Microsoft Keynote at CES

Sitting in the last ever keynote given by Steve Ballmer, current CEO of Microsoft at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES), waiting to hear all the amazing things coming to market this year. It is not lost on my that I am writing this post using Microsoft’s Live Writer. I’m a Microsoft junkie. I wish I could have seen Bill Gates here but I am stoked to see what Steve Ballmer has to say.

Photo courtesy of Kotaku.com

Started out showing all the amazing sweaters that Bill Gates has worn over the years. I loved it! Made Microsoft seems personable, like they were my Microsoft. Bill Gates always said – Update your software! It is the 1st question I ask my clients actually. Will admit, was a tad surprised to see Ryan Seacrest helping to emcee the event. Is it sad I didn’t readily recognize him readily and had to turn to the official #CES and #MSFTCES Tweet stream to verify?

Microsoft has shown bold ambition in the past, can they for the future too? You decide – here are a few of the tech loveliness we get to anticipate to release in 2012.

Metro User Interface

Metro User Interface is fast, fluid, and dynamic across all the Microsoft experiences to be able to connect all Microsoft platforms cohesively. Everything being released is based on this interface.

Microsoft 7 Phone

This phone makes it easy to mirror the social world that you have created. You can have groups of people, just like in your real life. Doesn’t use proprietary chat software, so you can use the ones you are most used to, even Facebook Chat. Voice is built throughout Windows Phones so it makes it easy to voice-to-text and be more hands free. One of the great things about the Microsoft Windows Phone is that you can shortcut right into the app that you love without having to go through all the regular screens. << I love this.

HTC Titan 2 just launched today – 4.7 in 16 megapixels << Wowsers!!

Bing

Is truly a decision engine – makes seeing all sorts of information easy to then make an informed decision. Once you select it comes into a Quick Card and then connects to other apps that are related. Such as when researching a restaurant, you can open up the reviews then make a reservation on OpenTable, all from inside just 1 app. << Love that it is all together and makes things so much easier! I think I need a Windows Phone to play with!

Windows 8

Don’t need to unlock the device to see the important things of the day. Gone is typing in a password – now you can hit different points on an image to open up your device. Windows 8 is designed to work with touch or mouse and keyboard. T=Microsoft wants a no compromised experience. Get everything you want with just a single swipe. Through Charms you can access your apps, programs, everything you need at your fingertips. Metro style apps are full screen so the things you want to do are front and center. Every Windows 7 PCs and tablets are able to use Windows 8. All 3 million of them!

Windows App Store

This opens up in late February. The Windows App Store is global and available in every language that Windows is currently offered in – that is incredible reach. The Windows Store is designed to offer something for everyone, both for fun and for work. One cool thing is take these Apps and roam across all your platforms and devices using Windows 8. One cool feature is that you can group apps so if you have kids and they use specific apps, group them together and then you know those are the ones you want for when they are playing on your tablet. It even integrates two apps apps at work together. This I have to try!

Even Internet Explorer has been updated to the new Metro style as well. To be honest, I don’t know the last time I have ever used IE. I will check it out, but I’m holding my breathe.

OMG – The Tweet Choir came on stage and sang some of the tweets from the night. How freaking awesome is that??? I have *never* seen that. Loved it!!

This pic courtesy of TechCrunch

XBOX

What’s new on XBOX? One thing is now you say it and XBOX does it. The new Metro design is central to the experience. The only controller you will need is your voice using Kinect and Bing. Using a single voice command let’s you search across all of XBOX from games, to movies, to apps, to the providers who offer those services. Discovery is more than just through titles, but even actors. It’s awesome that you can use your voice to fast forward, play, or pause the movie. << That is really kind of cool.

All the News Corps brands will be on demand on XBOX in 2012 such as Family Guy, Simpsons, Fringe, New Girl, and even Glee.

