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Twitter adds Direct Message request review feature http://ift.tt/2qwtqvM Twitter will now allow you to review Direct Messages received from people who you don’t follow before responding to them, adopting a feature that Facebook has long used for its own messaging feature and app. The new DM function works for anyone who’s turned on the setting that allows receipt of messages from people they don’t follow, and will let you choose to either “Delete” or “Accept” inbound messages. Those sending the messages won’t be able to see if you’ve viewed them or not until you choose the “Accept” option, and even if you delete a message that won’t stop that user from messaging you again in the future (that’s what “block” is for). You also won’t be able to see media sent from people you don’t follow until you choose the “Accept” option, which is a good way to help prevent nasty image or video surprises. You can opt to reveal the media prior to accepting the message, too, giving you one more level of mediation. New conversations from people you don’t follow will be flagged as “Requests” in the Messages tab in Twitter on iOS, Android and Twitter.com, and that includes new group conversations you’re included on. It’s a smart way to encourage people to open up DMs and keep DMs open, while also giving them a measure of protection against unwanted communication, including potential abuse. You may have already seen this feature as it’s been rolling out gradually, but if not take a peek since it should not be available for all users. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com May 30, 2017 at 06:09AM
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Ukraine tweeting a 'Simpsons' GIF at Russia is peak 2017 politics http://ift.tt/2qymHO3 Ukraine tweeting a 'Simpsons' GIF at Russia is peak 2017 politicsUkraine vs Russia in today's Twitter feud.Image: mashable composite: twitter/emojipedia
By Nicole Gallucci2017-05-30 17:40:34 UTC
Twitter is obviously the place to be for anyone (or any nation) looking to pack a political punch in the 21st century. So on Tuesday the official Twitter account for Ukraine decided that tweeting a Simpsons GIF at Russia's Foreign Affairs account, itself pretty active on Twitter, would be the perfect way to properly usher the nations' conflict into the digital age. After Russian President Vladimir Putin met with President of France, Emmanuel Macron to deliver a joint press conference on Monday, much to the ire of Ukrainians, Putin said Anna Yaroslavna, queen consort of France from 1051 to 1060, was Russian. Ukraine later @'ed Russia on Tuesday to set the record straight and give the country a little history refresher about Yaroslavna, who married France's King Henry I but was in fact Kiev-born. Ukraine seemed more than a little peeved that Russia was co-opting history and misleading people into thinking Yaroslav was from Moscow, when in fact Moscow hadn't even been established in 1051. Dmytro Shymkiv, deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine was so bothered by Putin's comments about Yaroslavna that he further clarified her heritage on his Facebook account, explaining, "My dear French friends, Russian president Putin tried to mislead you today." Russia's response? Well, Russia simply justified the twisting of facts by saying, "Hey, Ukraine, we have a shared history." Despite the fact that Ukrainian parliament declared independence from the Soviet Union back in 1991, Russia "proudly" declared that it shares the same historical heritage as Ukraine and Belarus, and feels this history should "unite, not divide" them. Ukraine clapped back at Russia's bold attempt to sugarcoat the nations' rocky history along with Putin's present-day stretching of the truth by reminding Russia that the "shared history" wasn't exactly "shared" by Ukraine's choice. With a touch of snark and a little help from The Simpsons, Ukraine used a memorable political moment in animated pop-culture to troll Russia for its selective memory regarding the long, tangled history between the two countries. Can we just take a second to accurately appreciate that? "You really don't change, do you?" Ukraine asked, delivering an epic burn to Russia. The GIF, from a 1998 episode of the show titled Simpson Tide, wasn't Ukraine's last. The debating and interpretation of centuries-old history and action continued, culminating in yet another GIF at the fingers of the person running the Ukraine Twitter account, this time of Benedict Cumberbatch from Sherlock. To completely untangle the history of the Russia-Ukraine feud is, to put it lightly, incredibly complicated and the kind of subject that fills hundreds of very long books. A heightened tension between the two nations sparked after 2013 protests took place in Kiev, followed by dangerous attacks in 2014, and a series of trade disagreements and military intervention. From Kievan Rus to Catherine the Great to the Soviet Union to Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, the two nations embarked on what is currently one of the deadliest crises in European history. So it makes total sense for this long-simmering feud to finally become a battle of memes on Twitter, right? Marvelous. Just marvelous. Social Media via Social Media http://ift.tt/1N1mMj1 May 30, 2017 at 05:45AM
