Twitter Toys / Tweeple
June 19th, 2009
Here is a list of Twitter applications and accounts that I call, “Twitter Toys”. They have no necessity for consistent use; though some you could use to extend your Twitter marketing efforts. Most are just fun and provide information about Twitter, Monetization and Tweeple.
TweeSpeed
Cool Twitter application that shows us the Actual Twitter speed (in tweets per minute) This is what the script looks like:
AMUSING TWEEPLE
@HashTags - This is a groovy way to extend your reach on Twitter. Follow @Hashtags on Twitter and you are automatically connected to the community. Next, write a tweet and place #hashtag in front of a main subject / keyword or two (ex: #Pittsburgh), and your post will show on the Hashtags website with potential for any of the 105,050 users to see. This is perfect for reaching and intentionally connecting with target markets.
@TweetingBar - If cats can tweet, why can’t taps? We created an apparatus that tweets each time a beer is poured - and reminds you when it’s time to refill the keg.
June 19th, 2009
Want to learn more about marketing your Pittsburgh Business on Twitter? Pittsburgh SEO Lady is a “Twitter Addict” and would love to read tweets about your life and company on Twitter, too. Why? This is because Twitter is an incredible micro blogging (short blog posts) and social networking platform. Not only can it drive your business more exposure and search engine popularity, but also assists in branding, customer loyalty, website traffic and sales conversions. You just need to learn how to use Twitter effectively or hire a someone to manage this for you. In this Web 2.0 era of “Friendship Marketing”, “Viral Marketing”, “Social Markeitng”, it is only to your benefit to have at least one Twitter account working for you!
Start with this cute video called: How To Use Twitter As A Twool.
Pittsburgh Business Owners, Are You Using Twitter?
June 15th, 2009
In 2007, Rand McNally’s “Places Rated Almanac” ranked Pittsburgh “America’s Most Livable City” for young professionals. In 2009, Pittsburgh was #6 of the “Ten Cities For Job Growth In 2009″ by Forbes.com and are now #29 of the world’s most livable cities (making Pittsburgh #1 Top city to live in the USA) by The Economist (British Magazine). With the casino opening soon, Pittsburgh business appreciates this exposure, though there are ways that we can develop our own exposure. This blog features one.
Speaking of exposure …
How About Twitter Marketing For Your Pittsburgh Business?
Although Pittsburgh is a city that is that has been voted as most “livable” and expect to experience economic growth, Pittsburgh businesses are poorly represented in the social media arenas; Twitter specifically for this post. If you spend just a few minutes on Twitter to see how your Pittsburgh business would compete, I assure you that it would not take long to learn if a particular Pittsburgh business is using Twitter, and whether they are using it to it’s phenomenal social networking capabilities.
Pittsburgh Business Is Poorly Represented On Twitter
It is quite a shocker to see our sports teams bursting with Followers, though at less than the “marketing gurus”. Larger companies have just a few Tweets and followers, and the Marriot Pittsburgh has under 100 followers to date. The Pittsburgh Trib has less than 4000 followers today.
Let me tell you why it is this way … Sports fans will follow without expecting a follow back. Your prospects, general followers and Pittsburgh Business owners are not as likely. Not following is poor Twitter etiquette and stagnates your social media marketing. The fact that Twitter experienced 1,382% growth from 2/2008 to 2/2009 IS HUGE potential for your Pittsburgh business. You should really take advantage of this resource and learn how to reach out to your customers through social media.
I am not saying that you need to follow everyone. In fact, with all of the wanna be porn stars and Twitter spammers it is not to your benefit to “auto follow” from a Twitter application nor add Tweeple that just have one post or are not family friendly. They will eventually get suspended and this does affect your follow ratio and social media optimization. On the other hand, lets go back to the SEO basics and think about quality relevant link exchanges and consider that concept just a bit. It does apply to Twitter as well.
