So what is Google plus? Google+ is the new social platform that Google has been working on secretly. for some time and has now released to a limited number of users. Google+ lets people share comments, articles, photos and videos with various “circles” of friends or contacts, or they can share content publicly with any user who wants to view their posts At this point in time people can only joined the platform after having been invited by someone else. Having said that since its release, three weeks ago, the number of users on Google plus has jumped to a phenomenal  20 million users. This is far quicker than the growth of Facebook or Twitter. However, it needs to be remembered that Google already has large number of people using their other products and so its rapid growth has a lot to do with Google’s large preexisting database

Google+ grows to 20 million in 3 weeks

Image used by permission from Leon Håland

The first feature that you are introduced to when going to Google Plus is the Circles, which is the hub of the

what Google circles looks like

program. Google suggests people that you already know based on the people you have interacted with using Gmail and other Google programs such as Buzz or Wave. The thing I like about it is that Circles replicates how people interact in the real world. Typically, we have circles of friends that we communicate with based on common interests, and Google+ enables you to use this natural way of relating and communicating very easily in a virtual setting. All you deal is to name a circle in a meaningful way for you, so for example, “Family” and then from the pre-populated list of people that you already communicate with, Google shows you images, from which you can drag down your family members into the Family circle you created. The privacy settings are very easy to determine, with Private being the default. You can have as many circles as you wish. When you select a circle stream, you can have conversations with all people in your circle and follow the conversations people in the circle have with each other.

Another feature is called The Hangout. This is the first online capability to creating an impromptu meet up with people online. If you feel like hanging out and chatting with people, you can let your specific friends or a particular circle know that you’re’ hanging out’ and then wait to see who drops in for a face to face video chat using The Hangout. You can video chat with up to 10 people at the same time, and Google intuitively shows that video of the person who is speaking at the time. If the person in the hangout wants to share video, everyone in the video chat can watch the video in exactly the same time.

Google has made it easy to share your photos that you take on your phone. With the Google plus app on your phone. You can instantly at load your photos and videos and  they go to a private album on Google class and you decide who you’re going to share them with

Another feature is called Sparks. You just type into Sparks, what you’re interested in, and it will send you related content  that it thinks you will like. This means when you have a free five minutes, there’s always something that you can watch, read and share..

The Huddle is another pretty cool feature of Google plus, which enables you to text in real-time, with a group of people. So this means when you’re trying to decide with your friends, which movie to go to, for example, using The Huddle  turns all those separate text conversations into one group chat. So everybody is on the same page, at the same time in real time.

Google has indicated that theses features in Google plus are only just beginning and that there are more in the pipeline. So far in the initial three weeks there has been a very positive response to the Google+platform, and over the past  three weeks more people have been spending more time on Google bumping the average time spent from 12 minutes a day to over 13 minutes a day. This can only increase as more people start using it.

To sum up my experience so far, I think that Google Plus is a definite Plus in the social media world. I see a lot of potential for making meaningful connections online and has a very easy interface for setting it up to suit your own preferences and requirements. It can be as public or private as you want it to be and i have found it great for adding like minded people to my network and having meaningful conversations. There is no business component as yet (like the business page capability on Facebook for example) and this can be a positive thing. You are not going to be bombarded by sales pitches and mindless business promotional comments.  Instead it provides a platform where networking and building relationships in a social setting  is easy and isn’t that the way true business partners are created?

If you would like an invite to try out Google Plus for yourself, make a comment below and I’ll see what I can do to send you an invitation:)

Depending on what your business is all about, you must be interested to know if people are tweeting your keywords. For example your business is about “mortgage rates”, you can type this in to the tool and you will get a list of these people talking about it.

Once you have the list, interact with these people without sounding too pitchy at once. Also, you don’t want to look like some stalker, so respect other people’s privacy.  Engage in their discussions with other people without sounding too pushy or aggressive. Put yourself in their shoes and try to offer advice or assistance. You can also share some links or resources that might just boost their ideas. This doesn’t have to be your website address yet. Be subtle.

This marketing strategy might entail much patience. Don’t expect for results on your first try. Keep trying until you lead them to your website and promote your services. You will realize this tool is certainly worth it once you reap the rewards.

At the end of the video Eric Whitacre talks about the desire and ability to connect and build community using social media. This video is a dramatic example of that

Here is the completed video of Sleep

You can also earn money through Squidoo from its revenue sharing system. Under this system is the Google AdSense. With Google Adsense, you don’t need to promote products. You earn commission from a number of clicks from Google advertisements within your lens. Just make sure you have a great number of lenses and traffic to see the cash pouring in.

