Social Media – Page 11 – Dennis J. Smith

New Look and Features Coming To Twitter This Fall

October 4, 2010

If you use Twitter to promote your business get ready for a a change this fall. Many people like Twitter because its minimalist design and easy of use. But as the site grows Twitter is looking for was to maintain its lead as a social media powerhouse. Do you visit the website or just post your Tweets? Here’s a video Twitter release to YouTube showing some of the upcoming changes: What do you think about the planned changes? Helpful? Here’s more information on the upcoming changes provided by the folks at Twitter. New design You will now find @mentions, retweets, searches, and lists just above your timeline ““ creating a single, streamlined view on the left of the screen. On the right, you can see the features you’re familiar with, including whom you recently followed and who recently followed you, favorites, and Trending Topics. View photos, videos, and other media content Now, it’s easy to see embedded photos and videos directly on Twitter, thanks to partnerships with DailyBooth, DeviantART, Etsy, Flickr, Justin.TV, Kickstarter, Kiva, Photozou, Plixi, Twitgoo, TwitPic, TwitVid, USTREAM, Vimeo, yfrog, and YouTube. Discover related content When you click a Tweet, the details pane shows additional information related to the author or subject. Depending on the Tweet’s content, you may see: @replies, other Tweets by that same user, a map of where a geotagged Tweet was sent from, and more. Mini profiles You can click a @username to see a mini profile without navigating from the page, which provides quick access to account information, including bio and recent Tweets. Follow @Twitter Rollout timing These changes will roll out as a preview over the next several weeks. During the preview, you’ll be able to switch back and forth so you have time to grow accustomed to the way things work. Eventually, everyone will have the updated version of Twitter.com. So what do you think? Think Twitter has something good coming down the pipeline or do you think that things should be left alone? Feel free to contribute and leave a comment below. Posted Dennis J. Smith with content by Twitter

5 Must Have Social Media Plugins for WordPress Blogs

October 1, 2010

With the explosion of Social Media many bloggers are discovering the power of sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google Buzz and LinkedIn to name a few. With WordPress plugins you or your readers can share your blog postings with others just with a click of the mouse. Here are 5 plugins for Social Media that I think are the must haves if you are serious about promoting your business or cause. Update: Some of these plugins have been discontinued or have not been updated by their developers. WP FB Like With the exploding popularity of Facebook this is a must have plugin because it post to the king of social media. WP FB Like is easy to setup and will add the Facebook “Like” Button at the top and bottom of all your post or pages. When your reader clicks on the button a link to your blog post is added to their Facebook wall. If their friends click on the link they are sent to your blog and directly to the post. Update: This plugin hasn’t been updated in over 2 years. It may no longer be maintained or supported and may have compatibility issues when used with more recent versions of WordPress. Sexy Bookmarks Here is a WordPress plugin that does it all when it comes to sharing out your blog post. Sexy Bookmarks lets you pick and choice the social media networks you’d like your readers to share to. Plus you can drag and drop them into the position you’d like them to display on your page. You can display the social media networks at the top or bottom of your post. There over 80 social networks to choose from but I would suggest that you keep it under 20 so as not to overwhelm your readers. WP Google-Buzz With all the buzz about Google Buzz and Google’s jump into the social media arena you’ll want this plugin for sure. If you prefer to keep a minimalist look to your blog you might want to consider going with just a few buttons. Facebook, Twitter, Digg and maybe even MySpace depending on the demographics of your readers. WP Google-Buzz is easy to configure and has several customization choices to fit any bloggers needs. Update: This plugin has been discontinued Disqus Comment System This plugin replaces the default WordPress commenting system by adding elements that will drive more traffic to your blog. Both new and repeat traffic can be generated from the use of this popular plugin. Most major newspapers and news organizations use Disqus on their websites. Readers can check a like button just like the FB like button and can post their comments to Facebook and Twitter. Readers can also subscribe by email or RSS and get notified when someone replies to their comment. What’s not to like about this plugin? PostRank PostRank shows off the top post on your blog and is updated automatically as the rankings change. The look and feel of the widget can be set to match the color of your WordPress theme. Monitor your PostRank scores and social media analytic metrics right from the WordPress dashboard. The PostRank plugin is easy to install and setup is a breeze. Keep in mind that it might take a few hours for the top post to start displaying. Wibya The ultimate social media plugin for your WordPress blog is the Wibya Toolbar. Integrate both your Twitter and Facebook Fan Page feeds into your blog along with a host of other choices. Show off your YouTube videos or pick what videos you’d like displayed. Customize the look and feel of the toolbar to match your WordPress theme. Do you use any of the above plugins with your WordPress blog? Have something else that’s a favorite? Please feel free to leave a comment below and add to this list by letting others know your recommendations. Interested in other WordPress Plugins? Check out this post from the blog ““ How To Make My Blog Best WordPress plugins ““ 18 most downloaded WordPress plugins ever If you know someone who could benefit from the information above please feel free to share with others. I appreciate it and hope you’ll return again. Thanks!

