Inspire Happy Hour Cocktail – Clover Club

Enjoy Happy Hour with a Clover Club

It's the end of another week and now it is time to celebrate all of your hard work. This week's prohibition cocktail is the Clover Club.

Known as the thinking-person's Cosmo, this drink was developed & served at The Clover Club, one of the finest speakeasies. This wasn’t your typical juice joint, as you’d find celebrities and socialites congregating.

Clover Club Cocktail

Try Making the Clover Club Yourself:

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 3 dashes raspberry syrup

Mixing Instructions:

1. Shake all ingredients well in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice to help the egg white foam up.
2. Strain.
3. Serve in chilled glass.

Some may think it is a girly drink, but it certainly is not. During Prohibition people used to make their own gin in their bathtubs, making today's version much tastier and appealing (for those over 21 of course). This drink recipe is originally from the The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1976 edition. Leave a comment below to let us know how you like the recipe.

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I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

*Speakeasy Market Strategies does not condone underage or irresponsible drinking. Make wise choices ladies and gents!

Takeaways and Lessons Learned from #SMMW13

With over 1,000 people in attendance, many lessons and takeaways were learned from hearing the best in the industry.

SMMW13 Marriott

This year I had the pleasure of attending Social Media Examiner's Social Media Marketing World Conference (#SMMW13) in sunny San Diego. With big names like Chris Brogan, John Jantsch, and so many more...it is safe to say that this conference was a time of great learning.

Over the next few weeks I will be going in depth on some of the topics I heard, but for now I will discuss a few takeaways that I learned not just from the speakers, but the attendees as well. Out of a speaker list of 49, it was difficult who to pick and choose who to listen to in person and who to listen to via audio when I came home. But since many of the speakers were ones that I had read their books or admired, I opted to listen to those I had already come to learn so much from.

Lesson #1: Be Authentic.

With social media being an outlet for many people to hide behind a computer, it was refreshing to hear so many of the speakers encourage people to be authentic. It is so easy these days to hide behind a brand and not make close connections with our online audience, but this is a HUGE mistake. Back before newspapers, TV, Radio, and even the web, people bought and sold based on word of mouth, which relied on being "likeable" and providing quality products and service. People buy from those they like and you are far more likely likeable by being genuine and authentic. Relationship building is the key to long term success.

One story I have from the conference is from my interaction with Dave Kerpen, writer of Likeable Social Media and owner of Likeable Media. The first networking event the conference orchestrated was at a museum not far from the hotel, but far enough to bus attendees to the location. On the ride over Dave sat next to me and we had a wonderful discussion about our businesses. He talked about running his company with his wife and how I grew up with small business in my blood from my parents running a company together. He handed me his card and for some reason I did not put 2 and 2 together that this was the author of one of my favorite social media books (and one that I give to many of my clients). Before we had finished our conversation he was already tweeting to me about wishing me luck. Now I am not one that gets starstruck, I simply appreciated his kind words and encouragement regardless of who he was.

Fast forward a day and a half later and I see the same gentleman get up on stage and give one of the best keynotes of the entire conference. Within his keynote he mentioned how important it is to be the same person in public and in private. He also explained how transparent he was and that even though he is extremely busy, when people tweet to him he will almost always respond within 1 to 2 days. Now how many CEO's do you know that have that closeness with their followers?

The principles he was explaining to the crowd is one that every businessman should learn. You must take the time to be genuine to anyone regardless of what they can do for you. I have countless stories on my own of the connections and business I have made from people that I never thought would be so vital to my life and success, but it is because I treat everyone the same. Being one person in your professional and someone different in your personal life will not gain you great success. I can tell you I did have a speaker I wanted to listen to, but after he dismissed me as someone that could not bring him business I have since unsubscribed from all of his digital media. He was someone else in person then when he projected to his digital audience. Those that learn this lesson will not only see success, but will make connections and relationships they never thought possible.

Lesson #2: E-mail Marketing is having a Comeback.

