Although Facebook did send announcements to users a month or so in advance, I can absolutely understand the frustration of opening your page and seeing it completely discombobulated.  You now have to learn yet ANOTHER thing on Facebook.

While social media marketing can be not only enjoyable and extremely beneficial to your business, one of the byproducts of this terrific medium is the fact that you have to constantly stay on your toes and keep abreast of the changes.  As technology changes, social media changes.  As people change, social media changes.  As….ok, you get the idea.

What I want to do here is share with you a positive aspect of this change, and one of the most beneficial aspects of the new Facebook Timeline layout: images.  If you haven’t been using pictures in your social media marketing efforts before, now is the time to start.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words – now you have the ability to put that saying into action!

With the Timeline layout you are now able to create a visually stunning Facebook Page for your business using your own stock imagery, brand logos (for some pictures – read below), and any other photographs that are in your marketing arsenal.

But to get the most out of your pictures on your Facebook Page, you can’t just upload them willy nilly.  You need to resize them to fit!  This is one of the largest mistakes I have seen people make when converting to the Timeline layout, as the wrong size can make your picture look clipped, pixelated, distorted, or just plain ugly.

Here are the sizes (in pixels) that you should format your pictures to in the Facebook Page Timeline layout.  I have added a couple of extra tips for each of the areas covered to help you maximize the marketing potential of your images.

When it comes to formatting these pictures, use the picture editing suite that came with your computer, or look for another service/software online where you are able to crop and resize your images (these are the two most important parts).

Now onto the sizes.  Here are the top 3 that you need to be aware of:

*Timeline Cover Image: 850 x 315 pixels (they must be at least 399 pixels wide)

This is the large header image which will be the first thing that people see.  Choose a hi-resolution image of your product line, somebody using your products, one that is inline with your brand, one the represents your services, etc.  As I mentioned above, you are not allowed (at the moment) to add your brand logo, website address, phone numbers, or anything similar to your Cover Image.  Facebook is pushing you to lead with a visual that represents your brand message and image – so have fun with it and think outside of the box.

*Profile Image: 160 x 160 pixels

This is the small box on the left hand side under the Cover Image where you need to put your brand logo.  What happens if your brand logo is rectangular or outside of the exact 180 x 180 pixel proportions?  My suggestion: see if you can come up with a different variation to fit.  Remember, this perfectly square logo will be also useful on your business profiles on Twitter, Google+, YouTube and more….so it is worth putting it together.

*Highlight a Post: 843 x 843 pixels

This is a new function (and my favorite) of the Facebook Page Timeline.  Look at one of your previous posts on your Facebook Page.  When you place your cursor over the top of the post, in the right corner you will see a star button.  If you cursor over the star, the word “Highlight” comes up. If you click this, you will see that the post will now nearly fit the width of your Facebook Page.  I suggest using this for pictures or video only….as with words or small images, it can look pretty weak.  When you Highlight a post with a picture, you will THEN have the opportunity to format it.  Cursor over the top right hand side again, and you will see the image of a pencil.  Click that and a drop down menu will appear.  In that menu you will see “Reposition Photo”.  Click this and then drag your photo to the spot that you like it (or click ‘default positioning’).  Presto changeo – the right positioning!

There are many new features that are great for marketers using the new Timeline view, but images are definitely at the top.  Now you will be able to not only make the most of your Facebook Page’s new Timeline view, you will be able to properly brand yourself and create an engaging and beautiful ‘shop window’ on Facebook.

These 5 tips will help you overcome two of the most troublesome obstacles that new Pinterest users often face: how to effortlessly share links and information and, getting over the hurdle of not having enough content to share.

Here they are:

1.  Install the “Pin It” button.  On Pinterest, under the “About” section, there is something called the “Pin It” button.  This is a browser related plugin that, once downloaded, will appear on your bookmarks bar and will allow you to instantly pin just about ANY photo that you see on the internet to one of your corresponding boards on Pinterest.  This is a fast and simple way to build your initial group of boards, and as you begin to use the app, you will think of new boards to add to the mix.  It also allows you the opportunity to instantly share your pins on Facebook and Twitter….which is up next.

2.  Connect Pinterest With Your Facebook Account.  This is another great way to promote your content with your network and increase the back-links to your website. When logged into your Pinterest account, simply click on the Facebook button and allow access to your account.  Then every time you share something new, you have the option of sharing it with on your Facebook Profile page.