As the friendly and tight knit city we are, one would presume that we would support and network with one another a little more closely online as we would do offline as well. Twitter does expedite that viral networking capability. But the fact of the matter, and what I noticed with my Pgh Seo Lady, it is really hard to develop a Pittsburgh niche Twitter because a lot of the businesses do not find it necessary to follow back or communicate … What the heck! It is a social media platform - WHY BE A TWITTER SNOB?
Twitter is just one example, but a start at getting more exposure for your Pittsburgh Business and should be part of your Social Media Marketing Strategies. Twitter is the #1 utilized social media platform - Facebook is #4 - you should have this easy to use and quite effective social networking / micro-blogging platform as a notch in your business belt.
Connect with Viral Marketing Mom
(a few months old and my free for all Twitter)
Connect with Pittsburgh SEO Lady
(new Twitter to connect with Pittsburgers).
Once you understand how to use and take advantage of any external Twitter applications that will help you maintain your account / foster relations for your business, you will see why so many companies are turning to Twitter as part of their social media marketing and social media optimization strategies.
Need help starting or maintaining a Pittsburgh Business Twitter?
Contact Pittsburgh SEO Internet Marketing
Straight from Google: What You Need to Know
May 31st, 2009
Straight from Google: What You Need To Know is the presentation that Matt Cutts gave at the WordCamp San Francisco 2009. He expects to have a video soon. For now, you can view the slides at http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=ddvhbrqf_126gc346qdh&skipauth=true
Topic Addressed:
- Reasons For Blogging
- Blog SEO / Page Rank
- Back Links Importance
- Katamari Philosophy
- Gaining Reputation
- Video
- Google Tools
- Feedburner
- Avoid Google Rank Scams
- Wordpress Security
- Automattic.com
No matter where you are at in blogging experience, anything from Matt Cutts is worth a look. It also helps that he creates resources that are not only comprehensive, but presented clearly for all. For those who are just getting started, bookmark this reference. It will be helpful as you progress with blogging and learning SEO marketing.
Again, keep an eye out for the Straight from Google: What You Need To Know video.
Blog Theme Styles & Licensing
May 21st, 2009
There are numerous blog theme styles for Wordpress and Blogger. Simply place a search in Google or Yahoo for “free blog themes”, “blog themes” or “blog templates” to find popular resources. Place a search for more specific keywords such as “free Wordpress themes”, “blogger templates”, “free Blogger themes”, “wordpress theme” to narrow the search results down to the blog service that you are using. The other option is to design your own blog theme with CSS framework & HTML.
When not creating your own theme, it is important to understand the licensing terms assigned to each blog theme style before you move forward in choosing a design template. It might end up that you prefer to create your own blog theme or hire someone to help you. The following are links with information on each blog licensing type.
GNU - General Public License
http://www.gnu.org/licenses
Attribution Types (Commercial & Non-Commercial)
http://creativecommons.org
Here is a list of all Licensing types:
http://www.opensource.org/licenses
Free Template Site That Tell You Which License Each Blog Holds
http://themebot.com
If choosing to use Wordpress, it is best to host the application on your own domain and hosting account. This is a cost effective option that permits you to make your own Wordpress blog (How To Get A Blog). Another option is to register for a free blog service like Blogger or Wordpress. The only problem is that you will not own a blog that is created on a free blog service unless it is a movable type. If using Wordpress.com, they do offer a large selection of blog theme styles from their website. Wordpress.com requires that all of their recommended themes are free and GNU / GPL. Sometimes new blog designers are not aware or ignore this requirement to gain exposure from their templates. As far as I know, they are violating Wordpress terms and should be reported. When choosing a free blog theme from Wordpress, you want to make sure that it is SEO friendly and flexible for your needs. GNU / GPL is the licensing that you prefer for your blog theme style. Don’t use any that have encryption in the footer code or a stylesheet that states that the theme is licensed other wise. Look for those that do not have a lot of links to other websites in the footer (bottom of the page).