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9 Epic Resources for Students of Brand Storytelling http://ift.tt/2shIFFt In truth, even though I only had 24 hours to prepare, I was delighted when one of the panelists at Social Shake-Up canceled. Suddenly I had the opportunity to share my disdain for what passes as brand storytelling and put some of my years of research on the topic to good use. Taking the stage like a pinch hitter stepping into the batter’s box with the game on the line, I was ready with a punchy story about, of all things, not crashing my grandmother’s car when the hood blew open as I hit 114 mph! (Here are the slides from that presentation) One of my pet peeves, by the way, is that presenters neglect to tell stories even when they are on panels about storytelling. The same goes for bloggers. To really understand let alone explain this topic, you need to start crafting stories yourself and share them at home, at the office, in writing, and on the stage when the opportunities arise. But here’s the good news — this is well-trodden territory and resources abound including the 9 featured below. 1. StoryEngineering by Larry BrooksThere are lots of types of storytelling and it helps to understand the main ones before you approach the branded variety. Story Engineering is geared for budding novelists, focusing on the “6 core competencies of successful writing” including Concept, Character, Theme, Story Structure, Scene Execution and Writing Voice. This will give you a great foundation especially if you grasp the difference between an Idea and a Concept. 2. Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKeeThis is the bible for aspiring screenwriters and even those who’ve succeeded in the profession many of whom attended McKee’s legendary screenwriting workshops. McKee is a master at showing how all the elements fit together and the critical relationship between structure and character. You’ll also enjoy the references to 100’s of films that you’ve seen and will have a new appreciation for why they were so memorable. 3. Pixar Storytelling: Rules for Effective Storytelling Based on Pixar’s Greatest Films by Dean MovshovitzNo studio in history has cranked out as many hits in a row as Pixar that not only succeeded with global audiences but also with typically irascible film critics. Their secret – if the story is flawed the movie will be too so they spend months if not years making sure the story is perfect before starting production. This book spells out their formula in language even we marketers can understand! 4. The Art of Storytelling by The Great CoursesIf you’ve never experienced a Great Course, an extensive series of recorded college classes by acclaimed professors, this particular one will convert you for sure. Professor Hannah Harvey also happens to be a professional storyteller herself, making this more like a visit to The Moth than a classroom. Importantly, you learn some of the nuances of oral storytelling versus the written forms like novels and screenplays discussed above. 5. Ted Talks Storytelling by Akash KariaFor the about the cost of a large double shot cappuccino from your favorite coffee bar, this little book packs a terrific punch, offering 23 storytelling tips derived from the over 30 of the most popular TED Talks. If you have a speech to give in the near future, this resource will be particularly helpful as the author breaks down how to wow an audience while providing examples that are sure to inspire. 6. StorySelling by Nick Nanton and J. W. DicksHaving worked our way from novels to film to public speaking, this book will help you craft your business story and importantly, offer guidance on how to spread the word. Rich with examples of entrepreneurs that used stories to propel their companies to new heights, you’ll recognize some of the critical storytelling elements from the other genres we’ve already covered. The difference is that these authors offer specific exercises to help you discover and refine your personal or professional brand story. 7. All Marketers are Liars by Seth GodinIf you’ve read any book by Seth Godin, you know that he always offers great examples of how this or that business found a unique way to cut through. This book continues that pattern only all of them point back to a fundamental premise that stories — great stories — carry the day for all sorts of brands in a wide range of categories. Although Godin’s book is less prescriptive than StorySelling, it does offer further inspiration to refine your brand story if you haven’t already. 