3.  Connect Pinterest With Your Twitter Account.  I prefer utilizing this function over the Facebook link, as currently you cannot connect Pinterest to the branded Facebook Page for your company, just to your personal Facebook Profile.  With Twitter you are able to connect it to your business Twitter account.  This is a great feature, as any time that you add a pin, you are able to Tweet it out to your network.  This is valuable as the more content that is shared through your Twitter account, the more back-links and shares!

4.  Add the Pinterest Button to Your Website.  If you want to grow your Pinterest network on a regular basis, add the Pinterest button to your website alongside your other social media links.  This will promote more people following you and give you more opportunities to share your content.

5.  Use a Third Party to Help Generate Content.  There is nothing worse than when the “content” well is dry.  Many of us can struggle with finding pictures on a regular basis that will be useful on Pinterest, so it is a good idea to look into any third party option for help.  There are many lists available through a quick Google search that show tools that can help with content creation on Pinterest.  One such tool, called Spinpicks, enables you to search the web for images using a plethora of categories that you can instantly share via your Pinterest account.  This can be a lifesaver if you have lulls in your content creation.

And there you have it: 10 ways to get jump started on Pinterest!  Remember, with any social media marketing that you do, consistency is key!  Make sure to constantly update your account (as surely there will be changes introduced along the way) and engage with other members through commenting, liking and sharing their content.  Is all of this successful for you?  Make sure to track it using a tool like Google Analytics or your own version of tracking your website hits.  You will be pleasantly surprised!

If you are not familiar with Pinterest, let me give you a quick explanation.  Pinterest is a cork board-style photo sharing website allowing members to create theme-based image collections which other members can view, share and comment on.  If you think: “That doesn’t sound business related…”, read on!

An easier way to understand what Pinterest is and how it works, is to think about it in terms of your Facebook Profile.

Imagine that your photo albums were the first (and only) thing that was visible on your Facebook Profile.  Other Facebook members would be able to see your albums, look through your photos and view updates to your account.  If a member liked one of your albums or photos, they could comment and/or share it with their own network.

Pinterest is really as simple as that. 

That’s all great, BUT the best thing about Pinterest, and the biggest difference with the site, is that when you post a picture, you are able to hyperlink it to your website, online point-of-sale, blog…whatever.  Thus, when people click on any of the pictures that you’ve posted, they will be transported to the link where it lives and to all of the additional information you have on the subject in order to bring people closer down your sales funnel.  Also, if people share your photo (or “pin”) you will receive valuable back-links to your site, which in turn builds SEO.

So Pinterest is essentially an interactive photo sharing site where people can choose to follow a single board you have, or all of them – and get updates whenever you add to, update, or change a board.  So the more you share, the better the opportunity you have to take advantage of its benefits.

While in its initial growth stages, the majority of the audience was women (at 83%) in the United States.  But things are shaking, and now men are joining in droves.  Outside the USA, in the UK for example, 56% of the users are men.  At the end of the day, the ratio of male to female is fairly balanced.

Now – how can you and your business get started?

Here are my 10 essential ways for you to get jump-started on Pinterest so that you can begin to build your following and enjoy its benefits.  These are the first 5 with the final 5 following next week.

1.  Stake Your Claim Now! I usually suggest researching a social media site before creating your own business account, but as so many people are latching onto Pinterest so quickly – you need to get in there now to set up your branded account and stake your branded real estate.  Go to Pinterest.com and you will see towards the top of the page “Request an invite”.  If you will be using Pinterest for your company, add your company email address.  Usually they will get back to you within 24-48 hours for you to complete the registration.  When you get your invitation, go and sign up and register in your company’s name.  Fill out your profile, add your company’s logo as your profile picture and add anything else to the profile that is necessary.

2.  Plan and Organize Your Boards Before Creating Them.  Setting up your Pinterest boards can be time consuming, so I suggest identifying what boards you want to create first.  Although your new Pinterest account will come with a few standard ‘board topics’, you will want to edit them for your specific needs.  I find the easiest way to think about this is in terms of your products and services.  For example, if you were a doctor whose owned their own ear, nose and throat practice, you should create a board for each specialty area (ear, nose, throat).  Then fill each of these boards with helpful information on each topic in visual form (“pins”).  For example, perhaps you have a diagram of nasal passages, a chart of nasal afflictions and another graphic explaining preventative measures for sinus infections.  Add each of these to the board pertaining to “Nasal Information”.  Planning will help set you up for growth on Pinterest and save you precious editing time.

