Twitter Updates Pictures And Individual Tweets

Twitter has made changes to users’ profile pages and individual tweets. Pictures viewed on a profile page will appear in a light-box on the same page and replies to tweets will all be viewed on one page.

Firstly, when clicking on a photo on a profile page, the photo will now appear on the same page in a pop-out box rather than taking the user to a different page altogether. These images will also appear larger than they were when shown on a different page.

More content will also be seen in the media galleries on the left-hand side of a users’ profile. A Twitter blog postsaid that: “Media galleries now include videos from Vine,YouTube, Vimeo, and other partners whose videos appear in expanded Tweets.”

Also, users will be able to see all replies that have been made towards a tweet on one page, regardless of how many there may have been.

Previously, a single tweet would only show a small number of replies that would have been made. Now however, a user simply needs to scroll down to see all replies. As well as this, by clicking on a reply, you will be able to see any replies that have been made to this specific reply.

Seeing pictures on the same page as a profile looks like a smart move for Twitter. Being redirected to a different page just to view pictures seemed to be an inconvenience to a lot of users.

The ability to see all replies to a tweet will increase functionality. Businesses and high profile users will save time looking through multiple replies they will likely receive to tweets. It will also help with recollection not needing to click through to find other responses.

What do you think of these updates to Twitter? Do you think they are useful?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

By Milli

Keeping It Real In Business

Finding the courage to really be ourselves in this world is often a challenge. But this is how we are going to find our niche and make money online. What is it that really excites you and how can you know the difference between a hobby and a passion? For instance with me I love Windsurfing and Wakeboarding. These are my hobbies. I learned how to teach Windsurfing in my twenties thinking that this was the job for me but when I began I realised I just wanted to be doing the Windsurfing, not teaching it. Windsurfing is a discipline and an escape for me. I don’t want it to become a source of income. That would complicate it and change the tone I so love.

So when it comes to helping people make money online through their passion this is something I love doing and if there is money involved for me then I see that as a reward for value and a service I have provided for someone. If I do not make money from it then that is ok because I love to do it. When I meet budding entrepreneurs looking to get started in their chosen field or I speak to a new business owner who has managed to turn an idea into a growing enterprise I actually feel quite tearful! Sounds odd? Well it is said that if you write down a list of all the possible choices you can think of for your own passion that you would like to perhaps turn into a business it is the one that makes you want to cry that you should go for.

Richard Branson once said that we should never go into business purely for money. I agree with him. Have you ever tried a get rich quick scheme with the promise of a fast buck? Or have you started a job purely because the pay check looks exciting? I know I have. Well in the field of business we quickly become unstuck if we are not really passionate about the niche and the service we provide.

I was watching a John Demartini video the other day and he was talking about why we tend to get so disappointed when a new love in our life suddenly hurts so much after a period of time. Like meeting the perfect partner and falling in love only to find out two years down the line they are human and have all the same flaws and characteristics of any other person! He said it is because we fell in love with a fantasy and this is why a business can often fail. If our goal is a fantasy then when we hit the inevitable hurdles of business we are not psychologically prepared. We can prepare ourselves for the realities of running a business by making sure our chosen niche is one that makes our heart sing and that our goals are based in reality and not on fantasy.

Once we have chosen our niche we can build a brand around it and begin our journey working with social media to promote our service and build a client base. It is the passion we have for something that makes us almost desperate to get out there and help people with it! These are the signs we should be looking for. But this of course requires us to be ourselves. It means knowing, not believing but knowing there is no one else on this earth the same as you. There is no-one else who has the same heart as you, so the passion that is in there is unique to you. The task of speaking our truth, sharing our passion for the benefit of others is our responsibility. The good news is it’s what makes us insanely happy! What will you do today to begin the journey of sharing your passion with the world?

By Willow McIntosh

Instagram Rolls Out Web Profiles

While most businesses are focused on going mobile, popular photo-sharing app Instagram is making its web debut. Two years after arriving on the iPhone, the company has finally started to roll out web profiles.
“People have been asking for this for a while now and we’re excited to finally start rolling them out,” explained Instagram co-founder Kevin Systrom. “We’re going to start out by launching to a small percentage of people today and will roll it out slowly to everyone in the coming days.”

