Facebook Marketing
With millions of registered users worldwide, it’s hard not to recognize Facebook’s impact on the internet. What started as a college project has presently turned into a massive opportunity for businesses to increase brand awareness and access the multitude of people who visit the platform on a daily basis.

Getting Started: Creating Your Fan page

Though setting up a Facebook fan page may seem like a chore, it’s actually not that difficult and there are thousands of  resources online  to help you get started. Some of our favorite how-to tutorials are:

• Facebook Business – this is a tutorial page recently created by Facebook  to help new users.
• HOW TO: Set Up a Winning Facebook Fan Page – This is a step-by-step tutorial on how to setup a Facebook Fan Page.
• How to Create a Facebook Business Fan Page – A video walk-through.

Setting up the design of your fan page is one of the most important steps to Facebook success. In order to create a Facebook fan page that is professional and engaging, you will need to include various applications. These customizable “apps” can provide everything from welcome pages and location based services to customer review functionalities.

If you want to create a professional welcome page, you can utilize these free and low cost applications designed for the novice user. Some also come with the ability to create custom tabs in addition to welcome pages:

Wix – Free and paid versions available. Paid versions include design upgrades. Intermediate and advanced functionalities take some practice; however, the interface offers an extensive number of customization possibilities.
Tabsite – Free and paid versions available. Simple “DragNBuild” interface is easy to use.
Pagemodo – Free and paid versions available. Pagemodo recently added new and improved templates to their repertoire.
Tabpress – Tabpress is a Facebook application that enables you to create an iFrame page tab directly on your Facebook page. The application supports HTML, CSS and JavaScript.

For an extensive list of the most popular applications, check out the top 75 Facebook applications designed to enhance your fan page.

Getting Started: Fan Traffic

Once your profile and applications are installed, it’s time to interact and get some fans to like your page.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

1. Add a Facebook “Like” box to your website or blog
2. Click on the “Invite Friends” link on the middle right of your fan page to invite your current Facebook friends (from your personal profile) to “Like” your business fan page. Send the invite at a time when most people are on Facebook, generally late afternoons and evenings after work.
3. If you already have a customer base, send out a newsletter showcasing your new page. Offer your subscribers an incentive to like your page.
4. Join relevant groups and share helpful information. Avoid blatantly asking people to “like” your page.

Growing Your Facebook Business

In order to continue to grow on Facebook, it’s important to understand how to make the most of your fan page. Facebook users visit the platform to engage, share and generally have fun. If you can offer great value and make it an enjoyable experience, you will continue to grow over time.

Here are some helpful hints to maximize your fan growth:

• Notice what days and times fans comment the most on your posts and market during those times.
• Images and videos get a greater response than text.
• Text posts should be short and sweet. The longer they are, the more users will pass them by.
• Use Facebook Insights to give you an idea of your page analytics.
• Always respond to comments and encourage further interaction. The more interaction on your posts, the greater chance your post will show up in your fan’s news feed. (When a user’s news feed is set to default, Facebook shows the posts that get the most interaction first.)
• Use contests, polls, coupons, incentives and games to increase engagement with your brand. There are some powerful applications that will make this process seamless and easy. Part 5 will list these resources.
• Ask questions that warrant brief answers. The less people have to type, the more they will engage.
• Stay away from political or religious topics unless it is part of your brand messaging.
• One to two posts per day is acceptable. Refrain from excessive posting.
• Ask your fans for ideas on what to post…get them involved in the process.
• Facebook ads are a great method to increase your fans and a cost-effective alternative to PPC (Pay-per-click). We will cover the topic in later posts, but it is a good idea to start researching how you can use the advertising platform to increase your fan base.

Businesses that use Facebook the way it was intended experience a steady increase in profits as their fan base grows. Take advantage of the many resources available and see what Facebook has to offer.

If you need help designing your Facebook Fan Page or you want to know more about our Facebook Marketing Campaigns, contact us NOW!

Spending a lot of time trying to figure out how to make a video that will go viral isn’t worth it because there really is no magic formula. Trying to force a video to go viral almost guarantees that it won’t succeed. Some marketers think that something funny, quirky, or flashy is a sure bet. But what if your brand isn’t funny, quirky, or flashy? It doesn’t make sense. A marketing video should be created for the same purpose that any content is created, and that is to provide value to your target audience. You don’t want to stray away from that concept just to get attention. Not only will it alienate your current customers, but it will also attract the wrong target audience. Even if they think that your video is funny, they probably will never consider buying your products or services.

