Balance Your Content to Create a Community

Some companies who use social media to promote their products or services tend to make the common mistake of only sharing information about their brand. Balancing the content you post between promotional material, valuable and industry-related information, and engaging posts will help form a brand personality and image. Don’t pitch your products and services too often, as your followers may become tired of the posts and unfollow or unlike your brand. Social media marketing is a two-way street; you get back what you put in. Create a community and provide a space that people enjoy visiting. The more people who return to your social sites, the better chance you have of obtaining a customer.

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Host Your Own Blog

How easy is it to set up a blog that is already hosted? Pretty simple! Customizing it isn’t hard either, but you are stuck with limitations on what features can and cannot go on your blog site. So how can you make your blog just the way you want it? Host it! Hosting a domain or site is fairly inexpensive and easy to setup. By hosting your own blog, you can use plugins and other features that you couldn’t normally use with a blog being hosted elsewhere. You can also use templates that you prefer, and fully customize them to fit your needs! Don’t miss out on all of the features and great plugins available to you bloggers. Host your own blog ASAP!

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How to Activate Facebook Timeline

We have all heard about the release of the Facebook Timeline profile update. Some users are fond of it, while others are not as thrilled. In any event, you can now activate your Timeline if you haven’t been prompted to already. Follow the steps below to access and publish your Timeline profile.


1. Go to

Note: If you do not wish to publish it right away, you will have a 7 day trial period to review and edit your Timeline. If you wait, it will automatically publish at the end of the trial.https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline
2. Click on “Get Timeline” in the bottom right of the screen.
3. From there, you can scroll down and make any edits you would like.
4. Once completed, scroll to the top of the page and click “Publish Now.”

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Prepare for Change

Within the realm of social media, changes and updates happen more frequently than we would like them to. But regardless of what we want or don’t want, change happens, and being prepared for these changes can make your job much easier. Most social media sites release pending changes prior to the actual release. By doing your research and reading as much pre-release information that is available, your transition should be a breeze. If you know this change will lead to a design change, research and begin making changes to your site offline. Once the changes are implemented, making the switch will be as simple as uploading a new image or copy and pasting new coding.

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How to Embed Tweets in Your Website

In our article, Twitter Redesign, we mention the ability to embed a tweet onto your website. To better understand how it works, think of it as incorporating the functionality of a tweet on your website. To embed a tweet, follow these instructions:

To render a tweet using oEmbed, the embedding site must:
1. Obtain an URL to or ID number of the tweet it wants to render.
2. Make a request to the get statuses/oembed endpoint, passing the Tweet URL or ID as a query parameter.
3. Render the html property of the response, as well as a <script> element pointing to //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js, if needed.

There are other ways to embed a tweet onto your website using codes that you might find to be easier. To get full directions on the various ways to embed a tweet, visit the developer’s site here.

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How to Use Twitter Keyboard Shortcuts

As many of you may know, Twitter has just released a new platform design. Along with the new layout came some awesome keyboard shortcuts for Twitter users to access (or play with). A chart of all the keyboard shortcuts is pictured below. In order to see this chart while you are on your Twitter account, click the person icon next to the search bar in the upper right hand corner. From there, select Keyboard Shortcuts. Hope this makes navigating Twitter a little easier for you!

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How to Use Google Analytics Live Traffic Statistics

Do you manage a blog or a website for someone? Even if you manage it for yourself, Google Analytics has a new feature that may interest you. We all know in the past, Google Analytics took 24 hours to aggregate data into a usable statistic, but now they offer a “Real-Time” option.
When you log into G.A, begin using the newest version available and click on the “Home” menu tab. From the Home tab, look to the left sidebar and click on “Real-Time (BETA).” Click on “Overview” to access real time data for your site.