Currently, when you share a link to an Instagram photo on Facebook or Twitter, people can view that photo but not much else. For example, if someone wanted to browse through your additional photos, he or she would have to look you up on Instagram. The company’s new web profiles aim to resolve that.
Bearing an incredible likeness to Facebook Timeline, Instagram’s web profiles feature a rotating collage of photos where your Facebook cover photo would sit. Below that, a small profile image, short bio, and follower stats rest just above your photo history — which is arranged in reverse-chronological order.

Instagram’s web profiles also enable individuals to follow new users, like photos, and leave comments directly from their browsers. To check if you’ve received the new profile, just access your profile (for example, http://instagram.com/sproutsocial). Instagram details what new features visitors can expect on profiles still awaiting the update.

If you’ve been neglecting your Instagram account, the new profile — which puts an even greater emphasis on your photos — is a good reminder to revisit and re-evaluate your goals on the platform. Photo sharing sites like Instagram have revived storytelling through photos; make sure your story is ready.

[Image credit: Instagram]

Facebook Messages Update Rolls Out To More Users

We’re closer to seeing a widespread updated version of Facebook Messages.
In August Facebook announced that it would be giving Facebook Messages a whole new look, but didn’t announce when it would be bringing that look to users. Two months later, most Facebook users appear to have still not received the update.

The announcement in August teased a new side-by-side layout to messages, allowing you to see your most recent conversations on the left side of the screen and see a whole conversation on the right. It also allows you to insert photos and emoticons into messages.

Search and Navigation will also be improved in the updated Messages, allowing you to search by sender’s name or keyword from the main messages view, keyboard shortcuts will also be available to access some of Messages functionality.

On Wednesday, Facebook user Interactive Swim posted a picture of the welcome note for the updated Messages which recently hit its page, indicating that the feature may be starting to roll out to additional users.

A Facebook representative confirmed Wednesday that the updated version of Messages will be rolling out to all users. But the representative declined to indicate a time frame for that rollout.

By Milli

How NOT to Network on Twitter: 5 Common Pitfalls and how to Avoid Them

There are countless articles circulating the Web about how to network on Twitter, how to get more Twitter followers, how to tweet, when to tweet, what to tweet, who to follow, what URL shorteners to use, Twitter SEO, and so on. With all of that information available, it’s not hard to imagine that Twitter users, particularly Twitter beginners, can go a bit overboard and actually end up driving otherwise willing followers away while thinking they’re following all the ‘rules’.

Are you guilty of the following Twitter networking faux pas?

Overzealous following

“Follow me and I’ll follow you back!” Have you heard this one before? Don’t be tricked into thinking that following magnitudes of people will make you an instant Twitter star. While there are many that follow the “you follow/I follow” mentality, be aware that this often leads to little substance.

Your time is much better served reaching out to thought leaders you admire and other professionals in your industry. If you regularly reach out to others (with the @ symbol), tweet about things relevant to your niche, and retweet thoughtfully, you will see your follower list begin to grow naturally!

Tweeting once a year

We’re exaggerating a little bit here, but twitter, much like blogging, can be a trap for some where they get really excited at first and tweet like crazy and then the excitement wears off and their tweets dwindle to once every couple of days, maybe once a week, and sometimes…months go by with no tweeting at all. Can you hear the crickets chirping? If you’re not using your voice, no one is going to listen to you! Be sure that you keep your twitter account active. This doesn’t mean you have to tweet every time you blink (which it seems that some people do), but try not to let too long go between your interactions on twitter or you’re likely to lose followers.

Tweeting TMI

TMI stands for Too Much Info, and this can be a scary line to cross if you’re tweeting, particularly if your tweets aren’t protected (which, if you’re looking to build a large following, it’s usually a good idea to go public), and if you’re representing a business, yours or otherwise. Twitter makes it so easy to express yourself that a hasty tweet in moment of bad judgment can occur without even realizing it. Even though you want to be yourself, unless you are a comedian known for your lewd jokes or a brazen celeb whose fans thrive on the drama, be mindful of what you say or what pictures you post. Potential employers, competitors, and other influencers take notice.

