What’s new with Twitter Enhancements this past week? Twitter rolled out a new interface to access your accounts on twitter.com.  The prior tag @Mention is replaced with two new tabs.

1. @Username
2. @Activity

Similar to the Google+, these new tabs show you “new” people who have followed you along with “new activity” of people within your network. Here is an example of a strong twitter user with the new tabs along the top of the illustration. As you can see below, the new @Username tab shows which of your tweets are favorites, plus the latest retweets (from your tweets), tweets directed to you along with new followers.  The new Activity tab highlights the latest favorites, retweets and follows from the people you follow on Twitter.

Twitter now makes it easy to share your pictures. You can now upload images up to 3MB directly from your twitter account. Twitter scales the image to size for you to fit into the display pane on right side of your twitter.com timeline.  You can go to the Twitter Help Center and read about uploading and sharing images on Twitter.com. It is as simple as clicking inside the tweet box on your homepage or in the New Tweet Button. You will see two small icons in the lower left corner – one is for adding your location (a compass) and the other is for uploading an image (a camera).  After you click “add Image,” you will click on the camera icon to upload the image and you will browse to find the image and upload. Once you added the image, you will see the character count on then left of the Tweet button update. Add the text inside the box and hit the Tweet button. Once you are done, click on the Tweet to view the image in the display pane.  In some browsers, you may see the name of the file instead of the thumbnail. See examples below.

Twitter will reveal the official name of the Twitter Bird who is called “Larry.” You can see below a tweet revealing his name. With the Twitter bird making appearances pretty much everywhere, it was about time to give him a name.

Twitgram delivers messages to anyone on twitter and all you need is their @twitter_names.  This tool lets you write as much as you would like with no character limits! This allows you to send a tweet to any of your followers letting them know how to retrieve a message.  You can change this to anything you want, but leave the @twitter_name and [URL] which will be filled in automatically, so the tweet is delivered promptly to the persons you want.

Have you heard of the “Who Retweeted Me” tool?  This new tool that is supplied by HubSpot enables you to analyze your website and gives you some interesting stats including your 20 most influential tweeters with a link to thank them with a tweet.

Improve your LinkedIn Profile today. Your LinkedIn Profile is your online professional identity. This helps you not only connect with others but also helps you become found for career opportunities. When you edit your profile on LinkedIn, you will see an “Improve Your Profile” button with tips on how to get better visibility on LinkedIn.  See example below showing the new tab on and how to update your own LinkedIn Profile.  The Improve Your Profile Tool analyzes your profile and offers you personalized profile recommendations to help you improve your own profile. Clock on the Improve your Profile Button and Edit your Profile page.

LinkedIn also included a handy checklist guide that is displayed on the right side of the tool that highlights your recommended steps.  In the left column, they guide you through the steps with simple questions.

This new tool is constantly being updated and is customized for every member within LinkedIn. Be sure to check out your own profile and make some quick improvements today.

Have you ever heard of Klout? Well, there are 5 more networks added.  You can now connect Blogger, Flickr, Tumblr, Instagram and Last.fm to your Klout account to help keep track of your social influence. With these additions, Klout now tracks 10 social media network sites. On August 10^th, Klout took a big step forward for measuring influence wherever it happens. Klout goes beyond a status update for measuring influence.  Check out their site and start using it today.

DJ Heckes, CEO & Author
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.exhib-it.com
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.fullbrainmarketing.com

So, you have a Facebook page.  Not only a personal page, but you have even gone to the lengths of creating a business page, branding it and making it look amazing.  Now what?

I am sure you have guessed that just because you have a Facebook Page does NOT mean people will engage with you on it.  Do not be discouraged!  Facebook can be a powerful and affective way of driving your business when it is used properly.  What do I mean by that, you say?  Well, if you develop certain, daily habits when it comes to Facebook, it can turn out to not only find you qualified prospects, but transform you into the “go-to” leader of your industry!

I have found certain habits to be incredibly helpful when it comes to engaging your fans.  These are basic tips, too, so keep them close at hand and available for reference the next time you feel as if you’re paddling against the current.

Talk to your friends

Right, I know, obvious!  But you would be surprised.  A lot of Facebook users will post things and leave it at that.  To gain popularity and really engage your followers, comment on the little things that are so often overlooked.

For instance, when someone posts a new picture or status update, comment on it!  When someone posts on your page, acknowledge them and comment.  Facebook is wonderful about telling you when your friends are having a birthday, so take advantage of that and wish them a happy birthday—I have yet to meet a single person who does not appreciate a good birthday wish.  I could go on, but to make a long story short (too late): Engage with all of your friends to make yourself more tangible and let people know that you are truly interested in them.

