Carol Stephen, Author at

Ten Ways to Tap Into Your Inner Daredevil

September 3, 2015 By Carol Stephen 14 Comments

Ten Ways to Tap Into Your Inner Daredevil

Fearlessness Leads to Great Learning

Richard Branson once said “You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” With that in mind, here are ways that you can tap into that most enviable of business traits: fearlessness. Failure and fearlessness are intricately linked. For more on failure, you might want to read my previous post What if Failure Didn’t Exist?

Hero Vs. Psychopath

Hero Versus Psychopath

People often think that daredevils are psychopaths. When Batman jumps off a tall building with no regard for his own life, we’re all rooting for him. (Not the Ben Affleck Batman, though. We’re not rooting for him.*) Some measure of risk is important to a solid business; fearlessness in its pure form of boldness is what people need.

*With apologies to Ben Affleck

Get Through Tough Times

Get through Tough Moments

If you were brave in the forest and no one was watching, would it count for anything? Probably not. But what about when you have to speak in front of 600 people with no script and explain your startup’s mission? Being fearless, if only for an hour or two, would be no small feat.

It’s Lonely At the Top

Being fearless might necessitate taking “the road less traveled” more often than not. Indirectly, this could lead to a lonely existence. However, this is 2015. Surely there is a closed Facebook group where daredevils of all sorts could congregate.

Lets You Be the Boss

When someone threatens to eat your chicken tenders, you’re going to have to fight back. Slap that chicken thief right across the jaw and show him who’s boss! Whose chicken is it anyhow?

Chicken or Egg?

Being a daredevil in business involves taking on more risk. But what if fear itself is what’s keeping you from taking on that risk? You could theoretically “fake it til’ you make it” and pretend to have the confidence needed, charging ahead and shoving that fear aside in a temporary show of bravado. Stepping up when the risk is great doesn’t always result in success, so your being fearless will surely be appreciated by all the chickens. (Do you “get” that one?) And you might like to read my post Six Amazing Social Media Startup Secrets, by the way.

Confidence Emerges Once Fear is Stripped Away

Tony Robbins encourages participants in his Unleash the Power Within seminars to walk on fire as a metaphor for facing and overcoming personal fears. He gets the crowd ready by having people chant, stamping out fear with positive thoughts the way Smokey the Bear would stamp out a forest fire. Robbins says “In order to get people to know that the techniques they are learning work, I like to use a physical metaphor that tests them to be able to take action in spite of fear.”

Drunken Scorpion

People talk about committing to success like it’s easy. It’s similar to my yoga instructor who bends into a crazy ball and stands on one arm. I think the pose is called “Drunken Scorpion.” The point is, once she’s halfway there, she might as well go the rest of the way.

Fearlessness is the Ultimate Joy

Thich Nhat Hanh says that fearlessness is not only possible, it is the ultimate joy. We might not go so far as to make friends with a murderer on our daily walk as Thich does, but it’s something to consider, if only for the sake of overcoming our fear.

Deep Thoughts

What would you do if you had no fear? What would your business look like? Would you want to expand and outsource some of the chores that don’t interest you? Please leave a comment!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Business, career, confidence, daredevil, fearlessness, Richard Branson, Startup, success, Thich Nhat Hanh, yoga

What if Failure Didn’t Exist?

August 27, 2015 By Carol Stephen 11 Comments

What if Failure Didn’t Exist?

Why do people think failure is such a good idea? After all, failure can hurt. You get up, you fall down, you break your toe. Or your nose. Your nose! How can that be a good thing? And yet, people in the startup world, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area, think of failure as the Holy Grail.

Trial By Fire

Failure is often defined by its opposite. It’s a lack of success, a falling short, the inability to reach a milestone or goal. Even by its definition, failure fails to deliver. And yet, businesses need failure. If everything was rosy all the time, we would always think we were doing well. And would you have any motivation to do better if you always got an A+ on every test? Probably not.

Fail Forward

Here in Silicon Valley, failure has always been touted as admirable. It’s a way to build character, a way to determine how startups operate under pressure, and, a way to find stories to tell later. Failing forward–that is, learning from mistakes–is a badge of courage. And naturally that Silicon Valley icon, Steve Jobs, was our greatest failure (think NeXT Computer). That is, until Apple came along.

