http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistroBright Ideas BlogzineTue, 20 Mar 2012 15:46:13 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/AIbFQ/h/Facebook_Page_Timeline_4.htm Everything you need to know about how to create the cover photo for your Facebook Page's Timeline , Ready or not, Facebook's Timeline for fan pages goes live on all pages Friday, March 30, 2012. You are going to be ready... if you read my tutorials at BloggingBistro.com. Today, we kick things off with a tutorial on the cover photo, the billboard-style picture that displays across the top of your page's timeline. Learn what you can--and can't--include in your cover photo and view samples of some great covers.Plus, take advantage of our special offer on a custom cover photo design for your Facebook page.Read all about it: http://www.bloggingbistro.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-to-create-your-facebook-fan-page-timeline-cover-photo/ Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:46:13 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/AKMiM/h/Simple_Tricks_for_Promoting.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 February 2012 Simple Tricks for Promoting Your Online Content Your customers don't care about you. And they don't join social networks so they can do business with you. In the January issue of Bright Ideas, we unpacked those two marketing myths and explored how to craft social updates that answer the question, What's in it for me? The content you publish to social networks must be relevant to your target audience and shareable across multiple platforms. Let's look at some popular social outposts to see which types of updates get shared most often, and the tools used to share those updates. Blog I've been blogging steadily since 2004 and the articles my readers share most often include the words how to in the title. Whether you blog about global issues or home remodeling, you won't go wrong when you publish a succinct tutorial that helps readers in your niche do a specific activity. I increase the shareability of my tutorials by embedding screenshots and videos. Other types of blog content readers love to share include: guest posts case studies infographics interviews short videos link-style posts that point readers to other relevant articles around the WebMake it easy for your blog's readers to share your content: 1. Ask questions and invite people to post comments to your blog. 2. Include sharing buttons such as retweet or like on Facebook in a prominent location within each post. 3. Most importantly, syndicate your blog. The major blog hosting services include tools that allow you to set up an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed, which gives visitors the option to subscribe to your latest posts via their feed reader or e-mail. People who subscribe to your blog are much more likely to share your posts on their social networks. Facebook Photos and videos are Facebook's bread-and-butter; your fans can hardly resist viewing, liking and sharing posts that include images. Here's a trick I learned that entices my Facebook fans to share links to my blog posts: I write a short teaser about the blog article. I copy and paste the full URL to the article at the end of my Facebook update. Before clicking Share, I upload the photo that accompanies my blog post. Instead of displaying the standard thumbnail-sized image that Facebook grabs when it recognizes a link, my Facebook update includes a large photo that's more likely to catch my readers' attention. Syndicate If you publish a blog, consider syndicating your blog feed to all your social networks. Applications such as NetworkedBlogs or RSS Graffiti will automatically post a link to your latest blog article onto your Facebook Wall. You can also connect your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts so your Facebook updates auto-post to Twitter (or vice-versa), and your tweets automatically appear on your LinkedIn profile. Keep in mind, however, that Facebook updates allow up to 63,206 characters, whereas tweets are limited to 140 characters. If you stream Facebook updates into Twitter, your followers will see only the first 140 characters (which includes the link to your Facebook page). Twitter aficionados get irate when tweets are cut off mid-sentence; I appease my followers by rewriting my updates so they're less than 140 characters (leave room for people to retweet) and posting them manually to Twitter. Schedule Ideally, we'd all have time to manually post updates to multiple social networks throughout the day. But we have jobs, families and real-life friends. I keep my sanity intact by relying on tools such as HootSuite, SocialOomph, or TweetDeck. These powerful management dashboards allow me to schedule the exact day and time updates will be published to each of my networks, and to monitor and message via a web browser, e-mail or smartphone. When it comes to social networking, it's impossible to do it all. Give yourself permission to syndicate and schedule some of your updates. Use the time you'll save to create content your fans will be delighted to share. Take the Stress out of RSS Need help setting up RSS feeds or HootSuite? We provide low-cost, one-on-one social media coaching. Contact Laura Christianson at 425.244.4242 or email info@bloggingbistro.com to book your first coaching session. Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook, and other social networks. Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog Facebook Timeline Becomes Mandatory for All Users How to Auto Post your Tweets into LinkedIn 9 Critical Marketing Lessons I Learned from the Kirby Vacuum Salesman Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:03:30 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/KHxns/h/_How_to_Craft_Compelling.