A Business Made Easy: 02/01/2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

The 4 Biggest Stories in Social Media, Business & Media This Morning

Social Media News Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. We’re keeping our eyes on four particular stories of interest today.

Facebook Upgrades the “Like” Button

Facebook has released an update that fundamentally changes the “Like” button’s functionality. Now clicking the button on a story page pulls up the full story with a headline, blurb, thumbnail and comment box, which can then be posted to a user’s profile wall.

JP Morgan Eyeing 10% Stake in Twitter

JP Morgan is in talks to acquire 10% of Twitter for $450 million, valuing the microblogging service at $4.5 billion, sources have told the Financial Times.

A Mixed Oscars Night For The Social Network

It was a great night for The King’s Speech and Inception at the 83rd Academy Awards on Sunday — and a somewhat more disappointing outcome for their main rival, David Fincher’s The Social Network. Fincher’s movie, a fictionalized account of the rise of Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, won three Oscars but lost in five other categories.

Google Glitch Disables 150,000 Gmail Accounts

About 150,000 Gmail account holders (0.08% of Gmail’s userbase, according to Google) were affected by a glitch that reset their accounts. Google is working to restore the missing data.

Further News

Jonathan Ive, Apple‘s senior vice president of industrial design, might be leaving the company.
Apple is testing a new type of lock screen on the iPhone, similar to the gesture-based lock screen on Android phone, according to reports.
Purchase sharing site Swipely, having processed tens of millions of transactions under the original model, is course-correcting after raising more than $8 million in funding and exiting private beta just seven months ago.
Oceanhouse Media has released two Dr. Seuss digital books — Happy Birthday to You! and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back [iTunes link], for Apple and Android devices in honor of the author’s birthday.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Friday, February 25, 2011

Keeping The Faith!

If you will have faith in us we will build you a great list to market your business to.
http://business.dennishampton.org/Ecard.asp?ECID=1016

Home Business Articles - Know Your Audience When Marketing Online - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

Home Business Articles - Know Your Audience When Marketing Online - Amazines.com Article Search Engine
Internet marketing is quickly becoming one of the most popular advertising options available. The Internet reaches a worldwide audience and is available 24 hours a day. For this reason more and more potential customers are turning to the Internet for a variety of reasons including researching products and services and making purchases. As more and more consumers turn to the Internet for these reasons, it is important for businesses to establish an online presence. This is so important because failure to do so may result in their competitors gaining an edge over them in competing for sales. While it is important for business to begin Internet marketing campaigns it is also important for these same businesses to realize basic advertising principles still exist and they cannot neglect these principles. Most importantly those who advertise online have to be aware of who their target audience is and how to reach this audience.

As with any marketing campaign, business owners should do some market research before they launch their Internet marketing campaign. Ideally this will involve hiring a research consultant with a great deal of experience in conducting and evaluating this type of market research. The results of this research should determine the basic demographical information for the target audience. The results should also include information on how to reach this target audience. A business that cannot afford to hire a consultant to conduct this market research should still make an effort to obtain this information on their own. This can be done through informal polls of current clients. This information may not be as comprehensive as the information obtained in a more formal study but it can still provide a great deal of insight into the best way to reach the target audience.

Once this information is obtained, it is important to tailor the Internet marketing campaign to appeal to the target audience. There are a number of different variables which can be modified to ensure the right message is reaching the right people in a manner they can understand and in which they can relate. Some of the ways in which your Internet marketing campaign can be tailored in this way include the aesthetics of your website or advertisements, the wording of your copy and the use of more advanced design features such as audio and visual or interactive tools.

The aesthetic appeal of a website can greatly contribute to how the website is viewed by the members of the target audience. A website which is designed to attract the attention of an older generation with more conservative tastes should include muted colors, clean design and conservative graphics. This will help to ensure the target audience enjoys the website. Conversely if you are looking to appeal to a younger audience with more liberal viewpoints you might chose to design the website with bold colors, eye catching graphics and creative design features.