Baby Steps to Failure

Maybe you aren’t ready to have a massive failure of the ilk that would make Steve Jobs proud. Could you start small? Say by experimenting in a tiny way with how you do your job, how you create your to-do list, or which route you drive to work? After all, starting with a small failure earlier is better than having a huge failure later, as this Forbes article about failing forward outlines. Being comfortable being uncomfortable is what it’s all about.

Failure Makes You a Better Social Media Marketer

As social media marketers, we are always experimenting. My friend Bridget Willard was just saying that she’s always trying new things. Partly, we test things so that our clients don’t have to go through what we go through. So the new plug-in goes on our blog first. The new method of posting with an image goes happens on our Twitter before theirs. Once the new method works, it’s ready for prime-time. And speaking of failure, maybe you’d be interested in reading about Ten of the Worst Social Managers.

National Failure Day

Here is the part where I was going to cleverly propose a National Failure Day. However, someone in Finland has beat me to it! You might not be surprised that the creator of Angry Birds has something to do with it. Rovio, who created Angry Birds, made 52 other games before finally creating Angry Birds. The other surprise is that the Finns traveled to Silicon Valley’s Failure Conference before going home and creating National Failure Day. So there.

Secret Sauce

Failure Is the Secret Sauce

If there was no failure, there would be no grit. There would be no workarounds. The “Aha” moments would be few and far between. Also, there would be no contrast. Without contrast, there would be no humor. And humor is something we need more of, don’t we?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: fail, failure, Mistakes, National Failure Day, Silicon Valley, Social Media Marketer, Steve Jobs, Twitter

The Startup Guide to Sleep

August 20, 2015 By Carol Stephen 6 Comments

The Startup Guide to Sleep

During the past few years, public perception about sleep and its importance has started to shift. While some founders and CEOs may still brag about how little sleep they need, many others are waking up to the significance of getting enough sleep. A sleep industry has begun to develop, with apps, mattresses, and devices to assist us in getting enough shut-eye. Here is my post about blogging tips for startups, by the way.

Is Sleep the Secret to 2 World Series Wins in 5 Years?

San Francisco Giants’ Sleep Coach

Perhaps you’ve heard that the San Francisco Giants have won three titles in the past five years. But did you know that for each year that they won they had a sleep coach? Dr. Chris Winter, whom the Huffington Post calls “the sleep whisperer,” coaches the team on getting the most recuperation so they can play at their best. Although the Giants pay more in hotel bills (to allow the players to rest rather than fly home immediately after a game), their players are well rested and perform better. And by the way, the Giants can improve your game in other ways, too.

Napping is Your New SuperPower

Your New Super Power: Napping

Napping is your new best friend for more reasons than one. A nap can rejuvenate you so that you can work longer and can also extend your life. If you’re driving while tired, a few minutes napping at a rest stop lets you continue your drive safely. And did you know there’s a perfect time of day to nap? According to Dr. Sara Mednick, you can design your own nap using her nap wheel. Many companies are now allowing employees a place to nap at work.

Hack Your Nap

If you can’t get a solid eight during the night because of early-morning meetings, there is another way: hack your nap. According to this article in Forbes, a quick look at Google trends reveals that search interest in sleep has risen by 50% in the past decade and interest in napping has doubled. Ultimately, what are people looking for? Power nap info, of course! Of the power hacks, choosing between the 20-minute nap or the 70-90-minute nap is the most interesting. Nick Meyer, who is working on A Guide to Optimized Napping, explains this in more detail in his article.

Arianna Huffington’s Big Secret is Sleep

Arianna Huffington’s Story

Arianna Huffington, in her TEDx talk, explains that she “learned the hard way” about sleep deprivation. Her “small idea,” one that includes more joy and productivity, is to get enough sleep. She describes sleep as a feminist issue, and jokes that we women are literally going to “sleep our way to the top.” She goes on to say that a high IQ does not mean you’re a good leader. You may be making a lot of stupid mistakes because of sleep deprivation. Sound like any startups you’ve worked for lately?

Perchance to Dream

Founders and startup members may want to use their sleep time to find answers to their problems. They may not have the time to become lucid dreamers, as outlined by Stephen LaBerge, the father of Lucid Dreaming, but they could use their dream state to solve difficult problems or rethink some issue. For instance, they may decide to “sleep on” a decision to take on a new team member.