Instead of just having a one-way experience with your TV, using Kinect TV it now will become two-way. The demo Microsoft showed was collaborating with Sesame Street and making the episodes truly interactive. For the 1st time ever you can impact what you are seeing on TV. << Wow. Your kids are going to be enthralled. It is truly epic. Wonder if they will do the same thing with some adult shows?

Metro will drive the new magic. Ryan Seacrest asked Steve Ballmer ‘What’s next?’ He replied: ‘Metro Metro Metro and Windows Windows Windows!

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#f8 The New Facebook Experience: Timeline, Ticker & Gestures

F8 is the annual conference that Facebook hosts each year for its team, entrepreneurs, developers, app creators, and all sort of cool geeks. Needless to say, I wish I was there! Here are some of the newest things that are coming to the Facebook experience including the new Timeline, Ticker, and Gesture buttons.

Facebook Timeline

Facebook users spend an insane amount of time creating content for their profiles. This comes across as making sure the photo you take is perfect as your next Facebook Profile Pic or the Note you share has your innermost Gratitude moments. This new Timeline allows users to express who they truly are and share their lives in any way they want. You spend years curating the stories of your life. Imagine expressing the story of your life and having those key moments highlighted and called out on your profile. The Timeline is the heart of your Facebook experience. This new way of scrapbooking your life happens through adding pictures from when you were born, to your high school graduation, to your wedding day, and the birth of your children or even your children’s children. It will be chronological in the Timeline and allows you to jump to a specific year or even just yesterday. You will be proud to call make your Timeline your home, even your identity. Here is a sample of what this new Timeline looks like: https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline

The Cover Photo is a nice big photo that shows a unique moment in your life or an image that completely moves you. You still have your profile pic, but now there will be a huge Cover Photo that you can change with a click of the button that expresses who you are. The Timeline is fully customizable as to what you share, who sees it, and how it is laid out.

There is also a Report feature on the Timeline. Imagine if you are using one of the cooking apps that shows everything you have cooked in the last month. Instead of having to go to each post to remember what you made, you can go to the Report and see all the recipes you’ve tried and rate your favorites. Seeing a summary of everything you have done can be more powerful and express your true authentic self on your timeline. Think about what you want on your Timeline, and build it. It’s really quite easy.

Sign up to be one of the first users to have this new Timeline: http://www.facebook.com/about/timeline

Gesture Buttons

When Facebook launched the Like button it exploded across the web. In took less than a month for the Like button to appear on over 100,000 websites! One of the reasons Facebook went away with the term Fan on a Fan Page was that younger people didn’t want to say they endorsed a certain product. Well, it seems they feel the same way about the Like button. Personally, I would preferred the term Fan over Like for business pages. Facebook is now rolling out Gesture Buttons that people can click that shows they have “Listened” to a song or “Watched” a video, or “Read” a book, even “Ate” at a specific restaurant rather than simply Liking it.

At Facebook’s #f8 conference, the company has given developers the power to create their own actions too! These Gesture actions are the next step in integrating Facebook with every part of the web. What would you say on a button if you had the opportunity to create one? I might make one that said Smile or Wine Time, but that’s just me!

Ticker Time

A lot of people don’t like the new Ticker on the right hand side of the screen. I’ve had it for a few weeks and have grown to really like it. To me, it is very similar to Twitter and is a very easy concept for me to grasp and love. Now, instead of having my feed filled when someone becomes Friends  with someone else or when they Like a page, all of this lightweight stream stuff is moved over to the Ticker. That’s right, you will no longer see this kind of minutia in your News Feed. Only posts, pictures, or links will be shared on the News Feed. Thank goodness!! So all of you you disabled the Ticker Stream yesterday, might want to rethink that, and here is the main reason why.

When listening to music on Spotify it shows up on your Ticker stream. You can hover over it and click it, then you will be streaming and listening to the same music as your friend – even if it’s halfway through the song. Hulu has an app where you can watch the same shows as your friends too. This is some really powerful new applications and makes the Ticker Stream a vital part of your Facebook Experience.

