The Effectiveness of Hootsuite to Manage Your Social Media

By now, you are involved with many social media channels for your business. You are working all of them consistently and regularly. Individually, they take a long time to manage. However, if you use Hootsuite, you just push one button.

There are so many social media channels that are of value for your business and at times, it is very difficult to choose just a handful that you feel will benefit your business the most and will result in the most heightened success. After all, there are only so many hours in any given day. It is very important to remember that if you set up a profile on a given social media website, it isn't enough (and it wouldn't really be considered a proper presence) to merely have your profile sitting there. You need to actively work at consistently providing fresh content and interacting with your online connections. The more interactions you have, the healthier your social media portfolio will be in general.

Create An Ipad App

Tools to help

There are several online tools that can help you to keep your social media channels organized and that allow you to do a relatively painless amount of work in order to keep everything running smoothly. One of the most effective tools is Hootsuite. Hootsuite will enable you to maintain all of your social media channels at once, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Foursquare, etc. With Hootsuite, you don't need to go to each individual social media channel and log in separately. You can push a single button and your updates, messages, etc, will go to all of your channels at the same time. Hootsuite also allows you to manage multiple campaigns, identify and cultivate your target audience, and effectively send messages of importance to others. Additionally, you can view all of your channels at once and interact with your online connections simultaneously. Your updates will show up on the dashboard. With very few exceptions, you will be able to log on to all of your social media channels at once. Hootsuite is an incredible tool for managing the majority of your social media needs.

Customizing Hootsuite

Hootsuite also has customizing capabilities so that you are able to have control over who sees which parts of your content. It is at your discretion. If you are generally in the habit of posting the same content to all (or most) of your social media channels, you can send it to the channels with a mere push of the button. If you are posting blog articles (which are automatically created directly from an RSS feed), they can be sent all at once. It is also easy to automate the posting schedule. You can schedule postings ahead of time and the content will be sent on whichever date and time you have indicated. This especially works well if you are not available to send the content out at a particular time (perhaps you are on vacation or involved with some other activity that does not allow you to be sitting in front of your computer).

Monitoring your content

Hootsuite enables you to monitor your brand and to keep a close eye on how everything is going. Your online connections can also receive notification of and access to your content without having access to any of your passwords. Your business connections can receive information, such as status updates, questions and answers, reply messages, etc, through Email that is specific to a particular social media channel of which you are all members. You can also generate customized reports (or analytics) about your social media activities, which will allow you to acquire an edge over your competitors and thus gain an advantage over them by adjusting your social media marketing strategy accordingly.

Widespread availability

Hootsuite is widely available to you. You can access it through the Internet, iPhone, Blackberry, iPad, and apps.

Cost

When it comes to the financial aspect of Hootsuite, two options are available to you. The basic plan carries no charge with it. However, if you really want something that is more sophisticated than the basic plan, you can purchase the Pro plan at a nominal cost. The Pro plan will allow you to have unlimited social media accounts, the ability to generate reports, and include one other person in your plan. Only you can decide for your business which plan will work better. Once you have chosen a plan, there is a great deal of technical support that will be available to you. You will most likely never find yourself in a position of not resolving any issues that come up for you with Hootsuite.

Conclusion

Overall, Hootsuite is an amazing tool that works extremely effectively for business people who are using social media as an important part of their marketing campaign. It will allow you to streamline your social media process and manage a great deal of information at the same time. Hootsuite allows you to easily view, network, share, monitor and manage the vast amount of information that comes to you through your various social media channels. You should definitely learn more about Hootsuite and try to take as much advantage of it as you can for your business.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a free assessment of your online presence, let's have coffee.

The Effectiveness of Hootsuite to Manage Your Social Media

iPhone App Development for Social Networking A Great Way of Reaching Maximum People

Social networking is fast becoming the essence of our lives and most of our important communications are now being taking place on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. It started out as a craze amongst the new generation but has now taken quite a serious place as most of the online businesses are taking advantage of the facilities and opportunities that it provides. And this is the reason why the demand for iPhone app Development for social networking sites has increased manifold in the last few years.

iPhone app Development for social networking sites is not just about reaching out to your friends and chatting with them online, but it is much more than that. It is a one-stop point where you can meet like minded people without making any major effort.

Create An Iphone App

Whether you are a businessman or the owner of a company and want to increase or market your business then you can post your business information on these sites by integrating apps through iPhone app Development on your iPhone. And when this is coupled with the mobility and ability of the iPhone then the possibilities are many.

You can be anywhere and still be doing important business interactions with the delegates through the iPhone as you can get various kinds of social networking sites developed through iPhone app Development. These sites are especially known for providing a platform to find and meet people, increase your reach and networking.

If your need is really critical then you can take help of a professional Application developer for iPhone. There are many available online and they are doing quality work for very affordable prices. If you do not really trust hiring a freelancer then you can also go to an outsourcing company that has a good amount of experience and big team of Application developers for iPhone. These companies can help you give you your desired Applications in the time period you ask for and they are also highly affordable and durable.

So if you want to increase and expand your business then you should think of getting social networking through iPhone app development. Networking is one of the best ways of increasing the visibility of your business and creating an impact on your audience. With social networking sites, where you can interact with your audience in the real time, you can create a better rapport with them creating an atmosphere or trust and authenticity.

iPhone App Development for Social Networking A Great Way of Reaching Maximum People

The Complete Novice's Guide to Social Media

Introduction

This article is intended to be a very straightforward guide to Social Media and everything that Social Media encompasses including blogs, social networks and forums etc. It is intended to introduce both newcomers and perhaps even some more experienced people to the world of social media.

Iphone Application

So, what is Social Media?

So, what is this social media that has the Internet buzzing with excitement? Well, Wikipedia (an interesting form of social media in itself) describes it as:

"information content created by people using highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies that is intended to facilitate communications, influence and interaction with peers and with public audiences, typically via the Internet and mobile communications networks."

This can encompass not just text and information based services like blogs etc, it can also contain image and video based services such as Flickr and YouTube for example.

Social media instigates a sense of community, making users feel connected with each other through participation and communication via many forms of media. Technorati, a blog submission service, has over 133 million blogs indexed, displaying the staggering rise in popularity of people wanting to be heard and connect to each other.

Social Media and your Business

Social media can benefit any type of business and if approached correctly, can help build relationships with consumers and other companies through networking and raised awareness of your service.

With social media you can easily speak directly to your customers, using Twitter to gather feedback on customer satisfaction, raising awareness of a recently launched product through Digg or using YouTube to promote your move into a new office location for example.

An example of a company using social media in a great way is Starbucks. Starbucks created a whole new website and blog centred around customer suggestions for their service. A user would go onto the website and suggest a way Starbucks could improve, everyone registered on the website would then vote their favorite ideas and then Starbucks would post on their blog regarding which ideas they liked and how they would be actually implemented into the Starbucks service.

Companies are always thinking of better ways to run there service, social media gave Starbucks a way to connect with millions of existing customers and gave those customers an opportunity to build on the Starbucks service in a way only they could know how.

Burger King launched a Facebook Application which encouraged users to 'sacrifice' 10 of their facebook friends in return for a free Whopper burger. It was taken down by Facebook not long after launch citing privacy concerns, however in the relatively short space of time the Application was live, it gathered over 20,000 users and consequently over 200,000 friends were sacrificed in the name of free burgers. This social media example was well built, was easy to share and gave the user the incentive to network with friends which made it very popular in the short space of time it was available.

These are only two examples of successful social media solutions by companies on the Internet, companies like Sun, Ford, Dell and IBM are all currently reaping the benefits of using blogs, twitter accounts, Facebook pages and other social media tools to connect with customers and make there companies more transparent to consumers. Social media, blogs especially, aren't going to disappear overnight. They now act as invaluable customer service methods with the ability to conduct informal discussion with your customers and let them get to know more about you and your company in an inexpensive way.

Establishing a social media presence for your company gives you the ability to reach potentially millions of new customers through Facebook, Twitter, Digg etc, many of which may have been unreachable without a presence on these networks. Having profiles on the various social networks gives you the maximum potential to raise awareness of your brand, gain more visitors to your website and the capacity to convert those targeted visitors to customers.

Social Media in Numbers

2,000,000,000

searches through the Google search engine every day

1,360,652,987

tweets on Twitter as of March 2009

700,000,000

photos added to Facebook every month

900,000

blog posts every 24 hours

38,040

diggs the most popular bookmark on Digg has received in the last 12 months

412.3

years it would take to watch all of YouTube's content as of March 2008

13

hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute

Social Media Forms

Although social media can come in many forms, it has its main ones:

Blogs

The most well known of 'obvious' social media forms. Blogs act as a frequently updated hub of contextual information where users can get involved and give their input through comments.

Forums

The oldest form of social media, in use before the term 'social media' was made popular. Internet forums act as areas for online discussion, usually centered around certain topics.

Content Communities

Content communities differ from usual forms of social media in that they allow people to share and use particular kinds of content that blogs and forums don't fully concentrate upon such as images (see Flickr), interesting bookmarks (see Digg and del.icio.us) and of course video (see YouTube).

Micro-blogging

A relevant newcomer in the social media world. Micro-blogging combines blogging and social networking in that it allows people to update small amounts of content online through web-based, desktop and also mobile clients (see Twitter).

Social Networks

Social networks such as Facebook, MySpace, Bebo etc allow the easy creation of personalised web page accounts that facilitates communication between users.

The Distribution of Social Media

People only have a certain amount of time to check their favorite websites, this mightn't even include blogs or social networks. Couple this with the fact that people seem to be working longer hours than ever these days and also using blackberrys and iPhones to work away from the office, and you're faced with a daunting task of attracting people to your blog or website.