Have a Personal Sleep Success Story?

How does sleep help you? I’d love to hear your story! Unless it cuts into your nap time, that is.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: balance, dreams, napping, rest, San Francisco Giants, sleep, sleep coach, Startups

Social Media Doldrums: Survival in Six Steps

August 13, 2015 By Carol Stephen 15 Comments

Whether your business is a startup or a long-standing business, you’ll sometimes suffer from the social media doldrums. The doldrums can be defined as a period of stagnation or inactivity. It might occur in the middle of the summer or during a holiday. There is nothing happening, there are no boats on the horizon, and there is no wind at all. Naturally, you’d like to escape the doldrums as quickly as possible!

Share Posts from Like-Minded Companies

Sharing might seem like a non-intuitive way to escape the doldrums, but there are others creating ideas and content who would love the boost. Meantime, you get a little time to reflect and create a long-term escape plan. Some personal favorites are:

Tess Wittler, who writes about blogging for construction companies,
Blue Steele Solutions, who write about marketing strategies and solutions,
Bridget Willard (You Too Can Be a Guru), who writes about social media, and
Robert Nissenbaum (Tactical Social Media), who covers brand awareness and recognition.

Comment on Blogs to Escape the Doldrums

Comment on Blogs

Commenting on others’ writing is a fabulous way to spark new ideas for your own social media or blog posts. A good place to start is with people who are sharing your content or commenting on your posts. Starting a conversation on a blog beyond “great post!” can help the creative juices flow again. Ask a question or say something that will move the conversation beyond the entry level. For instance, “what made you think of writing about this topic?”

Read Articles

Articles within your own niche can help to stimulate new ideas and help you create an action plan to escape. For instance, Copyblogger is a terrific one. Take note of which articles attract you. What headlines brought you there? Could you use a similar headline?

Power out? No problem. pic.twitter.com/dnQ7pOgC

— OREO Cookie (@Oreo) February 4, 2013

Think Back

Go back to memorable moments. These moments might be times when ads caught your attention from your childhood, events that are important to the country as a whole, or to a game that you played. It could be anything, really. For instance, do you remember Life cereal “Give it to Mikey! He hates everything!” ad? People quote that ad all the time. Or the more recent Oreo cookie tweet during the Superbowl of 2013? There are moments that people enjoy revisiting.

Go Into the Stillness

Like a stale meme, you want an easy answer. Sometimes running straight into the fire, or lack thereof, is the right thing to do. This is perhaps the most difficult cure, and also the most “zen.” Every business has its ups and downs. Sometimes a period of absolute quiet is necessary for the next period of growth. Being still and calm might drive you insane as a business owner. Unless you’re an introvert, that is. Here’s my article on Six Facts About Introverts and Social Media That Will Impress Your Friends, by the way.

Feel the Pain

Explore the Pain

If you’re having a period of the doldrums, perhaps your clients are, too. How about writing about the pain that life in the doldrums creates for you? After all, you’re not going to be reaching the top of Mount Kilimanjaro every day. And, to use the sailing metaphor, you won’t sail your boat under the Golden Gate Bridge every day, either.

Ever Been in the Doldrums?

What did you do to get out? Leave me a comment!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: doldrums, Social Media, Startup, survival

Twitter Chats: 101 Tips for Success

August 6, 2015 By Carol Stephen 9 Comments

Tweet Chats: 101 Tips for Success

I’ve been hosting #DigiBlogChat (a Twitter chat) since August 5, 2015. Besides this chat, I’ve hosted other chats for years for various brands. So I’ve learned a few things. This is for those of you who want to host your own chat. If you want to participate, you might want to read my post: TweetChats: How to Participate.

What is a Tweet Chat?

A twitter chat is a live event on Twitter, organized around a hashtag. It can be a one-time-only event, or an ongoing event.

1. Participate first before hosting your own chat. Get on a chat or two. Or four.

2. Cohost a chat to see how much work it is. You’ll probably need at least two hours per week to host.

3. Before you jump in, ask someone else how much work is involved.

An Occasional Cartoon Can Help When Your Chat Lags

4. Research your hashtag. Search for 2-3 best hashtags, the shorter the better.

5. Register your hashtag. While no one “owns” a hashtag, registering one gives you legitimacy. You can register on Twubs.