Creating lenses that are direct sales pages or affiliate pages are a great way to acquire profits from Squidoo as well. Promote your products in modules provided by Squidoo. You have the option of fashioning your lens in such a way that visitors will like it from start to finish. Make as many lenses as you could and make it look appealing to everyone. The goal is to convert your traffic into sales.

At Squidoo, you can also advertise or promote your business for free. If you happen to be a freelance writer or a graphic artist, you can create a lens about it. Squidoo’s popularity is a search engine favorite and that alone helps you acquire traffic. Your visitors certainly need the products or services you promote.

There is no limit in creating lenses, you can have as many as you need. It is free to use its services and the most important of all is acquiring as online presence. One lens can be created in about five to thirty minutes. If you do not have a website yet, you can build a lens about your product or service as a start. But of course, if you already have a website, you can create a lens for backlinks. Search engines will help your site achieve a rank in the search engines. Make a lens that will provide information and solutions about certain products or services you offer that will be of help. Then hyperlink that content towards your website.

Squidoo is one of the many social sites online. Your lens is circulated among its users and it attracts search engines as well. Other Squidoo members have the option to like, favorite and rate your lens. They can even comment about it and share it with other friends.

It is just like hitting two birds in one stone. Squidoo gives you extra traffic and extra profits. Make your lenses informative, useful and attractive to your visitors. Fashion it like the way you do to your website. Indeed, you will be satisfied with the end results and the benefits Squidoo has to offer.

All it takes is to register to a free account on Squidoo and start building lenses. Squidoo is considered as one of the most powerful niche marketing tools. You can build as many niche lenses as you want and promote as many affiliate products and services.

While you can have plenty of lenses on your account, you can also sign up on as many user accounts. This has been proven to be an effective strategy when marketing your niches. It is advisable to sign up to as many accounts and devote each to a particular niche. This helps you track your related niches on one account.

Having an unlimited number of accounts on Squidoo allows you to organize and focus exclusively on your audience response. It gives you an idea which keyword has the most number of searches. One lens should talk about a certain topic and must have a list of the right keywords. The keywords should be relevant to your topic and must be well-researched to be able to help lead your audience towards your niche lens. Build you lens around related tags either in word or in phrases. This allows search engines identify your topic lens and get traffic to visit them.

To further promote your lenses, you can join Squidoo groups that are relevant to your niche. Exchange ideas and insights in Squidoo.com/groups by joining there. You can visit their lenses and leave comments and reviews about their lens. This is a nice way of requesting other members to drop by your lenses too. If you are smarter enough, insert your link in your comment casually without sounding too sales pitchy. This way, other lensmasters can visit your lens too and that means traffic and promotion.

Creating feeds have also been made possible with Squidoo’s RSS feeds feature. You can tie it up with your blog to get updates on your lens. All you have to do is add the RSS module and copy and paste the feed from your site into that module.

Doing this will attract more traffic into your website and will help you close a sale. Your lens is one source of traffic towards your site. When your visitors are interested to find out more of what you offer in your lens, they will click through you link towards your website or affiliate site.

When you make a lens on Squidoo, treat it like your own website. You work hard for search engine optimization too. You need to promote it and freshen it up regularly to experience the benefits of Squidoo marketing.

So, who says marketing your niche is impossible without a website?

Good news for love seekers in their 40’s and above. Surprises await you online that can truly make your heart swell with love.

How long have you been looking for love? Did you try to look in every corner, leaving no stone unturned? Do not despair, there is still hope. Look no further. The Internet might be the big answer to your single blessedness.

I remember how my aunt Danica, 53 insisted me to give her a tutorial on how to send an e-mail. She also asked me to sign-up her up in an online dating site. She was excited to show me her picture that was just taken at the studio and requested me to scan it.

Usually, a great amount of interest pushes you to do something with the hopes of giving you the best. In a week’s time, Auntie learned the ways online and was on her own. When you want it to work for you, you will have the ample determination needed for you to get results. She found love after a few online dates with David, 57. I can still recall how my aunt delightfully sounded, “I found the man I prayed for.” David, a Canadian baker from Calgary decided to fly over half way across the world to propose to my aunt. And they live happily ever after.

Indeed, the Internet is the best matchmaker there is! Online dating gives people a wide range of selection. From there, you can make better choices for a lifetime partner. However, you must have the ingredients that make online love a lasting experience. It should transcend distance, luck, and perfect timing.

Bear in mind, 50’s is the new 20’s. Come out from that nutshell and expose yourself to new possibilities you have never imagined.  Age is not a factor. Sit in front of the computer and explore, awaken your optimism and give it a shot. Make your life a continuing adventure. Invite change into your world and start now.

Do you have a realm of thoughts that you want to share to the world? Whether you are a student, a mom, a CEO or a baby boomer, go blog about it! And since you’re at it, you want to climb up the ladder of blogging success.  To achieve that success, it is important that blogging newbies focus on a few helpful advices along the way.

