10 Most Important Wordpress Plugins

Feedburner Feedsmith: This is a WordPress plugin that detects and helps users to access the installation process with RSS feeds and replaces it with a Feedburner feed. The main benefit of having Feedburner with RSS Feeds is that, it can show the number of … This can increase the comments greatly and you can benefit from the traffic generation system.

See more here: 
10 Most Important Wordpress Plugins

Social Media Marketing – Why You Need to Establish Your Brand in Web 2.0

Why Brand in social media?
You probably have asked this question before.
Or maybe twice.
I know I did several years ago-until the “light went on” and I discovered some things that proved to be worth millions in business.
But just what IS branding in social media and how do you participate in it?
Branding is a marketing technique, strategy, method, or action that has the massive potential to elevate your online and social media business to the top. It involves helping your customers every time they think of you to form a recognizable association -mental , emotional, or other-with you.
What can you do to make that happen?
Link your business with a powerful and unique design, logo, slogan, and/or color and observe the positive results and imaging that starts to take place in people’s minds.
It is critical that you take the brnading efforts to a new level and understand that there are 3 things that people look for in branding:
1) What they are FEELING.
Branding is all about emotion and feelings when it comes down to it. Either it feels RIGHT, or it does not. And if it does not, then your brand will be extinct before too long.
2) What people are SEEING on the video screen in their mind.
What picture does the prospect SEE in their mind when they think of your brand? What emotions does that elicit? Is it a picture that you want them to see?
3) What are they EXPECTING.
What is the prospect EXPECTING to happen or experience with your brand? This is critical because your brand must be consistent as well as credible.
Brands create a feeling of recognition, remembrance, and familiarity.
If customers have seen your logo or meme, insignia, or company name, they are more likely to continue to consistently select your product or service. Also, they are more apt to refer and suggest them to others. Referrals through word of mouth can be an extremely powerful form of advertising and it can build your brand and accelerate it.
A brand helps possible customers remember your business as well as the emotions surrounding it. (Nike). People may know little about your life and business philosophy or reputation. However, if they can recognize your brand, the chances are greater that they will do business with you.
Branding creates memory in the mind of the public. we call it “Memory magnet.” Your brand must draw people towards you and your message and product every time they think of it.
When the public remembers your brand and familiarizes themselves and others with it, they will come back. Customers are more likely to remain devoted to your business and are apt to buy further products or services from you based on the brand of the initial product with which they had success.
This called building a book of business you can count on.
People are willing to pay more for products or services that they highly regard. This means that customers are likely to pass up cheaper prices with competitors if your brand has made a positive impression on them. If clients believe in your product, they will pay for it.
That is why you need to brand yourself as the “Premier Provider” in your niche and market, so you can charge what your brand is really worth.
When you have distinguished and set yourself and your business apart through branding, the marketing has the capability of becoming so profound, that little else is necessary. Developing your brand takes time and effort, but after it has been solidified, and after customers have had the chance to identify with it, your sales can increase naturally. You won’t have to spend as much time planning marketing strategies to attract the public in your social media marketing strategies
blessings…doug firebaugh
http://www.socialmediablogster.com

Social Media Marketing Training- The Two Things That Everyone is Looking For in Social Media

