When someone recently asked me what is the number one challenge for marketers in the near future, I replied that it would be how to bring together the various types of data regarding their customers, communities, and audiences and make sense of the insight before their competitors outsmarted them. The first step in doing this,…
About Neal Schaffer
Top 3 Influencer Marketing Problems of Today and How to Deal with Them
What are the issues plaguing influencer marketing this year? How can brands and marketers deal with such challenges? In this article, you’ll discover the top three influencer marketing problems that come with implementing an influencer marketing program and how to overcome them. #1: Fraudulent Social Media Activity & Fake Followers Fraudulent accounts today are overpopulating…
The Opposite of Evergreen Content: What to NOT Write About
Everyone who has to deal with content in any of its manifestations knows that it is the key to everything in digital and social media. Whether we are talking about a blog, website, or even creating social media content, if the delivered information is fresh and engaging, it will attract the audience and become a…
The Formula to Becoming a Thought Leader on Twitter and Social Media
I personally can say that thought leadership can uplift a brand’s status on social media if things are done just right. Twitter, as an example, is one of the most powerful platforms where informed opinion leaders are developed. It is due to the platform’s openness and natural design users are inclined to connect with each…
The 10 Definitive Instagram Statistics for 2019 You Should Know – and Why
There are tons of blog posts out there about Instagram statistics for 2019. I don’t intend to add to the noise, but I think that there is some data that is important for every marketer to understand so that they maximize their Instagram marketing. These are the ten Instagram statistics that I bring up in…
Top 11 Tips on How to Optimize Your Instagram Captions to Boost Engagement
The secret to thriving on social media is creating relevant, engaging, and useful content for your target audience. When it comes to a visual social network like Instagram, if your Instagram posts aren’t attracting as many prospects or likes as you’d wish, it doesn’t mean that the quality of your photos or videos is poor….
The Ultimate Guide to Writing Instagram Branded Content
It doesn’t matter whether you are a small business owner or the CEO of a large company having a social media account for your organization is essential for many reasons. But what’s even more important is being able to create quality content that will reflect what your brand stands for. Here’s how to write Instagram…
Where are the B2B Marketers in Japan?
I travel to Japan frequently for business (read My Japanese Approach to Social Media Strategy for some background), so it is fascinating to see the unique developments in digital and social media marketing there. I know that many of my clients are Japanese-owned or sell to the Japanese market directly through a subsidiary or indirectly…
What Consumers Really Think About Businesses Using Their Social Media Data
There’s no doubt that the potential reach of social media is massive. In fact, it’s become the main marketing channel for an increasing number of businesses. Accompanying the massiveness of social media is the plethora of social media data that exists. “If you took out social media, Bark and Co. wouldn’t be a company,” said…
Do Social Media Automation Apps Pose a Security Risk to Your Social Media Channels?
Do you realize how much social media marketing automation goes on around us? Engaging in social media is essential for any business today. It’s no surprise, then, that in order to scale and become more efficient, some marketers try to employ the use of social media automation to save time and add consistency to posts…
What Do I Put in My LinkedIn Profile if I am a College Student?
I get asked a lot about LinkedIn for students use-case scenarios, and although this post is originally based on how I would have responded sometime ago, my college-age niece recently asking me this question reminded me that I should have an answer revised for the times. You can find more details in my podcast, which…
The Definitive List of Influencer Marketing Tools
Whenever I speak on influencer marketing, I inevitably get asked: Are there any influencer marketing tools that can my life easier? After all the work involved in influencer identification alone could require a tremendous amount of time, especially once you understand my influencer marketing definition and its broad implications. And that is only the beginning…
How To Become A Social Media Influencer and Make Money From It
Believe it or not, a lot of marketers – and younger professionals – often ask me this question. So here you go, my advice on how to become a social media influencer, and following the advice below, actually make some money from it. Gone are the days when you have to leave the comforts of…
How Social Media Influence is Impacting Our Purchasing Decisions
Just how much influence do social networks have on our everyday lives? A lot, as many recent studies have shown. Social media reaches a vast pool of potential customers willingly sharing their locations, age ranges, and preferences that allow marketers to precisely aim their advertising campaigns at just the right demographic and area. Aside from…
How to Get C-Suite Buy-in for Purchasing Social Media Marketing Software
Is having legacy social media marketing software holding you (and your company) back? You’re tired of “doing social media.” And as the marketing manager/social media manager at your company, you should be. It’s exhausting logging in to all the different social media platforms, posting weekly (if not daily), tracking the performance of your posts, responding…
A 10-Step Plan to Launch (or Revise) Your Instagram Marketing Strategy
Why does every business need an Instagram marketing strategy today? Not only is Instagram is a social media network that marketers can’t afford to overlook anymore, being the second largest social network with over 1 billion users, the time has come to make it an integral part of every business’s marketing strategy, even B2B companies…
Social Media Post Scheduling Software: The Top Twenty Features to Look for
Choosing the right social media post scheduling software is a crucial decision to ensure social media marketing success. Failing to properly investigate your options could mean you are locked into a potentially pricey software subscription with a product that doesn’t meet your needs. With global companies using everything from Instagram to Twitter and YouTube to…
Why You Must Embrace Customer Experience Marketing To Stand Out As A Business (with Dan Gingiss) – Ep. 138