3.  Add Hyperlinks, Hashtags and Keyword in Your Descriptions.  First off, every organization who is marketing online should have a keyword list for their company.  When you are sharing “pins” or pictures in your “boards” or albums, each one will need to contain a point of origination on the web (where the picture actually lives online) but also a description.  Use #hashtags just like you would on Twitter to make the title of your ‘pin’ more searchable within Pinterest.  For exmpale in the ENT example above, using #tinnitus would allow people searching for information on that affliction to find your ‘pin’, and thus a link to your website! Make sure that each description is packed with keywords and contains a hyperlink to the content you want people to see.  The best way to do this as a rule is….

4.  Add Images to Your Blog Posts, Web Pages and Landing Pages.  Every page on your website should have a few images on it.  If you do not use pictures on the pages of your website or on your blog….now is the time to start!  This is the key method of pulling content from your website to Pinterest and linking it back for added SEO punch.  No pictures on your website could equal no web hits generated from Pinterest.  Remember that this is a visual site – so make sure that your pictures are eye catching, easily seen, and visually descriptive.

5.  Connect With Your Existing Contact Base.  The best way to build an instant network on Pinterest is to see who you know that is already a member.  You can do this through the “Invite Friends” function where you can connect using your Gmail account, Facebook account or simply manually invite people by entering their email address.  You can also send an announcement to your email list, or make an announcement on your website, etc.  Connecting with those that already support you is crucial in social media!  These people are comfortable and familiar with you, and they can make for the best brand evangelists on social media sites like Pinterest.

Those are my top five ways to get started.  Look out next week for part two of the series when I will discuss how to easily share information on Pinterest as well as show you how to get over the hurdle of not having enough pictures and content to share.

If you enjoy this article, please feel free to share it with others who you think could benefit from it!

For me, I really hate it.  I think there is nothing worse than reading an article with the goal of getting actionable tips….and then finding yourself Googling ten of the terms in the article in order to make sense of it?  Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve been guilty of this in the past as well.  That’s why I try to be as clear and to the point as possible.  Our time is precious, so let’s just get to it, right?

This brings me to “Blog Tours”.  I’ve seen this broadcasted far and wide, but never really saw an explanation that I thought hit the nail on the head.

Basically, toss the “cool” terminology out the window and think of this as a “blog comment” strategy.  I’m sure you have gone onto a blog (or even a website) and read an article that at the end allows you to put in your comments.  A simple idea, but it packs a punch!

Commenting on blogs is a wonderful way to build more links to your online point of sale, or your company website.  In terms of SEO (search engine optimization) – it is definitely a golden child.

But how do you do this?  Here’s my BLANK rules of blog commenting:

1. If you are using blog commenting for SEO purposes, before you even take time to read the article, scroll to the bottom of the page to make sure that there is a place for you to key in your website when you comment.  If this is not here….there is no way to link you (unless you register to the blog or community which can be time consuming).
2. If you have to comment via Facebook, it will not pack the SEO punch that you are looking for.  Again, having a spot to key in your website is the best option.
3. Once you’ve decided to comment on a post, first read the full article to see that it’s message is in line with your brand.  You can disagree, but make sure that your comment is not vulgar in any way.
4. Think of the next three ideas as a “compliment sandwich”.   Begin your comment by agreeing with a few points made in the author’s article.
5. The second part of your comment (the ‘meat’ of your activity here) should be you sharing your expertise.  If you agree with the whole article, maybe share a quick story of something that has happened to you in this arena.
6. Round off your comment with a note of thanks for the article or something similar.  You don’t want to sound too canned, so make sure to make it personal.
7. Then after you post your comment (or sometimes before) there is a button you can push to have all future comments sent to you via email.  Click this, as you want to see how people react to your comment as well as have the opportunity to jump back in if needed.

It’s that simple.  I suggest to help you FIND these blogs (which is the most time consuming effort), use a site like StumbleUpon, Zite, Scoop.it, Trap.it, AOL Editions, or even Google Currents to find random blogs within your company’s niche category.  This site is easy to use and very straightforward.  You can also you sites such as Alltop or even a simple Google search for keywords.

My final piece of advice is to make sure you do this on a consistent basis.  If you comment on one blog a month, the SEO impact will be non-existent.  I say shoot for two comments a day and keep up with it.  After a week you will get in the groove and it will become second nature.  Also there is a wonderful side-effect that I’ve found in searching around the web – you might learn something new!

Is it because you are ineffective at your job?  Nope.

Is it because you have no time to get anything done?  Nope.

Is it because you don’t have a daily marketing plan?  Bingo!

Whenever I speak about marketing plans (either online, to potential clients, or while speaking at events) eyes begin to glaze over.  So please stick with me on this.  I’m not going to talk to you about building the perfect marketing plan – I’m going to talk about how to build your perfect daily attack plan.

