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Blogging without Social Media is Essentially Futile

social mediaI can’t tell you how many times a day I find some of my most favorite blog entries from Twitter. In fact, I keep Twitter up all day long—canvassing the stream every few hours to catch the latest content marketing news and determining who I would like to engage with in cyberspace today. It’s completely addicting. I no longer have to go out to try to find the latest information about something that piques my interest; rather, that news comes to me.

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Why Every Brand Needs Instagram: As Told by a Newly Addicted Instagrammer

instagram picAs you read this, your competitors are Instagramming. They’re carefully filtering photos, sharing videos that are unique to their brand and garnering “likes” for the custom-tailored content they’re delivering to an audience of over 100 million users. For those of you who have aptly adapted to this online photo- and video-sharing/social networking service, you deserve a hearty pat on the back. However, for those of you who still linger outside of the Instagram universe, you’re unfortunately charging toward a very rude awakening. Continue reading “Why Every Brand Needs Instagram: As Told by a Newly Addicted Instagrammer”

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Can You Even Find Your Company’s Blog?

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it even make a sound?

The same could be said about your blogging platform. If you are creating the most compelling, awe-inspiring blog content—unquestionably putting your competitors to shame—but that copy is essentially hidden on your homepage, then does your blog even make a ripple in cyberspace? In short, the answer is no. Continue reading “Can You Even Find Your Company’s Blog?”

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Companies Creating Holidays to Boost Content Marketing Strategy

Back To School SaturdayI’m one of those people who treat magazines like a lengthy novel. When I check my mailbox for my monthly subscription, I spend hours glazing the pages looking for the latest fashion tips and life advice.  Whether it’s Vanity Fair, Glamour or stealing a quick peek at the latest issue of Cosmopolitan, I love a good magazine.

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Miss Manner’s Guide to Social Media Etiquette – Crisis Edition

Social media has proven that it can be a gold mine for content marketing. That is, until a tiny, unpredictable crack suddenly sparks a destructive collapse. One minute social media can be a lucrative pawn in your marketing game whilethe next it’s the root of crippling loss. Your behavior on any one social media site can lead to significant consequences for your business.

Just look at the disastrous downfall Golden Corrall experienced last week. When employee Brandon Huber posted a YouTube video of raw meat left outside, which was then supposedly served to customers, it unleashed a stream of social media backlash. The bitter back and forth was enough to leave a bad taste in any consumer’s mouth.

And that’s exactly what happened. Experience for yourself the outrage aimed at the restaurant via a Facebook status the company posted after the video hit the Web:

buzzfeed status

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The (Unofficial) Ten Social Media Commandments for Content Marketers

social mediaWe all have some set of rules that we abide by. For example, I would consider mine to be treating others kindly, being slow to speak and being quick to listen, among others. But before I get too philosophical, let’s take a look at ten lessons every content marketer should be zeroing in on, inspired by this recent post from Buffer (props!). I now present to you the (unofficial) ten social media commandments that every content marketer should be heeding:

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10 Things Never To Do On Social Media

Social media is a great way to promote your brand, but if you’re making these mistakes, you’re risking send all your hard work right down the drain.

  • It’s been a month since you’ve posted. The frequency of posts often depends on the social media platform, but as a general rule – post daily! If you know you’re going to have a hectic day and won’t have time to post, schedule your messages through services like HootSuite or TweetDeck .
  • You don’t’ respond to comments. Your followers took the time to reply to one of your comments or tag you in a post. Show them the same respect – reply to them, even if it’s simply a quick thank you.
  • Me, me, me. Everyone loves talking about themselves and their business, but not everyone loves to hear about it! Especially when it’s overly self-promotional.
  • You’ve paid for friends. You can find many sites out there offering to sell you hundreds or thousands of fans. Promise me you won’t do it. You’ll get low quality followers who don’t care about what you have to say and may not even be real people. Quality over quantity, friends. Continue reading “10 Things Never To Do On Social Media”
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Longform Journalism – Forget About the Price Tag

When I started researching stories and statistics for this blog post, I didn’t know much about longform journalism. So, I got comfy in my swivel chair and, of course, implemented my first course of action – Googling the term. The search engine brought me first to Esquire magazine’s recent foray into pay-per-article longform, then to a review of the website Narrative.ly. And just like that, this form of reporting of which I had never heard had captured my heart.

 wallet

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Snail Mail Goes Social

mll2I’ve been home from college since May, but somehow Fourth of July feels like the true start to summer. So I did what I do whenever I need a new start: I cleaned. And this time, I stumbled upon a drawer in my desk full of letters. Handwritten, saved from summer camp and birthdays, conveying memories and stories from friends and family. It was a touching discovery, one that made me hesitant to check my Facebook or Twitter, thinking I wouldn’t find the same meaning there as I did in that desk drawer. But thankfully, if you miss the good old days of snail mail as much as I do, there’s an organization that knows where we’re coming from.

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