Customer experience marketing. It’s a buzzword that a lot of people throw out, but what exactly does it mean, how important is it to you business today, and what are the first steps you can take to implementing customer experience marketing the right way? I could not think of a better person than friend and…
The Five Best Business Productivity Tools I Use for Sales and Marketing
As a business owner, you don’t want to play around with technology. You want to find something that works, stick with it, and continue running your business. Simple and efficient processes are key, lead generation is mandatory, and effectively sharing your message on social media is a must. That’s where you need to be using…
How to Optimize Your Blog Posts for Higher Search Rankings and Stay Ahead of the Competition – Ep. 137
Getting to the front page in the search rankings is a battlefield – it’s a war! The struggle to stay relevant and compete with an ever growing number of competitors requires the right tools and the right approach, especially if you are wondering how to revitalize your existing blog content. How to optimize your blog…
The Definitive Guide to Instagram Affiliate Marketing
One of the ways in which influencers from all industries are trying to monetize their social media influence is through Instagram affiliate marketing. With Instagram becoming so popular globally and having an active and engaging audience, Instagram affiliate marketing is one of the top ways in which influencers can monetize their social media followings – 1…
Social Media Audience: Your Audience Might Not Be Where You Think They Are
Marketing is the science of influencing buying decisions by convincing your customers that they need what you are selling – no matter if it’s a product or a service. In this day and age, marketing is at the heart of the economy – after all, there are simply far too many products and services for…
How to Get Verified on Instagram – The Latest Advice and Analysis
Marketing budgets are shifting to influencer marketing on Instagram, so it should come as no surprise that more and more social media influencers (and wannabe influencers) are wondering how to get verified on Instagram. Social Media Verification Currently, most prominent celebrities, politicians and athletes from all over the world are active on Instagram and make…
Seven Helpful Social Media Writing Tips For Businesses
Social media is still considered by many to be the useless pastime of young people with nothing better to do with their lives. The reality is that social media can be considered to be one of the most massive advertising platforms in existence. Billions of people of all ages and walks of life use social…
How to Make Money on Instagram? Here’s 9 Different Ideas to Chew On
We live in a world of technology, where social media has become a basic part of human life, and with the latest gadgets and devices, one can easily access the web at little or no cost wherever we are in the world. In the 20th century, people didn’t have the sort of exposure to the…
7 Instagram Mistakes That Kill Your Online Business
With more than 1 billion active Instagram users, it becomes tough to grow your online business without having a presence on this social platform. As of 2017, 71% of American brands are already on Instagram. In 2019, this percentage likely exceeds 80-85%, bearing in mind the yearly growth rate of nearly 50%. With so many…
How to Reach a Whole New Demographic Using Social Media
Have you ever found yourself under the influence of something you saw on a friend’s social media page? If so, then you’re not alone. Countless people now look at what trusted friends and family members have to say about a product before they make buying decisions. You can reach new social media demographics by appealing…
Where’s Your Social Selling Playbook?
Do each of your salespeople have their own social selling playbook? It is a social selling best practice that you need to follow for social selling success. Having just finished another 5 ½ hour social selling training session, this time for insurance sales professionals, I reflect upon how I can do better at not just…
The (Social Media) Marketing Trends You Need to Understand Today – Podcast Ep. 136
Social media keeps changing – and that’s exactly why it is a constant fight to keep up with latest social media marketing trends. It seems that every few weeks you hear that Facebook has some new algorithm that messes up all the energy you’ve been putting into it. Then a new feature appears and everyone tells…
The Digital Transformation Has Yet to Come: The Sales and Marketing Perspective
(this post first appeared on TechHQ) I was recently on a 12-day 4-country speaking tour which brought me to Japan, Bahrain, Canada, and my native United States. As I traveled I reflected upon this terminology that has become so prevalent in business yet followed by so few companies: The Digital Transformation. The Digital Transformation will ultimately affect…
Wake Up Call: It’s Time for Social Media Marketing 2.0 – Podcast Ep. 135
16 days. 6 countries. 2 continents. After a business trip around the world, I pondered what role businesses should play in social media. And then it dawned on me: Social media marketing has been going on for ten years, but brands on average still suck at it. Should businesses keep trying to do the same…
It’s Time to Bring Content, Organic Social and Performance Marketing Teams Together – Podcast Ep. 134
I recently keynoted social media enterprise platform company Falcon.io‘s Spark conference on the topic of influencer marketing. I had a chance to meet with their founder and CEO, Ulrik Bo Larsen, at the event and get his perspective on all things social media marketing. They had just announced an enhancement of their platform to encompass…
What is Influencer Marketing? Your Definition is WAY Too Narrow: Influence is EVERYWHERE in Social Media
About a year ago, I announced that I would be writing my next book on influencer marketing The Business of Influence. But rather than creating a blog post about this new book, I created a campaign on Publishizer, a platform I highly recommend to anyone interested in writing a book. After selling hundreds of books…
8 Easy Ways for Beginners to Edit and Improve Videos for Social Media
Creating and publishing videos for social media is a great way to reach a much wider audience, and you will be able to engage them in social media more effectively with video as well. However if you want to come up with the kind of videos that are able to really attract lots of viewers…
The Influencer Marketing ROI of Creating and Publishing a Roundup Post