When you think about it, there are only 2 things that people are looking for in Social Media. It does not matter if you are in real estate, mortgage banking, insurance, or even in marketing of some type. People are always looking for something.
You just need to make sure that you know what those things are.
Most people in the Social Media arena are progressive thinkers and progressive people. Most are ahead of the curve in the web 2.0 world, and most have a focus of being ahead of the pack. The early adopters of Social Media, which I am one, started on the Social media scene 5 years ago. There as not much there, but what was there, was used as best as it could be used.
People then, and people now, are still the same. They always will be. But in the Social media arena, they are looking for 2 things that will help them.
Help them feel better about whom they are. Help them feel better about what they do. And help them feel better about where their life is going. All people are in some way looking for that forward focus. That is why in the social scene, there are 2 things people seem to be seeking more than anything.
Only two.
1) CONNECTION.
Most people in Web 2.0 ville are looking for Connection. They want to connect with people, information, new ideas, new trainings, new events, new groups, new videos, but whatever they are looking for, they want to CONNECT.
Connection is part of the culture we grew up in. People in real estate understand the person want to feel emotionally connected to a house before they purchase it. People want to feel connected to a car before they decide to buy it. And people want to feel connected to something before they start building that bridge of trust with you. You must make an effort to connect in a way that they will respond to in social media.
IN Social Media Marketing, Connection is NOT Correction as so many people think. They are NOT looking to be told that their life is not any good, or is lacking. They are not looking to be told their home is too small for them. They want to Connect to something or someone that will make them feel better about themselves and where their life is headed. You do that in conversations on twitter, facebook, myspace, orkut, moli, LinkedIn, and the like.
They want to feel GOOD about a conversation with you, no matter the social network. They want to feel FOCUSED ON and Tied into a conversation that will help them feel more a part of something that can increase and enlarge their life and future.
CONNECTING with people is simply reaching out and taking their hand over the internet and letting them feel PLUGGED IN to something and someone that can help you connect to new possibilities and to new destinies.
THAT is simple and the truth. Keep the Connection authentic and real, and they will listen to what your conversation is about and start drawing closer to you and your message.
2) Elevation.
People want to feel like they are being lifted higher in their life. They want to feel like their life is going somewhere and means something. We all do. We all are looking for that special feeling that we are special, and as trite as that sounds, it is the truth.
What can you do to create that feeling that they truly believe they are walking on air?
Life them up by noticing something g they said that has helped you.
Compliment them.
Give them a kind remark about their efforts in what they are doing in Social Media.
Ask questions they might know the answer to show you appreciate their knowledge..
Send them new ideas on their passion.
Notice something about their conversation that you can totally appreciate and let them know about it.
Empower them with encouragement.
Thank them for learning something from them.
WHY?
It will make them glad they talked to you in Social Media. And they will remember you the next message, tweet, or conversation. They will move from the Awareness stage, to the Appreciation stage in Social Media.
As a realtor, you will see that they can start to trust you, and even start referring possible clients to you as people they know are moving out or into – your area.
Remember- it is NOT what you said. But how you made them feel by Connecting with them and Elevating their hope and future in the Social media Marketing arena.
blessings…doug

Social Media Marketing- the Top 10 Mistakes People Will Make in Social Media in 2009

