Sunday, September 28, 2008

Twitter Applications and Enhancements







Just a quick blog on some Twitter applications I was talking about before to check out (Read last blog post for more info on Twitter).

Twitter has some great applications that increase the ease with which one can tweet. I am not going to pretend that I have used all of these or even come close (just because of the sheer number of potential Twittering techniques), but I can list a bunch of these for you, and you can try out a few to see if they make life easier for you!

Aside from internet applications, Twitter can be integrated into your cell phone/smart phone/iPhone/pick-your-type-of-mobile-phone service. A few simple set-up steps and tweet away via text messaging. Otherwise, integration with iPhone apps and smart phones is also possible through phone internet services and apps.  Obviously, gathering a large friend base and network is much easier to do via traditional website usage; so I would reserve networking for Twitter time away from the phone.

Overall, check out the following: 
  • TwitterBerry - a mobile client for posting updates via the BlackBerry without using SMS. 
  • Twitterific - a very popular application with a sleek interface and minimal real estate. It was created for the Mac, and has extremely high reviews. Free basic version, however there is an upgraded version for $14.95 sans advertisements and with enhancements.
  • TweetDeck - TweetDeck is an Adobe Air desktop application that is currently in public beta. It aims to evolve the existing functionality of Twitter by taking an abundance of information i.e twitter feeds, and breaking it down into more manageable bite sized pieces.
  • Slandr - Slandr delivers an enhanced mobile site for Twitter, easier mobile use.
  • Brightkite - Brightkite is a location-based social network. In real time you can see where your friends are and what they're up to. Depending on your privacy settings you can also meet others nearby. Twitter can be integrated into this service as well for overall status - where are you and what are you doing?
  • Hahlo - another mobile enhanced Twitter app.
  • Twirl - twhirl is a social software desktop client, based on the Adobe AIR platform.  Some of twhirl’s features: runs on both Windows (2000/XP/Vista) and Mac OSX, connects to multiple Twitter, laconi.ca, Friendfeed and seesmic accounts, notifications on new messages, shorten long URLs (using snurl, twurl or is.gd), cross-post twitter updates to Pownce and Jaiku, post images to TwitPic, search tweets using Twitter Search and TweetScan, timeline filtering, color schemes, automatically check for new versions, and more (description via their website).
  • TinyTwitter - mobile app that prevents getting dinged for updates and double dinged for friend updates continually arriving via SMS. It will work on ANY Java enabled device and ANY Windows Mobile Pocket PC or Smartphone.
  • Ping.fm - Ping.fm is a simple service that makes updating your social networks a snap. Use AIM, GTalk, iGoogle, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, WAP, iPhone/iPod Touch, SMS or E-mail and let Ping.fm relay your message to a multitude of social networking sites. Seemingly total social integration here.
  • TwitterFeed - Blog/Twitter easy integration; feeds your blog to Twitter.

There are, of course, other applications out there. But these are the main ones I encounter the most. Personal testing is required to find out what works best for you. some of these integrate and enhance more than just Twitter, which is a bonus. but again, it really depends on what is easiest and best suited to each users needs.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Twitterific Twittering...


Another great internet marketing tip for everyone (as always, I am at your service!)...

Check out Twitter. This application/service/Web 2.0 platform/social networking/ social media outlet prompts users to answer the question "What are you doing right now?" Simple enough, right? It is!

I personally have been a faithful Twitter user for a while and am completely enamored with it. It has great business applications as far as consistent networking, and is extremely easy to use. It takes next to no effort to tweet (the act of updating your Twitter status, or twittering), and it is easy to follow/be followed (the equivalent of being friends with someone via Twitter) - hence easy to network!

An enormous amount of applications have also been developed that coincide with and enhance the tweeting experience. It's up to the user's preference what they prefer. Twitter can be incorporated into Myspace, Facebook, blogs, RSS feed readers (like FriendFeed), and just about any other Web 2.0 application you can dream about. Twitter also has applications specific just to Twitter members, as well as outside services that offer Twitter enhancements, desktop applications, real time tweeting, etc.

The Twitter membership is also gigantoid (yes, I will make up a new word for it ;-)) - so an endless pool of other members to befriend awaits you! Make sure to build quality connections, and stay active within the tweeting community. Feel free to tweet about changes to your own websites, blogs, social media, etc - but also make sure that is not your singular purpose on twitter or the level of interest in your Twitter profile will quickly diminish (to nothing) amongst other users. Again, it's all about building QUALITY relationships with people and seriously avoiding spam-like behavior.

As far as an Internet marketing tool, Twitter can assist in network and relationship building tremendously. Also, updates on any of your websites/blogs/socialshiz/etc can be back-linked within your tweets, providing an opportunity for traffic to your sites. The most valuable traffic that will wander towards your back-links, however, are those that understand your credibility and reputation for quality connections (providing that is the relationships you insist upon building!!)

Hope this info helps, as always :-)

Success is a Choice. Make that Choice Today.

Jessa

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Sunday, August 10, 2008

Social Bookmarking - What is Actually Useful?


In the crazy Web 2.0 world out there, social bookmarking sites are popping up everywhere. As a relative newcomer to the social bookmarking scene, I am trying to weed through what is truly effective and what isn't.

Social bookmarking is something I have been dabbling in since I began Internet marketing last year. I tried all the traditionally recommended sites -- I even blogged earlier about some of those sites as I began trying them. I submitted all my URLs, sat back, and waited for traffic.

Of course, I quickly came to the realization that this method is not the best method for traffic generation.

After a lot of trial and error, market research, and participation in bookmarking communities, I learned that simply submitting just your own websites as newsworthy material doesn't get you followers, friends or readers. When you ACTIVELY participate in the social community, others only then begin to migrate towards your website selections.