I’m going to assume here that you are currently using various marketing tools, and that your goals are crystal clear as to what your company’s goals are.

So, let’s move on to the plan.

First, grab a piece of paper and write down the days of the week that you work (if you are closed/don’t work Sat/Sun, leave these out).  We want to focus on the “active” days of your week.

On another sheet of paper, write down everything that you are currently doing to market your business.  For example, your list could look like this:

• Facebook Marketing
• Twitter Marketing
• LinkedIn Marketing
• Email Blasts
• Trade Advertising
• Google AdWords
• Link Building
• Blog Writing
• Press Release Writing

Now, we step it up.  Decide which needs to happen for each of these activities on a daily or weekly basis.  If you are doing link building, this is something that happens everyday.  So it needs to be listed every day of the week – but also with the EXACT actions that you need to take.  Maybe your link building strategy is 100% built around blog comments.  If so, then your daily activity would be “Link Building: comment on 5 relevant industry blogs”.  Simple as that!

Then add the rest.  If you are on Facebook, maybe you have to post an update, reply to comments, and engage with 3 new pages.  Add this to the list.  And so on.

My top tip is to pin point exactly what you want to do for each item that you have listed -  per day or per week.  This will help you get through these tasks quickly without having to constantly remember what you have to get done on a given day.  This way, if your day goes south as soon as you turn on your computer, you can motor through this list later in the day when you finish putting out fires.

And it works!  I have instituted this for my staff (as well as myself) and it does save lots of time AND it can grow organically.  For example, Pinterest is a new site that just popped up and now it has been added to our daily marketing schedule with tasks associated with it each day.

I say give it a try!  There is no risk when it comes to getting organized and saving precious time.

You may know that LinkedIn is one of the premiere social networking sites for professionals to connect, share, discuss and hobnob with one another.  What you may not know is how many professions and professional categories that LinkedIn currently services.

While you may be in a niche within a niche inside of a niche professional category, chances are that there are many other professionals networking on LinkedIn just like you.

But as always, the proof is in the pudding.  Here is a comprehensive list of all of the professional categories that have vibrant LinkedIn communities.  Scan through and see if you find the one that best describes your organization, and THEN make sure that’s the one you categorize yourself under on LinkedIn.  Without further ado, here is the list:

Legal

1. Law Practice
2. Legal Services
3. Legislative Office
4. Judiciary
5. Law Enforcement

Government

1. Defense And Space
2. Aviation And Aerospace
3. Research
4. Military
5. Legislative Office
6. Judiciary
7. International Affairs
8. Government Administration
9. Executive Office
10. Law Enforcement
11. Public Safety
12. Public Policy
13. Political Organization
14. Nanotechnology
15. Think Tanks
16. Mechanical Or Industrial Engineering
17. International Trade And Development
18. Government Relations

Consumer Goods

1. Cosmetics
2. Apparel And Fashion
3. Sporting Goods
4. Tobacco
5. Supermarkets
6. Food Production
7. Consumer Electronics
8. Consumer Goods
9. Furniture
10. Retail
11. Electrical And Electronic Manufacturing
12. Wholesale
13. Wine And Spirits
14. Luxury Goods And Jewelry
15. Packaging And Containers

Arts

1. Design
2. Arts And Crafts
3. Music
4. Photography
5. Graphic Design

Organizations And Non-Profit

1. Environmental Services
2. Individual And Family Services
3. Religious Institutions
4. Civic And Social Organization
5. Consumer Services
6. Non-Profit Organization Management
7. Fundraising
8. Program Development
9. Political Organization
10. Alternative Dispute Resolution
11. Security And Investigations
12. Think Tanks
13. Philanthropy
14. E-Learning
15. Renewables And Environment

Recreation, Travel And Entertainment

1. Sporting Goods
2. Entertainment
3. Gambling And Casinos
4. Leisure And Travel
5. Hospitality
6. Restaurants
7. Sports
8. Food And Beverages
9. Motion Pictures And Film
10. Broadcast Media
11. Museums And Institutions
12. Fine Art
13. Performing Arts
14. Recreational Facilities And Services
15. Newspapers
16. Publishing
17. Printing
18. Libraries
19. Writing And Editing
20. Computer Games
21. Music
22. Health, Wellness And Fitness
23. Media Production
24. Wine And Spirits

Corporate Services

1. Management Consulting
2. Accounting
3. Marketing And Advertising
4. Market Research
5. Public Relations
6. Program Development
7. Staffing And Recruiting
8. Professional Training
9. Translation And Localization
10. Events Services
11. Logistics And Supply Chain
12. Outsourcing/Offshoring
13. Commercial Real Estate
14. Import And Export
15. Human Resources
16. Business Supplies And Equipment

