5 Surprising Social Media Statistics for 2013

There has been a lot of growth in social media websites lately. Many observers are following this growth quite keenly for various reasons. Some of them are looking to invest in companies. Others are looking to build a better brand awareness. In any case, here we present the five most surprising social media statistics from the year 2013.

 Mobile only users on Facebook

Of Facebook’s nearly one billion strong users, approximately 200 million are mobile only. In other words, nearly a fifth of Facebook’s user-base doesn’t own a PC. Therefore they are compelled to access their favorite website through their smartphones. This underlines the growing importance of smartphones and mobile devices in general. It also makes it clear that in order to attract a large smartphone based audience, a company needs to provide smart apps to its customers. Many vendors have emerged to fill this niche in the market. It is now possible for a company to have an app for each of the major platforms, such as Android, iOS, Blackberry and Windows Phone. Apps are essential for the phone-only population who don’t use a PC. In many cases, these apps provide a better user experience than websites.

YouTube is more popular than cable television

YouTube reaches more adults than any cable network. In the United States, the number of people who watch television has fallen behind the number of people who watch YouTube on a regular basis. This makes it clear that televised content is undergoing a decline, while on the other hand online consumption of video is on the rise. Many companies have taken advantage of this by releasing their marketing campaigns as videos on the internet first and on television later. This has shown to work in favour of many companies, which has been shown to be true on the InMotion review with online promotion costing less than television advertising.

 Some social media networks are more popular than others

Some social media networks have a more active user-base than others. Statistical research has revealed that more than 95 percent of Facebook users log into their account every day. The same number for Twitter is 60 percent and for LinkedIn is 30 percent. In order to cut costs, social media networks are now avoiding websites like LinkedIn, which have a very small reach in terms of market impact, because their users are not active when compared with Facebook or Twitter.

 Children on Facebook

Over  5 million Facebook users are under the age of ten. This is a stunningly large number, which shows that young children have easy access to social media. This is a new demographic that can be tapped by social media marketers. Companies can offer discounts and prizes that are directly targeted at a young demographic. Using social media in these cases can be more effective than other media such as television or radio. At a young age, brand loyalty is yet to be formed therefore it is the right time for marketers to target young children with their brands and promotions.

International users of Facebook

The number of Facebook users is nearly three times the population of the United States. This shows the extent of globalization that has occurred in the internet age. This also shows that companies can expand their reach and presence in international markets quite effectively by using social media. Today internet is easily accessible in most parts of the world. These new markets can be tapped by social media marketers who can directly reach out to their customers through the internet.

These statistics reveal emerging trends in the social media space. However, we are still in the early stages of growth in social media and one will only have to wait to witness the far-reaching impact of digital media on businesses and their marketing efforts.

http://socialmediatoday.com/docmarkting/1818611/five-surprising-social-media-statistics-2013

15 Shattering Statistics to Show Why Making Money Online is a Sure Bet!

There are many ways to make “legal” money online. So many people are afraid to try it because of the many scams that lurk in cyberspace which is understandable. However, if you are a true marketer, you can’t let your fear keep you from this evolution. Even if this phenomenon is new to you and you would like to create extra income, study its effectiveness. 

You will probably make more online than you would working a part-time job if you choose the right vehicle. I would advise if you are interested in an opportunity, seek others who have been successful at it and be a sponge. The more you learn how to be effective at mastering this game, the more successful you will be. There are tons of resources available to find out the “truth” about what you see. Google has become the best friend of many. It’s accessible and quickly provides a wealth of data on a given subject. People are really changing their lives just with the click of a mouse, the muscles of their hands and finding the tools needed required to help them get paid.

Social media is not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, it will broaden its horizon and become even more accessible through many means. The computer is not the only vessel to get connected anymore. One can get access via mobile phones and the television. This has revolutionized the craze of always knowing what’s going on instantaneously. We can only imagine where social media access will pop up next. There is a Wi-Fi connection in almost every public place. This in itself should make you curious about how you can make your impact. People are curious about what and how you do what you do. If you don’t adapt to this change, not only will you be left out of this monetized environment, but you may have to resort to getting in a cave and never coming out because it is not going anywhere.

The success of MLM, affiliate and online marketing has found this surge to be a goldmine. Gone are the days of word of mouth. Even though you may get some response, it’s not as viral and your comment could get twisted or even lost. With social media, one post or tweet and you connect with billions. Not only will your business be in the face of people you know, but those who have no clue about who you are. Mary Kay, Avon, and Amway among others, built their empire hiring individuals seeking to make extra money by going door to door and having parties. Today’s small business owners are creating new turf on the internet. They are getting more customers/followers than they ever imagined. In turn, they are receiving larger sales, commissions and creating more wealth. The opportunities are limitless and there’s more than enough for everyone.

