1 PB = 1000000000000000B = 1000⁵ B = 10¹⁵ B = 1 million gigabytes = 1 thousand terabytes

I know you’ve heard of the Facebook IPO.  Check out this great representation of all the larger-than-life numbers.

Check out this great infographic from DreamGrow.com

Check out this great infographic from DreamGrow.com

The latest stat is that every person on Facebook has ‘liked’ over 250 Pages while reporting an average of 229 friends.   It’s quite the experience we have now, especially on Facebook.  Unless you have mastered the ‘friend lists’ or have ‘hidden’ certain content then you may find your feed a little bit ‘spammy’.  You can see this everyday as the majority of our information found in our news feed reflects world events, political lines and everyday rhetoric.

Introducing Path…

For the past 6 months I have been experimenting with something new.  Path is a social network that limits the number of friends to 150 so that you can streamline your communication and life events with a small subset of ‘close’ friends and family without the hassles of overabundance.  Afterall, an average of 7% of our Facebook friends we have never even met.

In short, from their site you can read this statement.  ”We are inspired by Professor Robin Dunbar from Oxford University, whose research delves deeply into the number of trusted relationships humans can maintain throughout life. We tend to have 5 best friends, 15 good friends, 50 close friends and family, and 150 total friends. At Path, we’re building tools for you to share with the people who matter most in your life.”

I have not reached 150 in my potential network on Path but I am switching my mentality from quantity to quality.  As I build this network, I am shedding the common interest of  ’share with all’ to ‘share with few’ which, of course, is an internal challenge as well as a external necessity.

My question is what will happen when I reach 150 and 151 is important to me as well.  Do I now have no other option but to weigh the relationship bonds within my Path or do I simply let 151 know that I am all full up on friends.  Please standby for next available opening.

I wonder if the enriched social media user will begin to depart from mainstream channels and move to protected, no commercialized, networks to improve quality of communication…and life.    Moreover, how can we begin to imagine new ways to identify strategies based on closed user networks.

Wavelength is a ‘MailChimp service that uses a massive amount of email data to help you find publishers who share something in common with you.’  Once you’ve connected you can ask permission to connect to your MailChimp account to chronicle your email lists including categories and tags to identify similar traits.  It takes these traits and recommends similar users with the actual screenshot of the emails that were sent as long as they are ‘set’ to public.

So, it has screenshots, what now?  You can subscribe to the publishers list and have the future emails from the campaign.  BUT, I believe the real take-away, as mentioned in the video, is the connection that is made between too companies whether competitors or not.  You can make contact and talk about possibility of promoting each other.

My biggest fascination is being able to see other ‘public’ campaigns.  If they are private then you can not see them.  I can also see people not wanting to share templates online.

What can this mean to us?

1. More insight to industry standards and best practices.
2. Extending our networks into other markets.
3. More creative ideas!

Photo Credit: MailChimp.com

One of the most frequent ideas brought to the surface was the perspective of the consumer.  I am always shifting roles for our clients playing both the architect and end user for many of our projects so I was able to confirm that missing the connection often comes from not cultivating a personal relationship with the site visitor.

In one instance, I would imagine visiting a site that was image heavy and note that all the images were great.  So great, in fact, that I am inclined to follow through with a contact form or phone call and ultimately completing the online marketing cycle.  However, when the phone rings I have no idea who I am talking to and all I picture is a face behind a lens, some lighting and a studio to sit it all in.  Or at least that is what the site has lead me to believe. At this point, the personal relationship begins from the phone call.

It is also very common to visit a photographers website and find a segmentation.  Why do I have to chose between options to get into your site? It could be that two separate sites exist because of growing needs but if I have to decide between going to your website or your blog I may become confused.

If you look at the site analytics you will find that the average person visits your site and clicks to about 2-3 pages; maybe more.  If you make one of those clicks about deciding which part of the site to visit then you may loose the visitors interest.

Here is a list of what I want to see on a photographers site.