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 January 2012 How to Craft Compelling Social Updates Social tools have become an integral part of our personal and business lives. An estimated 80 percent of all Americans use social networks, and 54 percent of social networkers follow a brand via Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. Consumers follow brands online for specific reasons: They want to research a product or service before purchasing it. They want to peruse customer reviews. They want discounts. Whether you are a one-person show or part of a large corporation, it's smart to include social tools in your marketing mix. In the next two issues of Bright Ideas Blogzine, I'll acquaint you with two relationship marketing strategies that will help you grow a loyal community around your brand. In this issue, we'll look at how to craft compelling messages for your online outposts. In the February issue, we'll explore how to promote those messages. Relevance You've likely heard, ad nauseam, that online content must be relevant. But what constitutes relevant content? Perhaps a better way of defining relevant content is to identify irrelevant content. Let's examine three Twitter updates posted by business professionals. My reactions are in parentheses. GREAT NEWS!!! (Unless I know and love you personally, shouting a phrase in all caps with triple exclamation points does not entice me to click your link. In fact, your update is so irritating that I'm unfollowing you.) Just woke up. (Really? I tweet while I'm sleeping.) Just ate supper. For some reason I feel like I'm going to get sick. (Visualizing you getting sick nauseates me. Unfollow.) To test whether an update is relevant, remember one key fact: Your prospects and customers don't care about you. ...Unless you're a chef, they don't care what you're cooking for dinner. ...Unless you're a celebrity, they don't care who your latest love interest is. Stop subjecting your audience to pointless updates about your personal life. A second sad fact of life for online marketers: Your customers are not on Facebook and Twitter to do business with you. They're there to jaw with friends and relatives, to look at pictures and watch videos. Meet your customers where they're at by crafting content that focuses on them. Ask them questions. Find out their challenges (related to your niche) and help them solve problems. A mix of useful tips, interesting news and entertaining tidbits keeps your audience engaged. Don't be afraid to inject humor into your updates. Retweet if you think men in kilts are sexy is entertaining and relevant... if you work for a travel agency that books trips to Scotland. Love/Hate Relationship People who follow brands on social networks love getting exclusive deals. They love posting reviews and testimonials about items they've purchased. But they hate - with a passion - buy, buy, buy messages. Real estate agent, Joni Kerley (a Blogging Bistro client), limits direct promotions to about 10 percent of her online content. She posted the following soft-sell message to her Everett Area Real Estate Facebook page: Congrats to Laura and Chris Bohannan on the purchase of their first home. You were a lot of fun to work with. Enjoy your home! The update included a photo of the happy homeowners standing in front of their new abode, holding a Sold by Joni Kerley sign. My friend Judy Gann, a librarian who trains publishers and authors how to sell their books to libraries, posted this soft-sell message to the Library Insider Facebook page: Drooling over the gorgeous library promotional brochure Library Insider client Ann Shorey's publisher created for her. Wow! Can't wait to hear the response from librarians. Joni's and Judy's updates are personable, allowing prospects to get to know them in a no-pressure environment. Rather than shouting, Buy my stuff! their messages subtly focus on the benefits customers receive from using their services. Your Assignment During the next 30 days, craft 12 relevant, entertaining social updates that focus on your customer and use the soft-sell approach. Next month, you'll learn how to share those messages across multiple social and mobile platforms. Ghost Writing Services It's hard to run a business and find time to write updates for your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts. Let us help you with your content writing. Our professional, experienced ghost writers not only craft great updates and blog posts in your voice -- we'll publish them to your accounts and monitor reader comments. For a free, no-obligation estimate, call Laura at 425.244.4242 or email info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog Fast Facebook Facts YouTube, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Google and Facebook Get Major Facelifts How I Tripled Traffic to my Blog in 5 Weeks (By Sue Tornai) Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:01:08 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/9jzSc/h/_3_Sure_Fire_Tips_for.