You’ve probably seen blog posts before saying, “10 Experts Choose Their Favorite Social Media Speaker” or “27 Influencers Share Their Favorite Influencer Marketing Book.” These are examples of what one would call a roundup post, and they are a powerful form of influencer marketing when strategically planned and implemented correctly, especially but not limited to…
How to Create Your Own Instagram Followers Policy to Increase Your Community and Gain More Engagement – Podcast Ep. 131
Instagram. It’s not only the 2nd largest social network, it’s also seen a huge growth in influencer marketing spend on Instagrammers who yield great influence. No wonder why a huge industry has been formed feeding those who seek “influence” through purchasing fake followers and engagement. This partially explains the large number of people who only…
An Insider’s Look at the Influencer Marketing Industry
Recently, I had the pleasure and honor with working together with one of the leading influencer marketing technology companies, OpenInfluence, one of eight leading platforms that were chosen by Pinterest to become official influencer marketing partners. The culmination of my work together with OpenInfluence was the co-creation of an ebook looking at how AI is revolutionizing…
How Fresh is Your Content? – Podcast Ep. 129
Part of what you do as marketers, business owners, or entrepreneurs is to create content. This could be a Facebook or Instagram post, a blog or a You Tube video. Its important to shuffle priorities in terms of what content we publish where and align them with there we see ROI at all times. The…
The Best Social Media Conferences Remaining to Attend in 2019
Why attend a social media conference? It goes without saying that social media is always changing. There is no better way to tap into the collective wisdom of experts than by attending social media conferences where you can: learn from subject matter experts, such as well-known bloggers, authors, and speakers, in the field network with…
5 Tips to Ace Your Social Media Marketing Strategy
If you want to engage in social media, you need to have a social media strategy. If you want to engage in social media to market your company, you need to have a social media marketing strategy in order to most effectively use social media for marketing. Whether or not you have a formal social…
The Struggle is Real: Finding Influencers That are Right for Your Brand
On the surface, influencer marketing seems simple enough. Find an online influencer, pay them some money and watch them drive new faces to your product. Of course, anybody who has ever tried influencer marketing knows that it is far easier said than done finding the right influencer for your brand. The truth is that not…
Free Influencer Marketing Ebook: How AI is Revolutionizing Influencer Marketing
Don’t want to read the whole post and just want to download the free influencer marketing ebook? No worries: Click here to download the free influencer marketing ebook right away! As I proceed forward in writing my book on influencer marketing, The Business of Influence, I continue to be amazed at how widespread influencer marketing…
Gain Unprecedented Visibility into Your Instagram Marketing Efforts with Combin
Instagram can be a frustrating social network for marketers to manage. Originally created for use solely on smartphones, Instagram has slowly allowed brands more access to the social network from the convenience of a computer should you use a general social media dashboard tool that supports posting to Instagram – I recommend AgoraPulse for this…
Influencer Marketing is About Community, Not a Campaign
(this post first appeared on TechHQ here: http://techhq.com/2018/04/influencer-marketing-is-about-community-not-a-campaign/) The number one question I get asked from marketing executives as a social media speaker these days is all about influencer marketing, so much that I have decided to dedicate writing a book on the topic (The Business of Influence) because I believe influencer marketing is one of the least…
The 3 Incredible SmarterQueue Alternatives You Need to Try
Social media management takes up so much time– a lot more than anyone likely could have ever predicted when businesses first started joining Facebook several years ago. You’re expected to actively promote your business without over-promoting it, build relationships, and continue to create great content. Perhaps you’ve already found that the method to the madness…
How to Leverage Social Media Video Marketing Trends with Wondershare Filmora Video Editor
With huge advancements in technology, business owners have found several new ways to promote their business online. Social media is the top target of every brand as it provides easy connectivity to millions of people from different corners of the world. And the best way to gain the attention of the audience on social media…
My 10 Favorite Social Media Growth Hacks for You to Try
I had the privilege to share my insights and provide tips about Social Media Growth Hacking for another site recently, so I thought I would share that content with you all as well. It was an awesome experience to collaborate with many top social media influencers whom I respect to provide a comprehensive resource for…
How the Value of Influencer Marketing Brings True ROI to Your Business
The value of Influencer Marketing has significant and tangible benefits for business and is not a trend that will fade away anytime soon. Brands are a singular entity amongst hundreds of millions of users in social media. It can be a lonely and somewhat depressing experience when you can’t create any traction on social. Instead…
6 Reasons Why Your Social Media Agency Needs MavSocial
I was chatting with a friend the other day who spends hundreds of dollars a month alone on stock photo solely for promoting content in social media. “Did you know that there are tools that allow you to use licensed stock photos for free if they are limited to social media?” I asked. My friend,…
4 Reasons Why Holiday Posts are Crucial to Your Social Marketing Plan
Many social media marketers see holiday posts as “fluff” – content that doesn’t really mean anything, but is easy to create and post. The truth is, holiday posts and newsbreaks can be some of the most valuable content you produce. And, with the right tools, it could be easy to produce, but it should never…
How to Supercharge Influencer Marketing Engagement with Your Content
While many companies are spending budget money “buying” relationships with “influencers” chasing KPIs of “social reach,” others (including myself) are including the concepts of influencer marketing in their day-to-day organic social media and content marketing activities. This is done through the simple concept of utilizing content to engage with social media users. Once you understand…
Is Your Business Making Any of These 10 Social Media Mistakes?