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How to Make Snowflakes Fall on WordPress.com

This little trick for WordPress can bring the winter holidays to your blog! Have you gone to WordPress and noticed snow falling on the page? You can activate this on your own blog in just a few simple steps.
First, sign into your WordPress blog. Click on the “Settings” tab on the left hand of the screen. You will be in the “General Settings” screen. Scroll down to the bottom of the page, where you will see “snow” as an option. This is located under the “Language” option. Click on the box to toggle falling snow and save your changes.
Now anyone who visits your blog will be able to see the beautiful snow falling on your page!

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Category Specific Subscriptions on Wordpress.org

If you manage your own blog, you know how important subscribers are to your traffic analytics. Keeping your loyal followers up-to-date on new posts and updates is crucial to building a successful blog. But what happens if you want to give the reader the option to subscribe to a specific category and not your entire blog? It is very simple. For example, our RSS feed URL is www.progressivemediaconcepts.com/feed/. When a person subscribes to the PMC blog, that is the URL that will notify them of new content. If we wanted to give our readers the option to subscribe to content written about Facebook, for example, we would use the URL: www.progressivemediaconcepts.com/category/Facebook/feed.
Now when you subscribe, only posts from the Facebook category will be sent to you. Give it a try on your own website. Type in your URL with the same format and see if it works! Leave us your feedback!

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Don't #Spam #Your #Tweets #With #Hashtags

Including relevant hashtags in your tweets is extremely useful when you want to categorize your posts so that they show up easily in searches. If you use hashtags in tweets on a public account, anyone who searches for that keyword will stumble upon your tweet. But using too many #hashtags is considered spamming. Best practices suggest using no more than 3 hashtags in a single tweet, and to use them sparingly and respectfully. If you use hashtags excessively, it may cause confusion and frustration for your followers, and they may stop following you. Use hashtags only when they add value; not on every word in a tweet!

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Get The New YouTube Layout

YouTube has created a new layout for its users! In order to get it, you have to be using Firefox or Chrome as your web-browser. It may seem a little tricky for those who aren't web-savvy, but it can still be done. In order to obtain the new layout you need to open your browser’s development tools.
Using Firefox:• Press Ctrl + Shift + K for a Windows operating system.
• Press Cmd + K for a Mac operating system.
Using Chrome:
• Press Ctrl + Shift + J for a Windows operating system.
• Press Cmd + Alt + J for a Mac operating system.

Once it is opened, add this code into your console:
document.cookie="VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE=ST1Ti53r4fU";

Now close your developer tools and reload the YouTube page. You’re all set!Using Firefox:

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How to Use Google Search Tools for Better Results

Have you noticed that after the Google Farmer Update, searching on Google can become a hassle? Do you see articles or websites pulling up that have zero relevance to the actual search terms used? Does it frustrate you that something that should be seemingly easy to find has become difficult? Well Google has unveiled a new feature to help! It’s called “Verbatim.” After you have searched for a term, go over to “more search tool” on the left side of the page. Scroll down to “Verbatim.” This new tool will search Google for the EXACT phrase or terms used.

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LinkedIn Group Statistics

Whether you manage a group or are just a part of a group on LinkedIn, you can now get some statistical data. When you enter a group, click on the “More…” tab and scroll down to “Group Statistics.” This will open up the statistics where you can get great insight into how the group is performing. You get to view the demographics and how the group is growing, as well as what type of activity there is. This is be a great tool for group admins who want to keep data on their group's progression.

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How To Change Your Twitter Handle

If you're looking to rename or rebrand your Twitter account, there is an easy solution. Instead of signing up for a new Twitter account all together, head over to the Twitter Account tab. From there, you can change your username, as well as update your e-mail and security settings. You can check to see if the username you wish you change to is available. If your desired username is taken by another user, get creative with the new name. Just remember to tweet your followers about the changes!

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Post Facebook Statuses to Twitter

Did you know that know Facebook allows you to post your status updates to your Twitter account? Facebook used to have a different stance on this policy and felt that Facebook content should be exclusive to their platform only. Now they have opened the door, and in a few short steps, you can be posting Facebook updates to Twitter. Here is how to activate this feature:

1. Go to facebook.com/twitter.
2. Click the green button titled “Link My Profile to Twitter.”
3. Click the blue button titled “Authorize app.”
4. Optional: Choose which Facebook items you want to share.
5. Optional: Click the blue button “Save Changes.”