Here we go again!
Another year and another great possibility! With the election of Obama to the presidency, there is Hope and all are looking for a great future.
But I am sitting here thinking of all the folks in social Media that are going to be frustrated again in their social Media marketing efforts. wondering why they are not getting the traction or friends that they thought they should. And the main reason is that they continue to make the same mistakes in Social Media as last year.
Are YOU going to do that- I sure hope not. You may not have the power of a Robert Scoble, or the personality of a Gary Vanyerchuck, or the mind of a Chris Brogan, or the networking focus of a Mari Smith or Coach Deb micek. Or even the amazing writing talent of a Scott Monty.
At least not yet.
But you CAN accelerate your Social Media Success this year by avoiding these top 10 mistakes made by people in Social media in 2009.
Ok…what are they?
1) Lack of Consistent Visibility.
You cannot make a path and create a presence in Social Media, without CONSISTENTLY being SEEN and HEARD with your message. Ask Carrie Wilkerson. Or Timothy Carter. NOT going to happen. That is why that you MSUT create a Presence on the web DAILY- and be seen and heard as part of the community. A tree does not grow part time. It must be consistent in it’s efforts. It is the saem with your Social Media marketing.
2) Focusing too much on being heard.
LISTEN first- THEN talk. Social Media is about Listening to what is being said- by your prospects and customers- and social media in general. You would never enter a party or social event and immediately start yelling out what you wanted to talk about.
Neither should you in Social Media. LISTEN and then LEARN- and then Let your voice be heard- ONLY as a part of the existing conversation. Your time to start the conversation will come.
3) Taking, instead of GIVING to the Social Media Community.
Ahhhhh- lots of takers out in the Web 2,0 world. But NOT YOU. GIVE first. Give Value. Give Suggestions. Give Advice. Give ideas. Give Encouragement. Give News. Give New Possibilities. Give Words of Gratitude. But do NOT take relentlessly. You will be shunned and labeled as such.
If you REALLY want to create powerful influence- GIVE. How does that work?
GIVE = Gain Influence Very Easily. Give FIRST – and you will never come in Second.
4) Not Joining groups.
Groups are where you can have some of the greatest growth and learning. I belong to a ton of groups. Why? Because of 2 reasons: 1) I learn a lot from other people. 2) I CONNECT with the folks in the group.
Groups are a “secret weapon” that you should use on as many social sites as you can. They will not only Enlarge you- but also the possibilities that the group can bring to your life.
5) Not attending Events.
Events ROCK. And you should be attending at leat 1 event a week to do 2 things: 1) Become more Visible. 2) To learn from people that know things you do not.
Events are what i call the “Hidden University” of social Media. You can learn a LOT and grow a lot from events.
Look at the events that interest you. And pick on event that mildly interests you. And see if you can learn something even from that event. I have an event journal. and every event that i attend- i keep a log of what was said so i can review it later. You may want to do the same.
6) Not enough VALUE in what they are doing.
Value RULES in Social Media. And we train on what we call “Surprising Value.” This is the type of Value that is so great and unexpected that it surprises the person that discovers it. Put More Value in your POSTS. Put more Value in your PODCASTS. Put more Value in your Conversations. Put more Value in your Articles. Put More Value in your Recommendations. Put More Value in YOU and what you bring to the Social Media table.
Value RULES. And the one with the MOST value at the end of the day- reigns.
7) Joining Too Many Social Media sites.
There are about 3,600 Social Media sites. You need maybe 5-7. You read that right. You need 5-7 PRIMARY Social Sites. Then you need maybe 25-30, or even 50 Secondary sites for Link Building and traffic purposes. The main sites that you should be a part of- is up to you. My ‘Big 7″ are facebook, twitter, youtube, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon, Plaxo, and Wordpress- along with mashable. These are the CORE of my Social Media Marketing.
Do I belong to more? Heavens yes- a LOT more’ but have automated those through ping.fm and other social software.
Do NOT try and be seen on a hundred sites. Facebook alone can keep you busy with over 200 million people. The same with myspace, or friendster. Master ONE site while mastering social media and then another, and then another, until you have YOUR “Big 7.” And then automate the rest.
8) Focusing too much on Monetizing Social Media.
Nothing wrong with monetization on the internet. We do it a LOT- and daily. But focusing too much on that in social media- is , well…not cool. People do not mind knowing about an offer, or new info product. But how about giving some VALUE first with it- then invite them to an event- and then at the end of the conference call or webinar-give them a chance to purchase your produst.
What do I see daily? Urls and messages SELLING SELLING SELLING! Whew- wish that would not happen so blatantly. It has gotten better, but if you have a great content rich info product- here is a novel idea: GIVE part of the info away FIRST’and let the person ASK you for the product if they like it.
Hmmm….that just might be an idea worth considering.
9) Thinking that You are Nobody and Social Media Success is for other people.
Ask Chris Brogan. Ask Scott Monty. Ask Alejandro Reyes. Ask Brian Solis. Ask Dave Taylor. Ask Shama Hyder. EVRYONE has a great possibility to becoming SOMEBODY in Social Media. THAT is the beauty of the culture. Everyone who contributes Value and Connection- is more than welcome to achieve whatever they want. Chris Brogan once had 10 readers of his blog. Now he has almost 40,000 people following him on twitter alone. Brian Clark of copyblogger fame once had 10 readers. So did Scoble. So did Monty. So did Shama. And the list is endless.
There is GREATNESS inside of you-and there is NO BETTER place than Social Media to unleash it upon the world. You ARE Somebody- and always have been. YOU are a Social Media Rockstar- in training!
10) Not Branding Yourself Strong Enough.
Branding is a tool that we all use in Social Media. It is WHO YOU ARE- and what people remember about you. It could be a phrase-”Just Do It (TM)”- or a slogan- “”We’ve Got You Covered.” Or even a questions- “Can You Hear me Now?” or just a Name-”Trump.”
You need to get a slogan or phrase that you can start wrapping in your messages. You need to get an image that speaks what you want the public to see and know. And you need to decide -what is the ONE THING I want people to think of FIRST- when they think of me and my company? THAT is the start of a good brand build. Do not be just another face in the web 2.0 world. Set yourself apart and above the fray with a brand that rocks. We teach what is called “Connection Branding” and we have saying:
“Do NOT just be known or remembered- become UNFORGETTABLE.” ™
THAT is what you need to do!
These are the top 10 mistakes people will make in Social Media in 2009. Yes, i Know there are others- but these are the ones that i see as the most prevalent in Social Media marketing.
blessings..doug firebaugh