The copy you include on your website should also take your target audience into consideration. Consider the examples of a conservative and a liberal audience listed above to create a better understanding of how the copy on your website can appeal to the target audience. When marketing to a more conservative audience, the copy should be tailored to use formal language and use facts to back up viewpoints. However, when you are marketing to a more liberal audience or a younger audience you can consider using less formal language which is likely to appeal to the target audience. You can also focus more on emotion to express viewpoints.

Finally, when a website is created for the purposes of Internet marketing it is important for the design of the website to appeal to the target audience. You may wish to include audio and video clips on your website but these clips should appeal to the target audience. For example if your website sells skateboards you might consider incorporating audio clips from punk rock bands as opposed to country music bands. There may be some skateboarders who enjoy country music but in general punk rock music more closely represents the skating culture. Keeping these details in mind is very important for Internet marketing.

Dennis Hampton is a Social Media Consultant who specializes in teaching Business Owners and Internet Marketers how to leverage the Internet and Social Media sites to help build a larger list, improve their relationship with their list, increase exposure to their list, and do this all automatically. Check out The Best D**N Training In The Industry and Learn How To Create Your Own Leads And Generate Instant Cash In Any Company. "Social Media List Building System"

This Morning's Top Stories in Tech & Mobile

Social Media News Welcome to this morning’s edition of “First To Know,” a series in which we keep you in the know on what’s happening in the digital world. We’re keeping our eyes on three particular stories of interest today.

Google Declares War on Content Farms

Google has announced an algorithmic change to its search engine that should dramatically improve the quality of Google’s search results by eliminating content farm properties from top results.

Google Adds New Filtering Options to Mobile Places Search

Google has introduced several new features to its mobile search for iPhone and Android, including the ability to surface results by star rating, distance and business that are open.

PayPal Lifts Ban on Fundraising Account for WikiLeaks Source Bradley Manning

PayPal has lifted its ban on the account of Courage to Resist, an organization that has raised a substantial portion of the funds needed for the legal defense of Bradley Manning, the 23-year-old former U.S. army private accused of leaking classified U.S. information to WikiLeaks in 2010.

Further News

Google has rolled out a new search feature that makes finding recipes on the web a little easier to users in the U.S. and Japan.
Verizon Wireless has released its first ad for Motorola’s Xoom tablet, a futuristic spot that highlights the device’s ability to play Vendetta.
Lumosity, a startup with more than 40 science-inspired web and mobile games for exercising the brain, has surpassed 11 million members in 190 countries.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Monday, February 21, 2011

Mashable Weekend Recap: 15 Stories You May Have Missed

This weekend was on the tail end of a full moon, so maybe that explains its unusual nature. Missed it? Hey, we’ll catch you up right here.

A “hacktivist” group called “Anonymous” seemed to have threatened a fringe hate group calling itself a church, and then denied it. Libya shut down its Internet and then restored it. We found a PC that’s great for what it doesn’t do (make noise), and reviewed a shape-shifting carry-on bag that might not fit every airline’s regulations. And that wasn’t even the half of it!

And you know what? It was all fascinating. Start your Monday off right, and see for yourself:

News and Opinion Essentials

Mobile World Congress: Most Buzzed-About Phones, Tablets & Brands [INFOGRAPHIC]
Just How Offensive Is Your Facebook Profile?
[UPDATE 2] “Anonymous” Denies Threatening Westboro Baptist Church
Internet Restored in Libya, Google Maps Shows Up-To-Date Info
Internet Down in Libya As “Day of Rage” Fatalities Mount [UPDATED]

Helpful Resources

10 Essential Online Resources for Preparing Your Small Business Taxes
Power to the People: 3 Tasty Crowdsourcing Case Studies
How an Imaginative Child Learning Software Startup Avoided Death by Retail
Top 10 Twitter Trends This Week [CHART]
40 New Digital Media Resources You May Have Missed
21 Free iPhone Apps for Staying Financially Fit in 2011

Weekend Leisure

The Apple Canvas: 10 Outstanding Works of iOS Art [PICS]
HANDS ON: The Quietest (Powerful) Computer In The World [PICS]
10 Fascinating YouTube Facts That May Surprise You
10 Classy Cocktail Apps for Your iPhone
Review: Shape-Shifting Travel Bag Divides Into 3 Pieces [VIDEO & PICS]

Advice Articles - Social Networking Websites: How to Find Them - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

Advice Articles - Social Networking Websites: How to Find Them - Amazines.com Article Search Engine
Each day, in the United States, millions of Americans communicate with each other online. In addition to communicating with other Americans, many are communicating with those on the other side of the world. This communication is due, largely in part, to online social networking websites. If you are interested in joining the growing number of internet users who use social networking websites, you will have to find a network to join.