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Retweet Manually

Retweeting is always a great way to show someone that you appreciate their post, but next time you go to click the retweet button, think again. The benefits of manually retweeting someone's post is that you can add your own two cents to it. How do you do this? Copy and paste the original tweet or click "Quote Tweet." Remove any unnecessary information, such as the Twitter user's real name, and place RT in front of their Twitter name. Then just add your own comments in front. Your tweet should look like this when it is all said and done:

Love the blog post! RT @PMConcepts How to Manage Your Social Media Comments wp.me/p1f1we-oP

Moral of the story: Add some personality to your retweets!

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Do Your Research Before Jumping In

There are many people who just want to “keep up with the Joneses” when it comes to social media marketing. They want a Twitter, Facebook and blog simply because their competitors do. It may sound great, in theory, but before you jump into the realm of social media marketing, make sure you actively research where your consumers are. For blogs, you may find most of your consumers on Tumblr rather than Wordpress. You may notice you have more targeted consumers on Twitter asking about your company than on Facebook. Bottom line is, don’t just jump into social media blind folded. Progressive Media Concepts can help you find your target market. Contact us today for a FREE web evaluation!

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Link Placement in Tweets for High CTR

Are you under the impression that the best place for a link is at the end of your tweets? According to a new study, links at the end of tweets do not see much of a click through rate. It turned out that the best placement for a link would be about 25% of the way through the tweet; not at the very beginning and not in the very middle. Try experimenting with the placement of links in your tweets and see which position works best for you!

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Enhance Your Social CRM

Did you know that only 29% of customer complaints via Twitter are responded to? That leaves 71% of your consumer base scratching their head. This figure is an average, so if you have a 100% response rate, we applaud you. Having anything under a perfect response rate can not only anger your customers, it can cause them to find another brand to be loyal to. Customer service is a huge part of social media and not serving your customer can have a huge impact on both your brand's sales and image. Respond to every request, even if you direct them to email or call a certain person. Helping them resolve their issue will ultimately lead to a more successful social media campaign.

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Share Google+ Circles

One aspect that Google+ has incorporated is the ability to share your Google+ circles with your followers. This does not share the title of the circle, just who is in it. This is great if you have a circle dedicated to art for example, or one for history and would like to give your followers the chance to receive the same information as you do. Go into your Google+ Circles page and click on the circle you wish to share. After you are able to view the friends within the chosen circle, you can select “share.” From the share window, you can add a personalized message for your followers to read. This is a great way to help people within your circles get noticed by other people who may have a similar interest.

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Use the WordPress Follow Button

If you currently use a WordPress blog, you may have noticed the new feature that they have rolled out. Under the Totals, Followers & Shares tab on the Statistics page, you are able to find your blog's subscribers. Click on the followers link, and you will find email subscriptions and WordPress bloggers who are fans of your work. Next to the WordPress.com followers' names, you will now see an option to follow. Follow the people who are following you! This is a great way to build and maintain relationships on your blogging platform.

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Use The New Facebook Insights

You may think that anything new that is released on Facebook leads to confusion, yet this latest update is meant to ease just that. The new Facebook insights are a pleasant change of pace. Not only are your page insights presented in a clean and appealing way, they offer new metrics to measure your Facebook activity. You may need to become familiarize yourself before fully using the insights to keep track of your Facebook data, but it a much better tool than the now out-of-date version. So do not hesitate, activate the new Facebook insights today and manage your brand easily on Facebook!

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Status Updates for LinkedIn Company Pages

LinkedIn recently just rolled out an awesome, new feature for their company pages. You are now able to post updates directly from your company page, helping you to directly engage with your network and potentially your network's followers. What are you waiting for? Sign on and share some product information, blog posts or interesting articles. It’s time to become more engaging on your LinkedIn business page.

