Written by Max Beggelman Friday May 4, 2012 12:54:25 pm EDT
For a realtor, it's not enough anymore to just have a website anymore. Instead, you need to have a full web presence, with every element of it tuned to make you attractive to buyers and sellers alike. With a strong website and good social media usage, not only will you be able to improve your performance locally, but you'll be able to reach out to international clients better than ever before!
Written by Max Beggelman Tuesday April 10, 2012 2:31:12 pm EDT
Lately, you might have heard someone talking about an up-and-coming social media site called “Pinterest”. Maybe somebody mentioned it on Facebook or another website. Perhaps you even heard about it on the news! After all, it really seems like talk about Pinterest is everywhere these days. But what is all the fuss really about? What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a new social media tool focused around curating personal pin boards of images collected (or “pinned”) from other websites, or “pin your interests”. Each image links back to the site it was taken from, and users are free to “re-pin” those images to their own boards, which will link back to not only the original website but the board that they repinned from.
As an easy-to-use collection of linked images, Pinterest has clear value as a catalog tool — simply post pictures of your products, with each one linking back to the product’s page on your website, possibly right in your web store. In fact, the site has features designed to support exactly this sort of usage, such as the price-display feature, which can automatically add a price-tag to a pinned image.
Unlike Twitter, Facebook, and other social sites, Pinterest has an easy-to-find main feed which contains ALL public pins, not just the ones from your friends and follows. It also has feeds of pins organized by category, and another feed for popular pins. This means that unlike other sites, which require you to connect with someone before they can see your posts, Pinterest gives you the potential for the whole world to see your pins.
Pinterest is not for everyone, however. If you only offer services, then you’re probably going to have a hard time finding good pins, and a harder time catching people’s interest with those pins. Pinterest is absolutely about showcasing physical products. Not just any products, either; the better your products look on camera, the more effective your Pinterest account will be.
Fashion, food, and arts and crafts tend to fare especially well, since people like the artistic and unique elements. Some other categories, like furniture, can work if well-made or decorated appropriately. It’s not enough to just put up a picture — ideally, you want a picture that will make people think “hey, that looks GOOD!” Appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves, which typically aren’t very flashy out of the box and can be difficult to make good-looking, are at a clear disadvantage.
If you offer a product or service that can’t easily be expressed in a single photo, then Pinterest may not be suitable for your business. It’s essential to be able to pin an image that triggers an immediate positive reaction in viewers, such as a restaurant’s most delicious-looking dish, the best view from a hotel’s top window, or a craft store’s showcase item. Think of it as an online display showcase for your business, where each image must be powerful enough to draw attention on its own.
That answers why friends, family, and businesses are talking about Pinterest. But why is the media getting involved? The answer, it turns out, is that Pinterest has grown at a shocking rate over the past year. It’s been observed to have a very active user base which is extremely likely to click through to the site linked in a pin, and its number of users is rising so quickly that it made its way into the top 10 social networks within a matter of months. It’s already become a major source of visitors to blogs and small business websites, and it seems like the whole world is getting excited about the possibilities that Pinterest can offer them!
Tuesday March 13, 2012 2:01:19 pm EDT
There are several parables in our society wherein the underlying theme is to “never judge a book by its cover”. Netphiles thinks these are great words to live by, as it engenders open-mindedness and cuts through our proclivity to judge things on appearance alone. This is a fine, high-minded philosophy that I whole-heartedly encourage people to aspire to, but when it comes to practical application from a consumerist perspective, no amount of good will is going to change people’s behavior. Folks just don’t have the time!
Thursday March 1, 2012 5:24:00 pm EST
You may be thinking, “Of course it does! You, sir, are ridiculous!” Listen, I believe you, but knowing about it yourself is a specious argument. I can say that I’m a world-class origami artisan, but unless I can provide tangible evidence of that fact and make others aware of it - I might as well not be. For a more clichéd variation: If a tree falls in the woods, and no one is around to hear it- does it make a sound? I’m sure that your fine company is coated with the love, blood, sweat, and tears it took to build it; therefore, the impetus is on you to ensure that the rest of the world knows it exists!
Tuesday October 11, 2011 9:54:42 am EDT
Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have become extremely popular in recent years. They’re a great way to keep family and friends updated on your life and connect with colleagues and communities that share your interests. You can use social networks to build a positive online reputation.
Tuesday October 11, 2011 9:53:14 am EDT
Mobile devices can perform a variety of tasks: take pictures, send text messages, surf the Web, and store information. Today’s mobile devices are as powerful and connected as any PC or laptop. Take the same precautions on your mobile device as you do on your computer with regard to messaging and online safety.
Tuesday October 11, 2011 9:42:07 am EDT
The Internet is a wonderful place for learning and entertainment, but like the world around us, it can pose dangers if precautions are not taken. Allowing free access puts your child, your computer and your personal data at risk. Help to instill good judgment in your children by encouraging them to take some common sense steps.