6. Register your tweet chat (also on Twubs).

7. Upload a header for your chat.

8. Send reminders to the people on your list.

@_DanMessina @Joshanisfeld @catsatwork @RandyClarkTKO @JanMagee @Greydock We'd love to see you at #DigiBlogChat Tuesday, 8/4 at 1pm pdt!

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) August 3, 2015

9. Use a scheduler for reminders. Send them (at 7:00 am or earlier) a day or two before the chat.

10. Schedule reminders for the following week right after a chat. It saves time.

11. Group people on reminders,

Keep a Tickler File so You Don’t Have to Consult Your Magic 8Ball

12. Keep a tickler list of topics and cohosts.

13. Flesh out your topics. Create 8-9 questions.

14. Stay open during the chat for an additional sub-question.

15. Save off-topic questions for another chat.

16. Don’t be afraid to repeat topics and tweak questions a little.

17. Involve participants.

18. Have a good, engaging topic to attract new participants and keep everyone interested.

19. Send more than one reminder, especially if you’re just starting out.

20. Remind people about the chat on Facebook.

Have a promo image for your Twitter Chat

21. Create a promo image with the time, hashtag, etc.

22. Change your promo image for each chat if you’re super-ambitious!

23. Promote your chat on Pinterest on your “events” board.

24. Delete and repin your promo on Pinterest before each chat.

25. Ask others to promote for you.

26. Get on the chat at least 15 minutes early.

27. Clear all your notifications and reply to people before you start your chat.

28. Use TweetChat or Twubs.

29. Keep both TweetChat and Twubs open; use whichever is most reliable that day.

30. Keep your questions nearby.

31. Cut and paste your questions into the chat.

32. Welcome everyone.

33. Encourage newbies.

34. Encourage a friendly atmosphere.

35. Get help to welcome people.

The Co-Host for #DigiBlogChat is Larry Mount

36. Have a co-host for help with topics, promotion, and for more reach, too.

37. Have sponsors create topics and questions.

38. Get a sub if you go on vacation.

39. Create a tweet or two for the sub to explain that you’re on vacation.

Questions will appear as Q1, Q2, etc. Please respond to these with A1, A2, and so on. #DigiBlogChat

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) August 4, 2015

40. Remind everyone of the chat’s format.

41. Favorite tweets for inclusion in a post later.

42. Tell people you’re favoriting tweets for a curated blog post.

Time for a short intermission – don’t forget to stretch! #DigiBlogChat

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) August 4, 2015

43. Halfway through send a “stretch” reminder. Hat tip to Bridget Willard of You Too Can Be a Guru for this one.

44. Check TweetReach for a free “slice” of your chat.

45. For complete analytics, use Tweetreach ($20).

Tweets about #digiblogchat have reached 50,370 accounts https://t.co/jx1cP8YZ0q via @tweetreachapp

— Carol Stephen (@Carol_Stephen) July 28, 2015

46. Send a tweet with the Tweetreach stats.

47. Keep the Tweetreach window/tab open.

48. After the chat, do a screenshot, go to Facebook, and post the screenshot, along with a link to the Tweetreach stats.

49. After the chat, update your Twitter profile to the next chat’s date.

Change Your Profile to Show the Next Chat

50. Update your Twitter list with the new people.

51. Schedule reminders. Keep a Google list. Schedule those reminders right away.

52. Prepare eight or nine questions for the next week.

53. Space your questions, starting at about 1:03 and then every 7-8 minutes.

54. Still reading? Holy cow. You should get a prize.

55. Side conversations are a good thing.

56. Friendships will develop. Also a good thing.

57. Don’t worry about spam. The community will probably block the spammer themselves.

58. Nip bullying in the bud. Prepare a statement to discourage it.

Holy Cow! Are You Still Reading?

59. Decide upon your ultimate goal. To create a community? Gain followers?

60. Use a simple way to measure your goal. Number of tweets or reach, for instance.

61. Set interim goals, as well as long-range ones.

62. Use tools to extend the life of your chat. Storify is excellent.

63. Edit your Storify to 3-4 tweets per question.

64. Create a blog post from your chat.

65. Add images to your blog post.

66. Tweet the blog post.

67. Tag people from the chat who are mentioned in your post.

68. Research your topic if it’s one you don’t already know thoroughly.

69. Create Tweets from the research, such as links about articles.

70. Tweet images, such as cartoons.

71. Invite more people to the chat.

72. Invite people who might be interested in a particular chat topic.

73. If your invited guests join the chat, add them to the list.

74. Rinse and repeat.

75. Remove people from your list if they don’t attend.

Try to Keep the Chat on Topic Because Squirrel!

