Google+ Redesign is …So Pretty

in Social Media by iqmadmin April 12, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

Google has announced an overhaul of the Google+ interface. The rollouts began this week, and the changes are designed to be more customizable, more social, and more visual. It also offers a new interface for Google+’s breakthrough – but underused – service, Hangouts.

Icon-Centric Navigation

Navigation is the most obvious and dramatic change. Instead of function buttons framing the top left corner, the buttons for your Google apps – your profile, photos, hangouts, etc.— populate a “navigation ribbon” along the left, where users can drag-n-drop app icons. It’s a Google-simple version of the iOs app shelf.

A mouse-over reveals an app icon’s functions. Dragging app icons off the navigation ribbon will automatically drop it into the “…MORE” section. The ability to add, remove, customize your personal favorites and most-used Google+ features is designed to coax longer interaction.

The Twitter-like trending box in the upper right feeds into the Explore page, where users can see what’s going on throughout the entire network.

Emphasis on Photos and Videos, Hangouts

According to Google, much of the overhaul was designed to “make sharing more evocative.” One area that got lavished with attention was videos and photos. More screen real estate is dedicated to them. There was an emphasis on sharing from anywhere on Google, including YouTube and Google search.

The dedicated Hangouts page features a rotating list of current and popular hangouts, from pros and from your circles. Hangouts – like buffed-up conferencing — are still used primarily by tech-y and nerdy types, as is most of the Google+ network. The page hopes to make Hangouts more accessible to everyone else.

No one can deny that Google+ is thoughtfully designed. It was partly a matter of reaching out to a different type of user, namely, everybody.

Pinterest Jostling for Place Among the Top — And Winning

in Social Media by iqmadmin April 6, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

Pinterest is still invite-only but new aggregated data indicates that it is taking its place among the social media behemoths in referral traffic:

Pinterest is driving more referral traffic than Twitter
Pinterest is driving more referral traffic than Google Plus (G+), LinkedIn, and YouTube combined

The data was collected from more than 200,000 publishers who collectively reach more than 270 million unique monthly visitors each month. Facebook still accounted for more than a quarter of the referral traffic. Subculture-centric Stumbleupon held on to its number-two position, while similar bookmarking site Reddit was also among the top.

This is Huge: Pinterest > Twitter

The biggest news here has got to be the Twitter connection. Twitter’s micro-blogging platform found its power in its concise, 140-character bursts of information – posts are quick to craft and easy to share. Along with its URL shorteners making it more than easy to put active links in posts, Twitter was a powerful source of referral traffic for businesses and marketers.

It now looks as if Pinterest is occupying a similar niche, with the added dimensions of being visuals-focused. There is power in pictures — and Pinterest is remarkably beautiful, and its content is infinitely clickable.

We’ve blogged about Pinterest before. We’re also marketers who have been eagerly watching Pinterest grow since the beginning. If you’d like to know more about how we can leverage Pinterest for you, contact us. Ask your questions. We would love to share what we know.

Social Media: Photos Drive Twice As Much Engagement

in Social Media by iqmadmin March 30, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

social media facebook photos When marketers talk about social media and what businesses can do to engage customers using social media, they often limit their discussion to prescribed frequency and content of text posts. Granted, the bulk of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media posts will be short bursts of text. But some networks, like Facebook, lend themselves so well to photos (pics) that there are 250 million uploaded each day (making Facebook the biggest photos site in the world).

And, photos on social media networks drive twice as much engagement as text posts.

The growth of apps like Instagram is another indicator of the power of pics when it comes to social media. For businesses, photos allow for subtle marketing because each photo can accomplish a number of things:

1. At the simplest level, showcases new products, driving traffic to your site

2. Shows customers how to use or enjoy your products

3. Encourages customer feedback

4. Provides visual inspiration

5. Gives insight into your creative process

On number 5: All businesses may not be creative businesses, but all businesses need creative thinking to thrive. This is the kind of thing your followers and your new potential customers want to see – it’s part of why they approach you on social media to start with.

