtube and Vimeo videos at an affordable rate.

The percentage of revenue that developers can expect from their applications will depend on their specific programs, but it'll still be a potentially lucrative sector for motivated coders. At present, Rumblefish offers access to over 4 million songs through their API. With all that variety and choice, this could be a major game-changer when it comes to digital content licensing on the web. Not that Rumblefish is without competition. Another company by the name of Audiosocket also offers a similar Music As A Service platform with much of the same functionality. Competition tends to breed excellence, so it'll be interesting to see how this environment shapes up over the coming year.

Ultimately, Rumblefish's release of their API to the public is a positive step forward when it comes to digital rights management online. Allowing consumers, content producers, and developers a straight-forward and hassle-free way to incorporate copyright-protected music into their creations just makes sense. When people have reasonable options in regards to using and sharing others' content, they tend to shy away from piracy and copyright infringement. Though there are some who'd like to see patents and copyrights go away entirely, Rumblefish's model is the next best thing.

Rumblefish Now Helping Developers Add Licensed Music- Click here http://bit.ly/qjZ6oi for full article

2011-08-01T10:29:00.001-07:00

Rumblefish Now Helping Developers Add Licensed Music- Click here http://bit.ly/qjZ6oi for full article

Google+ Allowing Users To Get More Features And Apps- Click here http://bit.ly/nFsLwg for full article

2011-07-29T09:57:00.001-07:00

Google+ Allowing Users To Get More Features And Apps- Click here http://bit.ly/nFsLwg for full article

Everyone knows how great Google has been for personal and business use. Google+ users are getting a lot more than just the advantage of using the Google website. Listed below are some of the great features of Google+.

Circles:

Circles are groups of contacts that can be organized by friends, family, college buddies, roommates, business colleagues and acquaintances, etc. You can drag and drop your contacts into groups, which makes it really simple to share whatever you want with your contacts.

Sparks:

Sparks is similar to Google Reader, but it delivers content to you automatically based on your personal interests. Each topic in Sparks has its own page and has links to articles, photos, videos, and more that are related to your interests. Sparks can be very helpful in helping you accomplish tasks that you use on the job daily.

Hangouts:

Hangouts let you video chat with those in your circles; hangouts are virtual rooms. You can talk with your friends or business colleagues just like a video chat.

Huddles:

Huddles is group messaging for people in your circles; it also gives you a mobile app for Android that lets you send messages from your smart phone. A group of your friends, co-workers, or business acquaintances can chat with each other using Huddles.

Instant Upload:

Share your mobile photos; snap the photo on your Android phone and it gets automatically uploaded to Google+!

The handy toolbar for the Google website will be turning into a transparent gray bar with a "+You" button that will let you get to all the features mentioned above. Google+ can be used right from the Android phone too. You will be able to download the app when you receive the invite. You can visit the Google+ home page to request an invite. Before too long, everyone with a Google account will be able to use the program; the +You button will be seen by everyone logging into Google.

As you can see Google+ can be enjoyed for personal use, but has many nice features for anyone in the business world. Video chats, group messaging, uploading of photos, and sharing documents are all ideal for business use.

A Misstep For Google+?- Click here http://bit.ly/ranGHE for full article

2011-07-28T09:49:00.001-07:00

A Misstep For Google+?- Click here http://bit.ly/ranGHE for full article

As Google continues to find its footing in the social networking game with the newly released Google+, they may have hit their first major road bump. In a story broken by ZDNet, “a striking number of Google+ accounts” were deleted over the weekend for violating the Google+ common name policy.

The common name policy states that users must provide their legal name on Google+. Unlike Facebook which allows users to utilize any name from John Smith to Galaxor, Google+ aims to promote social connections through open identification.

Google+ users found themselves banned without warning for violating this policy. An ex-google employee was flagged for including a nickname within his given name. Google+ asked for a scanned government ID before they would release his account. Limor Fried, owner of Adafruit Industries, was temporarily banned for including her pseudonym. Even actor William Shatner found his account flagged, announcing on Twitter that since he wasn’t allowed to say hello on Google+ perhaps he should say good-bye.

The crackdown wasn’t limited to Google+. Many users reported that all their Google accounts were banned, including Gmail and Docs. Given no warning, many users were justifiably confused and angry at losing all their access. Some users, such as Ms. Fried, were able to get their account reinstated through their many fans but the average Google+ user found their account banned with no recourse.

Google was quick to respond to the outcry. Bradley Horowitz, Vice President of Google, admitted they had made a mistake in removing the accounts. Google+ will continue to use the common name policy but notification and education about the policy will be given before shutting down accounts. In the future, users who violate the policy will receive a warning with clear directions for how to comply with the policy and a timeline for compliance.

As for the deletion of other Google accounts, Horowitz states, “If your Google+ Profile is suspended for not using a common name, you won't be able to use Google services that require a Google+ Profile, but you'll still be able to use Gmail, Docs, Calendar, Blogger, and so on.”

Google+ will continue to keep the common name policy but whether this will impact its growth has yet to be seen. For business owners, this means creating a business page using Google+ will be an impossibility until they are ready to roll out their social media site to businesses which is slated for next year. For now, keep your business on other social media sites and stay tuned for more Google+ news.

Toyota Donates Cars On Facebook- Click here http://bit.ly/nlLYdG for full article

2011-07-28T09:30:00.001-07:00

Toyota Donates Cars On Facebook- Click here http://bit.ly/nlLYdG for full article

Japanese automaker Toyota has always gone to great lengths to ensure that its Internet presence lives up to its corporate standards. Toyota was among the first car manufacturers to set up a friendly yet comprehensive web site that appealed to its most important customer base: passenger vehicles owners. Now Toyota is once again showing its Internet moxie by effectively combining corporate social responsibility with the power of social networking.

In March 2011 Toyota USA announced its "100 Cars for Good" philanthropic program on its Facebook page. For this charitable program Toyota appointed a panel of six judges to review a large number of applications submitted by charitable non-profit organizations vying for a chance to receive a brand new Toyota vehicle. The judges, who come from philanthropy circles, whittled down the number of applications to 500. The finalists perform works of benevolence in different fields such as health, education, environmental protection, animal welfare, and more.

The 500 finalists were announced on Toyota's Facebook page on April 11, 2011. Each finalist was given a multimedia authoring toolkit that allowed them to highlight the charitable work they perform through text and video. Starting on May 9, five finalist had a chance to showcase their video on a Facebook app specially developed for voters to view the plans each non-profit has for using the donated car in their respective communities.

More than 92,000 Facebook members have "liked" this smart charitable initiative. Thanks to the "100 Cars for Good", the participating organizations not only have a chance to win a brand new car, but they also have a momentous opportunity to raise awareness among Facebook members about the work they do in their respective communities. Voters can become friends of the non-profits on Facebook and follow them as they perform their charity work.

The non-profit showcase and voting will continue until August 16, at which time Toyota would have donated 100 cars over 100 days. Each winning organization can choose a Toyota vehicle from the following lineup: Prius (Hybrid), Tacoma, Tundra, Highlander (Hybrid), and Sienna. Each car comes with a six-year service agreement that extends the vehicle protection beyond the manufacturer's warranty.

Toyota's decision to democratize this philanthropic endeavor through Facebook is a shining example of how businesses can leverage the power of online social networks and empower their members to become forces of change.

10 Tips For Google+ Users- Click here http://bit.ly/oCSxxI for full article

2011-07-27T15:37:00.001-07:00

10 Tips For Google+ Users- Click here http://bit.ly/oCSxxI for full article

Google has managed to combine all the most powerful tools of social media and social marketing within their much anticipated Google+. Due to how new this social networking platform is, there are quite a few tricks that new users can benefit from.

1. Take Advantage of Your Profile
Google+ users have the option to fill out a rather in-depth profile when they first join. It is important to take the time to fill out the various fields as well as make customize settings for privacy.

2. Expand Your Thumbnail
There is a simple trick that can dramatically change the important information that people can read about you simply by hovering over your thumbnail. In the "employer's name" field of the profile, write out a short and interesting biography and click "current." This will allow users to hover over the thumbnail and read interesting facts.

3. Organize With Circles
The key component of Google+ are the circles. These social circles can revolve around anything imaginable. A good way to organize important information is to create personal circles and input the information one would like to keep fresh without inviting any members.

4. Keep Profile Pics Interesting
Profile pictures can be accessed directly through messages and profile pages. Keeping interesting and appropriate profile pictures at all times is a must to cultivate interest in your profile.

5. Understand the Streams
Friends can be organized into streams such as coworkers, friends, and family. When streaming information, be sure to click on the correct streams to get updated information to the correct people.

6. Restrict Sharing
Much like Twitter, anyone that has access to your posts has the ability to "share" them with anyone they would like. If information is private, remove the "sharing" option before posting the information.

7. Finding A Permalink
If you would like to permanently have access to a post, you are going to need the permalink. In the drop down menu select "Link to this post" which will open up a new window and allow you to copy the URL.

8. Utilize Hangouts
Hangouts are chat areas that Google+ users can meet new people or speak with old friends. If your friends have started a hangout, simply click to join and you will be able to chat directly with everyone involved.

9. Drag And Drop Content
To share files of any sort there is no need to repeatedly upload or download content. Drag the file, picture, video, or song directly into the yellow "drop" area to share information with contacts.

10. Find Google+ Anywhere
Google has made it very convenient to find Google+ without having to favorite the page. Google.com/+, plus.google.com, and google.com/plus all go directly to Google+.

Google+ has taken the best parts of social networking and social media and put them in a single place. It has the potential to become a major component of any business for those willing to learn the nuances.

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

2011-07-27T15:34:00.007-07:00

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

Even politicians who don't know what Twitter is have a presence online, though their staff members might take care of updating Twitter, Facebook, and other social media accounts for them. The reality is that government officials around the world are increasingly turning to social media to connect to constituents and sell messages to the masses, though the strategy's efficiency is certainly debatable.

New Avenues of Information

There are plenty of social media outlets for politicians to use, but the two most popular choices by far are Twitter and Facebook. Twitters allows senators, representatives, and even the President to update constituents practically in real time. Twitter's importance is recognized to the point that a Twitter Q&A session was recently conducted with President Obama.

Facebook is used more like traditional government websites. Updated less regularly, Facebook accounts feature press releases and bigger pieces of news. Politicians on Facebook also often screen content and feedback to align with their own views.

Effectiveness

The whole point with social media and government is to make government more transparent and open to the public. It certainly succeeds in that capacity by letting average citizens voice their opinions, but that doesn't mean their voices are necessarily heard.

Also, there are some people who believe that government does not need to be more open. After all, James Madison once wrote of the "ruling class" and warned against popular opinion holding too much sway in U.S. politics, one of the arguments for 6-year senatorial terms.

Security Concerns

A big selling point for the U.S. Congress website is that it is maintained on government-owned computers and has that layer of security simply because it doesn't exist on a private server. That doesn't mean .gov websites are totally secure - there are many reports over the past few years to the contrary. However, the insular nature of government networks does provide a bit more protection against rogue hackers attempting to create mischief or worse.

In June 2011, Representative Bill Johnson's twitter account was compromised, and an unknown third party began posting inappropriate content, including a nude photo meant to represent the Congressman. While Bill Johnson's story is still the exception, it does highlight some of the risks inherent to opening up government to the Internet, especially social media.

It was a story used by Representative Anthony Weiner to explain his scandal even though it was proven false by his changed testimony a week later. Because such a scenario is very plausible, he was given a hefty benefit of the doubt.

Social media is changing how the government connects to people. While ordinary citizens are still largely cut out from the inner workings in Washington, it's a small victory in the fight to make government more transparent.

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

2011-07-27T15:34:00.005-07:00

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

New Avenues of Information

Effectiveness

Security Concerns

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

2011-07-27T15:34:00.003-07:00

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

New Avenues of Information

Effectiveness

Security Concerns

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

2011-07-27T15:34:00.001-07:00

Social Media In The Government- Click here http://bit.ly/mZA4zX for full article

New Avenues of Information

Effectiveness

Security Concerns

LinkedIn Simplifies The Job Application Process- Click here http://bit.ly/qrwGes for full article

2011-07-26T10:15:00.003-07:00

LinkedIn Simplifies The Job Application Process- Click here http://bit.ly/qrwGes for full article

LinkedIn, a social networking website for business professionals, has incorporated a new feature that greatly simplifies the job application process. This new feature comes in the blue rectangular shape of a button that reads "Apply with LinkedIn".

The new "Apply with LinkedIn" button can be seen on job listings posted on the social network's own website, as well as alongside job postings on other websites such as job boards. Some companies that recruit new employees right from their websites have decided to include the LinkedIn button alongside their job postings. The companies that have already partnered with LinkedIn by featuring its "Apply" button are of the Internet-savvy variety: Netflix and LivingSocial.

The new button is the front-end graphical user interface for a plugin that works in a similar fashion as the "Share" buttons from Facebook and Twitter. The actual job application mechanism that occurs the button is clicked is simple yet elegant. Assuming that the applicant is a LinkedIn member already signed in to the network, a screen will appear with prompts for the member to review and edit parts of his or her profile to submit for consideration. The LinkedIn user may also be prompted to answer questions pertaining to the job posting. A click on the Submit Application button finalizes the process. The user can also check for any LinkedIn contacts who may be affiliated with the company he or she just applied to.

This new LinkedIn feature is completely in line with the company's commitment to its members and shareholders to become the premier social network for employment and recruiting solutions. The new button presents a win-win situation for both applicants and companies that are seeking for tech-savvy employees who are also well-connected to their business peers.

Business owners who are looking for new employees can substantially speed up their candidate search by modifying the LinkedIn plugin preferences to filter out unqualified candidates and sending automated responses to their applicants.