Chris Brogan + Kersten

For me I have spent years LOATHING e-mail marketing, at least the e-mail I get sent from big brands that do not give me any value whatsoever. But according to Chris Brogan and many others, building your e-mail list is the key to profits. Chris mentioned many times that he has never seen social media bring him business, but over and over he has seen his e-mail newsletter bring him money. And let's be honest, we all are attempting to receive paychecks from our social media efforts. So how does one build an e-mail list? Here are a few tips from the experts:

• Make your e-mail sign up visible to your site viewers. You can do this by having a pop-up on your site, asking visitors to sign up before they read your post. I will add that you may want to consider the pros and cons before adding a pop-up box on your homepage.
• Entice them to sign up. You must give your readers value to sign up for your newsletter. This could be a free e-book or whitepaper, something that will push them to want to hear from you more often.
• Tell them what they will get. Most people are not fans of e-mail marketing, which is why you need to be upfront and honest with them about what you will be sending to them.

Lesson #3: Connect, connect, connect!

According to Mark Schaefer of The Tao of Twitter, Born to Blog, and Return on Influence, social media has brought us back to the core of marketing and connecting with customers. When we created the printing press, we took a step away from our customers. With the addition of radio, TV, and other channels, brands have become more and more disconnected from their customers. Social media changes the game and allows brands to directly connect with brands with the push of a button.

There were countless stories told during the conference of people interacting one-on-one with customers and fans and how these interactions build stronger brand loyalty. I have had numerous occasions where I had a bad experience with a brand and the way they handled the issue via social media made me a brand advocate. People crave connection and want to feel as if their opinion matters, which makes social media the perfect solution for brands to better satisfy their customers.

So how do you implement this? Respond back to your followers and fans. Don't rely on automation services, but take the time to personally connect with those that are following and interacting with you. You never know how one kind word can create a customer with a long lifetime value.

SME Museum Group Show 2013

Lesson #4: What's next in Social Media?

All of the "experts" have different opinions on which platforms will survive and which will fade away. To me the platform is not the point, in my opinion being able to connect with your customers is the key to the long-term survival of social media. I do not see it going away any time soon, nor do the experts. What you will see is brands sinking or swimming depending on their management of social media. Years ago many thought social media was just a fad. To that I say, look at the brands that have seen a significant increase or decrease in their bottom line and/or PR because of social media.

As you can see from my pictures the conference was not only a time of great learning, but of making true connections and lasting relationships with a truly remarkable group of professionals. It was a privilege to attend, but now it is time to take all that I learned and apply it to my wonderful clients to help them grow!

Nicole + Kersten

I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

P.S. Over there on the right is one of my newfound friends from the conference, Nicole aka Cute Culture Chick. She is a seasoned blogger and social media expert and I look forward to continuing the friendship. A perfect example of a real relationship created through the world of social media. Take a look at her #SMMW13 recap!

How to Network at Large Conferences

We Interrupt this Regularly Scheduled Marketing Blog for a Mini Break

Well if you have seen any of my social media posts, you know that I am heading to San Diego this weekend for one of the largest social media conferences of the year! I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am to be going to Social Media Examiner's 2013 Social Media Marketing World Conference where 1,000 marketers from all over the world will gather to learn and network. Some of my favorite marketing authors like Chris Brogan, John Jantsch, and Derek Halpern, will all be speaking and sharing their insight in various social media topics.

Take a look at the video below to see what I will be up to for the next few days.

Conference Networking Tips

Since I will be away learning from the Social Media Guru's I thought this would be a good time to give some networking tips for attending large events. Whether you are at a trade conference or a large chamber event, these tips will help make the most of your time.

1. Put the Sales Tactics Away

When networking, many people tend to seek big names and those they feel they will be able to make a sale with. Networking can help with your sales, but people are not stupid and can tell when you are not being genuine. Focus on building relationships with people, even those you may not see a huge connection with for you never know where it could lead or who they may know that you can help. It is your job to add value to people you network with and by focusing on relationship building will take you there.

2. Branch Out of Your Comfort Zone

At any networking event there is a tendency to lean towards sticking to people you know or have bonded with at the start of the event. Be sure to push yourself to meet new people and not get stuck in a clique. You are there to build relationships yes, but step out and meet new people or let new people into the small group of people you do know. If you are not going to step out and meet new people, then what is the point of attending large networking events or conferences?