According to the Intent index, a study that asked participants how frequently they go online, showed astounding results. The quarterly update shows there is power in numbers. Per the statistics:

1. More than twice as many people go online to socialize (81%) than to do business (39%) or shop (31%).

2. 72% of people go online just to become part of a community.

3. Seniors are going online today for the same reasons younger people are; to have fun (82%) and to socialize (80%).

4. More people go online to connect via a social networkingsite (41%) than to post comments or opinions (34%).

5. More people go online to be entertained (82%) than entertain others (48%).

6. People seek education and entertainment: most people go online both to learn (88%) and have fun (83%).

7. Almost half of people (47%) go online to learn to improve themselves and nearly one-third (31%) to find self-help 

experts or books.

8. The desire to learn drives people to the Internet; top areas are new subjects (68%), the world (65%), a disease or 

condition (61%), eating healthier (55%) and managing finances (37%).

9. Three times as many people go online to compare prices (66%) rather than people via dating sites (21%).

10. One-third of people (34%) go online to purchase an item; tops are household items (49%), electronics (45%); music (35%), movies (29%), and school/work supplies (29%).

11. More men (42%) than women (36%) go online to do business.

12. 55% of women go online to find venues for personal expression compared to only 43% of men.

13. 44% of people go online to create or update blogs and 42% of people go online to read other people’s blogs.

14. Nearly half (48%) go online to be invisible on instant messaging, 29% to create an avatar and 28% to be somewhat different.

15. Women (48%) are much more likely than men (39%) to go online to advocate for an issue or position.

This goes to show that profits are being made and someone is going to reap the rewards. People make money online every day and there is room for more. 

In fact, a millionaire is being created as we speak. Will you be the leader of the pack or will you wait until others have created their wealth before you decide? 

This opportunity is available to everyone. It’s a part of the free enterprise that is granted to those who seek and find. 

Happy earning and surfing!!

http://www.examiner.com/article/15-shattering-statistics-to-show-why-making-money-online-is-a-sure-bet

5 Online Marketing Strategies for a Tight Budget.

In a world where attention is currency, it's becoming increasingly more difficult to attract the eyes and ears of your target market. Not only are you up against larger companies with nicely funded marketing departments, you're also competing with social media and a multitude of other distractions for the attention of your prospects.

But that doesn't mean your marketing efforts have to cost a ton of money or be overly dramatic in order to stand out from the crowd. Here are five creative and inexpensive ways to market your business in a digital world:

1. Get endorsed by a local celebrity.
Many business owners dream of having their product or service endorsed by a global celebrity. But instead of trying to get a superstar to support your business, try seeking out a local celebrity instead.

Who exactly are local celebrities? These are people your local paper is writing about -- perhaps an "unsung hero" such as a teacher or a resident who's doing something positive and newsworthy. Since they're in your neighborhood, these people should be relatively easy to locate and contact by phone or e-mail. Let them know you'd like to send them a gift, namely your product or service.

2. Create a LinkedIn group
Not only is a LinkedIn group free to create, it can enable you to offer your professional network a vibrant, useful information resource all while driving traffic to your site and increasing sales. Just don't use the platform to hard sell anyone.

It can take time and effort to get one going, but the goal should be to help provide resources and start discussions on topics that can benefit your community. Groups should also be a place for your members to network with other professionals online.

3. Get published on niche blogs.
While it may be difficult to get on the front cover of a major magazine, you can create marketing opportunities by being featured in a popular niche blog. Identify three to five blogs that target your market then contact the creator and offer a few ideas of how you'd like to bring value to his or her readers. You can:

• Demonstrate good will by offering the niche blog owner a small amount of your product or service for free, which they can give away to their audience as a gift. This is different than a product review, which only offers information. 
• Send ideas for blog posts you'd like to write and explain why they would be helpful for their readers.
• Ask if you can interview them for your site. This might entice the blog manager to promote your content since it highlights his or her business.

4. Create videos for YouTube.
With more than 800 million unique visitors a month, YouTube can be a powerful platform for marketing a business online. To do so, go beyond simply posting random videos of your product or sharing your thoughts.

