Tricks to Using LinkedIn and Quora to Research Topics and Articles

By My Web Writers

LinkedIn and Quora can be used for much more than meets the eye. Most think of LinkedIn as a professional website for job hunting, and some see Quora as a question-and-answer site with no more credibility than Wikipedia. If you know a few tricks, however, both can be excellent resources for researching topics and articles. Whether you’re a content writer or researching for a school assignment, turning to these sites can provide some great information, or at least point you in the right direction for other outstanding sources.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is no doubt a great source for networking and showcasing your list of job skills for potential employers, but it can also be used to research topics and articles. LinkedIn Today is the perfect spot to see what other professionals are sharing. Like the “How to use LinkedIn Today” video says, “There’s too much information out there, and not enough time in the day.”

LinkedIn Today gives you information from industry professionals and experts who have knowledge to share about specific topics. Not only can you search for a specific topic on LinkedIn Today, but can then filter down the results even further based on time posted, industry, or even company.

You can also set up your LinkedIn Today posts to show up on your LinkedIn homepage. You can select specific topics or even people to follow. The articles will be catered to your specifications!

Join a LinkedIn Group and read what others are asking or sharing.  Some of the best, blog post topics can be formed just by looking at forum questions.

Quora

“Anyone can ask, answer, or edit questions on Quora,” is the welcome you get once you’ve logged in to your Quora page.  Get answers from real people from all over the world. The answers might come from doctors, lawyers, writers, etc.

Quora has some great tips on getting started and how to decide which information makes for a good answer. For example, a good answer will often include a link to a research article or website that will provide more detailed information. The best answers are voted to the top of the often long list of answers.

If you can’t find a question that’s already been asked about your topic, ask the question yourself! You’ve got a world of people out there waiting to answer, so why not ask? The answers could open up a world of information you had no idea was out there and can be quoted in your blog post.

While LinkedIn and Quora shouldn’t be your only means of researching, the information found can certainly point you in the right direction. LinkedIn and Quora can offer analysis from industry experts and professionals that you might not otherwise find. ~Natalie

What is Reddit and How Should Bloggers Use It?

 By My Web Writers 

What’s good, and what’s junk? How about you decide for once instead of the mainstream media making all the decisions? That’s exactly what Reddit is- a website that showcases what the people find most interesting on the Internet. As a blogger this site can help you in many ways. Their mascot, the Reddit alien, is a silly little guy, but don’t let that keep you away from this very helpful website. New bloggers get ready!

What is Reddit?

More than 2 million people are active Reddit users and in April it had more than 69 million unique visitors. The site is quickly gaining in popularity. It’s basically a place where people post interesting content. “Redditers,” people who have Reddit accounts, vote the content higher or lower based on how interesting they find it.

Since there’s a huge flow of content constantly being posted, there are also “subreddits” or topics that can help you narrow down information you’re looking for. Redditers can post, comment, and vote content up or down the list. Check out Reddit’s YouTube page for more information on ways to use the site and for some FAQ about it.

This isn’t Yahoo! or CNN deciding what’s interesting, it’s the general public. There’s even a page with the most controversial postings on Reddit. Reddit can give you a look at what people are talking about, what people find interesting, and it can certainly help your blog.

How should bloggers use Reddit?

If you’ve ever wanted a glance into the minds and hearts of people on the Internet, Reddit is a great place to start. Since people vote on what’s most interesting, it’s like getting a view of what people would want to read and/or look at.

Reddit is also a place you should be submitting your best posts to. While posting on Facebook and other social media sites is a great way to see what your friends, family and fans think, Reddit will give you more of an idea of what the general public thinks. Experiment with a few different blog posts on different topics. See which ones are voted up or down. Either way, this will drive traffic to your blog.

Like any public posting, be prepared for the good, the bad, and the ugly. People are brutally honest on Reddit, and they also typically don’t want to read pages and pages of content. Make sure you submit shorter posts that people will find interesting, not a post about your life story that goes on forever. Bloggers also need to be aware that if your post is voted down too many times, they’ll keep you from posting again for a while.