One remedy to this has been the introduction of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. RSS feeds allow a user to effectively 'subscribe' to a website or blog, meaning they are notified through a newsreader when new content is available.

RSS saves people a lot of time when reading blogs and website updates, meaning communities can grow and become more valuable to both the user and author saving both parties time and money.

Social Networks

Joining a social network usually involves creating your own web page with information about yourself, be it personal, professional or otherwise and you then connect with other people on that network.

Although most of these networks are relatively young in their age, a selection of them are very popular and have changed the shape of the Internet for the near future at the very least.

MySpace

After launching in August 2003, MySpace became the most popular social networking website in the United States in mid 2006, attracting well over 100million account holders.

MySpace has largely built it's popularity based upon its comprehensive music service where bands can upload tracks directly to their profile for fans to listen to, even launching it's own record label to release music from MySpace upon.

Bebo

Bebo is a popular social networking tool with more emphasis on the younger user than its competitors. It is also geared towards colleges, schools and other educational institutes which is where Bebo has found it's niche. It was purchased by AOL in early 2008 for over £400million.

Facebook

First available to University students, facebook was opened up to the public (people over the age of 13) in 2006 and it's userbase has skyrocketed ever since.

The service allows you to join networks and groups of organisations, sports teams, location specific groups etc and also offers developers the chance to write Applications for the service at no charge

Facbook currently has over 235million account users.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has it's own niche in the social networking world in that it is targeted solely toward the working professional.

LinkedIn allows you to create your own career profile and network with past and present workmates and is mainly used for career-orientated networking and job / project searches.

LinkedIn has approximately 40million users.

Friends Reunited

Friends reunited is a social network based upon the theme of reuniting and connecting with former (and current) classmates. It is identified as the first social network to achieve prominence in Britain, surviving the dotcom bust.

Blogs

A blog (standing for web-log) is a type of website maintained by an individual or company that is commonly updated with news on latest events, opinions, reviews and any other material the author deems worth of publishing.

With recent Developments in blog hosting technology, it's possible for anyone with a basic knowledge of the internet to create and run their own blog using platforms such as WordPress and blogger.

Topics

The reason blogs are so popular on the Internet is because they act as a hub of information for any given topic. This can include website design articles (see a list apart), celebrity news (see TMZ), politics (see Huffington Post) and technology news (see techcrunch).

Although some blogs contain posts around a number of topics, the most popular ones have a defined theme and user base.

Comments

Almost all blogs have a comments structure in place allowing readers to submit their views on that blog or article. Comments act as a networking tool in itself, with many people growing the reader-base of their own blog or website through the clicks they receive from commenting on other peoples blogs.

Forums

The Internet forum is the relative grandparent of the social media family, evolving from the bulletin board style of networking which was popular in the early years of the Internet.

Like blogs, forums can be about any number of topics and attract people mainly looking for information and discussion around a particular theme or subject. Where the two mediums differ are that whereas blogs are usually the views / news from one individual or company, forums act as a discussion venue where many discussions are ongoing at once in different locations called 'threads'. Also, a blog has a clear owner, again that may be an individual or company depending on the blog itself but a forum is effectively ran by its members.

Many forums have been running from the early days of the Internet and have thus gathered a huge amount of members, Gaia Online has over 16million registered members and is one of the most popular on the Internet.

Content Communities

Content communities don't particularly adhere to typical social network frameworks, as they aren't particularly intended for networking between people using the usual means. Two examples of this are Flickr and YouTube.

Flickr

Flickr is an image and video hosting website where people can create a personal account and upload photos they have taken. It's also used by bloggers and webmasters as an online photo storage system, where they can host all of their images in a searchable database. As of late 2008, it is claimed that Flickr holds more than 3billion images.

The social aspect of Flickr comes into play through the creation of various subject-orientated groups where users can comment on relevant images that have been uploaded.

YouTube

Youtube is the largest video hosting website on the Internet with well over 120million videos currently hosted through its service. Youtube members can upload their own footage, create channels / playlists of their favourite videos and share them with friends.

Youtube has quickly become one of the largest websites in the history of the Internet with more than 6billion videos viewed on the service in January 2009 alone. Before the public launch of YouTube in 2005, there were very few methods of video-orientated social networking available via the Internet, YouTube changed this with the ability for its users to dictate its content through the uploading of personal video.

Microblogging

Microblogging is the latest in the way of social networking, combining blogging, instant messaging and the popular status updates of the Facebook service into one neat package.

Popular microblogging services such as Twitter allow a small (in Twitters case, no more than140 characters) text based 'update' to be published on your twitter page and to those who are 'following' you.

Although it is a web based format, over 90% of 'tweet's published via twitter are by mobile, desktop or instant messaging Applications. Twitter is largely used by the web industry as a way of passing useful links to one another, as well as a very quick and easy networking tool between account followers.

It has recently began to attract a lot of press attention due to the amount of well known people using the service. President Obama used Twitter in the run up to the election to keep voters informed of his campaign, connecting to a completely new audience to previous candidates.

Conclusion

Although Social Media is a relatively new factor on the Internet, the advances we have seen in a short space of time have been staggering. Two to three years ago MySpace was the service everyone was using to connect with each other, who would have predicted that within 24 months there would have been a service in Facebook that overtook it as the Internets leading social networking tool.

The future of social media is an exciting one, and we could see some interesting Developments even in the short term such as the adoption of the mobile social network. Although a lot of people are using Social Media on mobile phones already, this number is expected to increase significantly in the near future with the development of more and more clients for social networks on mobile phones.

Social media is expected to evolve and grow into exciting new services and shows no signs of disappearing any time soon. The potential for growth and monetary gain for businesses is too great for them to ignore social media, helping spread news of services and offers to hundreds, if not thousands, of friends in an instant. Some companies aim for that kind of promotion and never reach it, some pay millions to get it, with social media, it is in everyones grasp.

A company that neglects both social media and the benefits of search engine optimisation is shielding its services away from millions of potential customers.

Opening your company up to social media services allows you to connect instantly with new people, couple this with a comprehensive search engine optimisation plan and you are in a perfect position to attract new customers and network inexpensively.

Well that's it for our guide to Social Media, grab yourself a cup of tea (or coffee if you're that way inclined) and relax.

The Complete Novice's Guide to Social Media

Social Networking and Business

Ever wondered if Facebook or Twitter could enhance your business? How about MySpace? Have you ever heard of LinkedIn?

Social networking sites are huge. Facebook is the most popular website in the world, Twitter is in the top 20. So how can you harness these sites for your business?

Create An Iphone App

Firstly, get a profile. Exposure never hurts, and some companies use Facebook profiles to their advantage, whether it is just to get a name out, promote something or even wage a campaign.

Let's look at three different examples.

Firstly, Nike. Nike has over a million users who have clicked 'like', users who are essentially followers of the brand and who, because of that click, receive regular updates from Nike's profile. Nike doesn't pay for its profile, it is free advertising to an audience of over a million people.

Secondly, let's take a look at 7-Eleven, who used social media - including Facebook and Digg - to announce a free Slurpee promotion on November 7 (7/11), where anyone who said 'Happy 7-Eleven Day' to an employee at the shop got a free Slurpee.

Finally, let's look at a business using Facebook to wage a campaign (and get some handy free promotion at the same time). Melbourne hairdresser Dr Follicles offered each of its customers a beer until the council realised it was operating without a liquor licence, and refused to grant the business one. The hairdresser got its customers on Facebook and created a Save Our Beer campaign. The company has over 1000 followers on its profile and secured an exemption in the liquor licencing act.

Social Networking and Business

Harnessing Social Media - 3 Important Rules

I enjoy receiving questions and input from viewers and even though the two questions received below are regarding dentistry, they can apply to businesses as well. Here are the two very interesting questions:

1)What are the top three rules for harnessing Social Media to the advantage of a dental practice?
2)What are three most effective things a dentist should do with his or her FaceBook or Twitter account?

Application Development

Social media is still relatively new in the realm of using it for business and offers an incredible opportunity to get to know your target market. Social media is a bridge that gives you access to people, information, and even companies/businesses you didn't have access to in the past.

Word of mouth advertising is the best form of advertising and social media IS word of mouth advertising...on steroids!

Used correctly, it isn't something that can be done quickly, it does require strategy, a plan of action, and like anything else you are building...it takes - time.

To a degree, because it is relatively new, the rules are still to be figured out. However, there are some rules that are already in place if you want to use SM correctly for building your business/practice. In answering your questions:

What are the top three rules for harnessing Social Media to the advantage of a dental practice?

1) Social media sites are NOT about making sales, they are about making contact, building (profitable) relationships, and establishing value, credibility, and trust.

The above is first and foremost with social media. Gone are the days when the print medias (yellow page advertising, magazine ads, flyers) were leading or "selling" the consumers. Users (consumers) are in control now and it's a total mind change. Today's consumer is Internet savvy and is not going to be "sold", they want to be educated first in order to make informed decisions.

Today's business owner gives the consumer the information they are seeking, helps solve their problems, and along the way, the business establishes themselves as the thought leader in their field. Having taken the time to establish credibility, given value, and developed a relationship between consumer and business, the consumer will naturally turn to you when it's time to purchase.

Enter Social Media sites...the most effective and most efficient way for business owners to get their information to savvy consumers and to develop those relationships.

2) Authenticity and Transparency: Whatever is done must be done with quality. Be transparent and authentic, you are developing profitable relationships. Everything you do should have a strategic intent.

These sites aren't about making sales, they are about building relationships, credibility, value, and trust and that's done using your two strategic keys: Being Authentic and Transparent. Then those contacts tell everyone they know, who tells everyone they know...about you, your business, product or service. This is viral word of mouth advertising, people telling LOTS of other people.