Agriculture

1. Railroad Manufacture
2. Farming
3. Ranching
4. Dairy
5. Fishery

Transportation

1. Leisure And Travel
2. Hospitality
3. Package/Freight Delivery
4. Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
5. Warehousing
6. Airlines/Aviation
7. Maritime
8. Translation And Localization
9. Import And Export
10. International Trade And Development

Manufacturing

1. Food Production
2. Consumer Electronics
3. Consumer Goods
4. Furniture
5. Retail
6. Aviation And Aerospace
7. Automotive
8. Chemicals
9. Machinery
10. Mining And Metals
11. Oil And Energy
12. Shipbuilding
13. Utilities
14. Textiles
15. Paper And Forest Products
16. Electrical And Electronic Manufacturing
17. Plastics
18. Mechanical Or Industrial Engineering
19. Business Supplies And Equipment
20. Renewables And Environment
21. Glass, Ceramics And Concrete
22. Packaging And Containers
23. Industrial Automation

Construction

1. Real Estate
2. Construction
3. Building Materials
4. Architecture And Planning
5. Civil Engineering
6. Commercial Real Estate
7. Glass, Ceramics And Concrete
8. Industrial Automation

Service Industry

1. Restaurants
2. Food And Beverages
3. Recreational Facilities And Services
4. Package/Freight Delivery
5. Individual And Family Services
6. Events Services
7. Alternative Dispute Resolution
8. Security And Investigations
9. Facilities Services

High Tech

1. Defense And Space
2. Computer Hardware
3. Computer Software
4. Computer Networking
5. Internet
6. Semiconductors
7. Telecommunications
8. Biotechnology
9. Pharmaceuticals
10. Airlines/Aviation
11. Information Technology And Services
12. Venture Capital
13. Nanotechnology
14. Computer And Network Security
15. Wireless

Education

1. Primary/Secondary
2. Higher Education
3. Education Management
4. Research
5. E-Learning

Media

1. Entertainment
2. Motion Pictures And Film
3. Broadcast Media
4. Museums And Institutions
5. Fine Art
6. Performing Arts
7. Marketing And Advertising
8. Newspapers
9. Publishing
10. Printing
11. Information Services
12. Libraries
13. Design
14. Writing And Editing
15. Computer Games
16. Arts And Crafts
17. Online Publishing
18. Media Production
19. Animation
20. Photography
21. Graphic Design

Medical And Health Care

1. Biotechnology
2. Medical Practice
3. Hospital And Health Care
4. Pharmaceuticals
5. Veterinary
6. Medical Device
7. Health, Wellness And Fitness
8. Alternative Medicine
9. Mental Health Care

Finance

1. Banking
2. Insurance
3. Financial Services
4. Real Estate
5. Investment Banking/Venture
6. Investment Management
7. Accounting
8. Venture Capital
9. Capital Markets

So, as you can see, there are absolutely TONS of categories represented on this professional networking site.  I’m a firm believer in LinkedIn networking and LinkedIn marketing – so I hope this list will give you that extra push to dive into LinkedIn and either renew your efforts on the site, or if you haven’t already – see what sort of outcomes you can achieve for your own company!

What I am talking about here are what appears to be ‘stock’ messages that show up in your Twitter Direct Messages folder from the new Twitter users you just followed.

I’m sure you are familiar with these.  The better messages will say something like: “Thanks for following.  I tweet about sports medicine and have more information on my blog www.sportsmed.co.uk”.

The worst ones will say something like this: “Someone is saying something bad about you.  Click here to find out: www.whocares.com”.

Obviously the second one is straight spam, with the user probably involved in some affiliate program where they get paid for click-thrus.  But many would argue that both of these are spam, as they are auto-generated.

My thoughts?  Different strokes for different folks.  Personally I believe if you do not have the time to personally say hello to each new person who follows you, these auto-direct messages can be very helpful.  They allow you to get in front of the person and share exclusive information about yourself or your business.

My two rules?

1.  Make it Juicy. When I read a good auto message on Twitter, I will click the link, reply and all the rest.  It will drive me to action.  So if you choose to go down this route, be sure to make it count!

2.  No Bait and Switch. Don’t lure the person with a message that doesn’t mirror what they will see on the other side.  Be 100% transparent…this approach always works beautifully online.

Now, how do you do it?  There are loads of services out there (free and paid) that will enable you to generate these auto-direct messages.  I’ve tried many of them and there are two services I would suggest.  The first is a paid service called SocialOomph.

