There are almost 800 million members on Facebook today. With this vast web of interconnectivity, Facebook is fast becoming the leading way for ideas and content to spread on the internet. If you want to go viral, Facebook is one of the main platforms to pay attention to.

Two powerful tools to master on Facebook are Facebook pages and Facebook apps. Both of these are integrated in Facebook’s ecosystem and have access a wide array of tools.

Here’s how to use Facebook’s pages and apps to go viral.

An Idea with a Call to Action

Your idea for a page or for an app needs to have a call to action built into it.

Many of the protests in the Arab Uprising, from Egypt to Libya, were organized on Facebook and/or Twitter. Newly created pages literally got tens of thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of followers in as little as a week or two.

They grew so quickly because there was a call to action. Share the page and let the world know what was going on. Even people in non-Arabic countries got involved, because of this strong call to action.

For a more light-hearted example, take a look at FarmVille, one of the most successful Facebook games in history. One of the reasons it was so successful was because there was a constant call to action. People were always being asked to share the game with their friends.

Your idea needs to not only be great, but have a call to action for sharing built into it.

Reporting

Facebook has one very unique reporting feature: it tells you about the viral aspect of your posts and of your app, as a statistic.

The statistic measures how often people share your content. If you primarily have three different kinds of content, say polls, videos and text, you could measure each post individually and see which one(s) people tend to share.

If you find that people share videos released on your page four times more often than text released on your page, you’ll know exactly where to focus.

While it’s possible to derive this statistic on other media platforms, generally they don’t give it to you in this clear-cut form. Facebook makes tracking and optimizing for virality easy.

Making It Go Viral

Going viral on Facebook is all about having a great core idea, then testing and testing until you reach the maximum viral velocity you can reach.

It means testing different messages, different kinds of outreach and different call to actions. If you find it extremely hard to get traction, it’s likely that your idea just isn’t striking a cord. On the other hand, if your idea is spreading, then your job is to accelerate the pace and make the idea go truly viral.

Pinterest is the latest social networking craze to take over the country. The concept behind Pinterest is to share photos and images. Users create boards with themes and categories and then “pin” images to their board. It’s a fun site for personal use and also a great way to build your business.

As a business owner you can create a Pinterest account and use it to drive traffic, build awareness, and connect with potential customers. Once you have a Pinterest business profile, it also makes good business sense to integrate Pinterest into your blog or website. That’s as easy as adding a Pinterest button to your website. Here’s how:

Step One: Sign Up for a Pinterest Account

This may actually be the most challenging step because you cannot simply go to Pinterest and sign up. They’re still in Beta, which means that membership is limited. You can sign up in one of two ways. You can get an invitation from someone who is already a member. Once you have that invitation you can sign up immediately. You can also request an invitation from Pinterest. Simply visit Pinterest.com and request a membership.

Sign up with your business email address and create a username that reflects you and/or your business.

Step Two: Add a “Follow” Button

Once you’re logged into Pinterest, click on “About” in the upper right hand corner. You’ll see a drop down menu. Choose “Pin It button”.

You now have a few choices. You can add a “Follow” button to your website. There are three button choices. Choose the one that you like the best, then simply copy the html code and paste it where you want the button to appear on your website.

If you’re adding a “Follow” button to a WordPress blog, get into your editor and add it to the code. Alternatively, if you use widgets then you can simply add a text widget into your sidebar and then cut and paste the code.

Step Three: Add a “Pin This” Button

You can also add a “Pin This” button to your website. This encourages people to add images from your website to their Pinterest boards. It’s a fantastic way to drive traffic and potentially boost your SEO.

There are also some truly wonderful plug-ins for WordPress that allow you to integrate Pinterest into your blog. And as Pinterest continues to grow in popularity, you can bet that there will be more developers creating ways to capitalize on Pinterest.

Pinterest also links to your Twitter and Facebook accounts. Each time you post a pin on Pinterest you can also link that post to your other networking sites. It can be a very powerful tool to grow and build your business.

Check me out on Pinterest, I’d love to connect with you there. No, I am not really marketing my business there (yet!), but I am getting familiar with the site and how people are using it for biz. Mostly, I am enjoying the variety of images. You can even see a few of my own travel photos there on my boards!