The marketing videos you create should include the following elements:

• A keyword-researched headline
• A clear editorial message (don't try to accomplish too much in one video)
• A call to action (tell the viewer to do something, such as subscribing to your channel)

While you can spend a small fortune on cameras, lighting equipment and editing software, the camera built into your smartphone should be able to capture suitable online video. As for editing, if you're on a Mac, for instance, you should already have iMovie in your applications. Even if you don't have a Mac you can find free software online or hire a professional editor on sites such as Fiverr.com, possibly for as little as $5 depending on the scope of the work.

5. Write an e-book about the biggest issues in your industry.
No longer do you need a publishing company or thousands of dollars to get distribution for a book. Amazon, for instance, will let you upload a digital book for free, with a 33 percent take on every sale. The goal is not to make a profit from direct book sales but to use it as a lead generation tool, encouraging readers to opt into your website for further information.

Even time-strapped entrepreneurs who aren't great writers should consider this. You can search sites like E-lance or Odesk to hire an affordable ghostwriter who can help you convert your blog posts or audio recordings into book format.

When it comes to marketing your book, set the price between $1 and $5 -- which makes it affordable -- then use social media, video marketing and e-mail list marketing to promote it. To generate more leads, keep in mind that Amazon allows prospective buyers of your book to take a sneak peek of the first few pages. Be sure to embed links into these early pages so you can capture leads from people who were interested but didn't wind up buying your book.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226146

SEO Strategies: How 'Rich Snippets' Can Improve Your Web Traffic

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy and best practices change constantly as search engines like Google continue to roll out new algorithm updates such as Panda and Penguin. The result is that brands and marketers can no longer take shortcuts. It's all about building trust and driving quality website traffic that will impact the bottom line. This comes from improving click-through rates for organic search results, which is where the underutilized function of rich snippets comes into play.

A rich snippet is essentially just a small summary of the data that a user can expect to see on a webpage. Rich snippets have no direct effect on improving rankings, but they add significant value to an organic listing in the search engine results and can dramatically increase website traffic. They can come in the form of Google author information, ratings and reviews, event notifications and products.

Rich snippets improve click through rates dramatically by improving the appearance of the listing, providing more information to the user, and increasing real estate on the page for better visibility. They help verify exactly what the user is looking for, so when they click through to the web page, they are more likely to stick around. This reduces bounce rate and increases time on site.

Now that we understand the benefits, let's look at the two most impactful ways to use rich snippets and how to get started:

Google Authorship
One of the most popular ways to use a rich snippet is through Author snippets. This relatively new feature allows users to see the author's name, Google+ profile picture, number of followers and links to more content the author has created. Content marketing is the new foundation for SEO. Guest posts with links back to your site are a great way to improve rankings. 

Here are some simple steps to set up Google authorship for guest posting:

• Setup a Google+ profile. A Google+ profile is a prerequisite for Authorship markup. This is how Google knows you are, in fact, you, and not someone else with the same name.
• Link to your Google+ profile from your guest posts using rel=”author” tag. Typically, you will want to set up a contributing author BIO page and include the link there. For blogs that allow guest posts, your author BIO and Google+ link will appear at the top or bottom of each post. 
• Link to the article from the Contributor section of your Google+ profile. Now that you have the Google Authorship markup language in your bio on the guest post, we have to complete the connection. This is a simple process. Go to your Google+ profile and edit the contributor section to include the url of the blog where the guest post is being published.
• Verify the connection with Google's Rich Snippet Testing Tool. Navigate your browser to the Google Rich Snippets testing tool and input the url of your guest post once it is published. The tool will tell you whether authorship markup is present.

Once everything is set up properly, and you run a keyword search for your posts, the results will appear as shown below.

Ratings and reviews
Another effective way to use rich snippets is for ratings and reviews. The goal of a review rich snippet is to improve the appearance of the listing and provide users with review information about a specific product or service, such as the star rating -- 1 to 5 stars -- and the name of reviewer(s).

There are many different types of rich snippet code you can have within your HTML to display different reviews. The most common, and easiest to setup is aggregate voting, as shown in the example above. This allows a user to vote on a product or service giving a score, either out of 5 or 10. 

Wordpress has great plugins available to accomplish this. These plugins will automatically generate and update your rich snippets code every time there is a new review. One of the better plugins to generate rich snippet codes for your web pages is GD Star Rating. There are many plugins that all have the same functionality and generate the same rich snippet code.
 