A marketing video doesn’t need to be entertaining. In many cases, it probably shouldn’t be. It can be just as valuable, and probably more so, if it is educational and informational. It all goes back to the target audience. What would they like to see that will help to persuade them to buy from you? A restaurant owner might provide a video of a tour of the restaurant. Sometimes pictures on the website aren’t enough. A tour of the dining room, the bar, and the kitchen will help a viewer get a better feeling of the size and the environment. A video interviewing staff members and customers provides a personal connection to a company and allows them to put a “face” on the brand name. Sure, it’s nothing flashy and it won’t become a YouTube sensation, but your target audience will appreciate it.

When it comes to making a marketing video, your best bet is to create something that is valuable to your target audience. If it’s worth sharing, it will be shared. Don’t worry so much about the number of views. Instead, check to see if the video has resulted in an increase in website traffic or conversions. Those are the numbers that really matter.

1. Reliability

There is nothing more important than making sure that your website is always available to your users. The industry standard for uptime bottoms out at 99.5%. Anything less than this is simply unacceptable and a waste of your money. While no hosting company can promise 100%, many of the best companies are currently posting a 99.9% uptime. Many people overlook uptime, because they just assume that the web hosting company will simply make sure that their website is always online. This assumption can quickly ruin the best websites.

2. Support

There is nothing worse than needing to contact your web hosting provider, only to realize that they are not available. If you website goes down, or you are having problems, your web host needs to be there to help you. More and more web hosts are starting to support 24/7 help-desks This ensures that you will get a response within a couple of hours. Some even have real-time chat available to help you solve your problems quickly.

3. Disk Space and Bandwidth

While disk space and bandwidth are inherently related. They both have one thing in common. Many web hosting companies offer unlimited bandwidth and unlimited disk space. However, it is important to keep in mind that this promise can never be truly fulfilled When looking at both disk space and bandwidth, make sure to read the fine print. At the same time, unless you are using a large number of videos or images, disk space will probably not be a big issue, especially for websites with only a couple hundred pages. The same is true for bandwidth. However, it is important to keep an eye on the bandwidth that you are using, to make sure that you will not get saddled with overage charges.

Some web hosting companies will allow you to pre-pay for bandwidth overages. While this may seem like a good idea at first, the truth is, you may never max your bandwidth allowance. Additionally, you may find a better hosting company in six months and switch hosts. If you do this, you will not get reimbursed for all of your pre-payments.

4. Flexibility

What your web host allows you to do, becomes more important depending on what applications you want to run. If you are going to need shell access, then make sure that you get it. The same is true if you want to install PHP or Pearl scripts. It also is important to make sure that you are given the programming tools that you need in order to get your website running. Depending on what programming languages are used, this could include: Ruby on Rails, MySQL databases, the ability to create cron jobs, and much more.

Choosing a web hosting company isn’t difficult as long as you know what features are important to look for. If you need help choosing the right web hosting company, click here.

Want to know some of my secrets? Here they are…

THE MAGIC OF CTRL C AND CTRL V. Have you ever had to manually copy and paste a large amount of information because one program or format doesn’t play nice with another? Right click, copy, left click paste. Right click, copy, left click paste… This can take forever! Speed up this chore and many others with keyboard short cuts. Here’s a nice cheat sheet I found online for Windows users click here or here. Mac users, click here.

CHOP TASKS UP. Large tasks can be a huge pain in the backside. It never fails. You get going on a huge project, and halfway through, you have something minor that has to be done as soon as possible. The secret is to optimize your time, break up your projects into equal sizes, and spread it out over time.

First, go through your tasks and delegate or outsource what you can. This step can be hard, but if you’re not sure about something, figure out what it would cost if someone hired you to do it. Then, figure out what it would cost if you gave the task to someone else to handle. Do whichever seems more financially feasible.

The second thing you want to do as you go through your to-do list is assign everything a priority and get all the little tasks out of the way. Why? You’ll schedule the highest priority items first and get any task that takes less than 15 minutes out of the way.Next, make your schedule. So, let’s say your first project will take you approximately 5 hours. Work on it an hour each day and give yourself a couple days’ grace in case it takes longer or needs additional work you hadn’t anticipated. Now, schedule in your phone calls. Give yourself set times during the day where you handle those. Do the same for the marketing, email, and all the other items on your to do list.

