SEO, Social Media News & Domains
Social Media
What are you endorsed for on Linkedin?
May 2nd
So last year some time LinkedIn released a new feature where you can endorse people for related career sections. Now here is my total overview today from every one who has endorsed me for different things on LinkedIn:
Endorse For Linkedin
Here is a break down of my endorsed for profile:
1. SEO -(Search Engine Optimisation) 56 different individuals have endorsed me for SEO
2. SEM – (Search Engine Marketing) 44 different individuals have endorsed me for SEM
3. Google Analytics – 30 different individuals have endorsed me for Google Analytics
4. Online Marketing – 22 different individuals have endorsed me for Online Marketing
5. Link Building – 19 different individuals have endorsed me for Link Building
6. Digital Marketing – 19 different individuals have endorsed me for Digital Marketing
7. Online Advertising – 16 different individuals have endorsed me for Online Marketing
8. Social Media Marketing – 15 different individuals have endorsed me for Social Media Marekting
9. Social Media – 14 different individuals have endorsed me for Social Media
10. PPC – 11 different individuals have endorsed me for PPC
Now I find it funny when you get endorsed for something by some one who you have never met, can they really tell what you are good or bad at?
Yet also this feature is interesting in the sense it can be a good way for users to show they key skills on LinkedIn.
Whilst I agree with most things i have been endorsed for their are a few things such as Google Analytics and PPC sure I know them but I would not class myself as an expert in those areas.
Regardless it will be interesting too see what this builds up too over time?
A question to you is what are you currently endorsed for post it in the comments sections below!
10 Interesting Facts about Gen Y – Online Trends
Apr 17th
Marketing to Gen Y is a lucrative area, as Gen Y is set to be one of the most dominant working age groups in comming years it is important to monitor their online methods and trends. I have sourced some really great facts about Gen Y which I thought I would share below:
What is a Gen Yer? – Any one born between 1980-2000 (so any one below the age of 33 and above the age of 13)
1. Gen Y will form 75% of the work force by 2025.
2. Only 7% of Gen Y works for a fortune 500 company.
3. Gen Y watch TV with two or more electronic devices – multi-screen viewing is becoming huge so make sure you invest in responsive design.
4. Gen Y trust strangers over friends and family when making online purchase decisions – make sure you have positive reviews online or it could hurt your business.
5. Gen Y are Three times likely to follow a brand or band over a family member on social media – so making sure your brand or band has a social media presence is vital.
6. 66% of Gen Y will look up a store if they see a friend’s check in – so online check in and making sure your business is set up with places is vital.
7. 73% of gen Y have earned and used some type of virtual currency.
8. Gen Y believe that other consumers care more about their opinions than companies do.
9. Gen Y are more connected on Facebook than average users managing around 696 average friends – it is important to monitor ways in which you can positively influence Gen Y’s social following.
10. 29% of Gen Y find love via Facebook while 33% are dumped via SMS or wall posts on Facebook.
See above data below as infographic -
10 gen y facts
An interesting case in Social Media Brand Management with Thomas Cook Holidays
Oct 18th
A very interesting social media story out of the UK today, where we saw a man by the name of “Thomas Cook” leave a comment on “Thomas Cook” (the travel brands) Facebook page, saying that he had received years of ridicule for sharing the same name as the holiday company. He said as payment for his years of ridicule he asked Thomas Cook for a free holiday to Paris. (Read the full comment below)
thomas cook holiday
Now what also happened is a company called “LowCostHolidays” saw this as an opportunity for a fantastic PR by giving “Thomas Cook” the free holiday to Paris. the brand experienced a great increase in Facebook likes and positive comments, every one is now asking for a free holiday too.
The tables have turned on Thomas Cook and customers are now leaving angry comments one in particular was “lowcostholidays, because no one wants to be Thomas Crooked” (refer to image below)
Thomas Cook angry customers
Now the funny thing is lowcost holidays ran a promotion on Reddit in the past where they were actually sued for asking people if they had been “Thomas Crooked” refer to article here.
This provides an interesting insight into brand management on social media, brands can look at it the following Options:
Option 1. You give the free holiday to the customer then every one wants a free holiday.
Option 2. You can see the chance to give a free holiday to a customer, lets say the holiday costs $800~ how much does media cost in today’s market?
Option 3. Even giving free flights to Paris to the customer as part of a PR stunt, lets say the cost is $200~.