Read more stories about: Google, Search engine optimization, SEO, SEO tips, SEO tools

Read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226971#ixzz2VvrVLcS7

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226971

Focus On Creating Information Websites - Great Way To Build Passive Income

I get many emails with questions from individuals who have sites and they are stuck and looking for help. There's one thing in common with all of these people - they all have e-commerce sites. Now I'm not saying that you shouldn't launch an e-commerce site, but the reality is that most e-commerce sites end up just sitting there waiting for redemption. (Having said that in B2B its a different ball game.) This is why I always encourage those who are sitting on the fence to start with an information website. An information is a site where you are not depended on any web designer, a site where you can add content when ever you want and site that is cheap and easy to build. But its more then that. I have always found information site owners are happier with their business then the e-commerce ones. This is because with info sites you are just focusing on the topic you love and what you are knowledgeable about. This makes business fun - when you are focusing on something you love to do. When people look at this as an opportunity to share their knowledge with the world - it makes the marketing fun as well, and we know that for most people the marketing part is annoying. With info sites once you start building traffic and nice audience around your site - you can then start creating passive income to your site. As someone once explained to me: Making money with information sites is like a faucet - you turn on the water and just let it run. Adding content becomes a fun activity. In these days and times where the economy is a little bit shaky - focus your efforts now on creating some passive income. Create an information website. Everybody knows something about something, take that knowledge and build your business. Information sites are the new wave today - those who stick with it - have become very successful. http://www.iyazam.com/focus-on-information-sites.html

facebook on website

How To Get More Twitter Followers

I have been debating for a while whether twitter is actually worth anything or not. In the last two weeks my twitter network jumped from 12 to over 100 people!

So now when I add an article to this site, iyazam.com - I update my twitter network and then I will usually get some nice immediate traffic. Imagine what could happen when you have a larger network then 40 people....

Here are some tips to improve your twitter network:

1] Add your twitter username as your signature when ever you send out an email. Especially when you are posting on a yahoo mailing list or Google groups.

2] Join groups on facebook where you can get followers to your account like this group: 

Facebook - Twitter 

3] Add your twitter username to your website or blog.

4] On twitter there is an option where you can copy and paste your twitter updates to your website. So when ever you update your twitter status - automatically it will show up on your website or blog.

5] Find forum threads on the web where you can post your twitter username and get followers, such as this thread: 

Self Starters Weekly Tips - Twitter 

6] Make it a habit that when someone follows you - follow them in return. Other 'tweeple' will see this and they will follow you as well.

7] Add your twitter username to every profile you have on social networks.

8] Join networks on ning.com that are focused on twitter followers.

9] Start your own thread on related internet forums.

10] Where ever you are marketing your website - add your twitter username with it.

11] Also check out the blogcatalog.com twitter group to get more followers 
Blogcatalog.com - Twitter group 

12] Another great resource is: Twellow.

They say:

"The explosive growth of online social media has led to unprecedented opportunities for finding and connecting with people of experience and expertise in your areas of interest. However, sifting through the overwhelming volume of content and services in order to connect with people you want to find can be daunting and frustrating. Enter Twellow.com from the producers of WebProNews." 

Twellow - Connect With People Who Matter 

Have fun tweeting!

http://www.iyazam.com/how-to-get-more-twitter-followers.html

How to Use Yahoo Answers to Get More Traffic to Your Website

Wanna get more targeted traffic to your website? Try using Yahoo Answers!

What is Yahoo answers?

Yahoo! Answers is a community-driven knowledge market website launched by Yahoo! back in 2005 that allows users to both submit questions to be answered and answer asked questions from other users.[Wikipedia].

This can be a great tool to drive traffic to your website – by answering questions that are relevant to your website. You should not have your link to your website on every answer [the moderators from yahoo will see it as spam] but the more you establish yourself as a knowledgeable authority the more people will know you and eventually know your website.

It works like this:

The more quality answers that you provide the more points you get. For each answer you get 2 points. Answering questions and getting them a 'star' are the most common way to get points [there are other ways].

You will start off at ‘level one’ - which means that you can only answer twenty questions a day, so choose your questions wisely. The more points you get the more levels you go up and that means you get to answer more questions on a daily basis.

How to get started?

First you will need to create an account with yahoo. It’s very simple: 

Create an Account With Yahoo 

Then go to Yahoo answers: 

Yahoo Answers - Website 

Start researching topics/categories that are related to your business. If you want quality traffic then you should ONLY be answering questions related to your business or industry. If you are an expert on men’s health and your website is about men’s health chances are you’ll find some Questions that are being posted by Yahoo Answers users that pertain to your niche, this is where you come in to show off your expertise.

How do you get traffic?

