What not to do on LinkedIn and why.

Best practices on LinkedIn are abundant, and so is the no-no list.
Here are some things to consider if you want to be successful on this great business networking platform.

1. Don't ask for recommendations.From people who don't know you, that is. Why would you expect someone without first hand knowledge of your expertise to say something great about you? I've gotten many requests like this and it always surprises me, and I never do it. Even worse: when it's sent out as a mass email...not cool.

2. You don't give back.
Great networking is based on giving, not receiving. Endorse another person's skills and you not only give them a virtual pat on the back, you may also help them show up in search results. Personally, I won't endorse anyone I don't feel comfortable endorsing, it's not genuine.

3. You've forgotten where you are.
LinkedIn is not Facebook. LinkedIn is a social networking site for professionals, so always present yourself in a professional manner. Show off your vacation and party pics someplace else. When you want to leave comments, share material, etc., always assume a potential employer, employee, customer, vendor is going to read it.

4. Don't be a salesperson in your groups.
Groups can be a great networking tool to grow your sphere of influence if you're engaged in the right way. DO NOT join a group if you're just going to promote your products or services, instead share useful information others in the group will find informative. The object is to build your reputation as a industry leader, and to develop useful relationships through communication.

Happy #NationalDonutDay!

I got mine!

Social Media Marketing Trends for 2014. Thanks Social Media Examiner!

Social media marketing trends for 2014 from Social Media Examiner

Listen, really listen.

New & Improved Twitter Profiles are on the way...5 Tips to Optimize yours.

The Twitter redesign has a lot of similarities to Facebook, not a bad thing. I for one, am glad they're rolling out a new look and feel for all us Tweeters. 

Their changes are being rolled out over the next few weeks, so if you haven’t received the new profile yet, be patient. 
TIP: New users will start with the redesigned profile, so if you don't have the patience to wait, create a new account and give it a try. 

Here's the scoop on what's to come:

• Larger profile photos. 400 pixels by 400 pixels, the same aspect ratio as before but with larger dimensions, so smile and say Tweet!
• Customizable header image. This main image spans the width of the browser, you can now upload a 1500 pixel by 500 pixel image. Your current header image might fit, just make sure you have enough resolution so it looks sharp.
• Best tweets. Tweets with the most engagement will appear in a larger text size inside your updates stream.
• Pinned tweet. Just like Facebook, you can pin one of your favorite tweets to the top of your profile page.
• Filtered views. When visiting someone else’s profile, you can choose how to view their tweets: tweets only, tweets plus replies, or tweets with photos or videos.
• Pinterest-style grid view of your followers, who you’re following, and your visual content.

TIP:  If you have a tweet that you want the world to see, do not start the tweet with an @ symbol. Twitter recognizes this as a reply to a larger conversation. Adding a period in front of the @ will solve that problem though. HAPPY TWEETING!

FOLLOW ME @TweetsWithLisa