Expose your WordPress blog postings with a little Facebook “Like”

September 29, 2010

Now you can get some “Like” on Facebook for your WordPress blog post with a simple plugin. You don’t have to know anything about programming code like HTML. While in your WordPress Dashboard go to Plugins on the left-hand menu. Click the “Add New” button and type in “Facebook Like Button Plugin for WordPress” (current version is 0.4a). There’s also WP FB Like which is easy to setup with a few clicks of the options. Pick whatever one you feel comfortable with but don’t delay on adding this must have plugin. The screenshot above shows you some of the options for one of the FB Like Button plugins. I recommend displaying the button before and after an article for maximum benefit. When a reader “Recommends” or “Likes” your posting a link is posted to their Facebook profile. This is an excellent way to drive traffic from your friends Facebook page to your blog. Do you have a favorite plugin you’d like to recommend to other readers? What do you “Like”? Feel free to comment below and click “Recommend” to recommend this article to your Facebook friends.

Being Social with Social Media On The Go or In The Air

September 24, 2010

The beauty of running your own business is that you are no longer tied down to the desk. With social media, a mobile hone and a laptop or even a new tablet PC you can promote your business while on the go. It doesn’t matter where you are at anymore to connect with the world and market your business. I’m at Brewforia Beer Market right now which is a business in Meridian, ID that sells over 500 different beers. Brewforia uses social media to connect with their customers by showcasing new product, what’s on tap and new food products. The relaxing environment and free Wi-Fi makes it possible for someone like myself to enjoy a beer, enjoy a craft bread (pizza) and write a blog post or market my business endeavors. Where do you enjoy hanging out when promoting your business? It’s pretty common to find Wi-Fi in every city around the US and Europe. Plus services such as Clear, Rover and Sprint offer 4G in 50 plus cities across the US. That means you could be sitting on a park bench and connected to the internet at super fast broadband speeds. Think about how relaxing that would be enjoying the warm fall sun while conducting business over the internet. I’ve even been connect to the internet while flying 36,000 ft. above the earth heading to Florida. GoGo Inflight Internet connects you to Wi-Fi while on board your cross country flight. Pricing starts around $4.95 per flight segment depending distance travelled. Visit their website for more information on pricing and how the service works. I’ve given you a few ways you you can promote your business while on the go or even in the air. Suggestions? Ideas? Feel free to comment below and start the discussion.

Latest Reviews of Promote Your Business or Cause using Social Media

August 24, 2010

Latest Reviews of Promote Your Business or Cause using Social Media By Social Media author Dennis J. Smith It’s been a few months since I first published my first book Promote Your Business or Cause using Social Media. I want to share with you some of the latest reviews and give you a chance to win your own copy. Johnna says “I’ve used Facebook as a marketing resource for years and "Promote Your Business or Cause using Social Media" taught me numerous NEW things I never used or maximized!" What would you like to learn about social media? All you have to do is register for my bi-monthly Social Media News Club. Which happens to be free! I’ll pick a winner at the end of this month and continue to do so each month through December 2010. Great Help!, July 22, 2010 Dennis J Smith helped guide me through the maze of options available. As a social media novice, the number of sites and formats for communicating my message was overwhelming, but the step by step guide let me identify which product was most effective. Dive into the social media pool with confidence!, July 9, 2010 Dennis J Smith has done a nice job of opening the door to the social media opportunities for people who have little or no experience with Facebook and other forms of this ever changing aspect of our electronic world. Dennis presents some practical ways to put various aspects of social media to work for your organization, business or cause. Read full review”¦ A must-read for small business owners!, July 6, 2010 With the social media craze, it’s difficult to know what’s out there, what it does and how to do it! Dennis does a great job of laying out some of the industry’s biggest players, the return you can see on your investment and most importantly, how to get started immediately! Read full review”¦