When it comes to finding social networking websites, you have a number of different options. Perhaps, the easiest way to find a social networking website is by performing a standard internet search. You may want to search with the words social networking or social networking websites. Whichever search phrase you choose, there is a good chance that you will be presented with a long list of websites.

You can also find and familiarize yourself with social networking websites by talking to those that you know. The internet, as well as social networks, has rapidly increased in popularity. That popularity means that there is a good chance that one of your relatives, friends, coworkers, or neighbors has used a specific social networking website in the past. In fact, many may have even used more than one. If you know someone who has, you will want to ask them their recommendations. You will find that most social networking websites come highly rated, but there are some out there that may not even be worth your time.

In addition to speaking to those that you actually know, you can also seek recommendations from those that you do not personally know. You can do this online. Online, you should be able to find a number of websites that discuss social networking sites. Many of these websites have reviewed a collection of social networking sites. In addition to reviews and other articles, you should also be able to speak with other internet users on online message boards. Like speaking to one of your friends, many internet users would be more than willing to let you know what social networking websites are worth the time and which ones are not.

Although it is nice to receive recommendations from those that you know or other internet users, you are advised to make your own decision. Whether or not a social networking website comes highly recommended, you are still encouraged to check it out first. A large number of social networking websites are free to use; therefore, there are no risks associated with giving the site a try. Despite the fact that most online social networking sites are free to use, there are some that you must pay for. A large number of these websites offer free trials. Even if the trial period is only for a few days, you should easily be able to get a feel of the site’s environment and determine whether or not it is right for you.

In your search for a social networking website, whether you perform your own internet search or rely on recommendations from others, you should be able to find a number of popular websites. Those websites may include, but should not be limited to, Yahoo! 360, MySpace, Classmates, and Orkut. The good news about this is that if you are not satisfied with the social networking website you joined, you don’t have to worry; there are many more available for you to choose from.

Dennis Hampton is a Social Media Consultant who specializes in teaching Business Owners and Internet Marketers how to leverage the Internet and Social Media sites to help build a larger list, improve their relationship with their list, increase exposure to their list, and do this all automatically. See it here at: "The Instant Sales System for Business Owners"

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Self Improvement Articles - The Way to Success Lies within you in Development of the Social Self Environment - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

Self Improvement Articles - The Way to Success Lies within you in Development of the Social Self Environment - Amazines.com Article Search Engine
Each one of us has his or her unique personality. But within this personality there is one inner self that is calm and peaceful, that does not participate in the activities of life. It merely observes the things around us and draws conclusions from it. The inner self is our true self, free from all the pretence; it is how we actually are. It can make a person aware once he or she realizes its presence. However, it all depends on a person how he approaches it.

When a person starts recognizing this inner self, it gives him a clearer view towards the situations of life. He develops a way to his creativity and talent. It gives us the solution to our problems and inspiration to pursue our goals at an instant even when we are not thinking about that issue. It helps us in taking our decisions and guides us to choose the right path. When a person starts realizing the essence of this inner self, he will himself be able to notice the transformation within him. He will become much more dignified, composed, and noble. This is to say that he will give greater priority to the state of being, to the values and morals of life than taking to negative means to achieve success in his life. It will shift a person’s priorities from the material pursuits of life to the achievement of a higher being. However, it may take some time.

A path that can lead a person to his inner self is awareness. One should always be aware of what is happening around him, but should not try to take any judgment over it. He should have feelings and opinion but at the same time, he should not forget that it is not the reality. It needs strong will power to recognize this inner self, as the personality of a person will all the time guards the person from achieving this true self that lie within him.