8. Marketing Today with Alan Hart Episode 46My friend Alan Hart has a terrific podcast series that features interviews with a number of top Chief Marketing Officers. The episode that I recommend in this context is the one with Clay Hausmann, CMO of Aktana. Unlike most CMOs, Clay actually took time off to train as a screenwriter and while that adventure didn’t yield an Oscar, it did lead him to a story-driven strategy brief that he breaks down in detail on the podcast. (If you want a copy of how Hausmann’s approach played out for Beats, just email me.) 9. Various articles and podcasts by Drew NeisserAnd finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t call your attention to at least some of the content I’ve published on storytelling. First up are my extensive interviews with Douwe Bergsma, CMO of Georgia Pacific, who is a big proponent of the power of storytelling and has reorganized his department around this skillset. Then I’d encourage you to listen to various Renegade Thinkers Unite podcast episodes including the ones with Chandar Pattabhiram of Marketo (#12), Mayur Gupta of Spotify (#14) and Meredith Kopit Levien of The New York Times (#18). Or better yet just subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast, iHeartRadio or Messenger since there will be more on storytelling in episodes to come! Final note: If you have any great resources on brand storytelling, particularly in the area of story-driven creative briefs, please let me know. This is definitely a collaborative journey! The post 9 Epic Resources for Students of Brand Storytelling appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer http://ift.tt/xMddWR May 30, 2017 at 02:56AM
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Twitter and the BBC partner for the first time on live video http://ift.tt/2shyPTM Twitter over the weekend announced another live streaming partnership, this time with the BBC. The new deal will bring live video and breaking news from the BBC’s U.K. election coverage to Twitter’s network. This is the first time Twitter has ever partnered with the BBC on streaming video, the company notes. The deal specifically involves five BBC election specials, including debates and election night results, among others. The livestream will be available during the following BBC specials: the BBC Election Debate on May 31st; the two Question Time Leaders Specials on June 2nd and 4th; The Newsbeat Youth Debate on June 6th; and the Election Night Results Special on June 8th. Similar to other livestreamed events, the video coverage will be available in the Twitter application on both mobile and web, and will include live tweets that reference related hashtags, like #bbcdebate, #bbcqt, and #bbcelection. These video streams will be available from the dedicated site bbcelection.twitter.com, though they’ll also likely be found in Twitter’s “Explore” section, where live video is regularly promoted. In addition to the curated selection of real-time tweets that display next to the video streams, Twitter will also display immediate commentary from BBC experts and BBC Reality Check alongside the other updates. Twitter already has experience in running live video streams during election season. In the U.S., it partnered with Bloomberg to live stream the presidential debates ahead of the November 2016 election, for example. The company this month expanded on its earlier Bloomberg partnership to offer non-stop video news broadcasts from the media company across Twitter, including original reporting and other live content. While the new deal with the BBC is nowhere near as expansive as Bloomberg’s for now, it does open the door for future negotiations in that area, if the BBC wants to continue its relationship with Twitter after the elections wrap. The BBC partnership is also now one of several new deals Twitter has announced with the goal of having live video available on its site 24/7. This includes recent live streaming agreements for shows from the WNBA, BuzzFeed, Viacom, the NFL, MLB, PGA tour, Dick Clark Productions, Live Nation and others. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com May 30, 2017 at 02:09AM
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Visual Content and Social Media Marketing: New Research http://ift.tt/2risBGc Are you wondering how important visuals are in your social media posts? Do you want to know how other marketers approach visual marketing? In this article, you’ll discover new research that reveals why you should include visuals in your marketing, and insights on the types of visual content marketers are focusing on.
