ROI of Social Media [Infographic]

September 14th, 2011
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Social Media · Social Media Marketing

In the crush of social media information, there is always going to be the question, “what is the ROI of Social Media?” The folks at MDG, put together a sharp little infographic on some of the social media ROI.

Social Media ROI

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Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter




The 7 Universal Laws of Social Marketing Success & Profit

January 17th, 2010
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Social Marketing · Social Media Marketing

Do you know how to use Social Media & Social Marketing for success in your business? You will when you read and use these 7 Universal Laws.

There are lots of differing opinions about how to be successful with Social Media and Social Marketing, and whether it is worth it at all. To that end, here are the 7 Universal Laws for Social Marketing Success & Profit.

The Law of Relationship – This Social Media thing is all based on relationship. Gone are the days when you could just throw up a website, get some traffic and make sales, all while hiding behind your computer. If those days were ever really here at all…Social marketing is based on the relationship you have with your followers, prospects and customers.

The Law of Connection – People are hungry for connection in all it’s forms. They are just as hungry to feel a part of something greater than themselves. This a very strong part of human nature.

The Law of 80/20 – I see people blow this one all the time and they don’t even know how much it is hurting them. On any Social Marketing site you want to be 80% social and 20% marketing. Remember, it is all about relationship and connection. Do the relationship and connection part, and you will be able to market in Social Media. Do it not, and you will be ignored.

The Law of Belief - There are still many people out there, some of them big name marketers who should know better, who say that they do not believe in Social Marketing. This is a case where it is sort of like gravity, it does not matter whether you believe in it or not for you to be effected by it.

The Law of Reach – If you want to extend your reach on the Internet, then Social Media is the place to be. By strategically using Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other Social Media sites you can greatly extend your reach so much farther than in traditional Internet Marketing.

The Law of Success – This arena is still very much the “wild west” and there is still time and room for you to be very successful at it in your niche. You can become a thought leader in your niche when you leverage Social Marketing properly.

The Law of Profit - There are those who still claim that you cannot profit in any way from Social Marketing or Social Media, much profit directly. I sure hope those folks continue to be my competition. And yours.

To learn more about how you can use Social Media and Marketing for success in your business you can grab your FREE Instant Access to an 11 minute video and a special report on The 7 Universal Laws for Social Marketing Success & Profit when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com

From Jeff Herring and SocialMarketingBlueprint.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring

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Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter




The 7 Most Important Words to Use in Social Media

January 10th, 2010
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Social Media · Social Media Marketing

In Social Media Marketing -Words are powerful.

Even more than we realize.

There are 7 words that are CRUCIAL to making your social media marketing efforts successful, whether you own’a traditional business, a home business, or work for a business.

And many do not even know them let alone use them.

They can change your social media marketing to a powerful force in your branding efforts and beyond.

Sooooo….

What are they?

1) FREE.

Many folks in social media like free gifts. They like free content. They like free podcasts. They like free videos. They like free content.

So you need to start using the word FREE in your tweets, vids, posts, podcasts and blogs. WHAT is free? That is for you to decide, but it can be an ebook, a report, an mp3, a CD, a DVD, or anything that the people will find of value to their life.

“Here is a FREE mp3 that i recorded last night and thought you might enjoy. Hope you like it and let me know what your thoughts are as i am looking to improve it. Thanks!”

2) GIVE.

This is a biggie. It is CRUCIAL that you GIVR and use the word GIVE in your communications. It is called a “trigger word.” This is a word that triggers psychologically in the brain to create some kind of emotion or feeling. GIVE is a powerful concept in social media marketing.

Especially what you are giving away is FREE.

“I am giving away today a FREE ebook that will help you in your Success efforts. I want you to have it as I know you will like it. Here is the link for it and let me know how you enjoy it as always looking for ways to improve. Thanks!”

3) TRUST.

This is another huge one as we build bridges of trust with people and their friends. Use the word trust in what you do.  Use the word trust in posts, mp3s, videos, and any other communication. Put it FRONT and CENTER and let people know that is your focus. You are looking to be trusted and you sare looking to trust back.

“My goal is to build trust with people before they ever do any business with me as that is critical. Integrity is the foundation of trust and that is how i operate and always will.”