Very simple:

When ever you answer a question you'll see a box:

The box where it says: "Whats your source?" In that box is where you place a link to your website or a page on your website.

In order to find questions relevant to you - on the Yahoo answers homepage - you'll see the following feature: 

Click on the "advanced search" - now you can start digging for questions related to you.

-----

Yahoo answers is also very good because the results show up in Google - I have a whole tactic for that...later on...

All the best!

http://www.iyazam.com/yahoo-answers-for-getting-traffic.html

Social Networking – Go where the fish are!

Today, more and more professionals, small business owners, non-profit executives, fundraisers, politicians, religious leaders and others are beginning to understand the enormous marketing potential found in social networks. Once upon a time, social networks were nothing more than a haven for teens to gossip and exchange photos. Today they facilitate big business.

There are thousands of social networks on the internet. Every week another one goes up. Almost all social networks are based on the same concept and share the same structure: participants build a profile, invite their friends and share media and thoughts. Some internet marketers may instruct you not to focus on just one network, that you should join as many as possible. We disagree. The moment you join more than three, you will wear yourself down. It is overwhelming to have to update and keep more than two of your social network profiles running and active. Unless you have a marketing team, we suggest focusing on one network. We recommend Facebook.

Facebook 

Why Facebook?

After testing a variety of social networks, here is what we found:

• With Facebook we were receiving fewer irrelevant emails that would clutter our inboxes.

• Facebook has a simple and easy-to-use format, where all actions can be completed within the same browser window.

• We have found more professionals, companies, and small businesses on Facebook than on any other network.

• Facebook’s professional look and feel had a subconscious effect on our marketing efforts. It made us feel like pros, and we slowly became just that.

• Facebook offers a variety of means to reaching people.

• Facebook’s news feed, the first page you see when you log in, wins them all. We will explain why shortly.

How to get started in Facebook

Step 1: Build your profile Upload a picture or two of yourself and perhaps some pictures of your family and friends. Why get so personal? We are living the social media era on the web, a time when professionals are becoming more transparent as human beings. People want to know about you. Therefore, use your profile to reflect a positive and friendly image of yourself. Share your birthday, education, hobbies, favorite quotes, hometown, email address, and, above all, a link to your website.

Step 2: Invite your friends and associates to join your network Facebook has an option that allows you to invite anyone whom you consider to be a friend, and they will be added to your network when they approve the invitation. Use the Facebook search engine as well to find your long lost friends, and add them your network.

Step 3: Join groups Join any group that’s related to you, to your past, and to your community. Join groups associated with your alma mater, your high school, your Boy Scout troop, your professional circles, etc. Facebook has a group for just about everything and anything. By joining these groups, you are expanding the possibilities that old friends might find you. You also open the pathway for new friendships and associations. This is a great way to promote yourself.

Step 4: Join a Network Facebook Networks (with a capital N, not to be confused with the personal network you build by inviting friends) are like group pages for everyone who is a member of an educational, work, or geographical network. This is another great way to find people you know and build your network.

Once you are settled in Facebook and feel at ease with its format, it’s time for marketing.

http://www.iyazam.com/online-social-networking.html

7 Online Marketing Tips For Beginners

Here are 7 online marketing tips for beginners.  We all have to start somewhere and there is a learning curve for selling information and products on the internet.  That is why I wanted to provide you with the best online marketing tips that I have developed.

1.)    An online marketing tip that I would advise everyone to take is to take some time to learn a system.  Almost every system can produce results.  Don?t go from one system to the next.  Take some time to learn one system.

2.)    Take action!  People get stuck with ?analysis paralysis.?  Once you have settled on a system and learned the basics, don?t be afraid to take action.  Get out there and do it.  If you make mistakes, so be it.  You will have setbacks, but don?t worry about it.  Fail fast and fail forward.

3.)    Learn to write sales copy.  Perhaps the most important online marketing tip I can give you is to learn to write sales copy.  There may come a time when you outsource this task to professional copywriters, but knowing the basics yourself will allow you to evaluate their work.  Besides, you probably can?t afford to spend thousands of dollars right now on a professional, so learning to do it yourself is important.

4.)    Learn to write articles quickly.  One of the best ways to promote your products is to write articles like this one and submit them to directories.  But, if it takes you 2 hours to write a single article, you will not be able to put out the quantity needed to make money online.  One expert has a system down where he can write articles in just 7 minutes.  While it will probably take you more than that at first, strive to write at least two an hour.  They don?t have to pass your 10th grade English teacher?s muster, they just have to send people to your site.