#1: Visuals Reinforce Marketing MessagesAccording to Brainrules.net, a person who hears a piece of information will remember just 10% of it three days later, while someone who sees that same information in a picture will recall 65% of it. Why is this the case? Since the beginning of time, humans have used sight to consume information, whether it was seeing a threat approaching or “reading” images left on cave walls. When someone reads words, they see the characters as little pictures, which takes the brain longer to comprehend. In fact, according to TapSnap, 65% of people today are visual learners. Webdam reports that our verbal intelligence is dropping while our visual intelligence is rising. They go on to say that we only have about eight seconds before something else catches our attention. (For comparison purposes, goldfish lose interest after nine seconds.) That means social media marketers must make those seconds count. Takeaway The message about the importance of visual marketing is clear and social media marketers can’t afford to see it as an optional type of content anymore. Venngage’s December 2016 study of 300 online marketers found that in 2015, 41% of marketers said that more than 90% of their content contained visual components. In 2016, that number grew to 53%. That 12% increase in just one year illustrates the fact that more marketers are recognizing the importance of including visuals in their posts. Social Media Examiner’s own 2017 Social Media Marketing Industry Report found that 85% of the 5,000 online marketers surveyed use visuals, up from 74% in 2016. The report also revealed that 41% of respondents said that visuals are the most important type of content, beating out blogging for the top spot. Consumers are used to having their social network feeds filled with posts from the various brands they follow. They’re used to ignoring ads on the edge of the screen or interspersed with typical posts. The unfortunate consequence of this is it’s becoming increasingly difficult for marketers to get their messages to stand out. Visual marketing is one way to fight through the noise. #2: Marketers Struggle to Produce Engaging VisualsThe data clearly shows that visual content performs better than other types, and social media marketers have taken note. Nearly 61% of people surveyed in the Venngage study reported that using visuals in their content was “absolutely necessary,” and almost 32% responded that it was “very important.” Just because they’re on board with using visuals doesn’t mean that they’ve nailed down the types of visual content that work best. According to Venngage’s study, original images such as infographics get the most engagement at 41.5%, while data visualizations received 25.7% engagement. The remaining one-third of content was split between videos and presentations (20.2%), stock photos (7.6%), and memes (5.0%). The respondents’ usage habits don’t reflect this data, however. In fact, 35% of respondents used stock photos in their visual posts and 30.4% used original images such as infographics. Videos accounted for only 15.2%, charts and data visualizations 14%, and the more light-hearted GIFs and memes were used 5.4% of the time. Takeaway There are various reasons why the content produced by marketers doesn’t reflect what performs best. Venngage’s study determined that nearly two-thirds of respondents found that consistently producing engaging visuals (36.7%) and producing well-designed visuals (29.1%) were the most challenging aspects of including visuals in their social media marketing efforts. Marketers can do a few things to combat these challenges, one being batch-producing their material. For example, in his keynote address at 2017’s Social Media Marketing World conference, Social Media Examiner Founder & CEO Michael Stelzner talked about how they take photos from their events and superimpose them on interesting statistics or quotes. Check out this article for additional tools to help you create more engaging visuals. #3: Video Reigns Supreme in 2017Periscope states that every day, users watch 110 years of live video on the app. Within their first year, the app had 200 million broadcasts. Livestream reports that 78% of online audiences watch video broadcasts on Facebook Live and 80% would rather watch a live video from a brand than read a blog post. In May 2017, Edison Research reported that out of 1,571 smartphone users ages 18-54 surveyed, 30% watch videos daily on Facebook Live and 23% have broadcast live themselves. Webdam reported that 79% of Internet traffic will be video content by 2018, and posts with videos get 3x the number of inbound links than plain text posts. That same study found that when it comes to video ads, online video revenue grows by 110% annually, which is more than any other type of advertising. These statistics are interesting, considering that the information presented by the Venngage study showed only 