10 Social Media Mistakes to Avoid Social media has grown into an influential part of developing both a business reputation and a relationship with the public. The ability for people to interact with their favorite companies, learn new facts about upcoming products, or get a glimpse at “behind the scenes” of big brands is an…
10 Tips to Hack Your Social Media Growth – Podcast Ep. 127
Today I want to talk about something I haven’t talked about before: growth hacking, or specifically hacking your social media growth. Growth hacking is basically how to quickly create a robust social presence on a newly launched effort in a short amount of time. I’ve had a few companies reach out to me for advice…
How to Create Processes for Your Social Media Program – Podcast Ep. 126
Today’s show is about something I’m very passionate about both for my clients and for my own brand: taking social media seriously. Social is becoming a bigger part for businesses large and small, and they are spending more and more resources on it, but it’s important to take it seriously and look at what you’re…
7 Steps To Creating A Stunning Visual Voice On Instagram
As a social media keynote speaker I do a lot of public speaking on social media, and one of the most common messages that I give is that every company needs a visual voice. This is especially true on purely visual social networks such as Instagram. We understand what voice means. When your mom calls…
Does Your Influencer Marketing Strategy have a Content-Centric Approach?
Influencer marketing and content marketing: Two key areas that will continue to see increased budget spend for companies of all sizes. While businesses are struggling to get greater ROI from their spend in these areas, one easy way of getting more bang for your buck is to think of combining the two seemingly different concepts…
How to Reach Out to Social Media Influencers and Bloggers – Podcast Ep. 120
Today I want to talk about how to reach out to social media influencers, bloggers, and anyone else you want to cover your story. It’s important to remember that these social media influencers are busy people, and you’re asking them to take time to use your product, and maybe even tweet or write about it –…
Six Steps to Strategically Building an Influencer Marketing Program
Welcome to the era of Influencer Marketing. The rise of social media has allowed more people to share more information to a wider audience. This paved the way for a new breed of celebrities: The digital influencers. Today, with virtually everyone using social media for a variety of purposes, any one of us might influence someone…
11 Must-Have Content Curation Best Practices
The social media revolution was a huge equalizer among the publishing industry by giving anyone and everyone the tools to be their own publisher. Several years later, content curation is poised to do the same thing for thought leaders: Those who are able to curate the “best of the best” of content in their niche…
5 Ways You Should Be Maximizing LinkedIn for Business
If you’re overlooking LinkedIn, your business is ignoring the second-largest social network. That’s right, some data suggests that LinkedIn actually has more dedicated users than Twitter. Whether you are seeking introductions to decision makers or more clients for your business, LinkedIn can help you get there, but only if you use it right. Overhaul your LinkedIn…
Recommended Pinterest Tools for Business: Tailwind
Are you looking for Pinterest tools to help you maximize your Pinterest marketing? Look no further: Tailwind for Pinterest is the only tool you need to manage your pins! As the Co-Founder of the Social Tools Summit, I realized that while I work with a lot of social media tools companies, I have written very…
Six Innovative Ways This Resort Used Social Media to Increase Bookings 30%
Is it worth it for a hotel resort using social media for marketing to expect a noticeable outcome? Located in the friendly and quiet community of Costa Teguise on the beautiful and environmentally aware Canary Island of Lanzarote, the Sands Beach Resort is situated on a sandy crescent of beachfront property that is wrapped around a picturesque…
My 9-Step Process to Skyrocket Facebook Business Page Engagement
We’ve all heard about declining Facebook organic reach, advertising on Facebook is getting more expensive, and some are even deleting their Facebook Page. Do you ever feel like just giving up on Facebook? I did, but I didn’t, and my Facebook Fan Page is now thriving on Facebook as a result of the advice I am…
7 Reasons Why LinkedIn Should Become Your New CRM
Many companies invest in using a customer relationship management tool, or CRM, such as Salesforce. But there’s a free tool at your fingertips that you need to take advantage of: LinkedIn. LinkedIn has plenty of functions like searching and tagging that allow you to keep track of and maintain your professional relationships, sometimes better than…
My Answers to Your Top 10 Social Media Questions
The German social media and SEO tool company, Linkbird, recently reached out to me for an interview on all things social media. I had them ask me their top 10 social media questions, and what they asked me represent a lot of the same questions that I get asked in general. You’ll have to read…
Guest Blogging is Here to Stay: Respect the Content and the Creators – Podcast Ep. 98
Some people say that guest blogging is dead, but I disagree. Content curation is a great way to have enough content to share, and it’s beneficial for both business and the content creators. How? This week, I talk about the importance of building those relationships between brands and influencers: how organizations can strategically partner with…
My Top 25 Social Media Quotes for Business
Over the course of speaking to thousands (if not tens of thousands) of professionals at a few hundred events over the last 5 years as a social media speaker, I’ve seen more and more of my attendees mention that certain things that I said resonated with them. I’ve also seen more people tweet out soundbites…
The Ultimate Best 61 Social Media Books List [Always Updated!]