A good way to include your website into the mix of sites that you bookmark is including only updates and additions to your blogs, squidoo lenses, and main website updates. Highlighting new material and new contributions along with other sites significant to you provides a variety of links for people from enjoy and choose from, instead of just articles and blogs relating only to your webpages. The end result of this method is a larger friend/reader base.

When you submit updated material (ie new blog posts) within the same webpage, this directs traffic repeatedly to the same site and same backlinks. In turn, you have increased potential for traffic generation towards your home business pages.

Also, trying out free bookmarking software and websites that assist with multiple submissions simultaneously helps speed up the bookmarking process, and frees up more time for social participation. When you engage yourself in these social communities, you gain credibility and friends.

Some suggestions: Digg, StumbleUpon, Reddit, Newsvine, PlugIM, Del.icio.us
Multiple automated submissions: OnlyWire

(These might have been mentioned by me previously, but they are what I use. I have just learned to use them much more EFFECTIVELY now!)

The biggest key with all of these sites is CONSISTENCY! You have to stick with them, contribute regularly, highlight articles and newspieces OTHER than just your own information, and PARTICIPATE within the community.

Have something important to offer others, rather than just expecting something for yourself!!

Chao!

Success is a Choice. Make That Choice Today!
Home Business Opportunity!
Amazing Cash Gifting Program!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Website submissions

A great tip that is very overlooked to get your website and business out there on the big, bad web -- submit your website directly to search engines.

A lot of marketers think just because they blog about a website or make a myspace page referencing it that they will get a ton of traffic because they are doing other things to point towards their site. Not always the case, my friends. Sometimes backlinks get lost in translation. For example, with myspace, redirecting someone to a link for your webpage is a 2 step process where myspace converts all links to a myspace (msplink) caution before you can click through. Not the most direct method in free traffic flow to your business site.

Submitting your website directly to Google or Yahoo Directory
or Yellow Pages gets your website directly to all of the search engines. Of course, definately keep up the backlinking and link posting as much as possible, because it definately improves search engine ratings. Submitting your business website to multiple search engines puts your direct website into search results, rather than links that eventually get website wanderers there. And there are a TON of directories out there that url submissions are free or very cheap. Think Google, Yellow Pages, MSN, Y!Directories, Submit Express, AddMe, local business directories, etc. Get a good list going of where you want to submit your website to, and dedicate an hour or 2 to submittals. An easy workday thats well worth it!

Just another tip to make everyone's life easier ... food for thought :-)

Success is a choice. Make that Choice Today.
Home Business Opportunity
My Internet Business - Your Opportunity to Be YOUR OWN Boss and Control Your Destiny

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Keeping Your Social Media Centralized

I find that with so many different socail networking, social bookmarking, social comment software, general networking and communication, and Web 2.0 type sites, pages, and memberships out there - staying centralized and focused when attempting many of these marketing methods is sometimes problematic. There is just SO MUCH out there for you to connect with others, and spread the word about what you are doing/selling/marketing that sometimes I find it difficult to keep up with. Needless to say, I am always on the lookout for new methods to make my life easier!!

One particular method that aggregates a decent amount of social and sharing sites is FriendFeed. Other similar sites definately exists, each of them on different levels. For example, Digsby combines a bunch of social media and chatting capabilities into one location. FriendFeed is similar in that it combines social media and other Web 2.0 applications into one membership - but it also gives it all a singular profile and feed, and updates changes in any account in a Real Time application manner using each websites feed. Very convenient - a must check out.

FriendFeed website - http://www.friendfeed.com (no brainer, right?)


For other internet amrketing tips and mentorship pointers, feel free to check out our website at www.myprovenprofit.com -- hope to talk soon!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Back into the Marketing Game :-)

After taking a brief haitus to move into a new space to accomodate our business, Mark and I are back in full effect :-)

My Internet Business is doing exceptionally well, and we have also expanded into an incredible cash gifting program -- both of which have been extremely beneficial to us and our team members! And always, if you have any questions about either program we concentrate on, feel free to visit our My Internet Business Website, our Gifting Website or contact us directly (our phone number is available on either website).

On a general note, there are some great new tips I will be updating my blog with for all of our fellow internet marketers out there. We have been continually searching for new and innovative methods of marketing to keep ahead of the curve, as always :-)

Within article marketing, a great tip to check out is a free program called JetSpinner. This program takes each article you write and spins the content phrase by phrase (a little tricky to get at first, but once you do it a few times, it's VERY helpful). This allows the same article to be recognized by search engines as original content when submitting articles to multiple article submission sites. Very handy indeed. In turn, this increases the search engine rating of your articles, and thereby increases traffic through each "original" article and its backlinking.

A couple links for this:
www.jetsubmitter.com
www.spontent.com/spinner
www.articlepromoter.com/z/jetspinner

All these links take you to the same place to get the same software :-) And it is FREE, so get it while it still is!

Success is a Choice. Make that Choice Today!
Happy Marketing!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Kyte channels

This is a great tool to stream photos, informational videos, promotional material, business information, etc. Create your own Kyte channel, then add your content to continually broadcast on your original channel. This can be done in a variety of different ways, and can be added as an application to your facebook page, myspace page, website, blog, squidoo lens, and more. This multi-use application is therefore an easy way to broadcast information within a variety of marketing and media methods (social networking, home webpage, within Kyte itself, social bookmarking, blogging). Again, this is another free marketing tool that, when used effectively, can relay a bunch of information in a streaming media platform in a veriety of different applications and methods -- so give it a try for yourself!