5.)    Consider Pay Per Click.  PPC is the quickest way to deliver traffic to your website.  However, if you don?t learn how to do it, you can lose your shirt.  If you have a product that you want to start selling right away, PPC is the best avenue for you.  But learn the ins and outs before you bid on high priced, high trafficked keywords.

6.)    Create processes.  You shouldn?t re-invent the wheel every time you create a new product or a new web site.  Instead, have a specific system.  Develop your own guide book to setting up a blog or promoting an ebook.  Not only will this save you time in the long run, it will also help you make more money.  This is one of those online marketing tips that so many marketers miss.

7.)    Create value.  Don?t think that internet marketing is all about taking your customer?s money.  Don?t think of your customers as ?marks.?  Develop relationships with them and provide value to them.  It?s much harder to get an initial customer than have someone who trusts you buy from you again. 

So, there are seven online marketing tips to get you going.  Now, go get started!

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/226627

How to Make Money Through Social Media Marketing

Social media, is it a business model? No. It is a marketing tactic.

Is there a way to monetize social media?

Yes, if your business plan outlines exactly how you will generate revenue from specific social media related activities and you implement these revenue generating activities on a consistent basis, you may be able to monetize your social media operations.

Many business owners are confused about the idea of monetization when it comes to social media.  So let’s take a look at where this befuddlement is coming from and break it down…

How many people on Twitter have you seen with the words  “social media expert” or “social media marketer” …or my favorite “certified social media expert” in their bio?  While this may seem like an impressive title to hold, the real question is… are these people making money doing this and how are they experts in something that is in a state of perpetual evolution?

Tip #1: Be specific about what you do. Claiming to be an expert in social media is like claiming to be an expert in life. If you are a marketing consultant that helps businesses to develop a long-lasting relationship with their audience through social media, that is something that will set you apart from the rest of the social media “gurus” out there. Have a tagline or an elevator pitch in your bio across all platforms that let’s your target audience know what kind of work you do and how it will make their life better.

Social media is a form of marketing.  It is a great way to strike up conversations with people who share common interests, get some exposure for or from brands while being the fastest way to build your global reputation.

No longer do small businesses and brands have to rely on shaking hands at trade shows and conferences if they want to build relationships with buyers and consumers (although this is still a tried and true way to make connections). Now, they can engage with buyers, consumers, distributors, journalists and even Oprah right on social media.

Tip #2: If you want to make money through your social media efforts, you have to make it clear how people can benefit if they pay you for your products or services.

If you are hanging up a shingle that labels you as a social media expert, how are you generating revenue? Are you selling programs that teach business owners how to use social media using a system that will get desired results because it did the same for you? Are you consulting businesses on how to reach their target demographic? Are you implementing strategies and performing social media marketing operations for companies?  Are you facilitating connections between brands and consumers or big brands and small businesses? Are you designing software for businesses that lets them manage and track their social media engagement? What exactly is your social media revenue model?  Without one, there is no way to make money through social media.

Simply sending out tweets or Facebook updates and gathering followers, likes and RTs isn’t enough to pay the bills or to get savvy business owners to hire you even if you have hundreds of thousands of followers.  If you want to turn a profit, you must have a plan for making sales while building relationships with decision makers who will hire you.

If you are offering a service that provides social media marketing for businesses, how do you plan to measure and track your results? Is there a cost associated with this? How does that affect your bottom line? Your plan will outline all of your expenses, goals and projections.

Tip #3: If you want to be successful at social media marketing, be professional and respectful online and off. Look for ways to be better than the competition not by having a title that says so, but by being it. Stay current on social media marketing news, trends and events and share this information with your clients so that they know, like and trust you and your work.  Go above and beyond the scope of work and see how fast word travels on social media about how awesome you are.

As with any type of business, if you want to make money, you must have a plan.  It doesn’t have to be a fifty page document, but it does have to outline in detail: who you are, what you have to offer, how you plan to get the word out about your offerings, who will be on your team and how you plan to grow.  This plan will be useful for your team, potential investors or if you ever want to sell your company.

Remember, social media marketing is a tactic, not a business model.  If you want to make money, you have to have something to offer.

Are you a social media marketer who is making money through your efforts? Care to share any tips or thoughts? Please join the conversation in the comments section. See you there!

http://www.worksmartmompreneurs.com/blog/marketing/how-to-make-money-through-social-media-marketing/

10 Creative Ways To Make Money Online

 

If you’d claimed it was possible for the average guy on the street to make millions of dollars online just a decade ago, the chances are good you’d have heard nothing but laughter in response. Today, though, there are countless Internet millionaires who turned a great idea into obscene profit, used the power of the web to promote their offline business or simply worked their butt off to sell their skills online.