Promote Your Digital Product and Fatten Your Wallet With ClickBank

August 21, 2010

Looking for a way to promote your product or promote the product of others? Want to make money while you’re at it? With ClickBank you can promote your own products or promote the products of others and make money. ClickBank is based in Boise, Idaho and started back in 1998. There are thousands of digital product vendors on ClickBank and over 110,000 active affiliate marketers. You only need to create an account to get started and can either sell your own product or promote someone else’s product and get paid. Sell Digital Products Online “I earned about $250,000 during my senior year in college and within a year of graduation had crossed the million dollar mark.” Russell Brunson, Idaho, USA Do you have an e-Book you’ve written? How about computer software or a how-to guide? With ClickBank you can promote your product without a lot of overhead. The company will process orders for you via a secured and fraud proof system. You choose the price you want to sell your product for and pay them a one-time activation fee. All you have to do is create a landing page(web page) promoting your product and create some banner ads for affiliates. Affiliates are other people who are willing to promote your product for you by placing a hop link or banner ad on their website. Affiliates get a cut of your profits in the form of a commission when you make a sell. You can find lots of helpful information on selling basics here: ClickBank Selling Basics Promote Products in the ClickBank Marketplace “For anyone wanting to get started in affiliate marketing, ClickBank is the place to go. There are thousands of products to choose from and commission can be as high as 75%; you just won’t find that anywhere else.” Byron Walker, Colorado, USA If you don’t have product to sell but have a blog or a website you can still make money with ClickBank. Affiliate Marketing has been around for years and a great way to supplement your income. Once you have a ClickBank account you can promote any product in the ClickBank Marketplace. There’s thousands of products to choose from and something for everyone. Just find the product you like and generate a hop link to add to your blog or website. The hop link is coded so ClickBank knows who to pay commission if product is sold. Now you can share product with your Facebook friends using SocialPromote. Just click the “Like” button and ClickBank will create a hop and add it to your Facebook Stream. Make sure you are always signed in to your account when generating links or sharing out to Facebook. You can search the marketplace for products that will complement your blog or website. If you have a WordPress blog there are ClickBank plug-ins available that let you add ClickBank product to your blog with ease. Ready to get your feet wet with affiliate marketing or selling your own digital product? Head over to the ClickBank website and get your account ad get started today. Already using ClickBank? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts with others. Sign Up for ClickBank CJM Marketing Specialties Content By Dennis J. Smith

Aksel Paris Launches Facebook Store (Who’ll Be Next?)

August 19, 2010

Content By SF Indie Fashion Here’s something we predict you’ll see more and more of very quickly: local fashion brands with Facebook stores. The first we’ve run across comes from Aksel Paris (don’t let the name fool you, the company’s actually based in SoMa). The menswear line recently launched the shop with six men’s shirts ($79-$89) from its Paris collection, and in true Facebook fashion, we hear the store will be offering special discounts just for fans. I wanted to share the short article above so my readers can see how others are using social media to sell product on sites like Facebook. Do you know of any other companies with Facebook stores? How are you using social media to promote your products or goods?

Payvment Expands Toolset For Power Facebook Sellers

August 17, 2010

Payvment, a leading e-commerce solution for Facebook Page administrators, has just introduced a number of new features including the ability for Etsy users to import their entire Etsy product catalog. Additionally, the company is releasing a suite of enterprise APIs for Facebook Stores. That means developers can now take advantage of the new IPN service, an Order Management API, a Shopping Cart API, and more, to automate the entire Facebook shopping experience. For those who are less aware of what Payvment is, they provide Facebook Page administrators with a full-fledged e-commerce solution which supports shopping and payments on the site. Right now the service is free to set up. The company’s business model has enabled them to reach tens of thousands of Facebook Pages with very little promotion aside from a small footer on each shopping tab which says “Launch your free store on Facebook” and links back to Payvment. While the volume of e-commerce transactions on Facebook is not known, many companies have been taking new steps to offer on-Facebook transaction support. Delta, for example, just announced that they would begin accepting purchases directly within their Facebook Page. Whether or not these tests have proven to be successful is unknown, however there’s no harm in enabling buyers to make purchases anywhere they happen to be online, even if that location is Facebook. While we’re still waiting to hear more about the transaction volume of sales on Facebook, Payvment is currently the leading company in bringing e-commerce to Facebook. If you are interested in learning more about the company you can do so by visiting their website. Article by Neil O’Neill of AllFacebook.com Read more about Payvment for Facebook in my August 2010 article.

