Twitter is a useful tool for both personal and business needs. If you are new to Twitter, it may be helpful to learn how to use it to your best advantage. Here are a few do’s and don’ts to get you started.

Twitter was revolutionary when it started. It’s a platform that uses short messages to communicate with others. It could be up-to-the-minute information about you or communication with clients and co-workers on projects and the like. And, you can follow others just like on other social networks.

With Twitter, there are very few established rules. Most of the advice given on how to use Twitter is about etiquette and using the service to connect with other business professionals, clients and the like.

Do’s on Twitter

So, let’s take a look at some of the positive things to do on Twitter.

Follow others – It is not just about you; it’s also about connecting with people. Get involved in what is going on in your area of expertise. Follow people with similar interests. This gives you a higher visibility and can help establish you in that niche on Twitter. If you see something interesting, retweet it so others can follow too.

Tweet – It’s just like posting on Facebook. Leave meaningful information for others. You can talk about yourself, but not too much. Intermingle some useful content with your conversational pieces.

Create a compelling biography – Use your bio to its utmost. You have just a few characters so use keywords that are searchable to describe yourself and help others to search for you and find you.

Be professional – This includes using proper grammar in your tweets. Abbreviations don’t lend themselves to professionalism.

Don’ts on Twitter

Don’t tweet every second – You often hear about people who tweet about eating dinner, inappropriate habits and every other thing they do all day. This is not what people want to hear from you. In fact, it is one way to lose your ranking and current audience. It just clogs up the works for those following you.

Be careful what you say – Once you have entered something on the internet, it will be there forever. Inflammatory tweets reflect negatively on you and can come back to haunt you later.

Don’t be too negative – People who are always looking on the downside crash the party. Misery loves company but you will lose yours if you persist.

Learn to use hashtags properly – Hashtags can help you and others to follow a conversation more easily. But, use them the right way. Don’t put a hashtag on each word in your tweet. And, don’t hashtag a run-on tweet.

Using Twitter doesn’t have to be complicated or hard. Be yourself and use the above advice to make the most of your time there.

Website traffic is always a priority for online solopreneurs – without some type of web traffic people won’t know your business exists. So just what is the right formula for more website traffic?

Here are our top tips:

1. Write and distribute articles. This may seem like a simple strategy on the surface but it can be very powerful. Just writing one or two articles a week will quickly add to a lot of incoming one-way links (the type of links the search engines love most) for your business.

Once you write the articles distribute them to a few top ranking directories, but don’t stop there. Think about distributing a few articles to large online traffic websites directly. Give them exclusive use of the article in exchange for the incoming link. This is a great strategy you can easily apply.

2. Make your pages search engine and reader friendly. Striking the balance between writing for your human visitors as well as the search engines is simple if you stick to this rule – write for the reader first and then naturally insert your keyword phrases into your copy.

It’s also a good idea to include all the appropriate SEO tags on all your pages. These tags help the search engines find you.

3. Set up a search-engine friendly navigation structure. For the search engines (and your human visitors) to find the content on your website, you need a clear navigation structure. This structure should consist of your top topics which are also your keywords and then for each of those main pages you’ll have sub pages including extensions of that main keyword.

By having the main keywords as your top topics on your navigation structure, your readers and the search engines will easily find your deeper pages of content. It’s also a good idea to include a back link to your home page on each page of your website. A clear and well-defined site map is a great addition as well.

These three key steps are the starting point to your traffic success. Apply them regularly and ensure that your content is fresh and up-to-date and you can’t help but to win over both the search engines and your human visitors too.

Today everyone is saying, “Take me to the cloud.” But what does that mean? And, is it a good thing for your business to get involved in?

What and Where Is the Cloud?

We are talking about cyberspace. You know it exists and you can see the results of it, but touching it is as elusive as putting your hands on a real cloud. Nevertheless, it is a revolutionary idea in network sharing and storage.