![The Ultimate Best 61 Social Media Books List [Always Updated!]](https://i1.wp.com/nealschaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/The-Ultimate-Best-61-Social-Media-Books-List-Always-Updated-1200x630-V1.jpg?resize=225%2C118&ssl=1 "The Ultimate Best 61 Social Media Books List [Always Updated!]")
As a social media speaker, author and professor, I often get asked at the many social media conferences I speak at what are the top social media books I recommend. The barrier of entry is so low for anyone to pretend that they are an expert and publish on Kindle that it is an important…
19 Social Media Quotes for Business to Live By [INFOGRAPHIC]
![19 Social Media Quotes for Business to Live By [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://i1.wp.com/nealschaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/19-Social-Media-Quotes-for-Business-to-Live-By-INFOGRAPHIC-1200x630-V11.jpg?resize=225%2C118&ssl=1 "19 Social Media Quotes for Business to Live By [INFOGRAPHIC]")
Ask any business leader what their favorite business or social media for business quote is and they are bound to provide you with something that has provided them sound guidance in their career. One of my personal favorite quotes is one attributed to Woody Allen which is “80% of success is about showing up.” It…
How to Use the LinkedIn Publishing Platform
Today I was finally given access to the new LinkedIn publishing platform so that I start blogging with LinkedIn, and as a result published my first post on the new platform in the same day entitled “How Will YOU Use the LinkedIn Publishing Platform?” To all those who have asked me how they can apply…
11 Important Ingredients of a Comprehensive Social Media Strategy Plan [INFOGRAPHIC]
Since early 2010, when I launched my social media strategy consulting firm Windmills Marketing (DBA Maximize Your Social), I’ve helped a multitude of companies through the creation and implementation of a social media strategy plan. When I launched my company, social media marketing strategy was something that wasn’t talked about, but I knew it was…
Professional LinkedIn Profile Tips: A Checklist of 17 Must-Have Items
LinkedIn continues to evolve at a fast pace – but is your profile still stuck in pre-2013 times? I’ve blogged about LinkedIn profile mistakes as well as LinkedIn profile inbound marketing tips. It’s time to provide you all an update aligned with all of LinkedIn’s changes to help you create the perfect professional LinkedIn profile. Consider…
The 15 Best WordPress Plugins for Social Media, SEO, and Better Visitor Engagement [Always Updated!]
![The 15 Best WordPress Plugins for Social Media, SEO, and Better Visitor Engagement [Always Updated!]](https://i1.wp.com/nealschaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-15-Best-WordPress-Plugins-for-Social-Media-SEO-and-Better-Visitor-Engagement-Always-Updated-1200x630-V1.jpg?resize=225%2C118&ssl=1 "The 15 Best WordPress Plugins for Social Media, SEO, and Better Visitor Engagement [Always Updated!]")