If the brand has a huge media budget and PR, which I am sure Thomas Cook does, then these costs can some times be very small to the bottom line and can potentially provide a huge amount of positive buzz for the brand.
Overall I would possible advise the brand with option 2 depending on their PR budget, yet this is also an unfair case for thomas Cook I must admit their page managers are handing it quite well in terms of response to customers, but I also notice the original comment has now disappeared from the page.
Let me know your thoughts on this case below:
Top 10 Social Media Websites (Global)
Jun 13th
Hitwise has put together a list of the the top 10 social media website for the week ending June 9th,
These top sites include the following been the top 10 social media website in the world:
1. Facebook
2. Youtube
3. Twitter
4. Yahoo Answers
5. Google+
6. Pinterest
7. Tagged
8. Linkedin
9. Myspace
10. Yelp
Top-Social-Media-Sites
Interesting to still see Myspace in the top 10 social media website, will be good too see if any new sites make this top 10 list over the coming months.
Skywalkers the new Planking on Russian Social Media
May 23rd
Teenagers in Russia are taking to social media with a new Fad, no it isn’t planking! The new Fad in Russia popular among teenagers is called “Sky walking” basically what this means is climbing to a crazy height and taking video footage and also photos of you and your friends at this height. Sure it can be done the right way (providing you have safety equipment and harnesses) and also the wrong way in many cases it is done the wrong way with these teenagers taking things to the edge. In some cases these teenagers get up to the top of a very high tower and start working out.
Russian teen sky walkers
Watch the two videos below:
Video 1 – we see Russian teens at the top of a very high tower.
Video 2 – we see Russian teens at the top of a very high tower in this stage working out and not in the sense of going to the gym.
Vodafone Australia Day Social Media.
Jan 27th
Yesterday Vodafone was looking to engage with its customers on Facebook, yet the problem is with 1,000′s of angry customers and services not working the best on Australia day it is probably not wise to give users the power to run wild on your Facebook page. An example below of what the customers had to say in relation to the recent status update by Vodafone Australia:
Vodafone Australia Day Fail
(customer names have been blurred out for user privacy)
I understand doing social media work for Vodafone is not an easy gig, but who ever is in charge of strategy for the company needs to sit down and plan strategically about the type of status updates they are putting out the market and think about the potential problems in which can happen.
Google+ Project – Googles New Social Network
Jun 29th
So Google has released news on its highly waited on Google+ Project, this new project will be very interesting to any social media marketer.
You can sign up on the waiting list here:
https://plus.google.com/up/start/?sw=1&type=st
It is easy to see that this will leverage off youtube, it will use Google +1 to connect up to your contacts, it will leverage Gmail and many other networks to all link upto this new project.
It is still funny to go around on the internet and see Australian SEO’s saying at +1 buttons are a fad and for clients not to use them, I disagree 100% I feel that +1 is big, and if you do not embrace it you will miss the boat.
It is not like Google Wave, that was a bit of a nightmare and it seemed rushed, this new project seems to have alot more thought involved.
Some images of the new Google+ Project below:
google+ project social network
Social Influence on Serps
Jun 24th
So I think any one who has been working in SEO over the last few years has been hearing and reading a lot of chit chat about the influence of social on search! I know because I have been one of the guys writing a lot of social/seo related content and my job is a Senior SEO and Social Media Specialist.
But I think before every one gets ahead of themselves here we need to remember what is the general public doing and seeing in these search results? I find it kind of funny when SEO moz or the likes do some analysis on their internal SERP from the network they connect with. I mean the results are going to be highly skewed to your own friends content correct (because these are the guys who are highly social savvy) I do not think it is the best guide to take at all.
You really need to shut off all personalization by viewing content in SERPS’s via Ad Preview from Google or by adding &pws=0 to search results, when conducting these tests.
A lot of guys will also ask what can I do to assist social search? Well here is some basic advice -
* Work out which platforms work best for your target market? I mean you are not going to fill up FARK.com buttons on a insurance brands website now are you? But a tech website you may do it.
* You really need to get across all Q&A websites like Quora and the likes as these sites work well.
* You really need to research what social buttons work and which social buttons do not work niche by niche? I mean do In shares work, do FB shares work, do +1′s work?
* Test cool social tools to aid your Social SEO example LIKEPLUS1 –
likeplus1
You need to research,research,research and then keep testing non stop.
I am running many social SEO tests recently and will share bits and pieces as I gather results.