So, what is the cloud exactly? Well, if you are using the internet right now to read this article, you are a part of the cloud network. Companies used to set up IT networks on their own, installing, running and testing software applications. Whenever there was a problem, everyone turned to the IT expert to fix it. This took money and time which could cost the business money in man hours and lost productivity.

Cloud computing offers a break to companies both large and small with an easier way to store information. Instead of each company managing their own applications, third-party vendors offer access to a virtual network that they manage. Each company only pays for the amount of usage that they need.

This one area houses hundreds of apps that each company can customize for its own uses. It’s like having one central location for housing all business but with the ability to function according to the specific needs of each.

How Can Your Business Benefit?

Because the cloud is in cyberspace, you are not limited to one area when using it. In fact, the cloud was made for mobility. No matter where you or any of your associates are, you can upload information to the cloud that can then be viewed by others who also have access to the network. They can make changes to the document and then send it back to you in a flash.

Want to hold a meeting? You can do that too. Sharing ideas across the miles but within the same company has never been more accessible. What may have taken precious time through emails, faxes or phone calls can now be handled all at once via cloud computing.

And, your business can lower the cost of overheads by utilizing the cloud. With a third-party vendor managing the operation, they handle upgrades to software, technical questions and support for you. If there are problems, you will be up and running again as quickly as they can help. That also means that anyone accessing your applications is also back on the grid.

But, do your homework first. Make sure that the cloud is what your business needs and that it can meet your specific criteria for security and ease of operation. You decide if the cloud can move you forward.

Analytics are a business owner’s best friend. They can help you optimize your strategies and tactics. They help you get a better understanding of what your customer wants and needs. Website analytics can be the most valuable asset you have. However, choosing the right analytic tools can be overwhelming. There are many to choose from. Here’s a brief list of some of the more popular analytic tools, and advice on how to choose the right one for you.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is free. You simply register with Google if you don’t already have an account. Sign up for the analytics tool by providing a bit of information about your website. Then it’s merely a matter of cutting and pasting the code into your website.

You can choose your settings and the data you track. Google tracks visits, average time on site, page views and the referral source. It also tracks geographic data and can be used to track split testing results. It’s a comprehensive analytics tool that provides just about everything a website owner could need.

Piwik

Piwik is an open source type of analytics. That means it’s free. It’s also open for development. This can be a big advantage if you want your analytics to accomplish something new. Piwik is designed to be the open source alternative to Google analytics so their offerings are similar. With Piwik your analytic data is on your server. You own your data. Additionally, you can customize your interface to suit your needs.

AWStats

AWStats is another popular analytics tool. Again, it provides much of the same data as most other analytics tools. However, it also provides some unique data. For example:

• Visits of robots
• Worm attacks
• HTTP errors
• Number of times your site is added to a visitor’s favorites

AWStats doesn’t work with all websites. You’ll need to double check before you install it. It can work with all web hosting providers which allow Perl, CGI and log access.

Site Meter

Site Meter offers two options. They offer a free version. They also offer a paid version that starts at $6.95 for 25,000 page views. The rate increases depending on your page views. Site Meter offers a vast amount of information including page views, bounce rate and time spent on your site. Site Meter also tracks the path your visitor takes when they arrive at your website. This is extremely valuable information. It can help you tighten your website content and copy to achieve a desired result.

Which Analytic Tool Do You Choose?

Decide which data points will be most useful. What do you need to know to optimize your website? Also consider who you trust with your data. If you utilize a service, then they have access to your website data. If you install the software on your server then you’re the only one that has access to your data. Also make sure you can easily read and understand the reports. All of the tools mentioned provide demo data and reporting.

Once you have a trusted source and the data you need to grow your business, it comes down to price and personal preference. Most analytics tools are free or very inexpensive. Choose your tool, install it and start taking advantage of the information website analytics provide.

You would like to get in on the social networking scene, but maybe you aren’t quite sure where to start. Whether you are interested in promoting your business through social networking or just want to catch up with friends, it can be intimidating if you aren’t sure how it works. Facebook is a good place to start for social networking. To start using this popular networking site, here are some ideas that tips that can help you take the first steps to getting on the networking scene.

