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Your Online Security Guide to Protecting Your Online Presence

April 18 in Blog by marketing morgan | Comments Off

When was the last time you Googled yourself? You may find that Google knows more about you than you know about yourself!

A recent study from Javelin Strategy and Research showed that more than 12 million people in the United States were victims of identity fraud.

Online security is an issue in today’s digital world. Despite privacy acts, you can never be too cautious. While you should always assume that everything you put on the internet is public, there are steps you can take to decrease the chances of being personally hacked.

Many online social sites like Facebook and LinkedIn ask for your birthday. It is ok to enter the month and date, but we suggest leaving out or hiding the year you were born. It is not because your “old,” but hackers have a far greater chance of successfully stealing your identity if they know your age.

Avoid clicking on suspicious links while you peruse social media sites, especially Twitter. Seventy percent of identity theft attacks stem from links that ask you to visit a scam website via a private message. Restrain and don’t click! No one is spreading nasty rumors about you, at least not on Twitter!

As social media experts, we see many profiles that have left their information, posts and photos public. By doing this, you are helping thieves easily access your personal information. Statistics show that 30 percent of Facebook profiles are not set to private and 14 percent do not know their Facebook privacy settings. With that said, inform yourself of your social site’s online privacy settings. It’s not fool proof, but it’s a good start to protect yourself from being hacked.

Create strong passwords. This seems silly, but many people use their pets’ and/or a child’s name. If the password requires a number, many people use the number “1.” Don’t do this! Create a strong password with a mixture of letters, numbers and special characters. Two out of five people use similar passwords for various accounts. Protect your social and financial accounts by being password savvy.

Tagged Facebook, Jacksonville, LinkedIn, online privacy, personal information, privacy acts, security, small business, social media

Five critical mistakes businesses make with social media

May 10 in Blog by leading lady | No Comments

When training many small to medium-sized businesses to effectively use social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, there are five critical mistakes that I come across consistently. There is no concrete answer on how to be successful in social media due because every business offers different products and services to different target audiences. However, there are best practices that companies should be aware of and work diligently to implement. Here are the top five mistakes that businesses make when leveraging social media.

1) There’s no plan or strategy. I have seen many businesses set up Facebook and Twitter accounts, and then let them sit dormant. A stale account will do nothing to help grow your business. In fact, it can harm your business. My suggestion is to create at least a six-month social media plan, and stick to it. Strategize with a local consultant, mentor or friend who specializes in social media, and remember to have fun with it. Social media is a way to show off your company and build lasting relationships with your customers.

2) Content is not prioritized. A business should always try to stick to the 80/20 rule. This rule states that content and messaging should be 80 percent informational and 20 percent promotional. Social media is a pull system, so stop pushing. Your customers do not want you to hound them every day to come into your store or buy your products. They want you to bring valuable information to them and prove you are a resource to them and a thought leader in your industry. You want to feed your fans and followers great content and create conversation on platforms that are relevant to your marketing plan. For example, do not set up an account on Pinterest just because everyone else is doing it. If the platform does not fit your model, excel in the platforms that do. Thanks to the Internet, there is a lot of great content at your disposal. Engagement is everything.

3) Automated posting by linking social media accounts. Linking Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts is a huge social media no-no. While it sounds contradictory because many social sites encourage it, you do not want to push the same message out across all sites simultaneously. Twitter enforces a message length requirement and encourages multiple tweets a day due to sheer volume of tweets. However, Facebook encourages a more in-depth message for less frequent posting. Each platform hosts a different audience in a different atmosphere. Speak with them appropriately.

Read the Full Article in the Jacksonville Business Journal

Tagged 2011 social media statistics, business journal, business workshop, digital marketing, Facebook, Facebook for business, Florida, grow your business online, instagram, Jacksonville, LinkedIn, LinkedIn Platform, linkedin strategies, modern marketing, pinterest, power of social media marketing, professional social media, social madness, social media, social media marketing, social media-sharing, traditional media, Twitter

Social Media Plans: Your Accountability Partner

April 19 in Blog by marketing morgan | No Comments

Social Media has taken over the digital marketing world and is casting a shadow over traditional media outlets. Businesses know they need to be on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, & Instagram, but many small to medium size business are unsure how to do it effectively.

Social Media plans are key to building your online brand presence. With a plan in place, you can begin to build brand awareness, improve customer service, drive traffic to your Web site, generate leads and strengthen relationships with your current consumer base.

The first step is accepting responsibility for the page. Committing head-on to social media is the toughest step, but you will be well on your way to engaging with your customers and strengthening your online presence. Once your company has a Facebook page or Twitter profile, it is important to post regularly with relevant content for your fans and followers. Each social platform must be monitored on a regular basis to ensure user activity is not being neglected.

A plan will help you to become a forward thinker, allow you to map out holidays, plan contests and will hold you accountable to post content as scheduled. The generator of this plan should always be seen as an accountability partner to make sure your company stays on track and your social media platforms are flourishing.