Make sure what you post on Reddit is your best work. Start off by picking your favorite blog post (not too lengthy), and see what happens. It should drive traffic to your blog and give you some instant feedback on what the general public thinks of your submission to Reddit. Though, keep your eye on Penguin 2.0. How this next Google update will affect linking from sites like Reddit to your blog remains to be seen.  Don’t forget to spend time looking through other people’s submissions to see what people have voted up and down.  ~Natalie

The Latest on the Ever-Evolving Pinterest

By My Web Writers

Back in November 2012, Pinterest released, Business Pages, a new feature geared towards businesses and marketers. These Business Pages are not brand pages like what one would expect to find in other social networking sites. These pages actually look the same as the other pages. There are a couple features that set Business Pages apart from other Pinterest pages.

First, website authentication is now part of the sign up process.  Also, businesses are able to enter business names when signing up for their accounts instead of dealing with the hassles of entering individuals’ first names and last names. There are new terms of services for businesses (before this launch, Pinterest was strictly “non-commercial”).

Why should businesses be excited? The evolution indicates possibilities for the future. Pinterest is undoubtedly expanding their reach by adding more business and marketing related tools.  The added features could bring brands on board to further merchandise goods through business pages. Will Pinterest be the next Amazon?

Researcher Eric Gilbert from Georgia Tech and Loren Torveen from the University of Minnesota recently teamed up to use statistical data to answer the question of “What drives activity on Pinterest?” They used their data to …

• help understand the motivations behind Pinterest activity,
• determine what roles gender plays among users of Pinterest, and
• investigate the factors that distinguish Pinterest from other social networking sites.

Gilbert and Torveen ultimately found that:

• Female users have more repins, no matter what their location geographically.
• Men tend to typically have more followers on Pinterest.
• There are 4 verbs that set Pinterest apart from Twitter: “use,” “look,” “want,” and “need.”

Gilbert noted that “You can use the word ‘this’ after all of these verbs, reflecting the ‘things’ at the core of Pinterest. Many press articles have focused on Pinterest’s commercial potential, and here we see verbs that illustrate that consumption truly lies at the heart of the site.”

If you were thinking about using Pinterest for marketing, all systems are “go.” According the researchers, a recent market survey “showed that a higher proportion of Pinterest users click through to e-commerce sites — and when they go there, they spend… more money than people who come from sites such as Facebook or Twitter.”  In fact, Venture Beat reports that Sephora’s fans on Pinterest spend 15 times more through Pinterest than from Facebook. Additionally, shoppers on Pinterest average spending at $140-$180 each checkout, which is truly remarkable when compared with the $80 from Facebook and $60 on Twitter.

So, who should you be marketing to on Pinterest as Business Pages accelerate and features change on the site to appeal to businesses? Well, moms are 61% more likely to visit and spend time on Pinterest than the average American, according to a recent Nielson report. Internet Marketing reveals that for those U.S. Pinterest users, they are more likely to be pinning from the Midwest.

Oh, and that Georgia Tech and University of Minnesota research collaboration also gave us this takeaway:

“After conducting this research, if I had to choose where to put my money and marketing, Pinterest would probably be my first choice.”  ~Sara

Other Posts You Might Like:

Managing Social Media in a Crisis- Best Practices & Case Studies

Using Social Media to Help Brand Your Company

What is the Real Value of Pinterest to Your Business?

Five Video Perfect, Speech Opener Ideas

 My Web Writers

If you’re not using video yet– you should be.  When using video as a way to communicate mass messages, these following five ideas will help you to open with strong and compelling calls-to-attention and to pique your audiences’ interests.

1. Start with a demonstration.

Video presentations can do what would not be nearly as effective in front of a large, live audience. You can open your speech with a hands-on demonstration, talent, or trick – especially one that can be zoomed in on. Many people learn by doing and so a speech that begins with an immediate action captures interest and improves retention. This makes the audience want to know the connection between your demonstration and what you’re about to say next. We like the Shindigz video collection because of the quality and quantity of helpful tips and the ways in which these party products are demonstrated by Wendy and Mary.

2. Add emotion.

A video speech or presentation is also a key opportunity to employ an emotional appeal to your audience. You can begin with a montage of photos with a voiceover, words or a story from someone else or tell a story that is personal to you. Music can greatly enhance the effect of this. Another important benefit of this speech opener is that it helps to create a relationship with the audience. Through video you can sometimes lose that “human element” that you get from a live presentation, but by incorporating emotion you ensure this important element is still present right from the start. We think the Dove Real Beauty Sketches demonstrate how to effectively tug at heartstrings.