What Is Facebook?

You can think of Facebook as a way for people to stay connected. You update your status and read the status updates of other people, and you can search for people whom you know and who know you. You “friend” people and accept friend requests from others. You can join and start groups, and invite others to join. Facebook allows you to share sites, pages, and information that you like.

1. First, log on to Facebook.com and follow the on-screen directions for setting up an account. It’s quite user friendly, and you can change the information you put in your profile at any time.

2. Your profile should say pertinent things about you, whether it’s your business or your personal account. You do need to decide whether or not you are going to go at this from a business or personal perspective, because the general opinion is that personal and business communications on Facebook should be separate.

3. Once you set up your account, you can search for friends using the Search feature. Facebook allows you to search groups, or search for people according to a certain demographic (people who share your graduation year, for example, or your home town). Once you have a few friends, you can search for friends of friends – those mutual friendships you share. Then your friend list will start growing.

4. Privacy settings can be adjusted according to your preferences. Check into the guidelines and make sure you have the settings where you want them. You are in control of who sees your profile and updates. You can also block people you don’t want to contact you on Facebook.

5. You can communicate with your friends in various ways. If you “write on their wall” then you are posting something others can see. The friend whose wall you wrote on would have his or her own privacy settings, and your friend decides who sees what’s on his or her wall. So just beware that the wall is considered “public.”

You can also send messages to individuals. If you hover your mouse pointer over a person’s picture, the option to send a message comes up. Messages sent this way are not readable by others.

6. Groups are a nice feature of Facebook. Take some time to participate in groups within your specific niche.

If you would like more strategies for using Facebook for business, I suggest taking a look at Facebook 4 Biz…a new session is starting on Monday, January 9th. Get more information about the class and sign up today at:

www.facebook4biz.com

Many people have the dream of getting their name and their work in print. It can be hard to get on the list at a publishing house, but you can self-publish. It’s easy with Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing.

Now, publishing your ebooks has never been easier. With the invention of the Amazon Kindle, gaining access to published material is at your fingertips. Before, you could create an ebook and publish it on Amazon but you still had to create and ship the book.

With the format of the Amazon Kindle, self-publishing doesn’t require as much legwork as before. Just when you thought you couldn’t, now you can.

You can begin today. Your ebook will be made available for viewing on Kindle, iPads, iPhones and Android devices with Kindle apps, your PC and your Blackberry phones. It can also be viewed in English, French, German, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish.

How to Begin

First, you need to write the book. This is the same first step that you would perform if you were actually selling an ebook on your site. Use your same attention to detail for uploading the book to Kindle. Create compelling cover art, pay attention to formatting and include images to enhance your book.

Create an Amazon account if you don’t already have one. It’s free to do and only takes minutes. Visit the Digital Text Platform site. Then, download the Amazon Digital Text Platform guide. This will provide all the information you need to be sure that your book fulfills all of the requirements for publication.

This site will take you through each step of the process that will ultimately result in your book being published on Kindle. Step one is entering your product details. This includes the title and a thorough and compelling description of your book. Include keywords in the description. If you want to include any images, this would be the place to do it. Don’t forget about your cover art. It will attract many readers.

The second step is to confirm who has the rights to the book. If you are the creator of the content then you are okay. If not, you will not get past this step.

Step three involves uploading your book. HTML format works best but you can also use Word documents. Once you have uploaded your file, meticulously check the formatting to be sure that the book will appear as you envisioned it would. Make any changes that you need to before you give the final okay.

Last but not least is to set a price. This can be the tricky part. If you are neither a previous published author with a following nor have an internet business with a lot of interesting readers and customers, you might want to set the price low to begin. You can up the price offering on subsequent ebooks if you want to.

See how simple that was? Now you give it a try. Showcase your eBook on Amazon Kindle and get noticed.