Create a Payvment storefront on Facebook in under 15 minutes

August 12, 2010

Please note: Since this article was written Payvment was sold and the links below might no longer be valid. I have left the article up for reference. Are you the crafty type and thought about selling product on Facebook? What if I told you all you need is a Facebook and PayPal account to get started? There are over 500 million customers waiting for you to set-up shop on Facebook. We’ve all heard of EBay, Amazon.com and some maybe have even heard of ETSY as places to sell and purchase product online. But with the explosive growth of social media the new player in town for e-commerce is Facebook. Payvment is a Facebook application that is free and easy for anyone to set-up. It connects to your PayPal personal or business account to process payments using PayPal and any major credit card. Right now the application is free while in beta and Payvment says that any Payvment Facebook store will remain free even after the public beta ends. Okay, so it might take a little more than 15 minutes to roll out a store but most will be up in running in less than an hour. I would say the most time consuming isn’t setting up the store, but taking photos of your product to display in the store. But setting up the customizations and adding product is a pretty simple process. Here’s what a typical Payvment storefront on Facebook looks like. Notice the shopping cart above the product as the customers adds product to the cart. Payvment lets you add product from any store on Facebook that use the Payvment application. Payments are processed via PayPal accordingly with all shipping and tax calculated at checkout. When a customer clicks on an item they get a more detailed description of the item. Notice the Fan Discount for those who are a fan of the page. You can give fans of your page an instant discount on your products. You don’t have to offer a discount but this is a pretty effective way to get others to “Like” your business and hopefully purchase product. Payvment reports that a Forbes study shows that Facebook Fans are 41% more likely to recommend a brand and 28% more likely to continue using them. They also state that a Facebook Fan is worth $136.38 on average and spends $71.84 more each year compared to non fans. Could you imagine what that might translate into if you had 1000 fans? Those who are fans of your page can also “Share” a product they like which will post that item to their wall. That gives store owners even more potential for new fans and sells. Here’s an item I posted to my wall by sharing it from the ELytes Facebook store. Here’s what the Payvment product page looks like showing the price, price after fan discount, quantity, size, color and product description depending on the product you sell. Real-world Use of Payvment for Facebook Motivational speaker and author Johnna Johnson is using Facebook and Payvment to promote and sell her books, e-Book and workbooks. With Payvment you can designate specific product as Featured Items. If you know HTML you can also control the look of your storefront homepage. Check out the list of Payvment stores below and see what others are doing for ideas. Small business owner and single mom Rachel Dobbs uses the application on her fan page Pioneer Soap Works to sell her homemade natural candles, soaps, bath bombs and more from the comforts of her home. I first met Rachel through Facebook when I was doing research for my book. She started out selling her product to friends and family and then a local gift shop and a Saturday Market. Now a majority of her business comes right from her Facebook Fan page after adding the Payvment storefront. I asked Rachel her thoughts on using Payvment as a shopping cart solution. She told me that it was extremely easy to install and having a little html knowledge helped. It was about $100 a month for a shopping cart on her website and she only had 2 sales for the entire year. With Payvment it easy for her to add new product to her store. Rachel also likes that there aren’t any fees, monthly charges or percentage of your sales with Payvment. It’s 100 percent free! Within the first week of using the application her sales increased 40 percent. See sample Payvment stores on Facebook This is only a sampling of the over 30,000 and growing small/medium size businesses, major brands, and retailers using Payvment to build user engagement and revenue on Facebook. Yes to Carrots (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Elytes (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Johnna Johnson & Co. (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Grayce by Molly Sims (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Orglamix Cosmetics (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Vanity Shoes (Selling in Euros) Game Intern (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Claire’s Bowtique (Selling in U.S. Dollars) Athehof (Taiwan) (Selling in Taiwan New Dollars) Payvment Administration Payvment has lots of features including the ability to put your store in suspend mode. This is useful for those who take a vacation and need to suspend business while away. Managing your store is done though backend administration which is shown below. New products are added here, product images, product descriptions, store categories, shipping information and modification of current store product. Tax rates can be set-up for both domestic and international customers. Video tutorials to help you get started quickly How to Quickly Launch a Storefront on Facebook How to Add Products to Your Facebook Storefront How to Set Up Facebook “Fan” Discount Pricing How to Set Up Inventory Controls How to Set Up Dynamic Rate Shipping and Sales Tax Are you selling on Facebook or online? What do you use for a shopping cart? Feel free to leave a comment below along with a link to you Payvment store. Build Your Store – Launch a Payvment Store…
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Category: Social Media