*For assistance creating a LinkedIn business page, contact PMC today. 

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Rethink Your Social Media Strategy

Some people think that just because their social media campaign hasn’t brought the results they expected, they would rather drop their campaign and invest more in traditional advertising. But the underlying problem may be that you have had your marketing plan wrong from the beginning. Social media marketing is an evolving industry and must be tweaked and adjusted based on platform updates and where your target market is. Sit down every 3 months to review your social media campaign. Figure out what has worked and when it worked. Rethinking and adjusting your social media plan may be just what the doctor ordered to increase your ROI.

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Acknowledge Your Social Following

Social media marketing is a full time job, especially if your social media pages are very engaging. Blog comments, Facebook wall posts, and Twitter mentions or retweets can become overwhelming at times, but you must recognize your following. Remember, each person that directly, or even indirectly, acknowledges you has taken some interest in your content. A simple thank you is enough to keep that person coming back for more. Replies can also help grow a discussion or topic. You may get overwhelmed at times, but allocate time each day to respond or engage your loyal following. When people know their message is being received, it will increase their willingness to engage more and share your content. Everyone likes to be recognized, so why should you be the only one?

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Use the Blogger Dynamic Feature

How are you liking the new layout of our blog? Thanks to Blogger's new dynamic blog templates, we were able to create an interactive space for our readers! There are many different themes to choose from, including magazine, mosaic, snapshot, and timdeslide layouts. We are currently using the flipcard theme to add some personality to our blog. Choose which layout you think is best for yours!

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Learn Social Site Updates Slowly

Nothing can be more frustrating than a social media site rolling out a huge overhaul all at once, without notifying its users beforehand. It can be overwhelming, especially when your business relies on your understanding of the social site and how it is used for marketing purposes. Our advice here is to take it one stride at a time. Trying to grasp the concept and understand how each new aspect or feature works at once can drive you crazy. Do it in moderation. Each day, learn how one aspect of the new update works and understand its functionality. Within a few days you will be caught up and easily using the new updated social site as if nothing had changed.

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Read the Facebook Guidelines Before a Promotion

A great way to spread brand awareness and increase your Facebook following is to create a promotional event and give something back to your loyal fans and prospective consumers. One key ingredient, however, is making sure it fits within the guidelines set by Facebook. They are not hard to understand and are very straight forward, yet not following their rules can lead to being banned from Facebook. So before running a promotional event or contest, make sure your campaign does not break or interfere with any of their rules. Read more about Facebook’s promotional policy here. 

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Need Help With Social Media?

In today’s constantly evolving social landscape, staying on top of your social networks while keeping up to date with the latest trends can be a difficult task, especially when you have a business to run. So what is an easy way to actively and effectively engage your online consumers and fans? It’s simple, contact Progressive Media Concepts today for a free web evaluation of your brand, and find out how PMC can help manage your brands social media marketing campaign. Interested in learning more? Email us at info@progressivemediaconcepts.com today and get the ball rolling.

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Put a Video in Your LinkedIn Profile

Joe Soto, the CEO of One Social Media, recently shared great advice with his followers: add a video to your LinkedIn profile to stand out from competition. Some video ideas include, taping your elevator pitch, posting video testimonials from your customers, or filming your competitive advantage. The more interactive you make your LinkedIn profile, the more attention it will receive. The LinkedIn apps you can use to share your video are Slideshare.net and Google Presentation. Let us know if this helps!

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Be More Active on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool, so be more active! There are thousands of discussions going on about every topic under the sun. Make sure you become active in at least one, share your ideas, thoughts and opinions. This will not only generate better relationships via LinkedIn, it can also lead to more traffic to your sites (granted you link to it in a discussion). People always want a new perspective and new information, so share yours and invite them to visit your sites.