The job search and recruiting market in the United States is quite lucrative despite the current high unemployment rate. One characteristic of the industry is that it is highly decentralized. By building a significant social network of business professionals and reaching out to employers at the same time, LinkedIn is making a move in the right direction. The company expects the button will become a web standard of job searching.

LinkedIn Simplifies The Job Application Process- Click here http://bit.ly/qrwGes for full article

2011-07-26T10:15:00.001-07:00

LinkedIn Simplifies The Job Application Process- Click here http://bit.ly/qrwGes for full article

Engage Your Customers Through Social Media- Click here http://bit.ly/ohj3Ph for full article

2011-07-26T09:57:00.001-07:00

Engage Your Customers Through Social Media- Click here http://bit.ly/ohj3Ph for full article

Social media is the wave of the internet future. Facebook has more than 750 million users. Through the use of Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare and others you can tell where almost any person is at any given time. Everything on the internet has become social. With one click of a button you can share your favorite article with your hundreds of Facebook friends, post to any number of the hundreds of social bookmarking sites and post it on your own blog.

Businesses need to keep this in mind to succeed today. Customers are looking online to find a business’s address, checking the appropriate Facebook page to print off the daily deals and doing all their shopping online.

In order to succeed, businesses, whether an online business or a brick and mortar business that has an online presence, need to engage their customers through social media. This can mean any number of things.

First of all, every business needs to have a website and a Facebook profile page that is updated consistently. Twitter pages and Google Local pages allow customers to easily find and keep track of your business.

One very effective way of attracting and keeping new customers is through a social media event. This can be anything from a live chat with the business owner to a contest to a webinar. There are any number of social media events that you can use to get customers excited about your products or services and willing to share them with their friends. The power of social media is that everything can be shared with a lot of people very quickly.

So, to make this practical, first pick what kind of event you want to have. What fits best with your business model? What would be most popular with your target audience?

Then pick a date at least several weeks in advance. Make sure people have plenty of time to find out about and plan for your contest, live conference, webinar or whatever event you choose.

Make sure you have something valuable to offer that people will get excited about. Nothing kills a social media event faster than offering a Yankees memorabilia giveaway in Boston.

Plan your event and make sure it is something that you are proud to have your business name associated with. People are giving up their time. Make sure it is worth it to them.

Lastly, make sure that people who weren’t able to attend your webinar or didn’t find out about the contest in time still have a chance to be involved.

Every business can use social media to attract new customers and engage their current client base. Businesses that don’t take advantage of social media are missing out on potential customers, profit and branding.

7 Ways to Print Social Media Content- Click here http://bit.ly/pQdtRW for full article

2011-07-25T13:59:00.001-07:00

7 Ways to Print Social Media Content- Click here http://bit.ly/pQdtRW for full article

With social media sites such as Facebook becoming more and more popular for both individuals and businesses, it is no surprise that a number of services have become available that allow users to preserve digital content on paper. Here are seven of the best options.

1. JotJournal
Within two minutes, JotJournal will arrange recent posts and photos into a 32-page, glossy, 8”x8” book. JotJournal features bright, colorful designs that look current and professional.

2. EgoBook
Integrated into a simple Facebook application, EgoBook creates personalized books from status updates, posted and tagged pictures, wall messages, links and even comments from Facebook. EgoBook features a personalized cover incorporating a user's profile picture and biography overlaid on a mosaic of friends' profile pictures.

3. Social Memories
Social Memories is another Facebook application that both records and analyzes Facebook content. Social Memories creates fun and sleek infographics illustrating social trends and highlights, and compiles them along with photos and status updates in a 28-page, professionally-bound book printed on glossy stock.

4. Social Print Studio
Social Print Studio offers a number of social media printing services, including poster-size prints of Facebook friends or albums, Twitter followers, or even Tumblr posts. They also can create Mini Photo Books or Lil' Stickers of images from a number of social media sites, making this a versatile service.

5. Yearbound
Yearbound is like a yearbook for Facebook that produces hardbound or paperback books that are highly customizable, featuring profile information and pictures, photo albums, status updates, wall posts, and notes from a year in a Facebook life.

6. Book of Fame
Book of Fame produces blank journals that have Facebook status messages printed along the bottom of each page. The covers of these journals feature a mosaic of profile photos or one of many colorful, contemporary patterns.

7. Yearly Leaf
Yearly Leaf is a coming-soon service that produces high-quality books full of Facebook posts, pictures, and status updates. With a design inspired by Moleskine journals, but with the feel of a coffee table book, Yearly Leaf is a luxury option for printing social media content.

These services can be used by businesses to create high-quality printed versions of social media content for use in sales pitches or meetings, bringing valuable content off the Web and onto the page. Social media companies

MBAs Of The World, Unite!- Click here http://bit.ly/ouWgTy for full article

2011-07-25T10:49:00.001-07:00

MBAs Of The World, Unite!- Click here http://bit.ly/ouWgTy for full article

There is no doubt that social networking has come a long way from the early days of Friendster and MySpace. Social networking has given us Internet celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Tila Tequila. A 2010 film about the convoluted origins of the world's most pervasive social network (Facebook) took top honors at most film festivals and award ceremonies. And let's not forget about the valuations of the top social networks: Facebook and Twitter are reportedly worth billions of dollars.

After seeing the explosive growth of social media in the last few years, many experts and observers are predicting that while social networking is poised to become more popular, it will gravitate towards providing exclusive experiences for their members. This means that niche social networking sites that attract members with certain common interests will grow at rates faster than those that allow anyone to join. This means, for example, that business professionals may consider LinkedIn over Facebook; or that working musicians will prefer SoundCloud over MySpace.

Some of today's most active and cohesive niche social networks evolved organically thanks to their members. Examples of such networks include Orkut for Brazilians and Ravelry for knitters. Members of niche social networking sites tend to be more passionate of their chosen community.

A new niche social networking site that aims to bring together the MBA community began as a blog in 2005. "Beat the GMAT" was created by a Stanford student who set his sights on getting admitted to a top business school, a key academic ritual that requires a good Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) score and can culminate in being awarded the coveted Master of Business Administration diploma. From its humble beginnings as a single-authorship blog, Beat the GMAT evolved into a social network for MBA hopefuls (and MBAs) to get together and discuss strategies for acing the GMAG and getting into business school.

Beat the GMAT has been redesigned into MBAWatch, and now the site bills itself as the world's largest social network for MBA applicants. The new sites includes many features that are reminiscent of those found in Facebook. Members of MBAWatch will definitely enjoy the way the site aggregates and organizes data pertaining to different business schools. Members also have the opportunity to share their stats as they pertain to the application process.

MBAWatch is a perfect example of the future of social networking. The information shared on MBAWatch goes beyond mere status updates or messages from members, it can significantly shape a member's quest for an MBA degree.

A New Tech Boom In The Making?- Click here http://bit.ly/pXrK5S for full article

2011-07-22T11:48:00.001-07:00

A New Tech Boom In The Making?- Click here http://bit.ly/pXrK5S for full article

The ebb and flow of economic tides has been occurring for as long as mankind has practiced even the bare rudiments of economic behavior. It appears that every new industry seems to usher in new economic upheaval. So it's no surprise then, that the latest tech boom and its ensuing bust has left the world economy in quite a state of disarray.

The current turmoil that has followed since the dot-com bust in the early 2000's has affected virtually every person alive within the civilized world. Concerns of worldwide recession possibly turning into depression are rampant. But that's not to say that there isn't still opportunity in some places. Just as the good times came to an end, so will the bad. Such is the way of the economic cycle.

Lately it seems a new boom has been taking hold in the tech industry. Though this time around the focus seems to be less on the high-tech semiconductor industry and more on targeted marketing developing thanks to social networks such as Facebook. One of the prior concerns of the earlier dot-com bust was the inability to monetize the information of internet users. In other words, there wasn't any "real" business plan for so many failed companies. Many hard earned lessons may have been learned.

So now it seems some companies are attempting to address the business plan problem and are moving forward with innovative strategies to make sure they know just who their customers are and what they want. And even now with the current recession going on, there are still plenty of consumers ready to hand over plenty of money to the company smart enough to deliver the right product to the right customer. Indeed, any companies that can take hold even in these trying times will most likely be doing even better once the economy is back on the uptick.

Could this new round of tech investing lead to a flourishing of the economy? Possibly. Understandably some questions remain from savvy investors since it's not entirely clear yet if many of these companies know exactly what they're doing.

But all this remains to be seen. For those who are willing and able to take advantage of this latest boom, there could be fortunes in the making.

How To Convert Social Media Traffic Into Leads- Click here http://bit.ly/pkiQ80 for full article

2011-07-22T11:10:00.001-07:00

How To Convert Social Media Traffic Into Leads- Click here http://bit.ly/pkiQ80 for full article

Business owners are quickly realizing that social media is not just a hobby. Word of mouth is powerful and, if used correctly, you can learn how to convert social media traffic into leads.
You should carefully determine which social media networks your company should integrate into your marketing strategy. Ask yourself this question: Where are your customers, clients and vendors in the social media space? Find out and then join in the conversation.
Remember that social media is conversation as well. Some business owners still live by the old adage "Always Be Selling." In social media, you aren't always selling. You are interacting.
Keeping this in mind, here are seven ways to convert your social media traffic into leads:
1. Be engaging. Build up trust with your social media connections and you'll build interest and credibility for your business. Make sure you are interacting and not just talking to yourself.

2. Offer up additional ways of engagement. Let your connections know they can go to your website and sign up for an RSS feed of your blog. Encourage them to sign up for a free email newsletter.
3. Give incentives. Consider offering specials or discounts to people who become fans of your Facebook page or retweet your post on Twitter. Add a contest to your website.
4. Welcome new connections. Make sure you thank new followers, fans and visitors to your website. A simple post on Twitter or Facebook will do the job. You can also integrate a pop-up welcome sign for first visitors to your website.
5. Don't overwhelm people with content. Is the home page of your website too intense with information? Consider designing a simple landing page to minimize the noise and get people to the point faster and easier.
6. Give plenty of call to action in all areas of communication. Include links to your site on Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus when you post a new blog or have a new product or service. Make sure visitors to your website can easily contact you through filling out a quick form.
7. Use a little self-promotion. Advertise your products on your own website. Mention your products and services in all social media networks. Don't overdo it but a little self-promotion is okay.
Following these suggestions can help convert social media traffic into leads. Just remember that it's not always be selling, but it is always be

Thank You, Google Labs!- Click here http://bit.ly/p0NhlC for full article

2011-07-22T09:36:00.001-07:00

Thank You, Google Labs!- Click here http://bit.ly/p0NhlC for full article

One of the most unique applied product research efforts in recent history is coming to an end as Google Labs is being closed. The company that allows its workers to utilize up to 20 percent of their day working on their own development projects, has determined that the current corporate focus dictates that a different set of processes be in place to bring exciting new concepts to the web.
Google has already closed down two specific projects, Google Health and Google Powermeter, in order to trim the roster of existing applications and projects ahead of the Labs closure. The remaining projects are slated to stand alone, be moved to the Android Marketplace, or be shut down as well.

As Google Labs closes, a new day dawns for the researchers and employees that have been tirelessly contributing using the Labs paradigm. The tighter focus at Google will cause their efforts to be more directed at enhancing existing projects, or creating new projects that are closely aligned with revenue centers.
As an example, there is no doubt that Google Transliteration is a useful product for many. Allowing users to type a sentence in English and convert the results to Spanish or Japanese using phonetics with all the accents and characters complete is a great concept. Perhaps porting it as a feature to Google Docs and the Android Marketplace will ensure that its developers will be integrated more directly into the company's profit areas.
Google Docs is another example of an application that was developed by Google Labs over a period of time and then commercially released to the general public. The City of Los Angeles and several other major corporations have now committed to switching their existing infrastructure over to Google Apps, with Google Docs and its integrated e-mail. For businesses that are considering a move to the cloud for their employees, Google Apps and Microsoft Office 365 are now both mandatory evaluation partners.
Spokespeople for Google did say that there will be no change to the popular options that allow Google Apps and Maps users to try out new features as they are developed; they will instead be continued under a different name.

StockTwits: a fresh new approach to investor relations- Click here http://bit.ly/p9UO9U for full article

2011-07-21T10:58:00.001-07:00

StockTwits: a fresh new approach to investor relations- Click here http://bit.ly/p9UO9U for full article

Building a close-knit and vertically integrated Twitter community is no small feat. Profiting from Twitter in a manner that does not involve paid advertising or extracting a monetary fee directly from users is seen as difficult by industry insiders. Yet for he Twitter-centric startup StockTwits, profit is not derived from paid tweets or monthly premium subscriptions. StockTwits prides itself in offering a service which is truly valuable in this day and age: efficient investor relations.

Tens of thousands of publicly traded companies around the world have struggled for years to find an effective platform to conduct their investor relations. While large companies can afford to spend millions in their large-scale PR efforts, other companies languish in relative obscurity which typically does not involve more than largely unread press releases.

StockTwits provides a real solution to investor relations. By harnessing the communicative power of Twitter, StockTwits allows companies to “claim” their ticker web page so that they can reach a global audience of shareholders, traders, investors, analysts, journalists, customers, fans, and more. Once visible on the StockTwits and Twitter platform, a company can simultaneously link their social presence on Facebook and LinkedIn; thereby truly leveraging the power of social networks.

By claiming a ticker page on StockTwits, a publicly traded company has a great way to releasing news and updates that are pushed not only to the realm of social networking, but also to established financial media partners such as CNN Money and Yahoo!