3) Online Reputation Management. Social media makes it easy for you to share information as you network with your community. You have something to offer...remember? That's why you went into business. Social media is conversation and makes it easy for you to engage in discussions about what you may be able to help them with. This is where you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise.

Social media also allows you to monitor and be more responsive to your target market. Paying attention to questions being asked and statements being made by your target market about you, your business/practice, your brand, your products and services...good and bad.

With your community, being "visible" online can also bring out negative comments as well (there's always one in the crowd). The reality is angry customers are already talking whether you are online or not. But at least when you are online, the person and comments are "in your space" and can be addressed.

You can't always "control" the conversation, but a lot of site Applications allow you the option to post or not to post their comments. But even if posted, it can be addressed.

Also, clients/patients genuinely appreciate seeing how businesses and practices respond to legitimate criticism and many times will come to the aid of the business/practice with their our positive responses. This is called Online Reputation Management.

What are three most effective things a dentist should do with his or her FaceBook or Twitter account?

1) Repeat #1 and #2 above- These are first and foremost with Social Media. If you don't understand this, you will miss the incredible opportunity with Social Media.

2) Build a quality local network/community and build your brand. Target your local area, your clients/patients. Found out what their problems are, what you can help them with. You want to establish you not only have their solution, you are their solution. Establish yourself as the thought leader in your area of expertise.

As you build your brand, you don't have to be a McDonalds or a Starbucks. It can be as simple as your avatar (picture), your logo, a tag line, or even a specific color. Point is - when used (viewed) regularly, each impression strengthens peoples awareness of who you are, your practice, and what your services and products are about. You are being seen.

3) Be consistent with your time, your content, and your marketing. Not every person on your social sites are going to be members of your target market, but by providing good solid content, helpful links and information, and regularly contributing something of value and useful to your community, the viral nature of social media will get the message to those who are looking for you.

**Side Note: Make sure you have created your social media guidelines and policies (and possible training program) if someone else within your business/practice or outside your business/practice is creating/posting your information.

In summary: Use social networking to add value, build your credibility, and develop trust. Value + credibility + trust turns an observer into a follower, a follower into a fan, a fan into a lead, and a lead into a patient/client!

What are your thoughts? What do you think qualifies as a "top rule" for harnessing Social Media to the advantage of a business or dental practice?

Harnessing Social Media - 3 Important Rules

Rev Up Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

In less than five years, social media has revolutionized not only our communication culture but how we conduct business. The dizzying effect of unlimited-and sometimes unfettered-24-hour access to people and information has transformed the various tools into a game changer.

There is a broad and increasing list of sites, including BlinkList, YouTube, Delicious, Flickr, Tumblr, BlogMarks.net, and the triumvirate of major sites: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These social destinations have become to business professionals and entrepreneurs what golf is to C-suite powerbrokers-an opportunity to strategically network and close deals based on shared interests and personal engagement. But these sites do more, by offering users valuable real estate to advertise products or services, create and expand brand recognition, solicit feedback, build relationships, and create community forums. Users also have unprecedented access to consumers, hiring managers, prospective clients, industry experts, and opportunities.

Create An Iphone App

Moreover, social media levels the playing field by allowing anyone access without restrictions on time, location, or social status.

The most diligent and creative players are reaping huge benefits. According to a report from Forrester Research, 55.6 million U.S. adults-just shy of one-third of the population-visited social networks at least monthly in 2009, an increase from 18% in 2008. Recent Nielsen research says Americans spend nearly 25% of their time online on social networks and blogs, up from nearly 16% a year ago.

The initial foray into social media can be daunting and bewildering. Newcomers to the space might wonder: Who's reading? Will I be heard or noticed? Isn't it all just fun and games? Isn't it invasive? Making the effort worthwhile requires time, patience, and a work-smart-not-hard strategy. Whether you're an entrepreneur or a corporate professional, the success of marketing your products, businesses, or your personal brand will be determined by how well you engage interest on the varying platforms. In part one of a series on social media strategies, Black Enterprise offers some tips to get you connected.

What Business Owners Should Know

Finding out who your customers are and how they like to be served is essential for the success of any business. Questions and surveys offered on social media platforms can help business owners quickly access that information. Jason Burton, social media strategist and marketing director of Lab 5702, a boutique marketing solutions firm in Kansas City, Missouri, says such data can help you position your product to broader groups outside your initial base of contacts. "Put your product in front of the trendsetters or the next level of users," he suggests. "Targeted searches let you drill down beneath the surface to find followers and potential influencers that can use or promote your product or service."

Location-based social mapping services such as Foursquare, Google Latitude, Loopt, Facebook Places, and MyTown allow consumers to benefit from their influence. For example, if you visit your favorite flower shop in Tucson and tweet it to your followers, you get off your purchase. The greater the network and influence, the bigger the discount. These services also enable users to find friends and events; share locations, updates, tips, photos, and comments; and share across online social networks and blogs. Loopt has more than 4 million registered users and partnerships with every major U.S. mobile phone carrier and is available on more than 100 smartphones, including the iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android. Google Latitude and Foursquare boast more than 3 million users each. Greater social media interactivity has been facilitated by mobile apps such as ÜberTwitter, MobileLinked IM, and Nimbuzz. According to a Juniper Research report, the number of downloads from mobile Application stores is expected to rise from fewer than 2.6 billion per year in 2009 to more than 25 billion in 2015.

What Corporate Professionals Should Know

Carmen Hudson, CEO of Tweetajob in Seattle, oversaw employer branding campaigns when she was senior manager of talent acquisition for Yahoo and has witnessed the shift in recruitment practices. "Companies are cultivating and marketing a brand that attracts and is attractive to certain types of candidates," she explains. For companies such as Yahoo, Starbucks, Apple, and Microsoft, social media is increasingly at the forefront of that strategy. Recruiters will, for instance, use LinkedIn to create a search stream of attributes to find precisely the type of candidates hiring managers are looking for with minimal time and fuss. Moreover, Hudson adds, "They're also looking at how many followers you have. Do you have a strong network? If you're an expert, friends and/or follower numbers are strong indicators of that."

A Jump Start Social Media survey of hiring managers indicates that 66% go to LinkedIn to find candidates for openings, 23% go to Facebook, and 16% to Twitter. "Job seekers who frequently post and update profiles are nimble and often get to job opportunities first," Hudson says. "Recruitment officers can execute a well-rounded and more diverse search, through a search stream of attributes because they now can meet candidates where they play," says Hudson. At the same time, companies can promote the brand and the company message, which gives the job seeker a more informed perspective on the companies as potential employers.

How to Maximize Social Media Marketing to Promote Your Brand or Business

• A blogging platform such as WordPress or Blogspot, is essential, advises Warren Laidler, webmaster and creative director of DeLite Multimedia] in New York City. Blogs have greater potential for organic leads because their content-rich nature makes them more search engine friendly. Search engines love content-driven platforms and rank them higher than static websites. "Think of your blog as a launch pad or hub for your enterprise. Your social media efforts should lead back to your blog or website, which should be dynamic and informative, providing content and information that encourages visitors not only to return, but to distribute your content to their network."

• Blogs or websites should contain SEO, or search engine optimized, keywords and phrases that help visitors find the business when they search via Google, Yahoo, Bing], and others. Laidler also suggests pulling in RSS feeds and useful links into your blog. "RSS feeds allow you to import content from outside sources and are a great way to share information that visitors find interesting."

• Work on engagement and consistency. For example, your Twitter timeline should be a combination of original updates, retweets, or shares from other sources, replies from connections, inspirational quotes, and trending topics. A standard formula is two to four tweets per day. Positive activity can also blossom quickly and create buzz that reaches well beyond a business' core audience. In the virtual world, consumers and job seekers can become influencers and trendsetters by persuading their network to take action or buy a product or service. Laidler suggests using tools like Klout or Twittergrader.com to measure your social media influence and find out the reach of your Twitter posts.

• Choose a picture for your social media avatar, rather than a logo, advises Joel Comm, social media expert and New York Times best-selling author of Twitter Power. "People like faces associated with companies. Customize your Twitter background. Use photos, links, contact information, RSS feeds, etc. to individualize and promote your brand."

• Choose a third-party Application or service, such as TweetDeck or Hoote Suite, SocialOomph and Twaitter, which allows quick, easy distribution of posts and other content among multiple social media sites. "You can incorporate plug-ins or apps on the sidebar of your blog page that allows visitors to easily access all your social media," says Laidler. "All social media sites have plug-ins or widgets that allow fast, easy updates with one click."

• Don't follow everyone who follows you on Twitter. Conduct targeted keyword searches for individuals, companies, and other industry players who are important to you or who you want to have as a client.

• Show off your expertise. If you're in business, you're already an expert with valuable information people want to know, Comm says. Use your talents, passion, ability, and personality to your advantage.

Rev Up Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

Data Mining Social Networks, Smart Phone Data, and Other Data Base, Yet Maintaining Privacy

Is it possible to data mine social networks in such a way to does not hurt the privacy of the individual user, and if so, can we justify doing such? It wasn't too long ago the CEO of Google stated that it was important that they were able to keep data of Google searches so they can find disease, flu, and food born medical clusters. By using this data and studying the regions in the searches to help fight against outbreaks of diseases, or food borne illnesses in the distribution system. This is one good reason to store the data, and collect it for research, as long as it is anonomized, then theoretically no one is hurt.

Unfortunately, this also scares the users, because they know if the searches are indeed stored, this data can be used against them in the future, for instance, higher insurance rates, bombardment of advertising, or get them put onto some sort of future government "thought police" watch-list. Especially considering all the political correctness, and new ways of defining hate speech, bullying, and what is, what isn't, and what might be a domestically home-grown terrorist. The future concept of the thought police is very scary to most folks.