3. Have Your Elevator Speech Ready

When meeting new people the #1 question you will be asked is, "So what do you do?" At networking events you are trying to meet and mingle with many people in a small amount of time, which is why you need to have an answer to this question. Make sure your answer is:

• Straight and to the point.

• Gives intrigue to entice the person to ask you more questions.

• Shows the person what value you give people (benefit) and not just tactics (features) you use to do you job. Such as if you are a photographer, don't just say you specialize in wedding photography, but describe the value. Another way you could say it would be that you give your clients the joy and nostalgia of the happiest days of their lives through capturing their precious moments.

Let me know how these strategies work at your next networking events and those that you use as well. I know that I will be a busy beaver these next few days. Since I will be out of town I will not be blogging for the next 4 days, but the Speakeasy blog will be up and running next week. I am sure I will have lots to share about the latest and greatest in social media.

See you all next week!

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I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

Inspire Happy Hour Cocktail - Ward 8

Time to Celebrate Happy Hour

Happy Friday fans! Each Friday I will be featuring a vintage cocktail to get your weekend started off right. After all, this company is named after one of the most popular drinking establishments to hit the US. You have worked so hard during the week and the point of this company is to give your solutions that make your life easier and allow you to enjoy what you love, whether that is happy hour, your family, or both!

Now for a mini history lesson for you. During Prohibition, the sale of alcohol was prohibited, which led to the creation of the speakeasy. These underground bars sold bootleg and illegal liquor to the people of the roaring 20s. Today's featured drink, Ward 8 was popular for it masked the harshness of the bootleg rye whiskey. Try it for yourself (those that are 21 and over of course).

Speakeasy Ward 8 Cocktail

Try Making Ward 8 Yourself

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Rye whiskey
• 1/2 oz. Orange juice
• 1/2 oz. Lemon juice
• 3 splashes Grenadine

Mixing Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients (including ice) inside a shaker.
2. Shake vigorously.
3. Strain into a cocktail glass (or perhaps a Mason jar like in the 20s).

Hope you all enjoy the recipe as much as I did. Disconnect from the daily grind this weekend, we will be here to help make your marketing less of a chore.

Let us know what you think of the drink in the comments below. If you have any drinkpreferences let us know and we may feature it next week!.

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I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

*Speakeasy Market Strategies does not condone underage or irresponsible drinking. Make wise choices ladies and gents!

The Social Sickness - The Infographic to Diagnose Your Symptoms

Are You Addicted to Social Media?

Now obviously, my company manages social media and other marketing efforts; therefore I am constantly on virtually every platform at once. So this blog is not only for those of you that are seeing social media take over your life, but for myself as well. Let's start by looking at the infographic and you diagnose which "Social Sickness" you may have (oh come on anyone into social media has one of these ;)).

Kersten's Confession

I must admit to you all that I have more than once "Social Sickness" according to this infographic. The first step towards recovery is admitting you have a problem right? Currently I have symptoms similar to the following infographic patients:

• The Social Guru - although I do not promote this, it is what I do for a living.

• The Alert Lover - hey I have to know what is going on, my excuse is alerts for my clients, but honestly I am just an addict.

• The Constant Checker - because who wants to be sitting in line at the grocery store staring into space....am I right?

Steps Towards Managing Your Social Sickness

It may seem impossible, but there are steps you can take to manage your symptoms and these can help with any of the symptoms listed in the infographic.

1. Social Media Breaks

Designate times during the day to "check" your social media. Set a time limit for yourself such as 5 or 10 minutes and stick to it. I find it helpful to set a timer on my phone, because let's be honest, social media can be a vortex for time.

2. Healthy Boundaries

If you do social media for work (like I do), turn yourself off once the workday is over. I always keep my alerts for my clients and myself on if something does happen, but other than that, do NOT get on social media. You need to begin setting up a healthy boundary between you and social media.