While it’s unlikely that you’ll ever earn enough to buy your own private island, there’s nothing to stop you from using your skills to make a comfortable living online. In fact, while the media would have you believe that online success stories are limited to just a few lucky, hard working people who stumbled on a great idea that went on to make millions, the reality is that there are tens of thousands of people who make a living exclusively online. Here are just ten ways you can join them.

How To Make Money Online

1. Sell Stock Photography

The Internet has caused an explosion in the demand for stock photography. As the number of media and commercial outlets has increased dramatically with the growth of online media there’s an enormous need for high quality stock photos.

Yuri Arcurs is the man everyone turns to for their stock photo needs. As the world’s top selling stock photographer he sells an image every 8 seconds, 24 hours a day (that works out to over 4 million images each year). Arcurs makes millions of dollars each year simply by being the best at what he does. There are lots of great photographers in the world and the barrier to entry is as low as ownership of a camera, but Arcurs has managed to build a reputation online for consistent, high quality and imaginative images.

If you’re a professional photographer (or even just a hobbyist) you should consider the possibilities of selling stock images online.

2. Tweet For Sponsors

SponsoredTweets.com is an online platform that allows you to make money on Twitter by charging sponsors for communicating their advertising messages to your followers. You set the amount you want to get paid for every tweet you make, choose a category and select keywords you want to work with. You then wait for advertisers to contact you and take you up on your offer, paying you the amount you specified for each tweet that you make.

All throughout the process, the tweeter has full control over his or her account, and may choose the wordings of the tweets, or may choose to reject the tweet altogether.

3. Blog for Ad Revenues

If, however, you already have a blog with a devoted following it should be easy for you to leverage your readers into hard cash. Ad networks such as Google AdSense pay big money to place their ads on your site, and you’ll receive a payment every time a reader clicks one. While it’s easy to go overboard and fill every spare pixel, if you place your ads well it’s possible to make a comfortable income from your site.

One of the most successful bloggers around today is John Chow, a Canadian blogger who makes more than $40,000 a month through ad sales and other revenue streams. Ironically, his blog is about ways to make money online.

4. Sell Affiliate Products

If you have a flair for sales copy you could try your hand at selling products for affiliates. While many people take the seedy route of selling diet pills and penis enlargement products, if you want to keep your conscience clear you’ll find that Amazon runs a very successful affiliate program that allows you to make money advertising any of the products for sale on their site. eBay also have a pretty good affiliate setup, with their top affiliates earning $1.3 Million a month, WOW!

5. Write an e Book

In recent years the self-publishing world has exploded online to the point at which you don’t even have to run your own site in order to promote a book. Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo are just a few of the sites on which you could self-publish today, with commission rates of around 70% available on every sale.

The number of eBooks on Amazon reached 8 million last year, and Amazon stated that eBooks are outselling hard backs 2 to 1, 62% of ebook sales fell into the Thriller and Mystery genre, so if you feel that you could pull this style of genre off then you will be in for a good chance of sales.

26 year old self published author, Amanda Hocking from Minnesota makes more than $2 Million a year from her ebook sales. Amanda Hocking’s stories about, trolls, vampires and zombies and  ‘supernatural teen romances’ sell for $2.99 or for as little as $.99.

6. Become a Virtual Assistant

Every small businessman would love to hire a full time assistant to take care of the little things, but many simply can’t afford one. Thanks to the Internet, though, they can now hire part time assistants who work for a whole host of clients, and all at a much lower cost than a full time staff member.
If you work from home this may be a perfect opportunity to make a consistent income. Virtual assistants can earn $20 an hour in return for booking travel tickets, interacting with clients and dealing with the daily needs of small businesses.

7. Lease Your Skills

Most people have at least one skill that carries a market value, though until now that skill may have been impossible to monetize in the traditional job market.

Sites such as 99Designs, Elance, Freelancer and iWriter allow people to hire out their skills as writers, coders, designers, translators and lots more on a contract basis. Freelancing sites are a great way to boost your income in your free time, and with enough motivation and hard work you could find yourself earning a comfortable full time income from them.

8. Selling on eBay

eBay is a great way to turn your unwanted things into a little spending money, but it isn’t just a place to sell your old Star Wars action figures. In fact, eBay’s global marketplace can offer a great way for canny traders to buy and sell their way to profit. By buying wholesale you can sell anything with a mark up. Even better, if you have the skills to make things people want to buy you could start your own home-based craft business, selling to customers around the world.

