Who Uses Social Networking Sites? You Might Be Surprised

September 21, 2012 April M. Williams Leave a comment

Older adults are using social media sites despite the myth that they are offline. The Pew Research Center recently published these internet usage statistics by age. These statistics may surprise you. According to their research, 34% of adults over 65 years of age now use social networking sites. This is a dramatic rise from just 1% in 2006. Computer usage in schools led to high internet and social networking use among younger adults. It is less startling to see the highest social networking usage is for those between 18-29 years of age. As you can see from the Pew Research Center graph below, the social media adoption rate among older age groups is must steeper than for younger users.

Social networking usage by age group 2005 - 20012 — Social networking usage by age group 2005 – 20012. Graph courtesy Pew Research Center

For businesses, these statistics are valuable for knowing how best to reach your target audience. Few of us have the time or energy to actively participate on every social networking site. We are more effective with our time by selecting social media sites which are most likely to reach our desired audience. For instance, there are almost twice as many men (63%) using LinkedIn as there are women (37%). Pinterest, a virtual bulletin board social networking site only two years old and already almost one fifth (19%) of women have accounts.

Can your business ignore Facebook? The Pew Research Center says that 92% of adults use Facebook. With 100 million members, can you afford to miss out on the opportunity to reach so many people?

What is luring older adults to the internet and social networking? The wish to connect with others. Grandparents want to see real-time photos and get updates on their grandchildren. We can share experiences with friends and family whether they are across town or on the other side of the globe. In a typical day, I interact online with friends in Japan, England, Hawaii, Florida, Texas, California and beyond.

Click on comments and let us know which social networking sites you find are best for your business.

event

Social Media Personalized

September 13, 2012 April M. Williams

Social media marketing is challenging for small businesses in McHenry County. Just keeping up with Facebook changes is almost a full-time job. Did you know there assistance for businesses in McHenry County and it will not cost you an arm and a leg?Bring your Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, FourSquare, YouTube, Twitter questions and more.

Check out the social media marketing programs offered at the Shah Center in McHenry just for small business owners. The Shah Center is a part of the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

Social Media Roundtable: A no-cost seminar to discuss the latest trends in social media marketing and share various approaches with your peers. A social media professional will help facilitate the discussion and be available for questions. There is no fee to attend, reservations required as seating is limited.

Social Media for Small Business: Do you have questions about social media? Want hands-on help? Bring your questions to our computer classroom and work with a social media expert. Learn new ways to reach and engage an online audience and boost your bottom line through the use technologies like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Plus. Cost: $30.

Consulting: The Shah Center consulting services are free to all clients, start-up entrepreneurs, owners and managers of businesses. We’ve helped businesses in our area attract customers, improve their operations, increase sales, and get financing. We can review your business plan before you talk to your banker to help you prepare. Use our research and contacts to strengthen your plan, improve your operations or develop your marketing and e-business strategies. Plus, we catalog and track all federal, state and local government business assistance programs. We offer counseling and seminars/workshops on these and other topics:

Business planning, people and other business management issues
Marketing and advertising
Finance and accounting, regulation and taxation
Production and operations, office automation and computer training
Business data analysis, technology and other issues necessary to promote business growth
Operational, project and strategic planning techniques

All classes are held at the Shah Center. The McHenry County College Shah Center at 4100 W. Shamrock Lane in McHenry, near Centegra Hospital. For more information or to register, please contact the Illinois Small Business Development Center at (815) 455-6098 or sbdc at mchenry.edu.

For information on all of CyberLife Tutors presentations, workshops, classes and events visit our events calendar.

Social Media

How to Use Google Plus for Marketing Your Business

August 25, 2012 April M. Williams Leave a comment

How to use Google Plus for marketing your business was one of the topics we covered at this months free Social Media Roundtable at the Shah Center in McHenry. Few of the attendees were aware of Google Plus and how to use it as a marketing tool. Visit our CyberLife Tutors calendar to learn more about our upcoming Social Media Roundtables and another events.

Google indexes updates and photos shared on your Google Plus business page for Google search. When someone does a Google search for the words included in these posts, they may see your Google Plus comments in their search results. Free search engine optimization (SEO) for your company!

Customers often tell me they do not know what to say on social media sites. It is exhausting to creating new content for your social media sites. Instead, post links to interesting articles you read and add your own two cents. That is what I did with the infographic below. Start with an idea then package it with your own learnings and knowledge.

