Friday, June 18th, 2010
Social bookmarking at it's best, that's Digg! If you are looking for information Digg is great at paying attention to what you like and suggesting related sites. The articles submitted to them are very informative and helpful and you have some great bookmarking options to help organize your sites. If you are a company looking to get your message out then you better start submitting!
Reasons we love Digg:
Digg is working to democratize digital media by surfacing the best stuff as voted on by their users
Promotes conversation around content and provides tools for the community to discuss the topics that they’re passionate about
Committed to giving every piece of content on the web an equal shot of being the next big thing
If you are curious about some of the further workings of Digg and how to put it to work for your company please Contact us! We have some great options to help you get started in Digg and other sites.
Tags: articles, Digg, digital media, marketing, opportunities, SMO, Social Bookmarking, social media optimization
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Friday, June 18th, 2010
Have you Googled yourself lately? Getting to the top of Google has and continues to be a main goal for most websites. It should also be a concern for you personally to see what comes up when you Google yourself. Many job recruiters Google all of their applicants to check them out. If you want to know what they're finding, it's an easy test to try yourself. Google offers more than just search though, for personal use you can do so much more. Use Google maps, get a Gmail email for professional use, create a personal profile, utilize Google Calendar for organization, etc. This list of products continues to grow, especially in the States.
If you're a business owner and you haven't submitted a Google profile, here are some reasons to go do it right now:
If you don't have the time or energy to invest in creating consistent profiles to represent your personal or corporate identity, we can help. Contact us today to relieve some social media start-up stress or to do some social media management and maintenance.
Tags: business, calendar, Google, maps, personal, professional, profile, SMO, social media optimization
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Friday, June 18th, 2010
At this point in time even if you haven't taken the time to visit YouTube and look around their extensive library, you've most likely still seen a YouTube video somewhere. YouTube has tons of videos in the way of entertainment, but they also have a wealth of educational and informative videos. It's a great place to do research or find a 'How To'. If you have a blog, YouTube makes it super easy to put a video right into your post!
Here are a few more reasons we love YouTube:
YouTube is being increasingly used by businesses as a marketing platform and as a Social Media Optimization tool. I was at a marketing workshop today where claims were made that one day all websites will be video so get involved in this future wave now!
If you are in job search having a professional video resume done may be something to consider. It will give you an edge in your application and a video to put on YouTube that is very professional. Generate those keywords around your name so that when someone puts you into Google you have a better chance of them finding the information about you that you want them to find. We have some great resources if you're interested in a video resume and My Media Magnet would love to help you get started on YouTube and social media in general so contact us with any and all of your social media questions!
Tags: blog, marketing, SMO, social media optimization, video library, YouTube
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Friday, June 18th, 2010
I think the real question for anyone reading this is how could you not love Flickr? Photo sharing made easy is enough to make anyone smile. I can't be the only one who has watched the Facebook image uploading bar with fingers crossed in anticipation of a successful 5 picture upload, beads of sweat collecting on my forehead as the load reading changes from 98% Complete to Error! Fear no more! You can share those images with friends and have access to more options with Flickr!
Why we love it:
Leading image and video hosting website, web services suite and online community platform
Service is widely used for bloggers and as a photo repository and source for photographic content
As of June 2009 Flickr was reported to host more that 3.6 billion images
Employs "Tagging" which alerts search engines about what’s there
Flickr is community based technology
If you're wondering how you can use Flickr for your business I can't say enough good things about it. Currently we are working on a website and because our client is somewhat inconvenient to meet, we are sharing images over Flickr. This method is convenient, easy and saves us some communication time. It allows us to organize the folders, tag the images for search optimization and set privacy settings for the album. As well, My Media Magnet creates all their sites on Wordpress and Flickr has some great integration options so that your images can work for you across several platforms.
The old saying a picture is worth a 1000 words still rings true today. If you have some striking images to show the world, or need a convenient way to upload product or business photos, we strongly suggest using Flickr. If you need some tips and tricks for using Flickr, image sizing, tagging and Wordpress integration please visit our Contact page!