Create An Ipad App

Usually if you want to collect data from a user, you have to give them something back in return, and therefore they are willing to sign away certain privacy rights on that data in trade for the use of such services; such as on their cell phone, perhaps a free iPhone app or a virtual product in an online social network.

Artificially Intelligent Search Features

It is no surprised that AI search features are getting smarter, even able to anticipate your next search question, or what you are really trying to ask, even second guessing your question for instance. Now then, let's discuss this for a moment. Many folks very much enjoy the features of Amazon.com search features, which use artificial intelligence to recommend potential other books, which they might be interested in. And therefore the user probably does not mind giving away information about itself, for this upgraded service or ability, nor would the person mind having cookies put onto their Web browser.

Nevertheless, these types of systems are always exploited for other purposes. For instance consider the Federal Trade Commission's do not call list, and consider how many corporations, political party organizations, and all of their affiliates and partners were able to bypass these rules due to the fact that the consumer or customer had bought something from them in the last six months. This is not what consumers or customers had in mind when they decided they wanted to have this "do not call list" and the resultant and response from the market place, well, it proves we cannot trust the telecommunication companies, their lobbyists, or the insiders within their group (many of which over the years have indeed been somehow connected to the intelligence agencies - AT&T - NSA Echelon for example.)

Now then, this article is in no way to be considered a conspiracy theory, it is just a known fact, yes national security does need access to such information, and often it might be relevant, catching bad guys, terrorists, spies, etc. The NSA is to protect the American People. However, when it comes to the telecommunication companies, their job is to protect shareholder's equity, maximize quarterly profits, expand their business models, and create new profit centers in their corporations.

Thus, such user data will be and has been exploited for future profits against the wishes of the consumer, without the consumer benefiting from free services for lower prices in any way. If there is an explained reason, trade-off, and a monetary consideration, the consumer might feel obliged to have additional calls bothering them while they are at home, additional advertising, and tracking of their preferences for ease of use and suggestions. What types of suggestions?

Well, there is a Starbucks two-blocks from here, turn right, then turn left and it is 200 yards, with parking available; "Sale on Frappachinos for gold-card holders today!" In this case the telecommunication company tracks your location, knows your preferences, and collects a small fee from Starbucks, and you get a free-phone, and 20% off your monthly 4G wireless fee. Is that something a consumer might want; when asked 75% of consumers or smart phone users say; yes. See that point?

In the future smart phones may have data transferred between them, rather than going through a given or closest cell tower. In other words, packets of information may go from your cell phone, to the next nearest cell phone, to another near cell phone, to the person which is intended to receive it. And the data passing through each mobile device, will not be able to read any of the information which was it is not assigned to receive as it wasn't sent to it. By using such a scheme telecommunication companies can expand their services without building more new cell towers, and therefore they can lower the price.

However, it also means that when you lay your cell phone on the table, and it is turned on it would be constantly passing data through it, data which is not yours, and you are not getting paid for that, even though you had to purchase the smart phone. But if the phone was given to you, with a large battery, so it wouldn't go dead during all those transmissions, you probably wouldn't care, as long as your data packets of information were indeed safe and no one else could read them.

This technology exists now, and is being discussed, and consider if you will that the whole strategy of networking smart cell phones or personal tech devices together is nothing new. For instance, the same strategies have been designed for satellites, and to use an analogy, this scheme is very similar to the strategies FedEx uses when it sends packages to the next nearest FedEx office if that is their destination, without sending all of the packages all the way across the country to the central Memphis sort, and then all the way back again. They are saving time, fuel, space, and energy, and if cell phones did this it would save the telecommunication companies mega bucks in the savings of building new cell towers.

As long as you got a free cell phone, which many of us do, unless we have the mega top of the line edition, and if they gave you a long-lasting free battery it is win-win for the user. You probably wouldn't care, and the telecommunication companies could most likely lower the cost of services, and not need to upgrade their system, because they can carry a lot more data, without hundreds of billions of dollars in future investments.

Also a net centric system like this is safer to disruption in the event of an emergency, when emergency communications systems take precedence, putting every cell phone user as secondary traffic at the cell towers, which means their calls may not even get through.

Next, the last thing the telecommunication company would want to do is to data mine that data, or those packets of information from people like a soccer mom calling her son waiting at the bus stop at school. And anyone with a cell phone certainly wouldn't want their packets of information being stolen from them and rerouted because someone near them hacked into the system and had a cell phone that was displaying all of their information.

You can see the problems with all this, but you can also see the incredible economies of scale by making each and every cell phone a transmitter and receiver, which it already is in principle anyway, at least now for all data you send and receive. In the new system, if all the data which is closest by is able to transfer through it, and send that data on its way. The receiving cell phone would wait for all the packets of data were in, and then display the information.

You can see why such a system also might cause people to have a problem with it because of what they call net neutrality. If someone was downloading a movie onto their iPad using a 3G or 4G wireless network, it could tie up all the cell phones nearby that were moving the data through them. In this case, it might upset consumers, but if that traffic could be somewhat delayed by priority based on an AI algorithm decision matrix, something simple, then such a tactic for packet distribution plan might allow for this to occur without disruption from the actual cell tower, meaning everyone would be better off. Therefore we all get information flow faster, more dispersed, and therefore safer from intruders. Please consider all this.

References;

"Privacy on the Line - The Politics of Wiretapping and Encryption," by Whitfield Diffie and Susan Landau, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, (1999), pp. 364, ISBN: 0-262-04167-7. Wall Street Journal Article; "On the Web's Cutting Edge, Anonymity in Name Only," by Emily Steel and Julia Angwin. WSJ article; "The Great Privacy Debate," by Jim Harper of Cato Institute, and Nicholas Carr author, Saturday-Sunday Edition, August 7-8, 2010.

Data Mining Social Networks, Smart Phone Data, and Other Data Base, Yet Maintaining Privacy

Social Media App Development

Since the era of social media has started internet marketing it is being dominated & still benefiting their business by associating their products with its Applications. Social Media Application is a great tool to connect with your target audience. Many Companies and Marketers successfully implements this tool in many campaigns to communicate with your potential customer.

Not too long social media seemed new & different but as a time passes it changes the situation from push to pull which makes a great impact on marketing strategies; companies seek their ways to connect & engage with potential & future potential customers because of its Applications.

Application Development

Now a day's social media apps are included as the key element in marketing campaigns and having a tool like that attached to your brand gives your product worth. As its use in marketing the value and importance of these Applications is increasing all the time. Thousands of applications are being developed so it is important for companies to make a full use of these features offered. These apps provides an effective promotional platform to business which can be used to increase the sales of product and increase the potential customers.

There are many networks with millions of users and they accommodate every type of business. So for establish a strong base of business in the market which can be easily achieved through social networking applications. The success of these Apps depends upon choosing the correct technologies and programming languages which creates an apps which is user friendly and custom base. At last just say that have a apps in your marketing campaign gives you an additional benefits and if your company does not have a app you are surely missing this trick.

Social Media App Development

How Does Social Networking Increase Sales Revenue?

Baby-boomers think of business networking as going to events where we meet people and exchange business cards or getting together with people at Marketing Shows. Although attending shows is still prevalent, today, baby-boomers are also finding successful business networking by participating with social networking sites.

However, there are so many choices for social networking that you may be overwhelmed. With hundreds of on-line social networks to which you can connect, you may be confused as to which ones are the best for your business. So confused in fact that you may decide that your business doesn't need social networking. This will cost you customers until you begin to implement a social networking strategy for your business.

Application Development

This tends to be a generational issue. It is no longer just the Generation Y that is using Web 2.0 tools. The Smart Baby Boomer Generation is realizing that Social Networking is a gold mine for business everywhere. The sooner you jump on the bandwagon, the sooner you will be generating additional revenue.

Ok You have decided to check it out. Which Sites are the Best for your business to join? Here are my suggestions for the best 3 Business social networks:

1) LinkedIn: By far, the most popular business social networking site with hundreds of thousands of users. If you are not on LinkedIn, from a business perspective, you are truly missing the boat. Most business people that are using LinkedIn have found business leads through past associations. Connecting with people from the past and their connections gives you a whole new market that would have taken months or years to develop that can now be developed quickly through your contacts, contacts.

2) Facebook: Although I don't recommend MySpace for business at this time, I highly recommend Facebook, which is the largest social network site. Facebook has added pages (profile) for business and a new Application that similar to LinkedIn, accessed directly on the Facebook site called NetHooks. Your business can accept Fans (people that recommend your business), which adds to your reputation. 

3) Twitter: Twitter has gotten tons of buzz lately due to the massive acceptance by celebrity fans. Twitter is also a great way to communicate with your customers. People are fascinated by the "behind the scenes" activity of any business. And when they follow the news, they tend to buy more and share that business news with their friends and co-workers. For Example: Hansen Cakes in Beverly Hills reports that they have seen a 20% increase in their business in the past quarter since participating in social networking sites, like Twitter.

Now is the time to start considering a marketing strategy for your business. Social Networking has become mainstream and your customers are waiting for you.

How Does Social Networking Increase Sales Revenue?

Social Apps Fit Better for Social Clubs

If anyone ever told you that you shouldn't go to a bar or club to meet people it wasn't because you'd meet people. It was for some other reason entirely. Bars, clubs and other social establishments are where you people. In fact, when you think of 'going out', most people think of a favorite club, a nearby bar or some other gathering place (in some cases, this may be a mall or shopping location - which, incidentally should use mobile technology too). People congregate to socialize at these locations. Social Media plays right into this. A Smartphone equipped with a social app which harnesses this "socialization" fits beautifully.