15% of online marketers incorporated video in their posts. The reason for that could be the fact it’s a somewhat new frontier in social media marketing and marketers may yet be unsure of the types of videos to produce. Another reason for the hesitation may be due to the cost associated with producing videos. Marketing departments pride themselves on presenting quality, well thought-out content, which is important, of course. When it comes to video, however, high quality is often equated with being expensive, due to both production and labor costs. Whatever the reasons for hesitation, savvy marketers know it’s becoming increasingly important for them to deliver marketing messages to their audiences via video. Takeaway It’s a common misconception that video must be perfectly polished to be effective on social media. That’s not always the case. While video content should be interesting and useful, with live video there’s no expectation of perfection. If anything, viewers are likely to be more forgiving with live video because they know that anything can happen when the camera is rolling live. It’s important to note, however, that audiences aren’t as forgiving when it comes to prepared visuals. There’s an expectation of higher quality when viewers know the company has time to put effort into creating high-quality content. If it’s appropriate for their audience, social media marketers should “take the plunge” and give live video a try. As with any other type of content, engagement rates are the best indicator of success. Conclusion In addition to having shorter attention spans, today’s online audiences are bombarded with marketing messages on all social media channels. As is the case with traditional offline marketing, they quickly become desensitized to the messages put before them. It’s up to the social media marketing team to consistently create eye-catching, engaging content. What do you think? What types of visuals do you use in your social media marketing? What visuals have been most effective with your target audience? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. Social Media via http://ift.tt/eZnnjC May 29, 2017 at 10:08PM
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Popular Chinese lesbian dating app, Rela, suddenly goes offline http://ift.tt/2qBIhA5 Rela (热拉), a popular lesbian dating app from China, has suddenly gone dark. People are speculating that the app has been blocked by the country's notorious content censors, after its participation in an LGBTQ awareness event in Shanghai recently. The app, which was launched in 2012, has around five million registered users, as a cached version of its iTunes app description showed, according to Reuters. Users have reported that the app, along with its social media Weibo account, have been blocked: What a user will see logging on to the Rela app. The caption reads "Unable to reach DNS server." Rela would only say on its WeChat account that it had temporarily suspended the app due to a "major adjustment" to its service. It assured users that their accounts were still valid. "Rela will be with you, please wait for our return!" the message added. "We are sorry for the inconvenience." The app's users have been grieving its demise on Weibo: Image: Ng Yi Shu/Mashable "As someone who uses Rela every day, this sudden ban has been difficult. It's like there was someone who was always there with you, and that someone just suddenly vanished." Image: NG YI SHU/MASHABLE "I've been so alone without Rela. I can't stalk pretty girls in my area," another user said jokingly. "I dreamt that I could use the app last night, and I even wrote a status update saying: 'It's been so long, I missed you guys'." "In this two years I've used Rela, there's so many friends and stories that I've seen or made," she added. "I'm waiting for Rela to come back." Image: Ng Yi shu/Mashable "I didn't come on for the past few days, and I didn't think about it," said LeiMinBrother. "Today I went online and still found that it wasn't on." "I thought just uninstalling the app and reinstalling it would work, but I couldn't find the app anymore!" Image: Ng yi Shu/Mashable "Rela — you must come back, I'm still depending on you to get out of singlehood!" Image: NG YI SHU/MASHABLE "We believe that Rela will come back — as long as Rela doesn't give up, we will wait for her return. "If we keep criticising or pointing fingers at people, we could make it more difficult for Rela to come back. We love Rela, let's just wait patiently." Rela's shutdown comes after the app's support of an LGBTQ event staged at Shanghai's Marriage Market, on May 20th, a day the country sets up singles. The event, organised by Rela and PFLAG, a Guangzhou-based LGBTQ support group, saw 11 mothers travelling to the marriage market in People's Park to raise awareness of LGBTQ issues in China, reported Sixth Tone. Police later ordered the parents to leave the park, as their "advertising" event was unregistered, according to Sixth Tone. While it's not illegal to be gay in the country, China's wide-ranging anti-pornography laws have been used to shut LGBTQ-friendly dating apps. In April this year, Zank — a gay dating app which boasted around half a million users in 2014 — was shut down following allegations that it breached the country's anti-pornography regulations. Mashable has reached out to Rela for comment. Social Media via Social Media http://ift.tt/1N1mMj1 May 29, 2017 at 10:00PM
