​As I drove down the highway recently, my attention drfted briefly to the billboards - well the good ones. As dull billboards flashed past, a thought entered my head, what if a social network acquired a digital billboard company. They could then sell dynamic ad space connected to regional content ads - or they could show public user feeds. »

​Facebook is continually tweaking their algorithms to improve their service. But the changes presented as a way to improve their user experience are generally unfavorable for the publishers they’ve courted aggressively. And under the surface the users also lose out. »

Large and small business owners want results - fast results. When they spend a dollar on “marketing or advertising” they want to see an immediate return on that investment. But with blogging for your business, you have to consider it an investment that won’t pay dividends immediately - but will garner rich rewards as it matures.  »

We’re asked all the time to “make this an infographic.” It’s amusing at times - because sometimes data is really best illustrated with a simple graph or chart. In fact, adding visual elements would only sabotage the legibility. So we have to strike a delicate balance even though we know… sometimes it’s not an infographic; it’s simply a chart. »

Social media influencers are individuals (usually bloggers or online “celebrities”) who have the power to shape the purchasing habits of their audience. We all know how well “word of mouth” marketing can work for (or, in unfortunate cases, against) a brand. And while we typically think positive word of mouth marketing can only come from someone we know personally, industry-specific authority figures have become an important part of building a successful brand. »

​It’s not really a novel idea. It’s not even clever. It’s simply truthful. Clickbait might get you clicks but sharing helpful and useful information will gain you an audience. Admit it, you’ve clicked on an interesting headline only to be disappointed instantly. You’ll likely never go back to that site, so they’ve wasted their crucial first impression. »

Perhaps you’re new to social media – or maybe your social profiles and pages have been neglected. Don’t worry; you may be down, but you’re not out. Here are some simple steps to acquire your social legions. »

If you’re using social media for business, job hunting, or simply in a professional manner, then having a decent profile picture is important. Far too often I see strange or badly done photos. And while I’d like to say I’m immune to judging folks by their profile picture, sadly I can not. And I’m confident I’m not alone. »

Far too regularly, here’s how things go when we start-up with a new client. Everyone is excited to get started… so we ask for access to their site, their social media, their hosting, or all of the above - depending on what we’ll be doing. Sadly, the typical reply, “let me track that down.”  »

Stories abound about people losing their jobs because of stupid comments they made on their social media profiles. Opinions vary on whether or not a company can hold someone responsible for something they say on their personal social media accounts, but regardless what your opinion is, there are things everyone should think about before posting anything online. »