One of the most attractive features of StockTwit is their commitment to fair play. The Internet has long been criticized for providing a soapbox to the scourge of securities trading: the noisy cheerleaders, the unscrupulous stock promoters, and the unethical market manipulators. This is clearly not the case with StockTwits. The ideas provided by its user base are curated according to the company's House Rules which are internally enforced to keep out the spammers and other unsavory netizens.

StockTwits is a tech company based in San Diego and New York. The company bills itself as being “the Financial Idea Network” and “the best place to discover and share trading ideas with real traders in real time.” The company has already raised significant venture capital and is poised to continue to make profits. StockTwits has been called “one of the top 10 most innovative companies” by Fast Company and was selected as one of the 50 best websites of 2010 by Time Magazine.

Parent Approved Social Networking Site For Kids-Click here http://bit.ly/n1clLK for full article

2011-07-21T09:49:00.001-07:00

Parent Approved Social Networking Site For Kids-Click here http://bit.ly/n1clLK for full article

BizRocket.com, Inc. has announced the launch of KidzRocket.com, a subscription-based social networking site for the pre-teen child demographic. The site aims to ease parents' concern about the dangers of internet communication by providing ways for them to control their children's use of the service. KidzRocket.com is centered around a chat service, but also includes Facebook and MySpace-like functionality such as profiles, blogs, and media collections. It also comes with a WebFilter module that parents can use to monitor and control their children's Internet use outside of the KidzRocket.com jurisdiction.

When children sign up for KidzRocket.com, they have to include the email address of their parent. The parent is then able to confirm the child's membership at their discretion. As the child chooses friends to chat with on the KidzRocket website, the parent must approve of each friend before the child can start chatting with them. This feature is intended to let parents keep control over who is communicating with their children. The chat feature uses a content filter to prevent members from using profanity or other offensive words. Chats can have embedded audio and visual elements, but these are also checked for appropriateness.

The KidzRocket WebFilter is another component of the KidzRocket service that goes beyond the social networking site itself. It hooks into the Internet browser, allowing parents to define their children's access privileges and check which sites they are visiting. Thanks to its real-time image analysis engine, it can filter out not just inappropriate text but also pictures that parents may find objectionable. It also keeps a record of which sites children have visited or attempted to visit, which parents can access later. Parents can prevent their children from accessing entire categories of website, such as adult entertainment or e-commerce. They can also allow certain sites within these categories.

The KidzRocket.com service costs $5.95 per month or $57.95 per year. BizRocket is confident about KidzRocket's ability to keep its members safe and under the careful watch of their parents while on the Internet. Robert G. Williams, founder of BizRocket, says they have “built the safest social network for kids that parents approve of.”

Business Promotion Through Tumblr-Click here http://bit.ly/oSIxqu for full article

2011-07-21T09:28:00.001-07:00

Business Promotion Through Tumblr-Click here http://bit.ly/oSIxqu for full article

The social media website Tumblr is quickly growing to become an influential hotspot on the web. Its growing user base and site traffic make Tumblr an attractive tool for business owners to explore for their ventures. Tumblr's many features along with its many customization options make it an appealing online venture to explore.

Tumblr is a blogging service at its core, but gives users the ability to create posts beyond the traditional text-based blog entry. Users can also create non-text posts including dedicated photo, link, audio, and video posts. These options provide the freedom to showcase photos of new products and events or upload podcast interviews with team members from the company. This range of post options helps to suit a variety of needs, helping each business create a unique feel that best fits its brand image.

Businesses can easily integrate their online presence with other social media outlets with Tumblr. Once a Twitter or Facebook account is linked, an update can be sent to the services whenever a new post has been made on Tumblr. Additionally, any posts made to sites like YouTube, Wordpress, Twitter, and Digg can all be aggregated and posted on Tumblr.

There are numerous other features that make Tumblr an attractive social media stop. There is no advertising from Tumblr placed on individual blogs, which gives business owners the chance to sell their own advertising on their blogs that is tailor-made to suit their audience. Tumblr blogs are search engine friendly, raising the chances for traffic to be directed to the blog when users are using engines like Google.

Tumblr fully supports Google Analytics so business owners can monitor the traffic on their Tumblr blog, discover key search words that lead new visitors to the blog, and find out what kind of posts visitors find the most interesting. Tumblr also has two intuitive features, the "like" and "reblog" functions, which allow users to show their approval of a post and share a post on their own blog respectively. While neither is a true indicator of traffic, both offer the chance at word of mouth promotion.

Tumblr has proven to be a popular social media source and is showing potential as a new way for businesses to promote themsevles. It is one of many tools that businesses can utilize to represent themselves in the ever-growing online universe.

Fighting Words!- Click here http://bit.ly/omv6oG for full article

2011-07-20T11:47:00.001-07:00

Fighting Words!- Click here http://bit.ly/omv6oG for full article

Whatever or not your organization is affiliated with the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), theres a good chance you can learn from some of their creative advertising ventures. If you are unaware, the UFC happens to be the biggest name in the entire mixed martial arts world, and has produced one of the largest and most profitable brands of the past decade.

Even if you don't particularly care for the sport, it would be wise for you to check how the president, Dana White, operates his business. UFC is a very net and social networking savvy business, and knows how to turn things like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube into hard revenue.

On January 22, 2011, the UFC did something unthinkable. A free giveaway was given to users of Facebook, and it's interesting what they gave away. No, it wasn't t-shirts or other merchandise, it was actual content. For the small free of clicking 'Like' on the UFC Facebook page, users could watch fights for free right on Facebook. What does this mean? Viewership increased by nearly 60,000 , and that solid promotion was worth the negligible loss in ticket sales.

Now, 60,000 might seem like a very modest number. But keep in mind that the UFC typically offers all preliminary fights for free, rewarding fans while at the same time advertising the more expensive (and exciting) pay per view show. Fights have also become avaliable on YouTube. Interestingly enough, their Facebook experience has proved to be incredibly successful. With nearly 6 million Facebook fans, analysts can even begin to speculate how this will affect their viewership. They do know one thing, however: it's a powerful plod into the right direction. The moral of this story? If you want to create rapport and dedication in your fan base, give them what they want -- content.

Another great tool UFC uses is marketability. I'm not talking about advertising, either. Accessibilty to the UFC fighters is unparalleled to any other sport, as they tend to always make time for photos and short chit-chats with fans. This same atmosphere has carried over to Twitter, as president Dana White has amassed nearly 1.5 million followers. Dana White spends plenty of time conversing with his fans, and is remarkably down to earth for heading such a lucrative company.

The final word on this is honesty. If you have personality, let that personality shine through with social media. Let the fans come to you with discussions, and be engaging. It's incredible how much a few moments of your time means to your fans.

B2B Marketing Is (Slowly) On The Rise- Click here http://bit.ly/n5YKnY for full article

2011-07-20T11:40:00.003-07:00

B2B Marketing Is (Slowly) On The Rise- Click here http://bit.ly/n5YKnY for full article

The marketing efforts of business-to-business (B2B) companies are gradually picking up steam according to recent observations made by business analysts. B2B companies provide specialized products and services that enable other companies to carry on their business operations, something that makes them extremely vulnerable when the economy takes a turn for the worst.

At the height of the global financial crisis, many B2B companies struggled to stay afloat by taking drastic measures such as shutting down branch offices and reducing the ranks of their staff. The marketing budgets of B2B firms were also greatly reduced in order to weather the abrupt economic meltdown of the late 2000s. This negative trend, which has now carried on for a few years, is beginning to show signs of improvement.

Business activity is the lifeblood of the B2B industry. The current pace of the post-crisis business activity can be described as slow and measured, with occasional short-lived spurs of growth. This is what several economists and business analysts are calling the new normal. The sales and marketing departments of B2B enterprises must take this new tempo into consideration when designing their media and advertising campaigns.

The slow pace of economic recovery has revealed quite a few emerging trends in how business is being conducted. The potential clients of B2B firms (business owners and representatives) are spending a lot more of their time on the Internet. Most prospective clients are still looking for the right products and services to enable them to carry on their operations, that is still at the heart of B2B's nature. What has changed is how business owners are becoming informed about what is available to meet their demands.

Current B2B clients are reading online articles and white papers. They are watching videos. They are asking the members of their social network for opinions and advice. They prefer social media over traditional media. They are highly mobile and connected. These new attributes of B2B clients have brought about a paradigm change in marketing to them: from outbound to inbound.

The good news for B2B firms is that establishing a strong online social media presence does not cost a lot of money. It does require, however, a smart approach and careful use of existing resources. The idea is to take advantage of the current slow pace to invest more time in reaching out to your social network. Start a blog, study the business trends on Twitter, look at how your potential clients interact with their peers on Facebook, etc. There's no need to to overly ambitious: a short-term social media marketing plan is all it takes to get started.

B2B Marketing Is (Slowly) On The Rise- Click here http://bit.ly/n5YKnY for full article

2011-07-20T11:40:00.001-07:00

B2B Marketing Is (Slowly) On The Rise- Click here http://bit.ly/n5YKnY for full article

Facebook Ad Performance For Q2, CPCs Up 22%- Click here http://bit.ly/rj35Mz for full article

2011-07-20T11:26:00.001-07:00

Facebook Ad Performance For Q2, CPCs Up 22%- Click here http://bit.ly/rj35Mz for full article

According to a report from performance marketing company, Efficient Frontier and their subsidiary, Context Optional, Facebook’s cost-per-click (CPC) increased 22 percent in the second quarter of 2011 from first-quarter statistics. The report, Global Digital Marketing Performance Report, also projected an 80 percent increase for Facebook CPCs by the years end. This is true if Facebook continues to show at least a 20 percent rise in each quarter for the continuing year. The findings of the report are congruent with Facebook’s history of strong revenue growth and rapid expansion.

However, Facebook’s 22 percent increase is down from the 40 percent growth shown in the first quarter. Nevertheless, the report explains that not too much should be read into the drop given the nature of the social media ad category.

The report also noted the increased presence of advertisers on Facebook, and the resulting up swing of CPCs. This results in higher prices for brands the longer they wait to engage customers via Facebook. With brand centric data, the report stated that brands currently gaining fans on Facebook are on course to double their fan base by October 2011. This estimate is based on patterns seen since October 2010.

In terms of consumer engagement, using data taken from Context Optional, including a sample of more than 20million fans, the data showed that due to the high level of consumer choice, brands face an increasingly competitive environment. On average, there are 100 wall posts per brand page. This can create a viral effect, as more fans mean more communication and in turn, more brand circulation. Within the study, it was seen that for every 17,000 fans create one more comment per post.

In relation to business ad spending, Facebook accounts for around 5 percent of search overall. However, the report quickly noted that so-called “outlier” brands could see that percentage jump to nearly 25 percent, depending on several aspects such as promotions and seasonality. This essentially shows that Facebook’s spending is steady and constant, and most of its budget is taken from forms of traditional media such as print.

Facebook’s ad revenue is also increasing due to search from businesses advertising special deals. Some major companies solely advertise on Facebook, increasing this view. According to, eMarketer, a market research firm, projected yearly ad revenue for Facebook will hit $2.2 billion USD, which is a 55 percent increase from 2010.

Are You Getting More Tweets Than You Know Of?- Click here http://bit.ly/nZI0iT for full article

2011-07-19T10:30:00.001-07:00

Are You Getting More Tweets Than You Know Of?- Click here http://bit.ly/nZI0iT for full article

Social media marketing has become vitally important to businesses large and small. Twitter is one of many useful and popular ways to connect and interact directly with customers through social media. Followers on Twitter receive updates from a business that can help drive traffic to websites or Facebook pages, and that can subsequently drive business and sales in general.

Now a recent report from social media analytics firm awe.sm has suggested that many businesses' analytics software, which examines the sources of web traffic, may be seriously under-estimating Twitter referrals and the amount of traffic coming in to a website from Twitter.

Twitter referrals are complicated to analyze because Twitter can be accessed through a number of different other websites or programs. Links clicked on in third-party clients like TweetDeck or Tweetie may not register as Twitter referrals, and websites like LinkedIn and Facebook that repost Twitter updates may similarly disguise Twitter's role in a referral.

awe.sm's study found that only 24.4% of website traffic derived from Twitter had twitter.com as the referrer. 62.6% of the traffic that was actually coming from Twitter came without any referrer information at all and 13.0% of traffic came with another site as the referrer when Twitter was actually responsible for the link.

This problem with analytics programs not accurately counting referrals from Twitter is only increasing as more users access Twitter from desktop clients or mobile devices. When users click links from Twitter or other sources while in a non-browser client like a mobile device or even an e-mail program like Outlook, the links are recorded as "Direct Traffic" in an analytics program.

Businesses are likely very concerned with using social media in the most cost and time-effective way possible. If analytics software is failing to accurately tally the amount of traffic coming in from Twitter, businesses may think that frequently updating their Twitter feed it is not a worthwhile investment of time and energy. awe.sm's study is significant because it demonstrates just how valuable Twitter can be for driving a business' web traffic, but how under-represented it may be in analytics.

Businesses focused on developing an increased social media presence should take a closer look at their analytics data to determine how much referral traffic is truly coming from Twitter. Only then can decisions be made about how much time to spend tweeting. The results may be surprising, and surprisingly in favor of Twitter.

Could Social Networking Affect The Justice System?- Click here http://bit.ly/phCjQ1 for full article

2011-07-19T10:00:00.001-07:00

Could Social Networking Affect The Justice System?- Click here http://bit.ly/phCjQ1 for full article

After the killing of 17-year-old Kingston college student Khajeel Mais, prosecutors are fearful of the impact social networking websites could have on the case.