Web 2.0 is a very popular phrase these days, although a lot of people really don’t know what it means. It’s basically marketing your business via social networking sites. The whole idea is to enable you to get into a conversation with your customers. So instead of pushing your sales message at them, you will be listening to their needs, and meeting them.

What is a “2.0 site”?

It’s just another word for a social networking site. Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube are prime examples of 2.0 sites. They could also include your own blog.

No matter which 2.0 marketing method you choose, the most important tip is that you get involved helping others. Today, more than ever, trust is very important for businesses. Customers are very wary of people trying to sell them something.

Web 2.0 is a way to get you past this barrier, and help people trust you. It’s no longer enough to just have a sales letter and email list. You have to involve your customers.

What’s the key to success with 2.0?

It is genuinely trying to help people. One of the best ways is to answer their questions. Sure, you have a reason for doing it: trying to increase trust, and ultimately your profits. However, when you genuinely answer questions with an eye to really helping them, people will be more likely to trust you.

When they know you really want to benefit them, they will trust what you have to say more. “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” So the key is to get involved in discussions, and establish yourself as an expert.

Where are the best places to market?

Forums are awesome places to get involved and start answering questions. There is a lot of discussion going on here. Therefore getting involved and answering questions will really establish you as an expert.

On some of the sites, like Squidoo or Twitter, you can add informative posts. Assuming they are interesting and have good information, people will then leave comments on them, which you can respond to.

Also, video marketing is very effective. And if you do good keyword research and post them to the right sites, you can get your videos ranked in the search engines. Finally, you can start a blog on your own domain, and get that ranked. Basically involvement is the key.

Finding and establishing a way to connect with your potential clients via social media is what web 2.0 is all about. Start getting involved and you will benefit with increased profits and expert status.

Teleseminars are a great way to build trust with an audience, make sales on the spot and facilitate a two-way communication. Teleseminars can involve live video of you, on-screen demonstrations as well as presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint.

Before hopping on a teleseminar, you need to make sure you’re prepared from both a presentation perspective and a technical perspective. Here’s a checklist to help you do that.

Make Sure Your Line Can Handle the Volume

If you have over 100 guests, make sure you talk to your teleseminar provider to see if your line can handle the volume.

The kinds of providers you need for a teleseminar with 100 people, 1,000 people and 10,000 people are very different services with different technical requirements.

Prepare the First 60 Seconds

The first 60 seconds of the teleseminar are the most important parts. This is when people will decide either to leave the teleseminar or to stay on.

In the first 60 seconds, clearly spell out what’s going to be covered and what they’ll get by listening to the call.

Practice your first 60 seconds several times before the call.

Invitation & Follow-Up Schedule

At a bare minimum, every teleseminar should have one invitation and one follow-up email before the actual call.

For more important teleseminars, you may want to create a sales process around the call where you use several emails to “sell” them on coming onto the teleseminar.

Make sure to plan out the whole process before you start promoting the teleseminar.

Get Familiar with the Software

If you haven’t used the software for the teleseminar before, get familiar with it before the call. Try running a test seminar with just yourself and a test computer beforehand.

Learn how to switch between screencasts and presentation tools as well as how to turn your webcam on and off. Learn how to mute and unmute visitors and how to take questions.

You don’t want to be trying to figure these things out while on a live call.

Test Your Recording Devices

If you want your call recorded, make sure you test that as well.

Most teleseminar services will offer some kind of recording package you can purchase. However, you’ll often want to also have your own recording going for back-up.

Prep for Most Common Questions

Before the teleseminar begins, try to predict what kind of questions people will ask you. You can do this by going through past emails your customers have sent you or by browsing related forums on the internet.

By having an idea of what to expect before going into the seminar, you’ll be able to answer questions in a more informative, authoritative way. You’ll also be able to research any questions that you might have trouble with.

These are some of the most important things to cover before you launch a teleseminar. Make sure your line can handle the volume, check your recording equipment, test the software, prepare your first 60 seconds, have a solid invitation and follow-up system and prep your Q&A beforehand.