However, like other things we need to put in some efforts and time to achieve it. Meditation and concentration are two of such methods that can help us gain access to our inner self. It has become an essential part of our lives irrespective of our age groups. It benefits everyone from a child to an old man.

It rejuvenates a person and gives him an insight to his higher inner self. It makes him aware about his strengths and weaknesses, which further help him in exploring a better part of him. He adds on to his strengths and subtracts his weaknesses. The tranquility of mind accomplished through it lets him maintain his calm in the most stressful and troublesome environment.

When a person initiates the practice of meditation he is able to enjoy more in life. Meditation also aids in disentangling the mystery that lays hidden under life and death of an individual. It takes him away from the negative thoughts and impurities of life and attains a higher divine self within him. Sleep also plays an important role in this phenomenon. It relaxes a person’s mind and body. By giving an outlet to his hidden and repressed desires, he manages to refresh himself from the hassles of everyday life. The other part is concentration that enables a person achieve his goals in life, gives him a focus towards his aim, and grasp more knowledge. It also increases the memory of a person. Thus, for a healthy and successful living it is necessary to reach the inner part that is present within each one of us.

This Morning's Top Stories in Tech, Mobile & Social Media

Algeria Suffers Some Internet Disruptions As Unrest Intensifies

Protests in Algeria intensified over the weekend, and the Algerian government responded by blocking access to Facebook accounts and several Internet service providers across the country.

Foursquare Translated into 5 New Languages

Foursquare co-founder and CEO Dennis Crowley announced at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona that the location-based checkin service is now available in five new languages — Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese — and that it now boasts 6.5 million users and 2 million checkins per day.

Images Of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1″ & Galaxy S II Released

Shortly after the specs of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1″ were leaked, the devices were put on photographic display at the MWC in Barcelona, confirming the previous report.

Further News

Cooliris, a visual-browsing startup best known for a browser add-on that turns photos and videos into a 3D wall, has announced a $9.6 million Series C round of funding.
In a letter to publishers, Digg product manager Mike Cieri announced that the troubled social news website will no longer accept content submitted via RSS.
Sports Illustrated and parent company Time Inc. have announced a new subscription plan that spans the web, and several major mobile and tablet devices — excluding, notably, the iPhone and the iPad.
Nomad Brush, a paintbrush stylus for the iPad (see our hands-on review here) is now on sale for $24 at nomadbrush.com.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Thursday, February 10, 2011

The 4 Biggest Stories in Tech, Mobile & Social Media This Morning

Google & Facebook in Early Talks To Acquire Twitter

Sources familiar with the matter have told Wall Street Journal that Facebook and Google executives have engaged in “low-level talks” to acquire Twitter for between $8 billion and $10 billion.

HP Unveils Tablet & 2 New Smartphones

HP unveiled a new line of webOS devices Wednesday, including the much-anticipated TouchPad tablet, a credit-card sized phone called the Veer, and a larger, more multimedia-rich smartphone called the Pre 3.

Verizon iPhone 4 Arrives in Stores

Consumers can now purchase a Verizon iPhone 4 at a number of retailers, including Apple, Best Buy, Walmart and Verizon stores. Phones are also available for online order.

The So-Called Facebook Phone Has Been Unveiled

INQ has unveiled the long-rumored “Facebook phone” — except it’s not actually branded by Facebook.

Further News

Activision, beset by falling sales, has decided to shutter the division that created Guitar Hero and its sequels.
Wikifashion, an online encyclopedia for fashion brands, figures and vocabulary, has unveiled a new redesign.
A recent report from Canalys touted Android as the top smartphone platform in Q4 2010, but a new report from Gartner says that Symbian is still the dominant OS.
YouTube has signed a deal with RightsFlow to help with music rights management.
Photo app Hipstamatic is releasing an update to its iPhone app Thursday that includes a brand-new, saturated fashion lens produced with the help of fashion photographer Chiun-Kai Shih.
PicPlz, the Instagram-like photo app for iPhone and Android, has released the latest version of its Android app.