In the early days of the web, the only ways a marketer could build a connection with customers was either through email or through their website. Then came Web 2.0.

With the advent of social media, the potential depth and breadth of your connection with your customers has become virtually limitless. That is, if you know how to leverage social media properly.

Social media presents an incredible opportunity for the shrewd marketer. How can you use social media to deepen existing connections and attract new customers?

Build Relationships with People Who Don’t Give Email Addresses

It takes a lot for someone to give you their email address. Even top marketers rarely get more than 20% of the people who land on an email capture page to actually give them their email address.

Contrast that with what it takes for someone to “Like” or follow you.

In order to like you, people just need to see a piece of your content that they connect with anywhere on the web, or through their friend’s feed. It doesn’t take much and can be just a passing thought.

The same goes for tweets. If someone sees one tweet of yours that they like, they can decide to follow you.

You can reach a lot of people who wouldn’t have otherwise got in your funnel through social media.

Social Media Is a Two-Way Street

Email marketing and (most) website marketing is a one way street. That means that you’re the one who’s providing the content, while your customers consume the content. You put out emails, they read the emails.

While this can be an effective way to market a product, it’s nowhere near as effective as having a real connection with your customers.

Social media allows you to have a two-way conversation. They can comment on your stories, tweet back, answer polls, like, post on your wall and express their opinions however they like.

This gets people much more invested in your brand and in your product. Someone who just reads your emails versus someone who’s in active discussion with you are two completely different kinds of customers. The latter will vehemently recommend your products, buy from you regularly and share your content, while the former may only purchase every once in a while.

Access to People’s Friends

Finally, social media gives you access to other people’s social networks.

With email marketing, you only get access to one person. On social media, if you make a post or a tweet that someone strongly agrees with, your content will immediately be shared with hundreds of other people. Among those people are more people who might re-share your content.

Social media is a powerful tool for building two-way connections and reaching friends of your customers. If you don’t have a solid social media strategy yet, now’s the time to create one.

Do you want additional tips for using Social Media for business, join the Social Media Newsflash today!

Podcasting is one of the “hot” things on the bucket list for the solopreneur. Named after the Apple iPod MP3 player, podcasting refers to uploading MP3 recordings onto your website. Other people can download these into their MP3 players or listen via the internet.

A podcast is similar to a blog, or weblog. Instead of reading your words, however, with a podcast people can listen to them. Many podcasts have a format similar to a radio talk show, where the host gives their thoughts and opinions on a given topic; some also interview guests or include a roundtable discussion with others.

Podcasts are great for publicity. As stated before, they are the newest thing on the internet and people are hooked on them. You can integrate your podcast with iTunes. People can have your podcast automatically downloaded onto their Mp3 player. There are also RSS feeds that will do the same thing.

You can choose to have a general podcast that will serve as publicity for your website. You can also opt to have your podcast promote a single item, such as an information product you created.

You can monetize your podcast by selling ad space, or commercials, that will play during your podcast. You can also give out your affiliate links during your podcast. For instance, you can review a product that you are an affiliate for, and tell your listeners to check out the product at your affiliate link.

Some people may choose to have a member’s only podcast. This is a podcast that is only offered to people that have paid a membership fee to you. Usually, these types of podcasts are highly informative and at least an hour in length. You may interview experts or present the podcast as a mini information product.

You can promote your podcast in several ways. Of course, you will want to include information about your podcast on your website. You can give a sneak peek at upcoming topics or guests. You may also want to create a newsletter that reminds people when new podcasts are uploaded and provides links for more information.

If you interview someone, ask them to send out an email to their list letting them know they will be a guest on your podcast. If your interviewee has a large following, many people will subscribe to your podcast in order to hear the interview. You can also provide a press release template so they can alert the local media of their appearance, or you can also send out press releases to publicize your guests’ appearance.

To create a podcast, you can use a service such as Audio Acrobat. For a small monthly fee, you can record and upload audio files to your website. Audio Acrobat allows you to record via your telephone or computer microphone. They are also integrated with iTunes, so your podcast will have the potential to be accessed by millions of people. To edit your audio, you can use free shareware, such as Audacity.

