Blog Archives
10 Ways To Master LinkedIn
LinkedIn, I believe is the most under rated social network out there. There are so many uses for LinkedIn, not only to connect with people, but for job searching, business networking, Q and A’s with experts, groups and more! Here are 10 things you you should take advantage of on LinkedIn:
1. Contact Info
The idea of LinkedIn is so that you can ‘link’ or ‘connect‘ with others. So why make it difficult to contact you? I see many profiles where, even if we are ‘friends’, I can’t find an email or a phone number for you. Sure, there may be a link to your website but then I’m sent to one of those ‘contact us’ pages instead of a real email address. People are lazy (myself included), so make it easy for us to contact you. You will find my website in my “title line”, my website, email, and phone in the ‘summary section’, and all my contact info in the ‘personal info section’.
2. Your Profile Picture
It amazes me how many people don’t have a profile picture of themselves. LinkedIn is all about connecting with people, so put a face to a name and let us know who we’re talking to!
3. Title Info
Aside from your name and picture, this is the first thing people see about you…your first impression, so sell yourself! Don’t just label yourself a CEO, journalist, entrepreneur, consultant, or my personal favorite…work from home and make millions! Tell us who you are and what you do. If you were to meet someone IRL (in real life), would you cover your face and say ‘John Smith, entrepreneur’? Of course not!
4. Summary
Most people won’t go past the summary section of your LinkedIn profile so use this space to shine. List all your skills, make it a mini resume, put your contact info there, tell us what your doing now or what your goal is, just tell us something important we should know about you.
5. Recommendation
Probably the most underutilized section of LinkedIn and possibly the most effective. Anyone can give you a recommendation and vice versa. A recommendation is simply a colleague, client or customer giving you a thumbs up and making you more legit to a potential client, customer, or future boss. Start sending out recommendations and they will come back to you too.
6. Don’t be afraid to connect with others
This isn’t Facebook. LinkedIn is business networking. I know many people who only connect with people they already know and refuse those they don’t know. How is that helpful in the business world? Always always always be networking!
7. Groups
There are thousands of groups on LinkedIn and you can find a group for any subject matter or industry. Join the groups, start talking to people, connect with them, post your blog content, articles etc, share with these people and watch what happens.
8. People you may know
On the top right of the home page of LinkedIn, you will see this section. Use it and connect!
9. Job searching
Did you know you can find thousands of jobs on LinkedIn? Search by company, job title, location, salary, and more, and often times LinkedIn will even show you the person who is hiring for that position or others who already work for that company…let the networking begin!
10. Applications
Did you know you can post your blog on your LinkedIn profile? Connect your Twitter, list all your published articles or books, slideshare, polls, and more.
LinkedIn is my favorite social media platform next to Facebook. Explore it, have fun with it, and start networking and building your business. And don’t forget to connect with me! https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandagunter
Thanks For Sharing!
13 Things To Know About the New Facebook Timeline
The new Facebook Timeline is now here for business pages and coming next week to all profiles. Many people don’t like change and are afraid to change over to the new Timeline. So since I am a very visual person, I have put together some screen shots of the new Timeline to help you maneuver through it. Once you know where everything is, the Timeline isn’t so bad. PLUS…nothing has changed on your newsfeed which is where most of us spend all out time anyways 
I hope this helps!
This area is what you will see first and spend most of your time.
#1 The drop down arrow at the top, next to “Home” is where you will log in/out, and find your privacy and security setting.
#2 The cover photo is a huge picture that you can get pretty creative with. To change your cover photo, just hover over it and you will see the option to change it anytime. The dimensions for the pic is 851×315 pixels.
#3 Your profile pic is pretty much the same as before (180×180 pixels) and if you hover over it, you will see options to edit the picture.
#4 “Update Info” is where you will edit your profile, just click on it.
#5 “About me” section is clickable and will also take you to the “edit page” feature
#6 If you have more tabs on your page than the ones you see, there will be a small drop down arrow to click on. You can actually change the position and order of the tabs here.