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Ariana Grande's mom shares heartwarming message on Memorial Day http://ift.tt/2rgHbOi Ariana Grande's mom shares heartwarming message on Memorial DayJoan Grande at the "Today Show" Toyota Concert Series in New York.Image: Erik Pendzich/REX/Shutterstock
By Keith Wagstaff2017-05-29 20:19:01 UTC
Ariana Grande's mom has a few words of support for fans and victim's of last week's terror attack. The explosion outside of the pop star's concert in Manchester, England, killed 22 people and injured more than 60. Afterwards, Ariana tweeted out that she would return to Manchester to put on a benefit concert for those affected by the attack. On Monday, her mother, Joan, also tweeted out a message of hope. "This past week I have spent in reflective thought, prayer & deep sorrow," she tweeted. "I stand with you all in the face of evil & we stand together to never let it rule our lives! Thank you to all those who helped in any way that night in Manchester. I continually thank those who are & were in service protecting our freedoms every day all over the world! #MemorialDay." Shortly after the explosion, Joan helped usher fans to safety backstage, ABC News and TMZ reported. On Saturday, Britain lowered the threat level in the country to from "critical" to "severe," which still means "an attack is highly likely — the country should remain vigilant," according to UK Prime Minister Theresa May. Social Media via Social Media http://ift.tt/1N1mMj1 May 29, 2017 at 08:26AM
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3 Key Things Marketers Overlook These Days http://ift.tt/2s7Hg59 Many companies and industries have thrived with the benefits that came with digital innovations. However, some perished as a result of these same innovations. Chief Revenue Officer of The New York Times, Meredith Kopit Levien, noticed the newsprint industry being challenged by digital content – after all, news itself had been disrupted by the ubiquity of the Internet. When the news became the news, Kopit Levien’s challenge was to remind people not only why real journalism but also how it’s made. She needed to show – not tell – people the resources, commitment, and expertise it took to deliver the truth. You may not be in the newsprint industry, but the truth is that any industry can be disrupted by a new innovation. As both an innovator and champion of native advertising, Kopit Levien shares three important things that marketers these days may overlook. To hear more about The Truth Campaign, and how to adapt to digital disruptions in industries, check out the latest Renegade Thinkers Unite podcast with guest, Meredith Kopit Levien, Chief Revenue Officer at The New York Times. 1. Don’t depend on your legacy statusThese days, it isn’t enough to be “up to date” with whatever the latest tech is. New innovations are being planned and developed on a daily basis, and you can’t afford to wait until your industry is disrupted to react. Plan ahead, always be thinking of great stories to tell. Don’t assume that your brand’s legacy will save you. Need proof? Ever hear of Borders? 2. Bet on the model, not the missionIt’s one thing to change your business model to stay relevant. The one thing that shouldn’t change? Your core mission. Kopit Levien explained that The New York Times will always evolve to current consumption practices, but they will never compromise on their core mission. In case your wondering what that is, they built their entire Truth Campaign around it. 3. Content over frequencyPublishing frequency is no longer the key to engaging your audiences. Social media and technology is ubiquitous these days, so customers have the luxury of being picky. The best way to cut through the noise is to publish something great that will really resonate with your customers. The post 3 Key Things Marketers Overlook These Days appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer http://ift.tt/xMddWR May 29, 2017 at 06:57AM