Do yourself a huge favor and leave some space in your schedule for additional tasks and other last minute jobs that might come up in the mean time. You’ll also want to follow one very important rule: When you’re working on a particular task, stick with it. Don’t let your mind wander and don’t let yourself get distracted. There are exceptions to this rule, of course. Bloody noses and empty coffee cups don’t always wait until their scheduled time, but just make sure it’s something important enough to warrant losing your focus and coming out of “the zone”.

AUTOMATION IS KEY. I can’t say enough about automating repetitive tasks that don’t necessarily need your immediate, direct attention. If you’re not sure about how to automate something, do a search online and see what others are using. Here are a few of the processes I’ve automated and how I’ve done it:

HootSuite and Rockmelt–I do a lot of Social Media Networking and have developed a TweetPlan that must be followed religiously day after day. The first few times I was doing the tweets manually, I realized how time-consuming it is – but I had to do it since it is necessary for marketing. So I thought, there must be some way I can automate or schedule my tweets! That;’s when I found HootSuite. Learning to manage it can be a bit overwhelming at first, but once you get it set up, you just can’t beat it. Spend some time right away in the morning answering mentions and private messages. Then, grab some good tweets to send out and schedule them to go out throughout the day. Once that’s done, you just have to check your messages and replies when you check your email (which I normally have scheduled once every 2 hours) and retweet good pieces you find in your stream. Rockmelt, like HootSuite, is priceless. When I find good information online while researching a project, I tweet it using its share button and I’m done.

Email Filters — I have a filter set up for almost every email that hits my inbox. Some of the general filters I have include:

• Read later — for all my newsletters and updates
• Waiting on — gets assigned to emails I’m waiting to hear back about
• Next — for projects needing my attention that day
• Information — These have tidbits of information I need to save. These are forwarded to Evernote at the end of the day and tagged with the appropriate categories

In addition to these, I have tags for each of my clients, receipts, and other information that arrives almost daily.

Remember the Milk (RTM) or an integrated task list — I use this program for absolutely everything. I love it. Right now, I have it hooked to my VOX email. So, when an email comes in with a date or task, it’s automatically added to my RTM list. There’s no more need to add tasks in manually. As an added bonus, it syncs to my phone and Google Calendar, so I have everything at my fingertips when I need it. (While we’re on the subject of ‘milk’ software, Out Of Milk is a brilliant shopping list program for Android I couldn’t live without. It took time to scan items and add everything in, but now it’s saved me hundreds of extra dollars (and time) because I no longer have to make multiple trips to the store. Yay me! er…Yay, milk!)

ALL-IN-ONE PROGRAMS. Look for software that takes care of more than one task for you at a time and integrates with the other programs you use. For instance, Trunk.ly has eliminated most of my browser bookmarks and programs like Delicious. I feed my Twitter, Facebook, and Delicious accounts into Trunkly, and it aggregates everything for me there. So, when I share a link, I’m automatically saving it without having to make extra steps.

Google Reader (which I manage with Feed Demon) is my main information source. Each time I start with a new client, I assign them a tag and collect a list of authoritative information sources. Then, I set up alerts on Google and WhosTalkin and feed these into the reader (each with the client’s tag, of course). So, when I go into my news reader, I can get a complete picture of what’s going on in my world, as well as with my client’s industries and am able to get a more in-depth picture of the industry.

Gmail is another important program. In addition to RTM, I also have it connected to my MailChimp account, Rapporative, for social information, TimeTracker by ITA, and Backupify. This way, I can get all the information I need within a few clicks. Between Hootsuite and Rockmelt, I can manage all of my social media activities, and TimeTracker by ITA takes care of all the accounting/leads/customer contact jobs on my end.

How do YOU save time online?

Social Networking Sites are really popular these days. Almost everyone has their own Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn account. People from all walks of life  and across cultures and ages have taken to setting up their own social media profiles. But what is the value of having one?

First of all, social networking sites are made for people to connect with each other. Finding someone you know like a friend, local or international celebrity, family member, and classmates and connecting with them with the use of social media even if they are miles away is really awesome. Looking for someone to date, fixing a long lost relationship and meeting new people can also be done in social networking sites.

As years go by and as technology advances, social networking sites continue to improve and add new features and applications too. They added recreational games which can keep you busy and entertained. Improved profile for posting of thoughts, photos, videos, and links. Another thing is the chat app which enables you to make a live conversation with that person when he is online.

Entrepreneurs benefit a lot from social networking sites. They can freely endorse their products and/or services to millions of people using a single social media site.

Social networking sites can also cause harm, if abused too much. This is especially true for young people. They may encounter different unwanted things and ideas that they must not know at their age. Also, connecting with someone they don’t know will influence and lead them to the wrong way. For youths, parents must guide their children about these things and add extra precautions in using social networking sites.