Let's consider how the youth and partying folks of today coordinate:

Create An Ipad App

Person A sends an SMS message to Person B, "Hey, going to Acme Bar, want to meet up?" Person B responds, "Sweet, let's get Person C to go too." (To which, Person A responds, "Sweet!") Person C gets a Facebook message from Person B and a Tweet from Person A. Faced with the incredible peer pressure, Person C relents and agrees to meet A and B at Acme.

Do you see how technology has changed the way these transactions are established? First, no phone conversations were made. Actually, it's possible real words weren't even used! (Seriously, have you seen how you can shortcut good English into mere code? U no 2 B gr8.) This is becoming the norm.

A smart business person who owns a bar or other socially oriented (or entertainment oriented) club like the above Acme Bar would realize that Social Media is the start of good communication and marketing. Let's consider how the above conversation would look if Acme was 'linked in' (yes, this is a deliberate play on the words) to the social media world:

Person A gets a Tweet from @AcmeBar200 (i had to use this since there actually is a Twitter account for an Acme Bar out there!) which reads: "Get your dance on with DJ and 2 for 1 drink specials 2Nite". This Twitter message (the "Tweet") causes Person A to become nearly giddy with excitement. Person A immediately Quotes the Tweet from @AcmeBar200 to their friends (hey, we really mean 'followers' here). Person B happens to follow Person A. (Since Person A is also a bit assertive, let's say they also Direct Message Person B with an invite to Acme.) Person B retweets the message from Person A and not only does Person C get the Tweet. but so do 1238 other people who follow Person B. (Don't forget the 45 people who follow Person A.) Person B and Person C both Tweet that they are going to Acme Bar to socialize (yeah, let's call it that.)

As a marketer, your initial Tweet to the followers you have (let's just say you have 400 followers) has been exposed to over 1600 people! This is also free marketing!

I could detail a number of additional 'possible' scenarios that would apply the use of social media for activity planning. However, you likely already have a good idea of how it can be used.

Social Media has grown in popularity so much; its use is represented in all age groups. The use of social media on a mobile device (this can include iPod and iPad and other tablets, not just smartphones) has also grown accordingly. The early adopters in businesses have embraced this technology set. This pioneering spirit provides nearly immediate dividends to the marketing efforts.

In the above example, Acme can use Facebook to promote their establishment. "Friends" of Acme can post to the wall with pictures and video. This, combined with a few well-placed comments like "Had a great time!" are akin to being the best possible peer recommendations a company can't buy!

I've written articles before on the power of peer recommendation. It's vital to recognize the power that can be achieved with social media's platform of Peer review and recommendation. The amazing successes of business models that employ social media aspects underscore this. Consider "Angie's List". This is a model that heavily leverages peer review and recommendations. This is no different from a few photos on someone's Facebook page with a location tag of Acme. The only difference, really, is that Angie's List is a destination site (you go there for reviews, specifically) whereas Facebook is a browsing site (you don't go to Facebook to find a review on a restaurant - although you could).

All this equates to a significant suggestion: Any socially oriented business such as a bar, nightclub, restaurant, social group or organization, or similar will benefit if they create a marketing plan which includes the use of social media. If you don't already have a marketing plan for your business, then get going! This is like heading out on vacation to Florida without knowing which direction south is. You'll end up somewhere; it just may not be in Florida.

I've seen very successful social media implementations for businesses that contribute greatly to marketing success. The best solutions use business type accounts (business named Twitter) AND personal accounts. The reason for this: People view business Tweets as "ads". People view personal Tweets as "Reviews or recommendations". The same holds true for Facebook and other social media apps and sites.

For those of you who've read this information and are wondering, "How do I get started?" go ahead and start educating yourself on Social Media. There are numerous sources to help you get a handhold into the realm of social media. Don't worry about making too many mistakes at first. Follow the sage advice that you can get and see where things go. Track your successes and failures. This is the only way to have a roadmap for duplication of wins. If you're the owner or manager of a socially-oriented business or organization, then you owe it to yourself to do what you can to get the low-cost and very effective social media marketing in place. Start succeeding with social!

Social Apps Fit Better for Social Clubs

Judiasm's Connection With Social Media

According to the North American Jewish Data Bank, as of 2010, the world Jewish population was estimated at 13.42 million or roughly 0.2% of the total world population. According to this report, about 42% of all Jews reside in Israel (5.70 million), and about 42% in the US (5.28 million) and Canada (0.38 million), with most of the remainder living in Europe (1.46 million). This history of Judaism is intertwined with stories of mass migration throughout the world.

People Scattered

Create An Ipad App

Tracing the roots of Jewish migration patterns goes all the way back to the first mention of a "diaspora" created as a result of exile is found in the Septuagint in the phrase "thou shalt be dispersion in all kingdoms of the earth". The Greek term "diaspora" is actually a Greek term meaning "scattering." Since biblical times, the Jewish people have often been subject to forced global dispersals due to political events resulting in disenfranchisement and the threat of religious persecution and total annihilation.

Throughout the course of history, there have been many diasporic episodes involving the Jewish people. The Ten Lost Tribes of Israel refer to those tribes of ancient Israel that formed the Kingdom of Israel and which disappeared from Biblical and all other historical accounts after the kingdom was destroyed in about 720 BC by ancient Assyria. Many groups have traditions concerning the continued hidden existence or future public return of these tribes.

During the great Inquisitions in Spain and Portugal, so many Jews were forced to leave those countries and to literally to run for their lives. World War II caused Jews to flee much of Europe to avoid almost certain death at the hands of the advancing Nazis and the harsh Pogroms of Russia. As a result of centuries of popular displacement, one would be hard pressed to identify a country, anywhere in the world, which cannot be considered the birthplace and/or home to Jews.

Language Confounded

In addition to the countless Jewish diasporas, consider the biblical accounts of "The Tower of Babel" episode discussed in Genesis 11:5-8. The bible recounts the post "Great Flood" period in which God offers the following wisdom about a corrupt mankind, which brought this great tragedy upon itself: "They are one people and have one language, and nothing will be withholden from them which they purpose to do." God's edict on the world proclaims the following: "Come, let us go down and confound their speech."

And so, God scattered them upon the face of the Earth (the Diaspora), and confused their languages, and they left off building the city, which was called Babel "because God there confounded the language of all the Earth."(Genesis 11:5-8).

Most Jews have assimilated to the languages and cultures of their native and adopted lands. It has often been especially difficult for world Jewry to maintain the kind of universal dialog that unites those of a common faith.

Search for Fellow Jews

Enter Social Media attempting to undo centuries of division and unfamiliarity among Jewish groups that are as unique as the African Jews, who evidence ethnic and religious diversity and richness. These scattered African groups - perhaps a lost tribe - have not maintained contact with the wider Jewish community from ancient times, but still assert descent from ancient Israel or other connections to Judaism.

When you review any list of Social Media pioneers, you immediately recognize the names of Zuckerberg, (Shel) Israel, Solis, Bernoff, Godin, Vaynerchuk, Kososky, Herzog and Joel, just to name a few. So why are so many Jewish men and women gravitating towards the mantra of thought leader(s) in Social Media?

They come from many backgrounds and career fields. Some are rooted in the social sciences and have taken a special interest in evolving patterns of human behavior. Others are businesspeople intrigued by the sales and marketing potential that this new media promises. Yet, others are amazed by the innovative technologies that have lead to making the world a much smaller place.

It is, perhaps, this last intellectual amazement that many Jewish professionals and novices find most appealing. Within us all is an innate desire to unite and bond with our ancestral roots. Jews find it especially difficult to trace back generations of family history that may take them through many continents and almost certainly dead-end sooner than others with family histories tied to a single country like England, France or Spain.

The potential of Social Media to bring us all together is not lost on thought leader Brian Solis, who says that "Evolution is evolution - and it's happened before us and will continue after we're gone. But, what's taking place now is much more than change for the sake of change. The socialization of content creation, consumption and participation, is hastening the metamorphosis that transforms everyday people into participants of a powerful and valuable media literate society."

Search for and Sharing of Knowledge

Another factor that brings Jews is Social Media is the search for knowledge that this new media aids in. In the book 'Start up nation,' Yoelle Maarek, head of Google Israel's research and Development center explains the Jewish roots of 'search,' saying, "As Israelis and Jews, we are the people of the Book. We like to consult texts. We like to search." The authors also point out that, "In 2008 Google Israel sold 0 million in advertising, about double the previous year and 10 percent of the total advertising market in Israel - a higher market share than Google has in most countries."

Throughout history, intellectual rigor and tireless exploration of the world we live in have been qualities that Jews have striven towards. As such, whilst both Facebook and Google are creations of young Jewish whiz kids, Google is the platform that should appeal most to the aspirational Jew within.

Search for Jewish Identity

The Orthodox Union (OU) has just released a new mobile app that will be helpful for those seeking knowledge on what food products are kosher for Passover. The new app allows the user to enter any food item or product to gather all of the kosher information including if the certification is up to date. This is only one app that addresses the needs and wants of Jewish life through the Web. Other popular Jewish-oriented mobile apps include: I-TORAH WITH ENGLISH FOR IPHONE & iPad (CROWDED ROAD), TANACH BIBLE - HEBREW/ENGLISH BIBLE (DAVKA CORP.), SIDDUR/LUACH (RUSTY BRICK), JEWISH JOURNAL (TRIBE MEDIA CORP) and JEWISH ROCK RADIO (jacAPPS). And, who creates such apps? Interested and talented Jewish web developers and content providers.

Yes, the advent of Social Media definitely found a hot button among Jews interested in reaching out to fellow Jews and Jewish supporters from around the world. Many hope to consolidate international Jewry into a single, proud Jewish community that bonds ancient commonalities and richness with modern and diverse cultural experiences gained from past Jewish migrations and assimilation.