76. If people get goofy and go wayyyy off topic, rope it back in. Or not.

77. Decide if you want to tweet about religion, politics, or sex.

Don’t Worry Too Much About Low Attendance

78. Despite low attendance, as long as your attendance trends upwards, it’s all good.

79. Set up HootSuite or Tweetchat with a column for your chat’s hashtag in between chats.

80. Avoid selling your own product.

RT @Carol_Stephen Topic suggestions are always welcomed so contact either me or @LazBlazter! #DigiBlogChat

— Tripp Braden (@TrippBraden) August 4, 2015

81. Ask for topic suggestions and co-hosts.

82. Consider the time zones of your target audience. For instance, my friends in England stay up late to attend.

83. Have special guests to create excitement and extend your own knowledge base.

84. Offer the occasional prize or gift. For instance, for an anniversary or special event.

85. Track the number of tweets, impressions, and contributors.

Get Your Chat Listed

86. Make sure you’re listed in chat directories, such as Kneaver.

87. If your friend Adam tells you that making a list of 100 items for a blog post is easy, don’t believe him. It’s harder than making pie. People say pie is easy, too.

88. Use your desktop for the most control. Do not attempt to host a chat on mobile. That way madness lies.

89. Search for other chats in your industry on Google by “keyword + twitter chat” before you pick a time/day for your own.

90. Join other chats to search out new topics for your own.

91. Don’t choose a time that clashes with other chats in your industry.

92. Your chat name doesn’t have to end with chat (although most do). You could end with talk, for instance.

93. Send questions to guests (or publish them) ahead of time. Some people like to prepare beforehand.

94. Schedule at least two tweets the day of the chat and one the day before to promote.

95. Reward your best contributors. Give them a shoutout after the chat to say thanks.

96. If you have a guest answering questions for the brand, you can have them live on the phone during the chat.

97. Use your email list to promote and grow your chat even more.

98. Follow all the newbies on your chat–unless they’re spammy.

Publicize Your Twitter List After the Chat

99. Publicize your Twitter list after the chat. Ask people to subscribe as a service.

100. If newbies forget etiquette during the chat, remind them (e.g., don’t forget the hashtag!).

101. Above all, be a good host. Like a party, a Twitter chat needs structure and planning to operate smoothly.

What Advice Do You Have?

If you have any advice, let me know in the comments! Thanks.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: DigiBlogChat, event, promotion, tips, Tweetchat, Twitter, Twitter Chat, Twubs

How Nostradamus Predicted Massive Twitter Failure

July 30, 2015 By Carol Stephen 15 Comments

How Nostradamus Predicted Massive Twitter Failure

Most of Nostradamus’ predictions covered disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and droughts. Often he retroactively predicted catastrophes with specific locations or dates. Or so people thought! When reread in 2015, Nostradamus was obviously talking about Twitter the entire time. This is his true gift to mankind.

Let’s take a look at some of those predictions and see what they really mean.

People Will Live To Be 200

Obviously, Nostradamus meant that tweets will live for 200 years. In the future, your great-great-great grandkids will see your tweets and wonder just what you were thinking. Why so many videos of cats? And why always the headline and the link? What the heck?

The Dead Will Walk And Your Tweets Will Live Forever

The Dead Will Resurrect

That tweet you thought was gone when you deleted it? Not so much. Look at all the politicians deleting tweets before elections (Donald Trump comes to mind). Someone took a screenshot and saved that tweet, though. So be careful what you say, Donald! You can’t fool us!

California Will Have an Enormous Earthquake

Yes, we will. And Twitter is in California. Coincidence? No.

Fear the Sugar

The Third AntiChrist Will Appear at the Beginning of the 21st Century

Now, that’s no way to talk about Twitter’s CEO Jack Dorsey. Come on now. He’s been trying to get the stock price up, to make Twitter easier to use, and to explain the benefits of only 140 characters, blah, blah, blah, as CNN Money explains in their article.

