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Niche Social Networks Deliver Big Results

Niche Social Networks Deliver Big Results
This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business. When small businesses contemplate a social media strategy, Facebook and Twitter get lots of attention. However, niche social networks and online communities offer additional opportunities for brands to connect with consumers in an environment that’s highly targeted and often less congested. Let’s look at how a different brands are using Instagram, Pinterest and Foodspotting to reach out to potential customers in novel ways. 1. Instagram is a photo-sharing app that makes it easy for anyone with an iPhone to snap a photo, apply a filter and share it with friends on Instagram and other networks, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Tumblr. ModCloth, an online retailer of vintage and retro clothing from independent designers, joined Instagram this summer. 2. Foodspotting: Taste and Tell Tips For Going Niche

The SEO benefits of using Pinterest | Pauley Creative Last week I wrote about the growth of Pinterest and how it can be used by businesses in the construction industry. The article proved to be very popular so I decided to approach it from another angle and specifically look at the SEO benefits. If you decide to create an account and start using Pinterest, it’s also a good idea to add Pinterest buttons to your website (yes, ANOTHER button). Since social signals are becoming increasingly important for ranking positions, encouraging your audience to pin and share your images/videos can only help increase your online visibility. To add these buttons to your site visit: 1. The main reason Pinterest has been making headlines over the last few weeks is because of the vast amounts of traffic it’s driving. Referral traffic report When marketing to architects, imagery is very important so product manufacturers can make use of this to showcase their products and different product applications. 2. 3. 4. 5.

How to Hold a Google+ Hangout and Why You Should As Google’s latest foray into social media, Google+ has brought some new tools to the digital table. My personal favorite is Hangouts. Google describes Hangouts as a “front porch.” Anyone can drop in and say “hi” just like anyone could drop by when you’re on your porch. 3 Reasons to Consider a Google Hangout Your prospects are already here! Here are some ways you can use Hangouts: #1: Part of the sales process: You could invite people who are already in your sales pipeline to hang out. To make it more intriguing for people to join, try naming the Hangout “Overcoming _________,” where the blank is filled in with a key problem you know your prospects tend to have. #2: Office hours: College professors have standing office hours—times students can be sure to see them at their desk. #3: Fireside chats: Everyone seems to want time with the CEO, so why not give it? Hangouts could be used by colleges to communicate with incoming students, or alumni, or even current students or their parents.

Facebook 3.0 May Be The Most Useful App On The iPhone Yet When Facebook launched the 2.0 version of its iPhone app in September of last year, it was a huge upgrade from its original app that launched with the App Store last July. And now it’s on the verge of launching the 3.0 version of the app, and having tested it today, we can safely say that it once again takes Facebook on the device to the next level. In fact, it may be the most useful app on the iPhone now, period. This new version simply improves upon the old one in just about every way imaginable. Not only does it have a wide range of new options and features, many of which we went over previously, but it’s actually faster. And the design is rather brilliant. Features Nowhere is this new look more evident than on the new Facebook home screen. The main screen that you were probably used to from the old app now resides in the upper left corner of the main screen, as the “News Feed.” The “Profile” area is the next button on the main screen. What’s Missing Overall

San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily News » Occupy Movement Enlists New Activists for Social Change Struggles I visited Occupy Wall Street last week. It was the day before a San Francisco federal judge upheld the United States Post Office’s claim that it can legally discriminate against the poor in delivering mail, and also the day before the Congressional Budget Office announced that “the top 1% of earners more than doubled their share of the nation’s income over the past three decades.” My visit also just preceded the New York Times/CBS News poll that found the public believing the Obama Administration favored the rich over every other group. Thanks to the Occupy movement, it now seems the media cannot talk enough about staggering U.S. income inequality. During my visit to Occupy Wall Street I was struck by the lack of official organizations with tables, signs etc. Of course, Occupy's right-wing critics do not see the movement that way. ACORN? Activists Need Organizations The UFW gave young people eager to help farmworkers a direct path toward doing so. Keeping Eye on the Prize

23 Brands Using Instagram And What They're Doing Right By Jason Keath at SocialFresh: The brilliance behind the Polaroid camera was instant gratification. No wonder Instagram has adopted the nostalgic camera tech as it’s logo inspiration. Instagram has indeed captured the childlike wonder of many iPhone users (yes we know, they NEED an android app). Is Instagram worthwhile for businesses? So the question is, can brands get real business value out of a photo sharing app that is not focused on link sharing or buying products or distributing specials to fans? Instagram For Business Best Practices I researched and followed these 23 brands for about a week, checking in to the app a few times a day for updates. Rule #1. Rule #2. Rule #3. Rule #4. Rule #5. Ok, enough dilly dallying, let’s jump to the list and give you some examples (in alphabetical order) of what these brands are doing. Sign up now for more social fresh insights 1. 2. Total photos: 652 Followers: 8,003 Following: 152 There’s only one Bergdorf Goodman. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

NBA Lockout Forces Fans to Tweet Weird Sports Reactions The latest NBA lockout news is definitely hopeful. As the sun set on November 5, Twitter was rocked with information from the NBA labor update that, "progress is being made." At the same time, a common hashtag going around Twitter reveals that Australians think that America likes to play a bunch of weird sports that make no sense. Unfortunately, the #YouKnowYoureAustralianWhen crowd may be on to something. When you examine the Twitter history of fans suffering from the NBA lockout on November 5 after the progress announcement, it is apparent that this situation is causing some spectators to become stir crazy from the lack of basketball. Weird sports watching surges during NBA lockout Although everyone is waiting for the NBA lockout to end, they are taking a bold direction by supplementing these lost hours with new activities. Interestingly, a common response of Twitter users on what they are doing instead of watching the NBA suggests a wide variety of weird sports.

SXSW 2012: Instagram’s Android app prototype makes appearance Additionally, Systrom confirmed that Instagram has grown to over 27 million registered users, nearly double the 15 million announced back in December 2011. He explained much of the enormous growth came from the launch of the iPhone 4S, followed by Apple highlighting the app as App of the Year. Speaking of SXSW, the star of the tech conference may be Highlight, a location-based social app. The South by Southwest Conference and Music Festival has kicked off in Austin, Tex., and the annual “Woodstock for geeks” comes with its normal dose of big, big buzz. The app that’s been flagged as the one to watch this year is Highlight, an iOS-only app that hooks into users’ Facebook accounts to let them find others who’ve installed the app. Highlight runs in the background, but sends users’ push alerts when the app finds other users in their general area. Three years after launching at SXSW, social networking site Gowalla, recently purchased by Facebook, is no more.

Social Media Users In Love: Romance Update [INFOGRAPHIC] How do you meet people you'd like to get to know better? How do you treat each other once you're together? Social media turns out to be a great accelerator for exposing you to potential mates, but does that change the basic way people interact with each other? The infographic and research experts at Lab42 set out to take the pulse of today's relationship hunters as well as established lovers, conducting a survey between Oct. 27 and Oct. 30 where they asked 500 social network users over age 18 some rather personal questions about meeting people, cheating, communication and more. Is your romantic life similar to that of most other social networkers, or do you play the game your own way? Find out by checking out the fresh results of this infographic: Infographic courtesy Lab42

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