LinkedIn Finds Friends You Did Not Even Know You Had
May 29, 2013
In the article titled LinkedIn: The Creepiest Social Network on Interactuality, the strange connections pushed on users is discussed. The author seems very surprised to see certain relations and old friends suggested on the People You May Know bar when first logging into LinkedIn. These included his girlfriend’s stepfather, a Twitter follower he had never met, and his high school girlfriend. The article explains,
“After perusing my LinkedIn settings, I found three different areas where Privacy Controls are listed. If you go to your Settings page and click on Profile, you will see privacy controls for a variety of profile related issues. If you click on the Account tab, you can adjust privacy controls for advertising. However, I hadn’t noticed (mainly because I didn’t think to look for privacy controls in more than one place) the privacy options under the Groups, Companies & Applications tab.”
However, the article also mentions that a partnership with Twitter and/or Facebook is not mentioned in any of the privacy setting options for any of the three sites. How LinkedIn knows to suggest certain acquaintances is still a mystery, since even after contacting customer service the article’s author only received an emailed reiteration of the sites blurb. So is LinkedIn creepy? No more so than any other person centric online services focused on marketing, data and revenue.
Chelsea Kerwin, May 29, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
Social Media Marketing for Beginners, the Risks and Rewards
May 21, 2013
To learn how to attract the targeted clientele, read the article Engaging and Entertaining With Social Media Marketing on Marketing Promotion. The article cautions against hiring expensive (and often fraudulent) social media marketing firms. Many of these companies use tricks to appear to be creating lots of ads and yet they are not generating any interest, or even being seen. The article also urges those new to social media to copy (or be inspired by) other company’s use of Facebook, Twitter and the like. The article goes on,
“The information gathered from your social networking strategy will allow you develop more appealing, user-friendly approaches. Additionally to your website, you can make a Facebook store that will be accessible from any posts you make. Those who use Facebook often wander around the site and can look through your product selection and make purchases without leaving Facebook. This way, Facebook users you want to turn into customers will be able to stay on Facebook and still make purchases for you.”
Additionally, on Twitter there are tools like Tweepi and Twellow which enable you to discover the audience you want to target, and make sure that they see you too. The article also reminds that social media marketing is meant to generate revenue, not “reaction.” At ArnoldIT we promote the best methods of utilizing social media marketing and caution against unnecessary risks.
Chelsea Kerwin, May 21, 2013
If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville.
How to Plan and Implement a Social Media Marketing Strategy
May 21, 2013
For tips on implementing a social media marketing plan, read the article Become the Social Media Marketing Expert on YahSuccess Blog. Touting the importance of a timeline and an idea of what you want before you create it, the article also encourages entrepreneurs to interact with users on various sites. This will not only open up a dialogue with potential clients, but can even attract more attention. The article explains how,
“For example, you could develop an article that celebrates your company reaching one thousand Twitter followers. Publicly thank people for their interest, comments and other interactions and discuss the positive aspects of social media. Many people will share this kind of article… When a user comments on any posts, it will show on their page and their followers will see it. In order to generate greater exposure, facilitate reader interaction with you as well as with each other.”
Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube are all excellent resources, if you know how to use them. The article recommends posting videos on Youtube so that users will get an idea of your store’s offering before ever visiting. Additionally, be sure to link to your Twitter and Facebook, so that Youtube followers will be more likely to repost your videos. These beginner steps are helpful, and at ArnoldIT we provide even more resources and information on professional social media marketing.
Chelsea Kerwin, May 21, 2013
If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville.
ArnoldIT Announces New Gourmet De Ville Video Shorts
May 15, 2013
Gourmet De Ville, a new ArnoldIT information service launched in January of this year, will now be adding a video service to its print coverage of artisanal food and spirits.
Jasmine Ashton, editor for Gourmetdeville.com, will be hosting the weekly videos spotlighting innovative recipes and the latest industry trends.
Ashton remarked:
“I am very excited to be a part of this new service and look forward to sharing my insights on the craft food and beverage sector with viewers. I believe that the demand for information on gourmet food, beverages, and industry leaders is exploding. Gourmet De Ville makes high value information available in a concise, easy to understand format. Our videos will simply be another avenue to explore this content.”