How to Find a Company that Offers Social Media Marketing Services

Many mass media advertisements are emerging every day but internet seems to be better. If you look at an experienced firm that knows how to make the most of a variety of different services, you will grow at rates that you have never expected. An effective social media marketing plan incorporates many different tactics that combine together to see your website’s presence expand greatly.Companies that provide social media marketing services should increase your traffic with link sharing sites. A link sharing site is a certain kind of website that allows users to submit links to other websites and articles. On these sites users can vote for an article or website they like and the articles with the most votes end up getting even more exposure. You’ll be able to find more people interested in what you have to offer by submitting high-quality content to websites like this, which will also allow you to amass a collection of links that search engines can find.A social media marketing plan also needs to incorporate profile building on profile and friend sites. Many popular social networking sites like Orkut or Facebook allow users to form and join their communities to show their interest. This will popularize what type of goods you are selling to new customers and enable them to do shopping through your site.Additional social media marketing services are also offered by firms. For instance, a lot of businesses lend themselves to photographs and videos. Creating a short, fun video on popular video sharing sites such as YouTube is your ticket to broadening your customer base and finding new markets for your Web site. Those who attempt to attack this kind of task by themselves usually aren’t aware of a few key factors. Among these, it’s not possible to just share information pertaining to you or advertise your own products. The social network forum should add your membership to its credit. You have to be actively involved in posting comments on others’ articles, taking part in discussions, keeping track of others’ links and related stuff. This not only furthers your presence on these sites but also makes what you have to offer more appealing, approachable and credible.For proprietors of small enterprises with not much time to spare, this is often incredibly time consuming. This is why hiring firms with the tools and experience to quickly and cheaply pull off a social media marketing plan is so important. The range of available social media marketing services is vast and you want to be able to capture the power of as many of them as possible.Finding a social media marketing service that works for your business can take some time. Don’t dive into the first company you see because they give you the “best” meaning cheapest deal. Don’t forget the old adage that you get what you pay for. In times like these with the rough economy, you are better spending a little bit of money on a proven marketing method that reduces your cost with a company that’s proven to work. If you found this information useful and are in need of social media marketing services that are cost effective and will reduce your monthly marketing budget, get a free consultation at Fast Web Strategies now, a Seattle SEO based company that also provides free tips and tricks at its blog.

Global Survey Shows Benefits of Web 2.0

Go here to read the rest:
Global Survey Shows Benefits of Web 2.0

Three Social Media Marketing Tips For Your Business

Social media marketing is an extensive, time consuming marketing technique used to create relationships that can change a company’s life. The distinctiveness of different relationships, sales techniques, and networking opportunities helps with increasing web site traffic to your business website. Thus, what should be your next step if you wish to tap into the latest markets you weren’t even aware of? Take advantage of our social media marketing tips to increase your business’ presence on the web. The possibilities available by using cost-effective marketing, establishing profitable relationships, building credibility and image and finding hidden markets within a network are extensive.Who doesn’t want to save money in today’s economy? One great way to do just that is to hire a social media marketing company. There is a savings potential of several thousands of dollars. Your competition could be using the exact same social media marketing tips by building their traffic and decreasing their costs. Where are you? A business owner’s mind is constantly thinking about cost, especially the costs surrounding development opportunity. One should know where to hit. Invest in social media marketing. Your relationships will increase and last throughout your lifespan. Establishing profitable relationships is among the most important social media marketing tips as such people would assist you in creating a network of clients.Social media marketing intrigues audiences as they become loyal clients, readers of a blog, and subscribers to your membership sites for premium services. The twin goals of social marketing are to remain social and open and also increase the sales as much as possible. It’s not that hard of a job, but raising the level of web site visitors does require a great deal of effort.Build up Believability and ReputationThe believability of your company often determines the customer’s willingness to seek you out. A professional company can help a small business networks with ease. How do potential customers view your business? You can make a huge change in your company when you are increasing your web traffic from consistent participation. Imagine the possibilities available with making the right connection with the right professional – increased sales are inevitable for anyone that hires a company that implements these social media marketing tips for good.You have to tap into the knowledge of professionals instead of tarnishing your reputation through reckless relationship building attempts. You need to make more sales using social marketing tips provided in the marketing area.Everyone wants to make a difference in their abilities to work through the troubles of finding clients. People are far more likely to react positively to well placed promotional strategies.There are several markets behind the scenes that most people don’t know about. With the help of a professional social media marketing company, you can move through the net with confidence. Most important thing is your relationship. Your business’ image online can change considerably by that. Search Hidden MarketsNiches are essential If you can’t figure out where to tap, you have to depend on the network you establish for profitable opportunities. Ask your social media marketing consultant to help you create a stronger connection with other business owners. If you’re open to new ideas, then you can break into a hidden market where you’ll have little to no competition, and you can establish a distinctive image. You can discover other social media marketing tips by visiting Social Media Annahiliaton Blog for other free quick tips that you can begin to implement now in your own online campaigns. Check out fastwebstrategies.com for those social media marketing tips.

Next Page »