On July 1, Mais was shot and killed while riding a taxi by the driver of a BMW X6 after the taxi hit the SUV. After these events, police apprehended the driver of the X6 after returning from a trip to the United States. The man, who remains unnamed, surrounded to police at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

In Jamaica and around the world, people shrouded the family with support through websites, Facebook and Twitter. In Jamaica specifically, it is now common knowledge of the events that happened to young Mais, and this does not bode well for the justice system.

The widespread use of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are commonplace in Jamaica, much like other places around the world. But die to the size and concentration of people, news and information travels even faster. How does this affect the Khajeel Mais trail? Justice of Khajeel Facebook pages, tweets and messages are widespread across the internet, just about everyone is blood thirsty for justice, and this could potentially void the accused of the right to a fair trial.

One notable attorney weighed in on the manner, saying, "Everybody has heard about this thing and everybody, to my mind, has formed an opinion one way or the other."

But this issue is further widespread than the Khajeel Mais case. This is a critical issue that has worried prosecutors for some time. However, this case, in particular, has gotten people talking about serious cracks within the system.

After Mais’ killing, a popular topic of discussion on social forums was the search for the BMW involved in the shooting. Experts also cited social media networks as rumor mills that could potentially delay an investigation. Rumors about high-profile people that could have possibly been involved in the shooting spread like wildfire across cyberspace.

According to Kingston Police Commissioner Owen Ellington, these rumors and speculation do little to further an investigation, and could actually stifle progress.
"These rumours did little to help the police investigations and, in some instances, only created confusion.”

In coming weeks and months, it will be interesting to see how the trial of the unnamed suspect plays out. However, one thing is for sure. People will be talking.

Microsoft Following in Google's Foot Steps?- Click here http://bit.ly/pSatIR for full article

2011-07-19T09:32:00.001-07:00

Microsoft Following in Google's Foot Steps?- Click here http://bit.ly/pSatIR for full article

Technology journalists were whispering Friday about Tulalip, a rumored social networking application from Microsoft. The application was posted briefly before being taken down, suggesting a strategic leak by Microsoft to test the market's reaction to another entry in the social networking arena. The industry has been upended in the last month as Google+ launched to enormous fanfare, providing innovative changes to sharing and privacy that have bothered a large segment of Facebook users. Some insiders are predicting a large swing in market share as users abandon Facebook for Google+, and Microsoft may be trying to catch some of those unhappy users with Tulalip.

This news has industry analysts wondering whether Microsoft is again playing catch-up with Google. The company already trails in the search engine market with Bing, which holds a paltry 15% market share compared to Google, which leads the market with a 66% share. Microsoft also bought Skype, whose recent deal with Facebook to provide live video chat sets up a battle with Google, which offers live two-way and group video chat through the Hangouts feature on Google+. Tulalip would be coming at a moment when Facebook is losing market share to Google+, which has grown to over 10 million users within a few weeks.

The more even fight between Google and Microsoft, however, will be over cloud computing. As companies have questioned the necessity for dedicated servers -- which are expensive, difficult to maintain, and cost money even when computing demand is low -- Google and Microsoft have begun offering cloud computing and storage to businesses.

Google has a slight advantage in this race to the cloud. Looking at the top of their home page explains why: Google now offers e-mail, social networking, Docs (its version of Microsoft Office), calendar, pictures, and videos to its users online and for no charge. It also released its own free operating system, Chrome OS, which will allow users to run their computers with only internet access by putting all of their files and applications online. For nearly every reason consumers need a computer, Google offers a free version online. Selling cloud storage to consumers and businesses will provide billions in new revenue to the market leader.

Businesses should watch developments in cloud computing and storage. Eliminating servers and IT support will allow many companies to cut costs and increase profits by paying for on-demand storage and computing from Google or Microsoft. That's far more consequential than Facebook or Twitter, who still have a very limited capacity to reach consumers with a company's message. After all, how many businesses have cut costs with a Facebook page or a tweet?

Facebook Problems For Mark Zuckerberg And "Warren Buffett"- Click here http://bit.ly/oyqC48 for full article

2011-07-18T11:00:00.001-07:00

Facebook Problems For Mark Zuckerberg And "Warren Buffett"- Click here http://bit.ly/oyqC48 for full article

When author and financial consultant Janet Tavakoli found herself looking at a Facebook profile featuring her picture and basic information, it might not have been anything out of the ordinary. Many businesses and individuals look at their own Facebook pages every day. This event was highly surprising for Tavakoli, however, because she never created a Facebook page.

Unfortunately for Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, Tavakoli is not alone. Notables such as investor and philanthropist Warren Buffet have also had phony Facebook profiles appear on the site. Warren Buffett's faux profile is still active on the site, but Tavakoli petitioned Facebook to have hers taken down.

Mark Zuckerberg and the rest of the Facebook crew have a privacy issue on their hands because it is apparently easy to set up fraudulent profiles and it is somewhat difficult to have them taken down. Tavakoli explains that she had to send in a scanned image of her driver's license in order to have the phony profile removed.

Facebook's privacy issues are a concern not only for all people who use Facebook but for non-users as well. Businesses that have chosen not to use Facebook for social media marketing should still check the site periodically to see if a profile page for the business ever appears. It is possible that someone could set up a fake profile or community page and send out false or misleading information to customers or clients.

Businesses that do use Facebook should also be vigilant in being sure that customers and clients are who they say they are. Businesses should never use Facebook for sensitive communications in case a profile was established by an impostor.

Businesses and investors, especially those considering using Facebook for advertising, should also know that Facebook's data about demographics and users may be compromised by these false profiles. The fake profiles of Tavakoli and Warren Buffett are only two of many possible phonies that may skew Facebook's demographic data with padding from fake users.

Though Facebook can be a powerful tool for social media marketing and for businesses in general, it does carry these privacy risks that businesses should always be aware of. Mark Zuckerberg is going to need to address these issues if he wants his site to continue to be popular and influential, but, in the meantime, business and personal users should proceed with caution.

Tech Funds Are Heating Up The Financial Stock Markets - Click here http://bit.ly/nQbqf7 for full article

2011-07-18T10:34:00.001-07:00

Tech Funds Are Heating Up The Financial Stock Markets - Click here http://bit.ly/nQbqf7 for full article

In a flashback to the late 1990s, stock brokers and market analysts are closely following the developments of social media and other Internet technologies. In the breathless days prior to the bursting of the dot-com bubble it wasn't unusual for a US fund seeking to invest in private Internet tech companies to hit the NASDAQ with an exciting initial public offering (IPO). Back then such tech funds were focused on potential venture investments in high-risk Internet companies.

The resurgence of red-hot tech on the NASDAQ is very reminiscent of the first quarter in the year 2000 when the tech-heavy electronic stock exchange boasted daily triple digit gains and reached a historical high above 5000 points, shortly before it crashed. US fund managers looking to invest in today's tech start-ups insist that times have changed and that the spectacular failures of yesteryear aren't likely to repeat themselves today.

Critics of the current tech revitalization on the NASDAQ point to social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter and their soaring valuations. Facebook is the undisputed darling of the technology world, having been valued as high as $100 billion.

Some market analysts are pretty sure that whatever valuation Facebook is given reflects the immense potential that social media has for future profits. Tech fund managers are paying attention and looking for the next Facebook to add to their portfolios.

GSV Capital is the American fund that recently valued Facebook at $70 billion. GSV now holds 225,000 shares of the social networking giant. Another tech startup on its portfolio is Kno, a software developer dedicated to the field of education. GSV capital already debuted its IPO on the NASDAQ earlier this year under the symbol GSVC.

Another US fund that has been created in order to invest in the burgeoning field of technology start-ups is Denver-based Keating Capital. A quick scan of the fund's portfolio reveals a strong focus on technology firms. The pre-IPO portfolio is tech-heavy as expected, although the fund manager has stated that they are focused on growth companies that would have gone public even without a tech label.

The few tech companies that Keating Capital has thus far added to its portfolio are rich in diversity. Some are dedicated to solar thermal energy while others are in the business of cloud computing. Keating Capital expects to debut its own IPO on the NASDAQ later this year.

Stop Bullying- Click here http://bit.ly/nYxurw for full article

2011-07-18T10:09:00.001-07:00

Stop Bullying- Click here http://bit.ly/nYxurw for full article

Bullying seems like a fairly benign practice amongst school aged children. However, bullying is becoming popular in all age groups and has resulted in several deaths in the past couple of years. Hope Witsell and several kids at an Ohio school have all lost their lives as a result of bullying. Time Warner and Facebook have teamed up and devised a platform against bullying in schools and other areas of people’s lives. Families of the victims are hoping that more companies will join the initiative to help stop bullying.

The Time Warner and Facebook initiative “Stop Bullying, Speak Up” has directed its message towards parents, educators and students. Facebook has created an interactive social media application where people can voice their support and commitment to end bullying in all areas of teens lives. The CEO of Time Warner, Jeff Bewkes, hopes that more people will get involved and show their support.

Bullying may come in a variety of forms. Kids may be bullied through print, text, or verbally. Some bullying even comes in the form of song, video and advertisements. Kids are becoming resourceful in their bullying techniques. In their competitiveness, kids will resort to most anything to defeat their competition. Because of the economy, youth have learned to fight for limited resources. This perpetuates and promotes bullying because of the great desire to win.

People vying for positions will force the kid’s other friends to turn their backs on them in order to keep their positions. When the kid is isolated, they feel alone and hopeless because they want to be with their old friends as opposed to being alone. Bullying should be taken seriously.

Time Warner and Facebook are encouraging people to get involved and stop bullying. According to a 2010 CNN Opinion Research Corporation, 34% of people that view bullying will most likely sit and not intervene in the practice. This poll referred to physical bullying only. When the bullying is just print and texting, people are even less likely to intervene. Most people can ignore words only so long and then, the practice will eventually evoke an emotion from the bullied party.

When bullied, some kids cry, some ask for help, some retaliate and some may take their own lives for relief from the bullying. People must unite in an effort to prevent the bullying from occurring. Courts are beginning to try the bullies in cases where kids commit suicide. When kids have exhausted their resources, sometimes they don’t see any way out of the situation but death. If someone comes to you with allegations of bullying, do not ignore it. Help them find help for the practice.

Time Warner and Facebook have led the initiative to stop bullying. Other companies are welcome to join the fight. Educate people about the negative practice of bullying and help to eradicate it.

Two Ways To Start Your Own WordPress- Click here http://bit.ly/ogOkBH for full article

2011-07-15T11:07:00.001-07:00

Two Ways To Start Your Own WordPress- Click here http://bit.ly/ogOkBH for full article

WordPress is the most popular blogging and CMS platform on the web today. The software powers over 50 million sites, both personal and business. Approximately half the sites are self-hosted by their owners and the other half are set up on Wordpress.com. The following explains how to get started with either method.

WordPress.com
Many individuals or businesses find setting up a free blog on WordPress.com is the easiest way to begin. It takes only a few moments to sign up for the service and choose a theme, then the site is ready for posts and updates. The user does not have to worry about hosting fees or software updates, as these issues are handled by WordPress.com. The service also effectively deals with spam and security.

The one drawback to using the hosted service is a successful blog or site may soon outgrow it. Also, if the user does not want ads, there is a $30 per year fee and the user is not allowed to place their own ads on the site. Using a custom domain name requires an additional $17 per year charge.

Self Hosted
Using the self-hosted version of WordPress requires the user to obtain an account with a web host. A Google search will bring up many choices, even some that specialize in the needs of Wordpress blogs. The host must be running PHP 5 for the software to operate properly.

The platform can be installed by either utilizing the host's script installer, such as Fantastico, or by using an FTP program and uploading the files to the server manually. The self-hosted version of the software requires a mySQL database connection.

A self-hosted site offers many advantages, including more disk space, higher bandwidth allowance and the freedom to design the site any way possible. Many businesses using Wordpress prefer this method as it allows them to place their own ads. Self-hosting also allows for multi-site mode, where the user can host many sites in a single install.

WordPress is advantageous for business owners due to its ability to place well in search engines, especially with the help of SEO plugins. Many large companies have switched to the platform due to its ease of use and its simplicity to maintain. CBS Radio, MLB.com blogs and the New York Observer are some examples of companies enjoying the benefits of WordPress. Click here http://www.newmediaplus.com/webdesign for more information on building a wordpress site.

Google+ Isn't Business Profile Friendly- Click here http://bit.ly/nkAkPJ for full article

2011-07-15T10:44:00.001-07:00

Google+ Isn't Business Profile Friendly- Click here http://bit.ly/nkAkPJ for full article

In June, Google launched a new social network called Google+ (pronounced "Google Plus") in a limited release. Trying to lure away a chunk of Facebook's more than 400 million users, Google+ offered better privacy, more flexible ways to differentiate relationships, and new features like group video chat. Within two weeks, Google+ had grown to more than 7.5 million users -- all of whom had been invited by existing users, which makes the rapid growth even more remarkable.

Business owners who want to tap into the Google+ market will have to re-evaluate their marketing strategy. Google+ represents a paradigm shift in the way social networks handle sharing and privacy, which means strategies that work on Facebook or Twitter may not work well on Google+. However, the explosive growth on this new site makes it essential that business owners know about the site and start developing marketing strategies to target this new audience.

One major change in Google+ is through a feature called "Circles." Google+ users assign their friends to groups, and only the user knows who is in a group. Friends can be assigned to a group called "Idiots," but members will not know that they are in the group nor will they know the group's name. Users then share things by selecting which Circles with whom to share, unlike Facebook where anything posted is visible to everyone in the user's network. This has tapped into an unrealized need for users -- for instance, the types of things shared with college friends may not be relevant or appropriate for work friends -- but it will require new strategies to get messages out when users have so much control over what they share.