3. Create a Schedule

For those of you doing social media for business, set up times on your phone of calendar to tell you when to post. This way you are not haphazardly posting and are not wasting time. I set up a calendar on my iCal that tells me what I am going to post about that day, such as a broad category. For each of these categories I have resources already pre-set up that I can pull from for content. This way you are not wasting your time or your bosses and are being highly efficient.

4. Have Fun

This is sometimes that hardest thing for me since I am all social media almost 24/7, but I have to remember that I do social media not only because it is my job, but because I love it. There are times when I post nothing on personal accounts simply because I am exhausted and do not find it fun anymore. If you have gotten to this point, you are not alone. It is because of this that it is important to follow steps 1 through 3 so you do not get burned out. The worst thing you can do for your brand is get burnt out and then disappear on your platforms. Consistency is key to building a loyal following, so learn the steps and stick to them. You and your fans will thank you!

I would love to know what is your social sickness. Leave me a comment below and let us know which "patient" you are. Are you taking steps to help? Let us know!

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I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

Easily Create Visually Appealing Content for Pinterest and Other Social Media Platforms

Having trouble creating quick quality content? Take a look at these useful tools!

You may remember from a previous post, how important producing visually appealing content continuously is ESSENTIAL to success on Pinterest. Below are some useful tools you can use to quickly make images that get people pinning.

First, make your camera photos gorgeous!

Wood Camera

One of the easiest ways to create visual content is through your handy-dandy phone camera, but as we all know these images are not always the best. My favorite phone app to use for editing photos is Wood Camera. I have used this app almost since it was first created and it surpass the ability of Instagram by far! There are numerous more photo filters to choose from and the reviews of the app speak for themselves as the app is currently the #1 paid app in the Apple App Store, not just in the Photo & Video category. Yes it is a paid app, you heard correctly, but it is worth every penny!

Now I may be a little biased as one of the co-founders is a friend of mine, but I have tried a TON of photo phone apps and I always come back to this one. I absolutely love that it easily exports to almost all my social media seamlessly as well, even to Instagram. Take a look at some of the features:

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Being able to use these apps on the go is great while you are out and about, yet want to promote as well. Having this ability at events you are participating in could be priceless because I guarantee almost NONE of your competitors will be savvy enough to be promoting while at the event with visually stunning images.

Next, add words to your images!

For this feature I have 2 apps that I will recommend, for both are great and it was hard for me to choose between them. Let's start with the first one I fell in love with.

Over

Over is the first photo app that I found that combined my pictures with gorgeous typography easily on my phone. Since I am a girl on the go and a huge fan of convenience, being able to create good content while on the road is a must for me. Now Pinterest is all about great photos, but many of the photos that get a lot of traction are those with words (aka typography) written within the photos. Over allows you to easily add any picture from your phone and then add whatever words you would like on the photo. You simply:

1. Type what you want to say.
2. Select the fonts and edits you would like, such as color of font, size, etc.
3. Move the words where you would like by dragging them with your finger.
4. Then save and share to your platform of choice, whether that is your phone, social media, or wherever you prefer.

Over Small Graphic

Over again is a paid app, but it does have a free version if you would like to try that out first.

TyPic Pro

Typic Pro is very similar to Over, but adds some additional functionality that Over does not have. Typic allows you to have multiple different lines of different content within the same image (which Over unfortunately does not). This app also allows you to add a few graphic elements that are provided within the app. This one also has a free version which you can try here. Take a look at some of the great features within this app:

Typic Pro Screenshot

Typic Pro Features

Now go create and post your visual content!

With the use of these apps you will be able to create gorgeous images in no time. But the key is not to create tons of images, but to create ones with purpose that will drive your content and brand. The end goal is to build awareness and ultimately sales through Pinterest and your other social media platforms. So make your images count. Make them appealing, then add words to describe to people what the image is, how they can get the product in the image, the sky is the limit. Just make sure that you do not go crazy with sales commentary and make the image sharable. The simpler you keep it the better.

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I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

Maximizing Your Pinterest Efforts

You are pinning...but are you getting the results you want?

Last week I mentioned that to be successful on Pinterest that you must be able to produce appealing visual content continuously. The infographic below (from Pinnable Business) is great insight in how to optimize the images that you are creating and pinning. You don't need to spend a ton of time on Pinterest, make your efforts worth while and take the advice below to heart when creating your social media strategy.

