Here are my key observations:

1. People blog to share real-time news (see 1998: Jonathan Dub, 2003: “Salam Pax”; and 2009: The White House).
2. People blog to share information and knowledge otherwise difficult to attain, or unavailable to the public (see 2001: the emergence of “How-to” and tutorial articles)
3. People blog as a form of entertainment (see 2007: Tumblr)

Traditional media enables these too, but what really makes blogging popular is its accessibility, shareablility, and power to create a sense of community across people with different backgrounds based purely on a common interest. Whether you’re the President, a stay-at-home mom or a kid with a dream, blogging allows your voice to be heard and with real-time feedback to boot!

That said, here are 3 reasons why every business owner or professional should have his or her own blog:

1. It builds your credibility as an expert in your field.
   • But don’t be a know-it-all! Ask for your readers’ opinions too.
2. It “forces” you to stay on your toes.
   • Blogging requires you to stay updated on the latest industry trends.
   • Writing encourages you to be a more critical thinker.
3. You’ll build a stronger connection with your customers.
   • Whether by inspiring them, answering their questions, or starting a discussion.

Creating a blog, though intimidating at first, can be a very rewarding investment as long as you keep it fresh and relevant. Want to share your thoughts or questions about blogging? Drop a comment below!

Why? As with most things, the answer lies in lack of education. According to the infographic below, 13 million Facebook users never set or knew about Facebook’s privacy tools, while 66% of adult users never even knew that privacy controls existed.

Infographic by WebpageFX

No surprise here. With Facebook’s constantly changing layout, interface and policies, who has the time (or energy) to keep up with it all? That’s why we have decided to summarize the top 5 privacy terms business owners should know about before setting up a Facebook page:

1. When you share any content on Facebook, including photos and videos, you specifically grant Facebook a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use said content.
2. When you delete content on Facebook, Facebook still keeps back-up copies for a “reasonable period of time” although it will not be available to others.
3. You are not legally allowed to request for your colleagues’ or employees’ login information even if it is for business purposes.
4. You may not tag users or send email invitations to non-users without their consent.
5. You are legally required to keep your contact information accurate and up-to-date.

*Note: the terms above are based on Facebook policy last updated on December 11, 2012.

We hope the summary above will be of some help to you! Questions? Read more at https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms or drop us a comment below!

1.    Don’t just Tweet about yourself.
It’s important to share other users’ content too, particularly if it’s related to your industry.

2.    Don’t leave your followers hanging.
Social media is about real-time conversations. It’s best to respond to your followers within 24 hours, whether it be a Direct Message, Mention or Reply. Make sure the conversation is resolved before leaving. If the thread is getting too long, use Direct Message so you don’t spam your other followers.

3.    Don’t ignore grammar and spelling rules.
Twitter’s character limit is not an excuse to throw proper English out the window. Find a way to articulate your message as briefly as you can, while still keeping spelling and grammar intact.

4.    Don’t over-Tweet.
If your followers can’t scroll down his or her screen without seeing a Tweet from you in every frame, then you’re Tweeting too much. If you have that much to say, consider sharing it on Facebook (they have a 63,000+ character limit) or blogging about it instead.

5.    Don’t auto-Tweet
Auto-tweets generally result in poor quality Tweets due to the message or link being too long. Accounts that auto-Tweet frequently tend to be viewed as spam. (Note: don’t confused auto-Tweets with scheduled Tweets, which are pre-written Tweets that are pre-scheduled to publish at strategic times of the day).
 
6.    Don’t abuse the #hashtag.
Twitter recommends two per Tweet, max (and only if needed). Too many hashtags spoil the message!

7.    Don’t beg for followers.
If your Twitter feed is relevant and interesting, they will come. Too often, brands get hung up on the quantity, and not the quality, of their followers. Remember, it is about building meaningful relationships, not the largest army.

8.    Don’t create too many accounts.
Not every department or marketing campaign needs its own account. Too many accounts will dilute your followers and make it more difficult update in the long run. Centralize if you can.

9.    Don’t leave your bio empty.
Your bio should explain who you are, what you do and what to expect from following you (Tips? News?). You’ll be surprised at how many people forget about the last part. Oh, and it should include your website URL too!

10.  Don’t forget about your header image.
Launched in September 2012, the header is Twitter’s newest branding tool that most pages still haven’t utilized. The header takes up a big chunk of your profile page, so don’t leave it blank.

Got more don’ts? Share it in the comments below!

Here are 5 reasons why you should start an e-newsletter:

1. Your customers are already interested. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have signed up! E-newsletter subscribers are more likely to convert because they already care enough to want to know more. That’s a great start!
2. It’s a real-time reminder. It’s possible to miss updates on social media. How often have you bookmarked a contest or promotion only to forget about it? E-newsletters provide real-time reminders to your already-interested audience.
3. It adds to your brand value. Your website is not always enough to showcase your expertise. An e-newsletter is a great way to share articles, tips and advice that are relevant and time-sensitive (ex. holidays).
4. Gateway to your online channels. Ideally, your e-newsletter links back to your website and social media pages. It is one of the best places to list down your online properties because readers are already invested in you.
5. Shareability. E-Newsletters go to your customers’ inbox, which makes it easy for them to forward it to friends and family who they think might be interested. Unlike Facebook or Twitter, sharing is direct and  personal.

We hope we’ve convinced some of you about the importance of having an e-newsletter! Have questions or want to learn more? Drop us a comment below!

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