Small Biz Resource Tip: YouSendIt App

You might already be familiar with YouSendIt’s secure cloud sharing capabilities, and you may have already used the service to send a file to a co-worker or client. The popular business content collaboration service has just announced a new app for YouSendIt available for iPad, iPhone, Android, Windows and Mac. With the new app you can securely send files, share folders, digitally sign documents and more from smartphones and other mobile devices. Plus, files stored on mobile devices are encrypted and protected by an application passcode feature.

YouSendIt App

Small Biz Resource Tip: YouSendIt App | Network Solutions Small Business Blog

How to Find and Add Facebook Apps to Your Facebook Page

by Monika Jansen

Sure, there’s an app for just about everything these days, but how do you put those apps to work for your online marketing strategy? While an article about using apps effectively could easily turn into a multivolume work, this article will focus on using Facebook apps as part of a successful social media strategy.

What exactly is an app?

They may sound cute, but the little applications (apps) that live on your Facebook page are powerful engagement tools. Native Facebook apps can be found on the left sidebar of your page, and they include Photos, Videos, Links, Events and Notes. When you install a third-party app, you are using an application that someone other than Facebook has developed.

To view your apps, click Edit Page on your Facebook wall. These are the apps you have now. To get more than just the basic Facebook-issued apps, you’ll need to find and install them.

When you search Facebook for additional apps to install, you may find it difficult to distinguish an app page from a regular fan page. Since even apps have fans, or “likes,” you should check for a Go to App button, the app classification, and an Add to My Page link. These are indicators that you have found an app.

Since apps are a dime a dozen, and you don’t want to waste your time on inferior apps, check to see how established it is before installing. The Monthly Active Users figure will show you how many people are currently using the app, which means someone out there is finding it useful and worthwhile.

The Hunt for Facebook Apps

Of course, if you know the name of the app you want, finding it will be a cinch. Simply use the search tool within Facebook, and filter by Apps in the left sidebar.

If you see a cool app in a posting on your news feed, explore it by clicking on any links found within the posting. This tactic only works if the app has posted to your newsfeed. Otherwise, a bit more sleuthing will be required.

You can study the bottom of Facebook pages to see which apps are being used by that organisation. Check for a link to the app’s external website or a link to the app within Facebook. If you cannot find a link, the app either doesn’t have this feature or it is a custom app created specifically for that page (in other words, the organisation paid to have it created just for them). In the case of a custom app, you may be able to locate an attribution to find out how the custom tab was created; again, check the bottom of the page for this indicator.

If you don’t have a particular app in mind, you can use www.Appbistro.com to find a selection of Facebook apps to get you started.

Installing Your Apps

When you’ve found an app you’d like to try out, you may run into a few snags, depending on the app’s installation requirements. If you’re lucky, the app will install easily from within Facebook. However, some apps have a smoother installation process from their external website; many of these websites provide you with step-by-step instructions for installing their apps.

The simplest way to get started adding apps within Facebook is to click the Add to My Pagelink on the left sidebar; this is easier than taking the Go to App button route mentioned earlier. Once you click the Add to My Page link, select the page where you want to add the app from the pop-up box that appears. Click the Add to Page button.

Navigate to the page where you added the app, and locate the app on the left sidebar. Click on the app to check for additional steps for configuring the app. If there are more steps, follow them through to completion, and you’re ready to go!

If you want to move the app’s position on your left sidebar, simply click the Edit link under your app list, and drag the app to the desired position. After your apps are organised how you’d like, click Done to save the new positions.

How to Find and Add Facebook Apps to Your Facebook Page | Network Solutions Small Business Blog

How to Spot Bad SEO Services: Free eBook

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is one of the most effective marketing tactics for generating leads and sales from your website. SEO can be complicated at time, and that’s why companies often outsource their SEO to trained professionals. With thousands of SEO firms, how can you tell the good from the bad?

In HubSpot’s newest eBook How to Spot Bad SEO Services, find out ten signs that can signal that an SEO firm is not worth the money. These include:

Sign #1. Making Promises that are Too Good to be True

Sign #2. Using “Black Hat” SEO Techniques

Sign #3. Targeting the Wrong Keywords

Sign #4. Employing Shoddy Linking Schemes

Sign #5. Promising to List Your Site in Hundreds of Online Directories

Sign #6. Redesigning Your Site or Creating New Pages Without 301 Redirects

Sign #7. Focusing on Metadata Instead of On-Page SEO

Sign #8. Creating Bad Content

Sign #9. Driving Irrelevant Traffic

Sign #10. Offering a One-Time Fixes with No Ongoing Maintenance

Download your copy of How to Spot Bad SEO Services, and avoid wasting money on bad SEO.

