What Kind of Social Media User Are You?

It's just a day for infographics. Here's another one I stumbled across this morning from All Twitter that illustrates the different types of social media users. While you may not fit into one specific category, this is still a nice overview of the different personalities you can find online.

So which one are you? A Dipper? A Denier? Or a Ranter?

Truths from One of My Favorite Blogs

#RealTalk From Your Editor...

WHEN I FIND OUT A WRITER ISN'T ON TWITTER

WHEN A PIECE GOES LIVE AND ALL OF THE LINKS ARE BROKEN

Tweet NYC

If you're a fan of social media and the Big Apple head on over to Fast Company to check out these beautiful infographics on the languages of New York mapped out by Tweets.

As one might expect, Midtown Manhattan is exceptionally multi-lingual with other areas of the city being dominated by particular groups - Spanish in the Bronx, Russian in Brighton Beach, etc. Amazingly, however, all these hundreds of thousands of tweets only represent 6% of the number of tweet that went out during the time the data was collected. The other 94% of tweets belonging to English speakers (who may in fact be bilingual).

Really interesting data, and as Fast Co. point out, this could be an interesting way to look at urban planning. But, if nothing else, it's nice to look at.

How Many B2Bs Out There Use Quora?

I've recently been poking around Quora to see if could be a useful tool in reaching a more professionally focused social media audience. But, I'm still on the fence as to its effectiveness.

In this recent chart on what social media platforms B2B marketers are currently using, Quora is coming in dead last...even behind Tumblr!

While I'm not surprised by the big 3 (LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook) topping the chart, I guess I am a bit surprised at the lack Quora-use. Is it just because the platform isn't very well known? I guess I hadn't really heard of it until a few months ago.

Are there any B2B-ers out there in the social sphere actively utlizing Quora, and what are the results? Good? Bad? Ugly? I'd love to hear. Thanks!

A Social Media Infographic -- with Cats!

Social Meowdia explained....cat style.

Source

The Social SEO Universe [INFOGRAPHIC]

Source

STUDY: How We Use Twitter

A recent study revealed that Twitter is the fastest growing social network in the world. Leaping ahead of Facebook and - surprise - Google +. But, how are people using Twitter?

If you're currently a Twitter user than you know it's not just a sounding board for complaints about work and pictures of babies. I use the platform to share news and information related to my industry and links to content that makes me laugh. That fact that I use Twitter to send and receive news, trends, etc. falls in line w/ the growing number of "passive" users on Twitter - or those who really only "listen." And, that's fine. In my mind, Twitter is one of the best resources for breaking news. Only instead of just listening, I take an active role in the sharing as well.

Here's a chart with the results from the study conducted by GlobalWebIndex:

How do you use Twitter? And for more on this study, click here.

SEO Tips for 2013

We've all been saying it: Content is King. Not just for the user experience, but to satisfy those picky search engines as well. And, this is a good thing. As users, we are able to find the information we seek more easily, and as optimizers working with talented content creators, we can put down our swords and shields and work together.

So, without further ado, here are some tips to help you move forward with your SEO strategy in 2013:

 

1. Focus on the Long-Tail

With over 70% of online searches containing three or more words, users are getting smarter in finding the information they need and search engines are adapting to meet those needs. Focus your SEO efforts on developing those long-tail, cumulative keyword phrases that really encompass what your brand/website is about and optimize around those phrases. This way your content will be discovered by those who truly want it.

 

2. Provide Content That Solves Problems

Users are usually conducting searches because they have a problem to solve. Don't shy away from offering up eBooks and whitepapers. And, here I'd like to remind you all to take full advantage of Google Trends. Do a search on the key terms related to your industry and create a piece of content around the ones that are trending. Not only will you be playing to the whims of searchers, you'll be solving someone's problem too.

 

3. Share Content Via Social Media

Social likes and shares are quickly becoming important indicators to search engines when designating relevant and high SERP-worthy content. Sharing content not only promotes your brand, it provides links, and establishes you as a thought leader. So, start tweeting!

 

4. Pictures, More Pictures!

With websites and social media becoming more visual - Instagram, Pinterest, infographics mania - it is becoming more and more important to make your brand more visual. Post infographics, get an Instagram account, don't fire that graphic designer, and always use alt tags to ensure the search engines can "see" your images.