I like to share my own experiences using WordPress plugins to run Maximize Social Business to help you make your own website more social media optimized, SEO friendly, and even help convert more of your visitors into new leads. I say “website” because WordPress is not just for blogs: As a CMS, WordPress powers one of…
8 Ways to Make LinkedIn Endorsements Work for You and Your Network
LinkedIn Endorsements. Nothing in the history of LinkedIn has created so much “buzz” in the online community as this newest feature. For those who know me, you’ll appreciate my perspective: 1) I don’t tend to waste time voicing a positive or negative opinion of the changes – they are what they are, and this is LinkedIn…
8 Creative LinkedIn Profile Tips to Help You Maximize Your LinkedIn Presence
Isn’t it time that you update your LinkedIn Profile? Considering that LinkedIn profiles are the most viewed pages on LinkedIn, and your profile page really is every professional’s starting place to claim and create their own professional brand, you should be regularly reviewing your LinkedIn profile to see how you can optimize it with every…
What’s The Meaning of a Klout Score? The Pros and Cons of How Social Influence is Measured
Almost six months ago I blogged that marketers would decide on the fate of Klout. However, with the continued buzz about Klout scores that I hear from new and potential social media consulting clients, as well as the continued presence of its main competitor PeerIndex and the emerging metric for influence Kred, the debate over…
Social Media for Professional Associations
I frequently get invited to speak on social media for professional associations, and when I do it often seems as if the clocks in the room have been turned back 10 years since before the advent of social media. Although there are always some savvy users of social media in the room when I present,…
The Top 20 Twitter Clients – HootSuite, TweetDeck and More
I recently changed my main Twitter client (more information on that below) and decided to create a poll in my LinkedIn Group to find out what others use. I asked my 2,500 group members: What Twitter client do you use for business? Statistically speaking, the results can not represent the entire user base for those who…
5 Steps To Connect With People Outside Your Network On LinkedIn
Once you move beyond the generic “add connections” option that LinkedIn has, you might want to specifically search for and increase your connections with people aligned with whatever connection policy you might have. The challenge is that restrictions exist within LinkedIn that may prevent you from inviting others you don’t personally know. You are entitled…
Social Media as a Catalyst for Social Change
Have you ever looked back and try to grasp the true significance that social media plays in our daily lives? Have you ever thought of how social media as a catalyst for social change has more and more become a reality? Years ago, the masses were silent. As I often present in my speeches, up…
Why I am No Longer One of the LIONs on LinkedIn
Want to buy Facebook fans? Why not buy some Twitter followers to boot? There are companies that you can actually pay money to to achieve this. Now there are companies not only selling LinkedIn connections, but also saying if you use them to create a LinkedIn Group, they will make sure it gets filled with…
Twitter for B2B Marketing Case Studies: Four Ways How Tweets Lead to Business
With a user base of hundreds of million of users, Twitter is less about what we are doing now and more about becoming a channel for customer service, consumer campaigns, and big brands to engage with their present and potential customers. Needless to say, with the mass usage and attention to tweeting on the Internet,…
New Free Realtime People Search Engine Reveals All
With so much public information about us out there in social media and on the web, do you ever start to wonder what others can find out about you? On the other hand, if you are doing social recruiting or looking to do business with or even get back in touch with someone, wouldn’t you…
9 Twitter Etiquette Tips for Businesses Starting Out on Twitter
As I continue to speak to corporations, professional associations, as well as social media workshop attendees on the strategic value of Twitter for both B2C as well as B2B companies, I am finding many businesses starting to take the plunge and explore tweeting as a business tool. As you can imagine, becoming comfortable with a…
Ten Seth Godin Ideas That Apply Perfectly to Social Media Marketing
With Seth Godin about to appear on stage in Orange County in just a few weeks time, there is a buzz around here about what new Seth Godin ideas and insights he will provide to us. And the event, in line with what Seth preaches about holding BIG events, is set to be HUGE –…
Looking to Start a Social Media Consulting Business? Here’s How in 6 Steps
As a leading social media speaker and consultant, I often get asked about how to start a social media consulting business and develop initial clients. I am happy to mentor a new generation of social media-savvy business consultants, and I plan to be blogging about this more in the future, as I believe the subject can…
Social Media Strategy for Nonprofits: 10 Potential Objectives for Using Social Media
I had a chance this week to speak at an event in front of several different local Orange County nonprofit organizations. While nonprofits are beginning to understand the potential for social media engagement, my sense during the meeting was that efforts seemed to be centered around Facebook for the objective of merely gaining awareness for…
Twitter 101: What Should I Tweet About? Understanding Why Personal Branding on Twitter Matters
Despite the fact that Twitter has apparently grown from 58 to 175 million users in less than a year, it is clear that some of those “users” are actually “bots” or even corporations who have several different accounts to serve their current and potential customers with. Case in point: Dell alone has more than 30…
LinkedIn Photo Tips: The Why, What and What Happened?
LinkedIn, like any other social media channel, is a social networking platform. This means that people are networking with each other while revealing who they are and what they do. LinkedIn reminds you to do this when you log in by making sure your profile is 100% complete. Part of getting to 100% completion is…
How Your Business Can Twitter Better with Hootsuite
Today’s blog post is contributed by my guest, Ann Smarty, who I have gotten to know through her managing the LinkedIn Subgroup “The Guest Blogger.” Her post is about my preferred Twitter tool which I am also passionate about and use in my own social media consulting and implementation, Hootsuite, which just today released…
LinkedIn Account Restricted? Here’s Why. Hint: You May Have Been Too Active on LinkedIn!
Is your LinkedIn account restricted? You’re not alone – a look through the comments of this post will give you an idea as to the issues that others like you are facing. Feel free to read through this article, then pay close attention to the comments to see if there is someone similar to you…
How Many LinkedIn Connections Should I Have? My Advice May Surprise You!