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 December 2011 3 Sure-Fire Tips for Driving More Traffic to Your Blog Zero to sixty in three seconds. Sounds enticing, doesn't it? But in reality, most of us settle for vehicles that pack a bit less get-up-and-go. It's the same with blogging. Nearly every blogger I've met wants traffic to their blog to jump from zero to sixty in three seconds. Bloggers want lots of readers. And we want them now. During my early days as a blogger, I nearly succumbed to pitches such as, Increase traffic to your blog 2000 percent in 10 days!!! (The triple exclamation points were a red flag that the promise was too good to be true.) While it is possible to make sudden leaps in readership, the vast majority of bloggers discover that traffic builds at a slow, steady pace. With patience and persistence, you can increase readership to your blog and you can convert those visitors into loyal fans. 1. Give Generously I believe in generously giving away valuable information on your blog. Recently, I discovered a blog for the Lavender Wind Farm on Whidbey Island, Washington. They related their attempt to control the weeds in their lavender fields using essential oils as herbicides. Weed control is a subject everyone from window box gardeners to commercial farmers can relate to. This blog article worked for me on several levels: It taught me something new about organic herbicides. The blogger explained various ways they unsuccessfully tried to outsmart those pernicious weeds. Because the blogger was candid and honest, I immediately began to trust her. And because I trusted her, I read several more of her blog articles. Then I clicked on nearly every page of the accompanying website (particularly the gift shop and online shopping pages). When I want to buy a hand-crafted, lavender scented gift for someone, you can bet I'll re-visit the Lavender Wind Farm's website. When you publish interesting content, people will come back. And they'll tell their friends about you. But blog readers have notoriously short attention spans; in order to hook them, you must couple great content with a visually attractive layout. 2. Format Posts for Inattentive Readers Forget what your high school English teacher taught you about writing lengthy, detailed paragraphs. Instead, write like a journalist. Short sentences. Short paragraphs. Short words. Break up blocks of type by double spacing between paragraphs. Draw attention to key ideas by inserting boldface sub-heads, bulleted lists, and graphic elements. Readers' eyes are drawn to images, so include a photo, video, or artwork in every story. 3. Publish Consistently You can publish the best-written, most beautifully formatted content in the blogosphere, but if you don't post consistently, your blog will die. There's nothing more annoying to someone who visits your blog than discovering you haven't updated it for a month. Just as you can't expect to run a business if you show up only when you feel like it, you can't expect your blog to flourish unless you fuel it with fresh content at least once a week, every week. When you craft articles for your blog, pack them with information your customers will find useful. Make it easy for people who skim your article to find exactly what they need. And deliver new content like clockwork. Your Assignment During the next month, publish at least four easy-to-skim blog articles that give away valuable information. I'll bet that you'll notice a bump in traffic to your blog. Try it and let me know how you do. Blog Coaching Thinking of starting a blog, but feeling unsure about what to do first? Or perhaps you've been blogging for a while and feel stuck. My one-on-one coaching will help you get un-stuck. Start 2012 off on the right foot. Book your coaching session now. Call me at 425.244.4242 or email info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog Best Places to Find Free and Low-Cost Stock Photos Online Publish Your Novel on Your Facebook Wall... As Long as It's 63,206 Characters or Less How to Create a Social Poll with Quipol Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:01:48 -0500http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/IGxvM/h/_LinkedIn_Company_Page_How.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 November 2011 Encourage Conversation With a LinkedIn Company Page Does the company you work at or own have a LinkedIn Company Page? They're a snap to create and can help you spread your brand message to a wider audience than a LinkedIn personal profile. Company Pages are simply a company's profile, as opposed to an individual's. To create a Company Page, you must be an official representative of your company and have the right to act on behalf of your company in the creating the page. To set up a Company Page, click Companies in the LinkedIn navigation bar. Then click Add a Company and follow the step-by-step instructions. Company Pages currently have four tabs: Overview, Careers, Products and Services and Analytics. The Overview tab gives an at-a-glance description of your company and lists its type, size, specialty areas and locations. If you have a blog, you can import your company's blog feed into the Overview tab. On October 6, LinkedIn launched a new feature in the Overview tab called company status updates. Administrators of Company Pages can post news, videos, job opportunities and information about a company's products and services. Each update can be up to 500 characters long, and your most recent 20 posts display in the Overview tab. Any LinkedIn member can see these updates and they can comment, like, or share the posts with their own professional network. To activate this feature, you must designate one or more administrators. Click the Overview tab. Find the Admin tools button and click Edit. Appoint a page administrator by clicking Designated users only and typing the name of the LinkedIn member who will manage the Company Page. When the person's profile listing displays, click it and then select Publish. As an alternative, you can appoint all employees who have a valid email address registered to your company domain as page administrators.The Careers tab allows you to post job openings. You can include a detailed job description and list the desired