Pinterest

Hey everyone!

I wanted to let y'all know that I have connected my blog with Pinterest! There is a neat feature where you enter some code into your website, and Pinterest verifies it, so you get to have a red check-mark by your name. It also gives you access to Analytics, and they're neat so far - it even gives impressions and reach stats! (Note: The analytics is available after you've updated your Pinterest to the new look. Check KludgyMom's blog for more info.)

As for today's neat marketing topic, I wanted to show a pin I found on Pinterest. It looks at Google Advertising and how HUGE Google really is!

The most startling thing for me is that 97% of their revenue is from advertising!

Here's the image and the source. Enjoy! 

Source: Wordstream

When to Post Your Social Media Links

Do marketers really ever sleep?
The world never stops revolving, and there is always someone awake. Sure, marketers schedule their big announcements or hot new prices at the "best times" of the day. But when are these best times?

The fact is, each industry is different. For example, the pizza industry gets much more traffic on Friday and Saturday, but the insurance industry gets more hits on the weekdays. Simple to understand, right? But what about the hour in the day; how do we know which hour to post our Twitter message so that the most users will see it?

Most companies have found these results rather quickly. Through trial and error, and some common sense, the best times to post are at 12 noon and 6pm, which are during the "best times" for social media users because they are on a lunch break or are returning home!

Thanks to Modea, this visual shows the click-through rate of Twitter links. The data is from last year, but the concept remains the same for 2013.

From Social Media: Not a 9-5 Profession

Don't Rely Only on What Others Say
Since this is generic information, the best way to select a time is by your own company's trial and error. For example, noon is not the best time to post an advertisement about insomnia (but you should try midnight instead).

One last tip: your Twitter followers can also help you decide when to post your link or new message. Find out if your followers are students, in the workplace, or are international; these demographics can help you choose Tweet times to fit their schedules.

Or better yet, try out these Twitter Analytics and Visualization Tools by a great blogger, Garin Kilpatrick.

Until next time, have a wonderful new week in this lovely month of April :)

Career Expo Day 2

The Career Expo was a great event, held for two days at The University of Texas at Dallas (March 20-21, 2013).

Day 2 was for all non-STEM majors, so all of my Marketing friends were roaming about, looking to talk to employers!

The key to success during any career fair is to be yourself, be upbeat, and "sell" your qualities and your good attitude. A firm handshake goes a long way, too. I found myself eager and excited, and my smile made the employers smile back!

In other news, I hope no one got too much hassle today (since it was April Fool's all day). My favorite internet gag was Vimeo, which changed to Vimeow - your cat videos belong here. :)

Credit: Vimeo

Career Expo

Always be sure to visit a Career Expo or Career Fair if you can! These fairs are great places to connect with employers, show off your résumé, and get possible job interviews.

A spotlight today on the University of Texas at Dallas, in Richardson, Texas:
UTD hosted its first ever two-day Career Expo, with Day 1 for STEM majors (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Day 2 for all other majors.

Day 1 has been a success and Day 2 should be great as well! Here is the link for UTD's description of their Career Expo.

I will be attending the Career Expo on Day 2, so I will post to let you know how it goes!

Cheers!
-Amanda

Learning LinkedIn

In case you don't know, LinkedIn is the next best thing in the world of work. Why?

1. When you apply for a job, the employer most likely searches your name on the internet, and your LinkedIn profile could greatly enhance your online image (if you have made your profile correctly!)
2. Recruiters browse the people on LinkedIn and send emails or invites to people who they want to recruit.
3. LinkedIn is the best way to literally connect to all of your professional friends, and keep track of their contact information for the future.
4. Companies post job openings, and if you connect to the right people, you can get an interview for your dream job.

How do you get your LinkedIn profile to attract employers? I've compiled a few major points that you need to remember when creating and editing your profile. 

**Click on the links to see YouTube videos for more help!

• URL: The first step is to change your URL to your name. If your name is already taken, do not add numbers - rather, add a descriptive word, such as "marketer" or "artist" so that your URL describes you.
• Image: Your profile photo needs to show you wearing professional clothing, with a solid-color background. Make sure you are smiling, don't use an outdated or much-younger photo of yourself.
• Headline: Your headline is the message that says "This is How I can Solve Your Problems and This is What I am Seeking"
• Demonstrate how you can be a solution to your dream employer. You can use your job title (Account Executive) or a set of action words that describes your capabilities (Organized Media Professional)
• End your headline with a call to action, or an ASK, such as, "Seeking Grade school Teaching Opportunities" or "Let's Get Connected!"
• Summary: This is all about you, and rather than tell a life story, it is best to highlight your key qualities, qualifications, and anything relevant to your job life.
• Job History
• List your most recent jobs, with a simple and direct explanation of your responsibilities, achievements, and correct dates of your employment.
• Students: If you do not have work history, then write about your volunteer history! Anything and everything that makes you different from the next person is important.

My last piece of advice is critical: UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE. If you are happy with your current job, then say so! If you are actively looking because you are unemployed, then don't leave your status as "happily working!" (True story: a man wondered why recruiters never called him for a year. It was because his profile still said he was working!) 

I will post more about LinkedIn in the future, but for now, this should give you a great start. Leave a comment if you want specific advice - I know more, and I know professionals who create LinkedIn profiles for a job, so I can get you connected! 

Bonus: A neat picture with these same tips.

From LinkedIn-Makeover