Using Photos on Social Media Correctly

Not all photos need to be product-centric. Related trends, pop culture references, and other examples that you are a vibrant and productive participant in your particular industry, are important. If you were a clothing designer, for instance, you would want to post photos of food or musicians that embody the aesthetic of your latest line.

What To Do Now

Tell us about your company. Join in our creative process in bringing out what it is about your company that will inspire social media engagement and drive traffic to your site.

Internet Marketing Tips | 5 Pivotal Points

in Internet Marketing / Social Media by iqmadmin March 23, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

internet marketing

Internet Marketing Pivot Points

5 Important Pillars of Internet Marketing.

1. Blogs

–Register your blog with popular directories
–Have your newest blog posts appear on your LinkedIn Profile and Facebook status with links back to the blog
–Read top blogs in your industry, and then post comments with helpful information and links back to your own blog or Web site.

2. Social media can be a great way to get the word out about your company or product. Effective internet marketing can help accomplish this goal.

–Did you know Facebook has more than 200 million users? Facebook allows you to create free fan pages about your business.
–LinkedIn is a professional network that includes allowing companies to create profiles.
–Manage your social networking presence and engage in consistent participation with your connections. Nutshell Mail is a service that brings users a summary of their social network updates to their inbox in a single email delivered to them on their schedule.

3. Monitor Your Cyberspace Presence

We’ve all heard of “Google-ing” someone or something… Keep an active eye on what’s posted on the Internet about you and your business. Assume that your clients and prospects are in the know about what’s out there. Searching your name on Google and Twitter can tell you several important things:

–What people are saying about your business
–Whether your work is being used without your permission
–Whether someone else is using your personal or business name

If your reputation is in trouble and you’re finding negative or false information, you may need professional assistance to fix the problem. Evaluate if you need legal representation or public relations and press release solutions.

4. Be consistent with your online message and branding

–Coordinate and integrate marketing communications tools within your business. By doing this, the business’s brand message will be consistent in all possibilities.
–Integrating communications helps eliminate confusion from the consumer and builds brand strength.

All advertising media selections, creative designs, and public relations efforts should strive to match the message, media, and audience, so the right person sees and/or hears the advertisement or internet marketing piece and can recognize the business and its brand consistency.

5. Apply Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to your web site

SEO is a great way to increase your online revenue stream. SEO allows you to:

–Develop and arrange your site’s content and navigation to be fully optimized
–Drive more traffic to your Web site
–Maximize your Internet exposure

If these pointers seemed like an avalanche of information, imagine executing all of these functions on a daily basis. It could get overwhelming. This is when it’s time to consider outsourcing the work to a team of industry veterans who will keep your business’ best interest at the forefront. At iQuarius Media we work on these different facets on a daily basis, so feel free to contact us and we can discuss how to make your online presence effective.

Copywriting Best Practices To Make Your Ad Copy Sizzle

in Internet Marketing / Social Media by iqmadmin March 19, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

Copywriting such as landing page copy, blog posts and writing effective email blasts’ is more art than science. Producing consistent web traffic boils down to:
writing outstanding content.

Writing Effective Landing Page Copy

Producing great landing page copy is a little different than writing, say, a blog post. There are some landing page copywriting nuances that, though seemingly minor, have a huge impact on conversions. So if you’re looking for the quickest way to create a great landing page, invest your time in creating copy that follows these landing page copywriting best practices.

Copywriting tips:

Use Action-Oriented Language
Use Value-Oriented Language
Use Reader Keywords
Go for Clarity Over Creativity
Format
Proof for Consistency

Keep in mind that the time and effort it takes to write effectively may be too much for one or two people to manage. That’s when it’s time to consider outsourcing the work to a team of writers who live and breathe copywriting. At iQuarius Media, that is one of the many services we offer our clients. Please, feel free to browse our portfolio and let us know if we can be of service. Thanks.

Social Media Marketing Checklist

in Social Media by iqmadmin March 8, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

With all the noise and bright lights of the Internet, and with people’s attention spans getting shorter, we need to constantly create awareness about our products, services, and businesses. Social Media marketing makes this lot easier, cheaper, and faster.