What's in store for the future? The Jewish Cultural Studies series, published by Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, is inviting original papers for a volume on Jewish Cyber culture. Topics of interest include effects of social media on Jewish identity, perceived conflicts and integration of the Internet with religious values, adaptation of technology such as cell phones and webcams for religious purposes, marketing and consumption of Jewish books and products in cyberspace, rise of virtual Judaism and Jewishness, changes to oral and social genres such as humor and ritual in digital cultural contexts, effects of the Internet on Jewish/non-Jewish relations, and the use of technology to challenge or redefine traditional structures of authority in the Jewish community.

Jews have something valuable here. Social Media offers modern day solutions to many challenges from biblical times. With Jews representing only 2% of the world's population, it is important for all Jews of the world to extend a hand to one another and find ways to preserve their religious identity through Social Media.

Judiasm's Connection With Social Media

Social Media Marketing And Your Online Business

If you've been on-line for quite a while, then you have probably heard about social marketing. There are millions of people who do their shopping on the World Wide Web. But, there are still a great number of marketers and business owners on-line who do not know much about social media marketing and the utilization of social media tools. This phenomenon started some years ago. Some of the most popular web sites where you could do social marketing include Facebook, Twitter and MySpace among others.

Before social media marketing, there was social networking and this, at first, was only done by the young people. At present the older generation has become a part of this. Even entrepreneurs have begun to make use of social networking for social marketing in order for them to get their business out to a wider audience. This is a potent Application that enables you to keep in touch with your client base. Though you may or may not be able to meet them face to face, you can keep in touch with them on a personal level utilizing social marketing.

Application Development

You can develop a business network with little effort utilizing the services of various social networking web sites. These sites could help in promoting your business using status updates, and well crafted profiles. They can tell those who login the details about your business as well as the products and services that you've got via banners or text ads provided by them. With the assistance of these social networking sites, your business as well as your products and services could reach a much wider audience.

By making good use of social networks, you could be sure that you're taking the right path towards a successful business. These networks are not only for social marketing though. They might be used to conduct some research, recruiting and teaching among other things.

To get good results from social marketing, you should have strong and creative content since this is a key factor in determining whether or not you are going to expand your client base as well as keep your existing client base engaged.

Social Media Marketing And Your Online Business

Google - Social Networking's Next Advancement From Google

Social Networking does not stand still. Actually, it was just created only a few years ago and so is in giant flux. Google, Facebook and Twitter are all working on huge advancements right now. This article is about Google's advancement. Google will be unveiling soon Google Wave. It is a sensational service, likely to be offered free, built by the two brothers who created Google Earth. It is a user-friendly collaborative tool which allows you to not just send and receive email, but do so in a context that allows co-creation of documents, polls, reviews of the history of the discussion, inviting and uninviting others to collaborate. And, it all works so effortlessly that you will be startled at its ease.

Also, for the first time ever, Google is using Open Source protocols so that thousands of programmers around the world will be developing Killer Apps to be ready at the same time as Google Wave is released. The Killer App that Google Wave itself has developed, which will take the world by storm, is its translation service. It can, already, translate back and forth and really accurately between 40 human languages. Most startling is that it looks not just at the words but at the meaning and it does so in real time so it translates as you type each keystroke - usually popping in the translated word before the typist has completed the word in the original language. It's so accurate and so fast that it seems like magic. Expect to be wowed by Google Wave when it is introduced. Expect Killer Apps to be produced by Google itself and - like with Apps for iPhone - expect programmers everywhere to produce dazzling Apps, too.

Create An Iphone App

Google - Social Networking's Next Advancement From Google

Mobile Phones As Social Tools

It's amazing how much the concept of the mobile phone has changed over the course of just the last few years. While they were used to only serve the purpose of calling another person, they are now used in a variety of different ways. From standalone Applications to video conferencing, new mobile phones are all about combining the real life and interactive realms of sociability. In short, they are being used as social tools more and more as time goes on.

There are many ways that mobile phones can be used as social tools. Of course, the actual "phone" function on these devices are perhaps the most obvious way that they can be used socially. On top of this, however, there are a wide variety of Applications that can be downloaded and used on smart phones that can help to increase your social life. Applications for such social networks as Facebook and Twitter are widely available, allowing one to keep tabs on their virtual social life at all hours of the day, and from anywhere on earth.

Iphone Application

Additionally, the new iPhone Applications that will help you to link up with another person via GPS; something that could never have been done without this type of technology. As this GPS is becoming a standard feature, this avenue is likely to be explored even more thoroughly down the road.

It's safe to say that technology is the wave of the future, and gives perfect social tools.

Mobile Phones As Social Tools

Time for Play - iPhone 4S Integration With Social Media and Apps

The iPhone 4S is a great device that comes with a new operating system, the IOS5. First unveiled by Steve Jobs back in the summer when he was still CEO, the operating system isn't a surprise. Yet combined with the dual core processor and the A5 chip it means the smartphone will operate much quicker and more effectively that the previous generation, the iPhone 4.

Apps, and the ability to flick between them quickly and with no loss of experience have always been a major attraction to the iPhone. This latest model hopes to make this multi-tasking much smoother and also comes with a range of inbuilt apps designed to create that unique, Apple iPhone experience.

Create An Ipad App

The inbuilt Apps include the new 8 megapixel camera and 1080p HD video. FaceTime, the browser, iMessage along with the email and calendar system aim to build on what customers expect from the iPhone, but just perform a little better.

The 8 megapixel camera reflects Apple catching up with its competitors in the smartphone market, many who have already launched cameras powerful enough to rival the DSLR. The iPhone 4S comes with an improved lens making colour accuracy much better and a new face detection to help define pictures depending on the backdrop. The 1080p video camera is HD and motion blur is reduced with a real-time stabiliser. The Camera app allows the editing and cropping of pictures, which can be uploaded and shared on other devices via the iCloud.

FaceTime launched on the iPhone4 and it returns on the iPhone4S. Controlled either by one tap, or by utilising the virtual assistant, Siri. FaceTime allows face-to-face calls with anyone using an iPhone, iPad 2, Mac or iPod Touch via Wi-Fi.

iMessage is an updated version of the old messaging service. Unlimited and working with any device running an IOS5 it includes group messaging as well as sending pictures, locations, videos and links.

Setting reminders and writing to do lists is either delivered via documents or using Siri who will upload a text reminder on the screen.

Make all kinds of to-do lists for anything you can think of. Then add deadlines and locations. Even set alerts. Or just tell Siri, "Remind me to take out the trash" or "Remind me to pay my phone bill Thursday." And suddenly, everything you have to do seems a lot more doable.

Still using the safari browser, the new Retina Display allows for a crisper and sharper image. Samples have shown how this improves zooming in and screen resolution. The Find My iPhone is easily set up to do just that, locate a lost phone. An individual sign up helps use the Maps function to find the phone, send it a message and erase all data if it is lost. Newsstand helps manage all News and Magazines subscriptions. Social media integration is now easier, with access to Twitter improved and working well for Applications like cameras. Tweeting pictures of family members and friends quickly and easily.

Apple CEO Tim Cook adds, "The iPhone 4S is an evolutionary device that will do no harm in encouraging people to switch to Apple and iOS. New features such as Siri and iOS 5 will help improve the functionality of the iPhone, as well as improve the features that they can offer."

Time for Play - iPhone 4S Integration With Social Media and Apps

Ten Free Social Media Resources You Can Use That Can Benefit You, Your Family, Or Your Business

The Internet has been a part of everyone's lives for well over a decade, but for most people, it was tough just getting used to email and the web. You may have heard of social media resources like Twitter or podcasting, and you may think that learning how to use social media would take too much time, energy, and money. True, some social media Applications may take a bit of time to learn, but if you have figured out how to use email and do basic things on the web like find things with a search engine. If you can do that,figuring out most social media Applications should be easy.

Cost is not an issue because much of the really good stuff is free. Some of these services are completely online, so you may not even have to download any software into your home computer. Some can also be accessed through an Internet-enabled device like a iPhone or Blackberry.

Iphone Application

Before you explore new social media Applications, you may want to get a free online email account. Having this kind of account makes using social media much more convenient. Some Applications require that you have an account with one of these email services, and most require an email account for administrative purposes. Also, if your main email account is from your organization, you may want an outside account to keep your activities more private. Three of the most popular places for online email accounts are from Google, Yahoo!, and Microsoft.

Suggested Resource: Gmail

The following ten social media resources are not only free, but should be useful to you in some way.