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Twitter 101 for Business

If you are new to Twitter or just need a refresher course, here are some basic tips needed when bringing your business or brand to Twitter.

You have an account, now what?

• Build an account using the Twitter Search to listen for your name, your competitor’s names, and words that relate to your brand or company. Listening always comes first.
• Add a picture. We want to see you. Twitter accounts that have real people’s pictures as their avatars get more engagement than those that have a company logo.
• Talk to people about their interests, too. I know this doesn’t sell more widgets, but it shows you’re human.
• Point out interesting things in your stream, don’t just focus on you or your business.
• Share links to cool things in your community. @WholeFoods does this particularly well.
• Be helpful and don’t make excuses for poor customer service. @JetBlue gives travel tips.
• Be wary of always pimping your stuff. Your fans may love it. Others tune out quickly.
• Promote yours or employees’ outside-of-work stories. @TheHomeDepot does this well.
• Talk about non-business topics.
• Then talk about your business.

What to Tweet?

• Instead of asking the question, “What are you doing?” ask the question, “What has your attention right now?”
• When promoting a blog post, ask a question or explain what the blog post is about, instead of just dumping a link and hoping people click it.
• Ask questions. Twitter is great for getting opinions.
• Follow interesting people. If you find someone who tweets interesting things, see who she follows, and follow her.
• Tweet about other people’s stuff. Again, doesn’t directly impact your business, but makes the Twitter community feel like you’re not That Guy.
• When you do talk about your stuff, make it useful. Give advice, blog posts, post pictures, be interesting, not monotonous.
• Share the human side of your company. If you’re bothering to tweet, it means you believe social media has value for human connections. Point us to pictures and other human things such as pics of your pooch, family, or my favorite, wine.
• Don’t toot your own horn too much. Or try and balance it out by promoting the heck out of others, too.
• If you are tweeting from a business or brand’s account or perspective, limit the amount of cussing you do unless this is part of your image.
• But most importantly if you are tweeting for a brand or on a business account: Be social, not personal.

Key Concept: Be Social, Not Personal.

Here is my definition in a nutshell… and yes, this was an actual Tweet:

Social: I’m going out tonight.

Personal: I’m going out on a hot date and hope to get some.

Follow me on Twitter to see how I tweet: @dragonflytweet

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Sponsorships Available for BlogHer and BlogWorld 2011!

Onsite Brand Ambassador for BlogHer and BlogWorld 2011

Ever want to go to a Social Media conference, but either can’t afford to, or just don’t have time nor resources? I’ll be your Brand Ambassador before, during, and after BlogHer ’11 or BlogWorld ‘11. Are you launching a new product, trying to increase your brand awareness, looking to expand your PR network, or are even a Social Media Strategist but just can’t make it this time? I can help!

I’m going to BlogHer ’11 in San Diego, CA this August and am looking for either full or partial sponsors. I’ve never been to a BlogHer conference before and am so excited to be able to go and learn and of course, network! With over 3,000 people worldwide attending, this will be an amazing opportunity.

3,000 Bloggers 3 Days Conference Ticket: $365 Overall Costs: ~$1,000

BlogWorld is in Los Angeles, CA this November and I went last year and this conference literally blew my mind! I learned so many different things and tips and tricks that I shared with my clients. It was by far one of the best financial investments I ever made.

5,000 Bloggers 4 Days Conference Ticket: $700 Overall Costs: ~$1,500

Customize your sponsorship opportunity for your business or brand
through these different sponsorship packages.

Do you want me to represent your company or brand at BlogHer ’11 or BlogWorld ‘11? Then let’s talk!

BlogWorld 3-Day Conference ticket if bought by 7/21/11 is $700, with hotel and transportation costs in Los Angeles,
I estimate it will cost over $1,500 to attend.

Click here for a the Conference Sponsorship pdf.