Tags: Flickr, functionality, image uploading, images, integration, photo, photo sharing, platform, SMO, social media optimization
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Friday, June 18th, 2010
Have you heard? Nobody uses The Yellow Pages anymore, they just Google it. And now, if they can't find what they want on Google they localize their search on Yelp. Yelp doesn't just stop at finding what you want either. It's a review site so you leave knowing where you're going, why you're going there and what you can expect to experience while you're there. It's free to submit your company so that people can find you so get on there!
Here are a few reasons you may want to use Yelp over your what you currently visit for reviews:
Yelp is the only review site that lets reviewees talk back
Yelp combines local reviews and social networking functionality to create a local online community
The site allows consumers to share the experiences they have had with local businesses and lets business owners share information about their business with their customers both publicly and privately
Over 25 million people visited Yelp in August 2009 to make spending decisions
Yelp applies a "First to Review" reward system to create a competition among contributing members, further motivating the creation of reviews and adding to the site’s business coverage
Site visitors can see which contributing users are the most popular, respected, and prolific, how long each has been a member, and which have interests similar to their own
You can Yelp on your phone allowing for accessibility and ease of use
If you are concerned about transparency or receiving a bad review, it's time to get over it. People are going to find a place online to voice their opinions whether you provide and monitor the platform or not. Get your name on Yelp, let your network know you're there, attain valuable reviews and testimonials from your network and ask them to post them on Yelp and suddenly you've nullified any negatives by saturating your review pool with positives!
If you are just looking for cool social media tools, Yelp fulfills that specification too. I found an amazing restaurant to take my hubby to for his birthday and the reviews made me feel confident and know how much to budget. I always check Yelp now before trying a new place because I hate being disappointed. Join the fun and learn from others on Yelp, start contributing your own reviews to help out and build a personal network.
For more information on Yelp or other social media services please contact My Media Magnet.
Tags: functionality, Google, localize, negative, positive, review, search, SMO, social media optimization, social networking, Yellow Pages, Yelp
Posted in Social Media News, Social Media Tools | No Comments »
Friday, June 18th, 2010
LinkedIn is one of what we refer to as 'The Big 3' of social media. It is an amazing tool for professional networking and enables you to go beyond traditional networking. It's another one of those sites that if you aren't on it you should be. I often Google people and the first search results for their name is their LinkedIn profile. You want to ensure that when someone does a Google search on your name it's your LinkedIn profile that pops up and gives them information.
Some of the major reasons we love LinkedIn are:
LinkedIn is a network of experienced professionals from around the world representing 170 industries and 200 countries
A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every second
They have over 50 million users as of October 14th, 2009; a jump from 45 million users since August 12th, 2009.
Linkedin saw a 5.68% growth in traffic for the month of September alone
Executives from all Fortune500 companies are LinkedIn members
LinkedIn truly is international with 50% of their users being from outside the U.S.
They won two Webby awards in 2007 for services and social networking
All of these statistics can work for you if you use LinkedIn as a tool in the most effective way for you and/or your business. When you first get on LinkedIn, work on getting your profile to completion. The system will more or less guide you through this process of uploading an image (important for establishing your online identity!), uploading your resume, filling out profile information, adding relevant applications, etc. When you get to adding applications, choose carefully. Showcase only your strengths on your profile as recruiters are now using LinkedIn more than ever to find potential job candidates.
Your next step and level of involvement goes beyond status updates on LinkedIn. I've found the true value of LinkedIn and the place to get networking done is in Groups. Groups on LinkedIn are AMAZING resources! Try searching your interests and find out who is saying what and where they are saying it about the interest of your choice. This is a great way to get involved in conversations with like-minded individuals and start networking! You can also start your own Group on an interest and establish yourself as an expert through vigilant maintenance and innovative discussion topics.
As with all social media, the possibilities with LinkedIn are literally endless. The bottom line is to get online and get active! Each time you make a post to LinkedIn or participate in a group, not only are you growing your network but growing your Social Media Optimization (SMO). The more active you are, the more ways you direct people to your name and your site, the more successful your overall social media campaign will be. If you need help getting started or just want some more information on social media in general please visit our Contact Us page.