Psychic Predictions for 2012

Pic: John Stephen Dwyer

Psychic Who Predicted Japan Earthquake Shares Insights

Can Blair Robertson see into the future? His successful forecasts of coming events seem to prove he can. His past predictions include the Japanese 8.9 earthquake and tsunami, the two devastating New Zealand earthquakes, the terrible plane crash that claimed the life of Polish president Lech Kaczynski, World Cup events, accurately predicting the Oscars, and more.

"I call it 'time projected empathy,' where I imagine myself reading the headlines in the future," says Robertson, "I remember the future."

2012 is shaping up to be an exciting year, according to Robertson, who has put together his annual predictions.

Blair Robertson Predictions 2012

• I predict that the Republicans will win the Presidential election.
• A horrifying premonition: spandex will make a comeback near the end of 2012.
• Volcanic activity in the Northwest will be big news and I feel there will be a very good chance of a large eruption.
• There will be a bombing on a cruise ship this year.
• I predict North Carolina will be slammed and heavily damaged by storms in April.
• I predict Jennifer Aniston will marry.
• Watch for major riots to occur in Miami and London in the spring.
• I predict a train crash in Southern Europe within the next 120 days that will be caused by sabotage.
• In spite of persistent rumours, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will remain together in 2012 and adopt another child.
• This year will see the passing of a much-loved and great comedienne/actress.
• I predict a major fire in a building/hotel in Hong Kong affecting hundreds this summer.
• A member of royalty will die in a car crash within 6 months.
• I predict a dam will burst, causing much damage, within the year.
• I predict a major oil spill in the North Atlantic within the first five months.
• Watch for an assassination attempt on an African leader in the next few weeks that will make headlines.
• I predict a ferryboat capsizing in the Philippines with more than 60 lost in February.
• Another US leading politician in a sex scandal. This time an easterner.
• I predict volcanic activity in Italy - affecting the Amalfi Coast this year.
• Watch for a series of fires this spring in California that will be arson.
• I predict we will hear of horrifying riots in South Africa during the summer.
• I predict that the Euro will drop below $1.25US before the end of May.
• Watch for a tsunami in the spring that will threaten the island kingdom of Tonga.
• News of a thwarted "terrorist" attack at the summer Olympics will have the world on edge.
• I predict a baby for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge this year.
• I predict that both Greece and Portugal will default this year.
• Middle East tensions will greatly escalate in the fall.

Web Site: http://www.blairrobertson.com 

UN's First Official Report on Gays Notes Widespread Bias

The first same-sex marriages took place in the Netherlands on April 1, 2001. The Netherlands has been followed by Belgium (2003), Spain and Canada (2005), South Africa (2006), Norway and Sweden (2009) and Portugal, Iceland, Argentina, Mexico City and several Mexican states (2010). Several states in the US have also recognised same-sex marriages. 

In South Africa, a national task team on "homophobic and transphobic" hate crimes has been established following consultations with the LGTB community, according to the report. 

UN's First Official Report on Gays Notes Widespread Bias - IPS ipsnews.net

The first UN report on LGBT rights highlights discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity. 
Above, people rally to support equal LGBT rights. 
Credit: Fibonacci Blue/ CC by 2.0

UN issues first report on human rights of gay and lesbian people

Violence against LGBT persons tends to be especially vicious compared to other bias-motivated crimes

An activist waves a rainbow flag, an international symbol for the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people

In 76 countries it remains illegal to engage in same-sex conduct and in at least five countries - Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen - the death penalty prevails.

UN issues first report on human rights of gay and lesbian people

3 Ways SEO Will Help You Optimise YouTube Videos | Network Solutions Small Business Blog

All of us crave a YouTube success story. We upload videos about our products or services and start dreaming of the millions of hits we’ll get overnight that will lead to a huge increase in business.

It’s all about understanding search engine optimisation (SEO) and marketing your video as dynamically as you market your company, products and services.