Having a hard time finding the right words?  Here are some tips:

• Use people’s names. It adds a personal touch and makes people feel like they really know you.  Odds are they do really know you, but it still makes people feel special to be called out.  Tag their names, if you can.
• Be comfortable. Just be yourself!
• Keep it short and sweet. Have you ever seen a really long post or comment and just not had the energy to read it?  Well, odds are no one else wants to read a novel on Facebook, either.  So just get to the point you are trying to make and leave it be.

Your Turn: At least once a day you should go and be active on your friends’ pages.  Read their posts and engage.  People will notice and appreciate your consideration, and return the favor!

Know what is going on

Some people may find this particular task tedious and boring, but I personally like to know what is happening with my pages.  And I suggest, regardless of how you feel about it, you should take the time to keep track of your Facebook activity!  You can see how many fans you have, if there has been traffic on your page, and much more.  Trust me, metrics are always worth knowing.

EdgeRank Checker is another great tracking tool.  It scores your Facebook page(s) for you!  Granted, no one really knows exactly how they do this, but they do it nonetheless.  According to EdgeRank, “We began working on an algorithm that is admittedly a work in the progress that is tweaked often to reflect the most accurate representation of EdgeRank on the internet.”

Apart from scoring your pages, it also tells you what days you have the most activity, which is handy because then you know when to post the most important things and get the best results.

Your Turn: Keep an eye on your Facebook activity, whether you use EdgeRank Checker or just Facebook Insights.  It is always better to be in the know than in the dark.

Be a problem solver

Everyone loves a person with solutions.  So, be that person!  Through that, you can easily build rapport with your fans/friends, and become the ranking industry expert. 

Of course, the only way to become an expert problem solver is to consistently solve problems that you know how to solve.  I know that sounds a little redundant, but it was worth saying.  For example, my expertise is in trade show marketing, so I consistently post tips to help the average person marketing more successfully at trade shows.  When people have questions, I am prompt and accurate with my answers.  I do not go around trying to post tips on rebuilding classic cars, because that is most certainly not my niche.

Another great example is Facebook Guru, Mari Smith.  She is a certified Facebook expert and always responds quickly to all problems.  She also has a page dedicated to Facebook resources, just in case she cannot get you an answer fast enough.  Mari has developed a loyal following, most of whom she has turned into customers. 

Your Turn: I now charge you with the task of going out and making yourself the industry expert among your Facebook fans.  Think of questions you have been asked, even questions you yourself asked when you first got started.  Create a resource page so fans have somewhere to go when you are not available, and keep all of your information current.  This will help dramatically increase your Facebook clout.

Keep it current and interesting

If you want to maintain good rapport, your post content needs to be up-to-date and be relevant to the majority of your fans.  Realistically, you cannot reach everyone on every level, but you can reach most people if your keep your posts strategic. For example, on my Facebook page, I post an inspirational quote every day.  It gets a great reaction from my fans because people do not have to be in trade show marketing to find relevance in a general quote about life.  And just in case not everyone is prepared for something serious and deep, I always follow the quote with a cartoon that has something to do with marketing, advertising or social media.  Those topics will not mean something to everyone, but they do to a lot of people and I get good reactions from those posts as well.

I also post these twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, just to make sure that I reach a wider audience.

Your Turn: Make regular posts with content that is not only interesting, but able to reach the majority of your audience.  If you do that, then your posts will be something that people wait for and expect.  Ta da!  An automatic loyal following.

If it is not working, just leave it alone

When you start tracking your Facebook activity, you can easily see what actions you take get the most results, and which do not.  With the ones that aren’t getting any positive results, or the results that you want, see what you can do to change them.  If, after certain allotted time, the changes are not helping, just give it up, and move on to the next idea.  Be creative in finding different ways to engage your fans and increase your activity, but if what you are doing is not increasing traffic or getting you more fans, do not waste time trying to make it work.

.Your Turn: Is your page getting the results you want?  If not, figure out why.  Then start trying experimenting with different methods of getting people involved.  Once again, if what you are doing is not working, stop and move on.

Be kind to your fans

Although you are doing your best to be the person with the best content, be aware that others have good ideas and good posts also.  So when someone has posted something relevant and valuable, share it!  If your fans see you sharing their posts and getting them noticed, they will definitely return the favor. 