skills and experience you wish candidates to have. You can either collect applications on LinkedIn or direct candidates to an external website to apply. The Products and Services tab helps you showcase specific facets of your company. This area functions like a mini website within LinkedIn. You can display: images and YouTube videos detailed product descriptions and features special promotions and offers links to Web pages LinkedIn profiles of company employees that people can contact for more information A nice feature of this tab is that you can request and display recommendations for each product and service you showcase, thus tapping the power of word-of-mouth marketing. The Analytics tab is visible only to Company Page administrators. It tracks data on page views, unique visitors, clicks on products, services, jobs, employee profiles, and more. LinkedIn members can follow Company Pages with one click. If you're hunting for a new job, Company Pages are a great way to keep up with opportunities at companies you'd like to work for. You can get a feel for the company's culture by visiting the LinkedIn profiles of people who work there. And if you're the administrator of your company's page, you can use it to highlight the individuals behind your brand to your fellow business professionals. Let's Connect on LinkedIn Follow the Blogging Bistro Company Page on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/blogging-bistro-llc Here's a link to my personal profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurachristianson Social Media Coaching If the thought of setting up a LinkedIn account and creating a Company Page gives you the heebie-jeebies, call us at 425.244.4242. We'll set it up for you. We also provide one-on-one coaching to help you make the most out of your social marketing. Contact us now: info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog Looking to Hire Employees? Use 'Apply With LinkedIn' (video) Two Ways to Invite Your Facebook Friends to Like Your Fan Page Buy and Sell Professional Services for $5 at Fiverr.com Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:04:29 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/L6iIc/h/_Recommendations_Enhance.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 October 2011 How to Enhance Your LinkedIn Profile with Recommendations When your LinkedIn profile displays recommendations from others, you are three times as likely to get inquiries through LinkedIn searches. Recommendations are a great way to increase your credibility, regardless of whether you're searching for a job. As long as your LinkedIn profile remains active, you should continue to add new references. Include endorsements from a cross-section of everyone you've done business with: clients and customers business partners, colleagues, and co-workers supervisors and managers employees and people you've supervised teachers and fellow students Recommendations you receive are listed at the bottom of your profile in the Experience section. One of the key elements to creating a 100 percent complete profile is having at least three recommendations. When I reviewed my profile, I discovered that it was 95 percent complete. I needed one more recommendation to achieve the 100 percent mark. I am a teacher, writer, consultant, and project manager. Rather than attempting to gather recommendations for all the components of my job, I decided to tackle them one at a time. I browsed my list of LinkedIn connections and found 20 people who had recently taken one of my social media marketing workshops. All of them had told me in person that they enjoyed my class, so I suspected they'd be willing to write me a recommendation. The secret to obtaining a LinkedIn recommendation: Make it easy for the endorser to recommend you. Instead of e-mailing them, use the Request Recommendations tool within LinkedIn. To do this, click the Profile tab and the Recommendations link. From the Recommendations Management page, click Request Recommendations. From there, choose the specific job or school for which you want a recommendation, and select up to 200 connections to request recommendations from. Next, write your message, which LinkedIn automatically customizes with each recipient's name and sends as an individual e-mail to that person. Customize the Subject Line LinkedIn's Subject line defaults to, Can you endorse me? I personalized my Subject line: Would you recommend my workshop teaching on LinkedIn? Then I composed my request: I'm writing a series of columns about LinkedIn for my local business journal. My next column will explain how to create a 100% complete LinkedIn profile. When I checked my profile, it shows 95% completion -- I need one more recommendation to reach the 100% mark. Would you be willing to submit a brief (1-2 sentence) LinkedIn recommendation about your experience in the social media workshop(s) I taught? I'd be ever so grateful! Within two hours, I had received six new recommendations, and additional recommendations trickled in over the next few days. Show or Hide Recommendations As I collected recommendations, I discovered that they don't automatically display on your profile. You must first accept each one, and then choose whether to show or hide it on your profile. To manage your recommendations, go to the Recommendations page and click Received Recommendations. Skim through your jobs listing. Recommendations associated with a particular job will be marked Visible or Hidden. Click Manage to show or hide individual recommendations. Return the Favor LinkedIn recommendations thrive on the you scratch my back; I'll scratch yours philosophy. When you accept a recommendation, LinkedIn prompts you