1. Pick the right keywords
2. Add your keywords everywhere
3. Give them information they need to take action


3 Ways SEO Will Help You Optimise YouTube Videos | Network Solutions Small Business Blog

Animation Festival in Zimbabwe Reflects Growing Industry | Global Press Institute

The second Zimbabwe Festival of African Inspired Animation, held this past weekend in the capital, attracted experienced and young animators from across Zimbabwe. Animators say the budding industry has been thriving on passion and collaboration and has the capacity to supplement other media and preserve culture if it can continue to develop in the future.


Animation Festival in Zimbabwe Reflects Growing Industry

Pantone Reveals Colour of the Year for 2012: PANTONE 17-1463 Tangerine Tango

Dance into the New Year with this vivacious and appealing reddish orange

Pantone LLC, an X-Rite company, and the global authority on colour and provider of professional colour standards for the design industries, announced PANTONE^® 17-1463 Tangerine Tango, a vivacious, enticing hue, as the colour of the year for 2012.

Photo: Business Wire

The 2011 colour of the year, PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle, encouraged us to face everyday troubles with verve and vigour. Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.

“Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Colour Institute^®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

Over the past several years, orange has grown in popularity and acceptance among designers and consumers alike. A provocative attention-getter, Tangerine Tango is especially appealing in men’s and women’s fashion. Fashion designers featured in the PANTONE Fashion Colour Report Spring 2012, including Tommy Hilfiger, Nanette Lepore, Cynthia Steffe by Shaun Kearney, Elie Tahari and Adrienne Vittadini, are incorporating this attractive orange into their spring collections. A fun, lively take on a traditional autumnal hue, Tangerine Tango will surely carry through to fall fashion as well.

A winner in cosmetics because of its versatility, Tangerine Tango is a bit exotic, but in a very friendly, non-threatening way. Add a sultry flair to lips, cheeks and nails with Tangerine Tango. An unexpected eye shadow colour, Tangerine Tango is a complementary opposite that flatters blue or green eyes. When paired with brown eyes, it brings out an amber cast.

SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE

Sharing a strong passion for how colour can transform a face, mood or even an attitude, Pantone has partnered with Sephora, a leading beauty specialty retailer, to create an extraordinary collection that will change how consumers wear, feel and think about colour. Launching in spring 2012, SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE™ delivers insightful colour forecasting, timely trends and powerful seasonal product collections. To celebrate the launch, SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE proudly presents the first Colour of the Year beauty collection.

“These products allow for on-trend, uninhibited expression, while being exceptionally wearable,” commented Gilbert Soliz, lead artist for Sephora PRO. “Whether she is looking to create a bold look featuring Tangerine Tango, or if demure trend expression is more her style, the collection allows for customised wearability.”

The limited edition collection features a variety of products including eye shadow, lipstick, lip gloss, nail polish and accessories, and will be available in Sephora Americas beginning March 2012.

Photo: Business Wire

Tangerine Tango for Interiors and More

Energise interior spaces with Tangerine Tango patterned home accessories. Pillows, bedspreads and tabletop accessories in this high-impact hue add spice to any room. Or incorporate Tangerine Tango appliances and personal electronics for an unexpected pop of colour. Looking for an inexpensive way to perk up your home? Paint a wall in Tangerine Tango for a dynamic burst of energy in the kitchen, entryway or hallway.

About the PANTONE Colour of the Year

The colour of the year selection is a very thoughtful process. To arrive at the selection, Pantone quite literally combs the world looking for colour influences. This can include the entertainment industry and films that are in production, travelling art collections, hot new artists, popular travel destinations and other socio-economic conditions. Influences may also stem from technology, availability of new textures and effects that impact colour, and even upcoming sports events that capture worldwide attention.

For more than a decade, Pantone’s Colour of the Year has influenced product development and purchasing decisions in multiple industries, including fashion, home and industrial design, as well as product packaging and graphic design. Past colours include:

• PANTONE 18-2120 Honeysuckle (2011)
• PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise (2010)
• PANTONE 14-0848 Mimosa (2009)
• PANTONE 18-3943 Blue Iris (2008)
• PANTONE 19-1557 Chili Pepper (2007)
• PANTONE 13-1106 Sand Dollar (2006)
• PANTONE 15-5217 Blue Turquoise (2005)
• PANTONE 17-1456 Tigerlily (2004)
• PANTONE 14-4811 Aqua Sky (2003)
• PANTONE 19-1664 True Red (2002)
• PANTONE 17-2031 Fuchsia Rose (2001)
• PANTONE 15-4020 Cerulean (2000)

www.pantone.com

87 Percent of Tablet Owners Using Tablets for Holiday Shopping, Finds Study

Tablets' convenience and browsing ease inspires 44 percent of owners to spend $300+ on holiday gifts via tablets