The biggest technology feature driving users to the site is "Hangout," a group video chat feature. Currently no major competitor offers group chat; Skype and Facebook announced a deal to provide video chat, but the service will only be for two-way video. Already people are finding innovative uses for Hangout. Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich held a public Hangout in July where voters could ask him questions. Businesses may be able to provide similar intimate experiences with customers to promote brand loyalty or customer service.

Finally, on Google+ there is currently no difference between personal and business profiles. A business could start a profile with a Google account, but they would have to add followers to their circles and encourage customers to do the same, using strategies similar to what businesses are using to gain followers on Twitter. For instance, a business might offer discounts or special events for customers who add the company's profile to their Google+ Circles.

Google Is Trying Out Voice-Activated Future- Click here http://bit.ly/oxCiM4 for full article

2011-07-15T10:23:00.001-07:00

Google Is Trying Out Voice-Activated Future- Click here http://bit.ly/oxCiM4 for full article

On a daily basis, we hear about some new impressive technology being released. Google is a company that constantly provides new technology for both businesses and the mass public to use. They offer the best search engine, the best map service, a large e-book library, and now they are experimenting with some awesome voice-activation software. Google is aiming to revolutionize the way we use voice-activation by making it better and easier to use.

Speech recognition has been around for quite sometime now. The main issue with the current technology is how different a computer microphone is compared to a phone. Google released the first version of the voice-activation technology on their android phones. You were able to search the web without having to type in your search terms. The biggest feature that came from the Android version of the voice-activation technology was Google Voice Actions. It allowed you to interact with your phone without type or touching anything. You were able to text, open apps, send emails, and just surf the internet with the power of your voice. Google is now looking to revolutionize voice-activation on the desktop with Google Voice Search for the desktop.

The desktop version of Voice Search is still a little rocky. It's harder to use a computer microphone due to the microphone not being as sensitive as a phone. You also pick up more ambient noise when using a desktop microphone. This presented a challenge for the Google team. They created a lot of new algorithms to help conquer those challenges. The new product is definitely something amazing and it's giving Google a lot of ideas of future products using Google Voice Actions such as robots and interactive products.

You may be wondering what benefit this new technology could be offering your business. Imagine that a customer can walk in and talk to a robotic greeter and get directions to wherever they need to go. The customer could “talk” to a robot or computer and get assistance. You could also use the technology to create interactive demos or activities for your guests and customers. You could have them interact by giving voice commands. They could also search a store inventory just by voice alone without having to bother the store staff. The possibilities are endless and it will be interesting to see what Google will provide later on down the road.

6 Things Marketers Should Know About Google+- Click here http://bit.ly/rqdD8x for full article

2011-07-14T16:01:00.001-07:00

6 Things Marketers Should Know About Google+- Click here http://bit.ly/rqdD8x for full article

Google+ (read as "Google Plus") is a new social networking site from Google. It aims to compete with market leader Facebook by providing better privacy, allowing users to share more selectively through a feature called "Circles," and to have group video chats called "Hangouts." Here are six things marketers need to know about this new social network.

1. Rapid Expansion

Google+ is still in its "beta" phase, meaning it is only available to a small group of people for initial testing. However, in its second week of launch, Google+ expanded from 1.5 million users to 7.5 million, and increase of about 350%. Businesses looking to reach a broad sample of consumers should keep an eye on Google+ growth as the project rolls out into full release.

2. Limited Release Building Buzz

Currently, accessing Google+ requires being added by someone who is already a part of the website. This means that consumers who join are already part of someone's network, making them more likely to remain with the site and continue using it. It has the allure of an exclusive club -- because no one can just sign up for Google+ on a whim, invitations are coveted.

3. Circles

Users group their friends into "Circles," and the members of each circle are known only the user. When something is shared on Google+, users must select which Circles or individuals with whom to share. This is a paradigm shift from Facebook, where all content is shared publicly even when it is directed at just one user.

4. Hangout

Google+ is offering users the unique ability to have group video chats, functionality that is missing from competitors' services. Skype and Facebook signed a deal to provide online video chat on Facebook, but currently no major provider offers group chat. Users can watch YouTube videos together simultaneously, which could have lucrative marketing applications if tied into social media campaigns, such as watching an advertisement in exchange for entry into a contest.

5. Google AdSense

Google has made a fortune by targeting advertisements at users based on their search histories. Facebook pioneered the use of user-generated data to tailor advertisements in social media, but Google+ has the search algorithms in AdSense to make great improvements. With a large amount of user data flowing into AdSense, it is hard to imagine Google+ would not see huge increases in click-through and conversion rates.

6. More Privacy

One of the biggest selling points for Google+ is its privacy features, which allow users greater control over what they share and with whom they share it. This could make marketing more difficult than on Facebook, where creating a targeted advertising campaign is easier and more incorporated into site functionality. However, if better educated and higher income consumers start streaming away from Facebook looking for more privacy and selectivity, it may be more lucrative to find new marketing strategies on Google+ than to target the audience that remains at Facebook.

Google+ Is Stealing Facebook and Twitter's Thunder- Click here http://bit.ly/pgUOtA for full article

2011-07-14T15:56:00.001-07:00

Google+ Is Stealing Facebook and Twitter's Thunder- Click here http://bit.ly/pgUOtA for full article

Google+, a new social networking site from Google that launched in June 2011, has generated huge attention in the media and prompted defensive reactions from social network leaders like Facebook and Twitter. Growing from 1.5 million to 7.5 million users in only a week -- an increase of nearly 400% -- Google+ has shown that even in limited release it can generate huge interest.

Facebook seemed to be caught off-guard by the meteoric rise of Google+. Facebook immediately sped up its announcement that it had reached a deal with Skype to provide video chat for users, likely prompted by the attention received by the new "Hangout" feature on Google+ that provides group video chat, a service unavailable from all major competitors. By the end of the week, Zuckerberg was disparaging the new "Circles" paradigm on Google+ which allows users to tailor sharing more intuitively (and privately) than the "Groups" feature on Facebook. It did not help matters that Zuckerberg, who initially showed some good humor by activating his own Google+ account, has now deleted his account citing privacy concerns -- despite Facebook's poor reputation for privacy, and users' inability to easily "delete" their profiles on Facebook.

There is clearly a large, untapped market for a new kind of social network, and Google+ appears to be filling that need. Smart business owners will keep an eye on Google+ and start developing new strategies to use in marketing to this audience. It appears that many of the defectors from Facebook to Google+ are highly educated professionals with above average income levels. This is obviously a very lucrative market, and companies that develop ways to target those users effectively will be rewarded with nearly exclusive access to an elusive customer base.

The biggest change for business owners will be the lack of "business pages" found on Facebook. While a company can start a Google+ page like an individual users, there isn't a special class of pages tailored to the advertising needs of businesses. Furthermore, smaller businesses that may have used Facebook's services for targeted advertising campaigns will find no such functionality on Google+. The site will likely start showing Google AdSense advertisements in full launch, which show ads targeted at users based on their personal data and their previous search history. This is good news for large businesses, but likely difficult for small businesses without large advertising budgets.

Business owners who want to get out their message will need to have users add them to "Circles," much like businesses on Twitter must get users to "follow" them or Facebook businesses get users to "like" their page. Strategies to promote followers -- such as offering coupons for users who follow on Twitter -- will be easy to adapt to Google+. Learning how to effectively market with a Google+ profile will likely take some research, experimentation, and possibly professional consulting.

MotherKnows Raises $1.7 Million- Click here http://bit.ly/nYD44H for full article

2011-07-14T15:13:00.001-07:00

MotherKnows Raises $1.7 Million- Click here http://bit.ly/nYD44H for full article

MotherKnows has raised $1.7 million in funding. The online startup, based in Menlo Park, CA, received contributions from First Round Capital, Giza Ventures, The Band of Angels, Charles River Ventures, and other investment angels. MotherKnows plans to use the capital to complete development of its mobile and web-based products and launch them.

MotherKnows is a cloud-based medical records database for children. It is intended to let parents monitor the health records of their children. It creates and maintains a Personal Health Record for each child that contains information such as blood type, allergies, medications, doctor visits, and due immunizations. Parents will have 24-hour access to their children's medical records through both the MotherKnows website and MotherKnows mobile applications. MotherKnows aims to be the first source for aggregated child health data.

MotherKnows is taking precautions to keep its highly sensitive data private. According to the service's co-founders, its security is consistent with guidelines set forth by the Federal HITECH and HIPAA acts. Each child's health information is encrypted and cannot be shared with third parties without a parent's express permission. Parents can, however, choose to share specific kinds of information with doctors, caregivers, schools, and camps to help them understand their child's medical situation and needs in a convenient format. MotherKnows stated at this year's TechCrunch Disrupt NYC show that it has worked along with a medical advisory panel to make sure that all parts of the site are legally sound with regards to the medical field.

The MotherKnows team is comprised of chairman and co-founder Hesky Kutcher, CEO and co-founder Greg Coff, programmer Mohammad Shahangian, and VP of Marketing Francisco Guerrero. Coff has previous experience with child services market, having been involved with Pampers and BabyCenter.com. Both Kutscher and Coff also have experience in the online automotive field.

The MotherKnows website is already live as of this writing, but the service is still in closed beta. Kutscher hopes to launch the service publicly in late summer of 2011. Although MotherKnows is its team's first project, they hope to eventually create services to target other demographics with specific health issues, such as seniors and extended families.

Financial Advisors Turn To Social Media- Click here http://bit.ly/pR5SmB for full article

2011-07-12T15:40:00.001-07:00

Financial Advisors Turn To Social Media- Click here http://bit.ly/pR5SmB for full article

Financial advisors many be asking themselves how they can legally and morally use social media such as Facebook , twitter and LinkedIn to serve their clients and potential clients as well as advance their careers.

Ethical use of social media can and does make a financial advisor more effective in business and it is possible to improve one's relationship and reputation with clients, while at the same time increasing one's income. The savvy financial advisor will work to discover the opportunities and advantages of each type of social media network.

Here are some considerations for financial advisors looking to engage in social media:

1. Consider the costs in time and money when putting any social media network into practice.

2. Study social media networks and see how best to have them interface to your advantage, to the advantage of your employer and the advantage of your clients and potential clients.

3. Look around – research successful financial advisors and learn how they use social media sites. There's no point re-inventing a process when others have already taken the journey.

4. Honor your financial organization's rules of conduct, and engage in social media with these directives clearly in mind.

5. Develop an online persona that is "the real you." People are attracted to authenticity.

6. The advantages of a social media presence are numerous. People think in social media terms, they look for information via social media networks. Social media is about an authentic means of making products and services available to the population. As long as financial advisors intend to do the best for both employer and client with their social media presence, it can only serve to be a boon to all parties.

7. Social media is timely. People expect to be able to find people and businesses with a social media presence and accessibility. What a tremendous advantage as social media is practically the equivalent to virtually free advertising.

8. Keep in mind that this is a professional presence and one is representing the business and the corporation. Even though developing an online personality is part of the milieu of social media, it's not the place for ongoing chit chat about the family.

9. Consider starting a financial business-related blog. Writing a few words a couple times a week giving solid and innovative financial advice will enrich clients and potential client's lives while building trust for both you and your corporation.

LinkedIn And BranchOut Quarrel Over API Access- Click here http://bit.ly/nh53Uz for full article

2011-07-12T15:36:00.001-07:00

LinkedIn And BranchOut Quarrel Over API Access- Click here http://bit.ly/nh53Uz for full article

BranchOut, a self-described professional online networking service, has been denied access to LinkedIn's Application Programming Interface (API) for what LinkedIn describes as a violation of its Terms of Service (TOS). This decision by LinkedIn comes on the heels of the wildly successful initial private offering debut of the company on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNKD.

LinkedIn is not the only social media giant that has cut off API access to third-party developers for reportedly failing to follow TOS. The flagship social networks Facebook and Twitter have also denied API access to application developers for alleged TOS violations.

BranchOut is considered by many to be a direct competitor to LinkedIn since both networks offer various similar features to its users. At the heart of both BranchOut and LinkedIn are the business-minded profiles that concentrate on work experience, education, as well as recommendations from former bosses, coworkers, and peers.

LinkedIn's claims against BranchOut are centered on the idea that the company has future plans to roll-out premium job recruiting services. Other features that are common to both LinkedIn and BranchOut are the opportunities to browse job listings and to get sales leads from the extensive amounts of available data.

BranchOut already utilizes another API which is crucial for its operational success: Facebook. In a statement released by BranchOut in response to news reports of LinkedIn's API denial, the company explained that data gathered from the LinkedIn API was barely used by members. BranchOut seems to be more interested on the social networking potential of Facebook: more than 700 million users worldwide, many of them professionals.

LinkedIn has become very protective of its API according to recent news reports. With more than twenty thousand developers accessing its API, LinkedIn may have every right to be concerned about who is using its API and for what purpose. LinkedIn charges developers API access fees in some cases, a business model they hope to further monetize in the near future. LinkedIn is in a delicate position regarding protecting their customer data and allowing third party developers to get close to it.

Social networks such as LinkedIn and BranchOut are great tools for business owners who wish to get the most out of their online presence. Social media experts predict that as more networking sites continue to battle for dominance, business owners stand to gain by choosing where to display their online profiles and how to best manage their professional relationships.

Social Media Makeover!- Click here http://bit.ly/pbOi5X for full article

2011-07-11T15:47:00.001-07:00

Social Media Makeover!- Click here http://bit.ly/pbOi5X for full article

Facebook and American Express are further focusing on their small business efforts by offering $20,000 to the five winners of a recent contest. American Express Open, a small-business oriented joint venture between Facebook and Amex, is the host of the contest which sees thousands of small business owners vying for the $20,000 prize that also includes a social media makeover for the businesses’ Facebook pages. Most recently, the contest has narrowed down the competition to just 10 contestants, half of which will win the prize.

