It’s a fact; your business needs to utilize social media to be competitive in today’s society. According to the 2012 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, 83% of marketers indicate social media is important for their business. But how do you know which ones to choose? And do you need to be a member of all these sites? And what is a hashtag? It’s enough to make your head spin!
Here at Inboun, we strive to keep your head securely in place, so we’ve gathered some data and tips for all your social media needs. Keep reading and your company could be the next social media superstar!
I am a huge fan on Twitter (as I’ve stated before). I can’t help it. But right now, Twitter and I are in a love/hate relationship. Why? Because the popular social media site has completely ruined the Olympics for me.
We all know that Twitter didn’t mean to ruin the Olympics. But because of the dramatic time difference between London and the United States, many of us found out about Olympic results when we accidently scrolled through our Twitter feeds rather than while on the edge of our seats in our family rooms. And that just doesn’t seem right.
But maybe Twitter isn’t the one to blame. Maybe we should think about blaming NBC instead.
We live in a world where content is often broadcasted in real time to anyone with a TV, computer or smartphone...but somehow, NBC hasn’t gotten this memo (I’d like to think someone dropped their pager in a puddle as the reason why).
No, it isn’t all NBC’s fault. The network believes the Olympics deserves primetime coverage and they are absolutely right. But knowing the outcome of the events prior-to makes the games lose that magic that we all know and love about the Games. In the past, we didn’t have to worry about social media ruining our much-anticipated surprises. Take a look back at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. There was an even longer time delay from the US to Beijing...but we didn’t seem to have any trouble watching the Olympics on TV rather than getting results from Twitter. That’s because the social media site has boomed in a way no one expected the past 4 years. Today, we want our news NOW. And we can get it from Twitter...but are we losing the authenticity of sitting down with a bowl of popcorn, families by our sides and cheering on our favorite team, Team USA?
Who’s fault is it really? In my opinion, we can firmly place the blame on two groups.
The first being local news affiliates, specifically the 5:00pm broadcast. During the first few days of the Games, these affiliates were just announcing outcomes as they happened without giving warning to viewers. After complaints, affiliates then started saying “Spoiler Alert” before the big announcements. But before you have time to hit the mute button or change the channel, they’re flashing results up on the screen and verbalizing the winners. There is no way to escape it—unless you use the earmuff method. But I don’t recommend it.
The second group to blame is us—the Tweeps. We’re the ones tweeting the outcomes and constantly refreshing our Twitter feeds to get the latest news. We love the social media tools that are available to us and can’t help but utilize them every waking minute we’ve got. It’s just who we’ve become. So you have two options, Tweeps: you can stop reading your Twitter feed until the Olympics ends, or you can continue reading...and celebrating Olympic victories while in the waiting room, in line at the grocery store, at your desk at work...or even when you’re lounging in bed alone. It’s your call.
Unless the Olympics are happening relatively close to your time zone, there will no longer be primetime magic. It’s a shame. I remember being 6 years old watching the Atlanta Games and being so electrified when US gymnast Kerri Strug stuck the landing on the vault. The magic of watching something amazing live as it happens during a sporting event is one of the most euphoric experiences a human can endure. But will we ever have that sensation again? Perhaps not...unless we’re actually at the event in the flesh.
At the end of the day, we only have ourselves to blame. If we don’t want know the outcome of the Olympics before it airs on NBC, we need to log out of our Twitter accounts just for a few hours and spend some quality time with our families and friends watching the Olympics. Give it a try—and you may be able to feel that Olympic magic once again.
To many of us social networkers, LinkedIn seems a bit daunting. While sites such as Facebook and Twitter can be all about fun and games (some of the time!), LinkedIn is strictly (and we mean strictly) business.
In a way, LinkedIn holds our careers in its hands. We pour our hearts and souls into our profiles in the hopes of coming across as the perfect candidate for a job. We make countless connections with other people in order to expand our business networks.
While LinkedIn does make networking easier, there are guidelines that must be followed in order to do utilize it correctly...and to its fullest potential. Here at Inboun, we know what should and should not be done while using this social network. We’ve decided to provide you with the information you need to successfully use LinkedIn and get the most out of what it has to offer.