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Happy 1st Birthday Orange Dragonfly

One year ago today I took stock of my life and wondered if 2010 could erase the pain and turmoil that 2009 had brought. I was in Minnesota with my in-laws realizing that my marriage was in a dire condition, and that even though we loved each other, we just weren’t the right fit for one another. I had to close my flower shop at the end of 2008 and honestly, most of 2009 was me trying to figure out my life. What did I want to do? Who did I want to be? What was I good at? The things I knew that I was great at – gardening, especially vegetables and herbs, funky flower arranging, and strangely enough, editing. I used to be an editor and coordinator for a Department of Defense contractor for many years, and as I sat looking out at the snow, I wondered – is there a need for such skills in small business?

The next few hours I spent researching editing websites, what they offered and how much they charged. I did a budget on what it would take me to start this new business and even wrote the rough draft of a marketing plan. By the end of 01/01/2010 I had purchased a new domain name www.OrangeDragonflyBlog.com and a hosting account too. You see, I already owned www.OrangeDragonfly.com and this was my floral website. I downloaded WordPress and started making the site my own. I had been doing article writing and freelance food reviews and knew that I wanted to offer this to my clients as well.  Who knew that in 12 hours, I would research, write a budget and marketing plan, plus start a website? Well, I have been told on more than one occasion I was a born entrepreneur.

Over the next three days, I really felt energized and that I had a purpose. Most of 2009 I wandered around like a lost soul, not sure of who I was anymore or who I wanted to be. When I lost my flower shop in such a traumatic way, I felt I lost my identity, my pride, and my self-worth. It completely devastated me and did irrevocable harm to my marriage and friendships. This editing business was the first business that I didn’t have a 50-page business plan written for – honestly, I was just going to wing it and see what fate brought me. I never would have imagined all that this little business has accomplished in one short year.

I went in my networking meeting on 01/04/2010 and walked away with my first client BottomDollarShopping.com who wanted to be rebranded, needed his web content edited and updated, and needed new business cards and fliers. I had many years experience working with graphic artists and coordinating the work between them and the client – right away this became a new aspect to my business. Through referrals my business started bringing in an income. I was out with the girls one night and my friend Kristi DeWitt said that she was looking for a typesetter and editor for her new book Stories from the Dating Trenches. She had an extremely tight deadline, and by working 12-hour days, we were able to get this fantastic dating book to print on time. I learned many lessons on this project, and I value each and every one of them.

The second week of March I had completed all my editing projects and walked into that same networking meeting on a Tuesday with no future work on my plate. I was the speaker that day and 10 minutes of my presentation was on my editing services, but the last 5 minutes was on Social Media. You see, I had been reading everything on this new topic and was completely fascinated with it. I used Twitter and Facebook for my business and every day I was receiving calls from friends and family asking if I could teach them how to use these tools. On a whim, I put these services on my flier for the presentation. That whim changed my life. I walked out of that presentation with 10 new clients, and gave the same talk the next day at another networking event and picked up 5 more clients. The next day I filed for divorce and moved out of our home. That was the craziest week of 2010 for sure.

In May I kept having clients say how much they wanted to change their websites and have more control over them, but that their Webmasters wouldn’t release the sites. With the increasing popularity of WordPress and blogging sites, this was a trend I saw all of last year. So I was hired to help people move their sites over to their own hosting accounts and use WordPress as the software platform. Another facet to my business was born.

With each of these migrations I had to create new business cards. In September I actually rebranded my entire look to a more 2.0 vision and have received lots of positive response over the transition. In October I went to Las Vegas to BlogWorld which was the largest Social Media and Blogging Conference in the country. I had no idea that so many people used their sites to bring in serious money by doing what they loved. I received so much advice on what I could do to make my site more user friendly and how to make a living writing and maintaining my business. The biggest piece of advice was make OrangeDragonfly.com my main business site and to brand it the same as OrangeDragonflyBlog.com. I have spent the last couple months doing this and am almost finished with all the changes.

These ones above are my newest cards! What do you think?