1. Pictures.  (ha!)
2. One website platform.  There shouldn’t be a separation of the site into segments making the point of entry a small maze.  A website and blog are sometimes confused as the same thing.  This is not true.  A blog is a very important component to a website.  If you have a website then decided to add another blog content software like WordPress or Joomla, then you should talk to us about combining them into one.  Combining the two into one site will have many advantages.
3. Blog technique.  Are you posting 30 of your best pictures and then writing only a short paragraph at the top to talk about them?  That is a crime.  I know Judy was a pleasure to work with.  I can see you are at a super secret [enter superlative here] location.  I want to know that you accomplished something that differentiates you from other photographers.  Tell me you had an issue, you identified it and turned it into the best photograph ever.
4. Diversify the blog.  Does your blog contain any content specific posts (maybe only one image and the rest text)?  You should consider writing more content about everything.  It should not just contain a chronicle of photo sessions. It should also include individual posts about  professional experiences, customer follow-ups, press releases, exhibitions, awards and even ‘detailed descriptions’ of how YOU use a camera.  Well…maybe not the last one.  :)  You can separate the business and connect to your visitors on a personal level with more content.
5. Video.  I know your DSLR has HD video.  I want to see you and your customers interacting.  This has high value for me.  And I know with all your editing tools you have something you can use to put together a 30 second clip.  It doesn’t have to be perfect but just enough to grasp your personality.
6. Use social platforms more often.  Integrate Pinterest directly into your blog.  Add a Facebook Like button to make a connection.  If social sites are not on the top of your referral site traffic reports then you must reevaluate your website.  Did you know Pinterest houses all ‘pins’ from your site?  Try this:  Visit http://pinterest.com/source/[yourwebsite.com] and see what has been pinned from your site right now.  Now try another photographers website.  Try photofoodblog.com!
7. Have a plan.  Since you already know you are going to be taking pictures you may want to organize a plan of action per shoot. If you know you are going to write a post about the overview of the session then you can be more aware of the instances you may want to talk about.  Otherwise, they just got written off as mistakes when it could have been turned into a ‘learning experience’ and shared with colleagues who visit your site.

Pictures are the most consumed media on the web including Facebook.  The natural tendencies of people are to look at other people.  It would be nice to accompany those pictures with a non-proverbial ’1000 words’.  Or better yet, split a session into three blog posts; photo session(mostly images), overview of session (mostly words reviewing the session) and follow up (customer feedback/testimonial).

In the end, it all comes down to time.  Time management is always an issue but understanding my perspective when I visit your site is a great place to start.  For any business, websites are becoming digital storefronts eliminating overhead for many markets creating a groundswell of imitators, coat tail minions and envious trolls.

Differentiate yourself by creating a personality with your website.

I sit here looking at a Facebook feed full of family and friends all frolicking around enjoying the days up to the Holidays and I often wonder what they are thinking.  Why are you posting pictures of your tree stacked full of presents?  I’m glad you are going to Vancouver for the next 7 days but does mean everyone on Twitter needs to know.  After taking a good look around, I wanted to string together a few holiday safety tips when using your favorite social apps.

In no particular order here some things to think about as you sip eggnog and enjoy the company of family and friends.

1. Pictures of Gifts (Facebook, Insta.gram, Pinterest, Twitter) – Ok, we get it. You are making out like a fat cat and you want to show everyone that you can barely see the tree.  All your friends are jealous and your family rocks the best Holiday jammies this side of the Chattahoochee.  But what you have really done is made everyone aware that several hundreds or even thousands of dollars are sitting right there by the tree, probably close to window…that someone could easily get to.
2. Out of  town Check Ins – Location Based Mobile Apps (Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter) – Following #1, this can be tough for us @foursquare users who want to check in everywhere!  Keep in mind, you can check in privately and still play while you are out of town with out anyone knowing.  There always needs to be some type of primary security watching over your property like an alarm system or nosy neighbors.
3. Out of town Updates (Facebook, Twitter) – Tell us all about it when you return.  It will be weird that you are not posting updates for a short period but when you return from a short vacation with awesome family pics and new gold jewelry….see tip #1.  lol.
4. Public Updates – Not like the public outside your street in a park.  I am talking about Global…with a capital ‘G’.  If you haven’t checked your Facebook privacy settings or protected your Twitter account you could be letting everyone read your posts.  Including, but not limited to, stalkers, recent parolees, silly string marauders or even our local analytics aggregate software at Stand And Stretch.