SocialOomph (https://www.socialoomph.com/) is a pretty robust third-party agent that helps you handle many aspects of your social media campaign.  I’ll let you go through the site and check out all of the bells and whistles.  Right now I want to focus on how to quickly set-up an auto-direct message for Twitter.

Here are the quick steps:

1.  Register and/or login to SocialOomph.  When you register, you want to choose the service where you are able to send “Welcome DMs” to your new followers.

2.  Once you are registered and paid, go to the left hand side menu there is a button for “Social Networks”.  Click on that and follow the directions for adding your Twitter account.

3.  Now that you are registered, go to the left hand menu again, this time choosing “Direct Messages”.  Then click “Edit Welcome DM” and choose your Twitter account.

4.  On this page, first click the box next to “Auto Welcome”.  Then, in the “Send This Message” write your 140 welcome message (remember to follow my two rules above).

5.  Underneath this you have the option to “Auto Follow” which means that anyone who follows you, you will immediately follow back.  This can be tricky, so I would use this with caution.

6.  Last, I would click the box next to “@Replies Digest” to receive the email updates as it is a great way to track your engagement on Twitter.

The other site is called Tweet Manager.  It is a wonderful service, just visit them online and follow the very easy to follow steps that they provide.  It is much easier to use than SocialOomph and currently doesn’t cost a penny to use.

And there you go!  From then on in, your new followers will receive a welcome message.  Again, this method is not for everyone, so try it and track its effectiveness for your campaign.  Twitter marketing, like other social media marketing, is organic and can be tweaked when needed.

So where do you fit into the messy, fast and furious Twitter-verse?  Good question.

I think finding your way on Twitter does take time, research and a good plan.  But once you have these crucial elements a new question arises: how often should I tweet?

I love this question as it seems everyone has a different perspective on the correct answer. Some believe that it has to be based on time, others based on topic.  While both of these are good points, especially for targeting purposes, they really don’t answer the question “how many”.

Let me throw my hat in the ring and attempt to not only answer this question, but give you a quick template on how to do it.

I believe that consistency and a plan are both crucial to a successful Twitter campaign.  With every plan, I believe there should be a good mixture of activity so all of your bases are covered.  Twitter gives you a few options in terms of activity/interaction and I want to focus on the main venues here: tweets, mentions, direct messages and re-tweets.

So, as you can see, there are several ways that you can communicate with others on Twitter.  First, think about how much time you will be able to dedicate to marketing on Twitter everyday.  Maybe you have a couple of hours (lucky you) or maybe just 20-30 minutes a day (which sounds realistic).  Using this time frame, consider how many actions that you will be able to complete during this time and create a daily plan.

While this is a bit more practiced and could be labeled “not spontaneous” I think when you are a busy person (which I know you are) you need to tick things off your daily list with great speed.  If you don’t, then things probably slip away from you and end up in the dreaded “Ah, tomorrow’s another day” pile.

Here’s a sample of how many “tweets” and other Twitter activities that I would suggest you execute on a given day with a little description of the importance of the activity:

Tweets (2): These come directly from you/your company and will contain content that is engaging, entertaining and/or educational.  Share links, photos, videos, quotes or updates pertaining directly to items that you target market (followers) will enjoy reading and will be eager to share.

DMs/Direct Messages (2-5):  These messages are sent privately between two Twitter users.  If you have a relatively small number of followers, these do not come in fast and furious.  They will once you begin to amass followers on a daily basis.  Take 2-5 of the DMs that you receive and send a personal response to the Twitter user.  This will help you get in front of your followers yet again and add that “personal touch” that many miss on Twitter.

RTs/Retweets (2): These are tweets from another Twitter user that you are sharing with YOUR followers with the click of a button.  I suggest finding two influential Twitter users in your product/service category and RT (share) their tweet with your followers.  This is a great way of getting in front of that influential person, while also sharing good solid information with your followers.

@replies/Mentions (2):  When you type @ in front of a Twitter user’s name, your tweet will be shared within their main Twitter stream.  Choose two influential people and tweet them about something that they have shared, or even something that you have seen in the media outside of Twitter – anything on topic.  This is a great way to connect with influential people in your niche and will help you connect with more quality members of your target audience.

So my total for the 20-30 minute Twitter user is a consistent 8-10 per day.  As your Twitter following begins to grow, you will need to spend more time as you will receive more mentions, RTs and DMs.  By the time this happens though, you will be in a groove and will be able to handle everything that comes your way.  When you do this everyday, you will hit your stride and after the first month won’t even need to worry about the number of Tweets that you put out.  It will become second nature and the whole process will become organic.