I can sum up 2010 with one word – CHANGE. I took each day as it came, I tried not to look towards the future, but to live in each moment, to be in the present. I had never done that before in my life. I rode some very big emotional waves, lost my footing a few times, but came out at the end on my own two feet. Thank you 2010 for showing me that I am still valued, loved, and still know a thing or two about small businesses.

Happy 1st Birthday Orange Dragonfly – you really gave me purpose again in my life. I will be eternally grateful.

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BlogWorld 2010 Changed My Life Part 1

As I rolled into Las Vegas, I saw the city where I spent many years getting into trouble and building some lasting friendships. Las Vegas is one of those towns that I call home, yet I had never been here for a conference or to work, usually to see family and do a little gambling. Not this trip. I drove over to the Rio to check into my room and will honestly say I had a little problem at check-in. You see, I no longer use nor carry a credit card, but have a debit card. I know that this is an issue at hotels, so I had researched that at the Rio as long as you could put down a $200 cash deposit that there wouldn’t be a problem. I know that the front desk clerk was adhering to rules and regulations outside of his control, but I have to say making your guests not feel like losers because they don’t possess a credit card will go a long way. There were other issues with check-in, but the overall feeling I left there with was that I wasn’t valued nor wanted as a guest. This could have been my own insecurities, but it was hard to shake. Yes I tweeted about it.

After I freshened up I made my way over to the Luxor party hosted by Social Rewards, where I was to meet @nickelnm to pick up my tickets for BlogWorld. While searching for her using her little Twitter icon as a guide, I met @rubenorozco with @tweetfind and @mayhemstudios. I ended up seeing @Rubenorozco all over BlogWorld – he was even my Battery Savior for my Droid X – he should get a cape! Decided though instead of partying until dawn, that I needed a good night’s rest, and bid everyone a good night.

I woke up on the first day of BlogWorld like a giddy school girl. The thought crossed my mind that I needed to stop and pick up a bag of apples for my teachers… I didn’t, no worries! Remember that scared crazy feeling of the first day of high school when you didn’t know if you would fit in or if you would stick your foot into your mouth – yep, all those feelings of insecurities were running through my veins. I walked into the Mandalay Bay and took a deep breath as I prepared myself to let go off all I thought I knew about Social Media and open my mind to all different ideas and perspectives.

First up was Scott Stratten aka @unmarketing with his killer keynote Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Together. His word for the day – Awesome! People Spread Awesome. Learn it, love it, live it. One of the key things he said, that I hadn’t really thought of was It is not our job to tell people how to consume our content. Know your audience and give them the tools they want. What he was referring to is realize that every visitor to your site knows might not know what an RSS feed is, so give them the option to opt in to updates through email. Make sure your website is easy to navigate for the novice user – don’t make it so difficult that people leave frustrated.

Best key takeaways and real tweets from Scott’s Keynotes:

People don’t spread meh. People spread awesome… Blogging on a schedule makes me stabby. No one recommends blogs that are just ok.

If your product sucks, social media makes it suck more. Social Media amplifies, does not fix bad products.

If you are tweeting while you are standing in front of someone and talking to them… you’re a jackass. << This tweet was retweeted over 500x!! And the statement is oh so true, and yes I am guilty of this.

You’re always marketing. Even when you’re throwing up on the curb in Vegas.

Which is your favorite takeaway? Will you use of these thoughts to change how you do business. I redesigned my entire website because of this, made it more user friendly, easier to navigate, and am no longer all over the place with my content. I want to spread Awesome.

Want to watch his first 8 minutes, from MeFeedia? It is well worth your time, and yes, you can thank me later.

I bought the book UNMarketing and it is changing the way I think about marketing, social media, and how I interact with my clients. Thank you Scott! Pick it up here:

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How I Made it to BlogWorld 2010

Most people plan their trips to conferences months in advance, not in less than 24 hours. It all started last Monday when I received an email from Constant Contact to attend a social media and marketing seminar geared towards restaurants. I met Ron Cates with Constant Contact who is an online marketing genius. When Ron and I were talking afterwards, he asked me if I was going to BlogWorld & Social Media Summit in Las Vegas. I had heard about it but I hadn’t really researched it as much as I should have.