The great thing about the Timeline is the privacy controls and various options you have when posting.
#7 While posting, you can tag a person or page, add the year, and add the place you are at when posting.
#8 Once you click inside the posting box, you will see a drop down box that allows you to change who is viewing that particular post. You can change the post to be seen as “public”, meaning anyone can see it. You can change it to “friends” or you can change it to “custom”, meaning only your friends will see the post except for a particular person or group of people. This comes in handy if you don’t want your kids to see something, you are planning a surprise party and don’t want the friend to see your posts to other friends about it, etc.
Have you ever posted something you wish you didn’t or were spammed by someone else? You can easily edit and remove pictures and posts.
#9 When you hover over a post, you will see the edit button, click it. You will then have various options to delete the post completely, hide it from your timeline, meaning it is still there for only you to see, or report and mark as spam. In this particular picture, 2 friends saw the same picture and thought of me and decided to post it on my wall
The Timeline has the zig-zag style of posting which can be confusing for some people. If there is a particular post you would like to attract more attention to, then you can “highlight” it.
#10 Hover over the post and you will see a star appear, click it. The post/picture will then spread all the way across your timeline and will be bigger than life!
#11 As you’re scrolling down your Timeline, you will notice a toolbar pop up at the top of your page. This allows for easy navigation so you don’t have to scroll all the way up to go to a different part of your profile.
#12 While you are in the editing section of your profile, notice every section either has a drop down box next to it or an “edit” button. This allows you to control the privacy on every single area of your profile. Take advantage of that!
#13 And finally, the whole point of the new Timeline is to tell your story and then be able to go back and laugh at yourself 
Enjoy and embrace the new Timeline and have fun!
If you have any questions…you know where to find me!
Click the pic!
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Learn Social Media – Next Event: Arlington, Texas
Social Media Crash Course Seminar
Are you lost when it comes to marketing your business through social media? If you are a business owner who wants to learn all you need to know to market your business online, then this class is for you! Take your business to the next level and leave your competitors in the dust! In this class, you will be taught the essentials to social media, how to do it and how to do it well!
~ Facebook ~Twitter ~Social media basics ~analytics
~LinkedIn ~Blogging ~Four Square ~RSS Feeds
~Yelp ~YouTube ~Google+ ~Best practices ~Creative content
~Tools for your toolbox ~Valuable resources ~Engaging your audience
Next Event: Arlington, Texas
Thursday, March 29, 2012
8am – 4pm
Holiday Inn
1311 Wet N Wild Way
Arlington, TX (Dallas/Ft. Worth)
$250 per person
OR
Can’t attend? No problem! $150 for the webinar
You MUST Register for this event and pay in advance by cash, check, or credit card. You may pay by credit card by clicking the “services” tab on The ChandaGunter.com Facebook page.
For more info contact Chanda Gunter:
435-767-8184
www.facebook.com/socialmarketingpro
www.ChandaGunter.com
www.linkedin.com/in/chandagunter
www.twitter.com/ChandaGunter
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Learn The New Facebook Timeline
Frustrated at the brand new Timeline design on Facebook? Don’t worry, I’m here to help! This class is designed to walk you through all the changes on both profile pages AND business pages. Bring your laptop!
$20 per person – register on the “services” tab at www.facebook.com/socialmarketingpro.
Next Class: Arlington, Texas
Thursday, March 29, 2012
6:30pm – 9:00pm
Holiday Inn
1311 Wet N Wild Way
Arlington, TX (Dallas/Ft. Worth)
For more information, call 435-767-8184
The “How to” Social Media Guide Book
I’m teaching a social media seminar tomorrow at Dixie State College in Utah and while I was putting together the packets of information into the attendees folders, I started to realize just how valuable this information was that I was giving them. I was also thinking about how much more information I could cram into those folders and then it hit me. I already have this info all on paper so why not share it with the masses?