Matt & Amanda Clarkson are a successful couple who so far have managed to make over $8 Million in eBay sales.

9. Become A Mobile App Tester

People that are rather uncertain of their application development potential can still make some money through the usage of iPhone apps.

People that have the time and desire to test iPhone apps and discover bugs can be rewarded payments for their efforts. uTest is one such application. Individuals that have signed up will also build some reputation on the basis of the testing they have done so far.

Better reputation signifies access to more profitable app testing opportunities.

10. Designing T-Shirts

Finally, if you have something of an artistic streak you could kick off the next viral sensation with your own range of funky, arty t-shirts. Sites such as CafePress allow users to upload their own t-shirt designs and sell them on their personal online store.

You can also contact distributors such as threadless.com or designbyhumans.com to release your t-shirt designs to the masses.

If your designs catch the eye you could be looking at enormous profits when they take off in a big way.
Checkout our article The Top 10 Tips On Starting Your Own Successful Clothing Line, this should give you an idea on how to kick things off.

Conclusion

As you can see, to make money online you don’t have to be particularly skilled with computers. You don’t need to be know how to build your own website from the ground up, and you don’t have to be a mogul with millions of dollars to invest in success. If you have any kind of artistic skills, creativity or business savvy you can turn it into profit.

In short, you should understand that the online world is just like real life. The same opportunities are there for the taking, but instead of drawing your customers from just your home town you can reach out with your great ideas to the far reaches of the earth.

So why not start today?

http://addicted2success.com/success-advice/10-creative-ways-to-make-money-online-right-now/

Why Are You Struggling to Make Money Online with Facebook?

No excuses. If you are struggling to make money with Facebook you refuse to do a few key things on a daily basis. The whole science of money making using social media sites is simple. Really. Why do few make a dime online, then?

Well they ignore simple, so simple becomes difficult. Or, they figure that simple looks way too easy, so they develop more complicated systems, which of course, lead to failure. Sorry dude, or dudette, you are not that sophisticated, to follow a complex system, and make money with it. It is just plain dumb, anyway.

 

What is at the core of seeking out complex, or complicated, when it comes to making money on Facebook?

Greed. You are greedy, so you want to make money online now, and you lack patience, and you are desperate.

If you know anything about prospering, you need to set up a fair exchange. Like, you make money on Facebook by sharing something valuable with your Facebook buddies. Share helpful blog posts, or videos, or webinars, all for free.

Now, after you share this value each day, over the course of weeks, and months, you will begin to RECEIVE value, in the form of money.

Why Do So Many Struggle to Make Money Online with FB?

Well they refuse to GIVE value so they do not GET value. Remember, greed drives many people in the online realm.

Greedy people try to get before they give, using silly systems, or posting ads all day long, ads that do not provide any form of value to their readers. Now, you might wonder, how can you give value, by writing blog posts daily, and shooting videos, and doing all these things?

By busting you’re a**. You work, intelligently, and persistently, and you give value, by writing blog posts each day, and by sharing these on your Facebook profile each day, and across 20, 50 or 1000 relevant Facebook Groups each day, and you will get clicks on your ads. People will join your home business. Promise.

But busting your tail makes it all happen. Smart, intelligent work, not mindless acts, like posting the same ad to 100 Facebook Groups daily, brings you money.

The Most Fitting Analogy

You open a corner store. If you want to make money what do you do? Well you work 8, 12 or 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. You stock your shelves. You are patient. You make your store front enticing. You maintain a clean shop. As word spreads around about your shop, through your efforts, people walk in the door, buy your products and you make money.

OK, you open a cyber store…aka, start a home business. If you want to make money online what do you
do? Well, you work 8, 12 or 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. You stock your cyber-shelves with valuable blog posts and videos, creating content daily.

You then share this content on relevant Facebook Groups daily.

You are patient. You make your website or blog enticing. You maintain a clear, clean-looking and clutter free website and blog. As word spreads around about your shop, through your content creation efforts, people visit your blog and website, buy your products or join your team, and you make money with Facebook.

Dwell on This Analogy

It will change your home business for good, and it will make you take a high energy approach to your

Facebook efforts, if you are willing to embrace it. Treat your home business like an offline business.

Create helpful, relevant content. Share on relevant Facebook Groups, and your profile.

Use this approach to start making money online with Facebook today.

Are you struggling to make money on Facebook?


http://www.famousbloggers.net/money-facebook.html