4) VALUE.

People will do more for Value than you think. And people are smarter than you think. They KNOW value and what is NOT Value. Your focus in social media marketing is to provide VALUE in your communication and use the word in all you do. Your FOCUS should be VALUE and a lot of it.

What people talk about is Value. What people are seeking is Value. What people are DEMANDING is Value and you must be the Value Freak in what you do in social media.

“And my goal is to create such an amazing Value in this video that you will watch it over and over and learn something new each time you watch it. All I ask is you let people know what you have discovered in this video and share it with others.”

5) LOVE.

Love is a strong word that people do not use enough. i know i know. I can hear it now-”Doug is getting hairy fairy.” LOL  Nope. Just telling you the truth. if you believe in something string enough- you need to let people know that you love it. if you are convinced that your product is the best that exists on the planet-let them knwo you love it. if you are sure that the relationships you are building in social media are powerful and life changing, let people know that you love that part about social media. if you are a home business professional and LOVE what you do- shout it out and rock the world with it.

Love is a powerful life changing word and when you use it- EYES ARE DRAWN TOWARDS IT- instinctively.

“I LOVE this mp3/video/ebook/report/post even if I did do it. It has a LOT of great content on it that can change lives. I want you to have it as a gift and i look forward to talking to you about it as I know you will love it too. I love giving things away for free-hope you like it!”

6) SECRET.

Everyone likes a good secret that cannot be kept. And if you are any marketing effort, you need to let peo;ple know that you know a secret that they do not. Why? Fear of loss. Curiosity builder. Wanting to be a part of the in the know crowd. Hope of gain. and ther are other reasons as well. But when you use the word SECRET- BAM! Every one’s heads turn-and they are thinking- “Tell me pleasssee!” And we have used it for years as that truly does set you apart form the masses…

IF and ONLY IF you have a secret that no one else has about your endeavor, Success, leadership, social media marketing, home business success, or internet marketing, or anything else that you are working. Be unique and one of a kind. OWN the Secret-don’t just repeat it. Old news is still old news. Get creative and let the secrets flow.

“I have discovered a secret about skin care that ia amazing and wanted to give it to you. Here is a link to a  video that will tell you the secret of looking 10 years younger in little or no time. And all I ask is that you share it with other you know as it will help them too as well. Here is the secret link….”

7) THEIR NAME.

Enough said.

Their name is music to their ears. It is honey to their soul. It is sugar in their tea. I ALWAYS use the persons name or nickname in communication in the very first couple of words.

It is an EYE MAGNET.

It attracts their eyes to move towards their name and then you are guaranteed that your communication will be at least scanned. Use their name at the end too. I call it “bookending.” It works and lets them know that you appreciate who they are.

These are the 7 most powerful words that you can use in social media. of course there are more.

What other words can you suggest in your social media marketing?

blessings…Doug Firebaugh
PassionFire Training
Follow Doug on Twitter

Editor’s note: this post was written by Doug Firebaugh of PassionFire International. If you’re passionate about social media, social media marketing and social networking lifestyle design, contact me about writing an article yourself.

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Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter




3 Deadly YouTube Mistakes and For More Traffic Do This Instead

January 7th, 2010
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Social Marketing · Social Media Marketing

YouTube is a great addition to your Social Marketing plan and a great way to drive loads of traffic. At the same time, their are lots of mistakes you can make that limit the amount of traffic coming your way.

Let’s take a look at 3 of the most common YouTube mistakes and what to do instead:

Mistake Number 1 – Failure to include your keywords in the beginning of the title of your video – When someone types in your keywords when looking for information about your expertise, the search engines send out little “electronic spiders” that search the Internet for the best information. When they come across your video and your keywords are not at or near the beginning of the title they pass you by.

What to do instead – You want to “front load” the title of your video with keywords. Ex: 7 Universal Laws for Social Marketing Success & Profit become “Practice Social Marketing Tips – 7 Universal Laws for Social Marketing Success & Profit.

Mistake Number 2 – Failure to have a call to action link in your video – I see lots of marketers go to all the work and time to create videos that leave the prospect hanging. How do they leave the prospect hanging? By not asking them to do anything next. You’ve given them great information, left them wanting more, and then there is no way to get it. Whatever know, like and trust you have built up in your video is lost when you leave your prospect hanging.