Podcasting can be a fun and profitable way to market your business. Give it a try and see if you like it. Unlike traditional internet talk radio, you don’t have to put too much money into it. You really have nothing to lose.

It’s time for the April Easy Biz Teleseminar call and I want you to be on this call if you are a coach without either a website or a blog!

While you don’t have to have a website to be an outstanding coach, you do need to have a web presence to be viewed as credible in the 21st century. Just like a “brochure” was a requirement for business owners in earlier decades, having a website is considered a “basic” of being in business today.

Yes, the Easy Biz subject this month is EASILY getting up your website or blog and using it to make growing your business easier…

The April Easy Biz expert is Nina East who is one of the foremost experts on WordPress in the coaching world. Nina has been coaching for 12 years and has mentored and coaches thousands of other coaches in business development. But even more important, Nina is also an accomplished web designer who has seen too many coaches stall on this vital piece of online marketing.

Given how easy it is to have a powerful – and secure – website these days, there’s virtually no excuse for not doing so. As a coach, a blog is also an important part of your “online presence strategy.” Coaches, unlike many other professionals, are actually positioned naturally to be bloggers. You’ll want to learn all you can from Nina as she shares her ideas on EASILY getting your website or blog done and working for you.

Here are the details:

Date: April 5, 2012
Time: 1-2 pm ET (10am pacific, 11 mountain, 12 central)
Registration: http://easybiztelesummit.com

Nina wants all coaches to know that all you need is a self-hosted WordPress site, a few simple strategies, and a willingness to share your voice to have a powerful, noticeable and word-of-mouth-worthy presence online. And she should know – she has co-authored the soon-to-be-released This Business of WordPress, a book about the critical factors, pitfalls, and joys involved in building a business around the use of WordPress.

If you haven’t heard about the monthly Easy Biz Teleseminars, they are dedicated to giving you concrete ways to make the running of your coaching business easier. Join us live for the call because we always save time for questions or listen to the recording any time for one full week after the call.

If your website and/or blog are not yet the cornerstone of your online marketing, please make sure to listen to Nina. If you register for the call, you will automatically get access to the call recording.

Hope to see you there!

Warmly,
Janet

PS – This call is a “must attend” for new coaches and for those who aren’t satisfied with their online presence. Mark your calendar for the call and join me as I interview Nina on exactly what it takes to make websites and blogs EASY. Here’s the registration link again:

http://easybiztelesummit.com

Just about everyone uses social media networks these days. It’s a way to keep up with friends old and new. But, did you know how important it is for the business side of things?

Social Media Hype

What is it about social media that is so appealing? For one, in the age of technology, it is a way for people to keep up when their schedules are too busy for actual face-to-face meetings. People can stay social and share with others over the cyber waves even if they don’t get out much.

Friends and family can stay in touch over the long miles with social sites. You can also meet and make new acquaintances through the personal information that you provide on your profile. Facebook can make suggestions for you of people you might know.

What Does It Mean for Your Business?

If you own a business, whether brick and mortar or online, you can benefit from your association with Facebook. Most of us use Facebook for personal reasons. We chat, share photos and other things. But it can be turned to profit your business.

One way is by creating a business page on Facebook. You can link to this page from your website. Use your social media page to offer special coupons or offers to those who visit and see what you are talking about there.

As your page is an extension of your business, use it as a way to hone in on what your customers are thinking. Do your due diligence as well. Respond to questions and comments asked there. Offer surveys and polls for those who “like” your page.

Highlight what is going on at your business and upcoming features. Target your updates to those who are in your niche market. And, keep them brief and timely so no one is inundated with a lot of posts to their wall.

If you are just beginning a Facebook business page, invite your friends and family members you are already “friends” with to visit and “like” your page. This can get the ball rolling. They can suggest your page to their list of friends as well.

Another suggestion is to hold contests on your business page. Mention them on your website, but only offer entry to those who check in on the Facebook page.