Is Twitter Facing Extinction?

The Mayan Armageddon

Nostradamus was trying to say that Twitter was going down. But Twitter is not going anywhere in the down direction in 2015 (or 2012 as some predicted from Nostradamus’ texts). If you’re wondering whether Nostradamus was something of a Debbie Downer, the answer is yes.

The Differences Between Languages Will Disappear

Now people using hashtags all over the place makes me angry as much as the next Social Media Manager. And tweeting from Facebook is plain wrong. We’ve also seen the rise of pins on Twitter and links that go to LinkedIn, as well as Google translate. So maybe Nostradamus was right about this one.

Got a Prophecy About Twitter?

Want to be your own Nostradamus? Leave me a comment! Yes, I’d really like to know what you think!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: apocalypse, Facebook, Google translate, LinkedIn, Nostradamus, Twitter, Twitter Chat

How Facebook’s Trending Topics Is Like Minority Report

July 23, 2015 By Carol Stephen 6 Comments

How Facebook’s Trending Topics Is Like Minority Report

In Minority Report, Tom Cruise walks through a mall while an ad calls to him: “John Anderton! You could use a Guiness right now!” Consider all the tracking devices that make your life easier: Waze, Foursquare, and even sampling software such as Shazam. Now think back to cookies, which despite the cute name, tracked–and continue to track–your location on the web. By trading convenience for privacy, are our lives becoming more like Minority Report? And how does Facebook, which many of us use to gather our news, add to that Minority Report experience?

Is Facebook Stalking You?

Say you’re interested in a topic that’s a little non-mainstream. For instance, chemtrails or robot wars. So you get on Facebook and search your usual favorite pages. You find an article you like: “101 Ways Chemtrails Are Destroying Your Health.”* You read said article for 23 minutes. Did you know that Facebook is now tracking the amount of time you spend reading articles? Even if you don’t like or comment on that article, you are being tracked, according to Facebook’s own blog. Supposedly, Facebook now will show you more relevant articles related to this one.

*Any resemblance to an actual article is unintentional.

Facebook’s Trending Topics

At present, Facebook shows the top trends on the right sidebar, which when clicked, expand into a bigger list. Here’s how Facebook describes what makes up the trending topics: “The topics you see are based on a number of factors including engagement, timeliness, pages you’ve liked and your location.” The description indicates that your content is customized to you. By the way, here’s a recent article I wrote on Twitter’s trending topics.

Will Facebook Be a One-Stop Shop?

Facebook Trying to Become One-Stop News Shop

According to Huffington Post’s article: Facebook Trending Experiment, “the Pew Research Center recently found that three in five American millennials said they consumed political news on Facebook in the past week, and in May 2015, the site launched Instant Articles in partnership with nine major international newspapers.” Trending topics is a way for Facebook to corral its users and keep them on the site as long as possible through topics that are more relevant.

The Tail Wagging the Dog

If you read the comments in most articles about privacy and data mining, most people don’t want to be told what to like. They still want to feel that they have a choice. Even if they do spend five hours a day reading about chemtrails or robot wars, they’d like to be able to jump around the internet at will, change their interests suddenly, and have control over what they consume.

Does Facebook Have Your Number?

Has Facebook Gone Too Far?

At what point will you think that Facebook has gone too far? Do you believe that it’s Time to Quit Facebook? Or are you willing to give away more of your privacy? Leave me a comment! I promise not to track you!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: cookies, customization, Facebook, Minority Report, privacy, smart timer, tracking, trending topics

Twitter Trending Topics: Secrets for Using Them

July 16, 2015 By Carol Stephen 10 Comments

Secrets to Using Twitter Trending Topics

When most people think of trending topics, they think of Twitter. But there are trending and popular topics across other platforms, too. If you’re just getting started on Twitter, here are ways to use Twitter as a listening tool. Google, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter all have trending and popular pins and articles. There’s too much about trending topics for just one article, so it will be a series.

Catch a Trending Topic

Catch a Wave

Trending topics can be like a wave. You might see one coming and decide to catch it. It’s not the most evergreen of content, but something that’s here one minute and probably gone the next. If that’s part of your strategy, it can lend an air of spontaneity to your posts. If most of your posts are scheduled and carefully crafted, having some spontaneity can add an element of fun.