to recommend that person in return. If you feel comfortable endorsing that person, go ahead. It's a nice way of saying thank you. Even better, recommend someone without them asking you to. Chances are, they'll return the favor. Let's Connect on LinkedIn If you'd like to connect with me on LinkedIn (or write me a recommendation), here's a link to my account): http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurachristianson Blogging Bistro Company Page on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/blogging-bistro-llc Social Media Coaching If the thought of setting up a LinkedIn account and customizing your profile gives you the heebie-jeebies, call us at 425.244.4242. We'll set it up for you. We also provide one-on-one coaching to help you make the most out of your social marketing. Contact us now: info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog Tutorial: How to Subscribe to Facebook Updates of Non-Friends Lessons from VeggieTales: Your Product's Early Adopters Might Not Be Who You Think They Are Facebook Tutorial: Two Ways to Make Pages You've Liked Display on Your Profile How You Can Benefit from Having a YouTube Channel Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:00:38 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/CmFJI/h/_Create_a_100_complete.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 September 2011 How to customize your LinkedIn Profile When people ask me what my favorite social network is, they assume I'll answer, Facebook or Twitter. But I have a soft spot for LinkedIn. With its enticing array of intuitive tools, LinkedIn is ideal for networking with fellow business professionals and for job hunting. In my next few newsletters and in posts on BloggingBistro.com, I'll introduce you to my favorite LinkedIn features. But first things first. Before you begin making LinkedIn Connections or joining Groups, you should complete your profile 100 percent. According to the folks at LinkedIn: Users with complete profiles are 40 times more likely to receive opportunities through LinkedIn. A thorough profile helps you connect with others in your network, and makes it easier for potential employers to find you. Definition of a 100% Complete Profile A complete profile includes: your current position two past positions your education your profile summary a profile photo your specialties at least three recommendations Let's review how to optimize each of these components. Customizing Your Profile If you haven't yet created a LinkedIn account, go to linkedin.com and sign up (it's free). Once you're logged in, click the Profile tab and the Edit Profile link. At this stage, you're going to be customizing your personal profile, as opposed to creating a Company page. Profile Photo I browsed through my 300 LinkedIn connections (known on other social networks as friends, fans or followers) and discovered that 11 percent of my connections don't display their photo. For shame! We live in a visual society, and first impressions do count. So rather than displaying the default mystery man image, upload a crisp, clean picture that plays up your professionalism. Your profile image is limited to a thumbnail-sized 80 by 80 pixels, so choose a shot that features your face. Profile Headline To the right of your profile photo, you get 120 characters to strut your stuff. Most of my connections' headlines say, Manager at Company XYZ or something similar. I opted to get more mileage out of those 120 characters; I optimized my headline with descriptive, searchable keywords: Business Blogging and Social Media Specialist, Content Writing Services, Website Design, BloggingBistro.com. Current Position and Two Past Positions When you're customizing this section, think, resumé. Recycle the best keywords from your profile headline and detail your role at the companies for which you've worked. If you're currently unemployed, list your current position as Open to opportunities or use descriptors such as entrepreneur or independent professional. Or use generic terms such as writer or speaker. Education Include your school name, degree earned, field of study, dates attended, activities and societies, and additional notes. LinkedIn is a professional network, so resist the temptation to brag that you were your fraternity's tequila shot champion or that you were taken into custody by the campus police for decorating your dorm's bathroom walls with graffiti. Websites This is another area most people neglect to customize. You can add three websites. By default, LinkedIn titles those links My Company, My Website, and My Blog. But you can easily change the anchor text for those links to the name of your company or to a page that links to a free download you're offering. To customize each link, click Edit next to each link. From the dropdown menu, choose Other and then enter a custom name for your link. Then enter the URL of the link. Profile Summary and Specialties This area showcases your professional experience and goals. LinkedIn suggests you include what you've done, what you're doing, and what you want to do. I recommend writing this section in third person, so it sounds professional and objective. At the end of this section, add a list of searchable keywords that highlight your skills, service, and experience. Public Profile The point of customizing your profile is so others can find you, so be sure to check the button that makes your profile visible to everyone, and then select specific details of your profile that you want to display publicly. Vanity URL Finally, customize your profile's URL (web address). Substitute the long string of letters and numbers LinkedIn automatically assigns with your first and last name. My