To learn more about social media plans and best practices available through Thomas Marketing Consulting – call 904-651-7976 or e-mail info@ThomasMarketingUSA.com for your complementary consultation.

Tagged 2011 social media statistics, business workshop, Facebook, Facebook for business, grow your business online, LinkedIn, social media, social media campaign, social media marketing, social media-sharing, Twitter

“Strategies for a Successful LinkedIn Experience” Workshop Registration Now Open

November 7 in Blog by leading lady | No Comments

How to Turn Connections into Clients

**Limited to 20 people**

Who should attend: Professionals who already have LinkedIn accounts and are looking to maximize their LinkedIn experience.

LinkedIn is “the world’s largest professional network on the Internet,” according to its website. For individuals, it’s a powerful networking tool to find colleagues and industry professionals. For businesses, it’s highly effective for recruiting talent and for marketing the company. LinkedIn profiles allow people to establish professional identities with their work experience, community involvement, education, and other pertinent information.

Are you getting the most out of your LinkedIn experience?

What you will learn:

The benefits of LinkedIn
The basics of utilizing LinkedIn
How to navigate the home page, profile, groups, answers effectively
How to complete your profile effectively
How to gain new connections
Coaching on how to position oneself as a “thought leader” and “resource”
Linkedin etiquette and best practices
The importance of having a strategic plan in place

$35 per person or
$60 for both Linkedin and Twitter workshops

Twitter for Business – Tuesday, December 13 (AM)

Tagged business workshop, Florida, Jacksonville, LinkedIn, LinkedIn for business, marketing, professional social media, social media, social media marketing

Top Three Things to Know About Social Media Marketing

August 10 in Blog by leading lady | No Comments

1) Don’t just do it – do it correctly. Make your social media marketing efforts count. Don’t just post for the sake of posting. The key to social media marketing is knowing what to say, who to say it to, and how often to say it. Commit to the upkeep of your social media accounts, and deliver content that interests and engages your audience. If your followers don’t find value in the information you share, they’ll stop following you.

2.) Form a cohesive social media marketing campaign. To reach the largest audience possible, you must establish your business on multiple social media websites. Choose the platforms that your customers are most involved with, and use linking strategies to show them what else you have in place. Experts agree. “LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are not options. They must all be used or BOOM! will never happen, much less meet your expectations,” states Jeffrey Gitomer, author of Social BOOM!. The key to a successful social media marketing campaign is having a clear set plan in place. At TMC, we recommend at least a 12-month plan to track your efforts effectively.

3.) Be consistent. Align your social media marketing efforts with your traditional media marketing efforts. Do your print ads contain a Twitter logo? Do your TV ads feature your Facebook URL? Coordinating these efforts helps establish your brand and also makes it easier for customers to find your business. Always keep your marketing objectives in mind, and you will keep that consistent voice across all media.

What do you consider to be other dos or don’ts of social media marketing?

Tagged Facebook, LinkedIn, social media, social media marketing, social media marketing campaign, social media websites, Twitter, YouTube

The Basics of Social Media Marketing

July 28 in Blog by leading lady | No Comments

Learning the marketing capabilities of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and all other social media platforms can be intimidating. New social media sites are constantly introduced, and the task of determining which ones are best to market your company can be overwhelming.

Relax. We’re here to help! Let’s start with the basics of social media marketing.

What is Facebook? Facebook is a social networking site with a mission of “giving people the power to share and make the world more open and connected,” according to its website. While its original focus was on personal use, Facebook has evolved over the last few years to become a powerful professional resource. Posting engaging, relevant content on your business page motivates people to “like” your page. The more fans you have that “like” your page, the more exposure your company gets. The interactive Facebook “wall” also offers a company valuable insight to customer opinions and allows the opportunity for a positive customer service experience.

What is Twitter? Twitter is “a real-time information network that connects you to the latest information about what you find interesting,” according to its website. Through 140-character “tweets,” you can share valuable information through your original text or through links. When people find your “tweets” relevant, they re-post them on their profiles, thus growing the exposure of your message. Twitter is especially influential for businesses, since businesses can build targeted communities of people who are interested in their specific products and services.

What is LinkedIn? LinkedIn is “the world’s largest professional network on the Internet,” according to its website. For individuals, it’s a powerful networking tool to find colleagues and industry professionals. For businesses, it’s highly effective for recruiting talent and for marketing the company. LinkedIn profiles allow people to establish professional identities with their work experience, community involvement, education, and other pertinent information. Company profile pages are also available.

Our owner here at Thomas Marketing Consulting, Jessica Thomas, describes social media as “the catalyst in communication,” and you can see why! Connectivity and customer feedback are the main attractions of using social media marketing for business. When executed correctly, your social media efforts create brand influencers who help generate awareness and positive responses for your company.

Do you understand the difference between Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and how combining the three social media sites can benefit your company?

Tagged Facebook, LinkedIn, social media, social media marketing, social media marketing for business, social media platforms, social media sites, Twitter, what is Facebook, what is LinkedIn, what is Twitter