Amex and Facebook have shown great interest in helping small businesses achieve growth, especially through the use of social media. This past November, American Express Open started Small Business Saturday, an event taking place on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Whereas Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has always been known as a massive sales day for larger corporations and mall retailers, Small Business Saturday is meant to encourage shoppers to patronize small businesses for their holiday shopping. The event was fairly successful, and Amex and Facebook will be promoting the event this year as well.

The social media makeover contest is being held as an offshoot of Small Business Saturday, perhaps as a way of showing small businesses the importance of utilizing social media tools to their advantage in order to increase sales in an otherwise volatile market. While the $20,000 prize is certainly beneficial, Facebook is encouraging their own social media platform by inviting the five winners to Facebook HQ and teaching them how to best use the site to market their business for the makeover portion of the prize. This involves tailoring ads, utilizing plugins, and making over their overall page design. Facebook has previously encouraged small businesses to make use of the site as well, offering advertising credits for small businesses that signed up for the Visa Facebook application.

This contest further illustrates the importance for businesses to have a strong social networking presence. Social media is increasingly becoming a staple of the business world, and the use of sites such as Twitter and Facebook can help a business connect with their potential customers. The contest also proves that just having a social networking presence isn’t enough. Being able to utilize the social media tools effectively is the true key to improving a business’s financial outlook. Having an underutilized social networking presence is almost as bad as not having one at all.

Foursquare Has A New Notification- Click here http://bit.ly/owL0YH for full article

2011-07-11T15:20:00.001-07:00

Foursquare Has A New Notification- Click here http://bit.ly/owL0YH for full article

Foursquare, the mobile client for smart phones that allows users to "check-in" at places around the world, is launching a new notifications tray that will make it easier for users to interact with friends using all of Foursquare's features. The new notifications tray will focus not on friend’s check-ins but more on the interaction between friends regarding check-ins. The new notification system will help streamline the process of information gathering in Foursquare, making it easier to focus on what matter in friends’ activities.

The new notification tray is similar to Facebook’s well-known news feed, in which events are laid out in chronological order and make finding out what people are doing at a certain time much easier. Some examples of notifications that will appear with the new feature is notification of when you have been ousted as the mayor of a property, when your friends have used one of the tips you have left at a location and when people have left new comments on items you have commented on. Facebook is also more seamlessly integrated with this new feature, as it will give a notification when one of your Facebook friends has joined Foursquare.

The new notification system is not yet available on all devices. According to Foursquare, it is immediately being rolled out on Android devices, followed by Blackberry and iPhone models in the near future. Foursquare is an innovative service that has been a model for fast growth on smart phones. Its simple premise of checking in at places both local and exotic has made it a highly successful client for smart phones. By checking in at a new place, the user is automatically given the possibility of becoming the “Mayor” of that location, assuming that the person checks in again at the same location a required number of times. This number may only be a few visits or many over an extended period of time depending on how popular a destination the location is. This new notification system should help Foursquare consolidate its growth and place more of an emphasis on the area where it sees the most potential in its particular GPS, location-sharing niche: social networking.

American Small and Mid-Sized (Medium) Businesses Are Going Global- Click here http://bit.ly/nDUAUf for full article

2011-07-11T14:42:00.001-07:00

American Small and Mid-Sized (Medium) Businesses Are Going Global- Click here http://bit.ly/nDUAUf for full article

The current trend in small and mid-size (SMB) American businesses is to go global. According to the recently released results of a study by Portfolio.com, technology is enabling even the smallest business owners to market effectively to a global audience.

Global business has traditionally been the domain of huge multinational corporations with annual revenues in the hundreds of millions. Standard business practices required offices in different countries staffed by qualified local talent to effectively manage operations in various regions of the globe. Today, capital investments of such magnitude are not required to be an effective player in the global marketplace. The Internet is playing a critical role in opening global markets to American SMB owners.

The study was conducted by The Business Journals and there were a number of important statistics revealed. 79% of SMB owners use the Internet as a key component of their international business strategy. 58% have incorporated social networks into their business plans and 62% are using the Internet to directly sell their products and services.

Overall, a SMB with a global business strategy is likely to see higher returns than a SMB with a strictly domestic focus. The SMBs with a global strategy realized 32% sales growth while those without a global strategy saw only 20% sales growth over the same time period. That's $13.2 million versus $7.7 million.

Portfolio.com also reported that 6% of the American SMBs surveyed reported that while they currently did no business overseas, they expected to be doing so soon. Small and mid-size business owners should be aware that it is not as simple as accepting orders from foreign nationals though the their current Internet sales portal. Jennings Moss, the editor at Portfolio.com, warns that the learning curve can be steep.

Shipping options and currency conversion are some of the issues that need to be addressed when doing business internationally. It is also important to understand language and culture. A bridal company, for instance, may not want to market white dresses in China. White is a mourning color in China just as black is in America.

Moss suggests that SMB owners considering a global strategy reach out to the Small Business Organization and International Trade Organization. Both of these federal agencies can provide valuable assistance to SMBs engaging in business overseas. With a larger market to target, SMBs are realizing real and sustainable growth by employing global strategies.

If you want to go global the best way is to create a strong International online presence. The best way to build a global audience is through a well thought out and executed social media strategy. Visit www.newmediaplus.com/social-media and start working with New Media Plus today!

HTC Buys S3 Graphics- Click here http://bit.ly/pFqnhx for full article

2011-07-07T10:54:00.001-07:00

HTC Buys S3 Graphics- Click here http://bit.ly/pFqnhx for full article

In a deal totaling $300 million, HTC purchased S3 Graphics from VIA Technologies on July 6th, 2011. S3 Graphics is one of the leading groups in the field of graphics technologies, with its technology being used in computer devices of all types, including desktop PCs and gaming systems. HTC, well-known as the manufacturer of several popular smart phones, will become sole owner of S3 Graphics after the deal is finalized and receives regulatory approval.

After an initial purchase in 2001, processor developer VIA Technologies brought in WTI Investment International to help fund S3 Graphics in 2005. As such, this new deal will see HTC paying WTI $153 million, while VIA Technologies will receive $147 million. VIA utilized several of the technologies developed by S3 Graphics in their products, and HTC will now likely do the same. While it’s unknown exactly how S3 Graphics will fit into HTC’s mobile phone plans, it is likely that several phones will be released in the future that have benefitted from developments of the team behind S3 Graphics.

In fact, S3 Graphics holds several patents on their technological achievements. Just this month, a court found Apple guilty of infringing on two of these patents. This could make for an awkward situation, as HTC’s smart phones are in direct competition with Apple’s iPhone. What effect, if any, the judgment will have on HTC’s plans remains to be seen.

Many businesses purchase smaller companies that specialize in an area related to their field. While HTC uses graphics technology in all of its smart phones, it only makes sense to purchase S3 Graphics to help integrate their graphics knowledge into the fold. Since each smart phone is comprised of many different components, it makes economical sense to purchase a small company that specializes in a single area rather than outsourcing the work or trying to develop new technologies in-house. This doesn’t apply just to technology businesses, either.

Almost any business can benefit from having a team dedicated to a specialized area. While purchasing a company may be the way to go for a larger business, this could mean simply hiring a research team for a smaller business. By delegating very specialized tasks to a group that is well-versed in that area, the company overall can focus on other areas that require their attention. Not only will this save the company time and money, it will also likely produce a better product or service. The developments made by such acquisitions could even improve brand-awareness and lead to a larger market share overall.

New Google Reputation Tool Is Boon For Business Users- Click here http://bit.ly/qybmpA for full article

2011-07-07T10:10:00.001-07:00

New Google Reputation Tool Is Boon For Business Users- Click here http://bit.ly/qybmpA for full article

Although nearly single-handedly developing the modern search industry, Google has not made much progress in the last few years in allowing its users to manage their online reputations. Aiming to never be outdone, the search giant has recently unveiled the result of a new project aimed to address this. Google's “Me on the Web” offers a centralized toolkit to allow for the efficient monitoring of relevant user information indexed by the company's database.

The business user is the demographic most poised to benefit from this. The online reputation of a business will trump almost any advertising campaign. Potential customers will research a business online before even considering a purchase. It is important, therefore, for a company to stay on top of its online presence. Firms should run a search query of their company names on Google during periods of high customer volume or monthly at the very least to be sure that indexed information returned from a Google search is both accurate and a positive reflection of the company.

Organizations that utilize social networking tools such as Facebook and Twitter are better able to control their online presences. This is because Google frequently returns hits to such social networking sites on the first page of its results for a relevant search. Successful businesses leverage Google's selectivity by maintaining active Facebook profile pages. This has the added effect of word-of-mouth advertising through Facebook's own platform. Subsequent user activity stemming from the Facebook page also serves to strengthen its relevancy in the Google search database.

YouTube is tightly integrated with Google search results, so it pays dividends for every business to bolster its online presence with a well-maintained YouTube page. YouTube itself maintains a simple user interface and should present the modestly adept Internet user little trouble during setup.

Twitter is one of the best ways to manage public relations online. Twitter allows the unilateral broadcasting of news, events, and promotions to a large base of followers. Twitter indexes quickly in Google's search database. Over time, tweets and discussion-oriented derivatives tend to dominate search results. In this way, a business has almost full control of the particular mood of the social Internet. Twitter also magnifies a business' legitimacy as the number of followers increases.

Google's "Me on the Web" allows businesses to follow the perception shifts of the Internet. Changing those beliefs is, however, still accomplished through the use of various sites.

A Breakdown of Google+- Click here http://bit.ly/p5Gvg0 for full article

2011-07-06T11:51:00.001-07:00

A Breakdown of Google+- Click here http://bit.ly/p5Gvg0 for full article

Google has privately launched a new social media service entitled Google+. The service is intended to compete with Facebook, and includes a number of features that Facebook does not. The most distinctive elements of Google+ can be broken down into the Stream, Circles, Sparks, and Hangouts.

The Stream is the first thing you see on Google+. It is functionally similar to Facebook's News Feed and Twitter's Timeline, appearing on the home page of each logged-in user. It shows real-time updates from people the user is following. It contains a status update field which can handle text, photos, videos, a link with accompanying description, and the user's location. Unfortunately, the automatic location detection feature only works well on mobile devices that are equipped with GPS, and not on traditional desktops or laptops. Posts that are made to the Stream can be edited at any time. This is a significant change from Facebook, where posts can be edited only immediately after submission. Also, users can select which of their posts can be automatically shared by their friends.

What sets Google+ apart from Facebook the most is its concept of Circles. This feature allows users to group people within their social sphere into different categories. Then, instead of having the same Facebook feed and access to everyone, it is split among the different Circles. This is convenient if the user wishes to keep their work, family, and social lives separate. Also, unlike "friending" on Facebook which is an inherently mutual relationship, Circle connections need not be reciprocated. This makes Circle relationships more similar to the concept of following users a la Twitter.

Hangouts are another feature that separates Google+ from Facebook. It is a group multimedia webcam chat similar to current video chat leader Tinychat. However, the interface is less cluttered and more polished than Tinychat's. Also, whoever in the group is speaking or moving the most is displayed in the center of the Hangout display. This feature could be used for business collaboration or simply for chatting with friends.

The Sparks feature groups the content of Google+ by topic rather than person or group. Users can search Sparks for topics they are interested in and receive an RSS-like feed of all public Google+ discussion on the subject.

These features separate Google+ from the competition. It remains to be seen to what extent users will adopt these features, and Google+ in general.

Creative Bar Codes- Click here http://bit.ly/nX6Ex4 for full article

2011-07-06T11:48:00.003-07:00

Creative Bar Codes- Click here http://bit.ly/nX6Ex4 for full article

Have you ever noticed how many incredibly annoying commercials are on television? How they're full of loud, distracting noises and people in eye catching clothes stumbling through ridiculous scenarios that force you to pay close attention to even spot the product being advertised? Have you noticed that they have the nerve to air these assaults to the senses five or six times an hour? Do you know why?

The bottom line is that advertising and brand awareness relies completely on gaining the attention of potential consumers. Whether you love or hate the commercial, their goal is to make you notice the commercial. The more you love or hate the commercial, the longer you will remember it and the more likely you will remember that brand should you need a product of that type. As virtually every company competing for is using this tactic, they must become progressively more outrageous to attract attention.

The Hidden Opportunity

There is a feature found on the packaging of every item in every store (with the exception of some food items). This feature is identical to the casual observer - so much so that it is completely ignored by everyone but inventory scanners. How difficult would it be to stand out in such a land of conformity? Pretty easy right?

What is this hidden opportunity to gain the attention of consumers? The bar code.

The time this innovation saves in inventory control means the bar code is everywhere and will stay everywhere. Now, imagine a company that makes shampoo using bar codes shaped like a human silhouette under a shower. Imagine the surprise and mnemonic impact of such a creative bar code. It would come as no shock for this particular shampoo manufacturer to become known among consumers as "The people with the shower guy bar code".

How Much Freedom is There to Change the Bar Code?

As long as there is a section of bar code clear of extraneous markings and large enough to scan consistently, the bar code is functional. The length of some bars can be extended to form an image or impression. In addition to changing the actual bars that comprise the code, the area AROUND the bar code is a blank palette just crying out to be filled with attention grabbing material. Adding colors to this area turns that area that never even enters a consumer's consciousness into something interesting that no consumer will fail to notice. Even the addition of the company's name and web site address around the bar code would stand out in the crowd and build brand awareness.