Did you know that Facebook pages appear in search results on major search engines? With that thought in mind, don’t forget to optimize that page just like you have done with your website. Post snippets of your content here with links back to your website for those who find you through the social site first.

Facebook fans are important to your business because there are so many of them. And, through their clicks, you can find more targeted traffic for your website.

Website analytics can tell you a lot. For a solopreneur, understanding web analytics is a crucial skill. Your analytics can tell you whether people understand what you’re offering, whether people like your brand and whether or not your website is helping you make money.

Here are some of the important numbers every small business should be watching in their web analytics.

How Many Visitors Are You Getting?

The first and most important number you should be watching is how many visitors you’re getting. In addition to the raw number, also pay attention to whether the visitor count is going up or down.

As your marketing efforts progress, you should see a direct boost to your visitor count. It might not happen right away, but within a couple months you should see a measurable increase.

How Many Hit a Goal?

Every website should have a very clear goal. For example, your website might be designed to get someone to fill out a form for a free sample. Or it might be designed to get someone to print out a coupon for a free appetizer and bring it into your restaurant.

Whatever the case, you should be carefully tracking the goal hit rate for your website.

Use the “Goals” feature in Google Analytics to track this.

Geographic Location

Are the people who’re landing on your website the right kinds of people? If you have a small local business, check to make sure the traffic you’re getting is actually from your area.

Where Does the Traffic Come From?

How do people end up on your website? Do they type something into the search engines and end up on your site? Or do they enter your URL manually? Is someone else sending people to your website?

Tracking your traffic sources and your referrer data can give you valuable information about what’s working and what’s not working when it comes to generating traffic.

The Bounce Rate

The bounce rate measures the percentage of people who land on your website and leave without visiting a second page on your website.

A high bounce rate usually means that visitors came to your site expecting one thing but didn’t find what they were looking for. If your bounce rate is above 60%, you might have some serious revamping to do. Of course, if you are looking at the stats on a one page sales letter, your bounce rate is irrelevant.

Are People Coming Back?

Finally, check to see whether or not people who visit your website come back again.

For some businesses, this is an irrelevant statistic. For example, a restaurant’s website doesn’t really expect to get repeat visitors. People just use the website to find the address or phone number so they can show up.

But for most solopreneurs, you do want people to keep coming back to your site. If people are coming back time and again, that probably means people are finding your website useful. Check your returning visitor rate to see how well you’re doing in this department.

These are some of the many things that your analytics system can tell you. Learning to understand analytics can really help you steer your small business in the right direction.

Writer’s block is a common ailment among writers, whether it is a news reporter under a deadline or a student trying to finish a report. If you are a blogger, you may find yourself suffering from “blogger’s block”, the condition of not knowing what to put in your blog.

Your blog should feature your voice. It is easy to find reprint articles when you feel stuck, but try to avoid putting them in your blog. You can publish a reprint article on your website and create a blog post that links to it, but keep the blog content your own. This will enable your readers to get a feel for your personality, as well as develop a relationship with you.

The media is a great place to find things to blog about. Watch the local news, read the paper, or check media websites. Take a look at what is going on in the world and spin the stories into a tale for your readers. If you have a website about coaching solopreneurs and come across a news clip that features something they would find interesting, by all means, blog about it. After you give your opinion on the story, link to the original news source as a convenience for your readers. They may find your post so interesting; they’ll want to read the original story, too.

You can blog about your affiliate programs and make money at the same time. If you are an affiliate for something, find a way to create a blog post about it. You can review the item, give tips on how to use the item and so forth. You will have something to write about, and if your reader clicks on your link and purchases the item, you’ll make money at the same time.

Blogs are also a great way to promote your website. Let your readers know when you have made a change to your site, such as publishing a new article. Create a blog post that contains the first few lines of the article to tease your readers, as well as a link to the page that features the full text.

Keep your posts timely and helpful. If it is almost Labor Day, adding a post with tips on “spring cleaning” your business isn’t very timely. However, tips on rejuvinating your business when kids go back to school, would be both timely and helpful.

To help your readers stay up to date with the new posts that you add, install Google Feedburner. Once you register, you will be given a small amount of HTML to add to your blog. Your readers can choose to subscribe and have your new posts delivered to their email or computer’s home page.

