So here we are now in the month of June and we're all starting to slow down a little bit, well I am anyway! My eldest daughter is off for the next 3 months from this month and I'll have to be a bit more mindful of my time. This September she'll be heading to 3rd year and her first set of exams for Junior Cycle. It's going to be a fraught year no doubt!
Also my youngest will be in her last year at Primary school so its going to be an emotional year all round! Do let me know how you're all getting on as well! Let's get too it...
They've barely been out for a year but it's time to go already. It seems there's just not been enough uptake I guess, will you even miss it? Learn more about in this blog from Bloomberg.
Just because they can, Facebook are slowly rolling out this new update. Currently (at the time of writing) not available here in Ireland and only in the US but its something that will give you "authority" when being found online. Is it worth it? Learn more about this update in this blog post from Meta.
Facebook ads is such a great tool BUT only in the hands of someone who knows how to use it! Otherwise (just like Google Ads) it can be a terrible waste of money! Over the years - I will admit - Facebook ads has become easier BUT it still has some mysterious rules that no one knows about unless you learn about it! So check out this easy to read intro blog to Facebook Ads from Search Engine Journal.
It's been spotted that a new look, font and colour are all coming up on your feed in the coming weeks and months in a bid to make it more "immersive". Ah, the meta-verse has hit Instagram. It's all about making the visual aspects of photos and videos more inclusive so check out the blog and make sure you keep up with all the changes!
LinkedIn have provided a well needed algorithm change and I have found this one to be so much for the better. As more and more people post about Polls and forfeit conversations for polling I am slowly losing the will to live on LinkedIn.
You know what still works on LinkedIn? Make sure to comment on others posts and polls! As you comments their audience will see your post and what you do and you can attract an audience still that way. Read more in the blog from Social Media Today.
I do hope gentle reader, that you make it down as far as the text here because that title gives away very little of what this blog covers. I enjoyed it so much I read it a few times actually.
There's a lot of new tools being rolled out by this platform as they mature and appreciate that they now have quite an educated and somewhat younger audience these days. The Digital Natives are descending on LinkedIn and wondering why it wasn't as trendy and versatile as the others - but now its really getting there!
I'll be honest with you, until I read this blog post, I had never heard of Google Slides! I guess I'm a bit of a dinosaur and have gotten too used to PowerPoint. If however, you're not a extinct reptile then you may enjoy the fact you can create your template slides in Canva and then transfer them to a number of places and edit them there instead.
One thing I have found hard is the lack of "movement" and animation styles in Canva, so in the past I have downloaded pictures and backgrounds before and had to convert them online. After this blog I have now found a way to get Canva to do the lot for me. So if you're presenting as often as I am, enjoy this neat little trick and let's get creative! Read all about it in this blog.
As each of the social platforms evolve so does the options on them. It was recently spotted by Dylan Roussel the 9to5 Google Contributor that there was a capability for multimedia being added to tweets, certainly on a sample of people anyway. This means the tweeter won't need to decide between video OR picture, you can have both.
Regarding the pronouns, well Twitter didn't want to miss the inclusivity boat, even though it took them time to think about it. The ability to add pronouns to your social profile has really helped identify with whom you're conversing with and that's definitely made it easier for both parties involved. Check out the blog to learn more.
Every app has added the "Friends" capability over the last year or two as they try to take away the more commercial way of using these tools and help bring you closer to your friends and family. In these "Circles" you can have up to 150 of your closest contacts and friends. This way you can build a tighter communities and support one another. These circles means only people within the circles get access to the tweets. The tweet itself won't be re-tweetable but people can still screenshot and download your tweet, so just bear that in mind! I'm sure there will be further add-on's over time. Read more in the blog here.
This easy to read blog has come out just at the right time (when I started looking). OK - it's not the most comprehensive Q and A you've ever seen and yes - its basically I'll share this with you and you can come to us to do-it-for-you. Saying that though, I do feel it helps people understand why its important to expedite the matter. So if you're on the edge deciding whether it's time to push the button and do it. I say YES!