But how can we make ourselves heard over the din? The answer is by pursuing a Social Media marketing strategy which includes all relevant aspects and avenues.

The Social Media Marketing Checklist

Blogs. Any marketing strategy should start with blogs. If used intelligently, blogs can be a great traffic source — and the SEO benefits are immense.
Microblogging. It took the world by surprise in the year 2012. Twitter has been very popular and is a great tool for business promotion, but needs to be used consistently. 2010 saw Google come up with its own version of microblogging – Buzz – but all their efforts lately have been pouring into Google Plus, or G+.
Online video. Video sharing accounts for a major part of Internet traffic. The success of YouTube, Vimeo, etc., is an indicator of how people have embraced this media.
Photo sharing. Another great platform for social marketing. Flickr and Photobucket are the most widely used websites. And now there’s Pinterest, taking the social media world by storm over the past few months.
Podcasting. Podcasting is a new tool that is offered to promote your brand, services, and products.
Social networks. Apps, fan pages, groups, and personalities: social networks are the platforms for personal communication with friends or with shared-interest groups. Facebook apps and fan pages are some of great ways to connect with customers and create awareness.
Presentation sharing. Sites like SlideShare, MyPlick, Scribd, AuthorSTREAM, or Myplickallow you to share document and presentation. Pinterest also falls under this group. Promoting yourself or your company is just as easy as uploading a document.
Bookmarking. Social bookmarking is a method for web users to share, organize, search, and manage bookmarks of websites. Examples of popular social bookmarking websites: Delicious, Digg, Mixx, Propeller, Reddit, Slashdot, StumbleUpon, and Yahoo! Buzz.
Discussion boards and forums. Online forums are a great way to market your products and services and discuss the same with other your audience. Engaging your audience in your niche forum is a powerful way to capture that Internet niche for your business.
Content aggregation. Content aggregation enables you to bring all news and feeds around your online communities accounts in one place. This may well be the future of social media marketing.
Brand monitoring. There are any number of ways companies can promote & position their brands effectively through the use of social media marketing.
Review Sites. Review sites like Yelp and Getsatisfaction enable people to write reviews about services and products. These can literally make or mar a company’s reputation.
Widgets. Great tool for promoting brands. By creating useful widgets, brands can create awareness and recall value.
Wikis. Wikis are very much like an online encyclopaedia with user contribution, making the possibilities almost endless.

We wouldn’t be surprised if you had some questions about your current marketing strategy and what more you could fit into it. We’d be surprised if we couldn’t answer those questions. Thanks. iQuarius.

Pinterest for Businesses: Branding, Direct Traffic, and So Much Fun

in Social Media by iqmadmin March 1, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

Pinterest works almost like a never-ending magazine with just the prettiest, most-loved pictures. That’s great for people wanting to browse through vintage wedding dresses, recipes, or artwork…but what does that mean for a business?

Pinterest just cracked the list of Top 10 Social Media sites. So, a lot, apparently.

1. Collect visual material

You can collect pics that you come across – on your hard drive, or on the Internet – into your Boards. All it takes is a single click and you can Pin. Great for personal use, but for businesses, especially visual-centric ones like designers or artists, can use this as an opportunity to showcase their material. If pics are borrowed from places on the Web, Pinterest automatically sources the pic, so that infringement of copyright is minimized. It also means anyone who clicks on an image borrowed from your site can just click straight through to your site. That direct traffic alone may make Pinterest worth it!

2. Give a Presentation Some Oomph

Pinterest is a way to visually represent your ideas. Once that is in place, a Pinterest board can be linked to a PowerPoint presentation; or a screenshot can be printed on a poster board—neat and simple, and looks great.

3. Brand Yourself

Have a brand for yourself or your business? Use Pinterest to help people recognize you as an expert. Want to own a vintage dress boutique someday? Start pinning products from your closet, ads of vintage dresses from days past, or vintage dresses from others’ boards that you love, and people will start to recognize you as the go-to source for beautiful vintage dresses. If you’re a graphic designer, pin your own work, as well as work that you love from others.