If you need help developing your social media strategy, contact me to get started.

I love how this infographic spells out the steps you need to take to be successfully pinning.

Highlights I want to point out are:

• Spend some time uploading your own pins. Make sure to edit the pin after you have uploaded it to drive traffic to the relevant pages on your website. Also be sure to name your images accordingly as the title of the image becomes the default comment on the pin.
• Remember Pinterest is a social media platform, don't be all about you and all about sales all the time. Make sure to favorite, comment, and repin accordingly.
• Make the names of your Pinterest boards keyword rich as people can search the titles, but don't overdo it.
• Videos can be pinned on Pinterest.
• Google does take Pinterest into account for search, therefore make sure your pin descriptions are relevant and descriptive.

 If you are having trouble viewing this infographic up close, click here or the link at the bottom.

Pinterest Image Optimization infographic

Enjoy Pinners!

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I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

Pinterest Analytics and How They Can Help Your Business Page

What are Pinterest Analytics?

Pinterest recently released it's own analytics for businesses to be able to track the activity on their pages. You could almost call this the Facebook Insights of Pinterest. Here is a great little video from Pinterest explaining their new feature.

What features are included in the analytics?

1. Track the traffic coming from your website to Pinterest.
2. See which pins get the most repins.
3. View who is pinning from your page and what else people pin alongside them.

How do you get the new Pinterest Analytics feature?

• In order to view the new Pinterest Analytics, you must first have a business Pinterest page. If you have not done this yet, you can convert your profile here or view our previous article on how to create a business page.

• The next step you must take is to verify your website. By doing this, Pinterest is able to track the pins from your website and give you the analytics you need. In order to verify your website you will need access to the back-end of your site. If you do not know how to do this, you may need to contact your web host. This process can be a bit tricky, it took me a few tries to understand how to do it, so do not feel discouraged.

Now you have set up Pinterest Analytics, but how do you view it?

Screen Shot 2013-04-01 at 12.44.22 PM

1. Simply scroll up to the top of your screen and hoover over your account. The drop down will appear and you can then click on the "Analytics" tab.
2. Once you have clicked on the tab, you then have the ability to see the analytics from Site Metrics, Most Recent, Most Pinned, and Most Clicked. You can even export these stats for your own analysis.

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Limitations of Pinterest Analytics

After looking into the Pinterest Analytics, it is clear that this tool is very useful, especially for those that get a lot of business from Pinterest, such as e-commerce websites. The main limit that this tool has is that it simply shows you the analytics of the pins and repins of your own website content. It does not show you the most repined and interacted pins that come from other people's sites and things that you have repined from others. Now why is that important? Well I don't know about you, but the majority of my pins do not come from me, but are repins from things I think are relevant for my customers. Wouldn't you like to know the analytics on those pins?

After looking around at other analytics tools, my favorite is by far PinLeague. Now this is a paid service, but they do have a limited FREE program available as well, which is perfect for those getting started.

• See WHO Pinned Content From Your Site.
• See which pins are driving traffic to your site.
• See HOW MUCH REVENUE Pinterest is driving to your site.
• See which users / affiliates help you generate revenue from Pinterest.
• Track COMPETITORS’ top pins from their domain.

And for the Advanced User they have these features:

• View top pins from your profile and filter by keyword, hashtag, category, board and more.
• Sort top pins from your domain (“Brand Mentions”) by metrics such as Repins, Likes and Comments.
• See which pins drive traffic to your site.

Here is a link to their analytics. If you are serious about Pinterest, I suggest you take a look.

Why You Need to Track Your Pins

Having the ability to track your pins is key if you are truly wanting to grow your page and increase your ROI through Pinterest. Of all the social media platforms, Pinterest by far has the greatest potential to bring actual sales through your door. According to Daniel Maloney of PinLeague, Pinterest creates more referrals per user and more revenue per referral than Twitter and Facebook combined and it is cheaper to obtain a Pinterest follower than gaining fans on all the other social media networks. To me the numbers are in your favor, which means it is time to take this platform serious.