What to do instead – Say it and show it. Here are two ways to use a call to action in your video:

Say it - Tell them what you want them to do next. Make it clear and include a spoken link for them to go to.

Show it - Somewhere in your video, top third, lower third, somewhere, include the link for them to see.

Mistake Number 3 – Failure to include a call to action in your video description – In every YouTube video that you post you are allowed to supply a description of the video. This is where most people blow it with a description that goes something like “This video is about blah, blah, blah ZZZZZZZZZZZ” If your description is weak enough, the prospect might not even watch the video at all.

What to do instead – Turn your video description into a benefit laden invitation. Make sure you include the benefits the prospect will get from watching the video and a call to action invitation for what you want them to do next.

And to learn more about how you can use these tips in your Social Marketing on YouTube, check out my YouTube channel at http://JeffonYouTube.com

From Jeff Herring and SocialMarketingBlueprint.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring

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Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter




How to Avoid 3 Really Bad Blogging Mistakes in Social Media

December 29th, 2009
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Social Marketing · Social Media Marketing

Social Marketing is a powerful force for traffic generation, list building and creating online visibility. And your blog is a powerful part of your social media system. It seems like some people forget that their blog is a significant part of their Social Marketing.

Even when online marketers get how important their blog is, unfortunately many bloggers consistently make 3 really bad blogging mistakes. Let’s take a closer look at these 3 mistakes and what to do instead.

Mistake 1 – Failure to make your blog the hub of your system – Many people neglect the power of their blog in Social Marketing. This is a big mistake because your blog should be the hub of your system. You can communicate more clearly and you can communicate longer on your blog, and thus people spend more time on your blog.

What to do instead - Use a Wordpress Blog and hook it up to the rest of your Social Marketing System. For example, each time I create a new blog post, it is automatically announced on Twitter and Facebook. You can also set it up so that all your articles from EzineArticles and all your tweets from Twitter show up on your blog.

Mistake 2 – Failure to post often to your blog – I see so many people set up a blog and then rarely update it with new posts. When someone goes to your blog and you have not posted in a month, you are communicating that your blog is not important or relevant. It’s not likely they will be back.

What to do instead - There is just no excuse to post at least 3 times a week to your blog, and more would be better. There is just so much you can post: your tip of the week or day, recent articles or turn an article into a several post series, your own videos or ones you find valuable from others, invite guest bloggers. Get in the habit of posting new content at least 3 times a week.

Mistake 3 – Failure to “seed the tip jar” - Part of the lifeblood of your blog is the comments shared by readers. This is how your readers “share in the conversation.” If you don’t have discussions going on in the comments section of your blog then something is wrong.

What to do instead – First of all, invite readers to comment. Invite them right in the blog post. When you email your list or announce your new blog post on Twitter, Facebook and elsewhere, invite people to “share their comments and join in the conversation.”

Then “seed the tip jar” in your blog. You know how you will see a tip jar at a coffee house or a bar? Have you ever seen the tip jar empty? I bet not, because the owners have learned to put a bit of money in the jar to “seed the tip jar.” They are using social proof to get the behavior they want.

You can do the same thing by “seeding your blog comments with your own comments on your blog post. This one little strategy encourages others to begin commenting and join in the conversation.

And to learn more about how to leverage the Social Networks for waves of traffic and more, get your FREE Instant Access to our Social Marketing Video Training Series when you visit http://SocialMarketingBlueprint.com/7laws

You’ll get a series of videos, audios and pdfs all about Social Media Traffic & Profits

From Jeff Herring and the SocialMarketingBlueprint.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Herring

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Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter




3 Ways to Add Jaw Dropping Value to Your Message

December 27th, 2009
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Social Marketing · Social Media Marketing

Value Rules in Social  Media.

Value is the KEY.

Value is the key to making anything happen in social media, whether you are in it for marketing, social networking, entertainment, or just for learning. But VALUE is the KEY to any successful social media experience.

Then…

There is what is call “JAW DROPPING VALUE.”

What’s that?

JDV (Jaw Dropping Value) is that EXTRA Value that is unexpected, unanticipated, and totally a SURPRISE. It s is Value in a product, message, video, training, blog post, podcast, or even event that delivers way beyond what is normal.