Tweet Spam

While it’s true that twitter can be a great way to spread news about your business, as in any venue where your voice can be heard, you need to maintain a balance between promoting yourself and sharing non-promotional things. If every tweet becomes “check out my latest item I listed on eBay!” or “click for the best deal on cell phone ringtones!” or “15% off with this special code!”, people are going to start seeing your tweets like they see ads and tune them out. Having your link in your twitter bio will draw traffic from your followers, and the more interesting content you give them when you tweet, the more they’ll trust you and be likely to click when you do share that occasional promotional tweet.

Conversely, if you are a business that uses twitter solely for product updates and discounts, be up front about your twitter account with followers and post wisely!

Tweet Fraud

Okay this title makes this sound like something truly awful (and if you are genuinely stealing someone else’s identity on Twitter, you probably aren’t reading this article right now), but the point here is be genuine. Twitter was created as a means for social interaction and connection with other people. If you are tweeting on behalf of a business, have a voice and give people the sense that you are accessible and real. By being genuine with your followers, you’re giving them the chance to feel a connection to you and feel that their voice also matters to you. Business is business, but at the end of the day, twitter is social.

Avoid these Twitter mistakes and you should be well on your way to developing a solid following of loyal twitter fans! Do you have any tips to add? By Lesley DeSantis

How to Virally Grow Your Facebook Fan Page

Facebook introduced the "People Talking about This" metric a few months ago.

Initially, many were skeptical of how useful it would be.

As it turns out, it's actually one of the best metrics you can use to gauge your Facebook marketing.

This one number tells you how effective your Facebook Marketing is on a weekly basis. And it's the key to virally growing your Facebook fan page.

Why?

Your "Viral Reach" is closely tied to how many people are "Talking about You".




So the more people that "talk about you", the more your Facebook page will virally grow on its own.

But there's a huge problem. Something is stopping you.

What's stopping you from virally growing your Facebook fan page?

EdgeRank.


Facebook EdgeRank 101

The truth is that it doesn't matter how many fans your page has. This is a harsh reality for your social media plan.

If you don't have engagement, then people will never see your updates.

Facebook's EdgeRank is an algorithm that determines how many of your Facbeook fans will actually see any updates.

It's made up of three parts:


1. User Affinity

The first part measures each individual user's engagement level with your page.

The more times a user Likes, comments, views, or responds to a question on your page, the more likely they will receive updates.


2. Status Weight

Facebook wants users to stay on their site as long as possible. So they give more credit to these types of updates.

Video is given the most, followed by photos, links, and then regular status updates.


3. Freshness

As a rule of thumb, most people have seen your status update within 4 hours.

So updating at consistent intervals and at the right time of day can pay off tremendously.

But be careful. Posting more frequently than once every four hours can actually hurt you in the long run.


How Do You Defeat EdgeRank?

The key to defeating EdgeRank, is by increasing your user engagement on each update.

Here are some simple tips that you can start doing today.


Use a Personal Tone.

Address your fans casually and be personal. Think about what your users are interested in, and use the vocabulary they would use.

Always put your audience's needs first. If you're posting a link to an article you just wrote, then specifically ask them "What they think about X", or "Do you like X or Y better?".


Always use a Call-to-Action.

You should always have a specific reason behind each status update. Don't just ramble or post garbage... this isn't Twitter.

If you want your users to take some action, then ask them to!

So try saying, "Tell me what you think", or "Like this update if you like X.


Spark an emotional response and debate.

People will feel compelled to respond when they have some deep interest.

The easiet topics that spark debate are sex, religion and politics. But I would urge you to avoid these for obvious reasons.

Instead, use current news stories or pop culture references. These inspire the same interest level, without the headaches and arguments.


Post during peak hours.

Finally, look at your Facebook Insights to determine when your best updates (in terms of Total Views) were posted.