Real-Life Trending Topics

Real-Life Examples

Above are trending topics, from my own Twitter account. The top one, about Amazon’s Prime Day, could be used by anyone selling something. You could say something about a July sale that isn’t disappointing. If you’re in music, you might want to comment on Neil Young pulling his catalog from streaming service. If your audience enjoys science, you could jump on the Charon (Pluto’s moon) trend. For someone in the social media arena, Kim Kardashian’s buying likes could be a major failure, and a good topic of conversation.

If Your Audience Enjoys Science, You Could Tweet about Charon

Find a Trend for Your Audience

You might not want to pick just any trend to post–decide based upon what your audience would like to see. For instance, I tweet about startups, leadership, and social media, so I’d want to make sure that those were the trending topics I posted. If you post about cars, look for trending topics around automobiles, tires, car safety, etc., which are fairly common.

Twitter’s New Detailed Trending Topics

As outlined in the Wall Street Journal, Twitter has recently added descriptions under its trending topics to give them some context. Previously, Twitter had a Discover tab (missed dearly by some of us old-time Twitter fans). Supposedly, these new and improved trending topics will add context to appeal to Twitter newbies. For anyone, having some context could be useful.

Check The Number of Tweets About a Trending Topic

You can also see how many tweets there are about a trending topic, although I wouldn’t base my decision to jump on a trending topic wave based solely on the number of tweets. For instance, the #GrowingUpUgly hashtag would probably not appeal to my audience, despite its 104 thousand tweets.

Local Trending Topics Can Be Useful

Change the Trending Topic to a Nearby City

The trending topics can be changed to another city. For instance, since I’m in the San Francisco Bay Area, I could switch from tailored topics to San Francisco to see what’s different. Just click at the top left (on desktop) to switch back and forth.

How Do You Use Trending Topics?

Do you pay attention to them at all? Or just ignore them? Leave me a comment!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: audience, Facebook, Google, local search, Pinterest, tailored trends, trending topics, Twitter

10 Arguments for a Pinterest Business Account

July 9, 2015 By Carol Stephen 2 Comments

10 Arguments for a Pinterest Business Account

You may have a personal Pinterest account, that you got when Pinterest first arrived on the scene in 2010 (remember when it was by invitation only?). And you’ve loved some of Pinterest’s changes, such as the move from search to guided discovery. Now that some of your friends have business accounts, why don’t you make the leap, too? If you’re undecided about getting a business account, here are some reasons you need to get off that fence.

The Red Check Mark Gives Legitimacy to Your Business Account

Red Check Mark

For now, as outlined by Business Outsider, Pinterest needs to come to you if you want the red checkmark. It’s a good way to verify whether you’re following a real celebrity or fake. However, checkmark or not, you can still drive traffic to your site. Google takes Pinterest seriously.

Pins and Boards Are Now Being Indexed By Google

Google Search

With both pins and boards now being indexed by Google, it makes sense to have a business account so that you can pin your own content and drive traffic to your website. For instance, above is a Google image search I did on a pin. Pins dominate the search results on Google.

Want to learn more about your audience and your top pins?

Analytics

Want to learn more about your audience, your top pins, and your all-time most popular pin? Sure you do! To get started, login to your business account and check your analytics. As you can see from the above screenshot, I have a lot of views, but views on my website are a spot that could use an upgrade. I’ll be writing more about Pinterest analytics in the future, so keep your eyes open.

A Pinterest Business Account Helps to Increase Your Brand’s Legitimacy

Legitimacy

For any brand, having a business account lends an air of legitimacy. Having a business account adds to your credibility. It’s surprising when a business doesn’t even bother to upload a logo or photo before starting to follow many, many accounts. And by the way, here’s a list of Five Things You’re Doing Wrong on Pinterest and How to Fix Them.

A Business Account Draws More of the Right Kind of Followers

Followers

Just like a business account on Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere else, a business account will draw more of the right kind of followers. If you haven’t taken the time to set up your account yet, here are some first steps you can take.

Rich Pins, Like Sponsored Pins, Can Increase Your Traffic and Profits

More Business

With a business account, you can check what your ideal client is pinning, and then take steps to create pins that match those pins and that will be interesting to them. Besides, you don’t want to miss out on rich pins, sponsored pins or the upcoming buyable pins, do you?