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How to Get 99+ Endorsements on All Your LinkedIn Skills http://ift.tt/2qs8i9P “I got 99+ endorsements, and they all help prove my proficiency in key areas.” That’s what Jay Z might say if he was optimizing his LinkedIn profile. Hopefully you get the reference. But seriously, LinkedIn endorsements are really important. In fact, they’re one of the most effective ways to prove your expertise and back up your claims. Anyone can say they possess a particular skill, but having 99+ endorsements proves that. What are endorsements?Before I go any further, allow me to explain this concept if you’re unfamiliar. It’s pretty simple. Endorsements are a LinkedIn feature that allows others to verify your skills with a single click. Here’s a screenshot of the formal definition given by LinkedIn: For instance, the top three skills I list on my profile are SEO, online marketing, and web analytics. Endorsements are a simple way to prove you are not a charlatan—you’re genuinely proficient at the skills you list on your profile. The more endorsements you have, the more legit you appear. Ideally, you’ll want to reach 99+. Not to toot my own horn, but that’s what I’ve achieved on the vast majority of my LinkedIn skills. See? Here too: All are 99+. Of course, you can have thousands of endorsements for a certain skill, but 99+ is the highest number that will appear unless someone actually clicks on the skill to dig deeper. Here’s what I’m talking about: I actually have 2,134 endorsements for SEO, but 99+ is what visitors first see. Why are endorsements important?Getting people to endorse you can open doors and unlock opportunities that might not have happened otherwise. It’s a way to validate yourself and show you really do “have the chops.” This is obviously appealing to those who come across your LinkedIn profile, looking to find a partner in a business project, working arrangement, and so on. Some experts even suspect it can impact your search ranking. The bottom line is the more endorsements you receive, the better. In this article, I’d like to discuss some strategies to help you get 99+ endorsements on all your LinkedIn skills. Let’s start from the top. Prioritize your skillsMost people have a wide array of skills. And LinkedIn is more than happy to help you share them with the world. In fact, they allow you to list up to 50. I list a few dozen on my profile. But you need to be selective about the skills you list at the top. Like I mentioned earlier, the top three skills I list are SEO, online marketing, and web analytics. This is important for two reasons. First, it tends to be easier to get endorsements when it’s for your core skills that people naturally associate you with. For example, I do have experience with website development. That’s true. But I’m far more skilled at SEO. Therefore, most people associate my name with SEO more than website development, which makes them far more likely to give me an endorsement for SEO. That’s why I made the conscious decision to use SEO as the first skill on my profile. Second, people tend to get overwhelmed if there is a ridiculous number of choices. But if you place your primary skills at the top, people can zone in on those skills, which increases the likelihood of them giving you an endorsement. Endorse othersI’m a firm believer in the law of reciprocity. It’s a psychological principle I’ve discussed in several blog posts mainly in the context of conversion optimization. Long story short, it simply means that people are inclined to do something nice for you if you do something nice for them. But reciprocity can be applied to LinkedIn endorsements as well. And it’s not rocket science. Endorse the skills of others, and there’s a good chance a considerable percentage of them will return the favor. I recommend starting with the people you’re closest to and have the tightest relationships with. This might include colleagues, team members, previous employers, and satisfied customers/clients. Look over the skills they list on their profiles, and add a few endorsements. Once they see you’ve made the effort to help them, many will be inclined to help you as well. If they know for a fact you’re adept at a particular skill, it shouldn’t be any trouble for them to endorse you. And the beautiful thing is it’s easy to do. It’s not like it requires a major time commitment. Unlike personal recommendations that require someone to write a unique statement, an endorsement requires only a single click. It’s really no big deal. Straight up ask for endorsementsOne thing I’ve learned in life, as well as in business, is that it’s important to ask. Some of my biggest breakthroughs were simply the result of me asking for help, a favor, etc. And you know what? A lot of people are more than willing to help you out. Tactic #1If you’re looking to raise your number of endorsements quickly, I suggest politely asking others to give them to you. An article on Portfolium discusses a specific formula for increasing endorsements by asking. It’s simple. The author, Scott, created a brief message that he sent to 300 connections asking for endorsements. Here’s what it looked like: I’d like to point out his opening line:
