After I had several topic digests going on Scoop.it, I started to puzzle over the Scoop.it score of each. (Learn more about the content curation tool Scoop.it here.) Some topics with fewer followers and views had higher scores than others with more of each.

In the FAQs, Scoop.it explains the factors that go into those scores – editing the summary of a new post you have scooped, sharing it, scooping new items, suggesting scoops to others and tagging your scoops.  These are, of course, the same factors that go into building an online reputation and community.

Edit Your Scoops

You may be afraid to edit titles, images and summary information found in a new scoop of an online post, but Scoop.it encourages you to do whatever it takes to make your content more useful to readers.

For example, in my digest on Website Pages Advice, I add the type of page (About, Contact Us, Home) in front of the title in all caps so that readers can scan for those of interest. In the comment area, I also add excerpts from the post and my take, to entice the reader.

Share Your Scoops

I particularly love the fact that Scoop.it makes it easy to share posts in Linkedin Groups. This is great for lead generation.  Often, I share the post and then go to that Linkedin group to add commentary.

Add New Scoops Regularly

Again, Scoop.it makes it effortless to find new content on your topic. After you customize your sources to get interesting suggestions, you likely have more new content to review than you can handle.

I also use Feedly.com to monitor a wide range of feeds and regularly scoop those using the Scoop.it bookmarklet.

Suggest Your Scoops to Other Scoopers

By searching for your topic, you will easily locate other Scoopers with similar  interests.

To encourage the development of a community and to help you expand your network in your niche, Scoop.it gives you an incentive to find those with similar interests and share your finds.  You just go to their page on the topic and click the Suggest button, shown above.

Tag Your Scoops

Add tags to your Scoops to help readers find subtopics within your main topic.

Here’s how to add a tag:

Tags can help your readers sort your scoops by subtopic.  Here’s how such a list of tags appear to users.  When clicked, readers see only scoops with that tag.

Bottom Line

Make your Scoop.it score soar.  Build a reputation for finding and sharing interesting content in your niche.  Increase your editing, sharing, scooping, suggesting and tagging on Scoop.it.

By the way, your score is updated daily, based on activity from the last 30 days.

Here’s to higher Scoop.it scores for all!

Are you using Rebelmouse or Scoop.it? Which is best for what?

Content curation is about selecting, reflecting upon, evaluating and sharing information in your niche.

To describe the process another way, marketers read trade publications, blogs, news publications and social media sites to follow what is going on in their industry and area, to use information in their work, and to share selected items with colleagues, clients and prospects.

How can content curation help the marketer?

Content Curation Benefits

Here’s my list:

 1. Helps prospects and clients with whom you share relevant information make sense it, from your perspective.

2.  Identifies relevant items for you to share on social media besides your own stuff.

3.  Broadens your network of like-minded people by uncovering those who write about your topic too.

4.  Assists you in keeping up with what is happening in your field to inform your own work.

5.  Allows you to follow what competitors are saying, to help you shape your unique message and product offerings.

6.  Gives you ideas for your own blogs and social media content.

7.  Adds oomph to your own content/posts because you have the reputation for being an expert and sharing high quality information.

Scoop.it for Content Curation

I’ve just started using the online software Scoop.it for content creation to help small business clients market their businesses.  Like the ex-librarian I am, I’ve used Delicious for years to bookmark and organize references on the web and Feedly to read blog feeds..

Scoop.it is now giving me a platform not only to aggregate and better organize what I find, but also to comment on it and share it automatically on social media.

I’m a user, not an affiliate marketer.  I’m not paid for this recommendation.

Sample Topics

As I work with small business owners, I often talk about the topics below and have curated references that they can use to learn more.   Click one of these links to see what topic curation on Scoop.it looks like.

• Calls to Action
• Content Marketing and Curation for Small Business
• Facebook for Business Marketing
• Featured Business Owners at SCORE Chicago
• Linkedin for Business Marketing
• Local SEO for Local Businesses 
• Pinterest for Business
• SEO 101 for Marketers
• Website Pages Advice

Are you curating?  Are you systematically reading, evaluating, commenting on and sharing articles and posts in your niche?  What benefits did I miss?  What tools to do you use?

Calls to Action Phrases

Calls to action phrases should be on ALL your content, directing visitors to take the action you want.

Find 19 graphic examples of common calls to action phrases above.

My Call to Action

==> Please share other Calls to Action Phrases that you use in comments.  

We will create another post and credit you.

Sponsored Ad

Credit: Wordle.net

Small business clients so often ask about CRM software that I have pulled together a quick CRM software comparison for this market.

CRM Software Alternatives and Prices

These “software as service” products charge monthly by various factors such as users or contacts or online storage.  Some integrate through API with full-featured email programs.  Some interface with major accounting programs like Quickbooks.   Most offer a 30 day free trial.  Links below are to feature and pricing pages, not the company home page.