How To Get A Blog / How To Make A Blog
April 24th, 2009
Having a blog is not as confusing nor the novelty it used to be. Blogs are available just about anywhere these days. This includes Myspace and other popular social networks. There are numerous free blogging services. Many people micro blog their days away at Twitter. There are also website builders that provide blogging capabilities. This post shares which free blog services to use and why it is important to self host your main blog. This is going to be a longer post, but Pittsburgh SEO Lady wants to make sure that this is clear for you, so that you are not wasting time or energy having to recreate the wheel. The goal is to get your blog set up and share your information as soon as possible. This is in respect to having one solid resource that is considered your main blog.
The following are recommended free blog services:
Wordpress.com
- Wordpress is the #1 ranked free blog service.
- It can be challenging at first, though well worth the effort.
- You can download the Wordpress application and host your own (best choice)
- You can build and host one freely on the Wordpress site (second best choice).
- Wordpress comes with a few design templates.
- You can select from thousands of paid and free Wordpress themes.
- Widgets, Plugins, Flexibility & SEO friendly are the main reasons to use Wordpress.
The best feature of Wordpress is that you can install their software on your own hosting account. This is HIGHLY recommended if you are creating a professional blog; it is best to self-host Wordpress Blogs for business use.
TypePad.com
- Similar to Wordpress but not free (starting at $4.95 a month)
- A few templates at the free level; more paid designs
- Widgets, Plugins, Good FAQ Help
- Has advanced tools like Wordpress.
Squarespace.com
- Starting at $8.00 a month.
- Set up a website or blog.
- Excellent designs and features.
- Tracking available, but not as good at Wordpress.
Blogger / Blogspot
- Great free service for new bloggers - ranked #4.
- Just a little challenging for new bloggers.
- Freedom for content and use; some flexibility.
- Comes with a few attractive templates or you can use your own.
One excellent feature of blogger is that you can use your own domain name / website address for free, and that Google now owns the free blogging service.
LiveJournal.com
- Owned by Typepad’s parent company.
- It is free and has some flexibility.
- Comes with several design template options.
- Not as many stat features, but still good.
Other decent blog services:
Yahoo 360, AOL Journals, VOX, Xanga and Windows Live Spaces.
This section explains how you can make a blog.
In the past, Blogger.com has been a preferred blogging resource. It still is for some and also a great place to have a complimentary resource. On the other hand, you get more rapid exposure and have more control with Wordpress.com. This is why Wordpress.com has become the choice blogging resource for Internet Marketers, SEOs and other professionals. It can serve as a company website, community with membership and there is an excellent e-commerce plugin that can turn your blog into an online store. If you are self hosting, you can have a main blog from the top domain and install the e-commerce store to a sub directory. You can do the same when building a directory of niche blogs. There is so much flexibility when using Wordpress.
Just keep in mind that Wordpress.com is mighty strict about our using their free blogging service for commercial marketing. It conflicts with their terms and there is the risk that they will shut you down. The perk is that Wordpress.org provides us the option of installing their blog service on our own domains and / or hosting accounts. This option provides you with the flexibility of making a commercial blog and / or marketing how every you choose. Some people go directly to Wordpress.org to download the program and then upload it onto their own servers.
HERE IS A MUCH EASIER WAY TO DO THIS …
1. Go to ALMC Hosting
2. Purchase a domain name (website address).
3. Purchase the cheapest hosting account - around $4 a month
4. Go to the hosting area in your account.
5. Click on the new hosting account link to enter the set up area.
6. Choose which domain you want to attach to the hosting account.
7. You will receive an email when the set up has been completed.
8. Go back to your hosting account.
6. Click the Applications button.
7. Click the blogs link.
8. Choose Wordpress and click install.
9. Follow the instructions to create user names & passwords (write these down)
Give the hosting a few minutes to install the Wordpress and then check back. You will see a link that you should click on to login to your Wordpress website. Start learning the environment and set up your blog
WORDPRESS TAKES A LITTLE TIME TO LEARN; ESPECIALLY WHEN SELF-HOSTED BUT IT IS REALLY MUCH BETTER FOR BUSINESS & SEO INTERNET MARKETING.
One more thing …
You will still want to go to the actual Wordpress website and set up a free blog account.