I think this is a more effective way to approach people than immediately asking for an endorsement—it doesn’t make you come across as overly self-serving. After sending this message to 300 connections, Scott saw a drastic increase in his number of endorsements. It went from a meager 28 to 302, which was an increase of over 1,000%! The amazing thing is that it took less than 15 minutes. Tweak this template as you see fit, and send it to as many connections as possible. While you may not get quite the level of results that Scott did, I can pretty much guarantee you’ll see a substantial spike in your number of endorsements. Tactic #2Here’s another simple way to go about asking. It involves leveraging existing resources where people understand your skillset and know what you bring to the table. Some examples might include your blog and email. Here’s what you do. First, invite others to connect with you on LinkedIn. This is necessary because the last time I checked, only first-degree connections are allowed to endorse you. To do this you, you could leave a CTA with a link to your LinkedIn account at the end of blog posts or in your email signature. Then, each time you make a new connection, send them the message I discussed in the previous tactic. Be active on LinkedInOne of the things I find interesting about LinkedIn is that many people seldom update their profiles. While there are 467 million users, only 3 million update their profiles on a weekly basis. That’s a tiny percentage. Most people update their Facebook at least two or three times a week. It’s usually the same with Instagram profiles. As for Twitter, it’s not uncommon to hit double-digit updates daily. But for some reason, most people totally forget about LinkedIn. But that’s not how I roll. If you look at the activity feed of my profile, you’ll notice I update quite frequently: And for a good reason. The more often I update, the more I’m on the radar of my connections. This means more traffic to my profile and more opportunities for engagement, including endorsements. What I’m trying to say is that you should make a point to consistently update your LinkedIn profile with quality content. It doesn’t even need to be your own content. Curated content is totally fine as long as it offers real value and scratches your connections’ collective itch. And when you’re choosing what type of content to post, try to make sure it’s relevant to the primary skills you’re seeking endorsements for. If conversion optimization is your thing, you might want to post something from ConversionXL. Considering the small number of people posting updates on LinkedIn, it should be fairly easy for you to gain users’ attention when they scroll through their feeds. ConclusionWhen it comes to professional networking, LinkedIn is the go-to network. While it doesn’t get as much attention or have the same user base as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you don’t want to overlook it. In fact, it’s been an incredibly powerful tool for me and has helped me make several valuable connections over the years. One of the ways you can prove you’re legitimately proficient at the skills you list is by having others vouch for you by giving endorsements. It’s quick and easy but can have a tremendous impact on your personal brand, especially if you’re able to gain 99+ endorsements. By using these strategies, you can effectively leverage your network to get the endorsements you’re looking for. And who knows what opportunities this will lead to in the future… The long-term implications can be profound. How do you typically go about getting endorsements for your LinkedIn skills? Social Media via Quick Sprout http://ift.tt/UU7LJr May 29, 2017 at 03:01AM
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7 Innovative Ways to Use Texting for Your Business [Infographic] http://ift.tt/2s6uymR All’s fair when it comes to growing your business. For consistent development, you should use a multichannel approach. And SMS (Short Messaging Service, a.k.a. “texting”) might just be one of the most effective emerging channels. Consider that prospects who receive text messages from businesses convert at a rate 40% higher than those who don’t. Moreover, 64% of consumers are open to receiving SMSs from companies and think that companies should send them more texts than they do at the moment. With those numbers in mind, why not use texting for promotion? You can notify clients about discounts and loyalty programs, let them know about new stores you’ve opened or new product lines you’ve launched. Texts can also be used to attract new clients, provide customer support, book appointments, and much, much more. Need some more ideas about how to use texts in your business? Take a look at the infographic below. Infographic courtesy of TextMagic. Republished with permission. The post 7 Innovative Ways to Use Texting for Your Business [Infographic] appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer http://ift.tt/xMddWR May 29, 2017 at 02:31AM |
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