In her first video, Ashton covers Limoncello Tiramisu. She introduces the video by saying:
“In Italy, it’s common to have a bottle of Limoncello brought out after dessert. The tangy lemon liqueur is believed to help you digest all that great pasta and rich sauces.
But we heard about a chef in Florida who makes Limoncello Tiramisu — an after-dinner drink and dessert all rolled into one.”
We are looking forward to watching Gourmet De Ville’s video coverage in the coming weeks and believe that they will be a refreshing addition to the content that is already available on the site.
Ric Manning, May 15, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search
Principles of Open Source and Social Media Align
May 13, 2013
One of the newest major paths of technology, social media, owes much to a well-established model, open source. Giovanni Rodriguez draws many similarities between the two technologies (and ways of thinking) in his article for Forbes, “What Social Media (And the World) Owes to Open Source.”
Rodriguez finds some application:
“First, the principles of open source are not just restricted to technology projects; they can be applied — and have been applied, even before the OS movement got its name — to almost any market that depends on an ecosystem of different players. Second — and this is something that so many tech-marketers and non-tech social media marketers ignore, forget, or never quite got: the principles don’t just apply to online engagement, but offline as well.”
At the beginning of the article, the author states he was inspired to write the piece after attending a conference. The event that the author references is Lucene Revolution hosted by LucidWorks. LucidWorks is a great example of how these two worlds collide. Their value-added software is based on open source Apache Lucene/Solr, and their devoted developers and users form a strong social community. These types of value-added solutions are strongest when reinforced by the principles of both social networks and open source innovation.
Emily Rae Aldridge, May 13, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search
Facebook Loses Social Media Traction
May 12, 2013
It still remains that if you are not on Facebook you might as well not have a digital identity, but according to Yahoo Finance, “Facebook Is Losing Millions Of Users In The Us And Other Mature Markets.” Facebook has been preparing to inform its investors on performance in the US, UK, and other major European countries and the data shows that users have peaked for these areas, despite a 36% revenue gain on last year. In the last six months alone, Facebook has lost 9 million US visitors and 2 million in the UK.
“’The problem is that, in the US and UK, most people who want to sign up for Facebook have already done it,’ said new media specialist Ian Maude at Enders Analysis. ‘There is a boredom factor where people like to try something new. Is Facebook going to go the way of MySpace? The risk is relatively small, but that is not to say it isn’t there.”’
As the newness wears off, many users are turning to alternative networks like Instagram, Path, Pininterst, StumbleUpon, etc. Americans may be keeping their Facebook accounts, but they are spending less and less time on the Web site. This has been linked to the growing usage of tablets and smartphones. Mobile is almost a quarter of Facebook’s advertising income in 2012 and there is a steady stream of continued mobile usage. To maintain its relevancy, Mark Zuckerberg is digging for new initiatives. MySpace and Livejournal tried the same thing. Does Facebook have the capacity to outlive the zeitgeist? For a little while anyway.
Whitney Grace, May 12, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Beyond Search
IBM Dominates Enterprise Social Software Market
May 10, 2013
How can a company become big in social media? Well, it helps to start by be big in general. We learn from eWeek that “IBM Tops Social Business Software Market Four Years in a Row.” The ranking was bestowed by research firm IDC, which also found that the worldwide enterprise social market grew by 25 percent from 2011 to 2012.
It is no surprise that this huge, proven global company is able to reel in the plum social clients. More than 60 of the current Fortune 100 companies rely on IBM’s social solutions, writer Darryl K. Taft tells us, including eight of the top 10 banks and retailers. The article notes:
“As this demand [for enterprise social networking] grows, organizations are looking to introduce social capabilities into all key areas, from marketing and research innovation to sales and human resources. The challenge is that many lack the ability to capture and share the unique insights from each employee and use it to help drive real value to the business. . . .
“At an event in January, Big Blue explained how IBM’s Lotus legacy has evolved into a new company focus on delivering software that helps organizations better collaborate and become more social enterprises. At the IBM Connect 2013 conference in Orlando, Fla., IBM pulled off the transformation from using its Lotus brand to herald its set of technologies that enable enterprise users to better work together and innovate based on that collaborative process.”