3. Incorporate humor.

The use of humor is a tried-and-true technique for many different styles of speeches. Remember that with video, you have the advantage of zooming in on facial expressions to really emphasize the humor in a story.  Telling a joke is a perfect speech opener idea for this medium because it helps to break the ice and set a warm and friendly tone. Whether dry or sarcastic, humor like Apple Coasting will bring a welcome chuckle.

4. Reference another well known speech or video clip.

Countless video clips have risen to stardom overnight after going viral on social media. These have become just about as well known as classic novels, especially depending upon the generation you ask. Including a short clip from a well known viral video as the opener of your own video speech is a great way to capture an audience’s attention and to prime them for your message. Ideally, such a clip should be relatable to the rest of your speech. With the many, many viral videos to choose from, you should be able to find something that can be woven into almost any message.  We think this Cimorelli and Matty B spoof of Cary Rae Jepson’s Call Me Maybe is a fun way for up-and-coming singers to partner and credit a well-known singer.

5. Do something completely unexpected.

Finally, video speeches are a great opportunity to do something completely unexpected and harness this as an effective opener to capture your audience’s attention. You’re able to zoom-in, edit, add special features and use props much more easily than you could in front of a large, live audience. So stretch your creativity and really think outside the box for an unexpected opener like a special effects trick, goofy song or sound effect. This can be in relation to the topic of the rest of your video speech or it could be a complete contrast that will keep the audience guessing.

There are many great opportunities to open your video speech that will capture your audience’s attention, build your credibility and set the stage for a powerful message.  These are just five to help get you started. They key is to remember that you must tailor your message to your audience and your medium. A video presentation or speech has unique challenges and advantages of which you should be aware and take into consideration. With the right opener and ever-advancing technology, your message can travel as far and as fast as your viewers are inspired to take it!    ~Stephanie & Jean

Other Articles:

Is Your e-Store Prepared for Summer Shoppers?

Social Networking for Business; Success Stories from 3 Brands

How Video Helps Your Website’s SEO

Resolve to Include Video in Your Content

The Pillars of SEO Every Content Writer Should Know

 My Web Writers

Many business owners find that SEO can be a very daunting task. With so many rules and best practices to follow, it can feel like a full-time job to master this skill. But the reality is SEO is easier than you think.  Consider these pillars, when writing content for the Web.

Unique and quality content – Posting unique content is one of the most important factors in improving your site’s rank. It’s a fact that Google simply will not rank a site highly if there is duplicated content. In addition to originality, concern yourself with the quality. It should be topical, and easy to read. Avoid drifting into unrelated tangents or you might risk losing readers. A blog is a great tool to create conversational content and engage readers.

As a writer, you may be great at providing in-depth analysis or research on a variety of topics, but it’s important to understand the additional pillars that contribute to SEO.  Besides content, there are site speed and coding factors that influence a site’s rankings.

Meta Data –Titles and descriptions can be used to your advantage, as both are viewed by consumers when performing a search for a particular keyword. Here, you can tell search engines what your page is about, and also attract consumers with compelling copy. Use generic keywords, along with specific ‘branded’ keywords. That way you can appeal to both groups: Those who are, and who are not familiar with your product or service. Generic keywords can be used to reach out to prospects. The branded keywords will help you attract traffic of existing customers.

Link Building– Link building is one way to boost your rank. You can do that by offering links to other reputable websites, along with your own links. In this case, quality links matter more than quantity. Have one quality link instead of five low-value ones. You can might want to consider guest blogging, which will allow you to promote your site externally, as well as further your brand.

Social Media – It appears social media is here to stay. Use it to your advantage to boost your search rankings. Links being shared through channels like Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ are great tools. YouTube videos are another way to get your message out there, while driving traffic to your site. Also, allow readers to share your content on their social media networks through sharing buttons. In theory, the more value you can offer, the more people will interact with you!

Image alt tags – Google offers image searches, as well as your normal text/keyword searches. By adding relevant alt tags to your images you can drive traffic to your site.

Accessibility –You want to make sure there is a clear structure to your website, so that all content and pages can be found easily. Otherwise, you may risk losing rank on Google searches.

In short, it’s important to realize that ranking on a major search engine will not happen overnight. Rather, it’s a process that takes time. Many business owners take this for granted, and end up frustrated due to a lack of instantaneous results. Hanging around to make the necessary updates is half the battle. If you stick with it, in time you might find you’re at the top of the search ranking for your industry!   ~Lauren