profile URL, for example, is linkedin.com/in/laurachristianson. Next month, I'll explain how to round out your profile with those all-important recommendations, and we'll explore additional profile customization options. Wherever you're at in the profile-creation process, remember to polish your profile on a regular basis. Social Media Coaching If the thought of setting up a LinkedIn account and customizing your profile gives you the heebie-jeebies, call us at 425.244.4242. We'll set it up for you. We also provide one-on-one coaching to help you make the most out of your social marketing. Contact us now: info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog How to Opt Out of Sharing Your Profile Information in LinkedIn Advertisements LinkedIn Becomes #2 U.S. Social Network What Would Someone Who Dislikes You Write in a Reference Letter? Facebook Ad Tutorial: How to Link Your Ad to a Web Page or Facebook Page (by Carrie Schmeck, our Facebook Ads specialist) Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Tue, 06 Sep 2011 12:00:18 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/OqySE/h/_Why_Your_Website_Should.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 Summer 2011 Why your website should earn an 'F' When people visit your website, you have two seconds to grab their attention. You have an additional ten seconds - at most - to entice them to click a link, sign up for your mailing list, or buy into whatever you're offering. If you're planning a website, you must strategically place each element with the goal of enticing visitors to hang around longer than 12 seconds. Eye tracking studies have determined that we scan web pages in an F-shaped pattern. Visualize a capital F. When we open a web page, our eyes zip horizontally across the upper part of the page, mimicking the top bar of an F. Next, our eyes jump back to the top left corner of the F and scan vertically a short distance. Our eyes then make a second horizontal movement, swooping across the lower bar of the imaginary F. Finally, we scan the left side of the page in a vertical movement. In addition, we pay far more attention to content above the fold than we do to content we must scroll down to view. We also spend nearly three-quarters of our time looking at the left side of a web page. Knowing how readers naturally scan a page will help you position key content in the appropriate spots on your site. Let's apply the F-pattern to specific elements that typically appear on a web page. Top left. This is your first point of contact with your visitor. On most websites, it's where you'll see the company logo, a splashy header, or a featured product. Top bar of the F. The navigation bar usually holds the place of honor here. Give your navigation tabs simple titles such as About, News, Services, Clients, and Contact. People need to know at-a-glance what they're going to get on each page of your site. There are plenty of places on your site where you can get creative with titles; the navigation bar is not that place. The first vertical leap. After scanning your navigation tabs, the reader's eyes will begin tracking down the lefthand side of the page. This is why many savvy businesses place a blog - or an excerpt from the most recent blog post - on their home page. An interesting article can instantly turn a stranger into a friend. Other popular elements that live in this space include large product photos, a brief statement (often a company's vision or mission statement) or a compelling call-to-action in large, headline-style fonts. Lower bar of the F. This critical piece of real estate propels the reader's eyes horizontally across the midsection of the page, all the way to the sidebar. The sidebar or righthand area of the page often includes elements such as a mailing list signup form, a Search field, customer testimonials, key contact information, or a specific call-to-action. Second vertical leap. The reader will take another quick pass at your page, scanning the bulk of the page's content in a vertical motion. Rather than reading your content word-by-word, the reader will look for key words, phrases, bullet points, and visuals. Make it easy for the reader to absorb your content; highlight key phrases with bold subheads. Use bullet points or numbered lists. Write short sentences. Limit paragraphs to two-to-three sentences. For easiest readability, left-align all text and don't indent paragraphs. Create breathing space on the page by double spacing between paragraphs. Explore the websites of the nation's biggest brands: Coca Cola, IBM, Microsoft, GE, and McDonald's. All of them employ the F-pattern. Does your website earn an F? It should. Blatant Self-Promotion If you don't want to hassle with figuring out how to make your website learn an F, give us a call at 425.244.4242. We build websites! Whether you want a simple-but-attractive budget-minded site or a high-end site with all the bells and whistles, the Blogging Bistro team of graphic designers, programmers, and copywriters delivers. Contact us now: info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog How to Share Facebook Profile Updates to a Business Page Blog Headline Writing Techniques: 4 Lessons Learned from 'The Costco Connection' Facebook Ads: Why They Make Sense as Part of Your Marketing Campaign (by Carrie Schmeck, our new Facebook Ads Manager) 7 Simple Steps to Publishing Your E-Book (by Mary DeMuth) How to convert your Facebook profile to a Business/Fan page Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:00:20 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/5.VCE/h/_Why_Your_Website_Should.