So there you go—size equals social. IBM is uniquely positioned to take advantage of any tech trend, and they are to be commended for recognizing the opportunity in enterprise social software (and for leveraging Lotus.) We are not surprised to see the company continue to lead the pack in this segment.
Cynthia Murrell, May 10, 2013
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, developer of Augmentext
The Importance of Your Online Presence During the Hiring Process
May 10, 2013
An article on Executive Career Brand titled Social Proof: Where Online Presence Meets Personal Branding explains the distinct importance of your social media presence during the hiring process. We’ve all read articles about removing Facebook photos of nights out partying with friends, but this story argues that hiding your online-self from potential employees could be equally as devastating to your chance of getting the job you applied for. The article states,
“Did you know that an estimated 90% of employers used social networks and social media – known as “social recruiting“ – to find, assess and validate talent in 2012? Executive recruiters and hiring decision makers seek “social proof” to confirm you are who you say you are, and to learn more about you. Social proof – your social media activity and the information that resides online about you – is a personal marketing strategy”
Whether you are shy, private or apathetic to social media, there is really no escaping its significance to your career. One reason mentioned for the added standing of information found online on LinkedIn or another social media site is that you are more likely to be honest about your accomplishments when the entire world can see what you are saying about yourself, as opposed to a paper copy of a resume that you hand in during an interview. If you take anything from this article, it’s that you can now expect to be Googled during the hiring process.
Chelsea Kerwin, May 10, 2013
If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville.
How To Formulate A Strategy For Social Media Marketing That Works
May 9, 2013
In the article 5 Questions to Ask Before Implementing a Social Media Strategy on Social Media Today, guidelines are presented for pursuing a new social media strategy. These include defining your goals (short term and long term) discovering whether these goals can be accomplished with one strategy or several, creating a step by step outline determining what you will do every day to reach your goals, asking yourself throughout the process whether your strategy needs adjusting, and having a workable timelines in place. The article explains,
“Everyone’s strategy development is different, but the overarching themes can be applicable to all. Oh yeah, and strategy (since I see it everywhere and no real description attached) is the high level plan(s) that’s built to achieve certain, pre-determined goals. Tactics are the executional steps that help achieve the overarching goals of the strategy… There needs to a be a concise list of short term, immediate goals you want to knock out”
One aspect of this guide that the article dwells on is the value of recognizing the difference between what you want to have happen and what is actually possible in reality. In other words- know thyself. Don’t get distracted by the complexities of a big project, make detailed plans and stay organized to keep disciplined. This summary is expanded on with more details at ArnoldIT, where the confusing new world of social media is elucidated.
Chelsea Kerwin, May 09, 2013
If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville.
Valley Auto Loans: A Successful Story of Social Media Marketing
May 9, 2013
A press release on Digital Press titled New Social Media Strategy Help Valley Auto Loans Connect with More Bad Credit Auto Loans Shoppers throughout the Country speaks to the rising popularity of social media marketing. Valley Auto Loans, a well-known company that provides applicants with “hassle-free car loans” has adopted a new marketing strategy aimed at the people most likely in need of their services. Social media marketing techniques are explored in the article,
“All companies are now looking to build a strong social media presence for their business. Valley Auto Loans has built their strategy around the highly popular platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest…Valley Auto Loans operates with an objective of offering 100% approval guarantee to poor credit car loan applicants. By building a strong social media presence, they have done well to get the word out to those people who need them the most.”
Valley Auto Loans credit their recently implemented social media strategy with a recent surge in bad credit auto loans applicants. Realizing that it may be awkward for some of their customers who cannot qualify for a car loan or student auto loans, Valley Auto Loans attempts to provide such individuals with a speedy solution through auto lenders. Reaching out via social media got their message to frustrated people running out of options. For more information on the techniques of social media and tactical implementation, visit ArnoldIT. We explain some of the types of social media and differentiate between their uses and values.
Chelsea Kerwin, May 09, 2013
If you are interested in gourmet food and spirits, read Gourmet De Ville.
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