If you can't find any patterns or clues, then you can't go wrong with the following schedule:

Early Morning (7am - 9am)
End of Work (5pm - 7pm)
Late Night (11pm - 1am)

Facebook use peaks during these time periods, and you'll have a better chance of exposing your content to more people.

Using these tips will help you immediately increase engagement.

And when you increase engagement on a daily basis, then you'll begin to virally grow your Facebook fan page.

The more people you get "talking about you" each week, then the better chance you have of meeting your social media goals.

3 Ways to Simplify Online Marketing

Technology makes the magical possible, but it’s also making marketing complicated. With ad exchanges, hyper-local targeting, and endless mobile options, it’s easy to get tangled up in an alphabet soup of advertising technology. Just one look at Terence Kawaja’s ad-tech landscape induces tears of empathy for over-marketed-to marketers. Basically, the time for simplification is here.

Simplicity is what consumers want, what marketers need, and what standard-bearers such as Apple and Google have shown as the way forward.

What did Steve Jobs do when he returned to Apple in 1997? He simplified the product line and, by extension, Apple’s whole business. That worked out pretty well.

The same goes for Google. Every once in a while the tech giant cuts products to move forward with new offerings. Sure, some of their initiatives — say, wind energy or self-driving cars — may seem to come out of left field. But Google’s basic promise to consumers is to develop products and services that help them organize and navigate the world in a better, geekier way. (I’m talking about you, Google glasses.)

We need to learn from these examples. When advertisers obsess over brand impact, and agencies insist on slicing and dicing every impression, it’s hard not to wonder if we’re focusing on the wrong things. For all the efficiency we’ve gained with the burgeoning of ad tech, we’ve lost a lot in the way of simplicity. Keeping marketing simple — delivering compelling ads and content that consumers actually want to engage with — could take the industry a long way toward improving performance for both brands and consumers.

Here are three rules that brands can follow to simplify their marketing for everyone involved.
1. Put Consumers in the Driver’s Seat

Let’s move away from strategies and metrics that aren’t really relevant for branding. Brands always look for some kind of number and stat to justify their online spend — CTR, view-through, attribution, “likes.” Does that make sense at all? Did brands worry about measuring the impact of a full-page spread in Vogue back in the day? The issue is over thinking the numbers and not thinking enough about advertising in the interest of consumers.

Give people choice, control, and relevance in their experience. Don’t put a roadblock between anyone and the story, images, or video they want to see. Create intriguing, value-add experiences that are relevant to the page, that make users want to click, view, and engage. Make it user-initiated and easy to start and stop engagement. Instead of real-time bidding (RTB), how about trying real-time relevance?
2. Get in the Content

We’ve seen a recent surge in attention for the “native ad,” sponsored content, and branded-content meme. But it’s really nothing new. Ever watch soap operas on TV? Those started out as radio broadcasts that were literally created by consumer packaged goods companies. Since the dawn of digital time, we’ve known that the traditional ad concept had to change and that brands needed to move into the content-creation business and get their content seen.

But what if your stellar campaign assets are part of the one-third of display advertising that, according to comScore, goes unseen due to banner blindness? Even if you have awesome, entertaining, useful branded content like Red Bull or Unilever, you still need to surface it. How will your brand’s content be discovered by consumers who have literally zillions of content channels to choose from?

Focus your attention where consumer attention is focused: in the edit well online, on mobile, and on the tablet. Surface your content through advertising technology that gets you in the words and images where a relevant, immersive brand advertisement or content experience will really make an impression with consumers.
3. Simplify Your Strategy

Instead of doing one thing on mobile, another on tablets, and something else on desktop, consider putting mobile at the center of the design process, then refining and customizing everything from there.

Brands can now respond directly to how consumers interact with all kinds of devices. In an era where we swipe, expand, and share an ad or useful brand content, it isn’t enough to rely on the same old creative approach. Brands need to leverage their great assets with amazing creative executions in high-impact, exciting ways that are native to devices, contexts, and formats.

So let’s leave the purchase funnels behind, and stick with these three simple rules. Chances are people will thank you with ever-coveted, ever-elusive, real engagement.