1) This will provide you with the ability to get an API Code that you can use to connect all personal Wordpress blogs to the main account and is needed for some plugins. This profile will circulate in their community.
2) You can use that as a “personal” blog where you strategically “link out” to any other Wordpress blogs that you create on your own domain(s).
PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO LEAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW.
Blogging Organizes Your Business & Helps Customers
February 26th, 2009
As I browse the web, I am just amazed at how many companies still do not have a website or a blog. When I mention it. They always say the same thing … “Yellow Pages”. I guess that is perfect for those who want to reach the inside of our trash cans. As for the online Yellow Pages, if it wasn’t for AOL, we would rarely see it in the Google search results. That site only launched a few years ago and has always had poor organic placements. Go to Google and type in Pittsburgh Hotels or Pittsburgh Pizza. No Yellow Pages listing. Type in Pittsburgh Schools or Pittsburgh Pools and you will see that AOL’s is paying Google for a listing at the top or right hand side of the page (sponsored results). Doesn’t it makes you wonder how much business they are missing by using the Yellow Pages. It is also interesting to see all of the other directories listed where their company should have positions in the organic listings (10 listings on the left hand side of the page). Meanwhile, wouldn’t you prefer to click on a company website over a directory? It just makes shopping easier. In this sense, having a website or blog helps customers connect directly with you instead of having to sift through a list.
You need to have an online presence. This is why your competitors have a website and many small businesses are starting to use blogs. They are extremely cost effective and blogging helps with your search engine promotion, too. With all of the changes this economy demands of your company, blogging organize your business marketing, too.
All it takes is a branded domain name (website address) and good content about your business. Blogging provides phenomenal self branding and Internet marketing advantages for your business. Blogging helps customers keep up with specials and changes via RSS feeds and reading online. Blogging organizes your business because you need to post regularly to receive the most benefit. This keeps your staff accountable and consistent with plans. Your company information and processes change daily (especially in this economy), if you do not have a website that is maintained well, then having a blog is the next best thing … sometimes better. Blogging organizes your business marketing and helps customers connect with you.
Blogging Can Help People Other Than You
February 10th, 2009
I initially launched this blog for sales and offline marketing tips, though changed the focus because most of my business is online. Regardless, it means that this blog had been sitting WITHOUT any new activity and information for others. That is horrible! It totally dropped in traffic and defeated the purpose of helping others get the information they need. I guess you can say this is one of the pros and cons of blogging: blogging can help people other than you, but you have to keep current with it in order to retain seo rankings, traffic, productivity, etc.
On another note, I have been working online for years and thought that I was managing ALL of my time efficiently … yesterday, I found that this can not always be the case. It was one of the most “out of whack” Mondays that I had in months. I would not say that it was a “bad” day, but certainly unorganized. My conversions and lead generation confirmed this was not one of my best.
I let myself get pulled in all types of directions: giving SEO quotes, immediately replying to every Skype contact, answering work at home questions, sorted through tons of email, calls for two people that I have been sponsoring though have not heard from in weeks, Tweets and messages from tour takers, etc. etc. etc.; and my day was extended from not staying on schedule. Meanwhile, I had a ton of questions that I could have simply referred someone to a blog to review had I been more organized about blogging.
It Promotes Organization Of Information & Blogging Helps People Other Than You!
It made me realize that I have become one heck of a juggler, though not a magician. 
Also, that I better update my other blog regularly because some of those questions could have been answered by simply providing them links to posts. I understood more than ever that blogging is not just about marketing, it has many purposes but today’s major lesson was that my blogging can help people other than me. This is not only in obtaining the information they need, but also in becoming independent learners.
Blogging can help people other than you.