1. Blogging
Think of a blog as a web site where just about all the work is done for you. You sign in, write something, hit a button, and it is online. If you've thought about starting a web site but have no idea what it takes to do it, a blog is the easiest way to get that experience. Also, if you already have a web site, a blog is an easy way to try quickly try new ideas that may later put on the site. Two of the biggest blog services are Blogger and WordPress. Both of them can get you from login to published blog in less time than a lunch break.
Suggested Resource: Google's Blogger

2. Micoblogging
This is a stripped down version of a blog, basically little more than a couple of sentences and maybe a link to something online. Examples include Yammer and the much more widely known Twitter. This blogging method that may work best for sending short messages to portable devices like an iPhone or Blackberry, or in conjunction with other resources such as a web site, mailing list, or full sized blog.
Suggested Resource: Twitter

3. Online File Storage
If you need to share files with one or more colleagues, or you need to access key files from several different computers, and don't want the hassle carrying around a laptop or thumb drive, or emailing files, you can use one of these services to manage your files in a password protected environment.
Suggested Resource: Airset

4. Photo Sharing and Storage
If you are interested in sharing photos, services like Flickr and Picasa allow you to store photos online, and even giving you the option of allowing others to access them or download them.
Suggested Resource: Flickr

5. Intelligence Gathering
If you need to find or track some information online, for example monitoring a developing news story or keeping current on a competitor or industry, Google has a service called Google Alerts that will keep track of them for you and send regular email updates when it finds something.
Suggested Resource: Google Alerts

6. Video Sharing
Some of the millions of user generated videos are published every day may actually be of interest to you. While you may be able to find them using general search engines like Google or Bing, you may have better luck by searching within video sharing sites like YouTube, Metacafe, and LiveLeak. YouTube is by far the biggest, with the greatest variety of content. You can even use it to create a home page within YouTube that features all of your YouTube videos.
Suggested Resource: YouTube

7. Social Networking
Facebook and Myspace may be the most well known social networking sites, but a site like LinkedIn is more relevant to working professionals, providing a kind of online resume and biography, and allowing others to see you out and contact you.
AirSafe.com's Choice: LinkedIn

8. Subscribing to Podcasts
There are millions of audio and video podcasts out there that cover a huge range of topics, including a few that would be of interest to you. Both Apple (iTunes) and Microsoft (Zune) distribute free software that allows you to easily manage subscriptions to audio of and video podcasts of every description. The iTunes software also has extensive links to online audio stream of radio stations from around the world.
Suggested Resource: iTunes

9. Free Phone Calls
Wouldn't it be great if you could use the Internet to call someone long distance, even internationally, without spending any extra money? You can download a program like Skype or GoogleTalk and talk for free with anyone else who has both a connection to the Internet and who has downloaded the same software.
Suggested Resource: Skype

10. Social Bookmarking
All web browsers allow you to bookmark favorite pages, but if you use several computers, or even several browsers on the same computer, keeping track of your bookmarkes can be next to impossible. Bookmark sharing resources like Delicious, Digg, and StumbleUpon allow you to create an online account where you can store and manage your bookmarks, and then either make them private and password protected, or make them public and available to anyone.
Suggested Resource: Delicious

Next Steps
Take the plunge and check out one of above ten resources. If you are not sure which one to use, go with one that a friend, coworker, or family member is already using.

Ten Free Social Media Resources You Can Use That Can Benefit You, Your Family, Or Your Business

How to Use Social Media to Enhance Promotional Marketing

Promotional Marketing includes any marketing strategy that generates new leads or entices a customer to buy by giving the prospect something for nothing. Examples include 2 for 1 coupons, samples of product, and contests with valuable prizes that anyone can win.

This form of marketing can be a powerful sales tool, but even the most creative promotions can be a mixed bag when it comes to actual measurable results. That is where social media comes in to broaden a promotions reach, generate interest in a company, and deliver real results.

Create An Ipad App

Begin a social media promo campaign the same way any promotional campaign should be started. Have a measurable goal, whether it be to generate a new lead list, build the overall customer base, reach a new region, or introduce a new product to the public. Once the goal is established, define who the target audience is and decide on the type of promotion based on what appeals most to that demographic. For example, coupons have proven to be most popular with women over the age of 35. For high budget promotions where a lot is at stake, consider using a service like Quantcast to pull demographic info from recent converts. Next, set up the promotion to target either more of the same type of customer or a previously unreached audience. Time your promotion to precede a big industry trade show or the launch of a new company website feature for even more impact.

Once the type of promotion and target audience is established, it is time to promote it using social media. If the company doesn't already have a facebook fan page, set one up and add the "Promotions" Application to it.

This app works great for coupons, but can be used for many types of sweepstakes and contests as well. If the contest has a specific start and end time (which it should) add it to the events tab on the company facebook page. Also post the rules and information about the promotion on the facebook page's wall. Remember that posts with images attached always generate more shares than text posts. The idea is to canvas the promotion in as many places on facebook as possible with each page and tab revealing some new information about the company.

Twitter is another social media tool that can assist in promotional marketing. The micro-blogging platform of twitter makes it perfect for making promotional announcements. First ask contestants to follow the company twitter page. Consider posting contest clues, promo codes, or other valuable information about the promotion only on twitter. This will give people more incentive to follow the company on both twitter and facebook.

One company who has mastered the art of using social media for promotional marketing is Raven, an internet marketing company that specializes in SEO tools. They have run two successful promotional scavenger hunts called RavenHunt where players pick up clues on Raven's facebook page and through twitter direct messages (a person has to be a follower to receive a DM) to hunt for hidden letters on Raven's webpages, blogs, and referring sites. At the end of the week, the letters can be unscrambled to form a secret message. The first person to send Raven the correct message wins a prize (RavenHunt II's first place winner got an iPad.) This promotion was smart because it not only gained Raven hundreds of new followers on facebook and twitter, but it educated a person about their company's services while the game was being played.

If a promotion has valuable prizes and a good concept, people will invite others to participate through twitter posts, facebook shares, diggs, and other social media interaction. Remember that every time a promotion is shared from one person to another, the company that created it is getting free advertising. One way to encourage mass sharing is to create a twitter-friendly phrase about the promotion (less than 140 characters) that people can "retweet" to their followers. For example, every time someone found a clue during RavenHunt they were told to tweet a message like, "@RavenTools I found the clue, send me the next one, I want to win a free iPad!" When other people saw these messages they visited Raven's twitter page out of curiosity and many of them ended up playing the game and following Raven as well.

It used to take weeks or months for word of mouth to help a promotion's popularity, now with social media tools like facebook and twitter, serious buzz can be generated in a number of hours.

As a final tip, make sure to include some type of "opt-in" form on the company's website as part of the promotion. Have a simple box asking people if it would be okay for the company to inform them about future promotions and special offers. Do the same for new facebook fans by sending them a message thanking them for their participation and asking if it would be okay to stay in touch. With their permission, these folks can be added to the company's email marketing list and will likely remain subscribers long after the promotion has ended.

How to Use Social Media to Enhance Promotional Marketing

Social Mobile Media to Be Next Big Thing

When I started one of my first websites, it was impractical to be continuously adding content everyday, so I set up a guest book to allow users to add content instead. Years later, someone coined the phrase blogging and blogging became the big thing. At the time, I remember hearing the phrase for the first time and learning what it meant, and I thought to myself, "I was already doing that."

Since the late 1990s, I always owned a bunch of websites. Over the years, I learned the secrets of traffic generation and Search Engine Optimization. So much so that web host after web host would tell me that my website crashed due to traffic overload. I was on the economy package and to allow the amount of traffic I was bringing to their servers would have required me to be on a high traffic package. Those were the good ones. Most of them would just shut down my website or suspend my account and punish me for traffic spikes. Quite foolish but that's the reality website owners have to live with. Recently I've noticed some web hosts claiming that this is precisely what gives them their competitive edge.

Create An Iphone App

So I started backing up my websites on my hard drive. Guess what happened. Yes, that crashed too, again and again. This was back when I was using Windows instead of Mac. (I've since fixed that problem.) So I got fed up and decided that I would no longer store anything on my hard drive and that everything had to be stored online. So I created a number of free storage accounts and would save all my material there. This was my de facto cloud.

Software became increasingly available online so I would try to use online software as far as possible. The idea was simple: to be as independent as possible of any computer and to be able to work from anywhere. That was what "cloud computing" afforded me.

Some years later, I heard, at an ICT conference, the phrase "cloud computing." I found this to be a most unappealing name. The perception of a cloud was always something negative. Every cloud has a silver lining. There is a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the economy. The prime minister's vision is clouded by greed. I don't know who came up with the term "cloud" but it is rather lame and negative-sounding.

So now, before anybody else comes up with a term for it, let me lay claim to the next big thing, not that I take part in it much, but I seem to be able to identify trends before they are labeled and marketed as "clouds" and "blogs."

In my mind, I don't need to come up with a new name for it. It already exists and you may very well be reading this article through it.

For marketability, however, let's call it "smart media" because I believe the next big thing will be mobile social media. Everything is going to be happening on smartphones. An Application will be created that will transcend all platforms. It will not be limited to BlackBerry or iPhones. It will be usable on all platforms. Twitter comes close to what I have in mind but it is still too complicated. The Application will be a no-brain-required kind of app. It will be fast and in real time. Users will be able to get news, updates from friends and even free videoconferencing like FaceTime.

In my next article, I will tell you about another prediction. I believe people will revert to the rolodex and start writing things down again. As more and more computers crash, as more and more smartphones and tablets drown in the red sea, as newer and newer systems systems take root, as websites keep updating and upgrading, often to the chagrin of the user, the goo old pen and paper will resurrect, so that every time a device changes, the user would not have to try to re-enter all of his contacts' and information.

Mark my words, this is what is coming next.

Social Mobile Media to Be Next Big Thing

35 Apps for Social Networking

There was a time not so long ago when a mobile was used primarily for talking. Times have changed though and today social networking has become a need that dominates all other functions of a smartphone. More mobile users connect with their acquaintances on social networking sites and also to upload their latest photos than ever before. Of all the apps that are downloaded by smartphone users, social networking apps have the highest proportion. If you are a smartphone user, there are many that are worth downloading, and here is a compilation of 35 most popular and liked apps.

Facebook
Talking about social networking apps, this one has to be the top choice of anyone interested in interaction with his friends and acquaintances. This social networking giant has a nice app for both iOS and Android platforms and so you need not worry which smartphone you are making use of. Phones today are fitted with a dedicated Facebook button to take you straight to the site to let you interact with friends, comment on their photos and comments and to upload your new photos.

Create An Iphone App

Twitter
Twitter certainly is second to none when it comes to social networking sites and there are twitter apps for all smartphones to let a person follow others including friends and celebrities. Twitter is mostly used for micro-blogging with a word limit of 140 characters. You are free to update your status or to comment on others posts. You can also post your latest photos on the site. Today's phones allow you to get to the site with a one touch button to connect with your world.