I'm now awaiting an appointment with my website developer and going to get them to do it (but I'm going to watch!). Hopefully I'll have more on this in time for my next round up in July. Read the FAQ here.
I'm sure like me, when you go to check your Google Analytics you go first to the check the Real Time - just to see if anyone else is on your website. Well now you can track for up to the last 5 minutes and when you update to the new GA4 you'll get a tracking of a whopping 30 mins!
Will this impact how you view your website and consumer experience? I think it may impact mine actually. I'd love to hear your opinion on this. Send me an email! For now though, just read the blog about this update here.
Even I don't waft over every social media update all the time, its much too hard to do that! Especially when you need to get an update on so many! So these round ups on one platform do come in handy for everyone, including me.
I was delighted to see "Shorts" has become available. Sadly not for me though. I don't have over 50 subscribers! BUT my teenage daughter does. Go figure? So I have had a little play with it there. It's a lot fiddlier that TikTok (kinda looks like it though) and I feel the right side bar is a bit difficult to work with but I suppose this platforms demographic isn't for some partially sighted, middle-aged humdinger... Want to learn more about the list of updates than read this blog.
If you're like my husband, I could pick up your phone and see hundreds of updates and notifications that never get looked at on your phone. I personally don't feel I have OCD but this would horribly trigger me!
By regularly updating your phone, no matter which one it is, you're protecting it as well as getting all the latest tools and tips. So here's a very useful blog from Screenrant on how to update your TikTok.
You may have already noticed there is the option now to have a friends feed on your account. I can see this as a means to reconnect and improve engagement on the platform BUT as a business owner I can see the negative also.
Does this mean its going to get even harder to be seen in the feed using Ads because our audience won't be spending all their time in the discover tab? It's early days yet but we shall see. Read the blog and decide for yourself.
Did you want to get some of the essential tips to understand how to create your OWN Marketing Strategy. No need to feel baffled and left behind when it comes to social media. I have created courses and workbooks that you will find give you the foundation AND framework to build upon. These tools will keep you accountable as well.
From January 2022 I have been running a series of 6 week Workshops. If you would like to learn more about them, then please sign up for my next FREE Webinar which will be in September on Monday the 12th at 1pm UTC or 8am EST. Learn about the 6 Ways to Improve Your Marketing and Save Time and Money too!
Alternatively, If you're looking for a more one on one style of training to create a strategy for your social media and overall digital marketing and would like to know how to do this by yourself for your own business or for the company you work for, then you maybe interested in doing this training that I offer.
I help you create it at a pace you set, filling in the gaps in your knowledge along the way. You'll be given work to do between the sessions that you can manage and that won't be overly disruptive to your everyday workload.
This will give you accountability and you can contact me anytime during the training if you have any questions that crop up between sessions.
With half the year of 2022 now behind us, are you on track for your goals and targets so far? If not, then maybe you should contact me. I have set aside some regular time slots to offer this training and it can run either in 1 month, 6 weeks or even 12 weeks if you prefer! I can give you the dates to fit around both our schedules from day one so you know this in advance. If you would like to learn more about what this covers, then visit this page.
This course has been currently accepted by 5 Local Enterprise Office Areas as suitable for the Trading Online Voucher but you can also get this training directly. Check out all the lovely testimonials I have received regarding this course.
How to be more Springsteen on LinkedIn by Louise Brogan
StartUp or ScaleUp: The 4 Corners of Growth by Melanie Boylan
Five Pricing Strategies for a Freelancer by Carmel Seery
Podcast 122 - Clickbait
Podcast 123 - SEO Part 1
Podcast 124 - Marketing Your Webinar with Sarah Gray
Podcast 125 - How to Conduct a Competitor Analysis
Podcast 126 - Meeting People Face to Face
What a busy month its been. Now we approach the slightly calmer time of year - do try and meet your goals still and really get into the habit of scheduling what you can so you can enjoy some time with your family this Summer. I look forward to bringing you my next round up early July!
If you have any questions on any of this or would like to bring your own questions to me, then contact me today!.