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 Summer 2011 Why your website should earn an 'F' When people visit your website, you have two seconds to grab their attention. You have an additional ten seconds - at most - to entice them to click a link, sign up for your mailing list, or buy into whatever you're offering. If you're planning a website, you must strategically place each element with the goal of enticing visitors to hang around longer than 12 seconds. Eye tracking studies have determined that we scan web pages in an F-shaped pattern. Visualize a capital F. When we open a web page, our eyes zip horizontally across the upper part of the page, mimicking the top bar of an F. Next, our eyes jump back to the top left corner of the F and scan vertically a short distance. Our eyes then make a second horizontal movement, swooping across the lower bar of the imaginary F. Finally, we scan the left side of the page in a vertical movement. In addition, we pay far more attention to content above the fold than we do to content we must scroll down to view. We also spend nearly three-quarters of our time looking at the left side of a web page. Knowing how readers naturally scan a page will help you position key content in the appropriate spots on your site. Let's apply the F-pattern to specific elements that typically appear on a web page. Top left. This is your first point of contact with your visitor. On most websites, it's where you'll see the company logo, a splashy header, or a featured product. Top bar of the F. The navigation bar usually holds the place of honor here. Give your navigation tabs simple titles such as About, News, Services, Clients, and Contact. People need to know at-a-glance what they're going to get on each page of your site. There are plenty of places on your site where you can get creative with titles; the navigation bar is not that place. The first vertical leap. After scanning your navigation tabs, the reader's eyes will begin tracking down the lefthand side of the page. This is why many savvy businesses place a blog - or an excerpt from the most recent blog post - on their home page. An interesting article can instantly turn a stranger into a friend. Other popular elements that live in this space include large product photos, a brief statement (often a company's vision or mission statement) or a compelling call-to-action in large, headline-style fonts. Lower bar of the F. This critical piece of real estate propels the reader's eyes horizontally across the midsection of the page, all the way to the sidebar. The sidebar or righthand area of the page often includes elements such as a mailing list signup form, a Search field, customer testimonials, key contact information, or a specific call-to-action. Second vertical leap. The reader will take another quick pass at your page, scanning the bulk of the page's content in a vertical motion. Rather than reading your content word-by-word, the reader will look for key words, phrases, bullet points, and visuals. Make it easy for the reader to absorb your content; highlight key phrases with bold subheads. Use bullet points or numbered lists. Write short sentences. Limit paragraphs to two-to-three sentences. For easiest readability, left-align all text and don't indent paragraphs. Create breathing space on the page by double spacing between paragraphs. Explore the websites of the nation's biggest brands: Coca Cola, IBM, Microsoft, GE, and McDonald's. All of them employ the F-pattern. Does your website earn an F? It should. Blatant Self-Promotion If you don't want to hassle with figuring out how to make your website learn an F, give us a call at 425.244.4242. We build websites! Whether you want a simple-but-attractive budget-minded site or a high-end site with all the bells and whistles, the Blogging Bistro team of graphic designers, programmers, and copywriters delivers. Contact us now: info@bloggingbistro.com Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog How to Share Facebook Profile Updates to a Business Page Blog Headline Writing Techniques: 4 Lessons Learned from 'The Costco Connection' Facebook Ads: Why They Make Sense as Part of Your Marketing Campaign (by Carrie Schmeck, our new Facebook Ads Manager) 7 Simple Steps to Publishing Your E-Book (by Mary DeMuth) How to convert your Facebook profile to a Business/Fan page Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:01:31 -0400http://archive.aweber.com/bloggingbistro/PEdjk/h/_Why_Facebook_Should_Not_be.htm Bjloggingj Bistro | March 2011 June 2011 Why your website - and NOT your Facebook Page - should be your online hub With 600 million people on Facebook and over half of them spending an hour or more each day posting and reading updates, it's no wonder the cry, Websites are dead, is ringing throughout the land. But alas, websites are not dead. At least not according to my unscientific poll of 22 LinkedIn users. When I asked, Should your website or your Facebook business page be the hub of your online presence? all 22 respondents answered, Website. And then they clarified, Both. A good marketing mix should include a website and blog as central hub, plus one or more referral sources that link to your hub: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube or Twitter. Connect in the Comfort Zone People won't hang out at your website for hours on end, the way they do at Facebook. Facebook is their comfort zone, and as such, it's a great place to find and chat with prospects. Take advantage of the fact that Facebook users regularly check their News Feed: Ask and answer questions. Comment on, like, and share other people's updates. Post enticing teasers that link to your best blog articles. Generously give away top-notch information that triggers your fans to like or share