Anyone who has had a Twitter account for more than a day or two knows that growing a strong base of followers doesn't happen overnight. In fact, it may not even happen after a week. A month. Half a year. That's right; buildling your Twitter follower count is a long, organic process that takes a bit of time. But with some patience, dedication and love for social media, your followship can build up over time. It just takes a little social media TLC.
And although you may not be able to completely control how many followers you gain, you can speed up the process a bit! And we've got 5 secrets to show you how:
As consumers, it’s hard to imagine a world without our favorite daily deal sites such as Groupon or LivingSocial. With discounts reaching up to 50% off, buyers would be foolish not to take a look at these sites at least once a day.
But what about those who provide the deals? What do sites like Groupon and LivingSocial look like from the entrepreneur’s perspective? In a society dominated by social networking and media, startups have no problem getting their names out there through these daily deals. We’ve all experienced what it’s like to be a customer at a restaurant during a hot discount night. It’s almost impossible to get a table! But for the business, things look extremely promising.
Daily deals might be a different story. Sometimes they do not have the same positive effect on business promotion as one might imagine. Although daily deals could be considered a customer’s paradise, they can quickly turn into a business owner’s nightmare...and here’s why.
The Internet quickly made its way to our mobile devices awhile ago. And since then, we can't imagine what life would be like without our precious iPhones and Android smartphones that keep us afloat in day-to-day life. We are constantly connected...and we love it.
So it was only natural that this "connected" craze would spread its wings even further and enter the world of television. Connected TV isn't anything new...but it is something that people don't know a whole lot about. So what is it? How does it work? And most importantly, is it worth buying?
You don’t have to have a photography degree or even know what the rule of thirds is to produce decent pictures on your iPhone. We have provided a few tips for the casual photographer to get the most professional results. Who knows? You might be able to use these photos for your small business website! Yeah, they have the potential of being that good.
1. Keep the flash off (not on the auto setting!)
The iPhone’s flash setting is often less than fantastic. Most of the time, you’ll do more harm than good with it, so it’s better to keep the flash off in general. Without the flash, you’ll be more likely to get clear pictures. But remember that it’s also very important to keep your iPhone steady. Odds are you’re not lugging around a tripod, but you can anchor your elbows on a sturdy surface to prevent shaking and blurry pics.
2. Banish the generic camera app
With Camera+, you can become familiar with several new features the standard iPhone camera app may not provide. The grid helps align photos for beautifully straight pictures. You can even use the timer function if you’re about to take a group photo and want everyone to be in it.
3. Avoid artificial zoom
With your iPhone camera, you’ll experience some limitations no doubt; and the built-in iPhone zoom feature is one of them. If at all possible, take a few strides closer to whatever your object of desire is and snap some photos nearby. They’ll be of much higher quality than photos that utilize the zoom function.
4. Treat your iPhone like…a camera
Don’t be afraid to give your iPhone some love. Clean the lens every once in awhile like it’s that prized thousand-dollar camera you saved up for. And, like a camera, hold the iPhone with two hands when you take a picture to get the best shot. One-handed laziness will definitely cause those uneven photos.
5. Add some filters to your photos
Those hipsters know all about the trends. Take a lesson from the most artistic, PBR-drinking crowd you know and give Instagram a try. Instagram gives you awesome filters to make your pictures look way artsy-er. It’s like having a professional photographer and Photoshop in your pocket. You may think of it as cheating, but it will take your pictures from zero to edgy in the flash of a phone.
With these tips, people will never know you used your phone and not a fancy camera to document life’s precious moments. You’ll be sure to get the best pics for your website or blog. Happy photo taking!
These age-old rules for being polite have been protocol since you were a youngster—and we’re sure you follow these simple rules to etiquette every single day, don’t you?
Unfortunately, proper etiquette does not come naturally to the average human being. It takes years of motherly reminders, concerned looks across the dinner table and maybe even a light kick under the table to remind us to mind our manners.
And much like it has taken us years to perfect our etiquette, it also takes quite a bit of time for social media users to master etiquette in the online realm. Many social media users often lack the proper “social etiquette” that has become an industry norm. Are you a repeat offender? Keep reading and we’ll make sure you master your social media etiquette with just 5 easy tips!
Whether your company has been on the market for a day or decades, maintaining positive customer relationships is a continuous struggle. Using events as part of your marketing tool can help you maintain or build meaningful customer relationships. But how can you incorporate your brand into just one event and promote it to be successful? Learn the best tips and tricks here!