My main interest was the Social Media Business Summit that was a 3-Day Conference presented by BlogWorld & New Media Expo. With thousands of attendees, 200+ speakers, 150 educational sessions, and more than 100 exhibiting companies, it was the world’s premier Social Media Business Conference. I had to be there! As a newer Social Media Consultant, I wanted to find new ways to help my clients grow their business and to learn what is the best way to grow my business.

Twitterverse to the Rescue!

So what is a girl to do on a Tuesday afternoon when she wants to go to a conference that starts on Thursday? She rushes over to Twitter of course! I put out a plea that I was looking for tickets to the conference, needed help securing a hotel, and plane tickets too. I never could have imagined how awesome the Twitter community came together to help me get there.

First Nicole @nickelnm who writes a very useful finance blog, called Finance Diva said she had an extra ticket to the event. Ticket to BlogWorld – check! Then Heather, the extremely witty persona behind @MalibuRumBarbie helped me secure a room at the Rio. Here are two women I have never met, stepping up and helping someone out without asking for anything in return. I truly have to give them both a huge THANK YOU. I was amazed and humbled by their generosity and willingness to help a virtual stranger. They will forever have my gratitude.

I next received a phone call from my brother-in-law who said he wanted to help get me there. He had looked over the show’s schedule and was amazed by the quality of the seminars that would be taught. He offered his free passes on @southwestair. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a return flight until late Monday night and I needed to be home Sunday morning for a wedding shower.

I decided to drive to Vegas instead – it’s only 5 hours and I love that drive through the mountains. My Honda Element had been having some issues, so I called my trusty mechanic Randy at National Automotive Repair and begged to be seen that morning as I was planning on hitting the road that Wednesday afternoon. He checked my fluids, put air in my tires, and sent me on my way.

Vegas Bound!

On the way up to Las Vegas, I was secretly thinking, oh holy sh!t, I am about to drop a lot of money on this conference. Is it worth it? What if it sucked? What if no one talked to me and I spent the whole 4 days alone? I called Stephanie aka @skinnyjeans and asked her what I should expect. Stephanie has a few blogs, with her latest being StephanieQuilao.com and just moved to Phoenix where I met her a few months ago. She reached out to her Twitter community to make sure I wouldn’t be alone and talked to me about all the cool people I would meet, which seminars not to miss, and what generally to expect at a Blogger conference. Thanks Steph from talking me down from the ledge!

Stay tuned for what happened once I finally arrived at BlogWorld. It blew my mind, and hopefully it will blow yours as well!

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isms

Do you have any ~isms that you live by? These are my Kristisms.

Here are a few that I made up, or that I’ve heard along the way. Send me yours, and I will be happy to add them.

1. If you are not man enough to treat a woman right, no need to apply inside.
2. If you are not man enough to do dishes and floors, keep on walking.
3. If you are not man enough to change a tire, you best have AAA on speed dial.
4. If you smoke, chew tobacco, do drugs, have a criminal record, don’t take care of your kids, or don’t have a source of income, please do not ask me out on a date. #justsayin
   
5. You know when you know.
6. Sorry, not accepting anyone else’s crap today. This is a no crap day.
7. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
8. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
9. I think part of a best friend’s job should be to immediately clear your computer’s history if you die.
10. Wear a helmet. No excuses.
11. I’ve come to realize that I am my toughest critic. I am very hard on myself. I’m learning to let it go.
12. I’ve come to realize that my expectations are usually very high and rarely met.
13. I’ve come to realize that I am very resilient and usually land on my feet.
14. If you don’t know where you have been then you don’t know where you are going.
15. Don’t talk politics or religion with family unless you don’t want to be asked back until the next family reunion.
16. Live your life for yourself. Not your parents or your family, and not for a relationship. You are the best vessel to know what you desire in life.
17. Love fiercely, love often, love with wild abandonment.
18. Don’t live vicariously through others, create your own Bucket List and live vicariously for yourself.
19. Travel the world and experience other cultures. Don’t be small minded – open yourself up to the possibilities that are out there.
20. Well behaved women rarely make history. ~ One of my absolute faves.