![How Many LinkedIn Connections Should You Have? My Advice May Surprise You! [VIDEO]](https://i1.wp.com/nealschaffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/How-Many-LinkedIn-Connections-Should-You-Have-My-Advice-May-Surprise-You-1200x630-V1.jpg?resize=225%2C118&ssl=1 "How Many LinkedIn Connections Should I Have? My Advice May Surprise You!")
LinkedIn is a very interesting social networking site. Many users say they only want to connect with people in their closed network, but unless that network is big enough, the benefits of using LinkedIn to find and be found become minimal. On the other hand, I find many users who don’t care about acquiring LinkedIn…
Understanding Those Mysterious Facebook Spam Messages You May Be Receiving
If you are one of the more than billion people on Facebook, you have probably already figured out a way to deal with filtering out the many potential notifications, some of it some may consider Facebook spam messages, that you could be receiving. Going to the Facebook Account Settings page under your personal profile leads…
Manners in the Digital Age : Use Old-School Etiquette to Rise Above the Social Media Mainstream
Today’s blog post is written by my guest Jennifer V. Miller. Jennifer is the founder and Managing Partner of SkillSource. She advises executives on how to improve workplace productivity via positive workplace dynamics. Jennifer blogs at The People Equation and considers her old-school professionalism and digital manners a key to her personal brand. Follow her on Twitter:…
How Can I Merge Two LinkedIn Accounts into One?
LinkedIn has been around for many years now, and maybe some of you created an account in the early days of 2004 like I did and just forgot about it, including the password. Then, later on you created a second account. Or maybe you used your business email as your primary email address and no…
How Should I Deal with a LinkedIn Recommendation Request I Don’t Want to Give?
If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will soon: the dreaded request for a LinkedIn Recommendation from a former co-worker or employee that you may not want to give one to. Why? Well, every time you make a recommendation, it appears on your LinkedIn profile and becomes part of your LinkedIn Brand. Perhaps you…
YouTube and Your Personal Brand: 5 Reasons Why Every Professional Should Have a YouTube Channel
Today I want to talk about YouTube. No, I don’t intend to talk about funny commercials or old TV shows that are popular on the video sharing website. I want to talk about YouTube as a Personal Branding tool. As a supplement to your blog. As a way to help you get found. I want…
6 Reasons Why Your Twitter Account May Be Restricted (Without Your Knowing It)
Twitter is starting to slowly grow up. Now that Fortune 500 companies are starting to recruit on Twitter and social networking sites like LinkedIn and search engines like Google and Bing are partnering with them, it was only a matter of time before Twitter took steps to root out spam as well as those who are…
What is LinkedIn and Why Should You Join?
I attended a great local networking event last night in my local Orange County, California. There were many people who I had communicated with on Twitter and finally had the chance to meet…the feeling was almost like seeing long lost friends! I will save Tweetups for another blog post, because what interested me last night were…
Twitter Followers vs Following: What is the Ideal Ratio?
The never-ending question of quality vs quantity of Twitter Followers is similar to the argument of how many people you should connect with on LinkedIn or “friend” on any other social networking site. Yesterday I wrote that without enough connections on LinkedIn, you will not show up in as many search results. With Twitter, the…
LinkedIn Profile Tips: The 10 Mistakes You Want to Avoid and Why
LinkedIn Profile Tips. A lot of people tell you what you should be doing, but what about what you shouldn’t be doing? LinkedIn is the place to not only find others but also to be found. And that is why you need a profile that not only helps you get found but also will entice…
Writing a LinkedIn Recommendation? Read This First!
Writing a LinkedIn recommendation? Will you write me one? Come on, I don’t really want you to write me one, but there has been unprecedented chatter about LinkedIn recommendations in blogging circles these days. And I want to put everything in perspective to confirm whether or not LinkedIn recommendations really have value. It was Jeremiah Owyang…
20 LinkedIn LIONs & Super Connectors You MUST Connect With!
There are many resources on the web for finding people to follow on Twitter. Just do a search for any particular type of person you want to follow (student entrepreneurs? job seeker advice? etc.) and chances are you will find a list. But why none for who to connect with on LinkedIn? Well, just as…
LinkedIn Networking: 3 Ways to Find Great People to Connect With & Meet on LinkedIn
After networking with several great people over the last several days, which have in essence been conversations that seem more like a veritable cross-breeding of ideas, I believe that more and more people are starting to see the potential value of meeting new people on LinkedIn. Now, just because you are open to doing this…
LinkedIn Introductions: How Do I Ask for One?
LinkedIn Introductions are an integral part of the social networking platform. After all, LinkedIn has given us the ability to search for someone and see how we are connected to them, and it is with this information that we can request an Introduction from our connection just as we request a referral from a friend…
LinkedIn for Business Tips: How Should I Sell to My Connections?
As more businesses realize what is LinkedIn and the potential for finding new business on LinkedIn, I am amazed as to how companies are starting to look at social media as if it gives them the right to cold call and send what I would consider spam to anyone and everyone in LinkedIn. I wanted…
LinkedIn Branding Tips: Should I Indicate on My LinkedIn Profile Status Update That I am Unemployed?