Ok.

HOW do you ADD Jaw Dropping Value to a message, product, or event? Well, there are 3 major ways that you can add JDV to anything you do, and we do it all the time and it truly works.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter




Three Secret Tips on Personal Branding Most Don’t Know

December 21st, 2009
· by Timothy Carter · Filed Under: Personal Branding · Social Media Marketing

Personal Branding.

One of the Most Important Factors in your Social Media Message.

We have done over 50 seminars on that one subject. Personal Branding for traditional and home businesses.

It seems to be a subject that has gotten to be huge in the home business and social media circles.

But WHAT has NOT been taught on personal branding in social media?

A LOT.

And I am here to tell you that PB evolves daily and transforms into something more powerful about every 6 months in social media and internet marketing.

There are three tips that most do not know about personal branding and I wanted to share them with you. They have really helped us the last several years and hope that they help you.

So far, they have proven to be GOLDEN in our business.

What are they?

1) Quit trying to be Remembered. Become UNFORGETTABLE.

Nike. Tiger. Shaq. Madonna. Reebok. McDonalds. DoshDosh. Mashable. Taylor. Miley. BMW. CitiCorp.

And the list can go on and on.

YOU need to be on this list.

These are ALL unforgettable brands. How did they get that way?

Offer a Message, Image, or Product that is Totally Unique and repeated exposure.

Offer a Message, Image, or Product that is Totally Unique and repeated exposure.

Offer a Message, Image, or Product that is Totally Unique and repeated exposure.

Repeated exposure.

Repeated exposure.

Enough said?

2) Don’t just BE Something. DO SOMETHING.

Actions often are more powerful anchors to the mind than “being phrases.”

I call it “Action Branding.” This is where you go past where most go- and brand yourself with an ACTION that is uniquely yours.

It can be a bodacious give away free action that has never been done before.

Oprah gave away over 100 cars. THAT was bodacious. But you may not be able to afford that-so how about giving away something DAILY?

How about giving something away on people’s BIRTHDAYS?

How about doing a video that is so funny that people pass it along-and it brands you in a  unique way maybe for the holiday season? (THAT is a tip for NOW.)

How about doing a 24 hours podcast-a-thon and doing it LIVE and interview someone every hour in your niche?

These are just a few of the many secrets of “Action Branding.”

3) Quit focusing on your image and start focusing on the EMOTION.

Get this:

It is NOT the image that comes to people first in branding and when they think of you and your brand.

It is the EMOTION they feel again and experience they have had with you they FEEL- first.

THEN they start thinking of the image that pops into their mind.

So…what can you do to get that emotion to a peak positive level?

Start encouraging people when you communicate with them and tell them how wonderful they are with or without your message or product.

Elevate their perspective of who they are and CAN BE.

Let them know that YOU are there to HELP THEM achieve what their goals are for their life and your message or product is secondary to their most ardent desires for their life.

Have emotional colors and pictures connected to your brand. THIS is critical and if you do not know the psychology of colors, then go here.

These are three tips on personal branding that most do not know and I hope that it has given you something to think about in your social media marketing.

blessings…Doug Firebaugh
PassionFire Training
Follow Doug on Twitter

Editor’s note: this post was written by Doug Firebaugh of PassionFire International. If you’re passionate about social media, social media marketing and social networking lifestyle design, contact me about writing an article yourself.

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Did you enjoy this blog post? Subscribe to my RSS feed. Visit my About Timothy Carter page, my Services available, Press Releases & Media Buzz and Connect to learn about Building Your Business and Brand on the Web with Timothy Carter.

Timothy Carter Social Media Consultant

Timothy Carter is the founder of SocialNetworkingLifestyle.com, a social media management, reputation management & social marketing agency. 14+ years of experience helping small business, solo-preneurs to Fortune 500 companies, with marketing budgets from bootstrapping levels to deep pockets in both B2B and B2C markets navigate the world of social media marketing, building brand awareness, growing new customers, developing word of mouth marketing & drive revenue. Currently, the head of social media for Click2Rank Consulting LLC. You can follow Timothy Carter on Twitter @TimothyCarter