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Why and How Business Should Be Using Social Media

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Social media is impacting the way organisations do business massively.

If we just look at some of the changes, they include the movement of:

  • Television to YouTube
  • Hard copy books to Kindle
  • CDs to iTunes
  • Websites to Mobile Technology

Online marketing has increased massively and the starting point for many organisations and individuals right now is to go to the internet to find information that will help them make a decision, validate the credibility of a company or person or check out reviews.

What this means is that companies have to accept change. They also need to change the way they market if they are using old, ineffective forms of marketing.

Organisations have to accept that social media is here to stay and that it will be involved in some way or other in the decision-making process.

Companies have to ensure that their websites have new information constantly, in the form of articles or video to entice customers to return. More importantly Google is all about new information and this will all help in getting their sites seen.

We have also become a visual society, so organisations need to ensure that there are plenty of photos and video. Boring text just does not hack it any more.

Organisations should also be connecting with clients and potential clients via social media. They firstly need to determine which would be the most relevant media for their audience and then post regularly. Facebook may be great for a wedding planner, but not as effective for a law firm.

There are many organisations that have realised the positive impact of social media are using it effectively:

  • HR departments connecting with potential employees and streamlining the recruitment process
  • Sales teams using LinkedIn and advanced Google searches to generate leads and track clients
  • Marketing teams cleverly using all forms of social media to build their brands and get their message seen and read.
  • Operations using tools to connect with their global offices and suppliers

Personally, my plans on evolving my social media strategies this year include:

  1. Think Google – in everything I do. I will always ensure that any new information I publish will be incorporated into the Google family which includes: YouTube, Blogger, Google+ and Feedburner (and of course Google Analytics to measure the traffic on my website)
  2. Develop a strategy to constantly monitor what is being said about my business and respond quickly
  3. Create new content on an ongoing basis and sharing it through every social media platform that my clients and potential clients will be using
  4. Using the power of article marketing. Creating at least an article a week that is correctly tagged and posting it firstly to Blogger, and then promoting it with Google+. After that it will be posted onto my website, newsletter, LinkedIn and sent out to local magazines. This strategy has proved so successful that when British Airways and Avios recently announced a 75% cut in air miles, my article appeared at number one on searches for ‘British Airways’ and ‘Avios’
  5. Create at least two videos a month. Correctly tagged and with great content, this is my best form of search engine optimisation at the moment
  6. Using the vast amount of low-cost, no cost tools out there to promote my products, business and brand.

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Quality Home Improvement Ideas for Budget Bathroom Remodeling

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When homeowners want to start a home improvement project around the home, whether it’s in the kitchen or it’s a major bit of bathroom renovation, they tend to get sticker shock once the research begins. Budget remodeling is key, but that’s doesn’t mean you have to settle on the cheapest goods, materials and labor. It just means smart home improvement. You can use some tried and true home improvement tips to shave money off the cost of your next remodel that will still turn a simple bathroom into something truly unique.

Of course the best way to eliminate budget problems is to plan appropriately. Nothing will blow your home improvement budget faster than going at it without a plan. A general contractor will help you plan accordingly but if you’re doing it alone you definitely need to take the time to develop a game plan for your bathroom renovation and remodeling. Get the big problems drawn up first, figure out your dislikes and target those things that you’d love to update. Here are some great tips to update your bathroom without breaking the bank:

Home Improvement Design Challenge One – Ditching the same tired color scheme

Updating the colors in your bathroom is easy, and there’s really no cheaper way to go about giving your bathroom a new look during the home improvement process. Too many bathrooms are a drab white or come with contrasting “safe” colors that contractors use in the building process. The problem with stark white or contrasting blacks & whites is that they don’t often match the personality of the homeowner. Use softer tones, earth-tones and other simple palette choices to quickly transform your bathroom into a room you’ll find most comfortable.

Home Improvement Design Challenge Two – Shrinking the Vanity

The vanity is the focal point for most bathrooms. It’s not uncommon to have a lot of counter space in master bathrooms with plenty of storage. A small vanity is common in smaller bathrooms. If you can get away with it, don’t replace this with another big cabinet system. Instead, purchase a pedestal sink and open up the floor plan. The style and extra space will definitely enhance the comfort of the room.

Home Improvement Design Challenge Three – Originality in the Flooring

This is where a lot of homeowners try to save money by installing cheaper material like a vinyl floor or cheap replica tile. Instead of getting cheap on the material, do something a bit more unique. If you decide to splurge in one area, this is where you should do it. You want your floor to be durable and last, while also standing up against the moisture. A great idea (and easy to install) is a pebble floor using smooth natural stones or larger glass beads.

Bringing Your Bathroom Remodel Together

If you’re concerned with how budget remodeling will look in your bathroom, remember that decorating and some additional improvements can really accent the remodeling you do in the rest of the bathroom. Custom moulding isn’t expensive, especially in a small bathroom space and it can really flesh out your color in the paint. Likewise, linen shower curtains can help the reach of your linen curtains. It doesn’t take much to create a beautiful new bathroom and you can still get a custom, luxury look even on a budget.