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Prioritize

Managing a social media campaign can take a lot of work and dedication to being consistent on each social network you are using. In order to stay sane and be productive, make sure you prioritize your marketing efforts. Make a plan of what you want to get accomplished for each social platform and order it by importance. Make sure you complete your daily tasks in a consistent manner. Prioritizing and organizing your campaign will keep you on point, and you can complete your tasks without the stress of being sidetracked or forgetting what you have or have not done yet.

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Use Thumbnails to Post Links on Facebook

Facebook has a great feature that allows a thumbnail to accompany a link you wish to post. This is a useful tool because many people feel more comfortable clicking on a link that has an image with it. It tends to give the reader more insight into the article. Clicking on just a text link can be scary, since you may not know what you are about to see. The image can often be a preview of an image in the article, or hint towards content to be read. When posting a link, you can also include a caption to go along with the image. Your choice of images is based on the images available on the site. Make sure to pick an image that is closely related to the topic of your post.

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Create an Animated YouTube Video

Do you have a great social media strategy in place but need some video content to further engage your fans? The equipment needed in order to create video content is expensive and many marketing professionals may not have the expertise in video editing, but that doesn't mean you can't do it! Try using one of these YouTube applications which allow you to create a video in minutes. Check out these self-explanatory programs and start posting those videos today!

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Optimize Twitter SEO with a List

SEO applies to Twitter profiles the same way it affects any other site. Want to use SEO on Twitter lists and increase your page rank on search engines like Google? First, select a keyword you would like to use and make it the title of your list. By creating a Twitter list that has your keyword in it, such as twitter.com/pmconcepts/socialmedia, you can help your Twitter profile rank for your own name plus your chosen keyword. Though this will happen naturally as you are added to Twitter lists, you can help control this by creating your own that contains a keyword you’d like to rank for. This is a great way to gradually grow SEO for your Twitter page.

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One Simple Command to Increase Fan Base

In today’s world people usually like to be told what to do. We are indecisive people with so many options in front of us, making one decision can be a difficult task. When it comes to social media, it can be a task to grow a fan base without using promotional offers or incentive to entice your audience to Like your Facebook page or follow you on Twitter. Want an easy solution? ASK THEM TO. One of the easiest ways to get someone to Like or follow you is to ask. “Please follow us,” or “Like us on Facebook” are great call-to-action comments. Including the chance to win or enter into a promotion or even receive more information will increase the chance of people doing what you ask.  Lead people in the direction you wish them to go. Also, don’t forget to supply links to each site you wish people follow.

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Reward Fans with Facebook Credits

Facebook credits are a virtual currency sold through the platform that can be used for buying virtual goods in Facebook games and applications. More recently, consumers have been using Facebook credits to watch movies or listen to music. Some brands who are using Facebook in their social media strategy, have used these credits as an incentive for their consumers. Last year, Shoebuy.com ran a campaign that gave out 50 Facebook credits to fans who bought products from their site. Think about how you can use this social currency to get fans to interact with your brand.

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Create a StumbleUpon Account

If you don't currently have a StumbleUpon account for your business, it's time to make one! Recently, StumbleUpon has beaten Facebook in delivering more than 50% of all social media traffic. If you have a company blog or website, get it up on StumbleUpon today. You will be sure to see your traffic increasing after you create an account. If you are interested in learning more about how to use StumbleUpon for a business, check out one of our recent blog posts in which we tell you exactly how to market yourself on the site.

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Running Out of Content?

One issue brands run into is creating original and interesting content. Sometimes it may seem as though the think-bank has run dry, and finding a topic to blog about or post on your social networks seems like a dreary task. Why not use your resources to come up with new and exciting ideas? People want to relate to the brand, and can do so when asked for their input. Ask consumers what topics they are most interested in to try to spark some new content ideas. You can also make a few posts asking your consumers questions to stir up the thought process. Give it a try and tell us how it works.