By tracking your pins, you are essentially able to trend spot among your following. You can see what they like from you and others, which allows you be innovate and change your strategy as needed to fit the needs of your customers. I don't know about you, but as a marketer this is extremely exciting. Knowing what the customer likes and wants can be a daunting task, but tracking pins allows you to see into the mind of your customer. It also allows you to see who your brand advocates are, which means you can reach out to them and gain valuable insight for your brand.

Overall the new Pinterest Analytics tool is a great asset to businesses, but there is much room to be desired. Feel free to leave a comment below with any questions you may have about this new Pinterest feature. I would love to hear how you are liking it.

The Marketing Dame,

I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

Happy Easter from Speakeasy!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!

I know that there is a big controversy of Google upsetting the Christians today and other such topics of debate on this day, but don't worry about the world today and simply focus on spending time with those you love. I am down here in South Texas with my family and I wish you the best on this sacred day.

Don't worry, I will be back tomorrow with more fun marketing tips for you, but for now, I'm off to eat some carrot cake and relax with my family.

Happy Easter Blog

I may not be able to take you out for that drink, but I am here to help get your marketing on the right track. If you are business owner that feels like they are struggling in today’s digital marketing, then look no further. We are here to help you be able to get back to what you do best and we can handle the rest.

Click the “Contact Us Now” button to get started. If you would like a sample of the ideas we could generate for you, click here for a free digital marketing report, custom-made for your company. Even if you are not in Tulsa, I also do have consulting available for you to purchase to get one-on-one help from me to kick-start your next project, company, idea…the skies the limit. Click here for more info on those services.

What NOT to do on Pinterest for Business

Everyone knows the basics of Pinterest, but not many talk about what you should not do.

Below are some tips and tricks to avoid while using Pinterest for business:

Profile Picture

No Profile Picture

ALWAYS have a relevant profile picture. There are 2 camps when it comes to this topic for Pinterest. You can have a profile picture that is your logo or have one that is the "face" or principal of your company to humanize the account. This topic of discussion goes along with all other social media platforms, but for Pinterest in particular, I feel it is best to have your logo. In the other platforms you can create background images to help brand your page, but with Pinterest, you just get the profile picture, so you want to make sure that people recognize your brand. If you have multiple social media accounts, I suggest having your profile picture be the same one you use on the other accounts. This way when people visit your page, they know they are interacting with a familiar brand.

Descriptions

Bad Pin Ex

Unlike other social media platforms, Pinterest allows you to have an exceptionally long character length for your posts aka "pins." Each pin or repin can have up to 500 characters, but that does not always mean you must use all 500. According to Dan Zarrella of Hubspot, the pins that get repinned the most have a description length between 200 and 300 characters.In my opinion, I feel that you need to make your descriptions count, but you do not need to have a mini book in your descriptions either. You want people to repin and then visit your site, if you give them all the information they need within the pin description, they have no purpose to go to your site.

Good Pin Ex

Each description you all to your pin is searchable, almost like a mini google so optimize your pins so people can easily find your content. Pinterest did at one time support hashtags aka the pound symbol (#), which is heavily used on Twitter in their descriptions for people to search, but it has recently gotten rid of supporting hashtag searches with their new update. Because of this update it is not necessary to have tons of hashtags, nor was it before in my opinion, so for future reference do not go hashtag crazy.

Accidentally Follow Spammers

Now spammers on Pinterest are tricky little devils so you need to be careful. Most people see someone is following them and then automatically follow them back. A lot of the times there are spammers on Pinterest following you, so be sure to not follow them back. Here are some things to look for:

• Large numbers of followers and people they are following but:
  • They only have a handful of boards--most of which do not correlate together.
  • They have no description of themselves or website connected to their description.
  • Low number of actual pins.
  • Most of the spammers that have followed me fill this description, here is an example below. This particular spammer has 4,751 followers and is following 14,689.

Don't follow Spammers

Avoid these pitfalls and you will be well on your way to a well run business Pinterest page and a strong following, granted you take the advice from the previous Pinterest articles ;)

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