Google+
Google+ may be the latest entrant in the world of social networking but it already has more than 70 million members and the way it is progressing, there is every chance the site may have around 400 million members by the end of the year 2012. In fact, this is an attempt by Google to provide an alternative to Facebook in the social networking. The latest app allows one to get to his friends in just a click. One can also video chat with friends by going to Google+.

Skype
This is one social networking site that is considered best for making low cost VoIP calls. The app for this site allows smartphone users to not just do instant massaging but also to call up friends at ridiculously low prices. This app is a must for all those who are used to making calls to their international friends.

Foursquare
Not all social networking apps are to go to these sites or to make calls. This is a location based social networking app that is easy to use and allows one to inform all friends about a new hangout suddenly discovered and he feels excited to declare to his gang about it. The app for both iPhone users and Android based smartphones allows sharing of messages and status updates though.

AIM
What is a smartphone without a great messenger? AIM is one such instant messenger from AOL that is an alternative of G-Talk or Yahoo messenger. You can use this app to send text messages instantly across to your friends as if you are talking to them. Good thing about AIM is that it is free of cost and gets installed in seconds.

Goba
This is an acronym that stands for Get Out, Be Active, and the name of the app is enough to tell you that it is a location based app. If you are feeling lonely and trying to get all friends together for a coffee at Barista or for a night movie, Goba is just what you need to inform the gang about your wish and also to get back their responses in a flash. Just make an invitation and it goes through Goba to all your friends in a flash and then to make use of fun features like prod and remind.

Gowalla
Another travel based app for your mobile that makes life interesting on the go. Gowalla is one app that can be used worldwide and so keeping it in your phone is a great idea to record your experiences wherever you go outside your country. Gowalla app is wonderful to record your memories and share it with all your friends across the world.

LinkedIn
This is another major social networking site that is very popular among professionals across industries. For example, if you are a software engineer, you can get to know professionals in this field from across the world as well as prospective employers who might be interested in your skills. There are forums on this site where likeminded people do discussions and get answers to their queries. This is an app that is free of cost and is a must for smartphone users who happen to be professionals.

Flipboard
If you take pride in having hundreds of friends and also interact with them, then Flipboard is one app that is just perfect for you. Instead of logging on to different social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc, to get to your friends, just download Flipboard and this app makes it easy to update your posts and comments and sharing of photos and videos with friends on all social networking sites. The page that opens looks straight from a film magazine with features that make it look really interesting.

Meebo
What if you had the advantage of having the knowledge of all your friends who were online on different IM's such as AOL, GTalk, Yahoo, etc? You may laugh in disbelief but now this has been made possible by downloading Meebo, a social networking app that allows you to not just see but chat with friends across various chatting platforms. Though there are other such apps in the market, what makes Meebo special is its easy interface and streamlined content. There is even a button to let you know about new replies and chats. The only disappointing feature is non inclusion of Skype in the fold.

Uface
I know there are many who do not like the idea of posting their own photos yet abhor the idea f using the photos of celebrities to interact with their friends. For such people, Uface makes interesting avatars based upon their likings that can liven up you profile on various social networking sites. You may be amazed but this app has a very high number of facial characteristics (300) that it uses to make avatars for users allowing to make as many as one wants for different social networking sites.

Blogger App
You don't' believe social networking apps are all about talking and chatting, sharing photos, do you? This is one social app that allows you to write a quick blog on Google's Blogger while you are on the move and even publish it on your blog? Great, isn't it? You can upload pictures inside the camera of the phone and surprise your friends by sending them the link of your new blog.

Nimbuzz
Nimbuzz is just an app for your smartphone but just have a look at what is in store for you once you download this fantastic app for yourself. For the new generation that takes pride in remaining connected, Nimbuzz brings together Facebook, Google Talk, Orkut, Yahoo, Skype, Hyves, Gadu Gadu, MySpace, and AIM. You can find all your friends on the internet with the help of this wonderful app for your smartphone.

Fring
Whether you are using, 3G, 4G, or even Wi-Fi, Fring is one app that allows you to video call your friends through your smartphone. All chat messengers and virtually every social networking site comes together when you download this app and use it in your smartphone. Isn't it great to have all your internet friends at one place no matter what messenger or social networking site they may use?

Live Profile
Want to stay connected with friends and share with them what you have? Of course you do. Then why not download this wonderful mobile messenger that works across platforms and allows you to stay connected with all your internet friends? Update your status, photos, videos, and messages in real time with your friends, wherever they are on internet using this app.

Yelp
Looks like someone said help, isn't it? Yes, Yelp is indeed great help especially when you are n a place where you do not know much about places to visit or restaurants and bar. Just download this social app I your smartphone and you get to see user reviews and opinions of actual users of restaurants and bars to avoid disappointment. Yelp is actually a website with reviews from actual user and visitors to places, restaurants and bars. This app brings to you all these reviews before you eat in a restaurant.

Bump
This is an app for both iPhones and Android based smartphones that once installed, allows two users to just bump their phones together to share information, photos, and even videos. In the sort time period that Bump has been available from app market, it has become the 6th most downloaded app for smartphones.

eBuddy
This one app allows a smartphone user to log into any chat messenger he wants to sign in with his phone whether it is Yahoo messenger, AOL, GTalk, or even Facebook chat. So whether you are not close to your computer or have just drained its battery, you can continue to chat with your friend through your phone if you have this app downloaded in your phone.

Color
If you love your friends and just cannot live away from them even for a moment, Color is the social networking app for you. You can even interact with the strangers you like using this app. It creates an album of your own community containing photos and videos of all members whether very close or a bit far. You do not need to spend a dime as this app is free and your world comes into your phone.

IntoNow
Are you a TV freak and a couch potato watching all the soap operas? You think you are a true TV addict in short and there is finally a serial you need to tell your world about. With the push of a button, this amazing app allows you to share your views about TV programs with all your friends.

Tubey
Are you a big photographer in your own eyes and love to make videos of your near and dear ones? If yes, this app can be a great one for you as it not only allows you to make videos but also edit them and then upload to YouTube. And yes, you also have the liberty to add any background music of your choice to videos made by you. As soon as you open Tubey, it asks you to add images. The whole process of creating videos and uploading them to YouTube takes around 30 minutes. This app is not free and costs you .99.

FML
If you have ever visited the site FMyLife.com, you will know what this app called FML is all abut. This is an app that gives a chance to an individual to express why life sucks for him and how. You post a story telling the world all about your experiences. These posts can make you laugh or feel embarrassed but certainly allows you to vent out your feelings. You can look at the posts of your friends and also comment on them.

Whrrl
Whrrl is no Facebook but it brings together all your friends on a platform where members interact and share their views about common areas of interest. In this sense it look bit like Yelp but these opinions are asked by one member as he takes up a place and asks friends to express their views about it. This is a free app and also very interesting.

MySpace Mobile
There is no need to sing praises of MySpace as it has millions of members all around the globe already. This is one app that brings your favorite social networking site on your phone. You get to this site wherever you are using your smartphone. Edit your profile, comment on the posts of others and share your photos and videos. The disappointing part is the inability to write a blog post.

SoundTracking
Are you a music lover to the point that you want to declare to the world about your world and also share your special musical moments with friends and family? You can add your photo, song snippets and your location on all major social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, and so on. Your friends can comment on your musical taste and listen to songs recommended by you.

JaxtrSMS
So you have a lot of friends in foreign countries and texting them proves heavy on your wallet? Why not install JaxtrSMS and have the liberty to SMS all international friends for free? What is great about this app is that you can send free messages to anyone around the world and he does not even need to have this app in his phone.

Tango
Get irritate when your friends do not pick up your call? Leave an interesting video message commenting on their habit to surprise them using this wonderful app in your smartphone. Long press on your friend's name and following prompts, you can leave a video message with even giving him a call. This is not all as you can make free phone calls and free video calls using this app.

Fast YouTube
You can log into your YouTube account quickly using this app and watch videos of your liking. Why this is called fast is because of use of a special browser to bring YouTube mobile website to you. This is a site especially designed by YouTube for mobile users. However, this is not an official YouTube app but only a conduit to bring YouTube faster on your mobile.

Facetones
Want to have a personal feeling when you make a voice call to your friends? Then download this app for your smartphone that shows videos from FaceBook of your friend when you make a voice call to him. This is a thrilling social experience that you get for free. Actually there is a slideshow of all the pictures of your friend on faceBook when you or he make each other a voice call.

TiKL-Touch to Talk
What if you need not dial the number of a friend but just need to touch a button to start talking? Yes, this is now possible with this wonderful app called TiKL that allows you to talk to one or more friends with just a touch. It is totally free and gets installed in a few seconds.

Voice Changer Calling
As the name implies, this is an app that allows you to play a prank with your friends by making a call to your friends in a voice that is different from yours surprising them. The app changes your voice and you can shock your family or friends playing pranks on them. Though first few calls are free, you are charged 3 cents per minute for calls made throughout USA.

HeyZap
Are you a gaming freak? Do you want to share with your friends the new exciting game that you have suddenly discovered? Then download HeyZap on your smartphone that gives you a chance to try new games, an eye on what games your friends are playing and share tips and advices with friends on various games. The more games you play, the more badges you unlock for yourself.

myYearbook
Do you see a flirt inside you? Download this app and get a chance to meet new people in this New Year. This app brings around 35 million young boys and girls to your phone and you can choose to have fun with your chosen ones either dating or just flirting. It is the latest and best social networking platform giving you a chance to meet new and exciting people. Good thing about the app is that it is totally free and there are no hidden charges.

HeyTell
There is no need to SMS and waste your time when there is HeyTell, an app that allows you to just push a button and start talking. Just get to the friend, hit a button and off you go. Sounds interesting? Then download this app in your smartphone. You can push the button and send voice messages to all your friends who have this app in their iPhones or Android based smartphones.

35 Apps for Social Networking