2009 New Year - New Blog & Fresh Web 2.0 SEO Internet Marketing Strategies
January 20th, 2009
Lets start the 2009 New Year off right with fresh new marketing strategies, fresh new attitudes about recession proof business plans, and this FRESH NEW WEB 2.0 SEO INTERNET MARKETING BLOG for learning and sharing with one another. Despite the state of the economy, 2009 is going to be an exceptional year for online marketers. There is so much potential for growth and creative freedom. It is time to plan, tackle goals and share the processes of how to “make it work” with people in who are new to the Internet - especially all of my online friends and Pittsburgh businesses trying to get a jump on Internet Branding Success & Marketing concepts before the current state of the economy really begins to set in. Thank God The Rivers Casino is coming soon - right? They say that the recession has not hit Pittsburgh as badly as in other areas, though I have already seen that it is starting to take it toll on many businesses and households. It is not the depression of the 30s, but it is getting worse. Those who have lost jobs RECESSION PROOF YOUR LIFE before it catches up with you!
With this said, I hope that you are ready to share and implement fresh Web 2.0 SEO Internet Marketing Strategies. This is also a time to learn how to better position your business and / or learn how to make extra money on the Internet.
You can still experience the life abundance and fulfill dreams.
DON’T LET ANYTHING STOP YOU IN THIS 2009 NEW YEAR!
Subscribe To This New Blog & Fresh Web 2.0 SEO Internet Marketing Strategies
Orange Leads - Free Leads & Advertising Network
December 10th, 2008
HOW TO GET FREE ORANGE LEADS & ADVERTISING
Check out this Orange Leads video for an example of how one facet of the service works.
Why Orange Leads Is One Of The Best Free Leads & Advertising Networks?
A few months ago, I was invited to join a website called Orange Leads. At that time, I was just getting re-established in the WAH industry and playing around with off site SEO strategies that could expedite exposure for people marketing mirror sites. Regardless, I joined and Orange Leads is now one of my favorite viral advertising and business leads resources. In fact, I think it is the best free leads and advertising communities for marketing products, services, affiliate programs, direct marketing and even representing clients that service these industries. Recruiters and Entrepreneurs worldwide are starting to juice up on the fresh Orange Leads concept.
ORANGE LEADS HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE …
- Struggling to make money online?
- Need to advertise affiliate affiliate programs or home business?
- Want to give their team free leads to get started in their business.
- Tired of paying a lot for leads, PPC and other online advertising?
Orange Leads is a SEO friendly Internet marketing site that can help you improve business from the day you start.
THIS IS HOW ORANGE LEADS WORKS
How To Get Your Free Orange Leads:
- Register for a free Orange Leads membership.
- Check your mailbox for the confirmation email.
- Login to your Orange Leads account.
- You are now on the Control Panel page. Scroll about 1/4 ways down the page.
- Click on one of the two free leads buttons or the Orange space in between.Clicking on either one of the buttons will provide you with 7 free email leads or 1 free phone lead every 2 minutes. Or you can click the orange shaded area between the 2 button and get 30 free leads an hour. You can store them in a contact manager that is included in the service.
NOTE: As a free member, you can store up to 30 leads in your contact manager. As an Orange Leads Premium Member, you can store an unlimited amount of Free Leads in your contact manager. Either way, this feature permits you to keep notes on the details of your leads, schedule call backs and you can search for leads by name, gender and geographical location.
How To Get Your Orange Leads Free Advertising:
There are several ways to get free advertising with Orange Leads.
- Each day, you will submit a text or graphical advertisement to the entire network.
- Each day, you can submit an image or text ad to your personal network. (Your personal Orange Leads referrals).
- Your website, Twitter and Orange Leads blog link will display on your profile in both the Public Chat Room (24 hours a day access).
- You will have a personal profile page to advertise your business, service or product. The members of Orange Leads can find you by keyword and search phrases that you have in your description.
THERE ARE EVEN MORE EXCEPTIONAL FEATURES OF ORANGE LEADS! (Videos Coming Soon!)
How To Set Up Your Free Orange Leads Blog
How To Use Orange Leads Free Text Ads Service (Like Google Adsense But Free & Viral)
How To Make Money With Orange Leads (Get Paid Cash Daily)
Why Orange Leads Is One Of The Best Free Leads & Advertising Communities