So, now you are sitting…thinking about how many times you have done this over the past few days and want to know more.  If you still want to do these things BUT want the privacy part also, then you must learn how to modify your privacy settings.

Here are a few things to look at over the Holidays while you brag about gifts lounging in the pool area in Dubai while a crazed stalker listens to your every move.

1. Facebook - Visit your privacy settings and spend a good hour reading through the options.  LINK:  https://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy&ref=mb Notice the area on the bottom right of your Status Update area.  It has a setting to make your post only accessible to a ‘list’ you have predefined.  No more stalkers! Same is true with pictures, statuses, videos and other items.  You can set each manually to who can view it. I recommend making lists of family, ‘close’ friends, co-workers and professional colleagues.  That way I can direct information to the user and help streamline Facebook Feed chatter.
2. Twitter - You can protect your account to limit who follows you.  This is an easy one.
3. Foursquare - Learn how to ‘check-in’ without posting to Facebook, Twitter or even to Foursquare.   What was once known as ‘off-the-grid’ is now more of a privacy feature for those who still want those specials but don’t like their stalkers knowing where they can be found.
4. All picture apps - Be smart. Be aware. And understand that your apps handle privacy you may need to ‘turn on’.  Most apps are wide open by default and require tweaking.

Now that I have given you the basics, go out there and participate wisely.  Turn on those lists on Facebook, protect your account on Twitter and choose when to share your location with your friends when you want to.

After all, its the real life connection that social apps support….not the other way around.

Happy Holidays from the Shaffer Family and our team at Stand And Stretch!

Cheers!

Average the cost of obtaining a fan is $1.07.

Out of our current clients who we handle online marketing, 7 out of 12 are performing below this rate.  Win!

A recent interaction with a client prompted us to build a list of ideas for selling on eBay and realized they work for just about any retail service or eCommerce channel.

Here are some helpful notes from eBay themselves.

1. Evaluate the available tools before you start. Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and YouTube have different attributes and audiences. In a nutshell, Facebook is for staying in touch, Twitter is for “breaking news,” blogs are for telling the story, and YouTube is for videos. Explore each one carefully before deciding where to start. Find out where your customers are—look for groups within these channels that might be interested in your listings, like camera buffs or fashion mavens.
   
2. Genuinely contribute to the conversation. Consider your target audience and how you can build your relationship with them. Budget time for keeping your presence fresh. You need to create original posts at least several times a week, and respond quickly to comments from your online friends and followers.
3. Create a separate account for your business. Facebook rules require you to create a separate fan page for your business. Post about your eBay listings on your fan page, instead of on your personal Facebook page. Plus you’ll look more professional!
4. Start small. Start with one channel and build up your presence. Social media can be a valuable tool to enable online commerce, but it’s important to focus your efforts on those activities that are most likely to provide a good return on your time investment.
5. Listen and engage. Take the time to listen to what your social media fans and followers are saying about you on social channels. Responding promptly and engagingly to your customers helps you take advantage of the power of social media to cultivate loyal customers.
6. Cross-promote your social media channels. Use your social media channels judiciously to cross-promote your content. For example, post your YouTube videos on your blog. Post a Facebook update when you have a new blog post, and include the link. Consider linking your business Twitter handle to your Facebook fan page so that your tweets are also auto-posted on your Facebook page—reaching both audiences at the same time. But be selective—you don’t want to duplicate information on the same channel. Point your Twitter followers to your blog. You get the idea!
7. Don’t expect instant results! It takes a while to build a presence on any social media channel. As long as you post interesting new content on a consistent basis, visitors and customers will keep coming back for more.