Your Turn: At least once a week, attempt to find great third-party postings and repost or share them.  You will get results from this action.

DJ Heckes, CEO & Author
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.exhib-it.com
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.fullbrainmarketing.com

How Will Images Help You Engage Your Followers?

Do you remember when you were a kid and all of your favorite books had pictures in them?  Someone else read to you and you looked at the pictures.  Magazines, catalogues, newspapers, and all other forms of written material were never attractive to you unless there were pictures.  I even remember always begging my mother to let me look at the pictures while I was being read to, but I always had to wait until the end of the page when she turned the book around to show me.

The concept is essentially the same.  Things are a lot more fun to read when you have something visual, tangible, to go along with it.  Think about it.  Even now, would you rather read some report that was long and tedious and had nothing but text or an equally long article with color and visuals popping out at you?  

Images are everywhere and can be used all over the place - on your website and social media pages (could you imagine those without pictures? Boring!), and even your blogs.  In an article I found online, “Why Images are Vital to Modern Blogs,” by Adam Singer, he drives home the importance of including images in your blogs to keep your readers interested…is it working?

Enhancing Effects

Effects are a great way of getting your pictures to really pop.  People are more likely to look at a picture with pizzazz than one that they could take just as well.  There are all sorts of programs and apps available to you if you choose this route.  And for all you Mac users out there, you may find photography apps online.  And remember: be creative!

iPhoneography

We have all had those moments while we were out and about and in a situation where we said, “I wish I had my camera!”  Well, for those who have an iPhone, not only does it allow you to never miss that Kodak moment, but there are apps you can download to really jazz up your photos—on the go, anytime, anywhere.  Iphoneography has become quite the big deal, from amateur photographers to professionals.  In the article“Explore the Art of iPhoneography: A Three Step Guide to Get You Started,” photographer Stephanie C. Roberts tells us how to get the most out of our iPhones from a photographer’s stance, and what apps to use to really make your photos unique. “Just as a writer might jot spontaneous thoughts in a journal or an artist might draw loose marks in a sketchbook, making images with your iPhone can help you craft compositions in a more organic way, hone your instincts to anticipate magic moments, loosen up your traditional approach to photography and illuminate a path toward defining your unique vision.”
 

Hipstamatic

Hipstamatic is one of those amazing iPhone apps that can really help you add life to your photographs.  Stephanie Roberts uses it herself saying, “Hipstamatic mimics the unique style of vintage prints characterized by vignettes, blurring, textured edges and oversaturated colors created with the original analog plastic camera. Using a square-format viewfinder, the app lets you switch ‘lenses,’ ‘flash’ and ‘film’ with the swipe of a finger. I often shoot with Hipstamatic because I like composing images in the square-format viewfinder and I like the creative constraint of choosing the ‘film’ and ‘lens’ before I shoot.”

If you are looking for more details on Hipstamatic and how you can use it, Rick Brooks from Flyte talks about it, and other fun apps, in this informative video.

Lights, Camera, Action!

And why stop with just pictures?  Think bigger and more engaging, and throw some short films into the mix!  You can put them on your site, social media pages, and blogs.  They can be anything from testimonials to creative short ads shot by you, or even your customers.  Animoto is a great tool that helps you take you stills, clips and music and make a little movie out of them.

Creating That Experience

In the end, it is all about the user’s experience on your site/blog/page, and images can help enhance that experience.  But you really must be creative with the images you use, whether you find them or create them/have someone create them for you.  They need to be aesthetically pleasing to stick out in the user’s memory, and thus have your page stick out as well.  Think of some of your favorite photographs.  What about them appeals to you? What exactly about that picture makes it better than the others? 

Color, contrast, unique lines, and captivating subjects are just some components of memorable and engaging images.  Connie Malamed writes about research on processing fluency, which “influences a viewer’s affective response to a work.”  In her post, How to Improve the Appeal of Your Graphics, she talks about how processing fluency affects aesthetic experiences, and lists four features that help to promote the fluency (thus creating a more positive reaction for the viewer): “Symmetry (vertical symmetry in particular), High figure-ground contrast, Visual clarity, Less information rather than more”.

Now you know how to engage your followers with your images, how to use them, how to play with them, and how to make them more aesthetically pleasing to the viewer.  So I challenge you to take these tips and implement them. Also, let me know what you think.  Questions, comments, anything, just let me know!

DJ Heckes, CEO & Author
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.exhib-it.com
Full BRAIN Marketing
www.fullbrainmarketing.com