Contactme  $7.42 per month unlimited users

HighriseHQ    Basic level $24 per month up to 6 users

MethodCRM    $20 per user per month.  Quickbooks sync

Salesforce     $5 per user per month

Sage ACT     $39 per month (unclear number of users)   Also available in-house

vTiger    $12 per month per user

Zoho   Free for 3 users

In House Software

Maximizer    $229 one user one time

Sage ACT       $269.99  for up to 10 users

CRM with Gmail

Streak     “Streak is currently free while in Beta and there will always be a free plan. In the future, Streak will offer paid premium features.”

CRM Decision Factors

In his CRM software comparison How to Choose CRM Software: A Buyers Guide for Small Business, Christophe Primault recommends that you choose a product designed for your size business and your budget.  He further suggests that if you do not now have CRM software you choose a program designed for small businesses and startups.   If you want software to increase customer engagement and drill-down, choose some with features like email software integration or analytical tools.  See also tips on what to avoid with CRM.

Your Turn

What programs have I missed in the CRM software comparison?  Which one to you like and use?  Please leave me a comment.

Hot topics on Facebook business marketing this week include 10 Facebook apps to improve engagement, Constant Contact’s new marketing platform on the site, 4 ways to convert fans to super fans, how to design a killer Facebook ad campaign, research on what users look at on Facebook pages, and much more.

Facebook Business Marketing Links from Around the Web

12 Facebook for Business Marketing Links,  12-9-11

Our Recent Facebook Business Marketing Link

Directory of Facebook Business Pages, Add Google Plus Too

If you are interested in Facebook business marketing, I invite you to sign up to get new posts from my blog on Using Facebook for Business Marketing by email or in its RSS feed.

Please also add your Facebook business page to the free Facebook Business Pages Directory.

Our Recent Post on Facebook Business Marketing

Schedule Facebook Posts: No More Aggregation?  Check our newsy post on Facebook’s promise not to aggregate updates using third party software.

Facebook Business Marketing Links from Around the Web

12 Facebook for Business Marketing Links,  12-9-11   First Google+ and now Twitter have brand pages to compete with Facebook business pages, and we give you links to explain.  Also find Facebook business marketing links on Facebook ecommerce, its secret to high engagement, how to fuel lead generation on your page, expanded use of @tags, how to get more Likes and more.

If you are interested in Facebook business marketing, I invite you to sign up to get new posts from my blog on Using Facebook for Business Marketing by email or in its RSS feed.

Please also add your Facebook business page to the free Facebook Business Pages Directory.

Facebook Business Marketing Links from Around the Web

13 Facebook for Business Marketing Links,  12-2-11  Trending topics on Facebook business marketing this week are the revised Facebook Insights, expanded status updates, and the pros and cons of Google Plus pages for business.  See also a review of 7 apps to create custom pages, tips for marketing to sports fans, and an app that lets you sort and export fans data

11 Facebook for Business Marketing Links, 11-25-11  New on Facebook business marketing this week: how to be a Facebook rock star, how brands are tapping into social games, why pages need Friends, how “Likes 2.0″ work, how to use the subscribe button, where to find an app that enables discount coupons in return for Facebook Likes, and why Sponsored Stories moved to the Ticker.

Our Recent Post on Facebook Business Marketing

Schedule Facebook Posts: No More Aggregation?

If you are interested in Facebook business marketing, I invite you to sign up to get new posts from my blog on Using Facebook for Business Marketing by email or in its RSS feed.

Please also add your Facebook business page to the free Facebook Business Pages Directory.

We again encourage you to list your Facebook business page in the free and redesigned FB Business Pages Directory, just as Fastext First Aid Services has done above.  Include not only your FB page link but also hyperlinks to social media presences and your website.  Add content, keywords and images.

This week, also find links to Mari Smith’s 7 tips to maximize shares, why you might need daily marketing messages, how Wednesday beats Friday, evidence that Facebook is a website killer, and much more.

FB Business Pages Directory

FB Business Pages Directory: Add Your Free Listing
See examples of  sections and add yours today.

Facebook Business Marketing Links from Around the Web

13 Facebook for Business Marketing Links,  11-18-11

If you are interested in Facebook business marketing, I invite you to sign up to get new posts from my blog on Using Facebook for Business Marketing by email or in its RSS feed.

Please also add your Facebook business page to the free Facebook Business Pages Directory.

Facebook Business Marketing Links from Around the Web

10 Facebook for Business Marketing Links, and 10 on Google Plus, 11-11-11

If you are interested in Facebook business marketing, I invite you to sign up to get new posts from my blog on Using Facebook for Business Marketing by email or in its RSS feed.

Please also add your Facebook business page to the free Facebook Business Pages Directory.