Tags: business, Fortune500, Google, LinkedIn, members, networking, personal, professional, profile, search, services, SMO, social media, social media optimization, The Big 3, tools
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Thursday, November 12th, 2009
Facebook is part of 'The Big 3' of Social Media services, the other two being Twitter and LinkedIn. Experts say if you don't have a Facebook account already, you need to get one. There are a few reasons they suggest this. Firstly, Facebook offers a great service for free that allows you to network and stay connected by creating a profile with them. Through this profile you can invite other Facebook users to be your friend and expand your personal network. If you'd like to use Facebook to further your business, they've created some great options for that as well. Facebook allows you to create a page for your business and acquire fans to keep them updates on contests or promotions or to start a discussion and get people involved and talking. As well, Facebook has some great advertising options that work for almost any budget.
Secondly, Facebook and other Social Media sites are here to stay. You may as well jump on board Facebook now because it's not going anywhere. People have discovered the benefits of being online, getting connected and sharing information; here are just a few facts to emphasize Facebook's reach in our global community:
Lastly, if you aren't putting your name or brand out there and creating a consistent identity for yourself and your business, there's a chance someone else is. Experts suggest getting Social Media accounts even if you don't intend to use them because it allows you to ensure nobody else is using your name or company falsely. Facebook also gives you tools to monitor what's being said about you or your company, which is becoming increasingly important for a person or company's professional image.
In summary, Facebook offers you a great service with the potential to grow your network and increase your company's recognition and success, making it a must for any individual or business. If you are interested in learning more about Facebook and services that we offer to ensure that you are presenting yourself consistently and professionally while monitoring your image, then please visit our site specifically our Social Media page regarding Facebook.
Tags: advertise, business, connected, Facebook, marketing, network, personal, professional, profile, recognition, sharing information, SMO, social media optimization, success, The Big 3
Posted in My Media Magnet, Social Media News, Social Media Tools | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
The recession is pushing many companies to find unique, cheap alternatives to traditional marketing models and Social Media sites are great venues to get your brand seen and recognized. My Media Magnet has researched some of the bigger sites that are most relevant for professional marketing and we are presenting a series of blogs on each site. Twitter is number two in our list and the first to be presented of 'The Big 3.'
Twitter is a social networking and micro-blogging site. It is part of what many people are referring to as 'The Big 3' of Social Media; the other two sites being Facebook and LinkedIn. Twitter's phenomenal growth rate of 1,350% in active users in the past year is evidence that people are ready to get online and connect.
Twitter has grown so fast and become so popular because it's simple, allows you to control your network and is extremely accessible:
Beyond the main points above, Twitter offers several tools and applications to get you and your company recognized online. The most effective way to do this is to have a consistent identity across all your accounts and to keep your business marketing objectives as the focus for your Social Media campaign. Among other things, Twitter allows you to visit prominent personnels pages and follow their feeds so that you are a part of their online network as well as making them a part of your own online network. The site allows you to alert clients and customers to promotions, events and company news by making announcements, providing links and other posting tools.
Visit our website for more information on how Twitter allowing companies to grow and the services we offer so you can take advantage of Twitter's available applications for your company.
Tags: accessible, blog, connect, micro-blog, mobile, network, profile, service, services, simple, SMO, social media optimization, The Big 3, Twitter
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Monday, October 26th, 2009
This is the first post of ten dedicated to social media sites. I will tell you a little bit about each site and some of my top reasons to get on and get active online.
StumbleUpon was my last site to research but I found the usability and vast community so compelling that it will be my first to report on. This site allows you to rate sites based on a thumbs up or thumbs down signal. This data is then used to rate the popularity of a site and then post it for other users based on their search category. There are lots of good reasons to check this social media site out but here's my top 3:
Sharing information in online networks is an increasingly popular phenomenon and many sites are doing a great job of connecting people and providing them with the tools to share resources. StumbleUpon has provided its users with both convenience and increased relevance for their unique interests. If you aren't Stumbling yet, get connected and become a part of their growing online community. (Already over 7 million!)
If you'd like to learn more about StumbleUpon, visit our site for a page dedicated solely to this social media site including: it's purpose, it's use for your company and a list of our services offered.
Tags: community, connect, networking, simple, SMO, Social Bookmarking, social media, social media optimization, StumbleUpon
Posted in My Media Magnet, Social Media Tools | No Comments »