Mere content is insufficient. You do not focus on making exceptional content alone. All the other bloggers have content too. Go beyond exceptional content and add some sparkle and uniqueness into that blog of yours. Make it a unique one. Make it an extension of yourself, thus letting your blog stand out from the rest. Uniqueness is the key. Do not talk about the same issues or topics being tackled on other blogs. Stay unique and think outside of the box. Differentiate yourself from other bloggers in your niche.

Ever heard of the adage “Dress to impress?” This applies to blogs too. Think of an attractive design for your blog that will give a good impression to your readers. This design should be appropriate for the subject you want to tackle. It brands yourself and will speak more of what your blogging on.

Research for the best hosting provider you can possibly use. Foremost, consider your budget without sacrificing quality. Be sure to choose the best host to match your best content.

Identify who your audience or readers are, they will be your potential clients. To top all that, knowing who your readers are will help you decide what to write. Of course, you do not want to write about something that nobody will be interested reading about.

Create an archive of your blog. Always make a back-up of the articles you posted in your blog, in case the system crashes down. This can happen anytime, and you do not want to be left empty handed trying to pick up the pieces all over again.

Do some networking. Join in the social media circle and meet up other bloggers. Look into other blogs and get a buzz of what they are blogging about.  Mingle around, comment on their posts. This way they might even visit your blog and comment on your site too. Try social media networking such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and many others. Dedicate this account for your niche blog.

Look up to seniors. Ask for tips and advices from senior bloggers or probloggers.  They are seasoned enough to give you an idea on the how-to-s and more secrets in blogging.

Start mastering the art and science of blogging. It doesn’t happen over night, it takes time. Try new things and expect amazing results as soon as its ripe for you. Good luck!

Now, who doesn’t want to take advantage of that?

As social media grows rapidly everyday, building a presence towards your audience matters. You can do this by coming up with a unique social media initiative that will impress your prospective clients. Here are some tips on making your business game plan stand out from the rest.

Content.

A persuasive, compelling content is your driving force in your business campaign. Talk about informative and helpful subject matters that will wow your audience. Let your audience crave for more and keep them coming back.

Distribution.

You made good content, what now? Make some noise and get people to hear it. Increase your online presence and have more people see and hear you. This will offer bigger results of converting them into customers.

Human Interaction.

Reach out to humans by being human. Do not rely on automated services, it lacks the X-factor humans have. Invest your time into your social media circle and socialize.

Execution.

Proper execution of your mapped out plans requires proper timing. Do this by using the correct tools and channels. What’s the use of Twitter or Facebook, take advantage of it and make it work. Social sites are fast medium to get the word out. Use your blog and have people share their insights and feedback on your product.

In this age of social media people get to witness what’s going on globally in a matter of minutes or less. Nothing can explain this fact better than the January 2010 catastrophe that hit Haiti in the form of an earthquake. People’s ability to act and support communities has greatly been increased.

The American public retweeted and posted on Facebook quickly and in even greater quantity. The social media manager at the American Red Cross Wendy Harman said that the kind of response received from the public was unprecedented for the Red Cross. She said it was the first time she truly felt like people were using these tools to take action for a good cause.

Some benefits of social media are as follows:

Democratization of Media: It has been a tumultuous time of change for many industries much of it driven by the Internet. The newspaper industry has been particularly affected by the Web and over the past 10 years, news media has under gone change parallel to the invention of the printing press in 1440. Blogging was a direct challenge to the newspapers and ended up shaking up the print media world. The traditional media has had to up its game as anyone can now publish 140 characters to the Web whether they are a writer or not and this might end up as breaking news as it was proven by the Hudson River plane crash.

Creativity and Remix Culture: Remix is a collage or a recombination of existing, reference images or music mashed up into something new. According to street artist Shephard Fairey, Remix is literacy in the 21^st Century. Copyright scholar Larry Lessig and author Steven Johnson have argued for free expression saying remix is form of self expression that should be allowed to flow without restriction across today’s digital world. The social media’s nature to travel globally has played a big role in trying to achieve this.

Communal Sharing and Connecting: Starting a business can be lonely but now, due to the increasing accessibility of people, ideas and information web communities can be based around business, entrepreneurship. Facebook and Twitter together with other social networks have become an amazing way to learn new lessons and keep in touch with other entrepreneurs.

Transparency in government and organizations: As the social media bug spreads, government and organizations are not left behind. People are now visiting the government sites to get factual information on legislative texts. They are able to give their views and feedback and this keeps the organizations in check. Other sites such as Tweet Congress allow citizens to find their elected officials and contact them directly. Transparency is a huge step because it is government’s way of saying they want to be collaborative and engage with citizens.