News Facts:

• According to a survey commissioned by Zmags, the global leader in on-demand rich media merchandising and customer analytics, 87 percent of tablet owners are holiday shopping using their tablets and will spend an average of $325.
• Nearly a third of tablet owners like to shop on their tablets because it is convenient. Twenty-four percent of tablet owners also like how the tablet experience facilitates easy browsing and helps them discover products via retailers' sites, digital catalogs and apps.
• Clothing, toys and luxury categories are quickly joining electronics for strong tablet commerce prominence this holiday season. More than half of tablet owners are browsing for clothes on their tablets, with 38 percent buying them via their device. Toys are browsed by 43 percent of tablet owners, with 38 percent purchasing them on their tablets. Jewellery is not far behind, with several tablet owners admitting to purchasing expensive diamond rings, watches and bracelets using their tablets.
• Tablet owners plan to engage in couch commerce for the long term. Next year, 49 percent of today's tablet owners plan to shop even more using their tablets, whereas only 19 percent of smartphone owners say they will shop more from their smartphones.

Other survey findings include:

• Fifty percent of tablet owners say the couch is their favoured location for shopping but they can also be found shopping in bed (20 percent), at the kitchen counter, in the mall and at coffee shops as well as on public transportation.
• More than half of tablet owners say shopping makes them feel happy and more excited, indulgent and generous than other forms of online, mobile or in-store shopping.
• Tablet shoppers see themselves as savvy spenders (52 percent), spontaneous splurgers (14 percent) and luxury buyers (9 percent).
• Men are bigger spenders on their tablets than women this holiday season. Fifty-two percent of the men estimate they will spend between $201-500 via their tablets, compared to 37 percent of female shoppers.

The survey of 1 500 online shoppers, including 238 tablet owners, was conducted by Equation Research for Zmags. A broader report studying the profiles and behaviors of tablet, smartphone and Facebook shoppers will be released in January 2012.

32% of Businesses Cite ‘Lack of Time’ as Biggest Social Media Challenge

(PRWEB) - Red Rocket Media, a specialist content marketing agency in the UK, surveyed marketing professionals across a wide range of sectors and found that 32% of businesses cited ‘lack the time’ as their biggest social media challenge, closely followed by 28% who cited ‘creating original content’. Others included: deciding what to say (17%), measuring ROI (13%) and engaging with customers (10%).

“The results from this survey very much echo the message we are hearing from our own customers” says Matthew Hopkins, Managing Director of Red Rocket Media. “As businesses embrace social media marketing they are very quickly realising that to get results, you need to invest a serious amount of time in creating original content which will engage your readers: time, the majority of them just do not have.”

When asked about their main social media objective, 35% cited ‘increase brand awareness’, followed by ‘form deeper relationships’ (30%) and ‘generate leads’ (15%). 10% stated ‘increase website traffic’ as their main objective with the remainder being split between ‘enhance search engine rankings’ and ‘create buzz’.

Hopkins added: “More and more companies are cottoning on to the power of social media when it comes to increasing brand awareness. Valuable content such as topic-related news articles connects people and spreads like wild fire as people re-tweet it, share it and comment on it. As long as you publish high quality, original content, there are simply no limits to the reach your brand can achieve on social media.”

Whilst the biggest challenge faced by businesses is a lack of time, it is, however, encouraging that so many are still committed to social media as a long-term investment. Over 50% of those surveyed are now spending 1-3 hours a week on social media activities, 17% are spending 4-6 hours and a surprising 15% are spending over 10 hours.

As far as social media budget is concerned, 41% will be allocating more budget to it in 2012, compared to 49% who plan to spend the same. The rest intend to reduce their spend which is likely to be attributed to the fact that those businesses who do not have the time to properly execute their social media plans naturally aren’t seeing results.

One of the main objectives of the survey was to gain a better understanding of the challenges businesses face when it comes to their social media activities. The findings have formed the basis for a white paper, written by Red Rocket Media, which addresses the five biggest challenges in turn and showcases how content marketing can provide an all-encompassing solution.

Photo SEO: How Optimised Images Can Drive Improved Visibility for Messages

Photo SEO: How Optimised Images Can Drive Improved Visibility for Messages