LinkedIn is the premier social site for business professionals on the Web. If you are not a part of it, get involved today. One effective tool is LinkedIn Groups.

You may be familiar with LinkedIn but don’t really know how it can help you. Being a business professional, it can be hard to connect with other professionals. Running an online business or holding a pivotal position in a company can consume most of your time.

LinkedIn takes the guesswork and legwork out of networking with others in your field. This site allows you to search for, connect with and get needed advice from professionals with a few clicks. There are no face-to-face meetings unless you want them. Even so, you can get to know people through their profiles and interacting in groups and discussions.

LinkedIn Groups: Increase Your Visibility and Expert Status

This brings us to LinkedIn Groups. What are they? These groups are like small gatherings of professionals with similar business niches or interests. The entire site is available to you, but concentrated groups help you to target those professionals with whom you need to network.

Groups help you do many things:

• Discover other professionals to meet quickly
• Actively participate in discussions relevant to your interests and needs
• Zero in on the most influential people on LinkedIn within your professional sphere
• Know which profiles to view and which people to “follow” in discussions
• Begin your own discussions to help establish yourself as a leader in your field

These are also excellent reasons to begin your own LinkedIn Group. Before you do, though, get a feel for the process by joining a group or two. You can search for relevant groups using different parameters.

Once you find one that you like, introduce yourself. Do this by posting a new discussion question and then leaving a comment. Let people get to know you.

LinkedIn Groups can also increase your visibility and popularity on the site. While you are leading discussions, don’t forget to leave meaningful comments on other discussion topics. It will look pretty suspicious if you only post questions and never join in the discussions of others.

Build up a presence and a following. When you are ready, create your own group. If you are an executive coach, creating a group for upper-management motivational ideas is an ideal place to connect with others within companies you want to target.

Ask your new business contacts to join your group. Don’t forget business contacts on other social sites like Facebook and Twitter. Invite LinkedIn members with similar interests as a way of connecting with new faces.

Why should you create a LinkedIn group? You can increase your visibility, ranking, popularity, network and credibility in the business world.

If you want additional tips for using LinkedIn for business, join the Social Media Newsflash today!

Knowing how to build rock-solid profiles online is a valuable skill in many ways. Websites like LinkedIn for example can help you make career-launching contacts. On websites where you do business deals online like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, you usually need some sort of profile as well. Just knowing how to create a compelling and professional profile will help you establish trust, get more clients as a provider or get better service as a buyer.

Here are a few of the most important things that go into creating an online profile.

A High Quality, Professional Photo

People do judge a book by its cover. Before they’ve read your profile and before they’ve read anything you say, people are already going to be forming impressions of you based on how you look in your photo.

Aim to have a high quality, professional, high resolution photo for online profiles.

Ideally you should be wearing a suit and tie, or for women a suit jacket or blazer. The image should be crisp and it should be color corrected.

If you don’t have such a photo yet, go out of your way to take one. It makes a difference.

Focus on References

Your references will make or break you. Each social network’s referencing system works slightly differently, but by and large most communities have some sort of referencing system.

On LinkedIn for example, the references are called “recommendations.” The more positive recommendations you have, the more solid your LinkedIn profile looks.

On the other hand, on the domain buying and selling forum NamePros, they use a system called iTrader. ITrader allows users to record feedback for one another for every transaction conducted.

No matter what the reference system looks like, do everything in your power to get as many compelling references as you can. People lend a lot more weight to these references than what someone says about themselves.

Your Personal Description

Finally, your description is where you really get the chance to come out and make your case.

Try to touch on the most compelling things about you and what you have to offer. Use credibility-enhancing statements, such as talking about how many satisfied clients you have or any news outlets that you’ve been featured in.

Try to make your profile sound as professionally compelling as possible. However, try to also drop in just one or two little personal tidbits. This will help humanize you and set you out from the crowd.

These are the three most important elements of creating a compelling online profile on any website or online community. If you have a professional-looking photo, overwhelmingly positive references and a credibility-building description with a hint of personality, then you’ve nailed the online profile.