Creative bar codes are an untapped opportunity. With just a little thought, these can be turned into a secondary company logo that burns awareness into the brains of consumers.

Creative Bar Codes- Click here http://bit.ly/nX6Ex4 for full article

2011-07-06T11:48:00.001-07:00

Creative Bar Codes- Click here http://bit.ly/nX6Ex4 for full article

The Hidden Opportunity

What is this hidden opportunity to gain the attention of consumers? The bar code.

How Much Freedom is There to Change the Bar Code?

Creative bar codes are an untapped opportunity. With just a little thought, these can be turned into a secondary company logo that burns awareness into the brains of consumers.

Amazon Cuts Off California- Click here http://bit.ly/qO58Wd for full article

2011-07-06T11:35:00.003-07:00

Amazon Cuts Off California- Click here http://bit.ly/qO58Wd for full article

Sale or no sale

Amazon became a $30 billion dollar company by making decisions that challenged the status quo. It made another such decision recently when it decided to part ways with California. In a startling display of single-mindedness, Amazon announced last month that it will no longer work with online affiliates based in California because the state has enacted a new law that requires online retailers to collect sales tax.

The Seattle-based website emailed affiliates in California, both individuals and companies, and warned them that ties may be cut if Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law. In late June he did.

The bill is simple. Anyone who runs a website that refers visitors to Amazon, thus receiving a percentage of any subsequent sales, will be forced to pay a sales tax on each transaction.

Same goals, different paths

Amazon and California find themselves butting heads because they have the same goal: to make more money. Amazon has jettisoned its business from the Golden State in order to avoid sales tax. California has enforced the law in an attempt to bring more revenue into the struggling state.

It is estimated that the new law will bring in $200 million dollars annually, a welcomed lump of change. And California isn’t the only state doing it. Arkansas, Illinois and Connecticut all passed similar bills.

And Amazon left all three states.

Fighting words

This is not a new battle. It dates back to 1992, when the U.S. Supreme Court made a ruling that prohibited states from enforcing sales taxes on a business unless that company had a physical location in the state, like a store.

States are doing everything they can to skip around the Supreme Court ruling. They have to if they want to stop the financial hemorrhaging they are experiencing.

States across the country are brainstorming new ways to increase revenue in this time economic uncertainty. One of the best ways is to stretch the definition of “physical location.” By manipulating the law, states can deputize online retailers as tax collectors, forcing them to monitor each of their affiliates.

Terminated

A similar law was passed two years ago, but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger threw it out. It seems Amazon desperately needs more business-loving, government-weary politicians if it wants these new laws terminated.

Amazon Cuts Off California- Click here http://bit.ly/qO58Wd for full article

2011-07-06T11:35:00.001-07:00

Amazon Cuts Off California- Click here http://bit.ly/qO58Wd for full article

Sale or no sale

The Seattle-based website emailed affiliates in California, both individuals and companies, and warned them that ties may be cut if Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law. In late June he did.

The bill is simple. Anyone who runs a website that refers visitors to Amazon, thus receiving a percentage of any subsequent sales, will be forced to pay a sales tax on each transaction.

Same goals, different paths

And Amazon left all three states.

Fighting words

States are doing everything they can to skip around the Supreme Court ruling. They have to if they want to stop the financial hemorrhaging they are experiencing.

Terminated

Twitter Found Themselves In A Federal Investigation- Click here http://bit.ly/lG3ngf for full article

2011-07-05T10:05:00.001-07:00

Twitter Found Themselves In A Federal Investigation- Click here http://bit.ly/lG3ngf for full article

Microblogging giant Twitter is apparently being investigated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, for anti-competitive behavior. According to a report by Business Insider last week, the FTC is scrutinizing the manner in which Twitter handles companies that develop third-party services and applications that run on top of Twitter. The investigation was apparently prompted by complaints from Bill Gross, the owner of UberMedia, an online search advertising company.

UberMedia is trying to create an ad-network within the Twitter ecosystem by buying firms that offer third-party services and applications for Twitter. One company that UberMedia wanted to purchase was TweetDeck, according to Business Insider. However, Twitter itself has apparently being trying to actively block companies such as UberMedia from building their own advertising network. Over the past one year, Twitter has been on an aggressive buying spree of its own. It first snapped up Tweetie, and later purchased TweetDeck even as UberMedia was planning to acquire the company.

Twitter also has added image serving capabilities on its networks and revamped its site so that users can now see third-party video and photos in a preview pane on Twitter.com. Twitter has claimed the feature is not designed to prevent people from going to other sites, but to merely give users another option for viewing third-party content.

Twitter has also toyed with banning third-party advertisers. Earlier this year for instance, Twitter banned UberMedia from its services for alleged privacy violations. According to Twitter, UberMedia infringed on their trademark and changed the content of user Tweets in a bid to make money from the Twitter network. UberMedia’s Gross contends that Twitter’s moves are anti-competitive in nature and designed to block legitimate competition within the Twitter ecosystem. He has denied any wrongdoing and claims to have changed the manner in which UberMedia operates within the Twitter network.

The outcome of the alleged federal investigation could have a bearing for Twitter users as well as for developers of third-party applications and services for Twitter. If Twitter is indeed viewed as being anti-competitive, the company could be forced to change its practices so that third-parties can operate more freely within the microblogging ecosystem. However, if the company’s actions are viewed as being legitimate, developers could suddenly find themselves without a business while users could see many current Twitter applications becoming suddenly unavailable.

Skype For Android Phones!- Click here http://bit.ly/mNVV5P for full article

2011-07-05T09:53:00.001-07:00

Skype For Android Phones!- Click here http://bit.ly/mNVV5P for full article

Skype has already been a powerhouse name in the world of mobile connectivity, especially video and voice communications. Furthermore, the presence of the Skype communication platform has been available in numerous forms up until just recently. Most popularly, Skype desktop can connect to other desktop users. This has been popular for one-on-one voice and video calls.

Then Skype made the move to mobile phones. Smart phones are evolving faster than we seem evolve in order to know how to take advantage of their benefits. With Skype for your smart phone, Android specifically, the possibility of video calling is not longer limited to the office or the home desktop! The Android operating system being partnered with Skype has opened the door to one-on-one video and voice calling between Skype users, whether they are on their phone or at the desk.

What is it about Skype that has got people all up in arms about telecommunications? Android software has enabled Skype with a couple of wonderful features: The varying views of the camera; The insertion of your Skype contacts into your own Android contact list; And even calls between Skype and non-Skype users!

Let us discuss these three options one at a time. First, many smart phones now feature a front and rear facing camera. With Skype's video calls, it makes sense that having the phone facing you they can see you as you speak. now there is an option to let your viewer see what you see (compliments of the rear facing camera).

Secondly, Skype has coupled so closely with the Android software that if you have synced your Skype contacts into your Android phone contact list you have the option of calling a Skype contact right from your Android contact list (without having to jump around applications and contact lists).

Thirdly, by purchasing extremely low Skype-minutes, you are enabled to make inexpensive phone calls to non-Skype users (yes, that certainly does includes international phone calls).

Aside from Skype's phenomenal desktop software (that opens the door to conference calling for its users), Skype for android has taken the ability of the smart phone to an entirely new level. Share video from both the front and rear of phone, seamlessly link your Skype and Android contacts, and even make international calls without having the pay the big bucks. Without a doubt, you and your business can benefit from these two powerhouse names.

2015 The End Of Wallets?- Click here http://bit.ly/jxyxGP for full article

2011-07-05T09:50:00.001-07:00

2015 The End Of Wallets?- Click here http://bit.ly/jxyxGP for full article

PayPal, one of the leading e-commerce money transferring companies on the Web, announced recently that it has over 100 million active users. PayPal also included in their announcement a rather unusual prediction. According to them, wallets will be obsolete by 2015. Their reasoning stems from the growing popularity of digital currency for purchases, something PayPal specializes in.

PayPal’s prediction seems unlikely, but their confidence stems from a very successful business founded on digital currency. PayPal payments account for a large portion of all eBay sales, where PayPal takes a portion of the funds transferred from each sale. Purchased by eBay in 2002, the service’s popularity has led to extreme growth in the digital currency and online payment industry. PayPal estimates that nearly $3 billion in mobile transactions will take place using their service just this year.

It’s no secret that cash transactions have become less popular with the advent of credit cards, debit cards and digital currency. A large portion of this is due to the added security and peace of mind that these services bring. Whereas cash is nearly wholly unprotected for private transactions, credit cards and services such as PayPal provide consumer protection against theft and fraud. It also makes transactions easier to keep track of, meaning it is easier to keep tabs on exactly where funds are being spent, or even when a purchase was made.

Though it may not be entirely likely, PayPal’s prediction is important to keep in mind for businesses that are hesitant to shy away from cash-only transactions. For small businesses, the fees that come with credit card and digital currency purchases may be fairly costly. While requiring customers to pay in cash may seem like a wise way to avoid paying such costs, it could cost the business more in the long run. As PayPal’s prediction suggests, fewer people are carrying cash, and not allowing these consumers to purchase items with digital currency means that they will inevitably spend their money elsewhere. Implementing options to take credit cards or digital currency may require some initial investment, but it will likely yield better returns in the long run.

Only time will tell if PayPal’s prediction will come true. Even so, it is important to keep in mind the importance of digital currency. With many worried about the security of their cash, more and more people will switch to these newer methods of payment.

Windows Gets an App Store- Click here http://bit.ly/lYzZD9 for full article

2011-07-01T10:34:00.001-07:00

Windows Gets an App Store- Click here http://bit.ly/lYzZD9 for full article

For years, Windows users have wondered when they will be given access to an application store made for downloading applications directly to their desktop. Over the last year or so, there have been rumors of Windows releasing an application store comparable to the Apple App Store but up until recently, nothing had been confirmed. As of June 29, 2011, the Avenue App Store will make finding and downloading applications for Windows desktop easier than ever.

Currently, the applications that are in the Avenue App Store are free of charge, but the company is hoping to one day add applications for users to buy. The act of downloading the application is very simple. The user selects the application they want and then they can either download the application, add it to their wish list or put it in their shopping cart. Another feature of the new application store is that users have access to their applications on any computer they want. By adding an application to their shopping cart, users can decide what desktop they want the application to be downloaded on.

There are very few categories that the store currently has, such as games, multimedia, entertainment and a few others. While there are not very many applications in the store, the company is hoping to add many more in the near future to give users a wider range of applications to choose from. By having a specific Windows application store, business owners will be able to find and download applications that they need for their business without the hassle of searching the web and possibly downloading harmful applications or ones that do not work. The interface of the application store is easy to navigate and makes finding applications simple and stress-free. Many Windows users were concerned that the application store would be confusing to use and overwhelming, but the Avenue App Store has created a way for even the most computer illiterate person to download applications.

Overall, the Avenue App Store confirms that there is going to be a Windows application store for users to download a number of desktop programs for their computer. While this specific application store is not yet comparable to the Apple App Store, it shows Windows fans that their platform of choice is making its way to competing with the electronics giant, Apple. This shows business owners and regular users that there is much to look forward to when the new version of Windows is released.

Foursquare raises $50 million -Click here http://bit.ly/mmBXJF for full article

2011-07-01T10:32:00.001-07:00

Foursquare raises $50 million -Click here http://bit.ly/mmBXJF for full article

Fast-growing, location-based social networking service Foursquare has raised $50 million in venture funding. The company’s third round of financing was led by Andreessen-Horowitz, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based venture capital firm that has funded several other high-profile tech startups including Skype, Facebook, Twitter and Groupon. Also participating in the funding were Union Square Ventures, Spark Capital and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures, all of whom are existing investors in the company. According to Foursquare, the company will use a major portion of the new funding to hire engineers to help build out its merchant offerings more rapidly.

Much of the investor interest in Foursquare comes from its emerging status as one of the Internet’s premier destinations for information on local businesses. Foursquare currently has over 10 million members who use the service regularly to get information on the best places within a neighborhood for shopping, dining, entertainment, pet care and other interests. Foursquare was one of the first social networks to introduce the concept of location-based networking. The service features a GPS application that lets members use their mobile phones to ‘check-in’ at participating businesses and collect discounts, coupons and other freebies from the merchant. The service awards badges, ‘mayorships’ and other similar incentives to encourage members to patronize local businesses. Foursquare lets people share details of their physical locations with other members and alerts them to any special deals, coupons or promotional offers being offered by businesses near their present location.

The service offers local businesses a plethora of new marketing opportunities. For instance, a merchant that establishes a presence on Foursquare immediately becomes visible to a much broader audience than would have been possible via traditional advertising channels such as a local newspaper. Business owners can also attract more traffic to their locations by advertising special deals, discounts and seasonal promotions via Foursquare. For instance, by offering special discounts to first-time visitors, businesses can attract new clientele. Foursquare’s GPS capabilities also offers an opportunity for businesses to try and attract clients who might be close to their locations. Some early adopters of the service have attempted to spur customer interest by giving away prizes and special raffles whenever Foursquare members check in at their locations.

Foursquare supports a feature that allows members to write reviews or submit comments about a particular business. This kind of word of mouth communication also gives businesses a way to leverage their reputations to attract new business.

Foursquare’s success has pushed several others in the same direction. Examples include Google, Facebook and Gowalla, all of whom have very similar services. For businesses, these online services represent terrific new marketing opportunities at relatively little cost.

Why Using Twitter Ads Is Essential To Marketing Your Business- Click here http://bit.ly/lB630E for full article

2011-06-30T12:05:00.001-07:00

Why Using Twitter Ads Is Essential To Marketing Your Business- Click here http://bit.ly/lB630E for full article

With an ever-growing level of competition in today's business market, the value of innovative ideas and productive business tactics is on the rise as companies continually jockey for better financial position. Business owners and CEOs everywhere are looking for new and different ways to get in front of consumers, even if just for a few moments.