So after making a few phone calls and hooking up with a technical writer and editor, by Christmas you will be able to get your very own “Social Media Survival Guide”! Don’t worry, it won’t be filled with a bunch of fluff either. I hate “how to” books that take forever to get to the meat and potatoes of why I bought this book to begin with. No my friends, we will dive right into the how, what, and why of Facebook pages, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, analytics, blogs, RSS feeds, Hootsuite, FourSquare, Places, Yelp, QR codes, Facebook ads, Google ads, best practices, when and how much to post, URL shorteners, tips and tricks, tools, valuable resources, glossary, and so much more!
Later you will be able to pick up an advanced version with even more info.
If there is anything you would like to see in the guide, please comment below and tell me!
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I Created A Facebook Page, Now What?
So you finally created a Facebook page for your business, but now what? This is where many businesses lose focus and eventually give up on social media all together. Here are some steps you can take to get started on the right foot.
#1 First thing’s first…Did you establish a Facebook Page?
You may wonder why I am asking but the most common mistake is when a business sets themselves up as a Profile Page instead of a Business/Fan Page. A profile page gathers “friends” and is meant for personal use while a fan page gains “likes” and offers page analytics and other benefits. If you did your set up wrong, luckily you have the ability to correct it.
#2 Be strategic about your page name
Facebook is its own search engine, so think about what people may search for to find you. If you are a local store you may want to put your city and state in the name. If you are a restaurant, you may want to tell people you are a restaurant. Think about it…If you didn’t know any better would you guess that TGI Fridays or Papa Murphy’s were restaurants? How about if you own a Pizza Hut franchise you don’t want a Dallas location showing up in L.A. when someone searches for Pizza, right? And keep this in mind, you can always change your Facebook page name but only if you have less than 100 fans. I learned that lesson the hard way.
#3 Think about who you want to “like” your page
There are plenty of pages out there who rave about the thousands of fans they have on Facebook and while that seems impressive…is it really? First of all, if you are a local dentist office in Las Vegas, does it do you any good for me to send you my Texas friends to like your page? Probably not. Second, do you “like” pages based on how many fans they already have? So why are you worried about getting thousands of “likes” if most of them are meaningless leads? You want real people, customers, and clients to hear what you have to say and to have conversations with you right? Cultivate those relationships and don’t worry so much about looking good to everyone else. Good content will bring them in.
#4 What should you post?
Have a good mix of promoting the business, engaging the conversations, and good informative content. I always tell people to give away just enough free information so they don’t need you. This will make you the “nice guy” and the one they will go to when they really do need you. For example, if you are a handyman explain how to patch a hole in the wall or how to fix a running toilet. Maybe post some videos of you doing this repair. They will learn from it, appreciate it, and you are now their go-to guy!
#5 Always always always post pictures/video/links
Why? Have you ever been in a hurry and blow through your newsfeed and something catches your eye? It’s always a picture or video right? They are more eye catching PLUS only posts with pictures/video/links can be SHARED with other friends! That’s an “ah-ha” moment!
#6 When is the best time to post?
Everyone has an answer for this one and here it is… At least once a day up to 3-4 times a day depending on your number of fans. The reason? If you only post at 8am and I don’t get on Facebook till that evening, do you think I will ever see your post…NO WAY!
Early morning – Lunchtime – 3pm – 6pm – 8pm
Don’t forget about weekends — Some people only get on Facebook on the weekends so don’t neglect them!
*Friday is worthless after 12pm to post anything (unless your demographic is a younger crowd)
*Saturday post before 12pm or after 9pm
*Sunday is rocking in the evenings after 7pm
Also don’t forget about other time zones if you’re target market is around the country
Good luck and please feel free to comment and ask more questions! Thanks!
Find me on Facebook:
Chanda Gunter iWearYouOut – Tshirt Marketing
Follow me on Twitter: @ChandaGunter
Circle me on Google+: Chanda Gunter
Watch me on YouTube: SoundsLikeChanda
Wednesday Wrap-Up
Well Google+ has dominated the social media news this past week while Facebook is conveniently adding video and group chat at the same time. The battle of the social networks is roaring and you can find out what the industry leaders and the Zuck have to say about it.