 

5. Become a Thought Leader

Establishing a presence on social media, tailoring content to solve your audience's problems, and utilizing techniques such as setting up rel=author tagging to stand out in search results will put you on the path to becoming an expert in your industry. And, experts stand out, they get noticed, they perform well in search.

 

6. Track Your Efforts

Don't be afraid to measure your results. While the "important" metrics are constantly changing, keeping an eye on key stats can help you understand what is or isn't working for your website. And, always keep in mind what your ultimate goal is - it's the only to way to really know which metrics are worth looking at. Numbers can often blind and numb us, scaring us from moving forward with more innovative and risky ideas. If you always keep your main goal in mind, you can sort through all the nose to focus on the one or two numbers that really matter.

Surprise! We Like TV More Than Social Media

In what is a surprise to no one, a recent study shows that 58% of people would rather give up social networks than their TVs. We love our screen time, and although we're addicted to sharing, we're even more addicted to sitting and staring. And, North Americans are even more attached to their televisions than the rest of the world, as 73% of them would ditch social media over the boob tube.

Check out the Infographic:

(Via AllTwitter)

Google + Redesign

First Facebook Timeline, and now we have the Google + redesign....and, I like it. I've always liked Google +'s clean interface; I thought it was a nice contrast to the clutter that can be Facebook. And, I also always felt like Google + had great potential for image sharing. Looks like the social network is taking advantage of these things to bring users a more customized, modern experience.

It's Here: Facebook Timeline

While I had been aware of that Facebook Timeline was coming for brands at the end of last month something deep inside me just didn't want to admit it. Maybe it was the uneasiness of having to sift through my company's less than adequate inventory of graphics to find a suitable cover photo that would take up nearly half of the screen or...no, it was the cover photo. Either way, when my company's brand page switched over at the end of last week, I definitely wasn't feeling prepared.

And, I don't think I was the only one. Facebook received a rather lukewarm welcome from individuals that made the switch and it seemed as though brands wanted to resist the change as well. However, now that Timeline has forced it's way into our lives for better or worse, we need to understand how to use it to it's full potential. That means highlighting posts - a favorite feature of mine - to adding milestones; Timeline is about telling your brand's story.

In addition, early reports are showing increased fan engagement. However, I think these studies should be taken with a grain of salt as they center on early adopters that have been pushed by Facebook and touted in social media news outlets.

While I'm still not raving about Timeline or ready for it. It is starting to grow on me. Looking at other brands' pages, I am inspired. The stories created through the visuals is fun and engaging. But this is just the beginning.  Only time will tell how well Timeline will work. Until then...I better find a compelling cover photo.

What's Happening?

Hello and welcome to Media Minded!

As an SEO and social media specialist touting the benefits of this ever-evolving field, I feel it's important to stay up to date on what's happening online. I also hope to share with others on how and why they need to be taking advantage of all that social media has to offer - and this blog will help me do just that.

Social media and SEO are now tied together like never before, and should go hand-in-hand when developing an online marketing strategy for yourself or your company.  Through this blog I hope to write and comment on the latest happenings in the SEO and social media world, as well as, provide tips and tricks for strategies that work. But first, some definitions, please?

Social Media
Social media comprises various communication tools online that connect us to people with similar interests. The goal of social media is to discover and share content. And, for branding purposes, you want that content to be relevant to your target audience.

Content is king and good content is SHAREABLE.

SEO
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, can refer to paid or organic strategies to build traffic to your site. Ideally, you'd like to focus your efforts on organic traffic like keywords and inbound links to help your SEO, and therefore, decrease any spending you may have to do to increase page views.

I'll address SEO techniques like site structure and writing for the web best practices in this blog. 

Social Media & SEO
From Twitter to Pinterest, the effects social has on SEO cannot be ignored. Google has recently announced they will be giving more weight to social links in search, so if your company isn't currently employing a social strategy, you better start now. As it turns out, what your friends like is now considered relevant content.

However, this blog isn't call social media minded...it's called Media Minded, because like most everyone I have many interests and they aren't just limited to social and SEO. I also love new media design, videos, blog memes (who doesn't?), and just general fun stuff we can find on this wild and wacky webernet. So I'll be bringing all that cool stuff to cool people like you. Because, remember, good content is shareable content.

OK. That about sums it up for now. Till next time.