Another good thing to mention is that there are tools such as TweetDeck and Hootsuite that can help you schedule your Twitter activity so that you don’t always need to be in front of the computer when your Tweets go out.  Be aware that you should not depend on them 100% as it is helpful to keep a watchful eye on the live activity on Twitter.  Also,  sometimes these sites will go down for maintenance….and you could make you lose all of your scheduled activity.  Just keep an eye on your actual account so that you are not shocked when you check back and see that your scheduled Tweets did not go out for the last two weeks.

I hope this sheds some light on how to get your act together on Twitter.  If you can tweet more than this, do so!  If you can’t, don’t!  It is all about consistency – so only bite off what you can chew.

Over the years I have been compiling a list of online marketing sites from my friends, colleagues and just plain old excellent sources in the wonderful world of marketing.  I was taking a look at it the other day and thought that I would share it all with you.

Here are some of THE BEST resources when it comes to marketing your business.  Click and read any combination of the following blogs and be dazzled.  Let them know I sent you and if you like what you see, make sure to subscribe to their RSS feeds.

Without further ado…..here’s the list (of course, my favorite is the first one!):

Go! Media Online: http://www.gomediaonline.com

B2B Marketing Insider: http://www.b2bmarketinginsider.com

TrueYouMarketing.com: http://www.trueyoumarketing.com/

Read Write Web: http://www.readwriteweb.com/

Emergence Marketing: http://www.emergencemarketing.com/

MarketingProfs: http://www.marketingprofs.com

Traffick: http://blog.traffick.com/

Marketing Interactions: http://marketinginteractions.typepad.com/

Michel Fortin: http://michelfortin.com/

Smart Bloggerz: http://www.smartbloggerz.com/

How to Change the World: http://blog.guykawasaki.com

Social Media Explorer: http://www.twitip.com/

Neuromarketing: http://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/

Marketing VOX: http://www.marketingvox.com/

Influential Marketing Blog: http://www.rohitbhargava.com

The Brand Builder Blog: http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com/

SmartBlog on Social Media: http://smartblogs.com/socialmedia/

SEO MOZ: http://www.seomoz.org/blog

Search Marketing Standard: http://www.searchmarketingstandard.com/

Social Media Darwinism: http://pauldunay.com/

AdPulp: http://www.adpulp.com/

Jason Keath: http://jasonkeath.com

Yoast SEO Blog: http://yoast.com/cat/seo/

Majon International’s Official Internet Marketing Blog: http://www.majon.com/blog/

Stokefire: http://www.stokefire.com/blog/

Dominique Hind’s Collective: http://dominiquehind.wordpress.com/

Conversionation: http://www.conversionation.net/

Design For Users: http://www.design-for-users.com/

Small Business Search Marketing: http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/

Conversation Agent: http://www.conversationagent.com/

Get Elastic: http://www.getelastic.com/

twitip: http://www.twitip.com/

Chris Brogan: http://www.chrisbrogan.com/

idaconcpts: http://idaconcpts.com/

Marketing 2.0: http://www.marketingtwo.net/

blogstorm: http://www.blogstorm.co.uk/

REEL SEO: http://www.reelseo.com/

Zero-G Creative: http://zerogcreative.com/blog

Steve Rubel: http://www.steverubel.me/

HubSpot Blog: http://blog.hubspot.com

Jay Baer’s Convince & Convert: http://www.convinceandconvert.com/

Conversation Marketing: http://www.conversationmarketing.com/

We Are Social: http://wearesocial.net/

WindMill Networking: http://windmillnetworking.com/blog/

Branding Strategy Insider: http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com/

Brian Solis: http://www.briansolis.com/

Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! : http://www.damniwish.com/

HigherVisibility Blog: http://www.highervisibility.com/blog/

The Search Agents: http://www.thesearchagents.com/

Mint Blogger: http://www.mintblogger.com/

The Future Buzz: http://thefuturebuzz.com/

ClickZ: http://www.clickz.com/

Doug Haslam: http://doughaslam.com/

Marketing TechBlog: http://www.marketingtechblog.com/

copyblogger Blog: http://www.copyblogger.com/blog/

ShoeMoney: http://www.shoemoney.com/

Jim’s Marketing Blog: http://jimsmarketingblog.com/

Chris Baggott’s Email Marketing Best Practices: http://www.exacttarget.typepad.com/chrisbaggott/