1) Amazon Set To Launch Tablet By October
2) Did You Know MySpace Had Skype-Powered Member-to-Member Calling In 2007?
4) And BTW, Facebook Now Has 750 Million Users.
5) Google+ The Newest Social Network
6) What Does Mark Zuckerburg Think About Google+?
7) And BTW, Google+ Now Has 10 Million Users (And Still In Beta)
8 ) What The Top 10 Social Media Pro’s Think Of Google+
20 Places You and Your Business Should Be Listed On The Web In 2011
Earlier this year I wrote a blog about sprouting legs so Google can find you and if you haven’t read it, please do so here. The point of that blog and this blog for that matter is to help you get noticed by Google. SEO practices, pictures and videos, and good content help Google, or new customers, to find you but you also need to be everywhere you possibly can be. While most businesses may have a website and hopefully have a Facebook page, that is only a couple of places for Google to reach out and find you. However, if you are listed in 20 different places, guess who begins to rank higher on Google? You, hence the term web crawling! It’s no secret what these sites are, you just have to look for them, but they can be a bit time consuming. That’s where I step in. One of the services I offer to business owners is a set up package which sets them up on about 15+ different online platforms. But today the list will be given to you FREE OF CHARGE, you just have to invest your time. Have fun! Now go sprout some legs and start running…you never know who is chasing you!
- Facebook Business Page – Make sure you set this up correctly and NOT as a personal profile page for your business
- Twitter Account - Yes, it’s a must.
- Yelp.com – A user review site
- LinkedIn – A social place for business, upload your resume, make business contacts, and post your bio
- Blog – WordPress is the best. You don’t need to be a writer to blog, but use it for informational purposes, write articles, etc.
- Four Square – A geolocation service that uses the GPS system in your phone to tell where you are located (store, restaurant, movies, etc) and you “check in” at these locations. Foursquare will post this info on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. This is FREE advertising for these businesses if used properly.
- Website – Everyone in business needs a website
- YouTube – Never thought your small business could afford a commercial? Create your own commercials with a video camera, upload it to your own YouTube channel and ‘Broadcast Yourself’. You can also start your own vlog!
- Flickr – A social site to share pictures and videos
- Yellow Book Pages – Directory
- Google Places – Directory
- DMOZ – Directory
- Yahoo City Local – Directory
- Manta – Directory
- Bing - Directory
- About.Me
- Empire Avenue - Buy stock in yourself and others, all for fun!
- Google + - Google’s answer to Facebook
- Letslunch.com – Great face-to-face networking tool still in the infant stages
- Pinterest – A virtual pin board that is the 3rd largest social media site to date!
If You Build It, Will They Come?
If You Build It…Will They Come?
There are so many options out there now days to market your business, with social media being the latest and greatest. But just because you build a website or create a Facebook or Twitter account, does that mean customers and clients will flock to your site? Yes, if you do it correctly. No, if you don’t have all the tools you need to make it succeed. Below are some tips on some of the most popular types of online marketing today.
- Creating a website for your business is a no brainer but can come at a high price. The golden rule is you get what you pay for, for the most part. Websites can cost thousands and look and work great, but most small businesses just don’t have the money for that. Try a WordPress site. It’s a blog site that costs little to no money and can be set up to look just like a website…unless they are a “computer guy”, nobody will notice the difference, or won’t care. The one thing you want to make sure you do on your website is to change the content on a regular basis. Google looks for relevant material and if your website has been the same since 2010, yes I know we are in January 2011, then Google loses interest in your site. Add video and pictures, a weekly blog, whatever you need to do to keep it from being a stagnant site and you are on your way!
- Many businesses are building custom Facebook pages using the “Welcome” tab feature. This is a great tool to make your page look nice and professional but there is no guarantee this feature will bring you new “likes”, customers or business. Facebook and other developers provide you with many useful tools for your Facebook such as tabs for linking your blog, twitter feed, and YouTube account. The bottom line with getting more “likes” on Facebook is to provide good content on your page by giving a healthy combination of useful information for the industry, promoting your business, and engaging your fans.