Pinterest Drives Sales to Shopping Networks, Like Etsy and Shopify

Increased Sales

With all the ammunition you’ve gathered from your analytics, you’ll surely have more sales. You should know more about your ideal client and what interests them. Especially in a retail environment, sales can come directly from Pinterest. Pinterest users spend more time on the site, and tend to buy from sites like Etsy and Shopify while there.

A Business Accounts Helps People Recognize Your Brand

Brand Recognition

People will recognize your brand and image if they see you consistently pinning pins that match your brand. You won’t be “out of sight and out of mind” when your pins remind people of your brand.

Know Where the Market is Headed with a Pinterest Business Account

Barometer

By analyzing the popularity of your pins, you can get an idea of where the market is headed. For instance, you could pin the same pin with a different image to different boards, altering the time you pin, in order to see which draws more attention. The marketplace’s taste fluctuates as quickly as the weather; what you will find within Pinterest’s business analytics is a barometer that helps you maneuver through the market trends.

Brand Loyalty

According to Access Development, “the most important driver of brand loyalty for millennials is a great product at 77%, followed closely by brand recognition and trust at 69% (NewsCred)”. A Pinterest business account can help you to retain those loyal customers, whether they’re millennials or not.

Convinced?

Will you take the plunge and get your brand a business account now? I’d love to know if you do. Leave the word “Done!” in the comments if you do!

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Business, buyable pins, discovery, pins, Pinterest, search, sponsored pins

Ten Ways to Be Social

July 2, 2015 By Carol Stephen 12 Comments

Ten Ways to Be Social

If you’ve been on social media for awhile, you’ve heard me saying over and over to engage. So today instead of telling you to engage, I’m going to tell you how to engage. Don’t worry. It’s not that difficult! But it is one of the top questions I get about social media.

Say Hello

One thing is sure. When you say hello to people, they say hello back! Even a casual, “Hi! How’s it going?” will probably do more to get you engagement than tweeting ten articles with links. People like to be noticed and we all love to talk about ourselves.

If you say hello, people say hello back!

Talk About Them

Don’t just talk about yourself. Talk about them. Ask how they are. Be curious. How did they get their name? Where is their company located? What do they do? How did they get the idea for the article they just published?

Thank People

When people retweet you, share your posts, or comment on a blog, say thank you. Don’t simply retweet their retweet of your tweet (did you follow that? Yay.). Go one step farther and retweet something THEY would like retweeted. Probably something they wrote that links back to their website. Here’s a terrific post on the two words that help brand loyalty (guess what they are?!) from Bridget Willard.

Retweet from a Friend’s Website — I’d add an image here

If your friend sent a tweet without an image, go to the link and add the image. They will get more retweets and you’ll look good, too.

Finished Tweet, Uploaded and Scheduled

To turbocharge the tweet for your friend, add an image, shorten the link, include their Twitter handle, and schedule it at an optimal time so it’ll get the most views. The screenshot above is from my HootSuite scheduler.

Comment on Your Friend’s Blog

For extra brownie points, comment on their blog. It only takes an extra minute, and they will love it! Seriously. Even if you just say “good article!” Better still, ask a question about the article and keep the conversation going.

Cross-Post to Another Platform, such as Pinterest

Cross-Post to Another Platform

See a good post on Facebook? Put it on Twitter. Or put it on a popular Pinterest board. Or post it to LinkedIn. And then you could tag your friend and thank them for the interesting article. The tag is important if you want your friend to see it.

Being Friendly Isn’t All That Difficult

Join Their TweetChat

Many people have chats these days. Join in their chat and publicize it, too. That makes both of you look good. My tweetchat, #DigiBlogChat, is Tuesdays at 1:00 pm Pacific Time, by the way. And here is how to participate in a TweetChat should you ever want to join one.

Meet in Person

This is the ultimate way of being social. Once you meet someone in person, everything changes. That person becomes three dimensional. So if you’ve been talking to someone since the Internet was invented (by Al Gore), ask to meet that person if you’re going to be in their area.

What Did I Miss?

What are some other ways you like to be social?

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: engage, Engagement, HootSuite, Retweet, scheduling, Social, Tweetchat, Twitter