One of Google Analytics long-requested features is the ability to analyze the data people type into the “site search” search box. Finally, Google has delivered.

This new feature allows you to find out all kinds of data about your customers. It allows you to get into their heads, figure out what they’re looking for and better provide exactly what they want to find.

Here are a few of the main reasons why you should have site search in Google Analytics.

See What People Are Looking For

What are people who come to your website actually looking for?

Let’s say you run a website about solopreneurs. You cover a wide range of topics, but it’s very hard to tell what people who land on your site are actually looking for.

With the site search analytics, however, you can quickly figure it out. For example, if you track your searches you might find out that most people are really interested in how market their business using social media. You can then gear your site more to that angle.

See What People Search For … Again

Let’s say someone searches your site and doesn’t find what they’re looking for. What do they search for next?

This can tell you even more about your customer. For example, let’s say someone types in a search term about how to create a YouTube video. If they don’t find it, their next term is about videos in general.

That can tell you they’re really just interested in creating videos. But if the second term is then on lighting and sound tips, then you might glean that your visitors are interested in creating videos that look professional.

See What’s Returning No Results

When someone searches for content on your website, how often do they turn up no results? What queries are people searching for that get no results?

If you can identify common searches people type in where you’re showing no results at all, that’s a simple and easy way to improve the customer experience.

You know what people are looking for and not finding. Create that content and your user satisfaction will go up right away.

See What Group of People Are Most Likely to Search

Is your PPC (pay per click) traffic more likely to do a site search than your SEO traffic? What about returning visitor versus new visitors?

This can tell you a lot about what kind of people are coming to your website. For example, if you’re getting a lot of site searches, that probably means people are seeing your site as an encyclopedia-type website.

On the other hand, if you have a low search rate from all but one segment of traffic, that could mean that that one segment of traffic is having trouble finding what they’re looking for. After all, most people don’t see your site as an encyclopedia, but one group in particular is trying to use the search box to find what they’re looking for.

These are some of the many benefits of the site search in Google Analytics. It’s not the most important metric of all, but it’s absolutely a metric you should be paying attention to.

Content is the foundation of the internet. A few years ago that meant writing content like articles, blog posts, reports, and case studies. Today video content is growing and as a business owner you can take advantage of this visual medium to grow your business.

Lighting

The lighting in your video is important. If your viewers cannot see you clearly, they won’t watch. To avoid shadows and a too dark video, don’t sit directly in the light of a window. Instead, have a soft light directed toward your face.

Preparation Is Key

Write or outsource your script first. Winging it is a sure way to an unprofessional video. Make sure you know what you want to say and how you want to say it before you hit the record button on your camera.

Write Well

Make sure your video is interesting. Any good video will be a lot like a good article or blog post. It’ll focus on a specific topic. It’ll grab your viewer’s attention right away. Your video will also offer value and include a call to action.

Make sure you have a purpose for your video before you write it. What do you want to accomplish and what action do you want viewers to take once they’ve watched your video?

Practice

Do a practice run first. Read your script aloud a few times and consider recording it so you can test the lighting, sound, camera angle and content. Practice using note cards or bullet points as your cues.

Editing

Edit your video and add any background audio. You will likely want to trim out the end and the beginning, and add a watermark with the URL of your website. Ideally, you’ll have no more than eight minutes of video when you’re finished. Shorter videos perform better than the long ones.

Your Call to Action

The call to action is one of the most important parts of a YouTube video. Make sure your call to action supports your goal. Don’t hesitate to mention it half way through the video and also at the end.

How to Dress

Finally, don’t forget to dress the part. Make sure you’re dressed appropriately and professionally. Think about your audience and how they will respond to your attire. Also take a look at the things they can see in your video.

Personal mementos, knick knacks, and artwork may not seem like much to you but your viewers may have an opinion. Don’t distract them by the background. Help them focus on you and your message by eliminating any background items. Creating a professional video isn’t difficult. However, it does require some time and advance planning.