- Be everywhere you can be! If you only have a website and a Facebook page, then guess where Google will find you? Great, you say? If Google can only reach out to 2 places to find your business, where do you think you will rank? However, if Google reaches out and finds your business in 20 different locations on the web because you are utilizing social media to it’s maximum potential, now where do you think Google will rank you? Exactly!
The moral to the story is this…Just because your website or Facebook page looks pretty, doesn’t mean anything. How does that business communicate with me? Do they care that I am a customer? How do they treat me? Are they just one commercial after another? Do they really want my business or am I just another “like” to them? What have they done for me lately?
10 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do In Your Facebook Newsfeed
Sep 4
Posted by Chanda Gunter
Facebook is the largest and most popular social network out there, but for many, it can be quite confusing. The beauty of Facebook is that just about everything can be customized or configured to your liking…you may just not know about it. If you want to know a little more about what you can do to customize your Facebook business page or just Timeline in general, here is some information for you.
Below are 10 configurations you can do right from your news feed in Facebook. Enjoy!
#1 Have you ever logged into Facebook and the first few posts were from hours ago? Facebook automatically shows you the “Top Stories” in your new feed which are posts that have received lots of attention via likes and comments, and Facebook thinks you shouldn’t miss out on this. Well, here’s how to fix it to show the “Most Recent” posts:
#2 Sometimes you just want to get on Facebook without anyone bugging you. You can be anonymous by setting your chat to “offline“. Any messaging you receive will be sent to your FB Inbox. Start by clicking the chat box at the bottom of the screen. It will pop open showing you who is online, who is not, and who is available by mobile. Then click the gear wheel and “Turn off chat“. Just don’t forget to turn it back on later!
#3 You can change who is seeing your individual posts. “Public” posts, showing the world symbol, mean anyone can see your post, friend or not. “Friends“, showing the figure head symbol, mean only your friends will see your posts. “Custom“, showing the gear wheel symbol, allows you to post to all your friends except for individual people. For example, you are having a surprise party for your mom and you create a post telling everyone you are planning the party. If you set the post to custom, excluding your mom, everyone will see the post but her! Pretty cool huh?
#4 Don’t you hate it when you comment on a post, then realize you misspelled something or forgot a word? You can edit your comment and move on
#5 Have you ever commented on a post and then regretted it later because 50 other people also commented and your notification box is filling up? You can “Unfollow a post” and never get notified again.
#6 The election is close and people are more than ever posting their political beliefs and it can be tiresome. I have many political friends and although it’s not my thing, I still want to be friends with them, but without seeing all those posts. There is a solution…You can hide them from your news feed, meaning you are still friends, they still see your posts, you can see their posts if you go to their profile page, but you won’t see them in your news feed until you put them back in your news feed. Just don’t forget about them! BTW…they will NOT receive a notification about it.
#7 Alright so maybe taking them out of your news feed is a little too harsh for you…Here is an alternative. Hover over the person’s name, then hover over “friends“. Click on “settings” and you will see options for “How many posts you see” and “What type of posts you see“. This allows you to see what you want to see from these people.
#8 You can create different lists for your friends and put friends into multiple lists. For example, family, co-workers, best friends, high school, college friends, etc. whatever you like.
#9 Now that you have all your friends neatly in lists, you can do 2 things with that. First, you can create a post specifically for that list. Now only your friends listed in “family”, for example, will see your specific post only meant for them. Second, you can look at your news feed with only that particular list in mind. For example, if you just want to see what your college buddies are up to, you can click on that list on your left side of the screen, and your news feed will only show those in that last.
#10 If you have a Facebook business page, you will appreciate this. An easy way to jump to your page and not have to go back and forth between “you” and “your page” identities is to click your page from the left side of the screen. It will also have a number next to it if there are any notifications for your page. Easy as pie!
I hope this helped you out and of course if you have anything to add to this, please post it in the comment section below.
Thanks for sharing!!!
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