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Always Remember Your Goal

For any business jumping on the social media bandwagon, it’s never too late to join in on the conversation. One thing we urge is to always remember what your main objective or goal is, for example, brand awareness. It can be very easy to get lost in the digital world when you’re networking, meeting new people and talking about a range of topics. Just remember not to get caught up in the chatter. For any business, sales and brand marketing are top goals. Don’t forget to maybe plug your company or site your services in conversation. Forgetting why you’re online can prove to be detrimental to your social media campaign and lead to a negative ROI.

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Don't Be THAT Person

The key to social media is interactions. Unless you are a high profile business or celebrity, you need to engage and interact with your consumer. Whether a solo person, or a brand, making conversation with other people, businesses or even consumers is how to grow your social network. Don’t expect someone to like or follow your brand if you aren’t giving them any useful information, or are ignoring your following all together. Social media is a two-way street, just like keeping loyal friends and consumers is. Don’t be that person. Interact more.

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Multiple Tumblr Blogs, One Email Address

One of the most aggravating things about the Internet is having one site dedicated to a particular email address. Ever tried to sign up 2 blogs on one platform with the same email? Often times it will tell you the email is already being used. With Tumblr, once you sign up and have a blog, you can create a new blog, using the same email address, and make it completely different than your current one! Great for someone who needs to manage client blogs, or someone who maybe has split personalities and has trouble remembering user name and passwords.
How to do this: (so easy you might kick yourself!)

Log in to your Tumblr blog. From the dashboard, (screen after logging in), click on the button in the top right that is a “+” symbol inside a circle. From there, you can easily set up another blog.

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Keep Content Above the "Fold"

The part of the website that you cannot see on screen when the page initially loads is considered "under the fold." When creating any landing page for any site, make sure to keep the engaging and interesting content above the "fold." A majority of people will never scroll down to view more information unless they are actually searching for something specific.

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Linking Your Blog to Website

When it comes to business, companies may have a blog created far before their website is completed. Some issues people may face are whether they want to delete their already established blog and move it onto their website instead. A well-established blog is something you want to keep. It will already have SEO and be indexed well with the search engines. Instead of deleting your current blog, just make your “blog” menu tab link visitors directly to your blog. This way you can keep your SEO on your blog, drive new traffic there and save yourself a headache.

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Watch Your Competitor

It doesn’t matter which industry you are in; you have competitors. Whether you feel your company's social media campaign is better or worse than your competitors, you can learn some tricks or tactics from paying attention. This is not to say copy them, but if one of your competitors decides to launch a free giveaway or is handing out product samples, it may be a good idea to create your own promotional event. Be creative! Don’t knock or insult your competitor in any of your campaigns, just showcase how you are superior!

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Shock Your Readers

It is common place for your social media campaign to sometimes feel unoriginal and never-changing; the same old story day in and day out. So what should you do if your followers and fans are becoming bored with the content you supply? Shock them! Create a contest or a giveaway. Get your loyal customers to interact with your brand unlike they have previously done. Even if you have to create content that isn't directly correlated with your product, but engages your consumer and encourages them to become active, try it out.

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Customize Your YouTube Channel's Color Scheme

Are you setting up a YouTube channel for your brand? If so, it is important to make sure that you customize the channel so that it coincides with your brand's color scheme. Under the Themes and Colors tab, YouTube allows you to select from different color schemes that seem to be set in stone. But wait! If you click advanced options below, you can change the colors included in the theme that do not necessarily fit your company's logo. Click on the boxes of colors you would like to change, and a palette will pop up allowing you to select the custom color you desire. This will help you to create a visually appealing YouTube channel for your business!

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Hold Live Events Online

Creating a personality for your brand using social media is a great way to gain exposure. Another great way to increase user engagement is to hold live events online. Facebook is a great way to interact with your consumer, and what better way to do that, then via a video chat? Whether is is a press release, upcoming product release or just a Q & A event, streaming live to your consumer is a great way to put a face on your brand. Using Linqto, you can add a video chat room of sorts to your page.

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