With more and more people fast forwarding commercials, canceling cable and passing on the Sunday newspaper, which is jam-packed full of ads, the marketing tactics of old just aren't cutting it. Consumers are now accessing the internet for almost all of their entertainment and communication needs, which means something has to change.

Cue the innovative idea and productive business tactic: use Twitter Ads to market your business.

Twitter, which is currently one of the most used and visited social media outlets on the web, initiated a program that will allow businesses to effectively and creatively advertise on their site. Essentially the program works as follows:

1. Businesses create a specific message or text advertisement.

For example, if Coca-Cola wanted to advertise a brand new flavor of cola they would create a specific advertisement that Twitter would publish to its site for users to see under specified guidelines.

2. Businesses then buy specific key words that relate to their advertisement.

If we follow the given example above, Coca-Cola would then purchase key words like: Coke, cola, perhaps the name of the flavor like vanilla, etc.

3. Users log onto Twitter to post, converse and search -- potentially coming across your business' key words.

If a user tweets, "Just had a terrific Coke and I'm feeling satisfied," Twitter would insert the advertisement into the user's feed. Secondly, if a user searched for any of the words that Coca-Cola purchased their advertisement would appear at the top of the users search query. Finally, if the people that a user follows on Twitter are talking about Coke or using the purchased words frequently the advertisement that Coke created will generate into the user's feed.

So, as more consumers move to websites like Twitter, using their advertisement program is essential to marketing your business. And with Twitter having over 200 million users while yielding over 1.6 billion search queries a day, just think, your business might be a few words away from millions of new consumers.

Can your business afford to pass on Twitter Ads? Unequivocally -- No.

Empire Avenue Lets You Own Your Friends- Click here http://bit.ly/lA6Kwy for full article

2011-06-30T11:04:00.001-07:00

Empire Avenue Lets You Own Your Friends- Click here http://bit.ly/lA6Kwy for full article

Is your online net worth more than your real life net worth? Empire Avenue may help further increase your virtual net worth. Many people use the internet to boost their public image, sometimes exaggerating many aspects of their personal and business lives. Online games have also become a popular past time that many people have a hard time breaking away from. The trend in increased online gaming and social networking has led to the introduction of an already popular new tool for both increasing web presence and learning social media skills.

Online games may not sound like a viable method for business owners to boost sales and increase profits, but when used properly, some of these sites can increase social media followers. The goal of the online application is to teach business professionals how to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, while increasing web presence.

At the same time, the game itself can become quickly addicting, as players seek to increase their worth. Each member can buy their friends, invest in other brands, and expand their virtual portfolio. Success is measured in the form of a virtual currency referred to as Eaves. Earn more Eaves by investing in other people and companies through the virtual marketplace.

The Empire Avenue application determines the value of each member's Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and LinkedIn social media accounts based on followers, links shared, and influence. In addition, business owners and contract professionals can connect with others through communities devoted to specific topics or specialties. There are two ways to win: as an influencer or as an investor. The application allows you to decide which one you are based on a preliminary quiz.

As an investor, the goal is to find the people in your networks that produce the most content or are the most active in their online communities. In other words, think of the people that you know that share the most links, write the most blog posts, or uploads the most videos for sharing. These are the biggest influencers, and investors can earn Eaves by purchasing them on Empire Avenue.

Wiki Love- Click here http://bit.ly/kMkSNR for full article

2011-06-30T10:56:00.001-07:00

Wiki Love- Click here http://bit.ly/kMkSNR for full article

Wikipedia has recognized the need for positive reinforcement in the community. Wikipedia has decided to launch a “Love” button for contributors and users of Wikipedia to comment on each other’s work. This method of appreciation encourages more involvement and better quality of work. Users may send each other virtual beers, cats and numerous other signs of encouragement.

Experts at Wikipedia hope that through this reinforcement a community will form to provide more accurate and up-to-date information on the website. Constructive criticism and encouragement will help contributors feel better about the time invested in the Wikipedia articles. WikiLove supports whimsical notes, trophies, invitations to the community or welcome letters to a new team member.

WikiLove is also a positive way to edit an article without offending the original writer. The information remains accurate while friendships and networks are formed. Virtual gifts will allow the person to know that the edit is not in malice but in the good of the community. This also encourages accurate information and a community of experts and specialists.

Currently, the Wikipedia community largely consists of very few editors. The longevity of Wikipedia depends upon the willingness of editors to participate in the editing process, as well as, article creation. The articles involve significant research and editing. Great author’s works often go unrecognized. WikiLove will give these editors and authors to continue writing to provide this valuable resource to the public. As long as the information remains accurate, the web community will see the value in this informative site.

WikiLove is scheduled to release in the near future. However, only time will tell if this new addition will prompt users to contribute more to the site. Investors hope this contribution will spark interest. More interest will encourage donations to Wikipedia. As the company raises more money, the website can offer more to the web browsing community and keep the idea of information sharing alive.

Many people that cannot physically make it to a library may have access to the Internet. Wikipedia allows those individuals access to information at their fingertips. WikiLove is an encouragement tool that is part of the Wikimedia prototype site that will keep contributors motivated. New and old users of Wikipedia should test WikiLove to spread the love and encouragement throughout the community. Send your favorite Wikipedia contributor a beer or kitten today.

Mu Sigma Helps Raise $25 Million- Click here http://bit.ly/m1Y5Cp for full article

2011-06-29T16:42:00.001-07:00

Mu Sigma Helps Raise $25 Million- Click here http://bit.ly/m1Y5Cp for full article

In the corporate business world, it is all about numbers. The better the numbers or the bottom line, then the better business is. In order to get the numbers to look right, it requires knowing your market and making the right decision at the right time.

It appears that MU Sigma has done just that. Mu Sigma is a company that helps to analyze business probems and help to create solutions. In order to better do this, Mu Sigma has helped to rais an astounding $25 million through series C financing.

According to a press statement, Mu Sigma currently has 1200 employees and plans to hire even more. The very interesting part of this is that most of the employees of this company are from India. In addition, the company is trying to build the largest math lab in the world in order to analyze data. Therein lies the secret to their sucess.

Mu Sigma ' Big Data' is a term used by the company to talk about this process. Mu Sigma 'Big Data' simply means that they take quite a bit of data an analyze it in order to extract information which can be used by companie in order to determine probabilities of certain situations. Then, these companies can make the best decisions based upon science in order to help their company succeed.

According to the managing director at Sequoia named Shailendra Singh, their company can meet any demands of any type of company simply by performing the analytic service. Of course, in addition to Singh, the enthusiastic their enthusiastic employees can also extol the virtues of using "big data".

The best thing about this service provided by Mu Sigma is that it is not only using theoretical knowledge in a vacuum, but it is using actual information provided by the companies. In this way, it reduces the risk that decisions made using a coporate think tank won't actually have any relevance in the real world.

They prefer to use applied math for analyzing business problems, anticipating supply chain issues, and most importantly, in order to forecast of market demand. With these huge amounts of data it becomes a lot easier for companies to make a good decision. Many companies have been making decisions for their businesses in this way for years.

The reaility is that the Mu Sigma ' Big Data' project has helped companies to raise $25 million. That is no small sum of money! Don't you think it is time you took a look into the company to see what it can do for your business?

Facebook Explores With Comment Ads- Click here http://bit.ly/kxk9vr for full article

2011-06-29T16:41:00.001-07:00

Facebook Explores With Comment Ads- Click here http://bit.ly/kxk9vr for full article

Facebook has announced a new ad service called Comments. It's called Comments because it mimics the conversations users can have on their walls, even though the conversation is actually started by a company.

Here's how it works. First, the brand poses a question through the service. The question then appears as a traditional Facebook display ad on the right side of the screen. When a user clicks on the link, they are directed to answer the question. If they do so, then the question and their response to it will appear on their news feed. The user's Facebook friends can then add to the conversation.

Several major corporations have already signed up for the service. Hallmark plans to ask consumers, "How do you make summertime a special occasion?" Allstate will ask multiple questions as part of its ongoing "Mayhem" ad campaign, including “What’s the worst thing your kid’s ever done in the car?” The unit will initially be available only to premium Facebook advertising accounts, and will not be accessible from the "a la carte" advertising options.

Comments is the eighth ad service available on Facebook. Others include Like, Event, Sampling, Application, and Video Comment. However, it's the first Facebook ad program designed by an ad agency. Specifically, it was designed by Leo Burnett, the Chicago-based agency responsible for many famous advertising characters such as Tony the Tiger and for Canon's latest Photo 5 campaign.

"Unlike in other advertising, we're not telling people how to think about the brand," said Leo Burnett's chief innovation officer, Mark Renshaw. "We're just asking them to participate in the conversation." The service represents an interesting new branding strategy. Instead of paying large amounts of money to ad agencies and multimedia specialists to help guess what image consumers will respond to, participating companies are encouraging consumers to paint their company's brand with images from their own lives.

This announcement Facebook's innovative advertising service comes in the same week that semi-rival Twitter announced it would include sponsored messages in user's timelines. It's also the same week that Google announced Google+, its competitor to Facebook. The social media market is certainly heating up.

The Latest Tech IPO: Fusion-IO- Click here http://bit.ly/jw8ynv for full article

2011-06-29T16:38:00.003-07:00

The Latest Tech IPO: Fusion-IO- Click here http://bit.ly/jw8ynv for full article

Every day, technology companies are started in hopes of one day reaching an Initial Public Offering (IPO). Most of those companies never realize this dream, but a few have been getting a lot of attention lately. Fusion-IO is the latest in line to offer up shares to the public, and the company appears confident that the public will like what they see.

Fusion-IO is a flash-based storage drive company that specializes in storage on smaller devices. Flash memory is known for being faster than traditional storage media.

Fusion-IO has raised $110 million in funding, and initially priced their IPO in the $13 to $15 range. Today that price value range was moved up to $16 to $18. This puts the company's total valuation at $1.4 billion. For comparison, the recent LinkedIn IPO valued the company at $4.3 billion. After a few weeks on the market, that valuation has risen to over $7 billion. Facebook has its sights set on an IPO valuation near the $100 mark.Fusion-IO cannot claim that lofty price value range, but it can claim Facebook as one of its customers. In fact, Facebook accounts for around 50% of Fusion-IO's revenue.

Fusion-IO's IPO is set for this Thursday, June 16. In the past 9 months, the company's gross profits quadrupled to $65.7 million, catching the eye of investors everywhere. Investors will certainly want to keep an eye on the IPO Thursday, as Fusion-IO begins trading under the symbol FIO. LinkedIn rose from the $45 price value range to over $90 at one point during its first day of trading. Investors will certainly have similar hopes for the Fusion-IO stock price Thursday.

Technology stocks have been getting many headlines over the past few months for the valuations they are receiving by investors. Fusion-IO is the latest in that line of companies with a large valuation attached to its name. Investors will have to wait for Thursday to see how the IPO performs once it is released to the public. Many will certainly be hoping for a similar situation to LinkedIn, skyrocketing on its first day. Rise or fall, the wait ends for the public on Thursday June 9.

The Latest Tech IPO: Fusion-IO- Click here http://bit.ly/jw8ynv for full article

2011-06-29T16:38:00.001-07:00

The Latest Tech IPO: Fusion-IO- Click here http://bit.ly/jw8ynv for full article

Fusion-IO is a flash-based storage drive company that specializes in storage on smaller devices. Flash memory is known for being faster than traditional storage media.

Social Media Nearly Doubles As Users Grow Older- Click here http://bit.ly/kALNnV for full article

2011-06-28T11:46:00.003-07:00

Social Media Nearly Doubles As Users Grow Older- Click here http://bit.ly/kALNnV for full article

Social networking sites continue to bear significant presences in American lives. A recent report from the Pew Research Center shows that Facebook still remains the dominating social network site, used by 92 percent of respondents. MySpace followed with 29 percent, then LinkedIn at 18 percent and Twitter at 13 percent.

The Pew Center's Internet & American Life Social Network Site survey threw results from a sample of 2,255 adults above the age of 18. The report had a confidence level of 95 percent with a margin of error 2.5 percent plus or minus. It sought to explain the role of digital technology in people's lives, how "trust, personal relationships, and civic and political involvement" were affected from the use of social networking sites.

The number of adults using the Internet was 79 percent, and 59 percent of these used at least one social networking site (SNS), doubling the 2008 SNS figures of 26 percent. Over 50 percent of the SNS users were 35 or over, and 56 percent were female.

Ten percent of the Facebook users sent private messages and 15 percent updated their status. Around one-fifth to one-quarter of the Facebook users commented on others’ status, photos, or content.

Trust pervaded among users on Facebook, with Facebook users averaging two friends in whom they engaged in confident relationships. Social support figures were high. Three-quarters of Facebook users were genuinely involved in expressing emotional support, companionship and instrumental aid.

The Facebook users demonstrated participation in civic affairs. The survey took place during the November 2010 elections and 66 percent of the respondents reported they had intended to vote. Around 78 percent said they would "try and influence someone's vote," and 28 percent responded that they had done so.

The number of friends the average Facebook user had was 229, of whom 22 percent were from high school, 10 percent were coworkers, eight percent immediate family and 12 percent extended family. Friends from voluntary groups rated seven percent; neighbors rated two percent.

Groups of users were not defined explicitly by like-minded interests. The study identified "perspective taking" as not overall significant. Adults were at least 64 percent able to tolerate different or discordant views.

The study shows that SNS continues to grow significantly in the lives of Americans. Business marketers will do well to understand and appreciate internet social networking as a real force with bearings on the world of commerce.