I forgot the one that my girlfriends and I have said for years:

1. A girl’s gotta eat!!!

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Google vs. Facebook Ad Words

~~This information was provided by APRO. Edited and added to by yours truly. ~~

Personally, I have been asked many times over the last few weeks what is the main difference between Facebook and Google ads. I was very happy to see this article come through my in-box. I added a little to it to help clarify some points. For Orange Dragonfly Editing, I have been very happy with my Facebook ad and the targeted demographic it reaches. I am sold. I did have some success with Google’s ad words, but it’s harder to see and interact with my new clients on that platform.

Many top blogs, continue to focus on the effectiveness of pay-per-click advertising through Google’s ever-popular search and content networks. But new advertising platforms are on the scene ~ such as Facebook’s that offers a more targeted advertising approach. Google is having a difficult time trying to compete.

Social sites offer more concise targeting with keywords and demographic-specific ads. Think about the manner and type of information Facebook gathers. While Google knows you’re in the market for a new home, Facebook knows what causes are important to you, which videos you like to share, and how often you make recommendations to your friends. Social media advertising opportunities are yielding better-qualified, higher-ROI results compared to the Google ad network.

Additionally, Facebook recently announced that Bing is now the default search engine for its more than 400 million users worldwide, which puts the site in a position to enhance its advertising model even more. By offering search on the site, Facebook is now able to gather data that it can leverage immeasurably in the world of advertising: the way people think, what they care about, and how this leads them to buying decisions.

Google’s model is still effective, but this newer platform includes psychographic information ~ attributes relating to personality, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles (also known as IAO variables). This is putting the pressure on Google to provide a similar service. The bottom line is, if you can display your ads to a more precisely targeted demographic, your click-through ratios will improve.

Regardless of the pay-per-click advertising model you choose, Google or Facebook, there are three things you need to do before you invest:

1. Determine who you are targeting
.

• Facebook: Can get very specific with your keywords and filter by location, interest, age level, and group or cause involvement.
• Google: The ability to present an ad based on what someone is searching for right now, ready to buy.

2.  Do a test campaign. 
If your budget allows, compare and test both platforms. As little as $1.00 a day an ad placed on either the Pay-Per-Click (PPC) or Cost-Per-Thousand (CPT) advertising on Facebook and Google is usually enough to reveal the difference in impact between specific and general targeting for your audience.

Determine which PPC model works best for your business
.

• CPC: Cost-per-click advertising allows you to pay for each click your ad receives. If you agree to pay $1 for each click, five clicks will cost you $5.
• CPM: Cost-per-thousand advertising allows you to purchase a set amount of impressions. An impression is a single instance of an ad appearing on a web page. If your ad appears twice on one view of the page, that’s two impressions.

Remember that click-throughs aren’t everything. Even an unclicked (but viewed) ad can play an important role in promoting your company by way of exposure. Too many marketers overlook the potential of CPM-based advertising. Keep in mind that targeted advertising greatly increases the overall effectiveness of your ad.

Here’s a quick comparison of the Facebook and Google models to help you determine which is best for your business:

Keyword Targeting
Facebook: Targeting with keywords is optional
Google: Keyword specification is required

Targeting Details
Facebook: Can target by location, keywords, interest, workplace, birth date, education, and age
Google: Can target by location and keywords

Ad Placement
Facebook: Direct to users right on their profile page
Google: Ads are often placed on obscure, undisclosed websites

Market Saturation
Facebook: It’s a newer platform, so fewer advertisers
Google: Crowded, it is still one of the top-producing online advertising networks

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