Tips for using Facebook

1. Exclusive Facebook promotions. Provide a unique coupon code for your customers on Facebook.
   
2. News about your selling categories. Treat your Facebook page like a mini-blog. For example, if you’re selling sports equipment, occasionally post interesting sports news, optionally linking to your eBay inventory.
3. Polls. Use the Facebook Questions feature to ask your Facebook fans questions on what inventory they’d like to see, when they typically use eBay (so you know when to end your listings for maximum exposure) or any other questions that can help you understand your customers better. Use their responses to fine-tune your offering.
4. Respond to your Facebook fans promptly. Reply to questions or Wall posts with a quick, friendly comment. When your Facebook fans see you engaging with them, it goes a long way toward enhancing your online reputation.
5. Strategize your posting. Post updates on your page only a few times a week, but think through every post and make it count. We recommend posting no more than once or twice a day, on average. Occasionally, if you have something relevant or news-worthy to say, you might try increasing the number of times you post a day. But be careful—post too frequently and people might leave your page.

What not to do

1. Don’t spam your fans! Be selective in sharing your listings. Share one or two a day that are representative of your offering.
2. Don’t be controversial. Remember, your business and personal Facebook pages are different for a reason. Your customers may not share your views on topics such as religion and politics. Stick to posting updates that have a broad appeal and wouldn’t upset your customers.
3. Don’t appear to be unresponsive, indifferent, or rude. Your comments are visible to all your Facebook fans, and your response to your fans shapes your reputation on Facebook.

How are you thinking of using them?

]]> http://standandstretch.com/2011/10/qr-code-invasion-infographic-from-jumpscan/feed/ 0 http://standandstretch.com/2011/10/top-20-most-expensive-keywords-with-google-adwords-infographic/ http://standandstretch.com/2011/10/top-20-most-expensive-keywords-with-google-adwords-infographic/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:02:41 +0000 Lucas Shaffer wordstream adwords infographic question google engine answers story wordstream adwords infographic question google engine answers story http://standandstretch.com/?p=1892 I often get the question about using AdWords.  It is always the same.

How much will it cost to use Google AdWords to improve my Search Engine results?

Below is a great infographic I ran across and answers the question.

Enjoy!

In an attempt to boost small business users, Facebook has unveiled a new program, Facebook Marketing Solutions, that includes giving away $10 million in advertising credits.

The program is in partnership with the US Chamber of Commerce and the small-business group National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). The motive here will be educating small businesses on how to promote themselves on the social-networking site including which ads to buy for the market they are targeting.

Facebook is giving away $50 per business in free advertising credits to around 200,000 businesses but only on a first come first serve basis.

So, I did it.  I went in and created several campaigns to create exposure for our business and sure enough Facebook gave us a ‘credit’.

After reviewing the ins and outs of the coupon, I discovered that you can check your balance and the credit has an expiration of 12 months.

It may only be accessible if you have ever created an Ad in the past.  To see if you already have an Ad Coupon follow these instructions below.

1. Go To https://www.facebook.com/ads/manage (You will have to create your first Ad to see Ad Manager)
2. Click ‘Billing’
3. Click ‘Funding Source’ (Use Password)
4. You should see the image below.

To go even further, Facebook emailed me a notification that a ‘credit’ had been used to pay for the advertising.  Pretty amazing!  You can see below the payments are noted as ‘Facebook Coupon’.

Thank you Facebook!

You allowed my business to be visible in my home town of Columbus Ga.  Facebook population around 193k.  Here are the stats from my campaign which had three components including sponsored stories and traditional ads.

If you would like more information about how to harness this Facebook promotion for good, then please contact us immediately.  It is first come, first serve.