Image courtesy of iStockphoto, DNY59

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Communication Articles - Should Your Join a Social Networking Website? - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

Communication Articles - Should Your Join a Social Networking Website? - Amazines.com Article Search Engine
Are you interested in meeting new people online? If so, there is a good chance that you have heard of social networking websites before. Social networking websites are, in a way, like a community. They allow internet users to connect with and communicate with each other. Despite the fact that social networking website have rapidly increased in popularity and their popularity is only expected to keep on rising, there are many internet users who are unsure as to whether or not social networking websites are for them.

If you are interested in determining whether or not you should join an online networking website, you are encouraged to think about why those websites are so popular. Doing so will enable you to determine why other internet users make the decision to join an online social network. After that close examination, you may even find that those are the same reasons why you should or want to join. One of those reasons is the ability to easily meet other internet uses.

Before social networking websites, it was difficult to meet other internet users. If you tried, you would have to rely on chat rooms or instant messaging services. As nice as these popular internet features are, they are not always considered safe. With chat rooms or instant messaging programs you were often given little reassurance that a person was who they claimed to be. Without profiles, there was no way that you could learn more about a particular internet user, even if you wanted to. Social networking websites have changed that.

Not only have social networking websites made it safer to meet people online, it also allows you to meet people that have the same or similar interests as yourself. Most social networking websites allow you to create your own profile; in fact, many even give you your own webpage. These profiles or pages will allow you to share information on yourself, including your likes and dislikes. Since all other network members should have the same pages and profiles, it should be fairly easy for you to meet up with other internet users, especially those who enjoy or believe in the same things that you do.

Another one of the many reasons why you should join a social networking website is because you literally have a wide variety of different choices. As social networking websites increased in popularity, so did the number of websites that could be found online. Although MySpace is often deemed the most popular online social networking website, there are others that are just as easy or as much fun to use. You should easily be able to find those websites by performing a standard internet search.

In your search, for social networking websites, you will come across a number of different networks. Many of those sites will have a particular focus. Unlike MySpace, which accepts just about any internet user, there are online networks that aim to accept internet users that have a particular hobby, view, or belief. Online, it is not uncommon to find social networking websites that focus on politics, religion, pets, sports, and more. If you are unsure about joining an online networking community, specialty networking sites may be your best bet. They are a great way to test the waters and they are nice because they automatically pair you with internet users who have the same interests, views, or beliefs as you do.

Perhaps, the greatest reasons why should join a social networking website is because most are free to use. Popular free networks include Yahoo! 360, Orkut, and MySpace. In addition to free social networks, there are online networks in which you are required to pay to join. Although you may not want to pay for something that you can obtain for free elsewhere, you will find that most paid networks offer you more membership benefits, when compared to free social networking sites.

Due to the fact that most social networking websites are free to use or at least free to try, you are encouraged to give them a shot. If you are unsatisfied with what you see, you can easily cancel your membership, often at anytime.

Dennis Hampton is a Social Media Consultant who specializes in teaching Business Owners and Internet Marketers how to leverage the Internet and Social Media sites to help build a larger list, improve their relationship with their list, increase exposure to their list, and do this all automatically. Check out his blog at: "Dennis Hampton's blog - Any Business Made Easy"

Thursday, February 3, 2011

This Weeks Free E-Book

This weeks FREE down loadable E-Book - "4 Symphonies of Stress"
http://abusinessmadeeasy.info/Stress.pdf
PS. Please share with your friends.
Plus FREE Social Media training at - http://blog.dennishampton.org

New to the Internet Articles - Social Networking Websites: How to Find Them - Amazines.com Article Search Engine

New to the Internet Articles - Social Networking Websites: How to Find Them - Amazines.com Article Search Engine
Each day, in the United States, millions of Americans communicate with each other online. In addition to communicating with other Americans, many are communicating with those on the other side of the world. This communication is due, largely in part, to online social networking websites. If you are interested in joining the growing number of internet users who use social networking websites, you will have to find a network to join.

Dennis Hampton is a Social Media Consultant who specializes in teaching Business Owners and Internet Marketers how to leverage the Internet and Social Media sites to help build a larger list, improve their relationship with their list, increase exposure to their list, and do this all automatically. Check out his blog at: "Dennis Hampton's blog - Any Business Made Easy"