Virtual assistance is an example of a job you can get from being a computer literate. A virtual assistant is considered as an entrepreneur who showcases his technical assistance to the clients. Virtual assistance is usually a home based job and you can get clients through your online career. Since most of the Virtual assistant is self employed or independent contractor then there would be no taxes to pay and no salary deduction from any insurance. The best thing about Virtual assistance is that you have a direct contact with your clients and you can get your salary from them completely intact. There are lots of advantages in being Virtual Assistant, just like having a comfortable and safe working basis since you are just working at home in front of your computer. Another thing to always observe is the clients. You must choose your clients because there are some clients that are scammer and don’t pay for what you have worked for them. Be wise and honest, that’s the key to become a successful virtual assistant.

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Mobile phones have camera that can capture images, some have flashlights that can be used for emergency purposes, and other phones have wi-fi connectivity that enables the user to browse in the web. To summarize, phones today are really useful and it can offer different services that satisfy the needs of every user.

Nokia, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Sony Ericson, Blackberry and any other brands are the usual thing to look for in choosing a mobile phone.  Those brand names or manufacturers are releasing different kinds of phones every year. They are improvising the phones and adding additional applications and services to it so that it can catch the attention of many people. Like for example, Touch Screen phones are the latest version that were released today and those touch screen phones become top seller because it can offer convenient use.

All in all, you must be wise in choosing mobile phones and it is best to select the one that can offer the purpose that satisfy your expectations and needs. Also, make sure that the phone has a high quality so that you can make use of it for a long time.

 
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When we play computer games or online games, it takes concentration and focus. And so, we can’t take off our eyes on screen even if the phone is ringing, the water is boiling, or your favorite TV show is about to begin.

Many of us knew about the bad things that this pastime killer can cause us. This causes your children to spend more time playing than studying or doing chores. It can also isolate you from human companionships and shorten your sight.  However, there are good things about online games rather than being addictive.

When it comes to improvement and development of thinking skills and abilities, online games turns out to have many benefits. Actually, playing online games are far more beneficial than watching Television. Researchers show that playing word and puzzle games decreases the risk of having an Alzheimer’s disease while watching TV increases the risk.

Many other researches proves that playing online games, puzzles, trivia’s, and word games, gives positive effects into the youngsters’ mind. A classic game such as Tetris generates the kids’ ability to analyze shapes and think a plan ahead on. Board games such as chess help the area of thinking skills and so on.

The bottom line is that, online gaming can be beneficial yet harmful in a person’s life. Also, playing in a multiplayer mode is better than solo. Play it with your family member, friend or a companionship, because it builds teamwork and mutual relationship with each other. Have enough time to balance playing online games and having a life outside your room.

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On the other hand, years passed by, USB Flash Drive was introduced in year 2000. It is smaller, faster, and has a larger storage capacity compared to diskette or floppy disk. USB Flash Drive is essential for saving all kinds of files. It is removable and rewritable so that you can edit your files on it. USB Flash Drive is robust that can handle your files for a long period of time.

Today, there are lots of improvements with regards to the computers and USB Flash Drives. Most of the computers today don’t have the Floppy Disk Drive and it was replaced by USB Hubs or ports wherein the USB Flash Drive can be inserted. For the USB Flash Drives, it has a larger storage capacity to 2GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and so on.

USB Flash Drives are really useful. You can bring it anywhere since it is small and handy, it has also a strong quality, and most importantly it can handle your files securely. You can make use of it in different purposes as long as there is USB port.

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Computer programming is interesting because it allows you to process designs, testing, writing, troubleshooting, and maintaining the computer programs. Computer programming is not that easy to do, it will require you to learn different related subjects in programming like formal logic and algorithm. You will also need to become knowledgeable about the application domain for you able to maintain the source code of the computer programs.

The source code of the computer programs serves as the language of the computers, and is the one being read by the computers as it follows every single command. In a computer, there are several programs to be configured, and by learning to write in a programming language it means that you can now communicate with the computers.

Computer programming requires knowledge and common sense, so that you will learn how to deal with it. Programming a computer is not that easy to do but when you get used to it, then it will give you extra ability to do the programming accordingly. Programming is somewhat complicated that’s why focus and concentration is requires to solve different problems in configuring programs.

All in all, computer programmer is the one expert on the field of programming, therefore he/she must be the one responsible for different codes or programs to be fixed and maintained.

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