The best time of day to post is not the same for all businesses. As dallas seo expert advises us, “Consider your audience and when they log in. During the class, attendees said they check social media sites before work (7AM), at lunch (noon), about dinner time (5PM) and before bed (10PM).” If your audience crosses time zones, adjust your post times to match so your content is more likely read.

Google Business Pages consolidates content from former Google Local pages including photos, hours, maps and reviews. Connect with customers and prospects to build relationships. Build a customer service hub. Create a public forum for others to gather, share and learn.

The infographic below suggests we spend an hour on Google Plus each day. For most business people, I find that amount of time excessive considering they are also using other social media sites and have a job to do. Certainly, devoting 15 minutes a day to your Google Plus account would be a great start.

Google is beginning to roll out vanity URLs for Google Plus to a small number of members. You can get a gplus.to Google Plus vanity URL today.

Connect with CyberLife Tutors and April M. Williams on Google Plus. Click on Comments and tell us about how you use Google Plus in your business.

Social Media

8 Top Pinterest Tips for Beginners

August 16, 2012 April M. Williams Leave a comment

Pinterest is a content sharing service where members “pin” images, videos and other objects to their pinboards. Pinterest also has standard social networking features so you can share with your friends. Learn how to set up your Pinterest account. Once you have an account, you can pin your cool finds on the internet.

Many interested patrons attended my Pinterest session at the Algonquin Library. For more information on upcoming sessions, visit our events calendar. Here are 8 top Pinterest tips for beginners to get you started.

Create unique Pinterest boards for each of your favorite topics. Pin photos and videos about that topic to create a collection.
Select a cover image that represents the theme of your Pinterest board. Our minds grasp visual concepts faster than text on a page. Be sure readers can tell at a glance what your board is all about.
Pin clear, easily recognized images for your Pinterest boards. Bright colors and high contrast images are easier on our eyes.
Describe your images and videos accurately without complex words. Pinterest allows up to 500 characters in the object’s description.
Include words that invoke emotions and feelings in the reader. Choose colorful terms which inspire the imagination and memories.
Increase your search engine visibility by using keywords and internet links in your description. Keywords may actually be a phase or group of 2-5 words.
Post links to your Pinterest pins on your Facebook or Twitter accounts to share them with your friends. Ask others to LIKE and COMMENT on your pins and SHARE your pins with their friends.
Design a unique visual resume and pin to your Pinerest board. Log on to Pinterest and search “resume” to see some incredibly creative ideas others have showcased their talents and skills.

Using these 8 top Pinterest tips for beginners to create your first Pinterest boards and pin your favorite pictures, movies and more. Click on COMMENTS and post a link to one of your favorite boards. Please tell us why this Pinterest board is your top pick.

Social Media

How To Get Join Pinterest Create Boards and Pin Pictures

August 9, 2012 April M. Williams 1 Comment

Pinterest is a content sharing service where members “pin” images, videos and other objects to their pinboards. Pinterest also has standard social networking features so you can share with your friends. This weekend I will be demonstrating the features of Pinterest at the Algonquin Library. For more information on this session, visit our events calendar.

Pinterest members create virtual boards for different topics. Create a board for your hobbies, favorite restaurants, post your resume or to show off your professional portfolio. Search Pinterest for topics of interest. When you find an image or video you like, you can repin the object to one of your boards.

My Pinterest boards include food, travel and McHenry County happenings. Here is how you can get started with Pinterest.

How to create a Pinterest account:

Open a web browser and type http://www.pinterest.com in the URL bar
Create your Pinterest account by connecting with Facebook, Twitter or using an email address.
Click on a few of the images that capture your attention

How to create a Pinterest board:

Click “Add”
Click “Create a Board”
Enter your new board Name, select a category and add other pinners (those who can add pins to this board)
Click “Create Board”

How to add Pinterest Pins to your board:

Click “Add”
Click “Add a Pin”
Type or paste the URL
Click “Find Images”
Scroll and select an image
Choose a board
Enter a description up to 500 characters
Click “Pin It”

Have fun with your new Pinterest boards and pin what is interesting to you. Share your pins with your friends on Facebook and Twitter for greater visibility. We are always interested in hearing your ideas for using Pinterest. Click on COMMENTS and tell us how you are using Pinerest for yourself or your business.

Enter your email in the box on the right and click subscribe for more tips on Pinterest and other social media tools.

Social Media Marketing | Algonquin, Crystal Lake, McHenry | April M. Williams

Social Media Strategy, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Blogs

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Social Media Strategy, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Blogs