Everything I Need to Know About Social Media, I Learned From Football

Blue 42, hut hut, hike.  Who’s ready for some Football? With the NFL Playoffs set, I put together this fun (and handy) infographic to help explain social media in terms of Football.

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The State of Social Media in 2012

2012 was a HUGE year for social media – especially for mobile.  Twitter revamped their mobile app, Facebook followed suit and overhauled Facebook for iOS (which was sorely needed). Then, not to be outdone, Pinterest launched business pages for Pinterest, which allowed businesses to create their own accounts that didn’t require a complex way to squeeze your business into the first name and last name fields (finally).

Besides mobile, 2012 was also big for investors as well, as Facebook went public – and who can forget about Facebook Timeline, which also launched in 2012 – I know, it’s hard to remember all the way back to January 2012.

So what else happened with social media in 2012? Take a look at this infographic on everything that happened in social media in 2012.

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Your favorite 5

Last pick on teamQuick, grab a piece of paper, don’t give this any thought, and write down the names of five people.

So what do these five people you’ve just selected represent?  No, they aren’t your starting five on your first basketball team.  In fact, they’re a lot more valuable than that…  Now that you have selected five people, take a moment and look at how successful they are in their own lives – we’re not talking about money here.

Do they have a good family life, are they in good shape, how is their attitude, are they influencers or inhibitors in your personal life? Chance are, you’ll come to find out that the people you just named are people who are influential in your life in one way or another (your favorite five). Some might influence you financially, because you aspire to be where they are at. Others might be deeply rooted in family. Others might be holding you back from reaching your personal goals.

What’s the point?

Just as these five people influence your life in-person, these same principles hold true online as well on social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, etc.

Who you spend your time with impacts your own life – whether it is having a physical conversation with them or commenting and liking their status update on Facebook.

Now that you know more about your favorite five, take a moment and think about the five people you listed. Are these people influencers or inhibitors? There’s nothing wrong with adding or removing from your favorite five. In fact, to be successful, I suggest surrounding yourself with people that will have a positive influence on  your life – this can be someone who brightens your day or that somebody who really irritates you because they seem to have it all, yet they challenge you to get better.

5 types of status updates to build social engagement

5 status updates to build online engagementThis post doesn’t really apply to one single social network. In fact, you could apply it to Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ (or even one of the other smaller social networks that you’ve joined). We’re talking about status updates.

Just being on the hottest social network doesn’t guarantee that you’ll instantly amass a large following. It also doesn’t matter how many fans, friends or followers you have. No, you need to be engaging. We’re not talking about going around and meeting every single person that you’re connected with (that would take a ridiculous amount of time). Instead, we’re talking about using the basics that all social networks are built around – the status update.

Every social network offers a variation of the status update. For Facebook users, it could be a quote, sharing an event, posting engaging photos, or simply using the questions appTwitter users are a little more confined – 140 characters to be exact, yet the status update is still relevant to share links, break news, or even tweet a photo from your encounter with your favorite celebrity. For Pinterest users, the status update isn’t just the photo that you pin to your pinboards – that’s a good chuck of it. In addition, be sure you include keyword rich descriptions (there’s a nifty search feature as well).

So enough with the examples, right? Take me to the 5 types of status updates that you can post to help build your engagement levels!

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Social Media Hex Color Codes

Social Media Color Hex Codes

Knowing the right social media color when working in Adobe Photoshop Elements or your favorite graphics program can help save you valuable time when you need to create a social media icon or match your design to your favorite social network.

Here’s a list of the the hex codes for your favorite social media sites. Be sure to bookmark this page this way you have the right social media colors when you need them.

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10 Google+ links every user should know

Google Plus button

Whether you’re a beginner just getting started with Google+ or you’re a seasoned pro, below are 10 must-have Google+ links that every user should know. This list of Google+ resources is just a small sampling, but some of my favorites.  From creating your first Google+ business page to creating a Google+ hangout, Google+ has a vast number of features to help you build, connect and grow your social network.  Take a moment to check these links out and feel free to suggest new ones as well! While you’re at it, let’s !

  1. Google+ vs Facebook Infographic
  2. Google+ URL Shortener
  3. 30 tips to enhance your Google+ experience
  4. Create your first Google+ business page
  5. Google+ cheat sheet
  6. How to switch between your Google+ profile and your Google+ page
  7. How to add the Google +1 button to your website
  8. Google+ PSD files (download)
  9. How to create a Google+ hangout
  10. Add a Google+ badge to your sidebar