PR Squared: http://www.pr-squared.com/

Drew’s Marketing Minute: http://www.drewsmarketingminute.com/

Webbiquity B2B Marketing Blog: http://webbiquity.com/

Duct Tape Marketing Blog: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/

Marketing Pilgrim: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/

Compete Pulse: http://blog.compete.com/

Ypulse: http://www.ypulse.com/

Jonathan Volk: http://www.jonathanvolk.com/

Dose of Digital: http://www.doseofdigital.com/

Brand Architect: http://www.collings.co.za/

Chris Moody: http://www.chris-moody.com/blog/

Bad Pitch Blog: http://badpitch.blogspot.com/

MarketingSherpa: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/

ChasNote: http://chasnote.com/

Wonder Branding: http://www.wonderbranding.com/

Church of the Customer Blog: http://www.customerevangelists.typepad.com/blog/

Wired PR Works!: http://wiredprworks.com/blog/

Media Bullseye: http://blog.customscoop.com/

Content Marketing Institute, Joe Pulizzi’s Blog: http://blog.junta42.com/

Mari Smith: http://www.marismith.com/mari-smith-blog/

Seth Godin’s Blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/

WebInkNow.: http://www.webinknow.com/

Ingrid O. Catlin: http://www.ingrid-catlin.com/

The Social Media Marketing Blog: http://files.scottmonty.com/

Insights & Ingenuity Blog: http://insightsandingenuity.com/blog/

TopRank Online Marketing Blog: http://www.toprankblog.com/

Success Works: http://www.seocopywriting.com/

Eat Media Blog: http://www.seocopywriting.com/

Web Strategy by Jeremiah Owyang: http://www.web-strategist.com/blog/

Straight Talk with Nigel Hollis: http://www.millwardbrown.com/Global/Blog/StraightTalk.aspx

Writing on the Web with Dr. Patsi Krakoff: http://writingontheweb.com/

Since its inception at the end of 2011, Google+ has grown astronomically and stole the spotlight by snagging more headlines than any of its competitors.

As the site continues to grow, it continues to define itself as a major player in the social media marketing arena.  NOW businesses too have the opportunity to throw their hat in the ring with Google+ Pages for professional purposes.

While to some it may seem straight-forward how to use Google+ Pages for business, many are confused as to how to set up brand marketing on the site.

Much like Facebook – Google+ has some ground rules that you have to follow.  Remember before Facebook Pages, how many companies registered their business under a personal profile…and when Facebook Pages was implemented, were left out in the cold and had to start over?  Thankfully Facebook has fixed this problem and now those who were out in the cold can transfer their info over to an official Facebook Page, but what a pain, right?!

Google+ moved quickly on this front in order to trounce this confusion and to get users started using the Pages quickly.  But the question remains: if I am marketing my business in Google+, do I use a Google+ Profile or a Google+ Page?

Here’s the skinny.  The best way to get the most out of your time on any social site is to follow the guidelines that are presented when you sign up.  If they are asking for your first and last name – its a personal profile.  If they are asking for your business name and website – it’s a Google+ Page.  Pretty straight-forward right?

Here’s a little curve ball for ya…in order to create a Google+ Page, a personal profile must be presented.  Yikes!  What do I do now?

First, don’t worry.  Think of your Google+ Profile as you would your LinkedIn profile.  You can list your interests, achievements, work and educational history, as well as social media links and lots more.  Update your profile and interact on Google+ as if you were on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter in a professional way.

Now on to  your Google+ Page!  This is pretty much a similar format to your Facebook Page, Company Twitter or LinkedIn Company Profile.  Here, updates will be in your brand’s voice and carry information that your company wants to share to engage your audience.

So to keep it short and simple, use both profiles to market yourself and your business on Google+, as this will give you two areas of coverage.  Not interested in having your personal details connected?  Keep your personal profile sparse.  I think it is best to fill everything in, but everyone is different.  Here’s one way to look at it; The internet is a pretty open place, you can find out just about everything and anything about someone – so rather than hide behind your business, be transparent!  Although there may be some good reasons that one may not want to be the spokesperson for the company’s

Google+ or LinkedIn page, the trick here is in how you manage your privacy settings, and what content you put online.

I was listening to an online radio show from the UK yesterday that said that of 300 hiring firms, almost all of them had ‘researched’ social media sites regarding individual candidates – the takeaway from that should NOT be negative…rather – solidly build, manage, and populate your social media sites, and they will be your living resume!  (And if someone is interested in speaking to you about a job offer – they will usually contact you utilizing your offline contacts!)

Once you have yourself setup – dive in!  The conversations are lively and you will be able to connect with lots of interesting people and drive brand awareness like never before.