If you’re in a less visual industry, you can also post infographics that relate your field, images of work you’ve done, or books, quotes, or poems that you’re reading. And since every pin comes with a source linked, this can also help drive traffic to your site or blog.

4. Engage Your Customers

Again, Pinterest just cracked the list of Top 10 Social Media sites — so if you use social media to market your company or brand, it’s time to consider throwing Pinterest in as part of your mix. Lands’ End recently hosted a (quite successful) contest on Pinterest, asking participants to create a pin board featuring their favorite Lands’ End products. The 10 people who made the best boards won a gift card—and Lands’ End got tons of its products promoted throughout the site.

Pinterest is more than just about play. While you’re being inspired by the stream of new images in your personal life, you can build your business brand and reputation. Get a little organized. Have fun. Call iQuarius with your questions.

Pinterest Infographic | User Trends

in Social Media by iqmadmin February 14, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

The newest social media network on the block is also the hottest: Pinterest. It has amassed millions of users in a few short months, many of whom are women interested in traditionally picture-heavy interest points, like weddings, fashion, and interior design. Pinterestingly, UK users are mostly male, and their interest is focused more on topics like venture capital and SEO.

If you’ve got questions about why this is intensely interesting to social media enthusiasts like ourselves, or how we can leverage Pinterest for you, give us a call.

YouTube Design Changes: Things Brands Need to Know

in Social Media by iqmadmin February 7, 2012January 21, 2014 0 comments

YouTube‘s user experience is changing with its dramatic aesthetic overhaul that was rolled out recently. This, in turn, could mean big things for companies and brands.

As YouTube makes room to grow in the social media space — to become a place for more than just unbridled user commentary — brands can think about how to settle into the YouTube space more strategically.

And make no mistake about it, YouTube is a giant forum for video content — but also for advertising. YouTube streams 4 billion videos every single day. This is a 25 percent increase over the past eight months, largely due to Google making YouTube versions available on their Android phones and on Internet-enabled televisions. 3 billion videos a week are monetized. Display ads that play alongside or within streamed videos generates $5 billion a year.

YouTube Adds “Channels”

The biggest component of the new YouTube layout is the use of “channels.” The new homepage features a left-hand sidebar, dominated by channels. It makes it easier for users to subscribe to channels — once they subscribe to the channels and brands they like, they will see the latest activity on that channel in a stream view. Users can also “pin” 10 channels to their own YouTube home page.

What Brands Need to Do

1. Publish regularly.

With this constant barrage of content greeting YouTube users, brands will need to update their content regularly to stay in users’ minds. YouTube is emphasizing that there are more channel-based changes on the way. If YouTube is focusing on channels, brands need to focus on channels.

2. Tighten management of your brand’s YouTube channel.

Channels are making it easier for people to engage with the content, especially with newer content. This is great news for brands — but it also means brands need to keep a closer eye on what’s being said about them.

3. Be share-worthy.

The redesign is making it easier than ever for people to share their YouTube activity on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and other social networks. At the same time, videos that are shared to these social media networks will be featured on YouTube’s homepage feed. With it being so easy, what’s left for brands to do is to give users something they want to share.

4. Stay active on Google+

YouTube is a Google revenue machine, after all. Video by brands on Google+ that get shared means more exposure to anyone using YouTube. And, with Google+ integrated seamlessly with YouTube, users can search, view, and share YouTube videos from Google+.

The Main Idea

Any redesign that seeks to increase users’ time on the site means one thing. There is an increase in advertising just around the corner.

YouTube has already announced 100 new original video programming deals with big names in media, including superstars like Madonna and Jay-Z. YouTube Insights have been replaced by YouTube Analytics, giving brands more control over their channels and more insight into what drives subscriptions and what retains audiences.

YouTube is going to become a busier place. This may amount to a bigger time commitment on the part of companies and brands.

If you don’t have the time, know-how, or passion, we do. Call us and/or come visit us in our awesome downtown Orlando office.