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