your updates. Once your Facebook fans feel genuinely connected to you, your chance of selling products or services to them skyrockets. While Facebook is great for warming up your prospects, you need a permanent online home where you can unveil a more complete picture of you, your mission, and your products and services. That home is your website. At your website, you can showcase your brand for window shoppers, customers and the media. You can embed a blog that allows you to expand your social conversations in more depth than a 420-character Facebook update allows for. You can include clickable icons make it easy for your fans to share your content to their social networks. And you can route your own Facebook and Twitter fans directly to your core content.The Benefits of Home Ownership Not only does your website project a more professional vibe than does Facebook, but you own every word, every image, and every video you publish on your website. You have complete control over the message and the medium. Facebook, on the other hand, is most concerned with meeting its own goals (primarily, to sell advertising), and will continually redesign its interface to meet those goals. You have no choice but to acquiesce to Facebook's ever-changing policies and formats. On your website, however, you determine how to present yourself. If you want to feature your blog, your posts get top billing; they don't compete with thousands of Facebook updates for attention. You also control your site's lifespan. Three years ago, MySpace and Facebook had roughly the same number of unique monthly visitors. Since then, MySpace has experienced a steady freefall while Facebook has climbed into the stratosphere. In mid-2008, most people assumed MySpace would reign supreme indefinitely. Today, most people assume Facebook will continue to dominate. But be prepared for the current king of the social hill to meet a fate similar to MySpace when a newer, cooler network debuts. Unlike Facebook, which is subject to the whims of its fickle users, your website can grow and change with you. As your brand matures, your website's design and content can keep pace. So use both. Nurture friendly business relationships at Facebook, and gently steer your fans to your permanent online hub. Readers Share Acronyms In last month's newsletter, I introduced you to the acronym method for promoting your products and services. I asked you to submit your own acronym that relates directly to your core brand message. Here are several of the submissions I received: Help Overcome Persevere Encourage Submitted by Gigi Murfitt, author and speaker. Gigi directs a nonprofit organization called Gabriel's Foundation of HOPE. The foundation was established to provide help to individuals and families dealing with disability by encouraging them to persevere and overcome. Gigi writes: Our son was born with major congenital birth defects. He speaks to schools and businesses and community organizations to encourage his audiences with his C.L.E.A.R. message. These five words help his audience remember how to live a successful life: Courage Leadership Endurance Attitude Respect ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Meaningful Informational Kind Entertaining Submitted by MIKE Ireland, http://mikeireland.blogspot.com/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Practice CREATIVE Living: Christ's Resurrection Encourages Active Training In Victorious Endeavors. Submitted by Reggie Freiner, an artist who does portraits in oil. Reggie writes: I do pet and house portraits on ornaments or canvas and people on canvas. I can paint landscapes, florals, etc., on any paintable surface. I also make hand-made cards, calligraphy on invitations, certificates, etc. and other unusual crafts. I am a Christian and give Him all the praise for my talent and creativity. You can find some of Reggie's artwork for sale at http://www.shophandmade.com under the name ReggieScraps. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wholesome Romance Inspiring Thought provoking Entertaining Reads Submitted by Melissa K. Norris, inspirational fiction author. Melissa blogs at Faith, Friends, and Frappuccinos and her website is http://www.melissaknorris.com/. Submit a Guest Column to Blogging Bistro Would you like to share what you're learning about blogging, Twitter, or Facebook? Submit a guest column to Blogging Bistro. Here are our guest post submission guidelines. Share Bright Ideas I invite you to reprint any of the articles from this blogzine in your own e-zine or on your Web site/blog, as long as you include the following blurb and a link to BloggingBistro.com: Laura Christianson founded BloggingBistro.com, a company that serves a full menu of social media services to businesses and individuals. Please forward Bright Ideas Blogzine to others who want to maximize their social media marketing. Subscribe To start your e-mail subscription, send a blank e-mail to bloggingbistro@aweber.com. You'll immediately receive an e-mail confirmation notice. Click the link and you're subscribed. I respect your privacy. I promise not to sell, rent, or distribute your contact information. At My Blog How to link to your Facebook Page from the Employers area of your profile How to send visitors away from your website in 2 seconds or less Why every author needs Facebook Ads (by Carrie Schmeck, our new Facebook Ads Manager) How to convert your Facebook profile to a Business/Fan page How to remove yourself from a Facebook Group Hangouts Blogging Bistro | Blog Articles | Our Services | Portfolio | Contact Us Unsubscribe to this Newsletter Copyright © 2011 Blogging Bistro Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:00:27 -0400