Friday Five: 13 February 2015
Writing contest:
Merrimack Media‘s 2015 Outstanding Writer contest is a great opportunity for neophytes and other unpublished authors. First-place winner receives a complete book development package; other prizes are also awesome. Rules include:
- Only previously unpublished manuscripts by previously unpublished authors are eligible
- Authors may submit no more than one (1) manuscript for consideration.
- You must be 18 years old to enter.
Deadline for submission is Friday, 20 March 2015. Entry fee: $20.
Share, share, share:
Mark Traphagan of Stone Temple Consulting offers sage advice on the power of multiple social media sharing strategies in this MarketingLand post. Tweet, repeat is his mantra.
Londoners can now host travelers legally:
According to Travelmole, Londoners can now legally join the ‘sharing economy’ by taking part in booming peer-to-peer accommodation services, such as AirB&B. Will this turn of events lead to an overall mitigation of hotel prices? In some cities, including New York, apartment seekers complain that rental housing stock is shrinking due to speculators’ penchant for converting apartments to short-term rentals for AirB&B customers – this might become a problem in London, which is notoriously short of affordable rental housing.
Pump up your Social Presence with Pinterest:
My constant nagging voice in clients’ ears: “Get on Pinterest, use Pinterest, keep working your Pinterest boards”….I know it can get old, but Pinterest is such a powerful marketing tool for entrepreneurs that I’m just going to keep harping on about it.
Now social media expert Rebecca Radice is touting the benefits of integrating Pinterest into your marketing plan. Among many points and tips in her article, she points out that Pinterest is now the fourth biggest driver of traffic on the Internet. Told ya.
Google Mobile-Friendly Test Tool
OK, so everyone needs to be re-evaluating their website(s) to ensure that they are ‘responsive’, i.e. generally able to be viewed successfully on many types of devices: phones, tablets, laptops, TV’s, smart watches…eek. It’s become almost impossible for a small business owner with a modest tech budget to keep their web presence optimized for every kind of browser and gadget.
At FastNet Media, we’re working to upgrade clients’ sites using a simple, clean, responsive format that works across most platforms. We’re steadily testing, formulating new site plans, and installing fresh new WordPress themes and plugins for our clients. We have found Google’s Mobile Friendly Test Tool valuable for highlighting deficiencies in current site designs, helping clients continue to build their customer base and generate sales through digital marketing.
Contact us for a free consultation on designing a digital marketing plan for your small business.