Before I event start answering this question on LinkedIn branding and offer you some personal branding tips, I will tell you that I am going out on a limb on this one. I am going against what a lot of people are actually doing. You may think that I am crazy or just wrong, but…
LinkedIn Group Etiquette: What are the Rules?
I have seen a growing interest in LinkedIn Groups from my networking contacts and LinkedIn connections recently, and in addition to the common questions of How to Find Groups on LinkedIn to Join? and How to Use LinkedIn Groups Effectively?, there is a growing interest as to what the proper etiquette and best practices should be…
My LinkedIn Profile: Does My Employer Own It?
The following story of LinkedIn account ownership is a true one, and as with my other blog posts, I am hoping to get your feedback as to what the “right” answer to this question should be. Imagine that you began a job as a recruiter. Part of your job is, obviously, building out a network….
LinkedIn Profile Name: Should I Use My Personal or Company Name on LinkedIn?
LinkedIn, as you already know, is a social networking platform for professionals. It is no secret, then, that there is business to be found on LinkedIn for companies of many sizes and industries. If you are a small business owner, you may be confused as to whether you should use your company name or personal…
LinkedIn for Lawyers 101
I have had the opportunity to engage with many lawyers recently, both in person as well as online through LinkedIn, and the sudden interest in social media that they seem to have has been surprising to me. I had always envisioned the legal profession as more of an old-school, conservative group of people that would…
How Do I Set Up a Company Profile on LinkedIn?
I recently did a Twitter Chat for #smbiz on tips for utilizing LinkedIn for business. Since then I have been contacted by small businesses looking for advice on what is LinkedIn and how to fully utilize the social network. I decided to answer this particular question on my blog because it did not come up…
Two Easy Ways to Disconnect and Delete a LinkedIn Connection
On Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks, it is very easy to “unfriend” someone. For some reason it is very difficult to figure out how to delete connections on LinkedIn. If you think about it, LinkedIn was originally intended to be a social network for professionals who only connected with people they know and trust….
How Do I Send a Complaint to LinkedIn?
Social media changes a lot. Some functionality is here today gone tomorrow. Your LinkedIn account might face restrictions today but I might never. Below is an incident detailing one of those incidents that happened to me several years ago but serves as an example of the never-ending changes that occur in social, and why you…
Can You Sell Your LinkedIn Account?
The timing of my blog posts concerning monetizing your LinkedIn connections has to be coincidental, but yesterday, for the first time, I received an email (which was probably sent out to all of this person’s LinkedIn connections) which was an offering, in essence, to sell his LinkedIn account. He explained how he was getting out…
LinkedIn Question: How to Contact 2nd and 3rd Degree Connections All at Once?
Just got this question from a new member of my LinkedIn network today about how to contact someone on LinkedIn, so I thought I would share my answer with everyone. If you have something you want to tell everyone, or something that you want to sell, it makes sense that you want to go beyond…
7 Reasons Why Every Professional Should Be on LinkedIn
If you are reading this you hopefully already have a presence on LinkedIn, but maybe you are not as active as you should be. Confused as to why you need to join and use LinkedIn? Well, if you are a professional, there are many reasons why you at least need to join LinkedIn and should…
How to Find Groups on LinkedIn to Join?
LinkedIn Groups allow you to be virtually connected to a number of people that share the same interest. The largest groups have membership in the millions. If you join a group, you will be able to directly send a LinkedIn message as well as invite, without knowing the E-Mail address of, anyone in this group, …
How Many LinkedIn Groups Can I Join?
Back in August 4, 2009, LinkedIn for the first time placed a restriction on the number of LinkedIn Groups once can join. The official E-Mail that I received at the time looked like this: “We are in the process of adding new functionality to enhance the experience of Groups, including the recent release of a searchable…
HOW TO: Connect with Barack Obama on LinkedIn
I recently got asked this question about how to connect with Barack Obama on LinkedIn, and because I had a little trouble doing so myself, I thought I would let anyone know who wants to get connected with him on LinkedIn how I did so. Whether you agree with Barack Obama’s policies or not, according…
What is a LinkedIn IDK? And Why Should I Care?
Have you had the experience recently where you were asked to enter your email address in order to send a LinkedIn invite to someone? You might have received too many LinkedIn IDKs. So, what is an IDK exactly? When you invite someone to connect with you on LinkedIn or receive an invite from someone, the…
What is a LinkedIn LION?
What is a LinkedIn LION? LION, in the LinkedIn world, stands for Linked In Open Networker. LIONs are basically open to networking with people that they have never met before, and they are important in the fact that they bridge networks of closed people. If we all follow the standard rule of LinkedIn and say…
How to Build My Network on LinkedIn? Here’s 15 Ways to Grow Your LinkedIn Network
‘ Who to connect with on LinkedIn in order to build a network is a question I often get asked. Every time someone invites me to connect with them, I always send out a reply thanking them and also asking them to contact me should they ever need any help with LinkedIn. I have had…